DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS Book 2 of 5 (Shrouding Screen In Suzhou) by Jin Yong

A Foreign Man's Vengeance Causes A Hero To Empty His Tears Part 1

Two of them gently controlled the bridles and let the horses run slowly to Wuxi. After going for several li (t/n: 0.5 km) they suddenly saw a corpse hanging on a roadside pine tree. Judging from the clothes, it was a Western Xia warrior. Going for several more zhang's (t/n: 3.333 m), they saw two corpses of Western Xia warriors lying beside a hillside. The blood on the wounds had not yet been dry. They had died not long ago. Duan Yu said: 'These Western Xia men had met opponents, Miss Wang, you think who killed them?' Wang Yuyan said: 'This man's martial arts are extremely good, killing people just by raising his hands, and without the slightest effort. He's really terrific. Yi, who's there?'

They saw on the wide road there were two horses coming side by side. One of the two people riding the horses was wearing a red gown, and the other was wearing a green gown. They were none other than A'Zhu and A'Bi. Duan Yu was very happy. He shouted: 'Miss A'Zhu, Miss A'Bi, you have escaped from dangers! Good, extremely good! Wonderful!'

The four people rode their horses and gathered. They all felt very happy. A'Zhu said: 'Miss Wang, Mr. Duan, why do you return? I and Sister A'Bi were thinking of going to look for 'you'.' (T/n: you – plural) Duan Yu said: 'We were also looking for you.' As he finished saying he cast a look at Wang Yuyan, thinking that if he could be grouped together with her in 'we', that would really be a great honor. Wang Yuyan said: 'How did you escape? Have you sniffed that stinking bottle?' A'Zhu smiled and said: 'It's really extremely stinking, Miss, you've also sniffed it? It was also Chief Qiao who saved you?' Wang Yuyan said: 'No. Mr. Duan saved me. You were saved by Chief Qiao?'

Hearing her personally say the sentence 'Mr. Duan saved me', Duan Yu felt buoyant as if he was on cloud nine, after that he felt giddy, and almost fell down from horseback.

A'Zhu said: 'Yes, after I and A'Bi were poisoned, we were in a daze and could not move. Together with the Beggar Society's people, we were tied up by those Western Xia barbarians then put on horseback. After going for a while, it started to rain heavily so they divided the task of finding a rain shelter among themselves then dispersed. Several Western Xia warriors took me and A'Bi into a summerhouse over there to avoid the rain. Only when the heavy rain had stopped did they go out. At that time, in the back there was someone coming on a horse. He was Chief Qiao. Seeing two of us being tied up by Western Xia men he was very surprised. When he hadn't asked any question, I and A'Bi already shouted: 'Chief Qiao, save me!' As soon as those Western Xia warriors heard the two words 'Chief Qiao', they one after another drew their weapons to kill him. As a result, some were hung on a pine tree, some rolled down a hillside, and some fell into a brook.'

While the two people were discussing in a low voice and sticking their heads out and looking around, a Western Xia warrior at the gate already saw them and shouted loudly: 'Two bastards standing over there,it's not nice to be sneaky, are you spies?' As he was shouting, four other warriors rushed out.

A'Zhu had no alternative but to hold forth her chest and stride forwards. Shesaid in a rough voice: 'Quickly inform your General that Qiao Feng of the Beggar Society and Murong Fu of Jiangnan come to pay General He Lian of Western Xia a visit.'

The head warrior was astonished when he heard that. He hastily cupped his fist in his hand, bowed and said: 'So it's Chief Qiao of the Beggar Society visiting. Please pardon us for being disrespectful. I will report right away.'He immediately turned around and quickly stepped inside the temple. The rest respectfully dangled their hands and stood to the sides.

Before long, sounds of bugles were heard, the gate of was opened wide. The Hall Master of First-class Hall of Western Xia He Lian Tie Shu led the experts like Nu Erhai out to welcome. Ye Erniang, South Sea Divine Alligator and Yun Zhonghe were also among them. Duan Yu lowered his head and did not dare to look directly at them, his heart pounding.

He Lian Tie Shu said: 'I have long admired the great reputation of 'Murong of Gusu' with the 'Paying Him Back Using His Own Methods' technique. Today, being able to meet the worthy, I felt honored, ah, really honored.' As he finished saying he cupped his fist in his hand to Duan Yu in salute. Because'First-class Hall' of Western Xia and the Beggar Society had become the enemies of each other, he thought there was no need to act polite towards Qiao Feng.

Duan Yu hastily returned the salute and said: 'General He Lian's reputation has reached the edges of the seas so I have long been looking forward to meeting the heroes and great men of First-class Hall. Today our arrival is very sudden,hopefully you'll be magnanimous enough to forgive this.' He was already very good at saying these fanciful polite words therefore they sounded grandiose and did not have any flaw.

He Lian Tie Shu said: 'I've often heard people in wulin say: 'North Qiao Feng,South Murong', and when talking about heroes of the Central Plains, they choose the two of you as the leading figures. Today the two of you visit here at the same time, how fortunate! Please, please.' He then bent his body and invited the two people to enter the main hall of the temple.

A'Zhu and Duan Yu put on a bold face and went side by side with He Lian TieShu. Duan Yu thought: 'Judging from the words and manner of this Western Xia general, it seems he respects Mr Murong more than he respects my big brother Qiao. Could it be that this Murong Fu guy's martial arts and personality are one level above big brother Qiao's? As I see, this's improbable, improbable.'

Suddenly there was a strange voice: 'Improbable, improbable.' Startled, Duan Yu turned his head and looked at that person. It was South Sea Divine Alligator.He was squinting at Duan Yu at a slant with a pair of eyes which were as small as beans, and only shook his head. Duan Yu's heart palpitated. He thought:'Terrible, terrible! Perhaps I was recognized by him.' He heard South Sea Divine Alligator say: 'Looks like you have less than three taels of bones (t/n:in ancient China, 1 tael ~ 38 g), what the heck are you capable of? Hey, I ask you. They say you can 'Pay Him Back Using His Own Methods', I, Yue Laoer (t/n:Yue the Second), certainly don't believe so.' Duan Yu immediately felt relieved: 'So he doesn't recognize me at all.' He heard South Sea Divine Alligator say again: 'I don't need you to show your skills either. I only askyou, do you know what Yue Laoer's special skills are? What fvcking skills you'll use to deal with me to be regarded as fvcking 'Paying Your Father Back Using Your Father's Own Methods'?' Saying to here he stood with arms akimbo,looking arrogant.

He Lian Tie Shu at first had wanted to talk to stop him, but he changed his mind. Murong Fu had a great reputation, but whether the name matched the reality, there was no harm in checking it out through this crazy South Sea Divine Alligator. Therefore at that moment he did not interrupt him at all.

While talking, they had already entered the main hall. He Lian Tie Shu invited Duan Yu to sit at the top but Duan Yu gave the top position up to A'Zhu.

South Sea Divine Alligator said loudly: 'Hey, Mr Murong, you say, what's my best skill?' Duan Yu smiled and thought: 'If other people ask me, I really won't be able answer. But you asked me, that's a lucky coincidence.' He instantly opened his folding fan, flapped it gently several times and said:'South Sea Divine Alligator Yue Laosan (t/n: Yue the Third), originally your best skill was twisting off other people's necks in a clack sound. In recent years your skills have improved. At the moment the martial arts that you're most pleased with are the Alligator-Tailed Whip and the Alligator-Mouthed  Scissors. To deal with you, naturally I'll use the Alligator-Tailed Whip and the Alligator-Mouthed Scissors.'

He mentioned the names of the Alligator-Tailed Whip and the Alligator-Mouthed Scissors in one go. Certainly South Sea Divine Alligator was so surprised that his jaw dropped. Even Ye Erniang and Yun Zhonghe were also extremely surprised.South Sea Divine Alligator had just practiced these two weapons recently and had never put them to use in front of other people. He had only used them once when fighting Yun Zhonghe atop Mt. Wuliang in Dali. At that time, no one else besides Mu Wanqing had seen the weapons. But they could never have thought MuWanqing had already told this fake Mr Murong of the present about that from beginning to end.

South Sea Divine Alligator tilted his head and looked carefully at Duan Yu.Even though he was ferocious and ruthless, he admired heroes and brave men.After a while, he gave a thumb up and said: 'Good skill!' Duan Yu laughed and said: 'That's a laugh.' South Sea Divine Alligator thought: 'He could mention even the weapons I've mastered recently, there's no need to ask him about my remaining martial arts. Too bad big brother is not here, otherwise he'd put him to the test. Ah, I got it!' He said loudly: 'Mr Murong, you can use my martial arts, there's nothing strange and rare about that, but if my master comes here,you sure won't know his martial arts.' Duan Yu smiled and said: 'Who's your master? What extraordinary skills does he have?' South Sea Divine Alligator laughed and said boastfully: 'Needless to say, the master who first taught me martial arts passed away long ago. But the skills of my newly recognized master are no small matter. Let's not talk about the other things, just the 'Wave Treading Exquisite Steps' alone, I believe no second person in the world knows.'

Duan Yu muttered: 'The 'Wave Treading Exquisite Steps', hum, that's truly an amazing technique. Who would have expected Mr Duan of Dali to accept you as his disciple? But I somewhat don't believe this.' South Sea Divine Alligator hastily said: 'Why do I need to fool you? A lot of people here personally heard Mr Duan call me disciple.' Duan Yu laughed up his sleeve: 'At first you'd rather die than agree to call me master, but now you fear that I don't recognize you as disciple.' He then said: 'Hum, if so, you most probably have already acquired your master's unique skill? Congrats! Congrats!'

South Sea Divine Alligator shook his head continuously and said: 'I haven't, I haven't! You claim that you know every martial arts technique in the world. If you can walk three steps of the 'Wave Treading Exquisite Steps', Yue Laoer will be convinced.'

Duan Yu smiled and said: 'Though the Wave Treading Exquisite Steps is hard,I've also already learned several steps. Master Yue, come here and try to catch me.' As he finished saying, his robe fluttered, he went to and stood in the middle of the main hall.

The Western Xia people had never heard of the 'Wave Treading Exquisite Steps' technique, hearing South Sea Divine Alligator say that it was extremely mysterious and fantastic like this, they all hoped to increase their knowledge.They immediately split up and stood in the four corners of the main hall to see how Duan Yu would perform.

South Sea Divine Alligator let out a fierce roar and reached out his left hand.His right hand passed below his left palm to grab Duan Yu. Duan Yu took two steps obliquely then backed off by half a step. His body was like the wind stirring lotus leaves, gently dodging it. A 'pu' sound was heard, South Sea Divine Alligator had been too late to withdraw his force and his five right fingers had stuck into a column in the main hall by several cun's (1 cun = 3.333 cm). Seeing that his internal energy was this good, all the bystanders went pale.Because the first attack had missed, South Sea Divine Alligator roared more fiercely and jumped up then struck down from the air. Duan Yu did not pay any attention to that, and only concerned himself with the Eight Diagrams-based footwork that he was using to walk freely and comfortably. South Sea Divine Alligator sped up his attacks and roared more and more loudly, looking totally like a ferocious beast.

When Duan Yu caught a glimpse of that ferocious face, his heart skipped a beat.He hastily turned his head away, took out from his sleeve a towel, blindfolded himself and said: 'Even if I'm blindfolded, you still won't be able to catch me.'

South Sea Divine Alligator's palms danced in the air and fiercely attacked Duan Yu, but they always missed his body by small distances. The bystanders all felt scared for Duan Yu, their palms excreting cold sweats. A'Zhu cared about Duan Yu therefore she was filled with even more apprehension. Suddenly she shouted loudly in a rough voice: 'South Sea Divine Alligator, how is Mr Murong's Wave Treading Exquisite Steps compared to your master's?'

South Sea Divine Alligator was startled. All the energy in his chest was instantly discharged. He stopped moving and said: 'Excellent, excellent! You can walk this strange footwork while having your eyes encased. I'm afraid even my master couldn't do so. Okay! Murong of Gusu deserves his reputation. I,South Sea Divine Alligator, have respect for you.'

Duan Yu pulled off the towel on his eyes and returned to his seat. Immediately there was a round of thunderous applause in the main hall.

Waiting until the two people had settled into their seats, He Lian Tie Shuraised his teacup and said: 'Please have some tea. As the two heroes are visiting us, I'm wondering what you have to instruct us.'

A'Zhu said: 'Some brothers of my Society somehow offended General. I heard that General sent experts to use high-level martial arts to capture and take them here. May I be bold to request that General release them?' She specially stressed the words 'sent experts to use high-level martial arts to capture and take them here' to ridicule the Western Xia people for using the despicable method of poisoning to capture people.

He Lian Tie Shu smiled and said: 'That's not wrong. Just now Mr Murong displayed his abilities. Sure enough, he deserves his reputation. Chief Qiao and Mr Murong are equally famous, so you too need to show off your skills to everyone and make us Western Xia people sincerely admire. Only then will we release every brave man of your Society.'

A'Zhu was very worried and thought: 'If I imitate Chief Qiao's skills, wouldn't this immediately be exposed?' While trying to find a pretext to decline suddenly she felt achy and weak in her limbs, which was the same as when she had been poisoned with the poisonous gas in the evening of the previous day. She could not help feeling very frightened: 'How terrible, who would've expected these Western Xia villains to use the old trick again even at this moment? What should I do?'

Duan Yu was immune to harmful substances therefore he did not felt anything.Seeing that A'Zhu was weak and being paralyzed on her chair, he knew that she was being affected by the poisonous gas again. He hastily took out from his bosom that stinking bottle, removed its stopper and placed it at the tip of her nose. A'Zhu took some deep sniffs. Because she was not seriously poisoned, the numbness in her limbs quickly disappeared. She stretched out her hand to hold the bottle and kept sniffing nonstop. She found it strange as to why theenemies had not yet started to interfere. When looking at those Western Xia warriors, she only saw that every one of them was weak and being paralyzed on their chair. They were not budging at all and were only moving their eyeballs around chaotically.

Duan Yu said: 'How strange, these people get caught in their own trap. Could it be that they poisoned then were poisoned by themselves?' A'Zhu went to He Lian Tie  Shu and pushed him.

The body of the general was immediately bent and he sat on the chair in a sloping posture. He was really poisoned. But he could still say, therefore he shouted: 'Hey, who used the 'Sad Weak Clear Wind' without permission? Quickly take the antidote here, quickly take the antidote here!' He shouted several times, but because all of his subordinates were being weak, they only said:'Sir, subordinate can't move.' Nu Erhai said: 'There must be an infiltrator, if not, how can they know the complicated using method of this 'Sad Weak Clear Wind'?' He Lian Tie Shu angrily said: 'Correct! Who? You quickly investigate to clear this up then smash him to ten thousand pieces for me.' Nu Erhai said:'Yes, sir! But in the current situation, we must get the antidote first.' He Lian Tie Shu said: 'That's right. You go and take the antidote here.'

Nu Erhai wrinkled his eyebrows, looked askance at the porcelain bottle in A'Zhu's hand and said: 'Chief Qiao, sorry to trouble you, but could you please let us sniff the antidote in this bottle? Our General will definitely reward you generously.'

A'Zhu laughed and said: 'Who comes here to get your General's generous rewards?I wanna urgently go rescue our Society's brothers.'

Nu Erhai said again: 'Mr Murong, there's also a vial on my body. Could you please take it out, remove the stopper and let me sniff it a bit?'

Duan Yu reached into his bosom and fished out a vial. It really was the antidote. He laughed and said: 'I've taken out the antidote but I won't let you sniff.' Then he went alongside A'Zhu to the back hall. When they pushed open the door of the west room they saw that it was crammed with people, all of whom were the Beggar Society's members who had been captured.

As soon as A'Zhu went in, Elder Wu called out: 'Chief Qiao, it's you. Thank heavens.' A'Zhu took the antidote for him to sniff and said: 'This is the antidote. You go remove the poison in the bodies of all brothers one by one.'Elder Wu was very happy. He waited until his limbs could move to detoxify Elder Song. Duan Yu then used the antidote of Nu Erhai to detoxify Elder Xu.

A'Zhu said: 'The Beggar Society has a lot of people. If detoxifying one by one like this, when will it finish? Elder Wu, you go search the bodies of those Western Xia people to see if they still have the antidote.'

Elder Wu said: 'Yes!' then trotted towards the main hall. Swear words, yells,and pops of beating suddenly could be heard from the main hall. Obviously on the one hand Elder Wu was searching for the antidote, and on the other hand he was beating them to vent his anger. Before long he returned, carrying six small porcelain bottles with both hands, smiled and said: 'I focused on searching the barbarians with flashy expensive clothes. As expected, the ones with nice clothes had the antidote on their bodies. Ha-ha, those dudes have been miserable.' Duan Yu laughed and said: 'Why?' Elder Wu laughed and said: 'I gave each of them two slaps in the mouth. With those who had the antidote, I specially used some more force.'

Suddenly he remembered that he had never seen Duan Yu, therefore he asked:'Brother, what, may I ask, is your name? Thank you very much for helping us.' Duan Yu said: 'My compound surname is Murong. I came to help too late, putting everybody to great inconvenience for a short while. This is my fault, my fault.'