Chapter - 474 Graceful Movements of Three Pines In the Lush Green Forest (15)

Du E realized their precarious situation. 'Whoosh!' He stood up suddenly. His shadow swayed and he flew toward Du Jie' side. Stretching his left hand, he grabbed Du Jie's shoulder. With the help of his martial brother Du E, Du Jie was able to steady himself.

On the other front, Du Nan's fight against Yin Tianzheng and Yang Xiao also reached a critical moment, where both sides were staking all they have in a life and death battle. Yang Xiao was grabbing the rope and trying to pull it away. With a 'splitting mountain, crushing stone' kind of palm power, Yin Tianzheng kept pressing down the enemy. Two masters, one pulled, the other pushed. Du Nan was attacked with two exact opposite forces; even though he was extremely strained, he did not seem to be in danger of losing.

The spectators on the side, both the Ming Cult warriors and the Shaolin monks, also saw this critical situation. They knew that if the battle went on, not only the victory or defeat was difficult to decide, perhaps from among these six masters, more than half would be either dead or seriously injured. The hill peak was awfully quiet, with the backs of most of the spectators wet with sweats. They were all very tense; everybody was concerned about their own side.

The silence was suddenly broken by a low and deep voice, coming from the ground in the middle of the three pine trees, "Yang Zuo Shi, Yin Dage, Wuji Hai'er [left emissary Yang, big brother Yin, child Wuji], I, Xie Xun, have a pair of bloodstained hands. I deserved to be condemned. Today, in order to save me, you are battling the Shaolin Temple's three eminent monks. If either side is harmed, Xie Xun, cannot bear the additional guilt. Child Wuji, quickly take our Cult brethrens out of the Shaolin Temple. If you don't, I am going to cut my own main artery to avoid adding my own sin."

Xie Xun spoke with his divine skill 'lion roar', with which, on the Wang Pan Island in the past, he had shaken the soul of countless warriors from various clans and sects ['bang' and 'pai']. This time, although he did not use it to harm anybody, he still managed to shake everybody's soul that their eardrums were buzzing, and they looked at each other with changed countenances.

Zhang Wuji knew his Yifu's words were as strong as a mountain; and his Yifu was not willing for anybody to be injured to get himself out of this trouble. Zhang Wuji considered the present situation carefully; supposing both sides fought with all their strengths, although he himself might be all right, but it was possible that Grandfather, Yang Xiao, Du Jie and Du Nan, four people could not avoid injuries.

While he was hesitating, Xie Xun loudly shouted, "Wuji, you are not leaving yet?"

"Yes!" Zhang Wuji said, "I will follow Yifu's order." He took a step backward, and in a clear voice he said, "The Three Eminent Monks' martial art skill is really marvelous. Today the Ming Cult is not able to break it. We will return some other day to ask more advice. Grandfather, Yang Zuo Shi, we stop fighting!" As he said that, he gathered his 'qi' and flicked Du E and Du Jie's black ropes that the ropes returned to their master.

Yang Xiao and Yin Tianzheng heard his order, but they were still engaged in an internal energy battle with Du Nan, and were incapable of stopping the fight, because if they pulled back their strengths, Du Nan's force would injure them. For the same reason, Du Nan was also incapable of stopping the fight.

Zhang Wuji walked in front of Yin Tianzheng. Waving both of his palms, he took and neutralized the palm power of Du Nan and Yin Tianzheng from left and right. And then reaching out with a Sheng Huo Ling, he pressed down on the black rope near the end held by Du Nan's hand. This black rope was held at either end by Du Nan and Yang Xiao, it was stretched very tight just like a bowstring. As Zhang Wuji's Sheng Huo Ling pressed down, Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi's divine power immediately dissolved the pulling forces. The black rope loosened and fell down to the ground.

Yang Xiao deftly reached down and caught the rope. Du Nan's countenance changed; he was just about to speak when Yang Xiao, holding the black rope with both hands, took several steps forward and said, "Respectfully presenting Dashi's weapon." Du Jie understood Yang Xiao's intention. He picked the Sheng Huo Ling tablets by his side and returned them to Yang Xiao.

After going through this battle, the three Shaolin eminent monks lost their previous haughtiness. They knew that if this staking-it-all battle continued, both sides would suffer losses, while the three of them would not necessarily achieve victory.

"Lao Na has lived in seclusion for decades," Du E said, "To be able to make acquaintance with worthy warriors of the present time, we feel very happy and fortunate. Zhang Jiaozhu, you have people with outstanding ability in your precious Cult. You yourself are even more excelling above the others. I hope you will use this excellent capability to benefit common people and do not use it for dishonorable businesses."

Zhang Wuji bowed and said, "Thank you very much for Dashi's advice. Our humble Cult does not dare to commit evil acts."

Du E continued, "We, three martial brothers, will respectfully await here for Zhang Jiaozhu's third visit."

"I do not dare," Zhang Wuji replied, "However, I will have to ask for some more advice. Xie Fa Wang is my Yifu. His kindness is more than a family to me."

Du E heaved a deep sigh, closed his eyes, and did not say anything anymore.

Leading Yang Xiao and the others, Zhang Wuji cupped his fists and took his leave from Kong Wen, Kong Zhi, and the other Shaolin monks; then they went down the mountain. Peng Yingyu sent out a signal, instructing the Five-element Flags to withdraw. Five 'li's outside the Temple, the Cult disciples from Jumu [gigantic tree/wood] and Houtu [thick earth] Flags built more than a dozen wooden shacks on a hillside for their leaders lodgings.

Zhang Wuji was despressed, as he thought that within their Cult, nobody possessed martial art skills higher than Yang Xiao and his grandfather. Even if he took Fan Yao and Wei Yixiao, he doubt if the result would be different than today's battle. Where in the world can I find one or two masters who are superior to them, who can help me break the 'Jin Gang Fu Mo Quan'?

Peng Yingyu guessed correctly what was in his mind. "Jiaozhu," he said, "Have you forgotten about Zhang Zhenren?"

Zhang Wuji hesitantly said, "Supposing my Tai Shifu is willing to go down the mountain and help us, the two of us join hands, we would certainly break the 'Jin Gang Fu Mo Quan'. However, by doing this, Tai Shifu would damage the friendship between the Shaolin Pai and Wudang Pai; so Tai Shifu might not want to do it. Besides, Tai Shifu is over a hundred years old. Although his martial art skill has reached a high degree of proficiency, his physique is, after all, declining. If there is any accident, wouldn't that be very bad?"

Yin Tianzheng suddenly rose on his feet, with a laughter he said, "If Zhang Zhenren is willing to go down the mountain, our success is guaranteed. Marvelous! Marvelous!" After several hollow laughs, the laughing voice suddenly stopped, but his mouth was still wide open.

Seeing he froze in standing position with a laughing face, the group of warriors felt strange. "Yin Xiong," Yang Xiao said, "Do you think Zhang Zhenren will go down the mountain to help us?"

He asked twice, but Yin Tianzheng did not reply, he did not even move. Zhang Wuji was startled, he reached out to feel his pulse, and found that Yin Tianzheng's pulse had already stopped; he had unexpectedly passed away.