Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain by Jin Yong by Jin Yong Read Free Book Online

Hearing this behind him, Hawk sprang onto a boulder, sparing both Century and Peace. He made sure that his back was well guarded before turning round to examine the situation further.
    "Go!" cried Valour, leaping forward.
    Curio lashed out his arm and three poisoned darts whizzed towards Peace in no time. Anticipating this move of his, Sign speedily straightened herself and knocked into Curio's left shoulder just as the darts were dispatched. Curio faltered and snarled, "What the devil!" All the darts missed their mark and fell point downward in the snow.
    Fortune had also intended the poisoned darts for Hawk but Sign's cry had alerted him of the danger. He was nimble-witted and there was no way in which Fortune could get him. "Property to the rightful owner!" shouted Valour, as he plunged the five hook-like fingers of his left hand into Peace's eyes, while the five fingers of his right hand took a tight grip on the iron box.
    Hawk planted his staves upright and began to battle with Fortune who fenced with a long sword. They had already met at the banquet hosted by Pastoral Tian and had discovered they were each adept in the martial arts. After practising a few tricks, each commanded the other's respect.
    Radiant now rushed at Prime, raising his sword. Sign had engaged Third in another battle, thus there was the clashing and clanging of Sign's single blade upon Third's twin knives. Curio whirled his flashing long sword. But instead of attacking Century who remained unengaged nearby, he aimed a terrible stroke at Peace's chest. He was lashing fast and furious, following his sword very closely and practising the Rainbow Piercing the Fireball.
    Being unarmed, Peace had to let go of the metal box. He leapt backward and dodged. He crouched to reach for the single sword, then spun around and whipped out his weapon. Valour was holding the box tightly in his left hand; his face darkened as he bellowed with rage, "Sirrah! You murdered your father-in-law simply because you had set eyes on the heirloom of our Dragon Lodge."
    "That is a lie!" boomed Peace. "Who says I killed my father- in-law?" He charged on fiercely, slashing ferociously as he wanted to get the box back quickly.
    Once the iron box fell into the hands of Valour, the Seven Stars Hand, there was little chance that anybody could grab it from him; Peace did not stand a chance. Valour's brawny palms were enough to scare anybody off, even if Curio were not there fencing with his sword ready to aid him.
    "Listen, Valour," cried Century. "The box was handed personally to my son by Pastoral Tian, his father-in-law. It is a fact that you have to accept." He roared and thundered as he whirled his rod and lashed mighty blows on Valour's skull. Valour bounded a few yards at a leap and landed beside Sign. He raised the box and flourished it at Third. She ducked away from it fearing that barbs might again fly from it. But this time Valour was just trying to frighten her. He passed the box to Sign the moment she had thrown off her opponents.
    "Guard the box! Let me take care of the enemies," ordered Valour.
    Now that the box had left his hands, Valour spun around and engaged Century. Valour was considered champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. Century struck mighty and furious strokes with his rod, but was forced to retreat by his weaponless opponent. Prime, who had already been caught in the shoulder by an arrow, was cornered by Radiant fencing with his long sword; Prime could not free himself to extract the arrow. The weapon stayed in the wound and inflicted excruciating pain over half of his body the minute he exerted himself. As for Hawk and Fortune, the battle raged on between them with neither gaining any advantage.
    Carrying the box in her hands, Sign practised levitational arts and made all speed in a northeasterly direction. Peace raised his blade to rain blows on Curio, but the latter shielded himself with an uplifted sword. Suddenly Peace lowered his blade, spun