Zhang was about to attack him when he spied Tang and Gu with weapons in their hands closing in. "Why are you getting so excited?" he protested. "They aren"t wolves."
The Three Devils turned to look and Zhang vaulted onto the horse"s back. Only then did he notice that his lie was in fact the truth: in the midst of the dust cloud was a large herd of camels and goats. He galloped off towards the herd, shouting: "I"ll go and have a look!"
After riding only a short way, he saw a rider coming towards him. The rider, an old man dressed in grey, raced up and stopped his mount instantly with a tug on the reins. Zhang marvelled at his horsemanship.
The rider saw Zhang was wearing the tattered uniform of a Manchu military officer and asked in Chinese: "What happened to the wolves?" Zhang pointed west.
By this time, the herd was upon them and in the midst of the dust and noise and confusion, Zhang noticed a bald-headed, red-faced old man and a white-haired old woman riding herd. He was just about to ask who they were when the Three Devils came over and bowed respectfully before the old man in grey.
"We are honoured to meet you again, sir," Tang said obsequiously. "How are you?"
The old man grunted. "Nothing to complain about," he mumbled. It was the Strange Knight of the Heavenly Pool, Master Yuan.
Zhang knew nothing of the old man, but he noted the respect with which the Three Devils treated him.
Master Yuan examined the four of them for a moment, then said: "We are going to catch the wolves. You will all come with me."
They started in fright and wondered if he was insane. But the Three Devils knew his kung fu was formidable and did not dare to refuse.
Zhang, however, emitted a "humph" of astonishment and said: "I want to live a few more years. Sorry, but I will be unable to accompany you." He turned to leave.
Absolutely furious, Bald Vulture grabbed for Zhang"s wrist shouting: "So you refuse to heed Master Yuan"s orders! Do you wish to die?"
Zhang deflected his hand deftly with a "Dividing The Clouds and Moon" stroke, and the two fought closely for a while, neither gaining the upper hand. Then they leapt apart, both surprised that they should come upon such a master of the martial arts in the middle of the desert.
"What is your name, friend?" Zhang shouted.
"What makes you think you"re good enough to be my friend? Will you or will you not do what Master Yuan says?"
Zhang knew he was as good a fighter as himself, and yet he still respectfully referred to the other old man as "Master Yuan", indicating Yuan"s kung fu was probably even better. Who is this Master Yuan? he wondered. "What is your full name, sir?" he asked Yuan. "If you are my superior, I will naturally respect your orders."
"Ha! So you wish to question me, do you?" Master Yuan exclaimed. "It is I that does the questioning. I ask you: just now, you used a "Dividing the Clouds and Moon" move. But what would you have done if I had replied with a "Descending the Mountain to Kill the Tiger" stroke on your left while going for your Spiritual Yuedao point on your right?"
Zhang thought for a second. "I would have kicked out with an "Arrow Shooting the Hawk" move, and grabbed your wrist."
"Then you are obviously a member of the Wudang School," Yuan replied, to Zhang"s evident surprise. "Once when I was in Hubei, I sparred with Master Ma Zhen." Zhang went deathly pale. "Now then, if I used a "Secret Hand" move to counter your attempt to seize my wrist, and then struck at your face with my left hand, what would you do?