Chapter - 464 Mediating Disputes (9)

Yang Guo sighed and sadly said, "Who has never done anything wrong? Whenever somebody repents, all could be forgotten. Yinggu is rather shortsighted."

Seeing Ci'en was nearing his end, Yang Guo's valiant character was stirred. "Reverend, by ignoring my meager ability, I would like to force her to come out," he said. "Will you permit me?"

Yideng thought for a moment, "Ci'en and I have come this far to ask Yinggu's forgiveness. We can't force her, but we have been here a long time without meeting her and looks like our effort will be in vain. If this Yang Guo has any ideas, we might as well try them. Worst case is we still cannot meet her." So finally he said, "If Brother Yang could persuade her to come out, I would be delighted. But in your efforts, I wish for you not to cause any trouble and worsen this already deep hatred."

Yang Guo nodded and took a handkerchief and tore it into four pieces. He put two pieces in Ci'en's ears and gave the other two to Guo Xiang; signaling her to put them in her ears. Guo Xiang understood and immediately did as she was told.

Yang Guo then exerted his internal energy and gathered his 'chi' in his 'dan tian'. [The 'dan tian' is somewhat below the navel and between the kidneys. It's somewhere in the centre of the cross-section of the body. All the 'chi' arises from this central point].

He bowed in front of Yideng and said, "Disciple will show off my lack of ability, I hope Reverend won't laugh at me."

Yideng clasped his hands and said, "Not many people in this world can match Brother Yang's skill. This old monk has long wanted to see it."

Yang Guo put his hand on his waist, looked up, and he shouted loud and long. The shout was loud and sharp, slowly becoming unbearable. It was like earth shattering thunderbolts. Even though her ears were stopped, Guo Xiang's heart pounded and her face paled. Not too long after there came a sound like the waves of the tide, continuously crashing onto the shore. One after another, the next one was louder than the previous one.

"Big Brother, stop! I can't take it any longer!" shouted Guo Xiang. But her cries were overcome by Yang Guo's cry so that she could not even hear her own voice. She felt like her spirit was snatched out and her body was swaying. At that time she suddenly felt Yideng holding her hand and out of his hand came a warm energy flowing into her body. Guo Xiang understood Yideng was helping her with his profound internal energy. Therefore, she quickly exerted her own energy and calmed her perturbed heart. A moment later her heart was steadied and her mind cleared.

After the time needed to eat a bowl of rice Yang Guo's voice had not weakened. On the contrary, the intensity was increased. Yideng was very impressed, because he had not achieved that level when he was Yang Guo's age.

In the time it took to light a joss stick a black shadow came out of the Black Dragon Marsh; immediately Yang Guo shook his sleeve and stopped the roar.

"Emperor Duan," a voice was heard. "You are too much! You forced me to come out. What do you want?"

"It wasn't me. It was Brother Yang's voice," said Yideng.

While still speaking the shadow kept coming near and when it stopped, all could see that it was Yinggu.

She looked puzzled. "Is that true, that there is someone besides Emperor Duan who possesses internal energy that profound?" she asked in her heart. "Even though he is wearing a mask, I can tell from his hair that he is only thirty-something. It's amazing for him to reach this level."

She was forced to come out of her lair by the loud roar. She realized that if she refused, the roar would get louder and she will be heavily injured, possibly her nervous system ruined. So even though she was irritated, she had to comply. Little did she know that the roar came out of Yang Guo's throat.

After calming herself she turned to Yang Guo and coldly said, "Take my fox. I admit defeat. But I want you to leave immediately." She lifted the fox by the scruff of its neck and gave it to Yang Guo.

"Hold a moment," Yang Guo said. "The fox can wait. Reverend Yideng wants to talk to you. Please listen to him."

Yinggu looked coldly at Yideng. "Very well, I await the Emperor's decree."

"Let bygones be bygones," said Yideng. "Why do you still use that term? Yinggu, do you know him?" He pointed to Ci'en who was still lying on the ground.

Ci'en was wearing a monk's robe. His face had changed much from the Mount Hua [Huashan] Sword Meet of 30 years ago. Yinggu looked at him for a minute and then said, "How would I know this monk?"

"Who hurt your son then?" Yideng asked.

The granny's body shuddered, her fair countenance turned red, and from red it turned back to white. "That scoundrel Qiu Qianren," she answered. "Even if he's turned into dirt I will still remember him."

"It has been tens of years yet you have not rid your heartache." Yideng sighed. "This man is none other than Qiu Qianren. You don't recognize his face any longer, but your heart is still full of hatred."

Yinggu leaped and stretched her fingers like claws, she was going to pierce Ci'en's breast. Before her hands reached their target, she looked at him again. That face only slightly resembled the Qiu Qianren that she knew. He was lying motionless, no different than a corpse. "If he really is Qiu Qianren, why did he want to see me?" she asked doubtfully.

"He is indeed Qiu Qianren," explained Yideng. "He repented his great and many sins, shaved his head and became my disciple. His Buddhist name is Ci'en."

The granny snorted. "Great sinners always think they can redeem their sins by becoming a monk," she said.

"You are wrong," said Yideng patiently. "Sin is sin. By becoming a monk he is still a sinner. But he is heavily injured and is dying. He remembered his sin toward you in the past. He knew he injured your child and his heart is troubled; if he doesn't see you, he won't die peacefully. Therefore, enduring his pain, we have come from thousands of li away to ask for your forgiveness."

The granny looked at Ci'en for a long time. Her eyes shone with unleashed hatred. Guo Xiang was really frightened. Slowly the granny lifted her hands up to hit Ci'en. Even though Guo Xiang was scared, her valiant heart prevailed. "Stop it!" she shouted. "He is heavily injured. It's not proper for you to hit him."

Yinggu coldly laughed. "Not proper?" she asked. "He murdered my child and made me suffer for tens of years. Right now – even though it is a bit late, I have a chance for revenge. Not proper? What do you mean 'not proper'?"

"He has repented and regretted his sins," said the girl. "Why do you insist?"

Yinggu looked up and laughed maniacally. "Child, don't talk rubbish!" she snapped. "What would you do if he killed your child?"

"I … I … I don't have a child," Guo Xiang stammered.

The granny made a noise with her nose. "What if he killed your husband, your lover … your big brother? What would you do?" she asked again.

Guo Xiang blushed. "You talk rubbish," she said, "Where did my husband or my lover come from?"

Yinggu was seething with anger. She ignored the girl and lifted her hands again to hit her archenemy's head. Suddenly Ci'en sighed and opened his eyes. A smile formed on his lips. "Thank you Yinggu, for helping me."