is the first time we ever meet. As far as our capacity allows, you can ask us for anything.”

Mr. Bald-Brush also said, “You lost all your inner strength most probably because of a severe injury. I have a very intimate friend whose medical skills are almost godlike. Only that he is kind of eccentric and wouldn’t take in patients easily. But for my sake, I am sure he’d be willing to treat you. The ‘Killer Doctor’ Ping One-Finger and I have been good friends….”

“Did you say Ping One-Finger, Doctor Ping?” Linghu Chong cried out involuntarily.

“That’s right. You’ve heard of his name before, haven’t you?” Mr. Bald-Brush answered.

“Doctor Ping passed away on the Five-Tyrant Ridge in Shandong Province several months ago.” Linghu Chong’s voice turned gloomy.

“What?” Mr. Bald-Brush cried out in shock. “He…he died?”

“He could have cured any disease in the world. How come he wasn’t able to cure his own illness? Oh, was he killed by his personal enemy?” Mr. Paint asked.

Linghu Chong shook his head. He had always felt ashamed of himself for the death of Ping One-Finger.

“Doctor Ping checked my pulse right before he passed away. He said that my injury was too weird and he could not cure me.”

The sudden news of Ping One-Finger’s death struck Mr. Bald-Brush hard. He stared blankly in front of him and soon tears emerged from his eyes.

“Brother Feng, let me point you a direction. But whether he’ll do it or not, it’s hard to say,” after pondering for a long while, Mr. Huang-Zhong finally said. “I’ll write you a letter, and you can take the letter with you and request an audience from the Head Master of the Shaolin Temple, Great Master Fang-Zheng. If he agrees to teach you the ultimate inner strength Kung Fu of the Shaolin School, the Tendon Altering Sutra, then there is a good chance that you’ll be able to regain your inner strength. The Tendon Altering Sutra is the most valued Kung Fu of the Shaolin School, which is not to be taught to any outsider. But many years ago, Great Master Fang-Zheng owed me some gratitude. Maybe he’ll do me a favor for personal consideration and make an exception.”

Linghu Chong knew that both Mr. Bald-Brush’s recommendation of Ping One-Finger and Mr. Huang-Zhong’s direction to Great Master Fang-Zheng were both right to the core of the problem, and both recommendations were made wholeheartedly. It was obvious that the two Manor Masters were not only exceptionally insightful, but also sincerely zealous about his wellbeing. Feeling utterly grateful, he said, “Great Master Fang-Zheng only teaches the ‘Tendon Altering Sutra’ to apprentices of his own school, but it wouldn’t be proper for me to join the Shaolin School. It is very difficult situation.”

After standing up and making a deep bow, he spoke again, “I am very grateful for the four Manor Masters’ kindness. Life and death lie in the lap of the gods. My injury is really not a big deal, and it is certainly not my intention to worry the four Manor Masters. I think it’s time for me to say good-bye.”

“Please wait,” Mr. Huang-Zhong said. Turning around, he went into the inner room, and not long after, he returned with a small china bottle in his hand. “Here are two herbal pills bestowed upon me by my respectable Master many years ago. They are quite effective in nourishing health and healing wounds. Please accept them as my gift, little brother, as a small token to celebrate our meeting today.”

The cork on the small bottle appeared worn and ancient. Linghu Chong knew that if Mr. Huang-Zhong had kept this relic from his deceased Master for all these years, they had to be very precious. So he replied immediately, “These pills were bestowed from Senior Master’s respectable Master, not just any ordinary pills. I dare not accept it!”

Mr. Huang-Zhong shook his head. “The four of us have separated ourselves from the Martial World for many years and no longer strive with other people. These catholicons for injuries are really no good to us. The four brothers of us have neither apprentices, nor children. If you insist on declining, I suppose these two pills would only end up accompanying me in my coffin.”

Sensing the bleakness in Mr. Huang-Zhong’s voice, Linghu Chong did not insist any further and accepted the gift, thanking him earnestly. After bidding his farewell, he headed back to the Game Room with Mr. Black-White, Mr. Bald-Brush, and Mr. Paint accompanying by the side. As soon as Xiang Wentian spotted the solemn expression on the four’s faces, he knew immediately that Linghu Chong must have won yet another sword match against the First Master of the manor. If the First Master had won the match, then even though Mr. Black-White might still maintain his composure, Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint, fore sure, would have turned daring and militant, demanding Zhang Xu’s calligraphy book and Fan Kuan’s painting from him at the first sight of him.

“Brother Feng, did First Master give you some good pointers as regard to your sword skills?” he asked, pretending he had not a clue.

“The prowess of First Master’s inner strength was simply unimaginable. But it just happens that I have lost all my inner strength and therefore, did not react to the inner strength released from First Master’s zither at all. It was such incredible luck on my side,” Linghu Chong explained.

“This Brother Feng here is an honest gentleman and did not keep back anything. Why did you say that his inner strength was far superior to yours and deceive my Big Brother big time?” Mr. Paint reprehended, glaring at Xiang Wentian as he spoke.

“But at the time when Brother Feng still had his inner strength, his inner strength was indeed far superior to mine. I was referring to before, not now,” Xiang Wentian grinned.

“You are a bad person!” Mr. Bald-Brush grunted.

“Well, since no one in the Plum Manor can defeat my Brother Feng’s sword. Three Manor Masters, I think it’s time for us to say good-bye,” Xiang Wentian cupped his hands. Turning toward Linghu Chong, he said, “Let’s go.”

Linghu Chong also cupped his hands and bowed. “It was a great pleasure to meet the four Manor Masters today. If the chance rises up in the future, I’ll visit your Manor once again.”

“Brother Feng, if you feel like coming over to drink some wine, you can come any day. I’ll let you taste all the great wines I collected throughout the years. But in regard to this Brother Tong here, well! Well!” Mr. Paint said.

“With my small capacity for liquor, I certainly dare not to come and ask for trouble.” Xiang Wentian showed a smile.

After cupping his hands one more time, he walked out, holding Linghu Chong’s arms. Mr. Black-White and the others also walked out.

“Three Manor Masters please don’t bother to see us out,” Xiang Wentian said.

“Ha, do you think we are seeing you out? We are here to see Brother Feng off. If you had come all by yourself, Brother Tong, just watch us and see how many steps we’ll take to see you off,” Mr. Bald-Brush said.

“I see,” Xiang Wentian grinned.

Mr. Black-White and the others walked all the way out of the manor gate before saying good-bye to Linghu Chong. Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint stared at Xiang Wentian all the way out. How they wished they could just snatch the package off Xiang Wentian’s back.

Holding Linghu Chong’s hand, Xiang Wentian walked deep into the willow woods. When they were far from the Plum Manor, he finally asked, smiling, “Brother, the First Master’s ‘Invisible Sword’ energy from his zither is very powerful. How did you manage to defeat him?”

“Oh, so Big Brother knew everything already. Luckily I have lost all my inner strength, or else I am afraid I probably would have lost my life over that. Big Brother, did you have some scores to settle with these four Manor Masters?” Linghu Chong asked.

“No. I’d never even met them before today, what scores could there be?” Xiang Wentian answered.

Suddenly, shouts came from behind. “Brother Tong! Brother Feng! Please come back.”

Linghu Chong turned around and then saw Mr. Paint running toward him in quick trots. He held a bowl in his hand, which was more than half full with wine.

“Brother Feng, I have half a bottle of more than one-hundred-year old Bamboo-Green. You’d really regret it if you didn’t have a taste,” he said, handing the bowl over as he spoke.

Linghu Chong took the bowl and then took a look. The wine inside the bowl was so green that it almost looked like one solid emerald stone and he couldn’t even see the bottom of the bowl. The strong and mellow smell of the wine soon filled his nostrils. “Great wine, indeed!” he praised.

“Excellent!” after a small sip of the wine, he praised again. Then with another four quick gulps, he poured the entire content of the bowl down his throat. “The flavor of the wine tastes mild yet rich at the same time. It had to the product from around the city of Yangzhou or Zhenjiang,” he commented.

“Right on!” Mr. Paint beamed with delight. “This is the ultimate treasure of the Golden-Hill Temple in Zhenjiang. They had a total of six bottles. The monks in the temple abide by their commandment and do not drink, so they gave me one bottle as a present. After enjoying half of the bottle myself, I begrudged drinking any more of it. Brother Feng, I have several more great wines at my place. I’d really like you to come over and judge them for me. What do you say?”

Linghu Chong was already feeling great intimacy toward the “Four Playfellows of Jiangnan,” now with the prospect of tasting some great wine in addition, he found himself all jubilant. Turning his head over, he looked at Xiang Wentian for his reaction.

“Brother Feng, Fourth Master wants to invite you for some wine. You go ahead. As for me, since Third Master and Fourth Master gets grouchy when they see me, I think I’d better…um, well,” Xiang Wentian said.

“Who said I get grouchy when I see you? Let’s go. All of us! You are Brother Feng’s friend, and you are invited too!” Mr. Paint smiled.

Before Xiang Wentian had any chance to decline, Mr. Paint had already coiled his left arm around Xiang Wentian’s right arm and his right arm around Linghu Chong’s left arm and began walking. “Come on! Come on! Let’s have some more drinks!” he insisted, beaming brightly.

“When we bid our farewell to the Manor Masters earlier, Fourth Master showed a very unfriendly attitude toward Big Brother Xiang. Why has he turned so intimate all of a sudden? Is it possible that he simply couldn’t forget the painting in the package on Big Brother Xiang’s back for a moment and decided to fetch it using some other ways?” Linghu Chong thought to himself.

Soon, the three of them returned to the gate of the Plum Manor, at which Mr. Bald-Brush had been waiting for them.

“Brother Feng is back! Excellent! Excellent!” Mr. Bald-Brush uttered.

The four of them returned to the Game Room where Mr. Paint brought out many kinds of great wine and had a good drink with Linghu Chong. But Mr. Black-White never showed his face all the while.

The time was getting late now. It seemed as though Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint was waiting for someone, since both of them kept glancing toward the entrance from the corner of their eyes. Xiang Wentian took leave of them several times, but the two hosts repeatedly urged him to stay. Linghu Chong, on the other hand, paid no attention to it and kept drinking his wine.

“If two Manor Masters do not invite us for dinner, I’ll starve to death!” Xiang Wentian checked the color of the sky and then complained with a big grin.

“Right! Right!” Mr. Bald-Brush replied and then called out loudly, “Steward Ding, arrange the banquet! Hurry!”

Ding Jian acknowledged from outside when suddenly, the door was pushed open and Mr. Black-White stepped into the room.

“Brother Feng, there is another one in our manor who would like to have a sword contest with you,” he said to Linghu Chong.

As soon as Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint heard these words, they jumped back onto their feet in unison, beaming with joy. “Big Brother has agreed!”

“So First Master had to give his permission before that person can have a sword contest with me,” Linghu Chong thought inwardly. “It seems that they had kept me here so the Second Master could talk it over with the First Master. And only after a long plead did the First Master finally consent. Then this person must be either a junior in First Master’s family or his disciple or underling of some sort. Is this person’s sword skill really even better than that of the First Master?” Suddenly another thought popped into his brain and he groaned inwardly, “Oh no! They knew that I have lost all my inner strength. In consideration of their own status, they feel unbefitting doing it themselves. But if they send a junior or an subordinate to fight me and specially challenge me in the department of inner strength, it would take him no time to finish me off!” But then he thought, “These four Manor Masters are all fair champions. How could they commit such despicable act? But Third Master and Fourth Master are simply crazy about that painting and that calligraphy book, and although the Second Master looked calm from the outside, he would certainly not rest contented until he gets his hands on those game manuals. Well, using such a bad method for the sake of those painting, calligraphy book, and game manuals is still well within the logic. If anyone really wants to injure me using inner strength, I’ll just stab his joints or some crucial key points on his body first.”

“Young Hero Feng, May I trouble you with another short trip?” Mr. Black-White asked.

“In regard to genuine Kung Fu skills, I am really no match for Third Master or Fourth Master, much less Second Master and First Master. The four senior masters of the Plum Manor of the Lone Hill all have unsurpassed Kung Fu skills. Only because of the congeniality you felt with me, you have been very tolerant and considerate. It is really needless for me to show my immature and shallow skills again,” Linghu Chong declined.

“Brother Feng, of course that person’s Kung Fu is higher than yours. But you don’t need to be afraid. He…,” Mr. Paint said, which was promptly cut off by Mr. Black-White.

“In our humble manor, there is yet another grandmaster who is an expert at the art of sword. Once he heard about Young Hero Feng’s brilliant sword skills, he longed for a sword contest. I hope Young Hero Feng wouldn’t mind having just one more match.”

Afraid that he might be forced into injuring his opponent in the additional match and thus have a fall out with the “Four Playfellows of Jiangnan,” Linghu Chong said, “Four Masters have been very kind to me. If I have this additional match, I wonder what kind of temper this grandmaster might have. If, for any reason, this ends in discord, or maybe I get injured from this grandmaster’s sword, that would, for sure, hurt the friendly feelings.”

“No worries! He won’t…won’t…,” Mr. Paint tried to comfort him, but again, Mr. Black-White didn’t let him finish.

“No matter what happens, the four of us will never blame you, Young Hero Feng,” Mr. Black-White assured him.

“Fine! You might as well have another match,” Xiang Wentian said. “But I have some things I need to take care right away and can’t stay any longer. Brother Feng, I’ll see you again in the city of Jiaxing.”

“Are you leaving already? You can’t leave yet!” Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint cried out in unison.

“Unless you leave Zhang Xu’s calligraphy book behind,” Mr. Bald-Brush demanded.

“If you leave now, where are we going to find you to get your painting, calligraphy book, and game manuals after Young Hero Feng loses the match? No, no, you’ll have to stay just a little bit longer. Steward Ding, hurry up with the banquet!” Mr. Paint shouted.

“Young Hero Feng, I’ll go with you. Brother Tong, please have something to eat. We’ll be right back to accompany you. It won’t take very long,” Mr. Black-White said.

But Xiang Wentian shook his head again and again. “You are after a sure triumph with this match. Although my Brother Feng has excellent mastery in the art of the sword, his experience in confrontations is still very shallow. Besides, you have already found out that he has lost all his inner strength. Without me guarding onsite, even if we lose this match, we would not be reconciled to the defeat.”

“What is Brother Tong saying here? Do you really think that we would cheat in the match?” Mr. Black-White asked.

“The four Masters of the Plum Manor of the Lone Hill are all people of exceptional virtues. I’ve always held the four masters in great reverence and, of course, have faith in you. But Brother Feng is having the sword match with someone else. I really had no idea that there’s actually another grandmaster in the Plum Manor besides the four Manor Masters. May I ask Second Master here who is this person? If I know that this person is an honest had straightforward champion just like the four Manor Masters, then I’ll feel much more at ease,” Xiang Wentian said.

“The Kung Fu skills and the fame of this person are only higher than the four brothers of us. There is simply no comparison between him and us,” Mr. Paint said.

“In the Marital World, there are only a few people whose fame could be in comparison with that of the four Manor Masters. Then I am sure I must have heard of his name before,” Xiang Wentian said.

“But we can’t tell you his name,” Mr. Bald-Brush answered.

“Then I must guard onsite during this match. Otherwise we can just forget about the match,” Xiang Wentian insisted.

“Brother Tong, why are you so stubborn? It’s not gonna do you any good coming to this match. This person has lived in seclusion for a long time and would rather not let any other people see his face,” Mr. Paint explained.

“How does Brother Feng have the sword contest with him, then?” Xiang Wentian asked.

“Each side will be wearing a mask, exposing only the eyes. That way, neither could see the other,” Mr. Black-White clarified.

“Will the Four Manor Masters be wearing masks as well?” Xiang Wentian asked.

“That’s correct. This person has very eccentric tempers. If we don’t, he would not fight,” Mr. Black-White affirmed.

“I’ll just wear a mask as well,” Xiang Wentian persisted.

After a long hesitation, Mr. Black-White finally said, “If Brother Tong is determined to watch the match onsite, I suppose we have no choice. But Brother Tong must make a promise that you’ll not make any sound through out the match.”

“Pretending to be deaf and dumb, that’s easy!” Xiang Wentian grinned.

So Mr. Black-White lead the way in the front, Xiang Wentian and Linghu Chong followed in the middle and Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint followed behind. Linghu Chong couldn’t help but notice that they were actually following the same path that led to First Master’s house earlier. Soon, they arrived outside of First Master’s Zither Hall. After three gentle knocks on the door, Mr. Black-White pushed the door open and stepped in. A man already stood in the middle of the room, a mask made of black cloth covered his head. Linghu Chong easily recognized him as Mr. Huang-Zhong from his clothing. Mr. Black-White walked next to him and then whispered some words in his ears. Then Mr. Huang-Zhong shook his head and whispered some words back, obviously unwilling to let Xiang Wentian participate. Mr. Black-White gave a nod and then turned to the group behind him.

“My Big Brother thinks that the sword match is only a small matter. But if we provoke that friend in any way, there will be much unnecessary trouble. Let’s call the match off.”

The five of them bowed to Mr. Huang-Zhong and then went out of the room.

“Brother Tong, you are really an oddball, you know that?” Mr. Paint said irritably. “Did you think that we would just all swarm forward and bully Brother Feng? Well, your insisting on looking on the match has really cost us the match. Thank you for ruining the day for us!”

“It took Second Brother a great effort to convince Big Brother and get his permission. You’d rather make more trouble,” Mr. Bald-Brush grunted.

“All right! All right! I’ll yield a step. I won’t insist on watching this match. But you have to promise that it’s going to be a fair match and you won’t deceive my Brother Feng,” Xiang Wentian said with a grin.

“What kind of people did you think we were? We’d never deceive Young Hero Feng!” Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint cried out with joy in unison.

“I’ll wait for you guys in the Game Room,” Xiang Wentian said, smiling. “Brother Feng, I don’t know what kind of clandestine tricks they are trying to pull here. You’d better keep a weather eye open all the time and be very careful.”

“The Plum Manor only has gentlemen with lofty virtues. How can there be anyone resorting to trickery and swindle?” Linghu Chong replied with a smile.

“Right on! Young Hero Feng is not like you, who measure others’ corn by one’s own bushel.” Mr. Paint showed a broad grin.

Xiang Wentian took a few steps and then turned around and waved at Linghu Chong. “Brother Feng, come over here. I’d better exhort you some more so you wouldn’t fall for other’s tricks,” he said, at which Mr. Paint sneered but paid no attention.

“Big Brother Xiang is being too careful. I am not a three-year-old kid. Even if they really plan on fooling me, it’s not gonna be easy,” Linghu Chong thought to himself as he walked toward Xiang Wentian.

Xiang Wentian grabbed hold of Linghu Chong’s hand, and immediately Linghu Chong felt a paper ball placed in his palm. A quick squeeze told Linghu Chong that there was a piece of hard object wrapped inside the paper ball. With a broad smile, Xiang Wentian pulled him closer and then whispered to his ears.

“After you see that person, shake his hands to show your proximity, and then secretly place this paper ball together with the object inside into his palm. This is a very important matter. Don’t take it lightly. Ha-ha! Ha-ha!”

When he said these words, the tone of his voice was very solemn, but he kept the broad smile on his face. The laughter at the end simply had nothing to do with his words. Mr. Black-White, Mr. Bald-Brush and Mr. Paint all presumed that he must have been ridiculing the three of them.

“What’s so funny? Young Hero Feng, no doubt, has excellent sword skills, but we haven’t had a chance to check out the sword skills of Brother Tong,” Mr. Paint challenged.

“My sword skills are most ordinary. There’s no need to check it out,” Xiang Wentian laughed out before waddling out of the room.

“Great! Let’s go see Big Brother again,” Mr. Paint said merrily.

The four of them entered Mr. Huang-Zhong’s Zither Hall once again. Mr. Huang Zhong did not expect their return and had already removed the mask from his head.

“Big Brother, we have finally convinced that Brother Tong. He has agreed to not watch the match,” Mr. Black-White said.

“Good,” Mr. Huang-Zhong replied. Picking up the black cloth mask, he put it back onto his head.

Mr. Paint pulled out a drawer from the wooden cabinet and took out three black cloth masks. He handed one of them to Linghu Chong and said, “This one is mine. You can wear it. Big Brother, I am borrowing your pillowcase.”

He went inside the bedroom and soon returned with a green cloth pillowcase over his head. Two holes had been cut off the pillowcase, showing his two eyes.

Mr. Huang-Zhong nodded his approval and then said to Linghu Chong, “When you have the sword context later, both of you will be using wooden swords in case inner strength is used is used and put Brother Feng into disadvantage.”

“That would be great!” Linghu Chong said happily.

“Second Brother, bring two wooden swords,” Mr. Huang-Zhong said to Mr. Black-White, who, in turn, pulled another drawer from the cabinet and took out two wooden swords.

“Brother Feng, regardless of who wins this contest, will you please not mention a word to anyone else?” Mr. Huang-Zhong said to Linghu Chong.

“That’s of course! I’ve said before that I didn’t come to the Plum Manor to make a name for myself. Why would I want to go out and make it widely known? Besides, there’s a high probability that I’ll be losing this match. What’s there to brag about?” Linghu Chong answered.

“Well, that’s not necessarily a sure thing, but I believe Brother Feng is a man of his words and won’t let the word out. Will you please also not mention a word about anything you see afterwards, not even to that Brother Tong? Do you think you can do that?” Mr. Huang-Zhong asked.

“Not even Big Brother Tong? After the sword contest, naturally he would ask me about the entire course. If I keep my mouth completely shut, isn’t it rather harsh for our friendship?” Linghu Chong hesitated.

“That Brother Tong is a worldly-wise man. Once he is made aware that Brother Feng has made a promise to me, he would understand that a true man’s promise is worth one thousand gold and you must make good your promise, then naturally he won’t force you to tell against your will,” Mr. Huang-Zhong said.

“That’s true. I promise you,” Linghu Chong agreed.

Mr. Huang-Zhong cupped his hands together. “Thank you for your understanding, Brother Feng! Let’s go.”

Turning on his heels, Linghu Chong began walking toward the outside. So when Mr. Paint pointed toward the bedroom and said, “This way,” Linghu Chong was completely taken by surprise. “How come we are going into the bedroom?” he thought, but then he immediately came up with an answer, “Oh, I see. The person who will have the sword contest with me is a woman. Maybe she is First Master’s wife or a female relative. That’s why they insisted on not having Big Brother Xiang watching the match by the side. They don’t want her to see my face and don’t want me to see her face, either, all because males and females should be distinguished. And First Master urged me again and again to not mention a word to anybody else, not even to Big Brother Xiang. If it weren’t because it had something to do with a female, why would they be so serious?”

Once he figured this part out, all his suspicions suddenly cleared away, then when he felt the paper ball and the small hard object inside in his palm, he thought inwardly, “It looks as though all Big Brother Xiang’s careful and shrewd arrangement only are for one purpose: to enable him to pay a visit to that woman. Since he couldn’t see her himself, he entrusted me to pass a letter and a keepsake to her. Then there must have been some kind of an obscure affair between them. Even though Big Brother Xiang is my sworn-brother, the four Manor Masters have also been very kind to me. If I pass these along, it would really be unfair to the four Manor Masters. What should I do?” Then he thought, “Big Brother Xiang and the four Manor Masters are all people well above their fifties or sixties. That woman must have not been young, either. Even if there was intertwined love relationship involved here, it had to be a past thing many years ago. I suppose passing this letter along wouldn’t damage the woman’s chastity.”

While he was muttering to himself, the five of them had entered the inner bedroom. The arrangement in the room was very simply, with only a bed and a small table. The gauze bed-curtain hung above the bed appeared antiquated and showed slight yellow. On top of the small table sat a short zither, completely black as though it was made of iron.

“Everything panned out as Big Brother Xiang planned. Alas, his love is so deep, how can I not help him fulfill this wish?” Linghu Chong thought.

He always had a carefree disposition and never cared much about the Confucian code of etiquette. At the moment, he vaguely felt as though that woman had turned into his little apprentice sister, Yue Lingshan, who had married her junior apprentice brother Lin Pingzhi, and he was Xiang Wentian, who was trying every possible way to pay another visit to little apprentice sister after several decades. When a meeting turned out to be impossible, he then tried to pass along a keepsake from the old days to merely express his feelings and slightly relieve the decades of lovesickness.

“Maybe it was also because of this old lover of his, Big Brother Xiang broke away from the Demon’s Cult and didn’t hesitate to have a complete fall out with the Chief and his fellow members in the cult,” Linghu Chong thought.

Amid his reverie, Mr. Huang-Zhong had already lifted the beddings on the bed, removed the bed board off the bed, exposing an iron plate with a copper ring attached to the top of it. With a tight grip at the copper ring, Mr. Huang-Zhong pulled upward, and a four-foot wide and five-foot long iron board rose up slowly, revealing a large rectangular-shaped opening. The iron plate was at least half-a-foot thick and appeared to be extremely heavy.

After placing the iron plate on the floor, Mr. Huang-Zhong said to Linghu Chong, “This person’s residence is kind of strange. Brother Feng, please follow me.” At those words, he jumped into the opening.

“After you, Young Hero Feng,” Mr. Black-White urged.

Very surprised, Linghu Chong followed suit and also jumped into the opening. What he saw next was an oil lamp hanging from a wall, which illuminated the surroundings indistinctly. Where he stood now seemed to be the beginning of a tunnel. Following behind Mr. Huang-Zhong he walked forward, and soon Mr. Black-White and the rest of the people also jumped down one after another.

About twenty feet following the passageway, the tunnel seemed to have come to an end. Mr. Huang-Zhong took out a string of keys from his chest pocket and inserted one of them into a keyhole. Turning the key several times, he pushed forward; amid a series of scrunches, a stone gate slowly opened up.

Linghu Chong found himself more and more astounded, and at the meantime, felt more and more sympathy toward Xiang Wentian. “They have locked the woman up in a dungeon, then of course she was imprisoned against her will. These four Manor Masters all appeared to be man of kindheartedness and justice; how could