Eagle Shooting Heroes (LoCH), Chapter 4 and onward.

[xfiberloss]

Sweet Jesus, these chapters are long. I still have four to five more pages of Chinese to wade through before the end of the chapter.

This was a tough section. Some of it isn't very accurately done.

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“I don’t want to learn Master Hong,” Guo Jing said.

“Why?” Hong Qicong said.

“Senior has already taught me so much kung fu that I haven’t practiced enough,” Guo Jing said.

Hong Qicong understood: Guo Jing refused to be greedy. The beggar had said he would no longer teach anymore wugong to Guo Jing, but the recent emergency situation made teaching more techniques imperative. Nevertheless, if Guo Jing allowed Hong Qicong to teach him again, it would appear to be opportunistic.

Nodding, Hong Qicong pulled Huang Rong by the hand and said, “We practice.”

Once alone, Guo Jing went out and practiced the first 15 palms of the “18-Dragon Subduing Palms,” thereby increasing his understanding.

Huang Rong studied “Blossoms Rain from the Sky” for 10 days. She learned how to throw 10 needles to simultaneously hit a person’s vital areas, but could not master hitting the vital points of multiple targets at once.

One day, Hong Qicong and Huang Rong were out practicing with the needles. The beggar threw them all at once. The needles fell to the ground in two groups — each ten feet across. Satisfied, he looked skyward and fell into contemplation. But his thinking was dull, so he said aloud, “Old poison, why did you train all these snakes?”

“With his wugong already at such a powerful state, he can handle almost anyone near him,” Huang Rong said. “So what would the snakes do?”

Hong Qicong slapped his head. “Of course!” he said. “It’s to deal with the Eastern Heretic and the Southern Emperor. Both the beggars and Quan Zhen are numerous in manpower, and the Southern Emperor is an actual king with many bodyguards and soldiers protecting him. Your father is a cultivated intellect possessing many strange and powerful skills, which can help him face multiple enemies alone. When the old poison fights alone, no one in his generation can completely face him. But if his enemy brings a companion and so on, then the old poison facing them alone is in a terrible position.”

“Therefore, the old poison has raised the snakes to help him,” Huang Rong said.

Hong Qicong sighed. “Us beggars often catch snakes and raise them for the purpose of food,” he said. “We’ve been able to do this for about 17 to 18 snakes. We sometimes even release them into fields at night to catch frogs. But the whole process isn’t easy at all. Now, the old poison has actually had the time to catch innumerable amounts of snakes. Huang-er, the old poison has spent a great deal of time on this, which means he must be planning something.”

“He is certainly planning something,” Huang Rong said. “But luckily for us, his nephew revealed the snakes.”

Hong Qicong slapped his head. “Of course, this Ouyang kid revealed with the secret with his frivolousness,” he said. “But what does the old poison know about what others have? These thousands of snakes could not have come from the western region. They must have been collected from the mountains in the East. And though that Ouyang Kid betrayed a part of the plan, he might not have completely revealed the whole scheme in which he plays a part.”

“That’s not a good thing,” Huang Rong said. “Luckily, this style prepares us in advance to take care of those snakes when we observed them, as opposed to having to deal with them while fighting with the old poison himself.”

Hong Qicong hesitated. “But suppose he wraps me up and prevents me from throwing the needles,” he said. “How would I deal with those thousands of snakes?”

Huang Rong thought for a while, “Just run away,” she said.

“Bah!” Hong Qicong said with a smile. “What kind of method is turning around and running away?”

Suddenly, Huang Rong exclaimed, “I got it! I just thought of a good plan.”

Joyful, Hong Qicong said, “What kind of plan is this?”

“Just keep the two of us by your side,” she said. “Should we meet the old poison, you will fight him and brother Jing will deal with his nephew. I will simply use the sewing needles to kill all the snakes. The problem is brother Jing doesn’t know three of the strikes in the ‘18-Dragon Subduing Palms’ and might not be able to deal with those grinning bastards.”

Hong Qicong stared.

“You are the grinning bastard,” he said. “You just want to cheat me into teaching your brother Jing the last three palms. Regarding Guo Jing’s moral conduct, I would teach him all 18 palms without any hesitation. But when did this boy become my disciple? He is so dull that if I took him as a disciple, I would be giving people the right to laugh at me!”

Huang Rong laughed.

“I’m going to buy some groceries,” she said, knowing that would make it harder for Hong Qicong to leave.

She went to the market and purchased many different kinds of vegetables and meats while making sure she bought ingredients with sufficiently unique tastes. With the groceries held in her left hand and her right practicing the “Blossoms Rain from the Sky” technique, she leisurely strolled back to the inn. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a bell loudly approaching. In the distance, she saw a lone, female rider dressed in white approaching the inn very quickly. Huang Rong saw it was Yang Tiexin’s daughter, Mu Nianci, whom Guo Jing’s relatives wanted him to marry. Huang Rong’s heart turned sour, and as Mu Nianci got closer, she refused to make a sound.

“What’s so good about this girl?” she thought. “Brother Jing’s six masters and that ox-nosed priest of the Quanzhen sect all want him to marry her.”

After more thinking, Huang Rong grew angry.

“Let me go fight her and relieve some of my frustration,” she thought.

But when Huang Rong went to place the groceries in the inn, she found Mu Nianci already sitting at a table.

An anxious-looking innkeeper asked Mu Nianci what she wanted to eat and drink.

“Bring me a bowl of noodles and some beef,” Mu Nianci said. The innkeeper quickly left to fill the order.

“How is simple beef any good to eat?” Huang Rong said.

Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong. At first she couldn’t recognize her, but then she remembered it was the girl who so suddenly left with Guo Jing. She exhaled.

“Little sister is here too?” she said. “Please sit with me.”

“Did that smelly scholar, the fat dwarf, or the other ones come too?” Huang Rong said.

“No,” Mu Nianci said. “I came alone. They are all off together.”

Huang Rong at first feared running into Qiu Chuji, but she felt joy after learning Mu Nianci was there by herself. At first blinded by the possibility of the taoist’s presence, Huang Rong now examined Mu Nianci closely and noticed her small boots, dress and her hair entwined with a white flower, signifying that she was in mourning. And though she had lost weight and wore a sad expression, Mu Nianci remained elegantly beautiful as opposed to pitiable. Huang Rong then noticed a dagger worn at Mu Nianci’s waist.

“This is the dagger exchanged by brother Jing’s parents with her parents to mark their marriage,” Huang Rong thought.

Unable to bear the thought, Huang Rong shouted, “Little sister, may I take a look at that dagger?”

The dagger was indeed the one Bao Xiruo gave away just before dying. It was recovered after she and Yang Tiexin killed themselves and served as a keepsake of the two adoptive parents.

Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong and noticed her strange expression, but before she could do anything, Huang Rong had already reached out, taken hold of the dagger and casually removed it.

She looked at the weapon and noticed the two characters “Guo Jing” carved into its hilt.

“This belongs to brother Jing,” she thought bitterly. “Why does she get to have it?”

She removed the weapon from its scabbard. A cold air immediately emanated from the weapon.

“Good dagger!” Huang Rong said.

She put the dagger back into the scabbard and placed it within her shirt.

“I’m going to go give this to brother Jing,” she said.

Stricken, Mu Nianci said, “What?”

“The two characters engraved on the hilt proves the rightful owner of this dagger,” Huang Rong said. “I’m going to give it to him.”

Mu Nianci cried out angrily, “This is the only possession I have from my adoptive parents. How can you take it? Quickly give it back to me.” She stood up and walked towards Huang Rong.

“If you have a problem, come and get it!” Huang Rong shouted as she ran out of the inn.

Huang Rong knew Hong Qicong was asleep in the forest, and Guo Jing was up in the mountains practicing his palms. She ran to the left.

Mu Nianci pursued anxiously, fearing Huang Rong would ride the red horse. She continued to chase until she heard a loud noise, which she followed.

Huang Rong had taken a bend to a clearing surrounded by tall, locust trees. She stopped there and laughed.

“You’ve won,” she said. “You’re the better horse. Now let us match against one another to see who gets the bride’s dagger.”

Mu Nianci’s cheeks reddened.

“Don’t joke little sister,” she said. “When I see this dagger, I see my adoptive father. Why did you take it away?”

Huang Rong’s brow dropped.

“Who is your sister?” she shouted.

She immediately jumped at Mu Nianci with her palm extended.

Mu Nianci tried to dodge, but Huang Rong used the “Falling Blossom Sword Palm.” Employing the many and mysterious variations in the style, Huang Rong hit Mu Nianci twice in the ribs, causing a lot of pain.

Angry, Mu Nianci turned to the left before also returning her own palm stroke, which was a violent strike.

“This is the ‘Wandering Strides’ fist!” Huang Rong shouted. “How is this possible?”

Mu Nianci was surprised upon hearing Huang Rong’s shout.

“This was the style Hong Qicong passed on to me alone,” she thought. “How could she know about it?”

[Arching_Hero]

Thanks for the update xfiberloss and please continue translating Wonder when Hong QiGong will accept Guo Jing & Huang Rong as his official students..

[eliza bennet]

Thank you xfiberloss!

Huang Rong's behaviour is so typical of someone who is madly in love! But also she is a bit rash and jelaous. I can see where Guo Fu gets some of her bad traits now. It is a good thing that HR learned to curve these sharp edges in her character.

[sunnysnow]

Many thanks for the updates xfiberloss! Keep it up. Anyway, i'm only slightly more thn a quarter through Chap13 and i hope to finish half of Chap13 in the next couple of days.

[xfiberloss]

Hi Sunnysnow, aren't these chapters ridiculously long? hahahahaha!

[sunnysnow]

They are arent they? And my gosh it was exceptionally tough to translate the first part of Chap13 since HR was showing off her literary knowledge and there were many chinese classics, poems, historical references which were tough to understand ( my grasp of chinese literature is horrible), let alone translate into english since the literal meanings would sound ridiculous in english, if u get what i mean.

[fox-s]

IcyFox, this is the first time I log on to the site since Friday, that is why there is no thanks yet (and I have a feeling that the majority of the readers are in the same situation!)

xfiberloss is a life saver as far this translation is concerned and his/her efforts are certainly not in vain.

Yes! I agree wholeheartedly. Thank you xfiberloss and sunnysnow!

I was so busy with RoCH that I neglected this thread ... I regret it!

[crazy_horse]

Thank you for those new chaps!

[Tazzy1972]

keep them coming guys

[rayon]

Yay! I've been away from this forum for so long so it warms my heart to know that people are still hard at work, translating. Keep it up, people. xfiberloss, you're doing a good job. *beams*

[xfiberloss]

Hi everyone, I've been swamped with work and so haven't made enough progress to post another part. I will, however, get back to work soon and have something up sometime later this week.

Sunnysnow: Chinese literature references? Poetry? I don't envy you at all with Chapter 13. I think the only kind of poetry I could translate is something to this effect: "In June / under the moon / I swoon," i.e. crap.

[Tazzy1972]

no problem

[xfiberloss]

Mu Nianci watched as Huang Rong retracted her left palm and attacked with her right as a fist. After three moves, Mu Nianci recognized the style to be none other than the “Wandering Strides.” Surprised, she jumped back.

“Stop!” she shouted. “Who taught you this style?”

“I just figured it out myself,” Huang Rong said with a smile. “What’s so special about this rough and crude kung fu?”

So saying, she attacked again with the “Wandering Strides,” employing its two central moves, “Alms Bowl at the Door” and “Seeing a Benefactor,” in a continuous attack.

Mu Nianci became even more bewildered after avoiding another rmove, “Traveling the Seas Without Worry.”

“You know Senior Hong Qicong?” she said.

“He and I are old friends,” Huang Rong said with a smile. “You can use this style. I’ll use the kung fu I know, and then we’ll see who’ll win.”

With a menacing chortle, Huang Rong immediately attacked. She did not use the “Wandering Strides” style. Instead, she employed the martial arts taught to her by her father to get the better of Mu Nianci, whose skills were taught to her by Hong Qicong. How could Mu Nianci block?

Mu Nianci tried to flee but she couldn’t. She watched a palm rise like a sword slashing across with a roaring wind. Feeling the spear-like force, Mu Nianci twisted her body to the side to dodge, but then felt pain in her neck as Huang Rong successfully hit her with “Brushing the Orchid Blossoms from the Road.”

The palm had struck the neck vertebrae precisely where the blood vessels regulate the body, hands and feet. After being hit, Mu Nianci’s hands and feet immediately turned numb and weak.

Huang Rong then stepped forward and pressed an acupoint on Mu Nianci’s waist. Mu Nianci immediately fell over.

Huang Rong took out the dagger and laughed, before slashing at Mu Nianci’s cheeks with 10 different strikes. None of them hit — they were only one inch away from striking flesh.

Mu Nianci closed her eyes, expecting death, but to her surprise, she felt a cool air near her cheeks that didn’t hurt. When she opened her eyes, she only saw the dagger coming towards her eyes, only to see it stop next to her face.

“If you’re going to kill me, kill me,” she yelled in anger. “Why all the play and theatrics?”

“You are not my enemy, nor do I hate you,” Huang Rong said. “Why would I kill you? You just have to swear one oath, and I’ll release you.”

Although they were indeed not enemies, Mu Nianci refused to consider even giving an oath. “Lady, you threaten to kill me because you want me to swear an oath,” she shouted. “You must be dreaming.”

Huang Rong sighed with admiration. “It would be a real pity to kill this beautiful lady of marriageable age,” she said.

Mu Nianci closed her eyes and waited for death, but she heard not a sound.

After a moment, Huang Rong gently said, “Brother Jing and I have already shared our hearts. If you proceed to marry him, there is no way he would give you the same.”

Mu Nianci opened her eyes.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“I know you won’t promise not to marry him,” Huang Rong said.

“Who is it that you like?” Mu Nianci said in confusion. “Who is it you think I want to marry?”

“Brother Jing, Guo Jing,” Huang Rong said.

“Oh him,” Mu Nianci said. “What do you want me to swear?”

“I want you to swear a heavy oath that you will not marry him,” Huang Rong said.

Mu Nianci giggled. “You put a dagger to my throat when I already cannot marry him,” she said.

“Is it true?” Huang Rong asked joyfully. “How can this be?”

“Although my adoptive father betrothed me to brother Guo Jing, honestly —” she said before lowering her voice. “— Honestly, adoptive father, despite all his wisdom, neglected to prevent me from giving my heat to someone else.”

“I’ve made such a bad mistake about you,” Huang Rong said ecstatically before immediately releasing Mu Nianci’s acupoints and massaging her numb hands and feet. “Elder sister, who have you matched yourself with?”

Mu Nianci blushed before cooing, “You’ve seen this person before.”

Huang Rong tilted her head and thought for a moment. “I’ve seen him before?” she said. “What kind of person around this town is worthy of ascending to elder sister’s level?”

Mu Nianci laughed. “In this world, this man is unrivaled by everyone except for you brother Jing,” she said.

“Elder sister, is he crazy since he hasn’t married you?” Huang Rong said with a smile.

“Is brother Jing crazy?” Mu Nianci said. “His character is honest, and his heart is chivalrous. I admire him very much. He treated my father and me very well that day when he helped us at the risk of his own life, which I am very grateful for. This grade of man is very small in the world.”

Worried, Huang Rong pressed, “Did you say that you couldn’t marry him just so I wouldn’t put this dagger against your throat?”

Mu Nianci noticed how Huang Rong pressed the issue and concluded the imprudence she exhibited before wasn’t far off. She grasped Huang Rong’s hands and slowly spoke, “Little sister, your heart is already set on brother Jing. Finding another man his equal will be difficult even with all the thousands of men in the world, right?”

“Yes, I do believe it’s very unlikely to find another his equal,” Huang Rong said.

“If brother Jing heard your praises of him, his heart would be filled with joy,” Mu Nianci said. “During the contest my father set up in Beijing, a man defeated me.”

Huang Rong understood. “I know now,” she said. “The person in your heart is the little prince, Wanyan Kang.”

“Yes, it is the young prince,” Mu Nianci said. “He is the one my heart wants. He’s a good person underneath. I can make him stop being rotten. ”

Though she spoke softly, Mu Nianci’s expression was very firm. Huang Rong nodded her head when she suddenly realized she felt the same way about Guo Jing as what Mu Nianci said in such simple words. They grasped each other’s hands and sat side-by-side below the locust trees with the sensation of shared feelings.

Huang Rong thought for a moment. Then she gave the dagger back to Mu Nianci.

“Elder sister, let me return this to you,” Huang Rong said.

Mu Nianci did not take it.

“Keep it — this is your brother Jing’s possession,” she said. “His name is carved there on the hilt. With it everyday, I …” She paused. “If I should carry it everyday, it wouldn’t be very good.”

Huang Rong lovingly took the dagger and stowed it near her bosom.

“Elder sister, you are truly good,” she said.

After receiving the valuable dagger, Huang Rong was momentarily distracted from her thoughts.

“Elder sister, what business has drawn you to the South alone?” Huang Rong asked. “Maybe little sister can help you?”

Mu Nianci blushed and lowered her head.

“I don’t have any pressing matters at hand,” she said.

“In that case, I will take you to see Master Hong,” Huang Rong said.

Mu Nianci felt joy.

“Master Hong is here?” she said.

Huang Rong nodded before grasping Mu Nianci’s hand and pulling her up. Suddenly, she heard a sound among the branches above. A piece of bark fell to the ground. In the distance, they could see one person’s shadow jumping happily from locust tree to locust tree. After a while, they could tell it was Hong Qicong.

Huang Rong picked up the bark and saw characters carved onto its surface with a needle.

“Two dolls like this are very good,” she read. “But if Rong-er deliberately causes trouble again, then Qicong will hit your eldest child on the ear.” The bark was not signed at the bottom. Instead, a gourd was carved in its place.

Huang Rong knew Qicong carved the bark and couldn’t help blushing. She knew Qicong had observed the whole fight and knew all about the particulars of the oath she wanted Mu Nianci to swear. Both people had entered the locust grove and did not even notice Hong Qicong. The pair walked hand-in-hand back to the inn.

Guo Jing, who was sitting inside after he finished practicing, was shocked to see Mu Nianci. He quickly said, “Sister Mu, did you see my masters?”

“Your respective masters and I left the capital together and went south to Shandong,” she said. “We split up there, and I have not seen them since.”

“Are my masters well?” Guo Jing said.

“Be at ease, brother Guo,” Mu Nianci said with a smile. “They are not angry with you.”

Guo Jing was indeed very worried, fearing his masters were very angry at him. He rose and fiddled with some tea and food as his simple mind was lost in thought.

Mu Nianci turned to Huang Rong and asked how they met Hong Qicong.

Huang Rong told the tale alone.

“Little sister, you are so blessed,” Mu Nianci said with a sigh. “You spent so much time with Master Hong that you lived like a little family. But I only wanted to see him, and he is not here.”

“He was looking after you,” Huang Rong said comfortingly. “He would have revealed his true ability if I tried to injure you. If I had hurt you, how could he have not acted?”

Mu Nianci nodded in acceptance.

Guo Jing thought this was strange. “Rong-er, why would you want to injure sister Mu?” he asked.

“I cannot say,” Huang Rong said quickly.

Mu Nianci smiled. “She feared … feared I would,” she said without finishing. Although she spoke of the matter, she felt shy about the subject.

Huang Rong reached out and tickled Mu Nianci’s armpit. “You dare to speak of it?” Huang Rong said with a smile.

Mu Nianci stuck her tongue out and then shook her head. “How would I dare?” she said. “Don’t you want me to swear an oath?”

Huang Rong spluttered as she recalled trying to force Mu Nianci into swearing to not marry Guo Jing. Both her cheeks turned a bright red.

Upon seeing their shared emotions, Guo Jing felt great happiness.

After eating, the three went into the middle of the forest and strolled as they idled away their day. Huang Rong asked Mu Nianci how she received instruction from Hong Qicong.

“It happened when I was very young,” Mu Nianci said. “I followed father to a river in the Henan province. We stopped at an inn, and while I played at the entrance, I saw two beggars lying on the ground, bleeding profusely. No one was willing to help them because the sight of the beggars’ internal organs disgusted them.”

Huang Rong made the connection. “Oh, so you showed compassion!” she said. “You tended their injuries.”

“I too could not do much for their injury,” Mu Nianci said. “But I pitied them and took them father’s room where I cleaned their wounds and bandaged them. When my father returned, he said I did the right thing, and then sighed and said how his former wife was kind hearted as well. Then my father gave the two beggars some money to help them with their injuries. They thanked him and left. After several months, we went to Xinyang, where we ran into those two beggars again, who had already recovered from their wounds. They took me to a temple, where I first met Hong Qicong. After praising me, he taught me the ‘Wandering Strides’ form, which took three days. On the fourth day, when I returned to the temple, the master had already gone.”

[sunnysnow]

Thank you for the update xfiberloss, in spite of being busy

[Demonic Swordsman]

great work!

[nisachar]

great, the story is building up!

please keep them coming!

And i just love Huang Rong. she is so cunning and so lovable.

[eliza bennet]

Thank you so much xfiberloss, returning from an over 10 days absence this translation was like water after thirst.

I love the way this couple gets along. HR knows Guo Jing's worth and is right at being jelaous. It is good that she didn't hurt Mu Nianci

[IcyFox]

And i just love Huang Rong. she is so cunning and so lovable.

Love her while you still can... she won't be so lovable in RoCH...

[ChronoReverse]

Hmm? I rather liked HR in ROCH. Sure, she wasn't always the nicest to YG, but for good reason and not really out of spite.

[nisachar]

Hmm? I rather liked HR in ROCH. Sure, she wasn't always the nicest to YG, but for good reason and not really out of spite.

yeah!

and I rather like Huang Rong than XLN in th ROCH! I find her far better than XLN in ROCH.