Chapter - 500 Grudges Over Three Generations (6)

That day after Guo Xiang heard her mother's stories, she had several nightmares shortly after falling asleep, dreaming that Yang Guo slit his throat with a sword, then dreaming that Yang Guo jumped off a high cliff and ended up in a bloody mess. After that she awoke in cold sweat so she sat up and thought carefully, "Brother gave me three golden needles and promised to do three things for me. I have one left, so I'll use it to get him not to commit suicide. He's a hero and won't go back on his words, so I must find him." So she left a short note and set off immediately.

However she hadn't the slightest idea where Yang Guo and Huang Yaoshi could have gone so she walked rather aimlessly for around 30 li (15km) and became famished, so she tried to look for a food stall. But all the people around the city had fled even before the Mongolians had arrived so the whole place was lifeless like a ghost town. Guo Xiang had never gone out alone before, so she never expected to get into this mess. She sat down on a stone and folded her arms, becoming frustrated.

After sitting down for a while, she thought, "Since there's no food stalls, I'll pick some wild fruits." She walked around but there was not even a single fruit tree for a few li. Just as she felt helpless, she suddenly heard a horse galloping. When the horse past her, she saw a tall and skinny yellow-robed monk mounted on the horse. The horse was very swift and was gone in the blink of an eye. But after going a few dozen meters, the horse turned around and returned. The horse stopped in front of Guo Xiang and the monk asked, "Lady, who're you? Why are you here alone?"

Guo Xiang saw his piercing eyes and she shuddered. At the Black Dragon Marsh she met Reverend Yideng, so she thought, "Reverend Yideng is kind and benevolent; this monk should also be a good person." She answered, "I'm named Guo, and I'm looking for someone."

The monk asked, "Who?"

Guo Xiang shook her head and smiled, "You're such a busybody, and I'm not talking to you."

The monk said, "What does that person look like, maybe I've met him before and can tell you where he is."

Guo Xiang thought this was not a bad idea and said, "You might not know him. He's a one-armed young man. He might be with a large eagle or he might be alone."

That monk was actually Jinlun Fawang (Golden Wheel Monk) and he realized she was talking about Yang Guo. His heart missed a beat but he appeared normal, saying, "Ah, you're looking for someone named Yang Guo, right?"

Guo Xiang was delighted and said, "Yeah, you know him?"

Fawang laughed, "How would I not know him? He's my friend. We knew each other even before you were born."

Guo Xiang blushed slightly, then asked: "Big monk, what is your religious name?"

Fawang said, "I'm Zhu Mu Lang Ma." Zhu Mu Lang Ma (Mount Everest) is the tallest mountain in Tibet and it's peak reached the clouds, so Fawang was trying to say his martial arts were unmatched in the world.

Guo Xiang said, "What a long and messy name."

Fawang said, "It's Zhu Mu Lang Ma."

Guo Xiang said, "OK, Reverend Zhu Mu Lang Ma, where is my brother?"

Fawang said, "Your brother?"

Guo Xiang said, "Yeah, Yang Guo."

Fawang said, "You call Yang Guo your brother? But you're Guo, right?"

Guo Xiang said, "We're sworn siblings, he lived in my home when he was young."

Fawang said, "I also have a sworn brother, we've known each other for many years, his martial arts are excellent and he is very well-known, his name is Guo Jing, do you know him?"

Guo Xiang thought, "I sneaked out, if he's one of Father's friends he might want to take me home, so I'd better not tell him." So she said, "You're talking about Hero Guo? He's an elder in my family. You want to meet him?"

Fawang was clever and alert, how could he miss Guo Xiang's change in expression? He sighed, "He's my savior, we've not met for more than twenty years, and then I heard a rumour that he had passed away. I'm very sad, so I came here to pay my respects. Ah, heaven must be blind to make a hero's life so short." When he said this, tears started to fall. His internal strength is very strong and he can control his entire body's functions, so he could cry at will.

Guo Xiang saw him crying tragically, although she knew her father was not dead, she was still concerned about her father and her feelings were affected by him, so she said, "Big monk, don't worry, Hero Guo isn't dead."

Fawang said, "You're talking nonsense. He's really dead. What does a girl like you know?"

Guo Xiang said, "I just came out from Xiangyang, of course I'd know. I just saw Hero Guo yesterday."

Fawang faced the sky, laughing, "Ah, you're Hero Guo's daughter." Then he shook his head and said, "No, no, his daughter is Guo Fu, I know her too, she's around thirty-five this year, she's not as young as you."

Guo Xiang couldn't resist and said, "She's my elder sister. I'm Guo Xiang."

Fawang was delighted and thought, "I'm really in luck today. Such an opportunity is hard to come by." Then he said, "Oh OK, so Hero Guo's not dead."

Guo Xiang saw his happy expression and thought he was happy about her father, so she thought he was a nice person and said, "Of course he's not dead. If my father died, I'd die crying over him."

Fawang said, "OK, OK, I believe you. I'm not going to Xiangyang just yet. Please help me tell Hero Guo and Chief Huang that I send my regards to them."

However Guo Xiang was persistent in asking about Yang Guo, so as he was leaving she stopped him as he mounted the horse.

Guo Xiang said, "Hey big monk, why are you so unreasonable?"

Fawang said, "How so?"

Guo Xiang said, "I told you about my father yet you did not tell me anything about Yang Guo. So where is he?"

Fawang said, "Ah, yesterday at the valley north of Nanyang he was training his sword strokes. He might not have left yet, you can go find him."

Guo Xiang frowned, saying, "There're many valleys. Which is it? Please tell me clearly."

Fawang thought for a while then said, "OK! I'm going north anyway, so I'll take you there."

Guo Xiang said, "Thanks a lot."

Fawang took his horse over and said, "Miss, please ride the horse, I'll walk."

Guo Xiang said, "That's not such a good idea."

Fawang laughed, "This horse has four legs but it might not run faster than my two legs."

Guo Xiang was about to mount the horse then she said, "Oh yes, I'm very hungry, do you have anything to eat?" Fawang took a bag from his back and Guo Xiang ate two biscuits from it, then she rode the horse.

Fawang flipped his sleeves and followed behind. Guo Xiang thought about what he said so she took the reins and said, "Big monk, I'll be waiting for you out front." Before she finished speaking, the horse started galloping and charged forward.

This horse was very swift and Guo Xiang felt the wind in her face and saw the trees flash past her. She turned her head around and laughed, "Big monk, can you catch up?" Then she was slightly surprised as there was no trace of him behind.