Yang Guo had learned various first class martial arts from several experts since his childhood. From the Quanzhen, he learned the purest nei-gong techniques. From Xiao Longnu, he learned the "Jade Maiden Sword and Palm" techniques. From the manual inscribed on the Ancient Tomb's walls, he learned the "Nine Yin Manual". From his adopted father, Ouyang Feng, he inherited the 'Toad Stance' and the 'Reversing Blood Flow' techniques. From Hong Qigong he got the 'Dog Beating Stick', from Huang Yaoshi he received the "Divine Flicking Finger" and "Jade Flute Swordplay". Except for the "Solitary Yang Finger" from the Southern Emperor, it could be said that he had mastered the specialty of the Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Northern Beggar and the Central Divinity. By analyzing and combining these various techniques, it was not too difficult for him to create a brand new fist technique.
Because he had one arm, he did not try to achieve victory with variations in stances but instead he deliberately chose to go against martial arts norms. Also, the names of this palm technique came from a line in one of Jiang Yan's works (a poet of the Southern Dynasties). This was the first time that the palms have met such a strong opponent as Zhou Botong.
Zhou Botong became even more excited when he heard this was a palm that Yang Guo had invented himself and said, "Good! I want to see this brand new technique." He continued to fight – with one hand. Yang Guo faced the sky as if he didn't even notice that Zhou was there and arched a palm towards his face and then downwards. The palm's power dispersed all around.
Zhou knew that there was no way to avoid the palm's power and sent out his palm to meet it. The palms collided and Zhou wobbled; he felt his chest tighten – his martial arts were not weaker than his opponent's but palm for palm, he could not compete with Yang Guo's heavy and overbearing palm. "Good!" he praised, "What was that stance?"
"It was 'Causing One to Worry' or 'Overbearing Sadness' [Gei Ren Yau Tien]." Yang Guo called out, "Watch out! The next stance is 'Out of Nothing Came Something' [Wu Zhong Sheng You]."
The Old Urchin laughed heartily, "Interesting! Very interesting!" he shouted, "Kid, how did you come up with those weird names?"
Yang Guo hung his arm down in a completely unprepared form. As soon as Zhou's fist came near him, Yang Guo suddenly moved everything; his left palm, right sleeve, kicks, head, butt, even his chest, back, stomach and waist attacked – they all contained a level of energy capable of injuring an opponent.
Zhou could never predict a move such as this. In a flash, over ten different stances came at him at once. 'Out of Nothing' was one stance but it contained tens of variations within. Even someone with martial arts as high as Zhou's, he was forced to step back. In this situation, he couldn't help but also use his right arm to fend off the attack. He had to use all his efforts to block this attack, counterattacking never came into the equation. Nevertheless, he managed to block all the attacks and quickly leapt back in case of some more weird moves.
"Old Master Zhou!" cried Guo Xiang, "Two arms are not enough! You need three!" The old man laughed heartily and repeatedly nodded his head as a very high compliment to Yang Guo.
Yang Guo was impressed that Zhou was able to block all these profound sudden attacks and called out the next stance, "Watch this next stance: 'Dragging Mud with Water' [Tuo Ni Dai Shui]."
Both the old man and the young girl cheered, "Very nice! That sounds very nice!" he shouted.
"Don't you praise me just yet. Take this one!" Yang Guo countered. His right sleeve flowed like water and his left palm slid out heavily like flowing mud and sand.
Zhou recalled something that his apprentice brother Wong Zhongyang told him about Huang Yaoshi. Huang Yaoshi had a palm technique he invented called the 'Palms of the Five Elements', the five elements were contained within the palms. Right now, Yang Guo's right sleeve was like North's water and his left palm was like Central's earth, light and swift along with heavy and fierce. Zhou did not dare delay and immediately used the 'Vacant Fist' with his left hand and the 'Demon Subduing Fist' with his right; light against light, heavy against heavy. After the two attacks came together, they both shouted and moved back a couple of steps.
After those four stances, they both had great respect for each other. Yang Guo stood and stared blankly for a moment. He understood that Zhou was the strongest opponent his palms had ever met and if there was going to be a victor; an internal energy competition would be needed. If they did that, there was a possibility that one or maybe both of them would be heavily injured or even die – something he was not prepared to do after what happened to Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng. Why would he do something like that to such a benevolent man as Zhou Botong? He swallowed his pride and bowed to him saying, "Senior Zhou, I admit defeat." He then turned to Guo Xiang and said, "Little Sister, we failed to invite Senior Zhou. Let us leave!"
"Hold it! Hold it!" shouted the old man. "Didn't you say the 'An Ran Xiao Hun Zhang' has seventeen stances? You've just used four of them, what about the other thirteen?"
"There is no enmity between us," said Yang Guo. "Why should we fight to death? Junior admits defeat."
Zhou Botong shook his head, "Not right! Not right!" he said, "You have not lost yet, and I haven't won. Don't ever think of leaving this valley before you show me all the palms."
Yang Guo chuckled, "Senior, you act strange. I was trying to invite you to come with us, and now that I failed, I just want to leave. Why would you hold me here?"
Zhou Botong – who was crazy about martial arts, was baffled. "Good Brother," he begged, "How could I guess the thirteen stances of the 'An Ran Xiao Hun Zhang'? I hope you'll have pity on this old man. Please show me, I am willing to trade with any skill of your fancy."
An idea clicked on Yang Guo's head. "It's not difficult to learn my technique," he said, "I don't want anything in return; as long as you come with us to see Yinggu."
The old man wrinkled his eyebrows and said, "I won't see her even if you chop off my head."
"In that case, let me bid you farewell," said Yang Guo, turning his body around.
Suddenly Zhou leaped to block Yang Guo's path and threw out a fist. "Good Brother, please show me just one more stance," he begged. Yang Guo defended using Quanzhen martial arts. Zhou changed his fist techniques but Yang Guo kept to using Quanzhen palm techniques and Nine Yin martial arts to defend.
The 'Nine Yin Manual' contained all kinds of martial arts techniques; therefore, it was more than enough for Yang Guo to defend himself. If Yang Guo wanted to defeat Zhou Botong, it would be no easy task; but now that he's just concentrating on defending, Zhou was not able to do anything to him. No matter what kind of ruses or tricks that Zhou tried, Yang Guo did not fall for any of them. He did not use any new stances of his "Melancholic Sad Palms" but he repeated the four stances of his 'Melancholic Sad Palms' that he had previously used with different variations to agitate Zhou Botong even more.
The two fought for almost an hour. Zhou Botong was an old man, his vigor had been depleted and his internal energy was no longer the same as it was at the start of the fight. He knew now it would be difficult to get Yang Guo to use a new palm from his 'An Ren Xiao Hun Zhang' so he leapt back and begged Yang Guo, "All right! All right! I will kowtow eight times and take you as my master. Master Yang, disciple Zhou Botong kowtows to you!" And he really kowtowed to Yang Guo!
Yang Guo chuckled again, "How could I be your master? Nevertheless, it's suitable for me to tell you the names of the rest of the stances."
"Good! Aw …! You are so nice," said the old man, ecstatic.
"Big Brother, don't tell him unless he is willing to come with us," said Guo Xiang.
Yang Guo smiled, "It's OK. He will only hear the names."
"Right! What's the problem if I only hear the names?" said the old man hastily.
Yang Guo went over to a big tree and sat underneath it. "Brother Zhou, hear this: the other stances are 'Wandering The Valley Of Emptiness' [Pai Huai Kong Gu], 'Strong Desire Weak Strength' [Li Bu Cong Xin] 'Good For Nothing' [Xing Shi Zou Rou] 'Disturbing Oneself – Confused Fool' [Yong Ren Zi Rao] 'Walking Upside Down – Perverse Action' [Dao Xing Ni Shi] … "
Listening to this Guo Xiang was howling with laughter while rolling around holding her stomach; but Zhou Botong listened attentively. Yang Guo paused and smiled seeing Guo Xiang's behavior, then continued, "'Restless Thought' [Fei Qin Wang Shi], 'A Lone Form Is Merely Shadow' [Gu Xing Zhi Ying] 'Drink To Swallow One's Hatred – Cherishes Hatred Suppresses Sobs' [Yin Hen Tun Sheng] 'Six Disturbed Spirits/Ghosts' [Liu Shen Bu An] 'Entering A Dead End' [Qiong Tu Mo Lu], 'Face Without Feeling' [Mian Wu Ren Se], 'Longing For Emptiness' [Xiang Ru Fei Fei], 'Stupid As A Wooden Chicken [Dai Ruo Mu Ji]."
The old man only scratched his head and grinned. After acting bewildered for a while he finally said, "Strange …! Wonderful …! Take "Face Without Feeling" for instance, how would you use that to defeat an enemy?"
"That stance contains not only one but numerous variations," explained Yang Guo. "Somebody who uses the stance has to be able to change his countenance, from upset to happy. The opponent will be affected by that change. We look sad, he would be sad, we look happy, he would follow. This one stance can defeat the enemy by manipulating their emotions."
"Is that stance based on the "Soul Altering Spell" from the 'Nine Yin Manual'?" asked Zhou Botong.
"That's right," answered Yang Guo.
"What about 'Walking Upside Down'?" asked the Old Urchin.
Yang Guo immediately turned upside down and threw a punch. "This is one of the thirty seven variations of the stance."
Zhou Botong nodded his head. "I know," he said, "This is from Ouyang Feng."
"Right again," Yang Guo leaped back up, "but in my stance there are 'bends among the straights', the 'bends' and 'straights' work together."
"What does it mean?" asked the old man.
"That is a secret, I can't tell you."
The old man opened his mouth, but then closed it again without saying anything. He knew, begging wouldn't do him any good. He scratched his head and looked so disappointed.
Seeing him like that, Guo Xiang's heart melted. She approached him and softly said, "Senior Zhou, why don't you want to see Yinggu? I bet Big Brother would be willing to teach you his skill."
Zhou Botong sadly sighed. "About Yinggu, it was due to my own foolishness when I was young," he said. "It is an embarrassing story."
"Why would you be embarrassed?" asked the young miss. "If you have something in your heart, better to talk it out than keep it to yourself. Every time I've done something wrong, I always admit it to my parents. True, they would scold me, but then that would it. If I lied, even though I did not get any scolding, I felt depressed. This time I disobeyed them by coming here without their permission. My mother will scold me for sure, but I will tell her the truth."
This young girl's honest words touched the old man's heart. He glanced at Yang Guo and softly said, "Very well, I will tell you what I did. Only please do not laugh in my face!"
"Who would mock you?" said Guo Xiang. She held the old man's arm, leaned on him and continued, "You can always tell the story like it happened to other people, or you could pretend it was an ancient lore. Afterward, I will also tell you my mischief."
Zhou Botong looked at her innocent face, smiled and asked, "You have done mischief?"
"You think I can't be naughty?" Guo Xiang countered.
"Well then," Zhou Botong said, "Let me hear what you did first."
"I have done much mischief. Let's see … a soldier was on guard duty one night on the city wall; and he fell asleep. Father had him arrested and was going to have him beheaded the next morning. I saw him and my heart melted. I quietly let him go around midnight, and told him to run away as fast as he can. Father was furious. He found out it was my doing and he beat me up. Another time I saw a poor peasant girl looking longingly at my mother's golden bracelet. I stole it and gave it to that poor girl. Afterward Mother looked for it everywhere but could not find it. I laughed secretly, but did not say anything. Finally I told her the truth. She was not mad at me, but my elder sister insisted that I get the bracelet back from the girl."
Zhou Botong sighed heavily, "What you did is incomparable to what I've done." Then, with embarrassment in his voice, he told how in his youth he tagged along his martial brother Wang Chongyang visiting the Emperor Duan. He told them how Concubine Liu had learned martial arts from him; how he secretly made love to her; how the Concubine had always wanted to see him but he kept avoiding her, and how – because of anger the Emperor abdicated his throne and became a monk.
Guo Xiang and Yang Guo listened attentively. After the old man finished, timidly she asked, "Besides Concubine Liu, did the Emperor have any other wives or concubines?"
"Even though he was incomparable to the Song Emperor, he had three palaces, six courtyards and dozens of other women: his queen and other concubines," he answered.
"There! You see?" said the girl, "Emperor Duan had many other women, but you, you didn't have a single woman. Therefore, as a friend, he could give Concubine Liu to you."
Yang Guo nodded his head and thought, "This girl does not adhere strictly to common etiquette and tradition. Truly she is a girl after my own heart."
"At that time Emperor Duan said the same thing," the old man said. "But I know that he loved Concubine Liu very much. Because of this scandal he became a monk. This proves how deeply I have offended him."
Listening to this, Yang Guo intervened, "Reverend Yideng became a monk because he thought he sinned against you and not because you sinned against him. Don't you know that?"
"What did he do?" Zhou Botong wondered.
"Well, there was a man who injured your son and he refused to help him," Yang Guo answered.
For all these long years Zhou Botong had never known that Yinggu bore him a son. "My … my son?" he stammered.
"I don't know the details," answered Yang Guo, "I heard this from Reverend Yideng." He immediately narrated what he heard at the Black Dragon Marsh.
Zhou Botong was spellbound. He stood silently, recalling how Yinggu had suffered for many-many years. A feeling of love, compassion and guilt slowly crept into his heart.
Yang Guo noticed this old man's behavior; he said in his heart, "This Senior is a compassionate man. His character is almost the same as mine. For a man like this, how could I withhold the seventeen stances of 'An Ren Xiao Hun Zhang'?" Having had this thought he then said, "Senior Zhou, let me show you the entire 'An Ren Xiao Hun Zhang'. I beg you to give me some pointers." And then he demonstrated all the stances of 'An Ren Xiao Hun Zhang' except the 'Face Without Feeling', because he was wearing a mask.
As a highly skilled martial artist – plus a profound knowledge of the "Nine Yin Manual", Zhou Botong was immediately able to understand the stances. The only two he had some difficulty with were "Dead Man Walking" and "Entering a Dead End". Yang Guo explained several times, but he still could not grasp the essence of the stances. "Senior Zhou," Yang Guo finally said, "I was separated from my wife fifteen years ago. Day and night I kept thinking about her. In agony I created these two stances. Senior is a carefree man; you have never known suffering in your life. No wonder you cannot grasp the essence of the stances."
"Ah! How did you get separated from your wife?" the old man was surprised. "She was beautiful and kind hearted. No wonder you cannot forget her."
Yang Guo did not want to mention Guo Fu, so he told him how his wife was gravely injured, and was taken by the 'Divine Nun of the South Sea' as her disciple, and how he had to wait for sixteen years before they could see each other again. He also mentioned how he prayed everyday for his wife's safety. Finally he said, "I just want to see her one more time. Afterward, I don't care if I will have to die. I will die a satisfied man."
Listening to Yang Guo, Guo Xiang was saddened and tears flowed down her cheeks. "Oh God, let them see each other again," she said with a trembling voice.
Since his separation from his wife, this was the first time somebody had prayed for him earnestly. He was so touched and vowed not to forget her kindness. He heaved a sigh and bowed to Zhou Botong. "Senior Zhou, I bid you farewell." He took Guo Xiang's hand and left.
After only a few steps Guo Xiang looked back and said, "Senior Zhou, did you see that? Big Brother is thinking about his wife all the time. Yinggu is the same. She is thinking about you. Do you have the heart not to see her?"
Zhou Botong was startled and his countenance paled.
"Little Sister, let it go," Yang Guo whispered. "Everybody has their own thoughts; we have no right to tell him what to do." Slowly they left the "Hundred Flower Valley". Their hearts were heavy.
"Big Brother," Guo Xiang asked, "Are you going to be sad if I ask you about your wife?"
"No," he answered, "We are going to see each other in a few months."
"How did you meet her?" asked Guo Xiang.
Yang Guo then told her his life story. How as an orphan he was bullied by the Quanzhen priests, how he ran away to the Ancient Tomb and met Xiao Longnu, and how after several years of living together they fell in love with each other, and finally how they got separated at the 'Broken Heart Cliff'.
Guo Xiang was listening with a sad heart. After Yang Guo finished his story, she said earnestly, "I pray to Heaven that you will meet her safely."
"Thank you, thank you very much!" Yang Guo said. "I will not forget your prayer. I will let my wife know about your loving kindness toward us."
"Every year, right on my birthday, Mother will pray to Heaven for our safety," Guo Xiang continued. "That day she always tells me to make three wishes. Oftentimes I could not figure out what to wish even after thinking about it for half a day. But this year, I already know what to wish. I will wish that Big Brother will meet your lovely wife much earlier."
"And the other two wishes?" asked Yang Guo.
Guo Xiang laughed, "That's a secret. I cannot tell you."
A moment later they heard somebody calling behind them, "Brother Yang, wait! Brother Yang, wait for me!" It was Zhou Botong.
Yang Guo was overjoyed! Quickly he turned his head and saw the old man coming to them with blinding speed. "Brother Yang!" he shouted, "I carefully thought it out. Take me to see Yinggu."
"Now, that is the proper thing to do," Guo Xiang was so touched. "You don't have any idea how great her suffering was."
"After you left, I kept thinking about what Brother Yang said," explained the old man. "I won't be able to sleep for the rest of my life unless I see her. I have an important question I'd like to ask her."
Zhou Botong wanted to continue the journey overnight if it were up to him. But Guo Xiang was too tired, so he reluctantly agreed to stop and rest underneath a big tree. Very early the next morning they started walking again. They arrived at the Black Dragon Marsh before noon.
Seeing that Yang Guo was successful in bringing Zhou Botong along, Yideng and Yinggu's delight was indescribable. From afar Zhou Botong had already shouted his question, "Yinggu, how many cowlicks were there on our son's head?"
Yinggu was surprised. Not in her wildest dream did she think that Zhou's first question would be a seemingly meaningless one like that. But she answered anyway, "Two."
"Aha! Same as me!" cried the old man. "That kid must be very smart." He paused a moment and then regretfully said, "Too bad he died!"
Yinggu was happy and sad at the same time, she sobbed uncontrollably. The old man playfully punched her on the waist and said, "There, don't cry, don't cry …" He turned his head toward Yideng and said, "Emperor Duan, I seduced your wife, and you did not help my child. It's a draw. Nobody owes anybody anything. Let us forget the past."
"This is the man who injured your son," Yideng said, pointing toward Ci'en. "You can kill him."
"Yinggu, go ahead!" said Zhou Botong.
The old granny looked at Ci'en intently and then softly said, "If not for him, I might not have seen you for the rest of my life. Besides, we cannot raise the dead. With the joy I experience today, I am willing to forgive and forget what had happened!"
"Right … that's right," said Zhou Botong. "Very well, let us forgive him."
In his half conscious state, Ci'en was still able to comprehend what was happening around him. He was so relieved. He turned his eyes toward Yideng and weakly said, "Thank you Shifu for perfecting me." Then to Yang Guo he said, "Thank you benevolent master for toiling on my behalf." Upon saying that he closed his eyes and gave up his ghost, smiling.
Reverend Yideng immediately said a prayer and bowed, "Ci'en … Ci'en …" he said hoarsely. "Officially we are master and disciple, but in reality you are my friend. For many, many years we have lived together and you always wanted to redeem your sins. Today you go to that eternal place. My heart is saddened, but I am happy." Then with Yang Guo and Guo Xiang's help he dug the earth and buried the monk.
Yang Guo stood in front of the grave, staring blankly. He recalled the time when they were a newly wed couple, how Xiao Longnu and he met Ci'en at the hut on the snow covered mountain, and how Ci'en was lashing out in his sickness. But now, one of the experts in the Jianghu world was laid beneath the earth. He could not help but feel very sad.
A moment later Yinggu took the two foxes from her robe. "Master Yang," she said, "I don't have anything to repay your kindness. Please take these two animals."
Yang Guo took one and said, "Thank you. I think one is enough."
Suddenly Yideng said, "Master Yang, you take both of them, but don't kill them. Just slit their knees. From each fox, alternately, take one small cup of blood everyday. After taking two cups, no matter how bad your friend's injury is, he will certainly recover."
Yinggu and Yang Guo were thrilled. "It will be great that we don't have to take their lives," Yang Guo said. And then he took both animals and bade Reverend Yideng, Zhou Botong and Yinggu goodbye.
"After you are done, just let them go," said the granny, "They'll know the way home."
Suddenly Zhou Botong said, "Emperor Duan, Yinggu, I invite you to take a rest for a few days in the Hundred-Flower Valley. Brother Yang, after your friend is cured you and little sister have to stop by and we'll have a good time together."
"If everything goes as planned, I will certainly come and visit you three seniors," he answered, paid his respects and left.
The foxes' eyes were looking at Yinggu, they whimpered softly as though begging for mercy. Yinggu shouted, "Master Yang won't take your lives, what are you afraid of?" Guo Xiang stretched out her hand, put on a comforting smile, and stroked the foxes' heads.