Chapter - 171 The Perfect Plan Was Just a Dream (12)

After spending half a day underground, the heat gradually diminished, everybody unfolded their blankets and went to sleep. Suddenly they heard galloping hoof beats from a distant, which in a short while the noise sounded like it came directly above their heads. Someone with a gruff voice was heard saying, "This old thief Zhu Changling must be protecting that runaway Xie Xun, quickly pursue, quickly pursue!"

Although they were underground, everyone was able to hear clearly the noise above the ground. Turned out there was an iron tube from the underground chambers leading to the surface, transmitting the noise.

They heard random noise of hoof beats, which gradually went away. Altogether, there were a total of five groups of pursuing force coming and going one after another that night; people from Kunlun Pai, Kongtong Pai, and Ju Jing Bang ['great whale clan']. They could not hear the origin of the other two groups. Each group was at least seven, eight people, at most a dozen people. Their weapons made a resounding noise, their horses neighing noisily, they were all yelling and shouting evil words; the air was filled with violence that night.

Zhang Wuji thought, "If Yifu was not blind and seriously injured, would he be concerned over these tiny demons and little clowns like you?"

As the fifth group galloped away, Yao Qingquan picked up a wooden plug to cover the mouth of the iron pipe, so that the noise underground would not be accidentally heard by a passerby. But he was still speaking in a subdued voice. "I am going to check Xie Daxia's condition," he said. Zhu Changling nodded.

Yao Qingquan reached out and pulled a lever by the iron door to operate the secret mechanism, the iron door slowly opened. Carrying an oil lamp in his hand, he walked through the iron door. By this time Zhang Wuji was no longer able to endure patiently, he stood up and peeked over Yao Qingquan's back. He saw a big and tall man was lying on a couch facing in. To suddenly see his Yifus broad back, Zhang Wuji's eyes were brimming with tears of excitement.

He heard Yao Qingquan asked in a low voice, "Xie Daxia, do you feel a lot better now? Do you want to drink some water?"

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew out, the oil lamp in Yao Qingquan's hand went out immediately, followed by 'Bang!' Yao Qingquan was struck by Xie Xun's palm. He flew out of the iron door and fell heavily on the ground.

Xie Xun shouted, "Dogs of Shaolin Pai, Kunlun Pai, Kongtong Pai, come, come! Do you think Jin Mao Shi Wang Xie Xun is afraid of you all?"

"Not good!" Zhu Changling called out, "Xie Daxia's mind is confused." Walking toward the door, he said, "Xie Daxia, we are your friends, not your enemies."

"What friends?" Xie Xun said with a cold laugh, "Are you deceiving me with sweet words?" He walked out the iron door in big strides and sent out his palm toward Zhu Changling's chest. This palm strike was so swift and fierce that the fire of the oil lamps around the room flickered continuously.

Zhu Changling did not dare to block head on, he circled around to evade. Xie Xun sent out a left punch toward his face. Zhu Changling had no choice but to parry by lifting up his arm, his body shook and he retreated two steps backward.

Seeing this sudden turn of events, Zhang Wuji was frightened. Xie Xun's fist and palm were like a storm with incomparable speed and power. Zhu Changling did not dare to parry and withdrew repeatedly. Xie Xun's palm missed Zhu Changling and struck the rock wall nearby; debris of rock flew. If that palm had struck a human body, would he still be alive?

Xie Xun's long hair was draped on his shoulder, his eyes were like lightning, his face was full of bloodstains, his mouth continuously made 'huh, huh' noises, his palms were getting more and more violent. Mrs. Zhu and Zhu Jiuzhen were terrified, they huddled together at the corner of a wall.

Seeing Xie Xun's fist and palm arrive, Zhu Changling had no choice but shove a nearby wooden table to stop him. 'Bang! Bang!' Xie Xun punched twice and the table was smashed into smithereens.

Zhang Wuji was completely dumbfounded, his jaw dropped, because as he watched from the side, he saw that this 'Xie Xun' was definitely not his Yifu Jin Mao Shi Wang Xie Xun. His Yifu had been blind for a long time, this man's eyes were flashing bright. He saw this man's palm struck again, while Zhu Changling's back was against the rock wall, unable to take another step backwards, but he still did not try to block. "Xie Da Xia," Zhu Changling called out, "I am not your enemy, I am not going to fight you back." The man ignored his plea completely, his palm was still striking toward Zhu Changling's chest.

Zhu Changling's face bore a pained expression. "Xie Da Xia," he called out, "Do you believe me now?"

"Dog thief," that man shouted, "Eat my fist!" as he sent out a punch.

Zhu Changling spurted out a mouthful of blood. In a trembling voice he said, "You are my benefactor's sworn brother; although you beat me to death, I will never fight you back.”

With a wild laugh that man said, "It's best that you don't fight back, it will be easier for me to kill you." With a left punch followed by a right punch he struck Zhu Changling's chest and abdomen.

"Ah!" with a miserable cry Zhu Changling's crumpled body slid down to the ground. The big man showed no mercy and punched again. Zhang Wuji quickly stepped forward risking his life, he raised his arm to block. He felt that the power behind this punch was tremendous. As soon as he was shaken, he almost fainted. At that moment, forgetting about life and death he called out, "You are not Xie Xun, you are not …"

The big man was furious. "What does a little rascal like you know?" He lifted his leg to kick him.

Zhang Wuji rolled sideways to avoid the kick, while shouting, "You pretend to be Jin Mao Shi Wang with evil intentions, you are a fake! A fake …"

Zhu Changling had already been sitting wearily on the ground, but listening to Zhang Wuji's cry, he struggled to crawl back up. Pointing his finger toward the big man he called out, "You … you are not … you deceived me …" Suddenly he spurted another mouthful of blood, which shot toward that man's face. He fumbled forward and while falling, he struck to seal the 'shen feng xue' [divine grace acupoint] under that man's right breast.

Actually, after being wounded, Zhu Changling was not that man's match. But when he spurted blood and fell forward, he took the man by surprise and struck his vital acupoint using the special family skill 'Solitary Yang Finger'.

After sealing two other acupoints on that man's waist, Zhu Changling could not hold himself any longer and passed out on the ground. Zhu Jiuzhen and Zhang Wuji rushed forward and quickly held him up.

A moment later, Zhu Changling regained his consciousness and asked Zhang Wuji, "He … he …"

Zhang Wuji said, "Zhu Bobo, I cannot hide the truth from you anymore; the one you call benefactor was my father. Jin Mao Shi Wang is my Yifu. How could I fail to recognize him?"

Zhu Changling shook his head with a bitter smile; his face showed that he was not convinced the least bit. Zhang Wuji continued, "My Yifu is blind, this man's eyes can see well, that is the biggest flaw of his disguise. My Yifu became blind overseas, of course no outsider would know. This man came here in disguise, he would not know about my Yifu's blindness."