Chapter - 535 The Peak of Mount Hua (3)

"Don't be happy yet, Brother Yin," said Xiaoxiang Zi, his voice eerie. "If the baldheaded donkey can not find us, he might guard the mountain's entrance. If we are not careful, he will certainly find us …"

"Brother Xiaoxiang is right. What is your thought?"

"There are so many temples scattered around this mountain. I think we'd better find the most remote one. No matter if the priests are Taoists or Buddhists, we kill them, we take over their temple and then we stay there. That bald donkey will not wait for us forever. Maybe months or years, but in the end he'll have to leave."

"Great idea Brother Xiaoxiang!" said Yin Kexi, his voice loud from excitement.

"Hush!" Xiaoxiang Zi reminded him.

"Uh, I was too excited," said Yin Kexi apologetically. Then the two of them talked in low voice that Yang Guo wasn't able to hear.

"I wonder who the monk is," Yang Guo thought. "These two are experts, yet they are afraid of him. Actually, other than Island Master Huang, Reverend Yideng, Uncle Guo and their peers, these two are already unmatched. Why would someone want to capture them? No, I can't let them go. Didn't they say they are going to kill people and take over their temple?"

At that time Guo Fu was calling from a distance, "Brother Yang, Sister-in-law! Sister Xiang! Come and have dinner!" She repeated her calls a couple more times.

Yang Guo turned to his wife and Guo Xiang, signaling them not to make any noise.

After a while Guo Fu was gone. But from the mountain they heard a shout, "Book thief! Show yourself!" That voice was loud and powerful. It was a sign of strong internal energy. Yang Guo was astonished, the voice was not inferior to his. He wondered, "How come there is an expert I do not know?"

By moving his body a little bit, Yang Guo was able to see the source of the voice. He saw a grey shadow running lightning fast toward the hill where they were. Very soon he could see that the shadow was actually two people: a grey-robed monk holding a youngster's hand.

Yin Kexi and Xiaoxiang Zi had already hidden themselves amongst the tall grasses. They did not dare to breathe.

Yang Guo kept staring, he thought, "In terms of lightness kungfu, he is not superior to Long'er or me, but he is able to carry someone on this difficult path. His strength is comparable to Reverend Yideng and Uncle Guo. How come I've never heard of him?"

Very soon the monk arrived at the top. His eyes gazed around him, but he didn't see Yin Kexi or Xiaoxiang Zi. A moment later he dragged the youngster west.

"Hey, Reverend!" Guo Xiang suddenly shouted, she could not contain herself. "Reverend, those two people are here!" She was just shutting her mouth when three projectiles flew her way! They were two 'flying awls' and a 'nail of death'.

Yang Guo's eyes were sharp and he was quick. He waved his sleeve and caught all three projectiles.

Guo Xiang's internal energy was not too strong; the monk could not hear her. They moved further away. "Big Brother, please go after them!" she said.

Yang Guo did not answer, but he spoke softly, like he was reciting a poem, "If it is meant to be, a distance of a thousand li does not hinder; if it isn't meant to be, standing face to face yet cannot meet."

His voice reached far. The monk stopped abruptly, turned his head and said, "Thank you Expert for showing the way!"

Yang Guo responded with similar voice, "Searching until iron shoes wear out yet do not meet; once you see it, it is right in front of your eyes."

The monk was delighted, pulling along the youngster they came back.

Xiaoxiang Zi and Yin Kexi were very shocked to hear Yang Guo's voice. They looked at each other and leaped toward the east, running away.

Yang Guo saw them starting to move while the monk was still a distance away. The monk would certainly miss these two criminals no matter how fast he could run. He quickly flicked one of Xiaoxiang Zi's awls toward them. He didn't want to take their lives; hence the awl was flying in front of them, to block their way.

The two were shocked; their faces were hot just from the wind of the projectile. They turned around and ran to the north. Yang Guo flicked again, and another projectile flew in front of them, forcing them to turn around once more. By that time the monk had arrived.

Seeing their escape route was blocked, both Yin Kexi and Xiaoxiang Zi unsheathed their weapons. They stood shoulder to shoulder. One was wielding a golden dragon whip, the other a wolf-fang staff. Yin Kexi's jeweled whip was destroyed by Yang Guo at Chongyang Palace; this new whip of his –although inlaid with gold, was inferior to the old one.

The monk looked around. He didn't see the man who gave him directions. Ignoring those two, he clasped his fists to the air and said, "Little Monk Jueyuan from the Shaolin Temple thanks the Benevolent Sir!"

Yang Guo did not answer immediately. He looked intently at the monk. The monk stood straight, his countenance fresh and ruddy. If it wasn't for the fact that he was baldheaded and wearing a monk's robe, he would have looked like a scholar. Compared to him, Huang Yaoshi looked more arrogant and wild, like a scholarly hermit. Zhu Ziliu had a more regal and sophisticated look, like a prime minister. He was about fifty years of age; therefore, Yang Guo did not dare to be disrespectful. He quickly came out and returned the greeting, "Junior Yang Guo pays his respects." Yang Guo thought in his heart, "The Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, the Head of the Damo Hall, I know them all. Their level is not as high as his, how come I've never heard them mentioning his name?"

The monk again paid his respects. He was so polite and scholarly. "It's an honor for little Monk to make the acquaintance of Benevolent Master Yang!" he said, and then he bade the youngster, "Quickly pay your respects to Benevolent Master Yang!"

The youngster complied; he knelt in front of Yang Guo. Quickly Yang Guo stood him up. In the meantime Xiao Longnü and Guo Xiang had come out. Jueyuan also paid them his respects, which they reciprocated.

Yin Kexi and Xiaoxiang Zi were still standing alert, ready to fight, but they were thinking about escaping too. They knew they were no match for these people. Jueyuan alone had frightened them.

Yang Guo said, "About six years ago I was fortunate to receive an invitation from the Shaolin's Abbot Tianming. I visited Mount Shao Shi and made acquaintance with the Venerable Wuxiang from the Damo Hall and a number of other monks. I gained a lot of knowledge because of that. Wuse from the Luo Han Hall befriended me as well. It seems like the monk was not in the temple at the time, and I was not fortunate enough to make your acquaintance."

By that time the name Eagle Hero was very well known, yet Jueyuan seemed oblivious of him. He said, "Oh, it seems like Benevolent Sir knows Martial Uncle Tianming and both Martial Brothers Wuxiang and Wuse and the others. Little Monk abides in the library and has never left the temple even for a single step. My position is very low; I do not dare to meet any honorable guests, including you, Benefactor Sir …"

Yang Guo was amazed and he thought, "It is true that in this wide world there are many experts. Monk Jueyuan's skill is very high, yet he hides himself away. It is very possible the people of Shaolin are not aware of his skill; if so, my good friend Wuse would have mentioned him …"