Chapter 37 – Grudges over three generations, Part 11
Yang Guo was furious thinking, “This old priest Qiu Chuji was really heartless; even after my father is dead he wouldn’t leave him alone. How was my father unfilial? Humph, what’s the bloody use of being filial to that old Cow-nose? If I don’t go to the Quanzhen Sect and kill those people, my anger will never subside.” He lifted his palm and wanted to smash the tombstone.
Before he could strike, he heard footsteps moving fast outside the temple which sounded strange – they sounded like martial arts experts yet sounded like animals. Yang Guo became curious so he did not strike, then he heard the footsteps heading towards the temple. He quickly got back inside and hid behind the statue, trying to see who it was.
The footsteps came right up to the temple but stopped at the entrance, probably fearing an enemy lying in ambush inside. After a while, they stepped in. Yang Guo peeked at them then almost laughed. He saw four men enter the temple; the four men had their left legs broken, their hands holding a stick and their right legs were clapped in chains; their footsteps made such strange noises because they had to move their feet together.
The leader of the group had a bald and shiny head and only half a left arm. The second person had a lump on his forehead and his left arm stopped at the elbow. The third person was small-sized while the fourth was a huge monk. The four of them looked rather old and were obviously disabled. Yang Guo wondered, “What is their background? Why do they stick together like that and never leave each other?” The leader took out his flint and lit a fire, and then he found a candle and lit it. Yang Guo then saw clearly that apart from the leader, the other three had no eyes in their eye sockets, then he realized, “So these three people depend on the first person to lead the way.”
The bald man held the candle and looked around the temple. The four of them moved like crabs, one following the other and the distance between them was never less than three feet. Yang Guo had concealed himself well. Moreover, these people were disabled and only one of them could see, so they did not find him although their ears were sharp and their movements rather agile. The bald man said, “That old man Ke didn’t reveal our whereabouts or invite helpers to lie in ambush here.”
The third man said, “Correct, he promised not to inform on us. These people are valiant and always keep their word of honour.”
The four people sat on the floor together. The second man said, “Shi Ge (Martial Brother), do you think this old man Ke will really come?”
The first man said, “It’s quite hard to say, but I think he won’t come. Who’s so stupid as to come and seek death?”
The third man said, “But this old man Ke was the head of the Jiangnan Seven Freaks. That year he made a bet with that scoundrel priest Qiu and so he went all the way to Mongolia to teach Guo Jing martial arts. This matter is well-known in Jianghu. Everyone says the Jiangnan Seven Freaks never went back on their word. It’s because of this that we released him.”
Yang Guo heard every word clearly from behind the statue and thought, “So they’re waiting for Elder Ke.” Then he heard the second man say, “I say he’ll definitely come. Brother Peng, why don’t we make a bet to see who…” Before he finished talking, they heard footsteps out in the snow which were heavy and light alternately – someone was using a walking staff. Yang Guo knew Ke Zhen’E when he was on Peach Blossom Island, so he knew it was him immediately. The skinny man laughed, “Brother Hou, that old man Ke is here, you still want to bet?” The man with the lump said, “You scoundrel, are you really not afraid of death?”
A few tapping sounds were heard and the Flying Bat Ke Zhen’E walked in and said, “Ke Zhen’E has kept his word and has come. These are the “Nine Flower Jade Dew Pills”, altogether there are twelve of them, which makes it three for each of you.” He threw a small bottle over to the bald man. He said happily, “Many thanks.” and caught it. Ke Zhen’E said, “This old man has completed his business and is here to die.” He was standing erect proudly in front of them and his beard was floating in the wind.
The man with the lump said, “Shi Ge, he brought us the “Nine Flower Jade Dew Pills” which can treat our internal injuries, moreover we don’t have any deep feud with him, let’s just let him go.”
The skinny man laughed, “Hey, Brother Hou, don’t let the tiger escape back into the wild. Your kindness may cause us to die a horrible death. Although he hasn’t revealed our secret, how can we be sure he’d never do it?” He shouted, “Let’s act together!” The four people rushed over and surrounded Ke Zhen’E.
The old man said hoarsely, “More than thirty years ago, all of us witnessed Yang Kang’s tragic death here, who knew it would happen to you too; this is retribution.”
Ke Zhen’E smashed his walking staff on the floor and said angrily, “That Yang Kang acknowledged a scoundrel as his step-father and betrayed his country for wealth; he was a despicable animal. I, Ke Zhen’E, am a true man who has never let down the sky or the Earth, how can you compare that traitor with me, the Flying Bat? You know you can kill me but you cannot insult me (Ke Sha Bu Ke Ru – A rather common phrase at that time)!”
The skinny man sneered, “You’re about to die and you still try to be a hero!” Three of them shot out their palms together and aimed at his head. Ke Zhen’E knew he was not their match and just stood there, not attempting any retaliation or defense.
Suddenly a gust of wind blew over them and a ‘peng’ sound was heard, causing the dust to fly. The four of them knew something was wrong and felt as if they did not hit any flesh. That bald man understood what was going on but Ke Zhen’E had suddenly disappeared and in his position was the statue. The statue’s head was smashed and fell into pieces under the four people’s combined force.
The bald man was shocked. He turned around and saw a thirty-something year old man with a furious face holding Ke Zhen’E’s neck and lifting him high into the air, shouting, “Why did you insult my father?”
Ke Zhen’E asked, “Who’re you?”
Yang Guo said, “I’m Yang Guo and Yang Kang was my father. When I was young you didn’t treat me badly but why do you slander my late father behind my back?”
Ke Zhen’E coldly said, “There are many men in history, some leave a good reputation for a hundred generations, while some leave behind a stinking name. How can you silence everyone?”
Yang Guo saw that he was very stubborn and became more furious and threw him down hard onto the floor, shouting, “So you’re saying my father was despicable and shameless?”
The bald man saw that Yang Guo’s martial arts were superb since he could swap a person with a statue without even him knowing. He knew he was not his match and lightly tugged at the chain, wanting the group to sneak out of the temple. Yang Guo darted forward and blocked the exit, saying, “No one’s getting out of here alive without giving me an explanation.” The four people yelled and threw out a palm each towards him. Yang Guo said, “Good!” He also shot out his left palm and the force of a tornado smashed onto them, causing them to lose their balance and fall backwards, hitting the statue and smashing it. The second man’s skills were the weakest and his lump hit right smack into the statue, causing him to black out immediately.
Yang Guo said, “Who are you people? Why are you chained together in this strange manner? And why do you want to meet Ke Zhen’E here?” After being hit by Yang Guo’s palm, his chest became congested and his organs seemed to turn upside down, so he sat quietly for a while trying to circulate his chi before talking slowly.
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