Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain

Introduction





Martial arts fiction, with a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907), is one of the few surviving Chinese literary forms which can claim a direct link with traditional popular literature. These tales of knights-errant gradually emerged as popular fiction in the second half of the nineteenth century. After 1919 the genre expanded in an unprecedented scale as an increasing number of people could read and were dissatisfied at the limited social improvements accompanying political changes.

This literary genre, properly known to contemporary readers as wuxia xiaoshuo which literally means the martial-chivalric novel, is really popular literature verging on serious literature. This genre of literature is devoured by Chinese readers from all walks of life, finding great popularity not only in Hong Kong, but also in overseas Chinese communities around the world as readers can readily identify themselves with heroes who opt out of society and rely solely on their own strength to confront the society whose workings escape them.

Jin Yong's martial arts novels are set in traditional China. Most of the protagonists live outside the mainstream of society. These heroes are rebels who live in their own world, who have dedicated their lives to humanitarian ideals and who have pledged themselves to a chivalric code of justice, honour and righteousness, even to the point of sacrificing their lives for certain causes of their own making.

These stories, which go into detail in giving the reader feats of various schools of swordplay and pugilism, are written in a light literary style interspersed with Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist thinking. Besides the usual fighting and revenge, ingredients essential to martial arts fiction, Jin's stories also feature romance, adventure and intrigue.

There is also no lack of linguistic elegance in the dense, compressed and cryptic prose which Jin Yong employs in describing in a vivid filmlike manner the fierce fighting heightened by the protagonists' superhuman abilities. The pseudo-archaic language, that is to say, writing in the vernacular but including towards the classical, also serves as a convenient vehicle for conveying metaphysical truths and religious cults.

Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain first appeared as newspaper serials in 1959 and was later published as a single volume. This martial arts novel, containing ten chapters, features relatively little fighting compared to Jin Yong's other novels; and yet the excitement, intrigue and action are well dramatized in this beautifully written work, with one event firmly intertwining with other incidents in the story, which is essentially a vendetta involving the offspring of several families.

The story takes place in the Changbai Range in coldest Manchuria, one winter's morning in 1781. By that time the vast Chinese Empire had come under the imperial rule of the Manchus. The Manchus, a nomadic tribe from Manchuria who ushered in the Qing Dynasty in the mid-seventeenth century, held sway over the country from 1644 to 1911. The Manchus brought an end to the Ming Dynasty and the rule of the Chinese Empire by the Han Chinese.

Two historical figures, Li Zicheng and Wu Sangui, played crucial roles in the change from one dynasty to another, from the Hans to the Manchus and from the Ming to the Qing. Li Zicheng, a Han Chinese who got into trouble over land tax at an early age, later became a brigand. He headed a band of desperadoes in 1640 and overran many provinces. In 1644, he proclaimed himself King of the Dashun Dynasty with Yongchang as the title of his reign. Then he marched to the capital, Peking. Meanwhile, Wu Sangui, a Han general, was dispatched by the Ming Emperor to fight in the East against the Manchus. Instead, Wu opened the gate to the invaders. The Ming Emperor was forced to take his own life. If Wu Sangui had not been a traitor to the Hans by shepherding in the Manchu army from beyond the Shanhai Pass, the entire Chinese Kingdom would certainly have come under the sway of Li Zicheng. Wu, having joined forces with the Manchus, met Li Zicheng's army head-on, Li retreated and his army melted away. A Manchu ascended the throne, proclaiming himself Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

In the story, Li Zicheng, the Dashing King, had four myrmidons, all paragons in martial arts, courageous and daring, who would devote their last drop of blood to the defence of their Master. These four henchmen bore the surnames Hu, Miao, Fan and Tian. They were known to the soldiers by these last names.

Li Zicheng dispatched three of his myrmidons, Miao, Fan and Tian to bring in reinforcements when he was surrounded in Hubei Province. When the myrmidons returned, they found the Emperor was dead. They decided to find Hu, the fourth myrmidon, hoping that together they could avenge the death of the Dashing King.

Myrmidons Miao, Fan and Tian managed to find Hu many years later. By then Hu had become a man of rank in Yunnan Province. He was working for Wu Sangui, a traitor to the Hans; it was he who had let in the Manchu army. Myrmidons Miao, Fan and Tian suspected Hu, their sworn Brother, of plotting against the Dashing King. Before Hu could finish his story about the Dashing King he was killed by the three other myrmidons. Hu's son later told them the true story of how the Emperor died. They were so ashamed of themselves that they all look their lives. Since then, the descendants of these four families never ceased wreaking vengenance on each other.

The story goes that Li Zicheng had amassed a treasure from the Ming Palace in Peking and had hidden it inside a cave and that Li's poniard together with a map held the secret to this treasure. The Dashing King passed to Hu the Myrmidon both the poniard and the treasure map. These two articles eventually changed hands several times among the descendants of the four families. The descendants of myrmidons Fan, Tian and Miao continued to believe that the Hu Family was in the wrong, and this was at the root of the vendetta among the four families. The main thread of the story evolves around how different parties of the Martial Brotherhood try to claim possession of the poniard, now an heirloom of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge.

The story is set in Manchuria a hundred and thirty-seven years after the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Peking Overland Convoy mentioned in the story is an establishment set up in northern China to deliver valuables and to convey merchandise of great worth for the rich. Escorts employed by convoys are well-versed in martial arts, particularly in dispatching enemies with darts. Escorts not only protect the travellers but also the merchandise consigned to their charge.

While every effort has been made to follow as closely as possible the original in rendering the text into English, the translator has taken it upon herself to leave out certain sections or to move some paragraphs to ensure a smooth reading of the translated text. The translator has also tried to retain as much as possible the details of the story without sacrificing the flow of the narrative while capturing as much as possible the flavour and spirit of a classic martial arts fiction.


Main Characters





From the Dragon Lodge



Curio Cao 曹雲奇

(Leaping Dragon Sword) Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge



Valour Ruan 阮士中

(Seven Stars Hand) Champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge



Radiant Zhou 周雲陽

(Winding Dragon Sword) A junior member of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge



Sign Tian 田青文

(Glistening Sable) Female member of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, betrothed to Peace Tao of the Horse Spring Banditry



Pastoral Tian 田歸農

Deceased father of Sign Tian and former Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge



Fortune Yin 殷吉

(Might of the Southern Sky) Grand Master of the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge





From the Horse Spring Banditry



Century Tao 陶百歲

(Commander of the Eastern Border) Chieftain of the Horse Spring Banditry, a former henchman of Pastoral Tian



Peace Tao 陶子安

Son of Century Tao, young Chieftain of the Horse Spring Banditry, betrothed to Sign Tian



Chieftain Ma 馬寨主

Brigand Chief of the Horse Spring Banditry





From the Peking Overland Convoy



Prime Xiong 熊元獻

Chief Escort of the Peking Overland Convoy



Hawk Liu 劉元鶴

Imperial Guardsman of the first rank, Brother-at-arms to Prime Xiong, invited by the Peking Overland Convoy to lay an ambush on the Horse Spring bandits



Wisdom the Great Master 靜智大師

A monk invited by the Peking Overland Convoy to lay an ambush on the Horse Spring bandits



Third Zheng 鄭三娘

(Twin Knives) Widow of an escort of the Peking Overland Convoy who died in a robbery staged by the Horse Spring bandits





From the Jadeite Eyrie Others



Wish Du 杜希孟

Lord of the Eyrie; distant cousin of Fox Hu’s mother



Steward Yu 于管家

Steward of the Jadeite Eyrie



Tree the Great Master 寶樹大師

A monk who was formerly a rural doctor called Yama the osteopath, an invited hand of Wish Du



Jiang the Senior Mentor 蔣老拳師

An invited hand of Wish Du



Profundity the Taoist 玄冥子

An invited hand of Wish Du



Spirituality the Buddhist 靈青居士

An invited hand of Wish Du



Fan the Ringleader 范幫主

Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry, an invited hand of Wish Du



Sean Sai 賽總管

Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen, an invited hand of Wish Du



Phoenix Miao 苗人鳳

(Invincible under the Sky) Also known as the Gilt-faced Buddha and Phoenix the Knight-errant, an invited hand of Wish Du





Others



Miao the Myrmidon 苗衛士

Myrmidon to the Dashing King; ancestor of Phoenix Miao and Orchid Miao



Tian the Myrmidon 田衛士

Myrimidon to the Dashing King; ancestor of Pastoral Tian and Sign Tian



Hu the Myrmidon 胡衛士

Myrmidon to the Dashing King; known also as Lynx of the Sky, ancestor of Gully Hu and Fox Hu



Fan the Myrmidon 范衛士

Myrmidon to the Dashing King; ancester of Fan the Ringleader



Orchid Miao 苗若蘭

Daughter of Phoenix



Lute 琴兒

Maid to Orchid



Elder Twin 左僮

Varlet of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain



Younger Twin 右僮

Varlet of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain



Gully Hu 胡一刀

Father of Fox Hu; descendant of Hu the Myrmidon



Madam Gully 胡夫人

Wife of Gully Hu



Quad 平阿四

Fox Hu’s benefactor and friend



Fox Hu 胡斐

Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, son of Gully Hu







Chapter One: Casket



An arrow came whistling from the col to the east; it cut through the sky and sunk deep into the neck of a wild goose in mid-flight. The great bird, with the arrow still in its neck, spun a few times in the air before falling to the snow-covered ground.

A few hundred yards to the west, four horses could be seen galloping through the glistening snow. Hearing the sound of the arrow, the riders reined in their steeds which were fine, sturdily-built beasts. The four riders thrilled at seeing the wild goose shot down. They wished to discover who it was who had fired the arrow.

They waited.

There was no sign of a human soul on the col, only the sound of horses' hooves. The archer had simply vanished. One of the riders, a tall, thin, old man of agile and brave bearing, frowned, then spurred his horse on towards the col. The other three followed closely behind. They sped towards the other side of the mountain. About half a mile further on, five horses were galloping headlong, their hooves churning up the snow and their grey manes waving in the wind. There was no chance of catching up with them. The old man signalled to the others to halt. "Brother Fortune," he said. "Something sinister is in the air. We must be on the alert."

Brother Fortune was an old man too, but more heavily built, and with a moustache which tapered at both ends. He was dressed in the pelt of a marten and had the distinguished bearing of a wealthy merchant. He nodded at the thin man's words and wheeled his horse round to where the wild goose lay. He brandished his whip, and cracked it across the snowy ground. The big bird was lifted from the ground by the tip of the thong. He held the arrow in his left hand and examined it.

He gave a cry.

Hearing it, the other three set spurs to their horses and came to him. Brother Fortune thrust the wild goose, with the arrow still in its body, towards the old man.

"See, Brother Valour!" he shouted.

The thin old man held out his left hand and took the bird. He cried out the moment he saw the arrow, "He is here! We must be quick."

Wheeling his horse round, he set off down the mountain in pursuit.

The mountainside was a blanket of snow stretching into the distance, with not a soul in sight; it was easy to follow a trail. The other two riders were men in their prime. One was tall and broad-shouldered, gallant and dignified, riding a fine horse. The other was of medium build and had a pale complexion; his nose was red with cold. The horses panted as they galloped, their breath clouding around their nostrils.

It was the fifteenth day of the third month, of the forty-fifth year of the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong. In the south, the flowers were already in full bloom. But here, in the foothills of the Changbai Range in Manchuria, the heavy snow was only just beginning to melt. Spring was still far away. When the sun rose behind the mountains in the east and cast its dim rays on the world, there was no warmth in it.

The riders were galloping hard and soon beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads. The tall one took off his cloak and placed it on the pommel. He was clad in a blue, silk robe lined with fur, and from his belt hung a long sword. He looked grave and threatening and there was rage in his eyes; they seemed to dart fire. He urged his horse wildly on.

This was Curio Cao. He had recently become Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge in Liaodong Peninsula. He was also known as Leaping Dragon Sword and was already well advanced in the double skill of pugilism and swordplay, a martial ability unique to the Dragon Lodge. The fellow with the pale complexion was his Junior Brother, Radiant Zhou, known as Winding Dragon Sword. The taller of the two old men was their Senior, Valour Ruan, also known as Seven Stars Hand; he was considered champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. The old man with the bearing of a wealthy merchant was the Grand Master of the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, Fortune Yin, known as Might of the Southern Sky. Their meeting here today was of paramount importance to both the Northern and the Southern Branches. Fortune had travelled hundreds of miles to the northeastern border to be with them.

The Dragon Lodge had been founded in the early Qing dynasty, in the mid-seventeenth century. It had started as one single house but at the turn of the eighteenth century, during the Reign of Emperor Kangxi, two elder protégés of the Founder Grand Master had fallen out with each other. Consequently, the Lodge had divided into the Northern Branch and the Southern Branch on the demise of the Grand Master. The Southern Branch was known for its agility and bravery, the Northern Branch for its intensity and ruthlessness. The origin and structural form of the martial arts practised by the two branches were similar in every respect, but they differed drastically in their application.



* * *



The animals which they rode were thoroughbred horses of the border region and they made good speed. Soon the five horses in front were within sight.

Curio cried out, "Halt, if you are with us!"

The five riders took no notice of his command, but spurred their horses on.

Curio shouted at the top of his voice, "Halt or we will attack."

One of the five wheeled his stallion while the others galloped on. Curio rode ahead. The stranger fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed it at Curio's chest. Curio was a man of courage and skill, and was not a bit shaken. Cracking his whip, he cried, "Is that Peace, our family friend?"

The man had fine features and slanting eyebrows. He was in his early twenties and was very beautifully dressed. At Curio's cry, he laughed out aloud, "Watch out for the arrows." Instantly three arrows sped through the air, one above the other, aimed in quick succession at his head, trunk and lower limbs respectively.

Curio was surprised by the great speed at which the three arrows travelled; his heart trembled. Lashing his whip, he managed to ward off the arrows aimed at his head and trunk. He simultaneously pulled in his reins hard, and his horse reared. The third arrow sped between the beast's four limbs, narrowly missing the belly. The young man laughed aloud, pulled round his horse and galloped off into the distance.

Curio was purple with rage and wanted to spur his horse on in pursuit of the archer. Valour cried out, "Easy, now. He will never get away." Dismounting, he picked up the three arrows from the snowy ground. They were the same as the arrow that had killed the wild goose. Fortune's face darkened and he muttered, "So it is that brat!"

"Let us wait for our Sister," said Curio. "We shall see what she has to say."

The four waited a while but no sound of horses' hooves reached their ears. Curio became impatient. "I'll go and find her," he cried. He put his spurs to his horse and charged back in the direction from which he had come. Valour watched him disappear into the distance and sighed, "It's hard for him."

"I beg your pardon, Brother Valour?" asked Fortune. Valour shook his head and made no reply.

Curio rode a few miles and found an unattended grey horse. A lady in white was kneeling, searching for something in the snow. Curio cried, "Sister, is everything well?"

The lady did not reply but drew herself up to her full height suddenly. In her hand was a thin, golden object that glittered in the sunlight. Curio moved closer, and took it from her. It was a tiny bodkin made of gold, about three inches long, tapering to a sharp point, and of very fine craftsmanship. On the side of the bodkin was engraved a tiny character, "An," meaning "Peace." The bodkin looked like a plaything, and at the same time like a secret weapon. Curio frowned.

"Where did you get it?" he asked.

The lady replied, "You were all gone and I just followed. When I got here, a horse suddenly caught up with me from behind. It was making great speed and overtook me in no time. The rider waved and threw me this little bodkin. I was .... I was ...." She suddenly blushed and could say no more.

Curio gazed at her. She lowered her eye-lashes. She was extremely beautiful, and Curio's heart contracted within him. Then he grew suspicious and asked, "Don't you know whom we are after?"

"Whom?" returned the lady.

To this he replied coldly, "Are you sure you really don't know?"

She raised her head and answered, "How could I know?"

"It is your true love," said he.

"Peace Tao?" burst forth the lady. No sooner was this out of her mouth than her face crimsoned completely.

Curio's brows darkened. "I only said that it was your true love and now you have given yourself away."

Hearing his words, the lady flushed even more. Tears glistened in her clear, dark eyes.She stamped her foot in protest. "He ...."

"What about him?" asked Curio.

To this the lady replied, "He is my husband-to-be. Of course he is my true love."

Curio was wild with rage and whipped out his long sword. But the lady advanced one step and cried, "Kill me if you have the stomach for it." Curio gnashed his teeth, gazed at her slightly uptilted face and was at once full of tender affection for the girl.

"Let the matter end now," he answered. He reversed his sword and aimed it furiously at his own chest.

The lady responded with alacrity, whipped out her sword with her hand reversed and in no time swung her arm around ready to charge. Then they came together lashing and smiting with their swords until sparks flew.

Curio said bitterly, "As you no longer care for me, what is the point in letting me live and be miserable?"

The lady returned the sword to its scabbard slowly and lowered her voice, "As you already know, it is my father who betrothed me to him. Could I have decided things?"

Curio's eyes shone. "I shall wander about the world with you," he said. "We will live together on uninhabited islands or way out in the high mountains, away from this world, till the end of our lives. Why do you turn away from me?"

"Brother," sighed the lady, "You love me to distraction, that I know; I am not a fool. How could I fail to appreciate your kindness? You are Grand Master of the Northern Branch of our Dragon Lodge; it would be a shattering blow to the name of the Dragon Lodge if anything were to happen between us. How are you going to preserve your honour among the outlawry?"

"For you, I would dash myself to pieces, protested Curio. I care not if the sky falls down upon me, Grand Master or not."

A slight smile crossed the lady's face as they joined hands. "Brother, what I dislike is this quick and violent temper of yours."

Hearing her words, Curio could go on no further but checked himself and sighed, "Why did you handle his plaything like a pet?" asked Curio.

"Did he give it to me?" returned the lady. "When has he been near me?"

"This is an expensive toy," said Curio. "Would people use it as a secret weapon? His name is clearly engraved on the bodkin. Who else could have given it to you, if not he?"

The lady became angry and said, "If you choose to become suspicious, you had better stop talking to me now!" She sprang astride the grey horse. She then laid her hands on the bridle and instantly the beast was away at full gallop.

Curio immediately mounted his horse, kicked it fiercely with his heels, and galloped away in pursuit. He overtook the lady in no time. Moving forward, he held the bridle of the grey horse with his right hand and addressed her. "Sister, now listen."

The lady lashed her whip across his hand and shouted, "Let me go. Don't be ridiculous." Curio would not listen. The next minute, her whip came slashing at the back of his hand, leaving a red weal.

The lady regretted her blow. "Pray tell me, why do you come after me like this?" asked the lady.

"I am at fault in this," pleaded Curio. "Strike me again."

The lady smiled a light, contented smile and answered, "My hand hurts. I cannot go on any more."

Curio laughed out aloud, "I will make it feel better." He reached out for her arm.

The lady lashed at his skull. Curio dodged and warded off the blow just in time. He said cheekily, "How is it that your hand did not hurt just then?" The lady frowned and retorted, "Will you not leave me in peace?"

"All right, all right," Curio chuckled. "Just tell me how you came by this golden bodkin."

"My true love gave it to me," said the lady teasingly. "If he did not give it to me, who else could have? Could it have been you?"

Curio was seized with jealousy and felt hot blood rushing to his head. He was bursting with rage but held himself back at the sight of her blooming face, her quivering red lips and teeth that shone like pearls.

The lady looked him in the eyes and heaved a sigh. "Brother," spoke the lady in a soft voice, "I have been well looked after by you since I was very young. You even treat me better than my own brother. I am not wholly ungrateful and I do appreciate what you have done. I will surely repay your kindness. After all, we.... Don't be hard on me over this matter. You have always cared for me and seen that no harm came my way. My father died in great misfortune, and the Dragon Lodge is now entangled in a matter of life or death. Yet you fail to see my problems and make no allowances for me." Curio was taken aback by her words and remained silent. Then he waved his left hand and said, "You are always in the right, I am always wrong. Go now."

The lady smiled a sweet smile and said, "One moment, please." She drew out a handkerchief and mopped his forehead, now beaded with sweat. "In snowy country like this, if you leave your perspiration, you will catch a cold," she said. Curio found her feminine touch soothing and all his pent up anger presently subsided. He tapped lightly on the rump of the lady's grey horse with his whip and the two trotted off side by side.

The lady went by the name of Sign Tian. Though she was young, she had already made a name in the Martial Brotherhood of the border region. As her beauty was matched by sharp intelligence and quick wit, the elder members of the Liaodong Martial Brotherhood had given her the title of Glistening Sable. The sable can make great speed on snowy ground, and is sharp and intelligent; "Glistening" described her beauty. Her father, Pastoral Tian, had only recently passed away which was why she was clad in white silk, in deep mourning.



* * *



The two made good speed and in no time caught up with Fortune, Valour, and Radiant.

Valour cast Curio a glance and said, "You have been gone so long! Have you found anything of interest?" Curio flushed and muttered, "Nothing special." Kicking his horse fiercely, he galloped off into the distance.

A few miles on, the mountainsides were precipitous and blanketed with thick snow. The horses lost their balance and stumbled occasionally. The four riders dared not press their animals on, but slackened their reins. They passed two cols; the mountain paths were dangerously steep. The neighing of horses came suddenly from the left: Curio leapt out of his saddle and landed behind a large pine; he stole behind the trunk and gazed intently into the distance. Five horses were tethered near the trees on the edge of the slope. A neat line of footprints ran up the snowy ground, going straight uphill.

Curio cried out aloud, "Fortune and Valour, the thieves have made their way uphill. We must hurry after them!"

Fortune was cautious. "Our enemies have led us all the way out here; they may well have laid a trap for us," Fortune warned the others.

"Come Heaven or Hell, we shall have to make an attempt, snapped Curio. Fortune expressed disapproval of Curio's recklessness and turned to Valour, What think you of this?"

Sign spoke before Valour could utter a word. "Uncle Fortune, the Might of the Southern Sky is here with us; we should not be put off so easily. We can surely withstand perilous attacks of any nature."

Fortune beamed. "Look at the way they conduct themselves. They have been going at such high speed that they don't seem to have laid a trap for us. Let me see," he continued, pointing his finger to the right. "We shall make a detour up the mountain and take them by surprise on our way back."

They dismounted from their horses, tethered the animals under the pines, tucked up the lower front of their robes and strapped them in with their girdles. Then they began to levitate up the mountainside, bounding along the right hand track on the slope. This part of the mountain was thickly wooded and strewn with jagged boulders of grotesque shapes; clambering up the slope was quite a task. The terrain, however, afforded them good cover, and protected them well from their enemies. The five started out in single file, one following close behind the other, but after some time, the disparity between them gradually became evident: Fortune and Valour were ahead, walking side by side; Curio, lagged behind them by several yards, while Sign and Radiant were yet another ten or so yards further back.

Curio thought to himself, "Uncle Fortune is Grand Master of the Southern Branch, known as the Might of the Southern Sky. I am interested in finding out which of us fares better in martial ability, he of the Southern Branch or myself of the Northern Branch." Activating all his inner energy, Curio quickened his pace and was ahead of both Fortune and Valour in no time.

"Brother Curio," said Fortune in a tone of admiration, "I could not do better. It is a true saying that heroes spring forth from the unruly young." Curio, afraid to be overtaken, dared not turn around, but answered, "Thank you." Having spoken, he continued to quicken his pace. In a while, he heard steps close behind and turning round, he was startled to find Fortune and Valour right behind him. He doubled his effort, and quickened his pace yet again and made a sustained headlong dash.

Fortune found this amusing and followed him at his usual pace. High up on the mountain, the snow was thicker and the mountain paths rough and rugged. Walking was strenuous and after a while Curio slackened his pace. He felt heat at the back of his head as if someone was panting. Just as he was about to turn around, he was tapped on the right shoulder. "Hurry up, young man," said Fortune smilingly. Curio was stunned and he activated his inner energy and made another wild burst. Presently, he found himself about thirty yards ahead of Fortune and Valour. By now his heart was thumping hard and he was panting heavily; beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. Mopping his forehead with his sleeves now reminded him of Sign a while ago. He was filled with contentment and could not help beaming to himself. Soon, a muffled sound on the snow alerted him that Fortune and Valour were catching up with him.

Curio's inconsistent pace convinced Fortune that he was not his match in levitational arts. However Valour, the Seven Stars Hand, was able to keep pace with him; he was silent all the way. When he ran fast, so did Valour; and when he slowed down, Valour followed suit. Valour seemed to be managing capably and could still go quite a way; he had not yet tried his utmost. Fortune thought to himself, "You two are testing the strength of an old fellow like me." Then he took a deep breath and made the best use of his levitational arts, acquired through ten years of vigorous training and laborious practice. He glided up the snowy, white slope with his feet barely touching the ground.

Levitational arts had always been a specialty of the Southern Branch, and although Fortune was heavy, when he came to practising the principal martial skill of his Branch, he was as nimble as a monkey. Soon, he found himself over a thousand yards ahead of Curio. But Valour still kept up with him, walking by his side. Fortune tried several times to quicken his pace to shake himself free of Valour, but succeeded only in throwing him off by ten yards or so.

The pinnacle was only some ten miles away. "Brother Valour, how about testing the strength of our legs?" suggested Fortune in good humour. "Let us find out who will be the first to reach the summit."

To this Valour replied, "I doubt that I can beat you."

"Come on, accept a fair challenge," wheedled Fortune.

No sooner had the words been uttered than Fortune made full speed uphill, like an arrow whistling from the bow. In a second, the pinnacle was barely ten yards away. Fortune turned around and found Valour falling behind by some five yards only. Then he activated all his inner energy, and was just about to dash up the mountain when suddenly up bounded Valour, landing right by his side.

"Watch out! Somebody is there," whispered Valour, pointing to the copse on the left of the slope.

"He certainly beats me," shuddered Fortune. "He is much better at levitational arts than I am."

Now Valour bent double, lowered his head and advanced quietly towards the copse while Fortune followed behind.



* * *



They reached the copse, hid behind a huge boulder which jutted out and looked below them. In the valley, swords glistened in the sunlight. Five men were gathered at the end of the valley; three were armed and had posted themselves on three thoroughfares to guard against trespassers. One of the remaining two was digging feverishly under a big tree with a steel hoe, while the other used an iron spade. The two apparently knew their fierce enemies were hot on their trail; they were pressed for time and were digging and shovelling with all their might.

"Just as we expected: Tao Senior and Junior of Horse Spring." Fortune lowered his voice. "I wonder who the other three are?"

"They are all three Chieftains of Horse Spring. They fight fiercely and vigorously," whispered Valour.

"Our five against their five. Just about right," added Fortune.

"The three of us, Curio, you and I, will have no problem handling them," said Valour. "But I am worried about Sign and Radiant. Perhaps we should attack one or two of them from behind? The rest can then be easily taken care of."

Fortune frowned at this suggestion, "If word reaches people moving in our circle that we of the Dragon Lodge make surprise attacks on our adversaries, would we not be mocked by the heroes of the world?"

"To avenge our Brother Pastoral," answered Valour coldly, "we have to wipe out every single enemy and no one shall escape alive. If we keep this to ourselves, nobody will find out."

Fortune asked, "Do Tao Senior and Junior really fight that fiercely?"

Valour nodded. After a while, he said, "If I were to have a proper match of prowess with my opponent, I would not stand a chance." Fortune knew well that Valour was considered the champion of the Northern Branch after the demise of their Grand Master, Pastoral Tian. When Pastoral lived, even he had shown deference to Valour. In the test of strength on the way uphill a while before, Valour had apparently slowed down on purpose or they would never have come out as equals. Had Valour taxed himself to his utmost, Fortune surely would have been beaten. Considering this, Fortune nodded his consent, "You are the Master. You take overall charge of the matter."

Valour reflected, "So, you want to be known as the hero and me as the devil." No more words were exchanged. By now, Curio had joined them, and in a little while they were joined by Radiant and Sign. Valour lowered his voice. "Fortune, Curio and I will dispatch poisoned darts to finish off the three on lookout. We shall then form a circle round Tao Senior and Junior. Sign and Radiant are to support us once we get started. After getting their instructions, the four bent double and stole their way in silence, along the track behind the boulder.

Sign followed behind Valour and whispered to him, "Uncle Valour."

He halted and asked, "What now?"

"We are to capture Tao Senior and Junior alive," answered Sign.

Valour rolled his eyes. "You still want to side with that knave Peace?" he hissed.

"I still believe that it is not he," replied Sign.

Valour turned livid with rage. He pulled out the arrow tucked in his girdle, passed it to her and said, "Look at this and then say that. It is the same arrow that the knave shot the goose with a while ago."

Sign took the arrow; one glance at it was enough to set her hands shaking. Curio was paying more attention to her than to their enemies. Seeing her now in such a troubled state, mixed emotions of vexation and elation assailed him. His spirits rose at the thought that Peace's life would be in danger; yet he was vexed by her being so totally inclined towards the rogue. Curio had a hot temper and just the thought of it drove him crazy. Just as he was about to vent his rage on her, Valour tapped him on the shoulder and directed his attention to the back of the sentinel in the east.

Sign and Radiant had bent down and stopped moving. Valour, Fortune, and Curio were stealing close, each aiming at an enemy and gripping three poisoned darts in their hands. The use of poisoned darts had, for generations, been one of the esoteric killer skills on which the Dragon Lodge prided itself. They flew true and fast and the poison was extremely potent. It could kill its victim within three watches. The outlawry called it the Lethal Dart.

"Uncle Valour wants me to attack the fellow in the east," Curio pondered. "I shall first take the life of that knave Peace with the poisoned darts. That way I shall not only revenge a serious wrong for my Branch, but will also rid myself of a rival. If he is captured alive, many things may happen during his captivity. I do not know what strange ideas she may eventually come up with." Having set his mind on this, Curio moved closer until he was no more than fifty paces from his enemy. Presently he bent down and fixed his gaze on the back of Peace who was now creeping stealthily with a wave-like motion. Curio would speed forth his three poisoned darts the minute Valour signalled with his hand.

Suddenly there came the clatter of metal upon metal. Peace knocked his steel hoe into an iron object buried underground. Valour was just about to signal by lowering his left hand but stopped himself on hearing whizzing sounds in quick succession. Seven or eight secret weapons sprang from the snowy ground to the side, aimed straight at Peace and his other comrades.

These secret weapons, flying forth so unexpectedly from under the ground, caught everybody by surprise. The whole incident was most mysterious and left everybody in a state of perplexity. The secret weapons had been dispatched from close range, and they came at an incredible speed. Both Tao Senior and Junior were well advanced in martial arts and reacted quickly to the attack. However, they still had to resort to whirling their hoe and spade to ward off the weapons. One of the three sentinels turned on his back and rolled down a gulley. He narrowly missed the two sprung barbs, one glancing off his skull and the other grazing his neck. The other two sentinels dropped dead before they could utter a word. They had both been attacked from behind; one had a steel dart through his heart and the other a dirk through his chest. They lay flat and motionless in the snow.

The unexpected attack on the sentinels caught everybody by surprise. Valour and his company were no less surprised than the others.

"You dastardly coward! How dare you lie in ambush?" snarled Century Tao, Peace's father, known as Commander of the Eastern Border. His words came like a thunderbolt out of the blue; mighty and awe-inspiring. Presently, flashing blades were visible against the snowy ground to the side, and out leapt four enemies from below the ground.

The four had dug a pit in the snow in anticipation of Century's and Peace's arrival, and had been lying there in waiting for several days. The mouth of the pit was covered with branches and twigs, which in turn were hidden under a blanket of snow, with only a few perforations for ventilation. It was a foolproof scheme.

Tao Senior and Junior dropped their hoe and spade and snatched up the weapons from their sides. Century was wielding a twenty-pound notched steel rod, while Peace flashed his single blade. The one who had rolled down the gulley was Chieftain Ma of Horse Spring. He made a few more turns down the gulley before springing up fearing that the enemies might be after him next. He had in his hands a pair of chained maces.

One of the enemies was thin and of swarthy complexion. He could be distinguished as Prime Xiong, Chief Escort of the Peking Overland Convoy. He was proficient in the Ground Blade, the art of fencing with a broadsword. Bandits from Horse Spring had once robbed his establishment of merchandise of great worth. He had tried every possible means to recover the lost merchandise, but had never once succeeded. The incident sowed the seeds of animosity between the two parties. Another assailant was a female, in her early thirties. She was known to Chieftain Ma as Third Zheng, alias Brandisher of the Twin Knives. Her husband had been an escort with the Peking Overland Convoy, but had died in a robbery staged by the Chieftains of the Horse Spring Banditry. Of the remaining two, one was a monk, of heavy build, wielding a Buddhist monk's knife. The last was a man whose face was covered with dark hair, plying a pair of iron staves. They were in league with the Peking Overland Convoy, also adepts in martial ability. They had been invited by the Overland to lay an ambush here to wreak vengeance upon their adversaries.

"So," cried out Century, "It is you, the worthless rogue who once got beaten by an old fellow like me. Prime is the only coward in the Martial Brotherhood capable of undertaking a low trick like this." Though the words were directed at Prime, when they touched the ears of Fortune, they caused him to flush. Fortune stole a glance at Valour, who, at that particular moment, was found gazing intently at their enemies in the valley. He was not in the least disturbed by the words.

"Chieftain Tao," said Prime in a soft voice, "Please allow me to introduce to you Wisdom the Great Master, of the Confluence Monastery of Shandong Province."

"This is Hawk Liu," continued Prime, "Guardsman of the first rank at the Imperial Court in the capital. He is my Brother, we acknowledge the same Master. Please befriend each other and get well acquainted."

Century Tao was a man of strong build and imposing bearing; his voice rang like thunder. Prime was his diametrical opposite. One was tough and harsh; the other gentle and courteous; the two seemed born to fight each other.

"Let us set to, you vermin," growled Century. "We can surely get acquainted through swordplay."

Immediately he displayed the extraordinary strength in his back by turning the steel rod in the air causing it to hum loudly.

Prime stayed calm and said humbly, "I must admit that I was beaten by Chieftain Century. I dare not raise a finger against you. I beg only to offer you this gift."

"What?" Century thundered.

Prime pointed his finger at the pit hollowed by them and answered, "The object is in there."

Century stroked the grey thick beard on his cheeks. Without uttering so much as a word, he lashed the rod in Prime's face. He dodged and missed it narrowly.

"Please halt!" cried Prime.

"What have you got now?" demanded Century.

"I have, for the past three full days, been here to await the arrival of Chieftain Century," answered Prime. "Were it not for the reverence I bear for you and your son, I would already have taken possession of this article. The object lying here has never belonged to Horse Spring; it has always been in the safe keeping of the Dragon Lodge. I see nothing wrong in its changing hands now."

To this Peace replied, "Nicely put indeed. These snowy mountains are frozen over for miles and miles. Would you not have already made away with it if only you had known where it was hidden?"

Third had set her mind on avenging the death of her husband. "Stop all this nonsense and let us set to," she shouted. No sooner had her voice faded than she flung three dirks, all aimed in quick succession at Chieftain Ma. Swinging his two chained maces, he was able to knock two of the weapons off course; but the third one, charged with more power, flew speedily at his chest. The iron chain linking the two maces came down barring the front of his chest, and warding off the third dirk in the nick of time. Chieftain Ma pulled the left mace with a sudden neat jerk and flung the right mace in the face of Third. Being agile and nimble-footed, she ducked the blow. Practising the Whirlwind while flourishing the twin knives in both hands, she charged straight at him. He swung the left mace out to shield himself against the blows.

While these two were thus engaged, Wisdom whirled his Buddhist monk's knife and rushed at Century. The Commander of the Eastern Border met him head on. Rod and blade clashed; the sparks flew. The monk felt a sudden ache in the arms, and saw that a chip had already been struck out of his blade. Nearby, Peace rushed at Prime, flourishing his sword. The six were now engaged in feverish battle, each fighting one other and grappling with his opponent on the snowy ground. Hawk looked on, clutching both staves in his hands, ready to help his party. When he saw that the monk was no match for Century, he cried out, "Move back and let me meet the Commander of the Eastern Border!" But the monk still fought on. Hawk strode forward and thrust his upper right arm onto the monk's shoulder. The monk rocked unsteadily on his feet, and staggered three paces before regaining his balance. Suddenly a keen blade came humming down wind, aimed right at his crown: the monk speedily ducked away from the blow but it set him shivering and sweating. It was Peace who had dealt him the stroke. Now, spurred on by rage, the monk flashed his knife and joined Prime in battling against Peace.

Hawk was better trained in martial arts than his Brothers; he was able to stave off all the lashing and smiting of Century's rod, stroke for stroke. As he planted his staves upright, there was a clash of iron rod upon iron staff, but Hawk stayed calm. He plunged his right staff forward, in order to hold back the rod of his opponent. He then smote Century's head with his left staff. After several tricks, Century was convinced that he had at long last met his match. Thereupon, he braced himself for battle and wielded his rod relentlessly in every direction, practising the rod techniques known as the Six Harmonies.

The battle did not rage long before Century began to show signs of defeat. He was beginning to grow weary defending himself against Hawk's attacks. Peace was fighting against two opponents and was gradually being cornered. His only hope lay in Chieftain Ma's speedily disposing of Third and taking over Prime. He would then slay the monk when the time presented itself. Third also could see how the battle would fare. So long as she could withstand her assailant, both Century and Peace would end up dead. Realizing this, she stood only on the defense, shielding herself with her twin knives. Chieftain Ma was now whirling his two maces, raining mighty blows on her, but none of them could touch her. At the end of less than a hundred tricks she began to show signs of weariness and kept staggering backward. Third, being a woman, could not withstand the battle any longer. Chieftain Ma seized this good opportunity to advance, and charged at her. She swung her left knife all of a sudden, rendering a sizeable part of herself vulnerable to attack. Encouraged by this, he moved forward one step and showered blows on her. Suddenly, the ground beneath his right foot gave way and he found himself right on top of the hollow which Prime and the others had been using as a hiding place not long before. Over half of the pit was still covered by snow, so he had not noticed it while the battle raged. Third had laid a trap for him. Unable to plant his foot on solid ground, he flung himself forward flat on the ground. It was not his day, admitted Chieftain Ma to himself. Just as he sprang up again, Third struck him a cruel stroke that bit deep and dislocated his left shoulder.

Chieftain Ma yelled in agony, then lay insensible on the ground. Third smote him again with her right knife and hurled him into the pit. Hearing his cries, Peace sensed that something had gone wrong, but he was so engaged in his battle with Prime and Wisdom that he could not free himself to assist the others. Third panted heavily several times, trying to regain her breath. She tidied her hair, then drew out a white handkerchief and wrapped it round her head. Flourishing her twin knives, she advanced and joined forces with her comrade against Century.

Had Century been twenty years younger, Hawk would never have been his match. He had always excelled in strength; but now that he was advanced in age, he had lost much of his former vigour and vitality. Fighting man to man against Hawk had already proved that he was not Hawk's match. He could not hope to prevail when Third also attacked him.

The fight raged fast and furious. Prime whirled both his staves, raining blows by practising the Dragon Prancing and Phoenix Gambolling. Century guarded against the blows by lashing his rod. Third also moved up, her twin knives describing circles. She charged at him with two blades. Unable to parry blows from four weapons with his single rod, Century let out a loud cry and lashed his left leg out at Third, causing her to make a turn in the air. Her flashing blade slashed across him, cutting a deep gash in the upper left part of his trunk. Blood ran down from the wound, dyeing the snowy ground a dark, rusty red. Yet the old fellow was exceptionally brave and ferocious, and he raged on fearlessly, smiting blows relentlessly with his rod.

The situation was becoming dangerous; Peace felt certain of defeat. He dealt his opponent three cruel strokes. While Wisdom was moving back two paces, Peace also leapt backward and cried out, "Halt! Father and I admit defeat. Now, make your choice: do you want the treasure or do you want our lives?"

Brandishing her knives, Third charged at Century. "Both the treasure and your lives!"

Prime was scheming. The merchandise lost the year before was of considerable worth. He would rather exact a ransom from Horse Spring than kill both father and son. Musing thus, Prime cried out, "Let us cease. I have something to say."

Hawk had always conducted himself with caution and Third had always been obedient to the Chief Escort. Hearing Prime, they leapt to the side. Wisdom was a boorish monk and would not dream of halting in the midst of a furious battle. Whirling his knife like a windwill, he charged at Peace. Prime immediately cried out, "Wisdom the Great Master, Wisdom the Great Master! But the words fell on deaf ears."

Peace threw his sword to the ground, straightened himself and declared, "I challenge you to take my life."

Wisdom was just raising his blade to smite Peace, but was taken aback by his unusual behaviour. He halted, his knife in mid air. "Bald knave!' roared Peace and planted his fist in the monk's face, smashing the bridge of his nose. Caught off guard, the monk swayed and tumbled on his rump. He felt his nose and found his hand soaked in blood; he was furious beyond control and howled. Struggling to his feet again, he rushed at Peace but was pulled back by Prime.

"Halt!" commanded Prime.

Instantly Peace jumped into the pit and dug a few times with the steel hoe before flinging it away. Up he jumped, holding a rectangular iron box about two feet in length. Hawk and the others smiled and moved closer towards Peace.

"Brother Fortune," whispered Valour, "you and Curio dispatch the darts at our enemies. I will go and grab that box."

"Which of the two parties should we attack?" asked Fortune in a whisper.

Valour stuck out the thumb and the little finger of his left hand and held back the three fingers in the middle; this was the sign for the numeral six, meaning they should take all six.

"Cruel," Fortune mused, but he nodded his consent and gripped the poisoned darts in his hands. When he looked at Curio out of the corners of his eyes, he found him gazing fixedly at Peace. It occurred to him that Curio had never once taken his eyes off that man.

Peace, carrying the box in his hands, cried out aloud, "Father and I have been snared. We will certainly present you with the house treasure of our Martial Brotherhood with due respect. I am still puzzled by one thing and hope somebody will throw light on this matter."

Prime narrowed his eyes and said, "May I be of service to the young Master?"

At this Peace continued, "How did you know that the box was buried here? How did you also know that we would be here at this time to get the box?"

"As the young Master would like to have his question answered," replied Prime, "I see no harm in obliging. A banquet was hosted on the day that Grand Master Pastoral of the Dragon Lodge retired. All kin and comrades were invited to the sword-sealing ceremony. The young Master as his son-in-law-to-be was sure to show up." Peace nodded.

Pointing to Hawk, Prime continued, "This Brother of mine also happened to be one of the honoured guests that day. The young Master had other things on his mind and did not pay much heed to Brother Hawk."

"So," sneered Peace, "my father-in-law invited a traitor to his banquet, whom he had taken to be a friend."

Prime remained calm and went on slowly, "I am afraid that you are somewhat too nasty with your words. Hawk had heard much talk about your good self and could not help wanting to see the young Master. He could also have been attracted by the famed outlawry of Horse Spring. Hawk recorded every single move of the young Master on that particular day."

"Well done," applauded Peace. "This box should therefore be duly presented to His Eminence Hawk." Thereupon, he proffered the box with both hands.

Hawk took the gift. Suddenly, Peace lifted the upper rim of the box, and out whistled three barbs, aimed straight at Hawk's chest. Hawk was less than three feet away and could not move away from the impending danger. But Hawk pulled Wisdom before him in the nick of time and shielded himself from attacks. A cry of agony pierced the air as two barbs transfixed the throat of the monk, killing him instantly. The third barb shot sideways and bit deep into the left shoulder of Prime, sorely wounding him.

This sudden turn of events was still more dramatic than the ambush staged earlier by Prime and his party. Sign could not hold back a gasp. Hearing this behind him, Hawk sprang onto a boulder, sparing both Century and Peace. He made sure that his back was well guarded before turning round to examine the situation further.

"Go!" cried Valour, leaping forward.

Curio lashed out his arm and three poisoned darts whizzed towards Peace in no time. Anticipating this move of his, Sign speedily straightened herself and knocked into Curio's left shoulder just as the darts were dispatched. Curio faltered and snarled, "What the devil!" All the darts missed their mark and fell point downward in the snow.

Fortune had also intended the poisoned darts for Hawk but Sign's cry had alerted him of the danger. He was nimble-witted and there was no way in which Fortune could get him. "Property to the rightful owner!" shouted Valour, as he plunged the five hook-like fingers of his left hand into Peace's eyes, while the five fingers of his right hand took a tight grip on the iron box.

Hawk planted his staves upright and began to battle with Fortune who fenced with a long sword. They had already met at the banquet hosted by Pastoral Tian and had discovered they were each adept in the martial arts. After practising a few tricks, each commanded the other's respect.

Radiant now rushed at Prime, raising his sword. Sign had engaged Third in another battle, thus there was the clashing and clanging of Sign's single blade upon Third's twin knives. Curio whirled his flashing long sword. But instead of attacking Century who remained unengaged nearby, he aimed a terrible stroke at Peace's chest. He was lashing fast and furious, following his sword very closely and practising the Rainbow Piercing the Fireball.

Being unarmed, Peace had to let go of the metal box. He leapt backward and dodged. He crouched to reach for the single sword, then spun around and whipped out his weapon. Valour was holding the box tightly in his left hand; his face darkened as he bellowed with rage, "Sirrah! You murdered your father-in-law simply because you had set eyes on the heirloom of our Dragon Lodge."

"That is a lie!" boomed Peace. "Who says I killed my father- in-law?" He charged on fiercely, slashing ferociously as he wanted to get the box back quickly.

Once the iron box fell into the hands of Valour, the Seven Stars Hand, there was little chance that anybody could grab it from him; Peace did not stand a chance. Valour's brawny palms were enough to scare anybody off, even if Curio were not there fencing with his sword ready to aid him.

"Listen, Valour," cried Century. "The box was handed personally to my son by Pastoral Tian, his father-in-law. It is a fact that you have to accept." He roared and thundered as he whirled his rod and lashed mighty blows on Valour's skull. Valour bounded a few yards at a leap and landed beside Sign. He raised the box and flourished it at Third. She ducked away from it fearing that barbs might again fly from it. But this time Valour was just trying to frighten her. He passed the box to Sign the moment she had thrown off her opponents.

"Guard the box! Let me take care of the enemies," ordered Valour.

Now that the box had left his hands, Valour spun around and engaged Century. Valour was considered champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. Century struck mighty and furious strokes with his rod, but was forced to retreat by his weaponless opponent. Prime, who had already been caught in the shoulder by an arrow, was cornered by Radiant fencing with his long sword; Prime could not free himself to extract the arrow. The weapon stayed in the wound and inflicted excruciating pain over half of his body the minute he exerted himself. As for Hawk and Fortune, the battle raged on between them with neither gaining any advantage.

Carrying the box in her hands, Sign practised levitational arts and made all speed in a northeasterly direction. Peace raised his blade to rain blows on Curio, but the latter shielded himself with an uplifted sword. Suddenly Peace lowered his blade, spun around and rushed after Sign.

Curio was furious and speedily joined in the pursuit. A few paces on, Third sprang from the brambles on the side, flourishing her twin knives and Curio was waylaid by her. He became careless and only managed to escape a series of deadly moves by a hair's breadth. Though Third was no adept in martial arts, she was thoroughly trained in one whole series of moves for fencing with knives—the Iron Bolt. Practising any of the thirty-six moves in this series, she was able to shield herself against any advancing opponent. Even if her assailant were proficient in martial arts, he still would have difficulty striking her. In his attack, Curio resorted to switching quickly to three different styles of attack with the sword, but failed in all attempts.

Sign had covered one third of a mile in her flight. She was pleased to find Peace pursuing her so closely and after skirting a mountainside, she stood still and addressed Peace, neither angrily nor smilingly. "Why do you chase me?"

"Sister, let us join league against those filthy outlaws." pleaded Peace. "What comes between us can be easily settled."

"Who is your sister?" demanded Sign. "Why did you plot against my father?"

Suddenly Peace fell to his knees on the snowy ground, and pointing towards the open sky, he vowed, "I swear to the God high above: if I, Peace Tao, ever plotted against Pastoral Tian, old Grand Master of the Dragon Lodge, may I be transfixed by millions of arrows and my corpse be cut into slivers."

Hearing him, Sign let out a smile, held him by the arm and said softly, "I long to believe it was not you. I knew it could not have been you. But they ... they ..."

Peace sprang up, held her left hand tight, and said,

"Sister ...." He got no further than this when the colour suddenly drained from her face, alerting him that someone was behind him. Quickly, he turned around.

"You two!" bellowed a voice. "What deceitful tricks are you up to?"

"What do you mean deceitful tricks? Take care what you say," retorted Sign.

Curio was approaching.

"Brother Curio," cried Peace, "Please do not misunderstand."

Curio rolled his eyes wide and bawled out, "Misunderstand? To the devil with you!" Thereupon, he whirled his blade and struck fiercely in every direction, forcing Peace to parry the blows with his sword.

The two fought several bouts on the snow when Third was heard approaching in full speed.

"Ill-gotten wench!" roared Curio. "All this badgering and pestering!"

He then dealt a backhand blow which she warded off with her left knife while returning a stroke with her right.

"Third," called out Peace, "Let us join league against the boorish fellow, and kill him."

Practising the move known as Moving the Beam and Swapping the Pole, Peace now pretended to raise his left hand, and with his right, he stole the blade to the side and dealt Curio a backhand stroke. Curio was fighting alone against two but showed no sign of fear; he wanted to show off his swordsmanship in front of the woman he loved. He attacked from the side and succeeded in forcing his opponent to go on the defensive.

"Marvellous swordplay!" applauded Peace.

Immediately he ducked and practising Advancing to Pull the Trigger, he struck at Curio's loin. Third calculated that Curio would definitely ward off the blow holding up his sword, thereby rendering his upper trunk vulnerable. Seizing this good opportunity, she lashed her twin knives on his shoulders. But she had miscalculated Peace's move. Flourishing his blade, Peace halted halfway and switched suddenly to practising Retreating to Smite the Horse. He twisted his wrist and dealt her a blow on the thigh.

Adepts far more proficient in martial arts than Third would have found it difficult to ward off such a blow. The wound on her thigh caused her excruciating pain and she staggered and fell back on the ground. Peace strode one pace and raised his blade to strike, aiming at her neck. Suddenly, Curio's long sword came whizzing, parrying the blow from Peace's single blade.

"Shame on you!" shouted Curio.

"All is fair in war. I meant to help you," replied Peace.

Curio was on the point of responding when Hawk, Fortune, Century, Valour, and the others arrived on the scene. They all wanted the iron box, so when they saw Sign making off with the box, they soon lost interest in dragging on a battle which would prove unrewarding. One by one, they all sneaked away in pursuit the moment their opponents slackened the fight.

"Father," cried out Peace, "the Dragon Lodge are friends of ours. Do not take up arms against Uncle Valour."

Before Century could reply, Curio cried out aloud to Peace, "You plotted against my kind Master. How can we be friends?"

Thereupon, he aimed three whizzing strokes at Peace, two of which were warded off, but he could not manage to parry the third. He dodged quickly to the left, and the keen blade glanced off his right cheek, missing his crown by a mere two inches. All the colour drained from his face.

"Watch out!" cried out Sign suddenly.

A secret weapon darted from the side, whistled past him, humming down wind and wounding Peace in the rump.

What happened was that when Third had fallen to the ground wounded, bitterness and remorse gnawed at her heart. "He of Horse Spring committed the mortal crime of murdering my husband and is known for his cunning tricks. How could I trust his words and not take any precautions?" Therefore when Peace stepped back to parry the blow, she seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack. Immediately she sprang up and struck a blow on his crown. But Sign reacted quickly, dispatching darts before Third attempted her move, and catching her on the right shoulder. Consequently, Third dealt a low blow, catching him only in his rump.

Caught by the poisoned dart, Third fell back on the ground.

"You fiend!" bellowed Peace.

Lashing his sword, Peace aimed at her chest and lunged hard. The plunge came hard and fast and it was at close range. But just as the blade was about to nail Third to the ground, a whizzing sound came across the open sky. A secret weapon came flying from afar and hit the blade, knocking it and sending it plunging into the snowy ground next to Third.



* * *



Hawk, Valour, and the others were all gazing at the iron box, wanting either to grab it or to guard it. They were all frightened by the secret weapon cutting through the sky. It had come flying from afar, aimed true and furious, and had knocked the single sword off to the side. Still terrified, they all looked in the direction from which the secret weapon had come. Presently, an old Buddhist monk with a grizzled beard approached, carrying a chaplet in his right hand.

"Be merciful, be merciful," chanted the monk. He approached in quick strides, picked up something from the ground and strung it onto his rosary. The secret weapon, dispatched by him a while ago, was simply a bead.

The rosary looked heavy, was shiny black in colour and cast from iron. The monk had shot from some twenty or thirty yards. A bead as tiny as this was able to divert a steel sword of about twelve to fifteen pounds; this was proof enough that the monk could work great strength with his fingers. Struck with awe, they all looked at the monk dumb-founded.

The monk had bloodshot eyes that sloped outwards, a snub nose, a twisted mouth, grey slanting brows curving downward and a cunning look. No one could have imagined that he was so mighty and strong in martial ability.

The monk helped Third up and pulled the poisoned dart out of her shoulder. Immediately black blood spurted out and Third groaned in agony. The monk drew out a red pellet from his bosom and put it into her mouth. Then he eyed them one by one, muttering to himself, "This pellet kills the pain only temporarily. The poisoned dart is a secret weapon used only by the Dragon Lodge. There is not much I can do to save her." Then he fixed his gaze on Valour and said, "I presume this benefactor is an adept from the Dragon Lodge. Please do a good deed, if not out of respect for the monk, at least out of reverence for the Buddha." He greeted them putting his palms together in the Buddhist salute.

Valour and Third did not know each other and had no grudge against each other. As the monk was very proficient in martial arts, Valour knew well that should he refuse to offer her the antidote, things would not be too pleasant for him. Being an experienced hand among the outlawry, he knew precisely when to press hard and when to give way. When the monk greeted them with the Buddhist salute, Valour immediately returned his greeting.

"I will certainly follow the instructions of the Great Master," he said. Immediately, he reached into the neck of his garment, drew out two small phials, poured ten tiny black pellets from one phial which were taken by Third. Then he handed the other phial to Sign and said, "Apply this to her wound." Sign took the ointment, handed him the iron box and set to applying the ointment to Third's wound.

"Oh merciful benefactor," said the monk. Then he bowed once respectfully and continued, "You people were here battling, may I know the reason why? There is no grudge under the sky that cannot be undone. Permit this monk to be so bold as to play the role of arbitrator."

The Company eyed one other; some stayed quiet, while some muttered. Curio pointed at Peace and said angrily, "This knave plotted against my Master and stole the house treasure of the Dragon Lodge. Do you not think that he should pay for it with his life?" Thereupon, he whirled his long sword, smiting and feinting blows.

"Who is your Master, may I know?" enquired the monk.

"My late Master was the Grand Master of the Northern Branch of our Lodge, of the family name Tian," answered Curio.

"Oh!" exclaimed the monk. "So Pastoral had passed away. What a loss!" The manner and tone in which he talked gave the impression that he knew Pastoral Tian, and the way he addressed the Grand Master as Pastoral made one feel that he considered himself Pastoral's elder.

Sign had just finished applying the ointment to Third, and when she heard him, she prostrated herself before the monk, her eyes brimming with tears. "I implore the Great Master to avenge the death of my late father and find out who the true culprit was," she said in tears.

Before the monk had a chance to reply, Curio cried out, "What do you mean by true culprit? We have here both the weapon and the witness. Is this not proof enough that this knave was the true culprit?"

Peace laughed but did not answer. Century could not hold himself back and shouted out, "Pastoral and I have been friends for some thirty years and we are also closely related by marriage. How could we have plotted against him?"

"Because you wanted to take the treasure," snapped Curio.

Century was spurred to anger; he bounded forward and with his rod dealt him a stroke. Just as Curio was about to fight back, the old monk lashed out his left hand, holding Century's right wrist and causing his rod to rebound suddenly in the wrong direction. The middle of his palm started trembling and the Tiger's Mouth, the web between his thumb and first finger, hurt terribly. He could not even hold the weapon in his hand. He immediately let go of his weapon, and leapt to the side. His steel rod fell on the snowy ground with a thud, half of it buried in the snow.

The others were closing round the monk. When the steel rod shot up suddenly and fell again, they all bounded backward, leaving an empty space around the monk. They all stared at the monk in surprise and pondered, "The Commander of the Eastern Border used to beat all others in the Martial Brotherhood with his might and strength in the limbs. I fail to understand why he flung his weapon as a result of a slight tug like that."

Century's face reddened as he cried, "What a marvellous monk! So you have been invited here by the Dragon Lodge to plot against us."

The monk smiled. "Benefactor, old as you are, you still have such a temper. You are right in that this monk has certainly travelled here to the Changbai Range on invitation, but not that of the Dragon Lodge."

The Dragon Lodge party and Century and Peace were all taken aback by his words. They thought to themselves, "No wonder he helped to save the life of Third. If he is someone from the Peking Overland Convoy, we will not stand a chance of keeping the iron box." Valour stepped back one pace while Fortune and Curio advanced towards the monk, flourishing their swords; they guarded him on both sides.

The monk paid no heed to what was happening but went on, "We have no firewood here and no food either. We cannot survive the cold. The manor of the Master is not far from here. Everybody can be counted as a friend of this monk. Perhaps we should stop there for a rest? The Master will be very happy to see the whole lot of us, heroes and good fighters, march into his place. Damn it! Let us go and enjoy ourselves." Then he laughed heartily and seemed to have forgotten all the recent bloodshed and fierce battle not too long ago.

Though he looked ugly, he was friendly and approachable. It was indeed odd to hear someone called to Buddhism utter the phrase "damn it". However, when the words fell on the ears of the men of bold and uninhibited character, they caused them to drop much of their defense.

"May I know who is the man whom the Great Master referred to as the Master?" enquired Fortune.

To this the monk replied, "The Master would not allow this monk to disclose his name. The monk is hospitable by nature. As he has already extended his invitation to you all, this monk will feel insulted if you do not honour him with your presence."

Hawk considered the monk rather strange. He made an obeisance by cupping one hand in the other over his chest and said, "I cannot join the company. Would the Great Master please accept my apology." Having finished, he turned and made away at full speed.

The monk said heartily, "Here out on the mountain, in the middle of nowhere, I am so very lucky to have met a stickler. God damn his good luck." He took his time to finish his words and after Hawk had run for some distance, the monk suddenly swung himself round and ran after him in pursuit. He bounded, hopped and rushed headlong in the snow, his form extremely ugly, as it was heavy and awkward.

Though he looked like a fat goose or a toad, he overtook Hawk in no time. "Now pardon this monk for being impolite to the stickler."

Before Hawk could find words, the monk, describing a circle with his left hand, twisted it round suddenly and grabbed Hawk's right wrist.

Half of Hawk's side was numbed and aching. The next thing, which happened before Hawk could collect himself, was that the monk pinched his wrist, at the Pulse Gate, the point where blood vessels were located and the pulses felt. At this critical moment Hawk flung his left hand at the monk. The latter, who had already gripped Hawk's right wrist with the thumb and index finger of his left hand, now in the face of Hawk's impending left hand attack, immediately raised his own left hand, lifting Hawk's right arm at the same time. The monk then extended the middle, ring and little fingers of his left hand and hooked Hawk's left wrist with these three strong fingers of his. In this way, the monk was able to grab both of Hawk's hands with only his left hand, while carrying the rosary in his right. Thus, he sped to rejoin the group, leaping and bouncing all the way.

When the others found the state Hawk was in, both hands locked as if by a pair of manacles and being dragged along by the old monk, they were alarmed and pleased at the same time. They were surprised to find the old monk such a rare adept in martial arts; but they were glad to learn also that the monk was not in league with those from the Peking Overland Convoy. The monk pulled Hawk in front of the others and said, "Master Hawk has agreed to honour me with his presence. Would the others please follow this way?"

Hawk had set an example for the others. Though they did not feel like accepting the invitation, they dared not openly decline it, mindful of the unpleasantness that would follow. The monk now held Hawk by his wrist and went on his way slowly.

After a few paces, he turned around and asked, "What is that noise?" The others halted and listened carefully. They could just discern the faint sound of panting and yelling coming from afar. It seemed like people wrestling with each other. Valour woke up suddenly, crying, "Curio, go and help Radiant quick!"

"Oh, I had forgotten!" returned Curio loudly. Thereupon, he sped in the other direction brandishing his sword.

The old monk still would not let go of Hawk. He made full speed joining the others in the pursuit, dragging Hawk along. After running forty or so yards, Hawk's legs began to give way. Though he had activated his inner energy for a headlong dash, he still was not the old monk's equal in speed and agility. Hawk, with both hands held fast and tight, and hard as he might try, still could not free himself of the old monk who showed no sign of loosening the grip of his five long and bony fingers. In another few paces, the monk outstripped him by half a foot. Hawk could no longer stand erect; he stumbled, falling face down flat on the ground, his still uplifted arms crossed over his head, almost touching the ears on both sides. Hawk was now hauled along on the snowy ground by the old monk. He was angry and upset at the same time, waiting for an opportunity to kick the old monk. But the monk dragged him along faster and faster.

Presently, everybody was back near the pit where Radiant and Prime were found struggling madly, rolling back and forth in the snow. Both were now without weapons, fighting hand to hand. They were caught in an extremely distressing and embarrassing situation, both badly battered, resembling not at all expert fighters of the Martial Brotherhood meeting each other in fair fight. They were more like spiteful and sharp-tongued women of the marketplace mauling each other. Curio then moved up brandishing his blade, awaiting an opportunity to lunge at Prime. The two were so embroiled in their fight that they kept rolling, turning and stumbling. Curio dared not thrust his sword at Prime for fear of hurting his Junior Brother in the confusion.

The old monk advanced a few paces, grabbed Radiant's back with his right hand and lifted him up in the air. As Radiant and Prime now had their limbs hooked together and wrapped round one another, they had become virtually locked. In lifting Radiant, the monk lifted Prime as well. The two were still so embroiled in their battle that they continued fighting against each other after they had been lifted off the ground. The old monk laughed out aloud and gave a sharp jerk with his right hand, numbing the limbs of both men. Prime was thrown some five feet and fell to the ground with a thud. The monk then put Radiant down on the ground, letting go of Hawk's wrist at the same time. Hawk, having been dragged for quite some time, found it difficult to bend his arms upon his release. He therefore continued to hold his hands up over his head for some time before dropping them slowly to his sides. He was overwhelmed with shock on seeing how deep the monk had sunk his nails into his wrist, leaving their marks.

"A pox on you all!" bawled the old monk. "Let us proceed quickly. We can still arrive in time for breakfast at the lord's."

They eyed each other and followed the monk. Third was hurt sorely in the thigh and Hawk carried her on his back, disregarding the social taboo which deemed this improper. Century and his son, Peace, were wounded, so were Radiant and others. The snowy ground was dyed a dark, rusty red, all the way to the north.

For a mile or so the group walked; the wounded moaned and groaned, finding it difficult to keep up. Sign pulled a clean, cotton gown from her backpack and tore it into strips. With these, she first bandaged Radiant, then Century and his son, Peace. Curio was about to protest against this when Sign cast him a glance from the side of her eyes. Though he could not quite make out what she meant, he managed to check himself.

About half a mile further on, the ground on the other side of the mountain was covered with thicker, knee-high snow. Treading on snowy ground like this was strenuous work even though they were all skilled in martial arts, and they found it difficult to pull their legs from the thick snow. "I wonder how far away the Master's place is?" thought each to himself. The old monk seemed to have read their minds, and pointing to a towering summit on their left, he said, "It is not too far. It is up there."




Chapter Two: Summit



When the Company looked up in the direction of the summit, they all gasped in surprise. They shivered at the sight before them. Though it was not exceedingly high, the summit stood erect, like a tower amidst the neighbouring peaks, impassably steep and precipitous. Even monkeys would find it a task to climb to the top, not to mention human beings. They marvelled at the sight, wondering if it could be real: even if the most capable among them could make it to the top, could they really survive up there, on that sheer summit of summits?

The old monk gave a faint smile and led the way. After skirting two mountains, the Company entered an enormous pine forest. The pine trees were several hundred years old, with heavy, thickly overgrown branches and crisscrossing boughs, and every tree-top was laden with dazzling white snow several feet thick. This meant that there was not much snow inside the forest, which made walking much easier. The pine forest extended over a considerable area. It took an hour for the Company to thread their way through its heart. The minute they emerged they found themselves standing at the foot of the summit.

They all tilted their heads up and looked at the summit. It was more breath-taking and awe-inspiring at close proximity. They wondered if it would be possible to climb the summit even in summer. Now, at this time of the year when snow lay thick on the hilltop, anyone venturing to the peak would certainly run the risk of falling over the edge and being shattered to pieces.

A wind could be heard sweeping across the top of the cliff and the foliage murmured like an autumnal flood at dusk. All the members of the group were experienced hands who had roamed the world and experienced the vicissitudes of life. But with this impressively high rock structure towering over them, they all trembled with fear. The old monk drew a cylindrical-shaped missile from the front of his coat. He ignited it. Up it soared into the sky, discharging blue smoke which hung in the sky for some time afterwards.

They knew it was the signal used by the outlawry for sending messages. Yet seldom had they seen a missile soar so high and its blue plume of smoke stay as long. They lifted their heads and fixed their gaze upon the top of the summit, watching for any signs of action.

Presently, a black dot materialized high up on the cliff. This was the only sign they could see. The black dot began to roll down instantaneously, growing bigger as it moved closer, and after it had travelled halfway down the steep decline, it could be recognized as an enormous bamboo basket, fastened to a hawser also made of bamboo. This was the vehicle dispatched from the summit to transport the guests up the cliff.

The basket came to a standstill in front of the Company. "This basket will carry three," said the old monk. "Perhaps we should let the two ladies go first? It can seat another male. Who wants to accompany them? This monk does not have dealings with women, so I shall not go this trip. Ha! Ha!"

"This monk may be skilled in martial arts," thought each to himself, "but he talks rubbish!"

Sign helped Third into the basket. "If I go now," pondered Sign, "Curio will take this opportunity to attack Peace. But if I ask Peace to go along with me, I'll feel embarrassed in front of Uncle."

Sign then waved to Curio. "Senior Brother, you come with me."

Curio was overwhelmed by her favour and cast a glance at Peace, complacency written on his face. He immediately stepped inside the basket and seated himself next to Sign. He held the bamboo hawser and gave it a few neat jerks.

The basket swayed at first, and then ascended rapidly towards the summit. The moment they rose from the ground, Curio, Sign and Third felt as if they were travelling in a void, borne along on a cloud by the wind. The suspended state in which they now found themselves was unpleasant. When they were halfway up the cliff, Sign looked down. At the foot of the cliff, the human figures had shrunk to tiny dots. The angry cliffs rose up sheer as a wall, towering into the sky. What a wonderful sight! Her head reeled and she felt dizzy. She closed her eyes, not daring to look a second time.

Soon, the basket reached the top of the summit. Curio stepped out of the bamboo vehicle and helped Sign and Third out. On the side of the summit were three big capstans, intricately connected to one another by a bamboo hawser. The three capstans, manned by ten or so men of robust build, functioned by a neatly interlocking mechanism, synchronizing both the upward and downward movement of the basket. The now empty basket was again dispatched on a downward journey to collect more of the guests. The bamboo vehicle made a few more upward and downward trips before finally bringing the old monk and the others to the summit. Two men clad in grey stood by the side of the capstans. They took no heed of either Curio or his party. When the old monk finally joined the Company at the summit, these two men stepped forward and saluted him, bowing from the waist, with great respect.

"Without notifying the Master," said the old monk with a smile in his voice, "I have brought friends along to take advantage of his hospitality. Ha! Ha!"

"As they are friends of Tree the Great Master," replied a man in his prime, with a long neck and broad shoulders, bowing at the same time, "they will surely be welcome guests of my Master."

"So this old monk goes by the name of Tree," mused everybody.

The man with the long neck then turned around in every direction and bowed to all the assembled company. "My Master has been called away on business," said he, "and is not able to be here to greet our distinguished guests. Please accept his apologies."

At this, they quickly returned their bows. "This man lives up here, high on the top of the snow-covered mountain," they all began to ponder, "and dresses very lightly. Yet he shows no signs of feeling the cold. He must be skilled in endomarts, the martial art of developing strength through breathing and other exercises of his internal organs. The manner and tone in which he talks show that he is no more than a servant or one who runs errands. What kind of man must his Master be?"

Tree showed slight surprise at the Master's absence. "Your Master is not home?" he enquired. "How is it that he is away at this time?"

To this the man replied, "My Master left for Ningguta, Six-Manchu-Ancestors Borough, seven days ago."

"Ningguta? On what business?" asked Tree.

The man cast a glance at Valour and the others, made ill-at-ease by the question.

"Say what you want; don't worry about them," said Tree.

"Master said that the enemy fights fierce and furious," answered the man. "He is afraid that he may not be able to defeat him. So the Master travelled all the way to Ningguta, Six-Manchu-Ancestors Borough, to invite the Gilt-faced Buddha to ascend the mountain to give him support."

They started at the mention of the Gilt-faced Buddha. He had been a veteran fighter in the Martial Brotherhood, known as the Invincible Under the Sky among the outlawry for the last twenty years. Because of this name, he had made many enemies and fought many battles. But then he was so very skilled in the martial arts that no other adept, be he of any School or Branch, was ever his equal. He lived like a hermit and had been little heard of among the outlawry for the last ten years. It was rumoured that he had died of an illness in Turkestan. There were no witnesses, however; it was hearsay. When the assembled company learned that he was still alive and that the Master of this eyrie was on his way to invite him to the mountain, they immediately began to feel uneasy.

Not only was this Gilt-faced Buddha an adept in martial arts; he was also a righteous man who abhorred evil and detested evil-doers. If news of any dishonourable behavior reached the ears of the Gilt-faced Buddha, he would seek out the evil-doer and remonstrate with him. This would cost the evil-doer either an arm or a leg, or his life, depending on the seriousness of his crime. The group now assembled on the mountain top had all of them, at one time or another, dabbled in misdeeds of varying degrees. When the name Gilt-faced Buddha fell suddenly on their ears, they were all seized with panic.

Tree smiled faintly and said, "I see your Master is taking no chances. Even if Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain does fight well, why making such a fuss over him?"

To this the man replied, "With you, the Great Master, having come all this way to assist us, we are already assured of victory. Fox Volant is said to be exceedingly fierce and cunning; my Master is taking great care to solicit extra help so that he won't be able to escape."

They now all began to ponder, "How fierce a fighter can this Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain really be?"

Tree and the man, thus engaged in conversation, were leading the way. After winding their way round several snow-covered pine trees, the group found themselves standing in front of a large, five-chambered, stone building, with shining white snow covering both the front and the back of the house.

The Company passed through the doorway, and walked along a long corridor before coming to the front hall. The hall was enormous. In each corner was planted a huge brazier, with flames blazing above the burning coal. In the centre of the hall hung calligraphic scrolls, each line of verse was inscribed on a separate wooden tablet:



Before Crossing The Manchurian Border,

I Considered Myself Invincible Under the Sky.

After Sojourning in the Northeast,

I Became Aware of Other Heroes in the Universe.



A sentence in small, light print was written in the upper right hand corner reading, "Presented to Senior Brother Wish with due respect, hoping to receive his comments and criticism." And in the lower left hand corner was a sentence in small, light print reading, "Scribbled in extreme intoxication by Phoenix Miao, the Abandoned and Incorrigible, now deeply regretting the wild talk of bygone years."

All present were outlaws and rustics. They failed to comprehend the meaning of the inscription on the tablets. They somehow had the impression that Phoenix Miao was ashamed of his own name. Every character was cut deep into the wood; without question the work of sharp knives.

Tree's face paled slightly, and he cried, "So your Master and the Gilt-faced Buddha must be on very intimate terms then?"

"Yes," returned the long-necked fellow boldly. "The Master of this eyrie has known Phoenix the Knight-errant for several decades."

"I see," commented Tree simply.

Hawk's heart was throbbing violently. He thought to himself, "So I have finished up by coming to the dwelling place of the friend of Phoenix. It is likely that I, now old, will lose my life." Soon he felt his palms begin to sweat profusely.

Now that they had all taken their seats, the long-necked fellow ordered tea to be served, and he himself stood humbly to one side.

"This Gilt-faced Buddha who was bold enough to call himself the Invincible Under the Sky years ago," commented Tree, "was once rather vain and arrogant. From what was written on the scrolls, he lived to regret it."

"No," interrupted the man with the long neck. "The lord of this eyrie said that Phoenix the Knight-errant was being modest. If it had not been such a mouthful, the epithet, 'Since Time Immemorial and Throughout Eternity' would also have been included in the sobriquet of Phoenix the Knight-errant."

"Hm," sneered Tree. "In the Sutras, it is said that the minute the Gautama Buddha was born, these words came to his mind, 'I, As a Human Being, Am the Supreme, from Heaven to Hell.' Do you not think this is a superb match for the 'Invincible Under the Sky, Since Time Immemorial and Throughout Eternity'? They form a nice couplet."

Curio knew he was trying to be sarcastic and laughed aloud. The long-necked fellow stared him in the face and asked, "Will our honourable guest please show others due respect?" Curio was taken aback by his remark.

"And if I won't?" he demanded.

To this the man replied, "If the Gilt-faced Buddha learns that you are mocking him, I am afraid the honourable guest will be in some danger."

"There is no ultimate in martial ability," returned Curio, defending himself. "One must admit that there is a sky beyond the sky, a Master above another Master. The Gilt-faced Buddha is only a human being. No matter how excellent he is, he still cannot be called the Invincible Under the Sky."

"I have not seen much of the world; I am not well-read; my views may be shallow. If my Master considers the name befitting, I think he must deserve it." The man who spoke sounded deferential but his manner was full of insolence.

Anger filled Curio's breast and he was flushed with rage.

"I am Grand Master of an established school," he pondered. "I shall take no nonsense from a low-bred servant like him, used only to be at the beck and call of others."

And he immediately retorted with a sneer, "Are we to assume then that, with the exception of the Gilt-faced Buddha, your respectful Master is the champion under the sun. Ha, ha, ha, how funny!"

To this the man replied, "Not at all."

Reaching out his hand, the man then tapped the backrest of the chair in which Curio was sitting. It vibrated, throwing Curio off his balance. He started up from his chair. Still holding a tea bowl in his hand, Curio was caught off his guard. The bowl immediately slipped from his grasp, and just as it was on the point of shattering to pieces on the ground, the man bent and caught it with a clenched hand.

"Will our honourable guest please take care?" said the man. Curio reddened. He turned his head away, paying no heed to the incident. The man then put the tea bowl down on the teapoy.

Tree behaved as if he had not witnessed what had taken place. He turned to the man with the long neck and asked, "Who else, besides the Gilt-faced Buddha and I, the monk, has your Master invited up here to lend aid?"

"Before the Master departed," answered the man, "he gave this servant instructions to expect Profundity the Taoist Phongie of the Kokonor-Tibetan School, Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee of the Altyn Tagh in Chinese Turkestan, and Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism of the Absolute Lodge south of the Caramoran, to arrive on the mountain within a few days. My Master has also instructed my humble self to tend to them properly. Your Eminence is the first to arrive, and this shows us your great kindness. When my Master learns about it, he will appreciate it greatly."

Tree the Great Master was here at the invitation of the Master of the eyrie. He believed that once he presented himself, all problems, even though they might be extremely taxing, could be easily solved. What he had not realized was that apart from himself, the Master had also invited many other famous personages, most of whom he had never met, although he had already heard much about them. All were first-rate adepts of the Martial Brotherhood. Had he known so many others had already been invited at the express request of the Master, he would not have come at all. As for Phoenix, the Gilt-faced Buddha, Tree had no intention of running into him. The further he could keep himself from Phoenix, the better. What bothered him was that he had come such a long way to help, yet the Master was not home to receive him. He considered this disrespectful, and was extremely unhappy about it.

"This old monk cannot make himself useful: that is an indisputable fact," said Tree self-deprecatingly. "All problems will be solved once the Gilt-faced Buddha gets here. Why take the trouble to invite the others?"

To this the man replied, "My Master said he would like to take this opportunity to arrange for heroes of different Schools to meet each other. Fan the Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry will also be here."

Tree shuddered involuntarily and asked, "Fan the Ringleader will also be here? How many hands has Fox invited?"

"It is said that he has not enlisted any help. He will be here alone," answered the man.

Valour, Fortune, Century, and the others were all experienced hands who had roamed the world and faced numerous dangers. When they learned that Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain was going to meet the challenge single-handed and that the Master not only had many pre-eminent fighters waiting for him, but also had enlisted the help of the Gilt-faced Buddha and Fan the Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry, they considered it pointless to have gone to this amount of trouble. They felt that Tree the monk was such an adept that he alone would probably be able to deal with Fox. Now that they were also up on the mountain, they would most likely lend a hand when the time presented itself. It was simply that it had never occurred to the Master that so many uninvited guests would be there at the same time.

Hawk, among all those present, found himself in a mental flurry of indecision, the reason being that the Outlawry had always been at enmity with the Imperial Court. The adjunct Cathay adopted in compounding the title the Cathay Outlawry, to show the pro-Cathay sentiments of the gang, was, in fact, employed to display their anti-Manchu feelings. A month before, Sai, Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen, had personally led eighteen Champions of the Imperial Court to have Fan, the Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry, captured and locked up in the Imperial Jail. The plan was executed with the utmost secrecy. Hardly any of the outlawry knew anything about it. Hawk himself was one amongst the eighteen picked hands on that mission. Finding himself now in a precariously dangerous place, though how he had ever managed to get there still remained a mystery, Hawk knew he was not going to be lucky.

Seeing Hawk's colour drain from his face when he heard the name Fan the Ringleader, Tree asked him, "Is Master Hawk in any way acquainted with Fan the Ringleader?"

"I know him not," replied Hawk in a hurry. "I have only heard of Fan the Ringleader as a far-famed hero of the Northern School, and I know no more than that. He did, at one time, fight two ferocious tigers, practising the Grappling Claws of the Dragon."

Tree smiled and then left Hawk alone. He turned next to the man with the long neck, asking, "What man exactly is this Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain? What vendetta is there between him and your Master?"

To these questions the man gave the reply, "As the Master has never mentioned anything, this servant therefore dares not enquire further."

While they were thus engaged in conversation, a young servant offered them food and drink. They were surprised to find gourmet dishes and vintage wines on the hilltop of a snowy mountain. Presently the man with the long neck announced, "The wife of the Master thanks you all for honouring us with your presence. Please help yourselves and make yourselves at home." They gave their thanks in return.

Curio and Peace were glancing at each other during the meal, Prime and Radiant both rubbing their fists, while Century was just waiting to deal Third a blow with his rod. Though they were partaking of their food and drinks together, in their minds they were scheming against each other. Tree alone was revelling in the feast, devouring chunk after chunk of meat and gulping down bowl after bowl of wine, whilst swearing dreadfully. He did not resemble a Buddhist monk in the least.

After several rounds of toasting, a servant brought in a plateful of steaming hot buns. The Company had already tired themselves out for half a day and were starving. They were delighted to help themselves to the buns now but, just as they were about to reach out for some, there suddenly came a whirring sound from high above. They raised their heads and high up a missile went whistling across the sky. Its motion was arrested temporarily on reaching the highest point of its trajectory, then it exploded, scattering rays of light. The firework burst into a kaleidoscope of colours, dispersing gradually to settle into a form, its blurred outline depicting a winged fox.

Thereupon Tree jumped up, crying, "Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain is here."

They all went pale. The man with the long neck paid Tree his respects, saying, "My Master is still away and the enemy has come all too soon. We count on the Great Master to take charge of matters here."

"There is no need to worry," said Tree calmly. "I am here to take control. Just ask him to ascend."

"I have something to say..." hesitated the man.

"Say it out loud then," commanded Tree.

"Fox Volant can never manage to climb this precipitously steep, snowy mountain. I would like the Great Master to go down and tell him that the Master is not home," said the man.

"Go and heave him up here on the bamboo basket," shouted Tree. "I shall take care of the rest."

"I am afraid he may frighten the wife of my Master after getting up the mountain. I will then be ashamed to meet my Master," explained the man.

Tree's face darkened and he said, "You do not trust me to take care of Fox Volant; is that right?"

The long-necked fellow immediately paid him further respects, saying, "I dare not harbour such thoughts."

"You have only to let him come up here," commanded Tree.

There was nothing the man could do but to give his consent. He whispered a few words into the ears of another servant, asking him to be on the alert to protect the wife of the Master.

Tree saw all this. He chuckled, saying not a word. He then ordered the food to be taken away. They dispersed and sat down to take their tea. Presently, the long-necked fellow announced in a loud voice, "The guest has arrived!" The two big main doors were flung open with a crash.

They stopped taking their tea and held their bowls in their hands. They looked fixedly in the direction of the portal and saw advancing through its centre two lads, side by side. They were of the same height, were about thirteen or fourteen years old and were clad in white sable robes. Each youngster had two plaits braided with red silk standing erect on his head. Each also carried a long sword on his back. They had fine features and were of charming bearing. They struck the others as being identical in their looks. There was no way of telling one from the other. The only difference was that the lad on the right carried his sword with its hilt aslant his right shoulder and the other lad with the hilt aslant his left shoulder. The latter also carried in his hands a case containing a visiting card.

On finding that their visitors were only two young men in their teens, they could not contain their surprise. At the same time, they were also relieved. They had expected to meet Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, the cruellest of all villains. Instead they saw only two young men. When they had come closer, they could clearly see white pearls, one braided on each of the tiny plaits on their heads. The four pearls were about the size of a little finger, and were luminously radiant. Hawk, being Chief Escort of a convoy for delivering valuables, and Century, having been with the outlawry for a good while, were both connoisseurs of articles of value. Their hearts beat at the sight of the four big pearls: they were worth a fortune. The sable robes worn by the two lads were of the highest quality fur, with not a single hair of a different shade, certainly very rare. Even people with a family fortune might not be able to afford finery like theirs.

The two youngsters advanced to the centre of the hall where Tree was seated. They inclined their bodies and bowed to Tree. The lad on the left held the case up and proffered it with both hands. The long-necked man took it, and opened the case before presenting it to Tree. In the case was a large red card. Tree took it out and saw written on it, in thick ink, a row of characters reading, "Noon today will find me at the meeting place on the snowy summit as stipulated. I, Fox Volant, communicate this message with great respect." The calligraphy was vigorous and superbly executed.

When Tree read the name Fox Volant, his heart trembled. "I see that his sobriquet Fox Volant bespeaks his ability to run like a fox on snowy ground." Then he nodded his head, asking, "Is your Master here?"

"The Master said he would be here at noon precisely," replied the lad on the right. "He does not want to keep the respectful lord of this eyrie waiting, and he therefore has dispatched my humble self to deliver his card." He expressed himself clearly, in a ringing tone, sounding still like a child. Tree thought the two lads rather charming.

"Are you twin brothers?" asked Tree.

"Yes," answered one of the lads. He bowed to Tree before turning round to take his leave.

"Will the twin brothers please stay awhile and take some refreshment?" enquired the long-necked fellow.

"Thank you, sir," answered the younger of the two twins. "We dare not stay without the permission of our Master."

Thereupon, Sign took some fruit from the fruit basket and passed it to the twins, saying smilingly, "Will you take some fruit?"

The elder twin took the fruit and said, "Thank you, madam."

Curio showed his jealousy over trivial things. He had a fiery temper and lost control of himself all too easily. When Sign talked to the twins in this intimate manner, anger filled his breast.

"Little boys like you have taken the trouble to carry such long swords," said Curio with a chuckle. "Don't you tell me that you are also Masters at swordplay."

The two lads stared at him in surprise, answering in unison, "Sir, we are not."

"Why then assume airs by carrying those long swords?" shouted Curio. "Leave all swords behind!" He reached his hands out to snatch the hilts of the swords on their backs.

The two lads never imagined that anybody would snatch their weapons. Curio acted swiftly, and with a lightning movement he flashed the blades before their eyes. He whipped the long swords out of their sheaths and was holding them in his hands. Curio laughed out aloud, saying, "You two little ..."

The twins leapt before the next word was out of his mouth. One reached out his left hand, the other his right, and instantly they were pinching Curio's neck with their hands, dragging him forward at the same time. Just as he was about to stage a counter-attack, his two legs were hooked, one by the outflung left leg of one lad, and the other by the outflung right of the other. Before Curio could find out what had happened, he found himself turning half a somersault in the air, dropping with a solid thud to the floor.

The fall came with greater speed than the snatching of the swords, taking everybody by surprise. The two lads then rushed forward, wanting to snatch the swords back from Curio's hands. Curio was no weakling; but he had been caught off his guard. He bounded up from the fall and stood the two swords erect, trying to scare them off. The twins suddenly bounded up and were again pinching Curio's neck with a hand each, dragging and hooking him exactly as before. Curio once more fell to the floor with a thud.

The two lads had taken Curio by surprise in his first fall. He came off even worse in his second fall. Being Grand Master of the Dragon Lodge, strong and in his prime, Curio could not bear to lose face to two youngsters who only came up to his chest. Seized with rage, he decided to kill them. Before bounding up from this second fall and pointing his left sword tip down, Curio flourished his right sword and slashed the keen blade from the side on a sudden, ready to deal the twins a fatal stroke.

Curio was practising the Second Son Levelling the Mountain, a killer trick of the Dragon Lodge, extremely cruel and fierce. Even those who were adepts in martial arts had difficulty warding off the blows at the start. Seeing what cruel fate would inevitably befall the two charming young men clad in sparkling white, Sign cried out aloud, "Stop that killer trick, Brother!"

Curio had always listened to Sign but now, having already whirled up his blade, he found it almost impossible to retract the sword quickly. Besides, he had already started the killer trick. Thereupon, he sank his wrist, intending to leave only a mark on the twins' chests. But the lad to his left suddenly moved across to his right, creeping underneath his armpit, and the lad originally to his right, now moved across to his left, thus forcing Curio to make a clean sweep. Just as he was about to retract his blade and strike again, he saw shadows flickering on both sides, and instantly the two tiny bodies came rushing at him.

Curio had already suffered twice. He found it impossible to reverse the long blade, which was already thrust out, and strike a blow with it. Now, in the face of another uncanny trick of the twins, Curio was unable to dodge or to ward off the blow, and had to let go of his two swords. He pushed his hands out, palms forward, crying, "Go!" He applied full force to his palms. The lads would certainly get hurt even if glanced by the edge of his palms. Suddenly there came the flickering of the shadows again, and the twins vanished in a flash. Curio turned round immediately, only to find that the lad on the left had ducked to the right while the one on the right had sneaked to the left. Curio felt dizzy and found himself pinched again on the neck by the two lads.

Curio grew desperate and resorted to using the strength at the back of his waist. He tossed his neck far back on a sudden, hoping to throw the twins off to one side. The moment he made an outward display of his vigorous strength, his neck was suddenly loosed by the two small hands. He trembled, awaiting the continuation of this frighteningly unpredictable nightmare. Curio immediately tried to use his strength to stand erect again. Alas, it was too late! The two lads, one flinging out his left leg and the other his right, wedged them below Curio's heels. Try as he might, being thus wedged at the heels, Curio, already unable to plant himself on the ground, again fell to the floor. He fell with a thud, lying flat on his back and shouting madly, "A pox on you!" He felt as if he had broken his backbone in the fall. He sat upright, meaning to get to his feet, but his waist failed to gather strength, and down he went, lying on his back.

Thereupon, Radiant stepped forward and helped him up. The twins took this opportunity to pick up their long swords. Curio had a swarthy complexion to start with, and his face was now purple with rage. He whipped his sword out from his side, practising Rainbow Piercing the Fireball and smote fiercely on the elder twin. Radiant knew it was not easy getting at the two lads, young though they were. The numerous falls suffered by Curio convinced him of this. As the opposition consisted of two lads, Radiant's helping in the battle would not be unreasonable. Thereupon, Radiant whipped out his sword, smiting the elder twin by plunging into some moves.

The younger twin gave his partner a signal with his eye. Both parried the blow by raising their swords. Suddenly they bounded backward three paces at the same time. The lad on the left cried out, "Great Monk, I have been instructed by my Master to deliver you a written challenge. We have done nothing wrong. Why do we have to fight?"

"These two here would like to test your skills in martial arts," said Tree with meaning in his voice. "They mean well. You two just practise with them."

"With all our hearts, sirs," curtly replied the lad. Thereupon, the twins whirled up their swords, hewing and hacking at their opponents.

All the servants at this eyrie, were they male or female, practised martial arts. When they learned that the enemy's two courier boys who had come here to deliver a written challenge were now fighting the others in the hall, they rushed towards the scene, to watch the battle from the corridor.

One of the lads was holding a sword with his left hand and the other with his right. Their movements were synchronized: advancing, retreating, dashing and dodging simultaneously, as if they were one person. Whirling their swords, they charged forward, showering blows and more blows. The twins must have been fencing with swords from an early age, and must have practised this skill of Companion Twin Swords ever since. It was marvellous to watch the elder twin wielding his blade with his left hand: he was as agile and alert as the younger twin was with his right hand. He must have been born left-handed.

Curio and Radiant changed their moves very rapidly, but the lads never grew weary. For several tens of bouts, they kept at it, exchanging many a stroke, with Curio and Radiant showing no sign of suffering defeat, nor gaining a significant vantage.

Valour started to fidget. He studied carefully the movements and skills of the martial arts practised by the twins and concluded that, after all, they were practising no more than the Bodhidharma Swordplay of the Shaolin Monastery. There was nothing special to it, except perhaps in only one simple respect: whether in smiting, parrying or alternating attack with defense, one lad could always take the plunge as he would have the full support of the other, be he in an offensive or defensive position at the time. When in a position of offense, one would be protected from behind by his partner and could, therefore, concentrate on lashing and smiting. When in a position of defense, one would also be backed up by his partner and would, therefore, never have to reverse in order to fight in an attacking position. Valour believed he could snatch the twins' weapons bare-fisted. When he saw both Curio and Radiant battling long without being able to deal a decisive blow, he began to worry. The celebrated Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge might be brought down at any time.

Thereupon, Valour shouted, "The twins are really adepts. Curio, Radiant, fall back quick! Let this old man have a go at them."

Curio and Radiant answered in the affirmative on hearing their Uncle. Just as they were about to move back, the twins whirled up their swords on a sudden and assumed an immediate posture of offense, concentrating only on moves for attacking. Curio and Radiant whirled their swords to parry the blows. The twins flourished their swords, slashing one after the other and smiting blows and more blows. Curio and Radiant thus had to ward off every single one of the raining strokes. After ten or so tricks, they were still engaged, not able to extricate themselves from the fight.

Sign then thought to herself, "Let me go and relieve my two Brothers and allow Uncle Valour to gain a hold on the twins. With his feats of arms, Uncle Valour will surely be able to grab those four tiny plaits immediately."

Having thus considered, Sign stepped forward, flourishing her sword and crying, "The two Brothers move back."

Seeing that the elder twin was raining blow after blow on Curio, she instantly whirled up her sword, parrying his blade. When he struck next, he dealt a double blow, wounding the corner of Curio's eye and catching Sign on the left shoulder, forcing her onto the defensive. Not only was Sign unable to relieve her Brothers; she was now caught in the fight as well. Curio looked more and more like an avenging Fury as the battle raged on. He thought, "The Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge has always had a good name in swordplay. Now the three of us are fighting in league, and yet we are failing to beat these two youngsters. If word of this reaches the outlawry, how are we to preserve the honour of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge?" With this, he put more power into his blows.

Seeing his twin brother cornered, the other twin reversed his sword, aiming at Curio. While Curio was turning round to parry the blow, the elder twin had already whirled up his sword, smiting Radiant. The two lads instantly exchanged opponents. People watching from the side marvelled at the speed and grace with which they conducted this trading of foes.

"Valour, you had better take over," whispered Fortune. "The three of them do not stand a chance."

To this Valour nodded. He tightened his girdle, saying, "Let me have a hand in this game, too."

In one leap, he found himself alongside to the younger twin, almost touching him. Valour hit the lad on the shoulder with his left finger, piquing the paralytic point Large Bone and snatched the sword straight with his right hand, practising the pugilistic skills of the Grappling Hand. Seeing how cruel and nimble Valour was, the others began to fear the worst for the lad. But suddenly there came the flashing of blade and the elder twin had aimed at the upper back of Valour with the point of his sword.

Valour was bent on snatching the sword. Counting on Radiant being there to engage the elder twin in fighting, Valour had not anticipated his making a surprise attack. He heard Sign cry out quickly, "Uncle, your back!" Valour at once dodged to the left. The part of the garment covering his upper back was slit lengthwise with a slash.

"Take care, sir," said his opponent. It seemed that he had deliberately let Valour go this time.

Valour was exasperated and his face was thoroughly red. As he had considerable experience in dealing with strong opponents, he gathered his strength after this setback and decided not take any chances. He snatched the weapons from the lads' hands with his pugilistic skills in grappling, in that special branch known as the Grappling Hand—Locking, Confusing, Encircling, Diverting, attacking and resisting his assailants. For the past several decades, he had been submitting his palms to vigorous and laborious training. Thus when he displayed his pugilistic skills, he certainly looked terrifying. Strange as it might seem, the twins were not able to gain much vantage when fighting just Curio and Radiant. After Sign and Valour had joined in the fight, the battle continued to rage fast and furious, with neither side winning or losing.

"The Northern and Southern Branches are offshoots of the same School," thought Fortune. "Should the Northern Branch suffer defeat, the Southern Branch would likewise be brought to shame. As the matter now stands, winning an unfair match by outnumbering our opponents is to be preferred to suffering defeat at their hands. Who cares what people may say?"

Fortune then whipped out his sword and practised the Meteor Chasing the Lunar Satellite. He had already aimed his keen blade at the chest of the elder twin before moving into the circle.

"Now comes another one!" cried the younger twin. He was thrusting his sword to the side, but reversed it, and aimed at Fortune's wrist. Fortune trembled and thought, "The twins respond with perfect skill in relieving one another." He sank his wrist to ward off the impending blow. Parrying that blow was no difficult task. However, he had failed to maintain his original offensive posture for attacking the elder twin, and thus he was wide of his mark.

The battle raged fast and furious in the hall, with six brandishing their blades and one fighting with bare hands. The clanging and clashing of metal upon metal filled the air. For several tens of bouts they were engaged, without either side gaining much vantage.

Sign now grew hot and had to mop her forehead several times with her sleeves. Seeing her, Peace cried out, "Sister Sign, take some rest. Let me take over from you." Thereupon he charged forward, flourishing his sword.

"We do not need your help," said Curio, with jealousy in his voice.

While he was parrying the blade that came thrusting from the younger twin, he clenched the fist of his left hand and punched Peace on his nose. Peace met him with a smile, stepped sideways three paces and spun round behind the back of the elder lad. Though Peace was wounded in the leg, he could still fence well with his sword, deftly and with faultless skill. The twins were uncanny in their swordplay. The power of their blows mounted proportionately with the number of opponents. Peace not only had to guard against the surprise attack by Curio, but also had to watch for moves unfurled on a sudden by the twins. Peace thus found himself in trouble.

Century inched his way to the battlefield, flourishing his rod to shield his son, Peace, from attack. While the others were all engaged themselves feverishly and ferociously in fighting, Curio suddenly dealt Peace a mighty blow. Century roared and immediately warded off the blow by whirling his rod. Flourishing his weapon, he showered blow upon blow on Curio. This unexpected turn of events came like a bolt out of the blue; all the onlookers gasped in surprise.

Prime saw Valour place the iron box inside the front of his coat before joining league with the others. He decided to join the rest in the battle, thinking he could fish something for himself from these troubled waters: he could take this opportunity either to snatch the iron box or to avenge himself by dispatching Century and his son, Peace.

Presently, Prime cried out aloud, "How exciting! Come Hawk, let us move!"

Both Prime and Hawk had been under the tutelage of the same Master from an early age. They knew each other well. When Prime summoned Hawk, the latter had already read his mind. Brandishing his twin staves, Hawk moved to the side of Valour.

It never entered the head of the elder twin that each of his nine opponents was fighting with an ulterior motive of scheming against one another. When he saw Prime and Hawk join league with the rest, he decided to forestall them by striking first to gain the advantage. Flourishing his sword, he charged at them. Though the twins were adepts in fencing with their swords,they would certainly have suffered defeat in fighting against nine. As the nine were each harbouring evil thoughts of their own, however, they frequently concentrated on checking and guarding against each other, only occasionally on attacking their enemies.

Prime and Hawk kept casting glances at Valour while whirling their swords fighting the two lads. Sign watched all this. She read their evil thoughts and cried out aloud, "Uncle Valour, be careful with the iron box!"

Valour was already exasperated by the battle which had been raging on for some time, yet he was never able to get in a decisive stroke himself. "We nine adults are here fighting two youngsters, and yet are unable to beat them. We have utterly lost face today. If we lose the iron box also, we will never be able to hold up our heads again." His mind wandered off momentarily. He felt a blast of wind sweeping across his face and was surprised to find the younger twin slashing blows at his uncovered part after just having warded off blows from both Curio and Radiant.

Valour's heart trembled. "I am losing face to both sides," he said to himself. He ducked sideways and dodged. In no time he whipped out his long sword simply by twisting round his wrist. Valour was the strongest of the nine in feats of arms. He then exhibited his skills of the Dragon Swordplay. After some clanging and clashing of weapon upon weapon, he succeeded in warding off all the blows from Century, Peace, Hawk, Prime and the others. Fortune retreated to the back, guarding himself against attack, availing himself at the same time of an opportunity to study and unravel the secrets of the swordplay of the Northern Branch.

After they had all moved away from the circle, Valour had several feet of space around him, thus enabling him to wield his sword with greater agility and accuracy. Bracing himself, he advanced two paces. Practising Stretching the Claws in the Cloud, he struck a mighty stroke on the crown of the younger twin. It was a fast and furious blow. The lad, who was engaging himself in a fight brandishing his sword against Hawk whirling his twin staves, immediately ducked away from the blow. The pearl on one of his plaits was cut through the middle and dropped to the ground in two halves.

Both lads turned pale. "Brother!" cried the younger one, puckering his lips, almost in tears.

Valour laughed loudly. Suddenly he saw white figures flickering before his eyes. The twins had already crossed over and changed positions. In a second, the weapons of Radiant and Prime were cleft with a clang. Alarmed by this, they quickly leapt out of the circle, only to find both twins already flashing a keen dagger in each of their hands.

"Make him pay for it!" cried the elder twin.

Curio's and Fortune's long swords were broken with a clash as the lad thrust his dagger by twisting it around in his right hand. The dagger was capable of cutting through metals and stones. Curio was slow in moving back and the dagger glanced against his upper left chest, cutting the leather strap around his girdle, with the sheath fastened to it, into pieces.

The younger twin then moved closer to Valour, attacking him furiously with the flashing blade in his right hand and the keen dagger in his left hand. Brandishing the two weapons in his hands, the lad now wielded them in a manner which differed drastically from the way in which he whirled only his sword. Valour was seized by both rage and fear and could not identify clearly the direction from whence the blows came. The dagger was dreadfully keen. Valour dared not go against it with his sword and was forced to fall back while the younger twin kept charging forward heedlessly, with utter concentration on Valour.

The twins were standing back to back. One took over all the remaining eight opponents so as to enable the other to fight Valour in single combat. After a few tricks, a considerable length of Century's metal rod was broken off. Hawk and Peace dared not move closer, fighting and moving only on the periphery of the circle. Seeing that Valour was cornered and doomed, Fortune, Curio, Radiant, and Sign grew desperate. They would have advanced to succour and assist if only three of their blades had not been broken, and if they had also been able to break through the guard of the elder twin.

Tree had been watching them fight, marvelling at the swordplay of the twins. When they had first started fighting against Curio and the others, they were of only average skill. However, the power of their blows kept increasing as their opponents grew in number. Matters took a different course once they had flashed their daggers. Whirling up his long sword, the elder twin forced his opponents into fighting in a flustered manner. Presently, the weapons of Peace and Hawk were also broken. Of the eight fighting against the elder twin, Sign was the only one whose sword remained intact. This obviously had nothing to do with her being able to fight well, but rather to the elder twin's being thankful for her gift of the fruit and therefore letting her go.

With his back to the corner, Valour fought like an animal at bay. Seeing that the younger twin thrust his long sword straight at his chest, Valour at once responded with the Dancing Dragon and Leaping Phoenix. The key to swordplay was in eliminating the opponents when attacked from above; smiting blows if attacked from below; taking the enemies by surprise when attacked from within the circle; swiping if attacked from outside the circle; thrusting at the enemies when attacked halfway from the centre. These five tricks of Elimination, Smiting, Taking by Surprise, Swiping, and Thrusting were common to swordplay of all schools. When Valour saw his opponent attacking him from above, he responded with the Elimination which should have warded off the blow. However, his wrist sank when the two blades crossed and his sword was forced down hard by the enemy's blade. Valour was delighted and thought to himself, "Are you as skilled in swordplay as I am endowed in my wrist?" Immediately he gathered strength to stage a counter-attack. The younger twin retracted his sword slightly with his right hand and thrust the dagger in his left hand out on a sudden. Valour's long sword was cleft with a crash.

Valour shuddered and immediately thrust the truncated sword at the younger twin. He ducked away from the blow and cornered Valour instead, lunging his blade furiously to his left and right. Valour had no way out. Fortune, Curio, and Radiant shouted out, all dispatching their secret weapons immediately. The elder twin flung out his right hand, catching all ten of the killer darts. A tiny net was, in fact, fitted to the bottom of the hilt of the dagger, designed specifically for catching enemies' secret weapons.

Though he had lost his weapon, Valour, the Seven Stars Hand, was still well versed in pugilism. Being an experienced hand among the outlawry, Valour was able to keep his head in adverse conditions. Thereupon, he took to his fists, still staying calm in the face of attack. The dagger, flashed by the younger twin, was deadly keen, capable of severing the hand. Valour was held back more by the threateningly keen dagger than by his opponent's uncanny feats of arms. He tried hard to parry the blows, not daring to launch a counter-attack.

"Pay me back my pearl, pay me back my pearl!" demanded the younger lad. Valour would have been more than willing to pay him back his pearl, yet no pearl was at hand; also he could not bear to lose face.

Tree now found the situation rather awkward. If matters dragged on much longer, the boy would, in his anger, thrust the dagger at Valour's chest, piercing it. Valour was here at the top of the mountain as his invited guest. He could not possibly be humiliated by his enemy's errand-boy. The twins were uncanny in their feats of arms. Neither was Valour's equal when fighting on his own, not even Hawk's or Century's equal. However, when the two were fighting together, the tougher their opponents, the more furiously they fought. If Tree were to intervene at this juncture, and fail to bring the situation under control, he would end up exposing himself to greater ridicule.

While Tree was wavering between joining the others in fighting the twins or keeping himself entirely out of the battle, Valour found himself in a dangerous situation. He was now in tatters, his face stained, with weals on his chest and his arm bearing the imprint of the long sword of the younger twin. Several times he was on the verge of begging for mercy but checked himself just in time.

"Are you or are you not going to pay me back my pearl?" demanded the younger twin.

At this moment, the servant with the long neck walked to Tree and whispered into his ears, "Great Master, please rid us of the twins." Tree answered in the affirmative, but was still debating with himself.

Suddenly there came a swish in the air. A blue plume of smoke soared into the sky. The long-necked servant knew it was announcing the arrival of reinforcements. He was overjoyed. He thought the monk had after all over-estimated himself, and was finding all kinds of excuses now the crisis had come. It was fortunate to have the Master's friends arriving. The servant immediately rushed to the entrance and sent the bamboo basket to bring up the guests.





Chapter Three: Myrmidons



The long-necked fellow was the steward of the eyrie and bore the surname Yu. He had been a paragon of a fighter among the outlawry and was a man of sharp sense and shrewd ability. When the bamboo basket was halfway up the mountain, he craned his neck out to look below. But all he saw was shiny black bundles packed inside the basket, not in the least resembling any human figure. After the basket had been hauled closer, he was able to make out several chests and trunks, as well as flower-pots, censers, and the like, so that the basket was packed to the brim. Steward Yu began to wonder, "Are they here to pay tribute to the Master?"

Three women were pulled up the mountain when the basket made its second ascent. Two of them were in their forties and were dressed like servants. The third woman, apparently a maid, was fifteen or sixteen years old, with big round eyes and a dimple on her left cheek. She stepped out before the basket had come to a complete halt, glanced at Steward Yu, and addressed him smilingly. "I presume you must be Big Brother Yu. You have a long face and a neck which I have heard about." She spoke in the northern dialect of the capital, and her voice was decidedly pleasing. The steward disliked any reference to his neck and head, but, noticing that the maid was beaming with delight, he found no cause to lose his humour and merely nodded whilst forcing a smile.

"I'm Lute," the maid introduced herself. "And this is Mama Zhou. She was our lady's wet-nurse. This woman over here is Auntie Han. Our lady thinks highly of her culinary arts. Let down the basket quickly to bring the lady up." Steward Yu was about to ask to which family her lady belonged, but Lute just went on chattering as she busily unloaded the basket. She removed a bird cage, a civet cat, a perch for the parrot, pots for the orchids, plus much more strange paraphernalia. "This summit is so high," she commented with a sigh. "There is neither grass nor flowers. I do not think the lady will like it here. Big Brother Yu, do you never get bored staying up here all year round?"

Steward Yu frowned and thought to himself, "The Master is well on his way to meeting his strong opponents; yet, arriving now, from heaven knows where, is this chit cackling on and on." Thereupon, he asked, "May I know to which family you belong? Are you relatives of my Master?"

"You are guessing stupidly," Lute answered sharply. "I could tell that you were Big Brother Yu the minute we met. Why is it that you do not even know which family my lady is from? If I had not told you that my name is Lute, I am sure that you would never have guessed who I am in a thousand years. You, stop it! Stay where you are or the lady might get angry." Steward Yu was stunned on hearing this, but he then saw Lute bending down to pick up a small cat. She had, in fact, addressed the last few words to the animal.

The steward helped the maid unload all the paraphernalia from the basket. "Aiya, do not touch anything," said Lute, annoyed. "There are books inside this chest. If you have the box the wrong way up like this, the books will all be jumbled up. Now, now, leave the orchids alone. They are to be kept away from men or they will be tainted by their breath. The lady says orchids are the most elegant and graceful of all flowers. If any man exhales nearby, the flower will surely wither the same evening."

The steward immediately put down the small pot of orchids he was carrying. Suddenly he heard a voice chanting behind his back, "The mind leaps at playing music on a stringed instrument; the heart is unhappy that no one is able to share your music's true delight." The squawking sounded eerie.

The steward started and turned around at once, ready to engage his opponents, only to discover the white parrot reciting a poem from his perch. Feeling annoyed, yet amused, he ordered the bamboo basket to be sent downhill to bring the lady up. The nanny, however, insisted that the cases be unpacked before anything else, and a fur be unpacked to upholster the basket lest the lady should find it too hard and uncomfortable. The nanny took her keys and had the trunks unlocked. Turning next to Auntie Han, she started a discussion with her about whether to have the basket upholstered with a mink or a pelt of the silver fox. The steward was growing impatient and could not hold himself back any longer. His mind was still preoccupied with the battle raging in the hall, and he was worried about Valour's fate. Soon, he instructed an attendant to tend to the lady, and dashed back into the hall.

The steward had been away receiving the visitors for some time. Meanwhile, the fight had continued as before, without any decisive gains by either side. Valour was still cornered by the younger twin, except that his situation had become more precarious. He lost the shoe from his left foot, and the queue braided as a bun on his crown was sliced in half, giving him a dishevelled appearance. Curio, Fortune, Radiant, and the others had taken up weapons from the domestic helpers. Twice they had attempted to assist Valour, but they could never move beyond the circle described by the elder twin and they ended up drifting farther and farther away from Valour.

Hawk and his party had intended to wrest the iron casket from Valour, but they, too, were forced to step back after suffering several defeats at the hand of the elder twin and his dagger. They could not accept losing. They saw very little that was special in the moves practised by the twins, who were also limited in their internal energy. The twins only had two unsurpassedly keen daggers and a series of moves for mutual support, be they on the offensive or defensive. But the two lads were in danger of forcing an outright submission from the entire group of agile and courageous fighters.

Thereupon, the steward studied the floor for a moment, remarking to himself, "The Master has entrusted me with the overall charge of the eyrie while he is away. If he learns that these honourable guests have been greatly humiliated and shamefully beaten on his own premises, how is the Master going to preserve his honour? I have to rescue this fellow Valour even if it costs me my life." Thereupon, he rushed to his own room, grabbed the broadsword, forged with purple of Cassius, puce in colour, wielded by him when an outlaw but lying disused since. He spun round to the hall. After examining the moves and movements of the twins for a while, the steward cried aloud, "If the two little brothers do not halt right now, we of the Jadeite Eyrie will but have to resort to force."

To this the younger twin responded boldly. "Our Master has instructed us to dispatch a written challenge but has not instructed us to start a fight. We shall let him go as soon as he replaces my pearl." Having said that, the younger lad took one step forward and caught Valour on his left shoulder, slashing it with a whir.

The steward was about to respond to the lad when, from behind his back, echoed a female voice, "Aiya, stop all fighting, please. Stop all fighting, please. I really hate to see people taking to arms." There was a soft spontaneity in her voice that fell with gentle melody on the ears of the Company present. The group assembled could not help but turn their heads around.

A young damsel clad in gamboge was seen smiling from the portal. She had a fair complexion. Her eyes were like limpid pools and she cast a couple of glances at the people assembled. Her looks and manners showed unusual refinement and inexpressible grace. Her brows gave her the air of a literateur. She seemed like an orient pearl or an effulgent jadeite. All those present in the hall were bold and brave members of the Martial Brotherhood, outlaws who had adventured across the kingdom. They seemed to be mesmerized by suddenly chancing upon a damsel as fair and fine as she. They were all captivated by the ethereal grace of her poise, and were quelled by her beauty. They stood uncomfortably, spellbound and enraptured.

Nevertheless, the twins appeared to be totally unaffected by her charm. They took no note of her presence. While Fortune and his party were standing entranced by the damsel, the twins seized this opportunity and quickly cleft every single weapon with a clash and a clang.

"The two little brothers please cease all this," implored the maiden. "How distasteful it is to have wounded people like this."

To this the younger lad remonstrated. "That is because he will not replace back my pearl."

"What pearl?" inquired the damsel.

The younger twin pointed the tip of his sword at the chest of Valour, bent down, and picked up the pearl already broken in half. Then he addressed her in a mournful tone, "See what he has done to my pearl. I want him to repay me."

The damsel moved closer, held up the pearl, and examined it. "Oh, what a prize pearl!" she exclaimed. "I could not afford to repay you either. Why do you not settle it like this?" At this, she turned round to her maid. "Lute, get me the pair of jade stallions and give them to the twins." Lute followed her instruction most unwillingly, remonstrating, "Miss..."

"You mustn't be that niggardly!" reproached the maiden, wearing a smile. "See how exquisitely fine the two little brothers look. The jade stallions can certainly set off to perfection their fine features."

The twins eyed each other. Lute then opened a gilded chest, from which she took two matching embroidered purses, and handed them to her mistress. One purse the damsel opened and from it produced a tiny, jade stallion; embedded in its mouth was a silk filigree, its reins. The damsel then fastened the jade ornament onto the girdle-sash of the younger twin and handed to the elder twin a matching jade stallion which she produced from the other brocaded sachet. The elder lad took the gift and thanked her, paying his respects. The jade stallion, a radiant and glittering statuette, was an exquisitely fine piece of glyptic art. The horse assumed a leaping and prancing stance. Tiny as it was, the miniature was a rarity, succeeding in capturing vividly the elegant prance of a fast-moving steed. The lad loved the stallion, but wavered a moment, wondering who the damsel was. He was pondering whether he should accept a gift worth a fortune. Meanwhile, the younger twin picked the other half of the pearl from the foot of the wall, saying, "This pearl of mine is one of a set as it matches my brother's. Jade stallion or no jade stallion, the imperfection can never be repaired." At this, he felt decidedly unhappy.

It dawned instantly on the maiden that the twins were closely attached to one another; their looks and attire enforced this impression. After all, it might not matter significantly that the pearl was damaged, but what distressed them most was to find their ornamental wear distorted so wretchedly, no longer able to form a set. Thereupon, the damsel picked up the jade stallion, set the two halves of the orient pearl over the orbits of the steed, remarking, "I have an idea: set the eyes of the jade stallion with these two blister pearls. As the pearl emits a glow in the dark, the eyes of the jade stallion will also light up at night. They will look marvellous."

The elder twin was greatly exhilarated. He immediately plucked the pearl from his plait and sliced it into two hemispherical pieces with his dagger. Turning to his twin brother, he said, "Now, our pearls and jade stallions look exactly alike." The younger lad managed to check his anger and brightened up at once. He thanked the damsel whole-heartedly and also paid respects to Valour, saying, "Now, an end to our quarrel."

Valour was badly stained and was consumed with rage, yet he dared not remonstrate at all.

The younger lad then held the hand of the elder twin, both ready to take their leave. Addressing himself to the damsel, the elder twin said, "Thank you for your generous gift. May I know who you are? So that if my Master asks any questions, I shall have for him a ready answer."

"May I know who your Master is?" asked the maiden.

"My Master bears the family name Hu."

At this, the maiden turned pale, observing, "You are then the servants of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain."

The twins bowed in unison and replied, "Yes, you are right."

The damsel replied in a changed tone, "My family name is Miao. Should your Master ask anything about me, inform him that these two jade stallions are gifts from the daughter of the Gilt-faced Buddha."

At this those assembled found themselves in great discomfiture. The august name Gilt-faced Buddha was known far and wide. It defied all imagination to find his daughter such a winsome, elegant and demure maiden. She was endowed with the deportment of a young lady from a wealthy and aristocratic household. She seemed like an unmarried daughter from an illustrious family of letters. No element of this young lady resembled the daughter of a famed knight-errant among the outlawry. The twins signalled to each other with their eyes. Both put the jade stallions down on the teapoy, spun round and left the hall quietly.

The maiden smiled gently, also uttering not a word. Lute collected the jade stallions, joyfully. She turned to the damsel and said, "You were casting pearls before swine. Imagine: the twins threw away prize gifts like that. If I were in their place, I would...." The damsel interrupted with a smile. "Hush, or we will be taken for doltish mules."



* * *



Suddenly, Tree came swaggering forward, crying out, "Aha, the young lady here is the daughter of Phoenix the Knight-errant. How is your father faring?"

"He is enjoying good health and is prospering. Thank you," replied the maiden. "May I know the name of the monk?"

To this the monk replied, beaming, "The monk goes by the name Tree. May I know your name, young lady?"

The damsel went by the name Orchid Miao, but, when she heard her name being asked, she blushed to her roots, musing to herself, "How could I ever mention my name to strangers?" She evaded the question, replying, "Please make yourselves at home. I, of the younger generation, have to go inside to pay my respects to the wife of the lord of the eyrie." She then drew in the lapels of her garment and bowed respectfully to the group.

The sobriquet of Orchid's father struck all present with awe. None dared show the slightest sign of disrespect. They all returned her bow with humility, remarking to themselves, "It is hard to imagine that a young lady with her background is neither vain nor imposing. She does not seem to harbour any intention of taking advantage of others."

Now that everybody was reseated, Orchid excused herself again before repairing to the inner chamber. Immediately, about seven or eight servants and maids were seen walking through the doorway, carrying chests, trunks, bedding and mattresses. They were assumed to be attendants to Miss Orchid, coming all this way to wait on her. Century, the father, and Peace, his son, eyed each other, both thinking, "If we two were to run into this group of people on the road, we would take them to be the household of a mandarin or wealthy family; we would certainly stage a robbery and attack them. Had this been the case we would surely have ended up in a terrible situation."

Valour pulled his sleeve to wipe the stains of battle from his body. He was thankful that the younger lad had harboured no intention of sorely wounding him, but had only glanced his blade here and there, parting skin, giving him no real cause for alarm. Sign drew closer to assist him and she staunched the bleeding by applying to his wound a styptic concocted specifically for wounds inflicted by edged weapons. Valour ripped open the left lapel of his garment to allow Sign to bind his wounds. Suddenly there came a clanging thud: the iron casket had slipped to the floor. All present sprang up instantaneously, with hands outstretched, ready to seize the treasure case.

Valour was standing closest to the box. He delineated a circle, sweeping out his left hand, barring any attempt to draw any closer. He bent immediately to retrieve the box. The moment he landed his fingers on its lid he felt a sudden jerk on his shoulder, forcing him, in a reflex, to move his steps sideways. When he regained his balance on firm, sturdy feet and with head erect, he found the box already resting in the hands of Tree.

Tree's sudden attack struck all the valiant and courageous outlaws assembled in the hall with awe. He was, after all, an accomplished fighter. All stared hard at him, not daring to utter a sound.

Suddenly, Curio said, "Great Master, the box is the heirloom of our Dragon Lodge. Kindly return it to us."

Tree gave out a laugh. "Well said, well said. You claim this to be the house treasure of your honourable Lodge. Tell me what is inside the casket and how you came by this treasure? As you are the Grand Master of the Dragon Lodge, you should know the answers. Take it, if you can explain everything." Then Tree leant forward, proffering the casket to Curio with both hands.

Curio reddened. He had already reached out his hands for the box, yet he did not dare to receive it. Finding it embarrassing to retract his outstretched limbs, Curio let them hang in mid air, and eventually let them go limp and dropped them to their normal positions. All Curio's knowledge about the receptable was that the late Grand Master had attached great importance to it. The late Grand Master had always kept the casket under the tightest security. Curio had never seen his Master undo the box. He was baffled to know what was inside, not to mention how they had acquired the treasure. Valour and Fortune, both veteran adept fighters of the Dragon Lodge, looked each other straight in the eyes. Both were dumbfounded. Suddenly Radiant broke the silence, volunteering an answer. "Of course we all know what is inside. It is a prize poniard."

Radiant was considered to be only of the second rank in martial ability among the expert hands of the Dragon Lodge and was never in his Master's confidence. Neither was he considered capable. When he gave this answer out of the blue, it shook Valour and his friends, making them all remark to themselves, "What else do you know?"

Tree, however, responded quite encouragingly, "Right you are: it's a poniard. But do you know who the original owner was? And how it came to be in the possession of the Dragon Lodge?"

Valour and the others had all been taken aback by Radiant's brisk reply. They had not expected Radiant to be able to answer the question. Now, they paid him full attention, awaiting a further remark. Radiant turned red on a sudden, but soon regained his pale complexion, remarking vexedly, "Our Dragon Lodge has been handing the poniard down from generation to generation. The person gaining possession of this treasured weapon claims ascendance to the Grand Mastership of the Lodge."

"What you say is correct up to a point." Fortune interrupted at this juncture. "The poniard is the heirloom of the Dragon Lodge, with the Northern and Southern Branches alternately taking responsibility for its safekeeping."

Tree interjected, shaking his head. "You are quite wrong there. I did not expect that you would know the true story."

"Do not tell me that you know it all!" countered Radiant.

"I learned the story twenty years ago," answered Tree. "The vendetta between Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain and the lord of this eyrie sprung from this very treasure. If other parties had not been implicated in the interim, would I, the old monk, have taken it upon myself to invite you all up to this mountain?"

This caused the Dragon Lodge party, Tao Senior and Junior, as well as Hawk and Prime, to shudder, as they all thought, "This old monk had indeed harboured evil intentions towards us. He also had plans to rob the iron casket of its poniard. We have been neatly inveigled into a snare, and will all certainly die." Thus pondering, they heard the sound of a whirr and a slash. A weapon had been whipped out, and was flashing furiously in the air. In no time, there was the clashing and clanging of blade upon blade. Tree was enclosed by the outlaws brandishing their knives and flourishing their swords. Valour and others who had had their weapons cleft by the twins stooped to retrieve their foils, and charged with full force.

Tree turned himself around. Encircled by the outlaws, the old monk took his time. He addressed the group assembled, smiling with an impression of briskness. "Are you going to take up arms against an old monk like me?" The discomfited outlaws stared at him hard, yet none dared to risk another move. They had all drawn closer, and were now able to make out that Tree, wearing a grey beard and with creases in his face, was darting glances that were both lucid and penetrating: the monk was in no way an aged fellow.

Hawk retreated one pace, commanding the others, "First, let us set to and dispatch the old monk. We can sort out our own differences when we get back to the foot of the mountain. We will have plenty of time for that later." Hawk was of the opinion that the longer they were detained on the mountain, the more danger they were in. The outlaws now began to feel uneasy within the confines of the eyrie and felt the truth of Hawk's words. Just as they were about to dash headlong, a deafening sound like an explosion roared from beyond the doorway.



* * *



Everyone was taken aback by this sudden deafening sound. Suddenly, the steward rushed into the hall in a panic, crying out, "Terrible news for all!"

"Is Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain now on the summit?" asked Curio.

"Not yet. But worse news than that," replied the steward. "The hawsers and capstans for operating the basket have been smashed." At this everyone shuddered, each having conflicting opinions on the matter: "How is that possible?" "Is there not a spare hawser somewhere?" "Is there not another way of descending the mountain?"

"I am afraid this is the only hawser on the mountain," said the steward. "I was derelict in my duty to allow the two varlets of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain to tamper with the stand."

"How did it happen?" demanded Tree angrily.

Steward Yu recounted the incident: "After our brothers lowered the two little devils down the mountain on the rope, we then repaired to our chambers to rest. Suddenly came a loud thunderous noise. We all rushed out, only to find the capstans and the long hawser blown to smithereens. Damn those two devils incarnate! They must have planted some explosives in the capstans, then led the fuse all the way down to the foot of the mountain and blasted it." The group assembled were all stunned, fighting to reach the open. Their eyes showed them the capstans and the long hawser in fragments. By a stroke of luck, however, those manning the ropes had left the scene when the device exploded, and thus no one was hurt.

Fortune addressed Tree, "Great Master, what is at the back of the mind of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain?"

"The answer is as straightforward as can be," Tree answered. "He wants every one of us to perish on the mountain, from starvation."

"There is no seed of enmity between us," responded Fortune. "I do not see why he wishes this to happen."

To this Tree replied, "He may have borne the Master of the eyrie a fathomless grudge. As the iron box is now in your possession, that in itself may create enmity between you and him."

Fortune asked, showing great curiosity, "Does Fox Volant also have designs on this iron casket?"

"Does he not have?" retorted Tree.

The Company assembled reflected on the uncanny martial skills practised by the twins and concluded in concert: "Those twins are already such accomplished fighters that their Master must be a paragon of a fighter." Thereupon, the group retraced their steps back to the hall in silence, with Tree leading the way.

At this point Orchid moved into the big hall from the inner chamber. She turned to Tree and asked, "Great Master, is Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain going to starve us to death up here?"

Tree's colour sank, as he replied, "Yes, he is. We are all facing the same fate now, and we must find a way down the mountain."

Orchid said reassuringly, "Do not worry. My father will come up in a few days' time: he certainly can rescue us from this mountain." The others pondered her words. Phoenix Miao's daughter, Orchid, now became a member of the band. The Gilt-faced Buddha could not possibly sit back and not render aid. They felt somewhat relieved thinking thus. Hawk, however, shook his head quietly, finding it inconvenient to share his views with the others.

Tree asked, "Phoenix the Knight-errant is unsurpassedly superior in his martial ability, a fact to be reckoned with. But the snow summit is several hundred feet high: how can he possibly make his way up quickly?"

Orchid answered in a tone full of confidence, "As others could at one time reach the pinnacle to build this eyrie, I see no reason why my father cannot find his way up here."

Tree tried to convince Orchid, "Ascending the mountain in Summer presents no problem as the snow by then has all melted. But it is deep winter now. It will be at least another three months before the snow will melt. Steward, how long can we last out on the provisions in store?"

Steward Yu answered, "The person in charge of provisioning has travelled down the mountain to procure groceries. He is expected to be back the day after tomorrow. The provisions on the mountain could have stretched another twenty days or so. Now with visitors like you, along with the servants and maids of Miss Miao, I am afraid the food supply can be made to last no more than ten days."

The Company present all changed colour, and seemed to have lost the power of speech. They were all musing in silence upon the devilry of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain.

Suddenly Curio lit up as if he had an intelligent plan, "We shall glide down the slope, gingerly of course." He immediately checked himself when he realized that what he had said did not quite make sense: the summit was precipitiously steep. One would be thrown off instantaneously after attempting a mere few yards down the treacherous slope. The remainder all stared at him, thinking, "What a fool!" Curio sensed how the others were reacting and reddened to the tips of his ears.

Orchid then posed another question, "If we are all going to starve to death, we then have a need to know why. Great Master, what enmity have we contracted of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain? What right does he claim to instil such immense fear in the lord of the eyrie? How is the iron casket involved in the matter?"

Orchid's question expressed the gist of the puzzlement that was been bothering everyone. The outlaws would battle relentlessly and recklessly for the iron casket even if it meant sacrificing a few lives. But none was able to come up with an acceptable explanation for this frantic fight other than that a priceless treasure was hidden inside the box. They all directed their gaze at Tree, awaiting his explanation.

Tree said calmly, "As the matter now stands, there is no point in fussing and worrying over details. Let us be open and frank with each other. And putting our heads together, we may perhaps find a way down the mountain. If we harass and fight each other, we will die as sure as if we had marched right into the snare of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain." The Company assembled applauded their assent, and then sat around in a circle.

By then the mountain was growing increasingly colder. The steward ordered more firewood and coal be brought in for the brazier. Everybody was attentive.

Tree held up his covered tea bowl. He took a sip and exclaimed, "The tea is superb!" Then he continued, "The tale is a very long one. Shall we first find out whether the poniard is still in good condition?" The rest acclaimed this suggestion. Tree passed Curio the iron case, requesting, "Your Honour, as the Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, please undo the casket so all present can look inside."

Curio recalled the scene when Peace darted barbs from the box, wounding and dispatching several people. He intended to take care, lest some secret weapons might spring forth. He took the metal container with both hands, but did not dare lift its lid. Tree studied him intently, laughing but withholding his comments.

The outermost part of the metal box was encrusted with rust interspersed with variegated mottled streaks. The metal itself was savagely eroded, giving it a rough and uneven appearance. It had to be over one hundred years old; and there was nothing particularly unusual about the casket itself.

Curio thought to himself, "If I do not venture to open the casket, I shall be looked down upon by that knave Peace." Clenching his teeth and reaching out his right hand, Curio attempted to force the top open. He was surprised that, after much manoeuvring, the lid showed no sign of giving way. He scrutinized the casket and detected no sign of a keyhole, trigger, or catch. Curio wondered why he had failed to open the casket. Thereupon, he doubled the strength in both of his hands. Still the box remained stubbornly closed, yielding not at all, as if the container had been cast from one solid metal block.

Sign stole a glance at Curio who was puffing in anger and red to his roots. Sign was positive that there was some mechanical contrivance about the box. A hero's strength would be wasted in attempting to force it open and one might end up getting hurt in the end. Thereupon, Sign turned to Radiant, whispering in his ears, "Brother Radiant, why do you not take over?" Radiant looked grave and hesitant. "I ... I do not think I...." he muttered. Sign took the metal casket from Curio, placed it in Radiant's hands, imploring him thus, "I am sure you can do it."

Radiant looked angrily at her. He laid the box on the teapoy. Then he felt the top of the box. Instead of forcing it open upward, he touched the four corners in sequence thrice. Pivoting the underside of the box at its centre with his thumb, Radiant gave it a slight push. Instantly the lid opened with a metallic twang.

Valour and Curio both eyed him angrily, reflecting to themselves, "How come you know how to open the box?" They turned immediately to the container. Inside was indeed a poniard, sheathed in a scabbard, at the sight of which, Curio let out a cry. It was the same poniard wielded by his Master years before. His late Master had cleft the weapons of countless heroes and adept fighters with this very poniard.

Tree picked it up. Pointing to the rows of inscriptions engraved on the sheath, he cried out, "Come and take a look." The scabbard was encrusted with verdigris. The blade was adorned with a red gemstone. Otherwise, it was no more than a nondescript blade. The inscriptions engraved on the sheath read:



Killing Any Man Is Like Murdering

My Own Father.

Debauching Any Woman Is Like Violating

My Own Mother.



The meaning of these words was quite straightforward and easy to comprehend, yet they carried a spirit bold and audacious, vividly portrayed, almost darting from the scabbard.

Tree asked, "Does anybody know the story behind these inscriptions?" All answered in the negative. Tree then proceeded, "This is the military decree handed down from Li Zicheng, the Dashing King. This poniard here is the very weapon wielded by the Dashing King when commanding his millions of troops to create battlefields across the kingdom."

At this point the Company all rose from their seats. They fixed their gaze on the poniard resting now in Tree's uplifted hand, pondering on the validity of Tree's claim. The Dashing King had passed away a hundred or so years before, and yet the outlawry still spoke of him with awe. He could still inspire terror and veneration. Tree then turned the scabbard round and said pompously, "If you still have doubts, please read what is on this side." The inscription "Entrusted by the Heavenly Mandate to Advocate Righteousness" was engraved on the other side of the sheath. Tree continued, "The sobriquet of the then Dashing King was Generalissimo of the Heavenly Mandate to Advocate Righteousness." Only after hearing this did the Company assembled seem to be convinced.

Tree then added, "One year bandits on horseback from ninety-eight strongholds and bandit-chiefs from twenty-four stockades pledged an uprising and Li was elected Generalissimo by popular mandate. Later he proclaimed himself the Dashing King. In the course of battling for ten years or so, Li succeeded in besieging and capturing Peking, ushering in the Dashun Dynasty. The hereditary Emperor Chongzhen was forced to take his own life, hanging himself on Mount Coal. If Wu Sangui had not been a traitor to the Hans by shepherding in the Manchu army from beyond the Pass, the entire kingdom would certainly have come under the sway of Li. The Dashing King was the most awe-inspiring of hero bandits and outlaws; none ever surpassed him." Tree continued with a sigh, "It was ill-fated that his hard-wrought deeds were destined to be short-lived. They all vanished in no time. The Dashing King besieged Peking in the third month, of the seventeenth year of the reign of Emperor Chongzhen. He mobilized his troops to encounter the Manchu army beyond the capital in the fourth month. But his forces were taken in less than a month, forcing his soldiers to flee westwards. Then, the chequered fate of the country passed to the hands of the nomadic Tartars from northwest Manchuria."

Hawk looked in outrage at the old monk, reflecting to himself, "He is really bold, dabbling in seditious sermons."

Tree put the poniard carefully back in the casket, saying, "Later, both the Dashing King and Wu were sorely wounded in a raging battle. Li retreated from Peking, the capital, and fled westward, traversing the Provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi. Wu and the Manchu army trailed in close pursuit, forcing Li to turn southward, withdrawing to Henan, Hubei, and Hunan, and eventually retiring south to Guangdong and Guangxi. The military leaders and petty officers eliminated each other in the goriest of fights, while the remaining troops fled to the four corners of the country. Li retreated to Jiugong Mountain in Tongshan County of Wuchang Prefecture. The Dashing King was stranded and hemmed in on all sides by his enemies. After a bold resistance and several weak counter-attacks, Li was routed by the enemies. Alas, the hero's race was run."

"The Dashing King had four myrmidons, all paragons in martial arts, courageous and daring, who would devote their last drop of blood to their Master. These four henchmen bore the surnames Hu, Miao, Fan and Tian. They were known to the soldiers by these last names."

At the mention of the four surnames Hu, Miao, Fan and Tian, Fortune, Sign and the others immediately realized that the four myrmidons must be connected with the matter at hand. Sign cast Orchid a sidelong glance; she was poking the coal in the brazier gently with a pair of tongs, deep in thought. Her snowy white cheeks were lightly illuminated by the warmth of the blaze.

"Risking their lives for the Dashing King, the four myrmidons had gone beyond the call of duty." Tree continued his tale, lifting up his face and gazing at the roof. "They had undertaken many tasks, both difficult and dark, and many a time had saved Li by a hair's breadth. They were his trusted sentries and the sharers of his secrets. Of these four myrmidons, Hu proved himself the fighter's fighter, whose martial ability outshone the other three. He was also by far the most capable. He was given the sobriquet Lynx of the Sky by the troops of the Dashing King." At this, all present let out a cry.

They listened, rapt with upturned, attentive faces, waiting for Tree to pick up the tale. "The situation was fraught with danger when Li was hemmed in on Jiugong Mountain. Every single soul dispatched down the mountain for reinforcements met the same fate. They were waylaid and executed by the adversaries. In the end the Dashing King had to resort to charging Miao, Fan and Tian with the mission of obtaining reinforcements. These three myrmidons fought their way out in the dark to bring in support. Hu alone stayed behind to protect the Dashing King. When the three myrmidons marched back with troops for a counter-attack, it was too late: the Dashing King had already been dealt with.

"The three myrmidons wept bitterly. Fan wanted to slit his own throat instantaneously to sacrifice his life for his Master, but was held back by the two others, professing that wreaking vengeance for this blood feud should be their first priority. The three then conducted exhaustive enquiries in the environs of Jiugong Mountain, hoping to shed more light on details surrounding the circumstances of Li's death, for he had died as a martyr for the country. Hu, the myrmidon, apparently still alive and on the run, was an accomplished fighter, insurmountable under the sky. He was wise and resourceful. The three remaining myrmidons now needed him desperately to take charge of the situation before they could embark on retaliating and seeking vengeance for their Master. Thus spurred on, they set out in quest of Hu.

"The story among the forefathers of the outlawry had it that from generation to generation this quest brought on towering waves. Miao, Fan and Tian each detailed to their children a meticulous rendition of the scene they witnessed on that memorable day, also laying down rules to be strictly observed by the clansman that the same rendition be handed down to the progeny. Offspring of each succeeding generation of these three families were to take up the cause of their ancestors."

At this, Tree gave Orchid a serious look, remarking, "This monk is not one of your coterie. I therefore understood only the outline. If Miss Miao would consent to divulge more, I am sure we shall be more enlightened." The group assembled reflected to themselves, "Phoenix the father and Miss Miao the daughter are offspring of Miao the myrmidon."



* * *



Orchid started to tell her story, fixing her gaze on the brazier: "One evening, at the age of seven, I saw father sharpening and burnishing his backsword. I was scared by the sight of the sharp-edged weapon and I implored father not to wield it, but to put it away. Father told me he had to take one more life with this blade before he could lock it up for ever. I clasped my arms around his neck, entreating him not to kill anybody. There and then he poured forth the details of an incident.

"My father took me a long way back to the time when the serfs were living in a state of destitution, in want of food and clothing. They were crying out for food as they subsisted only upon bark and roots that animals eat. After this provender had all been devoured, they subsisted on mud and soil. Many died of hunger. Mothers, deprived of food, failed to give milk, starving many young at their breast. Nonetheless, the government officials were hard about extorting tithes and fines from the tenants and the landowners pressed the deprived for their dues and rents which were owed. Many serfs who failed their obligations were either sentenced to death by the official administrators or thrown into jail by the rich landlords. My father taught me a poem, written by a young gentleman, who was reputed a literary man and an accomplished martial artist. Would you like to listen to his verse?"

"We are all attentive," the Company replied. When she reached the part "reputed a literary man and an accomplished martial artist", Tree knew immediately she was referring to Li Yan, an army general of the Dashing King. Orchid then proceeded to pour forth the lines,



For years locusts and demons of drought devastated the land,

Scourging rice seedlings and young ears on the stalks, blighting all crops.

Rates for barter-staple soared, jumping in folds by score and score.

The great mass of people over the country strove and starved,

Obliged to replenish themselves with grassy roots, herbs and leaves.

And children cried and whined, pouring themselves out on mother and father.

Cauldron, earthernware and cooking stove had long since lain unused.

Day in, day out, from morning till dawn, begging a meal was hard.

Officials were more ferocious than tigers in extorting tithes.

The wealthy and high-ranking, like jackals and wolves, were out hounding debts.

The masses were living on the edge and drawing their last breath.

Departed spirits went forth to the kingdom of Death,

Leaving heaps of scattered bones strewn high on derelict mounds.

Though they strove hard as they might not to stare death in the face,

None could refrain from shedding tears through those miserable years.

And fear dripped from eyes, transforming them with a rusty dye.



Although the country was now enjoying peace and prosperity half way through the reign of Emperor Qianlong, floods and droughts infested the country annually, imposing considerable hardship on the common people. They had to strive hard to secure a living. The group assembled listened intently to every syllable and line delivered by Orchid. She enunciated the words in a perfect tone and her voice was compellingly melancholic, affecting all present. It had awakened a chord of memory, about the trouble they had been through among the Martial Brotherhood, the thoughts of which made them shudder.

Orchid then continued her story: "My father's story goes that in the end the common people broke down under these hardships. They could not bear the yoke any more. A great hero emerged at long last, marshalling the masses to besiege the capital. By a stroke of bad luck, after the hero had ascended the throne, he proved a poor administrator of his country, committing blunders and ill-treating his people. The army officers under his command turned to killing and looting, forcing the masses to turn their backs now on the hero. However, the hero believed that the masses had found a new leader in the gentleman-fighter to whose poem you have just listened. Gripped by fear, he ordered to have this very son of the gentry slaughtered. This incident brought on towering waves, for his followers reacted violently, fermenting agitation. It was not long after that the hero had his own life ended at the hands of a traitor." Orchid heaved a sigh at this.

After pausing for a while, Orchid then continued, "His three myrmidons then set out in quest of the missing myrmidon, hoping he would take the matter into his own hands and wreak vengeance for the great hero."

"The Mandate by then had come under the sway of a nomadic tribe from Manchuria. A Manchu ascended the throne, proclaiming himself Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The Emperor issued an edict, ordering the apprehension of the confederates of the deposed sovereign. The three myrmidons, no longer able to go into hiding, fled in disguise. One dressed up as a feldsher, a quack practioner hawking herbal drugs and medicinal concoctions. One went in the disguise of a pauper, begging alms. The remaining myrmidon, being the strongest of the three, disguised himself as a sham porter. The four myrmidons, pledging themselves in a sworn Brotherhood, had remained with each other through thick and thin for several decades, tending to each other with great devotion. Their attachment was fused closer than natural brothers. The three remaining myrmidons constantly had their lost sworn Brother on their minds; they missed him dreadfully. Thus they travelled far and wide over the country in search of him. But their efforts proved futile. When their quest was nearing the end of the eighth year, they began to harbour the thought that the missing myrmidon might have been slain in defending the great hero. The three myrmidons were grief-stricken."

The assembly was following Orchid's narration intently. She had adopted a tone of delivery as if she were telling a story to a group of small children. She must have imitated the tone characterized by her father in bygone days. The Company present remarked to themselves, "It is said that, though the sobriquet Gilt-faced Buddha contained the adjunct Buddha, the man himself is not kind and benevolent. He was known as a cruel and furious fighter, abhorring all evil as a deadly foe. Yet it seems he was a surprisingly affectionate and loving father."

Orchid took up her story again at this point: "A few years had elapsed and the three myrmidons decided not to continue their quest for the missing sworn Brother. As the traitorous villain who had taken the life of the great hero, having been made a Feudatory Prince, was now enjoying his fortune and happiness in the southwestern border province of Yunnan, the three myrmidons, after serious consultation, decided to journey southwest and stab the traitorous villain to death. Immediately they set out on the journey, embarking on their mission of wreaking vengeance for the great hero and for their sworn Brother."

The two Brothers-at-arms, Hawk and Prime, exchanged glances. They knew the traitorous villain to whom she was alluding was Wu Sangui, who had been conferred the title "Prince Who Pacifies the West" and bestowed a principality in a region bordering the southwest of the kingdom.

Orchid again continued from where she had left off: "The three myrmidons soon found themselves in Kunming, capital city of Yunnan province. They were cautiously reconnoitring the vicinity of the traitor's residence. On the night of the fifth day of the third moon, the three myrmidons leapt over the walls of the big house, all armed with swords and secret weapons. The traitor had his mansion closely guarded round the clock. A sentry caught all three red-handed the moment they touched the ground. A battle ensued. The three myrmidons who fought fast and furious slew or wounded some twenty sentries in a trice, throwing themselves off the sentries barring their way. They dashed headlong into the bed-chamber, counting on capturing the traitor on the spot, for he was now surrounded. Suddenly a man bounded from the side, shielding the front of the traitor. The three myrmidons saw that this very sentry was the sworn Brother whom they had been seeking for years. The sworn Brother excelled them all in martial ability. He was shielding the traitor, not allowing them to touch him. Mixed feelings of shock and wrath filled the three myrmidons. There and then they engaged him in a battle. In no time, several tens of sentries rushed into the chamber, coming to his aid. Being far outnumbered by their opponents, the three myrmidons had to run for their lives. Unfortunately, the old sham porter was captured on the spot.

"The porter myrmidon was interrogated by the traitor. He shouted and yelled at the interrogator using the most horrid epithets, calling upon all the gods. Then he accused the traitor of betraying the Hans and their kingdom to the Tartars. The traitor had him beaten severely, his legs mutilated, and thrown into a dungeon. The blood Brother, remorse-ridden, stole secretly to the dungeon and set him free. The sham porter, the feldsher and the pauper then met and wept without restraint. They found it hard to believe that this elder sworn Brother of theirs could have denounced their cause and joined league with their enemies. After quietly probing further into the matter, they unravelled one yet more spiteful and heart-rending happening: their investigation showed that, after the three myrmidons had fought their way out of Jiugong Mountain to call in help, the sworn brother was left in waiting. Several days elapsed and no reinforcements seemed imminent. Sensing the situation, he took the great hero with his own hands and handed himself over to the enemies. He was later granted a ranking statesmanship by the Manchu Emperor, having also been given the post of Military Governor in the service of the treacherous villain."

The assemblage changed its countenance on learning this. According to one version of the story the Dashing King had had his life taken on Jiugong Mountain by the common masses; by his army officers according to another version. Nothing gave rise to the third version that the killer was his own confidant, the myrmidon, whom he had trusted greatly.

Orchid sighed and continued her narration: "The three myrmidons, now having confirmed all their findings, concluded that he would have to pay. They admitted that even they three acting together were no match for him fighting single-handed. Now that the sham porter was seriously wounded, they were worth even less. While pondering on what steps to take, they suddenly received a letter dispatched by their sworn Brother, extending to each an invitation to a wine party on the night of the fifteenth day of the third moon, in the Immense Pool.

"The three myrmidons anticipated that the sender of the letter would be involved in some trickery. As he had already gathered detailed information about their movements and whereabouts, he certainly had control of the situation. Considering also that they were strangers to the locale, they found themselves in no position to decline the invitation. As matters now stood, they were obliged to go to the wine party, even if it meant committing and jeopardizing their lives. This particular trip which they had to take involved great risk.

"On the day appointed, the three myrmidons travelled to the edge of Immense Pool to attend the wine party, all secretly armed with edged weapons. The sworn Brother was there before the appointed time, waiting by himself, having brought no bodyguard with him. He was clad in a simple coarse garment of the commoners, similar to the one worn by the four myrmidons in the old days. The four of them procured some boiled meat, roast chicken, buns and several catties of good wine from a small tavern. Then they boarded a boat which took them to the centre of the lake. There they enjoyed the moonlight, along with the food and drink.

"While they were drinking, they recounted their audacious and boisterous days in the army. As the sworn Brother made no mention of the great hero, the other three had to check themselves. The sworn Brother gulped down bowl after bowl of wine. When the time approached mid-night, he lifted his head up towards the sky, crying out, 'Brothers, it has been a long time since we parted. I feel extremely happy today.'"

The last sentence was delivered boldly and uninhibitedly, somewhat incongruous with the style of the gentle and noble young lady who was speaking. However, this incongruity went unheeded as the group assembled were all listening intently, fascinated by the suspense and mystery of the story.

A short while later, the young lady in gamboge carried on her story: "In the end, the myrmidon disguised as a feldsher could hold himself back no longer and he sneered, 'You are now a ranking statesman and are enjoying fame, fortune and prosperity; of course you have every right to feel happy. I wonder how the Generalissimo would have felt?' The four myrmidons still referred to the great hero as the Generalissimo, long after he had proclaimed himself Emperor.

"The sworn Brother said with a sigh, 'The Generalissimo must be extremely lonely. I shall show you the way to pay respects to the Generalissimo once the present matter of business has been settled.'

"At this, the three myrmidons all boiled with anger, thinking to themselves, 'You are planning to take our lives and send us on our way to meet the Generalissimo in the underworld.' Thereupon, the sham porter reached his hand into his garment for his knife. The feldsher myrmidon signalled to him with his eye. Then he took up the wine-kettle and poured out a cupful for his sworn Brother, remarking, 'What really happened to the Generalissimo after we parted company on Jiugong Mountain?' The sworn Brother lifted his eyebrows and said, 'My reason for asking you three Brothers to come here today is expressly to discuss this matter with you.' The beggar myrmidon reached his hand out quickly, pointing at his back, crying, 'Do you see who is coming here?'

"The long missing sworn Brother immediately turned round and found the beggar and feldsher myrmidons both flashing blades, one slashing off his right arm with a blow, and the other lunging at his back, the weapon biting several inches into the skin. The sworn Brother let out a cry and wheeled round in a trice. Stretching forth his left hand, he wrested the blades from his two assailants and flung them into the lake. Now thrusting his hand in the air, he piqued the feldsher myrmidon on the paralytic point on his chest, draining him of his colour. Then he cried out, 'We four have pledged ourselves in sworn Brotherhood to owe allegiance to each other, to realize the same common ambition and to commit ourselves to the same common cause. Yet ... yet ... why have you attacked me like cowards?' The pique had paralysed the quack practitioner and he could not move. Brandishing his sword, the sham porter shouted, 'You have slain the Generalissimo, sold him out to gain wealth and distinction, and yet you still assume airs, bragging about integrity, principles, valiance, altruism, chivalry, loyalty, righteousness, and all the rest!'

"The sworn Brother flung out his leg and knocked the knife from the porter's hand, crying out with a laugh, 'Brother, very well said. Indeed you have integrity, high principles and heroic spirits in your veins.' Though he had one of his arms cut off and was sorely wounded, his power and courage were still commanding. The three assailants were awe-struck. As soon as the maimed myrmidon stopped laughing, he broke down, remarking, 'What a shame, what a shame that I will never get down to the major issue.' At this, he relaxed his grip on the feldsher. The latter was being cautious, afraid he might have in store for him another of his atrocious tricks. He flung out his arm on a sudden, aiming true and fast at his chest, exercising the heavy-handed pugilistic skill, dynamic in both strength and magnitude. The sworn Brother let out a loud cry, his mouth spouting crimson blood. Suddenly, he raised his left hand, driving his palm hard against the bulwark, causing the sawdust to dance and a plank to fly off. He said, twisting a smile, 'Though I am seriously wounded, it would not matter if I wished to dispatch you all. But you are my dear Brothers: I would not dream of such a thing.'

"The three assailants retreated to the prow, lining up shoulder to shoulder to guard against any sudden attack. The sworn Brother went on with a sigh, 'Remember to keep what passed between us this very day a sworn secret. If my son were to get news of it, you three would never be his match. I intend to slit my throat so you will not be unjustly accused of taking my life.' Thereupon, he whipped out his dagger, slashed it across his throat and dropped to the ground on bent knees, his head facing down. The porter myrmidon could not restrain himself any longer. He rushed forward and cradled the dying man in his arms, crying, 'Oh, my elder Brother.' 'My dear Brothers,' quavered their sworn Brother, breathing his last. 'As to how the Generalissimo's poniard came to be wrapped in a shroud of mystery, he ... at the Crag Canyon the old Master ...' Blood oozed from his throat, and he died on the boat without ever finishing his last sentence.

"The three looked at his body, and were filled with mingled feelings of sorrow and joy. They found two rows of inscriptions engraved on the weapon with which he had slit his throat. They immediately recognized it as the very military weapon once wielded by their great hero, the Dashing King."

At this, the Company present turned towards Tree and examined the poniard he was holding in his hand: a short, keen stabbing weapon. Suddenly Hawk shook his head, claiming, "I do not think this blade belonged to the Dashing King."

"What do you know?" shouted Century.

To this Hawk retorted, "Li had massacred tens of thousands. He had stained his hands for miles and miles across the country. It is inconceivable that he could sanction this inscription by military decree." The assembly was dumb-founded and baffled by his words.

Yu, the steward, suddenly broke in, "Who was there to bear witness to the Dashing King's alleged atrocities?"

"But the ancients believed that they had happened," replied Hawk, "and people still think so. We cannot be wrong."

"You ranking officials would certainly claim that he slaughtered for slaughter's sake," retorted the steward. "You may be encouraged to know that the Dashing King exterminated only the corrupt officials, local ruffians and oppressive gentry. These people were merely riffraff. The Dashing King pronounced the decree 'Killing any man is like murdering my own father' to his army to warn his soldiers against taking the lives of the innocent. There was truth in what he decreed."

Hawk was considering refuting the steward, but on seeing how boldly the steward conducted himself, Hawk checked himself on a sudden. Prime wanted to break this impasse, and said, "Miss Miao, what happened afterwards? Please carry on."

Orchid continued her narration: "The sham porter then raised a question, 'He said the Generalissimo was at the Crag Canyon: what does that mean?' To this the feldsher replied, 'Did he mean to say that the Generalissimo was buried at the Crag Canyon?' The tramp shook his head, 'He was indeed wild and wicked, going even to the extent of fabricating a legend as he drew his final breath.' The story then states that upon the death of the great hero, the traitor brought his corpse to the capital, and was given a handsome price by the Imperial House. The Emperor had the head severed from the body and hung the bloody trophy over the City Gate to serve as a warning to others. The three myrmidons, putting their lives at stake, finally made away with the severed head of their dead Master. They buried it in a precipitously steep and remote place. When they had heard from their sworn Brother that their Master was at the Crag Canyon, they had found it hard to accept it as the truth.

"After slaying their sworn Brother, the three myrmidons then concentrated their efforts on assassinating the traitor. However, all attempts failed as the traitor had taken every precaution to put himself under the tightest security. Soon word of their atrocious act of slaying their sworn Brother went round among the Martial Brotherhood. Upon learning this, the hero fighters and brave warriors in the Martial Brotherhood turned their thumbs up, applauding, 'a job well done.' When word finally reached the native village of the sworn Brother, his son was affected deeply. Gripped by grief, the young man immediately journeyed far west to Kunming to avenge the death of his father."

Century interrupted at this juncture, "Well, his son has nothing to be proud of. The fact was that the three myrmidons were inveterate enemies of the son. But considering the atrocious crime of his father, one worthy of a death sentence, the boy should have been told not to have bothered to take it upon himself to seek revenge in the first place."

Orchid agreed with him, "My father happened to think the same. But that son of his chose to think otherwise. In no time, the young man found himself in Kunming. He located the three myrmidons inside a torn-down temple. A battle ensued. The three myrmidons were no match for their assailant. The son, equipped with the esoteric feats of his deceased father, was fighting them single-handed. He overpowered the myrmidons in less than half a watch.

"The son addressed his enemies, 'The three Uncles here, now please listen. How much do you know of what is behind my father's ploughing the fields of shame and disgrace and bearing the yoke of denouncing his Master for his own fame and fortune? Much lay behind it. Since you once were sworn Brothers with my late father, I shall release you this time. Now you should all return home quickly and prepare for what is necessary: the upcoming fifteenth day of the third moon marks the anniversary of my father's death. I shall surely put you to the sword, at the prescribed hour and inside your own house.' With this, he wrenched from them the edged weapon once wielded by his father in battlefields. Then he rushed on his way, leaving the three myrmidons bewildered.

"It was already a severe winter. The three myrmidons immediately sped up north, travelling homeward. They called a family council, gathering members of the three families together and giving them an exhaustive account of the blood feud on the boat on that particular day, sparing no details. After listening to the account, the family members reacted angrily, 'He took the life of the great hero, turned himself in as a bodyguard to the traitor, and rendered service to an alien tribe as a ranking official: what good is there left in this man? It was incredible that his son should so openly and craftily defend him by making so bold a claim.' When word reached comrades in the Martial Brotherhood, they immediately swore allegiance to their cause.

"On the night of the fifteenth day of the third moon, the son turned up as he had promised, alone."

The Company now looked at Orchid, waiting for her to finish her story. At this moment, Lute, Orchid's personal maid, entered the hall. She was carrying a quaint tutenag thurible in her hand, snugly inside an embroidered purse. She walked to Orchid and put it inside the bosom of her garment.

Orchid whispered an instruction to Lute, "Burn some incense." Lute followed her order and returned in no time, carrying a miniature cassolette carved from mutton-fat jade. The maid set it down on the teapoy beside Orchid. A faint plume smoked gracefully from the beak of a phoenix embellished at the top of the burner. Presently, a subtle scent of delectable perfume assailed their nostrils. The aromatic scent, entrancingly soothing to the senses, was neither that of musk nor of epidendrum.

Thereupon, Orchid gave Lute a lecture, "Jasmine is lit only when I am in the chamber by myself. How can you burn this while there are so many around?"

"It was utterly foolish of me," answered Lute, wearing a smile. She picked up the incense burner and returned with a bigger one.

"The wind is blowing from the north," lectured Orchid once more. "Though there are no windows opening to the north, the wind is gusty on the top of the mountain, and somehow the gale seeps through. Are you sure you have set the censer in the right place?"

Lute smiled and at once moved the teapoy to a corner facing northwest. She then served Miss Orchid tea in a bowl before taking her leave.

Seeing this, the Company present remarked to themselves, "It is difficult to imagine that Phoenix, the Gilt-faced Buddha, himself a brazen knight-errant, could have doted on his daughter so excessively."

Orchid next held up her bowl of tea gently. She uncovered its lid and examined the tea leaves and petals of Banksian inside the bowl. After taking a tiny sip, she laid the tea bowl down gently. The assemblage expected her to continue her story. To their surprise, she apologized to the group, "I have a slight headache and would like to retire to my room. Would all the Uncles here kindly excuse my absence?" At this, she raised herself from her seat and retired to the inner chamber.

The Company present eyed each other. No words were exchanged. Curio was the first person who could no longer contain himself. Just as he was about to speak, Sign signalled to him with her eyes, causing him to arrest the words which were already on the tip of his tongue. He choked them back.

Presently Orchid returned to the hall to rejoin the group. She had changed into a beryl green chrysochlore-lined mantua and a chrysoidine yellow plaited skirt. Orchid had also cleansed her face of the rouge which she had worn since her ascent of the mountain, looking now much fresher and more natural. She had used a headache as an excuse to retire to the inner room to rearrange her toilet. Immediately, Lute walked in after Orchid. She placed a cushion made from the pelt of a silver fox on Orchid's seat. Orchid sat down slowly. Her lips quivered slightly, revealing teeth like pearls.

After a short while, she proceeded with her account, speaking gently, "Remember on the evening in question, the feldsher was hosting a banquet in his mansion. Over a hundred celebrated heroes and champion fighters were invited from among the Martial Brotherhood to the feast. They gathered there to await the arrival of the offspring of the sworn Brother. When the first watch of the night was announced, there suddenly was heard a conspicuous thud and an intruding guest suddenly appeared right in front of the group. In spite of their number, not a single adept fighter in the hall could understand how the man had stolen so surreptitiously into the room. The trespasser was about twenty, coarsely garbed in the everyday vestment of a knave, wearing a white coif on his head. In his hands he was holding a staff used by chief mourners. A backsword was slung across his back. He strode boldy across to where the feldsher, the tramp and the porter myrmidons were, oblivious of the eyes in the assemblage. There and then he addressed the three myrmidons, 'Would the three Uncles please move so that we may discuss matters discreetly and privately?'

"A veteran champion fighter of the Omei School darted in before the three myrmidons could reply, 'If you consider yourself an utterly brazen fellow, just say so here and now. What sneaky and sheepish tricks are you up to? Your father sold out his Master for his own selfish gains. You also strike me as a sinister fellow up to some wily schemes. The three elder Brothers should take care not to be ensnared by this rascal.' No sooner were the words out than the uninvited guest showered six hefty slaps across the speakers's face, causing six resounding smacks to be heard and, making the fighter's head reel, creating a droning in his ears. Suddenly, he coughed up dark red blood, and his teeth spattered to the floor.

"All the loutish fighters in the hall started from their seats, panic-stricken. Aghast, none of the hundred people assembled dared utter a sound, keeping quite silent and thinking, 'This man is supremely alert and agile.' The victim, Mentor of the Omei School, shattered by the blow, was horror-struck, unable to utter a sound. Everything was over in a moment. Before the assemblage could find time to recover their breath, the assailant had already wheeled around to where he originally was. He did not seem to have moved any muscle in his body in this wheeling back and forth. The three myrmidons, who had travelled around the world living through good times and bad with the father of the young assailant, immediately recognized this move as the Spirit Meteoring the Yonder Sky, an esoteric levitational feat unique to his House. But the son surpassed all his Masters, even his own father.

"'Uncles,' said the young man, 'if I wanted to take your lives, why did I allow you to leave the ancient temple in Kunming? I would like to have a private word with you in a room. You may find it inconvenient here.'

"The three myrmidons found his suggestion quite sensible. Thereupon, they moved to an inner room, the feldsher leading the way. The hundred or so celebrated hero fighters and champion warriors all at once ceased feasting in the hall, looked at each other and watched closely all the movements inside the chamber.

"After the time it would take to finish a meal, the four returned to the hall together. The feldsher myrmidon bowed deeply to the people in four corners, placing his hands in front of them. 'Thank you all for coming to the banquet,' he said. 'This is a real gesture of sworn Brotherhood, a true testimony of our pledge to uphold the great integrity, high principles and heroic spirits of the Martial Brotherhood.' Just as the assemblage was about to return his salutations, he whipped out his blade and slashed it across his throat. It was all over immediately. The Company present was taken aback. As they were about to rush forward to resuscitate him, the tramp myrmidon and the porter myrmidon wrenched the weapon from his hand, each slitting his own throat. Death struck instantly. This dramatic incident took everyone by surprise. In spite of their number, none of the celebrated fighters had succeeded in forestalling their actions.

"The son of the sworn Brother fell to his knees and performed several kowtows to the three bodies. Then he picked up the short blade with which the three myrmidons had committed suicide and bounded to the rooftop in one leap. The assemblage cried out aloud, 'Do not allow the villain to escape!' They immediately leapt to the rooftop in close pursuit. But the warrior had already vanished.

"The offspring of the three myrmidons wept loudly, throwing themselves on the corpses and clinging to them. The rest of the famed fighters proceeded to question the maids and servants carefully. None seemed to have any idea as to what the discussion inside the room had been about. No one could establish what wily scheme the young man had crafted which had induced the three myrmidons to take their own lives in the midst of the assemblage. The very sight of the bodies lying on the ground filled the gathering with wrath. They vowed to wreak vengeance upon the young man who had escaped.

"But the culprit has never been seen since. No one knew where he had gone into hiding. The bereaved children of the three myrmidons were raised and brought up by the other courageous fighters. They were saddened to see such righteous and devoted people as the true fathers of the orphans meet such a tragic end in avenging the death of their Master in the cause of justice and honour in pledged allegiance. Eaten away by this, the courageous fighters put themselves heart and soul into bringing up the bereaved and training them well in various martial skills. These offspring, each already equipped with the esoteric martial specialty entrusted to them through ancestral training, were also given vigorous instruction by the celebrated Masters. They developed their innate proficiencies, perfecting themselves by blending thoroughly all the acquired skills, developing them further and creating new styles. They each emerged as pioneers and became Masters in their own right."

At this juncture, Orchid let out a sigh. She then continued, "The more advanced they grew in martial ability, the more pressing they found it to seek revenge. I am still baffled by this business of practising martial arts. Is this in itself a bane or a boon to the human race?"

Orchid was staring at the fires in the brazier, occupied with her own thoughts. The Company present was impatient to discover what happened next. Tree interjected at this point, "We are all captivated by the story told by Miss Miao. Though she has not alluded to any specific names in the story, we may guess who those people were without being too wide of the mark. The sworn Brother in her story was the Dashing King's ultimate myrmidon, Lynx of the Sky, bearing the surname Hu. The sham porter was from the Miao Family; the tramp bore the surname Fan, while the feldsher had Tian as his last name. The progeny of each of the three myrmidons who had gone into disgrace further advanced and developed the esoteric martial ability of each family. Later, each family distinguished itself by establishing a name for its house. The martial specialty of the Miao Family is the Miao's Swordplay. Fan became Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry. The Tian Family eventually founded the Dragon Lodge."

Though Valour, Fortune and his party were veterans of the Dragon Lodge, they only learned about the history of the Lodge there and then. Their ignorance made them feel quietly ashamed of themselves.

Presently, Tree continued his version of the story: "In the end, the descendants of the Miao, Fan, and Tian Families succeeded in tracking down the son from the Hu Family. It took them around twenty years of wild endeavour. Their enemy was found seriously ill, suffering from extremely poor health. He was forced by the three families to end his own life immediately. Ever since then, the vendetta has continued and the issue of these four families spared no efforts to procure the death of each other. Over the past century or so, children of these four families, every single one of them, without fail, met a violent death. I once bore witness to a savage battle involving the four families. It was a frightening and soul-stirring experience."

Suddenly, Orchid lifted her head. She looked at Tree and said, "Great Master, I know the story already. Please stop immediately."

"But our friends here have not yet heard the story," answered Tree. "Why do you not carry on with the story?"

Orchid consented, though unwillingly. She agreed to render her version of the story: "The same year after he had told me the story about the four myrmidons, my father also told me another story. It is on account of the events connected with this story that he had to burnish his backsword in order to take one more life with it. This story is indeed a very tragic one. My heart contracts the moment I think of it. I wish my father had never told it to me."

She paused for a few moments before continuing: "The incident in question took place ten years before I was born. I wonder how the poor child has been faring. I pray he is still alive, keeping himself well."

The Company present looked at each other, wondering who that "poor child" was to whom she was referring; how did this child come into the relevant picture? They looked at Orchid, and then turned to Tree, waiting for one of them to solve their puzzlement.

Suddenly, an attendant serving tea by the side volunteered an answer: "Madam, some good might yet come of your kind heart. I like to think that the poor child in question is still alive, and prospers." His voice was rather hoarse. The Company turned round as one to find the owner of the voice was an old man, with thin grey hair, a weak appearance, and with his right hand removed. He was carrying a tea tray in his left hand. A wide scar, caused by an edged weapon, ran straight from his right eyebrow, directly across to the left corner of his mouth, cutting through the ridge of his nose. At the sight of this man, the Company thought to themselves, "This man has suffered sore wounds, and yet lived: it must have been a miracle."

Orchid let out a sigh before going on: "After hearing this story from my father, I would often pray fervently in silence, asking the Old One above to be merciful to this child, to be a good patron to him as well, so that he might grow up properly. My only hope is that he has not dabbled in martial arts, as I myself have not. After all, it is a blessing not knowing anything about martial arts."

The Company present felt surprise: "Of course she is not trained in martial arts. How could she be, with her fine looks and graceful deportment. However, she is, after all, the darling girl of the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant, and the Invincible Under the Sky. How could it be possible that her father had not passed on to her a few of the killer tricks of her family?"

Orchid read their minds, knowing that they were eagerly awaiting her answer. She then offered them one: "My father's story has it that in the intervening one hundred or so years, the progeny of these four families took it upon themselves to gain revenge on each other. They all ended violently. Adepts in martial arts are forced to lead a harried life, busy all their life-time with killing and avenging, or racking their brains for ideas with which to foil their enemies. They hardly have time to indulge themselves in meals with free minds. They can, at most, enjoy only a few months out of the twelve. Also, when their ends are drawing closer, they all inevitably finish by dying under a fatal blow from their adversary, even though they are destined to attain the great age of seventy or eighty. The martial ability, in which they are all experts, ironically enough can neither protect nor save them at the very end. Their martial accomplishments only help to incur for them more dangers and curses. Hence, my father laid down a scriptural canon for the house, decreeing that all family members, effective from his day and forever after, should abstain from the arts of martial ability. He also decided not to take on disciples. He believed that if he had the misfortune to die at the hands of his enemies, no family member would be able to avenge his death as none would be skilled in martial feats. He hoped thus to bring to an abrupt end the vendetta which has been growing since the last century."

At this, Tree clasped both hands together in the Buddhist salute, chanting, "Praise be to Buddha! Praise be to Buddha! Phoenix the Knight-errant had indeed attained Enlightenment. He will force the unique techniques of the Miao's Swordplay to die after him, which in itself is a fit and good deed, although this might mean a great loss for the Martial Brotherhood."

Orchid was puzzled by a strange gleam which flickered in the eyes of the scar-faced servant. Thereupon, she addressed Tree and the remaining party, "Would you all please excuse me? I would like to retire to my room." She drew the lapels of her garment together and saluted respectfully to the group before retiring to the inner room.

"Miss Miao is a kind-hearted and good-natured lady," remarked Tree. "She finds it hard to endure this any more. Well, I might as well continue now that she is gone."

The day had not yet reached noon, and yet the Company had already experienced a great many strange revelations in the few watches since dawn. Some puzzlement went through their minds and they were eager to understand the matter fully.

Presently, Tree started his story: "Ever since the vengeful deeds of the Dashing King's four myrmidons, offspring of these four families, over the past hundred or so years, have never missed any opportunity to wreak vengeance upon each other. As old Lynx had sold out his Master for his own selfish ends, the Martial Brotherhood therefore turned their backs on his family. Thereafter, the younger Hus were to fight single-handed in all the furious battles that ensued, and they were almost invariably beaten. Nonetheless, in avenging the death of their forefathers, the progeny of the Hu Family had shown to perfection the threatening effects of the esoteric martial feats of the family. It was a marvel to witness how one or two of their adept fighters managed to bring about chaos every thirty or so years, shedding blood in abundance, whether they emerged victors or losers.

"The Miao, Fan, and Tian Families beat the Hu Family in numbers and in their ability to enlist the sympathy and support of outside groups, as they were believed to have attained Dao, the Way of the Cosmos, in their righteous fight for the cause of honour and rectitude. Nevertheless, descendants of the three families lived in constant fear of the Hu Family, whose members were always prepared to stage clandestine attacks or resort to wily schemes. Then came a time in the wake of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng when a battle broke out among the three families over the safekeeping of the Dashing King's military weapon. It chanced that two exceptionally gifted and peerless fighters had appeared in the Hu Family. They were brothers. Both fought fast and furious, wounding ten or so opponents in one breath. The three families were panic-stricken. Finally the Tian Family took it upon themselves to bring in reinforcements: fierce and ferocious fighters of the Martial Brotherhood. Only with a strong common front were they finally able to put their blades to the two brothers. Also in the same year, all famed warriors and celebrated fighters were called to travel afar, to Luoyang, an ancient capital, in the interior empire. There the hero fighters assembled and pledged to aid each other. There it was also decided that the Dashing King's poniard was to be in the safekeeping of the Tian Family of the Dragon Lodge. Should members of the Hu Family make any move to provoke a quarrel in future, the Tians would use this very poniard to enlist the support of brazen and courageous fighters of the Martial Brotherhood, and join in league with the others against their common foe. All hero fighters were immediately to come to the call of the poniard even if it meant extricating themselves from matters of consequence.

"Many years passed. This incident seemed almost to have been forgotten. Nevertheless, the Grand Master of the Dragon Lodge still attached great significance to the poniard. Later, word travelled that the Dragon Lodge had split into the Northern Branch and the Southern Branch, with each Lodge taking turns at safekeeping the poniard on a ten-year basis. Brother Valour, and Brother Fortune, I presume I have this part correct?"

"The Great Master is correct," answered Valour and Fortune in unison.

Immediately, Tree continued, beaming, "With the passage of time, the proteges of the Dragon Lodge came to regard the poniard as an heirloom of their Lodge, and yet few took the trouble to trace the origin of this house treasure. Well, this should not come as a surprise as so many years had already elapsed. But there is still this one thing that puzzles the monk, and I hope Brother Curio will be able to enlighten me on this matter."

"Just ask!" said Curio.

Tree then put his question, "This old monk was told that on the day the poniard was passed from the retiring Grand Master to the Grand Master designate, the old Grand Master always made it a point to brief the new one on the history of the heirloom. Brother Curio has had the honour to become the Grand Master, and yet he is ignorant of its history. Does this mean that Pastoral, the old Grand Master, has overlooked this sacred duty of the Lodge?"

Curio's face reddened. As he was about to make a reply, Sign interceded, "It was a misfortune to the Lodge that my father was taken away so suddenly, before he could find time to expound all the details to Brother Curio."

"This may be so," answered Tree approvingly. "Well, well, well. This is the second time I have set eyes on the poniard. The first time, when I come to think of it, must have been more than twenty-seven years ago."

Immediately, a thought went through Sign's mind, "Miss Miao is around seventeen. She said the fatal incident took place ten years before she was born, which should make it over twenty years ago. Mostly probably what the old monk witnessed then in connection with the poniard must have some bearing on the intricacies of the matter revealed by Miss Miao."





Chapter Four: Tryst



Tree proceeded to treat the party to a lively account of what had actually taken place some twenty years before. "Before I took the vows of celibacy and abstinence of the Buddhist monk, I was a rural practitioner eking out a bare existence with my scanty medical knowledge in a small hamlet, a backwater of Cangzhou, which was directly attached to the Metropolitan circuit. Practising martial arts was part of the life of the people living in Cangzhou. All youngsters invariably received instruction in pugilism and swordplay, of one kind or another. I was then an osteopath bonesetter and martial artist of some sort. The village was situated in a remote countryside, with only five to six hundred inhabitants. I certainly had the means neither to support a family, nor to find myself a wife.

"In the twelfth moon of the lunar year in question, I went to bed after swallowing three bowlfuls of cold gruel. Then I was soon sound asleep and deep in dreams. I dreamt that I had inherited a large fortune and was going to take a beautiful maiden as my wife. Just at that damned moment, there came a noisy banging from outside: somebody was pounding on the door.

"It was piercingly cold outside. A strong gale was gusting from the north. The warmth in the kang I was sleeping on had long since died out and the cover was almost paper-thin. I was most reluctant to get myself out of bed, and was particularly vexed to be woken up in the middle of a wondrous dream. But the banging on the door gathered momentum.

"'Doctor! Doctor!' someone could be heard howling outside.

"It was the dialect of the region west of the Pass, definitely not a local brogue. It seemed as though the owner of the voice would certainly break into my place if the door was not opened immediately. Baffled by all that was going on, I quickly grabbed my coat, flung it over my shoulders and leapt out of bed. No sooner was the door unbolted than it was thrown open with a loud bang. I darted to the side, just in time to avoid being given a big bruise on the forehead by the swinging door. A light flickered. In a trice, a man marched into the room, holding a torch in his hand.

"'Quick! Doctor! Follow me quick!' shouted the man.

"'What's the matter? Who are you?' I demanded.

"'This is a matter of life and death,' puffed the man.

"Before I could put in another word the man flung down a silver ingot with his left hand. The precious metal landed neatly on the table with a clang. That object was a good handsome piece of twenty-tael silver. Such an offer was altogether too tempting. The payment I normally got from attending the village folks was merely a few tens or hundreds in cash. In truth it took some moments for me to believe that it was a twenty-tael silver ingot. Amazed by the sight of the metal, I speedily tucked the silver object away and pulled my clothes and shoes on. The fellow kept telling me to hurry. I stole a quick look at the man while struggling into some clothes. He had the typical rough, brazen and almost insolent look of a clandestine gangman, except for the worried look on his face.

"He snatched my kit-box with one hand before I could find time to button myself up. He then grabbed my hand with his other hand and dragged me out into the street.

"'Hey, let me lock the door!' I shouted out.

"'We'll pay for anything that is stolen,' he answered impatiently.

"He dragged me along with short, quick paces, and in no time we found ourselves at the entrance to the Pacific Staging Post. This was the only hostelry in the village which accepted muleteers and coolies on stage-coaches to and from the capital. The lodging was not only lacking in space; it was also filthy and squalid. I was wondering how it was possible that rich and wealthy people like my client could tolerate this place. Before I could find time to finish my thoughts, I was dragged into a corridor by the stranger. Lighted lamps and torches were swaying. Four or five men were sitting there.

"'The doctor is here!' shouted the man, still grasping my hand. The company's faces lit up with joy and they hustled me forward to a side-room on the eastern wing.

"I was appalled by what I saw right at the doorstep and I started as if I had seen the devil. On the kang were four men lying shoulder to shoulder, drenched in blood. I asked the man to move the lantern closer so that I could examine the wounded better. They were sorely wounded: some had their faces disfigured and others had upper limbs mutilated by blows from edged weapons.

"I at once posed the question, 'How did they come to suffer such cruel blows? Were they attacked by thugs?'

"To this the man answered sharply, 'Get them back on their feet quickly. I'll promise you more money as long as you mind your own business, do not pry in the affairs of others, and keep your mouth shut.'

"The fellows in the room were all armed, bold and ferocious. I dared not become any more involved in their business, but immediately set to dressing the wounds of the injured with a styptic concoction specifically prepared for wounds inflicted by edged weapons. The bleeding was finally staunched and the cuts bandaged.

"'More over there,' signalled the man. He led the way to a side-room on the western wing. Three more injured were lying on a kang, covered with wounds from edged weapons. I staunched their bleeding with a herbal preparation, then made them take a medicine brewed from herbs possessed of soporific and anodyne qualities to induce sedation and sleep. The seven wounded eventually all fell asleep.

"Seeing that my herbal preparations worked like magic, the man who had brought me to the inn then assumed a more friendly air, forgetting his previous fierce and ferocious looks. The others told the attendants to convert a door-board into a makeshift bed for me to sleep on so that I might tend immediately to the wounded should things take a turn for the worse.

"The next morning I woke up at the crowing of the cocks. The sounds of horses' hooves were heard coming from a distance. In no time the beasts halted in front of the staging post. The gang of fellows then marched to the doorway to receive the visitors. I pretended to be asleep, but all the while my narrow peeping eyes were intently following all that was going on around me. Presently two men entered the room. One was dressed like a vagabond, but had a penetrating gleam in his eyes. The other had fine, handsome features and appeared quite young. The two visitors walked straight across to the side of the kang and examined the wounded. The injured struggled to a sitting position despite excruciating pain, attempting to show great respect for the visitors. The vagabond fellow was heard being addressed as Fan the Ringleader and the other one as Tian the Young Master."

Tree paused at this point, and then addressed Sign, "The first time I met your father was long before you were born. Your father was shrewd and capable. To this very day, I can still recall the decisive, sharp look he had on that day." Sign's eyes moistened and she lowered her head.

Immediately Tree continued his tale: "One of the wounded men was heard whispering in the ears of the visitors, 'Master Fan and Master Tian, the Zhang Brothers have been tailing these two confidence artists all the way from beyond the Pass down south, and our investigation has led us to believe that the iron casket is now definitely in the possession of these two. All the information has already been verified.'"

On hearing the words "iron casket" the Company looked at one another, thinking to themselves, "Tree is now getting to the core of the story."

Tree soon continued his narration: "Fan the Ringleader nodded his head, acknowledging the man's words. The man then continued, 'We had all positioned ourselves at the town of Tang, ready to dispatch our men to take word to the two of you and to the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant. Unfortunately the confidence artist saw through our plan and detained us on our way, telling us, "We have never met and I do not believe I know any of you here. Why are you following me? You must be sent by the Miao, Fan and Tian Families; am I right?" Thereupon Big Brother Zhang answered, "Much better that you know it." Thereupon the confidence artist straightened his face and wrenched Brother Zhang's knife from him, pressing his hands to each end of the blade. The knife immediately snapped in two. The victor thrust the broken parts to the ground and remarked angrily, "I hate to hurt anyone more than I have to. Leave my sight!" Seeing that the confidence artist had really worked wonders with his hands, we all rushed forward to Brother Zhang's rescue. Immediately, Brother Zhang flung out his leg and dealt a blow on the belly of his pregnant wife. The confidence artist grew furious and bawled at us, "I intended to let you go, and yet you are so insolent!" Snatching up a knife, he showered blows and strokes on us, wounding seven of us in one breath.'

"At this juncture Master Tian broke in, 'What else did he say?' The man replied, 'The confidence artist meant to shower more blows and strokes, wounding more of us, but at that point his wife called out from inside the carriage, "Let them go! Earn a little merit and some good karma for your unborn child." At this, the confidence artist smiled faintly, withdrew his hands and snapped up his knife.' Tian looked at Fan with meaning in his eyes before addressing the man again, 'Are you sure he snapped it with his hands?' The man answered, 'I am positive. I was standing next to him and saw it all very clearly.' Tian expressed boredom and turned his face upward, staring into space. Fan quickly assured him, 'My dear Younger Brother, do not worry. Phoenix the Knight-errant can certainly aim his sword at this insolent fellow.'

"The man then continued, 'He is now on his way to the land south of the Yangtze River and will have to pass through this place also. If the two of you stay behind, he certainly cannot hope to get away.' His suggestion aroused serious looks in both Fan and Tian, and they began to discuss matters in low whispers. A few moments later, they both walked slowly out of the room.

"I kept on pretending to be fast asleep until they had left the room. Then I arose and changed the dressings for the seven wounded. I asked myself, 'I wonder who this confidence artist is? He harboured no intention of killing his assailants, but spared their lives instead. Though these seven here are seriously wounded, they have not been dealt a single fatal blow.'

"At dusk, while we were having supper in the hall, a man rushed into the room, shouting out, 'Here comes the man!' The fellows changed colour. They immediately flung away their rice bowls and chopsticks, whipped out their blades and rushed outside. I quietly followed them, very much frightened; yet I wanted to join the crowd, to be where the action was.

"The driveway was murky, covered with clouds of dust. A big carriage rumbled in from a distance. Fan and Tian, conducting their train of retainers, moved to the doorway, ready for the party's arrival. I was the last one to follow. The big carriage finally pulled to a halt in front of the group. Fan shouted to someone inside the carriage, 'Hu! Get yourself out into the open.' Presently an answer came from behind the blind of the coach, 'Paupers awaiting their alms, eh? Fine: some money, then, for whoever is present.' In no time, their eyes were dazzled by the glittering and glistening of gold and all dropped to the ground in a second, letting out cries. Fan and Tian, being proficient in martial arts, were the only two who survived the ordeal. They managed to maintain themselves in an upright position, even though each had caught one of the dispatched arhat quoits in the wrist, forcing them to slacken their grip on their weapons, so that they dropped to the ground. Tian reacted quickly, 'Big Brother Fan, move to the side quickly!'

"Fan the Ringleader proved himself exceptionally alert and agile. He bent down to retrieve his iron shaft and whipped around in a trice, planting himself upright beside those lying on the ground, intending to revivify their piqued points. When I received my training in osteopathic arts, my Master gave me a few lessons on the thirty-six major paralytic points of the body. When Fan the Ringleader set to revivifying the piqued points of his people, I knew a little about what he was doing. Though he applied himself with vigour to massaging and applying pressure onto the vital parts of the bodies of those attacked, he failed to get the expected response. Those piqued remained lying on the ground, completely paralysed.

"Presently the man inside the carriage broke out into loud laughter, 'Very well. One lot of cash is not good enough for the job? Here comes more.' All at once, ten or more coppers sprang out in quick succession, flying in every direction, each aiming at a paralytic point. There and then the victims previously inflicted by the coins thrown at them now recovered their senses in their limbs, all raising themselves to their full height.

"Guarding his front with his sword, Tian cried aloud, 'Hu! We admit defeat. Stay where you are, if you have the courage.' No answer came from inside the carriage. Suddenly a copper came whirring from the vehicle, striking the tip of Tian's knife with a clang, deflecting the blade, causing it to fly from him before plunging into the ground. Tian then raised his right hand, the one he wielded his weapon with. Blood was dripping from the web between his thumb and the index finger.

"Taken aback by the might and vigour of his enemy, Tian flung out his hand, beckoning Fan the Ringleader to take the party back to the inn with him. Once there, they immediately carried the seven wounded on their backs, mounted their horses and fled southward. Tian left me another twenty taels of silver before taking his flight. He struck me as a very generous person. He was indeed a true gentleman and a gallant knight-errant. I said to myself, 'The person inside the carriage must be a recklessly wicked villain. Master Tian, being kind-hearted as he is, would never have incurred animosity on his part.' I was just on the point of setting off on my way home when suddenly the big carriage swung round and stopped right outside the door of the staging post. Gripped by curiosity, I hid under the counter and glued my eyes to the carriage door, trying to find out what the villain looked like.

"The curtain of the carriage was raised and out leapt a brawny and husky fellow. He was pugnacious-looking, with a swarthy complexion and thick grizzled whiskers covering his cheeks. His hair was unbraided, tousled and unkempt on the top of his head, making him look dishevelled. I started at his appearance and remarked to myself, 'What hellish creature could have begotten this aggressive-looking ruffian?' I was very anxious to return home. Yet strange as it might seem, I could not take my gaze from the man, and I cursed myself in silence, 'Running into a ghost in broad daylight! This fellow must possess the power of witchery or sorcery.'

"The man then asked the innkeeper, 'Excuse me, innkeeper, where can I find a doctor?' The innkeeper pointed at me and told the man, 'This is the doctor.' I immediately waved my hands in utter confusion and stammered out, 'No ... no ...' The man responded with a laugh, 'You will be perfectly safe: I do not intend to cook you in a cauldron.' Thereupon, I tried to answer deprecatingly, 'I ... I ...' But the man went pale and blurted out, 'If I were to eat you, I would eat you raw.' I was frightened all the more by his sentence. All of a sudden he burst out laughing: he was, after all, just teasing me. I thought to myself, 'Joke or no joke, you could have picked someone other than me.' This went through my mind, yet I dared not utter a word of it out loud.

"The man then continued, 'Innkeeper, give me two clean rooms facing south, the best you have. My wife is in labour. Go and find me a midwife—quickly!' Then he frowned and said, 'The travel has upset the foetus: she might not have an easy delivery. Doctor, please stay behind.' The owner was most reluctant to see a patron brought to bed of a child, soiling his inn with childbirth. But the man's formidable appearance made the innkeeper wise: he dared not remonstrate any further, except to tell the man directly that Mama Liu, the village midwife, had passed away a few days before. At this, the man looked even more terrifying. He produced a silver ingot and hurled it at the table, saying, 'Innkeeper, you must go and find a midwife from another village. The sooner the better.' I could not believe my eyes and told myself, 'Silver ingots are nothing to these people. They throw away a twenty-tael block without blinking an eye.'

"After the innkeeper had set up the rooms, the man with the formidable looks helped a woman out of the carriage. She was entirely wrapped in a fur coat, revealing only her oval face. On my life, I could not believe my eyes. The man was a ferocious warrior and his wife, a kingdom-quelling beauty. I was taken aback by the stunning beauty of the lady and tried hard to understand this strange union: 'She must be a genteel daughter of a ranking official. Somehow, through some misfortune, she was forced into marriage with this wicked devil. That must be the story behind it all. The bandit seized her and made her mistress of his stockade.' Suddenly I was possessed by a strange idea: 'This lady and Master Tian would surely have made a perfect match. The fierce-looking fellow might have snatched her from Master Tian, thereby arousing animosity between them.'

"Before midday, the woman was groaning and moaning in her labour pains. Beads of perspiration appeared on her forehead. The aggressive fellow grew also more anxious and wanted to fetch the midwife himself, but was restrained by his wife. She held him by the hand, entreating him not to leave. The time moved to a little after noon; the baby was due at any moment and could not wait any longer. The bandit wanted me to deliver the baby. I was certainly not in favour of this. Could you imagine me as midwife to a pregnant woman? It would be a shame and a disgrace, as well as endless ill luck. Once one gets involved in matters like this, one is sure to be down on one's luck for the rest of one's life.

"Presently, the vicious devil addressed me in a commanding tone, 'If you do the job, here is your reward: two hundred taels of silver. If you do not, I will not be offended.' Thereupon he brought his fist down on the square table, breaking off a corner. I told myself, 'Rule number one is to stay alive. After all, many, many years of practising osteopathic arts would never gain me as much as two hundred taels of silver, like the job I'm being asked to do. Who would mind just dabbling in an inauspicious matter like this?' So, I started to help his wife bring a fair-skinned, chubby infant boy into the world.

"The baby cried violently. His face was hairy all over and he stared at us with round eyes. He looked fierce, very much like his father. He would certainly grow up to be an evil-doer.

"The wicked devil of a father was completely overjoyed with his baby boy. He immediately handed me ten shoes of silver, each worth twenty taels. The new mother also gave me a gold ingot, worth at least eighty to ninety taels of silver. The bandit then took out a case of silver and gave ten taels to everyone present, from the innkeeper down to the handyman who handled firewood for the stove. This munificient gesture pleased everyone. The war-like fellow then plied everybody with wine, including servants-of-all-work and the janitors who did the sweeping. All his guests set to filling themselves with wine and started to address him as Lord Hu with loud belches of delight. But the host told the company, 'My family name is Hu. However, as I always dispatch evil doers with a single blow of my blade, right through their bodies, I came to acquire the title Gully. Stop all this "Lord Hu" and "Master Hu". I have also known poverty. How can I be a lord with the scant amount I made from those bullies? Just call me Big Brother Gully.'

"I knew from the outset that he was not a decent fellow; this fact was soon borne out by his words. The company present could not initially bring themselves to address him as 'Big Brother', but he insisted that they do so. Some time later, the group, after drinking many a bowl of wine, grew bold enough to enter into animated talks with their host, and were soon addressing him as Big Brother Gully. That same evening, Gully would not hear of my leaving, pressing me to stay on, to drink to his company. We gulped down bowlful after bowlful of wine. By the second watch of the same evening, after drinking copiously, those failing to keep their heads had all fallen to the floor. I was the only one with a steady head for drinking so I continued to pour down bowlful after bowlful with Gully. The more liquor he consumed, the more cheerful he grew. Presently he went into the room and returned to the hall with the baby in his arms. He dipped his finger into the wine and let the infant lick it from his finger. His babe was no more than a day old, and yet he did not cry when imbibing strong liquor. He seemed to enjoy it. He was a born drinker!

"Suddenly the sound of horses' hooves came to the ears of the company galloping from the south. In no time, a caravan of twenty to thirty horses was drawing closer, galloping and halting right in front of the inn. Soon a loud banging on the door was heard. The innkeeper, having drunk himself into a cheerful state of inebriation, groped and waddled his way to the doorway. The moment the door was flung open, some twenty fierce fighters rushed into the room, all armed with edged weapons. They stood abreast, barring the entrance to the inn, maintaining silence. At length, one man stepped forward. He seated himself on a stool beside a table. He divested himself of the yellow cotton knapsack slung across his back and laid it down on the table. There was sufficient light from the candles, and I was able to make out the inscription 'Invincible Under the Sky' embroidered in black silk on the bundle."

At this, the Company present lifted their eyes and fixed them on the inscription in the main hall. Some of the characters read 'Invincible Under the Sky' and 'Phoenix Miao'.

Tree continued his story: "I still hold that Phoenix the Knight-errant was too vain and arrogant to have deserved that sobriquet of his. But on that particular evening, I was frightened by his appearance. He was long of bone but short of muscle, like a bamboo oar. His waxen complexion made him look rather unhealthy. When he spread his hands out on the bench, they were large, but wasted: they looked like a bundle of old twigs or a torn rush-leaf fan. At that time I did not know who he was. I found out that he was the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix Miao, the Knight-errant only much later on.

"Gully was, at that time, fully absorbed in playing with his new-born and seemed not to have noticed those who had entered the room. Phoenix the Knight-errant likewise did not utter a word. He was enjoying the wine served by his own attendants. The ten or so fellows stared at Gully, but he remained fully preoccupied, dipping his fingers into the wine and letting his baby lick them. Every time he dipped his fingers into the wine, he tossed his head back and drained one bowlful himself. The father and the son seemed to be plying each other with liquor.

"Gripped by fear, I felt my heart throb in my chest. I wanted to extricate myself from the arena of action at the earliest possible moment. But how could I dare to attempt any move? If I moved an inch, all the ten or so keen blades would instantly shower blows and strokes on me. Even if they avoided dealing me direct strokes, the mere glancing of a blade would surely bite deep into my skin, wounding me fatally.

"Both Gully and Phoenix kept to themselves. Each gulped down some ten bowlfuls of wine. No words were exchanged. Neither cared even to look once at the other. Suddenly, the woman inside the room woke up and called from within, 'Big Brother!' The infant started to cry loudly on hearing his mother's voice, causing Gully's hand to tremble suddenly; his wine-bowl dropped to the ground with a crash, shattering in pieces. The colour drained from his face. Gully immediately picked up his new-born and rose to his feet. Phoenix snorted loudly three times before spinning around to take his leave. His retinue of followers went after him to the door. Instantly, the sound of horses' hooves was heard fading into the distance. I had believed that a furious battle would inevitably ensue, and was surprised that Phoenix the Knight-errant had taken his leave so suddenly when the baby had begun to cry. The innkeeper, the attendants, and I all stared at each other, bewildered.

"Presently Gully picked up the child and stepped inside his room. Its wooden partition was extremely thin and I could hear the question posed by Gully's wife, 'Big Brother, who was here?'

"'Just a few scoundrels,' answered Gully. 'Get some rest and don't worry. I will see to everything.'

"The woman let out a sigh and continued in a whisper, 'You do not have to lie to me; it was the Gilt-faced Buddha.'

"To this Gully gave an answer, 'No, you are entirely wrong. Now, do not be silly and forget such ideas.'

"But the woman responded sternly, 'Why is it then that your voice trembled? You have never behaved like that before.'

"Gully was unable to answer. After pausing a while, he continued, 'So be it, as you have come so close to the truth. But I shall not be overawed by him.'

"Thereupon, his wife pleaded, 'Big Brother, you should never allow yourself to feel worried, neither on my account nor on the child's. You know you cannot hope to defeat him when you feel intimidated.'

"Gully heaved a sigh, responding, 'I have always been unafraid; nothing can unnerve or worry me. But it was strange how this very evening, with the baby in my arms, I suddenly broke into a cold sweat. It happened the minute the Gilt-faced Buddha barged into the inn. He laid his bundle on the table before casting the child a look from the corners of his eyes. You are right: I have a great fear only of the Gilt-faced Buddha.'

"'You are not scared of the man himself,' answered his wife, 'but fearful of his doing harm to me and to our child.'

"Gully hesitated before replying, 'I have heard that the Gilt-faced Buddha is a true acolyte of chivalry. He never hesitates to offer help to those in distress, in the cause both of honour and of justice. His code of conduct and sense of chivalry must be remarkably high for him to merit the title Phoenix the Knight-errant among outlaws of the Martial Brotherhood. I don't think he would harm women and children.' Gully's voice trembled even more in these last few sentences. Evidently, he was still fearful at heart. All of a sudden, I was filled with pity for the man. I told myself, 'This man may be ferocious looking, but he harbours a tremendous fear inside.'

"His wife then spoke in a soft voice, 'Big Brother, you take the child home first and I shall come and look for you in the land beyond the Pass the minute I am strong enough to travel.'

"To her suggestion Gully only replied with a sigh, 'How can this work? If anything should happen to either of us, death will claim us together.'

"On hearing this, his wife answered also with a sigh, 'If that is the case, I wish I had not stood in your way then. Only then could you have travelled south and challenged the Gilt-faced Buddha to a duel. Without a care in the world, you certainly could have defeated him.'

"Gully let out a laugh and answered, 'It still does not necessarily mean that I would be beaten by him if we were to take up a duel now. I am afraid his knapsack with the emblem "Invincible Under the Sky" may have to change hands.' Though I was on the other side of the partition, I could still hear that Gully's voice was trembling despite the cheerful act he put on.

"Suddenly his wife came forward with a suggestion, 'Big Brother, just grant me one thing.' Gully asked, 'What is it?' She replied, 'Why not sort everything out honestly with the Gilt-faced Buddha and see what he has to say about this. As he is the paragon of all chivalric deeds, he cannot be that unreasonable.'

"Gully then shared his thoughts with his wife, 'I have carefully considered each of the ten or so possible channels open to us while imbibing my wine outside. Your labour is too recent to allow you to leave the room. If I am to go to him alone, I shall end up tying a death knot in the matter. Your suggestion is good only if we can find someone to act as a go-between.'

"The lady then considered for a while before offering another idea, 'The physician is shrewd and is also glib and suave. Why do we not ask him to act as our go-between?'

"Gully considered the suggestion for a moment, then said in a tone of confidence, 'He is a greedy fellow, and may not be that dependable.' To this the woman responded, 'All we need to do is to give him a handsome reward; that should take care of the matter then.'"

"Ha!" bawled out Tree. "I must admit that when this old monk was younger, he was indeed greedy for both wine and money. I am not ashamed to confess this to you now. The minute I heard 'handsome reward' mentioned, I made up my mind that I would render him the service even if it meant jumping into fire or plunging into water.

"The couple then whispered some details to each other. A few moments later, Gully asked me to enter the room, instructing me thus, 'Someone will bring a letter here early tomorrow morning. Please go with the man and take my reply to the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant; the fellow with the waxen complexion who just stopped in for a drink.' I immediately promised Gully that I would do as instructed. To me this seemed an easy task.

"Early the next morning, a courier on horseback arrived at the inn with a letter for Gully, as he had predicted the previous night. Gully's wife read the letter aloud. The message was that Phoenix challenged Gully to a duel, leaving him to determine the time and place of their encounter. Gully at once wrote his reply. I then borrowed a horse from the innkeeper and set off with the messenger, carrying Gully's note with me. After galloping for about ten miles, we halted in front of a large mansion. The messenger led me inside. Phoenix the Knight-errant, Fan the Ringleader and Tian the Young Master were all there. Also present were some forty or fifty other men and women, as well as Buddhist monks and Taoist priests.

"After reading the letter, Tian gave me the reply, 'We shall spare ourselves the trouble of making an appointment. We shall be there tomorrow.' Before taking my leave, I asked, 'Is there any other message the Young Master would like me to take back to Master Gully?' To this Tian replied, 'Advise Gully to prepare three coffins, two large ones and one smaller one, to save us Masters here the trouble of paying for them later on.'

"I returned to the staging post and relayed the message to Gully and to his wife, expecting to receive a stream of coarse invective. To my surprise, they accepted all this calmly, only looking each other in the eyes, staying quiet all the while. The couple then took turns at holding the child in their arms, hugging and fondling him as if knowing already their days were numbered.

"That evening I had a terrible nightmare. At one moment I dreamed that Gully had put the sword to Phoenix, but the next moment I dreamed that Phoenix had put an end to Gully's life. Then a moment later, I dreamed that I was dispatched by both of them. I was suddenly woken in the middle of the night by a strange sound. To my surprise it was Gully crying next door.

"Filled with astonishment, I told myself, 'Look at the way he conducts himself; he is, after all, a very brawny and brazen fellow. What does it matter if death comes to a man like him? If he is destined for it, why bother crying now? What a coward!' Then he could be heard talking to his infant child, sobbing, 'My child, you are barely three days old, and yet will soon become an orphaned boy. Who is going to love you? Who is going to arrange your food and clothing? Who is going to help you when you get trampled by others?'

"At first I condemned him as a coward. But towards the end, my heart was swollen with grief. I told myself in silence, 'A fellow as aggressive, rough, boisterous and brazen as he is still capable of lavishing so tender an affection on his child.' Gully continued weeping for a while. Before long his wife addressed him, 'My lord, do not feel grieved. Should you have the misfortune to die at the hands of the Gilt-faced Buddha, I shall still be here to bring up the child. I have decided to live on at all costs.' This cheered Gully. He said, 'My dear, this is what weighs the heaviest on my mind: if I have the misfortune to be killed, do you think you still have a chance to survive? Now that you have shown your determination to bear this great responsibility of rearing our child alone, you have certainly freed me of all my cares and worries in the world. Ha, ha! Can anyone, since time immemorial, hope to escape the fate of death? The duel will indeed be a miraculously timed event which cannot be much more highly desired. I must make good the opportunity of fighting, man to man, with the champion fighter under the sky, in order to content my heart.'

"After listening to his words, I concluded that Gully must be a rather strange creature. I then heard him laughing for a few minutes before sighing to his wife, 'My love, a blow from a knife or a slash in the throat will end it all. Everything will be over in a second. But it will be hard on you to have to try to live on. All my senses will be gone the minute I pass away, and yet you will be grief-stricken day and night. The thought of leaving you rives my heart, and I cannot set my mind at rest.' His wife then assured him, 'To see the child is to see his father. When he grows older, I shall tell him to model himself on your life, to deal a single blow against corrupt officials, local ruffians and oppressive bullies!' Gully then posed her another question, 'Do you believe that all the deeds performed by me have been truly good ones? Do you still want the child to shape his life after mine?' His wife answered him firmly, 'Every single deed that you have performed has been truly good. I want the child to model his life exactly on yours.' Gully finally said, 'Good, I have not committed a single wrong in my entire life and I will always go with a clean conscience, whether in this life or in the next. Please pass this iron casket to the child when he reaches his sixteenth birthday.'

"All this time I was peeping quietly through a crack in the door. The lady was holding the child in her arms and Gully was retrieving an iron box from the bosom of his garment. It was the same casket that you have here. But at that time the Dashing King's poniard was not inside the case; it was in the safekeeping of the Tian Family of the Dragon Lodge.

"I am sure you would like to find out what was inside the casket then. It was as great a puzzle to me then as it is now to you. I never found out as Gully never opened the box.

"Having eased himself of all his worries, Gully was immediately able to fall fast asleep. Instantly, his snoring came like thunder to the ears. Knowing that I would not be able to find out any more from eavesdropping, I tried to close my eyes and go to sleep, too. But the snoring next door was so heavy that I was kept awake all night. I already found it strange that a young lady with airs and grace befitting a stunning beauty should have become wife to a rough and ugly fellow like Gully. But what baffled me the most was that she would take such pains to show him her boundless affection and admiration.

"Early next morning, before it was yet dawn, the woman came out of her room and gave instructions to the inn hands to have one pig, one lamb, and several chickens and ducks killed. She then went to the kitchen and prepared some meat and vegetable dishes and entremets. Thereupon, I offered her my advice, 'It is not yet three days since you gave birth to a child. You must abstain from heavy chores, or you will get pains in the waist and the back later on, which will be very troublesome.' She answered, wearing a smile, 'We already have enough worries for today; why bother ourselves with troubles to come?' Gully also took my side, imploring her not to wear herself out as she was already exhausted. His wife responded by simply looking at him, and smiling, and she went on with her cooking. Finally Gully said, 'Very well, then. I shall leave this world with no regrets after eating the wonderful dishes prepared by you.' Only then did it dawn on me that Gully's wife, knowing well that they were soon to leave each other had insisted on preparing a meal for her husband.

"Finally, the day broke. The wife had by then finished preparing twenty to thirty meat and vegetable courses and entremets, which covered the whole table. Gully ordered the attendants to procure for him several catties of wine and drank it all down without restraint. All this while his wife sat beaming beside him holding the baby in her arms, replenishing the wine bowls and refilling the dishes.

"Gully gulped down seven or eight bowlfuls of white wine at one go. He grabbed several chunks of mutton and thrust the meat into his mouth. Suddenly, to the ears of those present came the pounding of horses' hooves. The beasts approached the hostelry at a gallop. Thereupon, the couple cast a loving glance at each other, smiling, and yet both were gnawed by a haunting pain. Gully then instructed his wife, 'Please retire to the room now. When the child grows up, remember to tell him that his father wanted him to be ruthlessly cruel. That's all he ever needs to know.' His wife nodded her head, saying, 'I would like to know what the Gilt-faced Buddha looks like.'

"In a short while, the riders reined in their horses in front of the staging post. Instantly, the Gilt-faced Buddha, Fan the Ringleader, Tian the Young Master, and their immediate entourage entered. Gully hailed them, without bothering to lift his head, 'Help yourselves!' 'I surely will,' responded the Gilt-faced Buddha, seating himself opposite Gully. Just as the Gilt-faced Buddha was about to lift a bowl to quaff the wine, Pastoral Tian reached out his hand and stopped him, remarking, 'Phoenix, be careful: the meat and the wine may have been tampered with.' To this Phoenix replied, 'Gully is known to be straightforward and upright; the deals he strikes are clean and aboveboard. I see no reason why he might wish to harm me.' Thereupon, he held up the wine bowl, tossed his head backward, and finished the wine in one gulp. He also helped himself to a piece of chicken, picking it up with chopsticks. His table-manners were better than Gully's.

"Meanwhile, Gully's wife threw a gracious look in the Gilt-faced Buddha's direction. After a short while, she said to Gully, sighing, 'Big Brother, of all the world's celebrated fighters, you cannot expect to find another to equal Phoenix the Knight-errant. He takes you as his bosom friend, pledging you his complete trust. You two are the only people on earth who ever possessed such great spirits and breadth of mind.' Gully answered, laughing aloud, 'My love, you are no less capable than a man. You can also be counted as one of us.' Immediately, Gully's wife turned to the Gilt-faced Buddha and said, 'Phoenix, I am convinced that you are the embodiment of justice, courage, integrity and chivalry; indeed a true knight-errant. There will be no regrets if my husband dies at your hand. Similarly, you will remain a hero should you suffer at the hands of my husband. Come, drink this for your goodself.' At this, she poured out two bowlfuls of wine and gulped down one herself before offering Phoenix the other.

"The Gilt-faced Buddha was taciturn by nature. Thereupon, he raised his eyebrows, remarking, 'Excellent!' before accepting the wine bowl. Fan the Ringleader, who had been looking very solemn all this while, rushed forward in a trice, interrupting him. 'Phoenix, watch out! Women are the world's most cruel-hearted creatures.' Phoenix frowned at this, but immediately quaffed the wine, oblivious of his advice. Gully's wife then stood up. Carrying the baby in her arms, she addressed Phoenix, 'Just tell me what unfinished business you still have that prevents you from setting your mind at rest. I am afraid your friends here may not be able to finish the business for you should you get beaten by my husband.'

"The Gilt-faced Buddha mumbled a while to himself, and then he said, 'I was called away on a mission four years ago to a place south of the Ridge. During my absence, we had a visitor who claimed to be Whiz Shang of Wuding County in Shandong Province.' Gully's wife interrupted, 'Ah, this man's Master is Fame Wang, who is spoken of with awe in the land north of the Yellow River. Whiz is an adept fighter of the Eight Diagram Lodge, excelling in both the Eight Diagram Pugilism and the Eight Diagram Swordplay.' Phoenix agreed with her, 'You are correct. When he learned that I go by the sobriquet "the Invincible Under the Sky", he found it hard to concede my supremacy; therefore, he travelled all the way to my native village to challenge me to a duel. It chanced that I was called away on a mission at the time. Somehow, he and my brothers became involved in a row, and in no time a battle ensued, with Whiz killing my sister and two brothers by executing his pugilistic skills. The protagonists all died from shocks occasioned by the violent percussion of his palms. In a duel, one of the fighters inevitably emerges as the victor, the others victims. Even though my brothers and sister were not well-versed in martial ability, there was nothing I could hold against Whiz when he took them all. What angered me was that he dispatched my sister-in-law with just one blow from his fist, she who never had any training in martial arts in her life.' Gully's wife sympathized with him and said, 'He lacks knowledge of the Chivalric Code. You must take it upon yourself to punish him.' Phoenix continued, 'My two brothers were themselves accomplished fighters. If Whiz could so easily overpower them, he must be an extremely strong and tough protagonist. As I still had some old scores to settle with Gully over the vendetta which has lasted for generations between the Miao and Hu Families, I have not yet allowed myself the opportunity of wreaking vengeance on Whiz. This, perhaps, explains why I have not been able to travel to Wuding County in Shandong Province during the past four years to take revenge on Whiz.' Gully's wife said to Phoenix, with great sincerity in her tone, 'You may entrust us with this matter.' The Gilt-faced Buddha nodded his consent.

"Suddenly, Phoenix raised himself to his full height and whipped out his sword, commanding, 'Gully, prepare for battle!'

"But Gully continued to gorge himself with meat, oblivious of his command. His wife then addressed Phoenix, 'My husband is martially accomplished, and yet he may not be able to overcome you.' The Gilt-faced Buddha said, as an afterthought, 'Oh! I had almost forgotten. Gully, what are the cares that weigh most on your mind?' Gully wiped his mouth, stood up and said, 'If you dispatch me, my child will certainly kill you to avenge my death. Will you simply look after him and take good care of him?'

"Thereupon, I thought, 'A common saying goes: to remove the weed one must attack the root. If the Gilt-faced Buddha were to dispatch Gully, would he also spare his wife and his child? To everyone's surprise, the Gilt-faced Buddha answered, 'Have no fear. I shall take care of everything. Should you have the misfortune to make a fatal mistake, I shall look after your child for you as if he were my own natural son.'

"Fan and Tian stood on the side, frowning and growing impatient. I considered, 'The way the couple and Phoenix conduct themselves gives one the impression that they trust and respect each other. They are such great friends. Can it be true that they will grapple with each other?'

"Suddenly, Gully drew out the single-edged knife from his girdle. Flashing it in the air, he cried out, 'My good friend, the first move is yours.' The Gilt-faced Buddha responded by whipping out his long sword, also brandishing and flourishing it in the air. 'I am prepared,' Phoenix shouted, mounting two sham moves immediately on his opponent.

"'Phoenix!' Tian was heard shouting to his comrade. 'Begin quickly and launch your moves!'

"All of a sudden, the Gilt-faced Buddha retracted his flashing blade, swung around and commanded, 'Please, all leave the room!' Tian felt snubbed, but taking note of the sober look on Phoenix's face, he dared not go against him. Thereupon, Tian, Fan and their retainers retreated from the hall.

"After the group had moved beyond the doorway to witness the duel, Gully then cried, 'I am ready. I shall produce my move.' He immediately moved one step closer, flourishing his blade, and dealt Phoenix a hacking blow at the skull.

"Phoenix speedily glided to the side, feverishly whirling his sword, causing its tip to vibrate before plunging it straight at Gully's right ribs. Gully responded by remarking calmly, 'Take care: this knife of mine is a priceless weapon.' He at once parried with a hewing stroke. Phoenix reacted swiftly, twirling his wrist, thwarting the impending counterblow with his sword just in time.

"'Excellent move!' cried Phoenix.

"I had witnessed many a fight in Cangzhou with duellists brandishing blades, but I must admit that I had never seen two enemies who were so very agile and alert. My palms were covered with sweat when the match was barely seven or eight tricks old.

"After a few more moves had been unravelled in the combat, the two contestants switched to spinning, manoeuvring their blades to and fro, cutting crosswise and counter-crosswise. On a sudden, Phoenix's sword was hewn in two with a clash and a clang. But he was not in the least affected, and betrayed no sign of awe. He speedily thrust the ruined weapon to the ground, ready to challenge his opponent bare-fisted.

"'Take another sword!' shouted Gully, leaping immediately away from the perimeter of the circle.

"'It is no matter,' replied his enemy unaffectedly.

"Tian had already come to Phoenix's rescue, stretching out to him his own long sword. Phoenix thought for a moment, and then said, 'I should take the sword as my fists can never get the better of you with your knife.' Thereupon, he grasped the long sword offered by Tian. The battle immediately resumed.

"At this point, I thought, 'The youngsters from Cangzhou would never concede failure even though they were beaten outright by their opponents. They would invariably say something to boost their spirits. But this Gilt-faced Buddha is quite a character. He considers himself the Invincible Under the Sky, and yet he verbally acknowledges his losing momentum, when, in fact, he had not lost even a trick to his opponent.' It took me some time to realize that both duellists, each being an ultimate fighter in his own right, were able after unravelling a few moves to command the respect of the other. They, in fact, would not dream of disparaging each other.

"Presently, Phoenix and Gully wheeled round to the opposite side, planting themselves well beyond the perimeter. All of a sudden, they bounced forward, baffling each other with some surprise moves, before speedily leaping back to the side. In this manner and with this spirit, Phoenix and Gully fought on for another ten some bouts. Suddenly, Phoenix smote a thrusting stroke at Gully, aiming fast and furiously above his neck. The protagonist dodged the blow in the nick of time rolling on the ground. Flourishing and twirling his knife, Gully cleft his enemy's sword once again with a clang. He immediately bounded to his feet, crying, 'I am sorry, not that I have harboured any arrogance about my keen blade, but your last move was devastatingly threatening, and I had to unravel it by resorting to such means.' 'I do not resent it,' replied Phoenix, nodding his head.

"Phoenix then took over another sword proffered by Tian. Gully matched Phoenix's move by addressing his group of enemies, 'Hey, allow me one of your knives. Mine is too true and keen to allow us fair play in demonstrating our real ability to each other in an authentically chivalric fashion.' Tian was only too happy to learn Gully's true intention. He therefore lost no time in taking a knife from one of his comrades and passing it to Gully. Gully felt the weight of the new weapon in his hand. Phoenix watched him and remarked, 'Not heavy enough?' Thereupon, he stretched out his right hand, holding his blade lengthwise. Nipping the tip of the sword using his thumb and first finger, Phoenix snapped the point off the blade briskly with a clang, demonstrating the strength in his fingers. My heart swelled with awe. 'Phoenix, you do not take advantage of others,' said Gully with a laugh. 'You believe in fair play. You are indeed the embodiment of high principles and chivalric spirits, and you have the honour of a true knight-errant running in your blood.'

"Phoenix quickly remarked, 'My conduct hardly merits such compliments. There is one more thing I wish to make clear.' 'I am attentive,' commented Gully encouragingly. Phoenix then told him, 'I have known all along that you are an adept in martial ability. I, Phoenix, may not be your equal. As to my tramping the length and breadth of the country, boasting that I am the Invincible Under the Sky, I hope you will not take me to be one who is ignorant of his true ability, arrogant and lacking a sense of shame.'

"Gully commented, 'I have known your real intention for a long time. You wished to challenge me to a duel, and yet could not discover my whereabouts. You then resorted to boasting about this sobriquet of yours so as to induce me to travel here from beyond the Pass to challenge you to a duel.' Gully smiled bitterly and continued, 'Now that I have presented myself, if I am defeated, then you certainly will deserve that sobriquet of yours and can keep your title. Go ahead and bring off your next move!'"

Only then did the Company present come to realize the true reason behind Phoenix's adopting such a sobriquet.

A few minutes elapsed before Tree picked up his story: "On finishing their conversation, the two combatants launched themselves once more into feverish battle, flashing and lashing their weapons, goring each other, with neither being able to strike a decisive blow. Phoenix and Gully both paraded their most threatening killer tricks, with neither gaining the advantage after the first two hundred or so tricks. However, Gully gradually began to show signs of suffering defeat at the hand of his enemy, resorting eventually to fighting only on the defensive. Fan the Ringleader and Tian the Young Master grew excited, unable to hide their delight. Gully shielded himself, parading stroke for stroke and parry for parry, while Phoenix attacked him ferociously from all angles, smiting blow after blow without being able to inflict a decisive stroke. Suddenly, Gully reverted to a different strategic approach, not wielding his knife, but merely countering with hacking blows and hewing strokes. And Phoenix responded, in like fashion, twirling himself around the room, lunging and smiting feverishly.

"My Master had also trained me vigorously for seven to eight years in the art of wielding a knife. I, therefore, came to know that a knife is divided into five parts, namely Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parent and Mentor. The back of the knife is Heaven; the edge, Earth; the grip, Ruler; the guard, Parent and the pommel, Mentor. Of these five parts, Heaven and Earth play the two most significant roles in fencing with a knife. Gully was utterly magnificient in following through both the Heaven and Earth movements and was no less proficient following through the Ruler, Parent and Mentor movements when attacking and shielding. Phoenix occasionally invented new moves, flourishing his sword. He plunged at Gully, aiming unexpectedly at parts of his body that were most vulnerable, making it absolutely impossible for him to parry the blow with either the edge or the back of his blade. But Gully reversed his blade in a moment and struck a powerful blow with its hilt, forcing his enemy to abandon his intended moves. The six movements of Whirling, Swiping, Hooking, Scraping, Hewing and Hacking, being the cardinal rules of wielding a knife, allow martial artists an endless display of moves and movements that are mysteriously unfathomable.

"At that time, I knew very little about the techniques of wielding a sword. As Phoenix managed all the while to remain the equal of Gully, who was so proficient in wielding his knife, Phoenix proved himself an equally furious fighter. The knife, the sword and the spear are the three major weapons wielded by martial artists. A common saying goes, 'The knife is a ferocious tiger; the sword is a gambolling phoenix; and the spear is a prancing dragon.' Gully brandished his lashing knife like a ferocious tiger, prowling down the mountain for food, whereas Phoenix flourished his flashing sword like a phoenix gambolling. As one fighter paraded might and power in his actions, the other simply followed through all his moves effortlessly and deftly. Since each contestant was already a celebrated Master in his own school of martial ability, neither was able to gain much advantage in the ensuing battle. In the beginning, I managed to follow several moves and their movements, but as the duel wore on, my head began to reel. I was growing dizzy and I decided not to witness the battle any more. I turned my head away lest I should faint to the ground.

"Suddenly, blades were heard whirring through the air, crossing occasionally with a clash and a clang. I darted a look at Gully's wife, who was calm and composed. She seemed not at all worried about her husband's fate in the contest.

"When I turned my head around, I found Gully also keeping calm. He became increasingly detached as the battle raged on, his mouth set in a smile, confident that he would be able to turn the tide against his enemy. Meanwhile, the Gilt-faced Buddha also retained his calm and his sense of proportion. He looked utterly unperturbed, tenacious to the very end, and his swarthy face concealed beneath it all signs of his innermost feelings. Gully next charged threateningly close to his enemy, forcing Phoenix to retreat and causing Fan the Ringleader and Tian the Young Master growing anxiety. I asked myself, 'Can it be possible that the Gilt-faced Buddha will be defeated by Gully?'

"Suddenly Tian produced his catapult, firing bullet after hurtling bullet at Gully, aiming true and fast at his head, torso, and legs. Gully let out a loud laugh and immediately thrust his single-edged blade to the ground. Phoenix, his face looking sunken, speedily diverted the trajectory of the bullets by intercepting them with his whirling blade. Then he leapt with a bound to Tian's side, wrenched the catapult from him with his pinched fingers, and snapped it with a crash, hurling the fragments far from the doorway. Phoenix then commanded, in a controlled low tone, 'Get out!' I was puzzled: 'Tian had good intentions and did not want you to lose. But here you are, being ungrateful.' Tian turned purple. He cast Phoenix a wrathful look and stamped out of the room.

"Phoenix retrieved Gully's blade from the ground, hurled it to him, and then said, 'Let us continue.' Gully immediately grasped the blade, reaching out his hand and following it through with a hurl and a thrust. In a trice, the two weapons crossed with a clang and a clash. The battle then raged on feverishly until well past noon. Thereupon, Gully cried out, 'I am starving. Do you wish to take your lunch now?' 'Yes, I shall take a quick repast,' replied Phoenix. Immediately, the two fighters seated themselves at a table, and began to eat. Gully bolted down the food like a ravening tiger and ferociously gobbled in an instant some ten buns, two chickens, and a leg of mutton. As for Phoenix, he merely helped himself to two chicken thighs.

"'You are eating very little,' said Gully. 'Is my wife's cooking at fault?'

"'Oh no, it is wonderful,' replied Phoenix. He then picked up a good piece of mutton with his chopsticks and finished it all.

"The meal being over, Phoenix and Gully wiped their mouths, and then resumed their fight. In no time, they moved into practising levitational arts, whirling and whistling their ways across the hall. Even though Gully was husky and brawny, he was deft and nimble at advancing, retreating, ducking and dodging. Phoenix proved himself equally agile, even though he was long in the hand and leg. My eyes were almost blinded by the dazzingly swift moves executed by the two duellists. Suddenly, Gully slipped on his left leg, falling to his knees and crying out aloud. Gully's error presented an exceptionally opportune moment for Phoenix to initiate vile tricks against him. One simple, hacking blow would suffice. Gully was rendered powerless either to counter the impending attack with a parry or to duck away from it. However, Phoenix withdrew by bouncing backward unexpectedly, shouting out, 'Take care! You have a bullet under your foot.' Gully was already well on his feet before his knees ever touched the ground. He cried, 'Your are right!' Then he picked up the bullet with his left hand and flicked it with his middle finger, whirling the lead bead straight through the centre of the door.

"Immediately, the Gilt-faced Buddha alerted Gully, 'Now, watch out for my sword.' At this, he charged forward, whirling and twirling his blade. Thereon, Phoenix and Gully engaged in ferocious grappling and wrestling until dusk. During the intervening hours, the two combatants had adopted many a move and readjusted many a movement, and yet neither was able to gain any vantage.

"The battle raged on fast and furious with no signs of flagging. Finally, Phoenix leapt out the circle and addressed himself to his opponent, 'Brother Gully, you are an adept martial artist and you command all my respect. Shall we continue through the night or resume the fight tomorrow?'

"'Just allow me to live one more day,' answered Gully, laughing.

"'I would not dare,' responded Phoenix humbly. Then, he paraded the move, Phoenix Facing the Sun, twirling his sword before spinning around and walking away. Before Phoenix attempted this move for wielding the sword, he had moved back three paces, thus transforming the move ceremoniously into a formal salutation. Gully responded by standing in a stiffly deferential manner opposite Phoenix, holding his knife with its tip pointing slightly upward and practising the move Worshipping the Big Dipper, a gesture of returning respect to the other party. The duel had first started with each duellist grappling for his life. But by the end of the day, each fighter commanded the respect of the other. When they finished, they ceremoniously honoured each other with the ultimate heralding salutation of the Martial Brotherhood.

"After Phoenix, his enemy, had taken his leave, Gully helped himself to a hearty and sumptuous repast. Then he mounted his steed and galloped into the far distance. I told myself he must be on his way to the big mansion in the south to spy on his enemies: most probably he would stage a clandestine attack there and then. Once he had wounded the Gilt-faced Buddha, no one would be his equal. I was very eager to get word to Tian the Young Master, to warn him to be on his guard. But I dared not attempt the move for fear of running into Gully.

"That evening, although there was no one snoring next door, Gully's absence still made sleeping difficult for me. For the entire, long night, I lay tossing and turning on the bed, intent on catching the pounding of horses' hooves which would announce Gully's return. I strained my ears till mid-night, and yet not a sound was heard. I thought it would take less than a watch, making all speed on horseback, for a journey to the large mansion in the south. Could it be that Gully had been caught red-handed by Phoenix, and was outnumbered by Phoenix and his party? Had he eventually lost his life at their hands?

"An increasingly oppressive feeling of dread came over me as the time slipped by. I also found it strange that Gully's wife should be humming songs to pacify the infant next door. She seemed not in the least worried about her husband.

"The time wore on. Finally came the crowing of the cocks. The fifth watch had already begun when Gully approached, galloping on a steed. I hurried out and found Gully riding a different horse. He had departed on a black stallion, but was returning, on a brown beast. It galloped fast and halted in front of the inn. As soon as Gully had dismounted by leaping down, the animal swayed and fell with a thud to the ground, foaming at the mouth like a devil. It all happened very fast. I moved forward to take a closer look: the horse was drenched in sweat, brought to its death by exhaustion. All signs pointed to the fact that Gully had been on the road throughout the night, covering a great distance to an unknown destination. I began wondering to myself, 'He still has to fight the Gilt-faced Buddha this morning, and yet he has worn himself out by staying awake all night. He should have taken a good rest to rejuvenate himself for the furious combat this morning. He is indeed an eccentric character.'

"Gully's wife was also up by this time. She once again prepared a vast number of dishes and entremets, arraying a full table. Gully did not take any sleep; instead he played with his child, tossing him up and catching him again. Soon it was bright morning. Presently, Phoenix, Tian and their party presented themselves again at the inn. As soon as Phoenix and Gully each had gulped down three bowlfuls of wine, facing each other without saying a word, they kicked aside the benches, whipped out their blades, and immediately began to battle feverishly. The battle raged fast and furious until dusk. It ended once again with Phoenix and Gully each honouring the other with formal salutations. Phoenix remarked to Gully, 'Brother Gully, you are failing in your strength and energy today. You will probably lose out tomorrow.'

"'Not necessarily so,' answered Gully. 'Yesterday I did not sleep all night. My energy and strength will mount when I get a good night's sleep this evening.'

"Phoenix then asked, unable to hide his surprise, 'You stayed awake all night? It cannot be true.'

"'Brother Phoenix,' answered Gully, wearing a smile, 'I have a present for you.'

"Gully went to his room and returned carrying a parcel. He flung it to Phoenix. The latter took it and unwrapped the bundle. What struck his eyes was a human head, cut off only recently. And lying next to it were seven gold chakrams. Fan the Ringleader darted a look at the skull and cried out, with fear in his voice, 'It is Whiz Shang, the Eight Diagram Knife!'

"Phoenix picked up a gold chakram, felt the weight in his hands, and found it solid. The inscription 'Shang of the Eight Diagram Lodge' was engraved on the throwing weapon. Phoenix then asked, 'So you made all speed to Wuding County in Shandong Province last night?'

"Gully answered with a laugh, 'I wore five horses to death to make it in time to keep our appointment this morning. I have managed it, after all.'

"Gripped by fear and awe, I stole a look at Gully. The distance between Wuding County in Shandong Province and Cangzhou, which was directly attached to the Metropolitan circuit, was close to a hundred miles. Gully had managed the journey in one night and had returned with the head of a celebrated martial artist. Gully was clearly unique, coming and going like a god or a demon.

"Phoenix then posed Gully a question, 'Which blade techniques did you use to dispatch him?'

"Gully replied, 'Whiz was apt and deft at wielding the Eight Diagram Knife. After catching the seven chakrams darting forth in rapid succession, I then brought off the move Punching the Sky Carrying a Sword and succeeded in unravelling the twenty-ninth move in the series Spinning Round to Hack the Mountain of his Eight Diagram Knife.'

"Phoenix shuddered and asked in a tone of surprise, 'Punching the Sky Carrying a Sword? But it is an esoteric specialty of swordplay practised only by members of our Miao Family.'

"Gully answered, smiling, 'Just so: I learned this move from you yesterday by carefully watching the way you wielded your sword. I dispatched him with a sword, not with a knife.'

"Thereupon, Phoenix applauded, 'Beautiful! You have gained revenge for the Miao Family using the Miao's cult of swordplay and have honoured us tremendously with your deed.'

"Gully replied, laughing, 'The swordplay of your School ranks second-to-none. I was just aiding you by killing him with a move from a series of swordplay techniques that was bound to dispatch him.'

"Only then did it dawn on me that Gully was honouring Phoenix in every respect. Whiz Shang had taken the lives of four members of the Miao Family. Had Gully dispatched him with a knife, would it not imply that the Miao's Swordplay was not as capable as the Eight Diagram Knife? And not even as good as the Hu's Knife Techniques? It really filled one with awe to learn that Gully was able to master the killer trick of the Miao's Swordplay in one day, and then be able to employ it to dispatch a famed martial artist so quickly and so soon. Gully offered the head to Phoenix only after the battle had been concluded for the day. Such a gesture was proof enough in its own right that Gully had harboured no intention of claiming credit for himself or currying favour, which only helped to make his candid and dignified nature shine more brightly. Likewise, he also made it clear that he was confident that he would not be defeated by the end of the day.

"It occurred to me that the real intentions of Gully should also by then have made themselves utterly clear both to Fan the Ringleader and to Tian the Young Master. Both their faces turned pale. They darted a look at each other before turning round and sweeping out of the room, thoroughly crushed. The Gilt-faced Buddha glanced affectionately in the direction of the baby in Gully's arms. He then unstrapped the yellow knapsack from his back and undid the bundle. I craned my neck forward, expecting to see strange paraphernalia inside; but I was disappointed to see only some very ordinary-looking clothing. Phoenix parted the yellow wrapping, studied the inscription embroidered on the outside and muttered to himself, 'The Invincible Under the Sky: all balderdash!' He reached his hands out for Gully's baby and wrapped the cloth round the little one. Turning to Gully, he vowed, 'Brother Gully, if anything untoward should happen to you, you may rest assured that no one will dare to trample on your child.' Overwhelmed with joy, Gully at once expressed his gratitude.

"Soon after Phoenix had taken his leave, Gully once again gratified his enormous appetite by indulging in a sumptuous repast, after which, he retired to his bed. Gully snored all night like a thunderous hurricane.

"To our ears came a sudden pounding of footsteps on the rooftop in the second watch. A voice was heard bawling out, 'Gully, crawl out of your den to meet your fate!'

"Gully was not in the least affected by the roar outside, but continued snoring in torrents in his deep sleep. A confused hubbub ensued. Soon the burst of noise grew, to the accompaniment of curses and profanities uttered by an increasing number of enemies outside. All this tumultous commotion fell on the deaf ears of the inmates of the room. Gully remained fast alseep. He struck me as an accomplished fighter, but not a particularly nimble and agile fellow. He remained drowned in his slumber despite the presence of numerous hostile visitors at the door. Strange as it might seem, Gully was truly immune to the thunderous abuse roaring on the other side of the partition. His wife was wide-awake, and yet she was absorbed in humming tunes to her child, totally oblivious of the storm continuing unabated outside.

"Though the rumpus went on outside, the mob would not dare an attempt to break into the inn. Gully merely continued grunting horrendously, wholly undisturbed. The turmoil was a combination of both the uproarious demonstration outdoors and the heavy bellowing indoors. After this chaotic confusion had been dragged on for half a watch, suddenly Gully's wife was heard murmuring to her little boy, 'My darling baby, there are hordes and hordes of jackals outside. They are barking all night long for the sole purpose of rousing Papa from his sleep so that he will be defeated by Uncle Phoenix in tomorrow's duel. Aren't these wild beasts nasty?' The little one of course could not respond in words as he was only a few days old. Gully's wife interpreted his babbling, telling him, 'That's a good baby. You also think these roving dogs are naughty. Shall Mama go and scare them off?' The babe in her arms again prattled away. The mother then addressed him, 'Hey, you approve of my idea? You are truly our bundle of joy.' Thereupon, the woman, holding the heir close to her with her left arm, snatched a silk sash from the head-post of the bed with her right hand. And with a whirl she leapt out through an open window.

"I was panic-stricken. I could not believe that Gully's wife, a young lady as dainty and delicate as could be, should excel in levitational skills. I quickly sidled around to the casement, poked a tiny spy-hole in the window-paper and squinted through. Twenty to thirty big, hefty fellows, of different heights, were planting themselves atop the roof, brandishing weapons and howling abuse. As soon as she had landed outdoors, Gully's wife flung out her right hand, twirling the white silk ribbon like a long snake, catching a husky fellow on his blade. She then manipulated the shining reptile by alternately tugging and loosening it. Another hefty fellow was soon entangled. He lost his grip on his weapon and was hurled down the roof with a heavy thud.

"The remaining troopers at once bawled out the most appalling language, rushing forward and brandishing their weapons in the most confused melee. In the moonlit night, the ivory-silk ribbon wielded by the lady writhed and flared like a white dragon waltzing in the air. In a trice came the rapid sounds of clacking, squawking and swooping. In less time than it would take to eat a meal, Gully's wife succeeded in wrenching all the edged weapons from the marauding strangers. After falling from the roof with a thump, the remaining raiders, now disarmed and helpless, dared not press further with the fight. They scrambled to their feet and fled, making all speed. Some even abandoned their horses in their hasty retreat. Gripped by fear, I was dumbstruck. After Gully's wife had kicked all the weapons down the roof, she carried her baby inside for feeding, bothering not at all to pick any weapon up from the ground. All this while, Gully was spread out on his bed, sound asleep, snoring like howling winds and torrential rains, apparently turning a deaf ear to all that was going on round him.

"The next morning, after preparing several dishes of food at the crack of dawn, Gully's wife ordered the attendants to retrieve the loot from the ground, string the weapons with a rope, and hang them under the awning. When a gust from the north swept past these knives, swords, flails and rods, a symphony of weapons was orchestrated.

"When the Gilt-faced Buddha again presented himself at the staging post after a light repast in the morning, he tilted his head in the direction of the sound. Seeing the weapons, Phoenix immediately knew it all. He looked his retainers angrily in the face. They all hung their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Phoenix reprimanded them, 'Shame on you all! You still consider yourselves brazen and upright? Leave me at once!' They retreated a few paces, not daring to remonstrate. I realized it would not have been hard for Gully's wife to have dispatched the men. If she had floored them all with one jab, that would have been no harder. Of course, such endeavours would have greatly humiliated the Gilt-faced Buddha.

"Immediately, Phoenix turned to Gully, 'Brother Gully, the gang of worthless creatures of mine shouted all night, disturbing your sleep. We shall not fight today. You should go back and have a good sleep, and we shall do battle tomorrow.'

"But Gully answered with a laugh, 'My wife held the fort by herself. I was sound asleep and did not know what was happening. Come, let us commence!' Flourishing his blade, Gully immediately adopted an offensive stance.

"Phoenix next turned to Gully's wife and said, 'Thank you for not killing them and for releasing them.' The woman returned his appreciation with a smile. After complimenting each other for a little while, Gully and Phoenix then crossed blades.

"The battle raged fast and furious till dusk, with no side able to put in a decisive blow. Towards the end of the day, Phoenix retracted his sword and said, 'I shall be staying here tonight. I would like to treat you to a feast. After that, we shall share the same bed and hold a hearty discussion on martial arts.'

"Gully replied with a laugh, 'Bravo, bravo. I have taken up the Miao's Swordplay and I still have a lot of questions for you. I should be able to get all the answers tonight.'

"Phoenix then told Fan and Tian, 'You two take your leave now. I am staying here for the night.'

"Fan the Ringleader was taken aback and he turned pale in the face, crying out, 'Phoenix, watch out for his wily schemes ...'

"Phoenix answered with a sneer, 'I shall go my own way; you look after your own affairs.'

"Tian interrupted at this point, 'Do not forget to take vengeance on him for your ancestors, or you will not be a filial descendant.'

"Hearing that, Phoenix paled. Fan and Tian dared not venture any further, but tore out of the place, taking their small troop of retainers with them.

"In the course of the night, Gully and Phoenix engaged themselves in enjoyment and exchanging many views on martial arts. Phoenix explained the principles as well as every single move and movement of the Miao's Swordplay to Gully. Likewise, Gully confided in Phoenix all the secrets of the Hu's Knife Techniques. The two of them were soon carried away in a spirited conversation. They seemed to have struck up such an immediate rapport that they regretted not having met earlier. After emptying a few bowlfuls of wine, they rose to their feet, paraded a few moves and then seated themselves for more wine. Their conversation dealt with the most advanced and intriguing aspects of martial ability. Though I heard all the words, I could not make much sense of their talk.

"Gully and Phoenix thus engaged in conversation well into the night. Gully then asked the innkeeper to give them a good room. They were truly going to share a bed together. I began wondering to myself, 'Both of them will walk into the room alive. One will certainly be dispatched by the morning. I wonder who will attempt the first move? Phoenix does not look a crafty and scheming villain; he will most probably place himself in great danger.'

"Later I reconsidered the matter. Though Gully was a great fighter, he was not Phoenix's rival in strategic planning. In terms of martial ability, they might be equals. Phoenix definitely was superior to Gully in both wit and trickery. If matters stood as they were, Phoenix would be the one to step out of the room alive, and Gully would die.

"Gripped by curiosity, I stole quietly to the edge of the window, intent on eavesdropping. Their conversation by then had become quite animated, steering away from the different aspects of martial arts and turning instead to some of the strange happenings and clandestine matters of the Martial Brotherhood. They were also engrossed in lauding their deeds of bygone days. Phoenix recounted the episodes of executing a certain villain, while Gully spun a yarn about helping someone in distress. They clapped their hands in their enthusiasm and laughed out loud when recounting their tales. I listened aghast to their eventful experiences. I was not surprised to learn that Gully had dabbled in such dreadful deeds; after all, he was a wily and pugnacious character. However, I did not at all expect Phoenix to have committed evil deeds like murder, for he carried the adjunct Buddha in his sobriquet.

"As their conversation progressed, the Gilt-faced Buddha suddenly let out a sigh, crying, 'What a pity! What a pity!'

"Puzzled by this, Gully hastened to ask, with curiosity, 'A pity about what?'

"Then came Phoenix's reply, 'If only you had not borne the family name Hu, or rather, if only I had not had Miao as my surname, a deep friendship would certainly have cemented the two of us, inspiring us also to share each other's fate. I, myself, who have always been arrogantly vain, must bring myself to admit that ever since our first encounter, you have truly commanded my utmost respect. Haih! Though the number of celebrated Masters on earth is infinite, Gully alone qualifies as the sole person worthy of my true friendship.'

"Gully responded in a similar vein, 'Should I die in your hands, you could always share your views with my humble wife. She is an adept female martial artist, far superior to those timid friends of yours.'

"Phoenix responded, with agitation in his voice, 'Aiyah! How can those weaklings qualify as my friends?'

"The two champion fighters thus engaged themselves in lengthy discussion. But their conversation almost invariably steered clear of the animosity contracted by their ancestors. One of them would immediately divert the topic if the other came too close to the subject of the vendetta. Thus, they stayed awake for the entire night. I also wore myself out standing next to the casement until well after mid-night. It was piercingly cold in the courtyard and my feet went numb. Phoenix suddenly walked to the window-sill at daybreak, sneering, 'Had enough eavesdropping, eh?' A crashing sound soon followed. Gully was heard saying, 'Brother Phoenix, after all, he is a good fellow. Let him go this time, please.' Suddenly someone seemed to rain something hard on the top of my head. It hurt desparately. My eyes started throbbing and everything went pitch-black.

"When I finally came round, I found myself lying on my back on my own kang. Half a day had already slipped by. It then dawned on me that Phoenix must have discovered my prying outside, so he had pushed the window open and floored me with a blow. I would not have remained alive if Gully had not interceded for me. Soon, I clambered drowsily down from the kang and found my head full of heaviness. I then held up a mirror, and was shocked to see half of my face had turned purple, with a bump one-inch thick growing on it. I started at the sight. The mirror slipped from my hand and smashed to pieces on the floor.

"The same day, while Phoenix and Gully were confronting each other in the hall, I simply locked myself up in the room, not daring to venture a step outside. Until that moment, I had been hoping secretly that Phoenix would defeat his savage foe. But the gnawing pain of my face had now turned me against him. I prayed and hoped that Gully would deal this rascal one or two cruel strokes so as to avenge my ills. The battle raged on, feverishly and ferociously, late into the night, with no side gaining vantage. Then Phoenix's voice came from the other side of the partition, 'Brother Gully, I meant to talk again with you all through the night, but I know your wife may not like this. I have an idea: if neither of us, by this time tomorrow, can manage to put in a decisive blow, we shall then spend another night of conversation.' Gully cried out with a laugh, 'Bravo! A capital idea!'

"Gully's wife poured a bowl of wine for her husband after Phoenix had departed from the inn. She handed the wine-bowl to Gully, remarking, 'Congratulations, my lord!' Gully took the bowl and drained it off in one gulp, asking with a smile, 'For what?'

"His wife replied, 'You can certainly overpower Phoenix tomorrow.'

"An expression of surprise came over his face, and he stated, 'I have unravelled several thousand of his moves, and yet I cannot detect a single flaw. How can I possibly defeat him tomorrow?'

"His wife, wearing a smile, offered her answer: 'I have found a weak spot on him. My darling baby, your papa is rightfully the Invincible Under the Sky.' She addressed the last sentence to their new born child.

"Gully pressed her at once for an answer, 'What slip? How have I not discovered it myself?'

"His wife then explained, 'His weakness lies at his back. As you always challenged him face to face, therefore you could not possibly have detected it yourself.' Gully remained quiet. His wife then continued, 'I have been following all his movements in the battle very carefully for the past four days. I must admit that he has guarded himself flawlessly. It was almost impossible to hurt him. Seized with fear, I panicked that the time might come when invariably you would make a slip once you lost your concentration, with Phoenix still guarding himself well. Then came this afternoon when I suddenly made this discovery. I, at long last, detected a weak spot in him. Which move, of his swordplay as a whole, do you find the most threateningly mortal?'

"Gully replied, 'Quite a number of his moves are deadly threatening. Take for instance, Wiping Out Embracing the Moon; Caveating in Hewing the Mammoth Mountain; Piercing the Stork in Flight; Punching the Sky Carrying the Sword, and so on.'

"Gully's wife interrupted him. 'It is precisely this move, Piercing the Stork in Flight, that gave him away.'

"Gully immediately broke in, 'This very move enables Phoenix to turn an offensive move into a defensive stance, shrouding delicacy with its mighty blows, and it is piercingly threatening.'

"His wife then suggested, 'My lord, while you were practising moves such as Stealing Blade from the Side; Plunging to Lunge in Quick Succession; and Entangling to Transfix the Heart, Phoenix occasionally launched a counter-parade practising the move of Piercing the Stork in Flight. The crux lies in the moment right before he brings off this move: he invariably twitches slightly the muscle at the centre of his back, as if he is feeling itchy on his back.'

"Gully asked, not hiding his surprise, 'Is that so?'

"His wife smilingly stated, 'Phoenix paraded this move twice this morning and both times, without fail, the centre of his back twitched when he brought off the move. In the duel tomorrow, I shall signal his twitch with a cough, and you must immediately take steps to exploit his weakness by forestalling him and defeating him on the spot. You should move into Stealing Jabs from All Angles before he brings off his move, thus forcing him to withhold his sword in complete defeat.'

"An expression of exhilaration came over Gully's face. Then he cried out, 'Splendid!'

"Having overheard their scheme, I considered it my rightful duty to warn Phoenix so he might put himself on his guard. But I faltered the minute I felt the pain of my swollen face. I tried to convince myself that it would be right and just for him to be beaten, as he had to be repaid for the blow he had dealt me.

"The next morning saw the fifth day of Gully and Phoenix testing their prowess in duelling. As the bump on my head had by then improved considerably, I planted myself once again on the side to see how the duel would proceed. During the whole morning, no coughing was evinced by Gully's wife. Apparently Phoenix had not brought off the vulnerable move. In the intervening moments for the mid-day repast, while Gully's wife was pouring out some wine for him, she beckoned him by darting a glance at him. I studied it carefully and concluded that she was spurring him on to push Phoenix into practising the move that would open up for him the opportunity to put in the decisive blow to dispatch his opponent. Gully only answered in the negative by shaking his head. Most likely he could not bring himself to harm Phoenix in a task requiring some finesse. His wife pointed in the direction of their newly born, and dropped the child on the bench. The baby started crying uncontrollably. I read also what she wanted to convey to her husband: Gully's wife was trying to spur him on by showing that, if he lost the battle, the child would become fatherless and would lead a life of hardship for the rest of his days. Gully was touched to the quick. He eventually acquiesced by nodding approvingly at her unspoken suggestion.

"In the afternoon, Gully and Phoenix resumed attacking each other. After some tens of moves had been brought off, Gully then hacked several mighty strokes, brandishing the knife in his hand. To the ears suddenly came the coughing of his wife. Gully gave a slight frown, hurtling backward instead of advancing. In a trice, Phoenix, as had been expected, brought off the move Piercing the Stork in Flight. I had no previous knowledge of what that move was and had only learned something about it the night before when Gully's wife herself demonstrated the move several times while working out plans for the finesse with her husband. I felt that Gully's wife showed tremendous insight. Had Gully executed her plan, he would certainly have defeated Phoenix there and then. But Gully suddenly retracted his hand at the last minute, not because he considered himself a person of outstanding ability and, therefore, chose not to harm Phoenix, whose martial accomplishment he greatly admired, but rather he considered this would betray the true spirit of an acolyte of chivalry if he were to outstrip his contestant by resorting to outside help. I suddenly remembered that Gully had instructed his wife to pound into the head of their son, when he came of age, that he had to be tough and strong in life. I finally came to the conclusion that though Gully looked formidable and repugnant, yet he had a soft spot in his heart. He faltered when the time presented itself, not daring to venture a deceitful move.

"Thereupon, Gully's wife pinched the baby hard on his arm. The child started to cry loudly. Suddenly, Gully's wife let out another cough, clear and distinct, amidst the mingling clashing and clanging of metal upon metal and crying of the little one. This loud coughing sound was soon followed by another faint one. Gully dashed forward a step like the devil, bringing off the forestalling move of Stealing Jabs from All Angles, flashing his knife, blocking instantaneously all Phoenix's impending moves, and forcing him to succumb.

"Phoenix was rendered totally defenceless. Being half way through parading the move of Piercing the Stork in Flight, he found it impossible to move into a counter-caveating parade. Following through the movement of the move he was then parading, Phoenix would instantaneously open his elbows the minute he had made a sidelong lunge, wielding the sword in his right hand while thrusting his left hand out in an upward direction. Gully thwarted him in the nick of time. If Phoenix had attempted to unfold his arms at that instant, Gully would have had immediately lunged to his left, then again rapidly to his right. Phoenix would have had both his arms hacked off, at his own instigation.

"Nevertheless, Phoenix proved spectacularly wild in his feats. He immediately accommodated himself by bringing in both his elbows while simultaneously aiming the point of his sword at his own chest: a beautiful and timely move. Gully was appalled, fancying that Phoenix, in his defeat, had resorted to reversing his blade to take his own life. Thereupon, Gully cried out in alarm, 'Halt! Brother Phoenix!'

"Phoenix had already had the tip of his sword nipped off right on the first day of the duel, blunting his weapon's sharp point. All at once, he dynamically tightened the muscle on his chest. The blade, already lodged in his chest, retracted like the devil, bouncing in recoil. This move was unpredictably wild. Gully, all the while, was intent on talking him out of committing suicide. He had scarcely expected Phoenix to take him by surprise. In a trice, the sword retracted with a spurt, darting the tang off the blade and placing itself right on Gully's chest, on the paralytic point Celestial Abode.

"The Celestial Abode is a governing vital point of the human body system. On being piqued, Gully instantaneously dropped limp to the ground, like a rag. Thereupon, Phoenix propped him up with his hand, apologizing.

"Gully returned his apology with a smile. 'Brother Phoenix, your skills are inscrutably uncanny, defying both gods and demons. You have all my respect.'

"'If Brother Gully had not aided me,' retorted Phoenix, 'I could never have followed through this move.'

"Soon, both contestants seated themselves at a table and emptied three bowlfuls of liquor at once. A moment later, Gully was heard laughing loudly to himself. He picked up his knife and slashed it across his throat. Bright red blood came gushing forth in an unstaunchable stream. He breathed his last, lying face-downward on the table.

"I stood for a moment in stunned silence. I cast a look at Gully's wife. No trace of tears was on her face. Presently, she addressed Phoenix calmly, 'Please stay here a minute. Let me feed the baby one more time to give him a full stomach.' She then retired to her room. The mother rejoined the group a little while later. She gave the little one a big kiss, telling Phoenix smilingly, 'The baby is to take a nap after feeding.' Gully's wife then passed Phoenix her baby, saying, 'I had promised my lord that I would raise the child myself. The last five days convinced me that Phoenix the Knight-errant represents the ideal of True Friendship and the Chivalric Code of Martial Brotherhood. As you promised to look after the child for us, I can spare myself the agonies of the next twenty years.' Thus saying, the woman pulled the lapels of her garment together and made several respectful bows to the Gilt-faced Buddha. Then she picked up her husband's knife and slashed it across her throat in a similar manner. The couple sat side by side on a long bench, the wife holding Gully by the hand. Strength gradually ebbed from her body and she crouched atop the body of her husband, never to stir again. I could not bear the sight any longer. Turning round, I saw the baby sleeping soundly in Phoenix's arms. A sweet smile could be seen dancing on the tiny, chubby face."





Chapter Five : Message



The Company remained silent after Tree had come to the end of his story. Though these brazen and forthright fighters professed to be hard and unemotional, after learning how Gully and his wife had heroically sacrificed their lives for a principle, they were all filled with sorrow.

Suddenly, a female voice cried out, "Great Master, I do not understand why the story told me by my father differs slightly from yours."

The Company turned round to identify the speaker: it was Orchid. No one had noticed when she had rejoined the group, as each had been listening intently to Tree's story.

Tree tried to offer an explanation, "It has been such a long time. This old monk may not be able to remember all the facts correctly. I am curious to know what your father has told you about the incident."

"My father recounted in great detail all the happenings in connection with the duel," said Orchid. "His description of the events of these few days bears close resemblance to what was witnessed by the Great Master. However, the scene of the passing away of both Gully and his wife, according to the version told me by my father, differs significantly from the Great Master's description."

A slight change in colour came over Tree's face. He merely acknowledged her words with 'Hm', without pursuing the matter any further.

Sign broke in, "Miss Miao, what exactly did your father tell you?"

Orchid reached for an embroidered pouch on her side, from which she drew a stick of pale grey incense. She lit the incense before putting it inside the thurible. A faint fragrance soon drifted to the nostrils of all in the hall. Orchid looked serious. Eventually, she started her story:

"I can still remember that, from the time when I was little, father would invariably look very unhappy during the winter months. No matter how hard I tried to cheer him up, he would never smile. Every year, at a time close to the Lunar New Year, father would, without fail, set up two mememorial tablets for the deceased in a secluded nook. One had the inscription 'Tablet for the Blood Brother, the Reverend Gully Hu, the Knight-errant'. The other had inscribed on it 'Tablet for the Blood Sister-in-law, Madam Gully'. A single-edged knife was placed next to the tablets. It was rusty all over. Apart from the rust, the knife looked exactly like an ordinary weapon. My father would order the cook to prepare numerous meat and vegetable dishes and entremets enough to fill one whole table. Then, he would pour out ten or more bowlfuls of wine. Every evening of the five days commencing on the twenty-second day of the twelfth moon, father would drain those bowlfuls beside the tablets. He would end by weeping unconstrainedly.

"I tried several times to ask father who Uncle Gully was, whose name I saw engraved on the tablet. But father just shook his head, refusing to give me an answer. Then came a year when father told me he would describe to me the duel between him and Uncle Gully once I had grown up and learned to become more sensible. The Great Master here has already described in great detail all the happenings of the duel.

"My father and Uncle Gully had been duelling for four days. The longer they challenged each other in the field, the more closely intimate they grew with each other. Neither would dream of wounding the other. Then came the fifth day of the duel. Aunt Gully finally detected a weak spot on father's back. Uncle Gully, therefore, brought off the move Stealing Jabs from All Angles accordingly, the minute he heard his wife cough, outstripping my father. Master Tree claimed that my father had mounted an uncanny move on a sudden so as to overpower Uncle Gully. But my father described that incident somewhat differently. On the day in question, Uncle Gully succeeded in making a move to forestall father, thereby making it impossible for him to riposte; instead he had to subject himself to Uncle Gully's mercy. Suddenly Uncle Gully leapt backward, crying, 'Brother Phoenix, there is something for which I need an explanation.'

"'I admit myself defeated,' said my father. 'What is in your mind?'

"Uncle Gully then proceeded, 'You have practised thousands of moves unique to the Miao's Swordplay over and over again, all flawlessly, and yet I do not understand why you invariably twitch your back muscle before moving into Piercing the Stork in Flight. My wife caught your weak spot instantly.'

"To this, father answered, 'My late father trained me vigorously in swordplay and was extremely strict with me. I can still recall one day at the age of eleven, while father was coaching me on the techniques and movements of this move, a flea suddenly irritated me on the back. I dared not soothe the tickling feeling by scratching with my hand, so I arched my back slightly in the hope of driving the insect away. The more I exercised the muscle on my back, the more itchy it became. The irritation became unbearable. Finding me in so awkard a state, my father admonished me for my slackness and gave me a good thrashing. This incident left a great mark in my memory. Since then, I have been in the habit of twitching my back muscle involuntarily on mounting that move, even though I do not feel itchy on the back. Your wife does have sharp eyes.'

"Smilingly Uncle Gully replied, 'I should not qualify as a winner if I received help from my wife. Grab this!' At this, he flung his knife to my father.

"My father reached his hand out for the knife, not knowing what Uncle Gully was really after. Uncle Gully then took my father's sword from his hand, telling him, 'The vigorous fighting over the past four days as well as the lengthy discussions on martial feats on the previous nights have enabled each of us to gain a thorough understanding of the techniques unique to each other's School for wielding the blade. Why do we not try things out in this way: I shall practise the moves of the Miao's Swordplay of your family and you will execute the moves of the Hu's Knife Techniques of mine. In this manner, we can judge who is the stronger of the two, and also neither of our names will be tainted whatever the outcome.'

"My father read Uncle Gully's mind immediately. The vendetta pursued by the Houses of Miao and Hu had deepened through ancestral transmission. If father had not made the acquaintance of Uncle Gully, there should have been no animosity between them. As you may already know, circulated widely among the Martial Brotherhood is the story about the sudden disappearance of my grandfather and Uncle Pastoral's father, which still remains a mystery to this day. And the bodies of these two elders have never been recovered. The outlawry and the banditry believed that Uncle Gully's wily scheme was in every way connected with these two missing men. My father only half believed in the truth of the rumour, having always known Uncle Gully to be a true acolyte of chivalry, high in principles and heroic in deeds. He was also spoken of with awe. It seemed most unlikely that Uncle Gully would ever resort to clandestine means to harm people. My father tried several times to arrange to meet with him, but all his efforts proved futile. Uncle Pastoral and Fan the Ringleader once invited father to journey to Liaodong Peninsula to redress the wrongs. My father had always been on intimate terms with Fan the Ringleader. He had never had much respect for Uncle Pastoral. Oh! Pardon me, Sister Tian, I am sorry. Do accept my apology, but these were the very words of my father. He would rather take this matter into his own hands than join Uncle Pastoral. On this occasion, having learned that Uncle Gully would journey also to the Interior Empire, my father took the opportunity to accept the invitation of both Fan the Ringleader and Uncle Pastoral to join them in Cangzhou in order to challenge Uncle Gully to a duel. But father's real intention of making that trip was to get the truth from Uncle Gully.

"Some initial inquiries soon confirmed that Uncle Gully was the real culprit in taking the lives of my grandfather and Uncle Pastoral's father. Even though father had held Uncle Gully in the great esteem befitting a hero fighter, he was pressed by a more urgent obligation to seek vengeance for his own father. My father would have hated to see the blood feud stemming from the animosity among the ancestors of the four families handed down to posterity. He sincerely hoped that he could wield some power in bringing this vendatta, more than a century old, to a conclusion. This certainly seemed right and wise when Uncle Gully proposed that they exchange their weapons in the ensuing combat. Should father emerge the victor, he would owe it to the Hu's Knife Techniques, and should Uncle Gully emerge the victor, he would owe it to the techniques of the Miao's Swordplay. Thus, defeat in the battle could be attributable only to individual fighters, with the reputation of both houses remaining untarnished.

"Presently, Uncle Gully and father swapped their weapons. They were soon attacking each other. The battle which ensued differed drastically from the fighting on the previous four days. Though the two combatants were adept fighters, they were not yet completely at ease practising unfamiliar moves, wielding new weapons in their hands. In addition to that, each contestant already had complete mastery of the esoteric specialties of his School, and could therefore anticipate his enemy's every move as each originated from his house. It followed logically that it would prove extremely difficult for either to overpower his adversary, drawing only on what skills he had acquired from the other during the previous four days. My father held that the battle on the day in question was by far the most threatening. Uncle Gully might look a boorish fellow, yet he was rather gifted in parading the techniques of the Miao's Swordplay. It appeared as though he had spent several vigorous years perfecting these martial feats. Suffice it to say, one notable example was his recent test of strength with Whiz Shang, the famed courageous fighter of Shandong Province. In that daring encounter, he had unravelled the moves of the Eight Diagram Swordplay, unique to Whiz's house, by practising solely the martial skills unique to the Miao Family. My father was not as fully endowed as Uncle Gully was, but as luck had it, he was well-versed in the whole gamut of martial arts, being equally proficient in each of the eighteen martial accomplishments. Though he was a novice when it came to practising the Hu's Knife Techniques, his early training in single-edged weapons enabled him to enter the battle enjoying an advantage, and he managed to survive the combat.

"The skirmish raged on feverishly. By noon, each duellist had resorted to parading the moves with ease and equanimity. Their movements became increasingly paced. Suddenly, Uncle Gully alerted his enemy, 'Brother Phoenix, you have followed through this move Shielding with a Sweeping Blade somewhat too soon, and with insufficient strength to sustain it.'

"'The comments are much appreciated,' thanked my father. 'I thought I had timed my moves adequately.'

"The two fighters were utterly absorbed in their struggle, offering each other constructive comments, when they deemed it fit, without reservation. After several hundred bouts of feverish and ferocious fighting, each warrior gradually acquired full mastery of the moves of his enemy.

"Uncle Gully's mounting ability to attain perfection in wielding martial feats unique to the Miao's Swordplay began to fill my father with an acute uneasiness. He pondered to himself, 'Gully is more capable in mastering the sword than I am in commanding the knife. Whatever early training I received in wielding a knife will soon be of no use. I have to bring off another move quickly or I shall be very likely to suffer defeat.' In a moment, my father brought off the Seagull Skimming the Lake, intending first a defensive blow, followed by an instantaneous offensive stroke. But he suddenly resorted to an expedient and erratic move, smiting first with the offensive stroke, then with the defensive blow.

"Uncle Gully was caught completely off-guard by this surprise move of father's.

"'Wrong move!' blurted Uncle Gully.

"'Watch out!' warned his enemy immediately.

"Twirling his blade, my father likewise substituted the defensive blow with another expedient, offensive stroke. This strange move of his was his latest martial innovation, which owed its origin to one of the moves borrowed from the Hu's Knife Techniques. This newly-invented move was highly unusual, making it deceptively unpredictable. Had father's opponent been another accomplished fighter, he almost certainly could have avoided this uncanny and elusive stroke. Uncle Gully, being immaculately skilled at his own Hu's Knife Techniques, would least have expected father suddenly to change the move and design his own on the spur of the moment. Catching Uncle Gully by surprise, my father immediately brought his keen blade down across his victim's left arm, slashing it open.

"All onlookers gasped in surprise. Suddenly, Uncle Gully flung out his leg, throwing father to the ground. My father was piqued at the paralytic point Imperial Gate at the waist. He fell to the floor in a flash, unable to regain his footing again.

"Fan the Ringleader, Tian the Young Master and the others at once rushed forward. Uncle Gully thrust his sword to the floor. Afterwards, by elbowing and stretching his arms in turn, he succeeded in grappling and hurling every single person out of the hall. Presently, he raised my father up from the floor and began revivifying his piqued point, remarking with a laugh, 'Brother Phoenix, you are outstanding at improvising moves. But you forgot that each move in the Hu's Knife Techniques is unique, shrouding itself with an immediate next. When you attempted two consecutive offensive strokes, you inevitably opened yourself wide at the waist.'

"My father was not able to utter a sound. Gnawed by excruciating pain at the waist, he appeared to be completely drained. He could hardly find the strength to speak. Uncle Gully then continued, 'If you had not been restraining yourself, I would already have had my left arm slashed off. I shall cease for today: we are still equals. Now, you return and take a good rest. Should we resume the duel tomorrow?'

"Trying to control his pain, my father answered, 'Brother Gully, I admit that I was sparing in smiting blows. Even if I had hewed off your left arm, you could still have dealt me a fatal blow with your leg. Being such as you are, you could not possibly have brought yourself to launch a clandestine attack on my father. I simply wish to hear from your own lips how my father met his death?'

"'Have I not made it clear to you?' asked Uncle Gully, with an expression of astonishment on his face. 'You refused to take my word for it, but insisted on challenging me to a duel. That being the case, I had no choice but to go all the way to meet the challenge, even if it meant losing my life.'

"My father was taken aback by his words. He demanded, 'Have you already told me that? When was that?'

"Uncle Gully looked back over his shoulder. Pointing his finger at someone, he said feebly, 'You ... you ...' He could go no further, when suddenly his knees failed him and he collapsed to the ground, falling at my father's feet. Stunned by this, my father immediately reached out his hand to help him up. Uncle Gully's face suddenly changed to a different colour. He cried out, 'Well, well, you ...' He dropped his head and then passed away.

"My father was most distraught at Uncle Gully's parting words and his sudden death. He thought that, strong as Gully was, a slight gaping flesh on the arm could not possibly have cost him his life. My father flung himself frantically upon the corpse and cried aloud, 'Brother Gully! Brother Gully!' The dead body gradually turned purple in the face: undoubtedly a case of acute poisoning. My father at once ripped open Gully's sleeve and found his arm swollen to twice its size. Dark blood was oozing from the cut.

"Uncle Gully's wife was stricken by grief and shock. All at once, she threw the baby from her arms. She picked up the single-edged weapon and examined it closely. My father had already determined that the edge had been dipped in poison. Finding my father pensive, Uncle Gully's wife turned to him, 'Phoenix the Knight-errant, this is a knife borrowed from your friend. Big Brother Gully certainly had no knowledge that its edge was smeared with poison. I presume you had no knowledge of that either, otherwise neither of you would have wielded such a deceptively vile weapon. As fate has it this way, no one is to blame. I promised Gully that I would raise the child by myself. The past five days convinced me that Phoenix the Knight-errant is a true acolyte of chivalry, high in principles and heroic in deeds. As you have promised to look after the boy for me, I shall simply treat myself to a rest and not endure the hardships of bringing up the child for the next twenty years.' At this, she slashed the blade across her throat. It was over in a minute.

"This is precisely what my father told me about the circumstances surrounding Uncle Gully's death on the day in question. Master Tree's version, however, differs greatly from what I learned from my parent. Though the incident took place some twenty years ago, and one's memory may have failed in the intervening years, the facts, after all, should not differ so much. I simply do not understand," said Orchid.

Tree let out a sigh. Shaking his head, he stated, "Your father was then utterly involved in the grappling, hence it may be possible that he was unable to have as clear a picture as the onlookers." Orchid simply acknowledged Tree's statement with a murmur. She lowered her head, refraining from further comment.

Presently, a hoarse voice came from the side, "The two accounts differ because one person has been deliberately lying."

Startled by this sudden interruption, the Company quickly turned their heads round. To their surprise, the interlocutor was the servant with a scar across his face.



* * *



Although Tree and Orchid felt offended by the servant's rude remark, since both were guests on the premises, they had to try momentarily to contain themselves. Curio, being the most churlish, broke out before anyone else, "Who is the one that has been lying?"

The attendant, now afraid, said nervously, "I am merely a handyman at everyone's beck and call. How could I dare to explain these events?"

Orchid joined in at this point, "If I have in any way misinformed the group, please tell me so." She delivered these words with the leisurely elegance and composed airs befitting a lady of good breeding and high culture.

At length, the handyman attempted to volunteer more information: "I was present also at the time of the incident, bearing witness to the events just recounted by the Great Master and by Miss Miao. If the rest of you can tolerate my poor verbal gifts, I would also like to venture to give you my account of the events."

Tree at once shouted, "Were you also there personally to witness the events? Who are you?"

The servant offered him an answer, with an assured air, "I recognize the Great Master, and yet the Great Master fails to recognize me."

Tree turned pale with anger and yelled at him, "Who the devil are you?"

The attendant refused to give Tree an answer. He turned to Orchid instead and addressed her, "Madam, I fear that I may not be able to present the group with a whole picture."

Orchid was puzzled and asked, "Why?"

The man with a scar on the face replied, "I am afraid that it might cost me my life when I am but half-way through the story."

Orchid turned to Tree and said to him, "Great Master, you assume overall charge here up on this mountain. As you are a celebrated veteran fighter, held in great esteem and spoken of with awe by the Martial Brotherhood, I am sure no one would dare to harm him if only you were to speak for him."

"Miss Miao," responded Tree sneeringly, "are you taunting me with this?"

The handyman interrupted at this point, "It matters little whether I survive or die, but what matters is that I may not be allowed time enough to make clear all I know."

Orchid remained pensively silent for a short while. Then pointing to the wooden tablet hung on the left hand side of the calligraphic scrolls on the wall, she directed him, "Take that down, please." The handyman followed her instruction, not knowing what she intended to do with the plaque. He took it from the wall and placed it in front of her. Orchid hastened to assure him, "Read carefully what is written on it. My father's name is inscribed on this wooden tablet. Hold the plaque in your hands and speak up, drawing on all your courage. If anyone dares to touch so much of you as a single hair, he will be contracting the curse of my father."

The Company present looked each other straight in the eyes, thinking to themselves, "Now that he has the Gilt-faced Buddha as talisman, who would dare raise a finger against him?"

An expression of satisfaction was written on the face of the servant. He then affected a gentle smile. But the smile served only further to accentuate his already disfigured visage. He seemed to have been transformed by a magic aura to take on an eerie, otherworldly appearance. At length, he was seen holding the wooden plaque tightly in his hands.

Tree reseated himself in the chair, gazing into space and searching his memory for the happenings of twenty-seven years before; but he failed to remember the identity of this man.

Presently, Orchid told the man with the disfigured face, "Sit down here and tell me your story."

The fellow replied, "I will remain on my feet while revealing the account. May I venture to ask the young lady what eventually happened to the bereaved child of Master Gully?"

Orchid let out a faint sigh, saying, "My father was sorrow-stricken on finding both Uncle Gully and his wife dead. For quite a long while, he stared vacantly at their bodies, stunned with grief. Then he fell on his knees and performed eight full-blown kowtows, the most respectful salutations befitting an elder and a superior. Mournfully he addressed the deceased couple, 'Brother Gully and Sister Gully, please set your minds at rest. I shall test myself to the utmost to bring up your son.' Having finished the kowtows, my father turned around to look for the baby. Alas, the infant boy was nowhere to be found. Shocked at not finding the child, my father quickly made enquiries around the house. It seemed that everyone had been drawn to the death of the couple, with no one there to heed the child. My father immediately dispatched his retainers, ordering them to go in search of the boy, making all speed. Controlling the pain in his waist, he himself also conducted enquiries in the vicinity of the lodging-house. Suddenly to his ears came a child's wailing from behind the building: the baby was crying violently. My father at once dashed to the scene. But he was still in pain at the waist, from the hefty kick dealt by Uncle Gully. The minute he exerted himself, he fell to the ground, losing control of both legs.

"By the time father reached the back of the house, supported by others, he found only a pool of blood and a tiny baby's cap. There was not a trace of the child.

"There was a river running rapidly in front of the house; the blood dripped all the way to the bank. Most probably Master Gully's heir had been dealt a blow, dispatching him immediately. His body was then thrown into the stream and was swallowed by the rapid waters. Gripped by mixed feelings of fear and wrath, father presently summoned a group of people and interrogated them exhaustively. But he failed to pin down the culprit.

"From that day, my father became deeply concerned about the outcome of the incident. He vowed to lay his hand on the creature who had murdered the child. One year, while he was refurbishing his blade, he told me he would put his sword to just one more person: the true culprit. I tried to persuade him that the child could have been saved by someone, and if such was the case, he might still be alive. Father hoped that it could be true, but deep down in his heart, he considered such chances impossible. Oh, the poor child. I sincerely hope that he is still alive. Once my father said to me, 'My child, I love you more than my own life. Yet if Heaven would allow me to trade you for Uncle Gully's son, I would rather see you dead and Uncle Gully's boy alive.'"

The serving-man's eyes reddened: tears were collecting there. He said, in a choked voice, "Madam, I am sure Master Gully and Madam Gully, now living in the Kingdom of the Dead, would feel grateful for the heroic gestures of your father and of your goodself."

All the while, the steward of the eyrie took the scar-marked man to be a servant whom Orchid had brought with her on her expedition. But his appearance, manners and speech led him now to believe otherwise. The steward was about to clear up the uncertainty but, seeing that the entire Company was listening to his story with rapt attention, he found it wise not to interrupt.

The man with the disfigured visage took up the story: "Twenty-seven years ago, I was a janitor who fuelled the stove and chopped firewood at the staging post in that small village in Cangzhou. In the winter of the year in question, my family was beset by calamity: my father had borrowed five taels of silver three years before from a rich landlord, Zhao. In the intervening time, with interest compounding and multiplying itself several fold, the debt had finally reached the monstrous sum of forty taels of silver. Lord Zhao had my father seized. He tried to coerce him into signing a concession to sell my mother into his possession as a concubine.

"As my father staunchly refused to effect the vile transaction, he was savagely beaten up by the landlord's runners. After my father was finally released, he resolved things with mother. They arrived at the conclusion that the forty taels of silver would double in the following year. They despaired that they would ever be able to discharge their debt during the remaining days of their life. My parents wanted to cancel the debt by taking their own lives, and yet they could not bear the thought of abandoning me. So the three of us clung together and wept bitter tears. In the day-time, I went as usual to chop firewood at the inn. In the evening, even though I was filled with panic and fright, somehow I tried to maintain a close watch over my parents, lest they should commit suicide and leave me behind to strive miserably on my own.

"One evening, there arrived at the staging post many patrons who were afflicted with cuts from edged weapons. The innkeeper kept me throughout the long night, as he had to have extra staff on duty in the kitchen. Then came Master Gully on the following day. As his wife had given birth to a young heir the same day, extra hands were needed to look after the kitchen and stove. It went without saying that I was detained by the proprietor of the inn for another night. I missed my parents terribly. I was preoccupied, and several bowls slipped from my hands. The innkeeper slapped me across the face. I sidled to the side of the stove and sobbed as quietly as I could. When Master Gully heard my sobs as he walked past the kitchen, he came in and asked me why I was crying. His formidable looks frightened me, and I dared not utter a word. The more he asked me about it, the more violently I cried. Only after he had made himself more approachable and talked to me in a more amicable and friendly manner did I begin to pour out to him all the troubles besetting my family.

"Master Gully grew furious on hearing them. Hastily he assured me, 'This terrorising bully Zhao certainly deserves more than my dispatching him with one blow. But, as I am fully engaged at the moment, I cannot spare myself to gain revenge for your family. I shall give you one hundred taels of silver instead. You must take the money to your father so that he can clear his debts. Try to live frugally on the remaining sum and never again borrow money from the usurers.' I did not take his words seriously, thinking that he was just trying to cheer me. I was surprised when he offered me five silver ingots immediately. Did I dare to take the money? Master Gully then charmed me by saying, 'I was blessed with a baby boy today. I love my son dearly and care for him above all else. Your father and mother feel the same way about you. Now run home quickly! I will let the innkeeper know that I have sent you home, and he will not dare to treat you cruelly.'

"For a long while, I stared at him. My heart was throbbing and thumping, and I was at an utter loss. Master Gully seized a piece of cloth and wrapped the five ingots into a tidy package and strapped it on my back. He gave me a gentle kick, telling me with a laugh, 'Little dumb one, out you go: quick!'

"I turned on my heels and went home, making all speed. I did not quite understand what had happened. I told my parents and the three of us at once leapt up, rejoicing hysterically, finding it hard to believe that kind people like him did exist. We still could not believe that the five silver ingots glistening on the bench were real. It took us a while to realize that it was not a dream. Presently, my mother and I helped my father all the way to the inn to express our gratitude to Master Gully. We wanted to perform kowtows. But Master Gully at once stopped us, telling us that he disliked people thanking him. At that, he pushed us outdoors.

"Just as my parents and I were about to be on our way home, there suddenly came the sound of horses' hooves. A large group of people came barging into the staging post. They were Master Gully's enemies. I could not set my mind at rest. I asked my parents to go home first while I stayed behind to find out how things would turn out. I told myself that, as Master Gully had saved all three of us in the family, I would endeavour to make myself useful, even if it meant drowning or suffering burns. I would never hesitate to assist him.

"Presently, the Gilt-faced Buddha and Master Gully seated themselves opposite each other and began to drink. Master Tree was correct in informing us that Master Gully could not set his mind at rest about his newly born, but what he has overlooked was that, whilst Master Gully and his wife were talking to the osteopath inside their room, a janitor, who was in charge of chopping firewood, was also present, bearing witness to the happenings next door."

Suddenly, at this point, Tree started from his seat. Pointing his finger at the male attendant, the old monk roared out, "Who might you be? Who gave you instruction to blab such nonsense here?"

The story teller remained placid. He simply remarked drily, "I go by the name of Quad. I knew Yama the osteopath. Of course that osteopath Yama did not know me. I was then only a boy-of-all-work, with a scabious head, who chopped firewood at the inn."

The colour rushed into Tree's face when the name Yama was mentioned. Registering vaguely in his memory was a villain at the inn, whose head was scarred by scabies. As he had not even taken the slightest note of his looks or appearance at that time, Tree's memory certainly failed him now. Tree stared coldly at the wooden tablet which Quad was holding to his bosom. He swore aloud, "Damnation!"

Presently, Quad resumed his narration: "In the middle of the night, I heard Master Gully wailing. It gripped my heart and I could not set my mind at rest, so I hurried to his room. As I was nearing the entrance, I saw a dark outline clearly silhouetted against the casement of the adjoining room. The shadow was motionless. I wheeled around and looked out through a spy-hole in one of the windows and there was Yama, the osteopath, straining his ears and listening with bated breath to catch every word on the other side of the partition. As I was about to report this to Master Gully, out he walked into the open. He made his way directly to Yama's room and talked to him for some time. I now wonder why Master Tree has divulged absolutely nothing of the discourse held inside his room.

"Master Gully talked with Yama for a considerable time. Part of their conversation was beyond me, but what I could gather was that Yama was to embark on a mission the following day, on behalf of Master Gully, to explain to the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant, several matters of interest. The task assigned to Yama did, in fact, carry implications of enormous potential consequence. Master Gully should never have entrusted this job to an utter stranger in the first place. The point was that his wife had just delivered a child, making it inconvenient for her to go outdoors. Master Gully was known also to be quick-tempered, and if he were to go and explain things himself to Phoenix, he would almost certainly end up openly confronting Fan the Ringleader, Tian the Young Master and their retinue, with both parties eventually resorting to arms. Therefore, it would not matter whether he attempted an explanation or not, as a battle would inevitably ensue. Master Gully's last ploy was to turn to Yama, an outsider, and hope that he would convey the message for him. Master Tree has just told the Company that he was given a handsome reward for delivering a letter for Master Gully. There he has made an error. Imagine: what is the need to give a handsome reward for a task as simple as delivering a letter? Why did the couple have to spend half a day arranging all details? Master Tree might not have remembered all that Master Gully had instructed him; but I registered his every word."

From Quad's account the Company deduced that Tree had once gone by the name Yama, before being called to the Buddhist vocation. Judging from the expression on both Quad's and Tree's faces, the Company realized that the monk must have been intricately involved in the death of Gully. He had also deliberately misinformed the party by holding back from them certain facts when recounting his story. Piqued by curiosity, they eagerly looked forward to Quad's unravelling of this mystery. At the same time, they also harboured the fear that Tree might resort to underhand schemes if he was infuriated by Quad's divulging the real secret. For up here on the summit, Tree was the paragon of fighters: no one was his match, and none was able to offer Quad protection. Even if the Gilt-faced Buddha could eventually retaliate against Tree, the secret in question would die with Quad.

Everybody began to show concern for Quad's safety. Quad, nonetheless, remained placid and utterly fearless, as if he had hidden resources. Eventually, he continued his story: "I was standing on the other side of Yama's window when Master Gully and Yama were talking inside. I did not mean to eavesdrop on Master Gully. But knowing that the osteopath had always ingratiated himself with Zhao, the rich landlord who had trampled on my parents, I believed that he was not a decent fellow either, and he might do Master Gully harm. As I was quite young and not well educated, much of what Master Gully told Yama was beyond me. However, I registered carefully every sentence in my memory. As I grew older, I gradually learned to grasp fully the significance of their conversation.

"That evening, Master Gully instructed Yama to furnish the Gilt-faced Buddha with explanations of three different issues. The first was the root of the vendetta sworn by the ancestors of the four families. The second was about the circumstances surrounding the death of the fathers of the Gilt-faced Buddha and Tian the Young Master. The third concerned the Dashing King's poniard."

The Company all turned their heads around and fixed their gaze on the poniard lying on the table, growing increasingly anxious to get to the heart of the matter.

Quad again continued, "Miss Miao has told you the reason why the forefathers of the four families had pursued the vendetta in previous ages. However, a great secret was shrouded in this matter, which has been concealed from everyone. Even Phoenix the Knight-errant, until the present, has been kept in the dark.

"The incident took place in the second year of the Reign of Yongchang in the Dashun Dynasty of the Dashing King, being the year Yi You, or the second year during the Reign of Emperor Shunzhi under the Tartar rule. In that year, the forefathers of the four families pledged that, should the Manchu Dynasty survive, the secret should be held back for one hundred years, and could only be divulged in the year Yi Chou, being the tenth year during the Reign of Emperor Qianlong, which was some thirty years ago. It was assumed, twenty-seven years ago, when Master Gully entrusted Yama with the mission, that the one-hundred-year period had already expired. There was no further need for not divulging the secret.

"This secret indeed carried an implication of enormous consequence: the Dashing King had stayed alive after his enemies had besieged Jiugong Mountain."

This sudden pronouncement caused everyone to jump from their seats.

"Really?" cried out the Company in unison.

Tree alone remained complacent in his seat, wholly unaffected. He had apparently learned about this secret some time before.

After a few moments, Quad went on, "The Dashing King had indeed survived the siege on Jiugong Mountain. On that eventful day, he was surrounded on all sides by the Manchu army, making it wholly impossible for him to effect an escape. His three myrmidons, Miao, Fan and Tian, fought their way down the mountain, in an attempt to raise support elsewhere. A long time had elapsed, and no reinforcements were forthcoming. The enemies were gaining momentum and were closing in. The Dashing King's army officers were killed in great numbers, and many soldiers were sorely wounded. They were destined for defeat. The disastrous situation brought the ruler to despair. As he was about to raise his poniard to slash it across his throat, he was prevented at the last moment by his myrmidon Hu, known also as Lynx of the Sky.

"Lynx suddenly had an idea. He picked from the pile of dead bodies one whose build matched his Master's. After slipping the russet imperial robe and the king's hauberk onto the dead body, Lynx hung the imperial seal around its neck and showered blow after blow on its face, mangling its features beyond recognition. Lynx next flung the corpse on his back, reported to the Manchu camp, and gave himself up to the Tartar army, informing them that he had slaughtered the Dashing King and had come expressly to claim his credit and reward. This would indeed have been a job well executed, meriting measureless credit. Those reporting this case would certainly be rewarded by a soaring rank and a mounting fortune. No one in the least suspected the true identity of the body. If anyone had, he would have taken great pains to cover it up in order to claim credit and gain advancement himself. The enemies ended the siege of Jiugong Mountain the same day that the death of the false Dashing King was announced. By then, the real Dashing King had already disguised himself as a commoner, and easily made his way down the mountain. So the Dashing King did escape his fate, but only at the expense of dooming Lynx of the Sky, his most trusted myrmidon.

"Lynx had exhausted his wits in coming up with such a scrupulously well-intentioned plan. Among the outlawry, fighters quite commonly take up arms for Brother-at-Arms in the name of the Chivalric Code and Righteousness. In his attempt to effect the rescue of the Dashing King, Lynx was obliged to humble himself by surrendering to the enemies, bringing on himself the unfounded disgrace of having sold his Master for his own selfish gains. In former days, Lynx of the Sky had always been spoken of with awe by the Martial Brotherhood. The very mention of his sobriquet would invariably induce the fighters to turn up their thumbs and sing his praises: 'He is an excellent fellow!' It must have caused Lynx anguish to taint his name forever instead of placing himself in the ranks of righteousness.

"Lynx pretended to give himself up to Wu Sangui, the traitor. He was given an official rank. Lynx soon won the confidence of Wu for he was considered daring, resourceful and cunning. He felt that he would not qualify as a True Hero if he merely sat by and watched the Dashing King's Dashun Dynasty slip into the hands of Wu. He vowed to avenge the wrong. He needed to stir only a finger to have Wu assassinated. Being as clever as he was, Lynx designed a plan well in advance, unwilling to let Wu get away so easily. In the course of several years, he devised an ingenious and impeccable scheme, drawing on all his wits. He laid the ground for a number of incidents which would eventually contribute to Wu's demise. He tried to increase the Manchu Emperor's suspicion of Wu, while at the same time attempting also to inculcate a feeling of anxiety in Wu, feeling assured that the plotting of a revolt by Wu would then be inevitable. Lynx informed the Imperial Government that Wu was mobilizing forces in the Yunnan Province and that he was rampantly defying authority; at the same time he was feeding Wu with information based on his spying on the various checking and preventive measures being taken by the Manchu Court.

"It was held that within a matter of years, Wu would definitely turn his back on the Royal House, sparking off uprisings across the kingdom and depleting the strength of the sovereignty. This would provide the Dashing King with a timely opportunity to stage a coup and return. Even if Wu's rebellion were swiftly put down and the Dashing King failed also to restore his sway in the end, Wu and all his clansmen would certainly perish, which, in itself, had more to recommend it than taking just Wu's life.

"At the time when his three sworn Brothers, Miao, Fan and Tian, journeyed to Kunming, to attempt to murder the traitorous Wu, Lynx had already ripened his scheme, and was ready to reap the harvest. Hence Lynx, at the critical moment, barred his three sworn Brothers from executing their own plan, lest his own should fail completely.

"In the same year, on the fifteenth day of the third moon, Lynx and his three sworn Brothers were drinking in the Immense Pool. As he was about to confess to them both that the Dashing King was still alive and that Wu was about to rise against the Manchu Court, the three sworn Brothers, dreading his prowess, and thus not daring to spare him another minute, seized upon him and dispatched him on the spot. While Lynx was breathing his last, he blurted out, with tears rolling down his face, 'It is a shame that I can never deal with the major issue.' This then was the major issue to which he was referring. Lynx went on to tell the three myrmidons, 'At the Crag Canyon, the Generalissimo.' He was, in fact, referring to the Dashing King's call to monkhood in the Monastery of Benevolence at the Crag Canyon. The name assumed by him when he took the Buddhist vow was Kino of the Heavenly Mandate. The Dashing King lived to the ripe age of seventy and passed away in the second moon of the year Jia Chen, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. When the Dashing King staged his coup, he resumed the title 'the Generalissimo of the Heavenly Mandate Uprising'. The name assumed by the Dashing King when he renounced the world should really read 'King of the Heavenly Mandate'. As he wished to live incognito, he changed the 'g' in 'King' to 'o' to give him the new title 'Kino'."

From the story rendered by Orchid, the Company gathered the impression that Lynx was vile and malicious. Never could they imagine that, hidden in the account, was a secret of resounding consequence. They found it difficult to credit, as the event had taken too strange a turn.

The expressions on their faces told Quad that the Company was not yet wholly convinced by his words, as did the startled look on Orchid's face. Quad, therefore, pursued his account in this way: "Miss Miao, a while ago you mentioned that, on the fifteenth day of the third moon, Lynx's heir presented himself at the residence of his sworn Uncles. He talked to them for a short while in a secluded nook. The minute the three myrmidons emerged from the room, they each slashed their blades across their throats. What kind of conversation do you think they could have had while in the nook?"

To this, Orchid replied, "Could Lynx's son have related to the three myrmidons the pains taken by his father in devising his scheme?"

Quad answered most approvingly, "You are right. If the three myrmidons had not regretted having wrongly taken the life of their sworn Brother, would they have slit their own throats in public? The Dashing King was still alive at the time and the secret had to remain concealed. It is a pity that these three boorish fellows had once again been blinded by their sense of loyalty and the code of chivalry. Taking the life of their sworn Brother was already one fatal mistake, and taking their own lives without leaving word with their children that Lynx's son should not be made to suffer for it, was another irredeemable mistake. At that moment, they must have been so deeply drowned in their own sorrow and remorse that they simply overlooked everything else. Ever since then, the animus incurred by the four families was to pass on by ancestral transmission to the progeny of each of the four families.

"Inside the private room, the son of Lynx of the Sky told his three sworn Uncles that this secret could only be divulged after a hundred years, in the year Yi Chou. By that year, the Dashing King would have passed away, even if he were destined to live to a great age. If the secret had been divulged too soon, the Manchu Court would certainly have conducted a massive search, which would have again put the Dashing King's life into jeopardy. The Hu Family has known this secret for a long time, but the other three families had not. By the time the secret was handed down to Master Gully of the Hu Family, the one-hundred-year period had expired. This allowed him to dispatch Yama, the osteopath, to the Gilt-faced Buddha with an explanation.

"The second message, which Yama was to convey to Phoenix, concerned the circumstances surrounding the death of the fathers of the Gilt-faced Buddha and Tian the Young Master. These two elders never returned after making a journey to the land beyond the Pass one year earlier. Their loss was reported some ten years before Master Gully and Phoenix the Knight-errant challenged each other to a duel.

"The two elders were both adept fighters, spoken of with awe by their Brothers-at-Arms. As their sudden disappearance was shrouded in mystery, it was held that the person who dispatched them must be a renowned warrior. Master Gully's usual domicile was the land beyond the Pass. His family was an inveterate enemy of the Miao and Tian Families. It therefore did not take anyone long to come to the conclusion that Master Gully was the culprit. For ten years or so before the incident in question, the Gilt-faced Buddha and Tian the Young Master had been making enquiries through the length and breadth of the country, but all to no avail. They failed even to make the acquaintance of Master Gully. Finally, the Gilt-faced Buddha's last ploy was to boast that his sobriquet was the Invincible Under the Sky. He hoped thus to taunt Master Gully into journeying from beyond the Pass. His enemy read his intention, and therefore did not pay heed to it. Meanwhile, Master Gully continued to travel far and wide in search of the two old ones, Miao and Tian. Only by locating them could he then hope to meet the Gilt-faced Buddha in person and prove his innocence.

"Where there is a will, there is a way. After carrying out a reconnaissance for years, Master Gully finally succeeded in obtaining information about these two. By that time, his wife was already with child. She was a Southerner. She suddenly felt terribly homesick as she neared her delivery day. Being an affectionate and loving husband, Master Gully therefore accompanied her on the trip to the South. When he arrived at the town of Tang, he was challenged to a duel by Fan the Ringleader and Tian the Young Master. Later, he was challenged to another fight by the Gilt-faced Buddha.

"When Master Gully dispatched Yama on his mission, he wished the Gilt-faced Buddha to know that soon after he had escorted his wife back to her village of origin, he would take him to retrieve the body of his father in person, so that Phoenix the knight-errant could gain first-hand information concerning the circumstances surrounding his death. The two seniors, Miao and Tian, had died in such disgrace that Master Gully felt it would be wrong to recount the circumstances to their heirs in person; the best way was to take them to the site and let them discover the truth for themselves.

"The third part of the message that Yama was to take to Phoenix was about the poniard once wielded by the Dashing King. This poniard houses an enormous treasure. Needless to say, there is both gold and silver, as well as countless numbers of precious stones and prize jewellery."

The Company was greatly surprised on hearing this. It seemed to them that the poniard did not even have room for a tiny ingot, so how could there be room to house a countless number of precious stones and prize jewellery?

Quad carried on with his story: "That evening, Master Gully explained to Yama everything in connection with the treasure. You will be surprised if you listen to what I shall tell you next.

"After the Dashing King had taken the capital, the Imperial Court of the Ming Dynasty, families of the Royal Household, ranking vassals, and army generals soon surrendered. These people had all led lives of wealth and luxury. The Dashing King's military officers decreed that they should relinquish their fortunes as ransom. Within a few days, the treasure poured in in heaps and piles, its worth reaching an astonishing figure. Later, when the Dashing King withdrew from the capital, he commissioned his trusted army leaders to convey the treasure to a secure place for concealment. He had been intending to use this priceless possession for maintaining and rewarding his followers to attempt an eventual come-back. He drew the hiding place for the treasure on a map and locked the key to decipher the map in the poniard. Before making his escape from Jiugong Mountain, the Dashing King handed both the map and the poniard to his myrmidon, Lynx of the Sky. When Lynx was killed, the map and the poniard then found themselves transferred into the hands of his sworn Brothers. Not long after this, Lynx's heir regained possession of these two articles by force.

"In the course of the past hundred or so years, and in the course of the ensuing battles, these two objects kept changing owners. The poniard eventually remained in the safekeeping of the Tian Family of the Dragon Lodge, while the map became an heirloom of the Miao Family. Neither families knew that a great secret was hidden in each of their possessions. Hence, no attempt was ever made to retrieve the hidden treasure. Though this secret was known to members of the Hu Family who had been passing it down from generation to generation, they, likewise, could not recover the lost treasure as they had in their possession neither the map nor the poniard.

"Master Gully furnished the Gilt-faced Buddha with information about the hidden treasure, asking him to retrieve the goods of value and distribute them as alms to all the poor. He even suggested staging a revolt using this fortune, to drive the Manchus beyond the Pass, and then returning the rule of China to the Hans.

"Each of the three secrets Master Gully entrusted to Yama for transmission to the Gilt-faced Buddha carried an implication of great consequence. Master Gully was baffled, until death, by the Gilt-faced Buddha's insisting on challenging him to a duel and coming to grapple with him, even after his having divulged all the secrets. The Gilt-faced Buddha might have, after all, assumed the title of a knight-errant in vain, as he failed even to distinguish right from wrong; or, he might have refused to credit any of the three strange messages. To him, perhaps, all the events seemed too strange to believe." When Quad reached this part of the story, he heaved a heavy sigh.



* * *



All this while, Century had been listening with rapt attention in silence. Suddenly, he broke in, "I know the reason why the Gilt-faced Buddha insisted on challenging Gully to a duel. But I do not intend to dwell on it at the present moment. Answer me this one question: why are you here on this mountain?" This was the question everyone had long been awaiting.

Immediately, Quad came forward with an answer, in awe-inspired tones, "I am here to take vengeance for the death of Master Gully."

"Take vengeance? On whom?" returned Century.

"On the one who took the life of Master Gully," shouted Quad, with a sneer in his voice.

Orchid turned pale with horror, muttering, "Are you trying to harm my father?"

Quad hastened to assure her, "Master Gully did not die at the hands of the Gilt-faced Buddha, but was dispatched by a creature known formerly as Yama, a one-time osteopath, who later renounced the world to become a monk, with the assumed name of Tree."

The Company assembled was startled on hearing this, thinking to themselves, "How could Gully possibly have been dispatched by Tree?"

Suddenly, Tree raised himself to his full height. He let out a loud laugh and said, "Well, I dare you to kill me. Attack me at once!"

Quad replied, in a quiet tone, "I have already set my hand to it. I vouchsafe that you will not survive seven days and seven nights from this hour."

Everyone shuddered when this verdict was pronounced, wondering how Quad had managed to play his vile trick in the dark. Tree could not hide his fear, and yet remained undaunted as he bawled the words, "You think you can plot against me, thick-headed as you are?"

Quad immediately answered sharply, "It will not only be you. No one on this mountain, male or female, young or old, will last for more than seven days and seven nights."

On a sudden, the Company feared for their lives. Some started to their feet, dumbfounded, while others were wide-eyed, preparing to stand up. Since reaching the summit, everyone had been gripped by a feeling of acute uneasiness. Quad's last sentence may have struck the ears as ludicrous, yet, under the circumstances, it was enough to fill everyone once more with a gloomy foreboding. The Company was gripped by fear, powerless to express what was preying on their minds.

At length, Tree spat angrily, "What have you mixed with the food and drink?"

Quad answered, smiling coldly, "Not Poison which would soon dispatch you. I am not prepared to let you escape so easily. I wish to see you wither away with dragging slowness, from starvation."

"Starvation?" echoed Curio, Century, Third and the others.

Quad remained motionless for a considerable time before continuing, "Yes! This mountain had ten days' provisions to begin with, but now not a single day's are left. I have thrown it all down the mountain."

Amid shrieks, Tree grasped Quad's left arm like the devil practising the Grapple. Quad, whose right arm had already been amputated, made no attempt to throw off his assailant. He continued sneering. At once, Curio and Radiant, who were standing before him, lashed out their arms and rubbed their fists, ready to shower blows on him the minute he made any feinting or aggressive move.

At this moment, the steward of the eyrie rushed in. He had returned to the central hall in a flash, to inform the Company in a trembling voice, "All the victuals on the eyrie are gone; the pork, beef, chickens, ducks, vegetables have ... really ... really, everything has been thrown down the mountain by this fellow."

To the ears suddenly came a thudding sound as Curio struck Quad in the chest, driving with full force. The victim let out a low cry. Bright blood came gushing from his mouth in an unstaunchable stream. Quad stood still, smiling sneeringly and fearlessly.

Impatiently Tree demanded of the steward, "Not a soul was in the kitchen and in the pantry?"

The steward slowly explained, "Three handymen were at the job, but they were all trussed up by him. While the two young fiends were creating havoc in the hall, all of us moved to the room to watch. This must have been a trick of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain to lure us away from the site. Miss Miao, we took him to be one of the domestic helpers whom you brought along."

Orchid shook her head and said, "No. I thought he was the steward of the eyrie."

"Are there any foodstuffs left?" interrupted Tree, showing his impatience. The steward shook his head, deeply distressed.

Curio was about to raise his hand, ready to deal Quad another blow, when Orchid interceded, "Easy, Master. You forget what I said."

Puzzled by her words, Curio stood there, suspending his fist in mid air. Orchid then reminded him, "He is holding the wooden tablet with my father's name inscribed on it. I made it clear that no one is to do him any harm."

Curio quickly remonstrated, "But he is weighing all our lives in the balance. You ... how can you ..."

Orchid continued to shake her head. "Whether we are to live or die is a separate issue. I have to stand by what I said. Now this man has thrown all the victuals down the mountain, there is no escape for any of us. We shall all starve to death, and he will be no exception. One must have a good reason when embarking on a venture that puts one's own life at stake."

Turning next to Tree and Curio, Orchid continued, "Heaven has decreed when each of us will have to go; there is no point in going against the Divine will. Let us listen to what he has to say to find out whether we really deserve to make our departure now." She delivered her speech with a calm sense of purpose, causing Tree to loosen his grip on Quad's arm. Finally, Curio returned his seat, crushed.

Orchid then addressed Quad, "Master Quad, you are thinking of starving us all to death. Will you tell us the reason behind this? Are you doing this to avenge the death of Uncle Gully?"

At once, Quad answered, "To address me as Master Quad is to do me too great an honour. In all my days, I have been pre-destined to address others as lord or Master, and I myself have not acquired merits enough to deserve this honour. Miss Miao, I was most grateful when, at the time in question, Master Gully gave me some silver ingots and saved three lives in my family. I was also equally grateful for another matter. People used to call me Quad the Scabby-headed. People looked down on me and trampled on me. But Master Gully alone hailed me as 'Little Brother', insisting also that I address him as Big Brother. I, Quad, have been at people's beck and call my entire life. Master Gully, however, told me that all men are equal before the Old One above, and there is no distinction between upper and lower class. I was awakened by him, as if I were a blind man suddenly recovering his sight after losing it for ten or so years. I knew Master Gully for less than a day, and yet I took to him as though he were my kinsman. I love and adore him like my natural parent.

"After Master Gully and the Gilt-faced Buddha had battled each other for several days with neither being able to gain the advantage, I automatically began to feel worried for Master Gully. On the last day of the combat, Master Gully was taken by the poison on the blade, followed by his wife who committed suicide, sacrificing her life for her husband. The events were precisely the same as they were recounted by Miss Miao. I was there and witnessed the entire scene and will never allow a single detail to escape my memory."

Turning to Tree, Quad posed the question, "Doctor Yama, on that particular day, did you not carry a kit-box in your left hand and a bundle containing ten or more silver ingots on your back? Did you have on that day a black cotton robe lined on the inside with lambswool, and on your head a tobacco yellow felt cap with holes?"

Tree gave a start, turning pale with terror. His right hand holding the rosary trembled. He looked off into the distance, saying not a word.

After posing these important questions, Quad continued, "The evening before the skirmish on the last day, Master Gully and the Gilt-faced Buddha were closeted together deep into the night. Yama the osteopath was straining his ears by the side of the window until he was finally dealt a blow by the Gilt-faced Buddha across the casement, giving him black eyes and a swollen nose. He told us that after the incident he went immediately to bed. However, I caught him doing one more thing before retiring to his bed. Master Gully and the Gilt-faced Buddha were then sharing the same room. Being both forthright and upright characters, they had left their weapons in the hall. Yama produced a tin of ointment from his kit-box and quietly smeared some of the ointment on their weapons. At that time, I was still a teenager, and I knew very little. It never occurred to me that Yama was laying a vile scheme. Only after Master Gully was injured by poison did it strike me that the edges of the blades had been smeared with poison. Yama wanted to see both Master Gully and the Gilt-faced Buddha's lives taken at the same time. Yama, you were really cruel-hearted!

"It is quite understandable why Yama wanted to dispatch the Gilt-faced Buddha, simply to exact satisfaction from him. But why did Yama also smear poison on the Gilt-faced Buddha's blade? Master Gully, in fact, had never borne him any grudge. At that time, I could not understand why he had done that. Later, as I grew older, I began to see his real intention. This fellow, after all, had set his mind and heart on Master Gully's iron casket.

"Yama the osteopath was lying when he said he did not know what was inside the casket. He surely knew what was inside. Master Gully emptied all its contents onto the table when handing the casket over to his wife. There were jewels and precious stones, glistening and sparkling. Master Gully told his wife, 'My love, you are martially accomplished, and should the need arise you can always help yourself to the gold and silver hoarded by corrupt officials and local ruffians. You may eventually be caught if you attempt this too often. I ... I ...' His wife cut him short, saying, 'My lord, do not worry. Should anything unforeseen happen to you, I shall bring up the child to be full of heart and soul. The money procured from selling the jewellery piece by piece will be more than enough to support both mother and child the rest of our lives. I shall never take up my weapon to challenge people to a fight, and never will I commit theft or larceny. Is this not a fine idea?'

"Master Gully lauded the idea and laughed heartily. Then he took out a booklet and told her, 'This Canon here on Pugilism and Knife Techniques was copied out by my forefathers.' His wife took the pamphlet and remarked with a smile, 'Well, the martial ability of Lynx of the Sky is, after all, recorded in the text here. You have certainly kept this to yourself. Not even I was aware of its existence.' Her husband explained to her, 'The esoteric feats of my forefathers are handed down only to the male heirs, and never to the female line; only to the nephews, and never to their wives. This is how it acquired the name Hu's Knife Techniques.' Thereupon, his wife answered, wearing a smile on her face, 'I shall let our child study the Canon himself when he knows how to read. I promise I shall not steal anything from him.' Master Gully heaved a sigh. Then he put everything back into the casket before tucking it away under his wife's pillow.

"Upon the death of his wife, I rushed immediately into her room, only to find Yama the osteopath was already there. I was taken aback. I quickly hid behind the door with my heart still thumping. I saw Yama pick up the baby with his left hand and take the iron casket out from beneath the pillow with his right hand. He then followed exactly the same steps with which Master Gully had opened the box. The lid immediately sprang open. He took the jewellery out and fiddled with it for a while, salivating. Then he put the child on the floor and took out the Canon on Pugilism and Knife Techniques. While he was leafing through the booklet, the baby suddenly started crying violently. Yama quickly snatched a quilt lying at hand and pulled it over the head and the body of the little one lying on the floor, lest his crying should draw the attention of the others

"I was shocked by what Yama did. I thought that the baby would surely be suffocated. I resolved to rescue the child at all costs as Master Gully had been so very kind to me. Being young and not well-versed in martial arts, I was no match for Yama. As luck had it, I found a door-bar beside the doorway. I quietly grasped it in my hands, tiptoed to his back and hit him full on the crown.

"I struck with all the might I could muster, catching Yama off his guard. He toppled at once to the ground, without letting out a cry, spilling the jewellery across the room. I quickly tore the quilt open, picked up the child and fled. I told myself at the time that every single soul present, without exception, was Master Gully's enemy. I must, therefore, take the baby home and ask my mother to bring him up. I knew well that the Canon on Pugilism and Knife Techniques was an esoteric heirloom of no small consequence and it should not be allowed to reach the hands of outsiders. Thus prompted, I tried to recover it from Yama, who, on losing consciousness, was still holding the Canon tightly in his hand. Being too flustered, I wrenched it hard from his grip, and succeeded only in recovering an incomplete booklet: the first two pages tore off, and remained in Yama's hand. Presently, there was a commotion outside. Phoenix the Knight-errant was also looking for the baby. I at once recollected myself, picked up the baby, slipped away through the back door, and set off for home at a run.

"Not until today have I ever met Yama again. I could not believe that he had taken the Buddhist vow. Was it deep guilt that caused him to renounce the world to expiate his sins? It is hard to believe that, with only the stolen front leaf of the section on Pugilism, he succeeded in training himself to become a celebrated Master of the Martial Brotherhood. He assumed that no one would ever know anything about his past. He was only too surprised to learn that the fellow who dealt him a hard blow some years ago is still safe and sound, and very much alive. Yama, turn yourself around, so that we can take a look at the scar on the back of your head. It was caused by a blow from a door-bar, a long time ago, wielded by someone who was then a janitor chopping firewood at an inn."

At Quad's command, Tree raised himself slowly from his seat while the remaining party was waiting with bated breath, thinking to themselves that he would certainly launch an aggressive move to dispatch Quad instantaneously. To everyone's surprise, Tree only responded by chanting, "Amitabha! Amitabha!" After reaching his hand out to stroke the back of his head, Tree reseated himself, remarking, "For the past twenty-seven years, I have been wondering who it was that launched a blow on my head from behind. Today, I finally have the answer." The Company was taken aback by the frank and open manner in which he admitted himself to be in the wrong.

Presently, Orchid followed up with the question, "What happened to the poor child afterwards? What became of him later?"

Quad provided her with an answer, "I stole away quietly from the door at the back, holding the baby closely to me. Hardly had I gone a few paces than a voice shouted suddenly from behind, 'Hey, little scabby-head! Bring back the child!' I did not heed the command, which merely induced me to run even faster. The man, continuing the harangue, overtook me in no time. Seizing me by the arm, he attempted to wrench the little one from me. I panicked, and bit him hard on the back of his hand, drawing on all my strength. Blood soon came oozing out."

"That was my Master!" burst out Curio on a sudden. Sign stared him straight in the eye. Alas, it was too late. The words were already out of his mouth. Curio, regretting his blunder, soon sensed all eyes falling on him and began to feel acutely uneasy.

Quad resumed his narration after Curio's awkward interruption: "Yes, it was Pastoral, Tian the Young Master. The bite left a permanent mark on the back of his hand. I presume he never told you who bit him on the occasion, nor anything about how he came by that mark."

Sign, Valour, Curio and Radiant each looked at one another, thinking to themselves that there had been indeed on the back of Pastoral's hand a very deep mark left by a bite, and it was also true that he had never mentioned to them how the mark had been inflicted.

After pausing for a considerable while, Quad proceeded, "On that occasion, I bit Tian the Young Master hard, focusing all the strength in me. He was an adept fighter, and yet he could not fight the excruciating pain. Thereupon, he whipped out his sword and smote two blows, the first slashing across my face and the second hacking off my arm. Fuming with rage, he flung out his leg with a kick, thrusting me right into the river. Maimed though I was in one arm, I still held the child closely to me with my other."

After Orchid had let out a soft exclamatory 'Oh!', Quad continued, "Pain tore through every joint in my body when I dropped into the waters. In no time I lapsed into unconsciousness. When I regained my senses, I was lying in a boat. Apparently, I had been fished up by someone. Thereupon, I shouted out, 'The child! The child!' A woman was heard crying from the prow, 'Amitahba! You have come round at last. The child is here.' I immediately raised my head to see for myself. She was holding the child in her arms and feeding him. Later, I found out that, after being fished out of the waters, I had been lying unconscious in the boat for six days and six nights. I dared not return to my village: we were already quite a distance from home and I was afraid that Master Gully's foes might lay their hands on his heir. I gathered from what Miss Miao said of the child that Phoenix the Knight-errant has presumed that the child had already met his fate."

Thereupon, Orchid lit up with joy, exclaiming, "So, after all, this poor baby is still alive, am I right? My father will be so excited to hear the news. Where is the child now? Can you take us to see him?" Then it struck her that she had been referring all the while to Master Gully's heir as the 'poor child'. He should, after all, by now be a man twenty-seven years old, ten years her senior. This very thought made her blush.

Presently, Quad remarked, "I am afraid you will not have the opportunity to see him. No one is going to leave the mountain alive."

Orchid tried to contradict him, "My father is sure to find his way up the mountain to rescue us all. I am not a bit worried."

"Your father is the Invincible Under the Sky only when all the opponents are common people," retorted Quad. "Now, no matter how martially accomplished he may be, he can never hope to conquer a summit several thousand feet tall, like this one."

Thereupon, Orchid posed a question, "Were you dispatched by the child to pass sentence on us?"

Quad shook his head disapprovingly, "No, no. This child is also a hero fighter and a knight-errant, like your father. He would certainly have stopped me if he knew I was scheming vile tricks like this."

Curio responded angrily, "I am pleased to learn, after all, that you know you are scheming vile tricks!"

Orchid hastened to ask questions, with genuine concern written on her face, "How is the child? What is his name? Is he well-versed in martial ability? What is he doing at present? Is he kind-hearted?" Orchid poured out a string of questions showing her great concern, because ever since she was little, she had remembered well how her father made annual sacrificial offerings to Master Gully and his wife and how it hurt him to be unable to bring up his child as promised.

Presently, Quad reminded Orchid, "Miss Miao, you could have the opportunity to meet him if only I had not blown up the hawser."

"So it was you who blasted the hawser," thundered Curio, echoed by six or seven members of the Company.

"Yes," replied Quad.

"How could I have seen him today?" asked Orchid.

"He has a meeting with the lord of the eyrie," explained Quad, "and is scheduled to conquer the mountain at noon. Now it is already mid-day, he should be at the heel of the mountain."

All at once, the Company assembled cried out aloud, "Is he Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain?"

Quad answered them politely, "Yes, he is the heir of Master Gully. His name is Fox Hu, also known as Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain."





Chapter Six: Encounter



Having listened to stories for half a day, the Company had become completely absorbed by the story of Gully's conduct. However, a feeling of admonition and foreboding descended on them when they learned that Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain was his son. They also recalled that the lord of the eyrie had gone to enlist the help of various adept fighters from all over the country especially to meet him in battle. His martial ability must, therefore, be as good as his father's. Despite the inner fear that they all had, the Company was still eager to meet him, knowing full well that the encounter would do them no good.

Suddenly Orchid cried out, with fear in her voice, "Oh, no, those fighters coming here at the invitation of the lord of the eyrie and my father have not yet made their way up the mountain. A fight will certainly ensue should they run into Fox Volant at the foot of the mountain. My father does not know him to be the son of Uncle Gully. What happens if he puts him to the sword and dispatches him with one blow?"

Quad gave out a wraithlike smile and hastened to assure her, "Even though Phoenix the Knight-errant is the Invincible Under the Sky, I doubt if he could dispatch Master Fox with just one blow." His smile twisted the muscles of the scar on his face, further contorting his already horrible appearance.

Quad then continued, "Master Fox's purpose for coming to the mountain today is to inflict retribution on the lord of the eyrie. Other than that, he also wants to take vengeance on Phoenix the Knight-errant by challenging him to a duel. I tried to dissuade him from harassing Phoenix the Knight-errant by telling him how intimate Master Gully and Phoenix once were in their mutual dealings, as well as the fact that the person responsible for Master Gully's death was indeed somebody else, and yet Master Fox still insisted on learning the truth from Phoenix the Knight-errant's own mouth. Later, I ran into Yama the osteopath at the foot of the mountain. I immediately recognized him in spite of a lapse of some twenty years. Thereupon, I decided to follow the group up the summit, blow up the hawser and dispose of all the provisions in order to starve every single one here to death. In this way, I hope at least I can repay some of the heroic deeds and chivalric acts Master Gully once lavished on me."

These words of Quad sent a wave of resentment through the whole Company, freezing them all. They stared at each other in fear, not knowing what to do, thinking to themselves that Tree was the only one deserving of death, as he had once committed murder out of greed. The rest of the party were crying and moaning. None of them was connected in any way with the crime, and yet they also had to suffer for it without knowing why.

Judging by the looks on their faces, Tree sensed that the others were inwardly accusing him. Thereupon, he stood up and bawled out, snatching the casket and holding the poniard, "As things now stand, we are all facing the same fate! We have, therefore, to stick together and discover a solution to get down the mountain. As the ruffian..."

A flapping sound came suddenly to their ears before Tree could finish his sentence. A white pigeon was seen flying into the central hall, arresting its flight on the table.

Orchid smiled with delight, exclaiming, "Is this little dove not adorable?" She moved closer with gentle steps, held up the bird in both hands and stroked the plumes on its back. At once, she found fastened to the foot of the tiny bird a silken cord, trailing all the way to beyond the doorway. Orchid started gathering in the thread. The longer she worked at it, the greater the length the tiny string seemed to assume. After pulling the cord in for some while, Orchid still could see no trace of the other end. Gripped by curiosity, Orchid started collecting the long silken cord crisscrossing her hands, but the cord still seemed to be infinitely long. Presently, Sign moved forward to assist her. After drawing in another several hundred yards, they began to feel the weight, which was growing heavier minute by minute, as if an object was attached at the other end. Thereupon, the steward lit up with joy, crying out aloud, "We shall be saved!"

"How?" asked the Company.

The steward then explained, "This white pigeon is kept by the eyrie for carrying messages up and down the mountain. Most probably, when our people at the foot of the mountain found the long hawser destroyed, they dispatched the bird up here, tying emergency equipment to the silk cord to enable us to descend the mountain."

These words threw Quad into a fury. Amid sounds of roaring, he surged forward, meaning to snap the thread. Fortune, standing next to him, immediately whirled round and blocked him. Then, concentrating all the force in his palms, he sent Quad sprawling to the ground.

Meanwhile, Sign warned Orchid, "Sister, be easy with the thread or you will break it." Orchid nodded her assent. Although the silk cord seemed very fine, it was of an extraordinary strength. The two ladies soon felt the cord mounting in weight without its giving way. After a little while, Orchid began to feel a bit out of breath. Thereupon, Peace volunteered to help. "Miss Miao, you rest. I will take over." He stepped forward and took over the thread from Orchid.

The sight of the silk thread sent the Company into another flurry of desperate activity. Valour, Curio, Hawk and the others immediately pushed their way outdoors, eager to discover what salvation was attached to the other end of the thread.

Peace and Sign had been some while collecting the thread. Suddenly the group which had gathered outdoors roared out in loud applause. Thereupon, Peace and Sign slackened their grip on the cord, assuming that the article was already up the mountain. Those remaining inside the hall immediately rushed outside. Valour and Curio were standing on the edge of the cliff, both pairs of hands feverishly engaged in pulling in the cord. Eventually the other end of the thread disclosed a slightly thicker silk cord and attached to the other end of that was a very heavy rope.

Immediately, the Company let out a loud cheer. Then they busily set to fastening the rope securely onto two large pines by the edge of the cliff.

"We should move!" shouted Hawk. "I shall descend first."

Just as Hawk was grabbing the rope with both hands, intending to slide down the slope, Century bawled out, "Wait a minute! Why is it that you are to be the first one to go down? Who knows what dirty tricks you will play on us once you get down there?"

"Well, I will accept whatever you say," snorted Hawk to Century, wrath in his voice.

Century was momentarily silenced, thinking to himself that they all distrusted each other, each harbouring ill-will against one another. It did not matter in the least who was the first to go down as the remaining party would inevitably be unable to set their minds at rest. Century, when that question was posed, found himself at a loss for an answer.

Finally, Curio came up with a suggestion. "We shall let the ladies go down first. We men will then draw lots to establish the order in which we shall descend."

In a whispering voice Hawk put forward his idea, "I suggest that the Dragon Lodge, the Horse Spring Banditry and we, the Peking Overland Convoy, take turns to send one of each of our people down the mountain. By checking and watching each other, we can certainly forestall any vile schemes."

Valour immediately agreed to Hawk's idea and said approvingly, "An excellent idea! Tree, the Great Master, would you kindly return the iron casket to us?" Having made this request, Valour stepped up one pace and reached out his hand, meaning to wrench it from Tree.

Earlier on, the Company had set their minds only on matters concerning life and death. Now that the crisis was over, they shifted their minds back to the treasure. Before the secret was made known to them, the Company had taken the iron casket only to be a treasure of the Martial Brotherhood, without the slightest idea of what the treasure was and where it was hidden. Now that they had discovered that the poniard had once been the weapon wielded by the Dashing King, they were quick to grasp that it was indeed an article of value. When they eventually learned from Quad that the poniard somehow held a clue to finding the vast fortune hidden by the Dashing King, the Company all became as greedy as a devouring soul. The ancients held that after the Dashing King had captured the capital, his army general Liu Zongmin inflicted torture on the royal households and ranking officials of the Ming Court, extorting from them ton upon ton of precious stones and articles. Soon after this, the Dashing King's armies were defeated. The fortune looted by him vanished from then on, along with all articles of value handed down from generation to generation to the Royal House which were stored in the Imperial Treasury of the Ming Court at the time. If all this treasure could be retrieved by the clue provided by the poniard inside the iron casket, its value would certainly crown all other fortunes on earth.

Valour's request met with a scornful laugh now that he had broached the subject. Tree simply blurted out with a leer, "What right do you people of the Dragon Lodge have that makes you the sole possessor of the poniard? The blade has been in the safekeeping of the Dragon Lodge for over a hundred years, and it is time now for it to change ownership."

Valour was taken aback, his eyes darting fires of fury. Fortune, Curio and Radiant all advanced one step simultaneously, positioning themselves alongside Valour.

Immediately, Tree laughed aloud, tossing back his head, remarking, "So the Brothers here want to make aggressive moves? You acquired the poniard a long time ago in a battle, but soon you will have to part with it in another battle. Does that seem fair?"

Valour and his contingent were put in a terrible rage, ready to pounce upon the old monk, wrestle the poniard from him and hack him to pieces. But they restrained themselves, fearing his prowess. They were also forced to retreat a few paces involuntarily by the piercing gaze of the old monk's eyes.



* * *



The party standing by the edge of the cliff grew quiet. Suddenly Lute, Orchid's personal maid, cried out, beckoning down the mountain, "Look, Miss Miao! It seems as if somebody is ascending the mountain."

The Company all stood in awe, thinking to themselves, "We have yet to descend the mountain; how can anyone already be scaling it?" Thereupon, they raced to the edge of the cliff and looked down. They saw a blurred white shadow clambering speedily up the mountain. When they looked closer, it was a man swathed in matte white fabric.

"Sister, could this be your father?" asked Sign.

Orchid shook her head, saying, "No, my father never dresses in white."

While they were thus engaged in their conversation, the man had almost attained the summit, and was moving steadily closer. Soon, the steward cried out, "Please identify yourself!"

Suddenly the sound of roaring laughter came from below, sonorous and clear, shaking the valley like thunder and covering the mountain with peals and peals of laughter.

On seeing Tree standing on the edge of the cliff, grasping the iron casket, Valour gave Curio's hand a slight tug, pointed at his back and described a thrusting gesture with his right arm. Curio immediately understood: Valour wanted him to push Tree down the mountain. This ruffian would certainly finish up rolling down a mountain over one hundred thousand feet high, with all his martial ability being of no avail. The iron casket and the poniard, both being unbreakable, could be recovered later. Thereupon, Valour and Curio signalled to each other by nodding their heads. They at once got to their feet and made all speed, aiming true and fast at the old monk's back. Tree, standing no more than a foot from the edge of the cliff, was gazing down the mountain, not suspecting that someone would launch a clandestine attack from behind.

Tree was following with awe the gait and movements of the white figure ascending the precipitious slope. By the time he sensed the impending footsteps behind his back, Valour and Curio were already charging full speed at him. Tree was suddenly alive to the imminent danger. Nevertheless, he maintained his sense of proportion in the face of such danger and effortlessly moved into the Suspension Iron Bridge, tilting his body to the left. The Suspension Iron Bridge is the ultimate trick for foiling mortal attack, designed originally as a counter measure to parry clandestine weapons. If, at the moment of a brutal onslaught, with the secret weapon already whistling from the assailant, one fails to make a timely escape by either leaping clear off the ground or dodging to the side, the last resort is to straighten and tense one's body, then suddenly thrust it slanting backward with face towards the sky and both feet securely on the ground, thus allowing the swishing weapon to sweep past, almost glancing the face. The more advanced one becomes in this martial feat, the closer one reaches one's back to the ground. The crucial rule of this move rests with the lightning movements in thrusting and recovering one's back as well as the straightness achieved by the body, as the command for this move runs: "The feet are as strong as cast iron and the body as stiff as a ramp, suspended like a bridge." Tree also practised his version of the Suspension Iron Bridge differently from the others: instead of slanting his body backward, he thrust it to the left, anchoring his feet by the edge of the cliff and suspending his body in mid air, balancing almost half of his weight over the snow-laden mountain.

Just as Valour and Curio were about to celebrate their success in their clandestine attack, they suddenly felt their shoulders lunging into a void. Valour, being martially accomplished, abruptly somersaulted, rolling his body to the side. Curio, unfortunately failing to apply a timely brake to his feet, continued whirling straight through, disappearing down the snowy mountain.

Amid cries of alarm, Tree straightened his back and stood up, chanting, "Amitahba, pardon my sin, pardon my sin." His back had already broken into a cold sweat.

This sudden turn of events scared Sign tremendously: she dropped unconscious to the ground. Peace, standing next to her, immediately reached out his hand to raise her.

The Company all gave vent to hysterical screams on seeing the sturdily-built Curio gravitating helplessly towards the base of the mountain, surely to be shattered to pieces, when suddenly the man clad in white snapped up his left hand and thrust it against the cliff face, hooking his feet to the rope. The rope at once swayed, bearing the white figure with it and swinging him towards Curio.

It was indeed a propitious play of strength. The man in white immediately reached out his right hand, seizing Curio's back. Curio's heavy weight induced a violent reaction: in a trice, his garment tore open with a snap and down he plunged again. The white figure at once stretched himself to the limit, whipping out his hands at the last moment, grasping Curio's right Achilles' heel. Suddenly, the two figures were plummeting, their size diminishing second by second, dropping several hundred feet in no time. At the rate they were falling, the man in white stood little chance of hooking onto the rope by merely utilising the strength of his leg. His only hope of surviving the ordeal lay in loosening his grip on Curio. While the spectators on top of the cliff were all watching in bewilderment, he suddenly swept out his right hand, hurling Curio's body around and over the rope.

Curio, already lapsing in and out of unconsciousness, speedily clung to the rope. He seemed like a man frantically grasping the instant his fingers sense a weed in the water. He will not relax his grip even when breathing his last. This is a true survival instinct. Curio, by holding onto the rope alone, could never be martially strong enough to counter the grativational force dragging them speedily towards destruction. However, the amount of power he was able to muster in the face of danger was suddenly multiplied several-fold. The rope swept far out on the instant, whirling both of them to the left.

The white creature then summoned the strength at his waist, reversing his body, and in no time, grasping the rope with his left hand also. Next he whispered something in Curio's ear and patted him on the back.

Though Curio was still in a state of shock, the message struck him like an imperial decree. He immediately set to scaling the cliff, busily crisscrossing his hands, moving them forward in an overlapping zig-zag pattern, until finally he managed to scramble back onto the edge of the cliff-top.

The thrilling epidsode down the cliff had turned everyone standing on the edge of the mountain speechless with terror. Fortune and Radiant grasped Curio's hands the minute he clambered over the ridge, hauling him right up on the top.

"Who is the man in white?" asked the Company.

Curio answered, puffing, "The hero fighter ordered me to report to you all that ... Fox Hu, Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, announces his presence."

The very mention of the name of the man clad in white struck the Company with awe, rooting them to the ground and freezing them in mortal terror. Suddenly, one member of the Company broke out in a cry, "Oh! No!" Immediately he fled inside the eyrie.

The remaining Company fought immediately for the doorway, without a moment's reflection. Century, Hawk and Valour were pushing and elbowing each other furiously at the gate. Curio rushed forward to carry Sign in, exchanging a few blows with Peace in the hubbub. The commotion brought almost everybody immediately indoors. The steward and Lute, who were helping Orchid along, were the last to cross the threshold. They were almost locked out of the eyrie.

As soon as Hawk had slammed the door behind him, Fortune picked up a bar with which to bolt the gate. Century propped up the bar with his hands, fearing that it might give way.

Sign soon regained consciousness. She commented naively, "Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain has never been an acquaintance of ours. Why then should we fear him?"

Valour cast her a glance from the corners of his eyes, remarking, "Never an acquaintance? Hm! Your father and his father were deadly foes. Do you think that he will let you go?"

Hawk also joined in, "We wounded Quad. Do you think that Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain will so easily let the matter drop?"

Suddenly, Peace pointed at the top of the wall, alerting the others, "We are all now propping up the door; do you not think he can enter from above?" To this, Valour readily agreed, "Yes! Brother Peace, please go up and keep watch there."

Peace answered with a leer, "As Uncle Valour is martially accomplished, it would only be right for you in your honoured age to go up." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the bolt on the gate snapped with a loud cracking sound. In no time, the two leaves of the gate had been flung open with a crash.

Thereupon, all the Company fled to the inner court, in utter panic. Everyone vanished from the central main hall in no time.

The moment they had learned about Gully's past from Quad, the brazen fighters assembled on the mountain felt eager to meet his bereaved son. However, when Fox finally announced himself on the summit they were all panic-stricken. They scared each other by running away, thus creating more fear in each other. The warriors, of brazen and forthright characters, appeared simply to have vanished into thin air.

Meanwhile, the steward of the eyrie was hunting for Tree, intending to ask him to help temporarily to defend them against the impending danger. But Tree was nowhere to be found, apparently having already gone into hiding somewhere. The steward went over this in his mind, "The Master has entrusted me with all matters on this eyrie. My first and foremost duty is not to allow any disgrace to tarnish my Master's reputation, even if it means laying down my own life."

Having formed this resolution, he whispered to Orchid, "Miss Miao, hurry, quick! Go to the matron's room and hide with her in the secret nook in the cellar. Do it all quietly. The other souls here all harbour ill-intentions. I shall go now to meet the visitor."

Orchid looked at Third and Sign, and then said, "Let me take these two sisters along to the cellar."

The steward immediately shook his head disapprovingly. He whispered into her ears, "Please do not take them along. I am afraid that these two women may be bad people. You, madam, and the wife of the lord are the only ladies of good family and fine upbringing. Please leave those two here alone."

Orchid answered the steward calmly, "If that man bearing Hu as his last name is going to commit murder and arson here, are you able to prevent him?"

Gripping the tang of the single-edged knife at his waist, the steward responded sentimentally, "Here comes the hour for me, a man bearing the family name Yu, to lay down my life to repay my Master. All I am asking is that everything should remain well with the matron and you, young lady, so that my humble self will not bring dishonour to the Master."

Orchid went over this in her head for a while before coming to a resolution. "I shall go with you to greet him out there."

Thereupon, the steward hastened to stop her, "Miss Miao, were we not informed by the old monk that your father, Phoenix the Knight-errant, and he are inveterate enemies, with some old debts to settle over the deaths of their fathers? If you do not go into hiding now, you may end up in his hands, then ... then ..."

Thereupon, Orchid responded, "Ever since I heard those stories about Uncle Gully from my father, I have been looking forward so much to seeing his child still alive and hoping also to meet him one day. I am aware that things have become extremely hazardous, but if I miss this opportunity of seeing him now, I shall regret it the rest of my life."

Orchid delivered these words softly and calmly, and yet her tone was resolute, making it impossible for the steward to deny her request. The steward thought to himself, "This young lady does not even seem strong enough to bind a chicken, and yet she is daring and determined. She has not lived as the daughter of the Gilt-faced Buddha in vain. As for fellows like the Commander of the Eastern Border and the Might of the Southern Sky, so laudible are their sobriquets, and yet they should all be shamed to death by Miss Miao if only they were not so brazen-faced."

The announcement of the arrival of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain at the eyrie had given the steward quite a shock. However, on seeing that Orchid was as calm and as sensible as could be, he also felt his fear diminish. Thereupon, the steward tightened his girdle, placed two exquisite celadon bowls with lids on a tray, and then poured some tea into each bowl before heading for the main hall. Orchid walked behind him.



* * *



After the steward wheeled round the screen wall in the central hall, he found the man dressed in white with his arms akimbo, holding up his head and looking outside with his back towards him. Thereupon, the steward cried out, "Master Fox has travelled some distance coming here, and yet was not greeted beyond the gate. Please do not take any offense." Then he offered him tea. Having taken in every word enunciated by the steward, the man clad in white turned himself round, only to find standing demurely in front of him an elegant and graceful young lady, delicate and sprightly, with eyes like limpid pools brimming with intelligence. A look of surprise spread over his face.

Orchid glanced at the stranger standing at the door. The lower part of the young man's face was overgrown with curly whiskers, grizzled, thick and firm. His thatch of hair was in disarray, wildly dishevelled, coiled like weeds on top of his head. His unkempt looks surprised Orchid. Ever since she had been little, Orchid had harboured a piteous feeling for Gully's heir. In her mind, he was still a poor little boy, trampled on and ill-treated by others. When she saw right before her eyes a man brazen and audacious, a mixed feeling of fear, bewilderment and disappointment mingled in her breast. Immediately it struck her, "Uncle Gully was awe-inspiring: it should come as no surprise that his son takes after him. It was really my own fault to have imagined him otherwise."

Presently, she pulled the lapels of her garment together and bowed respectfully to him in a manner both easy and graceful, addressing him in a soft voice, "Every blessing to the young Master."

Fox Hu, known also as Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, when making this trip up the mountain had expected to grapple with all the adept fighters assembled on the summit, and yet coming forward to greet him was an exquisitely beautiful young lady. Gripped by curiosity, he began to wonder, "I must see what vile tricks these people have planned." Thereupon, he returned her respects by making a low bow, putting his hands in front, and remarking, "The humble one is Fox Hu. I offer you my respects. May I venture to ask what name the honourable young lady may carry?"

Immediately, the steward cast Orchid a look, signalling her to fabricate a surname, remembering never to disclose her true identity, Phoenix's daughter, to this stranger. But Orchid seemed not able to understand his well-intentioned gesture. Instead, she went on, "Brother Fox, our families have been friends for generations. It is a shame that we have never been acquainted. My family name is Miao."

Though Orchid's answer sent shivers down Fox's back, he managed to compose himself and look placid, requesting, "How do the young lady and the Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant, address each other?"

This last question threw the steward into a panic, causing him to give her sleeve a discreet tug. Orchid again paid no heed to his well-meant signal but simply put forward her answer, "The Gilt-faced Buddha is my father."

Fox was panic-stricken, thinking to himself, "So, that is who you are!" He posed another question, "How is it that your father is not here to show his face?"

The steward had a firm grip on the tang of his blade for fear that Fox might contrive an aggressive move at her. The steward followed Orchid from the corners of his eyes, and found her as unperturbed as ever. He began to worry, "This young lady here is naive and has not seen much of the world. In front of her is her father's deadly foe, and yet she is not being prudent. She has even confessed everything."

Orchid continued, "My father is not up on the mountain yet. If he knew you were the son of his deceased friend, he would certainly have arrived here a long while ago to meet with you, even if it meant putting aside other matters of consequence."

Fox, confused by Orchid's reply, then asked, "The young lady knows my background, and yet your father does not: how is that possible?"

Orchid at once provided him with an answer, "That is because I have just learned it from your friend Quad."

Fox answered, with anxiety in his voice, "Oh, so Uncle Quad is here already. Where is he?"

The steward was stunned and he quickly scanned the hall. Quad had long since disappeared, but the quantities of bright red blood were still wet, staining the floor. The steward went over this in his mind, "Everybody was preoccupied with descending the mountain the moment the white pigeon flew in with the thread and seemed to have forgotten about him. Quad saved Fox's life and is his benefactor. If anything untoward has occurred, we will surely incur more animosity."

Sensing that the steward had become uneasy on a sudden over the bright red blood on the floor, Fox shouted, "Is that blood Uncle Quad's?"

The steward did not dare to hide the fact. As an answer he forced himself to blurt out, "Yes."

Fox had lost his parents at a tender age and had been looked after ever since by Quad. They looked upon each other as parent and child. How could he be not concerned by the steward's reply? Thereupon, he bounced forward in a leap, flung out his hand and grasped the steward by his right arm, snarling, "Where is he? How ... how is he?" The steward felt an agonizing pain in the arm as if a metal hoop were tightening and tightening by the moment. He gnashed his teeth to counter the excruciating pain, with sweat appearing on his brow, bead after bead, rendering him motionless.

Immediately, Orchid answered Fox calmly, "Brother, please do not worry. Quad is managing capably on the other side of the eyrie." At this, she motioned with her hand at a side room on the western wing. Fox immediately loosened his grip on the steward's arm, leapt and lashed a kick at the door of the side room on the western wing, flinging it open with a crash. Quad was seen lying on a couch, panting heavily.

"Uncle Quad!" cried out Fox, excited beyond measure. "Is all well?"

Quad, who was lying inside the room, had already heard him a while ago. He muttered, "I am doing fine. Do not worry." Fox rushed forward only to find him ashen-faced and hard on breathing. The excitement at seeing Quad soon vanished from his face. Instead he was overwhelmed with a feeling of acute uneasiness.

"How did this happen?" asked Fox, with genuine concern in his voice. "Is it serious?"

"It is a long story," mumbled Quad. "I would never have seen you again if Miss Miao had not come to my rescue." What actually had happened was that Orchid and Lute had sneaked Quad into the side-room while the rest of the party were all taken up with the pigeon that had brought the silk thread into the hall. In the general flurry of activity no one had bothered to check where he was. The excitement being over, Tree had been meaning to inflict fatal blows on him, and yet Quad was nowhere to be found.

Fox nodded approvingly. Then he reached inside his gown, retrieved a scarlet tablet and put it in Quad's mouth, telling him, "Uncle Quad, take this medicine now for your wounds."

Fox felt much relieved after Quad had chewed the tablet into powder and swallowed it all. Presently, he returned to the hall and made a low bow to Orchid, placing both his hands in front of him with his head almost touching ground. He addressed her, "Thank you for saving Uncle Quad's life."

Orchid immediately returned his obeisance, remarking, "Your humble sister has always held in respect a man as honest, upright and helpful as Quad. This is too trivial to deserve a mention."

Fox returned her thanks, "It was a matter of life and death: how could that be trivial? I am truly grateful to you."

Though Fox struck her as being rough and brazen, yet he conducted his speech in a gentlemanly manner. Presently, Orchid addressed him apologetically, "Brother Fox has come a long way to the eyrie, but the place is inadequately stocked at the moment to honour your arrival."

Orchid next told her maid, "Lute, prepare some wine and food quickly."

Fox alerted Orchid, "The lord of the eyrie has arranged a meeting with me at precisely noon today. How is it that he is not here to meet me in person?"

Orchid replied, "The Master has been summoned away on matters of importance and must have been detained on his way back. Please allow your humble sister to apologize in advance for his failing to keep the appointed hour."

Fox found her answer very sensible and well expressed. He mused, finding himself more baffled. "There has never been a lack of prime fighters among the Miao, Fan and Tian Families, and yet all these manly fellows are retreating at the first opportunity, abandoning a fragile maiden to assume their duties. Could it be possible that she is martially adept beneath her cloak of innocence?"

Presently, Lute entered the room carrying a wooden tray, resting on which was a large wine-kettle and a cup. She carried the tray in her left hand while pouring wine into the cup with her right. Similingly Lute remarked, "Master Fox, I am afraid all the chicken, duck, fish, meat, vegetables and fruits have been ravaged by that Master Quad of yours. I am sorry we can afford to offer you only wine."

Fox instinctively sensed that the wooden tray was placed too close to both him and Orchid. He at once reached out his left hand and gave its edge a slight push, sending the wooden tray lunging straight at Orchid's shoulder. Though very little energy was expended in the pushing, it was channeled propitiously to strike at his enemy. If Orchid failed to ward off the attack in time, the blow would be as fatal as one inflicted by an edged weapon. Orchid, being ignorant of martial arts, met the impending danger by shifting her body slightly to the side, attempting no timely move to dissipate the deadening energy driving towards her. Great danger was imminent.

The clandestine attack launched at Orchid frightened the steward terribly. Fully aware of the fact that he was far inferior to Fox in martial ability, he was almost convinced that his efforts would prove futile even if he endeavoured to charge forward, risking his life. Thereupon, he reacted by only letting out a loud cry,

"Aiya!"

Fox arrested the wooden tray with two nimble fingers of his his left hand. It was a timely rescue achieved at the last possible moment. The tray recoiled immediately after glancing Orchid's outer garment with its rim. Never would it dawn on the maiden that she had passed through the hands of Death with only a hair's breath to spare. She had been so close to greeting Fate in the transient Nether World, riding the Wheel of Incarnation.

At length, Fox asked Orchid, not without surprise in his voice, "I understand that your father is the Invincible Under the Sky. Why did he not transmit to you his esoteric martial feats? I have heard that both genders in your house have equal entitlement to the Miao's Swordplay, as the esoteric techniques of your family are passed on to all male and female descendants alike."

To Fox, Orchid gave the explanation, "My father vowed to dissolve the deadly feud which has become increasingly entangled during the past hundred or so years. That explains why he ceased to accept any disciples. So, the Miao's Swordplay will die out after him."

Fox was stunned to learn this: it took him a second to raise to his lips the wine cup which he had been holding for a while in mid air. He emptied its content in one gulp, crying aloud, "Phoenix Miao, Phoenix the Knight-errant, Bravo! Your title 'the Knight-errant' is certainly befitting!"

Orchid responded at once, "My father has told me what happened to your father on the day in question. On that particular day, your father served wine to my father. The others warned him against poisoning. But he only answered, 'Gully is an authentic hero fighter, one who is open and aboveboard in all matters. How can he be capable of playing such vile tricks?' I am now also serving you wine. Brother Fox has drained it down in one gulp. Are you not afraid that people may attack you underhandedly?"

Fox let out a laugh. He spat out a yellow pellet, saying, "My late father died as a result of deceit. I would be a fool if I did not take any precaution. This pellet is an antitoxin, a miraculous drug. I have been made to look deceitful by what you have just said." Thereupon, he poured out a cup of wine and again drained his cup.

Orchid went on, "I must apologize for the eyrie's being short of delicacies with which to enhance your wine. As the humble sister does not have a good head for wine, she cannot, therefore, join the gentleman in drinking. The ancients used to recite the History of the Western Han Dynasty to enhance the wine. This humble sister has a Han qin and would like to play a piece to add merriment to your drinking, but is afraid that it may bring displeasure to your ears."

Fox was delighted and answered encouragingly, "I would be glad to listen to you play."

Before Orchid could go any further, Lute had already returned from the inner chamber with an antique qin, a horizontal, zither-like musical instrument. She placed the qin on the table before Orchid. Then she replenished the censer with lighted incense.

Presently, Orchid raised her hands deftly and gracefully, feathering lightly the strings on the qin with her fingers and tuning the instrument to a few notes from the air 'Immortal Sage'. Then she began fingering the strings, chanting softly, "Calamity will the future behold, all lips parching and tongues sweltering. Merry-making of the moment throws everyone into ecstatic joy. The ancients travelled far and wide in search of the elixir plant on famed mountains. Finally Wang Qiao the Immortal advanced offering a bolus." The stanza soon came to an end, while strains of music still lingered in the air.

Fox had experienced many hardships and agonies during his tender years and hence had devoted himself vigorously to the mastery of martial arts. He had, however, also applied himself in earnest to books after reaching some twenty years old. He knew that the piece she chanted was "Act of Benevolence", which was played by hosts and guests at banquets to offer mutual thanks when the feast neared its end. But this piece was seldom played after the Han and Wei Dynasties. It therefore came as a great surprise to Fox that he should encounter an ancient practice like the present one on a trip up the mountain which he had made expressly for wreaking vengeance. The first half of the stanza chanted by Orchid contained the lines pressing the guests to drink, whereas the remaining half stanza consisted of lines bestowing congratulatory wishes of longevity upon the guests. One of the lines alluded to the elixir plant, an apt pun on the miraculous drug Fox had held a while before in his mouth.

Presently, Fox began tapping gently on the table and started intoning in turn, "I regret to say that my sleeves are short and I feel cold in my arms. I am sorry that I do not possess a ceremonial chariot to repay the kindness of Zhao Xuan." The lines described the hospitality of the host and how the guest felt ashamed at not being able to reciprocate the generous gesture with a propitious gift.

Orchid was assailed by a joyous feeling on finding that Fox was able to return her chanting with lines from the same piece of music "Act of Benevolence". Thereupon, she told herself, "He is both a martial artist and a scholar-gentleman. My father would be overjoyed to learn that Uncle Gully had an heir as accomplished as this."

After a brief pause, Orchid began chanting again, "The moon wanes to its close, with the Dipper lying across the sky. Friends arrive at the door, and there is no time to gratify hunger." What Orchid was trying to convey through these lines was that, although it was getting late, one was so overjoyed by the arrival of guests that dinner was ignored.

Thereupon, Fox picked up where Orchid had ended and started chanting, "The days endured in agony outnumber those filled with joy. Drinking and singing to the music of the harpsichord can drown all worldly cares. Eight elders from Huainan are relentless in their quest of enlightenment. Borne on six dragons, they wander delightedly in the clouds." The second half of the stanza was a congratulatory note wishing the host longevity, which mirrored cleverly the lines intoned earlier by Orchid, the host.

Having finished chanting, Fox held up the wine-cup and downed the contents. He paid Orchid respects, folding his hands. Immediately, Orchid stopped the string, brushing her finger along a fret on the qin. She arose facing Fox and they exchanged respects.

Fox returned the wine-cup to the table, announcing, "As the lord of the eyrie is away, I shall pay him another visit tomorrow." Thereupon, he strode to the side room in the western wing and hoisted Quad on his back. After making an obeisance to Orchid, bending his body slightly, Fox took leave of the eyrie. Orchid saw him to the gate. Soon, his back was seen fleeting across the edge of the cliff, skimming down the mountain, grasping the rope.

Orchid stared rigidly at the snow blanketing the whole mountain, lost in a daze. Presently, Lute addressed her, "Miss Miao, what are you doing? Hurry inside or you will catch cold."

"I am not cold," answered Orchid. Her heart jumped. She did not know herself what was turning over in her mind. After being pressed twice by her maid, Orchid then retraced her steps slowly to the eyrie.



* * *



Entering the hall, Orchid found it full of people. They were all seated. Those who had vanished a while before, had all suddenly returned to life seemingly from nowhere. The party stood up, crowding around Orchid and throwing questions at her: "Has he gone?" "What did he say?" "Did he say when he would return?" "What injury did he seek to avenge by ascending the mountain?" and "Whom is he seeking?"

Orchid secretly held their cowardice in disdain. They had retreated at the first opportunity, leaving only a fragile lady to keep guard. Thus, she answered coldly, "He said nothing."

Tree remonstrated, "It cannot be true. You were here in the hall with him for some time. You must have at least exchanged a few words."

Orchid was never fond of practical jokes but her heart, full of mirth, was beating fast. Her present mental state and the strange expressions on their faces made her bold enough to feel a little daring. She therefore decided to play a joke on them; and so she said, "That Brother Fox made it known that he ascended the mountain for the express purpose of avenging the death of his father. He said it was a shame that all his enemies had gone into hiding. He is now remaining at the foot of the mountain. He will dispatch his foes as soon as they reach the heel of the mountain. If people descend in pairs, he will dispatch them both."

The Company shuddered at the thought of descending the mountain, thinking to themselves, "What is to be done now that the mountain is empty of provisions, and yet, as bold as can be, at the foot of the mountain, is this ferocious, powerful ruffian?"

Orchid continued, "Brother Fox said that each person on the mountain had some debt to settle with him, each of varying degree. He draws a distinct line between the good and the evil. Those who have incurred more displeasure will be seriously dealt with, while those who have committed minor offenses will be leniently treated. He will not harm the innocent, though. He also asked me to discover from you the reason why you all journeyed to beyond the Pass, to a land as piercingly cold as this? Are you trying to combine against him?"

While Tree was keeping silent, the rest of the Company answered in unison, "Never have we heard of someone by the sobriquet of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain. How could we have contracted his ill-will or planned to dispatch him in concert?"

Orchid turned next to Century, "Uncle Century, the niece is still ignorant of one thing and hopes you may enlighten her on this."

"The young lady should not hesitate to ask any question," said Tree encouragingly.

Orchid put forward her question, "A while ago, Master Quad said that Uncle Gully had entrusted Tree the Great Master with the task of giving information to my father about three separate matters; but my father never once mentioned this to me when recounting the incident. Earlier, Uncle Century suggested that he knew the reason behind all this. I wonder if you can shed light on this?"

Century hastened to reply, "I was prepared to deliver what I know, even without your asking the question of me."

Thereupon, he snarled, pointing his finger at Valour, Fortune, Curio and his party, "These hero fighters of the Dragon Lodge brought a false charge against my son, accusing him of having taken the life of Pastoral Tian, my son's father-in-law." Century had a powerful voice to start with, and the volume of his voice grew as his anger increased. "I shall explain the whole story, from the very beginning. I hope that you will all assess, strictly from facts, the right and the wrong."

Fortune broke in, "That is fine. We were about to approach Chief Century, to unravel this mystery for us."





Chapter Seven: Death



Having let out a cough, Century began to treat the Company to his story: "When I was young, I joined with Pastoral Tian to run a business which entailed no capital funds ..."

The Company already accepted as a fact that Century was the Principal Chieftain of the Horse Spring Banditry. However, it was the first time that they knew that Pastoral had also once been a highwayman, and this set them staring at one another. Curio suddenly cried out, fuming with rage, "What rubbish! My Master was a celebrated fighter of the Martial Brotherhood. Stop all this nonsense, or you will blacken my Master's name."

Century voiced his indignation directly, "So you treat heroic figures of our underworld as despicable characters. I wish you to know that we outlaw warriors despise cowards like you! We are responsible for ourselves in life and we achieve much by scraping out a living by wielding our own swords and spears, and yet we are in no way inferior to riffraff like you who take to guarding mansions, overseeing residences, conveying merchandise or claiming officialdom. Why should we be treated like this?"

Curio started from his seat. He had more to say, but just then Sign gave the front of his gown a discreet tug, entreating him, in a whisper, "Brother, do not be rash. Just let him speak." Curio was crimson in the face, fuming with rage. He darted a threatening glance at Century, and then re-seated himself.

Century continued to speak roughly, "I, Century Tao, began at an early age, burgling mansions and breaking into homes. I have never once concealed the truth. Being a man of fortitude and courage, I pronounce myself bold and daring. What should I fear?"

Seeing that he had digressed from the point, Orchid interrupted, "Uncle Century, my father also told me that no one ever dared to belittle the famed heroes and celebrated fighters of the Greenwood. Please carry on with your story about Uncle Pastoral."

Century then pointed a finger at Curio, barking, "Listen, you! Phoenix the Knight-errant also thought the same. Are you in any way tougher than Phoenix the Knight-errant?" Curio snorted, but refrained from saying more.

After thus releasing some of his pent-up fury, Century picked up his story: "When Pastoral was young, he and I together had our hands in several serious matters. I was always his henchman. It was only after he had a family that he decided to wash his hands clean. If he had indeed spoken disparagingly of the underworld figures, why then was he willing to betroth his only daughter to my son? Well, if I were to analyse things from another point of view, I would seriously query his true intention in uniting our two families. He intended this as a lure to prevent me from revealing a big secret.

"On the day in question, Pastoral and Fan the Ringleader were to ambush Gully and his wife in Cangzhou. I was then only his henchman. I, Century Tao, was one amongst the many who were piqued at the paralytic point by the arhat quoits that came whirling from Gully's carriage. Later on, I, Century Tao, was also one amongst the many who were hurled down from the roof by Gully's wife, wielding a silk cord on the rooftop. I, Century Tao, was one amongst the many whom Phoenix vehemently denounced as dastardly cowards. The only striking difference between what I once was and what I am now is that at the time in question I had grown no beard and my hair had not yet turned grey.

"I was at the scene in question witnessing with my very eyes the immediate circumstances surrounding the death of Gully and his wife. What I witnessed, in fact, matches closely the accounts rendered by Miss Miao and Quad. Tree the Great Master has in fact invented a pack of lies. Miss Miao raised the question that if Phoenix had already found out that Gully was not the one responsible for his father's death, why did he still seek him out and challenge him to a duel? You all must have been considering this puzzle in your minds, that Tree must have harboured ill intentions, and therefore purposely held back some information from Phoenix the Knight-errant."

The Company had all in fact been pursuing that line of thought, but dared not reveal their views in Tree's prescence.

Century only shook his head, commenting, "You are entirely wrong. Imagine Yama the osteopath was then only a novice in martial ability: how would he dare to hatch plots behind the backs of Phoenix and Gully? He had indeed followed Gully's instructions and delivered the message relating to the three major matters in question. However, the message never reached the ears of Phoenix the Knight-errant. When Yama went to see Phoenix at his mansion, he happened to be away on errantry, leaving only Pastoral there to receive him. Yama, therefore, passed the message onto Pastoral, sparing no details. I was then standing at the side, overhearing all his words.

"Pastoral told Yama afterwards, 'I know everything. You may now go home. I shall pass the information to Phoenix the Knight-errant. There is no need to mention it again when you meet him. If Gully has occasion to ask you about the matter, let him know that you have already delivered the message to Phoenix the Knight-errant, face to face. Just tell Gully to prepare three coffins, two large ones and one small one, so as to spare us great Masters from emptying our pockets later on.' Having commanded Yama thus, Pastoral gave him a reward of thirty taels of silver. Yama was only too willing to oblige Pastoral for the sake of silver.

"The reason why Phoenix the Knight-errant still sought Gully to challenge him to a duel was because Pastoral had held back from him the information regarding these three matters of consequence. Why then did he hold back the information? You all must be thinking: Pastoral bore a grudge against Gully and wanted to see him dispatched by the hands of Phoenix the Knight-errant. If you have been thinking that, you are only half right. Pastoral had indeed been meaning to see Gully dead. However, he intended also to inveigle Gully into killing Phoenix the Knight-errant so as to serve his own ends.

"On one occasion, Phoenix the Knight-errant snapped Pastoral's catapult and shouted abuse at him in public, sparing no efforts to disgrace him. I had known all along the kind of disposition Pastoral had. He was aggressive, wanting always to be the winner, and was only too ready to harbour hatred for anybody. Deep in his heart, he detested Phoenix the Knight-errant, more even than he hated Gully. On the day in question, Pastoral handed me a tin of ointment, asking me to anoint the weapons which Gully and Phoenix the Knight-errant would wield in the combat. To be honest, I was most reluctant to dabble in devilry like that. Neither did I have the mettle to do it. Finding myself in no position to disobey Pastoral's command, I then passed the order to Yama the osteopath, insisting that he at once do my bidding.

"Each of you should now try to think hard: Gully was such an adept fighter, what unusual poison could it be that could dispatch him so quickly? That man Yama was then only a rural physician: would you expect him to have poison to which accomplished fighters of the Martial Brotherhood could not find an antitoxin? What poison cost Gully his life? It was the esoteric poison, uniquely concocted by the Dragon Lodge, for smearing the Lethal Darts, which mortally terrifies the fighters of the Martial Brotherhood. The ointment derived its name solely from this specific poisoning ingredient. Later, I heard also that Pastoral had even mixed the decoction with another drug, the Ultimate Virulent Mix, capable of blocking the air passage the minute the victim is poisoned. This poison is deadly."

Earlier on, the remaining Company were only half convinced by Century's narration. By now, they seemed to have accepted the story rendered by him as absolute truth. Thereupon, they eyed Valour, Curio and other acolytes of the Dragon Lodge more closely. Valour and his cohort of followers were seething with anger, but they had to contain themselves.

Century carried on with his narration: "Then came the day on which the term of management by the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge expired. Pastoral picked the same date to conduct the Sword-sealing Ceremony to mark his formal retirement from Grand Mastership of the Dragon Lodge. He threw a large party, inviting to the banquet several hundred famed hero fighters from among the outlawry. As Pastoral and I had been Brothers-at-arms for a long time, as well as the fact that our families were also to be united through the marriage of our children, I, therefore, arrived at his home a few days before the event, to assist him. It has been a well-established practice of the Dragon Lodge that, on the expiry of the term of management of the Northern Branch, the Grand Master would hand over to the Southern Branch the Treatise of the Swordplay of the Dragon Lodge, the Register of Lodge Pedigree, as well as the poniard which is an heirloom of the Lodge. Valour, did I not provide the correct information?" Valour nodded his head approvingly.

Century then went on, "Fortune over here, known as the Might of the Southern Sky, a wealthy merchant, is the Grand Master of the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. He, too, also arrived at Pastoral's residence a few days before the retirement feast. Did Pastoral hand over to you the Treatise of the Swordplay of the Dragon Lodge, the Register of Lodge Pedigree and the poniard, Brother Fortune? Please tell us exactly what happened on that day."



* * *



Thereupon, Fortune stood up and addressed the assembly: "I must admit that I would still be loathe to allow this matter to be publicly known had it not already been broached by Chieftain Century. As a greater part of the story is still wrapped in a shroud of mystery, I am sure that we will never be able to straighten out these matters at all if I do not help to shed light on this."

"On the day in question," continued Fortune, "Brother Pastoral retired to the inner chamber as soon as the banquet was over. To follow the well-established rule of the Dragon Lodge, Pastoral should have summoned the acolytes of both the Northern and Southern Branches, to pay homage by kowtowing to the memorial tablets of the Dashing King, of the Founder Grand Master, and of successive Grand Masters of the Dragon Lodge, and then hand the poniard over to my humble self. We waited and waited, but Pastoral never emerged from his room.

"I stayed up until mid-night, growing impatient with anxiety. By that time, the invited guests had all gone their separate ways. Pastoral's daughter, Sign, suddenly came out from the inner room, telling me that her father had been taken ill and that the ritual for handing over the Treatise would be postponed until the following day.

"I was gripped with curiosity. Brother Pastoral had looked his normal self a while before, toasting his thanks, looking not a bit worn out. The idea of his having taken ill on a sudden was inconceivable. And as for the handing over of the Treatise and the poniard, it should have taken no more time than would be spent paying homage to the successive Grand Masters, and then everything would be in order. Why was there the need to postpone the handing-over ceremony to the following day? Could it be that Brother Pastoral had refused to part with the poniard, and was making excuses to put things off?"

Valour suddenly broke in, "Brother Fortune, it is very wrong of you to guess at what another person is thinking. Brother Pastoral would have handed over to you the requisite tokens if only you had been there solely to claim possession of the Treatise and the poniard. But you had also brought along numerous adept fighters from different Schools and Sects. You must have been harbouring evil intentions towards the Northern Branch."

To Valour's accusation, Fortune answered sneeringly, "What evil plots would I be capable of hatching?"

Valour replied, "You had been intending to coerce the Northern and Southern Branches into a unification as soon as you came into possession of the Treatise, the Register and the poniard, so that you could become the sole Grand Master. You certainly could have taken the matter entirely into your own hands by outnumbering your opponents. Brother Pastoral, who had already sealed his sword, would have been rendered powerless in attempting to counter any aggressive move of yours."

Fortune turned slightly red in the face, but he came immediately to his own defence, "When the Dragon Lodge was split into the Northern and Southern Branches the first time, it was only intended as a temporary measure, solely for expediency. Did not Brother Pastoral also nourish the ambition of engulfing the Southern Branch only a short while after being granted the Grand Mastership of the Northern Branch? And if I had contemplated the union of the Branches to add strength to our Lodge, it is merely an act meriting credit; and should not this be considered in every sense more worthy of mention than your honoured Brother Valour's sparing no efforts to pressure Curio out of the coterie so as to become himself the Grand Master?"

In exposing each other's secrets, the acolytes of the Dragon Lodge had also revealed the evil intention each was harbouring. Everyone, except the proteges of the Dragon Lodge, listened to the account laughing and smiling, gloating over the misfortunes of the others.

Orchid, growing impatient listening to the story of the power struggle among different Lodges, Branches, and Sects of the Martial Brotherhood, tried to guide the assembly in another direction, "What happened afterwards?"

Fortune continued, "I retired to my room and agreed matters with the Brothers from my own Southern Branch. We were of the same opinion that Brother Pastoral's move was prompted by an ulterior motive. We would neither allow ourselves to be trampled upon nor cheated. Thereupon, I was sent to make a thorough investigation of the matter.

"First, I made my way to Pastoral's bedroom to inquire after his health. Sign, with eyes red from crying, barred me at the entrance. She stated, her voice choking with sobs, 'My father is already asleep. Would Uncle Fortune please also retire to his room? Thank you for showing concern for father.' There was something strange about her which set me thinking. Even given that Brother Pastoral was bedridden, there was still no cause for her crying so passionately. He was, after all, not affected with any grave disease. There had to be something underhand going on. I waited for about an hour in my room, changed my clothes, and then made my way back to Pastoral's door to inquire after his sickness...."

Valour raised his hand and thumped on the table, shouting out, "Inquiring after his sickness! Should that be done from the outside of the room?"

Fortune answered with a sneer, "What if I really did eavesdrop? I stepped close to the casement and heard Brother Pastoral blurt out, 'There is no cause for your pressing me now. At the Sword-sealing Ceremony this evening and in the presence of accomplished fighters of the Martial Brotherhood, I have already bestowed on Curio the Grand Mastership of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. How can I possibly reverse this step now it has been taken? It is too late now to try to force me into bestowing the Grand Mastership on you.' Presently, Brother Valour could be heard saying, 'Would I dare to attack my Brother-at-arms? See what Curio and Sign have brought on themselves. Imagine! A child has already come from them. After his making a blunder as immoral and lecherous as this, do you still expect him to be able to command the respect of every one of us?'"

These words struck home. Suddenly came a loud thud. Sign had tumbled from the chair to the floor, and was lying there unconscious. Peace immediately whipped out his broadsword, and dealt a hefty blow right at Curio's head. Curio, caught weaponless, at once parried the stroke with an uplifted bench. On learning that his prospective daughter-in-law had been involved in such terrible misconduct, Century turned livid with rage, hollering like a madman. He also picked up a bench, smashing it down on Curio's crown.

Earlier on, the cohort of fighters of the Dragon Lodge had maintained a unified front against their enemies. Now, having their own reputations destroyed by each other, they all stood by and offered Curio no assistance. To the ears suddenly came a loud crashing sound. Century, hurling the bench, had already struck Curio on the back. A confused melee immediately ensued.

Orchid cried out at once, "Please halt! Everybody, please sit down!"

Her words carried such awe-inspiring force that the Company could not bring themselves to disobey her command. Peace shuddered, retracting his blade in an instant. Century, however, continued howling and wailing, smashing the bench feverishly. Peace intercepted his father, grasping his flying bench and calming him down, saying, "Father, let us halt so that the others can judge for themselves the rights and the wrongs." Seeing the good sense spoken by his son, Century decided to cease fighting.

Immediately, Orchid said to her maid, "Lute, help Miss Tian into the inner chamber to enjoy some rest." Sign had now regained consciousness, but her face still looked ashen. She hung her head and walked quietly by herself to the inner chamber. The rest of the Company fixed their gaze on Fortune, hoping he would continue his story.

Fortune again treated them to his story: "Soon I heard Brother Pastoral heave a deep sigh, admonishing himself, 'Evil doing! Evil doing! Retribution! Retribution!' He continued, repeating the words 'evil doing' and 'retribution'. After pausing a considerable while, he said, 'We shall talk more about this tomorrow. Now go away. Get Peace for me. I want to have a word with him in private.'"

After casting a look at both the Tao father and son, Fortune continued, "Brother Valour still wanted to remonstrate, but Brother Pastoral cut him short, thumping on his bed and roaring out, 'Are you trying to drive me to my death?' Only then did Brother Valour become quiet. He pushed the door open and stamped angrily out of the room. What I had overheard was merely rotten business of the Northern Branch, and nothing to do with our Southern Branch. As I wanted to save us embarrassment should Brother Valour collide with me at the entrance, I hurried back to my own room."

Valour sneered and said, "On leaving the room after talking with Brother Pastoral, I saw a shadow moving in the dark and I called out, 'Who is that cur pricking its ears here?' There came no answer, so I took it to be a real bitch. It turns out, after all, to have been Brother Fortune. I apoligize for the offence I made." Thereupon, Valour bowed slightly to Fortune, folding his hands in front. He seemed to have offered an apology, and yet it was an admonition in disguise. Fortune coloured slightly but his refined disposition stood him in good stead. He returned his respects, addressing Valour smilingly, "No wrong doing by the innocent. Indeed it is very kind of you to mention it."



* * *



Presently, Peace broke in, "Now it is my turn to tell you all I know. As we have all already lost face in this brawl, I ... I see no point in holding back anything further. I ... I ..." At this, his throat constricted with emotion. He was in a helpless confusion and words failed him. In no time, tears were streaming down his cheeks.

The Company could not bear to see the sight of a young adept fighter, of dignified manner and imposing bearing, reduced to tears in public. Thereupon, they looked hard at Curio, with wrath and admiration mingled in their eyes. Century growled at this point, "Why should you be so easily discouraged? There is no guarantee that the wife of a man of real worth will be always virtuous, or his sons filial. Thank heaven you are not yet married to this woman, otherwise the disgrace would desecrate the threshold of our Tao Family."

Peace used his sleeves to wipe away the tears. After composing himself, he continued, "On every previous visit to the Tian Family ... Uncle Pastoral's place ..."

Curio noted how Peace had hesitated for a while before switching to addressing Pastoral as "Uncle" instead of "Father". Curio felt joyous at heart, thinking to himself, "This young fellow has become upset. He is not going to take Sister Sign as his wife, which is exactly what I hope for."

Presently, Peace continued his story: "Sister Sign invariably blushed and shunned me whenever the others were present, refusing to exchange any words with me. But once we managed to find a corner to ourselves, and we would, after that, hold intimate talks inside that niche. I brought her small gifts on every previous visit and she always gave me a present or two in return, such as an embroidered purse, or made me a vest."

Peace's words left Curio feeling more peeved and sour than usual. He remarked to himself, "So that is what went on behind my back. She has been guarding it extremely well from me."

Peace continued with his account: "On the occasion in question, I went with my father to attend Uncle Pastoral's Sword-sealing Ceremony. As soon as I saw Sign, she struck me as looking haggard, as if she had just recovered from a serious sickness. A spirit of compassion and concern surged in my breast. I soothed her with comforting words in private, inquiring whether she had recently been taken ill. At first she answered haltingly, trying to hide the truth. When I probed further into the matter, she flared up in a temper, reprimanding me directly. And she has spurned me ever since.

"I was thrown into a helpless state by her shouting and screaming. A deep feeling of confusion and depression descended on me and I began brooding silently. The banquet being over, I met her by chance at the pavilion in the rear garden. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Thereupon, I seized the first opportunity to offer her my apologies, pleading with her, 'Sister, I am entirely to blame. Please do not be angry with me.' She was put in a terrible rage, and vented her spleen on me, 'If only it could be you! But because of those evil deeds wrought by me, I might as well be dead.' I was thrown into confusion and could not understand her words at all. When I tried to pursue the matter further, she turned her head and strode off angrily.

"Presently, I retired to my own room and slept for a little while. The more I turned over the matter in my mind, the more uneasy I grew. I began to wonder how I could have offended her. Then I got out of bed quietly and stole along to her room. I made three light taps on the casement, the signal we used for a rendezvous. Despite my repeated gentle tapping on the window, no sign of response came from inside the room.

"After a considerable time, I once again made another three light taps on the casement; still not a sound was heard. Gripped by curiosity, I gave the parchment grid a push. The window opened readily as it was not bolted. It was pitch dark inside and there was no sign of any soul whatsoever. I was desperate to talk to her, so I immediately jumped through the window into ..."

Curio, his heart already long riddled with jealousy, was on the verge of erupting. Failing to contain himself, he shouted out, "What were you up to, stealing into the room of a maiden in the middle of the night?"

Just as Peace was about to come forward with a defense, Lute, Orchid's personal maid, cut him short, "These two have been betrothed to each other. What right do you have to meddle in their affairs?"

Peace acknowledged Lute with a slight nod, thanking her for coming to his rescue. Then he continued, "I tiptoed to the edge of her bed and could faintly make out a pair of shoes sitting by its side. Thereupon, I plucked up enough courage and raised the gauze curtain of the bed, and then stretched out my hand groping under the cover...."

Curio was purple with anger, ready to shout abuse at Peace, but was deterred by Lute's wrathful gaze, which forced him to swallow the words that were already at his lips. Peace was heard continuing his account: "... my hand landed on a bundle of sorts, but Sister Sign was not in the bed. Gripped by curiosity, I groped further to see what was inside the bundle. My hand felt cold. It seemed like a baby, which gave me a start. Thereupon, I fumbled more carefully inside. What else could it be if it was not a baby? The only thing was that the body was cold all over. It must have been dead for quite some time. It seemed as if the child had been suffocated by the heavy cover."

Suddenly, to the ears came a loud crashing sound. Orchid's hand slipped and her tea-bowl fell to the ground, shattering in pieces. Her face turned ashen, and her lips were quivering.

Peace went on unaffected: "This incident may now strike you all as horrifying. It was the more frightening on that day when I touched the body with my hand in the dark. I was terribly frightened, and was on the verge of screaming. Just at that moment, I heard steps outside: someone was approaching. I speedily hid under the bed. The person entering the room walked to the side of the bed and sat down on its edge, sobbing quietly. It was Sister Sign. She held the dead baby closely in her hands, lavished kisses on it, and then addressed it softly, 'My son, do not be harsh on your mother for severing your young life with her own hand. The agonizing pain now gripping her is more heart-rending than that of the knife piercing her heart. Your mother would never be able to stay alive if you were also to breathe. Your mother is indeed cruel-hearted. She regrets her deed.'

"I could hardly believe the evidence of my ears. Her words sent cold chills down my spine. It was clear to me that the child was the product of fornication committed by her and a dastardly coward, and she had effected the death of her own child. Presently, she hugged the dead child, sobbing and kissing it by turns. Finally, she stood up, threw a cape over her shoulders and wrapped the child inside, and then left the room. I crawled out from under the bed only when she was far from the room. I stole behind her, with sorrow and wrath mingled in my breast. I resolved to find out who the dastardly coward was who had been her partner in fornication.

"She at once made for the rear garden, seizing a small spade from the wall. She left the garden by flitting over the wall. I followed her at a considerable distance in an effort to follow her to the end of her journey. After about three hundred yards, she reached a burying-ground. Just as she was about to commence digging with the spade, a clashing sound of metal upon rock came suddenly from some twenty yards away. Someone else was also digging in the middle of the night. This gave her a terrible fright. She crouched down immediately. After a considerable time, she crawled slowly to spy on the trespasser there ahead of her, bending her body until it was almost touching ground. I took it to be a tomb-robber. I also followed her over and silhouetted dimly against the light from a lantern by the side of a grave was a dark figure, digging feverishly.

"I strained my eyes to see more clearly. That somebody was not uncovering a grave, but was digging a pit beside a grave: he was also burying something. I began to wonder, 'This is very strange indeed. Could it be another person burying a bastard child?' The man dug for a while, picked up a long bundle, the size of a baby, and put it inside the pit. Then he shovelled earth to fill up the pit. Afterwards, he turned around. I was able to make out that the figure looming in the light from the lantern was none other than our Brother Radiant."

Radiant had looked anaemic to start with. On hearing Peace's words, he grew even more ashen.

Peace went on with his story: "I detected something suspicious, thinking to myself, 'Is this brute Sister Sign's fornicator? Is he here also to inter a dead baby?' Sister Sign had crouched closer to the ground the minute he had come into sight. Contrary to what I expected, she did not go up to greet him. Brother Radiant presently trod on the soil, shovelled some turf atop, and covered it with gravel. He then walked away from the site after making sure that the patch looked no different from its surroundings.

"After Brother Radiant had been gone for a considerable while, Sister Sign started digging feverishly. As soon as she had finished interring the dead baby she set to removing the gravel, which Brother Radiant had used a while before to cover the turf. She was intending to unearth the buried object to find out what he had buried. I thought to myself, 'I would have exhumed it even if you had not. Now that you have yourself undertaken this task, I may as well sit back and relax.' Sister Sign was no more than a few moments at the job when suddenly from behind the grave sprang Brother Radiant.

"'Sister Sign, what are you doing?' he demanded.

"Intending to leave nothing to chance, Radiant had merely pretended to walk away after burying his object, but in a trice he had retraced his steps to spy on any suspicious figure. Sister Sign was given a shock. She relaxed her grip and the spade fell to the ground. She could say nothing.

"Thereupon, Brother Radiant addressed her coldly, 'Sister Sign, you know what I was burying, but I also know what you were burying. If secrets are to be kept, it will take both of us to see to it properly, otherwise both secrets will be out.' To this, Sister Sign agreed, 'Then we must swear a solemn vow.' There and then Brother Radiant made a blood-curdling oath. Sister Sign swore a similar one. They vowed that, if they ever divulged the secrets, they should then be hacked to death, piece by piece. Afterwards, they both retraced their steps to the mansion.

"Their manner did not seem to suggest that there was some secret between them, although I was not entirely sure. But Brother Radiant did not strike me as having begotten Sister Sign's child. I followed them quietly. I had in my hands clandestine weapons treated with poison and was ready to poison him the second I sensed the slightest sign or word of intimacy between them.

"This was evidently his lucky day. The two kept a distance between them; not a word was exchanged as they walked the entire length from the graveyard back to the house. There were no signs to help me gauge their innermost feelings or intentions.

"Once Sister Sign was inside the room, she abandoned herself to inconsolable sobs. I stood by her window, my mind confused with wild and insane thoughts. I had an urge to storm in and deal her a fatal blow, or set the building on fire and raze the Tian family plot to the ground, or make public her shameful act. But at the same time I was also desperate to cry my heart out, holding her closely in my arms. Finally I came to a resolution: I had better pretend that nothing had happened, but wait until I discovered who the fornicator was.

"Presently I retired to my room, feeling cold all over. Father was sound asleep in his bed while I was rooted to the ground, lost in a daze. Some considerable time must have elapsed when suddenly Uncle Valour came striding into the room, informing me that Uncle Pastoral would like to speak with me. I reflected, 'Now the time is here, I wonder what he has to say about this? Will he force me to break off the engagement? Or will he exploit my ignorance to the full, making a cuckold of me?' As it was late in the night, Brother Valour excused himself, but urged me to go there on my own. Fearing that something untoward might occur, I woke up father asking him to be on guard. Then I set off armed, carrying edged and clandestine weapons. I even had my bow and arrows concealed underneath my robe.

"On entering Uncle Pastoral's room, I found him stretched out supine on his bed, staring vacantly at the space above. He was holding a piece of white parchment in his hand. He hardly noticed my entry. I presently let out a cough, addressing him, 'Father.' He started and immediately tucked the white paper under his bedding. Then he spoke, 'Oh, Peace, it is you.' I began to wonder, 'It is you who have sent for me, and yet you make all this pretence.' Nonetheless, the expression on his face convinced me that his fear was quite genuine. Immediately, he asked me to bolt the door but to leave the window open to forestall people from eavesdropping outside. Then he said with his voice trembling, 'Peace, my life is hanging by the slenderest of threads, resting solely on your having the mercy to run an errand for me.'"

Curio, provoked by a rankling antipathy for quite some time, bounced up like the devil. Pointing his finger at Peace, he bawled out, "What rot! What stuff! What nonsense! My Master is a fighter of such remarkable martial pedigree. What good can come from a novice like you?"

Peace did not even bother to look at Curio, but ignored his presence completely. He then turned to Tree and the others, and said, "Uncle Pastoral's words gave me quite a fright. I hastened to say, 'Your humble son-in-law will speed to do all the bidding of his father-in-law, even if it means losing his life.' Uncle Pastoral gave a slight nod. Then, he retrieved from under the quilt a slender parcel, wrapped in figured satin, and handed it to me, commanding, 'Take this parcel and proceed to the land beyond the Pass through the night, and then hide it away in a crevasse, beyond the reach of everyone. If you execute all this quietly, you might still have a chance to save my life.'

"I took the bundle in my hand: it was hard and heavy. It seemed like a metal object. Thereupon, I asked, 'What is inside? Who is going to harm you?' Uncle Pastoral then gestured with his hand, looking thoroughly worn-out, and remarked, 'Hurry on your way now. Remember, you cannot allow even your father to know about this. Be quick, or it might be too late. And do not ever open the parcel.' I dared not ask any more questions, but spun round to take my leave. When I got to the door, Uncle Pastoral suddenly blurted out, 'Peace, what is hidden underneath your robe?' His words gave me a start. I told myself, 'He does have penetrating eyes!' Then I told him truthfully, 'They are edged weapons, bow and arrows. Many people were invited this evening, and your humble son-in-law is taking the necessary precaution lest some villainous characters should have found their way into the crowd.' Uncle Pastoral applauded, 'Bravo, you are both sharp and capable. If only Curio could take after you a little. Hey, pass me your bow and arrows.'

"I fumbled inside my robe, retrieved my bow and arrows, and handed them to him. He at once drew out a long arrow, inspected it at close quarters for a few moments before fitting it to the bow, commanding, 'Be on your way, quick!' I was somewhat flustered, warning myself, 'I hope he does not catch me in the back!' Thereupon, I pretended to pay obeisance to him by bowing my body in respect while taking slow backward steps towards the door. Only on reaching the entrance did I turn around. I looked back over my shoulder after arriving safely outside his room: he was aiming an arrow head at the window, apparently guarding against enemies entering through the window.

"I returned to my room, becoming suspicious about the whole affair. I turned over in my mind the enigmatic expression and fear written on Uncle Pastoral's face, knowing that no good would come to me of his plan. Thereupon, I laid the whole business before father, only holding back the part about Sister Sign, lest he should get into a temper. Father offered me his advice, 'First, find out what is in there.' His words found an all-too-receptive ear. We immediately tore open the bundle and found this very same metal casket inside.

"Father was present at the time when Uncle Pastoral wrenched this casket from Gully's bereaved heir. Later, they kept the heirloom of the Dragon Lodge, the poniard, inside the box. Father immediately remarked, 'This seems strange.' He knew there were barbs hidden on the side of the casket, and he knew also how to go about opening it. Thereupon, he opened the lid following the set procedures. After looking inside the casket, father and I stared blankly at each other. We were both speechless: it was empty inside. Father broke out, 'What does this mean?'

"I myself had already sensed that there was something amiss. Now I had it clear in my mind that Uncle Pastoral had tried to frame me with this vile scheme of his. He already had the poniard hidden elsewhere, but had passed me an empty casket. He would then send his men to waylay me. After apprehending me, he would bring a false charge against me, of stealing the poniard. Uncle Pastoral might not have me killed when I failed to produce the weapon, but he would at least break off my engagement with Sister Sign so that she could marry Brother Curio. Father, for his part, had no idea of all this covert activity, and he therefore failed to see through this vile trick. Finding it inconvenient to inform him, I remained silent. After father and I had spent a long time brooding on the problem, we still found it incomprehensible."

Curio instantly shouted, "You murdered my Master, made away with the heirloom of our Dragon Lodge and now you are here talking rubbish. Not even a three-year-old would be convinced by your gibberish."

Peace returned with a sneer, "Uncle Pastoral is now dead and therefore cannot support me, but I have proof in my hands."

Curio was further infuriated by his words, and was incited to thunder, "Proof? What proof? Show us your proof."

Peace calmly answered, "I shall show you the proof when the time is right. Now just be calm. Ladies and gentlemen, this Brother Curio never stops interrupting, so perhaps we should allow him to speak"

Tree joined in, addressing Curio coldly, "Curio, You misbegotten cur. You wanted to hurl me down the mountain. This monk has a debt to settle with you, you dastardly coward! What is the use of averting your eyes now?" Curio was panic-stricken, not daring to utter a word.

Peace again spoke, "I was aware that the minute I went beyond the Tian Family property with the metal casket, though I might not run immediately into any mortal danger, I would at least have to forfeit the glory and honour befitting my station. I then consulted with my parent, 'Father, there is something strange about the entire business. I shall return the parcel to my father-in-law and wash my hands of the whole affair.' Thereupon, I wrapped the metal casket up again with the figured satin, and composed a few words in my mind to expose Uncle Pastoral's vile trick quietly.

"I was outside Uncle Pastoral's room with the parcel in no time, but found all the lights had been extinguished in his room. The door and windows were securely fastened. As the whole matter might fall through any minute, tarrying was therefore out of the question. Immediately, I cried through the window, 'Father! Father!' No response came from the inside, which set me wondering, 'He is so martially accomplished, he should be awakened even from a deep sleep. He is most probably feigning.'

"The more I turned over the matter in my mind, the more panic-stricken I became. I began to feel that the acolytes of the Dragon Lodge were already there, lying in ambush, ready to spring up and charge, forcing me to hand them the poniard. At length, I knocked on the door, blurting out, 'Father! My father wants me to return the parcel to you. We have another urgent matter to address, and cannot help your esteemed self. Your humble son-in-law has not opened up the bundle.' I knocked on the door a few more times, but there was no response. It was deadly quiet inside. I grew desperate. I whipped out my broadsword, prised the door open with it, and forced an entry into the room. Then I lit the candle. I was immobilized with fear. Uncle Pastoral was lying stone dead on the bed, with an arrow piercing his heart; the same kind of arrow most often used by me. My bow was sitting on top of his quilt. His face was contorted with fear, as if he had set eyes on some formidable demons before breathing his last.

"I was stunned for a while, not knowing what to do. I found all the doors and windows securely fastened and could not understand how the culprit had made his entrance into the room, and also how he had later managed to leave. I raised my head to scan the ceiling and found all the tiles intact. The culprit could not have broken in from the rooftop either.

"While I was trying to solve the puzzle, the footsteps of several persons suddenly came from the gallery. As it was my arrow which had snatched Uncle Pastoral's life, I could never hope to escape if I were to collide with these people entering the room. Thereupon, I speedily snatched my bow from the quilt. Just as I was about to pull out the arrow from his heart, my eyes caught two articles looming in the light, lying on his bed. I was given a terrible fright. My hand trembled, causing the candlestand to slip from my hand. The light went out instantaneously.

"You would not guess what had caught my eyes on the bed: the poniard was one of the two articles, while the other was the dead baby, interred a while before by Sister Sign. I momentarily believed that the baby begrudged having died unjustly, and had crawled out of the grave in order to take to life anew. I panicked and, without further thought, I snatched the poniard and took to my heels. However, I retraced my steps on reaching the door as something suddenly dawned on me. I made my way back to Uncle Pastoral's bed and stretched my hand out to grope under the bedding. There it was: I had hold of the white paper. I surmised that the paper must be connected in some way with his death. I at once tucked it inside my garment. Just as I was about to pull free the arrow lodged in his chest, I was aware of the steps fast approaching. In no time three men were at the door. I cried out silently 'The door is barred. Peace Tao is doomed!'

"In a flurry of desperate activity, I crawled under the bed after failing to discover any other hiding place. In no time, three men pushed open the door and entered the room. They were none other than Uncle Valour and the Brothers Curio and Radiant.

"Uncle Valour cried out, 'Brother! Brother!'

"There was no answer. Thereupon, Uncle Valour ordered Brother Radiant to light a candle. On finding, once the light was brought in, Uncle Pastoral had died through injustice, they would certainly conduct a search. And that surely would be the end of me. I resolved to rush out of the room while it was still shrouded in darkness.

"Uncle Valour and Brother Curio are both fighters par excellence: I could never beat them together. By taking them by surprise, I might perhaps be able to damage their defense. I had to decide immediately what steps to take. Delaying further was inconceivable. Instantly, I crawled stealthily to the edge of the bed. Just as I was about to spring up, I was restrained suddenly by an arm. I collided with a face. It turned out that somebody had already hidden himself under the bed.

"Before I could cry out in alarm, the stranger reached out his hand and locked me on the Pulse Gate on the wrist. I kept silent and heard him whisper into my ears, 'Keep quiet. Let us escape together.' I felt relieved. But at that particular moment, a light came flashing over my eyes. Brother Radiant was seen re-entering the room, carrying a lantern.

"Thereupon, the stranger threw a clandestine weapon and with a pop out went the lantern. He then reversed his hand to wrench the poniard from my grip. With a turn, I speedily rolled out from under the bed and dashed from the room. The stranger came racing after me. Uncle Valour flung out his fist, crying, 'Ganef!' He was an accomplished fighter. The stranger stood little chance of getting away. I skulked back to my room feeling humiliated. I woke my father up. We both fled from the Tian premises immediately. We pursued our flight through the night.

"These are all the events of the incident. It was Uncle Pastoral who handed me the iron casket. He asked me to bury it in a place beyond the Pass and I discharged his wishes accordingly. When the Uncles-at-arms and Brothers-at-arms of the Dragon Lodge saw the arrow lodged in Uncle Pastoral's chest, they no doubt suspected me of being the culprit. I do not blame them for that. I wish I knew who the person was that was hiding under the bed, so that I could ask him to support me. Well, even if I cannot locate that person, I still do know who the real culprit was. You must all look at this paper, the very same note Uncle Pastoral tucked away under the bedding upon my entry into the room. He feared his enemy might do harm to him, and he therefore strung his bow and aimed the arrow at the window, awaiting the arrival of his enemy. His enemy did eventually appear, but Uncle Pastoral failed to rid himself of his tormentor."

At this point, Peace took from inside his breast an exquisitely embroidered pouch, which, needless to say, had been embroidered by Sign. The Company could not help turning round to steal a glance at Curio, who was furious, his eyes ready to dart fire. The remaining members of the Company tried hard to swallow their smiles. Presently, Peace undid the sac and produced a white paper. He had intended to hand it to Tree, but he wavered for a moment and instead he passed the parchment to Orchid.

Orchid, after receiving the white sheet which was folded diagonally several times, unfolded it. She let out a faint cry on reading two lines of characters written in dark, bold ink: "Congratulations to Pastoral, the veteran fighter, on your retirement and sword-sealing; wishing you also the double blessing of prosperity and longevity. With respects from Fox Hu, the novice and the younger one awaiting yet your tutelage." These two lines of characters were executed with vigour, identical to the calligraphy on the visiting card delivered by the twin varlets a while before. It was, after all, the handwriting of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain. Orchid held the white paper with trembling hand, muttering to herself, "Could it be him?"

Valour then took the white parchment from Orchid. After studying it for a while, he confirmed, "This is indeed the handwriting of Fox. After all, we have incorrectly blamed Peace."

Valour suddenly wheeled round and said, looking at Hawk, "Sir Hawk, why were you hiding under my Brother Pastoral's bed? Were you there to spy for Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain?"

Valour's question gave everyone a start; neither Curio nor Radiant could make sense of it. On the night in question, the man hiding under the bed had immediately taken to his heels after having had a few bouts with Valour. Thereafter, Valour, Curio and Radiant had tried to establish the identity of the stranger, but they were unsuccessful. Why did Valour suddenly point to Hawk and challenge this old enemy of his to a battle?

Hawk only let out a cold laugh, uttering not a word. Valour then continued, "On the night in question, I did not have the opportunity to behold the face of the gentleman under the bed in the dark, and yet the martial ability of this Master commanded my profoundest respect. The three of us, Uncle and Nephews, failed to apprehend him, and have never been able to establish his identity. We must therefore consider ourselves truly incompetent. As luck would have it, when I was given today the opportunity of battling man to man on the snowy ground with Sir Hawk, I found him to profess the same prowess and feats as the gentleman under the bed that day."

Radiant knew his Uncle Valour was waiting for some encouragement before he would be able to continue.

Thereupon, Radiant darted a question at him, "Uncle, Who was the gentleman under the bed?"

Valour's eyebrows immediately shot up and he blurted out loudly, "What a shame that Sir Hawk, such a dignified and imposing figure as an Imperial Guardsman, should have reduced himself to the wretched state of a petty burglar, sneaking into houses and performing insignificant tasks like a dog thief or a chicken thief!"



* * *



Hawk passed this off with a squall of laughter, saying, "Brother Valour, what a thorough reprimand! What a straightforward admonition! You are correct in singling my humble self out as the one hiding under Pastoral's bed on the night in question. You are also right in denouncing me as burgling like a dog thief or a chicken thief." Then putting on quite a complacent look, he continued, "But take note that I conducted myself like a petty burglar only as ordered by the Imperial Decree!"

The Company found it strange that Hawk should utter such nonsense. However, having further reflected that he was by profession an Imperial Guardsman, it could have been the case that he had indeed been there to deal with the Dragon Lodge at the behest of the Imperial Court. When fighters of the Dragon Lodge, who were all men of wealth with family, heard this, a feeling of distress descended upon them. Fortune, a man possessing great fame and wealth in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces, was attacked with a feeling of acute uneasiness.

Seeing that his words had awed the Company into submission, Hawk began to feel more elated. Thereupon, he addressed the group pompously, "As events have taken such a turn, I might as well share what I know with you all, as later on I may have a favour to beg of you. Here is an article which, I believe, none of you may have set eyes on before."

At this, he fumbled inside his bosom and retrieved a large yellow envelope marked "Confidential Edict" on the outside. He opened the flap and took out a sheet of parchment, and recited aloud, "Hawk Liu, Principal Imperial Guardsman, is ordered by a confidential edict to execute without further ado the decree entrusted to him by Sai the Commissioner." Having finished his recital, he laid the yellow paper on the table, inviting the others to inspect it closely.

On seeing the red seal affixed to the yellow paper, Fortune, Century and the others, who were already very well informed on worldly matters, knew immediately that this was indeed a confidential decree issued at the behest of Sean Sai, Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen. Commissioner Sai was known to be the champion of the Manchurian warriors, to whom Emperor Qianlong always entrusted heavy responsibilities.

Hawk continued, "Brother Valour, there is no need for you to fix your gaze and blow your whiskers at me. To begin with, it was your esteemed Brother Pastoral who first played a part in this whole matter. One day, Commissioner Sai invited us eighteen guardsmen to dinner at his residence. Our friends outside conferred on the eighteen of us the title 'Eighteen Champions of the Imperial Court'. We were actually more like a three-legged cat, a long way from deserving the epithet 'Champions'. But as our friends chose to bestow such a title on us, lavishing such respect on us, there was nothing we could do about it.

"The minute we arrived at his home, Commissioner Sai informed us that he would introduce to us a celebrated figure of the Martial Brotherhood. We hastened to ask who the personage was, but the Commissioner only smiled, offering no answer. In the middle of the feast, he brought someone in from the inner room. His back was as straight as a ramrod. He carried himself briskly and his eyes darted penetratingly. His airs and appearance certainly bespoke an accomplished fighter of the Martial Brotherhood. Though he had turned greyish at the temples, he was still handsome and dashing. He must have at one time been a handsome man. Commissioner Sai presently announced, 'Brothers, this is Brother Pastoral, Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, a famed character of the Martial Brotherhood.'

"We were all surprised by his words. Pastoral Tian as a famed figure should come as no surprise to anybody. Nonetheless, the Dragon Lodge did not involve themselves with imperial administration, and we began to wonder what honour the Commissioner could have brought upon himself to persuade Pastoral to accept his invitation. During the feast, we took turns to offer him drinks. Brother Pastoral was most polite and amiable, conducting himself with the usual formalities. In the course of the evening, never once did he mention his reason for journeying to the capital. It was only after the banquet was over, when Commissioner Sai invited the group to have tea in the side chamber, that the two of them began to steer their conversation to the purpose of Pastoral's visit.

"Even though Brother Pastoral belonged to the outlawry, his service and fealty to the Emperor and to the country were in no way less staunch than ours.

"The reason for his making the trip to the capital was to proffer a great treasure to the Imperial House. As to this great treasure, it comprised the gold and precious stones looted by the bandit Li Zicheng in Peking. According to Brother Pastoral, retrieving this treasure would necessitate piecing together two clues. One of the clues rested in the Dashing King's military blade which was in the safekeeping of his Dragon Lodge; and he had the poniard with him then. As for the other clue, obtaining it might present some difficulty. It was a map showing the location of the hidden treasure, which had been handed down from generation to generation to members of the Miao Family, who distinguished themselves in the Miao's Swordplay. The map alone would not provide the key to the treasure, while the poniard by itself would not establish the location of the fortune either. If one managed to get hold of both the poniard and the map at the same time, then retrieving the treasure would be as simple as finding something in one's own cloak.

"Even though we had sold our service to the Imperial House, we sprang originally from the Martial Brotherhood. On hearing the words 'Miao's Swordplay', we thought to ourselves, 'That Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant, the Invincible Under the Sky, is such an audaciously daring fighter, who would dare challenge him?' Seeing the reluctant expressions on our faces, Brother Pastoral said, wearing an encouraging smile, 'Had I not already formulated a plan to deal with Phoenix, I would not have journeyed here to trouble you.' Thereupon, Commissioner Sai hastened to press him about the plan. Brother Pastoral then detailed everything, causing us all to nod approvingly and laud the idea. I am not going to reveal to you the details of his marvellous idea, but you will certainly learn more about it when the time comes.

"Brother Pastoral took leave of the capital the following day. Commissioner Sai entrusted us with the mission and we were to execute the plan at his behest. All the while he was turning the business over in his mind, he had the feeling that Brother Pastoral, who himself was neither interested in establishing himself with the Imperial Government, nor in amassing a fortune, was yet proffering a gift worth a fortune all for nothing. Could it be true that there really were selfless people like him? He suspected there must be some hidden motive behind the scene. Thereupon, he dispatched several aides to make discreet enquiries outside the capital. Soon after I had left the capital, I heard about Brother Pastoral's forthcoming retirement and Sword-sealing Ceremony; hence I prepared a gift and went to his home to offer him my congratulations.

"Brother Pastoral was overwhelmed on seeing me. My honouring him with a visit was what he had been eagerly seeking. Then he asked me to have some business quietly resolved for him. Brother Fortune, I hope you will not be offended when I now reveal the secret. He wanted me to get word to the Imperial Government to throw you into prison on a trumped-up charge and have you locked up for at least a few years."

Fortune gave a start; his hair was standing on end. Then he emitted in a trembling voice, "Brother Pastoral was such a character after all. It was indeed my good fortune to have run into Sir Hawk, who knew distinctly what was right and what was wrong, and therefore took it upon himself to act mercifully. I will certainly reward him handsomely in due course."

Hawk answered, his face wreathed in smiles, "It is very kind of you to say so. I then asked Brother Pastoral what enmity there was between him and Brother Fortune. He told me he had no old debts to settle with you. But, as Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, he was due soon to hand over the poniard when his term for its safekeeping expired. This was an established practice of their Dragon Lodge. He was to adhere to the rule strictly without further ado. And yet he was afraid that, once the poniard had fallen into the hands of Brother Fortune, he would have to go to much trouble before recovering it from him.

"I could not help growing increasingly suspicious. I avoided giving a definite yes or no, neither committing myself to assist nor turning down his request. All the while, I stood aloof, subjecting him to my careful scrutiny.

"After the banquet was over, the time came for Brother Pastoral to hand over the poniard. He could not find an excuse to put it off. I thought that I could perhaps help him out then. If I hid the poniard away quietly, he certainly would not be able to produce it. Though Brother Pastoral would be annoyed, there would be nothing he could do then. It would also provide me with an opportunity to render distinguished service to repay the Imperial Benevolence. How could I afford to let the chance slip from my fingers? Thereupon, I stole into Brother Pastoral's room. As I was about to rummage for the poniard, there suddenly came footsteps from outside the door. Brother Pastoral was returning to the room. In a flurry of desperate activity, I quickly hid under the bed

"Brother Pastoral entered the room. He opened the trunk and took out the iron casket. Suddenly he cried out in alarm, 'Where is the poniard?' His voice was infused with genuine fear and he was not feigning surprise. It seemed as if the poniard had been stolen. Thereupon, he summoned his daughter and asked her about the poniard. Miss Tian also knew nothing and she too became worried. Presently, Brother Valour announced his presence. A row between the Brothers-at-Arms over the transmission of the Grand Mastership ensued immediately, and the illicit affair of Brother Curio and Miss Tian was also mentioned in the course of their argument. After a while, Brother Pastoral told Brother Valour to fetch Brother Peace.

"Brother Pastoral handed the iron casket to Brother Peace, ordering him to bury it in the land beyond the Pass. I caught every word under the bed and thought to myself that Peace, the fool, was going to be taken in very easily.

"After Peace had taken his leave, Brother Pastoral thumped on the bed and began to sigh. He muttered to himself, 'Gully, the unbeatable! Phoenix, the invincible!' At that time I had no idea who Gully was. I realized that Phoenix must be the one who had made away with the poniard. Later I found out that Brother Pastoral's fear stemmed from his having received a visiting card from Fox, Gully's son, and thus he had realized that his days were numbered.

"It so happened that the poniard was also missing at the time, which made it the more impossible for him to flee, leaving matters unresolved.

"Presently, Miss Tian entered the room and said, 'Father, I have discovered the whereabouts of the poniard.' Brother Pastoral leapt up, crying, 'Where is it?' Miss Tian moved a few paces closer and whispered in his ears, 'It was stolen by Brother Radiant.' Brother Pastoral immediately asked 'Really? Where is he? Where is the poniard?' Miss Tian answered, 'I saw him bury the poniard in a certain place.' Brother Pastoral responded enthusiastically, 'Good. You should go and dig it out immediately.' Miss Tian then said, 'Father, there is one thing I want you to do, and I hope you will not blame me for this.' Brother Pastoral asked, 'What is it?' Miss Tian then replied, 'Persuade Brother Radiant to come here. I shall be hiding behind the door. You must ask him if he has made away with the poniard. When he admits he was in the wrong, I shall thrust a Lethal Dart in his back.'

"I told myself that this was a cruel maiden," continued Valour. "Brother Pastoral immediately answered, 'At the most I shall beat him severely and cripple him. There is no need to dispatch him.' But Miss Tian insisted, 'If you do not accept my way, I will not fetch you the poniard.' Brother Pastoral pondered for a while, and then said, 'All right, you fetch me the poniard quickly. Deal with him in whatever way you like.' Thereupon, Miss Tian turned around to leave the room. I did not know at the time what animosity there was between this young lady and her Brother-at-Arms. Having now heard the story from Brother Peace, I begin to realize that Miss Tian was intending to murder Radiant to silence him. Poor fellow that he should have been there to see a maiden interring an illegitimate son."

At this moment, the Company all directed their gaze at Radiant. His face was ashen and his eyes were blinking nervously.

Hawk soon picked up his tale: "I decided I might as well lie down under the bed to await this murder. Also, I still had to wait for the poniard. Added to that, how could I make my exit with Brother Pastoral lying awake in his bed? After a short while Miss Tian retraced her steps to the room, in a great hurry and she broke out in a trembling voice, 'Father, he has already dug up the poniard. It was extremely stupid of me. I was but a minute too late. He ... He ... also ...' Fear and fury mingled in Brother Pastoral's breast. He asked, 'What did he do?' His daughter had been meaning to tell him, 'He has also dug up the body of my child!' But she was too ashamed to say these words, and was silent for a few moments. Afterwards, she cried, 'l shall go and fetch him!' She at once ran outside, but tumbled to the ground on reaching the threshold, a result of severe panic.

"Hiding under the bed I was provoked by a rankling anger. The poniard was still nowhere to be found. I had been meaning to take the first opportunity to extinguish the candle, and run from the room under cover of darkness. On seeing his daughter trip, Brother Pastoral could not help heaving a deep sigh, but made no attempt to clamber from his bed to raise her from the ground. After getting back on her feet, Miss Tian leant upon the door post, and panted a while before taking to her heels again.

"Brother Pastoral then got up to close the windows. He sat down on a chair, resting his sword on the table while holding the arrow in his hand. His face was ashen, wearing a most terrifying look. I was also gripped by a feeling of acute uneasiness. He might turn against me the minute he found me out. I might not even be able to stay alive as I was not as martially accomplished as he.

"Brother Pastoral remained deadly motionless in the chair. He looked like a rigid corpse, and yet his eyes held a flickering gleam. It seemed as though his heart were weighed down by a great anxiety. It was deadly quiet outside. A few barking sounds were heard coming faintly from a distance, echoed immediately by a dog in the vicinity. Suddenly the nearby barking tailed off to a whine, and then stopped abruptly, as if someone had delivered a lightning blow to the brute. Brother Pastoral started. Soon came a knocking on the door. There was only a very short lapse between the barking and knocking. The dog must have been over a hundred yards away. It took the visitor less than a moment to reach the entrance after slaughtering the animal on the way.

"Brother Pastoral posed his question to the visitor in a low tone, 'Fox, so you have finally arrived?'

"The stranger outside replied, 'Pastoral, do you recognize my voice?'

"Brother Pastoral turned deadly pale instantly and he quavered, 'Phoenix! Phoenix the knight-errant!'

"The man at the door replied, 'It is I!'

"Brother Pastoral demanded, 'Phoenix the Knight-errant, why are you here?'

"The fellow on the other side of the doorway responded, 'I am here to deliver some goods!'

"After wavering for a few moments, Brother Pastoral laid down his arrow and threw open the door. A lanky man, with a waxen complexion, came striding into the room.

"I stole a close look at his appearance from under the bed and thought to myself, 'This man goes by the sobriquet the Invincible Under the Sky and is an ultimate fighter of the Martial Brotherhood. He looks imposing without having to puff himself up. His bearing awes others into submission.' Phoenix laid down on the table two articles which he was carrying and said, 'Here is your poniard and here is your grandson.' The slender parcel was, after all, a dead baby.

"Brother Pastoral trembled and slumped in the chair. Phoenix the Knight-errant remarked, 'Your protege buried the poniard secretly while your daughter interred an illegitimate son, both keeping you in the dark. But I saw all this. I have dug up both objects to return them to you.' Brother Pastoral answered, 'Thank you. Our ... our house is beset by misfortunes.' Phoenix the Knight-errant's eyes turned red immediately, and tears were on the verge of flooding out. However, he speedily assumed a threatening expression and demanded, 'How did she meet her death?'"

Suddenly there came a crashing sound. The tea bowl slipped from Orchid's hand, smashing to smithereens. She had always carried herself in a quiet and demure way. But for some unknown reason, these words instantly undermined her composure. Lute, her maid, immediately took out a handkerchief and wiped the tea from her clothes. Lute addressed her mistress in a whisper, "Madam, go inside and take a rest. Do not listen any more." Orchid answered, "No, I shall listen to his story until the end."

Hawk cast her a glance and then continued: "Brother Pastoral said, 'She caught a cold one day and started coughing. I sent for a doctor to tend to her. The doctor diagnosed her as having only a slight flu; nothing serious. One prescription would have been sufficient to set her perspiring and the temperature would then have gone away. But she found the medicine too bitter and poured away the entire concoction. She also refused to take any food, hence she started to grow increasingly weak. I summoned several doctors, but she still refused to take either medicine or food. She simply refused to heed any advice.'"

At this, Orchid started to sob quietly. Hawk and the others found this rather strange, not knowing who the woman was that had refused both medicine and food. They did not know how she was related to Pastoral, to Phoenix and to his daughter. Century, Peace and the Dragon Lodge cohort took her to be the woman that Pastoral had taken to wife on the death of his first spouse. They failed to see why Phoenix the Knight-errant should show his concern for this woman. Neither could they understand why Orchid had become saddened by this part of Hawk's narration. Thereupon, they thought to themselves, "Could it be possible that Pastoral was related to the Miao Family? How come we have never heard anything before about that?"

Hawk continued, "While still hiding myself under the bed, I failed to understand at all to whom they were referring. And I thought to myself that Phoenix had come here making all speed, and yet his only business was inquiring about the health of a sick person. Was not the person who refused to take either food or medicine petty? Phoenix the knight-errant then went on and asked, 'Did it not seem as if she had lost interest in living?' Brother Pastoral answered, 'Later on, I went on my knees, imploring her to take both food and medicine, but she remained adamant, despite my begging and entreating her incessantly.'

"Phoenix the knight-errant asked, 'What were her parting words?' Brother Pastoral answered, 'She asked me to have her body cremated, and then to sprinkle the ashes on the driveway so that people would trample on her.' Phoenix the Knight-errant started at this, bawling, 'Did you carry out her instruction?' Brother Pastoral answered, 'I had the body cremated, but the ashes are still here.' At this, he stood up and retrieved a tiny porcelain jar from the inner side of the bed. He placed the container on the table.

"Phoenix the knight-errant gazed at the porcelain jar. Grief and wrath were visible on his face. I stole one glance at him. Afterwards, I dared not look at his face any more.

"Presently, Brother Pastoral fumbled inside the bosom of his garment. He drew out a pearl-studded hairpin, embellished with a gambolling phoenix. He put the pin on the table, saying, 'She wanted me to return this pearl-studded pin to you or pass it to Miss Miao. I was told that this article belongs to the Miao Family.'"

At this the Company turned their eyes in the direction of Orchid. The pearl-studded hairpin at the side of her temple trembled slightly. The phoenix motif at the head of the hair ornament was exquisitely fine and the pearls were fully spherical with an impeccably smooth surface. The hairpin, the pearls of which were covered with an ivory patina, was an antique dating from ancient times.

Hawk continued his account, "Phoenix the Knight-errant picked up the pearl hairpin and pulled a hair from his head. He pulled it slowly through the hole on the head of the phoenix. The hair came through the other end of the hairpin. The ornament was, after all, hollow inside. He then jerked both ends of his hair slightly, causing the phoenix motif to snap open on one side. Phoenix the Knight-errant then twisted the pearl-studded pin to one side and immediately a paper crumb fell from the head of the bird motif. He laid the crumb of paper out flat, remarking coldly, 'Do you see what is here?' Brother Pastoral turned swarthy in the face. After a considerable while he heaved a deep sigh.

"Phoenix the knight-errant said, 'You have tried many ways to lay your hands on this map. In the end, she saw through you and therefore refused to confide the secret in you by returning the pearl hairpin to my family. The map of the treasure is right inside this very hairpin. You could never have dreamed of this!' Having finished his words, he put the paper crumb back into the head of the phoenix, locking the gadget by giving the hair a smart pull. Then he placed the hairpin on the table, commanding, 'I have already taught you how to open the head of the pin. You have only to take this and follow the map to recover the treasure!' Brother Pastoral did not dare to stir a finger, holding his lips tight and uttering not a word. I took in all the details under the bed in great exasperation. The map and the poniard were only a few feet from me, and yet I could not lay my hands on them. Phoenix the Knight-errant presently gazed blankly at the porcelain jar. He slowly stretched out his hands to pick up the jar and put it inside the bosom of his garment, looking terrifying as he did so."

To the ears suddenly came a soft moaning. Orchid was resting her head on the table, sobbing and wailing. The pearl-studded hairpin adorned with a phoenix worn behind her temple was bobbing incessantly. The Company looked at each other, not knowing the cause of her grief.

Hawk picked up his story: "Brother Pastoral pounded the table with his hand, crying, 'Phoenix the Knight-errant, if you charge at me now, I shall die regretting nothing!' Phoenix the Knight-errant let out a sneer, saying, 'Why should I take your life? One who lives may not necessarily be any happier than the one dead. I can still recall the scenes of the duel between Gully and me. He and his wife finally died when the skirmish ended after a few days. Though I have remained alive, my heart was gripped by distress. Later, it occurred to me that Gully and his wife who had loved each other until their dying day, sharing their life and death with each other, were most certainly happier than I who had continued to lead a lonely life in this world. You had this map near you for many many years, and yet you failed to detect its presence, ending up returning it intact to me in person. Why do I need to kill you? Would it not serve you better if I allowed you to live on to regret it for the remainder of your life?' At this, he picked up the pearl-studded hairpin and marched out of the room. Though Brother Pastoral was equipped with both arrow and sword, would he dare to take up his arms?

"After sighing for a few moments, Brother Pastoral placed both the dead baby and the poniard on his bed. Then he turned around to bolt the door, muttering to himself, 'One who lives may not necessarily be any happier than the one dead.' Then he sat on the bed, crying, 'Orchis, Orchis, you have committed a folly on my account, and I one on yours. Why this torment?' Then came a swishing sound, as if an object had pierced the flesh. After tossing a few moments with pain in his bed, Pastoral lay still.

"I was taken aback and immediately wriggled from under the bed. He had thrust the arrow into his heart and was dead. Now you should all listen: Brother Pastoral took his own life, and he was not killed by anybody. Peace did not kill him, neither did Fox. It was he who killed himself. As I am a friend to neither Peace nor Fox, there is no incentive for me to plead their innocence.

"With Pastoral lying dead on his bed, I immediately blew out the candle. Just as I was about to reach for the poniard before departing, Brother Peace knocked at the door. I was forced to go back into hiding under the bed. As to what happened afterwards, you have already heard it from Brother Peace. He took the poniard and ran away with it to the place beyond the Pass. I was filled with a great sense of anger for having hidden such a long time under the bed. Would this gain me nothing? Added to that, Brother Prime and I still had some old debts to settle with the Horse Spring Banditry, and thus the two of us decided to follow the group here."

Having finished his account, Hawk dusted his clothes with his hands and ran his fingers through his hair as if he were again on the point of wriggling from under the bed. He then took two sips of tea, looking relieved and complacent.





Chapter Eight: Treasure



The story having been gradually revealed by the individual parties, the Company was finally possessed of some clues to the questions confusing their minds. They then became aware of a burning desire to satisfy their hunger. As is often the case, the more tea that is consumed, the more powerful the pangs of hunger created.

Presently, Century took this opportunity to speak out, boldly, "Now that everything has been straightened out, there is no denying the fact that Pastoral himself handed over this poniard to my boy. And there can be no point in fighting for it now that things have been so clearly explained, eh?"

To this, Hawk replied, wreathed in smiles, "What Big Brother Pastoral handed over to Brother Peace was simply an empty casket. I would not, therefore, openly object to you reclaiming your right to the empty container. As to the poniard, you should not dare lay a finger on it."

Fortune interjected at this point, to claim, "The old weapon should now be returned to us, the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, as the facts have already made completely clear."

Thereupon, Valour remonstrated with him, "This very poniard still remains in the possession of the Northern Branch, as no Sword-conferring Ceremony has yet been initiated by Brother Pastoral." The hall soon echoed with the brash and unmannerly sounds of spiteful quarrelling.

Tree the old monk suddenly stopped everyone short, posing a question loudly, "Why are you all fighting over this poniard?" His question took everybody by surprise, leaving the Company staring at each other eye to eye, gaping in silence.

Tree then broke out with a jeering sneer, "Apart from knowing that this poniard is threateningly keen, shearing metal like mud, you have all missed the clue that links this dagger to a vast hidden treasure. Now that the secret has been revealed and your cupidity aroused, you are eager to award yourselves the prize. May this old monk now take the liberty of putting it to the Company assembled: what is the point in seizing the poniard if the treasure map is not to be had?" His words threw the Company deep into thought, and all instantaneously directed their gaze at the pearl-studded hairpin puffing out by the side of Orchid's temple.

Orchid was a frail lady of unusual refinement. Snatching the pin from her hair would seem a mere trifle to them. Nevertheless, the group was intimidated already, overawed by the impending might her father would wield should any daring move be attempted against her. None considered himself bold enough to defy her father and remain unscathed. Thereupon, the Company stayed still and gazed fixedly at the pearly pin quivering at her temple. Yet none dared to utter a sound.

Presently, Hawk swept his gaze around the room. He stepped forward to Orchid. Reaching with his right hand, Hawk suddenly snatched the pin from Orchid's temple. The helpless victim immediately fell back two paces and turned ashen pale, fired by a mixture of shame and anger. The rest, however, were all taken aback by Hawk's bold and sudden move.

To everyone's surprise, Hawk began at once to brag, "I have been ordered by the Imperial Decree to take action against our enemy, be he Phoenix the Knight-errant or Simurgh the Great Bird. Well, who knows whether the Gilt-faced Buddha is still alive or not? That is one of the imponderables."

The remaining outlaws immediately asked, "Why is this?"

To this, Hawk answered with a sneer, "As I see it, even if the Gilt-faced Buddha has managed to stay alive, the chances are that he should by now already have been imprisoned in the Imperial Jail, strapped and bound hands and feet."

Orchid was taken aback by his words. Though still vexed by the mortifying incident of her pin a short while before, she turned her attention now to the safety of her father. Thereupon, she hastened to ask, "You... You mean to say some misfortune has befallen my father?" Tree also put in at once, "Please give us more details."

Hawk still remembered how, on the way up the mountain, his whole body had been dragged across the snowy ground, by the old monk and and he was mindful too of the wretched discomfiture Tree had experienced on learning that Hawk had been empowered to act by Imperial Decree. Hawk began to feel important and became more so when Tree begged him for more details. Hawk could not contain himself and was eager to reveal his secret merely to inflate himself. Thereupon, he fired a question at the monk, "Tree the Great Master, do allow me to ask you a question before anything else: who is the lord of this eyrie?"

The Company had been up on the mountain for almost half a day, and yet they had failed to discover who the lord was. Hawk's propitious question seemed appropriate. They all turned to Tree who replied smilingly, "As we fellows here have been very open with each other, this old monk sees no point in withholding this piece of information any longer. The lord of this eyrie goes by the surname Du and Wish is his given name. He is a fighter of great renown among the Martial Brotherhood." Tree's words caused the assembly to eye one another, wondering to themselves, "Wish Du? Wish Du?" None seemed to be able to recall the name. Tree continued, wearing a soft smile, "This veteran fighter thinks very highly of himself and has always distanced himself from others. This explains why he is hardly known to ordinary people, even though he is so endowed with martial talents. Nonetheless, all celebrities of the outlawry acknowledge his prowess with due respect." Tree intended to worry the Company by making it clear by implication that none of them amounted to much.

Fortune, Valour and the other members of the party all grew furious. But recalling how he was addressed on the calligrahic scrolls as "Wish the Senior Brother" by Phoenix, and knowing that they were not even considered fighters on a par with Phoenix, they had to accept all of Tree's unpleasantness, without remonstration.

Hawk then continued his story: "After we had ascended this mountain, we were told by the steward of the eyrie, 'The Master has made a trip to Ningguta, Six-Manchu-Ancestors Borough, to enlist the support of the Gilt-faced Buddha. Meanwhile, he has also despatched his men to request the assistance of Fan the Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry.' There may not be complete truth in his words. I think that I must admit that I have also made myself useful by holding Fan the Ringleader a captive in Kaifeng Prefecture, the capital of Henan Province."

Thereupon, the Company all cried, "Fan the Ringleader is captured?"

Hawk answered with a laugh, "His Excellency, Sai the commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen, has taken overall charge of this operation himself. A paragon fighter though Fan the Ringleader may be, the undertaking itself need not have involved Commissioner Sai's personal attention when one comes to think of it now. We first had Fan the Ringleader captured, and then threw him as bait to catch a bigger fish. Of course, it goes without saying that Phoenix was the intended catch. Now, do you still believe that Wish, lord of this eyrie, who has gone on a trip to persuade Phoenix to join hands against Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, will be able to come back with his mission accomplished? I would guess that Phoenix is now in Peking, trying to create a plan to rescue Fan the Ringleader. Ha! Ha! Commissioner Sai already has schemes specifically hatched in Peking, aimed at surrounding Phoenix, and is now patiently awaiting his arrival in the capital. If Phoenix succeeded in avoiding our trap, there would be nothing we could do. But he has taken it upon himself to travel to Peking to rescue a friend and he is in grave danger, like a tree being attacked by a woodpecker."

Orchid still remembered the day when she had taken leave of her father. He had made it clear to her that he would be called away to the capital on some mission and that she was to ascend the mountain, to stay with the Du Family and to await his arrival. Hearing Hawk, Orchid began to fear the worst for her father. All colour fled from her face instantaneously.

Presently, Hawk continued, very much carried away by his high spirits, "Now that we have both the map and the poniard, we can proceed to discover the treasure hidden by Li and offer it to the Imperial Court. We shall be rewarded handsomely and we each will earn titles of honour for our wives and virtues for our offspring." Some were delighted by his words, while others were still wavering. Realizing that people like Century and his gang attached more importance to wealth than to titles, Hawk immediately suggested another idea, "As there is so much treasure, we can all come away with something. A tiny pinch will be more than sufficient to support us for the rest of our lives. I am sure that you won't find anything wrong with this idea?" At this, a chorus of applause broke out and the Company decided to adopt his plan.

Sign, who had been hiding in the inner chamber all this while, ashamed that the Company knew of what she had done, heard the loud applause coming from the hall. She realized that people had put her scandal to the back of their minds. Thereupon, she stole quietly from inside the room, leaning against the door-jamb.

Presently, Hawk plucked a hair from his head and slipped it slowly through the beak of the phoenix embellished on the pearl-studded pin. He manoeuvred the hair in precisely the same way as Phoenix himself had once done. With a slight jerk and turn, the tiny gadget contained in the head of the phoenix motif sprang open, and out fell a slip of parchment from the bird's head.

The Company let out a surprised "Wah!"

Hawk immediately unfolded the paper and spread it out on the bench. The party all closed in to study it more carefully.

The paper was as flimsy as the wing of a cicada. Though it dated back to a far time, as it had been tightly concealed inside the pearl-studded hairpin, the parchment remained well-preserved. A towering pinnacle was sketched on the paper. On the side of the peak was inscribed the following: "Behind Jadeite Pinnacle of Mount Ulan in Liaodong Peninsula."

Tree jumped at this, exclaiming, "This is the most extraordinary coincidence! We are at this moment standing precisely on the top of the Jadeite Pinnacle of Mount Ulan."

The others studied the outline of the pinnacle on the map and concluded that it corresponded perfectly with the mountaintop they were on. The three old pines by the edge of the cliff which they had seen on their way up the mountain were also clearly marked on the map. The Company all marveled at such a wonder.

Thereupon, Tree spoke, "Wish, the veteran fighter of this eyrie, must be a very widely-read and well-informed person. He must have caught wind of the treasure, and decided to have his eyrie built here. Out here it gets treacherously cold in the Winter. And travelling up and down the mountain is another nuisance. Why should he have expended such effort if not for the simple reason of laying his hand on the hidden treasure?"

Tree's words confused Hawk utterly and he immediately cried out, "Oh no! He has been living up here in his eyrie for such a long time, would he not already have made away with most of the treasure?"

Tree replied in a reassuring tone with a laugh, "This need not be the case. Sir Hawk may like to know that had Wish already found the treasure, he would have fled a long time ago and would not still be living up here."

Hawk gave his thigh a resounding slap, remarking, "Of course; you are right. Now we should go around the mountain for the treasure."

Tree drew the others' attention to Orchid, pointing her out with his finger, "What do we do with Miss Miao and those living here?"

Hawk looked back over his shoulder. The steward and all the domestic helpers of the eyrie were nowhere to be seen. They had already fled.

At length, Sign appeared from behind the door, remarking, "I do not know what is going on here. All those who dwell on this eyrie have simply vanished."

Hawk suddenly snatched a single-edged weapon and advanced towards Orchid, remarking, "She has been listening to our every word. She is not to be spared or she will pose a threat." Thereupon, he raised his keen blade, ready to deal a blow on her crown.

Suddenly a shadowy figure flickered: Lute bounded from behind a chair. Grasping Hawk by his hand, she sunk her teeth fiercely and deep into his wrist. Hawk was taken by surprise. Pain gripped him at the wrist. His knife fell to the ground with a loud clang. Lute immediately let out a stream of invective, "You low-born knave. Do not dare damage a hair of my mistress's head. When the Master of my house has ascended the mountain, he will have your hide and tendons. Do not imagine you will escape him—any of you!"

This put Hawk in a terrible rage. He rolled his hand over, ready to bury a fist in her face. Prime flung out his right arm, intercepting his blow at the last moment. Turning to Hawk, Prime tried to restrain him, "Brother, it is the treasure that counts. There is no point in having more people hurt or slain." Prime had been an escort all his life and was timid by nature. Unlike his Brother-at-arms Hawk, he always weighed things up carefully. Hawk, being an Imperial Guardsman, considered slaying a handful of commoners a mere trifle. But Prime saw things differently and he, therefore, marked Lute's words carefully. He believed that, had they wounded Orchid in any way and if her father did manage to escape, he would certainly make them pay for it. Fortune also thought the same and proposed, "Brother Hawk, let us get on with the hunt for the treasure."

Hawk looked steadily at the Company and asked, pointing to Orchid, "What are we going to do with this one?"

Tree advanced two paces, wreathed in smiles. No sooner had he waved his sleeve than he had piqued two of Orchid's paralytic points, the Heavenly Butte at her nape and the Celestial Tract on her back. Orchid was afflicted immediately: her body ached, and she was paralysed, lying back full length in the chair. Abashed and indignant, Orchid could not utter a sound. Seeing that the monk had wrought harm to her mistress, Lute again braced herself and reached for his arm, meaning to bite deep into his flesh. Tree allowed her to pull his right hand until it was almost touching her lips. Then he turned his fingers and piqued two of Lute's paralytic points also: the Fragrant Sac near her nose and the Terrestrial Crypt at the corner of her mouth. Lute trembled and fell to the ground.

Then Sign alerted the Company, "We cannot leave sister Miao sitting here for anyone who comes in to see." At this, she bent down and picked her up, remarking with a smile, "So light, as if boneless." She then carried Orchid towards the room in the eastern wing.

Master Du of the eyrie had originally intended this room in the eastern wing for his honoured guests. It was fully fitted with bedding, furniture and other domestic items. All the furnishings were exquisitely fashioned. Quietly, Sign closed the door behind her. She stripped Orchid of her slippers, stockings, bodice and skirt, leaving her wearing only her chemise. She covered her snugly with a blanket and let down the gauze curtain by the side of the bed. Since the age of seven or eight, Orchid had never undressed in the presence of others. Though she found herself now with only another lady, she blushed deeply. Eyeing her skittishly, Sign smiled down at her, "Afraid of my penetrating eyes? Sister, you are beautiful and charming; even my soul is attracted to you." Sign then picked up her clothing, walked to the hall and addressed the group, "I have taken off all her clothes. Even if she manages to recover when the time is up, she still will not be able to move about." The uncouth fellows laughed uproariously.

Suddenly, Tree addressed the Company, "Let us discover how this poniard will take us to the treasure."

At this, he extracted the iron casket from the bosom of his garment. He opened the lid and took out the poniard. The weapon looked no different from any other poniard, except for the characters engraved on the scabbard. Holding the sheath with one hand and the grip with another, Tree drew out the blade with a clash. There was a cold gleam to it, treacherously threatening, which chilled them and drew them into a state of extreme trepidation.

The Company let out a surprised, "Oh!"

Tree laid the poniard on the bench. The Company crowded around to inspect it at close range. The metal on one side of the blade was smooth and even. A relief depicting two dragons wrestling for a stone was engraved on the other side. One dragon was large and the other small. They looked unpleasantly deformed and were repulsive to the eye, resembling neither a dragon nor a snake. They looked more like two caterpillars, and yet the gem for which they were wrestling was a fine pyrope, a gemstone of quality, both in clarity and brilliance. It was indeed a prize jewel.

Curio picked up the blade and scrutinized it, asking, "Is there anything unusual?"

"These two caterpillars are the clue to finding the treasure," answered Tree: "without a doubt. Let us first find our way round to the back of the mountain and we will then see what we can do. Just give me that!" Tree immediately held out his hand for the poniard. Curio pretended not to hear. He turned the blade around to ward off danger, and then immediately took to his heels. Put in a terrible rage, Tree howled, "What are you up to?" and sped wildly after him.

Curio flew out of the door, grasping the poniard. Tree twirled his right hand: out flew a metal bead, catching Curio's right shoulder. Pain gripped his right arm. He felt as if icy claws were laid upon it. Curio lost his hold on the poniard and it fell to the snowy ground. Tree hurried forward with leaping strides and retrieved the weapon. Curio did not dare to argue with him, but stepped aside. Presently, Tree and Hawk started to march abreast to the back of the mountain with Tree carrying the blade and Hawk the map. In no time the remaining party all rushed outside, and followed them.

Tree tried to make peace with Hawk on the way, remarking smilingly, "Sir Hawk, the old monk has just made a nuisance of himself. Please do not take this to heart." Hawk was only too glad to see Tree offering him his apologies. He forced a smile and quashed Tree with biting sarcasm, "The Great Master is a paragon amongst fighters. You command the full respect of my humble self. I may even need your help in the days to come." Tree immediately replied, "I,m sure it would be beyond me to offer any assistance which might be of value to you."

Tree and Hawk trudged on towards the snow-capped mountain, but before long found it wild and pathless. The snow-bound limestone enclosed them all. Though they knew the treasure was hidden under the Jadeite Pinnacle, yet it was a mammoth of a mountain, buried and frozen by the deep snow. They found no path to show them the way. How would they ever reach the treasure? It would take a million people to clear the summit of snow, shovelling and labouring for month after month. The task might even prove futile in the end, for more thick snow would engulf the newly cleared ground before long. They could well imagine what torture it had been for Wish, lord of the eyrie, who had been living on the mountaintop for several decades. Day and night his brain must have been drained and his heart gripped by the thought of getting the treasure. And yet he remained where he had started. Finding the treasure had proved an impossible task.

While the Company was casting glances at the edge of a ridge, all at their wits' end, Sign suddenly made them wake up, "Look!"

She pointed to some ridges undulating and writhing below the mountain. The Company immediately turned their eyes in that direction, but they failed to detect anything unusual. Sign again drew their attention to the spot, explaining, "You see the contour of the ridges over there? Does it not resemble the relief on the poniard?"

Thus jolted out of their stupor, the Company began to examine the two outflung arms of the mountain range more closely. One lay, running from northeast to southwest. Another cut straight in a north-south direction. A round conical hill stood out where the two ridges crossed. Tree held up the poniard and looked at it again before directing his eyes to the mountain ridges below. The resemblance of the topography of the two ridges to the two dragons embellished on the poniard wrestling for the gem was striking. The dome corresponded to the jewel encrusted on the blade. At this, the Company could not contain their joy at having located the site of the treasure.

In chorus they broke out, "Bravo! Bravo! The treasure must be hidden inside the knoll."

Immediately, Hawk commanded, "Off we go, quickly!"

Now that the Company had directed their minds to the treasure, they decided to weather storms together, pushing suspicion and treachery to the back of their minds. Immediately, they ripped their garments and made a thick rope from the rags. Then they glided their way downward, holding onto it. Hawk was the first fighter to edge down the slope. Fortune was last. He intended to destroy the line after making his descent, to forestall unknown dangers. As the others were already well on their way, Fortune dared not delay, lest he lose his share of the treasure. He hurried forward, resorting to levitational arts.

The spherical hump of the mountain loomed a mere arrow shot from the heel of the Jadeite Pinnacle. However, it was almost ten miles away by a flat path. Each of the Company was well-versed in levitational arts. They reached the rim of the knoll in less than a watch. Heading towards the mound by a circuitous route, they tried to pin-point where the treasure was hidden.

"Who is over there?" Peace suddenly cried out, pointing to his left.

Alerted by his panting gasps, the Company turned around. They caught a glimpse of a white figure, flitting across the snow-bound terrain at a blinding pace. In less than a moment, the white shadow had vanished in the direction of the Jadeite Pinnacle.

"Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain!" Tree let out a cry. "Gully's son. Damnation!" Tree turned deadly pale, as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

Tree was wrapped in his thoughts when Sign suddenly let out a loud shriek. He immediately turned around. A pit had opened in the slope of the mound, revealing a void. Sign was swallowed up.

Peace and Curio had been keeping level with Sign. When she stepped into the hole, they both immediately cried out, "Sister Sign!" They would have loved to plunge in to help. Century immediately barred his son, bawling, "What is happening?" Oblivious to his words, Peace broke free from his father and plunged into the void, together with Curio.

The cavern turned out to be quite a shallow hole underground. Peace and Curio landed right on top of Sign. A piercing shrill sound ensued, hurting the ears of the people hanging over the rim. They at once pulled the trio from the pit.

Immediately Tree remarked, "Heaven knows: the treasure might be hidden inside this very cavern. Miss Tian, what did you see down there?"

Sign nursed the swelling bruises which she had received when bumping into the rocks and mumbled angrily, "I found nothing in the pitch dark."

Down Tree jumped, holding a flickering firebrand. The underground cave was no more than ten feet in diameter. Frozen hard rocks and icicles covered its walls. Detecting nothing out of the ordinary, Tree then leaped back onto the ground.

Suddenly Radiant and Third cried out in alarm: a subterranean opening to the east had sucked Radiant in while one to the south had engulfed Third. Valour and Prime each immediately pulled one out. The snowscape was treacherously pitted with sinkholes and vertical shafts. The Company stood their ground, not daring to move, lest they should be swallowed by the hidden snares.

Tree broke out with a sigh, "Master Wish of the eyrie has been living on the Jadeite Pinnacle for several decades, and he has failed to discover where the treasure was hidden. But he has neither the poniard nor the map. He is utterly lost, as far as I know. Yet here we are, this very minute, on this low mountain, and we are at the end of our tethers, too: we are worse off than he."

After a while they sat down, on the very spots where they had been standing so cautiously. Increasing hunger gripped them. They felt worn out and depressed.

Third felt anew the pain in her wound. With clenched teeth she bandaged the cut by pressing down her hand. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of the poniard in Tree's hand. The glare from the dazzling snow made the pyrope mounted on the blade blaze with adamantine brilliance. Third had been escorting consignments with her husband for many years; countless numbers of gems and jewels had passed before her eyes. Yet somehow she found this jewel rather different. An idea crossed her mind, prompting her to approach Tree, "Great Master, would you mind letting me have a look at your knife?"

Tree pondered to himself: Third counted as one of the weak and frail and she was sorely wounded on her leg. What harm could she do? Thereupon, he handed her the poniard. Third took the weapon and studied it intently. The gemstone, without facets, was set with the back uppermost. The top and base of a cabochon stone should respectively be rounded and flat. In the hands of a skilled lapidarist, both the top and base can be polished to look alike. But such delicate variance fails to deceive connoisseurs of lapidary art. Having detected something strange, Third hastened to offer her views, "Great Master, this jewel has been set with its back uppermost. A story may somehow be contained."

Tree found himself flustered. Third's remark started him thinking to himself, "Her words may bring good counsel. However, the first thing to do is to pry it open and have a look."

Immediately, Tree took back the poniard. He drew out a dagger from his side and directed strength to the tips of his fingers. Tree worked gently at the base, applying the pointed end of his blade. The girdle at once sprang off the setting. Tree picked up the gem and studied both sides carefully. Nothing unusual could be found. Then he turned to the setting in which the pyrope had rested.

"It is here!" Tree finally cried.

Inside the indentation was a countersunk arrow-head pointing towards north-northeast. At the far end of the arrow head was embossed a minute globule. Tree could not contain his ecstasy. He was sure that the centre of the small depression corresponded to the summit of the mound. After working out the distance and its exact bearing, he proceeded to advance, taking one cautious step at a time. When he reached what he had established to be the exact site, he felt the ground beneath his feet begin to collapse, as he had expected. Down rolled Tree into an underground opening. This time the old monk was prepared. After regaining his footing, he immediately kindled a firebrand and melted the snow. A cavernous passage stretched forward a long way. Tree immediately walked towards the dark zone. Hawk and the remaining party soon leapt down to join in the adventure.

The fire died out after a short while. Groping their way in the dark, the Company wound around a complex passage of interlacing sinuous and subangular passages. After walking around the maze for a long time, they still could not see the end of the tunnel.

Presently Curio broke out, "I shall go and fetch some wood." He dashed out of the cavelike passage and returned with a large bundle of dry wood. Then he set a torch alight. Brash and unmannerly though he was, Curio still exhibited a pleasing side to his character: he took bold strides and never faltered. Presently, he led the Company, marching foremost, holding a firebrand aloft.

Mighty pillars hewn from ice had decked the underground passage for centuries, sprouting adamantine crystals, shearing keen and sharp. Century picked up a rock, with which to knock off the rimy stalactites and stalagmites in his way. Each member of the Company had harboured evil intentions on their ascent of the mountain. Knowing that the gems and treasures would soon be within their grasp, they now turned to concerting their efforts, readily giving each other a helping hand.

The Company turned another bend in the cold dark underground passage.

"Look!" Sign suddenly cried out.

She pointed her finger at a glistening object on the ground, near Curio's feet. Curio bent down and picked it up. It was a tiny bodkin, fashioned in gold. An ideogram "An" meaning "Peace" was engraved on it. The weapon was identical to the one Sign had last handled at the foot of the mountain. Full of suspicion, Curio looked over his shoulder and bawled out at Peace, "So you have been here after all!"

"Have I been here before?" Peace fired back at Curio. "Do you see any burrow dug by feet?"

"Of course there are no footprints inside this lava tube," Curio tried to reason with himself. "But how has this bodkin of his been found inside this tunnel?" Piqued deep inside, Curio was close to venting his spleen. Opening his palm, he showed Peace the tiny gold bodkin, shouting, "Is this not yours? Your name is clearly inscribed on it!"

Peace glanced at it and shook his head, remarking, "I have not set eyes on it before." Curio grew furious. He turned his hand around and flung the bodkin to the ground. Immediately, he grabbed Peace and spat in his face, storming, "You liar! I watched her take your bodkin as a keepsake."

The Company, now thronging the tiny underground passage, found it almost impossible to turn around. Peace, therefore, could not duck away. Curio's was no empty gesture: it was a full gob of spittle. This threw Peace into a terrible rage. He snapped up his right leg, thrusting it smartly in Curio's stomach. His hands at once went for Curio's limbs. Parading the move Swallows Tracking Nest, Peace pummelled blows right at his front. Curio trembled. He flung the torch to the ground. His right fist struck a warning blow, a straight punch in Peace's face. Suddenly the fire went out. All about them hung the darkness, hollow and immense. Curio and Peace hurled abuse at each other. The sounds of fighting could be heard also. With whipping legs and tight fists, the two rival lovers showered blow after blow, each aiming true and fast. In the end, they rolled to the ground, grappling and wrestling in a bundle.

The remaining Company found this both amusing and irritating. Exhortations followed. The Company tried to tear the combatants away, but Peace and Curio would not be denied. Suddenly Sign cried out, "I shall never speak again to the one who persists in fighting." Her words inspired fear in their hearts. Peace and Curio, very reluctantly, began to loosen their grip on each other and got back on their feet again.

Prime was heard speaking quietly in the dark, "This is Prime. Go and find a flame to light the fire. Mind you do not lavish your jealous wrath on the innocent. Your fists and legs paid me tribute, too." Prime held out his hand and groped on the ground. He reached the firebrand and once again lit it. Curio and Peace each presented a pitiful spectacle. Both had black eyes and swollen noses, and they were out of breath. They planted themselves with their fists upraised as they darted angry looks at each other.

Sign fumbled inside her bosom and drew out a golden bodkin. She also picked up the other bodkin from the floor. Turning to Curio, she asked, "These two weapons do indeed come in a pair. But who told you that he gave them to me?" Curio was at first lost for words but was finally able to prevaricate, "If he did not give them to you, where did you get them? How did his name come to be engraved on these two bodkins?"

Century took the bodkin. He glanced at it and posed Curio a question, "Your Master is Pastoral Tian. Who was your Grandmaster?"

Taken by surprise, Curio ventured to answer, "Grandmaster? He was the father of my Master. Peace was his first taboo name and Panther his middle."

"That is it!" Century sneered. "Peace Panther Tian. What was his secret weapon?"

Curio began to wonder, "I ... I never met my Grandmaster."

"You never met him. But your Uncle Valour was taught martial feats by Panther himself. You ask him," commanded Century.

Valour interrupted before Curio could ask him, "Curio, let us stop all stupidity now. Your Grandmaster employed as secret weapons these two matching bodkins." Curio was dumbfounded. However, it did little to wipe the suspicion from his mind.

Tree turned to Peace and Curio, remarking, "If you two wish to settle the amorous accounts that lie between you with a duel, by all means grapple each other to death outside. We would rather find the hidden treasure."

Prime led the way, holding the torch aloft. The underground tunnel soon turned a corner. As the space was constricted and becoming narrower, the Company had to wriggle through, bending low. At times, their heads struck ice sprouting from the cavernous roof, causing them pain. However, the thought that the treasure must be close cheered them.

After walking for the time it would take to drink one bowl of tea, the Company found themselves coming to the end of the passage. A little way ahead, a mighty, round boulder loomed atop another monstrous, spherical rock. The two massive stones blocked the way ahead. Ice had frozen in the cracks and crevices between the two boulders, turning them into one adamantine, giant formation. Prime pushed it with his hand, but the huge boulder stood fast. Prime looked over his shoulder and asked Tree, "What are we to do now?" Tree scratched his head, and remained silent.

Fortune counted as the purest incarnation of common sense among this group of brash fellows. He smiled quietly to himself before proceeding, "Two round boulders stacked one on top of the other are bound to be movable. Only they are now locked tight by the ice." Tree was delighted to hear this, saying, "That is correct. All we need to do is to melt the ice." Prime moved the fire closer to the huge rocks to thaw the ice sealing them. Curio, Radiant and the others quickly rushed outside and returned with bundles of wood and logs for the fire. The fire was burning more and more fiercely; the ice melted in no time. Fragmented crystals jangled to the ground.

More than half of the massive ice block wedged between the boulders had already melted. Tree grew impatient. He thrust his hands on the rock, summoning up all his bodily strength. The pedestal boulder stood fast. Gradually, more ice thawed. Tree tried once again to push the rock. Wobbling a bit, the boulder rolled to the side. A huge doorway was suddenly outlined, though not a crack or a joint had been visible before. An incredible natural creation indeed!

The Company grew excited, exclaiming loudly. Valour assisted Tree with the door. They pushed it wide open. Tree picked up a piece of wood from the fire and marched first into the hidden gallery. The rest of the Company immediately followed him inside, each holding a fiery torch. Beyond the rock door, the jewels and gems made a fiery sparkle, dazzling all their senses. Mouths agape, the Company were in a daze, barely able to breathe.

They were in a vast recess cut from the rock. Jewels and gold were lying about in mountains. Unfortunately an icy and pellucid armour shrouded them. It could well be imagined this must be the work of the henchmen of the Dashing King. After depositing the treasure in this limestone honeycomb, they had then splashed cold water over everything. The cavernous area was snow-bound all year. The glazed gems, embalmed in crystalline ice, stayed adamantine like diamond. The Company all stared fixedly at the precious metals and stones, entirely rapt. For a while, words were frozen in their lungs. Silence filled the void. Suddenly, deafening cheers filled the vault. At length, Tree, Century and the others hurled themselves against the ice, hugging it. They still had no words with which to express their joy.

Suddenly Sign shrieked out in alarm, "Another one!" She pointed to a further den. After the flaming brands were brought closer, two dark figures came to light. Both figures had planted themselves by a wall.

Mortal terror struck the Company. They had never expected to find cave-dwellers. Could there be another entrance to the cell? They at once whipped out their weapons and drew threateningly closer. Some time passed, but the two black forms stayed silent. Tree howled, "Who is there?" The two men inside simply ignored the question.

The two quiet figures remained still for some time. The Company, panic stricken, waited in ever-increasing suspense. Tree broke the silence and began, "Veterans of great esteem, whoever you may be, please present yourselves and meet us." The echoing walls magnified Tree's voice to a resounding bellow, making all ears feel uncomfortable. Still no answer came from the two. Neither did they move forward.

Tree held his torch aloft and advanced a few paces. It became obvious that the two grey shapes were on the other side of a glacial plate. The slab, like a crystal wall, divided this bitterly cold grotto into two recesses, the front and the rear. Tree plucked up his courage and edged around the solidified vitreous partition. These two figures looked as haggard as cadavers. They had not stirred an inch. They looked as if they were piqued at the paralytic points. Tree cast away all his fear, shouting out to the Company aloud, "Come and follow me." He hurried around to the other side of the crystalline ice wall, in great strides. The pair struck him as eerie. They remained as if afflicted by rigor mortis. Whirling the blade in his right hand, Tree shone the firebrand closer to the two immobile faces. He convulsively drew in a deep breath of cold air. It was clear that the two men had been dead for some time. They looked hideous. Their sinews and their facial muscles were distorted in death. A sudden dread and horror fell on the Company.

The sight of these two inert cadavers made Sign and Third cry out involuntarily. The remainder immediately crowded around. Each corpse held a dagger in his hand, thrusting it at his opponent. One dagger transfixed the chest and the other pierced the midriff.

Valour took a close look at one of the remains. He suddenly prostrated himself on the ground, weeping, "Benevolent Master, so you have been here all these years." His words shocked the others, who asked in a medley of voices, "What is the matter?" "Who were these two men?" "Was he your Master?" and "How did he die here?"

Valour dried his tears. Pointing to the smaller of the two carcasses, he said, "This was Panther, my Master. The tiny gold bodkin picked up by Curio a while ago belonged to him."

Panther looked no more than forty years old, much younger than Valour. The Company found this rather strange. In no time they solved the puzzle. The two human ice statues, in fact, had stood here for several decades. Ice, accumulated throughout the years inside this freezing cavern, had preserved these two dead inhabitants, causing them to look as if they had been dead for only a few days.

Suddenly, Curio pointed to the other denizen of the cave and asked, "Uncle, who was the other person? How dared he take the life of our Grandmaster!" He kicked hard at that dead body. This yet unknown corpse was slender in build and long in the limbs. The Company had not much trouble making out who he was.

Valour provided the Company with an answer, "He was Phoenix's father. I called him Grandpa Miao from the time I was little. He and my Master had been good friends. On a certain day of a particular year, they made a trip together to a place beyond the Pass. For some reason unknown to us, the two seemed very excited about making that trip. They both set off in high spirits but were never seen again. Soon word went around the Martial Brotherhood that they had been murdered by Gully, a loutish fighter of Liaodong Peninsula. This explains why the Gilt-faced Buddha and Brother Pastoral vowed to inflict retribution on Gully. Well, what followed was Miao ... that creature Miao, fired by avarice on laying eyes on the subterranean gems, decided to rob my Master of his life." Thereupon, Valour snapped up his leg and dealt a blow to the calf of the dead body. Both corpses were frozen hard and stiff. They remained totally indifferent to Valour's thrust. But the protagonist hurt his toes.

The remaining members of the Company began thinking to themselves, "Could your Master not be the one fired by cupidity who struck out first?"

Valour reached out his hands and tugged hard at the dead body of Miao, struggling to haul it away from his Master. He forgot that the two well-preserved corpses had already been entangled for several decades. The ice had sealed their hands and weapons into one massive block. Their trunks and blades were frozen into another slab. Consequently, Valour expended all his efforts to no avail.

Presently, Century picked up the story left by Valour, sighing, "In the year in question, Gully employed a go-between to convey the cause of these tragic deaths to the respective heirs, Phoenix the Knight-errant and Pastoral. Gully found out the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these two elder members of the Miao and Tian families. As they had died in disgrace, Gully did not think it appropriate to break the news to their families in person. He would rather take them to the site and let them learn the truth for themselves. It means Gully must have been here before. He found the treasure, and yet he left it untouched. What could be the reason behind all this?"

Suddenly Sign interrupted, "I came across something very strange this morning."

"What was it?" asked Valour.

Sign then poured out her story: "In the morning while we were making after him.... He...." Pouting her lips at Peace and blushing slightly, she continued, "You Uncles were galloping in front and I was being left behind at the back ..."

Curio could no longer restrain himself and spoke with unwonted stridency, "You were riding on a thoroughbred: why were you lagging behind then? You ... you ... simply did not want to take up arms against the brute."

Sign did not even bother to look at him, but continued to speak in a lethargic manner, "You have ruined my whole life. You may torture me in any way you wish. Peace is my destined husband. I have done him great injustice. Though he cannot wed me now, he will still be the only one person whom I shall ever hold dear in my heart."

Thereupon, Peace cried out aloud, "Of course I shall marry you, Sister Sign. Of course I shall marry you." His remark threw both Century and Curio into a blaze. Torn between anguish for his son and anger with Sign, Century raged, "You are going to marry this filthy whore? I shall have no bitch as a daughter-in-law." In no time another voice was heard storming, "Dispatch me first if you have got the prowess." The inflamed utterances of these two creatures deafened the ears of the Company simultaneously. Also there were the resounding echoes from the crypt. The noises were so jumbled that none could make sense of them.

Sign cast her eyes to the floor, waiting for them to quieten down. Afterwards, in a soft tone she said to Peace. "Even though you still want to take me as your wife, how could I ever have the face to wed you? Please never see me again once we escape this cavernous cell."

"No, no." Peace grew agitated. "Sister Sign, this rogue is all to blame, trampling on you and treating you like dirt. I shall hazard my life against that devil." Whirling his weapon, Peace hurled himself headlong at Curio.

Hawk immediately barred him, commanding, "Keep your violent rage to yourselves and fight your duel outside." Feinting a thrust with his left fist, Hawk snapped up his right hand and locked Peace in the wrist. He twisted it around slightly, seized his weapon, and flung it to the ground. Curio, in a state of choler and ready for a fight, was kept out by Fortune. The remaining members of the Company found Sign's plans rather amusing. She was a scheming minx and was endeavouring by wielding every artifice at her command to attract and influence both of her fools. She pretended to retreat in order to cover up her true intention of advancing, and succeeded in melting both soulful hearts.

Presently, Tree remarked teasingly, "Miss Tian, marry whomever you take a fancy to, but never a monk like me. This old monk is only interested in learning from you what strange things you came across this morning."

The others laughed. Sign also smiled, adding, "My horse slowed down to a dawdling pace, hence I lagged behind the Uncles. Suddenly came the clattering sound of horses' hooves. A horse approached at a gallop from behind. The rider was holding a large gourd in his arm. He thrust back his neck and drained the wine from the gourd. I found him rather funny, with thick hair bristling on his face. He wobbled drunkenly on horseback, but still gulped down the spirit. I could not help bursting out in laughter. He looked over his shoulder and inquired, 'Are you the daughter of Pastoral Tian?' I answered him, 'Yes, I am. May I know what is your honour's name?' To this he replied, 'This is for you!' At this, he threw me this tiny gold bodkin. The weapon grazed my face, knocking off my earring. I was taken aback. Instantly he clapped spurs to his horse and galloped away. Ever since, I have been going over in my mind why he gave me this tiny bodkin."

Tree asked Sign, "Did you know him?"

Sign nodded, speaking softly, "He was Fox Hu, Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain. Of course I did not know him at the time when he threw me the bodkin. I recognized his voice after he ascended the mountain and talked with Sister Miao. I peeped through a crevice in the partition and confirmed that it was he."

This again aroused Curio's jealousy. He immediately asked, "This bodkin originally belonged to my Grandmaster. Where else could Fox have obtained it? Why did he give it to you?"

Sign, as a rule, was soft and gentle in her speech; but, on hearing Curio, she immediately snorted with disgust, as if his presence was distasteful to her, hurting him with her harshness.

Hawk interrupted, "As Gully has already been here, he must have either found the bodkin on the ground or removed it from the body of Panther. But the point is that, at the time of Panther's death, Fox was only a few days old. How, therefore, can it have been possible for Gully to pass the object on to his infant child?"

Prime supplied an answer, "Gully could have left the bodkin in his house. When Fox grew up, he visited the village of his origin. He would certainly have found the bodkin among the articles bequeathed him by his parents."

Valour nodded his consent, saying, "You may be right. The bodkin is hollow inside. The head can be unscrewed. Sign, see if there is anything inside.

Sign first unfastened the stalk of the bodkin that she had found inside the cavern. The tubular stem was empty inside. However, when she undid the spring of the other miniature secret weapon, a tiny script was found inside. The Company all closed in, thinking that, if Valour had not been with them, they would not have imagined that a secret weapon so exquisitely fashioned could conceal things.

Sign spread open the flimsy parchment. Four lines were written on it, reading:



On horseback, elders of the Dragon Lodge

Heralding themselves to the Regent's Sword.

As the wind was taken out of their sails

Windward were they borne and hit the rock.



A winged fox in pictogram could be seen at the lower corner of the slip. These four lines precisely exemplified the calligraphic style of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain.

Presently, Valour remarked, looking rather grave, "... Not necessarily true!" He knew that Fox was a paragon fighter who had intimate knowledge of the whereabouts of the Dragon Lodge party. This gave Valour cause to ponder his own safety. Presently, Curio posed a question, "Uncle, what is the meaning of 'windward were they borne and hit the rock'?" Valour replied, "He predicted that we would all perish in this peninsula in Liaotung, turn into ghosts and roam, haunting remote countries. Our anima and animus will be homeward bound, floating on the tips of the wind." Curio immediately shouted, "Son of a whore!"

Acolytes of the Dragon Lodge scrutinized the note, plunged deep in thought. Tree, Century, Hawk and the others had already cast their eyes on the precious metals and stones piled in heap upon heap. Tree picked up an edged weapon and hewed the ice. After hacking a few times, the frozen ice buds sprouted open. Tree scooped up a handful of gems, humming to himself with delight. The golden firelight played upon the precious stones, causing them to shimmer with magical brilliance. At the sight of such marvels, cupidity gripped their hearts. The Company each seized weapons, hewing the ice. They had only laboured at it for a short while before the edges of their blades began to blunt. Their own weapons had had their points broken off by the twins in the melee up on the summit. The blades wielded by them now had been taken from those laying within easy reach inside the eyrie. These weapons had not been immaculately forged. After freeing the gems from the ice, they stuffed the booty into their pockets. The more they seized, the more avaricious they became, but their blades soon dulled, hampering the speed of their work.

"Let us find some firewood. We can melt the ice and easily seize the gems!" suggested Sign.

They all agreed. They should have hit upon the same idea long before. Finding Tree had already claimed a share of the treasure, the remaining members of the Company lost no time in whirling their knives and brandishing their swords, aiming them true at the adamantine ice. Though they favoured Sign's suggestion in chorus, none attempted to obtain any fuel. They each harboured the fear that the others might steal more in his absence.

In the end, Tree stared hard at the outlaws. He ordered the Company, "Brother Radiant of the Dragon Lodge, Brother Century of the Horse Spring Banditry, and Prime, Chief Escort of the Peking Overland Convoy, you three should go and bring some wood and kindling. The rest of us will stay behind, and will all cease working. No one is allowed to collect any jewels on his own." With much reluctance, the three chosen ones bowed their way out of the crypt for firewood, torn between doubt and belief. They knew what Tree could do to them should they ignore his command.






Chapter Nine: Snare



Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain and Wish, lord of the eyrie on the Jadeite Pinnacle of Mount Ulan, had made an appointment to settle old debts on the summit on the fifteenth day of the third moon. Wish happened to be away on errantry when Fox first visited the mountaintop and Fox was given the opportunity to meet Orchid instead. He showed her his appreciation for receiving him. After descending the steep mountain, Fox was filled with exquisite torments: floating before his eyes was a vision of Orchid's loveliness, and breathing in his ears were the languorous strummings of her qin and the sweet modulation of her maidenly voice. Meanwhile, Fox, Quad and the twin lictors were indulging in a sumptuous repast of dried provisions inside the cavern. Quad was sorely wounded, but not critically. Fox was much relieved to learn this. He stretched out on the ground, closing his eyes to rejuvenate himself. But the lovely face and graceful manners of Orchid stole sweetly into his mind.

Fox opened his eyes wide, fixing his gaze on the dark wall of the crypt. Heaving a sigh, he began musing silently. "What is the point in savouring the thought of her? Her father is a deadly foe of mine. Because of his having treacherously slain my father, I was orphaned in my infancy, and have lived in extremely straitened circumstances since. Why keep thinking of her, then?" At this thought, rage clutched at his heart. While he was still fingering gold in his mind, restlessness and doubt consumed him. "She was not yet born at the time of the duel. What do the enmities incurred by members of the older generation have to do with her? She is a young lady from a great family; I am but a poor creature who has wandered the world, scraping a living. Why bury myself in such misery?"

Things have always been easier to say than to do. When a person has hurled himself into a net of emotions, how can he hope to extricate himself easily from such miseries? If the silken ties of affection can be undone at once, they cannot be counted as true feelings in the first place.

Torn by these violent and conflicting emotions, Fox passed almost a watch in the cavern, tossing restlessly from one side to the other. His thoughts were entirely consumed with visions of Orchid. While in the midst of these imaginings, he harboured occasional thoughts like, "My enemy, knowing that he cannot overpower me, tries to entrap me with a beautiful woman: can this really be the case?" Immediately he tried to banish such suspicious thoughts, lest they should defile her. Fox then debated with himself. "It cannot be so. She has too much of an innocent spirit to attempt such vile tricks. How could I harbour such mean thoughts?"

Soon, the day turned to dusk. Fox was by now barely in command of his feelings. Thereupon, he instructed Quad, "Uncle Quad, I shall ascend the mountain again. You lie here and rest."

Presently, Fox exercised his levitational arts, sailing across the snow-bound terrain. In a second he had flitted to the base of the mountain. He scaled the precipitous ridge by groping his way up the rope. His heart throbbed with unabated passion the minute he attained the gate of the eyrie. He entered the main hall. No one received him. Rather puzzled by the silence inside, he cried out aloud, "A member of the younger generation, Fox, is here at your service. Has Master Wish returned yet?" He shouted out his message a number of times, but the eyrie remained empty and quiet. He said quietly to himself, smiling, "Wish is clearly mistakenly considered a great and courageous fighter. For now he is hiding in a closet, hatching vile schemes. You may come out with your foul tricks; I, Fox, will have no fear."

Fox then seated himself in the main hall for a little while. He had intended to leave a few lines behind to expose Wish to public ridicule before making his way down the mountain; yet now he wanted to remain. He was growing increasingly fond of this place. Suddenly, he walked towards the eastern wing. He pushed open the door of the room. Volume upon volume of books were shelved on the walls. The room was exquisitely furnished. Then the trespasser stole inside. He picked up a book lying within easy reach, seated himself and began to read. He turned the pages, and yet could hardly concentrate on reading intently. Only one thought filled his heart: "Where has she gone? Where has she gone?"

Outside it was growing dark. Fox struck a flame. Just as he was about to light the candle, the sound of many hurrying feet came, muffled because of the snow. He started. It came from the snowy landscape east of the eyrie. Several adept fighters were approaching, trekking across the snow. People can walk quietly by tiptoeing on hard ground; but not one step can they steal on compacted granular snow. Those who are better endowed may glance the snow faintly with soft, bare feet, while the less gifted shuffle and stamp dully. People can easily tell such difference. Fox listened to a few sounds, reflecting, "I wonder who these celebrities could be." Immediately he tucked the match back into the front panel of his robe and listened more intently.

Fox could hear the stealthy movements of several more accomplished martial artists. Fox made a quick calculation: five altogether. Soon, three faint claps were heard coming from afar. These distant signals were answered by three claps near the eyrie. After a short while six more persons met outside the building. In no time, a total of eleven adepts had assembled. Though Fox was himself a paragon of a warrior, bold and brazen, he still felt something close to fear when confronted by a company of deft fighters. He said quietly to himself, "The first thing to do is to depart from the eyrie. My enemy has mustered a force of other hands to injure me. There are far too many for me to handle alone." Thereupon, he quietly stole from the chamber. Just as he was about to scale the wall, a few pattering sounds came from the rooftop. More fighters had arrived, making escape impossible.

Fox at once retraced his steps. He discovered that another reinforcement of expert fighters, totalling seven, were crouching on the tiles overhead. Three clapping sounds came from the roof, echoed immediately by three answering claps outside. Seven unidentified figures leapt down, landing quietly in the courtyard. They were coming towards the eastern wing. Fox was clearly in a very vulnerable position. The enemies were far too many to be challenged single-handed. Fox's last hope rested in taking all his enemies by surprise. He had anticipated that Wish might enlist support from others; but it had never dawned on him that Wish would have invited so many expert fighters. Suddenly, Fox heard the footsteps of the seven enemies trooping towards the door. He immediately ducked behind a screen, hoping to spy on his foes. He was intent on finding out the snares they had in store for him.

He smelt burning. Someone had lit the firebrand. The screen would soon threaten his safety, Fox told himself. He looked around and caught sight of the gauze curtain hanging down from the side of the bed. No shoes were placed beside the bed. Apparently no one was sleeping on it. Summoning his pneuma in one breath, Fox stole speedily to the side of the bed. He raised the curtain, sat on the edge of the bed, and then slipped under the bedding. Fox congratulated himself quietly on the ease with which he had escaped open confrontation with his enemies. So deftly nimble were his movements that the seven strangers, adept fighters though they were, failed to detect him.

The minute Fox slid his body under the coverlet, he started in horror: his hand felt a human form which was flawlessly fine and smooth-skinned. To his surprise, a woman was already cocooned beneath the quilted cover. Just as he was about to roll from the bed, the light flickered. Footsteps drew closer. Soon the fighters filed into the room. A man carrying a candle stole a peep behind the screen and began, "No one is here. We can talk." Then he sat down on a chair.

A waft of subtle fragrance assailed Fox's nostrils, similar to the thin wisp of faint sweetness which had drifted through the air when Orchid was intoning her thanks and appreciation a while before. His heart almost bursting, Fox was troubled in his thoughts, thinking to himself, "Could she really be Miss Miao? My indecently abrupt entry deserves death a thousand times over; but if I suddenly emerge at this moment, people will believe that we are engaged in an affair as we will be seen to have been swathed in the same coverlet on the same bed. I would then have defiled Miss Miao's untainted reputation. I shall wait until those people have left the room; then I can get out of bed and apologize to her."

Fox turned around slightly. The back of his hand inadvertently touched the lady's upper arm again. Her limb was like immaculate satin to the touch, as though she were naked. Taken aback, Fox immediately withdrew his hand. Orchid was left yet with her chemise on when Sign had stripped her of her clothes. Believing that she was unclothed, Fox closed his eyes. He dared neither look at her nor move his limbs. He immediately tightened his chest and stomach, drawing them both in. Quietly he inched his way towards the outer edge of the bed, keeping himself at a safer distance.

Though Fox had closed his eyes, the delectably musky fragrance stole into his nose. The scent irresistibly caressed him, seeming to toy with the soul of this martial man. Fox soon lost command of his senses. Re-opening his eyes wide, he caught a glimpse of a young maiden, lying on her back. Like a cherry apple, her oval face was flushed and abashed. If she were not Miss Miao, who else could she be? The shimmering firelight filtering through the gauze curtain played upon the beautiful face pillowed next to his own. Such loveliness in a living being Fox had never seen before, nor ever dared to dream of.

Fox had meant to steal only one glance at Orchid, and then close his eyes. The minute his eyes were closed, his mind was in a frenzy of infatuation, yet touched with indecision and the need to forget her. Once again he had to open his eyes and look fully at her.

Orchid, piqued at the paralytic points, lay on her back immobilized; but her mind remained as sharp as a razor. Panic had pierced her heart when Fox had slipped suddenly into the bed, lying next to her so that their heads touched. She dreaded assault. Orchid had immediately closed her eyes, resigned to her fate. But Fox, after lying down for only a short while, had decided to sidle towards the outside of the bed, away from her. He had not attempted to move any closer. This diminished her fear. She opened her eyes minutely to assuage her curiosity. At this moment Fox happened to gaze at her soulfully with his wide open eyes. The two pairs of eyes met, less than six inches from each other. Fox and Orchid both blushed hotly.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from beyond the screen: "Master Sai, your plan is ingenious, and would surprise anyone. Once that warrior fighter, even supposing he is truly Invincible Under the Sky, is caught like a fly in a spider's treacherous web, he will find not a single weak thread."

Thereupon, the enemy holding the torch broke into deep laughter. He put the candlestick down and moved in front of the screen, remarking, "Master Zhang, cease all these glittering compliments. Once we have the matter settled, I shall certainly see to it that you are all handsomely rewarded."

Fox and Orchid were shocked to hear them. The adversaries had hatched some vile schemes aimed at Phoenix, the Gilt-faced Buddha. Ignorant of the facts of life among the outlawry, Orchid paid little heed to their remarks. Knowing well that her father was truly invincible, she trusted that no harm could ever come to him. Fox, however, regarded the matter differently. Sean Sai, Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen and the champion fighter of Manchuria, had already excelled himself by transcending the techniques of martial ability. Both his endomarts and exomarts had attained a state of artfulness, growing from his unconscious. Ruthless and cunning, Sai had inflicted countless brutal and agonizing deaths on loyal officials and righteous warriors. As Principal Imperial Guardsman and henchman to Emperor Qianlong, Sai had travelled as an emissary to the Jadeite Pinnacle in person, bringing his contingent of picked hands all the way from Peking. Zhang seemed to have indicated that they had devised some evil trick to ensnare Phoenix. Accomplished though he was in martial feats, he would surely have to succumb to their treacherous designs. Sensing that Commissioner Sai had moved away from the screen, Fox seized this opportunity to act. Quietly he raised the gauze curtain and lashed out his right palm in the direction of the fire. A gust of wind immediately swept across the room, putting out the flame instantly.

Suddenly a voice was heard: "Oh, the fire has gone out." More people stepped inside the room at this moment, crying, "Strike a flame! Kindle the fire!" The Commissioner interrupted. "It would be better to talk in the dark. Phoenix is exceptionally nimble-witted. The light may deter him from entering this room. He is very much like a fish which has already swallowed the bait, and yet manages to swim away, wrestling itself free of the hook." The party applauded his plan, echoing each other's praise. "The Commissioner is indeed far-sighted. His moves are indeed meticulously contrived. He is both exceptional and remarkable."

At length, someone was heard quietly moving the screen to the side. By now fighters and warriors had packed the room. Some were sitting on the floor and others on the table. Three of them were even sitting by the edge of the bed. The feeling of immediate danger never left Fox; rather it grew increasingly stronger.

Fox was afraid that the three fellows sitting by the edge of the bed might lean back when they grew tired. The worst that might happen would be if they should decide to stretch out on their backs. Mindful of this imminent danger, Fox involuntarily edged his way slightly inward, bringing himself closer to Orchid. Orchid's breath filtered through his nose, like the musky perfume of orchids, drowning his senses and bewitching his soul. Fox was haunted by the fear that he would tarnish Orchid's reputation if ever the three fighters sitting by the edge of the bed discovered him. He was also obsessed by another fear that the stubble of his beard might injure her delicate face. Thereupon, Fox vowed to himself: should he be discovered, he would dispatch all eighteen of the fighters assembled in the room, sparing not a soul, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. He vowed not to let anyone escape, lest the life of this pure and immaculate maiden be endangered.

As luck would have it, the three fighters all sat upright, and did not move. Fox did not realize that Orchid was piqued at the paralytic points. All he could sense was that the young lady had made no attempt to shun him by shifting towards the inward side of the bed. Feeling both apprehension and ecstasy, Fox felt he was floating adrift in mid air, treading on clouds and gliding over fogs.

Presently came the voice of Commissioner Sai: "Attention everybody, may we now call upon Master Wish to introduce each one in this group." Then came a low voice in the room: "I am most delighted that you honour me with your presence. Over here is Master Sai, Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen. Master Sai wields deadly fear, and is held in awe by the outlawry, as each one of you must surely know." Without a doubt, the one delivering the speech was Master Wish, lord of the eyrie on the Jadeite Pinnacle. Soon a medley of voices ensued, speaking words of welcome and admiration.

Increasing chill smote Fox's heart as he listened to the names of the assemblage introduced by Wish. Besides the Imperial Guardsmen comprising Commissioner Sai's regiment of seven emissaries, the remainder were each renowned warriors in their own right from among the outlawry. Present in the room were Profundity the Taoist Phongie of the Kokonor-Tibetan School; Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee of the Altyn Tagh in Chinese Turkestan; and Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism of the Absolute Lodge south of the Caramoran. Others among the group were either Grand Masters and famed champion fighters of different Lodges or Principal Chieftains of the Outlawry or Chief Escorts of various convoys, each attracting celebrated titles in his own right. As for the seven Imperial Guardsmen, they were reputed veteran experts in the Martial Brotherhood.

Slowly considering everything in her mind, Orchid reflected, "So scantily clad am I, and yet I am so very close to him. A web of all-embracing treachery has entangled his and my families. I do not know what he will do to me. Crude and brash he appeared at our first meeting this morning, and yet he is a marvel, accomplished in both martial feats and scholarly works. It is hard to imagine that he would have the impudence to be unmannerly." Though Orchid did not consider Fox's behaviour towards her to be in any way appropriate, somehow neither grudge nor wrath was in her heart. She could not help liking him a little and grew oblivious to the excited discussions around her.

Fox was by ten years Orchid's senior and had seen much of the world so he understood that the topic under discussion amounted to a matter of great consequence. He was at a loss, feeling both glad and afraid. But every word muttered on the other side of the curtain registered itself in his ears. Counting on his fingers the number of accomplished fighters Wish had introduced, Fox came only to sixteen. Wish stopped at that figure, causing Fox to ponder, "Eighteen altogether on the other side of the curtain. Discounting Wish, the number should stand at seventeen. Who is the last person?" Fox pricked up his ears with a curious sense of foreboding. Some attentive ears on the opposite side of the curtain also noted the discrepancy. A voice was heard asking, "Who is the remaining one?" No answer came from Wish.

After a pause, Commissioner Sai offered his answer, "Good! I shall tell you now. He is Fan, Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry."

The remaining group was taken aback. One or two of the fighters had heard earlier that the Imperial Court had already captured Fan. The remainder knew also that Fan the Ringleader had always fought against authority; there was no possibility that he would join with the Imperial Guardsmen. Fan's sudden appearance on the mountain, therefore, brought puzzlement to the assembly.

To ease their anxiety Sai began explaining, "The story is as follows: you have all been invited to this mountain by Master Wish to join with him against Fox Volant of the Snowy mountain. But before going for the fox, we have to carry a buddha down the mountain first." Laughter followed.

"Is it the Gilt-faced Buddha?" asked someone.

"You are right." Sai replied. "We took pains to capture Fan the Ringleader intending to hook him as bait for Phoenix in Peking. Nets were spread and pits were dug in the Imperial Jail to await the visit of his honour. However, Phoenix was so nimble-witted that he eluded our hook." One of the Imperial Guardsmen present made a choking sound but remained silent.

Sai had, in fact, held back part of the story. Did Phoenix not travel to Peking? He fought his way to the Imperial Jail, on his own, to rescue Fan the Ringleader. Though he failed in his attempt, he dispatched eleven Imperial Guardsmen with blows from his long sword. Commissioner Sai also received a blow on his arm. Ingenious though his plan was, Sai failed to capture Phoenix whose feats were outstanding. This failure counted as the most shameful defeat in his life, and would, of course, forever be kept an absolute secret by the Commissioner.

Sai again picked up his story: "Master Wish and Master Fan, whose great heroic spirits are much talked about by Brothers of the outlawry, pledged to assist us. I am most humbly grateful and will report the case to the Emperor after the matter has been concluded and you will certainly be rewarded handsomely ..."

At this point, the sound of footsteps was heard coming faintly from afar. Sai, whose ears were extremely sensitive, at once sensed these footsteps, though they were faint and distant. Sai lowered his voice, "The Gilt-faced Buddha is on his way. Imperial servants should lie in ambush here while the rest of us go and receive him outside." Thereupon, Master Wish, Fan the Ringleader, Profundity the Taoist Phongie, Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee, Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism and others all got to their feet and walked out of the room together, leaving only seven Imperial Guardsmen behind in the room.

In a moment the footsteps reached the outside of the eyrie. Hardly anybody had expected Phoenix to arrive in such a short time. It could be likened to a boat entering a storm in the vast ocean. No sooner are the signs visible far off than the sails are smashed by stormy rainwater. Or it could also be likened to a person's failing to muffle his ears with his hands before thunder strikes. No sooner is lightning seen than thunder is heard.

Commissioner Sai and his six henchmen were given the fright of their lives. They all instantly whipped out their blades. "Lie flat and be still!" ordered Sai. One guardsman raised the gauze curtain, intending to hide in the bed. Sai bawled at him, "Stupid fool, would you not be found out just as easily in the bed?" The man drew back his hand. The seven then hid themselves either under the bed, inside the closet or behind the bookcase.

Deeply amused, Fox thought to himself, "You call others stupid fools, when you yourself are the biggest fool." Orchid brushed his face gently with breath from her nostrils. Once more Fox faltered. He reached out his lips and stole a kiss on her cheek. Feeling both exhilarated and ashamed, Orchid tried to avoid his move but to no avail as she had been rendered immobilized. This one kiss instilled guilt in Fox who could not help thinking, "She is such a gentle and fair lady, how could I put her to shame?" Just as he was about to shift his body outward to move a little away from her, two guardsmen under the bed fidgeted a little. They cursed in low voices. The space under the bed was too confined to hold so many people. One guardsman chanced also to thrust his elbow into the nose of another, hurting him and causing him to swear.

Fox always had in store a sense of good humour for his enemies. On another day, his temperament would have dictated that he rip open the bedding and urinate copiously down beneath the bed, thereby pounding wisdom of a sort into each of the brains of the guardsmen. But the thought of Orchid lying close to him dispelled all thought of such a malicious prank. How could he dare?

A short time elapsed. Master Wish, Jiang the Senior Mentor, and others were returning with someone towards the eastern wing, all laughing and talking. The new arrival was Phoenix Miao. Someone led the way with a candle in his hand.

Earlier on, Wish had begun to wonder where all his family members and servants were. Not a soul was in sight. However, he had pushed such domestic thoughts to the back of his mind once Sai had announced his presence and was followed by Phoenix arriving on the mountain. Wish gave Phoenix a sidelong glance. Phoenix wore a solemn and grave expression. Something was occupying his mind.

After seating themselves inside the room, Wish began, "Brother Phoenix, your little brother here made an arrangement to settle an old debt with Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain. Little brother is most grateful that Brother Phoenix and the good friends here have imparted to him their heroic spirits by travelling all the way here to join together against Fox. Now it is getting dark and Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain has not yet arrived. The celebrated titles of all you here must have scared him off, forcing him to flee with his fox-tail between his legs." Rage at once filled the proud chest of Fox. He would have liked to leap out and deal a resounding slap to Wish's face.

Suddenly, Phoenix cleared his throat and addressed Fan the Ringleader, "Brother Fan finally escaped unscathed, then?" Thereupon the Ringleader got to his feet and performed a low bow, remarking, "Master Phoenix penetrated the perilous zone himself. Such benevolence and merit will be deeply ingrained forever in the mind of little brother. Brother Phoenix created havoc in Peking. Later, Brothers from my humble outlawry mustered forces for my rescue. Fortune ensured that a mass of supporters showed up. And wielding the awe of Master Phoenix, little brother finally managed to escape danger."



* * *



Nonsense was all that Fan the Ringleader ever uttered. Phoenix did journey to the Imperial Jail in person. Though he eluded capture, he failed to free Fan the Ringleader from prison. Neither had the Cathay Outlawry stormed the jail in the capital. Seeing his foremost evil design wrecked, Sai contrived another scheme. A lengthy discussion with Fan then took place inside the Imperial Jail. Sai threatened to dispatch him; but Fan was stubborn and unbending, shaken neither by threat nor by bribery. Sai was a shrewd old man to whom the years had given a reliable understanding of human weakness and an ability to divine others' thoughts. A few days' observation led Sai to shape his new actions accordingly. The crafty and shrewd Commissioner was convinced that Fan had a weakness for flattery and the more flamboyant forms of deference. Blandishment was the only tool that could bend the stiff neck of such an iron nature, as he would succumb to neither offers of wealth nor position. Having hatched his crafty scheme, Sai invited Fan to move into his residence and even saw him to his mansion in person. Then Sai ordered flattering minions talented in sycophancy to toady to Fan, gratifying him with such titles as "Ultimate Hero Fighter of the Outlawry" and "Might of the Ringleader Overawes the Banditry". From morn till night, unction like this pampered his ears. At first Fan the Ringleader found it rather offensive. However, within a few days, Fan's headstrong opposition had considerably weakened. This fulsome praise eventually caused him to laugh and talk. By then the time was ripe for Sai to join the knot of adulators to dispel whatever residual resistance remained in Fan. Commissioner Sai deployed his talents to the full and continued to lavish more flattering words on him. Eventually the question came up of who deserved the title Hero Fighter of the Age. Though Fan had every reason to think very highly of himself, he still decreed Phoenix to be the Invincible Under the Sky. But Commissioner Sai speedily cajoled, "Master Fan is being too modest. Little brother tends to think the Gilt-faced Buddha may not necessarily possess the prowess to overpower your good self, even though he bears the sobriquet the Invincible Under the Sky." This unctuousness thrilled Fan's heart. Fan began to convince himself that, after all, he may not necessarily be that far off from Phoenix, who, as he noted, was a fighter endowed with martial accomplishments.

Commissioner Sai and Fan the Ringleader carried on the discourse well into the early hours. And the next morning, Sai suddenly introduced his own feats. Soon his guardsmen also added their comments. They claimed that in a recent combat between the Commissioner and Phoenix, the first two hundred tricks saw neither side gaining any vantage. Nearing the end of the battle, just as Sai was on the verge of outmanoeuvring Phoenix, the latter took to his heels when the first opportunity offered itself. Had he stayed on, the Commissioner would certainly have beaten him after unravelling another few hundred moves. This immediately produced an expression of doubt on Fan the Ringleader's face.

Commissioner Sai, however, continued to fabricate, wreathed in smiles, "I have long admired the unique series of eighty-one styles in your Quintet Swordplay of the Tiger. Our venturing to tamper with the might of the tiger, though itself decreed by the Emperor, is largely due to our fellow guardsmen's wanting to see the Ringleader himself parading his martial arts. As we were eager to earn our merits, we therefore resorted to mustering the forces of all eighteen Champions of the Imperial Court. Only by contriving thus could we succeed in persuading you to accept our invitation. It is regrettable that little brother has never been given the opportunity to meet fairly with the Ringleader, man to man and sword to sword. Now that we have become better acquainted, why not test a few of your moves here and now?"

Soothed by such flattery, Fan the Ringleader replied peremptorily, "As the Commissioner has beaten Phoenix, I am afraid you may find my humble self too weak for you."

"Your excessive modesty does us both injustice," answered Commissioner Sai with a smile.

After exchanging a few more words, the two contestants fell to testing their feats in the arena of the Commissioner's residence.

The Ringleader brandished a knife. The weapon wielded by the Commissioner was rather unusual: a pair of spiked cudgels with short hafts. Mighty blows he struck with this weapon. And an adept in martial ability Sai truly proclaimed himself to be. The battle raged fast and furious, and went on for three hundred or so tricks without either side gaining much advantage. The combatants were so evenly matched that neither struck decisive blow at the other. A short while later, Sai began to look weary and to show signs of defeat. He was cornered by Fan hurling his blade. Try as he might, Sai could not manage to elude the circle swept by his opponent. Sai had landed himself in a tricky situation. He had to admit defeat, saying, "The Ringleader has proven himself a fierce fighter. I humbly acknowledge myself beaten." Fan broke into soft laughter and leapt away, whirling his weapon. With bitter wrath Sai flung his cudgels to the ground, sighing, "I have always been swollen with the pride that I am unbeatable. Heaven knows that there is a sky beyond the sky, a Master above another Master." Thereupon he wiped his sweat away with his sleeves, panting heavily.

After the contest, Fan relented further, allowing himself to be cajoled into believing that he had attained the rank of deity. Even the guardsmen had now become his fast friends. And increasingly, Fan bent to Sai's imperious will. Fan, a loutish fellow, never saw through Sai's trick. The Commissioner had contrived this contest deliberately to let Fan overpower him. Had they met in fair play, man to man and sword to sword, Fan would certainly have been beaten by the cudgels in less than a hundred tricks.

Why did Commissioner Sai go to such lengths to design innumerable schemes to win Fan's friendship? Though Fan was far from being a champion fighter himself, he was, after all, endowed with an esoteric killer trick unsurpassed by any fighter: it was the series of twenty-three styles in the Grappling Claws of the Dragon which would inflict tormenting pain on its victims. Those beaten would feel as if holes were being bored in their tendons and muscles, and nails driven through their feet. No matter how mighty a fighter his combatant might be, once any part of his body was pinched by Fan, he would be grappled, and unable to escape unscathed. Sai had heard from Pastoral that capturing Phoenix was the key to finding the treasure. As Phoenix had already eluded capture when he contrived his scheme the "Web Within the Imperial Jail", Sai then hit upon the idea of counting on Fan to practise his killer trick on his behalf to capture Phoenix. As the Gilt-faced Buddha was a truly accomplished fighter, were he and Fan to meet in fair play, Fan would never find the opportunity to practise the Grappling Claws of the Dragon against him. Since both had been close friends for years, Fan might have a chance to use this killer trick against Phoenix, provided the latter was caught completely off guard.



* * *



After Fan the Ringleader had expressed his appreciation for the service rendered by Phoenix, the latter immediately reciprocated his thanks by folding both hands and saying, "It is a mere trifle; not a word of thanks should be mentioned." Turning round to Wish, Phoenix asked, "I wonder what sort of person Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain is, and what wrong he has done to invoke Brother Wish's anger."

Wish immediately reddened and spoke in a muddled manner, "I have never met this character. Somehow he heard from the others that I had seized his family heirloom. He has approached me a number of times for it. Realizing that he is such an adept that I, being now advanced in years, would never be his match, I therefore invited you all to journey up the mountain so that this matter could be sorted out in front of all present. If he chooses not to concede to our ruling but insists on pursuing the matter further, resorting to might with which he knows he is well endowed, we shall then have to make this young chap learn his lesson."

"He claims that Brother Wish has in his possession his family heirloom, but what actually is the case?" asked Phoenix.

"There is nothing to this heirloom business," answered Wish. "He simply invented the whole thing."

Ever since Gully's death, a certain thought had been occupying Phoenix's mind. He therefore journeyed to Liaodong Peninsula, and visited Gully's family and friends to learn more of the life and heroic deeds of this bosom friend of his, the only one true friend that Phoenix had ever had in his life. After some reconnoitring, Phoenix found out that Wish and Gully had been acquainted. Hence Phoenix travelled up the Jadeite Pinnacle and presented himself at the eyrie. About the life of Gully, Wish spared but a few words. Yet he took it upon himself to shower Phoenix with an extremely cordial reception. Wish guided Phoenix to the old mansion that belonged to Gully in person, only to find a dilapidated shack standing deserted.

Out of love for Gully, Phoenix extended his affection even to Wish and counted him as an acquaintance of his. But that took place some twenty years before. Sensing the uncertainty now in his tone, Phoenix turned to advise Wish, "If the object in question does indeed have as its owner Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, Brother Wish can perhaps deliver it to him when he comes up the mountain in a short while." But Wish defended himself, not without exasperation in his tone, "There was simply no treasure to start with. How can I produce something for him?"

Knowing Phoenix to be shrewd and nimble, Fan the Ringleader was afraid that he would soon discover that enemies were lying in wait inside the building. Thereupon, he joined in to persuade Wish, "I also find truth in Master Phoenix's words. Each article claims its rightful owner, especially when a family heirloom is the treasure in question. Return the object to Fox and the case is closed. Why should you aggravate yourself by resorting to arms and force?"

Thereupon, Wish grew desperate. He immediately countered, "You are taking the same attitude as Phoenix. Do you mean to imply that you do not believe me?"

Fan the Ringleader defended himself thus, "I do not know enough to judge. But as Master Phoenix has expressed it as he has, he cannot be wrong. As I have cunningly survived the rough behaviour of the outlawry, I choose not to believe what people may have to say. Master Phoenix, the Gilt-faced Buddha, of all humanity, is the only person to whom goes out my full respect."

While speaking thus, Fan the Ringleader had moved behind Phoenix's back, feverishly gesturing with his hands.

Seeing that Fan had sided with him in this talk, Phoenix thought to himself, "After all he is the Chieftain of an outlawry; he therefore can explicate these facts." Suddenly terrible sensations crept over the paralytic points of the Gusty Mere behind his ear and of the Celestial Tract behind his back. Matters had suddenly gone wrong. Alerted, Phoenix swiftly thrust out his left arm, striking a blow. Alas, it was too late. His two principal paralytic points having been piqued by Fan the Ringleader practising the Grappling Claws of the Dragon, Phoenix immediately felt sore and numbed all over. Even were he a divine incarnation, or a necromancer incarnate, Phoenix would have found himself completely unable to expedite any moves.

But bearing the sobriquet "the Invincible Under the Sky" and having weathered countless villainous and perilous crises, Phoenix would never allow himself to simply await death with bound hands. Thereupon, he roared out like thunder. Dipping his head and summoning reserves of energy to his waist, he struck down with his head the towering figure of Fan the Ringleader. In a moment Sai and his contingent of followers were crying uproariously, darting from different corners.

After being thrown to the ground by Phoenix tossing his head, Fan, bringing off his Grappling Claws of the Dragon, speedily spun around, throwing his arms around his assailant from the front, sticking to his body like a leech. Fan's claws continued to pique fast the paralytic points on Phoenix's back. On finding foes suddenly springing from all corners, Phoenix confided to himself, "All my life I have been watching the behaviour of the outlawry and yet I am overcome in one instant, due to the foul trickery of villains." Suddenly a guardsman leapt forward, encircling his arms around Phoenix's neck.

Phoenix now stood vulnerable to attack from all sides. He tossed his forehead backward and speedily thrust it forward, pounding his forehead suddenly on his enemy. By now he had localized all his immanent force in his scalp. His crown thrust squarely between the eyes of his adversary, dispatching him instantaneously. The remainder had the fright of their lives, as they intended also to rush forward. But all stopped themselves on a sudden, a mere few feet from Phoenix.

All strength had left his limbs, but Phoenix could still move his head. After scoring success with his forehead, Phoenix tilted his head sideward, thrusting it violently against Fan. Terrified, the Ringleader suddenly hit upon an idea: ducking, Fan clasped Phoenix about the waist and pounded his head at his midriff. Suddenly Phoenix found life in his limbs. He snapped up his foot, stopping a whisker from the side of a guardsman nearby. Phoenix at once flung out his hand, ready to smite a blow on Fan's back. Just as Phoenix was about to start thrusting down his upper arm to strike, a sudden feeling of soreness and numbness gripped his limbs. His blows stayed frozen in mid air. Fan the Ringleader had once again piqued his paralytic points at the waist.

The battle raged fast and furious, with the strong and ferocious strokes of one combatant equalled by fierce and furious blows from his opponent. Move after move was unfolded within moments. The Commissioner knew that Fan's clandestine attack could only succeed for a short while, after which Phoenix would certainly dissolve his moves. Thereupon, Sai dashed forward and stuck out a finger, piquing Phoenix twice at the Chortling Midriff. Though his move fell short on speed, its might was unsurpassedly strong. Phoenix at once let out a cry of pain, dropping to the ground in a swoon: he was paralysed all over.

Still burying himself in Phoenix's bosom and oblivious to all events around him, Fan the Ringleader was intent on sinking his nails deep into Phoenix's paralytic points. With smiling briskness, Sai beckoned, "Ringleader, you have already emerged with flying colors. Now let go!" Only when this command was repeated the third time did it produce an effect on Fan. He lifted his head, pondered a long while, still lacking the courage to free his captive.

Presently, one of the guardsmen extracted from his clothing a pair of exquisitely forged chains, binding Phoenix hand and foot. Only after Phoenix had been thus fettered would the Ringleader consider loosening his grip on his prey.

Holding Phoenix's feats still in aweful dread and fearing also that the captive in manacles might outmanoeuvre the guards by breaking free, thus creating menace later on, Commissioner Sai took a knife from the guardsman and addressed the prisoner condescendingly, "Phoenix, do not blame me who bears the surname Sai for denying you a sense of comradeship. Your prowess fundamentally prevents this possibility. Only after we have nipped your tendons can we both afford to take our meals in the day and sleep at night unperturbed in mind." Having delivered himself, the Commissioner seized Phoenix's right arm, raising his own right arm to smite a maiming stroke. Four hefty blows on the sinews of his limbs would be sufficient to reduce Phoenix to an insensate being.

At the critical juncture, Fan the Ringleader jumped in to intercept the lethal stroke, parrying Sai's striking limb by thrusting out his own, crying out, "Do not hurt him! You promised me you would not. On that you have taken a solemn vow." The scheming protagonist let out an icy sneer, musing silently to himself, "So you seriously assume that I am not of your quality. If I do not show you my true colours, you will just remain an arrogantly ignorant dog for the rest of your life." Sinking his palm and collecting his strength at the midriff, Sai suddenly plunged his right shoulder into Fan. Catching his victim completely off guard, Sai's violent blow threw Fan's body straight at the wall, breaking a hole through the partition and causing Fan to plunge to the ground on the other side of the wall. Commissioner Sai roared with laughter. Brandishing his keen blade, the victor raised it, ready to hurl down a hacking blow on Phoenix's right arm.



* * *



Hiding behind the gauze curtain, Fox had been listening attentively to all the goings-on. He argued with himself, "Even though Phoenix is a deadly foe who slew my father, he still is a great knight-errant of the age. How can he die at the hands of these ruffians?" Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, Fox leapt out from behind the curtain, snapping out his hand and smiting a blow on a guardsman, plunging his victim headlong into Sai. Strange and unpredictable was this move, taking the Commissioner wholly by surprise. Sai immediately flung his weapon to the ground, arresting the trajectory of the moving body.

By now, Fox had already seized two guardsmen, smashing their two heads together. The scalps crashed together, killing their owners instantaneously. Fox flung out both hands, raining blows furiously on the two bodies. And in the confusion which ensued, a countless number of adversaries dashed to the scene. The omnipotent might embodied in Fox struck his assailants with awe, deterring each with a sense of apprehension.

On the head of one guardsman Fox dealt a stroke with his fist, dispatching him instantly. While Fox was thrusting out his left hand, his enemy, unseen, tugged at him, slipping away from his palm. A chill smote his heart. Fox's dazed eyes immediately spotted an opponent with a healthy and hearty look, and his grey beard reaching over his stomach. Though a new face, he proclaimed himself to be an adept in Inner School. In executing his esoteric feat Primordial Unity, he wove offensive moves into his defense, blending all moves harmoniously. This assailant could be none other than Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism of the Absolute Lodge.

By now, more enemies were closing round Fox, many of whom undoubtedly were adept fighters. An idea suddenly struck Fox. Snapping up his leg, Fox whipped it out at Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee, lunging at his chest. A martial artist specializing in Outer School, Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee at once slashed out his arm, slicing Fox's sole with the edge of his palm. In a flash Fox made an impromptu duck, and followed through, thrusting out his forelimbs and sinking his nails into a body. The space in the room was already cluttered. In the commotion which ensued, no one found a way to escape. Amidst uproarious cries, shrieking and shouting, Fox had already seized Wish by the front of his jacket and grasped Profundity by his midriff. Wielding these two captives as weapons, Fox at once slashed out fiercely and ferociously at the remaining group. In the face of this dangerous onslaught, the remaining adept fighters resorted to huddling helplessly together, fearing that their captured comrades might receive lethal blows from their own hands. None dared to attempt a counter-attack. The ten or so fearful souls were huddled in a corner. And a terrible situation they had finally landed themselves in.

Seeing that the situation had got out of hand, Sai the Commissioner leapt from the crowd, gripping Fox's scalp with his ten hook-like fingers. Fox had been encouraging Sai into making such a move. Exploding with a sudden clear laugh, Fox at once bounded back a few paces, crying aloud, "You, Master Sai, being a veteran fighter, are now losing all face!" His words struck Sai with frightful dread, causing him to retort, "Who is losing all face?"

In his hands Fox was still gripping both Wish and Profundity, laying hold on their major paralytic points. Accomplished fighters though they were, the poor captives could not bring themselves to expedite a single move, but resigned themselves to being pulled about like limp puppets in their captor's hands. In no time Fox turned sternly at Sai, "Only by mustering the forces of ten or so fighters and by scheming devilry could you manage to make Phoenix a captive. Is this worthy of the champion fighter of Manchuria?"

The Commissioner reddened to the tips of his ears. Thereupon, he held out his left hand, commanding his contingent to plant themselves in all corners to close in on the provoker. Boiling with rage, Sai cried out, "I presume you are the so-called Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain?"

Smiling complacently, Fox retorted, "Undeserving of the honour though I am, that is precisely who I am. I have also heard that in Peking, there is a Sai, a so called Commissioner. He is counted as a somebody, but it turns out he is a villainous character. Such a cowardly ragamuffin, and yet he has the nerve to claim a title. Do me the favour of taking an early retirement and go home to look after your baby!"

Commissioner Sai had always thought very highly of himself and he was not prepared to swallow this humiliating insult. He tried to convince himself that, although Fox was thickly bearded, he was after all a young chap. He was sure that the might of Fox's martial arts could never rival the strength of his feats. But the sight of Fox grabbing Wish and Profundity with measured ease and lifting them up like feathers threw Sai once again into frightful apprehension, dampening his aggression and preventing him from declaring an open challenge to Fox.

While Sai was thus pondering, a voice was heard coming from Fox: "Come on, come on, come on. Let us test out our feats. If I fail to beat you within three tricks, the one bearing the family name Hu will concede and kowtow to you!"

Still torn by his own personal dilemma, Fox's blatant challenge speedily fired a thought through Sai's mind: "I never possessed the confidence and prowess to overpower you initially. But now even if you are a divine incarnation of martial ability, you will never stand a chance of beating me within three tricks, unless I am a corpse."

Thereupon, Sai's extreme anger transformed itself instantly into a mirthful smile, and he remarked good-humouredly, "Fine. The person bearing the surname Sai will oblige himself to take this feeble exercise."

At length, Fox posed Sai another question, "If you were outmanoeuvred within the next three tricks, how should I deal with you?"

"It will be up to you to punish me," Sai responded. "I, who bear the surname Sai and rank among celebrities, would never again have the face to appear before the public. No more jawing now. Let us begin!"

Thrusting his fists straight out with lightning speed, Sai aimed true and fast at Fox's chest, pummelling blow after blow. As Fox had not yet loosened his grip on Wish and Profundity, Sai feared that his opponent might parry his blows with them. Thereupon, he advanced towards the side of his assailant, commanding him to release the two victims and to guard against himself suffering his own strokes.

When the punch came driving fast into his front, Fox surprised the onlookers by attempting neither a dodge nor a parry. Suddenly his chest tucked inwards, dissolving the impending blow instantaneously into thin air. Sai was shocked at finding such prowess in one so young. A chill smote his heart. He instantly sprang backward, lest his enemy mobilize his strength for a counter-blow. Loud applause at once broke from the enthusiastic audience: "Trick One!" In the previous trick, Sai had been the sole combatant staging an attack. No counter-attack had yet been launched by Fox. Apparently the on-lookers were siding with the Commissioner, and they assessed that last move as one trick.

Fox exploded in a little laugh. Suddenly he hawked up phlegm. A gob of spittle darted from his throat, straight at the face of the Commissioner. Simultaneously displaying the move Multiple Encircling, Fox whipped out his legs in front.

The Commissioner felt a sudden chill run through him and clutch at his heart. Dodging the flying discharge demanded either leaping upward or ducking with a bowed head. But leaping upward would certainly invite a blow to his midriff by his opponent snapping up his left leg. As to ducking, it would mean proffering his jowl to the right leg of his enemy, attracting another blow. Shooting up presented just as difficult an alternative as slipping down. Sai finally resorted to parrying with the edges of his palms, guarding his vulnerable parts. The phlegm landed with a plop, nuzzling neatly between Sai's brows. This sordid matter would have been shunned by a child of seven. But under the belief that his adversary had more savage moves in store for him, the crestfallen and out-manoeuvred Sai had to accept the slaver with the heroic courage befitting a commissioner.

The snivel plastering with a smack on the Commissioner's face put all his comrades on the alert. Afraid they might be the next targets of a similar clandestine attack, none could muster enough courage to lift his finger to wipe the gluey slime from the face of the assaulted. Amidst such dreadful embarrassment exploded the decree "Trick Two", sounding far less authoritative than the previous acclaim.

Sai the Commissioner then told himself, "Though I have been humiliated, as long as I can maintain my guard against the opponent's offensive moves, meeting him head-on in another trick could be done more easily than said. I shall see what he has to say about that afterwards." Thereupon, Sai bawled out his command, "One trick left. Fall to, quick!"

With smiling briskness, Fox strode one step forward. Suddenly plucking up Wish and Profundity, he thrust them straight into his adversary. Already perceiving such an onslaught, Sai had designed some devilry to fall back onto: A common saying goes that ruthlessness is the mark of a truly great man. In a precarious and dangerous situation like this, one has no alternative but sorely to hurt his friends. Sai whipped up his arms just as the two bodies came sweeping in his face, pummeling blows fierce and furious on his comrades.

Just as the two miserable captives started to hurl their trunks into Sai, stopping short of making direct contact, Fox suddenly loosened his grip on their principal paralytic points, switching abruptly to clutching their sinews peripheral to the paralytic points.

For a while Wish and Profundity went whirling in mid air as if reeling and tottering in a void. Suddenly the senses in their paralytic points woke up and their limbs regained their normal functions. Whipping out their hands instantaneously, they brought every muscle of their bodies into play and directed all force in their fists, intending to wrestle themselves free of the grapple of their enemy. Each fell to expediting his esoteric killer trick learned over a life-time, smiting blows with the utmost savagery. A thunderous roar escaped Commissioner Sai instantly. The deadly, deafening strokes caught his sternum, heart, midriff and axilla, causing his feet to collapse and forcing his knees to crumple and his body to tumble backwards. By merely relaxing his hold and immediately tightening his grip, Fox once again piqued Wish and Profundity at their damoclean points. "Trick Three!" exploded the victor.

Heralding his own triumph, Fox doubled the power in his blows. Wish and Profundity passed out without even the time to let out a sound. Fox's pique proved stunning. The recovery of the two injured would take at least two weeks, even in the hands of adepts. Finally, Fox hauled up the victims and hurled them head-on at two enemies in front. Awe and fear fell upon them, and they immediately dodged the impending onslaught lest Wish and Profundity should defeat them as they had done the poor Commissioner. Immediately Fox bounded forward, seizing them both, whilst their limbs were still smarting, in mid-air before they touched the ground. Holding both captives in his hands, Fox turned round and addressed Sai, "What say you now?"

Utterly crushed, Commissioner Sai felt all his bright, ambitious hopes for the future turn into dust and ashes. Completely devoid of ambition and hope, he was heard to mumble, "It is entirely up to you what to do with me. Why do you bother to ask me?"

Fox put forward his terms, "Set Phoenix the Knight-errant free immediately."

The Commissioner motioned to two of his guardsmen with his hand to free Phoenix. The two subordinates at once unfettered the chains on the captive.



* * *



Commissioner Sai was the one who had piqued Phoenix on his paralytic points. The two guardsmen were at a loss as to how to revivify him. Just as Fox was reaching out his hand to invigorate him, Phoenix channelled energy appropriately within his internal system, thus taking the lead in resuscitating his own body. His limbs having been set free, Phoenix drew in a deep breath. By tucking in his midriff slightly, he had his paralytic points reinstated in a moment. Suddenly, without warning, his left foot swept up from the floor towards Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee and sent him soaring like a rocket. Thrusting out his fist at the same instant, he threw a straight punch at an opponent, propelling him forward.

Fan the Ringleader, it may be remembered, who was sent plunging through the wooden partition by Sai the Commissioner a while before, struggled to pick himself up, after some time had lapsed. Just as he was making his way back into the room through the hole in the panel, he was smashed head-on by a flying comrade whom Phoenix sent plunging straight into him. Taking their comrade as adversaries, they each at once paraded their respective killer tricks, engaging themselves in a death grapple.

Though Spirituality the Buddhist Devotee had been sent flying by Phoenix whipping out his leg, he managed to survive the ordeal. After all, he was a renowned hero fighter of the Kunlun School, who had attained a unique level of martial ability. Whilst his body was in mid-air, Spirituality reversed his position by twisting around at the waist, pointing his head again upward and his feet downward. In a flash, he landed on his posterior with a thump, sitting himself on the edge of the bed.

This acrobatic feat, brought off by Spirituality, inspired terror in Fox. As he was on the verge of rushing forward to shoulder Spirituality aside, a strong gust of air suddenly swept across his front. Blades soon came hurling down on his right. Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism and one of the guardsmen were now setting themselves against Fox. Fox easily warded off all the blows coming from the sentry, but had great difficulty absorbing the Dipper's Handle Pointing East emanating from Jiang the Senior Mentor in Pugilism. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Fox channeled the strength in his body, thereby cushioning the move thrown at him by his assailant. But moves of Unfathomable Pugilism unfolded by the elderly pugilist of the Absolute Lodge came plunging like a toppling wave, rippling in endless lines, one immediately following on another. Fox was baffled, unable to draw on any of his limbs to mount an offensive.

After plumping himself down on the bed's edge, Spirituality ripped off the half drawn gauze curtain with a swish, then bounded up in a leap. His right leaping foot chanced to catch the coverlet snugly wrapping round Orchid, causing it to scrape aside and baring Orchid's maidenly bosom to manly eyes.

While engaging himself feverishly in a battle raging fast and furious, Phoenix suddenly glimpsed a young lady sprawling on the bed, scantily clad in a chemise, staring at him with a scarlet, shamed-filled face, but lying there still and motionless. It was his only child, his darling girl. This gave Phoenix the fright of his life, causing him to cry out, "Orchid, my child, what is the meaning of this?" Not a word could Orchid force from her mouth. She only stared up helplessly at her father, seized with a sudden attack of shame and frustration.

Phoenix lashed out his arms, fought his way through four enemies and pulled up Orchid, only to find her utterly limp and immobilized; without a doubt the piquing she had received was the work of an expert fighter. As Fox had been seen springing out from the quilted cover a short while before, Phoenix strongly suspected that he was the one guilty of brutalizing his daughter. Phoenix was thrown into an evil temper. The palpable evidence of his own eyes now gave him a spasm of wrath which almost made him swoon. Before he could start revivifying the paralytic points of his daughter, Phoenix thundered at Fox, "Dastardly coward!" Thrusting out his fists, the father pummelled mighty punches straight at Fox.

Phoenix's face was white with anger and his eyes wild and dangerous, almost darting fire. His fists, mustering all the might accumulated through the vigorous training of a life-time, showered horrendous blows, all aimed fast and furious at Fox. Oblivious of the other goings-on around him, Fox failed to notice how Phoenix had pulled Orchid out of the bed. Curiosity gripped him. He failed to understand why Phoenix should rage in battle against him, after he had rescued him from danger. The situation was becoming dangerous. In the confusion, Fox ducked to the left without time to demand an explanation. Suddenly there came a resounding snap: Phoenix had buried his punches in the back of a pugilist instructor.

The victim had vigorous training in footwork and was able to plant his feet firmly on the ground, like a pedestal. He would stand fast, assuming a horse stance, not giving way even to the combined efforts of several burly fighters. This unfortunate fighter was standing with his back to Fox just as Phoenix was advancing, pummelling with his fists. By a stroke of bad luck, Phoenix moved slightly too fast in delivering his punches while Fox reacted too quickly in dodging his blows, hence the unfortunate who stood in their way received a solid pair of brawny fists on his back. Had another victim been dealt these two punches, they would have been sufficient to throw him instantly to the ground. But so endowed was this pugilist instructor in his footwork that when the blow came, his ribs snapped with a cracking sound; thereafter, his body dropped limp as if in two halves and yet his two feet remained still nailed to the ground. The pugilist instructor was never able to stand erect again in his life.

Phoenix's might put the group in a state of apprehension. His howls froze their blood and dispersed the crowd in a flash. Presently, Phoenix swept up his left leg from the floor and it flew at Fox.

The light from the candle exposed the nakedness of Orchid instantly to curious eyes. Amongst the group, the eyes of those who harboured secret lusts were ogling her nudity. For Fox, preventing this decent, respectable young lady from being contaminated was a matter of burning importance. Thereupon, he grabbed a guardsman standing nearby and stood him like a screen between himself and Phoenix. Having warded off his foe, Fox then tilted his body sideward and leaped to the side of the bed, snatched a quilt and threw it over Orchid. So deft and swift were his moves that before anyone knew what had happened, Fox had vanished through the hole in the wall, clasping Orchid to his bosom.

Torn between anguish for his daughter and anger with Fox, Phoenix immediately flung his leg into the guardsman and sent him flying to the roof. Phoenix saw Fox grab his daughter and take to his heels. Seized by both fear and fury, the father howled out, "Dastardly coward, release my child!" Just as he was about to go in pursuit, the enemies crammed inside the tiny room held him fast. Try as he might to lash out with his arms and snap up his feet, Phoenix could not extricate himself from this tangled mess.





Chapter Ten: Duel



Phoenix's fierce temper inspired a deadly fear which aroused terror in all. Fox felt a sudden chill run through him and clutch at his heart. Not daring to delay, the young fighter raced towards the edge of the cliff, clasping Orchid to his chest. Then he seized the rope with one hand and glided down the precipitous slope. As he knew there was an abandoned cave not too far from the foot of the mountain, he immediately exercised his levitational skills, sailing towards the cavern. Though he was carrying Orchid in his arms, he found that she was as light as a feather.

In less time than it would take to drink a bowl of tea, Fox, with Orchid in his arms, found himself inside the abandoned cave. Wrapping the quilted cover snugly round her body, he left Orchid inert by the wall of the entrance. Then he slowly turned things over in his mind, reflecting, "If I were to revivify her paralytic points, I would have to touch her. Time is vital. If I do not revivify her now, injuries will result as she does not practise endomarts herself." Unable to decide what to do, Fox struck a flame and kindled firewood.

The light from the burning branch played upon Orchid's eyes which were like autumn's limpid pools. A maidenly confusion covered her cheeks. Fox proceeded apologetically, "Miss Miao, I harbour no disrespectful intentions towards you. Yet how may I manage to invigorate the paralytic points on your person without touching your body?" Though Orchid could not nod her consent, she consented with a softening look in her eyes, half in abashment and half in appreciation. Not a trace of anger was on her face. Elated by her encouraging expression, Fox immediately blew out the fire. Then he stretched out his hand, reached inside the coverlet and softly massaged several paralytic points on her. Eventually her meridians were restored to their normal functions, allowing the pneuma to circulate cleanly.

In no time, Orchid felt life renewed in her limbs. Her hands and legs gradually moved. Softly she said, "They are moving well, thank you!" Fox quickly withdrew his hands. He tried to bring himself to say something, but words failed him. After a considerable while, he began, "What happened a while ago was a result of an unintentional and innocent error on my part. Heaven above can testify that my conscience was at peace and devoid of offense. Would the lady please pardon my fault?" Demurely she replied, "I know all this."

Pitch blackness shrouded the young man and the maiden. In silence they remained. Outside the crypt, the landscape was thickly blanketed in snow. But Elysian joy surged in the two hearts. The cave felt full of the balm of spring, with the sun radiating heat. A feeling rather warmer than admiration was kindled in both souls.

Some time elapsed. Orchid broke the silence, "I wonder what is happening to my father now?"

Fox answered, "Your respected father is an invincible fighter. Those people are not his match. Relax and do not worry yourself."

A faint sigh escaped Orchid and she continued, "Poor father, he took you ... you for an indecent fellow."

Fox tried to comfort her. "I do not blame him. It was certainly an embarrassing situation."

Turning red, Orchid hastened to apologize, "A deep-concealed hurt consumes my father. The incident chanced to touch a sensitive spot in his heart. I hope that Master Fox will not take that as an offense." Curiosity got the better of Fox and he ventured to ask, "What is behind this secret?" The minute these words came from his mouth, Fox realized that he had been foolish to ask. He tried to cover up his mistake by thinking of another topic but he was bereft of speech. Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain was the sobriquet conferred on him. He was normally clever and nimble-witted, and abundantly resourceful, but this day saw him an utterly different person. He was awkward and taciturn in front of this gentle and graceful maiden.

Presently, Orchid confided, "I am ashamed of what happened in my family, but I will not hide it from you; my mother was involved in the story."

Fox let out a surprised "Oh!"

Orchid then continued, "My mother made an unforgivable mistake."

To this Fox responded, "To err is human. You need not take this to heart."

But Orchid shook her head slightly and went on. "It was a grave wrong, one that no woman can afford to pay the price for. Mother was ruined after the incident. Father was also shattered."

In silence Fox listened to Orchid's story. But he was already able to form an accurate idea of what had actually taken place. Orchid picked up her story: "Father is a famed warrior fighter among the outlawry. But mother was the daughter of a family of officials. Father chanced to save her life once in an accident, after which they became husband and wife. They were never meant to be a couple. Father also committed a serious wrong. He often extolled the good virtues of your mother in front of my mother."

In surprise Fox asked, "My mother?"

Orchid replied, "That is right. During the five-day duel between my father and your respected father, your mother struck him as courageous and dashing, her bearing more imposing than that of a truly great Master. Your mother's name came up often in my father's daily talk and he never tried to hide his admiration for your respected father also, claiming, 'Gully the Knight-errant's living one day with such a wonderful spouse is more enviable than a hundred years spent by others.' Though these words of praise invited no comment from mother, they had sowed the seeds of a grudge in her heart. Years later, Pastoral Tian of the Dragon Lodge paid a visit to our house. His finely chiselled features, his gift of natural refinement in discourse, as well as a pliable tongue which spoke softly and tenderly were all destined to captivate women's hearts, which really did make him an arrestingly handsome man. Drowned by her senses in a moment, my mother abandoned me to run away quietly with Pastoral."

Fox wanted to console her, and, though he was eager to say something, he was unable to utter a single syllable. He only let out a slight sigh. Her voice choked with grief, Orchid went on, "I was then only three years old. Father carried me in his arms and went in pursuit of mother day and night. He went without food and sleep for three days and three nights. Finally, he caught up with the eloping couple. When Pastoral saw father, did he dare to raise his hand against him? Mother sided completely with Pastoral, defending him. Seeing that mother was so deeply in love with this man, father could only resign himself, taking me home with him. He became seriously ill afterwards, almost losing his life. He admitted to me later that if only he could have borne to see me orphaned and living a lonely, hard life without being cared for, he would have given himself to death.

"For the three years that followed, father locked himself inside the house, burying himself in grief and pain. Sometimes he would cry, 'Orchis, Orchis, how could you be so foolish?' I was named after my mother." At these words, she blushed. It must be remembered that at that time, women kept their names a secret. Acquaintances would only know their family names; only kin and folk very close to the family could learn a woman's full name. In telling him her mother's name, Orchid had in fact told Fox what her own name was.

Although Fox could not read the expression on her face, he could sense the passionate earnestness of her tone. An ugly scandal, the greatest secret in her family she had poured out to him, withholding nothing. The listener appreciated the confidence which the maiden had placed in him. When she mentioned her first name to him, Fox could not help feeling drowned in a state of cheerful inebriation, as if he had drunk some strong wine. Thereupon, he said, "Miss Miao, that fellow Pastoral was full of evil intentions. It might just as well have been an affected love that he had for your mother."

Orchid carried on the narration with a sigh: "Father also believed the same. However he kept blaming himself for failing to have been sufficiently affectionate and attentive towards mother, otherwise she would not have fallen into the hands of another man. Father's sobriquet is the Invincible Under the Sky. But he has never been Pastoral's match in dealing with human relationships and handling his personal affairs. That creature Pastoral's ulterior motive in pretending to fall in love with mother was to lay his hands on a map of the treasure, an esoteric drawing which has been handed down from generation to generation by members of the Miao family. Although Pastoral brought suffering onto my family, and robbed me of my mother from babyhood, all of his scheming designs fell on stony ground in the end. Mother finally perceived his true intentions. On the eve of drawing her last breath, mother took it upon herself to return to father the pearl-studded hairpin carved with an emblazoned phoenix motif, whose stem concealed the map." After finishing this part of the story, Orchid recounted once more to Fox what Hawk had witnessed with his own eyes inside Pastoral's room while hiding under Pastoral's bed. Finally she moved to the part of the narration of how Tree and his party had taken the map from her and also how the group had gone in search of the treasure, with both the map and the Dashing King's military weapon.

Her story threw Fox into a rage, causing him to remark angrily, "That rascal Pastoral has indeed harboured evil intentions in his heart. He feared your father, and failed also to obtain the map. Finally he resorted to enlisting the support of government officials. They had your father captured to prize the map from his hands. One would have guessed that the net of Heaven stretches everywhere and that nobody escapes its judgment. And it must have been decreed that this villain should receive his retribution. Hai! This treasure has played havoc with the lives of an endless number of people."

After pausing for a short while, Fox continued, "Miss Miao, this very treasure also tied my father and my mother together in marriage."

Orchid hastened to ask, unable to hide the curiosity in her tone, "Oh, is that so? Tell me quickly." Though the maiden carried herself with poise and reserve, she was still but a young girl in her teens. Happy at heart, she stretched out her hand to hold Fox's. Realizing she had done something deemed improper, she immediately tried to withdraw her hand. But Fox had already turned her palm round, holding it gently and not letting it go. Orchid blushed but made no further attempt to pull her hand back. She felt the warmth travel from Fox's hand, then penetrate to the innermost part of her heart. Although nothing serious had as yet passed between them, in their inclinations and affections they were already united as one.

At length, Fox asked, "Do you know who my mother was? She was cousin of Master Wish, lord of the eyrie." Orchid grew curious at his words. Presently she observed, "I have known Uncle Wish since I was little. Father never mentioned this to me."

Fox continued his story: "I learned about this from my parent's will. It could be that your respected father does not have all the details. Master Wish came by some clues which led him to surmise that the treasure must be hidden near the snow-capped mountain. This discovery in turn prompted him to build his house on the mountaintop, hoping to find the treasure in due course. It so happens that he is far from being sharp-witted, and it was also fated that no favourable chance should ever present itself to him, hence he failed to become enlightened as to where the treasure was hidden. Meanwhile, father had carried out his own investigations in secret. Of these two who both probed into the mystery surrounding the hidden treasure, it was father who finally managed to locate its site. He went inside the cave and found the dead bodies of both Pastoral's father and your grandfather. Just as father was about to work at the gems and stones, mother arrived.

"Mother was much better endowed with quickness and intelligence than Master Wish. She had been somewhat suspicious of father's loitering in the neighbourhood over the past few days. She followed him into the crypt and immediately attacked him. The battle which ensued served to introduce them to each other. When they had shown each other their admiration, father proposed to her. Mother told him that she had been raised by her cousin Wish from a tender age. If she allowed father to remove the treasure, she would then be wronging her cousin. She asked father to make a choice, either to take her hand or the treasure.

"Thereupon, father laughed heartily, claiming that he would never consider trading my mother for one hundred thousand lots of treasure. Father then picked up a brush and wrote an article to commemorate this event. The draft was concealed inside the cavern. It was hoped that those who came after them, on finding the treasure, should learn that the most precious thing on earth is the affection which binds the hearts of true lovers, and it certainly is not gold and jewels."

By this time, Orchid's thoughts had wandered to some remotely inspired reverie. Then her voice was heard muttering softly, "Though your parents are dead, they enjoyed a happier life together than my parents."

To this Fox responded, "But then I was orphaned almost at birth. Unlike you, I have experienced much hardship and bitterness."

Orchid tried to console him. "If father had known you were still alive, he would have taken you home and raised you; and we would have known each other a long time ago."

Fox replied, "If I had stayed in your home, I am afraid you would have grown to dislike me."

Orchid hastened to contradict his views. "Never! Never! How could that be possible? I certainly would have been very kind to you, treating you as my natural brother."

Fox's heart throbbed fast. Presently he asked, "Is it too late to meet each other now?"

No answer came from her lips. After a considerable while, Orchid ventured to answer, "Not too late." Some time lapsed before she spoke again. "I feel very happy."

Hearing her words, Fox's heart was filled with joy. He then declared, "I shall never fail you."

In the same vein Orchid responded, "I shall take your mother as an example, not my own mother." Her voice sounded naive and innocent and yet determination pervaded both her words and tone. In her open declaration, the maiden had entrusted her true love with her own life. Irrespective of what the future might hold for her, be it a life of comfort or hardship, calamity or good fortune, she would have to endure it all with him, sharing the same burden.

The two pairs of hands were now clasping each other tightly. No further sounds were uttered. Fox and Orchid felt the tiny underground chamber a perfect universe, and their senses transcended the outer world.

In such enjoyable indolence several moments slipped agreeably by before Orchid spoke again, "We shall go and look for father. Let us go together. Please forget about Master Wish and the others." Wistfully Fox replied, "All right." In his entire life, Fox's heart had never been filled with greater joy than at the present moment. It was with great reluctance that he tore himself away from the cave. Orchid, too, harboured the same feeling. She thought some conversation might help to prolong their stay inside and so she posed Fox a question, "As Master Wish is an elder kinsman of yours, why do you still want to make things difficult for him?"

Fox answered with anger in his voice. "On the eve of her death, mother beseeched your father to look after me and to raise me. She tucked inside my swaddling-cloth a parcel containing various articles bequeathed to me, as well as a written will in which was registered my date of birth, my village of origin, and the names of my forefathers, as well as those of surviving relatives. Later, when things changed, Uncle Quad fled the place clutching me to his bosom. He had received the impression that your father wanted to hurt me. When he found the name of Master Wish in the will, Uncle Quad immediately set out to seek shelter at his home, taking me with him. Wish turned out to be an evil-intentioned relative, intent on stealing from me the manual of esoteric martial feats passed on to me by my late father. Somehow, he also received the impression that my deceased parents knew where the treasure was hidden, and he thus rummaged through the articles bequeathed to me. Sensing that things had gone amiss, Uncle Quad picked me up and fled for his life, making for the foot of the mountain by night. The Canon on Pugilism and Knife Techniques belonging to father he brought with us, but not the parcel containing the articles bequeathed to me by my mother. They were lost on Wish's eyrie. My meeting with him today is to find out why he mistreated an orphaned infant like me and to demand that he return to me all the things bequeathed me by my mother."

At this, Orchid commented, "Master Wish looks such a kind and humble person; he also seems to be so pleasant. It really surprises me that he has been so unkind to you." Fox added, "He is certainly not what he seems to be. Take the example of his plotting and murderous schemes against your father, and you can imagine the rest ..." Immediately he softened his tone before proceeding further. "But I no longer bear him a grudge. If it had not been for him, I would not have had the opportunity of meeting you."

Presently came the clashing and clanging of blade upon blade from beyond the twilight region, punctuated by a crescendo of storming and raging. The clamour fell on their ears, dull and heavy. Fox managed to identify these sounds which Orchid had taken to be a mighty gust sweeping across the hoary pine forest, hurling down snow in a vast avalanche.

After prolonged reflection, Fox then observed, "The sound comes from under the ground. It is rather strange. You should stay here while I go and investigate."

Thereupon, Fox rose to his full height. Orchid at once interposed, "No, I shall go with you."

As though loth to see her left behind, Fox changed his mind, "All right." Holding Orchid's hand, Fox led her out of the cavern, and together they went looking for the track which would take them to where the sound was generated.

It was the fifteenth day of the third moon. A beautiful full moon was riding in the middle sky, shedding silver light on the glimmering snow. Shimmering beams reflected from silvern granules played upon the smooth, silken complexion of the maiden, as they walked hand in hand through the glorious night. What else could come to pass? Fox divested himself of his cloak and placed it around Orchid's shoulders. Their eyes met and briefly held each other under the moonlit sky. The two enchanted souls became oblivious of all that was going on around them. Deep feelings swam in their hearts. Verses of true love and deep passion from ancient times slipped involuntarily from their mouths, stanza after stanza. Fox intoned softly, "Indulging in refined talk and drinking good wine, you and I will enjoy old age together." Coyly Orchid raised her head, her eyes seeking his. In a melodious murmur she recited, "The lute and the zither are in conjugal harmony. They look perfectly beautiful and at peace." These lines, from the Book of Odes, depicted a discourse between a couple. They were full of lavish passion and affection. Suddenly a clamorous noise coming from underground erupted in thunderous roars. They stiffened, immediately halted their steps and inclined their ears to listen.

After listening carefully to the confused hubbub of voices, Fox remarked, "They have found the gallery where the treasure is hidden and are raging in battle over the prize." He had learned about the vault housing the hidden treasure from his father's will and had been in and out of the subterranean chamber a number of times. Fox had retrieved from the grotto the written article sealed up and left hidden by his parents in the year in question, as well as the tiny golden bodkins which Pastoral's father had used as secret weapons. That very morning he had darted one of the bodkins at Sign as a warning signal. Fox knew well where the treasure was hidden. But, in respect of the will of his parents, he had abstained from looting the treasure. After listening carefully to the noise of the commotion, he reached the conclusion that Tree and his party, gripped by cupidity on finding the precious gems and stones, were engaging in a fierce battle over their find.



* * *



As Fox had surmised, acolytes of the Dragon Lodge, bandits of the Horse Spring, and outlaws from the Peking Overland Convoy were now exerting themselves in a furious battle in the crypt, inflicting savagery upon each other. Tree distanced himself from the fight, posing as a silent onlooker observing the battle in action. Wearing a cold sneer on his face, he patiently waited for the three parties to wear each other out. Only then would the monk step in to defeat the combatants one by one, and at his own deliberate pace.

Radiant and Prime were engaged in a death grapple, rolling about on the ground. They staggered around the edge of the burning fire, each trying to throw his opponent into the blaze. A few more turns of their bodies saw them narrowly miss falling into the flame. Tree shouted out, "Put out the fire and everybody will be frozen to death!" Sweeping up his right foot, Tree lashed out a kick at Radiant, reaching underneath him and sending both Radiant and Prime flying and thumping to the ground.

Tree laughed a sudden clear laugh. Then he bent down to gather a few thick bundles of wood to fling fuel on the fire. Just as he was about to straighten the flames leapt into a dance. Two grey human shapes appeared as mirror images on the glacial wall opposite, flickering like the blaze; panic filled his heart. His eyes caught two figures guarding the entrance side by side. Orchid was one person, wearing a demure expression. The other intruder, with thick whiskers and beard, brandishing his weapon and darting deadly glances at his enemies, was none other than Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain.

A sudden cry of alarm escaped Tree. Waving his right hand, the old monk sent a chaplet of iron whirling at Fox. In a trice, several dozen metallic spheres were darting from all sides, up and down, left and right, hitting Fox and Orchid in their critical areas. In all the battles he had engaged in with his enemies, Tree had never once resorted to using this esoteric specialty. Now, however, confronted by a mighty and powerful adversary and standing on the brink of a precipice, Tree brought off his esoteric killer trick.

Fox let out a cold sneer and strode one step forward, his body shielding Orchid's. When Tree saw his enemy attempting no special moves to dodge his attack, a sudden happiness touched his heart, as he thought to himself, "All your boasts are mere pretences. Your martial feats are only of average standard. I am certainly going to kill you and leave you no burial place this time." While the monk was musing over his success, Fox whipped out his sleeves, catching all the whistling beads that came flying at him. Instantly his sleeves fluttered, volleying forth spherical miniature missiles at the glacial walls. The beads pattered like hailstone bullets, smashing the ice fragments into smithereens and sending the pieces flying in all directions.

Tree gave an involuntary gasp of fear as though his heart and his insides had burst. Immediately he bounded back, concealing himself behind Curio. The monk, grabbing the back of Curio's jacket with both hands, at once picked up his burly strong body and thrust Curio onto the blazing flame. His intention was to dampen the fire to black out the crypt so that he could elude Fox. But he has forgotten that only moments before he had flung more faggots of wood onto the burning pile, and the flames were now raging furiously. Curio thudded on the blazing branches, and his garment having caught fire, caused the vault to brighten even more.

Fox recalled what Quad had told him about the old monk. Tree, malicious and greedy, was the person responsible for his parent's death. The choleric fire at once flared up inside Fox, ravishing his heart. Bending down, the irate young fighter seized a bunch of gemstones from the pile of the treasure. His right index finger then busily set to flicking the prize pebbles from his open left palm.

In a moment, a volley of pearl, coral, nephrite, agate, sausurite, jancinth, cymophane, and other gems came hurtling at Tree, sounding as innocent as water droplets. Tree was hit by every single whirling bullet, sustaining agonizing pain. Tree leaped up, ducked his head, dodged aside, but try as he might he failed to escape a single missile. Despite the number of enemies crammed inside the cave, Fox's whistling missiles invariably hit one human target only true and fast: the monk.

Fox's display of martial prowess caused Hawk, Century and the remainder to retreat so that their bodies were against the glacial wall. They held their breath and dared not stir. The attack initially caused Tree to leap and bound wildly in all directions. Two pebbles of zoisite caught him on the ankle and sent him tumbling to the ground. Unable to pick himself up, he cried out in alarm, his body rolling around on the ground. A minute before, the greedy monk had been keen to seize more and more gems, and was even afraid they might run out; but now he adopted a very different attitude: the fewer gemstones he was to receive, the better.

Fox increased the force with which he slung the gemstones, making it a point, however, to avoid catching Tree on the critical regions. He wanted to see him suffer more pain at his hand. All this while, the remainder, thunderstruck, were hiding in a niche, following the battle with eyes asquint, half-dead with fright and not daring to breathe.

Tree's shrill cries touched Orchid's compassion. She whispered to Fox, pleading, "This monk is a decidedly villainous character, but he has suffered enough. Please let him be." Fox, who had been combatting evils and championing righteousness throughout his life, certainly would not let any infernal devil go loose, especially a deadly foe who had brought about his parents' death. But Orchid's words plunged him immediately in a pool of great happiness, evaporating almost all of his vengeful feelings towards this most wicked fellow. He flung out his left hand. The remaining ten or so gems nestling in his palm at once flew out with a whirr, burying themselves in the icy crevices.

Fox's display of martial dexterity again caused his enemies a momentary palpitation of the heart, causing them to reflect, "If these gemstones were to deal deadly strokes on Tree, one tiny piece would be more than sufficiently powerful to dispatch him."

Fox was purple with anger, his brows flying up. With his eyes, wild and dangerous, he darted looks at his enemies, starting from the left and moving to the right, one foe at a time. The minute that Fox's glaring glance caught the face of an enemy, the head of its owner involuntarily hung down, not daring to look Fox directly in the eyes. Perfect silence fell upon the group. In spite of the excruciating pain, which was an effort to master, Tree dared not make a sound.

A few moments passed before Fox gave his command, "If you are all so eager to keep the precious stones and metals, stay here and keep the treasure company." At this he took Orchid's hand in his, spun round, and left the greedy bunch.

The others never expected Fox to let them off so easily and were therefore full of happy surprise. The footsteps of Fox and Orchid were heard slowly fading away into the distant cavernous tunnel. Amidst a confused hubbub of voices, the party bent down and began to loot the treasure.

Soon, Fox and Orchid found themselves standing on the other side of the two round boulders. Fox said, "We shall wait here for a while to see whether they will emerge or not. Whoever is the least greedy will soon leave the chamber on his own; and his life I shall spare."

The vault saw all hands feverishly at work, madly seizing the gems. The owners of the hands all wished their parents could have endowed them with two or three more arms. Some time elapsed. Suddenly a creaking sound was heard coming from far down the distant underground passage. The group first listened, baffled. Then horror struck them, draining their faces ashen white. In a medley of terrified voices they cried out, "Aiya, damn it!" "He has imprisoned us." "Give him hell, quick." Desperate, the prisoners dashed for their lives, elbowing and jostling each other. By the time they reached the stone gate, Fox had already moved the monstrous rocks back to their original position, sealing the entrance tightly.

The rock door was extremely narrow. It could still be pushed open from the outside, but the inside could barely hold one person standing on his feet. The glacial surface of the boulder was treacherously slippery, making handling it impossible. A short while after the passage had been blocked, the melting ice had once again frozen. Unless a rescue party arrived from outside, people imprisoned inside would stand no chance of finding their way out.

Feeling sorry for the greedy brutes, Orchid asked, "You want them all to perish inside?"

"You tell me who is a true man inside this cave whose life deserves to be spared," responded Fox.

Orchid answered with a sigh, "Excepting you and my father, I know of no other people on earth who can be considered truly kind, gentle, thoughtful and caring. But still you really cannot kill all the wicked people under the sun." Her words caused Fox to tremble, "I cannot be counted as a true man, can I?"

Orchid lifted her head. Stealing a glance at Fox, the maiden said, "I know you to be kind and caring. I knew this long before I met you. My lord, can you not tell that my heart is already yours?"

It was the first time Orchid addressed Fox as "my lord". These words fell from her lips with ease, as if she had been addressing him in such a manner for a life-time. Unable to suppress the strong emotions inside him, Fox drew her to his bosom where he held her in a close embrace. Orchid returned his passionate gesture by encircling his waist with her affectionate arms. She pressed herself to his bosom to be caressed. Holding each other, the two lovers prayed that the moment could last beyond infinity and eternity.



* * *



A considerable time must have elapsed before the two passionate souls were awakened to reality. Several footsteps were heard coming from the mouth of the cavernous passage. Fox immediately turned things over in his mind, "Damn it! I have stranded them to die inside. Just do not let the mantis seize the cicada, not knowing that the oriole is just behind it. There must be another party here to strand us inside this cave." With his arms still embracing Orchid and not releasing her, Fox immediately raced towards the exit.

The moonlit night saw two fugitives fleeing at full speed across the snowy ground, apparently those characters of the Martial Brotherhood who had encountered him in battle up on the pinnacle a while before. Smiling teasingly, Fox remarked, "Your father has scared all those creatures off." At length, he bent down and scooped up some ice flakes. Using the strength in his fingers, he kneaded the granular snow into hard spheres. Then his arm twirled and sent the snowball flying headlong, catching the more distant escapee on the back at the waist. The victim immediately fell sprawling and lay upon his face, unable to pick himself up again. Fear gripped the heart of the less distant fugitive. He turned about. Another snowball came whirling at him, catching him on the chest and sending him sprawling upon his back. Though the two wretched prey differed in the way they had dropped to the ground, they resembled each other in having lost the ability to scramble to their feet again.

Laughing a sudden clear laugh, Fox muttered softly to Orchid, "When did you give me your heart? I wonder if it could have been long before I gave you mine. The first time I set my eyes on you, I ... I just could not repress my emotions."

Orchid whispered her reply, "Ever since the day father told me the story about your parents ten years ago when I was only seven, I had already formed a picture of you in my imagination and worshipped you from afar. And you have never been out of my mind since. I started telling myself that, if the poor child ever survived, I would care for him for the rest of his life. I would want him to live a happy, good life and to help him shake off the unpleasant memories of his childhood days when he was ill-treated and trampled upon by others."

Deep in his heart, Fox felt immense gratitude and love towards Orchid, but was too overcome for speech. He drew her closer to his bosom, embracing her with mounting passion. Suddenly, looking over her shoulder, Fox spotted several shadowy forms, previously invisible, sliding down the slope on the rope.

Fox said to Orchid, "We shall help your father to waylay these ruffians." Thereupon, he gathered strength under his legs and raced forward clutching Orchid to his bosom. In a moment, he found himself standing at the foot of the snow-covered mountain.

By this time, two warrior fighters had already landed on solid ground. Several others were sliding swiftly down the rope. Fox immediately set Orchid down on the snowy ground. Gripping one snow pellet in each of his hands, Fox swung his arms and sent the ice weapons flying, aimed true and fast at the two freeswinging enemies at the base of the mountain. The victims' bodies instantly fell to the snowy ground.

Just as Fox was about to dart another glacial missile at those enemies still groping their way down the slope, there suddenly came a clear, loud voice from half-way up the mountain: "It is I who let them go free. Let others not bar their way." Each syllable of these two sentences fell from mid-mountain, mighty and sonorous, signifying that Phoenix was the owner of the voice.

Thereupon, Orchid cried out excitedly, "Father!" Though Fox heard the sound coming from a distance of more than a thousand feet, the commanding message was as clear as if the speaker were just across from him. So well endowed was the Gilt-faced Buddha in internal bodily strength, a martial ability which Fox believed he could not measure up to, that he commanded instantaneously Fox's utmost admiration. Fox twirled his arms and both snowballs which he was gripping in his hands went shooting ahead, catching again the two boorish fighters lying on the floor. Unlike the previous attack in which the victims were piqued by the ice weapons, Fox intended the second attack only to revivify their afflicted points. The two victims writhed a little, struggled to their feet and fled, making good speed.

Presently, Phoenix was heard descending from mid air: "Marvellous feats indeed; a pity not to channel them to good use." Every syllable heralded his approach. His lanky form was seen gliding down the rope. By the time he uttered the last syllable "use", he was already standing beside Fox.

Phoenix and Fox stared each other in the eyes. No words escaped them. The only sound was the drifting of the snow. By now, the fighters who had managed to survive the battle up on the mountaintop had gone scurrying in all directions.

The moon-beams revealed a person approaching, limping on one foot. It was Master Wish, lord of the eyrie. He proffered a parcel to Fox, which was about a foot long. In a trembling voice he spoke, "The pack carries all the articles bequeathed to you by your mother; not a single piece is missing. Please take it." Fox took the proffered packet in his hands. Immediately he felt as if a hot current were emanating from the parcel, the heat penetrating through to his heart. Too overwhelmed by strong emotions, Fox involuntarily quivered all over.

Phoenix watched Wish hobble away. His back gradually diminished in the distant snow. Phoenix considered this man who was both a martial artist and a literary scholar. Wish had wide connections the world over and was counted also as a far-famed hero fighter. However, a false step had not only severed the friendship between him and Phoenix over the last twenty or so years but also ruined his former reputation, a piteous shame indeed. What Phoenix did not know was that Wish and Fox's mother were distant cousins. He would never have imagined that Fox was the orphaned boy who had been in his mind for the past twenty or so years. Slowly Phoenix turned his head round and saw his daughter, who was wearing a man's cloak over the shoulders, standing coyly in the snow. Anger and anguish shook Phoenix when he saw standing there in front of him this very young man. Although Fox had saved his life, he had nevertheless tarnished his daughter's virginal reputation. Rumbling also in his thought was his wife's infidelity which gripped him with a frenzied desire to finish off all the indecent and heartless souls on earth. His chest felt almost ready to explode.

"Come over here!" ordered Phoenix in his deep-throated voice. At this, he spun round and strode away.

Orchid shouted after him, "Father, it is he ..."

Being taciturn by nature, Phoenix never liked to utter or listen to superfluous words. Raging with fury, the father refused to listen to what more Orchid had to say. Now catching Fox reaching out his hand to hold his daughter, the irate old fighter bawled out, "What nerve!" Dodging aside and stealing closer to Fox, Phoenix lashed out his left hand in a sudden, grasping his opponent's left arm with his palm which was as bony as a rickety rush-leaf fan. Thereupon, he turned to his daughter, "Orchid, my dear, you stay here. I shall have a word with this man." At this, he pointed to a great pillar on the right which rose like a smaller version of the Jadeite Pinnacle. It struck Phoenix as a vast grey figure, silent but threatening, notched with many gullies and buttresses, with dreadful, sheer, cliffs climbing to an immense height on either side. Loosening his grip on Fox, Phoenix galloped towards the treacherous, lofty spire.

Presently Fox said to Orchid, "Sister Orchid, if that is what your father wants, I shall go over for a minute. You stay here and wait for me.

"Promise me one thing," Orchid pleaded.

"Not only one; even to the extent of hundreds of thousands." Fox said. "I shall carry out all your commands."

Orchid then continued, "If my father wants you to take my hand ..." The last two words trailed off, like the humming of mosquitoes, virtually inaudible. Orchid hung her head, laden with bashfulness.

Fox placed in her hands the parcel which he had just received from the hands of Wish, muttering softly in her ears, "Do not worry. I am passing on to you the articles bequeathed me by my mother. Of all betrothal tokens on earth, none can mean more."

Orchid took the proffered parcel in her hands. Involuntarily she quivered. Then she whispered in his ears, "I certainly have complete faith in you. But knowing the way father's temper can flare up, I implore you to forgive him should he aggravate you, even to the point of abusing you or beating you. Please do it, just for me."

Fox answered smilingly, "All right, I promise you I will."

In the distance the shadowy form of Phoenix was shortly observed to be running wildly about, vanishing here and reappearing there among the crevasses of the snow-bound pinnacle, scaling the mountain at great speed. Fox then kissed Orchid gently on the cheeks. Summoning up his reserves of pneuma in his body, Fox sped up the path after Phoenix.



* * *



Fox followed the footprints on the snow, toiling laboriously up the scree slope. After veering several times, the path hugged the brink of a steep fall to one side and frowned upon a cliff on the other. The ice wall fell sheer into the shadows at Fox's feet. Fox told himself not to risk anything. A false step would smash him to pieces. Further up, the cliffs and crevices were buried beneath blue ice, treacherously slippery. Fox pondered, "Phoenix the Knight-errant has deliberately picked this dangerous precipice, without a doubt, to test my martial feats." Thereupon, he displayed his levitational arts, pushing himself to the utmost. The more threateningly sheer the drop, the speedier he proceeded.

Presently, the path swerved again. Suddenly a lanky grey figure was seen planting his feet on a boulder thrusting out from the brink of a precipice. The human form, silhouetted against the dark blue sky, seemed to capture the spirit of a hoary and wizened tree. This was none other than Phoenix Miao, the Knight-errant and the Invincible Under the Sky.

Fox's heart suddenly went cold. He halted at once. Unfolding the esoteric feat the Thousand-Catty Counterpoise, Fox gripped his feet like a grapnel on the cliff's edge, sinking the gravity of his body to an unprecedented low. Phoenix beckoned to him in a dull, low boom, "Fine! You have the nerve to follow me. Jump off!" His face was shielded from the moonlight yet the grave look on his face was faintly visible.

Fox heaved a sigh. Standing there directly across from him, was the person who had been hovering in his mind hundreds of thousands times during his life. His wits suddenly abandoned him, unable to guide him through these perplexities. All that had happened since babyhood was running through his mind and he recalled and pondered everything he could remember of Phoenix:

"He was the enemy who slew my father. But at the same time he is also father of Orchid.

"He reduced me to an orphan and ensured hardship for all of my life. But from what Uncle Quad has said of him, he heralds the heroic spirits of valiance and justice. He has not done any wrong to my parents.

"He bears the sobriquet the Invincible Under the Sky. He is unsurpassed in martial ability and achievements. However, I choose to believe otherwise; if he really wants to put it to the test, which one of us should prove the stronger of the two, he or I?

"There has been deadly strife between the Miaos and Hus for generations. Members of the two families are bent on taking each other's life. And yet he has not passed his martial feats onto his daughter: does he really want to dissolve this long drawn on vendetta?

"I saved his life a while ago, but then he saw me sharing the same bed and quilt with Orchid, imagining that I had acted indecently towards his daughter. I wonder if he will overlook this?"

Inside Fox, there was an endless debate.



* * *



Phoenix found Fox a rather loutish character, overgrown with whiskers and beard. Whether it was his looks or the way he talked or the way he moved, Fox reminded him faintly of the image of old Gully. Phoenix's heart contorted suddenly. But he immediately thought otherwise: Gully's son had already met his end at foul hands; the baby had been dumped into a river in Cangzhou, it might be a coincidence that Fox had Gully's looks and air. The image of how Fox had taken advantage of his beloved only daughter sent the fires of fury leaping up inside him. Lashing out his left palm, Phoenix threw a straight punch at Fox, his right fist aimed directly at his chest.

Fox had planted himself only a few feet away. The stroke came mightily powerful. Fox immediately parried by whipping out his palms. Pummelling and ramming ensued. Both bodies received a shock.

Ever since the contest with Gully some twenty years before, Phoenix had never yet met his equal, but Fox dissolved his stroke. The veteran fighter found his opponent uncannily scientific in pugilistic play, and equally endowed was he in internal bodily strength. Gripped on a sudden by fury, Phoenix hurled down winds with his palms and outmanoeuvred his contestant straight through the next three moves.

With a balance of strength and dexterity, Fox unravelled each of the impending moves targeted at him. His assailant was now falling to his third move. Phoenix smote stunning blows with his palms. Fox immediately dodged aside, wavering a little, and narrowly missed vanishing into the hidden depths at the bottom of the cliff. Thereupon, the terrified antagonist remarked to himself, "If I keep on yielding to him, I shall be forced to the brink of the precipice and end up being shattered to pieces." Phoenix snapped up his left foot and lashed it out at Fox's midriff. Thrusting out both fists, Fox began pummelling his face, forcing his enemy on the defensive, an apt and appropriate move to dissolve the kick.

Tremendous might had gone into Fox's last move, which yet represented but a fraction of the strength Fox was capable of mustering. In a contest of martial prowess between two adept fighters, the cardinal rule was to charge full force at the opponent, yielding not an inch. Phoenix flung out his arms to parry the blows, mounting full strength into his strokes. The battle raged fast and furious, with the contestants setting at each other with lightning speed, smiting and feinting and raining blows like two lusty farmers thrashing the corn. Suddenly Fox was dealt two snapping blows, sustaining pain in the chest. The victim immediately summoned up the reserves of his pneuma to master the pain. Fox was surprised to find Phoenix so mighty and strong in pugilistic feats. After gaining vantage, Phoenix began putting increasing strength in his strokes, pounding mighty blows on his opponent with lightning speed, robbing him even of a split second to steal a breath. Fox could have leapt out of his assailant's range had they been battling on level ground. Thereupon, the young warrior scampered away a few paces, ducking under Phoenix's engulfing palms before spinning around to resume the battle. Seeing that he had already been cornered on a wide and rugged shelf which ended suddenly in the brink of a sheer cliff, having no more space to manoeuvre a further retreat, Fox gritted his teeth and brought off the Spring Cocoon Pugilistic Feat to guard all cardinal areas on his body.

The Spring Cocoon Pugilistic Feat allows its executer to counter only on the defensive. All movements are unusually short-ranged. The limbs never need to operate beyond a half-foot limit, and yet the person wielding this move has recourse to abundantly copious movements without having to expose any part of his body to further clandestine attack. This pugilistic feat was first appropriately intended for a combatant, who, being closed in on all sides, hoped only to survive by falling on the defensive, rather than staging a counter-attack and resorting to the offensive. Though the executer can guard himself tightly against impending attacks, he suffers a great disadvantage. He is pinned to this "no victory standing" position from the very start. As suggested by its name, "Spring Cocoon Pugilistic Feat", the fighter does indeed spin a silken sheath around himself, never able to deal a counter blow. The cocoon contestant finds it difficult to overpower his antagonist by surprise even when he detects a flaw in the enemy's move, at least not until he reverts to another move.

Phoenix was shortly observed to be mounting his moves with greater strength and speed. Though he knew his opponent was beginning to grow weary defending himself from attacks, he always succeeded in fending off his strokes. Trusting that he would be out of danger for as long as Fox stayed on the defensive, the veteran fighter therefore at once charged full force at his young assailant, heedless of the defensive parries he might encounter.

On raged the battle, fast and furious. They were so evenly matched that though they fought for a considerable time, neither got in a decisive blow at the other. Suddenly Phoenix lashed out his fist at Fox. But Fox dodged aside, causing the blow to land on the glacial wall of the pinnacle. The ice splinters flew out in all directions. One tiny fragment caught Fox in the left eye. This sudden ambush took him by surprise, catching him completely off-guard. His soft eyelid sustained excruciating pain. The unfortunate victim dared not rub the hurt with his hand, but his foot movement suddenly faltered. Jumping at this godsent opportunity, Phoenix dashed forward, planting himself with his back against the surface of the spire, thus forcing Fox to retreat to the outermost brink of the ledge.

By now the outcome of the battle had already been decided. The young assailant was hanging with half of his body in mid-air. His foot need only to move back a tiny fraction and his body to tip slightly over, and Fox would instantly see the fathomless bottom of the gully. Phoenix, with his back facing a buttress, showered blow after blow on Fox, forcing him to counter him head-on. But his prey was an extremely nimbled-witted warrior. Avoiding his trap, Fox manipulated his moves, trying his utmost to dissolve all of Phoenix's attacks. Never would he attempt to spark off a head-on collision with his stronger opponent.

Although there was no marked difference in the level of martial achievement between the two contestants, it soon became obvious that Fox would never outmanoeuvre Phoenix, were they to meet man to man in fair play. Being so much disadvantaged at the present instant, how could Fox be expected to last any longer? Fast and furious the fight raged. Phoenix shot up on a sudden, lashed out with his foot and dealt Fox three mighty kicks. His victim dodged aside with lightning speed. No sooner had he received the third stroke than he saw his assailant thrust out both palms, aiming straight at his chest. Fox found dissolving these two last lunging moves next to impossible. Already cornered on a spot with no further room to effect a dodge, Fox could only fling out his fists, dealing counter-blows head-on with his enemy.

In no time, a shower of stunning blows raining from four fists ensued. Phoenix let out a thunderous roar and localized his strength to the centres of his palms. Fox's body tipped on a sudden. In a moment, Fox also summoned up the reserves of his bodily strength to hurl down counterblows upon his enemy. Both combatants had localized in their palms prowess attained over a life-time. In a head-on deadly grapple like the present one, the contestants could not afford to deviate a fraction from the orthodox way of duelling a death grapple. Both fighters caused their pneuma to be couched below their waists; then they stood gazing at each other, stock-still.

Fox's unusual martial accomplishment had given Phoenix an involuntary gasp of fear, causing him to reflect, "I have not spent any time for quite a number of years with the outlawry, so I failed to note that such a ferocious fighter had sprung from the Martial Brotherhood." The veteran fighter flexed his knees slightly, leaning his back instantaneously against the ice wall. With a sudden body contraction, followed through with an immediate expulsion, Phoenix first sucked the bodily strength localized in Fox's palm over to his own side. After mustering more strength by throwing his weight against the glacial surface of the mountain, Phoenix gave his hands a mighty thrust, howling, "Down you go!"

This sudden onslaught was strong enough on its own; augmenting it was also the rebounding force imparted by the lofty mountain. Fox found it therefore impossible to counter the violent attack. Losing his balance, Fox wavered for a few seconds, sending his left foot immediately into mid air; but the victim was still solidly anchored below the waist. Fox's martial feat took Phoenix totally by surprise. Fox's right foot was securely fixed to the brink of the precipice, as if it were cast from a block of iron. Though thrice Phoenix increased momentum, he succeeded only in tipping the upper half of Fox's trunk, failing as yet to dislodge Fox's right foot by even a tiny fraction.

Phoenix began to admire Fox in silence: "Such martial talents are really difficult to find, a real marvel on earth. What a shame he has dabbled in devilry. He is still young. If I do not dispatch him today, I may not be able to emerge as his equal in our next encounter. He plays clever tricks, falling back on his own strength. Who on earth can control him?" At this point in his reflections, he suddenly snapped up his left foot, lashing it out. Practising the Tablet Fracturing, he trampled on Fox's right knee feverishly.

During this attack, Fox was pivoting his entire weight on just one limb. When Phoenix's foot came stamping a mere whisker's breadth from his, Fox realized he was doomed. Finding it utterly impossible to dodge, he let out a sigh, "It is all over! I end up losing my life to him this very day." Striving desperately to pull himself through this deadly grapple, Fox instantly snapped up his right foot, raising his person ten or so feet in the sky. After somersaulting in mid air, he came plummetting down, driving full force at his enemy.

"Bravo!" exclaimed Phoenix.

Swinging his shoulders, Phoenix charged head-on at Fox. In a moment, Fox smote stunning strokes on his shoulders. But the gigantic momentum of Phoenix's body sent Fox swerving off the brink, plunging him instantaneously at top speed into the abyss.

Fox forced a wraithlike smile. Then a thought flashed across his mind with lightning speed, "I have had to contend against orphanage and bitterness since I was little. Yet I won Sister Orchid's innermost heart on the eve of my departure: after all, I have not lived my life in vain."

Suddenly Fox felt himself being gripped by the arm, which abruptly halted the acceleration of his downward plunge. Phoenix had clutched his limb and dragged him back up.

"You have once saved my life," cried Phoenix. "Now I shall repay you by releasing you: a life for a life. And we do not owe anything to each other from this minute on. Come, let us start a new battle."

Instantly, Phoenix stood himself on one side, shoulder to shoulder with Fox. He no longer wanted to enjoy the advantage of leaning his back against the frozen cliff.

After such a narrow escape, Fox was depleted of all his fighting spirits. He saluted Phoenix with hands folded. "The younger generation is no match for Phoenix the Knight-errant. What is the point in duelling another bout? Whatever Phoenix the Knight-errant likes to do with me, the younger generation will oblige whole-heartedly."

A frown sat on Phoenix's brow, and the victor said, "In the last round of the battle, you deliberately yielded to me. Don't think I didn't know? You patronized Phoenix because of his old age and reclining health, and did not take him to be your equal. Is that so?"

Fox hastened to correct him, "The younger generation would not dare harbour such vain thoughts."

Instantly, Phoenix bawled out, "Ready! Set to!"

Fox wanted to explain to the veteran fighter that his finding him in bed with Orchid had sprung purely from an accident, and that he had harboured not the least intention of abusing her. Bearing this in mind, Fox began, "Inside the room ..."

At the mention of the word "room" Phoenix flared up with irate fury. Down he charged on Fox, landing on him a sudden blow. His victim could only counter his assailant head on. Having endured the last battle, Fox realized that if he started yielding a fraction to Phoenix, he would immediately fall prey to his pugilistic strength. Thereupon, Fox braced himself and fought in earnest, mounting moves to defend himself against whatever might happen. Both combatants paraded the greatest prowess. The battle raged fast and furious on the ledge of the cliff, with the two warriors feverishly lashing out with their legs and ferociously thrusting out their hands, smiting cruel strokes and showering stunning blows on each other. The combat soon became a fierce contest of guile and resolution, might and power, and pugilistic skills and displays of endomarts. On for three hundred or more tricks they kept at it, exchanging many a hit without either side gaining much vantage.

Curiosity mounted in Phoenix as the battle wore on. Pursuing itself round and round in his mind was his encounter with Gully in a duel in Cangzhou one certain year in the past. At this point in his reflection, Phoenix suddenly leapt back two paces, crying, "Hold! Did you, by any chance, know Gully?"

When Fox caught the name of his father from Phoenix's mouth, a mingled feeling of grief and wrath assailed him. Gritting his teeth, Fox said, "Gully the Knight-errant was a veteran hero who suffered untimely death at the hands of villainous characters. If I could have had the good fortune to have him teach me a few moves, I would be most willing to die on the spot, with no regrets whatsoever."

Meanwhile, a quite different thought was running through Phoenix's mind: "Yes! Gully has already been dead for twenty-seven years. This very person standing in front of my eyes is only some twenty or so years old: how could they have known each other? Those few sentences of his reflected rather well on him. If he had not abused Orchid, I would have accorded him my friendship, just on the merit of his last few sentences."

Phoenix broke two stiff branches off a tree nearby and felt their weight with his hand and found them to be almost the same. Flinging one wooden rod to Fox, he remarked, "We found it difficult to outmanoeuvre each other in pugilism and footwork. Now let us meet in a death grapple, wielding improvised edged weapons." Gripping the imitation weapon like a sword in his left hand, Phoenix edged the branch to the side and dealt his enemy a backhand stroke. What he was practising were moves unique to the esoteric Swordplay of the Miao Family. Phoenix was duelling with Fox using the unparalleled ultimate prowess of the Martial Brotherhood. The branch, small as it was, was fast and furious, bringing strokes upon the enemy, hurling down gust and gale. The tip of the branch could pierce the body like a sword.

Seeing Phoenix charging at him fiercely and ferociously, Fox did not dare to slacken. Flourishing his own weapon-like branch, Fox warded off the blows, parrying lengthwise point up, blending fluidity in vigour. The delicate subtlety of his movements, coupled with the mighty use of strength, captured the quintessential essence and spirit of celebrity fighters. This made Phoenix shudder, causing him to ask in silence, "How is it that his martial feats bear close resemblance to Gully's?" Once the blades crossed themselves between two deft fighters in an encounter such as the present one, the natural sequence of the combat unfolded itself in quick succession, like toppling waves rippling in endless lines. Caught in the heat of combat, Phoenix was denied the time to find answers to his own question. After making the counter-caveating parade with his tree blade, Fox immediately thrust his weapon in a lunge. Brandishing the branch in his hand, Phoenix smote backhanded, hewing strokes at his enemy, forcing Fox to retract his blade to counter the impending attack.

This was the fiercest battle Fox had ever fought in his life. He paraded martial feats in which he had trained himself by learning the Canon bequeathed by his father. The moves were intended to be immaculate in their own right, but Fox was lacking combat experience. His youth imposed also a limit, causing his martial dexterity to fall short, as yet, of perfection. Fortunately, he was young and strong, mustering more strength than his enemy, thereby making it possible for the battle to unfold with several dozen tricks without either side gaining much advantage. Precariously dangerous situations stared both fighters constantly in the face, but they both managed to dissolve impending moves by practising even more clever ones. Fox immersed his whole self in battling his enemy and dissolving his moves. He admired Phoenix in silence: "The Gilt-faced Buddha, Phoenix the Knight-errant, indeed lives up to his far-famed sobriquet. I would have been defeated a long time ago had he been twenty years younger. It is no wonder that he and father were so evenly matched. A great Master, indeed."

Both Phoenix and Fox realized that it would be a very great task for either to quash the other relying solely on martial feats. They knew that whoever could place his back against the ice wall would then be able to claim the advantage of the field and the day would surely be his. Thereupon, each of the two combatants battled desperately to force the other opponent to the outer edge, while fighting to keep himself on the inner rim, hugging the icy wall. So closely did they check each other's moves that moves deftly brought off with lightning movement served only to reinforce their controlling grip on one another. Each fighter knew that the moment he ventured half a step towards the range of his opponent, he would immediately sustain a nasty graze from the opponent's blade.

Fast and furious they kept at it. Practising the Empery Dragon Spinning Round to Sprout Whiskers, Phoenix charged fiercely forward, plunging straight at Fox's heart. Dodging aside was now out of the question. Fox, having just lashed his wooden blade to its outer range, was utterly incapable of retracting it in time for a counter-caveating parade.

A chill smote his heart. Whipping out his left hand with a lightning movement, Fox warded off the smiting branch bare-handed, practising the Sprawling Tiger, hewing mighty blows. Phoenix let out a sudden loud cry, "Bravo!"

Brandishing his weapon, Phoenix laid a stunning blow upon his enemy. Fox sustained excruciating pain in his fingers and speedily withdrew his hand.

Phoenix strode forward half a pace. Just as he was on the verge of thrusting out his weapon to lunge by following through the more Advancing to Pluck a Star, the icy, limestone ledge on which the fierce fighters had been trampling for so long started to loosen, the thawing ice fracturing. Wielding his wooden blade, Phoenix planted virtually his whole weight on his left foot behind him. With a sudden crack, the boulder rumbled into the depth of the gulley, hurling a mass of snow and lumps of ice and rock skywards.

Phoenix suddenly found his feet in the void and faltered involuntarily. Terrified, Fox stretched out his hands to arrest the falling body. He clutched Phoenix by the sleeves; but Phoenix's drop had already gathered momentum, his coat tugging Fox off the brink. Down plunged Phoenix and Fox into the abyss.

In a trice, both fighters made a simultaneous turn in mid-air, steering their trunks parallel to the surface of the cliff. Both were intent on parading the Lizard Scaling the Wall, struggling to make their way back up on the shelf. However, the formidably sheer cliff, shrouded in blue ice, proved treacherously slippery, preventing Phoenix and Fox from bringing off that move. No real lizard visiting the spire would ever have been able to surmount this glacial cliff, let alone human beings. Though Phoenix and Fox failed to master their vertical upward climb, they, nonetheless, managed to slow down their descent.

At length, the glissade became more gentle. In a moment, their eyes spotted an icy ledge one hundred or so feet further down the slope. They told themselves that if they could not plant a foothold on this shelf, they would be smashed to pieces. The second this thought flashed across their minds, they placed their feet on the jutting rock. Their thoughts ran identical, just as they were equally matched in their martial feats. Practising the Thousand-Catty Counterpoise, Phoenix and Fox both nailed their feet like grapnels on the stone table.

The horizontal surface of the ledge was smooth and even to start with. The glacial covering rendered it more treacherously slippery. Both being accomplished fighters, Phoenix and Fox halted the moment their feet glanced ice, not skidding an inch. A sudden muffled rumbling sound reached their ears. To their surprise, the monstrous rock, measuring several tens of thousands of catties, wavered a few times. Due to weathering, the boulder, which jutted out on the brink of the precipice, was crumbling. There was every chance of its avalanching down the cliff. Unable now to withstand the sudden pressure of a prey and his predator, the giant boulder began to fragment and to rock increasingly feverishly.

The two branch weapons wielded by Phoenix and Fox also followed their Masters' way down, dropping onto the ledge. In the face of this threatening situation, Phoenix swept out his left palm and retrieved the unusual fighting tool with his right hand. Immediately practising the formidable move Advancing To Strip the Moon By the Cloud, he whirled up his improvised sword, and, without warning, attacked Fox. Fox ducked. His back narrowly missed the blade. Picking up his own tree branch, Fox retaliated, unfurling the esoteric feat Worshipping Buddha cum Learning Sutra.

Both antagonists confined themselves now to practising only offensive moves, each bringing savagery down upon the other and missing the other by only a narrow margin. Gradually, the muffled rumbling sound came increasingly louder to their ears. They were soon losing their steady footing. Each thought to himself, "Only by driving the enemy into a corner to evict him from the ledge can the weight be reduced. Only this can prevent the boulder from tumbling, and only then can I hope to stay alive." The question of life and death hung in the balance. Thereupon, they charged down at each other, stunning brutal blows, barring all sentiments.

In no time the two blades had crossed in a dozen or more tricks. Curiosity gripped Phoenix on seeing his enemy wielding his weapon in a manner similar to Gully's fighting techniques of former years. But the battle did not allow him to find out more from his opponent. After lashing out with his blade by practising General Swinging the Arm to Slash the Tent, Phoenix followed it through, bringing off instantaneously the move Piercing the Stork in Flight. Flashing his sword and also hewing with his palm, Phoenix resolved to force his assailant down the cliff. Conditioned by long habit, the old warrior involuntarily twitched the muscle at the back, immediately before plunging into this particular move.

The moon hung in the clear midnight sky, shedding beams on the snow-shrouded cliff, blanching it a ghostly white. The moonlight painted the glacial wall of the cliff silver, causing it to reflect rays like a mirror. The silvery coat of the icy sheen of the cliff's face revealed a vividly sharp image of Phoenix's back.

Phoenix's back, as reflected by the glacial mirror, registered itself distinctly in his enemy's eyes. Fox suddenly recalled the scene described by Quad, of how during the contest between Phoenix and his father in that particular year, his mother had signalled his father to strike by coughing behind Phoenix's back. Fox now had a godsent mirror standing opportunely right behind his enemy's back, ready to lend him a helping hand. Realizing that Phoenix would invariably follow through his move by practising Piercing the Stork in Flight, Fox at once paraded the move Stealing Jab from all Angles, hoping thus to preempt Phoenix's impending move.

Phoenix had only proceeded half way through practising Piercing the Stork in Flight when he was suddenly closed in on all sides by Fox brandishing and flourishing his branch blade. All doubts were cast from his mind on the instant. Phoenix knew that the person confronting him this very minute must be connected to Gully. Thereupon, he let out a sigh, "Past sin, present suffering! Retributive judgement!" He closed his eyes, resigning himself to fate.



* * *



Whirling his blade in the air, Fox could easily have hurled down a stroke and driven his prey right down the boulder. But he was bound by his promise to Orchid. Therefore he could not hurt her father. If he did not bring down the hewing stroke upon his enemy, he himself would certainly meet his end the minute Phoenix followed through all movements in the move Piercing Stork in Flight. Was he going to allow the other party to escape at the expense of risking his own life?

In the space of a second, thought after thought turned over in his mind:

"This very enemy has brought death upon my parents, forcing upon me the status of an orphan and ensuring hardships my entire life. Yet he is a valiant and noble character, indeed a great hero fighter. As he is father to my true love, it will go against all reason to smite the blow. But if I choose not to strike, my own life will certainly be at stake. I am in my prime: am I willing to depart like this? If I dispatch him, can I muster the courage to face Orchid? If I were to shun her for the rest of my life, my heart would break. It would be better for me to die than to live."

Fox was plunged into deepest gloom by these thoughts. He debated with himself whether he should strike or not. He was most reluctant to hurt Phoenix, and yet he was the more unwilling to lose his own life.

If Fox had not been a person who prized chivalric spirits and the righteousness of knight-errantry, he certainly would have brought down his weapon to strike; there can be no question about that. Though one should show generosity and valiance, one still should not give up one's own life so easily. This great indecision tore Fox's mind to pieces.



* * *



All this time, Orchid was waiting, standing in the snowy ground. A long, long time had elapsed, and yet there was no trace of her father and her true love. Thereupon, she gently undid the parcel Fox had entrusted to her. Inside she found only a few infant clothes, a pair of baby's slippers and a bundle wrapped in yellow cloth. The moonlit sky saw clearly embroidered in black on the pack the inscriptions "The Invincible Under the Sky". This was the very covering which her father had wrapped around Fox all those years ago.

Orchid stood under the moonlit sky, gazing at the tiny baby's clothes and slippers, overwhelmed by the warmth of her emotions.



* * *



Would Fox return safely to her side? Would he bring down the stroke or would he not?