Chapter - 50 A Raft Drifting In the Vast Beiming Sea (2)

While they conversed, Zhang CuiShan thought, "What should I choose to compete with him? Lightness Kung fu? My newly learnt fist form?" Suddenly he thought of something, and asked, "Elder Xie, if you force me to fight, then I shall agree to one. Should I lose, I will commit suicide immediately in front of Elder Xie. But what if we drew?"

Xie Xun said, "Then we compete in something else, until there is a winner." Zhang CuiShan said, "Fine. Should I win, I won't ask you to commit suicide, just to grant me a single request." Xie Xun said, "Agreed. Now state your rules."

Yin SuSu said with great concern, "What are you going to compete in? How sure are you of success?" Zhang CuiShan whispered, "Not sure. I can only try my best." Yin SuSu whispered, "If you lose, then lets try to escape."

Zhang CuiShan did not respond, thought, "Where can we escape now that the boats have all sunk?" He adjusted his robe and took out his Iron Judge's Brush. Xie Xun said, "I've heard that you are known as 'Iron Brush and Silver Hook Zhang CuiShan'. Where's your Silver Tiger Hook? Why not take it out."

Zhang CuiShan said, "I don't want to fight you, just compete in writing some words." As he spoke he walked over to a high, mountain, with a smooth cliff. Zhang CuiShan took a deep breath, and jumped high into the air. His Wu Dang's lightness kung fu absorbed the best of each other sects. At this moment of life and death, he obviously used it to its full potential. As his body rose several meters into the air, Zhang CuiShan used the advanced 'Cloud Stairs', lightly tapped the side of the mountain, and shot up several more meters. The judge's brush on his right hand swiftly began to make strokes upon the stone surface. Quickly, the word 'martial' appeared. After he finished, he began to drop down.

At this moment his left hand took out his silver hook, which quickly held on to the side of the cliff, allowing him to regain his balance. Then his right hand wrote out the world 'world'. Each word contained all of Zhang SanFeng's original ideas from that night, encompassing both hard and soft techniques. The words demonstrated some of the deepest martial arts philosophies of the Wu Dang style. Although the words aren't deeply etched due to Zhang CuiShan's shallow inner power, the speed and detail in which he wrote them are incredible.

When finished, Zhang CuiShan followed it with the word 'most', and 'venerable'. He began to write faster and faster, only to see dusts falling down the cliff, until twenty-four characters were etched onto cliff. This engraving really seemed like Li Bai's poem .

When Zhang CuiShan finished writing the last character, 'compete', he pushed off on the cliffs with both the brush and the hook. With a flip in midair, landed by Yin SuSu's side.

Xie Xun kept on staring at the words, after a long, long moment of silence, he finally sighed, said, "I can't write that. I lost."

For you see, the way these twenty-four words were written involved ideas that only Zhang SanFeng thought up of. Each stroke contains a powerful technique. Even Zhang SanFeng himself, before the night he invented these techniques, would be hard pressed to duplicate Zhang CuiShan's work. Xie Xun obviously did not know the details regarding the origins of Zhang CuiShan's writing. He only thought that Zhang CuiShan wrote these exact words out of inspiration, upon seeing the Dragon Saber. Had Zhang CuiShan been forced to write any other words, he would not be able to create such a great piece of composition.

Yin SuSu clapped her hands loudly, yelled, "You lost, can't go back on your promise."

Xie Xun looked at Zhang CuiShan, said, "Fifth Hero Zhang's calligraphy really is one of a kind. I've never thought I'd see anything like this. You have my admiration. What do you demand?" Because of his promise, Xie Xun had to say this, but he obviously did not wish to in his heart.

Zhang CuiShan said, "When it comes to knowledge, I'm far inferior to Elder Xie. It would be hard for me to 'demand' something. But I do have a single request." Xie Xun said, "What is that?" Zhang CuiShan said, "You may take the Dragon Saber off the island, but leave everyone here alive. You may have everyone here swear that they do not reveal your secret."

Xie Xun said, "Do you think I'm that stupid? That I'd believe their stupid promises?" Yin SuSu said, "Since you lost, you have to do what he says. Or are you going back on your promise."

Xie Xun said, "So what if I don't deliver on my promise? What are you going to do?" But after thinking a while, he felt his words sounded very unreasonable. So he said, "I'll spare you two's lives, but not the others." Zhang CuiShan said, "The swordsmen from Kun Lun are disciples of a righteous sect. You really should…" Xie Xun shook his head, said, "Who cares? Doesn't matter who they are. Hurry up and tear off two pieces of cloth from your clothing. Stuff them into your ears. Then cover your ears with your hands. If you value your life, do as I say now." He spoke the last few sentences in a whisper, as if afraid someone might hear him.

Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu looked at each other, not knowing what he planned on doing. But considering Xie Xun's serious tone, they both did as directed.

Suddenly they saw Xie Xun opened his mouth, as if yelling loud. Neither could hear what he's yelling, but they could feel the ground vibrate, only to see everyone else with their mouth open, as if screaming in pain. Their faces then turned pale, almost in torture. After a while, one behind another, they fell to the ground.

Gao and Jiang immediately went into a meditative position when they heard Xie Xun, trying to fight off the noise with inner power. Sweat came pouring down their heads quickly afterwards. Several times they tried to cover their ears, but failed each time. Until finally, they suddenly jumped up into the air, fell down, and stopped moving.

Xie Xun closed his mouth, made a gesture, so Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu took out the cloth in their ears. Xie Xun said, "These people are now all unconscious from my scream, but their lives won't be in danger. When they wake up, they'll become retarded and forget everything in their past. This way, they won't divulge my secret. Fifth Hero Zhang, I've granted you your request. I did not kill any of them."

Zhang CuiShan thought, "Although you did not take their lives, their situation is possibly worse than death." He absolutely despised the cruel manner in which Xie Xun did things. Looking at the people on the ground, he shuddered at the thought of what would happen to him should he had heard that roar.

Xie Xun's face remained expressionless, said, "Let's go!" Zhang CuiShan said, "Where to?" Xie Xun said, "Back home, of course! What else is there to do here?" Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu looked at each other, both thought, "Looks like we'll have to be with this demon for another day. What else might happen during this time?"

Xie Xun led them over a mountain in the back of the island, until they saw a boat docked by the beach. Xie Xun walked to the boat, bowed, and said, "Please step up onto the boat." Yin SuSu smirked, said, "Well, since when did you turn into a gentleman?" Xie Xun said, "By coming onto my boat, you are my honored guests. Of course I should be courteous to you."

After getting on the boat, Xie Xun made a hand gesture, ordering the sailors to leave shore.