Chapter 19  Let’s Make A Deal

Sitting alone in a small pavilion listening to the rain. This reminded Cao Fengge of the day Li Liqin came to him. He sighed, when he heard footsteps sneaked onto him. He put down his cup of tea and said, "Yan'er, your foot agility is still poor. You need more practice."

Cao Yanmei frowned, Father, you always knew it was me." She sat next to Cao Fengge. "How come you can't really tell when da ge is sneaking behind you?"

Cao Wenyan said from behind, "Because my skills are much better than yours." He sat in front of Cao Fengge. "Report."

Cao Fengge, "Go on."

Cao Wenyan, "Monk Hao of Sword Village die. Everyone said that Mu Dishi went back and killed monk Hao in revenge. I don't believe that Mu Dishi did this because he was not even in sword village when monk Hao was murdered."

Cao Fengge, "Wen'er, I have told you before. You can have any man or woman, but not Mu Dishi."

Cao Yanmei, "Father, da ge is not near Mu Dishi. The five-colored mice can vouch for him. We met Mu Dishi in a nearby tavern."

Cao Fengge, "Alright, I will believe you. Your mother misses you."

Cao Yanmei smiled, "Father…then I'm going to see mother."

Cao Fengge, "Go." He smiled at her.

When Cao Yanmei was not in sight, Cao Wenyan said, "Father, Devil Fist surface. There is still no news of Rao survivors or Dong Donghai."

Cao Fengge, "Wen'er, you must kill three people at all costs. The first is Mu Dishi, because he has the 'Killer String Manual'. The second is the person who uses Devil Fist, and the third is the Dong Donghai, and the survivors of the Rao family."

Cao Yanmei, "Father, I can understand the first two, but I don't understand the beef between Dong Donghai, Rao survivors, and us."

Cao Fengge, "Dong Donghai and the Rao survivors are personal matters. The person who used the Devil Fist cannot be in the same side as Mu Dishi's 'Killer String'." He sighed, "Many years ago, two masters became friends through music. They are both experts in Guzheng instrument. They created the powerful 'Killer String' manual. Later, they found that the Killer String manual was too deadly. If it fell into the wrong hands, then the land would be stained with the blood of innocent people, so they created the Devil Fist to counterattack the Killer String. When the grandmasters practiced devil fist, it didn't go as planned, and a grandmaster got badly injured because he lost control. Those days he spent practicing the Devil Fist were unsuccessful, and the result was counterproductive. He eventually destroyed his inner energy and became a madman. The other master master had no choice but to lock him up and protect him until both of them died. Since then the Killer String Manual and the Devil Fist Manual were lost. Many years ago, I was about to get the Killer String Manual, but it did not go as plan." He looked at his son. "Go visit your mother."

Cao Wenyan, "Yes father." He stood up and left.

Cao Fengge looked at the rain, which reminded him of the day Li Linqin came to him. The rain that day was as heavy as the rain today.

Standing in the rain, Li Liqin patiently waited for Cao Fengge outside of Beixing Sector. She waited all day, and because of the cold weather, her lips began to turn purple. She was shivering while sitting on the stairs. Then, a carriage stopped right in front of the front door. When Li Liqin raised her head, she saw Cao Fengge got out holding an umbrella. She was very happy to finally find Cao Fengge. She slowly stood up by holding onto the dragon stone statue. Then, the overhanging curtains opened, and a woman walked out of the carriage and entered Cao Feng's embrace. She rushed to two people.

Li Liqin said, "Cao ge ge, I finally found you."

Lady Cao asked, "Who is she?"

Cao Fengge, "I don't know." Cao Fengge looked at Li Liqin, and then asked, "Who are you?"

Li Liqin was in disbelieved. She cried and said, "Cao ge ge, it's only been five months, and you already forgotten me. You told me before you leave, you will come back for me in three months. It has been five months."

Cao Fengge, "To be honest, I don't know who you are?"

Lady Cao, "Really?" She looked madly at Cao Fengge.

Cao Fengge coaxed Lady Cao, "Furen, I really don't know who she is."

Lady Cao, "Very well, then slap her three times."

Cao Fengge slapped Li Liqin three times. He said angrily, 'You filthy woman, leave us alone." He pushed her to the ground.

Li Liqin landed on her stomach, grunting in pain. Cao Fengge didn't care, but instead he held up the umbrella and escorted his wife inside Beixing sector. Li Liqin slowly crawled chasing Cao Fengge up the stairs. Then, the two servants closed the door on her face.

Li Liqin knocked on the door and shouted, "Cao ge ge, open the door." She cried and knocked at the door. "I have nothing left. All I have left is you. Please open the door."

Li Liqin cried for two hours, but the door of the Beixing sector never open no matter how much she pleaded. She stood up slowly and walked away from the Beixing sector. The blood slowly poured out and dyed her clothes. When people stared, pointed and chatted around her, she walked senselessly in the pain on the street. When she walked far enough outside the village due to the loss of blood, she finally fainted.

When Li Liqin regained awareness, she saw a man carrying a sword on his back sitting beside a small campfire roasting chicken. She realized that she was in an old temple. The man walked towards her with a broken bowl of water. She slowly took the broken bowl and drank the water.

Li Liqin asked, "Can I know your name?"

Mu Jiao Long replied, "Mu Jiao Long." He looked at Li Liqin sadly. "Sorry for your loss."

Li Liqin knew what Mu Jiao Long meant. She sobbed softly, and then asked, "Are you related to the Mu Family? Or do you happen to have the same surname?"

Mu Jiao Long said, "I am related to the Mu Family."

Li Liqin clenched the broken bowl tightly in her hand.

Mu Jiao Long said, "I'm sorry, I don't know any medicine, you will lose too much blood."

Li Liqin said weakly, "Mu xia, I would like to make a deal with you."

Mu Jiao Long asked, "If you want me to kill, then forget it. Our family only save lives."

Li Liqin said, "I want you to slap someone for me." She reached inside her robe and took out a small bamboo tube, a small wooden box, and a manual with a pair of black gloves. "According to your family policy, if I need your help, I must trade my most valuable items."

Mu Jiao Long, "These are?"

Li Liqin coughed then said, "According to rumors, the map in the tube is a tomb full of treasures. In the wooden box is the powder preserver corpse. The black gloves and this manual is Call...Killer String'."

Mu Jiao Long felt chilly throughout his entire body. He asked Li Liqin, 'How do you get the 'Killer String Manual'?"

Li Liqin coughed heavily and spat out a mouthful of blood. She weakly said, "My great grandfather was a woodcutter. He stumbled upon it on a secluded mountain many years ago."

Mu Jiao Long is not interested in maps and powder, but the 'Killer String Manual' is the rarest item that all martial artists desire. He asked, "Who do you want me to slap?"

Li Liqin said softly, "Cao Fengge of Beixing sector. Slap him three times for me and three times for my child. Then you go to Chen village and slap Chen Fa three times for me."

Mu Jiao Long looked at Li Liqin and said, "I agree."

Li Liqin handed the three items to Mu Jiao Long, and then she asked, "Mu xia, is all men are alike? Always care so much about their ambition to reach the top?"

Mu Jiao Long replied, "No, I am going to win back the one I love, and then we will run away together."

Li Liqin smiled and said, "Mu xia, thank you." She closed her eyes and she died.

After Mu Jiao Long buried Li Liqin, he went Chen village and found Chen Fa. Chen Fa is repairing his house. Mu Jiao Long stood at the front gate.

Mu Jiao Long shouted, "May I know...if you are Chen Fa the village's doctor?"

Chen Fa climbed down the bamboo stairs and walked to the front of the house. He replied, "I am Chen Fa."

Mu Jiao Long slapped him three times.

Chen Fa was in rage. He asked angrily, "Why are you hitting me. I have never seen you before?"

Mu Jiao Long said, "If you know someone named Li Liqin, then those slaps are from her."

Chen Fai, "Where is she? Tell her to return my powder invention to me."

Mu Jiao Long said, "She died." He walked away.

Two months later, Mu Jia Long stood on a practice field in Beijxing Sector, waiting patiently for Cao Fengge. After a period of waiting, Cao Fengge and twenty apprentices approached the practice range.

Cao Fengge, ""I don't believe we met each other?"

Mu Jiao Long said, "I was ask to slap you."

One of the disciple, "How dare you?"

Cao Fengge drew his sword and rushed towards Mu Jiao Long.

Mu Jiao Long slowly put on his black metal gloves and sent a guzheng string to Cao Fengge. Cao Fengge was caught off guard, and he did two backflips. Mu Jiao Long let go of another guzheng string, wrapped it directly around Cao Fengge's neck, and pulled him towards Mu Jiao Long. Mu Jiao Long then slapped Cao Fengge six times. After he finished slapping Cao Fengge, he pulled back his guzheng strings.

Mu Jiao Long said, "said that three slaps are for her three months of tears waiting for you. The other three slaps are for her dead unborn child."

Cao Fengge asked madly, "Who are you?" He felt his face burning like fire.

Mu Jiao Long said, "Mu Jiao Long of the Mu Clan."

Cao Fengge asked, "Are you using killer strings?"

Mu Jiao Long replied coldly, "Yes."

Cao Fengge asked, "Who gave it to you?"

Mu Jia Long said, "Li xiaojie, gave it to me as a deal for me to slap you." Mu Jiao Long walked out of Beijxing sector through the front door.