The Return of the Condor Heroes

Chapter 25 – Domestic troubles and foreign invasion, Part 6

Chapter 25 – Domestic troubles and foreign invasion, Part 6

He was afraid that Xiao Longnu might ambush him in the cave so he did not dare enter. However, Xiao Longnu did not know this so she hid herself near the entrance to the cave, silently clutching a single golden needle.

Fawang waited for a moment. Seeing nothing move, he formulated a plan. He held his two wheels in his right hand and used his left to pick up the two strips of cloth. He quickly tossed the wheels one after the other into the interior of the cave, using them to shield his feet from the poisoned needles on the ground while at the same time wielding the strips of cloth in the air, blocking his front. The two strips of cloth still bore the Yu Feng needles so they actually served as virulent weapons.

He laughed and said: “The wolf’s fang cudgel! Long Guniang, why don’t you test the severity of my wolf’s fang?”

But before he could even finish his sentence, he suddenly felt a tug in his hand. A half section of the cloth was unexpectedly grasped by Xiao Longnu!

Ordinarily, she would not have so easily grabbed a wolf’s fang cudgel with her bare hands but she was wearing her gold silk gloves, not even a wolf’s fang could withstand it.

Taken by surprise, Fawang hurriedly applied strength to snatch it back but in between that space of an instant, Xiao Longnu already shot out the golden needles in her hand.

Fawang shouted in the dark, sensing the life-threatening situation. He then grabbed Zhou Botong’s body which was lying on the ground and using his heel to raise him and use him as cover, following the stance of the “*Dao Cai Qi Xing Bu.” [1]

Afterwards, he hurriedly leapt out of the cave, glad to have escaped with his life. However, the life-and-death situation that he has just been through filled him with fear so that he only stopped when he was well away from the cave, gasping for breath.

Those twenty or so Yu Feng needles pierced Zhou Botong’s body. Xiao Longnu gasped, thinking that he was dead. Also, his body was lying still, only serving to increase her guilt.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Botong suddenly said: “Good pain, good pain! What in the world bit me?”

Although startled, Xiao Longnu was happy. She said: “Zhou Botong, you are not yet dead?”

Knowing nothing about proper addresses, she spoke his name plainly.

Zhou Botong said: “Seems like I’m past death. Can it be that I’m alive again? I didn’t know that once you’re dead there is still enough life left.”

Xiao Longnu replied: “You’re not dead. That’s good. That Fawang was frighteningly good. Not even once did I hit him.”

She then took out an iron stone (magnetic stone), using it to suck back the Yu Feng needles from his body.

Zhou Botong scolded: “Fawang, that thieving dog, he speaks nothing but lies, taking advantage of me because I’m dying, even using me to block the tiny needles…”

Xiao Longnu never stopped removing the needles and he also did not stop scolding that person.

Xiao Longnu smiled faintly, saying: “Zhou Botong, those needles that pricked you are mine.” At that moment, a sudden thought came to her, prompting her to ask: “My Yu Feng needles are steeped in bee venom, does your body feel bad?”

Zhou Botong replied: “I feel very comfortable. Prick me again.”

Xiao Longnu thought that he was joking so she took out a tiny jade bottle from her chest, saying: “This bottle of Jade Bee honey is the antidote to my golden needles. If you drink it, then you’ll be all right.”

But Zhou Botong shook his head, saying repeatedly: “No, no! The pricks of your needles make me feel comfortable. It appears to counteract the venom of the spiders.”

Xiao Longnu thought that Lao Wan Tong (Mischievous Old Urchin) was speaking nonsense again, but because he firmly refused to take it, she decided not to force him. Besides, it looked as though this strange old man’s neigong (internal strength) was immeasurably deep; he was bitten by the venomous spiders and he did not die. Being hit by the Jade Bee needles was no hindrance.

In truth, the honeybees’ sting, although extremely poisonous, could nevertheless treat various illnesses. The mysterious benefits of the Jade Bee included the cure for rheumatism and other such diseases that affected man. However, Xiao Longnu together with Zhou Botong were not familiar with medicine so they did not know that the Yu Feng needles could be used to combat poison with poison and the Cai Xue Zhu (Multicolored Snow Spider) poison was only one of many.

Fawang was listening to Zhou Botong’s scolding words from outside the cave and was startled. He thought that this man scolding him must be an immortal god that could not be killed. If he really wanted to kill him, he must do so now while he was off his guard. Otherwise, the opportunity might not present itself again.