Chapter - 215 Deep Hatred For Father's Killer (9)

He had used a stream of "Tai Chi Energy", according to the continuous intent of Tai Chi. Uninterrupted, if it were shot outwards towards an open space, the plate would circle around. It is not difficult to use this force. There were a fair number of people who were skilled in using the variations of this force, but what was difficult was using the right amount of energy to get the most benefit. Skillfully sending the plate onto the table, stopping the empty plate dead and sending a plateful of food to his hand was such a skill.

The old man laughed out loud extremely proud of himself; he circulated internal energy into his hands and a piece of roast lamb jumped from the plate into his mouth. He finished the plate shortly. The four soldiers that were still in his hands were looking pitiful, they could not take back their spears but they didn't dare to let go. The rules of the Mongolian army were strict; abandoning a weapon in battle was an offence that led to execution. There was that, and the fact that they were responsible for the safety of Khubilai; they could only use all their strength and try to struggle free.

The old man saw that they were at a loss and was becoming more and more pleased. He suddenly shouted, "Change, change, change, two of you kowtow, two of you face the sky! One…two…three!" On three, their arms shook and the spears snapped. The forces from his fingers were directed in two directions, on two of the spears he circulated energy to push away, on the other two he circulated energy to pull. An 'ai yo' sound was heard as two soldiers fell and kowtowed and the other two fell backwards facing the sky.

The old man clapped and sang, "Little precious, the harder you fall, the taller you grow!" This was a song that adults sing to console children after they've fallen.

Yin Kexi suddenly got up and asked, "Senior is named Zhou?"

The old man laughed, "Yep, ha-ha, do you know me?"

Yin Kexi folded his fists and said, "So it's the Old Urchin Zhou Botong, Senior Zhou Lao."

Xiaoxiang Zi had heard of him before but Jinlun Fawang and Nimoxing had not heard of Zhou Botong before. They saw his martial arts were profound but his actions were rather mischievous and childish; indeed, the title 'Old Urchin' is not in vain. Everyone's wariness disappeared slightly as their faces showed a smile.

Jinlun Fawang said, "Forgive me for not knowing this Senior of Wulin. How about a seat? Our highness is eager to meet great people, he will be extremely happy at meeting such an eminent person today."

Khubilai saluted with his hands and said, "That is correct; please have a seat Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Botong shook his head and said, "I'm full, I don't need to eat anymore. Where's Guo Jing, is he around?"

Huang Yaoshi had told Yang Guo about how Zhou Botong and Guo Jing became sworn brothers, immediately he replied coldly, "Why are you looking for him?"

Zhou Botong had always been childlike and loved making acquaintances with young people; he was pleased when he saw that Yang Guo was young and he was even more pleased when he heard him say 'you' and not something like 'Mr. Zhou' or 'old Senior'. He said, "Guo Jing is my sworn brother, do you know him? He loved being around Mongols ever since he was young; because of this, when I saw this camp I came over to see whether he's here or not."

Yang Guo frowned and said, "Why are you looking for Guo Jing?"

Zhou Botong had no worries, how would he know to conceal his thoughts, he just casually replied, "He sent a letter to me, telling me to attend the 'Heroes Feast'. I had a few games on the road as I rushed from faraway; when I got there I was a couple of days late, the feast had finished, I was damn disappointed."

Yang Guo said, "Didn't he leave a letter for you?"

Zhou Botong eyes rolled over and said, "Why are you asking all the questions? Do you know Guo Jing or not?"

Yang Guo said, "How wouldn't I know them? Mrs. Guo is called Huang Rong, isn't she? Their daughter is called Guo Fu, isn't that right?"

Zhou Botong clapped his hands and said, "Wrong, wrong! That Huang Rong is a little girl herself, what daughter?"

Yang Guo was startled but then immediately understood, he asked, "When was the last time you saw them?"

Zhou Botong counted with his fingers, each finger was counted twice, he said, "At least twenty years."

Yang Guo laughed, "Is she still a little girl after twenty years? Wouldn't she have a child in these twenty years?"

Zhou Botong laughed, his beard fluttering about, he said, "You're right! You're right! Is their daughter pretty?"

Yang Guo said, "Their daughter looks a lot like Mrs. Guo, a little like Guo Jing, just what you'd think."

Zhou Botong laughed, "That's great, if a girl has dense brows and big eyes with a dark oval face like my brother Guo, of course that girl won't be pretty."

Yang Guo knew that he wasn't wary anymore and continued, "Huang Rong's father is Island Master Huang Yaoshi, he and I are great friends, do you know him?"

Zhou Botong was shocked and said, "You little kid, how can you call old 'Heretic' Huang as brother? Who's your Master?"

Yang Guo said, "My Master's abilities are extraordinary, I'm afraid if I tell you that I'll scare you silly."

Zhou Botong laughed, "I can't be scared silly any more." He waved out his right hand and sent the empty plate flying towards him with a tremendous force.

Yang Guo knew that Zhou Botong was the Martial Uncle of Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji and the others. He saw that his arm didn't bend as he threw the plate, he was using his fingers alone; this was a technique of the Quanzhen. He had no fear of Quanzhen martial arts; he stretched out his left index finger and pushed against the bottom of the plate, the plate spun around on his finger.

This delighted Zhou Botong whereas Xiaoxiang Zi, Yin Kexi, Nimoxing and the others looked at each other startled.

When Xiaoxiang Zi first saw the young Yang Guo in his ragged clothes, he didn't give him another look but right now he was thinking, "With the force that plate was coming in with, I wouldn't dare to stretch out my hand to catch it never mind just relying on a single finger. If the force used to catch it were just slightly out of place, the plate would snap a wrist. Who exactly is this young man?"

Zhou Botong called out; "Great!" He could see that he was using a Quanzhen technique and asked, "Do you know Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji?"

Yang Guo said, "How wouldn't I know those two old goats?"

Zhou Botong was delighted. Though he didn't have any grudges with Qiu Chuji and the others, he felt that their rules were annoying, they were too prudent; there was some feeling of looking down on them. The person he respects most in his life, apart from his apprentice brother Wang Chongyang, is the carefree Nine Fingered Wondrous Beggar Hong Qigong. He didn't think too much of Huang Yaoshi's heretical nature and Huang Rong's cleverness. When he heard Yang Guo calling Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji 'old goats', it was music to his ears, he asked, "How are Hao Datong and the others?"

Yang Guo's anger erupted as soon as he heard the name 'Hao Datong', he insulted, "That old goat is a damn fool, and one day I'll make him suffer."