Chapter - 420 Long Flute, Short Lute, And Tan Clothing (7)

Zhang Wuji was greatly surprised; he could not figure out the meaning of this zither-flute music.

In loud and clear voice Chen Youliang said, "Which Master has bestowed the Beggar Clan the honor of your arrival? If you are the devils from the Ming Cult, you might as well show yourselves; why would you play tricks on us?"

Suddenly the zither played three notes successively, 'zheng, zheng, zheng', and four young women wearing white appeared on the east and west eaves, floating gently into the courtyard below; each woman had a zither in her hands. The zithers were half as long and half as wide as the ordinary seven-string zither of those days, yet they also have seven strings just like ordinary zithers. As the four women landed on the ground, they stood on the four corners of the courtyard.

Following them, from outside the door entered four young women in black, each with a black long flute in her hands. The flutes were twice as long as the commonly seen flutes of those days. These four women also took their positions on the four corners. Four women in white and four women in black, stood across from each other. Eight women forming a square, the four zithers played a happy tune, joined by the four flutes; together they made a beautiful instrumental ensemble. The music was very gentle and elegant. Zhang Wuji did not understand music, but it was as if the melody were dancing in the air, bringing a pleasant feeling to his ears. Although he was in a dangerous situation, he was willing to stop for a moment and listen to the music.

Amidst the sound of music, a woman entered the courtyard, wearing a soft yellow light robe; her left hand was taking along a twelve, thirteen years old girl. The woman appeared to be around twenty-seven, twenty-eight of age; her movements were graceful and her face was very beautiful, albeit looked a little pale, as if devoid of any blood.

On the contrary, the little girl was ugly; her nose curved upward, her mouth was wide, revealing two big front teeth, and she was carrying a mean and no-nonsense attitude. One of her hand was holding that beautiful lady's hand, while the other hand was holding a dark green bamboo stick. Ever since the crowd of beggars saw these two women walked in, their eyes had never stopped staring at that dark green bamboo stick.

Seeing these many women suddenly appear, Zhang Wuji was aware that he was still riding on Shi Huolong's shoulder and it looked like they were playing some kind of children's game; but Chen Youliang's sword had not left Zhou Zhiruo's back, certainly he could not easily release the Beggar Clan's Bangzhu. However, he also noticed that the eyes of everybody there were fixed on the bamboo stick on that little girl's hand, as if that bamboo stick was the most important object in the world. They did not even look at the women in white, the women in black, the beautiful lady in light yellow, or even looked at the ugly girl. Zhang Wuji was astonished. He silently examined the bamboo stick with his eyes, and saw the bamboo was very dark green, smooth and shiny; who knows how many hands this stick had passed on rubbed and stroked it. Other than that, he did not see anything unusual about it.

The beautiful lady in yellow scanned the hall; her eyes were as cold as lightning, gazing at everybody present. Finally, her eyes rested on Zhang Wuji's face. With an icy cold voice she said, "Zhang Jiaozhu, you are not a child anymore. Instead of acting properly, you are making a scene in here." She sounded like she was chiding Zhang Wuji, but her tone was friendly; it was as if an older sister was reprimanding her younger brother.

Zhang Wuji blushed. "The Beggar Clan's Chen Zhanglao used a dirty trick," he said in way of defense, "He holds my … my companion hostage. In return, I captured their Bangzhu."

That beautiful lady showed a faint smile and said in gentle voice, "Don't you think riding on others' Bangzhu is a bit too much? I came from Chang'an [ancient name of Xi'an, the capital of China during the Tang Dynasty], and have heard along the way that the Ming Cult Jiaozhu is a young devil-head. Today I see it with my own eyes. Ay, ay!" While saying that, she shook her pretty head, with a disapproving look on her face.

Suddenly Shi Huolong shouted, "Zhang Wuji, you pervert little thief, get down quickly!" He reached up to pull Zhang Wuji's legs, but since the main artery on the back of his neck, through which the vital energy flowed, was seized, he did not have the least bit of strength left.

Because he was cursed as 'pervert little thief' in front of these women, Zhang Wuji was furious and ashamed; he transmitted a whiff of internal energy through his left hand to the back of Shi Huolong's neck. Shi Huolong felt tingling sensation on his entire body, along with unbearable pain. "Aiyo! Aiyo! Aiyo!" he screamed.

The crowd of beggars were angry at seeing Zhang Wuji's rudeness, but also ashamed and upset at their Bangzhu's display of weakness. They felt that as Shi Huolong moaned and groaned under the enemy's hand, he was degrading his position as a hero and a warrior. Even an ordinary Beggar Clan disciple would not bow his head and show such weakness in front of the enemy, much less the leader of the number one clan in Jianghu.

"Zhang Wuji," Chen Youliang said, "Why don't you release our Shi Bangzhu while I pull my sword away?" Without waiting for a reply, he immediately put his sword back into its sheath. He knew Zhang Wuji would comply his request, and sure enough, Zhang Wuji replied, "Very well."

A shadow flashed, and Zhang Wuji was standing by Zhou Zhiruo again. He saw her eyes were deep and her expression weary; he could not help but feeling compassion and pity. Holding her hands, he helped her to sit down on a round rock stool in the courtyard.

Chen Youliang turned toward that beautiful lady in yellow; he cupped his fists and said, "Your presence has honored our Clan. I wonder what instructions do you have for us? May we have the honor of learning your precious surname and your great given name?" To the ugly young girl he asked, "Young Miss, where did you get this bamboo stick?"

In a cold voice the beautiful lady in yellow said, "Where is Hun Yuan Pi Li Shou [Lightning Hand of the Originating Formation] Cheng Kun? Tell him to come out and see me."

Zhang Wuji felt strange as he heard the seven characters 'Hun Yuan Pi Li Shou Cheng Kun'; he saw Chen Youliang's expression suddenly changed, but he recovered quickly, and then with an indifferent voice he said, "Hun Yuan Pi Li Shou Cheng Kun? Isn't that Jin Mao Shi Wang Xie Xun's shifu? You'd better ask Zhang Jiaozhu of Ming Cult."

"Who are you, Sire?" the beautiful lady in yellow asked.

"My surname is Chen, given name Youliang," Chen Youliang replied, "I am a Beggar Clan eight-pouch elder."

The beautiful lady in yellow cast a sidelong glance toward Shi Huolong, and asked, "And who is this fellow? He looks like a warrior with a valiant spirit, why is he so useless? [orig. nong2 bao1 – cloth used to wrap a boil wound with pus on it] He was only punished lightly by others, and already screaming and crying. Truly unfit of his image."

The crowd of beggars felt their faces were lost; they were inwardly ashamed. Some of them cast their glances toward Shi Huolong with 30% disdain and 20% anger.

"This is our Clan's Shi Bangzhu," Chen Youliang said, "The Senior has just recently recovered from a serious illness. His body is still not well. You are the guest; we are yielding 30% to you. Don't blame us for offending you if you speak anymore nonsense." The last two sentences were spoken in stern voice and expression.