Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain by Jin Yong Read online

  "The same day, while Phoenix and Gully were confronting each other in the hall, I simply locked myself up in the room, not daring to venture a step outside. Until that moment, I had been hoping secretly that Phoenix would defeat his savage foe. But the gnawing pain of my face had now turned me against him. I prayed and hoped that Gully would deal this rascal one or two cruel strokes so as to avenge my ills. The battle raged on, feverishly and ferociously, late into the night, with no side gaining vantage. Then Phoenix's voice came from the other side of the partition, 'Brother Gully, I meant to talk again with you all through the night, but I know your wife may not like this. I have an idea: if neither of us, by this time tomorrow, can manage to put in a decisive blow, we shall then spend another night of conversation.' Gully cried out with a laugh, 'Bravo! A capital idea!'

  "Gully's wife poured a bowl of wine for her husband after Phoenix had departed from the inn. She handed the wine-bowl to Gully, remarking, 'Congratulations, my lord!' Gully took the bowl and drained it off in one gulp, asking with a smile, 'For what?'

  "His wife replied, 'You can certainly overpower Phoenix tomorrow.'

  "An expression of surprise came over his face, and he stated, 'I have unravelled several thousand of his moves, and yet I cannot detect a single flaw. How can I possibly defeat him tomorrow?'

  "His wife, wearing a smile, offered her answer: 'I have found a weak spot on him. My darling baby, your papa is rightfully the Invincible Under the Sky.' She addressed the last sentence to their new born child.

  "Gully pressed her at once for an answer, 'What slip? How have I not discovered it myself?'

  "His wife then explained, 'His weakness lies at his back. As you always challenged him face to face, therefore you could not possibly have detected it yourself.' Gully remained quiet. His wife then continued, 'I have been following all his movements in the battle very carefully for the past four days. I must admit that he has guarded himself flawlessly. It was almost impossible to hurt him. Seized with fear, I panicked that the time might come when invariably you would make a slip once you lost your concentration, with Phoenix still guarding himself well. Then came this afternoon when I suddenly made this discovery. I, at long last, detected a weak spot in him. Which move, of his swordplay as a whole, do you find the most threateningly mortal?'

  "Gully replied, 'Quite a number of his moves are deadly threatening. Take for instance, Wiping Out Embracing the Moon; Caveating in Hewing the Mammoth Mountain; Piercing the Stork in Flight; Punching the Sky Carrying the Sword, and so on.'

  "Gully's wife interrupted him. 'It is precisely this move, Piercing the Stork in Flight, that gave him away.'

  "Gully immediately broke in, 'This very move enables Phoenix to turn an offensive move into a defensive stance, shrouding delicacy with its mighty blows, and it is piercingly threatening.'

  "His wife then suggested, 'My lord, while you were practising moves such as Stealing Blade from the Side; Plunging to Lunge in Quick Succession; and Entangling to Transfix the Heart, Phoenix occasionally launched a counter-parade practising the move of Piercing the Stork in Flight. The crux lies in the moment right before he brings off this move: he invariably twitches slightly the muscle at the centre of his back, as if he is feeling itchy on his back.'

  "Gully asked, not hiding his surprise, 'Is that so?'

  "His wife smilingly stated, 'Phoenix paraded this move twice this morning and both times, without fail, the centre of his back twitched when he brought off the move. In the duel tomorrow, I shall signal his twitch with a cough, and you must immediately take steps to exploit his weakness by forestalling him and defeating him on the spot. You should move into Stealing Jabs from All Angles before he brings off his move, thus forcing him to withhold his sword in complete defeat.'

  "An expression of exhilaration came over Gully's face. Then he cried out, 'Splendid!'

  "Having overheard their scheme, I considered it my rightful duty to warn Phoenix so he might put himself on his guard. But I faltered the minute I felt the pain of my swollen face. I tried to convince myself that it would be right and just for him to be beaten, as he had to be repaid for the blow he had dealt me.

  "The next morning saw the fifth day of Gully and Phoenix testing their prowess in duelling. As the bump on my head had by then improved considerably, I planted myself once again on the side to see how the duel would proceed. During the whole morning, no coughing was evinced by Gully's wife. Apparently Phoenix had not brought off the vulnerable move. In the intervening moments for the mid-day repast, while Gully's wife was pouring out some wine for him, she beckoned him by darting a glance at him. I studied it carefully and concluded that she was spurring him on to push Phoenix into practising the move that would open up for him the opportunity to put in the decisive blow to dispatch his opponent. Gully only answered in the negative by shaking his head. Most likely he could not bring himself to harm Phoenix in a task requiring some finesse. His wife pointed in the direction of their newly born, and dropped the child on the bench. The baby started crying uncontrollably. I read also what she wanted to convey to her husband: Gully's wife was trying to spur him on by showing that, if he lost the battle, the child would become fatherless and would lead a life of hardship for the rest of his days. Gully was touched to the quick. He eventually acquiesced by nodding approvingly at her unspoken suggestion.

  "In the afternoon, Gully and Phoenix resumed attacking each other. After some tens of moves had been brought off, Gully then hacked several mighty strokes, brandishing the knife in his hand. To the ears suddenly came the coughing of his wife. Gully gave a slight frown, hurtling backward instead of advancing. In a trice, Phoenix, as had been expected, brought off the move Piercing the Stork in Flight. I had no previous knowledge of what that move was and had only learned something about it the night before when Gully's wife herself demonstrated the move several times while working out plans for the finesse with her husband. I felt that Gully's wife showed tremendous insight. Had Gully executed her plan, he would certainly have defeated Phoenix there and then. But Gully suddenly retracted his hand at the last minute, not because he considered himself a person of outstanding ability and, therefore, chose not to harm Phoenix, whose martial accomplishment he greatly admired, but rather he considered this would betray the true spirit of an acolyte of chivalry if he were to outstrip his contestant by resorting to outside help. I suddenly remembered that Gully had instructed his wife to pound into the head of their son, when he came of age, that he had to be tough and strong in life. I finally came to the conclusion that though Gully looked formidable and repugnant, yet he had a soft spot in his heart. He faltered when the time presented itself, not daring to venture a deceitful move.

  "Thereupon, Gully's wife pinched the baby hard on his arm. The child started to cry loudly. Suddenly, Gully's wife let out another cough, clear and distinct, amidst the mingling clashing and clanging of metal upon metal and crying of the little one. This loud coughing sound was soon followed by another faint one. Gully dashed forward a step like the devil, bringing off the forestalling move of Stealing Jabs from All Angles, flashing his knife, blocking instantaneously all Phoenix's impending moves, and forcing him to succumb.

  "Phoenix was rendered totally defenceless. Being half way through parading the move of Piercing the Stork in Flight, he found it impossible to move into a counter-caveating parade. Following through the movement of the move he was then parading, Phoenix would instantaneously open his elbows the minute he had made a sidelong lunge, wielding the sword in his right hand while thrusting his left hand out in an upward direction. Gully thwarted him in the nick of time. If Phoenix had attempted to unfold his arms at that instant, Gully would have had immediately lunged to his left, then again rapidly to his right. Phoenix would have had both his arms hacked off, at his own instigation.

  "Nevertheless, Phoenix proved spectacularly wild in his feats. He immediately accommodated himself by bringing in both his elbows while simultaneously aiming the point of his sword at his ow
n chest: a beautiful and timely move. Gully was appalled, fancying that Phoenix, in his defeat, had resorted to reversing his blade to take his own life. Thereupon, Gully cried out in alarm, 'Halt! Brother Phoenix!'

  "Phoenix had already had the tip of his sword nipped off right on the first day of the duel, blunting his weapon's sharp point. All at once, he dynamically tightened the muscle on his chest. The blade, already lodged in his chest, retracted like the devil, bouncing in recoil. This move was unpredictably wild. Gully, all the while, was intent on talking him out of committing suicide. He had scarcely expected Phoenix to take him by surprise. In a trice, the sword retracted with a spurt, darting the tang off the blade and placing itself right on Gully's chest, on the paralytic point Celestial Abode.

  "The Celestial Abode is a governing vital point of the human body system. On being piqued, Gully instantaneously dropped limp to the ground, like a rag. Thereupon, Phoenix propped him up with his hand, apologizing.

  "Gully returned his apology with a smile. 'Brother Phoenix, your skills are inscrutably uncanny, defying both gods and demons. You have all my respect.'

  "'If Brother Gully had not aided me,' retorted Phoenix, 'I could never have followed through this move.'

  "Soon, both contestants seated themselves at a table and emptied three bowlfuls of liquor at once. A moment later, Gully was heard laughing loudly to himself. He picked up his knife and slashed it across his throat. Bright red blood came gushing forth in an unstaunchable stream. He breathed his last, lying face-downward on the table.

  "I stood for a moment in stunned silence. I cast a look at Gully's wife. No trace of tears was on her face. Presently, she addressed Phoenix calmly, 'Please stay here a minute. Let me feed the baby one more time to give him a full stomach.' She then retired to her room. The mother rejoined the group a little while later. She gave the little one a big kiss, telling Phoenix smilingly, 'The baby is to take a nap after feeding.' Gully's wife then passed Phoenix her baby, saying, 'I had promised my lord that I would raise the child myself. The last five days convinced me that Phoenix the Knight-errant represents the ideal of True Friendship and the Chivalric Code of Martial Brotherhood. As you promised to look after the child for us, I can spare myself the agonies of the next twenty years.' Thus saying, the woman pulled the lapels of her garment together and made several respectful bows to the Gilt-faced Buddha. Then she picked up her husband's knife and slashed it across her throat in a similar manner. The couple sat side by side on a long bench, the wife holding Gully by the hand. Strength gradually ebbed from her body and she crouched atop the body of her husband, never to stir again. I could not bear the sight any longer. Turning round, I saw the baby sleeping soundly in Phoenix's arms. A sweet smile could be seen dancing on the tiny, chubby face."

  Chapter Five : Message

  The Company remained silent after Tree had come to the end of his story. Though these brazen and forthright fighters professed to be hard and unemotional, after learning how Gully and his wife had heroically sacrificed their lives for a principle, they were all filled with sorrow.

  Suddenly, a female voice cried out, "Great Master, I do not understand why the story told me by my father differs slightly from yours."

  The Company turned round to identify the speaker: it was Orchid. No one had noticed when she had rejoined the group, as each had been listening intently to Tree's story.

  Tree tried to offer an explanation, "It has been such a long time. This old monk may not be able to remember all the facts correctly. I am curious to know what your father has told you about the incident."

  "My father recounted in great detail all the happenings in connection with the duel," said Orchid. "His description of the events of these few days bears close resemblance to what was witnessed by the Great Master. However, the scene of the passing away of both Gully and his wife, according to the version told me by my father, differs significantly from the Great Master's description."

  A slight change in colour came over Tree's face. He merely acknowledged her words with 'Hm', without pursuing the matter any further.

  Sign broke in, "Miss Miao, what exactly did your father tell you?"

  Orchid reached for an embroidered pouch on her side, from which she drew a stick of pale grey incense. She lit the incense before putting it inside the thurible. A faint fragrance soon drifted to the nostrils of all in the hall. Orchid looked serious. Eventually, she started her story:

  "I can still remember that, from the time when I was little, father would invariably look very unhappy during the winter months. No matter how hard I tried to cheer him up, he would never smile. Every year, at a time close to the Lunar New Year, father would, without fail, set up two mememorial tablets for the deceased in a secluded nook. One had the inscription 'Tablet for the Blood Brother, the Reverend Gully Hu, the Knight-errant'. The other had inscribed on it 'Tablet for the Blood Sister-in-law, Madam Gully'. A single-edged knife was placed next to the tablets. It was rusty all over. Apart from the rust, the knife looked exactly like an ordinary weapon. My father would order the cook to prepare numerous meat and vegetable dishes and entremets enough to fill one whole table. Then, he would pour out ten or more bowlfuls of wine. Every evening of the five days commencing on the twenty-second day of the twelfth moon, father would drain those bowlfuls beside the tablets. He would end by weeping unconstrainedly.

  "I tried several times to ask father who Uncle Gully was, whose name I saw engraved on the tablet. But father just shook his head, refusing to give me an answer. Then came a year when father told me he would describe to me the duel between him and Uncle Gully once I had grown up and learned to become more sensible. The Great Master here has already described in great detail all the happenings of the duel.

  "My father and Uncle Gully had been duelling for four days. The longer they challenged each other in the field, the more closely intimate they grew with each other. Neither would dream of wounding the other. Then came the fifth day of the duel. Aunt Gully finally detected a weak spot on father's back. Uncle Gully, therefore, brought off the move Stealing Jabs from All Angles accordingly, the minute he heard his wife cough, outstripping my father. Master Tree claimed that my father had mounted an uncanny move on a sudden so as to overpower Uncle Gully. But my father described that incident somewhat differently. On the day in question, Uncle Gully succeeded in making a move to forestall father, thereby making it impossible for him to riposte; instead he had to subject himself to Uncle Gully's mercy. Suddenly Uncle Gully leapt backward, crying, 'Brother Phoenix, there is something for which I need an explanation.'

  "'I admit myself defeated,' said my father. 'What is in your mind?'

  "Uncle Gully then proceeded, 'You have practised thousands of moves unique to the Miao's Swordplay over and over again, all flawlessly, and yet I do not understand why you invariably twitch your back muscle before moving into Piercing the Stork in Flight. My wife caught your weak spot instantly.'

  "To this, father answered, 'My late father trained me vigorously in swordplay and was extremely strict with me. I can still recall one day at the age of eleven, while father was coaching me on the techniques and movements of this move, a flea suddenly irritated me on the back. I dared not soothe the tickling feeling by scratching with my hand, so I arched my back slightly in the hope of driving the insect away. The more I exercised the muscle on my back, the more itchy it became. The irritation became unbearable. Finding me in so awkard a state, my father admonished me for my slackness and gave me a good thrashing. This incident left a great mark in my memory. Since then, I have been in the habit of twitching my back muscle involuntarily on mounting that move, even though I do not feel itchy on the back. Your wife does have sharp eyes.'

  "Smilingly Uncle Gully replied, 'I should not qualify as a winner if I received help from my wife. Grab this!' At this, he flung his knife to my father.

  "My father reached his hand out for the knife, not knowing what Uncle Gully was really after. Uncle Gully then took my father's sword from hi
s hand, telling him, 'The vigorous fighting over the past four days as well as the lengthy discussions on martial feats on the previous nights have enabled each of us to gain a thorough understanding of the techniques unique to each other's School for wielding the blade. Why do we not try things out in this way: I shall practise the moves of the Miao's Swordplay of your family and you will execute the moves of the Hu's Knife Techniques of mine. In this manner, we can judge who is the stronger of the two, and also neither of our names will be tainted whatever the outcome.'

  "My father read Uncle Gully's mind immediately. The vendetta pursued by the Houses of Miao and Hu had deepened through ancestral transmission. If father had not made the acquaintance of Uncle Gully, there should have been no animosity between them. As you may already know, circulated widely among the Martial Brotherhood is the story about the sudden disappearance of my grandfather and Uncle Pastoral's father, which still remains a mystery to this day. And the bodies of these two elders have never been recovered. The outlawry and the banditry believed that Uncle Gully's wily scheme was in every way connected with these two missing men. My father only half believed in the truth of the rumour, having always known Uncle Gully to be a true acolyte of chivalry, high in principles and heroic in deeds. He was also spoken of with awe. It seemed most unlikely that Uncle Gully would ever resort to clandestine means to harm people. My father tried several times to arrange to meet with him, but all his efforts proved futile. Uncle Pastoral and Fan the Ringleader once invited father to journey to Liaodong Peninsula to redress the wrongs. My father had always been on intimate terms with Fan the Ringleader. He had never had much respect for Uncle Pastoral. Oh! Pardon me, Sister Tian, I am sorry. Do accept my apology, but these were the very words of my father. He would rather take this matter into his own hands than join Uncle Pastoral. On this occasion, having learned that Uncle Gully would journey also to the Interior Empire, my father took the opportunity to accept the invitation of both Fan the Ringleader and Uncle Pastoral to join them in Cangzhou in order to challenge Uncle Gully to a duel. But father's real intention of making that trip was to get the truth from Uncle Gully.