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

around and rushed after Sign.
    Curio was furious and speedily joined in the pursuit. A few paces on, Third sprang from the brambles on the side, flourishing her twin knives and Curio was waylaid by her. He became careless and only managed to escape a series of deadly moves by a hair's breadth. Though Third was no adept in martial arts, she was thoroughly trained in one whole series of moves for fencing with knives—the Iron Bolt. Practising any of the thirty-six moves in this series, she was able to shield herself against any advancing opponent. Even if her assailant were proficient in martial arts, he still would have difficulty striking her. In his attack, Curio resorted to switching quickly to three different styles of attack with the sword, but failed in all attempts.
    Sign had covered one third of a mile in her flight. She was pleased to find Peace pursuing her so closely and after skirting a mountainside, she stood still and addressed Peace, neither angrily nor smilingly. "Why do you chase me?"
    "Sister, let us join league against those filthy outlaws." pleaded Peace. "What comes between us can be easily settled."
    "Who is your sister?" demanded Sign. "Why did you plot against my father?"
    Suddenly Peace fell to his knees on the snowy ground, and pointing towards the open sky, he vowed, "I swear to the God high above: if I, Peace Tao, ever plotted against Pastoral Tian, old Grand Master of the Dragon Lodge, may I be transfixed by millions of arrows and my corpse be cut into slivers."
    Hearing him, Sign let out a smile, held him by the arm and said softly, "I long to believe it was not you. I knew it could not have been you. But they ... they ..."
    Peace sprang up, held her left hand tight, and said,
    "Sister ...." He got no further than this when the colour suddenly drained from her face, alerting him that someone was behind him. Quickly, he turned around.
    "You two!" bellowed a voice. "What deceitful tricks are you up to?"
    "What do you mean deceitful tricks? Take care what you say," retorted Sign.
    Curio was approaching.
    "Brother Curio," cried Peace, "Please do not misunderstand."
    Curio rolled his eyes wide and bawled out, "Misunderstand? To the devil with you!" Thereupon, he whirled his blade and struck fiercely in every direction, forcing Peace to parry the blows with his sword.
    The two fought several bouts on the snow when Third was heard approaching in full speed.
    "Ill-gotten wench!" roared Curio. "All this badgering and pestering!"
    He then dealt a backhand blow which she warded off with her left knife while returning a stroke with her right.
    "Third," called out Peace, "Let us join league against the boorish fellow, and kill him."
    Practising the move known as Moving the Beam and Swapping the Pole, Peace now pretended to raise his left hand, and with his right, he stole the blade to the side and dealt Curio a backhand stroke. Curio was fighting alone against two but showed no sign of fear; he wanted to show off his swordsmanship in front of the woman he loved. He attacked from the side and succeeded in forcing his opponent to go on the defensive.
    "Marvellous swordplay!" applauded Peace.
    Immediately he ducked and practising Advancing to Pull the Trigger, he struck at Curio's loin. Third calculated that Curio would definitely ward off the blow holding up his sword, thereby rendering his upper trunk vulnerable. Seizing this good opportunity, she lashed her twin knives on his shoulders. But she had miscalculated Peace's move. Flourishing his blade, Peace halted halfway and switched suddenly to practising Retreating to Smite the Horse. He twisted his wrist and dealt her a blow on the thigh.
    Adepts far more proficient in martial arts than Third would have found it difficult to ward off such a blow. The wound on her thigh caused her excruciating pain and she staggered and fell back on the ground. Peace strode one pace and raised his blade to strike, aiming at her neck. Suddenly, Curio's long sword came whizzing,