Ode to gallantry, p.49
Ode to Gallantry, page 49
Madame Shi raised her left hand; her four fingers moved as though she was playing a pipa (a lute with four strings) to flick his wrist. Tian Xu moved his left hand towards Madam Shi right wrist. She fluttered her right wrist, the left middle finger sprang and a great force moved in the direction of Tian Xu’s chest.
Tian Xu has taken over the leadership of the ‘Shan Qing’ temple for last ten years and was adept at numerous palm techniques.
He knew both the Shi couple themselves want to go their death, even though they have originally good intention in their heart, but these two bronze medals involved him and he had already accepted the invitation in front of the entire temple, so if it falls in to someone else hand and he loses his life than what face can he show to others.
He saw Madame Shi attacking at his chest so immediately wields the palm to parry her move.
Both these people did not left their seat and had fought in a blink of a eye about seven-eight moves, both these people had learnt from the same teacher and were disciples of Shan Qing temple. Although they were using moves which were not dangerous and still it was not just a practice session and both wrestles with all their strength in that little space. When two people of same school meet and compared their martial-arts skills after about twenty years, in their heart both were really pleased by the exquisite skill displayed by the other. Even though they had met several times during these last twenty years; still they never got an opportunity to test their skill against each other.
The rest of the Taoist priests who were apprentices at the ‘Shan Qing’ temple watched these people comparing their skill with rapt attention. These people knew about Shi couple for more than ten years, by their astounding reputation in the realm of rivers and lakes. They also knew that how they rushed to help them and saw with their own eyes how Madam Shi had robbed bronze medal from Tian Xu showing amazing composure and thought that she really deserve the acclaim and reputation.
These two people were evenly matched for about ten moves but Madame Shi was holding those two bronze medals in her right hand so she was only able to use the fist of her right hand and was unable to cancel some Tian Xu palm moves by grasping or any other open-hand techniques, so she was at a great disadvantage. Also Tian Xu was trying to put pressure on her to open her palm so he can get back the bronze medals. Madame Shi knew in the heart that she can’t hold these medals for some time so she threw the medals using internal energy towards her husband, all the other disciples of Tian Xu saw the elegance and internal energy involved and didn’t dare to compete with Shi Qing to snatch the medals.
Shi Qing puts out a hand and was just about to take, suddenly he felt a strong force moving towards his face, it was precisely Tian Xu, he has executed the ‘Shan Qing’ temple’s sect’s double palm move, the moment he saw Madam Shi throwing the bronze medals. Although this move was not that difficult to handle but it was a very formidable move, if one does not resist then can be seriously injured, even if he took the bronze medal in the hand, still he would probably drop it after the impact. As he was left with no option he didn’t move towards the bronze medal and right away moved his palm to obstruct Tian Xu’s move.
As soon as soon as Shi Qing took the defensive posture, the medal moved towards Zhao Xu, one of their fellow-disciples, who caught it with his hand. The moment Zhao Xu caught the medals all the four started laughing and he Shi couple gave up the idea of getting the bronze medal.
After a moment Shi Potian saw Tian Xu smiling and bowing towards Madam Shi and said: "Younger brother, Younger sister, please forgive me for offending you."
Mr. and Mrs. Shi Qing hurriedly stood up and returned salute.
Shi Qing said: "Elder brother, please don’t say these words, actually we husband and wife were very disrespectful. The internal strength of elder brother is so strong that we can’t even think to compete against you. Although we did a stupid mistake, but still as it’s said if one part of body get injured, entire body feels the pain. Alas! we are in an utterly hopeless situation."
When Tian Xu used his internal strength then only Shi Qing realized how strong his internal strength really was.
Tian Xu forced a smile and said: "Younger brother, please don’t mind and say these word. Let’s drink!" He took a wine cup and tossed it.
Shi Potian saw Min Rou sighing at her lack of skill; he did not know that these two bronze medals have what significant responsibility. He was only concerned about her failure and thought: "this Taoist priest has snatched the bronze medals; I will take it from him and give it to Madame Shi."
He saw Shi Qing standing up and saying: "I hope senior brother returns safely. Younger brother's manners were really despicable and we didn’t even talk properly about the old days. Now we are leaving elder brother, goodbye."
Every one shivered with fear in their heart as he said these words.
Tian Xu asked: "I have heard that my worthy brother had sent his son to the ‘Snow mountain sect’ for learning martial-arts. Despite the incomparable prestige of you husband and wife still ‘Snow Mountain sect’ has shown reckless courage to capture your son?"
Shi Qing sighed and said: "This matter is a long story, most probably it’s my fault that I was not able to teach my son proper moral values. It’s my son who has committed evil so what’s the point blaming others."
His sense of rights and wrongs were absolutely clear, although Bai Wanjian has burnt down his family manor, still he knew that his son had committed the crime and he didn’t have any resentment against ‘Snow Mountain sect’.
Tian Xu said in a clear, resonant voice: "Younger brother, younger sister, these people have kidnapped your beloved son, obviously they despise our 'Shan Qing temple’. No matter how big or powerful there background is, even though our skills are poor still we must help you to get your son back."
He paused for a moment and then said again: "your beloved son got captured because of their superiority in numbers, actually we can still catch up with them if we leave ‘Shan Qing’ temple immediately. We are fellow-disciples and should help each other. Younger brother tell me, are still not good friends after all these years?"
He thought that the enemy did not fear Shi Qing couple and were confident of there victory just on the basis of their numerical strength. He thought that the ‘Snow Mountain sect’ is reckless and disrespectful to send its disciples to capture Shi Zhongyu.
Shi Qing and Min Rou both were not willing to take the skeleton out of the closet. They also thought the ‘Shan Qing temple’ is right now facing a imminent disaster and already have to deal with a powerful enemy. Obviously this is not a right time to have ‘Snow Mountain sect’ as their enemy too.
Shi Qing said: "senior brother, thanks for the kindness, we husband and wife are deeply grateful. We have not yet fully investigated this matter and don’t know exactly how these things happened. Let us, younger brother and wife go and properly look in to the matter and if needed, we will return to the ‘Shan Qing temple’ to ask for senior brother’s help."
Tian Xu said: "Exactly, Younger brother, younger sister, please don’t waste more time and go and look for your beloved son. Once you get any news please come to ‘Shan Qing temple’ and then we will leave immediately."
Both Shi Qing and Min Rou cupped one hand in the other across the chest to express gratitude, however in their heart were actually downcast and thought: "The ‘Snow Mountain sect’ had already ordered the execution of our child, we husband and wife should accept the fate. How can we come to the ‘Shan Qing temple’ to ask for reinforcement?"
After that both people said goodbye and moved out, Tian Xu and rest of the group too followed them out to see them off.
Shi Potian saw these people leaving and immediately leapt from the plaque on the ground and then quickly left the room and crossed the wall. Once he was outside, he thought: "That master Shi and Madam Shi said that their son was captured by some people, actually who, I don’t know right now. It looks like that bronze medal is only a plaything and is immaterial. It seems that these people are fellow disciple and were just playing with that bronze medal and they have a very good friendship.
Madame Shi treats me very well; I must help her to pursue their son. I should ask her first, her son’s age, what was his appearance and who has captured him?"
He leapt on to o a tree and saw two rows of ten lanterns in north-east direction. It looked the ‘Shan Qing temple’ disciples were seeing them of the forest.
Shi Potian thought: "These Shi couple both ride two very fast horses, I should try to run as fast as possible to catch them."
He saw that both people were taking a straight road, so he jumped from the tree and ran along the hillside after them.
He didn’t pay much attention and ran near the gate of the ‘Shan Qing temple’. He heard someone yelling: "who is there? Halt!"
When he hid behind the plaque in the main hall, he held his breath and concealed himself without making any noise so no one detected him but here he was running and using his internal strength and unconsciously created quite a ruckus and immediately caught the attention of people nearby.
He stopped there only maintaining his composure as the Shi couple went farther and farther on their horses.
In the darkness, suddenly Shi Potian felt two swords moving towards him, two Taoist priests took out their swords in front of them, the sword’s edge glimmering with the star light. It was extremely hazy, he saw to his left and saw that Taoist priest was that disciple of ‘Shan Qing temple’ who caught those bronze medals and in his heart, he felt happy and said: "Honorable Taoist priest?"
That Taoist priest got startled for a moment and then said: "Yes, who are you, sire?"
Shi Potian stretched his right hand and said: "I am here to take the bronze medal from you."
Zhao Xu got angry, and shouted: "You will get this!"
The sword then moved to stab his leg. In ‘Shan Qing’ temple, the commandments were very precise and rigorous, do not kill the innocents. Right now he didn’t even know the origin of the opponent, however the moment Shi Potian said he wants the bronze medal, it was kind of a taboo to him and he attacked.
Even though he was attacking the leg still it was a strategic point. Shi Potian slanted his body to avoid it; his right hand grasping his shoulder. Zhao Xu saw that he was agile, so he moved his long sword in a circle, aiming at his left shoulder.
Shi Potian lowered his head quickly to avoid it getting drilled; he feared that the sword will cut his head; so unconsciously he moved his right hand towards him. Zhao Xu only sniffed for a moment some fishy irritating stench from that dirty person, then felt dizzy, tried to stay on his feet but in a time one blink his eyes, he fell to the ground.
Shi Potian got startled, suddenly the second Taoist priest stabbed at his back with his long sword. He knew that there is something strange with his palm, as soon as he brings it to attack someone, people get killed. He didn’t dare to counterattack, he took a vertical leap and scoffed a sound, and his long gown was cut from the back by the sword. That Taoist priest thought that this person has evil intension and attacked more vigorously with his long sword moving to stab Shi Potian.
Shi Potian slanted his body to escape this move; he hurriedly picked up a long sword which was dropped by the other priest. He saw that this Taoist priest’ swordsmanship was really swift and fierce, so he immediately moved his sword and executed the Golden Phoenix sword moves. In his hand the sword along with the internal energy was very formidable, the moment the two swords connected, that Taoist was not able to hold the long sword in his hands and let it go. But he was the disciple of ‘Hand of palm sect' so he was well versed with the palm and seizing techniques and didn’t feared this situation when he was empty handed.
He took crouching posture and threw himself straight on Shi Potian’s bosom, with his both hands tried to grasp the hole between his lower chest's land abdomen. In his hand he didn’t have the sword and the enemy had the sword, so it was favorable for his to have a close hand-to-hand fight, this way the enemy won’t be able to use his weapon.
Shi Potian called out: "it’s not allowed!"
He then attacked with his left hand and shoved that Taoist priest aside. By now the strong internal energy of his palm pushed the poison out along with that blow and as soon as Taoist fell to ground, he never got up.
Shi Potian stamped the foot again and again, said: "oh! I didn’t want to harm you!"
He heard the voice of dogs howling. He looked at the empty road and the two people on ground, both slumped and looked dead. In the dim light he saw two bronze medals still at his bosom. He puts out a hand to take it, puts it in the bag and stepped back and pursued anxiously after Shi couple.
In one breath he pursued them for about ten miles. He hadn’t heard the sound of the horse's hoof so thought: "These two horses are really quick, can I even catch them or not? Is it also possible that I came in the wrong direction? Shi Qing and madam Shi might not necessarily take this main road."
As he was thinking suddenly he heard a sound of horse neighing from one side. He looked in that direction and saw two horses tied under a willow tree, one black and the other white. They were precisely the horses of Shi couple.
Shi Potian felt great happiness and took out the bronze medals from his bag in to his hand. He waited for moment to yawn and was just about to call the Shi couple when he heard the voice of Shi Qing from a distant place: "Younger sister, this young thief is stealthy following us. I think he harbors evil intentions. We should just wait and let him pass."
Shi Potian was startled and thought: "they do not like me coming after them?"
Although he heard the voice of Shi Qing; but didn’t see these two people. He was afraid that if they see and attack him. Then he might kill them too if he is not careful. How can that be good?
He shrank his body hurriedly in the long grass nearby and waited for few moments. He thought that he should wait for Min Rou to appear and then will toss the bronze medals towards her and then will run away.
Suddenly he saw a person’s shadow flying out from the left side, holding a long sword in his hand pointing towards him and calling out loudly: "my friend, you are following us. What are you up to? Come out quickly." She was Min Rou.
Shi Potian only managed to say: "I".
Then he heard sound of someone scoffing and then suddenly he heard three ringing sounds, someone was throwing hidden projectiles at Min Rou.
Min Rou moved her sword firmly and the projectiles fell on the thick patch of grass.
Then all of sudden a person with black clothing leapt out from that patch of grass and attacked Min Rou with a sword. Shi Potian felt it was strange that this person was hiding there too. He saw that person was very agile and skillful. He brandished his sword creating a hu-hu sound in the air. Min Rou resisted him very conveniently but didn’t counter-attack.
In a moment Shi Qing also came out, the long sword hanging in his waist. He crossed his hands behind the back, observed the fight for several moves and then said: "hey friend, are you a disciple of Lu’s Shiba from Taishan sect, isn’t it?"
That person said: "yes, why?" He was still attacking Min Rou and the wiry sword didn’t stopped.
Shi Qing said with a smile: "Although we don’t have friendship with Lu Shiba but we also don’t have any animosity between us. So why are you following us husband and wife for last four-five miles, what is your intention?"
That man said: "Don’t have free time to follow you people......"
Initially Min Rou was not attacking her and just making superficial moves, but had actually thrown him in to confusion.
Shi Qing said with a smile: "The sword skills of Lu Shiba are really formidable, but you have actually not even learned the 30% of the original sword skill so it’s better for you to stop."
The moment Shi Qing said these words Min Rou moved her long sword to stab his wrist at the same time, flutters her body to go behind him, reversed the sword and hit him with the hilt of sword and sealed up his acu-point.
With a thud sound his wiry sword hit the ground. If Min Rou has completed her move with a straight sword then there would have been a big hole instead of a sealed acu-point.
Shi Qing said with a smile: "friend, what is your name?"
That man was really stubborn and said: "If you want to kill me then kill me, why are you asking mu name?"
Shi Qing said: "Friend, please don’t say then. It doesn’t matter. I think you have allied with a secret group and your master doesn’t know anything about it?"
The color of that man face changed to white, as if he said: "how do you know?"
Shi Qing said: "Your respected master Lu Shiba don’t have any enmity with us so why will he send someone to track us husband and wife and especially he is such a respected authority, why will he send a disciple like you to track us."
The implied meaning was obviously that your martial-art is far too poor and you are not even good enough to follow us so your master will never send you after us. That man’s face turned in to purple with shame when he heard this but fortunately it was a dark night so no one noticed it.
Shi Qing put out a hand on his shoulder, patted twice and said: "We husband and wife are very straight forward and frank people and we are not secretive about our whereabouts. If want to know than we will tell ourselves. We are just coming from the ‘Shan Qing temple’. You can visit the Taoist temple and ask master Tian Xu about us. Actually we were disciples of ‘Shan Qing temple’ in out youth and master Tian Xu was out senior fellow disciple.
Now we are going to the Snow Mountains, to Lingxiao city to pay visit to the Snow Mountain sect’s chief ‘'Gentleman of Impressive Strength and Virtue'. If the friend wants to ask anything else, then please ask away!"
That man only thought that he only patted me twice and my acu-points are open, and admired him inside his heart, then he bowed and cupped one hand in the other across his chest and said: "You Shi couple treat people justly and leave up to your reputation; the younger generation has offended you."
