Chapter - 10 The Sabre Technique of the Golden Crow (1/2)

A'Xiu picked up the battered woodsman's cleaver and slowly executed a pose. Then, she brought the cleaver into a horizontal position before pushing it outwards. Finally, she sent the blade sweeping towards the left, drew it back and sent it stabbing diagonally into the right.

When the trio woke up the next morning, they ate several persimmons. Then, Shi Potian helped both Grandmother Shi and her grand-daughter to unblock yet another channel each on their bodies. Consequently, the women regained the use of their arms.

”Big Rice Dumpling,” said Grandmother Shi, ”there is a small lake here where crabs can be found. Go and catch some of these crabs. Although the crabs have not grown fat(1), eating them is still better than having persimmons day in and day out.”

However, Shi Potian was hesitant. ”It is not difficult to catch the crabs,” he said, ”but we do not have a way to cook them. Neither can we eat them raw.”

”How unbecoming!” said Grandmother Shi. ”How can a young and energetic man like you be so fearful of that ghastly old Ding Busan?”

”Even if we do not talk about Grandfather Ding Busan,” answered Shi Potian with a shake of his head, ”Ding Ding Dang Dang alone is already so much better than I. If they catch me, tie me up like a big rice dumpling again and throw be back into the river, it will be horrible.”

At this point, A'Xiu spoke up: ”Grandmother, this Elder Brother here is right. We should just endure our situation for the time being, and wait until all the channels in your body have been unblocked. Once your strength returns, we will no longer have to be afraid of Ding Busan and Ding Busi.”

”Hmmph, you make it sound as if this is a trivial matter,” replied Grandmother Shi with a snort. ”Can a person recover her strength as easily as she speaks? It will take at least ten days before all the channels on our bodies are unblocked. Then, we will need another eight months to a year before our strength returns in full. Are we really going to eat persimmons every day for the next twelve months? Besides, all the persimmons will be rotten in less than ten days.”

”Well, we do not have to worry about that,” said Shi Potian. ”I will go and pick some persimmons, and dry them in the sun. Then, with dried fruit to eat for a year or so, we will not starve to death.” After experiencing so many frustrating and incomprehensible difficulties and dangers in recent days, he felt that things might be better if he were to pass his days in peaceful seclusion at the cave. After all, this seemed to be a far safer and happier option.

”So you are willing to act like a tortoise that draws its head into its shell,” snapped Grandmother Shi angrily. ”But I will not do it. Besides, that scoundrel Ding Busi will extend his search to this island within a day or two. Then, you will not be able to act like a tortoise even if you wanted to. Big Rice Dumpling, what exactly is going on with you? Why do you possess such a rich reservoir of internal strength in vain, when you have not taken up any training in martial arts?”

”But I have really not taken any proper lessons from anyone,” answered Shi Potian, feeling somewhat embarrassed. ”Ding Ding Dang Dang taught me her Seizing Technique with eighteen moves, so it is only natural that I am unable to defeat her or her grandfather. As for the moves that Old Grandfather Ding Busi taught me, there is nothing among them that he does not already know.”

Suddenly, A'Xiu interrupted the exchange: ”Grandmother, why do you not give this Elder Brother here some pointers on a few moves? If he learns your pugilistic techniques and defeats Ding Busi after that, would that not be more glorious than seizing victory in your own hands?”

Grandmother Shi did not reply. Instead, she fixed her eyes on Shi Potian and stared hard at him. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with terrible viciousness and hate. Her hands began to quiver, as if they were about to grab Shi Potian and have him bitten to death.

Frightened, the young man stood up and backed away. ”Old Madame,” he said, ”you ... you ...”

Ignoring him, Grandmother Shi spoke to her grand-daughter in a stern voice: ”A'Xiu, take another look at him. Is the resemblance not there?”

A'Xiu's large eyes turned themselves on to Shi Potian's face, but the expression in them was a lot more gentle and amiable. ”Grandmother,” said the young woman, ”the resemblance exists, but ... but he is definitely not the one. If he ... he had a tenth of this Elder Brother's honesty and kindness, he would not have ... would not have ...”

The resentful glint in Grandmother Shi's eyes subsided. With a snort of disgust, she said, ”Althought he is not the one, there is still too much resemblance between them. I will certainly not teach him anything.”

Almost at once, Shi Potian understood: Yes, she thought that I am the other Shi Potian. That Clan-Leader Shi has certainly offended a lot of people, for there are actually so many people under the sun who hate him. If I see him in the future, I should really give him some advice.

Just then, he heard Grandmother Shi ask: ”Is your surname Shi?”

”No!” answered Shi Potian, shaking his head. ”Everyone says that I am Clan-Leader Shi from the Clan of Eternal Happiness, but I am actually not. Not even by the slightest bit. Sigh, I have repeated this many times, but no one believes me.” He heaved a long sigh in deep frustration.

”I believe that you are not,” said A'Xiu in a quiet voice.

”You really do?” asked Shi Potian, raising his voice in delight. ”That ... that is excellent! You are the only one who believes me!”

”You are a good man,” said A'Xiu. ”He ... he is a bad one. Both of you are totally different.”

Grabbing the young woman's hands in a moment of impulse, Shi Potian said, ”Thank you very much! Thank you very much! Thank you very much!” In recent days, everyone he met had assumed that he was Clan-Leader Shi, so much so that he had no way to start explaining otherwise. Now, he felt just like a wrongly-accused prisoner who had been given a sudden exoneration by the Great Master Qingtian and his Mirror of Understanding(2), for as he thanked A'Xiu profusely, tears of gratitude fell from his eyes and on to the young woman's slim and fair hands.

A'Xiu turned red with embarrassment, yet she could not bear to pull her hands away from Shi Potian's grasp.

”If you are, you are,” said Grandmother Shi in a cold voice. ”If you are not, you are not. How unbecoming for a man to weep and wail!”

”Yes!” said Shi Potian. As he raised a hand to wipe his tears, he suddenly realised that he was still holding on to A'Xiu's hands. Shocked, he quickly said, ”I amd sorry, I am sorry!” As he released her hands, he added, ”I ... I ... I am going to pick more persimmons.” He ran straight off, not daring to cast another look at the young woman.

When Grandmother Shi saw how awkward Shi Potian felt, as well as how genuine the awkwardness was, she could not help but be amused. ”So he is not,” she said with a sigh. ”If that little beast who is surnamed Shi had but a tenth of Big Rice Dumpling's honesty and kindness, he would not have ... sigh!”

Before long, rustling sounds could be heard among the trees outside the cave. Shi Potian rushed up, looking pale and panicky. ”Oh no ...,” he said in a trembling voice, ”we are in a terrible mess!”

”Why?” asked Grandmother Shi. ”What is wrong? Has Ding Busan seen you?”

Shi Potian complied and went into the wood to look for another branch, after looking around for a while; he saw a rusted saber used for cutting firewood under a tree. He quickly bent down to pick it up to find out that the hilt had already decayed and the saber had many chips. It seemed to pretty old and a bit heavy too. Holding the saber, he told himself; ”This black saber is rusty, but it's still better than those tree branches.” He pulled out what's left of the old handle, picked up a tree branch nearby, squeezed it into the hilt to get a makeshift grip and walked back in high spirit.

Grandma Shi and A'Xiu saw this rusted handle and rotten hatchet and were unable to restrain their laugh.

A'Xiu smiled and said: ”Grandma, this expensive saber has cut the big mountain and now this treasured saber will be used to teach senior disciple martial arts…quite an irony.

Grandma Shi said: ”what's the irony? Our golden phoenix school will reign over all the wulin, it will rule the realm of river and lakes and by this handle….this handle of the treasured sword...Ha!” As she spoke the word ”Treasured sword”, she herself can't stop from smiling. All the three people started laughing.

Granny Shi smiled and said: ”Well remember, the first move of Golden phoenix skill is called 'to ask for trouble' ”. She picked up a short branch, slowly took a posture and said ”I cannot move my hands and feet quickly but you actually have to move them fast, the faster the better”.

Shi Potian looked at the hatchet and moved it accordingly adjusting to its model very quickly and making loud sound of the wind out of saber.

Grandma Shi nods and said: ”very good, so familiar, but you have to do it again and quicker.

This mode of 'to ask for trouble' is used to restraint the snow mountain sect's move of `green pines to receive a guest '. They are hypocritical in receiving a guest; we while on the other hand we are direct and even welcome the thief, will probably bow to salute an opposite party salute, when actually in heart think of them as bandits and thieves.

The second move `Snow Blossom meets the summer ' is to restrain ` Snow Blossom to struggle the spring ' move. To tackle this snowy mountain sword technique 'the plum blossom five petals', or also called 'snowflake six', we can use 'Snow Blossom meets the summer'.

Now what power and prestige does the plum blossom, Snowflake have against summer?”

This move of swordsmanship `Snow Blossom struggles the spring ' is really complicated, Shi Potian has seen this move from Bai Wanjian, the sword's luminance ,its big power and influence, however he had not learnt it in the temple of the village god. The moves of saber skill 'Snow Blossom meets the summer' lies in three saber thrusts, then next three saber swipe downwards, then three saber strokes on left and right, including chops in succession, here one pays no attention to opposite party sword however it changes, and subdues it by an overwhelming power, ruthless strength and dispels the complicated sword move of the opposite party, exactly like a hot summer day does to snowflake on its arrival.

That third move is called the 'thousand honored pressure camels', it restrains the snowy mountain sect's move 'camel next to west'; The fourth move of `sea sinks the sand ' is to restrain the `sandstorm to be luxuriant '; The fifth move of `scorching red date ' restrains the `moonlight pale yellow ', next move is to win darkly by the light; Seventh move of `falls in with bad company' restrains the `dark fragrant sparse shade '.

Each move of saber skill has a strange name, is in sharp opposition all with a snowy mountain sword's move name and although the name were strange, saber skills actually was very fine and wonderful.

Shi Potian was illiterate, doesn't knew a character, all these name of saber skill moves were mostly from the book of idioms, he naturally didn't not understand, also cannot remember , he only tried to memorize the saber stances, their positions and the hand signal attentively. Granny Shi spoke but hand movements were really slow, Shi Potian couldn't grasp it clearly so he stopped and adjusted. Although he has seen the sword skill in temple of village god, here the difficulty was of course at entirely different level.

After Grandma Shi had given 18 strokes, she had a sense of fatigue and rested immediately, turning a blind eye and let Shi Potian to practice. After some time she passed 18 more strokes. By evening she had passed all the 72 moves meanwhile she also taught the rest of the 9 moves he forgot (of Snow Mountain Sect).

Grandma Shi said: ”the Snow Mountain sect's sword skill has 72 moves, as soon as my Golden Phoenix School will send its martial-arts everywhere to win we will have actually 73 moves. Our 73 moves will break their 72 moves; this is the last move, look carefully to understand. She said and took a branch unhurriedly held it vertically from top as well as bottom and hacked it in two in parts and said ”When you use this move, you must do it without fail and jump in the air and divide it straight with your body”. She taught him how to jump vertically, how to transport force and how to block opposite party to run away and escape.

Shi Potian meditates for half of the day, in accordance with the move taught, jumped, brandished a sword from the midair and divided straight down and shouted, the saber pointing towards the ground, it stopped after it gets about a third of meter inside the earth, dust and sand flies upwards, the withered grass and fallen leaf is stirred up all round by the saber wind and started dancing round and round it with surprising power.

As soon as Shi Potian completed the move and managed to stand, he saw Grandma Shi, she had a look of deathly pale, and he turned the head to look at A'Xiu, and actually saw a pair of big drop of tears in her eyes, obviously looking very sad. Shi Potian lip's stammered: ”my this move …Is this not correct”?

Grandma Shi did not spoke for the moment, beckons with her hand said: ”Right”,

Stayed for a while, and then said: ”this move is very formidable and may not be used lightly in order to avoid accidental injuries to the good people.”

Shi Potian said: ”yes, yes! Good people should not be injured.”

That entire night he (Shi Potian) in between his sleep tossed and turned gesticulating the 73 moves of saber skills in the heart, actually preparing for the powerful enemy who were searching him outside. Fortunately this Azure Mist island although is not that big area wise, is actually surrounded by numerous overgrown trees, and the mountain trails were very many, so Bai Wanjian didn't found them and left near 1'oclock.

On the second morning dawn, he (Shi Potian) got up and practiced his saber skills, practiced the 73rd move straight thrust, the vertical leap midair, a saber split and got down, this time with formidable power, the saber wind hit ground creating sound of something being struck or falling to the ground with loud booming voice.

A'Xiu heard only at her back and said: ”Shi ......Brother Shi, you get up early in the morning.”

Shi Potian turned around, and saw her leaning against a stone, a pair of wonderful eyes staring at him and said: ”you are also early.”

A'Xiu face turned a bit red, she said: ”I was thinking of taking a walk in the forest, good for health, will you accompany me, is it fine?

Shi Potian said: ”Well, the meridians of your body are blocked and they need more activity.”

They both walked side by side immediately in to the forest, entered the deep woods, this time the sunlight has not yet reached entirely, the forest was filled with the mist giving a surreal look to the ambience, the grass, the trees, A'Xiu body, her face covered with a gauze. In the forest silences reigns, only two people tread above the dried grass, exuding a very slow rustle.

Suddenly, Shi Potian heard several sobs on his side; he turned his head, only to see A'Xiu sobbing, the crystal clear teardrops flowing off slowly from her cheeks. Shi Potian was startled, asked: ”A'Xiu girl, you ......Why do you cry?”

A'Xiu didn't answer, walked several steps, caught a tree hand and cried even more sadly.

Shi Potian said: ”why? Has Grandma Shi scolded you?”

A'Xiu shakes her head.

Shi Potian also asked: ”Are you feeling uncomfortable, is that it?”

A'Xiu shakes her head again.

Shi Potian asked 7-8 types of reasons, A'Xiu only shake the head. All of sudden he had no idea, in the past all the females he met like his mother, Shi Jian, Ding Dang, Hua Wan Zi and so on, all were straightforward character or from older generation, Shi Madame Min Rou her manner was temperate and naturally dignified too, but he never saw any one like A'Xiu, a charming bashful girl. In reality he did not know how to deal with this. A'Xiu sobbed more, he got flustered and said: ”for what matter?

You said to me, okay?”said A'Xiu. She said ”is ......is ......You ......You are not good, you ......You ......Must ask!”

Shi Potian was shocked and thought ”have done I something wrong, she already said that is he is not good, He said gently to A'Xiu with respect ”A'Xiu, you told me that I

am a fool, and has done wrong things, didn't knew really and should die seriously ”

A'Xiu looked from her tearful eyes over his shoulders and said:” Last night I saw a dream, very scary, you ... ... you ... you ... were so fierce to me!”, having said that, the tears flow like a broken string pearls falling down.

Shi Potian said:” I'm tough on you”

A Xiu: ”yes ah, I dreamed of you; that I will be killed from the Golden Phoenix saber's 73rd move.”

Shi Potian startled, clenched his fist and struck his chest and said after a moment: ”Damn, damn! I am frightened of your dream.”

A'Xiu smiled through her tears and said: ”Brother Shi, that was my dream obviously you cannot blame yourself. Shi Potian saw her cheeks glistening with tears but a smile appeared tender, full of life, he cannot help himself looking at her like an imbecile.

A'Xiu face turned red, felt a slight shiver and said: ”My dreams are often accurate; I am afraid that in future you really use this move against us and will kill me.

Shi Potian shakes his head again and again, said: ” It is impossible to even think that I will kill you, let alone to kill you, no way, instead you must kill me, I ......I will not fight back.”

A'Xiu looked at her and said: ”if I must kill you, why won't you fight back?”

Shi Potian put out a hand to scratch his head, laughed foolishly and said: ”I think ......I think that no matter what you want me to do I would to be obedient you and listen to your words. You must really kill me. If you will not kill me, you won't be happy. So it's better for you to kill me”

A'Xiu felt perplexed after listening and thought that his words are sincere and is really stemming from the bottom of one's heart; cannot help but in the heart felt grateful, said: ”you ......why are you so good to me?”

Shi Potian said: ”As long as you are happy, I just can't say how fond of you I am. A'Xiu I….I really want to look at you like this for the rest of my life.” He said those words as he thought in his heart. A'Xiu although younger than his age was more versed in worldly affairs and thought that he was actually asking him to accompany him for his life, like a family member. She was unable to restrain, her whole face turned red including her neck.

For a long time, no one said a word. After a while, A'Xiu whispered: ”I know you

are a good man, not to mention it also happened in that ship, we were ... ... ... ... we were in same bed, I ... ... I would rather die but will not go to another person. ”

She meant that the heavens had made the plans for them to meet, your whole body was tied up, and you ended up in my bedding that night, actually these words were too shameful to speak, when she said `we were in same bed ' , the sound was barely audible.

Shi Potian didn't realize that her words were vows for living together and kind of treaty of alliance, but he knew she was well aware of his good heart, felt ecstatic and said suddenly: ”If on this island only your paternal grandmother and us, we three people are there, we may forever live in here, but alas Bai Wanjian, Grandpa Ding Busi are also here so we have to live in fear.”

A'Xiu looked up and said: ”Ding Busi, Bai Wanjian, I do not fear them but actually I only fear that you will kill me in the future.”

Shi Potian said anxiously: ”I rather first kill myself, before causing any injury to even your little finger.”

A'Xiu brought her left hand, looked at her own palm, by now the sunlight has entered in to the forest through the leaves, she saw few of her fingers transparent such as agate. Shi Potian can not help but took her hand, kissed on her lips.

A'Xiu made ”ah” sound, all of a sudden withdraws her hand, felt all her limbs weak, relying upon a tree, panting for breath.

Shi Potian anxiously said: ”A'Xiu girl, you should not be offended. I ......I ......I did not want to offend you. I will not dare next time, really wont dare again.” A'Xiu saw him to be anxious, sweat flowing from his left hand and said: ”you have not offended me. Next time ......next time.....don't dare.”

Shi Potian felt great happiness, his heart thumping madly, grasped her delicate little hands tenderly again but did not dare to kiss her again.

A'Xiu rested bit and said: ”Although my grandmother and I have made you to unblock the meridians, but I do not know what time or year can we return.

Shi Potian didn't take much of it as some merit or achievement and just for idle talk said:” We only hope that Grandpa Ding Busi does not find us, then it doesn't matter if your grandmother regains her strength or not.”

A'Xiu said: ”how is your grandmother, my grandmother? She is the Master of the Golden Phoenix School and your master and you even don't call her master.”

Shi Potian:” yes, yes. I am not used to call her that. A'Xiu girl ..Tell me how to call you?”

A'Xiu with her cheeks red, said: ”you should call me 'A'Xiu younger sister ' and then I can call you a 'Big Brother' '.”

But in the end her face eventually became tender, said: ”you can call me `A'Xiu ', but what do I call you?”

Shi Potian said: ”you can call me anything”.

A'Xiu said with a smile: ”I will call you big steamed rice dumpling, are you angry?”

Shi Potian says with a smile: ”It is good….very good, why would I be angry?”

A'Xiu cried in her sweet and delicate voice: ”Big steamed rice dumpling!”

Shi Potian said: ”A'Xiu”. Both looked at each other to smile with joy in the hearts that can not put into words.

Shi Potian said: ”Are you too tired to stand, let's sit down and talk.”

Now the two sat side by side under a tree. A'Xiu long hairs were hanging by her shoulder and as the sunlight falls on her dark hair it shimmered with a little flash. Her hairs on the right side stroked Shi Potian on his chest, Shi Potian took her hand and combed gently with her fingers.

A Xiu: ”big brother steamed rice dumpling, if I have not met you, Grandma and I have been drowned in the Yangtze River in it, then where would have been a moment like this.

Shi Potian said:” If you were not going through the boat then I would have drowned in the Yangtze River even before you. Everyone should look for moment like this in his life, to be happy, why study martial arts to hit me, I hit you, harm other people. It's really sad.

I do not understand really.”

A'Xiu said: ”One has to certainly study martial arts. In this world there are many unprincipled person, even if you do not hit them still they come to hit you. Even to get hit lets say is fine but to get killed is unacceptable. Steamed rice dumpling elder brother, I want to ask you something?”

Shi Potian said: ”of course! You can ask me anything, I'll do that.”

A'Xiu said: ”my paternal grandmother's Golden Phoenix blade skill, indeed is very fierce, your internal energy is also strong, after completing your practice, in the martial arts world a very few some people are your match. However I am very much worried about one matter, you are upright honest however in jiang hu a lot of people have heart set on evil cheats, these unprincipled people will cause the trick to harm you, you will definitely suffer a great deal. Therefore I ask you be little firm to your enemies.”

Shi Potian nods said: ”you are good for me; I am willing to listen to your words.”

A thin layer of blush panned over A'Xiu face, she said: ”In the future, do not say that you will not listen to me. You said yourself and must follow. It is not a joke on you; you said it with the spirit of a real man.” She paused and said: ”I look at this Golden Phoenix blade skill grandmother is teaching you; this move is really sinister to kill,

In future if someone offends there will be many deaths as a result.”

Shi Potian got alarmed and afraid, said: ”you said rightly, it would be better for me to not study this set of blade skills, ask your paternal grandmother to do not teach it to others.”

A'Xiu shook her head and said: ”She has ability to use these blade skills, not the others. Furthermore, regardless of what martial arts, it will definitely kill other people. If it cannot kill then it is not martial arts. Where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them; anyone can make mistakes, forgive them when possible.”

Shi Potian said: ”Where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them; anyone can make mistakes, forgive them when possible, A'Xiu well said, you are really smart, these words are very good.

A'Xiu smiles and said ”I am really smart, come to think so ...these are the lines from a poem actually.

Shi Potian asks: ”what poem?” He did not even know a character or word, so how would he know about poetry.

A'Xiu saw a look of surprise in his eyes so she thought he did not really understood; so she said: ”I want you to forgive others but in the martial arts world, lots of people are sinister and cheat, if you are not careful, opposite party will seize the opportunity to execute plots that might harm you. Elder brother, I know a move, it is very subtle and might help in future. Let me show you.”

She took the rotten blade from Shi Potian and stood up slowly, took a posture, with the blade in horizontal position, the saber pointed towards left, took a swipe and then immediately dragged it towards right, then instead of chopping towards right all of sudden stabbed it straight downwards.

Shi Potian saw her in this beautiful posture, her cloth belt floating, and

the attitude wonderful. Nothing can be compared to see this frail delicate girl using the blade so gracefully. He was so relaxed and spirited that he didn't even remember the blade strokes.

A'Xiu recovered her sword stance, stepped back two steps, withdrew the blade and said: ”To retrieve the blade afterwards, it's necessary to incite your internal energy and protect yourself from both right and left for a sneak attack by the enemy.

Shi Potian was ecstatic, lost in his own thoughts barely heard what she said.

A'Xiu asked: ”what? This move is good isn't it?”

Shi Potian stumped for words, said: ”This ......This ......”

A'Xiu said in anger: ”I know that you are the eldest disciple of Golden Phoenix sect, it was pretty stupid of me to show you my three legged cat skills.

Shi Potian panicked for a moment and said quickly: ”I am sorry, I looked at you and you looked really attractive, forgot to see the blade move, Can you show me again, A'Xiu guniang (guniang: young girl/Miss)”

A'Xiu feigns anger, said: ”show you again…you called me A'Xiu guniang”.

Shi Potian extended it hand to strike his forehead and said: ”I should die, I always forget…A'Xiu, A'Xiu, please show me again”.

She said with a smile: ”Fine, but don't ask me to do it a third time.”

She repeated the moves, taking the correct posture and with the blade in horizontal position, the saber pointed towards left, took a swipe and thrusts it downwards.

This time Shi Potian was well awake and remembered her hand movements, her steps, blade position and the entire stance etched in his mind.

Afterwards A'Xiu urged him to take the blade and encouraged him to try these moves. He already had remembered these moves by heart so repeated them exactly.

A'Xiu saw him immediately grasping this move and was overjoyed in her heart.

She said approvingly: ”Elder brother, you are really intelligent; you just need the intent and can learn anything very quickly. This move of blade skill is called 'To make a veiled attack'. The blade edge arrives and then the internal energy and the other details.

Shi Potian said: ”This move was very good, goes right and then left, moves up and down unpredictably; for a enemy it virtually impossible to guard against.”

A'Xiu said: ”This is the beauty of this trick and forgive. In a martial art contest as soon as any move is executed, it either kills its opponent or injures him badly. However during this move your body arches back so even if you are fierce still it won't kill the opponent or badly injure him.

Shi Potian saw her leaning on the tree with her shoulders and tiring herself, said: ”you are tired and you should sit down.”

A'Xiu folded her knees to kneel down slowly and sat on her heels and asked: ”Have you heard me?

Shi Potian said: ”yes I heard. This move is called ”knocks…side knocks”. (Some play of words although he was listening attentively still was illiterate and name was derived from an idiom so made the mistake).

A'Xiu said: ”Well, you are distracted; don't look at me.”

Although she remarked jokingly, Shi Potian turned his head and no longer saw her.

A'Xiu smiled and said: ”this move is called `to make a veiled attack '. Eldest brother, in the martial arts world, popular figures are mostly good people. To become famous person one can get injured, but if one gets defeated more often then not he dies because of loss of reputation. Therefore in a martial arts contest disputes, person should be conservative. If you had already won, then you might as well use this move, other people get dazzled but afterward withdraw two step and take back the pointed weapons, even if some people are looking, they won't know that who won and who lost.

This way your opponent can save his face and you can win his respect. If you speak one or two speeches of flattery such as: 'Your Excellency, your sword skill is exquisite, really you. Today, victory or defeat will be hard to distinguish, so in light of this why don't we stop and everybody become friends'. As soon as such words come opponent understands that you are yielding intentionally and actually don't want to injure his reputation. Then he would be friendly with you”.

Shi Potian listened carefully in admiration and said: ”A'Xiu, you are young in age but how can you understand so much things. This method is really good.”

A'Xiu said with a smile: ”I said don't and here now again you are looking at me”.

Shi Potian had turned his head, he saw only her cheeks and saw her grinning and looking at him, he can't help his heart to sway in ecstasy.

A'Xiu said ”What do I know; I see adults people doing things, listen to them a lot.”

Shi Potian said: ”I should try it again so I don't forget”. Then he leaped immediately and executed the move 'To make a veiled attack'.

A'Xiu nodded saying: ”Perfect, you haven't missed a single stance”.

Shi Potian sat next to her. A'Xiu sighed suddenly, said: ”Eldest brother, I taught you this move of `to make a veiled attack ', but do not say to paternal grandmother.”

Shi Potian said: ”I will not say about it, I know that your grandmother might not happy.”

A'Xiu said: ”How do you know grandma will not be happy?”

Shi Potian said: ”you are not a disciple of Golden Phoenix sect and if I a disciple of this school learn martial art from others naturally she won't like it.”

As soon as Arab League embroiders smiled, said: ”Golden Phoenix school and my school are nothing but same; just a mirror reflection. My Grandma acts sometimes like child.”

Shi Potian said: ”I know that your Grandma has really a little child's temperament. Grandpa Ding Busi asked her to go to the blue spiral island, go there and that's the end, so why also lead you to throw in the river with her?

Blue Spiral Island might have been un-amusing but that's not that important. Actually Ding Busi Grandpa is very good to your Grandma but she scolds him unceasingly and he was not angry. Your Grandma is very good but actually ominous to him.”

A'Xiu said with a smile: ”you spoke malicious remarks about your master behind back, I will take care that she knows about it, then she will pull out your muscle, peel your skin.”

Although Shi Potian saw her to smile saying it, actually in his heart was somewhat alarmed, and anxiously said: ”I will not say next time.”