Phoenix Dance in Nine Skies

(Volume 2, Issue 12)

Lip Fung (thinking): "In the martial world, there is only Dragon Subduing God Kicks which is derived from Hung Chut Gong's Dragon Subduing 18 Palms of the Beggar Clan that can fight against my Wind God Kicks. But this kick has long been lost, why is it suddenly re-emerging in the martial world?".

Sui Man (the little granddaughter): "The Fire Monkey!"

Wolf Saber: "Elder martial brother, the Fire Monkey is captured, let's leave quickly!"

Dragon Sleeve: "No! A man's word is his honor. Since we lost, we will give up the Fire Monkey. Put it down now!"

Wolf Saber: "But...the Mud Buddha hasn't shown himself yet. The Fire Monkey is very important to you and sister-in-law. We can't give it up! Besides which, Tin Ha Clan usually uses its power to bully others, we don't need to keep our promise to them! Elder martial brother, quit being indecisive, quickly run!"

Lip Fung at this moment is running up at them.

Lip Fung: "Can't leave!"

Phoenix Dance: "The only way to stop Lip Fung is to use this ultimate move!" As Lip Fung is nearing Dragon Sleeve, nine Phoenix Dance Arrows are released.

Tuern Suern: "It's Phoenix Dance Arrow's most vicious and powerful move! Third martial brother, it's Phoenix Dance in Nine Skies, retreat quickly!" Before he finished speaking, the force has already reached above Lip Fung.

Lip Fung effectively evades from all nine arrows but at the same time, quite a distance is placed between him and Dragon Sleeve now.

The power behind Phoenix Dance in Nine Skies is that each arrow released has calculated every next step the opponent will be retreating back into and targeting it.

Tuern Suern: "Martial brother, the Fire Monkey is no longer any use to us. Let them take it! I already have complete confidence where the Mud Buddha is!"

Dragon Sleeve takes one last look at Lip Fung who is also watching him--still unwilling to give up pursuit.

Hung Ti: "Fung, you have wounds, listen to your elder martial brother and let them go!" Tuern Suern and his wife have known Lip Fung a long time and know that he is very stubborn and never accepts giving up.

Lip Fung reaches for his paper fan from behind his belt and casually fans himself as he watched Dragon Sleeve turn and leave.

Old grandfather: "Sui Man, let's leave!"

Siu Man to Hung Ti: "Elder sister, good-bye!"

Tuern Suern: "Old Mister, please stay!" Tuern Suern leaps over and grabs the old grandfather's head bandana, pulling a skin mask off. This old grandfather is none other than the Mud Buddha!

Tuern Suern: "Please excuse my actions but I am under orders from my martial teacher. Please come with us to Tin Ha Clan!"

Mud Buddha: "People say Tuern Suern is a great strategist with brilliant plans and wits, certainly lives up to the rumors!"

Tuern Suern: "Elder, you are paying me too great a compliment. Your masking skills are flawless. But children don't know how to pretend, I only found out the flaw when I saw her great concern for the Fire Monkey. My martial teacher has searched for you for four years, Elder, you can't evade any more!"

Mud Buddha: "Fate can't be defied, I am weary of hiding. I will go back with you!"

Lip Fung (thinking): "There are no marks left when he retreated..." But from the way the leaves and twigs have shifted, Lip Fung could guess which direction he has gone.

Hung Ti: "I am carrying Golden Camel Saint Medication. Take it first."

Lip Fung doesn't say anything.

Hung Ti: "Fung..."

Lip Fung: "Sister-in-law, I have business to take care of. Start escorting the Mud Buddha back with elder martial brother first, I will catch up with you both in a short while."

Hung Ti: "You want to find that person with the great kicking skills? Don't, his martial arts are extremely high, besides which, we don't know whether he is in league with Phoenix Dance and Swift Meaning Clan. We should first tell Master, then plan what to do!"

As if not hearing, Lip Fung has already leaped off and left.

Hung Ti: "Is he...is he evading me on purpose?"

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Lip Fung has tracked down where that mysterious person is headed and eventually finds his footprints. "His footprints are more impressed now..."

"The mud also has the smell of blood, he is hurt! He can't be far off!"

Lip Fung grew up in the wilderness and was forced by his father, Lip Ren Wong, to drink blood as a child thus, his senses are very sensitive to the smell of blood.

Just as Lip Fung is speeding over a bridge, he detects some movement in the waters and immediately initiates the first move. Obviously someone inside the boat in the river, a young man breaks out of the boat with a spear in hand. As Lip Fung's foot is about to kick him, he snaps his spear in half, clasping Lip Fung's leg.

Though Lip Fung's leg is caught, his other leg immediately attacks with unthinkable speed. In the face of such an attack, the person quickly retreats.

When the young man turns around, Lip Fung is already sitting right behind him on the boat.

Lip Fung: "Old friend, long time no see, you still haven't changed. Still like to sneak attack on others?"

Young man: "Too bad, every time you are stronger than I've guessed and I failed again this time."

Lip Fung: "How are you lately?"

"Ha, how can the life of a fugitive be any good. But it's been six years since Hong Ba issued the death warrant, I am used to it now."

This young man with the face and aura of an extraordinary person is no other than the small child that Hong Ba had once saved in the waters along with Lip Fung, the son of the Southern Kirin Swordmaster, Du Long.

Lip Fung: "If not for that incidence that year, you and I could be happily fighting side by side."

Du Long: "You are loyal to Tin Ha Clan but still ignore the death warrant, I am already very grateful..."

Lip Fung: "We are good friends, what I do is granted. No matter what, I won't try to kill you!"

Du Long: "Sometimes, I really wish that you treat me as an enemy rather than a friend, maybe then it'll be easier..."

Both used to be life and death buddies, but circumstances is such that they can't even meet.

Du Long: "Let's not talk about that. We haven't seen each other in such a long time, I've prepared good wine, let's drink!"

Lip Fung readily agrees as it is not often they can meet. He puts chasing the Dragon Subduing God Kicks person at the back of his mind for now.

Du Long displays his great skill at leaping across the waters. They reach land where a table with wine is set up.

Du Long: "I came here today to especially remind you that our duel every three years is only two months away."

Lip Fung: "I know! When that time comes, we duel at Cloud Pass Cave!"

Du Long: "This time, I have confidence I will defeat you!"

Lip Fung: "Good, in preparation for this battle, I have not been lax in practicing either. Come and show me your skills!"

Du Long, since small, has been defeated by Lip Fung. Every so period, they would have a duel to test each other. Both do not care about who the winner or loser is, their friendship is actually knitted closer by this friendly battling.

Du Long soon leaves.

Du Long: "Remember, Cloud Pass Cave. No leaving without seeing the other person!"

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Later.

The person that Lip Fung was chasing speaks to a figure in the shadows. "Uncle, I have already analyzed Lip Fung's Wind God Kicks and just personally tested him with a few moves."

The figure in the shadows asks: "And?"

"Stronger than estimated! But after this round, I have found the weakness in Wind God Kicks and have complete confidence in defeating him!"

Du Long is seen approaching.

Du Long: "Sword Saint, your orders for leading away Lip Fung is accomplished!"

"Lip Fung has been following me all along? Why didn't you let him come here? I could have killed him to avenge my father!"

Sword Saint: "You are fooling yourself!"

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Meanwhile, Bo Ging Wan and Shuet Kam Tin are charging on horses to Lin Sheng Post.

They reached the main road's blockade. The land there is very steep and all around is soft soil so that any slightly heavy step forward can cause an avalanche of soil. It is extremely difficult for enemies to penetrate directly forward, thus the place is called Lok Ma Sheng (Descending Horse Slope). (*One has to get off his horse and walk in order not to risk getting avalanched.)

A long stone bridge is built above the blockade. Any person entering the post must walk under the bridge, so that it has the disparaging meaning of insulting that person.

A follower standing on the bridge: "Bo Ging Wan, be good and get off your horse and crawl under your old man's foot to cross!" (*Calling oneself "your old man" is a common insult to another person because you are basically saying you are the father and the other person is of lower status, your son)

Bo Ging Wan: "Do you think a simple steep blockade can stop your old man me?"

Shuet Kam Tin: "Killing a chicken doesn't need a bull's axe, master, let me go up first!"

Rearing the horse, Shuet Kam Tin charges with his horse up the slope. The horse hooves immediately sunk into the soft soil. It turns out that there are people ambushed underneath the soil. They rushed out with their sabers and cut off the legs of Shuet's horse. Shuet Kam Tin is flung back.

Bo Ging Wan catches him with one arm and charges up the slope with Shuet Kam Tin raised above. Any met ambushed guards immediately became lost souls as Bo Ging Wan passed by.

As Bo Ging Wan neared the top, he charged his inner force into the horse's body. The powerful force enabled the horse to leap through in mid-air, crossing over 10 meters and knocking down the stone bridge. Such power of Bo Ging Wan!

Charging past the bridge is Lin Sheng Post. The two's morale at a high, they went straight for the post.

Bo Ging Wan, though wild and arrogant, is not rash--as he is already charging up his inner force in preparation for battle. As his horse sailed forward, white wisps of clouds dispersed on four sides, making man and horse seem like a huge cloud floating past from afar.

The guards at the top of the post began shooting a rain of arrows at the intruders. Shuet Kam Tin threw his round hat forward, causing a spinning protection from the arrows.

Bo Ging Wan: "Death to anyone in my way!"

Lashing out Sweeping Cloud Palm's Sweeping Mountain Turning Oceans at the post's gates, Bo Ging Wan charged past the gates as it crumbled down.

Bo Ging Wan: "Lang But Fong, come out to meet your death!"

Bo Ging Wan's horse abruptly halts to a dead stop from the midst of charging. Because in front of them is a person, a body with an aura of killing that has shaken and stilled the horse.

Bo Ging Wan: "Useless beast! Die!"

Though his beloved mount, seeing that it retreated during battle, Bo Ging Wan would not spare it and landed a fatal blow to end its life.

In front is Lin Sheng Post's post master, Guan Chut.

Special clips from the comic translated and rendered by SPCNET. Click on the images below: