Chapter - 392 Both Sabre And Sword Became Missing And the Person Turned Fugitive (10)

There was a Buddla Maitreya idol sitting in the main hall, its bare chest exposed its big belly, its mouth frozen in an eternal smile, looking so kind and benevolent. Zhang Wuji was still assessing the situation when suddenly someone in the hall was shouting, "'Zhang Bo Long Tou' [the leader in charge of the alms bowl (small earthenware bowl used by Buddhist monks to ask for alms)] has arrived!"

The beggars stood up at once. A nine-pouched elder who looked like a scholar with a broken bowl in his hands, slowly walked in and stood on the right side.

Another shout was heard, "'Zhang Bang Long Tou' [the leader in charge of the (beggar) stick] has arrived!"

The nine-pouched elder who looked like Zhou Cang, lifting an iron stick high in his hands, walked in big strides, and stood on the left side.

That man shouted again, "Zhi Fa Zhanglao' [law enforcement elder] has arrived!"

A thin and small old beggar walked in, his hand holding a worn-out bamboo mat. His steps were light and he walked without raising a single speck of dust. Zhang Wuji thought, "This man's 'qing gong' is excellent; perhaps he is only a notch below Wei Fuwang [bat king Wei]."

Another shout was heard, "'Chuan Gong Zhanglao' [instructor/teacher/coach (someone who passes on skills) elder] has arrived!"

This time an old beggar with white hair and white beard appeared. He was empty handed, and his level of martial art skill could not be evaluated from either his stature or his footwork.

The four elders occupied the four meditation mats, but the mat in the middle was still empty. They all bowed down and shouted in one voice, "Inviting Bangzhu [clan leader] to preside!"

Zhang Wuji's heart was stirred, "I heard the Beggar Clan's Bangzhu is called the 'Jin Yin Zhang' [Gold and Silver Palm], Shi Huolong [his given name means 'fiery dragon']," he mused, "But in the Wulin world, very few people have ever seen his real face. I wonder what kind of character is he?"

In the main hall, all the beggars bowed down together. A moment later, the sound of footsteps was heard from behind the screen, and a large man walked in big strides. He was more than six feet tall, looked healthy and strong, with a red face like a high-ranking government officer. He stopped at the middle of the main hall and stood with his hands on his waist.

The crowd of beggars chorused, "The disciples in attendance pay their respect to Bangzhu."

The Beggar Clan's Bangzhu Shi Huolong waved his right hand and said, "That's enough! You boys are well?"

"We wish Bangzhu well," the crowd chorused. They waited until Shi Huolong took his seat on the middle meditation mat before they all sat down.

Shi Huolong turned toward Zhang Bo Longtou and said, "Weng Xiongdi [brother Weng], please tell everybody here about Jin Mao Shi Wang and the Tulong Saber."

Zhang Wuji's heart beat faster when he heard the name Jin Mao Shi Wang and the Tulong Saber being mentioned, he focused his attention to listen attentively.

Zhang Bo Longtou stood up, bowed to the Clan Leader, and then turned around and said, "Brethrens, the Devil Cult has been in enmity with our Clan for sixty years, the grievance between us is very deep. In the resent years, the Ming Cult has set up a new Cult Leader, by the name of Zhang Wuji. From our members who were involved in the besieging of the Brightness Peak, we learned that this man is an ignorant youngster. A child who is still wet behind the ears, whose yellow feathers have not been shed; which important achievement can he accomplish? How can he resist our Clan's Shi Bangzhu's heroism, ability and great accomplishments?"

The crowd of beggars broke into thunderous cheers and applause, while Shi Huolong's face looked pleased and proud.

Zhang Bo Longtou continued, "Only, they were originally split up and disunited, and killing each other; the internal strife immediately ceased after the Devil Cult's new Cult Leader was appointed. This has become a big misfortune to our Clan. Within the last year or so, the Devil Cult leaders are staging numerous rebellions everywhere. In the Huai Si River region, there are Han Shantong and Zhu Yuanzhang; in the Liang Hu [lit. two lakes – Hunan and Hubei provinces], there is Xu Shouhui and his company. They have repeatedly defeated the Yuan soldiers and occupied not a few of places. It can be said that they quite make the grade. If they succeed in this great undertaking by driving out the Tartars, then we are done. Our Clan's tens of thousands brethrens might die without any burial ground at that time."

The crowd of beggars angrily shouted, "Must not let them succeed!" "The Beggar Clan swears to fight to the death with the Devil Cult." "If the Devil Cult rules the world, can our Clan's brethrens live?" "Tartars must go, but there is no way we would let the Devil Cult's Jiaozhu ascend to the throne."

Zhang Wuji contemplated, "Who would have thought that while I was overseas for several months, the brethrens have done really great. The Beggar Clan is this apprehensive; apparently, it was not without any reason. The Beggar Clan people are numerous; there are many heroes and warriors among them; if we can join hands with them to fight the Yuan, then this important matter has a greater chance of success. Question is, how do I eradicate their suspicion, converting an enemy into a friend?"

Zhang Bo Longtou waited until the commotion somewhat subsided before continuing, "Shi Bangzhu has always lived peacefully in the 'Lian Hua Shan Zhuang' [Lotus Villa (a manor on the mountain)], and did not involve in the Jianghu for a long time; but with this kind of urgent matter, he does not have any choice but to preside over it personally. Also, with the Heaven's blessing, our Clan's eight-pouch Zhanglao [elder] Chen Youliang has made an acquaintance with a Wudang disciple and has obtained extremely important information." Raising his voice he called out, "Chen Zhanglao!"

"Here!" a voice from behind the wall responded.

Two men appeared, walking hand-in-hand. One of them was about thirty years of age, with a swift and fierce expression; he was none other than Chen Youliang whose life was spared by Xie Xun on the Lingshe Island. The other was a 27, 28 year-old handsome man; he was none other than Song Yuanqiao's son, Song Qingshu.

When he heard 'Chen Youliang has made an acquaintance with a Wudang disciple', Zhang Wuji assumed it was some ordinary disciple under his martial uncles; who would have thought that it was a Wudang's disciple who could be regarded as the first among the third generation disciples? "How can Song Shige [martial (older) brother] get mixed up with the Beggar Clan?" he thought. Following which, he thought, "Wudang Pai and the Beggar Clan are both chivalrous organizations, they have a good relationship with each other, so I should not wonder."

Chen Youliang and Song Qingshu saluted Shi Huolong first, and then they greeted the Chuan Gong Zhanglao and Zhi Fa Zhanglao, Zhang Bang Longtou and Zhang Bo Longtou, before finally turning to face the crowd of beggars and cupped their fists.

"Chen Zhanglao," Zhang Bo Longtou said, "Please tell the details of this matter to the brethrens here."

Taking Song Qingshu's hand, Chen Youliang said, "Brothers, this is Song Qingshu, Song Shaoxia [young hero Song], he is Wudang Pai's Song Yuanqiao, Song Daxia's [great hero Song] son. In the future, Wudang Pai's Zhangmen [Sect Leader] position will no doubt fall into his hand. That Devil Cult's Jiaozhu, Zhang Wuji, can be considered Song Shaoxia's Shidi [martial (younger) brother], therefore, I can say with confidence that Song Shaoxia understands the internal matters inside the Devil Cult like the back of his hands. Several months ago, Shong Shaoxia informed me that the Devil Cult's big leader [da mo tou, lit. big devil-head] Jin Mao Shi Wang Xie Xun has arrived on the Lingshe Island of the East China Sea …"