IN THE SECRET CHAMBER

1

Lotus only managed two steps before turning to glance back at Guo Jing. She was met with a look of suspicion. It was as if he had read the murderous intent on her face.

Killing her isn't essential, Lotus thought. And Guo Jing would be very upset with me. This got her thinking. It would be no simple matter to make amends. He might not just be upset with me; he might hate me forever. Maybe he won't say anything for years, decades, but instead carry the feeling in his heart. No, it's not worth it. We'll just have to take the risk.

She closed the door again and looked around the chamber. In the western corner, there was a small skylight of only a foot square, allowing light to filter through. The paper window pane was caked in dust, but it did at least mean they could just about see around them. The air holes were clogged, so Lotus cleaned them with the tip of the dagger. The small, stuffy chamber was filled with a foul, musty smell, but, considering the danger they were in, it was the best they could do.

Guo Jing leaned against the wall and smiled. "This is perfect. Only … we are joined by two dead bodies. Does that scare you?"

In her heart, Lotus did feel a little afraid, but she was determined not to show it. "One was my martial brother; he won't harm me. The other was a good-for-nothing official. I wouldn't have been scared of him when he was alive, let alone as a ghost." She proceeded to move the skeletons into the northern corner of the room, setting them down side by side. Then she spread out the rice straw that had come with the watermelons and laid a dozen or so of them in a circle on top of it. "What do you think?"

"Excellent. We can start."

Lotus led him over to the straw and sat him down. She then settled down to his left and crossed her legs. She looked up and spotted a small hole in the wall, the size of a coin. She peered through and, to her delight, discovered a mirror on the other side, which reflected a view of the room beyond. Whoever built this secret chamber had planned it carefully. They could see what was going on outside, even when hiding inside. Unfortunately, the mirror too was covered in a thick layer of dust. She wrapped a handkerchief around her finger, poked it through the hole and rubbed it clean.

The Qu girl was sitting on the floor, throwing stones. Her lips were moving, but Lotus could not make out what she was saying. She placed her ear to the hole; now, she could hear. The girl was singing a lullaby. Lotus found it funny at first, but, the longer she listened, the more her heart stirred. Had the girl's mother sung the same song for her when she was a baby? If my mother … hadn't died so young, maybe she would have sung it for me, too. Her eyes were wet.

"What's the matter?" Guo Jing said. "Don't be upset—I'll recover."

Lotus quickly wiped her eyes. "Come, teach me how to do this."

Guo Jing dutifully began reciting the relevant section of the Nine Yin Manual once again.

There was a saying in the wulin: "Before you punch, you must first learn to take a punch." That was the most fundamental thing for any student—how to stop yourself from getting seriously injured. This could involve sophisticated techniques to aid recovery, including the unlocking of pressure points, the setting of broken bones or the drawing of poison from wounds. But the chapter "On Treating Wounds" in the Nine Yin Manual was aimed at masters of the martial arts and focused on the restorative power of deep-breathing exercises. It assumed any reader would already know how to deal with external injuries like fractures and cuts.

Lotus only needed to hear the passage once to memorize it. There were, however, several sections in which the meaning was unclear and needed to be discussed. Luckily, what Guo Jing lacked in intelligence, he made up for in years of practice in the principles of Quanzhen kung fu, so, together, they were able to make out most of it.

Lotus reached out her right palm and connected with Guo Jing's left. Together, they started to move the qi around their bodies, just as the Manual described. The injured party used their breathing to dislodge any blockages, while the accomplice added their own qi when needed.

Four hours later, having managed several full circulations, they separated their palms for a short rest. Lotus took up the dagger and cut one of the watermelons into slices, feeding some to Guo Jing and then to herself. Then they began again. After a few hours, Guo Jing began to feel the tightness in his chest ease. Lotus's warm qi began to flow through his veins and pressure points. The pain in his abdomen also started to let up. The techniques described in the Manual were truly amazing. He would follow them to the letter.

By the time they took their third break, the light coming through the small skylight was noticeably dimmer. Outside, the sun was setting, and already Guo Jing's chest was feeling less constricted. Lotus, meanwhile, was also feeling invigorated.

They chatted briefly, but, just as they were about to start up again, they heard the pounding of footsteps, which stopped outside the inn door. Then came the sound of several people bursting inside.

"Bring us food! We're starving!"

Guo Jing and Lotus looked at each other in shock. They recognized the gruff voice. It was Hector Sha.

Lotus got up quickly and peered through the small hole. Not only could she see Hector Sha, but also Wanyan Honglie, Yang Kang, Viper Ouyang, Tiger Peng … They were all there.

Hector Sha slapped his hand down on the table, but no one came. Where was the girl?

Graybeard Liang reappeared after looking through the different rooms. "The place is abandoned," he said, frowning.

Hector Sha volunteered to go into the village and buy food. Viper Ouyang had already spread out some straw in a corner; now, he carried his nephew over, so that he might rest and recover.

"Those palace guards may be useless," Tiger Peng began, "but their heinous influence seems to extend in every direction. We haven't eaten all day. Your Majesty, you're from the north, and yet you knew about this isolated village and could lead us here. Such knowledge really is remarkable."

Yet Wanyan Honglie did not look in the least pleased to receive this compliment. He sighed briefly before speaking. "I first came here nineteen years ago."

Everyone noticed the pained look on his face. It puzzled them, for they did not know that this was where Charity Bao had saved his life. The village was as desolate now as it had been then. But he would never again see that beautiful girl dressed in plain green robes, with a hairpin in her hair, who had fed him chicken soup.

At this point, Hector Sha returned with wine and food. Tiger Peng poured a draft for everyone and then turned to Wanyan Honglie. "Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince, today you succeeded in obtaining General Yue Fei's last writings—surely a sign, if ever there was one, that the Great Jin will soon triumph over the world, bringing ten thousand lands under your dominion. May we all offer our sincerest congratulations!" He raised his cup, then swallowed its contents in one.

His voice had been so loud that even Guo Jing could hear him, through the wall. General Yue's writings have fallen into their hands? The shock went through him, undoing the effects of the day's training in an instant. Lotus could feel her palm trembling. She could sense that he had heard everything and that the news had affected his qi. If she did not act, he could come to great danger. She leaned closer and put her lips to his ear.

"They may have got hold of it, but we can always steal it back. Your second shifu Quick Hands Zhu Cong could steal ten books, if he wanted," she whispered.

Indeed, Guo Jing thought. He closed his eyes and shut out the voices on the other side of the wall.

Lotus once again put her eye to the spyhole. This time, she saw Wanyan Honglie raise his cup and drink from it. "You have all worked hard to secure this victory, but, above all, Master Ouyang must be praised for his role. Had he not dealt with the Guo boy, it would have been much more difficult."

Viper Ouyang's laugh clanged like crashing cymbals. Guo Jing heard it and a shiver shot through his heart.

Heavens above, please protect us, Lotus thought. Don't let the Venom start plucking his devil's zither, or else Guo Jing's life will be in grave danger.

"There is no way the Song army will find us here," Viper Ouyang said. "I confess, I am curious about these writings of the General. Why don't we all take a look?"

He removed the marble box from his robes and placed it on the table. If the writings did indeed contain passages relating to the martial arts, he would take them for himself. If they were concerned merely with military strategy, then he would have no use for them and would happily let Wanyan Honglie take them.

Everyone gathered round. Lotus was also watching. What can I do? It would be better to destroy it completely than let it fall into the hands of these traitors.

"I have made a comprehensive analysis of the General's poetry," Wanyan Honglie began, "as well as official documents and records from previous dynasties as relating to the construction of imperial palaces, which is how I came to deduce its location, fifteen steps east of the Hall of Wintry Jade. I was proved right. I do not believe anyone in the Song court was aware of the treasure hidden in their palace. Therefore, I don't think they will have realized what the commotion last night was about."

He was clearly proud of himself, and the men gathered in the inn understood that this was their opportunity to heap yet more praise on the Prince.

"Son," the Sixth Prince continued, twisting his mustache, "open the box."

Yang Kang stepped forward, ripped the paper that covered the seal, and opened the lid. Everyone crowded forward and peered inside. Immediately, their faces fell, and no one dared to speak.

The box was empty.

Lotus could not see inside it, but she understood just from their expressions. She watched in great amusement.

Wanyan Honglie reached out to clutch the edge of the table, sat down and placed his head in his hands. All this time spent making plans, deciphering texts—all of which suggested the writings would be in that box. How can they have suddenly disappeared?

Just then, a smile broke across his face. He took the box and went out to the courtyard, where he threw it against the stone slabs, breaking it into hundreds of small pieces.

He thinks there is a secret compartment, Lotus thought at once. She wished she could see, but she could not risk going outside. Moments later, however, she had her answer, as Wanyan Honglie entered, his face as glum as before.

"There was a secret part to the box. But it too was empty," he said as he sat down.

The others took turns offering their ideas. Lotus listened to their outrageous summations and could not help but feel amused. She related the events to Guo Jing, who was relieved to hear that the Prince did not have the writings, after all.

Not that these traitors will give up so easily, Lotus thought. They will go back to the palace tonight. Lotus and Guo Jing's shifu, Count Seven Hong, was still inside and he could be implicated. The Hoary Urchin was there to protect him, but he was erratic and could not be trusted to deal with things in the right way.

"We can go back to the palace tonight and keep looking." Just as she had guessed. It was Viper Ouyang who was first to make this suggestion.

"Not tonight," Wanyan Honglie replied. "The palace will be on alert, after the disturbance we made."

"We can't avoid the guards, that much is true," Viper continued, "but why worry about them? His Majesty and the young Prince can rest here, along with my nephew."

Wanyan Honglie cupped his hands. "Master is most kind. I will remain here, awaiting your good news."

At this, everyone spread out straw and lay down to sleep.

2

After a mere two hours of sleep, Viper Ouyang woke the men and together they set off in the direction of the city.

Wanyan Honglie, meanwhile, tossed and turned. Around midnight, he heard the sound of the rising tide along the Qiantang River. A dog started barking at the other end of the village. It sounded like wails of distress, which only added to his anxiety.

Hours later, he heard footsteps outside. Someone was coming. He sat up and drew his sword. Yang Kang was already at the door, waiting. A pool of moonlight collected on the floor. The door opened and in stepped a bedraggled young woman.

She had been out in the forest all this time. The sight of people sleeping in her room did not trouble her. Instead, she walked over to where the firewood was piled up, found a patch of floor to lie down on and was soon snoring loudly.

A simple country girl, Yang Kang thought. He smiled and went back to sleep. Wanyan Honglie's mind, however, was racing. He got up, took a candle from his bag and lit it. Then he took out a book and started flipping through its pages.

Lotus saw the light through the small hole in the wall. She leaned in to take a look, but all she could see was a moth dancing around the candle. Suddenly, it threw itself into the flame, scorching its wings, before falling onto the tabletop. Wanyan Honglie picked it up. "If only Lady Bao were here, she would make you right again." He then removed a small silver knife from inside his robes, as well as a bottle of herbs, and stroked them affectionately.

Lotus tapped Guo Jing on the shoulder and then moved aside so that he might take a look. Guo Jing watched, rage swelling in his chest. He vaguely recognized the blade and the bottle as belonging to Yang Kang's mother, Charity Bao. He had seen her using them when she was tending to the injured rabbit in the Zhao residence.

"Nineteen years ago," Wanyan Honglie began to murmur. "In this very village." He rose to his feet with a sigh, picked up the candle and went outside.

The implication of what he had just heard hit Guo Jing hard. Could this be his true home? Ox Village? He pressed his lips to Lotus's ear to ask her. Lotus merely nodded. Guo Jing felt his blood bubble and his body shake.

As Lotus's right palm was still touching Guo Jing's left, she could sense the agitation in his qi. This was dangerous. She reached for his other palm and together they started to try to calm his beating heart.

After what felt like a long time, a shaft of light flickered through the hole as they heard Wanyan Honglie sigh and enter the inn once again. By now, Guo Jing's heart and mind were at peace. He peered out.

Wanyan Honglie was sitting in the candlelight, as if in a trance, clutching several pieces of broken tile and brick in his hands.

This traitor is only ten steps away, Guo Jing was thinking. All I would need to do to kill him is throw my dagger.

He drew from his waistband the golden blade Genghis Khan had given him, and whispered to Lotus, "Open the door."

"No!" Lotus hissed. "Killing him may be easy, but then our hiding place will be revealed."

"But I don't know where he will be in six days and six nights," he replied with a tremble in his voice.

Lotus knew he would not be easily persuaded, so she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Both your mother and I want you alive."

Guo Jing slowly nodded and replaced the dagger in its sheath. He then pressed his eye to the hole once more. Wanyan Honglie was asleep, slumped over the table. At that moment, he saw someone rise from the bed of straw. Light fell on their profile, but it was difficult to make out who it was by way of the dusty mirror. Guo Jing watched as the figure walked over to Wanyan Honglie, took the silver knife and medicine bottle, examined them and then placed them gently back on the table. The figure turned to face Guo Jing, and that was when he saw who it was. Yang Kang.

Now is your chance to avenge the death of your parents, Guo Jing said to himself, willing Yang Kang to hear his thoughts. Stab him. Then you will never have to breathe the same air ever again. You won't get another chance like this. The Old Venom and the others will return soon.

He watched anxiously to see if his sworn brother would make a move. But, after replacing the items on the table, Yang Kang blew out the candle. For a moment, all was black, until Guo Jing gradually managed to make out some vague shapes by what remained of the moonlight. He watched as Yang Kang removed his robe and draped it over Wanyan Honglie's shoulders. This only infuriated Guo Jing even more. He could not bear to watch. How could Yang Kang treat the man who killed his parents with such tenderness?

"There, there," Lotus whispered. "Once you're better, we can chase these traitors to the ends of the earth. He is no Viper Ouyang, after all. He isn't going to be that hard to kill."

Guo Jing nodded and they went back to their practice.

Before long, dawn arrived and the sound of roosters crowing filled the air. They had now circulated their qi seven times in total and were feeling more at ease.

"One day gone!" Lotus said with a smile, holding up her index finger.

"And a dangerous one at that," Guo Jing said quietly. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have kept my focus and surely would have made things worse."

"We have six more days and six more nights left. You did promise to obey my instructions."

"I always obey you," Guo Jing said with a silent laugh.

Lotus cocked her head. "Is that so?"

At that moment, a shaft of light came piercing through the skylight, casting her cheeks in a pinkish morning glow. Suddenly, her palms felt warm and tender. Something stirred in Guo Jing's chest, but he chased the thought away, though his cheeks were already flushed a dark crimson.

Guo Jing had never had such thoughts in all the time they had spent together, and they shocked him. Silently, he rebuked himself.

Lotus noticed his blushing cheeks and she too felt something was different. "What's the matter?"

"I've been very bad. I … I … had a thought." His voice was quiet.

"What thought?"

"It's gone now."

"What was it?" Lotus pressed.

"I thought of taking you in my arms. Of kissing you."

A warm feeling like syrup flowed inside her, and now her cheeks too were red. She looked so bashful, and even lovelier than usual.

Lotus lowered her gaze and did not reply.

"Lotus, are you angry? I know that having such a thought makes me just as bad as Gallant Ouyang."

Lotus looked up and smiled. "I'm not angry," she said gently. "I was thinking that, one day, you'll do just that—take me in your arms and kiss me—because I will be your wife."

Her reply filled his heart with joy, but he could not speak.

"Was it so awful to think of kissing me?" Lotus continued, softly.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps outside interrupted them and two men came bursting into the inn.

"Damn it! I told you … I told you there were ghosts, but you … wouldn't believe me!" It was Browbeater Hou. He was so agitated, he could barely speak.

Hector Sha replied, "Ghosts? What are you talking about? That was a man of the wulin!"

Lotus peered out and saw Browbeater's face covered in blood, while Hector's robes were ripped. They must have been in a fight.

Rudely awakened, Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang looked up at the two men in surprise. They began to ask questions.

"It was a ghost, I'm certain," Browbeater Hou began. "He cut my ears off!"

His cheeks were indeed covered in blood. Wanyan Honglie looked closer and was astonished to see that he had no ears.

"A ghost? Don't you know how ridiculous you sound?" Hector Sha shook his head.

Browbeater Hou feared his martial brother, but he was insistent. "I saw him with my own eyes! His were blue, and he had a red beard, just like the divine Judge of the Underworld. He said, 'Waaaaaaa!' I turned, he grabbed my neck and, the next thing I knew, my ears were sliced right off! He looked just like the Judge in the temple—how could it not be him?"

Hector Sha had managed only three moves against the Judge before his clothes were ripped to shreds, and thus he knew this was a master of the wulin, not a ghost. But his strange appearance was still a puzzle.

The four men continued to speculate, and even went as far as to ask Gallant Ouyang, who was still recovering from his injuries in the corner. But nobody had a sensible explanation to offer.

As the others were talking, Lama Supreme Wisdom, Tiger Peng, and Graybeard Liang arrived back, one after the other. The lama's hands had been chained behind his back and Tiger Peng's cheeks were swollen black and blue. But, of all of them, Graybeard Liang's appearance was the most amusing: every last white hair on his head had been plucked out, leaving his scalp clean and shiny, like a monk's. Why, it was almost as shiny as Hector Sha's.

After entering the Imperial Palace, they had spread out to search for General Yue's book. But they had all encountered what seemed to be ghosts, though each was different. One fought with the Messenger of Death, one with the divine Judge of the Underworld, and one with the Earth God.

Graybeard Liang stroked his smooth scalp and cursed every goddess in heaven. The shackles dug into the monk's flesh. Tiger Peng silently worked on releasing the lama from his chains, scraping his hands and wrists bloody from the effort.

They all exchanged glances, but no one spoke. They had encountered a master fighter, that was clear, but the humiliation was too much to bear. Browbeater Hou continued to insist it was a ghost, and the others had no heart to argue with him.

There was a long pause until Wanyan Honglie spoke. "Why hasn't Master Ouyang returned? Maybe he too encountered one of these creatures."

"Master Ouyang's abilities are unparalleled throughout the wulin," Yang Kang said. "He wouldn't be defeated by a phantom."

This only made the others feel even more aggrieved.

Lotus, meanwhile, was regarding the scene with amusement. Those masks I bought for Brother Zhou turned out to be more useful than I ever imagined. I wonder if he came across the Venom.

At that moment, she felt Guo Jing's internal energy pulse through her palms, so she turned her attention back to him.

Tiger Peng and the others were hungry after a night of fighting, so they began to chop firewood, and some went to buy rice. When breakfast was ready, Browbeater Hou went to the cupboard to find some bowls. He reached for the metal one, but of course it was stuck down. "A ghost!" he cried, tugging at it with all his internal strength.

Lotus understood at once what was happening. They could not allow anyone to find them. Guo Jing's life depended on it. But what could they do?

As she was trying to think of a plan, she heard Hector Sha scolding his martial brother again. But Browbeater Hou refused to admit he was wrong. "Fine—you try to move it."

Hector Sha grasped the bowl and found that it was firmly stuck. Tiger Peng then approached to take a look.

"Looks like there's a secret mechanism," he said. "Try turning it left or right."

They did not have much time. Lotus handed the dagger to Guo Jing and took Count Seven's bamboo cane for herself. Then she whispered to Guo Jing that he was not to circulate his qi—that way, they could disconnect their palms. But he was weak, weaker even than someone with no martial-arts training. He could not fight these men. The realization that death was near for both of them turned Lotus's heart cold.

Looking around in vain for another way out, she glanced into the corner of the room and spotted the skeletons. That was it! She ran over and picked out the two skulls. Then she collected a watermelon and pressed the skulls into it.

Seconds later, a creaking sound. The metal door opened.

Lotus placed her creation on top of her head and covered her face with her hair.

Hector Sha appeared in the doorway and was greeted by the most frightful two-headed monster imaginable.

The others peered inside from behind him. Browbeater Hou screamed, turned and ran outside. The others followed. Only Gallant Ouyang remained on his straw bed, unable to move.

Lotus sighed and closed the door. A smile crept over her face, but she did not dare hope they would be left alone for long. These were the best fighters of the jianghu; they would be back. The Hoary Urchin had done the heavy work; without his antics at the palace, she could not have fooled them so easily.

Lotus was still racking her brains for a solution to their predicament when she heard the door to the inn open. She grabbed the dagger and placed the bamboo cane by her side. If anyone tried to enter again, she would throw the blade in their face.

She waited.

"Hello! Innkeeper?" The voice was delicate and sweet.

Surprised, Lotus ran to the hole and peered through. There, she saw a lady dressed in finely embroidered brocade, her hair decorated with jewels. She was clearly the daughter of a very wealthy family, but she had her back to the mirror, so Lotus could not see her face.

"Innkeeper! Innkeeper!" she tried again.

Where do I know that voice from? Lotus thought. Before she had time to search her memory, the woman turned. Miss Cheng from Baoying! What is she doing here?

3

The Qu girl had barely stirred during the commotion earlier, keeping her eyes firmly closed throughout, but now she opened them and crawled out of her straw bed in the corner.

"Ah, there you are," Miss Cheng said. "I would like something to eat. My warmest thanks."

The girl shook her head, as if to say that she had nothing to offer her. But then the smell of freshly made rice wafted into her nostrils. She scuttled over to the pot and lifted the lid. Delighted, she grabbed two bowls and filled one for Miss Cheng and the other for herself. Miss Cheng peered into the bowl: no accompaniments, and, worst of all, the rice was the cheapest unpolished kind. She tried a few mouthfuls before placing it on the table. The girl, meanwhile, finished her third bowl before patting herself contentedly on the stomach.

"Excuse me, miss," Miss Cheng began. "May I ask where we are? How far is it to Ox Village?"

"Ox Village?" the girl repeated. "You're in Ox Village. But I couldn't say how far away it is."

Miss Cheng's cheeks flushed red. She lowered her gaze and fiddled with her waist belt. There was a pause before she spoke again: "This is Ox Village. Then, may I ask … do you know … someone called…?"

But the girl did not wait for the young woman to finish. Instead, she merely shook her head and ran outside.

Lotus, who had been listening to the whole exchange, wondered who Miss Cheng was looking for. Then it hit her. Miss Cheng was a disciple of one of the Seven Quanzhen Immortals, Sun Bu'er, who was the only woman among them and wife of Scarlet Sun Ma Yu. Miss Cheng must have received an order from the Sect to find Qiu Chuji's protégé, Yang Kang.

Lotus watched her. She was sitting upright, straightening her clothes and fiddling with the pearls in her hair. Her cheeks were rosy and she was smiling just a little, but Lotus could not imagine what she was thinking. She was captivating.

Just then, footsteps, followed by the door opening once more.

It was a tall man with a forceful stride. "Innkeeper!"

Another familiar face! Ox Village seemed to attract everyone she knew, Lotus reflected. Guo Jing's hometown had wonderful feng shui.

The young man who had just walked in was none other than Laurel Lu, master of Roaming Cloud Manor.

He glanced around and was startled to see a beautiful young woman sitting at one of the tables. "Innkeeper!" he called again.

Emerald Cheng looked up at the handsome young man, blushed and turned away.

What is such a dazzling young lady doing here, all by herself? he thought to himself. He walked over to the kitchen, but saw no one. His stomach was aching, so he served himself a bowl of rice and turned to the young woman. "Do excuse me; I am very hungry. I hope miss won't mind."

Emerald smiled without looking up. "It's not mine," she replied quietly. "Please eat, sir."

Laurel Lu ate two bowls, then bowed by way of thanks. "Do excuse me," he began again, "but does miss know how far we are from Ox Village?"

Emerald and Lotus were both equally surprised, not to mention delighted, by his question. Another person looking for Ox Village!

"Why, this is Ox Village," Emerald replied, blushing even harder and fiddling with her gown.

"Excellent! And may I trouble the young miss again? I am looking for a certain man, in particular."

Emerald was about to reply that she did not know anyone in the village, but changed her mind at the last moment. "Who is sir looking for?"

"He goes by the name of Guo. Master Guo Jing, to be precise. Do you know which house is his? Or if he might be at home?"

Once again, Emerald and Lotus had the same reaction. Why was he looking for Guo Jing? Emerald did not reply, averting her gaze instead, her cheeks now an almost impossible shade of red.

Judging by Emerald's reaction, Lotus was almost positive that she was in love with Guo Jing—he had saved her in Baoying, after all. But this did not make Lotus feel jealous, for three reasons. She was young, she had an open mind, and—most importantly—she knew Guo Jing was of constant heart. On the contrary, it rather pleased her another woman had such strong feelings for her betrothed.

Lotus was correct, of course. Vigor Li of the Beggar Clan had tried to come to Emerald Cheng's aid while Gallant Ouyang held her captive, but he had been no match for the scoundrel. Had Guo Jing and Lotus not intervened, she would have been disgraced. Guo Jing was not only a skilled fighter, but also upright and honest by nature. Emerald was the daughter of an extremely wealthy family and thus had never been allowed out of the women's quarters of the family complex. She had barely seen a young man before and was just starting to take an interest in the opposite sex.

After her rescue, Emerald Cheng's days were filled with thoughts of Guo Jing, until, one day, she gathered her courage and left. She knew a little kung fu, but she was almost completely ignorant of the different schools and styles of the wulin. All she knew was that Guo Jing came from Ox Village, on the outskirts of Lin'an.

Though she had traveled alone, her journey had passed without incident. She wore her standing clearly in her clothes and bearing, and so those with ignoble intentions let her be. She asked the way as she went, and, in the last village, she found out that she was close. But, when the inn girl confirmed that she was at last in Ox Village, all thoughts of what to do tumbled out of her mind. She had come hundreds of li, and yet now she found herself hoping that Guo Jing was not home. I will go to his house under the cover of darkness tonight, look from the outside, and then I will go home, she said to herself. I cannot let him know I have come looking for him. It would be too great a humiliation. At precisely that moment, Laurel Lu had stepped through the door. When he mentioned Guo Jing's name, she wondered if he had read her heart. She paused, then stood up, as if to leave.

Just then, a face—a hideous face—popped through the door, before instantly disappearing. Emerald stumbled backward. The face reappeared.

"Two-headed demon, the Three-Horned Dragon challenges you to a fight! Come outside into the daylight!"

Laurel and Emerald had no idea what was happening.

"They are back," Lotus whispered to Guo Jing. Master Lu and Miss Cheng were not skilled enough fighters to take on Tiger Peng and the others alone. And, should Lotus and Guo Jing come out of hiding to help them, they would still be in danger. She went over the possibilities in her mind, but could not think of a good plan. If it did come to a fight, of course, it would buy her and Guo Jing some time.

Tiger Peng and the others had assumed that the melon demon Lotus had played was part of the band of ghosts and spirits that had chased them the night before. And yet, despite being the only one who really believed they had been spirits rather than masters of the wulin, Browbeater Hou was now the only one who dared come back. He was a simpleminded fellow.

These evil demons are stripped of all their powers during daylight, he reasoned. And yet they dare roam the jianghu, making trouble? I'm not scared. Once I drive them away, the others will finally give me the respect I deserve.

So he had returned, albeit with some lingering trepidation in his heart. He stuck his head round the door and was surprised to see a young man and a young woman sitting in the middle of the room. Has the demon transformed into two human forms? This is not good. Old Hou, you had better tread carefully.

Laurel and Emerald were baffled, meanwhile. He must be mad. So they decided to ignore him.

Browbeater Hou continued to curse and rave outside, but the demon did not appear. It was clearly afraid of the blazing sun, which was beating down on his scalp. Yet, he was too scared to charge inside the inn and drag the creature outside. So he waited.

Then he remembered spirits were afraid of dirt and contamination. He turned on his heel and left.

There were several stores of manure dotted around the village, including a sizable one right next to the inn. He removed his outer robe and proceeded to scoop a large pile of animal feces into it. Then he went back to the inn.

He peered through the window and saw that Miss Cheng and Master Lu were still seated inside. Now armed, he felt emboldened. "Brave demon! Reveal yourself!" he cried, running for the door with a pitchfork in his left hand and a large piece of dung in his right.

Emerald and Laurel were startled by the madman's reappearance, and by the pungent smell of feces that accompanied him.

Browbeater Hou's eyes darted between the two young people. In human form, men are the most aggressive, he said to himself, but, when it comes to spirits, it's the women one has to watch out for! So, he threw the dung straight at Miss Cheng.

Emerald yelped and ducked. Laurel had already reached for a bench and swung it at the oncoming excrement. With a dull splat, the manure sprayed in all directions, covering the young man. He gasped, trying not to vomit.

"Two-headed demon, unmask yourself!" Raising his pitchfork, Hou charged at Miss Cheng. The attack was quick and fierce.

By now, both Emerald and Laurel could see that this was a man of the wulin, not some local lunatic.

To Laurel, Miss Cheng looked to be a delicate daughter of a nobleman, frail and tender, like a flower stalk that could be snapped in the wind. So, he blocked once more with the bench.

"Who are you, sir?"

Browbeater Hou ignored the young man's question and instead jabbed three times with the fork. Laurel parried each thrust with the unwieldy bench, repeating the question as he did so.

Browbeater Hou was puzzled. The demon certainly knew some kung fu, and yet he was using a different style from the one he'd employed the night before. The reason must be his dung attack. "You're asking for my name so you can put a curse on me—admit it, demon! I won't fall for it!"

He had been about to say, "Master Hou won't fall for it!" but stopped himself at the last moment. He intensified his onslaught, the clang of his fork echoing around the small inn.

Laurel's skills were inferior to his opponent, and his only weapon was the large bench. He had a saber hanging from his belt, but found no opportunity to draw it. Each exchange pushed him farther back, until he had his back to the wall, covering the hole through which Lotus was watching.

Browbeater Hou lunged, Laurel Lu ducked sideways, and the metal prongs sunk into the wall, less than a foot from where Lotus was crouching on the other side. Before Browbeater Hou could pull it free, Laurel Lu made to bring the bench down on the old man's head. Hou kicked at Laurel's hand and followed up with a punch. The bench fell and Laurel ducked for cover.

Browbeater Hou yanked the fork from the wall.

The situation was critical. Emerald jumped forward, pulled the saber from Laurel's belt and handed it to him.

"Why, thank you!" Her intervention was a welcome surprise.

Just then, the glint of the oncoming fork caught Laurel's eye. He parried, inches from his chest. Sparks flew. The fork passed by his side, but he felt a pain in his chest. The madman was formidable, but Laurel felt more confident now that he had his saber.

The men continued to fight, their feet slipping in the manure, which by now covered the entire floor.

Browbeater Hou had entered the fight with one eye on the door, in case he needed to escape, but, the more blows they exchanged, the more he understood that the demon was not capable of defeating him. His trick with the dung had worked. He pressed on, putting more power behind his attacks. Laurel Lu was struggling to block them.

Emerald Cheng had retreated to a corner to watch, afraid of getting her clothes soiled. But now she feared the handsome young man was in grave danger. She hesitated, then drew a sword from her pack.

"Young gentleman! I … will help. Please excuse me!"

She was polite in the extreme—who apologized for helping?—though she did not wait for a reply before plunging her sword toward Browbeater Hou's chest.

Having studied under Sage of Tranquility, Sun Bu'er, she used the Quanzhen Sect's sword technique. But her excessive courtesy had given Browbeater Hou prior warning. Besides, he had been expecting the female incarnation of the demon to attack the whole time. Laurel Lu, however, was pleasantly surprised once more. She was quick—his heart throbbed with admiration. His own movements had become erratic and he was drenched in sweat, but her intervention gave him new strength.

Browbeater Hou had been dreading the female demon's attack, but, while she was proficient with the sword, there was no real force behind the thrusts. Furthermore, she was noticeably nervous. She had probably not been a demon for long—she was unpracticed. Relieved, he intensified his moves. He knew he had the upper hand, now.

Lotus, meanwhile, was watching anxiously. Miss Cheng and Master Lu were bound to lose, but she could not leave Guo Jing's side. Had she been able to help, she would have outsmarted the Three-Horned Dragon without much effort.

"Miss!" Laurel Lu cried. "Step back, don't put yourself in danger!"

Miss Cheng was grateful for his concern, but she could see that he would not prevail alone. She shook her head and continued to fight.

Laurel Lu changed his tactics. "What kind of hero fights a defenseless young woman!" he cried at Browbeater Hou. "Let me fight you, man to man, and leave the young maiden out of it!"

By this stage, Browbeater Hou had begun to suspect these two might not be incarnations of the demon, after all. But the young miss was dazzling. Why would he let her go?

"But Miss Demon is the greater prize!" he cried, launching his fork at Miss Cheng. He did not put his full force behind the move, however, since he had no wish to injure her.

"Miss, you must leave!" Laurel Lu cried. "I, Master Lu, am most grateful for your assistance thus far, but it's too dangerous."

"Master Lu? Is that your name?" Emerald asked, almost in a whisper.

"Indeed! And what is the young miss called?" Laurel Lu asked, just about managing to keep Browbeater Hou's pitchfork at bay. "To which school do you belong?"

"My shifu goes by the name of Sun Bu'er, the Sage of Tranquility," Miss Cheng said. "My … my…" She could not bear the embarrassment of telling him her name.

"Miss, I'll block him, you run! As long as I'm still alive, I will find you. Many thanks again for your help!"

Emerald blushed. "Sir…"

She turned to Browbeater Hou. "You, madman! You mustn't hurt this young gentleman. Did you not hear me? My shifu is the Sage of Tranquility of the Quanzhen Sect. She is on her way!"

The Seven Masters of the Quanzhen were acclaimed throughout the wulin, and, indeed, Browbeater Hou had not forgotten the day the Iron Foot Immortal, Jade Sun Wang Chuyi, had intimidated him and his comrades at the Palace of Zhao. Miss Cheng's words sent a shiver through him. "Even if all the Quanzhen Masters come to your aid, I will butcher each and every one of them!"

"Who is that, talking such nonsense?" A voice boomed from outside.

The three of them leaped back in shock. Laurel pulled Emerald into his arms and raised his saber in case Browbeater Hou launched a fresh attack.

He glanced up to see a young Taoist standing in the doorway, dressed in the characteristic robes and hat. His features were delicate and his eyes twinkled. In his hand, he carried a horsetail whisk.

"Who wants to butcher the Seven Masters of the Quanzhen Sect?"

"Me. What of it?" Browbeater Hou said, clutching the pitchfork and stuffing his other hand into his waistband.

"Very well. Let me see you try." Swish. The whisk came straight for Hou's face.

Guo Jing had just finished another round of breathing, and scrambled to his feet to join Lotus at the hole.

"Is he also one of the priests of the Quanzhen?" she asked.

Guo Jing recognized him at once: Harmony Yin. Disciple of Qiu Chuji. He had challenged Guo Jing to a secret fight in Mongolia, two years before, defeating Guo Jing with ease. Guo Jing conveyed the whole story to Lotus in a whisper.

After witnessing the first few exchanges between the young Taoist and Browbeater Hou, Lotus shook her head. "He won't defeat the Three-Horned Dragon."

Laurel Lu had reached the same conclusion, stepping forward to join the fight once more. Harmony Yin's skills had developed somewhat since his encounter with Guo Jing, but the two young men could only just match Browbeater Hou when fighting together.

Laurel's touch had left Emerald breathless and her heart was beating madly. Despite the intensity of the fight, only a few feet away, she was in a trance, caressing her hand where the young man had held it—until a loud clanking broke her reverie.

"Miss! Watch out!" Laurel Lu cried.

Browbeater's fork was coming right at her. Laurel blocked it with his saber and Emerald blushed. This was no time for daydreaming.

Emerald had not studied much kung fu, but a third pair of hands made it difficult for Browbeater Hou to block their combined attacks. Harmony Yin's whisk danced in front of his eyes, distracting him for the briefest of moments, long enough for Laurel Lu's saber to slice into his leg.

"Damn your ancestors for eighteen generations back!"

The wound slowed him. He tried to block with his fork, but Harmony Yin's whisk wrapped itself around it. They both pulled back at the same time, but Browbeater Hou was the stronger and he pulled the whisk out of Harmony Yin's hand.

Emerald lunged with her sword in a Shake the Milky Way, piercing his right shoulder. Browbeater Hou dropped his fork in agony. Harmony Yin swept his leg in a horizontal kick, knocking Hou to the ground. Laurel Lu then pounced on Browbeater Hou and, using his leather belt, tied his hands behind his back.

"You cannot even defeat one disciple of the Quanzhen Sect; how are you going to take on all seven Masters?" Harmony Yin sneered.

Browbeater Hou cursed. Three against one was no heroic victory! Harmony Yin tore a strip of cloth from Browbeater Hou's clothing and stuffed it into the prisoner's mouth. The Three-Horned Dragon's cheeks burned with red-hot fury, but he could not say anything in reply.

Harmony Yin turned to Miss Cheng and bowed. "Elder Martial Sister, you are the disciple of Elder Sun? I greet you with sincere respect."

Emerald bowed in return. "Brother, may I ask which of my martial uncles is your Master?"

"I am the disciple of Eternal Spring," he replied.

This being the first time Emerald had left her home, she had never met the other six Quanzhen Masters, but her shifu had of course explained who they were, and that, of all of them, Eternal Spring was the bravest and most honorable, not to mention the best fighter. "Then you are my elder," she said quietly. "My family name is Cheng. You must address me as your younger sister."

Her shy, girlish manner amused him. He then turned to Laurel Lu to introduce himself. Laurel repaid the courtesy without revealing who his father was.

"This madman can certainly fight. I wonder who he is. Whatever we do, we must not release him," Harmony Yin said.

"Let me dispatch him," Laurel said.

As the leader of the pirates of Lake Tai, he would have no qualms about killing their prisoner. For Emerald, however, the idea was unthinkable. "Oh, no, don't kill him!"

Harmony Yin smiled. "No, we have no reason to kill him; that wouldn't be right." Then he turned to Miss Cheng. "Little sister, have you been here long?"

"No, I just arrived," she said, blushing.

Harmony Yin regarded the two of them. He could sense that there was something between them. I should leave them be, he decided. "My shifu ordered me to go to Ox Village to find someone and give them a message. I must take my leave. But I am sure our paths will cross again!" He cupped his hands and turned to go.

The redness in Miss Cheng's cheeks only intensified. "Brother Yin, who is it that you are looking for?"

Harmony Yin hesitated. Miss Cheng belongs to the Quanzhen Sect, and she travels with Master Lu. I suppose it will do no harm to tell them. "I am looking for a friend by the name of Guo," he said at last.

Everyone, on both sides of the wall, was stunned.

"Is his given name Jing?" Laurel Lu asked.

"Indeed, it is. Does Brother Lu also know Guo Jing?"

"I am looking for the very same Uncle Guo."

"Uncle Guo?" Both Harmony Yin and Miss Cheng were surprised by the term of address.

"My father is of the same martial generation, so I must call him Uncle." Laurel's father, Zephyr Lu, was a disciple of Lotus's father, and Guo Jing was betrothed to the young lady, so technically the young couple were of the same generation as Laurel's father.

Emerald was silent, but her heart was troubled.

"Have you seen him? Where is he?" Harmony Yin asked.

"I have only just arrived. I was about to make inquiries when this madman attacked us for no reason," Laurel Lu replied.

"Excellent. Then we will look for him together."

The three young people made for the door.

Lotus and Guo Jing exchanged puzzled glances.

"They're leaving," Guo Jing said. "Lotus, open the door and call to them."

"What would be the point? It must be something urgent, and you cannot attend to anything until you have made your recovery. Your attention must not be diverted from this task."

"You're right. It must be important, though. Can't you think of something? A way to resolve this?"

"I will not open the door, even if the sky should fall on our heads," Lotus said firmly.

4

Before long, however, the three were back.

"Not one person in the whole village knows where he is. This can't be good," Laurel Lu said.

"I wonder what matter is of such importance to send you here to look for him," Harmony Yin replied. "May we know?"

Laurel Lu was unwilling to say, but Miss Cheng's expectant expression was somehow hard to resist. "It's a long story. Let me first clean the floor of this manure, and then I will tell you."

They could find neither broom nor dustpan in the inn, so they went to fetch some branches and, together, they cleaned up the mess. Then they sat down to talk.

Just as Laurel Lu was about to begin, Emerald suddenly interrupted. "Wait!" She approached Browbeater Hou and cut two more pieces of cloth from his clothes. "He mustn't hear."

"Miss Cheng is most attentive," Laurel Lu said. "We don't know who this madman is. He must not be allowed to hear our discussion."

Lotus was amused. That there are two of us on this side of the wall is perhaps difficult to spot, but Gallant Ouyang has been listening from his corner this whole time. For all your attentiveness, have any of you noticed?

This was Emerald's first time away from home, and Harmony Yin had a reckless streak, like his master, and was young and inexperienced with it. It did not occur to any of them that there might be further danger lurking in this small, isolated inn.

As Emerald bent down to stuff the cloth into Browbeater Hou's ears, she noticed for the first time that they had been cut off. She was startled at first, but proceeded to push the material into the inner canal, then turned and smiled at Laurel Lu. "You may talk now."

"Aiya," he sighed. "Where do I start? I, too, am seeking Uncle Guo. By rights, I shouldn't be. In fact, I should really be doing the opposite. And yet, I must find him."

"How odd," Harmony Yin said.

"Indeed, it is," Laurel Lu conceded. "But it's not so much Uncle Guo I'm looking for, but rather his six shifus."

"The Six Freaks of the South!" Harmony Yin exclaimed, thumping the table.

"The very same."

"In that case, I think you have come over the same matter as me, concerning the same person. Why don't we each write down the name and let Sister Cheng determine if we're here on the same errand?"

Emerald smiled. "Good idea! Turn your backs to each other and write."

Harmony Yin and Laurel Lu each took up a twig and scratched a name in the dirt floor.

"Sister Cheng, did we write the same name?" Harmony Yin asked.

Emerald glanced at what each young man had written, before answering, "Brother Yin, you are wrong. You each wrote something different."

"Is that so?" he said, getting to his feet.

"You wrote Apothecary Huang," Emerald said, "and he drew a picture of a peach blossom."

They are both looking for Guo Jing because of my father, Lotus said to herself, in shock.

"Brother Yin wrote down the name of the Grandmaster of my school of kung fu," Laurel Lu said. "I did not dare write his name."

"Your Grandmaster?" Harmony Yin was surprised by this. "Apothecary Huang is the Lord of Peach Blossom Island, isn't he?"

"Ah, I see," Miss Cheng said.

"If Brother Lu is a disciple of Peach Blossom Island, then you cannot be looking for the Six Freaks for any favorable reason."

"That is not true," Laurel Lu replied.

Harmony Yin noticed the reticence in his voice, now. "If Brother Lu does not consider me a friend, then you needn't say any more," he said coldly. "I shall take my leave."

"Brother Yin, wait! I am in trouble and I need your help."

Harmony Yin liked nothing more than being needed. "Fine. Then tell me what is wrong."

"Brother Yin, you are a student of the Quanzhen Sect. You know that, if someone is in danger, it's a man's moral duty, according to the code of xia, that he must warn that person. But what if your own Master was out to harm an innocent party? Would you still owe it to them to warn them? Even if it meant going against your Master?"

"Indeed!" Harmony Yin cried and slapped his thigh. "You are a disciple of Peach Blossom Island, so this matter puts you in a rather difficult position. Tell me more."

"If I do nothing, I am being dishonorable. If I intervene, I am betraying my Master. There is something I would like to ask of Brother Yin, but I dare not."

Harmony Yin had worked out what it was Laurel Lu wanted him to do, but if the young man would not open his mouth to ask him, there was nothing he could do to help. He scratched his head, an awkward expression on his face.

Just then, Emerald had an idea. There was a habit among young women, whereby, if one among them was too shy to say what she was thinking, her mother or sister, for example, would ask her questions, to which she could reply by nodding or shaking her head. It was not the most direct method, but it did usually allow for the young girl to say what was on her mind. The mother might ask, for example, "Are you in love with Third Brother Zhang?" To which the girl would shake her head. "Is it Fourth Brother Li?" Again, the same response. "Cousin Wang?" Then she would hang her head and make no reply, which would mean yes.

"Brother Yin," Miss Cheng said, "you must ask Brother Lu questions. If the answer is yes, he will nod his head. If the answer is no, he will shake it. That way, no one can accuse him of betraying his Master."

"An excellent idea!" Harmony Yin exclaimed. "Brother Lu, let me first explain why I am here. My shifu, Eternal Spring, happened to hear that the Lord of Peach Blossom Island has taken against the Six Freaks and has vowed to kill them and their families. My shifu set out at once to Jiaxing to deliver the warning, but the Freaks were not to be found. He then went to visit each of their families in turn, but could not find a single one of them. This made him furious, so he set off north. Since then, I have had no news. Are you familiar with these matters?"

Laurel Lu nodded.

"I think Apothecary Huang is pursuing the Freaks northward. It is true that, at first, there was some animosity between my shifu and the Freaks, but this has all been resolved. Indeed, my Master admires greatly their dedication to helping those in need. And furthermore, in this particular matter, he considers them blameless. The Seven Masters of the Quanzhen Sect happened to be meeting down here among the rivers and lakes when they heard of the danger, and so they have spread out to look for the Freaks. For their own sake, Guo Jing's shifus would do well to hide somewhere, so that your Grandmaster cannot find them. Do you agree that this would be the best plan?"

Laurel Lu nodded his head vigorously.

Guo Jing kept his promise to go to Peach Blossom Island, so what score does Father have to settle with the Six Freaks? Lotus asked herself. She could not know about Lama Supreme Wisdom's lie that she had died at sea, and that Apothecary Huang blamed Guo Jing's Masters.

"As he could not find the Freaks," Harmony Yin continued, "my shifu thought of Guo Jing. Ox Village is where his parents lived, so my Master guessed that he might have returned here, and sent me to look for him. My Master thought he would know where his six shifus are. Did you come on the same errand?"

Once again, Laurel Lu nodded.

"And yet, he doesn't appear to be here. My shifu is most fond of the Six Freaks and is distressed by his failure to find them. His one comfort is the possibility that the Lord of Peach Blossom Island is struggling to find them too. Is it in relation to this matter that you need my help?"

Another nod.

"Then please explain in full, Brother Lu. I will do my best to help."

Laurel Lu looked back at the young Taoist with an awkward expression.

"Brother Yin," Miss Cheng said with a smile. "You forget, Brother Lu cannot speak freely."

"You're right," he said, smiling back at her. "Brother Lu, do you want me to wait here for Guo Jing?"

Laurel Lu shook his head.

"Do you want me to go looking for the Six Freaks and Guo Jing?"

Again, he shook his head.

"I know! You want me to spread word throughout the wulin. That way, before long, the news will reach the ears of the Six Freaks."

Yet again, Laurel Lu shook his head.

Harmony Yin presented the young man with another half a dozen guesses, but none was right. Miss Cheng offered two of her own, but she too was unsuccessful. Lotus listened, similarly confounded.

"Miss Cheng, you try to get it out of him," Harmony Yin said eventually. "I can't stand these riddles. I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in a few hours." With that, he left.

Laurel and Emerald now believed themselves to be alone, save for Browbeater Hou. Miss Cheng looked away shyly; Laurel did not move. She stole a glance at him, only to catch his eye. They both looked away. Miss Cheng's cheeks blushed even redder and she fiddled with the silk ribbons on the end of her sword's hilt.

Laurel Lu rose to his feet and walked over to the hearth, above which was painted an image of the Kitchen God.

"Kitchen God, my heart is heavy, but I cannot unburden myself. So I must tell you, and hope that, in your divine wisdom, you might bless me with the answer."

Very clever, Miss Cheng thought. She raised her head slightly, so that she might hear better.

"My name is Laurel Lu, son of Squire Lu of Roaming Cloud Manor, by the shores of Lake Tai. My father goes by the name of Zephyr, and he is a disciple of Lord Huang of Peach Blossom Island. A few days ago, Grandmaster Huang arrived at my home and announced that he was looking for the Six Freaks. He wishes to enact a bloody revenge on them and their families. He commanded my father and my martial aunt, Cyclone Mei, to find their whereabouts. Mistress Mei bears a deep hatred of the Freaks, so she accepted the order gladly. But not my father. He considers the Freaks patriots and heroes, and he does not believe killing would be a righteous deed. Indeed, my father has developed a friendship with a disciple of the Freaks, my martial uncle, Guo Jing. The situation is most difficult for my father. That night, he looked up to the sky and confessed his concerns to the heavens. He said he was considering sending me to find the Freaks, to warn them, but such an order would be a betrayal of his Master. Luckily, I was standing nearby and heard every word. My filial obligations are stronger than the loyalty I owe my Grandmaster. This is why I decided to set out on this journey."

The fact that he was copying his father's method of overcoming his dilemma did not escape Lotus or Miss Cheng.

"The Six Freaks are nowhere to be found, and neither is their disciple, Martial Uncle Guo, who is betrothed to my Grandmaster's daughter—"

At this, Emerald gasped. She covered her mouth quickly. She had yearned for Guo Jing day and night, thought herself to be in love, but, after having met Laurel Lu, she realized that her feelings had been nothing more than a childish infatuation. Laurel Lu was handsome, distinguished and superior to Guo Jing in every way. She was shocked to hear of Lotus and Guo Jing's relationship, but the news did not leave her heartbroken. In fact, she felt relieved. She recalled that they had seemed close in Baoying. Now, it did not matter. Her heart had already found a new home.

Laurel Lu had heard her gasp. He wanted to turn and look, but he forced himself not to. If I acknowledge that she is listening, I will have to stop talking. Father did not look over at me when I overheard him. My words are for the Kitchen God, it is not my fault if she is eavesdropping.

"I hope to find my Martial Uncle Guo and his betrothed," he continued, "so that together they might beseech Grandmaster Huang. Lord Huang has a hot temper, but he loves his daughter and his son-in-law, so he would never kill his son-in-law's shifus. Yet, from the way my father was talking, it sounds as if Martial Uncle Guo and Martial Aunt Huang may have met with danger. Only, it would be improper to ask him."

How could Father know about Guo Jing's injury? Lotus thought. It was not possible. He must have heard that we were stranded on the island.

"Brother Yin is kind and Miss Cheng is extremely intelligent and amiable"—Emerald's heart was thumping at this mention of her name—"but the contents of my heart are too strange for her to be able to guess. The Six Heroes of the South are heroes. Their kung fu may not be of the same level as Grandmaster Huang, but wouldn't asking them to take precautions be insulting them? Suggesting they are afraid of death? If they were to hear of the threat, I fear they would go looking for the Grandmaster rather than running away! And would I not have caused them more harm, therefore?"

Lotus nodded. Laurel Lu certainly understood the way that heroes of the jianghu thought.

"The Seven Masters of the Quanzhen Sect are righteous and deserving of their reputation," he continued. "Not to mention being extremely skilled fighters. Were Brother Yin and Miss Cheng to beg their Masters to intervene, Grandmaster Huang would certainly listen. Surely there is no reason for Grandmaster Huang to carry such a deep animosity toward the Six Heroes of the South. Mostly likely, it is all a misunderstanding—the Six Heroes must have said something to displease him. If someone were to act as mediator, the issue could be resolved. Kitchen God, my dilemma is this: I have an idea as to how to resolve it, but I cannot tell anyone. In your great wisdom and power, please help me to find a way."

Then he cupped his hands and bowed several times before the painting.

Emerald decided she must find Harmony Yin, but, just as she was about to head for the door, she heard Laurel Lu speak once more: "Kitchen God, if the Seven Masters of the Quanzhen Sect would be willing to help in this matter, it would be a deed befitting their reputation. I only hope that they will be courteous and not risk offending the Grandmaster, for, if another wave of fury were to come before the first has passed, all efforts will have been in vain. That is my confession in full."

Emerald smiled. Now, let me take care of this, she said to herself.

5

Emerald Cheng left the inn and started to walk around the village, looking for Harmony Yin. But she could find no trace of him. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard someone hiss, "Sister Cheng!" It was him, peering out from around a corner.

"There you are!" Emerald cried.

Harmony Yin gestured for her to be quiet, then pointed west as he approached. "I have seen some suspicious characters," he whispered. "Carrying weapons."

"They're probably just passing through," Emerald replied, distracted by thoughts of all that Laurel Lu had said.

But Harmony's expression was grave. "They moved quickly, and they are trained in the martial arts. We must be careful."

He had, of course, spotted Tiger Peng and the others. They had waited for Browbeater Hou, but, as he did not return, they realized he must be in danger. Yet, whoever it was pretending to be a demon in the palace was an accomplished fighter and no one was eager to confront him again. While they were deciding what to do, they spotted the young Taoist and quickly hid.

Harmony Yin waited, but, as all was quiet up ahead, he decided to investigate, only to find no trace of them.

Emerald related all that she had heard from Laurel.

"So that's what he wanted? We would never have been able to guess!" Harmony Yin said with a smile. "Sister Cheng, if you go and ask Mistress Sun, the Sage of Tranquility, I will approach my shifu. As long as they all act together, what task is beyond their abilities?"

"But they must be careful not to make things worse," Miss Cheng said. She explained Laurel Lu's concerns.

"Huh—who is this Apothecary Huang? Are his martial skills really greater than that of the Seven Masters?"

Emerald wanted to remind him not to be too arrogant, but the severity of his expression stopped her.

Instead, they went back to the inn together.

"Brother, I must take my leave," Laurel Lu said as soon as they crossed the threshold. "If you are ever passing Lake Tai, do please visit us at Roaming Cloud Manor and stay a few days."

Emerald was devastated that he should be leaving so soon. How could she reveal her feelings to him?

Harmony Yin turned to face the Kitchen God. "Master Kitchen God, the Quanzhen Sect is indeed most willing to aid all those in need. No injustice in the jianghu goes unnoticed or ignored by the Seven Masters."

Laurel Lu knew that Harmony Yin was speaking to him, so he too turned to the painting. "Kitchen God, I pray only that you will give your blessing so that this matter might be resolved peacefully. I will be forever in debt to the heroes who reach out their hand to help."

"Master Kitchen God, please do not worry. The might of the Seven Masters makes the world tremble. As long as they are willing, there is nothing they cannot accomplish."

This startled Laurel Lu. How were they going to persuade Apothecary Huang if their plan was to pit their might against him?

"Kitchen God, you know my Grandmaster does as he pleases and has little regard for rank or hierarchy. Should they speak to him as friends and equals, he can be persuaded. But he will heed no man's command."

"Kitchen God, why should the Seven Masters fear anyone? This matter has nothing to do with them. Should they be provoked, however, it matters not if the offending party is the Lord of Peach Blossom Island or of Cherry Blossom Island, the Seven Masters will surely teach them a lesson!"

Anger was rising in Laurel Lu's chest. "Kitchen God, please ignore all that I have said to you today. If we are to be belittled, then we don't want help."

Emerald Cheng was listening in distress. She wanted to intervene, but the two young men seemed unwilling to yield even an inch.

"Kitchen God," Harmony Yin said eventually, "the Quanzhen are the greatest of the orthodox Taoist sects. All others are heretics. No matter how accomplished they may be, how can the heretical win over the orthodox?"

"Kitchen God, the Quanzhen Sect's reputation reaches far and wide, and is certainly deserved for many in its ranks. But this does not mean that they do not claim some disciples that are truly arrogant and boastful."

"How dare you insult me!" Harmony Yin struck his palm against one corner of the stove, and the stove partially collapsed.

Bang! Laurel Lu struck the other corner. "How dare I? I insult only those who deserve it!"

Harmony Yin could see that Laurel Lu's kung fu was no match for his. "Fine. Let us see who is truly deserving of insult."

Laurel Lu knew that he was unlikely to prevail, but, now that he had climbed onto the tiger's back, it was going to be difficult to get down. He drew his saber and nodded. "I am honored to take on your most accomplished Quanzhen fighting technique."

Tears were now pouring down Emerald Cheng's cheeks. She wanted to throw herself between them, but she was too afraid. Harmony Yin drew his horsetail whisk, and within moments the fight had begun.

Laurel Lu did not hope for victory, only to avoid a humiliating defeat. Using the Arhat Saber technique taught to him by Reverend Withered Wood, he immediately adopted a defensive stance.

Harmony Yin attacked head-on, but was surprised by his opponent's saber skills. He might have been somewhat reckless in his assessment—a suspicion that was confirmed when he nearly lost his left arm. His heart trembling, he concentrated and parried. This was a key tenet of his school's style: the calming of the mind, to be slow in step but quick in hand.

For the last month, Laurel Lu had been receiving instruction from his father and had made considerable progress, but his skills were negligible in comparison to those of one of Eternal Spring's disciples.

Following the fight through the small hole in the wall, Lotus watched Harmony Yin gradually gain the advantage, and silently cursed. That little Taoist insulted my father. If it wasn't for Guo Jing's injury, I'd teach him a few heresies from Peach Blossom Island.

She watched as Laurel Lu repeated the saber strike and Harmony Yin blocked it with ease before twisting past the blade and aiming for Laurel's elbow. Laurel's arm went numb and he dropped his weapon. Unrelenting, Harmony Yin aimed his whisk at the young man's face and cried, "This is Quanzhen's fighting technique. Don't forget it!"

The whisk was made of horsehair mixed with silver threads. Were they to make contact with Laurel's face, they would be certain to draw blood.

Laurel Lu ducked, but heard Harmony correct the whisk's course.

Then, suddenly, a tender voice: "Brother Yin!"

Emerald Cheng's sword blocked the whisk. Laurel Lu leaped back and reached for his saber.

"Sister Cheng, you would choose an outsider against your own school? Why, then, the lovers can fight me together."

"You…" Emerald Cheng's cheeks blazed red.

Harmony Yin flashed his whisk, forcing her back. Laurel Lu sprang forward with his saber. It could have been two against one, but Emerald Cheng did not want to fight a martial brother, so she withdrew.

"Come, now, he cannot defeat me on his own!" Harmony Yin cried.

Lotus watched in amusement. Just then, there was a noise at the door. In walked Tiger Peng, Hector Sha, and the others, followed by Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang. They had waited for Browbeater Hou's return, but Hector Sha had grown increasingly worried, and had ventured back alone, at first. The last thing he had expected was to encounter two young men fighting, so he went back and gathered the others.

The two young men noticed the Sixth Prince's retinue and instantly stopped fighting. They inquired as to who they were, but Hector Sha stepped forward and grabbed both by the wrist. Tiger Peng, meanwhile, untied the leather belt around Browbeater Hou's hands.

Browbeater Hou was furious. With the cloth still in his mouth, he roared and threw himself at Emerald Cheng, attacking her with his palms. She withdrew. Browbeater Hou followed, flailing his fists, his face swollen and blue.

"Stop!" Tiger Peng called. "Let's talk."

But Browbeater Hou's ears were blocked with cloth. He could not hear a thing.

Hector Sha had locked the pressure point on Laurel Lu's wrist, paralyzing him down one side. But Browbeater Hou was like a crazed tiger and Emerald Cheng was in danger. A burst of strength came surging through Lu from nowhere. He threw Hector Sha aside and leaped at Browbeater Hou.

But, just at the last moment, Tiger Peng intercepted him and sent the young man crashing to the floor. He then pounced on him, grabbed him by the back of the neck and lifted him up like a prize. "Who are you? Are you the one who was pretending to be a demon?"

Suddenly, the door let out a long creak as it was slowly opened. Everyone turned, but there was no one in the doorway. A shiver went through them all.

A head appeared: a young woman with disheveled hair.

"Help!" cried Lama Supreme Wisdom.

"A she-devil!"

Tiger Peng saw at once that she was nothing more than an ordinary peasant girl. "Come in," he said.

The young woman walked in. She giggled and stuck out her tongue. "So many people."

Graybeard Liang had been the one to call her a she-devil, but now he too saw that she was in fact an ordinary, wretched girl with tattered clothes, and most probably a fool. Embarrassment at his first reaction now turned to fury. "Who are you?" He jumped forward and made to grab her arm.

She stepped back, flipped her hand and retaliated with a Jade Ripple Palm. Her execution may not have been refined, but it was a perfectly respectable example of kung fu. Graybeard Liang was caught by surprise, and the strike hit the back of his hand with a loud slap.

This only made the old man even more furious. He rushed at her with both fists raised. "You merely play the fool!"

The young girl took another step back, then pointed at his shiny pate and laughed.

This caught everyone by surprise, not least Graybeard Liang, who stopped dead for a few moments. Then he launched himself at her. The girl raised her hands while retreating. Knowing she was in danger, she turned and tried to escape. But the Ginseng Codger was in no mood to be generous. He stretched out his leg to block, while striking with his elbow, then fist. The girl felt a sharp pain to her nose and the room started spinning.

"Sister, eating the watermelon! Come out and help me!"

Lotus froze. I should have killed her while I had the chance, she thought. She is going to be the death of us. Just then, she heard the faintest snort, barely audible. Her heart leaped in delight. Papa has come! She leaned closer to look through the hole and saw Apothecary Huang, dressed in a mask made of human skin, standing at the door to the courtyard.

Nobody else had noticed him arrive. He stood, still as a tree trunk. At last, the others turned to look, and shuddered. His face was not green, he bore no fangs, he was neither fierce nor ugly. But it was clear to all that this face did not belong to a living being.

Apothecary Huang had witnessed the whole brief exchange between the young girl and Graybeard Liang, and he could tell at once that she had been trained in the martial arts of Peach Blossom Island.

"Young miss, who is your Master? Where is he?"

The girl shook her head. The sight of this strange face had struck her dumb. Then, suddenly, she clapped her hands and laughed.

Apothecary Huang frowned. She had to have some connection to Peach Blossom Island, and he would never let the disciple of a disciple be bullied. He had even come to Cyclone Mei's defense when she was mistreated by Guo Jing. "Silly girl, why didn't you strike back when that old man hit you?"

The men gathered had not realized who this was, until he opened his mouth. Wanyan Honglie, Yang Kang, and Tiger Peng recognized his voice at once. Was this the man they had encountered in the palace, the night before? Tiger Peng wondered. If so, there was no way they could overcome him. They would have to use Sun Tzu's thirty-sixth strategy: if all else fails, run.

"I can't hit him," the girl said.

"Says who?" Apothecary Huang replied. "If he hits your nose, you hit his nose. If he hits you once, you hit him three times."

"All right!" It had not occurred to her that there was a mismatch in their skills. "If you hit my nose, I must hit your nose. If you hit me once, I must hit you three times." At that, she sent her fist toward Graybeard Liang's nose.

The Ginseng Codger moved to block, but instantly felt the Pool at the Bend pressure point at his elbow go numb. His forearm froze. Thump! The girl hit him squarely in the face.

"Number two!" she cried, and punched again.

Graybeard Liang bent his knees, his back straight and chest pulled in, and reached out in a move from his famous Grapple and Lock technique. He was aiming to dislocate the girl's shoulder, but, just as his fingers made contact, his arm again went numb. Thump! Another blow to the nose. This time, his head was thrown back and he was rocked onto his heels, seething with fury.

The others watched in amazement. How had she done it? Tiger Peng was an expert in secret projectiles; he was the only one who heard the faint swish that told him Apothecary Huang was throwing the tiniest of needles at Graybeard Liang's pressure points. And yet, he never saw the great Master's arm move.

Apothecary Huang was in fact flicking his finger from inside his sleeve, sending the needles through the fabric of his robe. It was an invisible and almost inaudible attack. Who could possibly defend themselves against it?

"Three!"

With both arms locked, Graybeard Liang watched as the girl's fist hurtled toward his face once more. He tried to step back, but, at that moment, the White Ocean point on the inside of his right leg went numb. A spark danced before his eyes, he felt a pain in them, and they began to brim with tears. This last punch to his nose had also hit the pressure point in his tear ducts. To be seen crying would be even more humiliating than defeat. He tried to wipe away the tears, but his arm would not move. Two fat drops rolled down his cheeks.

"Oh, don't cry!" the young girl said. "I promise I won't hit you anymore."

These words were worse than the blows to his nose. Unable to bear it, Graybeard Liang bent forward and vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Sir, who are you?" he said, looking up at Apothecary Huang. "Using such tricks, is that the behavior of a Master?"

"Who are you to demand my name?" Apothecary Huang replied. Then he turned to address all the men gathered. "All of you, go!"

Apothecary Huang's order came as a relief. Nobody watching had any desire to join the fight. Tiger Peng was the first to leave, but, as he approached the door, he saw the great Master was blocking the way out. He stopped dead.

"I told you all to leave, and yet you're still here. Are you asking me to kill you?"

Tiger Peng had heard all about Apothecary Huang's strange moods. He wanted nothing more than to do as the Master said. So, he turned to the others and cried, "The great Master has instructed us to go. Let's go."

By now, Browbeater had removed the cloth from his mouth. He ran straight at Apothecary Huang. "Let me pass!" he snarled.

"Who are you to demand that I move aside?" he said firmly. "You may crawl between my legs. If you want to live, that is."

The men looked at each other in dismay. This man was humiliating them. Yet they were all considered accomplished fighters. Together, they might just be able to overcome him.

Browbeater Hou launched himself at Apothecary Huang, but suddenly he found himself up in the air and felt a hand pulling at his left arm.

Crrraaaack! Browbeater Hou's arm was pulled clean from his body. Apothecary Huang tossed man and arm aside. Browbeater Hou fainted instantly from the pain, as blood poured onto the floor.

Apothecary Huang glanced up at the ceiling, seemingly indifferent. The others were horrified, the color draining instantly from their cheeks.

Slowly, Huang's eyes swept over each of the men, one by one. Hector Sha, Tiger Peng—they had all killed plenty of men in their time, but they shuddered under Huang's cold gaze. Goose bumps prickled their skin.

"Are you leaving or not?" Apothecary Huang roared.

Any thoughts of fighting back turned to dust. Tiger Peng hung his head and crawled out beneath Huang's legs. Hector Sha released Harmony Yin and Laurel Lu and scrambled through next, dragging Browbeater Hou behind him. Yang Kang helped Wanyan Honglie, followed by Graybeard Liang and Lama Supreme Wisdom.

As soon as they were outside, they ran like startled rats. Not one of them dared to glance over their shoulder as they fled.