more of your foul temper!” He then turned to Lotus. “Brother, up you get!

”
The horse was not usually given to allowing other people to mount it, but it
had grown calmer over the passing days and now it had special instructions from
its master. Lotus jumped up into the saddle. Guo Jing let go of the reins, gave the
horse a light clap and watched as they disappeared into a cloud of dust.
Guo Jing stood watching until they had faded on the horizon before turning
back to the inn. It was late, and he settled into a room. But just as he was about
to blow out the candle, a scratching started at his door. Was it the boy? The
thought made him feel giddy.
“Brother, is that you?”
But the reply came in a voice considerably older and croakier: “Yes, it’s me.
What are you so excited about?”
Guo Jing opened the door cautiously and, to his surprise, there in the flicker of
the candlelight, he saw five men. He peered closer and felt a shiver go up his
spine. The Four Daemons of the Yellow River, one with a sabre, one with a
spear, another carrying a whip, and there, the twin axes. The fifth man was thin,
with a long face. He looked to be around forty. Guo Jing made out three large
lumps on his forehead. He was one of the ugliest men Guo Jing had ever seen.
This last man pushed Guo Jing aside with a sneer, and entered the room. He
sat himself down on the hard bed and turned to look at Guo Jing. The light from
the candle fell upon the three bumps on his forehead, casting his whole face in
shadow.
But it was the eldest of the Four Daemons who spoke, Shen the Strong,
wielder of the Spirit Cleaver: “This is our martial uncle Browbeater Hou, the
Three­Horned Dragon. Show your respect.”
Guo Jing was surrounded, there was no way he could overcome all four
Daemons and Browbeater Hou all by himself.
“What do you want?” Guo Jing said, cupping his fist. But there was an edge to
his voice.
“Where are your Masters?” Browbeater Hou asked.
“My shifus aren’t here.”
“Ha, then you shall live another day at least. I couldn’t kill you now, people
would say the Three­Horned Dragon took unfair advantage of a weak opponent.
But tomorrow, at noon. I will be waiting for you and your shifus in the forest of
black pines, ten li west of here.”
He left before Guo Jing could reply. Wu the Bold, carrier of the Soul Snatcher
whip, pulled the door shut behind them and pulled across the latch.
Guo Jing blew out the candle, sat on the bed and watched their shadows move
across the paper window as they kept watch outside. Just then he heard a noise
on the roof, a weapon striking tiles and then a voice: “Don’t even think about