Chapter - 182 Wretched Luck Improves After Mastering (4)

Zhang Wuji had acquired immunity to heat and cold after finishing the second volume. It was just that the further along he was, the more complicated and subtle the lesson got; his progress was not as rapid as before. He needed a whole year to finish the third volume; the final volume took him more than three years until he achieved a satisfactory result. He had been living in that quiet, secluded snowy valley for more than five years by now; he had grown from a boy to a tall and well-built young man.

For the last year or two, whenever he felt like it, he would occasionally play with the apes and the monkeys by climbing up the rock wall and looking out into the distance. Based on his current skill, it would not be too difficult for him to climb over the peak and get out of the valley. However, each time he remembered that the world was full with treacherous and deceitful people, he could not help but shudder. He thought: why should he go outside to bring trouble to himself, just like a fish throwing itself into the net? Wouldn't it be better to live in this beautiful valley until he grew old and die?

One afternoon he browsed the four-volume book from head to tail all the way through. When he flipped the very last page, his heart was joyful but he felt a slight emptiness at the same time. He dug a hole, about three feet deep, on the mountain wall to the left of the cave. He wrapped the four-volume Nine Yang Manual, as well as Hu Qingniu's Medical Manual and Wang Nan'gu's Poison Manual, inside the oil cloth he took out from the white ape's belly, and buried the bundle in the hole. He then filled the hole with dirt, thinking, "I got the Manual from the white ape's belly; that was truly destiny, an enormous opportunity. I wonder if in a hundred or a thousand years it would be somebody else's destiny to come hither and find these three Manuals?" Picking up a sharp stone, he carved six large characters on the mountain wall, 'Zhang Wuji's Manuals Burial Place'.

When he was in training, he had something occupying his mind every day, so that he did not feel the slightest degree of loneliness. That day, after successfully completing his training, he felt hollowness in his heart. Moreover, with the newly acquired 'shen gong' [divine strength], his courage soared high. He mused, "If this time Zhu Bobo came to harass me again, I would not be afraid of him. There is no harm in going out and talk to him." Thereupon he bent down to crawl into the cave again.

When he entered the valley, he was a small fifteen-year old boy; going out, he was a grown up twenty-year old adult, who could not go through the narrow passage of the cave. Taking a deep breath, he utilized the 'suo gu gong' [shrinking bones skill], making the bones in his entire body crowded together, reducing the space between bone and bone. Gently and easily he slipped through the cave.

Zhu Changling was sleeping soundly, leaning against the rock wall, dreaming he was sitting in one of his family's banquets, with maids and servants running around him, and friends and relatives fawn up to him; it was a happy and ego-boosting occasion for him. Suddenly someone tapped his shoulder; he woke up with a start, and saw the shadow of a big and tall man in front of him.

Zhu Changling leaped up, he was still half asleep. "You … you …" he called out.

Zhang Wuji smiled and said, "Zhu Bobo, it's me, Zhang Wuji."

Zhu Changling was startled and delighted, but angry and hateful as well. He stared at Zhang Wuji for a long time before saying, "You grew this tall. Hmm, why didn't you come out to talk to me? No matter how I asked you, you have never paid me any attention."

Zhang Wuji smiled and said, "I was afraid you would hurt me."

Zhu Changling's right hand suddenly reached out, using the 'qin na' [grab and capture, grappling] technique he grabbed Zhang Wuji's shoulder, while sternly said, "So you are not afraid now?" But he felt the palm of his hand boiling hot; he could not stop his arm from shaking and his hand slipped, while there was a dull pain at the pit of his stomach. In his shock he took three steps backwards and stared at Zhang Wuji with a blank expression on his face.

"You … you …" he asked, "What martial art is this?"

After completing the Nine Yang Manual training, it was the first time that Zhang Wuji had ever tried it out; he was pleasantly surprised at its formidable power. Zhu Changling was a first rate martial art master, yet he was still shaken by his 'shen gong' without he him needing to lift even one finger. Seeing Zhu Changling's miserable condition and his amazement, Zhang Wuji was very proud of himself. "So you think this martial art skill is useful?" he said with a laugh.

Zhu Changling's mind was still shaken. "What … what martial art skill was that?" he asked again.

"It's Jiu Yang Shen Gong," Zhang Wuji replied.

Zhu Changling was stunned. "How did you train it?" he asked. Zhang Wuji did not hide anything. He told Zhu Changling how he treated a white ape's illness, how he found the manual inside the ape's belly, and how he practiced according to manual.

Listening to this story, Zhu Changling was jealous and resentful at the same time. He thought, "I had to suffer hardship beyond description for five years, alone on this peak, yet this kid actually trained an incomparably mysterious 'shen gong'." He did not remember that it was because his own heart's desire to harm others that they ended up this way; he also did not remember that Zhang Wuji had supplied him with fruits these past five years, every day without fail, so that he could live until today. He only remembered that this kid was too lucky while he was too unlucky, and he felt it was so unfair. Anger rose in his heart, with a forced laughter he said, "Where is that Nine Yang Manual? Can you show it to me?"

Zhang Wuji thought, "There is no harm in letting you take a look. I don't think you will remember much in just a short time." Thereupon he said, "I buried it inside the cave, I'll bring it out tomorrow for you to see."

"You have grown this big," Zhu Changling said, "How can you go through the cave?"

"The cave is actually not too narrow," Zhang Wuji said, "If you make an effort to shrink your body and push, you can come through."

"Do you think that I can squeeze through?" Zhu Changling asked.

Zhang Wuji nodded and said, "We can try together tomorrow. The place inside the cave is spacious, nothing compared to staying on this tiny platform." He was thinking of using his power to press his shoulder, chest, buttocks, and the bones all around his body, and help him to go through the cave.

"Xiao Xiongdi," Zhu Changling laughed, "You are indeed a good man, a gentleman who does not recall old grievances. I have done you wrong, I wish for your forgiveness." While saying that, he bowed deeply with cupped fists.

Zhang Wuji hastily returned the propriety, saying, "Zhu Bobo does not need to be overly courteous. We'll think of a way to get out of this place tomorrow."

Zhu Changling was overjoyed. "Did you say we are going to leave this place?" he asked.

Zhang Wuji said, "If apes and monkeys can come in and out, we certainly can."

"If that's the case, why didn't you leave?" Zhu Changling asked.

Showing a faint smile, Zhang Wuji said, "I didn't want to go out for fear that people would bully me, but now I am not afraid anymore. I also want to see my Tai Shifu, along with all Shibo and Shishu [martial older and younger uncles, respectively]."