Chapter - 70 Sailing Home After Ten Years In Qiongfa (5)

Zhang CuiShan said, "Reverend Kong Jian might not have said everything he wanted before death. Perhaps he had something else in mind."

Xie Xun said, "I've thought of every single possibility. No matter how ludicrous. Yet nothing fit. I don't doubt that there's a huge secret within the saber. But I just could not find it."

After this night's conversation, Xie Xun never touched the subject again. He also became stricter when teaching WuJi martial arts. WuJi is only nine at this moment. Despite his intelligence, there was no way WuJi could learn Xie Xun's powerful martial arts in such a short time. Xie Xun also taught him ways to exchange his pressure points, and how to break free a sealed pressure point. These are some of the deepest martial arts abilities in the world. WuJi didn't even know what pressure points are, plus he has almost no inner power. So how could he learn them? Even so, Xie Xun yelled at him and hit him for mistakes. And he showed no signs of letting up.

Yin SuSu felt dreadful upon seeing the marks on her son. She said to Xie Xun, "Big brother, your kung fu skills are too complicated. How can WuJi learn them all in such a short time? We have all the time in the world on this island. Don't be so hasty." Xie Xun said, "I'm not teaching him. I'm just asking him to memorize everything." Yin SuSu said in surprise, "You mean, you haven't taught him any kung fu?" Xie Xun said, "It will take too long to teach him step by step. That's why I simply want him to memorize everything."

Yin SuSu didn't understand Xie Xun's reasoning, but trusted him to make the right decision. Whenever her son finished his lessons with injuries, she'd embrace him tenderly. WuJi seemed to be quite understanding of this matter. He said, "Mom, godfather only wanted the best for me. The stricter he is, the more I can remember."

Another several months passed like this. One morning, Xie Xun suddenly said, "Fifth brother, fifth sister, in another four months, the wind will start blowing south. Let's start building a raft now. Zhang CuiShan, happy and surprised, asked, "Do you think we can get back to the mainland this way?" Xie Xun said coldly, "That depends on what the Heaven thinks. As the saying goes, 'Planning depends on man, Success depends on Heaven'. Succeed, and you'll arrive at mainland. Fail, and you'll die in the sea."

There's no reason for him or Yin SuSu to go back. They lived happily here on the island. But WuJi needs to get married and have children. It would be a shame for him to grow old and die alone on this island. When Zhang CuiShan thought of WuJi's future, he happily began to make the raft. The trees on this island are mostly very old. Due to growing in such a cold climate, their trunks are incredibly hard and sturdy. Xie Xun and Zhang CuiShan cut down the wood, while Yin SuSu use animal skins to sew a sail. WuJi simply did odd jobs to help out.

Yin SuSu is hardly the spoiled little girl of ten years ago, but she never did have formal sewing training. So it was very difficult for her to make this sail.

While processing the wood to make the raft, Xie Xun would always have WuJi stand by his side. This way, he could test WuJi's memorization. Of course, Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu could no longer stay away, so they heard Xie Xun ask questions, while WuJi answers them. Xie Xun wanted to WuJi to memorize all sorts of sword techniques, saber techniques and numerous other things. It's already strange that Xie Xun would teach martial arts in a 'scholarly fashion'. Yet he never even tried to explain anything, and taught like a terrible teacher, by simply making his students memorize everything without understanding. Yin SuSu felt sorry for her son. She thought that even a kung fu expert probably can't even memorize this much stuff. Besides, what's the use of memorizing the wording without demonstrations? Surely talking about martial arts isn't worth anything in a true battle. Even worse is that every time WuJi makes a mistake, Xie Xun would slap him on the face. Although Xie Xun didn't apply any inner power to his hand, the slaps would still leave a red mark for half a day.

After two and a half months, they managed to finish the base of the raft. Then they took another half a month to put on the mast. Finally, they began to start to store food and water for the trip. By now, the days were already quite short. Yet the wind still blew northward.

By now, Xie Xun stayed with WuJi every single moment, even forcing WuJi to sleep with him. Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu could only bitterly smile at Xie Xun's mix of tenderness and sternness.

One night, Zhang CuiShan woke up from his sleep, found the wind oddly different. He sat up, and realized that the wind indeed now came from the north. Zhang CuiShan quickly woke up Yin SuSu, said happily, "Listen to the wind!" Before Yin SuSu could respond, they suddenly heard Xie Xun yelled outside, "The northern wind's blowing!" His voice was mixed with tears, which sounded very odd.

The next morning, Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu quickly gathered everything for the journey. Part of them didn't want to leave. After all, they had lived here for ten years. Zhang and Yin finished putting food and water on the boat by noon. They then pushed the raft into the sea. WuJi first jumped onboard, and Yin SuSu followed.

Zhang CuiShan grabbed Xie Xun's hand and said, "Big brother, the raft is about six feet from us. Let's jump on together!"

Xie Xun said, "Fifth brother, we shall part here. Please take good care of yourself."

Zhang CuiShan's heart jumped, as if someone had just punched him in the chest. He said, "You… you…" Xie Xun said, "You have a good heart, and should have a good life. But your views on good and evil are too idealistic, and therefore must be careful. WuJi is open-minded and tolerant, so I trust him to make good decisions when he grows up. Although fifth sister is a woman, she will never get the short end of the stick on things. Quite frankly, the person I fear for the most, is you." Zhang CuiShan felt shocked. He yelled, "Big brother, what are you saying? You're not going to… going to come with us?" Xie Xun said, "I said this a few years ago. Don't you remember?"

To Zhang CuiShan, these words felt like thunder roaring in his ears. He did remember Xie Xun's words about remaining on the island. At the time, neither he nor Yin SuSu thought much of it. Afterwards, Xie Xun never repeated this sentiment. So these came as quite a shock to him. Zhang CuiShan said in a hurry, "Big brother, what's so great about staying on this island alone? Jump on the raft, quick!" As he spoke, Zhang CuiShan pulled on Xie Xun's hand. But Xie Xun remained at his spot firmly.

Zhang CuiShan yelled, "SuSu, WuJi, get back! Big brother said that he wouldn't go with us." Yin SuSu and WuJi both gasped, and jumped back to shore. WuJi said, "Godfather, why won't you go with us? If you don't go, then I won't go either."

Of course, Xie Xun didn't want to leave them. After parting, they certainly would not return. To live alone on this island is possibly worse then death. But after becoming a sworn brother to Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu, he cared more for them than himself. And he loved WuJi as his own son. However, after thinking thoroughly, he knew that he had to stay. There are too many enemies back in the mainland. Plus, it's quite possible that people knew that the Dragon Saber is in his hands now. Should he go back, just about everyone in the martial world would want his life. In the past, he would just shrug off the danger. But with both eyes blinded, he can't possibly hold off his enemies. Besides, Zhang and Yin would certainly not see him die alone, and might fight with him to the end. He concluded that they would probably not live for more than a year back in mainland. Of course, Xie Xun didn't care to share this. He would just go ahead and decided stay at the last moment.