“Beat him?” Seh said.
“Yes,” NgGung replied. “The group he led through here yesterday looked pathetic.”
“You saw him coming?” Seh said, standing up. “Why didn't you warn us?”
NgGung's dirty eyebrows rose. “I did. Ying's party didn't look too threatening, but I told your Grandmaster nonetheless. What happened?”
“What happened?” Seh said. “Ying destroyed Cangzhen!”
NgGung's eyes widened. “How? Ying only had a hundred or so men with him.”
Seh's jaw tightened. “Ying had far more men than that, and many of them carried qiangs.”
“Qiangs?” NgGung said. “That's what must have been in that big cart his men were pulling. It was too well guarded for me to sneak a peek. I'm really sorry Seh. How many of you survived?”
Seh lowered his eyes. “I think only five of us escaped. There's a chance Grandmaster is still alive, but I doubt it. He looked exhausted when I last saw him, and he was about to fight Ying. Ying looked ready for him.”
“Ying has been preparing to fight Grandmaster ever since he left the temple a year ago,” NgGung said. “He's still young, but he may be the best fighter to ever come out of Cangzhen. I must find out what happened. You'll have to find Mong and tell him what's going on. Someone will have to warn the monks at Shaolin Temple, too. There might be something bigger going on.”
“Shaolin?” Seh said.
“Yes,” NgGung said, rubbing his thighs. “I'm sorry, but I don't have time to explain further. Find Mong, and he'll get you up to speed if he thinks you need to know the details.”
“But—”
“We can't waste another moment, Seh. There's too much at stake. Believe me. Fortunately, Mong recently completed a mission nearby and he's on his way back to our stronghold. If you hurry you can catch him. The stronghold is less than a day's travel from here. You'll have a much better chance of seeing him on the road than getting into the stronghold.”
NgGung groaned and stood on shaky legs. “Ohhh, that double snake fist sure was a great move. I'll have to remember that.” He grinned and began to wobble toward the tree line. “Wait here a moment.”
NgGung returned with a grimy sack and tossed it to Seh. “For you.”
Seh opened the sack and removed a blue robe made of fine silk. He also found matching blue pants and a blue silk hat, plus a pair of black cotton shoes.
“It's time to shed your orange robe,” NgGung said. “Put it in the sack and hide it under the stone slab. I will dispose of it. Ying will have people looking everywhere for you. While you wear those fancy clothes, do your best to act like an aristocrat. From what I've heard, it shouldn't be too difficult.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Seh asked.
“Nothing,” NgGung said. “Forget it.”
Seh ran his fingers over the fine cloth. “Are you sure you want me to take these? They must be worth a lot.”
“They are,” NgGung said. “But gold and silver mean nothing to me. I only kept those in case I needed to pretend to be something I am not. To tell you the truth, I'm glad you're taking them off my hands.” NgGung pointed into the trees. “Go west about half a li and you'll find a wide trail that runs north to south. Follow it north along the base of the mountain. I suggest you hurry. Mong and the boys are usually asleep at this hour, but they'll break camp soon after sunrise.”
“I'll hurry,” Seh said, still fingering the fine cloth. “Thank you.”
NgGung bowed. “Safe travels, my friend. Tell Mong everything you told me and let him know that I saw—” NgGung paused and stared at Seh a moment, then shook his head. “Tell Mong that I saw Tonglong traveling with Ying.”
“Praying Mantis?” Seh said.
“Yes, Praying Mantis.”
“Who is he?”
“Ask Mong about it,” NgGung said. He turned to walk away.
“Wait,” Seh said. “Why did you stare at me like that when you mentioned Tonglong?”
NgGung glanced back and stroked his long, thin mustache with a dirty hand. “I just realized how much you look like Tonglong. The two of you could pass for brothers.”
Tonglong eased his stallion alongside a large hole in the rocky ground and dismounted. Sweat ran in shimmering streams down the horse's thick black neck, glistening in the rays of the rising sun. The horse had been ridden hard all night and began to shiver, though not from exhaustion or cold.
Tonglong slipped his long ponytail braid into the red silk sash around his green robe. He knelt down, peering into the hole. Inside, a stone-lined cavity opened into an underground space big enough to fit several grown men. But no man in his right mind would attempt to enter there now. Coiled loosely below was a gigantic snake as long as three men were tall.