The Return of the Condor Heroes

Chapter 32 – What is love?, Part 2

Chapter 32 – What is love?, Part 2

“Lu’E, speak up! Tell us!” growled her mother. “He had the courage to do evil, why would you be afraid to unmask him?”

The young lady just shook her head and said with a sad voice, “Brother Yang, half of the pill is inside the bottle in Father’s hand. I … I am an unfilial daughter.” Speaking to this point she could not contain herself anymore, “Ma!” she called, as she ran toward her mother and hid her face in her bosom.

When she said ‘I am an unfilial daughter’ Qiu Qianchi thought she was referring to defying her father, but actually she meant she was defying her mother’s instructions. The hall was full of people, but Huang Rong was the only one understood her true meaning.

Since they were surrounded by the enemy Gongsun Zhi had tried to find a way to escape, “Luckily in this critical moment that crazy old hag wounded Madame Guo with her date stone; while they are trying to harm each other, I will have an opportunity to get out of here,” he thought. Laughing hard he shouted, “Good! My sweet child! You and your mother just stay on your guard over there. Let us destroy these scoundrels who dare to enter our Passionless Valley.” Brandishing his sword and saber he attacked Huang Rong.

Huang Rong’s right arm was still hurting; she could not hold the dog-beating stick yet, so she had no choice but to lean sideways to avoid the attack. Guo Fu lifted the sword in her hand trying to protect her mother. Gongsun Zhi’s black sword thrust toward Guo Fu’s throat; Guo Fu parried with her sword. “Watch out!” cried Huang Rong. With a ‘clang’ sound the girl’s sword was cut in two. Gongsun Zhi’s sword kept going! Guo Fu froze! Her heart was almost jumping out of her throat; she was incapable of doing anything.

“Fend off with your right arm!” cried Lu Wushuang from the side.

In that crucial moment, as the black sword almost pierced her throat, Guo Fu raised her right arm without thinking …

Everybody eyes were wide open. Suddenly Cheng Ying’s voice was heard, “Cousin! How could you …” Miss Cheng knew that her cousin said that because she held a grudge against Guo Fu who chopped off Yang Guo’s right arm. Cheng Ying was also extremely grieved that Yang Guo lost his arm; she had cried her heart out silently and of course she also hated Guo Fu for acting so rashly. But she realized it was an unfortunate accident; she definitely had never thought of chopping off her arm to retaliate. Therefore, hearing Lu Wushuang, she moved forward trying to block, but that black sword had already pierced Miss Guo’s right arm.

“Rrrrrip!” Guo Fu’s clothes were slashed open and she staggered backward; but strangely her arm was unharmed, showing not even a drop of blood. Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang were startled. Gongsun Zi and Qiu Qianchi were shocked. Stabilizing herself Guo Fu exclaimed, “Thank you Big Sister! How did you know …” Miss Guo was not the smartest kid in the world and she thanked Lu Wushuang for “saving” her life.

Yang Guo quickly interrupted her, “This old scoundrel, Gongsun Zhi, does not know your special skill.” He knew Huang Rong had soft-hedgehog armor, which was not penetrable by even the sharpest sword or saber. When Guo Fu’s arm was not even scratched, she immediately realized it was because of the soft-hedgehog armor; thus she was asking, “How did you know …” she was going to say, “…that I’m wearing the soft-hedgehog armor?” Yang Guo thought it was fortunate that Gongsun Zhi’s sharp sword was not able to injure her and that shocked Gongsun Zhi, but it wouldn’t serve any good purpose for him to know the whole story. Yang Guo said, “This lady is the daughter of Great Hero Guo and Clan Leader Huang, the granddaughter of the Peach Blossom Island Master Huang Yaoshi; she inherited a very special skill which makes her body impenetrable by any weapon. How could your rusty sword hurt her?”

“Hmm! I was being lenient with her. Do you think I could not take her life?” Gongsun Zhi mockingly swung his sword back and forth, making a buzzing noise.

Guo Fu was furious by his condescending remark. “He would not be able to hurt me because of this protective vest. If I attack fiercely, I will gain the upper hand,” she thought, and then said, “Brother Xiuwen, let me lend your sword. This devious old man does not believe in Peach Blossom Island’s superior martial arts. Let me introduce them to him.”

Xiuwen gave his sword to the young lady, who then brandished it and shouted arrogantly, “Devious old man Gongsun! Let’s fight again!”

Just by seeing her move Gongsun Zhi could see her meager abilities. “Alright, please give me a lesson or two!” He snarled and hacked with his saber. Guo Fu leaned sideways eluding that attack and thrust her sword at the same time. She was shocked to see the black sword in front of her face. “Not good!” Guo Fu said in her heart, “I have the soft-hedgehog armor on me, but this sword does not have any protection, if hit by his sword, it would certainly be cut in two.” Therefore, she held her thrust and jumped backward. Gongsun Zhi then moved his two weapons to his right hand, while his bare left hand attacked her. Guo Fu was thrilled, “Go ahead and hit my soft-hedgehog armor and injure yourself,” she thought. But she also realized that if she took the full force of his hand head on, her internal organs would be injured as well. She then slanted her body slightly to neutralize 70% of his force and waited for his hand to hit her. Surprisingly, Gongsun Zhi leaped backward just before touching her clothes and cried, “Hao Ya Tou! [lit. good slave girl head] You attack me stealthily!” He staggered and almost fell down.

Guo Fu was bewildered, “I didn’t attack you stealthily!” but then she thought, “Could it be that the soft-hedgehog armor is so incredible that he is injured even before touching it?”

How would she know Gongsun Zhi was just pretending? His goal was achieved, he had the pill and now he just wanted to dart out and give the pill to Li Mochou. He did not have any time to vie for supremacy with a little kid like Guo Fu. He realized that among these intruders: Yang Guo and Huang Rong were the strongest and that long eyebrowed monk, who was sitting meditating quietly, certainly was not an easy rival. He wanted to use the opportunity, while everybody thought Guo Fu was winning, to sneak out through the back door.

Lu’E, however, had kept her eyes on her father. She immediately made her move. “Father, hold on!” At that moment two date stones flew, Qiu Qianchi was afraid she might injure her daughter, so she aimed toward Gongsun Zhi’s head. He quickly ducked and the stones barely missed Lu’E’s temple before they hit the wall.

“Get out of the way!” he barked, and lunged toward his daughter.

The young woman held her ground and said, “Give me back the pill …” But before she could finish, her hand was grabbed and she was held in front of his chest as a shield. He snapped, “Wicked woman! If you want me to die, then let the two of us die together.” By that time Qiu Qianchi had already launched two more stones. She was shocked, but fortunately managed to move her head a little so that the stones flew and missed Lu’E’s body.

What she did not anticipate was that the stones hit two of the valley disciples. One was hit on the head, the other on the chest. They died instantly. Gongsun Zhi was delighted with this turn of events. In his effort to take the valley back, he would need not only Li Mochou’s help, but his disciples’ as well.

Without wasting a single moment he shouted, “You wicked woman! You dare to kill my disciples! I will hold you responsible!” But because of this incident, he was held back and Yang Guo already stood in front of him. “Mr. Gongsun…not so fast, we need to talk about these many problems first.”

Gongsun Zhi; still holding Lu’E high above his head, smirked, “You dare to block me?” With his left foot as an axis he made one turn, then, with his right foot, he made another one. With these two turns he had moved within four feet of Yang Guo. Yang Guo was afraid that Lu’E would be hurt, so he leaped sideways.

Gongsun Lu’E was held in her father’s hands immobilized; when Gongsun Zhi made the circles, she could see that Yang Guo leaped back to avoid hurting her; she was deeply touched and her heart was greatly consoled, “He did not try to get the pill for my sake. I can die peacefully.” She could not move her limbs, but she could turn her head. A moment later she closed her eyes and sighed, “Yang Lang, Yang Lang! [Translator note: “Lang” could also mean “Dear Husband” – Lu’E regarded Yang Guo as her husband.]” She then stretched her beautiful neck toward her father’s black sword!

“Aiyo!” Yang Guo called out and rushed forward, trying to help, but he was too late! He stood still like he was in a daze. Two streams of tears flowed down his cheeks. A lovely young woman with a heart as big as the sky, had lost her life at her own father’s hand.