Huang Rong saw Ouyang Feng carry his mud-drenched nephew to the sh.o.r.e, his face was beaming happily from ear to ear but never uttering any word reflecting his thankfulness to Guo Jing and herself. She pulled the sleeve of Guo Jing’s clothes and they returned to the cave together.
Guo Jing saw that Huang Rong had a worried expression on her face and asked her, “What are you thinking about?” Huang Rong replied, “I am thinking about three very difficult things.” Guo Jing replied, “You are an intelligent person who always has a way to solve problems.” Huang Rong gave a very light laugh; but a moment later her eyebrows were creased again.
Hong Qigong then opened his mouth to speak, “The first matter really does not matter much. The second and third matters actually cause people to be at a loss of what to do.”
Guo Jing then said, “Wow! You really are amazing! How would you know about the three matters that she is thinking about?”
Hong Qigong replied, “I simply guessed her thoughts. The first matter is how to cure my injury. There is no doctor, medicine and a person with good internal energy here to help me. The Old Beggar can always accept my fate with resignation. Whether I live or die in not of the most important matter now. The second matter is how to defend ourselves from the poisonous hand of Ouyang Feng. This person’s martial art is really solid. The two of you are definitely not his match. The third matter is how we can return to the mainland. Rong’er, am I right or wrong?”
Huang Rong replied, “Yes, at present the most pressing matter is to think of a way to discourage the Old Poison from acting so ruthlessly.”
Hong Qigong said, “In short, we must have a battle of wits with him. The Old Poison may be cunning but he is completely conceited; so conceited that it won’t be difficult to fool him. However, after he has been tricked, he will immediately adapt from the changes followed by a very severe counterattack.”
Two people gave a deep thought. Huang Rong started to think that the enemy’s skill is difficult to differentiate against her father’s and teacher’s. Even if her father were there, he would not necessarily defeat him; how she could she fight him? It seemed like if they could not take his life in one stroke, it would only make him committing more evil deeds.
Hong Qigong suddenly felt pin in his chest and coughed loudly. Huang Rong immediately helped him to lie down. Suddenly a shadow was blocking the sunlight at the mouth of the cave. She raised her head up to see Ouyang Feng carrying his nephew making a hissing sound saying, “Get out all of you! Let me have this cave for my nephew to heal his injury!”
Guo Jing was very angry; he jumped out and said, “This place belongs to my master!”
Ouyang Feng coldly replied, “Even if the Jade Emperor lives here, he must go away!”
Guo Jing furiously tried to answer him, but Huang Rong pulled Guo Jing’s sleeve. She stooped down to help Hong Qigong up and left the cave.
While pa.s.sing by Ouyang Feng’s side, Hong Qigong opened his eyes and said with a mocking smile, “Impressive power! Very deathly!”
Ouyang Feng’s face turned red. He could have Hong Qigong died violently with just a stroke of his palm, but for some reason he was overwhelmed by Hong Qigong’s righteous air. He shivered and did not answer this insult. He turned his head to avoid Hong Qigong’s penetrating gaze and said, “Come back and deliver us something to eat! If you two small creatures mess with the food, just watch out for your three lives.”
The three of them went down the hill. Guo Jing cursed incessantly, while Huang Rong was deep in thoughts and did not say anything. Guo Jing said, “Master please rest here while I go and look for a suitable place to rest.”
Huang Rong helped Hong Qigong to sit down properly by a big pine tree when she spotted two squirrels hurriedly climbing up the tree trunk then immediately climbing back down again only a few feet from her; watching the two people with their small round eyes. Huang Rong was fascinated; she picked a pine cone and held it out. One of the squirrels came near to sniff at the cone, and used its front paws to slowly pull the cone away. The other squirrel boldly climbed Hong Qigong’s sleeve. Huang Rong sighed and said, “n.o.body has been here before. Look at the two squirrels, not afraid of humans at all.”
As the squirrels heard Huang Rong’s voice they scurried up the tree. Huang Rong looked up the tree and saw dense leaves growing from the branches of the pine tree. The leaves formed a canopy and the top of the tree was full with green cane. Huang Rong suddenly got an idea and called out, “Brother Jing, no need to look anymore. Let’s go on top of the tree.”
Guo Jing stopped and looked up the pine tree. The tree is indeed a wonderful place as a shelter. Two people folded some branches and made a platform. Then with each of them on either side, they propped Hong Qigong in between and shouted, “Heave!” they flew up and put Hong Qigong safely on the platform they just made.
Huang Rong laughed and said, “We are living on branches like birds. Let them live in caves like beasts.”
Guo Jing then said, “Rong’er, do you want to send them food or not?”
Huang Rong said, “Since I cannot think of any wonderful plan and defeat the Old Poison at the moment, I think we’d better comply with his request.” Guo Jing grumbled incessantly.
Two people went behind the mountain and managed to catch a wild goat. They then made a fire to roast the goat. The roasted goat was then ripped into two. Huang Rong took a piece of the meat and threw it to the ground and said, “Urinate on top of the meat!”
Guo Jiang laughed, “They will find out.”
Huang Rong said, “Don’t you bother about that; just do it.”
Guo Jing blushed and said, “I can’t do it!”
Huang Rong asked, “Why?”
Guo Jing mumbled, “I cannot urinate with you beside me.” Huang Rong burst out in laughter.
From the top of the tree Hong Qigong called out, “Throw the meat up! I will urinate on it myself!” Guo Jing took the meat, laughed and leaped up to the platform so that Hong Qigong can urinate on that mutton. Hong Qigong urinated a lot on the mutton. He laughed out loud and carried the mutton to the cave.
Huang Rong called out, “No! Take this one.”
Guo Jing scratched his head and said, “This is the clean one.”
Huang Rong said, “That’s right. We are going to give them the clean mutton.”
Guo Jing was confused, but he usually listened to whatever Huang Rong said. He turned around and took the clean mutton. Huang Rong took the urine-soaked meat and put it back on the fire while she went out to pick edible wild fruits. Hong Qigong did not understand Huang Rong’s plan and was upset. He drooled over the mutton, but the only one left was the one smeared with his own urine. He has no choice but to be patient.
The roasted mutton released a very good aroma. Inside his cave Ouyang Feng had smelled the wonderful aroma of the meat. Without waiting for Guo Jing to arrive he went out the cave and s.n.a.t.c.hed the meat while his face was showing how pleased he was at the moment. But then a thought came into his mind. “Where is the other half?” he asked. Guo Jing pointed his finger backward.