The Legend of the Condor Heroes

"If we offer the horse to the sweat of blood to the young Master," did ask for one among them, "what reward do you believe that he is going to give us?"

"He is surely going to spend more nights with you," answered another while laughing.

The first protested, sulky. They bickered while laughing.

"Be quiet," says one among them. "Don't unveil our intentions, they don't seem to be that easy…"

"The woman over there," says another in a low voice, "carries a sword, she practices the martial arts for sure. And she is rather good looking!"

If she had ten years less, the young Master would certainly fall for her!

Ke Zhen'e understood well that they were speaking of Han Xiaoying and felt even angrier: this "young Master" of which they spoke can't be someone that advisable!

The eight women finished their meal, took their camels and left the hostel.

After their departure, Ke Zhen'e asked Guo Jing, "Jing, what do you think if the gongfu of these eight women?"

"What women?" wondered Guo Jing.

"They are disguised in men," explained Zhu Cong, "but you didn't realize it, did you?"

"Who knows the Mount of the White Camel?" asked Ke Zhen'e.

No one had heard to speak of it. Ke informed them about the conversation that he had heard, the other Freaks found that these shameless women didn't lack of boldness, but their audacity to want to tackle someone stronger than them was something to laugh of.

"Two among them," said Han Xiaoying, "have a big nose and green eyes: they probably aren't Chinese…"

"Effectively," confirmed Han Baoju. "And these entirely white camels only exist in the Territories of the west."

"That they want to steal the horse," said Ke Zhen'e, "that is not too serious, but they said that numerous dangerous personalities were going to a meeting in Yanjing: it must probably hide an important plot to harm the Song dynasty. It could even have disastrous consequences for our people! Since we fell on such a business, we cannot wash our hands of it."

"Certainly not," said Quan Jinfa, "but the appointment of Jiaxing is near, we can't waste any time."

They hesitated, because it appeared impossible to reconcile the two missions.

"That Jing goes there first," says suddenly Nan Xiren.

"Fourth brother wants to say," did decipher Han Xiaoying, "that Jing must go alone in Jiaxing, and that we will join it once we will have solved this business in Yanjing?"

Nan Xiren nodded the head.

"It is true," says Zhu Cong, "it is time that Jing travels a little alone to acquire some experience all by himself…"

The young man appeared very saddened to part away from his Shifus.

"You are now big," reprimanded Ke Zhen'e. "Don't behave like a child!"

"You go and wait for us there," comforted Han Xiaoying. "In less than one month, we will join you."

"The appointment of Jiaxing," said Zhu Cong, "we didn't explain it in detail to you until now. Whatever it arrives, at the twenty-fourth day of the third lunar month, at noon, you must imperatively be to the Pavilion of the Drunk Immortals, even if the sky was to fall on your head!"

Guo Jing acquiesced.

"These eight women want to steal your horse," continued Ke Zhen'e. "Don't look for the fight: your horse is fast and they won't be able to catch you up. You have important things to attend to, avoid to embark in useless histories."

"If these women dare to cause any trouble," said Han Baoju, "the Seven Freaks of the Jiangnan will stop them!"

Zhang Asheng had died more than ten years ago, but the six always called themselves "Seven Freaks", never forgetting to associate their dead brother to all their actions.

Guo Jing therefore bid farewell to his teachers. They had witnessed his battle against the Four Demons of the Yellow River, and were not too greatly worried: the young man had proved that he knew to use the skills that had been taught to him. Therefore they let him leave alone. On one hand, the meeting of the outlaws in Yanjing worried them greatly, so that they could not make themselves lose interest in it; and on the other hand, a youngster always had to travel the jianghu alone, in order to learn lessons that no teacher could pass on.

At the moment of parting, each made his last recommendations. As usual when the Six spoke after one another, Nan Xiren was the last one to express himself:

"If you cannot defeat the enemy," he said. "Flee!"

Knowing the dogged character of Guo Jing, he knew that he would prefer to die rather than to surrender: if he met a master, he would certainly fight to the bitter end, even at the risk of death. That was the reason Nan Xiren gave him this common-sense warning.

"The martial arts have no limits," added Zhu Cong. "As the proverb says: 'For every peak there is one yet higher', so for every man there is one stronger. Whatever your power, you will always one day meet a foe stronger than you. A true man knows to retreat when necessary: when facing grave danger, it is necessary to contain one's impatience and anger. This what is meant by the adage: 'If one preserves the earth and its forests, one does not fear to lack firewood.' It is not therefore not cowardly to take good advice! When the enemy is too numerous and that you cannot face them there, it is especially necessary to avoid being too reckless. Keep in mind Fourth Shifu's advice!"

Guo Jing agreed and kowtowed to his teachers, before mounting his horse to head for the South. He felt great sadness at parting from his masters, with whom had lived every day for the ten last years, so that the tears flowed down his face. He thought also of his mother, whom he had left alone in the desert. Of course, she did not lack for anything, since Genghis Khan and Tolui had promised to look after her, but his loneliness weighed upon him nonetheless, and he grieved for her.

After travelling about ten li, he arrived in a mountainous region: the road wound in the bottom of a valley dominated by craggy slopes sprinkled by strange boulders. As it was the first time that he had confronted the outside world, he could not help but feel a little apprehensive at the sight of this threatening landscape. One hand on the hilt of his sword, he paused then while smiling, "If Third Shifu saw me thus, trembling and terrified, he would certainly make fun of me!"

The path climbed the mountain flank, becoming more and more narrow and serpentine. After a turn, he suddenly became aware of a mass of white shapes in front of him: four women clothed in white, mounted on white camels, blocked the road.

Guo Jing halted and pulled up the reins of his horse. From a distance, he shouted, "Excuse me! Please, may I pass!"

The four women laughed.

"Little guy," replied one of them. "What do you fear? Why don't you come over! We won't eat you!"

Red-faced, Guo Jing did not know what to do: could he amicably negotiate passage, or was it necessary to rush and force the pass by arms?

"Your horse seems not a bad animal," said another woman. "Come, let me have a look at him!"

She spoke to him as to a little child. Guo Jing felt anger rise within him. But the layout of the terrain worried him. To his right rose a craggy cliff, to the left there was a mist-drowned precipice, whose bottom could not be seen.