Lu Xiaofeng Book 4: Silver Hook Casino

Chapter 2 - Mistakenly Breaking Into a Secret Cave
(Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)

“This woman is an iceberg, if you want to move her, be careful, your hand will catch frostbite!”

The sparkling-like-wine eyes, the transparent-like-crystal, light-as-a-feather, soft silk gown in apple green. This iceberg-like woman did indeed sit here, opposite to Fang Yufei.

“But you must be careful nonetheless; icebergs are very slippery, you might slip down and fall.”

Fang Yufei was smiling. He smiled as he raised his cup toward Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng also smiled. He laughed hard.

Fang Yufei: "I heard you can laugh even though you are extremely angry?"

Lu Xiaofeng did not stop laughing.

Fang Yufei's smile turned into a forced smile: "I know you are angry with me; but I have warned you!"

Lu Xiaofeng laughed: "I remember a friend did indeed warn me; he warned me not to climb the iceberg. That friend is called Fang Yufei."

Fang Yufei's countenance brightened: "I know you will remember."

Lu Xiaofeng: "You know? Are sure you are that Fang Yufei?"

Fang Yufei sighed. With a bitter smile he said, "Actually I wanted to disguise myself as someone else, but I am afraid I won't look authentic!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "At least you can disguise yourself as Lu Xiaofeng!"

Fang Yufei's countenance changed, even his forced smile had disappeared altogether.

Lu Xiaofeng turned his head and laughed: "How about you? Are you that Leng Ruoshuang?"

Fang Yufei suddenly opened his mouth: "She is not surnamed Leng!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "You know who she is?"

Fang Yufei: "Nobody knows her better than I do."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Why?"

Fang Yufei: "Because I was there when she was born."

Lu Xiaofeng: "So she is your Meimei."

Fang Yufei: "She is Fang Yuxiang."

Lu Xiaofeng laughed again.

The one sitting in between these brother and sister was wearing a very exquisite outfit; his appearance looked very refined, his demeanor was like a highly educated middle-age scholar. His facial features were delicate; his lips red and his teeth white. In his younger days certainly a lot of people would say that he looked like a child. Now that he had advanced in years, Lu Xiaofeng could still say that he looked like a girl.

This man was also laughing.

Lu Xiaofeng was looking at him: "Since she is Fang Yuxiang, you must be the Blue Beard."

Blue Beard: "Do you have any feng [Phoenix]?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I don't."

Blue Beard: "Since Lu Xiaofeng [little phoenix] can have no phoenix, then the Blue Beard can also have no beard."

Lu Xiaofeng stared at him for half a day. With a bitter smile he said, "What you said make a lot of sense. But I still don't understand; a man like you, why are you called the Blue Beard?"

Blue Beard: "Operating a gambling establishment is not an easy matter. You don't want to eat others, but others want to eat you. A man with my look should not have earned his rice from this line of work."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Because others saw your delicate and refined features, they thought you are an easy target to be bullied, so they wanted to eat you."

Blue Beard nodded and sighed: "Therefore, I need to find another way."

Lu Xiaofeng: "What way?"

Blue Beard did not answer this question right away; he turned his head around and used his long sleeve to cover his face.

When he turned back, his face had changed, he turned into a dark-faced, bucked-tooth, with thick eyebrows and glowering eyes, man. On top of that, his mouth was covered with a beard, a black with tinge of blue, full beard.

Lu Xiaofeng was startled, but suddenly he laughed and said, "I understand it now. The Blue Beard actually has two personalities. You really have not disappointed me."

Blue Beard also laughed and said, "Lu Xiaofeng is truly Lu Xiaofeng. You also have not disappointed me."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Oh?"

Blue Beard: "We have calculated before, that sooner or later you will find this place!"

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "I did not think that I would be able to find this place."

Blue Beard: "But you have come."

Lu Xiaofeng: "That was because my luck was good, I met a boy who can imitate a dog's bark."

Blue Beard: "Boys who can imitate dogs' bark are many."

Lu Xiaofeng: "But some people not only can imitate a dog's bark, as soon as they open their mouths, they can produce all kinds of sound!"

Blue Beard smiled: "I know that kind of people; they can imitate the sound or running water, the sound of a carriage going over the bridge, the voices of many people shopping in the marketplace and haggling over the price. They can imitate all kinds of noise very well."

Lu Xiaofeng: "It seems to me that this person not only can imitate sounds, he also masters ventriloquism!"

Blue Beard said with a laugh, "I did not know you are an expert in this matter."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Out of a hundred different skills, I am an expert in at least 80. It should be easy for a man like me to get rich, it's a pity that I have one weakness!"

Blue Beard: "Oh?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I like women, especially women who I should not like." He sighed and then continued, "Therefore, although I am smart and competent, I often fall under a woman's trickery."

Blue Beard smiled: "A man who has never fallen under a woman's trickery cannot be considered a true man!"

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "It was precisely because I am a genuine-article-and-reasonably-priced man that I volunteered to be your wife's bodyguard, to accompany her sitting in that carriage going around in circle. Just like a fool I obediently let her to cover my eyes."

Blue Beard: "At that time you did not think that she would bring you back here?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "It was not until I met that boy that I thought the night market and the running water were all in someone's mouth."

Blue Beard laughed: "Not only this person knows ventriloquism, he can also drive a carriage."

Lu Xiaofeng: "The sound in that empty room, certainly also came from his lips!"

Blue Beard: "No."

Lu Xiaofeng was startled: "No? An empty room can also produce sounds?"

Blue Beard: "The empty room is actually located underneath the gambling hall. If the vent is opened, the noise from above will be transmitted down."

With a bitter smile Lu Xiaofeng said, "No wonder I could not think of how he could get out of that room!"

Blue Beard: "And now you certainly have figured out why we did this?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "You intentionally wanted me to be totally disoriented so that I won't be able to figure out where exactly I was last night, and then you masquerade yourself as me and did all kinds of crime and let me be the scapegoat!"

Blue Beard: "Wrong!

Lu Xiaofeng: "Wrong? Really?"

Blue Beard: "We do not want you to be the scapegoat. Not at all. We only want you to do one thing for us!"

Fang Yufei joined in: "If you are successful, not only we will immediately wash your name clean, we will also give you anything you care to ask for!"

With a cold laugh Lu Xiaofeng said, "What if I want to be your brother-in-law? Can I?"

Blue Beard: "You can." He smiled and continued, "Friends are like hands and feet, wives are like clothes. You can change clothes anytime you like!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "How many times have you changed?"

Blue Beard: "Only once. I traded four to get one!"

Lu Xiaofeng burst out in laughter: "I am surprised someone like you can also make a losing business deal."

There were several scrolls of paper arranged on the shelf behind them. The Blue Beard took a scroll and handed it over to Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng asked: "Who drew this painting?"

Blue Beard: "Li Shentong!" [lit. divine child, a prodigy]

Lu Xiaofeng: "What kind of person is Li Shentong?"

Blue Beard: "He is my former wife's younger brother!"

Actually, Lu Xiaofeng had received the painting, but as soon as he heard it, he pushed the scroll back. "Other people's paintings, I might be interested in looking. But this fellow's painting, no, thank you."

Blue Beard smiled: "There is no harm in you looking at this painting. Regardless of how dreadful a painting might be, it won't frighten you to death just by looking at it once or twice."

With a bitter smile Lu Xiaofeng said, "I am not afraid to be frightened to death, I only afraid I will die of aggravation." However, he took the scroll and unfolded it anyway.

Well that answers that question. Thanks Foxs! :) And thanks for another great part translated!

Rob

To his surprise, the painting was about four women. Three of them were younger; they were picking flower or chasing butterfly. The other woman looked considerably older. She bore the air of a respectable madam, sitting straight underneath a gazebo, as if she was watching over the other women.

Blue Beard: "These four women were all my wives."

Lu Xiaofeng looked at the four women in the painting, he also looked at Fang Yuxiang. "Looks like your business dealing is not a total loss after all," he muttered.

Blue beard: "My ex-brother-in-law did not fear neither the Heaven nor the Earth, but he fears his Jiejie. When he drew this painting, obviously he did not dare to draw his Jiejie too ugly, but he drew the other women a bit uglier instead. Just by looking at this painting, although you meet them, you might not necessarily able to recognize them."

Lu Xiaofeng stared at him: "Why would I want to meet them?"

Blue Beard: "Because I want you to find them."

Lu Xiaofeng: "So you want me to find women who you yourself did not want anymore?"

Blue Beard: "I just want you to ask them and get one thing for me."

Lu Xiaofeng: "What thing?"

Blue Beard: "Luocha Tablet." [Luocha is a demon in Buddhism. I haven't read the White Hair Demoness by Liang Yusheng, but I believe this is the same Luocha as in Yu Luocha, the title character.]

Lu Xiaofeng knitted his eyebrows; his countenance seemed to change a little bit. He had never seen the Luocha Tablet, but he had heard about it.

The Luocha Tablet was a piece of jade tablet, an ancient jade tablet which was probably thousands of years old. Its worth was said to be comparable to the amount of money paid by the king of Qin in exchange to Yan Kingdom's eighteen fortified cities [not sure about this part].

The jade tablet was actually not too big. The front surface was engraved with seventy-two demons and twenty-six evil spirits. The opposite side was engraved with Buddhist scripture. It was said that from beginning to the end, there were more than a thousand characters.

Blue Beard: "Not only the jade tablet itself is already priceless, it is also the treasured object of the Devil Cult of the Western Region. To the Devil Cult disciples all around the world, seeing this jade tablet is the same as seeing their Jiaozhu [Cult Leader] personally."

Lu Xiaofeng: "I know!"

Blue Beard: "I am sure you do."

Lu Xiaofeng: "What I don't know is how did this jade tablet end up in your hand?"

Blue Beard: "Someone lost to his last penny, so he pawned this thing to me for five hundred thousand taels; but he had lost it all again in one night!"

Lu Xiaofeng laughed: "This person really knows how to lose!"

Blue Beard: "In the thirteen years of the Sliver Hook Casino's history, he holds the record as the biggest loser!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "You did not know who he was at that time?"

Blue Beard: "I only knew he was surnamed Yu [jade], and called Tianbao [the jewel of heavens]. I have never dreamed that he was the son of Yu Luocha of the Western Region."

Actually, what kind of person was Yu Luocha of the Western Region? Was he a man or a woman? Was he ugly or handsome?

Nobody knew.

Nobody had ever seen his true identity.

But everybody believed that for the last several years, the most mysterious character of the Wulin world, the most fearsome, was undoubtedly him!

Not only his personality and martial art skill were mysterious, he was also the founder of the most mysterious, the most fearsome cult of the Western Region, the Devil Cult.

Lu Xiaofeng: "Was he alone at that time?"

Blue Beard: "Not only he was alone, he looked like one who visited the Central Plains for the first time!"

Among the young people who lived for a long time outside the Great Wall, there was no one who did not want to experience the glamorous life of the Central Plains.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed and said, "Perhaps because it was his first visit that he had fallen just in a short time."

Blue Beard: "After I recognized his origin, I did not dare to accept his jade tablet, but he insisted that I took it."

Lu Xiaofeng: "I'm sure he was anxious to win that five hundred thousand taels of gambling capital back."

Blue Beard: "Actually, he was not anxious to win the money back, he was ready to lose again."

Lu Xiaofeng: "People who love to gamble would gamble just for the sake of gambling, winning or losing does not make any difference. However, without gambling capital they cannot gamble. Therefore, to acquire gambling capital, a lot of people pawn everything, even their own wives."

Blue Beard: "It's just that pawning your wife, you may or may not redeem her, but pawning this jade tablet, there is no other option, he must redeem it. That's why after I accepted this jade tablet, I was trembling with fear, not knowing where would be the best place to hide it."

Lu Xiaofeng: "So where did you hide it?"

Blue Beard: "Originally it was hidden inside a secret cash box underneath my bed."

Lu Xiaofeng: "And now?"

Blue Beard sighed: "Now it's gone!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "You know who took it?"

Blue Beard said, "The secret cash box is reinforced with three iron gates on the outside. Only two people can open it."

Lu Xiaofeng asked, "Other than you, who else can open it?"

Blue Beard replied, "Li Xia!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Is she the one looking at the painting underneath the gazebo?"

Blue Beard sneered: "She was married to me for more than ten years; I don't think I have ever seen her holding a book!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "She was married to you for more than ten years; yet you casually sent them away just like that?"

Blue Beard: "I gave them five hundred thousand taels each."

Lu Xiaofeng coldly said, "With five hundred thousand taels you bought a woman's several years' worth of youth. Not a bad business deal, actually!"

Blue Beard sighed: "I also realize that they certainly are not satisfied, hence ..."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Hence they stole that jade tablet to vent their anger!"

Blue Beard smiled bitterly: "But she is a bit too harsh. She definitely knew that if I cannot hand the jade tablet over, the people of Western Region's Devil Cult would surely not spare me!"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "The deeper the love, the more extreme the hatred. Maybe that's why she wanted your life."

Blue Beard: "But I don't want her life at all, I only want the jade tablet back."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Do you know her whereabouts?"

Blue Beard: "She went outside the Great Wall. Probably she just wanted to go north, but for some reason she stopped by Rahasu by the Songhua River [located in Jilin province, through Harbin, a tributary of Heilongjiang] and took residence in that vicinity. I think she is wintering there."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Now it is already the tenth month, and you really want me to travel tens of thousands li [1 li is approximately 0.5km] to that damned place where one's nose can freeze, to find someone for you?" [Translator's note: previously, the months were translated into Gregorian calendar's months, but since the Chinese calendar differs slightly from the Gregorian's, I decided to keep it as it is, i.e. 'the tenth month' instead of 'October'.]

Blue Beard: "You can always cover your nose with a piece of sheepskin."

Lu Xiaofeng was silent.

Blue Beard: "If you have any thoughts, you might as well speak up so that we can discuss it together."

Lu Xiaofeng was lost in thought for a moment before saying, "I only want to say one sentence."

Blue Beard: "Only one sentence?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "This one sentence has only two words."

Blue Beard: "Two words?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "See you!"

As soon as he said those two words, he stood up and left.

Unexpectedly, the Blue Beard did not stop him, he smiled instead and said, "You really want to leave? I won't see you out then."

Even if he wanted to send him off, he would not have enough time, because Lu Xiaofeng had already leaped over the door like a frightened rabbit.

Outside the door, the two burly men were still standing like a pair of wooden statues. He could still hear Fang Yufei sighed inside the room: "Such a good wine is already prepared, but he walked away without drinking any. It's a pity, really."

Fang Yuxiang coldly replied, "There are some people who are tramps by nature. Wine offered in toast they do not want, wine they are forced to drink they would seek."

thank you. very intersting.:clap:

Lu Xiaofeng could only pretend he did not hear anything. Within the last month he had gotten himself into too many troubles. He had decided he needed some time to recuperate; he did not want to meddle into other people's business any longer.

Besides, Ouyang Qing was still in Beijing, recovering from her injuries while keeping company the newly-wed Mrs. Ximen Chuixue, who was going to have a baby.

He had given them his promise that when the snow starts to fall, he would return to Beijing to accompany them eating mutton soup.

Thinking about those pair of affectionate and loving eyes of Ouyang Qing, he decided that first thing tomorrow he would leave for Beijing.

He climbed over the eighteen steps of the stone stairs in just a few bounces of his feet. Although the door at the top was closed, he was confident that he could reopen it.

"The Silver Hook Casino ... beautiful iceberg girl ... empty room with iron panel ... Western Region's Yu Luocha ..."

He was determined to treat all this as merely a nightmare.

Too bad he was not dreaming at all.

He had just pushed the door open when he heard someone was speaking with a laugh outside: "Whatever Seniors want, drinking wine or gambling, just put it in my account."

A cold voice replied, "Your account? Who do you think you are?"

This man's voice was so dry and sharp, and very full of himself, as if he was always ready to curse people whenever he opens his mouth.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed. He did not need to look to know who this person was. But he was still unable to restrain himself from taking a peek. With his finger he pulled the painting hanging over the door a little bit. Immediately he saw that old man in green, whose robe was embroidered with a monster, was standing at the front door with his hands behind his back. With flashing eyes he was looking around the room.

Behind him, the one who speaks with a laugh, was Chief Yang, who in normal times always shows off his authority as a government official.

Turning his gaze to the side, Lu Xiaofeng noticed that the other two old men in green had also come. Their expressions were equally cold and indifferent to. Similarly, their eyes were also bright. Both sides of their temples were bulging, just like two meatballs sticking out of their heads. Someone with keen eyesight would immediately realize that internal energy of these men was immeasurably deep.

Where did these three old monsters come from? Lu Xiaofeng heaved a sigh and gently pulled the door close. With a somersault he landed back at the bottom of the stairs.

The two wooden-statue-like burly men watched him as he walked back; there was a glint of laughter in their eyes.

This time Lu Xiaofeng pretended not to see them; he walked back into the room in big strides while calling out loudly, "Hurry up to prepare the wine for me. The one-who-would-rather-drink-forced-wine-over-the-offered-wine-in-toast is coming."

The wine had already been prepared.

Lu Xiaofeng quickly downed thirteen cups in just one breath. Fang family's brother and sister, along with the Blue Beard, only watched him drink.

"We already knew you would come back." They did not say these words; they did not need to say these words.

Lu Xiaofeng downed three more cups before he stopped and said, "Is it enough?"

Blue Beard laughed: "Is it true that forced wine is better than offered wine?"

Lu Xiaofeng also laughed: "As long as it is free, the wine is always good."

Blue Beard burst out in laughter: "In that case I'll offer you sixteen more cups!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "You're on!" Unexpectedly he really drank sixteen more cups, then plopped his butts on a chair. His eyes started at Blue Beard. Suddenly he asked, "Are you really afraid of the Western Region's Yu Luocha?"

Blue Beard: "I am!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Yet you have the guts to kill Yu Tianbao?"

Blue Beard: "I do not have such big guts. He did not die in my hand."

Lu Xiaofeng: "He did not?"

Blue Beard shook his head: "But I do know who the real killer is. If you can find the Luocha Tablet for me, I can find the killer for you to be delivered to the Sui Han San You [Three Friends of Eternal Winter]!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Sui Han San You? Aren't they the Kunlun Mountains' Great Brightness Mirror, Heavenly Dragon Mountain Cave's Sui Han San You?"

Blue Beard: "They have lived in seclusion in that place for more than twenty years. I am surprised you still know their name."

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "I am also surprised that they are not dead yet."

Blue Beard: "I am afraid you will be even more surprised to know that they are now the Law Protector Elders of the Yu Luocha Cult of the Western Region.”

[Translator’s note: for some reason this Cult reminds me a lot of the Ming Cult. The original text of ‘law protector’ is ‘hu fa’, with ‘hu’ – protect, and ‘fa’ – religious law; the same characters Jin Yong used in ‘hu jiao fa wang’, with ‘jiao’ means Cult and ‘wang’ means King.]

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: “Unexpectedly he is able to subdue these three old freaks; apparently his ability is truly not bad!”

Blue Beard: “Luckily I have a way to deal with him.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “What way?”

Blue Beard: “First, retrieve the Luocha Tablet and return it to him, then find the killer and hand it over to him, afterwards go hiding as far away as possible and never to provoke him anymore.”

With a bitter smile Lu Xiaofeng said, “Looks like that is the only way.”

Blue Beard: “Therefore, while the weather is not too cold yet, you’d better leave for Rahasu immediately!”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Are you sure your Li Xia is over there?”

Blue Beard: “I am sure she is there!”

Lu Xiaofeng: “How do you know?”

Blue Beard: “Naturally I have a way to get the information.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “When I am there, you are sure I can find her?”

Blue Beard: “As long as you agree to go, even if you cannot find her, there will be someone who will lead you to her!”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Who?”

Blue Beard: “When you get there, someone will make a contact with you.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Who?”

Blue Beard: “Just go and you will find out!”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Those three old freaks are outside, how am I going to go out?”

Blue Beard smiled and said, “A smart rabbit’s hole has three way outs; this place naturally cannot have only one outlet!”

He turned around and pulled open the pear flower shaped cabinet door on the wall behind him. Immediately a secret door appeared.

Lu Xiaofeng did not wait for anybody to say anything anymore. He stood up and walked away.

Blue Beard: “You do not need to fear they are going to pursue you. Once they know you are painstakingly looking for the Luocha Tablet, they are not going to bump even a single strand of hair on your body.”

Lu Xiaofeng walked around the table toward the secret door. Suddenly he turned his head around and said, “I have something I’d like to ask!”

Blue Beard was listening.

Lu Xiaofeng: “Since Yu Tianbao was the son of Yu Luocha of the Western Region, certainly he was not stupid.”

Blue Beard nodded in acknowledgement.

Lu Xiaofeng: “Then who won his five hundred thousand taels of silver?”

Fang Yuxiang: “I did.”

Lu Xiaofeng laughed.

Fang Yufei sighed: “Too bad easy come easy go. In less than two days, she has lost that hundred thousand taels of silver again.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Whom did she lose it to?”

Blue Beard: “To me!”

Lu Xiaofeng burst out in laughter. “This is called ‘dragon matches dragon, ‘phoenix matches phoenix, compulsive gambler [orig. ‘du gui’ – gambling ghost] matches compulsive gambler, bedbug matches bedbug’!” He was still laughing hard when he walked out the door. Outside the door there was another multi-paneled door. He reached out and knocked. ‘Ding! Ding!’ It was indeed iron panel.

After walking through the tunnel again, he climbed about a dozen or so stone steps, and already he saw starlight filled the sky.

The stars were shining bright. The night was very deep.

The night breeze was blowing. Suddenly Lu Xiaofeng felt very cold, because he remembered that very soon he would have to take the long journey to the distant place, the eternally freezing Songhua River, the ice-covered Rahasu.

Suddenly he thought the cold was unbearable.

Right now it was still autumn. The end of autumn.

End of Chapter 2.

After reading the earlier LXF books, this whole thing smacks of another big setup.

Chapter 3 – Flying Into Glamour and Good Fortune
(Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)

Everybody knew Lu Xiaofeng was an adventurer.

Adventure can also be considered a disease, just like cancer. It’s not easy to cure, but wanting to catch the disease is equally not easy. Therefore, nobody has ever turned into an adventurer overnight. If someone suddenly turns into an adventurer, there must be a very unusual reason behind it.

It was said that when Lu Xiaofeng was around seventeen years of age, he went through a very painful experience, which led him to almost jump into the river. It was then that he turned into an adventurer.

An adventurer would never jump into a river, unless the water that day happened to be warm, and a very beautiful girl happened to take a bath in the river. He also happened to possess a very good water skill.

Adventurers would never mistreat themselves, because in this world, the only one who would take care of them is themselves.

Lu Xiaofeng had always taken good care of himself. If a carriage was available, he would never walk. If there was a three-tael a night inn to spend the night, he would never stay in a 2.9-tael inn.

The ‘heavenly’ character of the ‘Heavenly Good Fortune Inn’ refers to several of the best rooms, and the rent was precisely three taels a night. Those who had stayed in the ‘Heavenly Good Fortune Inn’ all agreed that the three taels a night rent was not price-gouging.

The beds were spacious and comfortable, with clean bed sheets and goose down pillows. Hot water was available for a hot bath anytime of the day.

Lu Xiaofeng was lying down on the bed. He had just taken a hot bath and had eaten a nice dinner, plus two catties of very good Bamboo-leaf Green wine.

Regardless of who was in this condition, only exhaustion would take over, and the only thing to do was shut his eyes and sleep.

Lu Xiaofeng had closed his eyes, but he just could not fall asleep. He simply had too many things in his mind right now.

There seemed to be a hole in this matter, but he could not figure it out.
Right now, as soon as he closed his eyes, he would see two women.

One woman was wearing light, apple-green, soft silk gown. Her entire beautiful face was completely without makeup, her expression was always icy cold, just like a piece of iceberg.

The other was like the sunshine in the spring time, or the spring water under the warm sun, gentle, tender, flattering, and arousing. Especially her eyes. When she looked at you, you would feel for an instant that your soul has left you.

Lu Xiaofeng’s soul had not left him yet; simply because she had not looked straight into Lu Xiaofeng’s eyes yet. But Lu Xiaofeng had actually looked straight at her. As a matter of fact, he saw her nearly all the time these past two days, because she had been closely following Lu Xiaofeng, as if there was an invisible thread pulling her behind him.

Lu Xiaofeng had been followed by other people, as well as he followed other people. It’s just that there were three groups of people following him. For Lu Xiaofeng, this was actually the first time in all his life.

Three groups of people did not mean three people.

That gentle-and-tender-like-the-spring-time-water girl was one of them, but she was the only one in her group.

The second group consisted of five people. Some were tall, some were short, some were old, and some were young. They all rode on big and tall horses, and they all wore sharp swords and long sabers. Each one of them looked at Lu Xiaofeng with glowering eyes, as if they were not afraid that he would know about their presence.

But Lu Xiaofeng pretended he did not see them. As a matter of fact, he really did not know these five people's origin, and he did not know why they were following him.

The third group of people consisted of three men wearing square hats. They dressed like old Confucian scholars, and rode on a large carriage, complete with an attendant. They brought along tea set and wine pot, as if they were on vacation, enjoying the beauty of nature along the way. But Lu Xiaofeng was able to recognize them as soon as he saw them. No matter how they dress, he would always recognize them.

Because although they can change their appearance, they would never be able to change the cold and arrogant look on their faces, the expression that says they were without equal in the world.

These three old scholars, naturally were the present days' Law Protector Elders of the Devil Cult of the Western Region, the Kunlun Mountains' Great Brightness Mirror, Heavenly Dragon Mountain Cave's Sui Han San You.

Lu Xiaofeng did not try to avoid them at all, they were also following him from some distance away, did not try to overtake him at all.

Because the Blue Beard had told them.

"If there is any one person in the world who can retrieve the Luocha Tablet back for you, that person must be Lu Xiaofeng."

Lu Xiaofeng stopped by the Heavenly Good-fortune Inn to spend the night. He was wondering if those three groups of people also stayed at the Heavenly Good-fortune Inn?

What, actually, were they going to do to Lu Xiaofeng? Would they make their move tonight?

Lu Xiaofeng sighed silently. He was not the least bit afraid others would trouble him, but to simply wait helplessly for others to come and give him trouble was not a pleasant feeling at all.

While he was still sighing, someone suddenly knocked on his door.

They're here! Finally they're here!

Which group had come? And what did they want to do?

Lu Xiaofeng simply lay down on the bed; not only did he not move, he did not even ask. He only called out loudly: "Come in!"

The door was pushed open, and in came a servant carrying hot water kettle.

Although Lu Xiaofeng relaxed, he was actually very disappointed.

Not only he was not afraid others would come and give him trouble, sometimes he even wished others would come quickly to give him trouble.

Although the servant said that he came to add hot water to the teapot, his manner seemed to be a bit suspicious. While pouring water into the pot, he tried to strike a conversation, "The weather is very cold. It feels like it is already the twelfth month."

Lu Xiaofeng just looked at him. He knew this kid would surely continue.

Sure enough, the servant said, "Such a cold weather, sleeping alone must be uncomfortable!"

Lu Xiaofeng laughed: "Are you saying that you are going to find a woman to accompany me sleep?"

The servant also laughed: "Don't Mister Guest want to look for a woman?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Of course I want a woman, but I must know first: what kind of woman?"

The servant narrowed his eyes and laughed: "Other women, I dare not say anything. But this woman, I guarantee Mister Guest will be satisfied, because ..."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Because what?"

The servant laughed again, a vague laugh, a very mysterious laugh. He lowered his voice and said, "This woman is not local, she actually does not do this line of work. Besides, other than Mister Guest, she does not seem to be interested in other guests."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Could it be that she was to one who sent you here?"

Unexpectedly the servant nodded.

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes shone; immediately that gentle-and-tender-like-the-spring-time-water girl appeared in his mind.

He had not guessed wrong.

The one the servant brought back was really her.

"This is Miss Ding, Ding Xiangyi. This gentleman is Young Master Lu. You two can get better acquainted."

The servant laughed his mysterious laugh, then slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Ding Xiangyi stood silently under the lantern with her head lowered. Her tender and elegant hands were playing with the corner of her garment.

She did not say anything. Lu Xiaofeng also did not say anything.

He was determined to see what kind of trick this woman was going to play in his presence. And he got his wish rather quickly.

The lantern light was bright. A beautiful woman was standing under the light.

She had not opened her mouth, but suddenly, using her two fingers she gently pulled the belt on her clothes.

Once the belt was loosened, the front lapels of her robe also loosened, and her breasts, as white as snow and as pure as jade, with her two small reddish nipples, suddenly appeared in front of Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng was so startled that he jumped.

He had never thought that her clothes were fastened by only one belt; he was even more surprised that underneath the clothes, she did not wear anything, not even a piece of ribbon.

This kind of clothing was actually easier to take off than a baby's diaper.

Therefore, that graceful, charming, yet shy respectable young lady of a moment ago now suddenly turned into an innocent newborn baby. Other than her own skin, nothing covered her body.
--------------------------------

The big question of the day:
If it were not Lu Xiaofeng, but say, Guo Jing. What would he do?? :confused:

Guo Jing would turn red, stammer and ask her to put some clothes on. :D

Rob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UltraRob

Guo Jing would turn red, stammer and ask her to put some clothes on. :D

Rob

---

I second that!

You guys taking this too seriously. :D My guess is: Guo Jing would jump up through the roof while screaming frantically, "Rong'er, Rong'er! Help! Help!"

Well, unless the girl was Huang Rong ... ;)

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "Are you always this straightforward toward other people?"

Ding Xiangyi shook her head: "When playing hide-and-seek, I like to circle around."

She smiled. With the pair of innocent and naive eyes she was looking straight at him. "But you called me here not to play hide-and-seek!"

Lu Xiaofeng could only admit: "No, I did not!"

Ding Xiangyi sweetly said, "I am not here to accompany you playing hide-and-seek either."

With a bitter smile Lu Xiaofeng said, "I can see that."

In a soft voice Ding Xiangyi said, "Since you already know what I am here for, and I also know what you want, then why do we still circle around as if we are playing hide-and-seek?"

Her smile became even more seductive, even more captivating. It's just that the most captivating part of her body was not her smile, but the part which some men should not look, yet they always want to look anyway.

Lu Xiaofeng was a man.

He suddenly felt that his own heartbeat was getting faster, his breathing quickened, even his mouth felt dry.

Obviously Ding Xiangyi could also see these changes on his body, especially the other part which underwent an even more pronounced change.

"I can see that you are a grown man, and I'm also certain that you don't like playing hide-and-seek anymore!"

She slowly walked near, and suddenly she slipped into his blanket, just like a fish slips into the water. Lithe, slippery, and natural.

But her body actually was unlike the fish.

Whether it was in the river, the stream or in the ocean, there have never been a fish whose body was like her. Sleek, soft, and warm.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed. "Damn it!" he cursed himself in his heart.

Each time he realized he was not able to resist some kind of temptation, he always cursed himself first.

Afterwards, he would be ready to accept the temptation.

He had just reached out with his hand when suddenly, 'pop, pop, pop!' three times; three metal awls, three flying daggers, three divine arrows, flew in from outside the window all at the same time, straight toward their bodies, hard and fast.

Ding Xiangyi's face changed; she was about to scream.

But before any noise came out of her mouth, these nine secret projectiles, which flew in lightning fast, suddenly fell down without any reason. Each secret projectile broke into two pieces.

Because Ding Xiangyi was about to scream, her mouth stayed open. Suddenly she heard 'Bang!' Someone broke through the door brandishing a steel saber in his hand.

This man looked strong and was wearing tight clothing. Not only his expression was fierce, his movements were also extremely swift and fierce; obviously he was an expert in external martial arts.

Who would have thought that as soon as he barged in, he suddenly leaped high backward, as if there was an invisible hand grabbing his neck from behind.

There was another 'Bang!' as the window was struck open, another man brandishing a pair of sabers with a wild roar charging in from the outside. But with another roar he flew out through the window on the opposite side of the room. 'Boom!' he fell heavily on the flagstones outside the window.

Ding Xiangyi saw everything clearly, yet she did not have the slightest clue on what was actually happening.

Right this moment yet another man rushed in from the door straight toward the head of the bed. With the ghost-headed saber in his hand raised high, he stared at Lu Xiaofeng and in stern voice said, "I kill you, you ..."

This sentence of his was only half spoken, the saber in his had also had not chopped down, but he crumpled down, his limbs shrunk, his face turned black, as if he was suddenly possessed by a ghost. His entire body curled into a ball and suddenly he rolled out of the door.

The room was full of daggers, swords, secret projectiles flying here and there; several tall and strong men rushing in and out, but Lu Xiaofeng seemed to be oblivious of it all. He was still lying on the bed, unmoving.

A gust of wind blew. The pushed open door suddenly closed automatically, the stricken window also closed on its own.

Lu Xiaofeng's expression still remained unchanged, as if he had already known that even the sky was falling down on him, some people would certainly support it for him.

Ding Xiangyi looked at him in amazement. She slowly reached out to feel his forehead, and then also felt his chest.

Lu Xiaofeng laughed: "I haven't been scared to death yet!"

Ding Xiangyi: "And you are not sick!"

Ding Xiangyi sighed and said, "Your ancestors must have done a lot of good deeds, that you can turn misfortune into blessing, calamity into safety, that anywhere you go, there will be deities and demons protecting you in secret!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "You are absolutely correct. Nine heavens ten earths, various deities numerous demons, are all protecting me in secret!"

Revealing his teeth, he grinned evilly. Although he had not looked into the mirror, he knew his face would certainly look very sinister, almost as sinister as those people of the Western Region's Devil Cult.

But Ding Xiangyi only laughed. She winked and smiled: "Since there are deities and demons protecting you, I don't have to be afraid, we can still ..."

Her hand started to move underneath the blanket.

Lu Xiaofeng felt as if he was jolted by a lightning. He looked at her in shock: "After those kinds of things, you still have the interest?"

Ding Xiangyi smiled coyly; she replied his question with her actions.

Right this moment, suddenly the lantern went off, the room was covered in darkness.

In such a dark room, anything can happen.

Who can tell what was going to happen in that room?

Lu Xiaofeng's sleep was very sweet. He had not enjoyed this kind of sweet sleep in such a long, long time.

He was not a sage.

And neither was she.

When he woke up, he could still smell the lingering fragrance on the pillow, but the person actually had disappeared.

Lu Xiaofeng stared at the ceiling with eyes open wide. He was lost in thought for half a day. "Could it be that she followed me all the way just because she wanted me ..."

He forbade himself to continue his thought; he had sworn long ago that he would not think himself as a gift to the opposite sex, that he would not to be infatuated with himself.

The sunlight streamed in through the window pane. The weather was very good that day.

When the weather was good, he was always in an unusually happy mood. But as soon as he pushed the window open, he saw five not-so-happy things.

He saw five coffins.

Ten men, carrying five brand new coffins, had passed through the courtyard, and out the main gate.

The ones lying in the coffins must be those five men riding the big tall horses, the men who tailed him.

Who were they, actually? Why did they follow him? Why did they want his life?

Lu Xiaofeng was completely clueless.

He only knew that these five people must have died under those three 'Old Scholars' staying in the room on the other side of the yard.

He also knew that it was not him they were protecting, but the white jade they wanted him to retrieve.

"If there is any one person in the world who can retrieve the Luocha Tablet back for you, that person must be Lu Xiaofeng."

The three 'Old Scholars' on the opposite side were staring coldly at him. Two were drinking tea, the other one was drinking wine. Their piercing gaze was sharper than the point of a needle, probably they were telling Lu Xiaofeng: "If you cannot retrieve that Luocha Tablet, we can always kill you just like that anytime!"

Lu Xiaofeng closed the window. Only then did he discover that the secret projectiles, which were struck to the ground the previous night, had disappeared. Only about eight, nine pieces of pebbles were left on the floor.

Ding Xiangyi actually reappeared.

With a steaming hot soup bowl in her hands, she walked in from outside. Seeing Lu Xiaofeng, an angelic sweet smile appeared on her face. With a gentle voice she said, "I know you must be awake by this time, so I went to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of chicken soup especially for you. Quickly drink it while it's still hot."

Lu Xiaofeng was completely speechless.

After staring at him for half a day, Ding Xiangyi laughed and said, "You look very shocked to see me here. Do you suppose I should be gone by now?"

Lu Xiaofeng did not deny at all.

Ding Xiangyi sat down, her smile was even sweeter. She looked at him with the corner of her eye: "But I still don't want to go, what do you say?"

Her smile seemed very mysterious, it looked very strange.

Suddenly Lu Xiaofeng remembered; in some business, when you are done, you have to pay. Similarly, after what the woman did, she might be waiting for others to pay her.

If this section were in a film, it would be like it was out an over-the-top wuxia comedy. They get ready to have fun and suddenly these wuxia warriors are flying in and out of the room from all directions only to disappear moments later. Very strange! :)

Rob

Could this woman be 1 of blue beard's 4 ex-wives?

Funny where she came out of nowhere...

The 5 people could be families of other people
that blue beard killed/raped to frame LXF

Seems like the 3 old man had amazing kung-fu.
I will flee too if I were LXF. :p

I think this "over-the-top-ness..." makes the story very interesting.

She tailed him for two days, probably because she had seen it early on that he was such an open-handed man, so she was prepared to gouge his pocket.

"Luckily I did not think myself as a gift to the opposite sex, I was not infatuated with myself!"

Lu Xiaofeng smiled; he was very proud of himself for having such a mature judgment.

Someone who was very proud of himself would naturally be very open-handed toward others, much less Lu Xiaofeng was not a stingy person to begin with.

He seemed to remember that he still have four or five banknotes in his pocket; each seemed to worth a thousand taels of silver. But when he reached into his pocket, he realized that he only have two left. Yet he still pulled one out and waved it in front of Ding Xiangyi.

Ding Xiangyi looked at the banknote then she looked at him. "Is that for me?" she asked.

Lu Xiaofeng nodded.

Ding Xiangyi smiled. A very strange smile indeed.

"Does she think it is too little?"

Immediately Lu Xiaofeng pulled the last banknote from his pocket. It was his entire fortune. After he used it all up, how would he manage afterwards? Basically he did not even want to think about it.

Ding Xiangyi looked at the banknote again, then she looked at him. Suddenly she also pulled out from her bosom piles of banknotes, each also worth a thousand taels of silver. There were at least forty, fifty banknotes.

Lu Xiaofeng: "Is that for me?"

Ding Xiangyi: "All for you."

Lu Xiaofeng was so surprised that his face looked like, while yawning, a piece of meatball suddenly fell from the sky and landed on his mouth.

In all his life he had gone through countless dangerous, secretive, and mysterious situations, but he had never been shocked like this time.

Ding Xiangyi suddenly asked: "Do you know what the term 'eating easy rice' means?"

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head.

Ding Xiangyi: "Do you know what the most ancient occupation in the world is?"

Lu Xiaofeng nodded his head.

Ding Xiangyi: "A woman who makes money this way usually is called a wh*re."

Lu Xiaofeng: "And a man who makes money this way is called 'eating easy rice'?"

Ding Xiangyi laughed: "I knew you are a smart man; you understand everything right off!"

Surprisingly, Lu Xiaofeng's face blushed deep red. His expression looked like someone who was forced to stuff his mouth with a stinky duck egg.

Ding Xiangyi looked at him, then giggled and said, "Although I am not pretty, I have never lost money over a 'little white face' [attractive young man (derogatory) / pretty boy / gigolo]!"

Right now Lu Xiaofeng was not a 'little white face' at all, he was a 'big red face'.

Ding Xiangyi continued, "Besides, although you might consider me a wh*re, I actually know that you are not that kind of person!"

Lu Xiaofeng let out a breath, he seemed to be very appreciative in his heart.

Ding Xiangyi said, "These fifty thousand taels are not mine to give to you!"

Lu Xiaofeng could not bear not to ask, "Then who gives it to me?"

Ding Xiangyi: "It's my Biaojie [older female cousin]."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Who is your Biaojie?"

Ding Xiangyi: "My Biaojie is the Blue Beard's wife, Fang Yufei's meimei."

Lu Xiaofeng croaked: "Fang Yuxiang?"

Ding Xiangyi smiled: "She is also called Xiangxiang."

Lu Xiaofeng was dumbfounded.

Ding Xiangyi: "She knew you are always generous, she was afraid you won't have enough money to spend along the way. She was also afraid you won't be able to sleep at night, and so ..."

She bit her lips and glanced at Lu Xiaofeng with the corner of her eye. "And so she wanted me to keep you accompany!"

Suddenly Lu Xiaofeng sneered: "She wanted you to watch over me, didn't she?"

Ding Xiangyi sighed: "I knew you would misunderstand her. Although outwardly she seems to be as cold as ice, she is actually a very compassionate woman, especially toward you ..."

Lu Xiaofeng: "How she feels 'toward me'?"

Ding Xiangyi smiled again. An even more mysterious smile. "The two of you spent most part of the night together inside a dark carriage, how she feels toward you, don't you know it in your heart? Why do you have to ask me?"

Lu Xiaofeng's face was devoid of any emotion. He stopped his sneer, but somehow he felt that a bit of sweetness started to creep into his heart. Somehow it felt very good.

Such a sweet and good feeling was enough for a man to let his neck wrapped in a noose.

Thereupon when Lu Xiaofeng left the Heavenly Good-fortune Inn that day, he had fifty thousand taels more in his pocket, while the number of people tailing behind him was reduced by six. Five had entered the coffins, while one entered his bosom.

Although he did not intentionally have any part on these two matters, he also did not have any way to avoid those matters.

Just like most people in the world, if something was advantageous to him, he usually did not want to think too much about how to avoid it.

Have you ever been followed by nine people? If you have, you would certainly know how good it is to know that the number of those nine people has been reduced to only three.

Too bad Lu Xiaofeng was not able to maintain this good feeling for too long. Because on the next day, he discovered that the number of people tailing behind him had increased from three to ten.

In order to have a good night sleep, Lu Xiaofeng tried not to turn his head as much as he can, he tried to pretend that he did not see those people.

But Ding Xiangyi could not stop turning her head around; she was continually looking back from the small window on the rear of the carriage.

Finally she could not bear not to ask, "Are those people also following you?"

Lu Xiaofeng reluctantly nodded his head.

Ding Xiangyi: "Looks like they have been watching you since last night!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Oh?"

Ding Xiangyi: "Do you know who they are?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I don't know." He really did not know.

Ding Xiangyi closed the small window. Suddenly she snuggled herself into Lu Xiaofeng's bosom. Coincidentally, her warm body clung to his chest, but her hands were actually colder than ice.

"I am scared!" She hugged him even tighter.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Among those seven people behind us, there is one 'lacking-half' man. He looks so scary!"

"What do you mean 'lacking-half'?"

Lacking-half means his left eye was blind, his left ear was gone, his left hand was replaced by an iron hook, his left leg was also replaced by a wooden leg.

Ding Xiangyi: "Actually, I am more afraid of the other half which are not lacking."

His right eye, nose, and mouth are crooked, they were twisted, completely deformed.

Ding Xiangyi tightly grabbed Lu Xiaofeng's hand: "This man looks like a rag doll which had fallen into the water and then somebody tore the left side of his body."

Lu Xiaofeng: "A rag doll?"

Ding Xiangyi: "He doesn't look old, his stature is also very small; he must have had a round baby face, but now ..."

She had not finished speaking when she noticed Lu Xiaofeng's eyes revealed a loathing look. Immediately she changed her course and asked, "Do you know who he is?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Mmm."

Ding Xiangyi: "You know him?"

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head.

He seemed to be very unwilling to talk about this man, as much as he was unwilling to step his foot on a viper.

But Ding Xiangyi still had to ask, "But you must know what kind of man is he, don't you?"

There are some women who, by nature, always want to get to the bottom of everything. If she wants to know something and you do not tell her, she might not stop pestering you for three days and three nights.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "He was originally called 'Yin Yang Kid'. After meeting Sikong Zhaixing, his nickname was changed."

Ding Xiangyi: "Changed to what?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Yin Kid!"

Ding Xiangyi laughed. She said with a wink, "He was originally called 'Yin Yang Kid', it must be because he was neither a male nor a female kind of 'yin-yang' person!"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Mmm."

Ding Xiangyi: "But Sikong Zhaixing destroyed the male half of him. And thus he can only be called the 'Yin Kid'."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Mmm."

Ding Xiangyi: "Why didn't Sikong Zhaixing simply kill him?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Because Sikong Zhaixing very seldom kills people."

Ding Xiangyi: "Or could it be that Sikong Zhaixing thought that his female half had not done too many bad deeds?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Mmm."

Ding Xiangyi rolled her eyes. She said offhandedly, "I want to find a 'yin yang' person and take a look. I always wonder what difference do they have from other people?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I also have something I always wonder!"

Ding Xiangyi: "What is it?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Why you have never blushed?"

If you guys think this is over the top, wait until the ending. :cool:

Great work foxs, keep it up. :) Story 4 and 5 of LXF are actually pretty good, but they, especially 4, are quite risque.... as I'm sure you are finding out. But the stories are pretty nicely done and I very much look forward to reading your translations. :)

Actually, Moin, I am simply continuing your great work. If you have some extra time and would like to continue, you can take over from me anytime ... :)
------------------------------------

Ding Xiangyi's face right now was very red, not because she was blushing, but because she had just taken a hot bath.

The rent of Lucky Inn rooms was also three taels a night, they also supplied hot water any time of the day, day or night.

With one hand holding her hair bun and the other hand holding a towel, she walked from the bathroom on the other side of the corridor into the room. Bumping the door close with her buttocks, she chuckled sweetly, "The room here is too expensive, business is not so good, there is nobody outside, you should come out and take a bath together with me!"

Lu Xiaofeng did not hear her. His full attention was on a sandalwood box.

This box was laid neatly on the square table in front of him. The top of the box was carved with delicate pattern, with its corners inlaid in gold. It looked just like jewelry boxes used by the rich to keep their valuables.

As Ding Xiangyi turned around, she immediately saw the box. "Where did it come from?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "It was delivered by the servant!"

Ding Xiangyi: "Who ordered him to deliver it?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I don't know!"

Ding Xiangyi: "What's inside the box?"

Lu Xiaofeng also did not know.

Ding Xiangyi walked over. "Why don't you open it and take a look? Are you afraid a viper would jump out of the box?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I am afraid a woman will jump out of the box, a woman just like you!"

Ding Xiangyi glowered at him, then she laughed and said, "I wish a man would jump out of the box, better yet, a man just like you!"

She opened the box, and the smile froze on her face, exactly like one who was scared to death.

Inside the wooden box were more than a hundred white teeth, plus five black linen belts. Black linen belts which were soaked in blood.

A tooth for a tooth, blood debt must be paid by blood.

Only after her teeth chattered in fear was she able to croak, "Are these ... are these human teeth?"

Lu Xiaofeng nodded. His face looked rather pale.

Ding Xiangyi: "What do these five black belts mean?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I don't know."

Ding Xiangyi sighed: "Looks like you don't know anything."

Lu Xiaofeng: "I only know one thing."

Ding Xiangyi: "What is it?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Men's business, it is best if a woman does not meddle too much, also does not ask too much!"

Surprisingly, this time Ding Xiangyi really obeyed him; she sat down nicely on a chair and closed her mouth.

Unfortunately it was only because she was so frightened that her body turned weak. After regaining her strength a little bit, she opened her mouth again, "I seem to remember the seven people who were following you today also wore black belts!"

Lu Xiaofeng maintained a straight face, but inwardly he was impressed. She did have careful observation skills.

Perhaps women were born with the ability to pay more attention to details than men; especially women, like her, who like to get to the heart of the matter.

Ding Xiangyi: "Could it be that those seven people today are related to the five men who died that night?"

Lu Xiaofeng looked at her. Suddenly he said, “So you are determined to meddle in my business, aren’t you?”

Ding Xiangyi sweetly replied, “I am sure you know that at least we are not strangers anymore.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “In that case you won’t mind doing something for me?”

Ding Xiangyi: “What is it?”

Her face was already blushing with excitement, just like a little girl who had just heard a grown up was going to take her to the temple.

It was the very first time Lu Xiaofeng saw her blushing. Suddenly he discovered that when she was blushing, those pair of seductive, crafty and sly eyes turned into the naïve eyes of an innocent little girl.

He stared at her for half a day before realizing that it was now his turn to say something.

Now was the time for him to put up a façade of a heartless man, not looking at a young girl affectionately like this.

Thereupon he cleared his throat immediately and said in stern voice, “Deliver this box for me to the other side!”

Ding Xiangyi almost screamed, “What did you say?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “I want you to deliver this box to the other side, because I am sure the real killer of these five men stay on that side!”

Ding Xiangyi looked at him in disbelief, her countenance paled again.

Lu Xiaofeng coldly said, “What makes you think you can meddle in others’ business if you won’t dare to do such a trivial thing like this?”

Ding Xiangyi gritted her teeth; she stomped her feet, ‘Bang!’ she closed the box, lift it up off the table and went out the door without turning her head again.

Lu Xiaofeng deliberately did not look at her. Suddenly he felt that his heart was a lot more harder than it used to be. To an adventurer like him, it was certainly a good thing.

Too bad that in his heart he still did not feel at ease.

Sending a young girl to deliver a wooden box containing dead men’s teeth to the three men whose hands had killed them was a cruel thing to do.

“But I have to let them know about this matter!” He consoled himself in his heart, “I must send her there. Remembering their own status, those three old freaks certainly won’t give a young girl any trouble!”

After his own heart had calmed down somewhat, he started to think about things he should have thought earlier.

What enmity did these people have against me? Why did they follow me this far and want to take my life?

Why did all of them wear black linen belts? What kind of organization did these people belong to?

Black linen cloth, black linen belt.

Lu Xiaofeng looked down, he wanted to see what color his own belt was, but what caught his attention first was his pair of white socks.

Instantly his mind remembered the ‘Red Shoes Sisterhood’ and ‘Green Shirt Pavilion’.

It’s just that in his mind right now, those frightening experiences seemed pale in comparison to the matter at hand.

Right now, the most frightening thing he was facing was these black belt people.

If someone like the Yin Kid also became their subordinate, their organization must be very secretive, strict, and frightening.

While Lu Xiaofeng was still pondering on what he knew, trying to discover the origin of this ‘Black Belt Society’, Ding Xiangyi was back, she was back empty-handed.

“Have you delivered the box?”

“What did they say?”

“They did not say anything,” Ding Xiangyi pouted, “Because actually they were not in, so I handed the box over to their attendant!”

“And the attendant also does not know where they are?”

Ding Xiangyi shook her head. Suddenly she sneered and said, “I don’t care where you sent the box, that ‘yin yang person’ would come to find you!”

Lu Xiaofeng replied, “He won’t come to find me!”

Ding Xiangyi: “Why?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Because right now I am going to find him first!”

Ding Xiangyi was shocked. She was about to act like she was angry, but then her eyes showed concern as she asked, “Do you know how many people are in their group?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Seven.”

Ding Xiangyi: “Do you know that those seven people have fourteen hands?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “I can count as well!”

Ding Xiangyi: “But you have only one pair of hands!”

Lu Xiaofeng laughed before saying, “Does one tael of gold worth more? Or does one catty of iron worth more?”

Ding Xiangyi: “Of course the gold would worth more!”

Lu Xiaofeng said matter-of-factly, “Therefore, one pair of hands is sometimes more useful than fourteen hands!”

Ding Xiangyi looked as he was walking out. When he reached the door, she suddenly asked, “Are you confident that you are coming back?”

Lu Xiaofeng only laughed.

Ding Xiangyi: “How confident are you of coming back alive?”

Lu Xiaofeng could not bear not to turn his head and asked, “Why do you ask such a meticulous question?”

With a straight face Ding Xiangyi said coldly, “If even half a confidence you do not have, you’d better leave those banknotes in your pocket. If I am going to be a widow, at least I will be a rich widow!”

Lu Xiaofeng stared at her; he looked at her for half a day. Slowly he reached into his pocket, took the banknotes out and placed them on the table. Suddenly he laughed and said, “Don’t worry, you will never be a widow!”

Ding Xiangyi: “Why?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Because I can guarantee you that no man in this world would dare to take you as his wife.”

Lu Xiaofeng had left. He left without even buttoning his collar, as if he was going out for a walk.

But why did he leave all those banknotes behind? Was it because he did not have full confidence that he was going to come back alive?

Just how frightening were people like that Yin Kid?

Ding Xiangyi stared at the banknotes on the table. Suddenly she sighed and muttered, “If you don’t come back, although I won’t be a widow, there will be someone who will be a widower.”

End of Chapter 3.

Thanks for working so much on this. You seem to have set a pretty good pace. I know there are people out there who have been waiting to see the rest of the LXF canon. Keep it up.

Missouri.slim

Thanks for the support. Can't always promise regular updates though. I have only so much free time and have to juggle many things. :)
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Chapter 4 – Ocean of Vinegar*, Waves of Prosperity
(Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)

The Lucky Inn’s courtyard was surrounded by four building complexes. Yin Kid’s party seemed to stay on the fourth complex. They seemed to rent the entire complex.

Just a moment ago Lu Xiaofeng seemed to hear the voices of women singing and laughing, but now the voices had ceased.

He walked around and entered the complex from the back door, and did not see even a single human being. Apparently this place was not enjoying good business.

Although the lanterns around the courtyard were lit, not even a sound of breathing or coughing was heard. Could it be that nobody was home?
Lu Xiaofeng stood on tiptoes and then leaped up the short wall. The lantern light shone through the window, but not a single shadow was to be seen.

There seemed to be a faint trace of the fragrance of women’s cosmetic and the aroma of wine and meat in the courtyard. Apparently there was a joyous gathering in that courtyard not too long ago. When people gathered to have a good time, wine and women were never absent.

But where were the people now?

A breeze came. Lu Xiaofeng suddenly knitted his brows. The breeze brought the smell of not only the wine, meat and perfume, but also a very particular smell, a special odor that usually can be found only around the slaughter house.

He deliberately created some noise, but nothing was stirring in the room. While he was still hesitating, unsure whether he should just break into the room, suddenly he heard a miserably scream.

The scream was ear-piercingly sharp; it did not sound like a human being’s voice.

If you insist that that was a human’s voice, then this human certainly was a deformed monster.

Immediately Lu Xiaofeng remembered the ‘lacking-half’ person. Could it be that the Sui Han San You had beaten him again by one step?

He flitted across the roof ridge, his shadow floated like a light smoke. The scream came from the back, the two rooms at the very back. He could see the dim light far ahead. The two window panels and the door were actually half open.

The smell of the reeking of blood was getting thicker.

Lu Xiaofeng flew in and stopped right in front of the door. He gently pushed the door open with two fingers.

Immediately someone was laughing fiendishly inside the door, “You are really here. I knew that as soon as the box was delivered, you will come here. Come in, quick.”

Lu Xiaofeng did not come in.

Not that he did not dare to come in, but he could not bear to come in.

The situation inside the room was a lot more horrible than the slaughter house, a lot more nauseating.

Three teenage girls, young girls who had not completely matured, like slaughtered white sheep were lying askew on the edge of the bed; their pale and slender bodies were still bleeding, with blood flowing through their tender legs, dripping to the floor.

The ‘lacking half’ person, like the grim reaper sat on the head of the bed. He raised a dagger in his hand, with blood still dripping from the blade.

“Come in!” his voice was sharp and ear-piercing like an owl in the night, “I tell you to come in, you must come in, otherwise I am going to cut these stinky three girls into eight pieces.”

Lu Xiaofeng gritted his teeth, trying hard to stop vomiting; because vomiting can usually weaken one’s body.

Yin Kid laughed fiendishly: “Although these three stinky girls do not have any relation with you, too bad you are known as a man who always shows tender compassion, you can’t bear to see them die in your presence!”

This malicious monster indeed knew how to capture Lu Xiaofeng’s weakness; Lu Xiaofeng’s heart had already sunken.

He indeed was not able to bear it.

His heart was not as hard as he wanted it to be. He knew perfectly well that sooner or later these girls could not avoid death, yet he still could not bear to see them die in his presence.

All he could do was to brace himself and step in.

Yin Kid laughed out loud: “At first we did not want to kill you, but you should not …”

His laughter suddenly stopped; three cold rays of light flew in through the window. With the flashing of these rays, three star-like objects penetrated the young girls’ throats.

The Yin Kid roared wildly and flew out instantly, but he did not pounce on Lu Xiaofeng at all, instead, he dashed out to pursue the person who launched the secret projectiles.

But Lu Xiaofeng was unwilling to let him go.

The young girls had already died, Lu Xiaofeng had nothing to risk, why would he let him go?

The Yin Kid made a somersault in the air, the iron hook on his left arm grabbed the beam, and his body spun around the beam just like a spinning top. His fake leg created a strong gust of wind, turned out it was made of cast iron.

As soon as he executed this strange trick, anybody would have to give up any idea of coming close to him.

Lu Xiaofeng also could not come close, he had no choice but helplessly watch him spinning continuously. Suddenly his iron hook came loose. Borrowing the centrifugal force of the spin, his body shot out the window like an arrow.

Turned out he was not trying to score any victory, but was only hoping to escape. Obviously he realized he was not Lu Xiaofeng's match.

Too bad he still underestimated Lu Xiaofeng.

As his body flew, Lu Xiaofeng's hand suddenly reached up. With two fingers outstretched, he pushed lightly.

'Wham!' The Yin Kid was thrown heavily outside the window, his [COLOR=black]prosthetic [/COLOR]leg struck the ground and sparks flew in all directions.

Lu Xiaofeng did not intend to kill him. With a lightning fast speed he simply sealed his acupoint with the intention of leaping out after him to interrogate his origin and the purpose of his trip.

Again a cold ray of light flashed in the courtyard and a nail pierced Yin Kid's throat.

"Who's there?"

The night was dim, the stars and the moon were not shining, not a single shadow was visible. Since he could not see anything, how could he pursue?

Lu Xiaofeng sighed. "Luckily there were seven of them," he muttered, "There remain six living mouths."

He had just finished talking when suddenly from behind him came a cold voice, "It's a pity that now even half a living mouth is no more."

Only one person spoke, but there were three shadows on the ground, three long shadows because of the light from the window.

Sui Han San You.

Lu Xiaofeng slowly turned around. With a bitter smile he said, "So the other six people are no longer alive?"

One old man coldly said, "If they were still alive, you would not get out of that room that easily just a moment ago."

Presumably the other six people were setting up an ambush in the darkness; so Lu Xiaofeng was actually walking into a trap. Pity that they all lost their lives silently in the dark.

Without a doubt these six people were martial art masters. Killing them all might not be too difficult but killing them all together silently was not an easy matter.

Sui Han San You's martial art skills were high, the way they made their moves was ruthless and accurate; truly astonishing.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed and silently reminded himself that no matter what, he must not act blindly without thinking.

Surprisingly, this old man's hand was still holding a wine cup, and there were still wine inside the cup. Other than Mr. Gu Song [lit. lone pine (tree)] of Sui Han San You, how many people in the world would be able to kill people in an instant with only one hand?

Mr. Gu Song sipped the wine in his cup, then with a cold laugh he said, "Actually, we wanted to keep this half mouth alive. It's a pity that although you have the skill to kill, you don't have the ability to save."

"So it wasn't you just now?" Lu Xiaofeng asked.

Mr. Gu Song arrogantly said, "This kind of scrap copper and rusty iron, Lao Fu [old man, referring to self] has not touched for many, many years."

The secret projectile on Yin Kid's throat was a very elaborately manufactured three-corner bone-penetrating nail. The girls also died under this kind of nails. In just a short period of time their faces turned black and their bodies started to shrink. It was obvious that the nails were dipped into some kind of throat-sealing violent poison.

Lu Xiaofeng also knew that this kind of secret projectiles could not possibly be used by the Sui Han San You. If one was capable of throwing a flower or a leaf to harm others by his internal energy, one could casually pick a pebble to strike down the enemy's arrow or flying dagger, one would not need to use such a poisonous secret projectile like this.
He simply needed to ask, because he really could not figure out who had acted so ruthlessly?

With a cold look Mr. Gu Song sized him up: "I have long heard that among the younger generation martial art experts, you are the most astute and the best, but I cannot see the least bit of that sign in you."

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly laughed: "Sometimes when I looked into the mirror, I would feel disappointed in myself."

Mr. Gu Song: "Still, you'd better be more careful along the way, you need to take a better care of yourself."

Lu Xiaofeng: "Because before I find your Luocha Tablet, I must not die."

Mr. Gu Song laughed coldly. With a flick of his long sleeve, 'Whoosh!' the trees around the courtyard swayed, autumn leaves fluttered, and the three of them disappeared.

Their qing gong had reached perfection, their temperament was extremely hard to deal with, whoever had these three as adversaries cannot possibly be too happy in his heart.

Lu Xiaofeng pinched a fallen leaf with his two fingers. He looked at the leaf and then let it fall again, while muttering, "The leaves have dried up. Two more days farther north, snow will start to fall. Those who are not afraid of cold are free to follow me."

*[Translator's note: vinegar is often used to symbolize jealousy]

The room was still lit.

When he left just a moment ago, the light was very bright. Right now it had dimmed quite a bit.

The door was half ajar, exactly like when he left a moment ago. Suddenly he asked the question he had never thought of before: "Is she still waiting for me?"

At first he was hoping that Ding Xiangyi would leave quickly; the sooner the better. But now? If she really had left, he would certainly not feel too good.

Regardless of what kind of person you are, when you know someone was waiting for you in your room, your heart will certainly grow warm. This feeling is similar to those of a lone hunter, when he returned home on a cold winter night and found out that someone has lighted the fire for him at home, then he would not feel lonely anymore.

Only an adventurer like Lu Xiaofeng can understand how precious this kind of feeling can be. Therefore, when he pushed the door open, he was a bit nervous.

Right this moment, with this kind of feeling in his heart, he truly did not wish to walk into a cold and empty room.

Someone was inside, she had not left.

With her back facing the door, she sat next to the light, with her soft jet-black long hair hanging loosely on her shoulder.

She was slowly combing her hair with an ebony comb. Why is it that women always like to comb their hair to pass lonely time?

Seeing her, Lu Xiaofeng suddenly felt the light was a lot brighter.

No matter who you are, you would feel better when you know someone was there for you. Suddenly he realized that the older he got, the more unbearable loneliness was to him.

However, he did not show the feeling in his heart; he said lightly instead, "At last I am back alive."

"Mmm," she did not turn her head.

Lu Xiaofeng: "I am not dead, and you haven't left. Looks like it is not time for the two of us to bid goodbye yet."

She still did not turn her head, but saying gently, "Do you wish I will never leave you forever?"

Lu Xiaofeng did not answer, because he suddenly realized the woman who sat in his room combing her hair was not Ding Xiangyi at all.

She seemed to be smiling coldly, the hand that hold the comb was so white that it looked almost transparent, her fingernails were very long.

She was still combing her hair, she was combing hard, as if she wanted to take her own hair to vent her anger.

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes shone. "It's you?" his voice hoarse.

She was laughing coldly, "You did not think it was me?"

Lu Xiaofeng admitted, "I really did not think it was you."

"I also did not think that you are such a lover, see one woman love one woman."

At last she turned her head. Her face pale, her nose straight, her eyes shone like the cold stars in the autumn night.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed. With a bitter smile he said, "This time I don't want to climb an iceberg, but the iceberg actually wants to climb me?"

If Fang Yuxiang was really an iceberg, then there comes a time when an iceberg can also blush.

Right now her face was red, with her big eyes she hatefully stared at Lu Xiaofeng. "Is it true that you are not capable of speaking like a human being?"

Lu Xiaofeng smiled: "Once in a while I am capable of speaking one or two sentences. But it is only when I see a human being."

"So you think I am not a human being?" Naturally these words were not spoken, but her big eyes grew even bigger as she stared at Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng chuckled. "A couple of days ago I heard someone said that although your appearance looks mean, actually you are a very warm-hearted person. Too bad that try as I might, I fail to see it."

Fang Yuxiang: "Someone said I am a very warm-hearted person?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "Uh huh."

Fang Yuxiang: "Who was it?"

Lu Xiaofeng: "I am sure you know."

With a cold laugh Fang Yuxiang said, "Isn't she the full-of-affection little biaomei [younger female cousin] of mine, Ding Xiangyi?"

Lu Xiaofeng coughed lightly twice in reply; suddenly he felt that his face was blushing a little bit.

He always thought his heart was not too black, his face was also not too thick; as soon as the content of his heart was revealed, he would blush a little bit.

Fang Yuxiang coldly looked at him. "These last two days, she was always with you, I presume?" she asked.

Lu Xiaofeng could only admit.

Fang Yuxiang: "Where is she now?"

Lu Xiaofeng was startled. "You don't know where she is?"

Fang Yuxiang: "I have just got here, how would I know?"

Lu Xiaofeng sighed: "Perhaps she was afraid when I come back I would turn into a freak who lacks a nose and lost an eye. She could not bear to see me like that, so she decided to walk away."

Fang Yuxiang coldly said, "She is indeed a soft-hearted woman, she always shut her eyes when she kills people."

Suddenly from outside came a giggle. "Of course Da Biaojie [elder female cousin] understands me best. Because the last time killing someone I closed my eyes, blood spattered all over my body."

Amidst the silver bell like laughter, like a swallow Ding Xiangyi flew in gracefully.

Although her laughter was delightful, her appearance was actually a bit distressing; even the front lapel of her gown was torn. She looked more like a swallow that has just been hit on the tail by a hunter's crossbow.

Fang Yuxiang's face was devoid of any feeling. "I didn't think you would come back."

Ding Xiangyi laughed. "Knowing Da Biaojie is here, I have no choice but to come back."

Fang Yuxiang also laughed. Her laughter was also very sweet. "Although sometimes I am mad at you, I also know that no matter what, you are still my good Biaomei, you are always good to me."

Ding Xiangyi: "It's a pity that the opportunity for us to see each other is not always many, you are always with Da Biaoge [older male cousin], leaving me all alone on my own."

Fang Yuxiang's smile was even sweeter: "Your words are so pleasant to hear, but don't you think that I do not know that you have already forgotten us long time ago."

Ding Xiangyi: "Who says that?"

Fang Yuxiang smiled while casting a glance toward Lu Xiaofeng. "When the two of you are intimate, do you still remember us?"

The two women were smiling sweetly, they both also spoke very pleasant words, but the more Lu Xiaofeng watched, the more he felt something was amiss.

Amidst the laughter as merry as silver bells, suddenly he heard 'Crack!' The comb in Fang Yuxiang's hand turned into a chain of swift arrows. One comb has at least forty, fifty teeth; just like a rainstorm these forty, fifty sharp arrows all flew toward Ding Xiangyi.

Ding Xiangyi's hand also suddenly launched seven cold rays of light, all flew toward the seven vital acupoints on the front of Fang Yuxiang's torso.

These two women made their moves together, unexpectedly both were launching fatal blows, each one wanted to take the other’s life in this split second.

They both did not close their eyes, but Lu Xiaofeng did.

When he opened his eyes, he saw seven cold stars nailed on the wall in front of him, Fang Yuxiang was lying on the bed, and Ding Xiangyi had already flown seven, eight zhang away.

He heard her voice from the distant darkness, a voice filled with hatred: “Remember this: I will never forgive you!”

But before she even finished speaking, her voice had turned into a scream. The scream was immediately cut short, replaced by an eerie silence.

The autumn fog had dispersed. The fog was noiseless. The wind was still blowing, but even the wind did not create any noise.

The whole earth was silent.

Fang Yuxiang was still lying motionless on the bed, so much so that her breathing was not heard.

Lu Xiaofeng sat down. He looked at her breast.

A very mature and firm pair of breasts.

Suddenly Lu Xiaofeng laughed: “I know you are not dead yet.”

A dead person’s breast would not be as enticing as her breast, but like a dead person, she did not show any reaction.

Lu Xiaofeng stared at her for half a day. Suddenly he stood up, walked over, and lay down by her side.

And then he also turned into a dead person, while the other dead person actually started to revive.

Her hand was moving, her leg was also moving.

Lu Xiaofeng was motionless. Fang Yuxiang suddenly guffawed. “I know you also are not dead yet.”

Finally Lu Xiaofeng showed some reaction. He grabbed Fang Yuxiang’s constantly moving hand.

Fang Yuxiang: “What are you afraid of? I am not Blue Beard’s legally married wife; you are not his friend.”

She laughed again: “Don’t tell me you are scared of Ding Xiangyi? I guarantee she won’t be coming back this time.”

Lu Xiaofeng sighed. He knew that if Ding Xiangyi managed to come back this time, she might really turn into a freak who lacks a nose and lost an eye.

But he was not too concerned about it, because he noticed that the seven stars nailed onto the wall were precisely the tree-corner bone-penetrating nails he saw earlier.

He suddenly asked, “Did she come to find me on your order?”

Fang Yuxiang: “I have neither enmity nor grudges against you; why would I want to harm you?”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Harm me?”

Fang Yuxiang: “Right now she is like a volcano which might erupt anytime. No matter who she is following, that person may die under her hands anytime.”

With a bitter smile Lu Xiaofeng said, “Looks like my luck recently is not too bad. I met two women, one is an iceberg, the other is a volcano.”

Fang Yuxiang: “Volcanoes are a lot more dangerous than icebergs, especially a volcano who hides three hundred taels of gold on her.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “Three hundred taels of gold? Where did she get that much gold from?”

Fang Yuxiang: “She stole it.”

Lu Xiaofeng: “What sort of place has that much gold for her to steal from?”

Fang Yuxiang: “Black Tiger Hall’s treasury.”

Lu Xiaofeng exhaled slowly. “Black Tiger Hall, black linen belt ...,” he muttered.

Fang Yuxiang: “That’s right, all of the Black Tiger Hall’s various section leaders [orig. 'xiang zhu', lit. fragrance/incense host/master, and 'duo zhu', lit. helmsman. I do not know how to translate these two titles properly, so I refer to them as 'leaders'.] wear black linen belts."