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They were cold and slippery, and kept wiggling inside her clothes. She was frightened, “What are these things? Is it some witchcraft or secret weapons?” Hastily she groped around inside her clothes and caught three goldfish.

She was relieved, but suddenly she froze! Her porcelain antidote bottle had disappeared, along with her dagger and the scroll of the ‘Nine Yin Manual’ which was wrapped around the dagger.

The three goldfish were from the cistern that was crushed when the roof collapsed. Zhu Cong knew Mei Chaofeng was careful and could not be easily deceived, unlike Peng Lianhu or Qiu Qianren; so he used the goldfish to divert her attention while at the same time executed his quick hand to take Mei Chaofeng’s pocket’s contents. He took the porcelain bottle out, pulled its stopper and took it to Ke Zhen’E to smell while whispering softly, “Well?”

Ke Zhen’E was an expert at using poison. As soon as he smelled the antidote he said, “To be taken orally and also applied to the wound. This is the antidote.”

Mei Chaofeng heard their conversation and immediately realized what happened. Furiously she leaped toward them. Ke Zhen’E swung his iron staff to block her, assisted by Han Baoju’s ‘Golden Dragon Whip’ [jin long bian], Quan Jinfa’s ‘Weighing Scale’ [cheng gan], and Nan Xiren’s ‘Steel Carrying Pole’ [chun gang bian dan]. Mei Chaofeng quickly put her hand to her waist to retrieve her own ‘Poison Silver Dragon Whip’ but suddenly heard a gust of wind from a sword coming her way.

It was Han Xiaoying. She was forced to parry this attack first.

Meanwhile Zhu Cong gave the antidote to Huang Rong. “Have him swallow some, then spread some on his wound,” he said. Then he put the dagger he took from Mei Chaofeng into Guo Jing’s pocket. “This dagger was yours,” he said. Joining his brothers and sister he raised his iron fan to attack Mei Chaofeng. The six had trained hard these past ten years and had improved their martial arts considerably. Therefore, this battle was many times fiercer than the one on that barren Mongolian hill.

Lu Chengfeng and his son were amazed witnessing this fierce battle. “Mei Chaofeng’s martial arts are no doubt swift, fierce and ruthless, but these Six Freaks of Jiangnan certainly live up to their names,” they thought. “Ladies and gentlemen, please stop! Please listen to what I have to say!” Lu Chengfeng shouted loudly. But both parties were fighting fiercely, who would actually have time to listen to him?

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Not long after he took the antidote, Guo Jing was slowly regaining his sense. The poison had attacked his system quickly, but the antidote also neutralized it fast. His wound was still hurting, but he was able to move his left arm. After putting the dagger away he immediately jumped up and re-joined the battle. Learning from before, he started slowly and when his palm was almost touching Mei Chaofeng’s body, he added more strength. It was the stance ‘A Hundred Li Shock’ [zhen jing bai li]. Mei Chaofeng was busy fending off her attackers and could not hear Guo Jing’s palm. She was hit suddenly and fell down immediately right at the moment when Han Baoju’s whip and Nan Xiren’s pole were coming down on her.

Guo Jing leaned and parried those two weapons. “Masters! Please show mercy!” he shouted. The Six Freaks complied. They withdrew their weapons and leaped back.

Mei Chaofeng stood up and got ready to fight again. Knowing that Guo Jing was fierce and she could not see, she took her ‘Poison Silver Dragon Whip’ [du long yin bian] and readied it in front of her. Guo Jing did not move, “We are not going to fight you anymore. You are free to go!” he shouted.

Mei Chaofeng put her whip back and said, “Please return my manual.” Zhu Cong was puzzled. “I did not take your manual,” he said. “You know the Seven Freaks have never lied.” He did not realize that the skin wrapped around the dagger was the ‘Nine Yin Manual’.

Mei Chaofeng knew that even though the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan had deep enmity toward her, they always meant what they said and never deceived anybody. She thought the manual must have fallen when she was fighting Guo Jing a moment ago. So she bent down and groped around on the ground looking for the manual. Where could that manual be?

A blind lady groping around the ground made a pitiful scene. Lu Chengfeng told his son,

“Guanying, help your Martial Uncle Mei to look.” But in his heart he was thinking that the manual belonged to his Master, therefore, it must be returned to the Master. He faked a cough to signal his son and Lu Guanying understood. He nodded. Guo Jing was also looking around, but where did that manual go?

“Mei Shijie,” Lu Chengfeng said, “Your manual is not here; perhaps you dropped it on your way here.”

Mei Chaofeng did not answer; she kept groping around. Suddenly everybody’s eyes were blurred as that green-robed man reappeared beside her. His movement was so swift that nobody saw anything as Mei Chaofeng’s body was lifted off the ground and an instant later they were gone, vanishing among the trees outside the hall. Mei Chaofeng was very skilled, yet that man had captured her without any struggle. They looked at each other in blank dismay. This person’s skill was unbelievable.

The hall was quiet; only the distant sound of the waves of the lake lapping the shore could be heard.

A long while later Ke Zhen’E broke the silence. “My young disciple fought that wicked woman and damaged your mansion. I feel deep regret.”

“I do not dare complain,” Lu Chengfeng answered. “The Six Freaks and Hero Guo visiting our place today was an honor to us all. No need to mention that you have helped my family escape a disaster. What Hero Ke just said, wouldn’t that make us seem like strangers?”

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“I invite the honorable guests to take a rest inside the hall,” Lu Guanying added. “Brother Guo, are you still in pain?”

“I am all right,” answered Guo Jing. At that moment the green-robed man came back along with Mei Chaofeng. They stood in front of the hall. Mei Chaofeng put her hands on her waist and shouted, “Guo Kid! You used Hong Qigong’s ‘Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms’ to fight me. I am blind and could not see your moves. Mei Chaofeng does not care about life or death, victory or defeat; but if this matter were spread in the Jianghu world, wouldn’t the reputation of my Benevolent Master of Peach Blossom Island be ruined? Come! Let us fight again!”

“I am not your match,” Guo Jing answered honestly. “I took advantage of your blindness to protect my own life. I admitted defeat a while ago.”

“The ‘Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms’ have eighteen moves,” Mei Chaofeng asked, “Why did you only use part of it?”

“Because I am not smart …” Guo Jing answered; Huang Rong signaled him not to reveal his secret, but Guo Jing continued, “… Senior Hong only taught me fifteen moves.”

“Very good!” Mei Chaofeng said. “You only know fifteen moves yet you defeated Mei Chaofeng.

Is that old man Hong Qigong really that good? No! I can’t accept it. We must fight again!”

Everybody felt this was strange; apparently Mei Chaofeng had not come back to avenge her husband, but to dispute Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong’s reputations.

Guo Jing was still calm. “Miss Huang is younger than I am, yet I’m still not her match; how could I be your match?” he said. “I have always admired Peach Blossom Island’s martial arts.”

“Mei Shijie,” Huang Rong interrupted. “What are you talking about? Who in the world can surpass Father’s martial arts skill?

“Still, I must fight him again!” Mei Chaofeng insisted. Without waiting for Guo Jing to answer she stretched her claw towards him. Guo Jing could not hold himself back much longer and so eluded the attack. He said, “If that’s the case, I will ask Senior Mei to give me some lessons.” Then he launched a strong counterattack.

Mei Chaofeng parried it by turning her hand. “Use your silent moves!” she said, “You are not my match if you are using loud moves.”

Guo Jing leaped back several steps and said, “My First Master Ke’s eyes are not perfect. I hate when others bully him with silent moves. How could I use silent moves to bully you? I was injured by your poison and at that critical moment I inadvertently use a silent move. If we fight fair and square, frankly I am not your match.”

Mei Chaofeng could hear the sincerity in his voice, her heart was stirred. “This kid is kind hearted,”

she thought. But she shouted, “I told you to use your silent moves. I have a way to counter it, why do you keep nattering like an old woman?”

Guo Jing looked at that strange green-robed man. “Could it be that he taught her how to cope with silent moves just now?” he thought. But because Mei Chaofeng insisted, he did not have any choice Eagle Shooting Hero

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but to comply. “Very well,” he finally said. “I will fight you another fifteen moves.” He thought that by using the fifteen out of ‘Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms’ he might not win, but at least he could defend himself.

Guo Jing jumped to get closer to her, then continued by tiptoeing forward, slowly sending his palm to strike. But before his palm hit its target he heard a light sound and Mei Chaofeng turned her wrist to grab his hand. It was like her eyes were not blind at all. Guo Jing was surprised; he immediately pulled his left palm and slid his body to the left to launch the ‘Skillfully Crossing a Vast River’