Count Seven, Zhou Botong, and Guo Jing rushed out of the cabin and were shocked to find the water already up to their shins. They ran for the mast and shimmied up it. Count Seven snatched a couple of deaf and mute sailors along the way, pushing them up in front of him. From up high, they looked down and watched as the water churned, rushing over the deck and filling the boat. It was all happening so fast, they did not know what to do.
"Old Beggar," Zhou Botong called to Count Seven, "Heretic Huang is quite remarkable. How did he build this boat?"
"I don't know!" Count Seven replied. "Guo Jing, hold tight to the mast. Don't let go."
Guo Jing was about to answer when a loud crack echoed around them. The boat was breaking in two! The sailors lost their grip and fell into the raging water.
Zhou Botong went after them, turning somersaults in the air as he fell.
"Old Urchin!" Count Seven Hong called. "Do you even know how to swim?"
At that moment, Zhou Botong's head popped up from beneath the water. "I'll have to give it a try…" he said, and laughed.
The wind was roaring so loudly, they could barely hear each other. The mast was leaning at such an angle that it would surely soon be touching the water.
"Boy!" Count Seven called out to Guo Jing. "The mast is joined to the hull. We need to snap it. Come on!" Together, they struck at the center of the long wooden pole. It may have been honed from one solid trunk, but how could it withstand the combined forces of Count Seven Hong and Guo Jing? After a few sound blows, it let out a loud crack and relented. They held tight as what remained of the mast fell into the sea below.
They were leagues away from Peach Blossom Island. In every direction, waves rose as high as mountains and there was no land in sight. Count Seven was secretly worried. Without food or fresh water, and with no prospect of being rescued by a passing ship, they would be dead within days. Their martial skills were worthless, out at sea. He gazed into the distance. No sign of Viper Ouyang's boat. Just then, laughter interrupted his thoughts. Zhou Botong.
"Lad," Count Seven said, "let's go fetch him." With one hand clutching the mast, they each used their other to paddle in the direction of the sound. The waves towered above them and, for every few feet they moved forward, they were quickly pulled back nearly the same distance.
"We're coming!" Using his internal strength, Count Seven projected his voice over the sound of the roaring water between them and the Urchin.
Zhou Botong's reply came back to them: "I'm now a sea urchin, pickled in brine!"
Guo Jing could not help but laugh. The old man was still able to make jokes in a situation like this? He certainly deserved his nickname. They were still separated by a hundred feet of billowing sea, but Guo Jing and the Old Beggar raged against the waves and slowly managed to edge closer to their friend.
Once close, they saw their friend had tied planks of wood to his feet with some rope from the rigging and was treading the water using his lightness kung fu. The water was getting the better of him, however. He may have looked as if he was bobbing leisurely on the surface, but in fact it was an incredibly tiring way to traverse it. And yet the Urchin looked as if he was enjoying himself, seemingly unaware of the severity of their plight.
Guo Jing looked around. The boat had vanished, its crew buried at sea.
"Aiyo!" Zhou Botong suddenly called out. "The Old Sea Urchin might be about to meet a terrible end." The fear in his voice was unmistakable.
"What is it?" Count Seven and Guo Jing cried in unison.
"Sharks! A school of sharks!" Zhou waved his hand toward the distance.
Guo Jing had been raised in the Mongolian desert; he knew nothing of sharks or how fierce they were, but the change in Count Seven's countenance was enough to make him wonder what manner of monster they must be that they should frighten two such mighty men of the wulin.
Count Seven gathered his qi to his hand and snapped the end of the mast clean off. He then divided this end piece in half, to make two large cudgels. Just then, a sound pierced the air and a shark's head appeared amid the spray, its rows of razor-sharp teeth glistening in the sunlight, before disappearing back under just as quickly.
Count Seven threw one of his makeshift weapons toward Guo Jing. "Aim for the head!"
Guo Jing reached into the front of his robes and felt for his blade. "I have a dagger!" he cried, hurling the wooden cudgel as hard as he could toward Zhou Botong, who reached out and caught it.
By now, there were four, maybe five sharks circling around the Urchin. They appeared to be waiting for the right moment to strike. Zhou bent at the waist, howled in defiance and struck one of the sharks on the head. The others smelt blood, and pounced.
Guo Jing watched as the water seethed and bubbled. It looked like there were thousands of them. Then, with a flash of long, sharp teeth, a lump of flesh was ripped from the dead shark. At that moment, Guo Jing thought he felt something brush against his foot. He pulled back and the water beneath him roiled. A shark. Clutching the mast, Guo Jing ducked to his right and thrust down with the dagger. The blade sliced a deep gash in the top of the animal's head. Blood bubbled in the water and a set of teeth came snapping.
The three men were all masters of the martial arts, and so did what they knew best: they fought. Each strike caused death or injury, but the men remained unhurt. The smell of blood drew more sharks out and, within moments, all that was left of their dead brethren was bones. The sight of it made the three martial heroes tremble, despite their combined bravery and skill. There were so many sharks, it felt as if they would never be done with them, but there was no time to let thoughts wander when the fight required their every ounce of strength. They thrust and jabbed, and within two hours they had killed over two hundred of the majestic animals. Mist clung to the water as the sun started to slip toward the horizon.
"Old Beggar, Brother Guo," Zhou Botong called out, "once the sun has set, we'll be fed to the sharks, chunk by chunk. Let's have a bet as to who'll be the first course."
"And would that count as losing or winning?" Count Seven asked.
"Winning, of course," Zhou replied.
"In that case, I'd rather lose," Count Seven said. He launched a Dragon Whips Tail and struck the back of his hand against a shark, sending all two hundred jin of rippling muscle into the air, where it spun twice before crashing back into the sea to lie floating, its white belly up to the dusky sky.
"Wonderful palm technique!" Zhou Botong cried. "I will call you Master if you teach me this Shark-Subduing Palm. And yet, we don't have time. Old Beggar, why don't we exchange a few blows?"
"My apologies, I'm busy."
The Hoary Urchin guffawed and turned to Guo Jing. "What about you, boy? Are you scared?"
Guo Jing's heart was nearly beating out of his chest, but, as he looked upon the calm expressions of the two older men, a smile came to his lips. He took comfort from it. "I was, but I'm feeling a bit better now."
Just then, he saw a huge fin and the tip of a tail come slicing through the water toward him. He leaned to the side and lifted his left hand high. It was bait, and the shark took it. It leaped out of the water and snapped its jaws. The dagger in Guo Jing's right hand thrust upward and sunk into the shark's throat. Blood gushed forth, as if from a spring, and the animal was promptly gutted.
Meanwhile, Zhou Botong and Count Seven Hong had each killed another shark. Yet, Zhou was still suffering from the injury he had sustained earlier, following Apothecary Huang's punch, and he was now feeling a severe pain in his chest. "Old Beggar! Brother Guo!" he cried, then laughed. "I'm afraid I will not be able to continue much longer. It is I who will go first into the shark's belly. Fie! What a shame you two would not bet. I would have won!"
Guo Jing could hear the disappointment in his voice, despite the laughter. "Fine—I'll bet with you!"
"Marvelous! At least now death will be interesting!" Zhou Botong turned in order to avoid being pincered between two sharks, and that was when he saw it: a white sail on the horizon. A large boat emerged from the gloaming, cleaving the waves. Count Seven saw it too. The Venom of the West had come to rescue them!
Before long, the boat had drawn close and let down two sampans to collect the three men. Zhou Botong coughed a mouthful of blood and then began to laugh so hard he could barely stand. He pointed at the sharks and cursed.
Viper Ouyang and his nephew, Gallant, were standing on the prow and welcomed them as they came aboard. They had been watching the scene below, the water seething with fins, and, in their hearts, had been most unsettled.
But Zhou Botong was not one to admit defeat. "Old Venom, you came to save us; I didn't call for help. I owe you nothing."
"Indeed not. I saw you were on a merry shark hunt and curiosity got the better of me."
Zhou laughed. "You interrupted our merry hunt, yes, and denied us the pleasure of exploring a shark's belly! So, I think we're even. Neither of us owes the other a thing."
Gallant Ouyang and one of his snake shepherds, meanwhile, were threading chunks of beef onto hooks, and before long they had hauled up half a dozen sharks.
"Ha!" It was Count Seven's turn to laugh. "You couldn't eat us, so now we'll eat you!"
"To avenge Uncle Hong's injuries," Gallant Ouyang said. He ordered some men to prise open the sharks' jaws with spears, wedging open their mouths with wooden stakes. Then they threw the live sharks back into the water.
"They won't be able to eat again!" Zhou Botong said, and laughed. "But it will take them at least ten days to die."
What an evil trick, Guo Jing said to himself. Only Gallant Ouyang could come up with something like that. The poor sharks will starve to death. How cruel.
Zhou Botong saw the disgust on Guo Jing's face and only laughed harder. "You don't look kindly on such venomous malice, I fear, boy? Like uncle, like nephew!"
Viper Ouyang was not disturbed to hear himself called venomous. On the contrary—it pleased him. He smiled at Zhou Botong's words. "Hoary Urchin, this little trick is small fry compared to those I keep up my sleeve! The three of you are quite out of breath after fighting off those little sharks. They may have been many in number, but I wouldn't call it a feat worth talking about." He gestured in the direction of the sea. "Were there ten times as many, I would destroy them without the slightest effort!"
"Aha!" Zhou Botong cried. "The Venom of the West certainly knows how to flatter himself! If you can demonstrate comparable prowess and kill as many sharks as we did, this Old Urchin will kowtow and call you Master three hundred times over."
"I daren't accept such an honor," Viper Ouyang said. "But, if you don't believe me, we can make a wager."
"Marvelous! I bet the very head on my shoulders!"
Count Seven Hong, however, was suspicious. Such a feat would be impossible by conventional means, he thought. The Viper must be planning something.
"I have no need for your head," Viper Ouyang said, with a smile. "If I win, there is something I would like you to do for me—indeed, you would have no choice. If I lose, you may decide something for me to do. How does that sound?"
"Fine—whatever you say!"
Viper Ouyang turned to Count Seven. "Brother Seven, may I ask you to stand as witness?"
Count Seven nodded. "Very well," he said. "But what if the winner chooses something for the loser to do, and he is unable or unwilling to accept?"
"Then he must jump into the water and become shark food," Zhou cut in.
Viper Ouyang gave a thin smile, but said nothing. He signaled to one of his servants, who brought him a small cup. He then released the two snakes from his staff and pinched one by the neck, forcing its jaw open. Venom trickled from the tips of its teeth. Viper Ouyang held the cup beneath it and, before long, it was half filled with a thick, dark liquid reminiscent of ink. Then he took the second snake and repeated the procedure until the cup was full. Thus emptied, the two snakes wrapped themselves limply around the head of the staff, exhausted.
Viper Ouyang then ordered his servants to lure another shark out of the water and place it on the deck. With his left hand, he yanked its upper jaw open and stood with his right foot just behind its central fin. Despite its great size—it was nearly twenty feet long—the shark was unable to resist. Its rows of dagger-like teeth were on full display. Viper poured the venom straight into the shark's mouth, where the hook had ripped its flesh, then made his hand into a fist and punched the shark in the belly, sending all two hundred jin of its bulk up over the gunwale and down into the sea with a splash.
"I see!" Zhou Botong cried, and then laughed. "This is how the old monk kills bed bugs!"
"What do you mean, Brother?" Guo Jing said.
"There was once an old monk who made a living selling a special preparation to get rid of bed bugs in the old capital at Kaifeng," Zhou began. "He claimed it was most effective, and that, if the bugs did not die instantly upon ingesting the substance, he would happily give the customer their money back tenfold. He did a roaring trade, of course. One of his customers went home and spread the mixture on his bed. Ha, ha! Well, that night, ten thousand of the little creatures came and bit him half to death. Needless to say, he rushed to the market the next morning to claim his compensation. But what did the old monk say? 'My preparation is most effective. I dare say you did not use it right.' 'How am I supposed to use it, then?' the customer asked." At this point, Zhou paused, smiling and shaking his head.
"How was he supposed to use it?" Guo Jing asked.
With a perfectly straight face, Zhou Botong said, "The old monk told him, 'Catch the bug, prise open its mouth and feed it just a little bit. If it doesn't die after that, you can come back to find me.' The customer was furious. 'If I manage to catch a bug and force open its mouth, I can just as well pinch it to death with my fingers. What do I need your preparation for?' 'I never said you couldn't choose to pinch it to death, did I?' was the old monk's reply."
Guo Jing, Count Seven Hong, and both uncle and nephew Ouyang all burst into peals of laughter.
"My preparation is a little different to the old monk's," Viper Ouyang said, with a smile, when they had all caught their breath.
"I don't see much of a difference," Zhou Botong said.
Viper Ouyang pointed out to sea. "Take a closer look."
The shark who had been fed the venom was now bobbing on the surface, its belly exposed to the sky. Half a dozen of its kin had been feasting on its remains, and, before long, all that was left was a skeleton, which slowly sank to the seabed. The strange thing was, a few minutes later, the sharks that had eaten it were also dead. These were then consumed by yet more sharks, who in turn also died. And so, one shark killed ten more, ten became a hundred, a hundred a thousand, until, before even an hour had passed, the sea was a carpet of floating carcasses. The few living that remained were still feasting on the dead, but soon they too succumbed and all was quiet.
The blood had long since drained from the cheeks of the onlookers.
Count Seven sighed. "Old Venom, Old Venom. That was an evil trick indeed. Who would have thought that small amount of venom could turn out to be so deadly?"
Viper Ouyang looked at Zhou Botong with a most satisfied expression. Zhou, in turn, tugged on his beard anxiously.
They looked out across the water. As far as the eye could see, sharks were floating on the surface. "I feel sick. And all killed by the Venom's venom," Zhou Botong said. "Be careful. Or the Sea Dragon King will send his army of prawns and their crab generals to fight you."
Viper Ouyang smiled, but said nothing.
"Brother Viper, there is one thing I don't understand. Pray, will you explain?" Count Seven Hong asked.
"You flatter me," Viper Ouyang replied.
"How could such a small cup of venom, no matter how deadly, kill so many sharks?"
Viper Ouyang threw his head back and laughed. "This is a very special type of venom indeed," he began. "As soon as it enters the veins, it poisons the blood. Once this poisoned blood is consumed by another shark, its blood becomes toxic too. This is repeated and continues until none are left alive."
"A never-ending chain of destruction," Count Seven Hong said.
"Precisely. I am known as the Venom of the West. I shouldn't dare to claim such a title if my knowledge of toxins was in any way lacking."
The sea around them was eerily calm. The smaller fish had all either similarly perished or else had fled.
"Quick, let's get under way. The air is thick with poison," Count Seven Hong cried.
Viper Ouyang gave his signal and the ship's three sails were set. The wind was moving in a northwesterly direction.
"Old Venom's preparation for killing bed bugs has proved most effective," Zhou Botong said. "What am I to do for you?"
"First, I would like to welcome the three of you into my cabin," Viper Ouyang said. "You must change out of those wet clothes, eat and rest. As for our wager, we can discuss that later."
But Zhou Botong was impatient by nature. "No, no, just tell me! There is no advantage to be gained by keeping it under your tongue!"
"In that case"—Viper Ouyang smiled—"come with me, brother."
2
Count Seven and Guo Jing watched as Viper Ouyang and his nephew led Zhou Botong to a cabin at the stern of the boat, before they were taken to a different cabin to change their clothes. Four young women dressed in white attended to them.
"Poor Old Urchin—he won't be getting this kind of treatment," Count Seven said, laughing. He stripped naked and one of the women toweled him dry.
Guo Jing, meanwhile, could feel the blood rushing to his neck and cheeks. He did not dare disrobe.
"What are you so afraid of? They won't eat you alive."
Two maidens approached him, intending to remove his boots and loosen his belt. Guo Jing shrugged off his outer layer and dashed over to the bed, where he slipped under a blanket to change his undergarments. Count Seven found his modesty hilarious, and the four young women in white giggled too.
Presently, two more women entered the cabin, carrying trays laden with various dishes and rice, and wine to accompany them. "Please, gentlemen, just a little something to eat."
"You may go," Count Seven said, gesturing with his hand. "The sight of so many lovely ladies will ruin my appetite."
The women smiled and obliged him, closing the door as they left. Count Seven took a glass of wine and sniffed, then did the same with the food. "Don't touch any of it," he whispered. "Old Venom is sly, indeed. Eat only the rice." He reached for the gourd on his back, pulled out the cork and took two long drafts of wine. The two men then guzzled three big bowls of rice each. The poisoned food they hid away under the floorboards.
"I wonder what they want Brother Zhou to do," Guo Jing said in a low voice.
"It can't be good. The Old Urchin has got himself into a tight spot, this time."
At that moment, the cabin door was pushed open and a young woman hovered in the doorway. "Master Zhou has asked for Master Guo to come to the rear cabin to speak with him."
Guo Jing glanced at his shifu and then followed the woman. They walked along the port side of the boat, round to the stern. The maiden knocked gently on the cabin door and, after waiting a moment, pushed it open. "Master Guo is here."
Guo Jing entered and the door was closed behind him. But the cabin was empty. How strange! Just then, a small door to his left swung open and Viper Ouyang and his nephew strode through it.
"Where's Brother Zhou?" Guo Jing asked.
Viper Ouyang closed the door with the back of his hand, took two steps forward and seized Guo Jing by the wrist. His movements were quick and Guo Jing was taken by surprise. A sharp pain spread up through his arm and it was instantly paralyzed. Gallant Ouyang pulled his folding fan from his sleeve pocket and tapped its metal blades against one of the acupressure points on Guo Jing's back.
What were they doing? Guo Jing was struck dumb, unable to move.
"The Old Urchin lost our wager, but when I asked him to do something for me, he refused," Viper Ouyang started, his voice icy cold.
"Huh?" was all Guo Jing could say.
"I wanted him to write down the entire Nine Yin Manual from memory. But he refused to honor the terms of our agreement."
Why would he give you the Manual? Guo Jing thought. "Where is Brother Zhou now?" he managed to say.
"He said himself that he would jump into the sea and be food for the sharks if he didn't keep his word. At least, on this, he has been honorable. Ha!"
"He…? He…?" Guo Jing could barely speak. He tried to pull back his hand and run for the door, but Viper Ouyang's grip was too firm. Gallant Ouyang, meanwhile, pressed harder on Guo Jing's Yang Extremity point, making his whole body go numb.
Viper Ouyang pointed to some paper, ink and brushes on a table. "Now, you are the only person in the whole world who knows the full text. Write it for me."
Guo Jing shook his head. Gallant Ouyang sneered. "The food and drink you and the Old Beggar consumed just now was poisoned. Without my uncle's unique antidote, you will both be dead within twelve hours. Just like the sharks. Though, of course, if you comply, we can spare your lives."
Had my shifu not been so alert, they would have killed us, Guo Jing realized, a chill running down his numbed spine. A martial master you may be, Guo Jing thought, as he looked at Viper Ouyang, but you are truly without honor.
"You have memorized the Manual, anyway; it is no loss to you to write it down. Why are you hesitating?"
"You have killed my sworn brother," Guo Jing said, his voice hard. "My hatred for you runs as deep as the ocean. Kill me, if you so desire. But you can never force me to write down the Manual!"
"You are a brave young man, to be sure," Viper Ouyang said. "You aren't scared of death, apparently. But does your shifu's life mean nothing to you?"
Just as Guo Jing was about to reply, a loud bang interrupted him, and the cabin door shattered into fragments. Viper Ouyang spun around, only to see Count Seven Hong in the doorway, carrying two wooden buckets. With a flick of his wrists, he emptied them, sending two columns of seawater straight at Viper Ouyang and his nephew. Viper leaped to the side, still clutching Guo Jing and pressing on his pressure point.
The water crashed into the back wall of the cabin and splashed in all directions. Gallant Ouyang cried out; Count Seven had grabbed the back of his robes and he was held suspended, his feet dangling inches from the floor.
"Old Venom, I'm afraid the heavens have refused to accommodate your plans. You won't get the better of me!"
"Brother Hong, are you testing me again? We can settle this once we reach the shore."
"You seem very fond of my disciple," Count Seven said, with a laugh. "You won't let go of his hand!"
"I won my bet with the Old Urchin, didn't I? You were witness to it. The Old Urchin refused to keep his word, did he not?"
Count Seven nodded. "That is correct. Where is he?"
"Brother Zhou is … He was forced to jump overboard!" Guo Jing cried.
Startled, Count Seven rushed out on deck, still holding Gallant Ouyang, but it was dark and all he could see were the black waves rising and falling. There was no sign of the Hoary Urchin.
Viper Ouyang followed them out, still holding Guo Jing. "Young man, your skills leave a lot to be desired," he said, letting him go. "I was able to take your wrist without so much as the slightest sign of resistance. Study another ten years under your Master and maybe then you will be fit to wander the jianghu."
But Guo Jing was more concerned about the safety of his sworn brother Zhou Botong than these petty gibes, so he climbed the mast and gazed out across the sea.
Count Seven carried Gallant over to his uncle. "Old Venom, you pushed the Urchin to his death. The Quanzhen Sect will come for you. You may be a renowned practitioner of the martial arts, but not even you can overcome all seven of their masters."
At that moment, Gallant slapped away Count Seven's hand and landed gracefully back down on the ground. Stinking beggar! he said to himself. By this time tomorrow, the poison will have taken hold and you will be kneeling in front of me, begging for me to save you.
Viper leered at Count Seven. "But then I'm afraid you won't get away with merely observing our fight."
"Indeed, I'll be there with my Dog-Beating Cane to help finish you off!" Count Seven Hong said.
Viper Ouyang cupped his hands in a perfunctory gesture of leave-taking, turned and strode back into the cabin.
Guo Jing continued to gaze out into the black night. Breaks of white foam were the only thing to disturb the darkness; there was no sign of Zhou Botong. Eventually, Guo Jing climbed down from the mast and told his shifu how the Venom of the West had tried to get him to write down the Manual for him. Count Seven nodded but did not reply. Old Venom doesn't let go of an idea easily, he said to himself. He will keep tormenting my disciple until he gets his hands on the Manual.
Guo Jing began to cry at the thought that his sworn brother might be dead. Count Seven was also distressed. The boat was sailing quickly in a westerly direction and they would reach land in a day's time. He did not trust the Venom not to poison their food again, so he made for the kitchen and stole some things for them to eat. The two men ate until they were full, and, before long, they were fast asleep.
Viper and his nephew, Gallant, waited until the following afternoon, nearly eighteen hours after their last conversation with Guo Jing and his shifu. They had heard nothing from their two guests. Perhaps Viper Ouyang had used too much poison and killed them? He was not so concerned about Count Seven, but if Guo Jing was lost, so was the Manual. Forever. He approached the door to their cabin and peered through the crack. Inside, shifu and student were sitting and chatting. Count Seven's voice was loud and clear. Viper Ouyang was incensed. They were fine! If he was going to dispense with Count Seven but not harm Guo Jing, he would have to think of another way.
Count Seven was telling Guo Jing all about the Beggar Clan, and how, despite their need to beg in order to survive, they were staunch believers in righteousness and justice, serving the weak and those in distress. He then went on to describe the process by which the clan elected their chief. "What a pity you don't live the beggar life, son; otherwise, you have just the right character to be leader. There is no one in the clan who can compare to you. I would happily pass the Dog-Beating Cane into your hands."
Just then, a hacking sound interrupted their conversation, much like an axe being swung repeatedly at the wall.
"Oh! This is not good," Count Seven said, and jumped to his feet. "That slithering snake is going to sink the boat!" He ran to the door and then called back to Guo Jing: "Get to the sampan at the back of the ship!"
At that moment, a loud crash announced a jagged hole in the wall, down near the floorboards. This was followed by the sound of hissing.
Not of rushing water, this time.
"He's attacking us with snakes!"
Count Seven quickly released a rain of needles, pinning dozens of vipers against the wooden boards. They writhed in agony and went still.
"Lotus is accomplished at this Skyful of Petals technique, but she has a long way to go to match her Master."
More snakes were approaching. Count Seven Hong threw yet more needles and killed them. But a flute was playing outside, driving even more snakes forward.
"How kind of the Venom to keep providing me with target practice!"
Yet, as he reached inside his pouch for more needles, he realized to his surprise that he had only a few left. And the snakes were still coming. What should he do? Just then, the wall behind him was smashed into splinters and a palm came hurtling at his back.
Standing beside his Master, Guo Jing felt the gust of air as the palm approached. Too late to turn, he brought his hands together and blocked. He had to use all his strength to withhold the force of the blow. Viper Ouyang yelped in surprise, but countered the move with a horizontal chop. Guo Jing knew this would be harder to stop, feinted with his right hand and aimed at Viper Ouyang's left shoulder. Viper ducked and hacked at Guo Jing's wrist. The situation was critical. If Viper was free to open the cabin door, more snakes would come, putting Master and disciple in great danger. Guo Jing defended with one hand and attacked with the other. His hands moved independently, just as the Hoary Urchin had taught him. This was the first time Viper Ouyang had seen anything like it. It confused him for a moment, giving Guo Jing the chance to land a few hits. Viper Ouyang's skills still made him twice the fighter Guo Jing was, but the novelty of the young man's technique enabled him to gain the upper hand, if only briefly. Before long, however, the Venom of the West had worked out how to counter it. He had not held the title of master for decades for nothing, after all.
Huh! He thrust two palms. Unable to block the move with his left only, Guo Jing stumbled back.
"Marvelous! Wonderful!" Count Seven cried out. "Old Venom—call yourself a master? You can't even overcome my young disciple!"
Launching into a Dragon Soars in the Sky, he flew straight past the two men and kicked Gallant Ouyang, who had appeared behind his uncle, into a sprawling somersault, before elbowing Viper Ouyang in the back. Viper leaned sideways, dispelling the force of Guo Jing's attack.
Shifu is as accomplished in the martial arts as the Venom, Guo Jing was thinking, and I am more than a match for his nephew. Also, he is hurt. Two against two, we will most definitely win.
The thought raised Guo Jing's spirits, and his hands and feet rained on Viper like a violent storm.
Still attacking ferociously, Count Seven glanced around to see writhing snakes closing in behind Guo Jing. Just one bite would be enough to kill him.
"Lad! Get out of here!" Count Seven increased the intensity of his onslaught, returning the full force of Viper Ouyang's blows.
Viper was being attacked on two fronts and was feeling the strain. He ducked sideways, allowing Guo Jing to escape the cabin while he continued to fight Count Seven.
In the meantime, hundreds of snakes had slithered up onto the deck and now had them surrounded.
"Need animals as your backup? Shameless." Count Seven's tone was mocking, yet the sight of the snakes made his heart quiver. Holding his Dog-Beating Cane in his right hand, he killed a dozen snakes before grabbing hold of Guo Jing and making a dash for the main mast.
Viper Ouyang watched in alarm. If they climbed the mast, they would be out of his reach. He rushed forward to block them.
Count Seven met him with a gust of air and two chopping palms. Viper swept his fist sideways to meet them.
Guo Jing made as if to help his Master, but Count Seven waved him back. "Up the mast, quick!"
"I'll kill his nephew to avenge Brother Zhou!"
"The snakes!" Count Seven called desperately.
Guo Jing looked down at the writhing snakes and dared not linger any longer. With a backhand swipe, he caught Gallant's Swallow Shuttles, leaped up and grabbed hold of the mast. Just then, he heard the whistle of another weapon flying at him from behind, so he threw his own to block it. Clang! The two projectiles crashed mid-air and fell into the sea. Guo Jing then grabbed the mast with both hands and climbed up, halfway to the summit.
Viper intensified his attack on Count Seven. The Chief of the Beggar Clan was able to keep Viper at bay, but could not inch any closer to the mast. Guo Jing saw the snakes gathered around his Master's feet, cried out and, with his legs gripping the mast, let his torso swing down. He had imbibed such quantities of Graybeard Liang's snake blood that his whole body gave off an odor of herbs. It was enough to make the snakes edge away, giving Count Seven a chance to tap his foot against the deck and fly up, aiming a kick at Viper Ouyang's face. Guo Jing grabbed the bamboo stick from his Master and wrenched his arm upward. Count Seven continued his ascent and seized hold of the mast above Guo Jing.
Now, they were both at a safe height, looking down on their enemies. Viper realized there was no point climbing up to fight them, so instead he called, "Fine—you win, this time. Turn the rudder east!"
Count Seven positioned himself on the crossbeam and began to sing an old ditty beloved of beggars everywhere: "Falling Lotus Flowers." But his relaxed demeanor was but a mask to hide the genuine anxiety he felt. How long would they be able to stay clinging to the mast? Viper Ouyang could cut it down, and they could not descend as long as the snakes were still there. The others could drink wine and sleep in their beds, while all they could do was eat wind and urinate. At this thought, he hauled himself to his feet, pulled down his trousers and watered the snakes below.
"Boy, let them have something to drink!" he cried.
"Yum, yum!" Guo Jing cried, just as amused as his Master, and joined in.
Viper Ouyang leaped back, managing to avoid the spray. Gallant, on the other hand, was treated to a light shower across his cheeks. This only made him even more furious.
Count Seven then pulled out a tinderbox, ripped off a piece of sail, lit it and threw the ball of fire downward.
"Clear the snakes!" Viper Ouyang barked. The wooden flutes began to play and the snakes withdrew, but a dozen or so at the base of the mast had already been burned. The sight of the flames frightened them and they began to writhe and curl in all directions, making them impossible to control.
Count Seven and his disciple laughed as they watched the chaos unfold. Brother Zhou would have enjoyed such a sight, Guo Jing thought. He sighed to think that such a master of the wulin should have to die at sea.
3
Some four hours later, as dusk approached, Viper Ouyang ordered the crew to festoon the decks with meat and wine. It was a devious move on his part. How, he asked himself, could a gourmand like Count Seven withstand the delicious aroma of all that food?
That night, Count Seven and Guo Jing took turns keeping watch. The deck below was lit by lanterns and a swarm of snakes guarded the foot of the mast. There was no way to break through such a defense. Count Seven cursed a full eighteen generations of Viper Ouyang's ancestors, adding his own deliciously concocted details. But nothing would draw the Venom out of his cabin. Count Seven could do nothing but continue cursing until his lips were dry and he fell asleep with exhaustion.
Early the next morning, Viper Ouyang sent one of his servants to call to the men up the mast: "Chief Hong! Master Guo! Sir Ouyang has prepared a most sumptuous meal for you. Please, come down to enjoy it!"
"Tell Viper Ouyang to come out here and enjoy our piss instead!"
Before long, a table was set below and steaming dishes of freshly prepared food were carried out. Two chairs were placed at the table for Master and disciple. Count Seven considered sliding down and pilfering some food, but it was sure to be poisoned. "Damn you and your mother," he muttered.
BY THE third day, the two men were so parched and hungry, they were beginning to feel dizzy.
"If only the girl was here. She's whip smart, that one. Surely, she'd come up with a plan," Count Seven Hong said. "All we seem to be doing is sitting here with dry eyes, drooling."
Guo Jing sighed.
As the sun reached its highest point in the sky, Guo Jing spotted two white dots in the distance. At first, he took them for clouds and paid them little attention. But as the dots grew larger and larger, a familiar screech reached his ears. Two white condors!
Delighted, Guo Jing summoned his inner strength and called back to them. The birds circled above the boat before swooping down. It was the very same pair that he had raised on the steppe of Mongolia.
"Shifu," Guo Jing began, breathless with excitement. "Perhaps Lotus is sailing this way?"
"Now, wouldn't that be wonderful. What a shame the birds are too small to carry us on their backs. We're thoroughly stuck. Let her know to come here quick and think of something."
Guo Jing took out his golden dagger and cut two five-inch-square pieces from the sails. Then, using the tip of his blade, he scratched Help into the cloth, and beneath that the shape of a gourd. He repeated this and tied the pieces of material around the condors' legs. "Come back quickly, and bring the maiden Lotus with you."
The two birds let out a loud cry, flapped their wings and took flight. They circled the boat once before flying west, where they were quickly swallowed by the clouds.
A couple of hours or so after the condors had departed, Viper Ouyang made another attempt to lure Count Seven and Guo Jing down with yet more food.
"Old Venom, this is a dirty trick. You know how much I love to eat. I have only ever practiced external forms of kung fu. I'm not trained to withstand the tug of a good meal. Guo Jing, what do you say we jump down and beat them senseless, then come back up?"
"Have patience; we've sent the birds to find Lotus. Rescue is coming."
Count Seven laughed, then fell silent. "What's the most disgusting taste in the world?" he said suddenly.
"I don't know. What?" Guo Jing replied.
"I once went north. Far north, into the snow. I was hungry for eight whole days and nights. There wasn't a rodent in sight, not even a measly piece of tree bark. So I started digging in the mush and mud, where I came across five little wriggly things. They saved my life and gave me enough strength to live another day. The next day, I caught a weasel and gorged myself full."
"What were the five little wriggly things?"
"Earthworms. Nice and fat. I swallowed them whole. I didn't dare chew."
Guo Jing pictured their squirming bodies and could not help but feel disgusted.
Count Seven guffawed. It was his best hope of forgetting the fragrance of the delicious food wafting toward them from below.
"Lad, I would eat those earthworms right now, if there were any to be had. But there is one very dirty, very smelly thing that I would never eat. Indeed, I would rather eat my own toe! Can you guess what it is?"
"I know!" Guo Jing said, and laughed.
But Count Seven shook his head. "Dirtier than that."
Guo Jing kept guessing, but to no avail.
"Let me tell you," Count Seven boomed. "The dirtiest thing in the world is Venom of the West, Viper Ouyang himself!"
"That's right!" Guo Jing laughed.
BY EVENING, however, Guo Jing could take it no longer. He slid down the mast and slashed the heads of two snakes with his golden dagger. The other snakes could smell the herbal medicine in his blood and slipped away. Guo Jing gave chase and killed two more, then gathered the four dead snakes and climbed back up the mast. Up on the crossbeam, he skinned them and the two men devoured their raw flesh.
Gallant Ouyang emerged and stood among his swarm of snakes. "Uncle Hong, Brother Guo, my uncle merely wants you to write out the Manual for him, nothing more."
"Fie! There's always more," Count Seven Hong hissed quietly.
Just then, an idea came to him. Keeping a straight face, he shouted: "Scoundrel! Your uncle wins. I surrender. Bring us meat and wine and we will talk tomorrow."
Gallant Ouyang was most pleased. Count Seven Hong's word was as steady as a mountain; he would never go back on a promise. He ordered the snakes to retreat, and allowed Count Seven and Guo Jing to slide down the mast and enter the cabin. Gallant's servants brought them a veritable feast.
Count Seven Hong closed the door and grabbed a pot of wine and gulped it down. Then he ripped a chicken in half and began to chew.
"Are you sure the food isn't poisoned?" Guo Jing whispered.
"Silly boy," Count Seven replied. "The Old Venom needs you to copy down the Manual. He couldn't risk hurting you. Now, eat up. I've got a plan."
Guo Jing said no more and guzzled down four bowls of rice, scarcely drawing breath.
Once his belly was full, Count Seven Hong wiped the grease from his mouth with his sleeve. Then he moved closer to Guo Jing and whispered in his ear: "Old Venom wants you to write down the Nine Yin Manual. All you have to do is give him a fake Nine Yin Manual."
"A fake Manual?"
"Indeed," Count Seven Hong said, and smiled. "Write whatever you like. Apothecary Huang has the only other copy, and, come what may, he will never give it to the Venom of the West. His nephew memorized the first few passages, so don't get them wrong. As long as he recognizes the start, he will never suspect a thing. Then, for the rest, you can mix it up. That way, he could train for a hundred years and it would all be a waste!"
What a good trick, Guo Jing thought. We'll get that Old Venom! After a pause, Guo Jing said, "But the Venom is a master of the martial arts. Not to mention very sly. If I write nonsense, won't he be able to tell? And then what?"
"Well, of course, you must write something plausible, but wrong," Count Seven Hong said. "Three correct sentences, and then put in one that's wrong. Or change the numbers, so that nine becomes one, two becomes eight, three becomes seven, four becomes six, five becomes ten, and reverse them too. He'll never be able to catch something like that. I would be happy to go seven days and seven nights with neither food nor wine to watch him try to train from a fake Nine Yin Manual!" A wide grin had spread across Count Seven Hong's face.
"He won't just be wasting his time, he could even cause himself a serious injury," Guo Jing said, with a laugh.
"You start thinking about how you're going to change it. If he gets suspicious, our plan will be ruined." He paused, before continuing. "Remember that scoundrel Gallant Ouyang also read the second volume on Peach Blossom Island, so don't alter too much there. Just put in some wrong words. I'm sure he won't be able to tell the difference."
Guo Jing recited the Manual to himself, trying to think where he could make the changes. Wait could become thrust, up could become down—all that would be easy to alter, without requiring him to write whole new sentences. His Master was right, the changes should be subtle but thorough. Up is down and down is up. Front is back and back is front. Chest is abdomen and hand is foot. Heavens are earth. If he stuck to these simple substitutions, he would be able to replicate the altered version. Palms toward the sky would become Soles of the feet toward the sky. Feet planted on the ground would become Hands planted on the ground. In the sections that dealt with the cultivation of internal energy, he could change Gather the qi in the elixir field to Gather the qi in the chest.
Guo Jing sighed. It was a ruse that would delight both Lotus and Brother Zhou. What a shame that one is dead and the other nowhere to be seen. I will see Lotus again one day, but I will never be able to tell Brother Zhou this story.
Early the next morning, Count Seven Hong called for Gallant Ouyang. "I, old beggar that I am, have enough unique skills in the martial arts. I don't need the Nine Yin Manual. I have no interest in it; I wouldn't look even if you were to wave it in front of my face. Only a man with the martial skills of a turkey would try to steal its secrets. Wang Chongyang had it in his possession before his death, as does Apothecary Huang now, but neither cared to study it. Is this not the difference between a man and a hero? Tell that dog brain of an uncle of yours that the Manual will be written out just for him. He must shut himself away and train. Then, once he's done, he is to come and find me, Chief of the Beggars, and fight. This Manual is a fine thing, to be sure, but still I will not even glance at it. I want to know if the Manual really can help the Old Venom finally beat the Old Beggar! Or perhaps, after all that work, he will still only be my equal. He could end up taking off his breeches just to fart!"
Viper Ouyang could hear everything from where he was standing behind the door. But, rather than make him furious, Count Seven's speech delighted him. Just as well the Old Beggar is so proud, he doesn't mind me having the Manual, he thought. Much easier than trying to fight him, threaten him with snakes or starve him to death.
"What nonsense! My uncle's martial skills are perfection itself. You could not hope to win one pass against him. Why would he need the Nine Yin Manual? Indeed, he told me once that the Manual's powers must be exaggerated. Otherwise, why didn't Wang Chongyang show the wulin what he learned from it? My uncle is motivated above all by the prospect of pointing out its errors and proving once and for all that it is nothing but a hoax. That way, we heroes of the jianghu needn't fight over it. Now, that is a true service to the wulin, is it not?"
At this, Count Seven Hong could not help but laugh. "What self-satisfied bombast! Boy, write the Manual for them. If Old Venom can find the errors, I will kowtow before him."
Gallant Ouyang led Guo Jing into the larger cabin and produced paper and a stick of ink, which he ground in preparation for him to begin.
Guo Jing had little formal education and his hand was shaky. He had to think hard to remember how to write certain characters, and his progress was slow. More than once, he had to ask Gallant Ouyang for help with characters he had forgotten. By noon, he had barely finished half of the first volume. Viper Ouyang was not present, but, after each page was finished, Gallant Ouyang carried it away to give to his uncle. As for the incantation at the end of the Manual, no one could fathom its meaning, but Count Seven Hong feared it to be a transcription of a western tongue. Viper Ouyang was himself from the west, so Count Seven Hong had told Guo Jing not to change a word of this part, lest the Viper should realize their secret.
Viper read the pages carefully. The ideas contained within them were like riddles, but the words themselves were simple and he could tell that their meaning was profound. Once back in the west, he was sure to be able to use his considerable intellect to unpick their meaning. It may take him decades, but he would master the Manual's esoteric techniques eventually. He was elated. Such a foolish boy as Guo Jing, his writing so clumsy and crooked, would not have the wit to make it all up. Not only that, but his nephew had to teach Guo Jing how to form many of the characters, which he knew to pronounce but not to write. This had to be the real Nine Yin Manual. How could such a stupid boy conspire with his shifu to trick him?
Guo Jing wrote without interruption until sunset, under the constant supervision of Gallant Ouyang. As each page was finished, it was whisked away and passed to his uncle. Viper Ouyang did not dare let Guo Jing return to his cabin, lest Count Seven change his mind. He would not be satisfied with an incomplete text, so he ordered a feast to be taken to the boy so that he might continue writing.
Count Seven Hong waited nervously until the end of the eleventh watch. Guo Jing had still not emerged. Had their plan been uncovered? If the stupid boy had let it slip, the snakes would already be crawling all over the deck by now. He crept out of his cabin and was greeted by two snake herders keeping guard outside his door.
Ha! Count Seven chopped with his left. The rush of air from his hand set the rigging aflutter. The two men glanced across at where the sound was coming from, giving Count Seven just enough time to sneak past them, and he was out, stealing along the starboard side, before human or ghost could sense him.
A faint glow came through the window of the main cabin. Count Seven approached and peered in. Guo Jing was still bent over the desk, writing. Two women in white were serving him tea and grinding his ink. Gallant Ouyang stood on the other side, watching.
Count Seven felt relieved at first, until the smell of alcohol assailed his nostrils. There, on the table in front of Guo Jing, was a cup of fragrant, amber liquid. The color was so deep that it resembled that of a block of women's rouge. So, Old Venom serves my disciple his finest liquor, all because he is able to write out the Manual for him. But me, the epicurean, whose knowledge of wine is unrivaled in these lands, I only get the cheap, watery stuff. I must taste it. Old Venom must keep it stored belowdecks. I'll have a drink, then, when I'm finished, I'll pee in the barrel. Let him taste a bit of the Old Beggar's fine wine! What's a little urine compared to our ordeal with the sharks? It won't kill him.
The thought made him smile. If there was one thing at which he excelled, it was stealing food and drink. During one three-month period, he had lived in the rafters of the imperial kitchens in Lin'an. During this time, every dish made for the Emperor first passed his lips. The palace was tightly guarded and yet he had come and gone as he pleased. So, sneaking down under the decks of this ship? A mere trifle. He tiptoed toward the quarterdeck, looked around and then gently lifted the hatch. He slipped inside and eased the cover back into place. A couple of sniffs confirmed his suspicions: this was where the food supplies were kept.
The darkness below was absolute, but he soon managed to find what he was looking for by the power of his nose alone. Once at the food store, he lit a torch. In the corner were stacked half a dozen wooden barrels. He picked up a nearby bowl, chipped at the rim, blew out the torch and tucked the bowl into his robes. Then he approached the nearest barrel. He tried to nudge it, but it was heavy, filled to the brim. He grabbed the wooden stop, but, just as he was about to pull it out, he heard a noise. Footsteps. Two people were outside the store.
Their steps were light; it had to be Viper and his nephew. No one else on board had comparable lightness kung fu. Why were they here at so late an hour? They must be up to no good. Poisoning the food? He shrunk into the corner and curled up behind the barrels. At that moment, the door opened slowly, a light flickered and two figures slipped inside.
They walked toward the barrels and stopped. Are they about to put poison in the wine? Count Seven Hong thought.
Just then, the Venom of the West spoke: "He's finished the Manual. A success. The cabins all have the oil, firewood, and sulfur?"
"It's all ready. As soon as we light the fire, the boat will disappear in a ball of flames and the Old Beggar will be reduced to ashes within seconds."
Count Seven was in shock. They are going to burn the boat?
"Let's wait a little longer, until the Guo boy is fast asleep. You go to the small boat. Be careful; the Old Beggar mustn't find out. I'll start the fire here."
"What about the concubines and the snake herders?"
"It is unavoidable that some people will have to be sacrificed if we are going to catch a master of the wulin. It's all in the nature of the difference in their standing."
Count Seven Hong yanked the stopper out of the barrel as they talked, and a pungent smell of oil reached his nostrils. A mixture of tung and vegetable oils. The two men removed a lump of sulfur from a wooden box and covered it with firewood and a large bag of sawdust and wood shavings. Before long, with oil pooling unnoticed beneath their feet, the two men made for the door.
"Uncle," Gallant Ouyang said as they left. "Soon, that Guo boy will have made his grave at the bottom of the sea and the only person in the whole world with knowledge of the Nine Yin Manual will be you!"
"No, there will be one more person. I shall share my knowledge with you. And, of course, Apothecary Huang also has the book. We'll have to think of a way to get rid of him, too."
Gallant Ouyang grinned. "Let's go and wrap the Manual in oil paper and cloth. We can also melt wax over it so that the water can't ruin it."
With that, the men left and closed the door behind them.
Count Seven Hong was both shocked and furious. Had he not by some strange coincidence come down here to steal some wine, he would never have uncovered the Ouyangs' venomous scheme. Once the flames started raging, out on these open seas, how could they escape? He listened as their footsteps receded before sneaking back up to his cabin, where he found Guo Jing sound asleep. Just as he was about to wake the boy and tell him of what was happening, the quietest of sounds from outside the door alerted him: Viper Ouyang was checking to see that they were both asleep.
"Excellent wine! Bring me another ten flasks!"
Viper Ouyang froze. The Old Beggar was drinking.
"Venom!" Count Seven Hong's voice came from inside. "I challenge you to another round. Let's see who's really the better fighter! Hic! Good boy. That's it!"
Viper stood listening for a while. What nonsense … He must be talking in his sleep! The Old Beggar is about to face a grisly end, and yet still he dreams of drinking and fighting!
Count Seven Hong was himself listening intently, despite his babbling. Viper was a master of lightness kung fu, and yet still the Chief of the Beggar Clan could clearly make out that he had moved to the port side of the boat. He put his lips to Guo Jing's ear. "Guo Jing," he hissed, gently shaking the young boy's shoulder.
"Mm."
"Do as I say, and don't ask why. We're going out on deck. Make sure no one sees you."
Guo Jing rolled out of bed. Count Seven gently opened the cabin door. Then he tugged at Guo Jing's sleeve and stepped out on the starboard side. Rather than walk to the end of the boat, he felt his way over the taffrail and pulled Guo Jing with him. Guo Jing dutifully followed without saying a word. Moments later, they were hanging precariously above the roaring waves. Count Seven began to lower himself slowly, his eyes fixed on Guo Jing. His greatest fear was that the side of the boat would be wet and the boy would slip, the splash as he fell into the water thus alerting Viper Ouyang to their escape.
It was a dangerous climb. The paint finish was glossy and the boards were indeed wet, but not only that, the curve of the hull and the sway of the boat in the water all meant that such a descent required amazing skill. Luckily, Guo Jing's training with Ma Yu at the cliff in Mongolia, as well as his more recent improvements, allowed him to make steady progress by clinging to iron rivets and small cracks that had been filled with putty. The two men climbed slowly downward until Count Seven Hong was half submerged in the water. He then moved carefully toward the stern and Guo Jing followed suit.
There, tied by a long, thick rope, was a small boat.
"Get in," Count Seven called to Guo Jing.
The moment he let go, Count Seven was swept out into the sea. The ship was moving fast and he just managed to grab hold of the small boat in time. He flipped himself over the gunwale without making a sound, and there he waited patiently for Guo Jing to join him. "Cut the rope!"
Using his golden dagger, Guo Jing sliced the boat free from the ship, and instantly they were at the mercy of the waves. Count Seven steadied their boat with an oar and together they watched as the large ship disappeared into the darkness. Not a moment later, a flash of light appeared at the stern. It was Viper Ouyang, carrying a torch. He was shouting. The small boat was gone. He was enraged, but also afraid. Count Seven Hong released a hearty laugh from deep within his abdomen.
At that moment, out of nowhere, another skiff appeared, cresting a nearby wave. It was moving toward the Venom's ship with surprising speed.
"What's that—?" Count Seven cried.
Before he could finish his sentence, the two white condors swooped and circled the Venom's mainsail. A flash of white appeared on the skiff, and suddenly it jumped onto the larger ship. A golden hair band glimmered in the faint starlight.
"Lotus!" Guo Jing gasped.
4
Lotus it was indeed. Just as she was about to leave Peach Blossom Island, she had caught sight of Ulaan galloping out of the forest. A horse is of no use at sea, she had thought, but the condors can help me find Guo Jing. She whistled and the birds appeared. There, tied to one of the bird's feet, she found Guo Jing's message: Help.
Condors have sharp eyes and fast wings, and before long they had again spotted Guo Jing's ship on the vast open waters. She followed the condors, urging her crew to sail her skiff as fast as they could, until, at last, she caught up with them.
As the birds circled above, the two craft pulled up close to each other. Clutching an Emei Needle, she jumped on board, only to find Viper Ouyang jumping up and down like an ant in a hot wok.
"Where's Guo Jing? What have you done with him?"
After lighting the fire belowdeck, he had discovered the small boat he was planning to escape on was gone. At that moment, Count Seven's laugh rang out. He cursed himself. He was the one now suffering the consequences of his own actions. Indeed, the situation made him feel anxious in the extreme. But now Lotus was here.
"Quick, onto her boat!" he shouted.
But the crew of Lotus's skiff were both deaf and mute. They had followed her orders out of fear, but, now that she had jumped aboard the bigger ship, they started to turn the sails to flee.
Count Seven and Guo Jing watched as the flames from the hold started to reach the deck. Unaware of the Venom's skulduggery, Guo Jing jumped up and cried, "Fire! Fire!"
"That's right," Count Seven said. "It was Viper Ouyang. He set the ship alight on purpose in order to let us burn to death."
Guo Jing looked at his Master blankly. Then, suddenly: "Lotus! We have to save her!"
"Back to the ship," Count Seven said.
Guo Jing heaved at the oars. The large ship had also changed course in order to draw closer. A crowd of snake herders and female servants had gathered on the deck and were shouting for help.
"Lotus!" Count Seven cried, trying to make his voice travel over the din. "Over here! Swim to us!"
It was night and the waves were high, but Lotus was a strong swimmer and there was no other way.
Lotus was overjoyed to hear her shifu's voice. Ignoring the Ouyangs, she rushed to the side of the ship, preparing to hurl herself into the water below. At that moment, she felt something holding her back. A hand around her wrist. It was Viper Ouyang.
"Let go of me!" she shouted, aiming the Emei Needle in her other hand at the Venom's face. But he struck his fist at her, causing her to drop the needle into the roiling waves.
The mainmast and the sails were now aflame. Chaos had broken out among those on board. The ship would sink, any minute. Viper Ouyang knew he had to get onto the boat Count Seven had stolen. "Filthy beggar! I've got the girl!" He lifted Lotus up above his head.
The sea was a scarlet red as the blaze was reflected on its surface. Viper's actions only infuriated Count Seven even more. "He's using her to get on our boat. I'll get her back."
"I'm coming with you!" Guo Jing cried.
"No, you stay on the boat and guard it. You can't let the Venom take it."
"Yes, Shifu." Guo pulled hard on the oars again, and, within a few more strokes, they had drawn up alongside the large ship, which, with its sails turned to ash, was now becalmed.
Count Seven kicked the bottom of their craft and flew upward, reaching for the edge of the ship's rail, which he used to haul his body further up, landing with a somersault on the deck.
Viper Ouyang still had Lotus in his grip. "What are you going to do now, you filthy beggar?" he sneered.
"Fight. One thousand blows." Three rapid-fire palms followed.
Viper Ouyang quickly maneuvered Lotus into position as his shield, forcing Count Seven back. Lotus was unable to resist. The vital point on the back of her neck had been locked and she was nothing more than a floppy puppet.
"Have you no shame, Venom? Release the girl and fight me instead."
But he was smarter than that. How could he just release her? His nephew was being pushed back by the flames, so he threw the girl to him and called out, "Get on the boat!"
Gallant caught Lotus and glanced down at Guo Jing. The boat was small—too small. If he jumped down holding the girl, it would capsize. He saw a nearby piece of rope and, with one hand, grabbed it and tied it around what remained of the mast. Then, clutching Lotus, he lowered himself down the side of the ship.
Guo Jing was of course relieved to receive Lotus, but he was so caught up by the fight now in action up on the blazing deck that he failed to notice that her pressure points had been locked. The two martial Masters were launching attacks and counterattacks while jumping around, avoiding falling wood and burning lengths of rope. Count Seven's clothes were still wet from his earlier swim, which gave him a narrow advantage, whereas Viper's robes and hair were already beginning to smolder.
Count Seven took his chance to push Viper back toward the cabin, where the flames were fiercest, just as his hair and clothes were beginning to catch fire in earnest. Viper wanted to jump into the sea, but Count Seven was giving him no opportunity. The slightest lapse in his efforts to hold back the attack might result in injury, if not death. His mind was racing. How could he get out of this?
Count Seven's confidence, meanwhile, was growing. Maybe this time he was going to defeat the Venom of the West. But, at that moment, another thought popped into his head. If he dies now, it will have all been for nothing. I won't get to see him waste his time studying the fake Nine Yin Manual. At this, he laughed.
"Old Venom, today I will show you mercy. Get on the boat."
Viper Ouyang gave him a strange look, but quickly flipped over the edge and into the sea. Just as Count Seven was about to join him, Viper Ouyang called up: "Wait! Now I'm wet too, we can continue the fight, fair and square."
He then reached for a chain that was hanging down the side of the ship and used it to flip himself up onto the deck.
"Excellent! What better time for a fight!"
At that, fists began to fly and the duel was once again in motion.
"Lotus, look how fierce Old Venom is," Guo Jing said, his eyes still glued to the scene in front of them.
But Lotus was unable to answer, her pressure points still locked.
"Should I go up there and help Shifu?" he continued. "The ship is about to go down."
Still no answer. Guo Jing turned to look at her, only to find Gallant Ouyang with his hands around her wrists. "Get your hands off her!"
But Gallant had been longing to touch her for so long. How could he let go so quickly? "Make one move," he said with a cold smile, "and I will put my fist through her skull."
Without thinking, Guo Jing swung the oar he was still clutching straight at Gallant's head. Gallant ducked. Guo Jing dropped the oar and sent out two palms, forcing his opponent to let go of Lotus. Gallant cast his eyes around the small boat. It was no place for a fight. With a sweep of his arm, he moved into a Sacred Snake Fist. Guo Jing extended his left arm to block, at which Gallant suddenly bent his elbow and punched Guo Jing on the cheek—hard.
Stars clouded Guo Jing's vision. He momentarily closed his eyes—then, realizing the danger he was in, opened them again, just in time to see a second attack coming his way. He raised his left arm to block it. Again, Gallant's arm bent at an unnatural angle and Guo Jing threw his head back and struck out with his right hand. Usually, sending his body in two opposite directions would have resulted in each counteracting the other, but Guo Jing had studied Competing Hands under Zhou Botong. With his left arm poised, he pushed out with his right, trapping Gallant's arm. Guo Jing twisted and—crack! Gallant's bone broke.
Gallant was in fact a fighter on a par with the Quanzhen greats, like Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi, and much more accomplished than Guo Jing. The only thing was, Guo Jing's methods were just so strange. He had never seen anything like it and twice now had been injured because the unorthodox approach had caught him unawares.
Gallant Ouyang fell over, grimacing through the pain. Ignoring him, Guo Jing rushed to Lotus and unlocked her pressure points. Luckily, the combination of Count Seven's attack and Lotus's Hedgehog Chainmail had prevented Viper Ouyang from using the full force of his kung fu when he pressed the point on her neck. Otherwise, Guo Jing would never have been able to release her.
"Quick, Shifu needs help!" Lotus cried.
Guo Jing looked up to see his Master and Viper Ouyang engaged in hand-to-hand combat among the rising flames. The air rushed around their rapidly moving fists as the wooden deck bubbled and crackled. Suddenly, with an ear-splitting crack, the ship broke in two. The stern began to vanish into the waves, creating a whirlpool around it. Just as the other half of the ship started to sink, Guo Jing grabbed his oars and rowed the small boat up close.
At that moment, the blazing mainmast broke free and began to fall. Both men jumped back and watched as it landed between them.
Viper Ouyang reached for his Serpent Staff and swung it above the flames. Count Seven pulled out his Dog-Beating Cane and blocked.
Guo Jing rowed closer still, watching in amazement.
There was a saying in the wulin: "It takes a hundred days to master the saber, a thousand to master the spear, and ten thousand to master the sword." The sword may be considered the paragon, and yet every master brings their own unique skills and talents whatever weapon they are using, so that, in the end, there is little to separate them in a real fight. Many years ago, the great Masters gathered on Mount Hua in a Duel of Swords, yet this was actually a misnomer; the fighters employed all of the finest martial techniques—in much the same way as the term "classic" was first used for the seminal texts of Confucianism—the five, six, then thirteen classics—but then came to cover other philosophies, such as the Classic of Mozi, the Classic of the Way and Virtue, etc. Religious texts began to use the term "classic" too, as a translation of the Sanskrit word "sutra."
Count Seven's bamboo cane had been passed down for generations in the Beggar Clan. It was pliable and strong and a foot longer than most swords. A master of external kung fu, he had concentrated on strength when it came to wielding it, but after exploring the full possibilities of his weapon, he matched force with flexibility, which only increased its might many times over.
Viper Ouyang's Serpent Staff was also unique in that it combined the characteristics of the cudgel, the stick and the cane. He was able to execute a bewildering variety of moves with it. The top was carved into the shape of a grinning face with two rows of sharp teeth, like fangs, tipped with poison. The head seemed to dance like a demon about to chomp down on its enemy. A secret button, when pressed, would release darts laced with poison. The head could also be opened to reveal the two tiny snakes, which, now they had recovered from being drained, could wrap themselves around the shaft, spitting poison and writhing in all directions, making them dangerous and unpredictable.
When the two weapons clashed, each had its own advantages. Viper's staff may have been more sophisticated, but beggars are masters of catching snakes. Count Seven's cane danced like summer lightning, parrying each move and scoring hits whenever there was an opening. Viper moved his staff quicker. Count Seven, meanwhile, was yet to display his Dog-Beating skill. Yet both men feared revealing their secrets—one for fear of ridicule, the other for fear of having nothing left to use against his opponents at the next contest on Mount Hua.
Guo Jing stood on his small boat, watching. Several times, he thought of scrambling aboard to help his shifu, but it was a close and intense fight. He would not have much to contribute. It would be difficult even to get near them. All he could do was look on, helpless.