Chapter - 77 Decoy Deployment On the Cliff (7)

"Who are you?" she demanded in a terrible voice.

"Zhiping," Zhu Cong called, "listen!"

Guo Jing, who had panicked because he could not free himself, was going to reply instinctively "I am Guo Jing!" when he heard Zhu Cong's warning.

"I am…" he stammered, "I am Yin Zhiping… Disciple… disciple of the Quanzhen… Spring." Although he had repeated those words thirty or forty times, in his panic he was not able to say it without stammering.

"He is only a simple apprentice," Mei Chaofeng said to herself, "yet his neigong already is capable. Not only did he succeed in saving someone from under my nose, he was even able to release himself from my first hold! I think it is better that I retreat this time." She dropped his hand. Guo Jing recovered and hastily returned to his masters. Five finger marks were deeply indented into the flesh of his left arm! He knew full well that she had not used all of her power; otherwise his wrist would have been broken.

Mei Chaofeng no longer dared to challenge the false Sun Bu'Er, played by Han Xiaoying. She suddenly asked, "Taoist Master Ma, what is the meaning of 'Lead and mercury preserve well'?"

"Lead is heavy," Ma Yu responded automatically, "it resembles the kidneys; mercury is liquid, it is a metaphor for internal warming. 'Lead and mercury preserve well' means that it is good to stabilize the kidneys and to extinguish the internal fire, in order to obtain results from meditation."

"And what is the meaning of 'Baby of the girl Cha'?" Mei Chaofeng pursued.

Ma Yu suddenly became aware that she was asking him to explain secret formulae of neigong! "Heretical witch," he shouted, "Do not try to extract the secrets of my sect from me! Leave quickly!"

Mei Chaofeng laughed, "Thank you for your answer, Taoist Master!"

She suddenly jumped forward, armed with her silvery whip, and glided to the bottom of the cliff at unbelievable speed. Those remaining looked on, relieved to have escaped a conflict. Far away on the steppe, a shadow sped away like a phantom.

Ma Yu unsealed Hua Zheng's accupoints which returned her ability to move. The girl lay on a boulder resting.

"In ten years," Zhu Cong said, "that woman made so much progress, that if the Taoist Master had not lent us a strong hand today, our accounts would have been settled!"

Ma Yu responded modestly, but he was frowning, as if an inner worry tormented him.

"If there is some task to finish," Zhu Cong said, "even though we are not capable of great things, we can at least do your bidding. Do not hesitate to ask it of us."

"Because of my inattention," Ma Yu said, "I was tricked by that crafty woman!"

"Were you injured by a secret weapon?" the Six asked.

"No," replied Ma Yu, "it is nothing like that. When she asked me a question, I replied without thinking, and I fear that it might result in further evil." His friends were perplexed and seemed not to understand. The Taoist explained, "The external technique of 'Iron Corpse' has already reached a level that we cannot even imagine. Even if my brothers Qiu and Wang really had been present here, we might not have been able to overcome her. That the Master of Peach Blossom Island succeeded in producing a disciple of such strength…proves his own power. Only the neigong of Mei Chaofeng is not at all advanced. I do not know where she succeeded in finding the secret formulae to practice Taoist neigong, but without pointers from a master, she was not able to understand them. When she asked me to explain a formula, it was because the lack of understanding had arrested her progress. I realized something was wrong and did not reply to her second question; but my first explanation will allow her to make great progress with her neigong."

"Let us hope," Han Xiaoying said, "that she will regret her past crimes and do no more evil."

"May it be so!" Ma Yu said. "If her neigong should become stronger, she will be more difficult to contain… Ah, this is my fault, I was too naïve and should have distrusted her…" After a moment's thought, he continued, "One thing intrigues me. The skills of the Peach Blossom Island are completely different to those of Taoism. Nevertheless, these two formulas that she quoted correspond precisely with our Taoist neigong. How is that possible?"

Hua Zheng suddenly leapt off her boulder, "Ah!" she cried, "Guo Jing! Father did not believe me, he left to visit Ong Khan!"

"Why?" Guo Jing asked.

"I explained to him," Hua Zheng said, "that Uncle Senggum and Uncle Jamuka plotted against him. He burst out laughing, saying that because I don't want to marry Dukhsh, I invented lies! I said to him that you had heard it with your own ears; but he didn't want to believe it. He even said that he would punish you on his return. I saw him leave with my three elder brothers and a small escort. I hurried to come to find you, but on the way, that blind woman caught me. She wanted to bring me to see you, isn't that right?"

"If we had not been here," one the Six said ominously, "you would have had five holes in your skull by now!"

"When did the Khan leave?" Guo Jing demanded anxiously.

"A long time ago," Hua Zheng responded, "father said that he wanted to get there as soon as possible. He didn't even wait for sunrise. Their horses are very fast; they must be far away by now. Is it really true that Uncle Senggum wants to harm Father? What will we do?" She began to weep. This was the first time in his life that he found himself confronted with a matter so grave and he was distraught.

"Jing'er," Zhu Cong said, "Descend the cliff quickly and take your little red horse and rescue the Khan. Even if it is not true, we'll send someone to ascertain Senggum's intentions. Hua Zheng, will you ask your brother Tolui to muster soldiers and follow to rescue your father."

Guo Jing understood and quickly descended the cliff. Ma Yu, holding on to a long rope, went next descending with Hua Zheng.

The young man dashed to his ger, mounted his horse and set off at a frantic gallop. At that moment, the sun started to rise. Guo Jing, very worried, muttered to himself, "I fear that the Khan might already have fallen into Senggum's trap; then it will be impossible to rescue him!"

The small red horse loved to run without its bridle and its heart danced with joy. It galloped more and more quickly on the plain. Fearing that it would fall, Guo Jing tried to rein it in a little; but the animal resisted and rushed on whinnying with joy. Besides, even galloping at great speed, it showed no signs of fatigue. After more than two hours of galloping, Guo Jing slowed his mount to rest a little. Then they continued on their way. One hour later, they saw in the distance three groups of riders, three squadrons, it seemed. While approaching, he recognized the standards of Ong Khan. The riders advanced, arrows strung and sabers drawn, ready for battle.

"The Khan is further ahead," Guo Jing lamented, "but his line of retreat is already blocked!" He pressed his thighs and his horse raced on like an arrow, passing Ong Khan's soldiers. They called for him to stop, but he was already long gone.

Guo Jing did not dare dally. He saw another three squadrons lying in wait, before he saw, far away, the high plume of white feathers that signaled the presence of Temujin. Escorted by several hundred riders, they rode tranquilly north.

Guo Jing rose to his full height and called, "Great Khan! Stop, you mustn't go on!"