He knew that before Chu Liuxiang could see his entire moves, he would not make any move. By saying that, he was trying to restrain Chu Liuxiang from making his move. As long as Chu Liuxiang did not make any move, Bai Yumo would be able to unleash his styles to the fullest. Besides, his adaptable bowl still had one killer move that so far he had never used before; he wanted to force Chu Liuxiang into a critical spot, and then he would execute this one move, so that Chu Liuxiang would die under his claw.

Chu Liuxiang also knew it clearly, but he obviously wanted to provoke him; laughing coldly, he said, "You have already exhausted your limited abilities early on; I don't believe you still have any wonder moves." While speaking, he retreated to a dead corner of the room.

He was indeed too bold; unexpectedly he did not hesitate to stake his own life in a gamble just to see if the opponent really had changes in his style.

The stake was really too high; even Central Plains' One Red Dot could not believe that there was someone in the world who considered taking such risk as simply a game. He was not sure if that kind of person could be considered stupid, or very smart?

Although fis.h.i.+ng could be considered a smart game, but if one was using his own body as a bait, it would almost be like the fish was actually fis.h.i.+ng for him.

Chu Liuxiang waited for Bai Yumo to strike with the bowl, while Bai Yumo was also waiting for Chu Liuxiang to strike the bowl. By the time Chu Liuxiang cornered himself into a dead spot, Bai Yumo suddenly laughed evilly and said, "Laofu's killer move, after you've seen it, you won't live."

In the blink of an eye, he launched seven moves. Chu Liuxiang dodged all seven one by one. He saw the adaptable bowl suddenly struck straight toward his face.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly shrunk his body and retreated one chi; he calculated accurately that based on its position, this adaptable bowl would not be able to reach him. Laughing heartily, he said, "If you don't …"

His words had just left his mouth, there was a swis.h.i.+ng noise, the black and s.h.i.+ny ghost claw suddenly separated itself from the body of the claw, and shot straight to grab his chest.

Unexpectedly, there was a spring mechanism inside the pole of the 'soul capturing adaptable bowl'. Bai Yumo only needed to shake his hand and press lightly, the ghost claw would immediately shoot out.

The ghost claw had a four-chi chain on it, so the three-chi and six-cun long adaptable bowl suddenly became seven­-chi six-cun. Originally it could not reach Chu Liuxiang's position, but now it was more than enough to reach him.

This moment Chu Liuxiang was unable to retreat anymore. He knew that as soon as the ghost claw scratched his skin, he could forget about staying alive.

With Yitian Hong's martial art skill, plus he was watching on the side, naturally he was able to see a lot more clearly than the people involved in the fight. As soon as he saw Bai Yumo executed this move, he could not refrain from sighing.

At his current position, Chu Liuxiang really could not back off anymore, he could not evade anymore.

If the claw was not poisonous, perhaps Chu Liuxiang could still use the 'differentiating light, capturing shadow' technique to s.n.a.t.c.h the ghost claw away. But since the ghost claw was extremely poisonous, he could not even touch it.

Very soon the man who fished would be buried inside the fish's stomach.

Naturally Chu Liuxiang could not help but was shocked; however, although he was shocked, he was not thrown into disorder. In this instant where life and death was separated only by a strand of hair, he came up with a spur-of-the-moment ruse.

They saw his shoulder moved, an object suddenly appeared in his hand, the ghost claw already clutched his chest, but he had the object stuffed inside the ghost claw.

There was a clacking noise, the ghost claw closed down and was retracted, but there was something inside the claw, which Bai Yumo was unable to fling off. Unexpectedly, it was a scroll of painting.

It should be noted that Chu Liuxiang's technique was truly too amazing, it was matchless under the heavens. If he wanted to take something from someone else's bosom, it would be as easy as a hand's turn, much less taking something from his own bosom.

Therefore, he was able, in that instant where a thousand catties hang by a thread, to take the picture scroll out, and stuffed it inside the ghost claw, utilizing the claw's own momentum. If it were someone else, perhaps as soon as the picture scroll was out of his bosom, his chest would already have a big hole in it.

Although this painting was important, during the critical moment threatening his life, no matter how precious or important an object was, everything could be discarded.

Bai Yumo had never imagined Chu Liuxiang would have this kind of move. As soon as his strike failed, his countenance changed, immediately he withdrew seven chi back, afraid that Chu Liuxiang would counterattack.

Who would have thought that Chu Liuxiang did not even move? He just smiled and said, "Although you wanted my life, I don't want yours. Now that your ability has already been demonstrated, you'd better return that thing inside the claw to me, and quickly go!"

Although Bai Yumo did not know what the object inside his claw was, but anything hidden inside the Bandit Chief Chu Liuxiang's bosom could not possibly be any ordinary thing.

As soon as Chu Liuxiang said that, his heart became even more suspicious; laughing coldly, he said, "You really want me to return this roll of paper to you?"

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "The ghost claw wanted to catch a soul, but it only grabbed a roll of rotten paper; unconsciously you must be losing face?"

Bai Yumo laughed aloud and said, "Since it is just rotten paper, why do you want me to return it to you?"

Although inevitably Chu Liuxiang grew a bit anxious in his heart and mused inwardly, "This guy [orig. si, male servant, derogatory] is indeed a wily old fox," but his mouth spoke indifferently, "If you want to, there is no harm in my giving it to you to wipe your tears, or to wipe your runny nose with."

Bai Yumo laughed grimly and said, "At this moment, I am afraid the one shedding tears will be you!"

Unexpectedly he retreated a few steps back, took the scroll of painting, and opened it to take a look. However, after only one glance, suddenly his face revealed a strange expression, and then he burst out laughing loudly.

Noticing his strange laughter, Chu Liuxiang could not help asking, "What are you laughing at?"

Bai Yumo laughed and said, "Why are you hiding Ren Ci's wife's portrait in your pocket? Looking at your young age, could it be that you harbor unrequited longing toward Ren Laotouzi's [old man] wife?"

As Bai Yumo spoke those words, Chu Liuxiang was really surprised, but he was delighted as well. He had worn out iron shoes trying to find the answer, unexpectedly it came to him without he had to spend any effort.

Pleasantly surprised, he could not help blurting, "Turns out Qiu Lingsu married the former Beggar Clan's Bangzhu; indeed it was a respectable status, ill.u.s.trious reputation. It is so much more excelled compared to Ximen Qian and the others."

Looking at Chu Liuxiang's expression, Bai Yumo was extremely baffled. "Qiu Lingsu …? Who is Qiu Lingsu?" he asked.

Surprised, Chu Liuxiang asked, "Didn't you just say that she was Ren Ci's, Ren Lao Bangzhu's wife?"

Laughing coldly, Bai Yumo said, "Ren Ci's wife is surnamed Ye; her name is Ye Shuzhen …"

Chu Liuxiang cried out involuntarily, "So the woman on the painting …"

Bai Yumo said, "The woman on the painting is Ye Shuzhen. You hide her portrait in your pocket, are you telling me you don't know her name?"

Chu Liuxiang suddenly understood, "No wonder n.o.body in Jianghu knows Qiu Lingsu's whereabouts; turns out she changed her name, and married Beggar Clan's Bangzhu … ay! This yaonu [lit. female demon; could simply mean 'beautiful woman'] had bad reputation in the past, if she was going to marry a prominent figure in Wulin, naturally she had to alter her surname and change her given name. I ought to have thought about this fact early on."

Bai Yumo spoke sternly, "I don't care if you curse that Ren Laotouzi, you scold him as a turtle [fig. cuckold]; but his wife is a dignified, virtuous woman, who is always magnanimous and amiable to everybody. Even I, Bai Yumo, admire her a little. If you insult her, tens of thousands Beggar Clan's disciples, from top to bottom, might not spare you."

Chu Liuxiang knew that after she was married, Qiu Lingsu must have washed her heart and renewed her face [idiom: to turn over a new leaf], and made a fresh start. Usually he would admire this kind of people the most, naturally he was unwilling to reveal the evil conduct of her former days. Rolling his eyes, he asked, "I wonder where would this Madame Ren be at this moment?"

Bai Yumo laughed coldly and said, "Looking at your lecherous appearance, you are not a good man; could it be that you have the intention of hitting on someone else's widow? But she is very chaste; you, this toad, can forget about eating the swan's meat."

Chu Liuxiang rolled his eyes again, and spoke slowly, "Ren Ci expelled you from the Beggar Clan, he hunted you until you fled to the east and hid in the west, in ten tears you did not have one day that you pa.s.sed in peace, could it be that you don't hate him?"

Bai Yumo hatefully said, "He is already dead, even if I hate him, what can I do?"

Chu Liuxiang said, "Although he is dead, his wife is not dead yet!"

Bai Yumo glowered at him viciously, and then using his hand he quickly pulled the beard under his chin until nearly not a single strand of hair remained. His fierce and malicious eyes gradually revealed a smiling expression as he spoke slowly, "Although your words are repulsive, you have touched my spleen and stomach [i.e. one's taste]."

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "To certain kind of man, I speak certain kind of words. I know this logic very well."

Bai Yumo laughed aloud and said, "No wonder people say that Chu Liuxiang is the world's most loveable villains. Even I … this moment I am starting to like you."

Chu Liuxiang quickly asked, "In that case, where is his wife now?"

"Too bad I really don't know," Bai Yumo replied."

Chu Liuxiang stared blankly for a moment. And then he cupped his fist and said, "Goodbye." He raised his cupped fist again, turned around, and left.

Bai Yumo called out, "Although I don't know, there's someone who does."

Chu Liuxiang immediately halted his steps; he turned around and asked, "Who?"

"Can't you think of it?" Bai Yumo asked.

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "At first Nangong Ling might be willing to tell me, but now, not necessarily."

Bai Yumo smirked and said, "Others have a pearl, you come with empty hands, naturally he can't possibly give it to you. But if you use jadeite, which is more valuable than pearl, for an exchange, could it be that he still refuse to give it to you?"

Chu Liuxiang thought for a moment, "What is my jadeite?" he asked.

Bai Yumo spoke word-by-word, "That kid in black's background."

Chu Liuxiang followed Bai Yumo, Yitian Hong followed Chu Liuxiang; they flew away just like the people's roof were the road through Yangguan [fig. wide open road].

By this time the night was so deep that everywhere they looked, there was no light in sight.

While flying, Bai Yumo spoke in heavy voice, "Chu Liuxiang, listen to me: it was you who wanted to come with me; I did not take you at all."

Chu Liuxiang smiled and replied, "This logic, naturally I understand."

"It's good that you know that," Bai Yumo said.

Chu Liuxiang said, "Yitian Hong, listen to me: it was you who wanted to come with me; I did not take you at all."

There was no response from behind.

Chu Liuxiang turned his head to look; Yitian Hong has disappeared without a trace since who knows when. Chu Liuxiang could not help stroking his nose; he muttered to himself with a wry smile, "When you don't want him to come, he came. When you don't want him to leave, he left. Whoever wants to make friends with him will seriously have big headache."

He heard Bai Yumo said, "The house with light ahead is precisely the Incense Hall, an important place of the Beggar Clan. I am going now, you must not follow me. If by any chance you find your way there, you must not mind my business."

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "I practically did not see you at all, wherever you are going, I have no idea."

"Very good," Bai Yumo said.

Stooping down, he leaped to the ground. Immediately a voice came from the darkness, "Go up to heaven or go down to Hades."

Bai Yumo responded, "Beggars are not going to go."

And then there was a whisper, "Where is that kid?"

"In the hall."

"Bangzhu finally get hold of him?"

"Looks like he came on his own, and ostentatiously sat down. For some reason, Bangzhu suddenly seems to be a lot more courteous toward him."