‘father’ wearing fine, embroidered robes and expensive jewels, looking handsome and refined.
There was a world of difference between these two men. Wanyan Kang contemplated in his heart,
“Am I actually going to give up this life of luxury and riches and roam the streets with this poor man? No…never!” His mind was made up.
“Shifu, don’t listen to this person’s nonsense,” Wanyan Kang said. “Please help rescue my mother!”
“You stubbornly refuse to listen still, you’re worse than a beast!” Qiu Chuji replied angrily.
Seeing that Shifu and pupil had fallen out, Peng Lianhu and the others started to attack even more fiercely. Wanyan Kang knew Qiu Chuji was in danger, but did not attempt to again stop the fight.
Qiu Chuji was enraged and shouted, “Little bastard, you really have no conscience.”
Wanyan Kang had always been very afraid of his Shifu and secretly hoped that Peng Lianhu and the rest would kill him to avoid any trouble in the future. Shortly into the battle, Qiu Chuji was struck by Liang Ziwong’s spade and though it wasn’t serious, blood seeped through his robes. From the corner of his eye he caught a hint of delight on Wanyan Kang’s face and he was further incensed and swore continuously. Ma Yu retrieved a sparkler from his robes and tossed it in the air, sending a blue blaze soaring through the sky. Peng Lianhu thought it must be a communicative signal for the Quanzhen Sect’s members and alerted the others, “The old priest is sending for help.”
After exchanging a few more moves, another blue blaze appeared from the northwest not far from here. “Younger Martial Brother Wang is nearby,” Qiu Chuji said with delight. Switching his sword over to his left hand, he attacked from the top with his sword and from the bottom with his right palm, executing seven or eight fatal moves one after another forcing his enemies steadily backwards.
Ma Yu pointed to the blue glow in the northwest and said, “Go in that direction.”
Weapons in hand, Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci rushed in that direction while guarding Bao Xiruo.
Ma Yu followed closely behind. Qiu Chuji interrupted his sword mid-move and in the next instant he had also turned to leave. Sha Tongtian repeatedly employed his ‘Change Form Exchange Place’
technique, hoping to bypass Qiu Chuji and snatch Bao Xiruo, but Qiu Chuji’s sword was too swift and he did not succeed. It was not long before they arrived at the small inn where Wang Chuyi was staying. Qiu Chuji wondered to himself, “Why hasn’t Younger Martial Brother Wang come out to greet us?”
Just after this thought, Wang Chuyi came walking unsteadily towards them, supported by a wooden stick. At the sight of each other, the Martial Brothers were shocked to see that Quanzhen Sect’s top three pugilists were all injured.
Qiu Chuji called out, “Retreat back into the inn.”
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“Hand the Consort over in one piece and I’ll spare your lives,” Wanyan Honglie hollered.
“Who needs your mercy, you treacherous Jin dog?” Qiu Chuji shot back. He raised his sword and started fighting.
Despite being exhausted, Qiu Chuji still refused to yield and his swordplay remained as enthralling as ever. Seeing this, Peng Lianhu and the others were inwardly impressed. Yang Tiexin contemplated, “Since things have already come to this, it will not be easy to escape our end. We mustn’t risk Priest Qiu’s life for us.” Grasping Bao Xiruo’s hand, he stepped forward.
“Everyone, stop fighting,” he yelled. “My wife and I will end our lives here and let that be the end of it.” Raising his spear, he thrust towards his heart. With a “pu” sound, blood splattered in all directions and he fell backwards.
Bao Xiruo felt no sadness. With a bitter smile, she pulled the spear out of her husband’s body and braced it on the ground while saying to Wanyan Kang, “Child, you still don’t believe he’s your real father?” She leaned forward and sank onto the tip of the spear.
In horror, the color drained from Wanyan Kang’s face. “Mama!” he cried, rushing forward wanting to save her. Seeing this astonishing development, Qiu Chuji and the others stopped fighting.
Reaching her side, Wanyan Kang saw her body was pierced through her chest by the spear and he began sobbing uncontrollably. Qiu Chuji went forward to inspect the couple’s wounds and saw that the spear had pierced fatal points on their bodies. There was no room for hope. Wanyan Kang held his mother and Mu Nianci held Yang Tiexin as the two wept with grief.
Qiu Chuji said to Yang Tiexin, “Brother Yang, tell me if you have a request and I will see that it gets done. I… I didn’t manage to save you in the end, I… I…” He felt a dull ache in his heart and choked up with sorrow.
At this very moment the sound of footsteps came. Everyone turned and saw the ‘Six Freaks of Jiangnan’ hurrying over with Guo Jing. Upon seeing Sha Tongtian and the others, the ‘Six Freaks’
immediately pulled out their weapons. Getting closer, they saw a man and a woman on the ground and looks of surprise appeared on their faces. They turned around and saw Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji and were further surprised.
Guo Jing saw Yang Tiexin lying on the ground covered with blood and hurriedly went to his side.
“Uncle Yang, how are you feeling?” He asked.
Yang Tiexin was barely alive but broke into a smile when he saw Guo Jing. “Your late father and I had a pact: if we had a son and daughter then they would be married,” he said. “I don’t have a daughter, but this foster daughter is like my own…” He turned his gaze to Qiu Chuji. “Priest Qiu, see to this marriage and I… I will go in peace…”
“That’s easy. Don’t worry,” Qiu Chuji assured him.
Bao Xiruo was lying beside her husband and clutched his arm with her left hand, afraid that he would leave her again. In a haze, she heard him mention the betrothal agreement from years ago.
She sought to retrieve a dagger from her robes and said: “This… this is the token from that time…”
Then she said, “Brother Tie, we finally to die together, I’m… I’m so happy…” With that, she showed a small smile and passed away peacefully, looking as warm and enchanting as always. Qiu Eagle Shooting Hero
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Chuji retrieved the dagger and saw that it was none other than his gift to them at Ox Village in Lin’an; the words ‘Guo Jing’ were carved on its handle.
Yang Tiexin said to Guo Jing: “In…in honor of your late father, I hope you treat my daughter well…”
“I… I can’t…” stuttered Guo Jing.
Qiu Chuji said, “I will see to everything, go… go in peace!”
Yang Tiexin had all but given up hope of finding Guo Xiaotian’s descendent, and so arranged the
‘Joust for a Spouse’ for Mu Nianci. Today, he was not only reunited with his beloved wife but had also found his sworn brother’s son; his daughter would have a husband to rely on. With that, having no further regrets, he closed his eyes for the last time.
Guo Jing was both sad and confused, thinking, “Rong’er has deep feelings for me, how can I marry someone else?” With this thought, his mind suddenly turned to something else and he was further taken aback. “How could I have forgotten Hua Zheng? The Khan has betrothed her to me, this…
this… how could this be?”
All this time he had kept his good friend Tolui in his thoughts, but seldom did he think of Hua Zheng. Although the ‘Six Freaks’ regarded this wish difficult to fulfill, they couldn’t bear to say so in front of Yang Tiexin, a dying man.
Wanyan Honglie had gone to great lengths scheming to marry Bao Xiruo, but to the end she had been unable to forget her husband. For over ten years he had loved and labored for her, but at the end of it all, things still unfolded this way. Though she was dead, Wanyan Honglie saw true happiness and contentment in her face. In all their eighteen years together, when had she ever looked at him this way? He might be a prince, but in her heart he was much, much inferior this village peasant. Despondent and heart-broken, he turned to leave.
Although the three Quanzhen priests were injured, the arrival of the ‘Six Freaks’ meant that Sha Tongtian and the others wouldn’t necessarily win. Since the Prince had already turned to leave, they followed.
“San Heimao,” shouted Qiu Chuji, “leave the antidote behind!”
Peng Lianhu laughed. “Your Stockade-Chief goes by the surname Peng; people in the pugilistic world call me the ‘Butcher With A Thousand Hands’. Priest Qiu, have you lost your eyes?”
Qiu Chuji went cold, thinking, “It’s no wonder this person is so powerful; so it is him.” The poison had penetrated deep into his Elder Martial Brother’s body and only the unique antidote from Peng Lianhu could save him. He loudly said, “Who cares if you’ve got a thousand hands or ten thousand?
If you don’t leave the antidote behind, don’t hope to leave this place.” Maneuvering his sword exquisitely, a flash of brilliant light advanced towards Peng Lianhu. Though only left with one brush, Peng Lianhu was not afraid. Brandishing it, they clashed head-on.
Zhu Cong saw Ma Yu was seated on the ground, working his internal energy. One of his palms was all black. “Priest Ma … how did you get hurt?”