Legend of the White Haired Maiden

[SkyWalker]

Awww foxs, why are you teasing us?!

I wonder who the Lama monk is. Looking forward to see YMK's display of martial arts.

If YLC is in Tianshan to look for YMK, why isn't she seeking him out?

[Fighting_Wind]

Maybe she doesn't want YMK to find out what has happened to her or she is using this time to hone her martial arts skills. Or she's scared ZYH is with YMK, so many possibilities.

Thanks foxs for the translation!!!

Man, I just want YMK to find LNC right now.

[foxs]

The Lama in red let out a strange shout while his body flipped over like a windmill; the cymbal in his left hand cut upward, the one in his right hand chopped down, forcing Reverend Hui Ming to quickly change his move. Both parties retreated three steps back!

Both men were very shocked; although the Lama in red knew the mysteriousness of Reverend Hui Ming's swordsmanship and the depth of his internal energy cultivation, he did not expect that even when carrying a child, his single palm could meet the enemy's attack with this kind of fierceness! On the other hand, neither did Reverend Hui Ming expect that in a remote frontier place, in a poor uncultivated land like this he would meet with someone excelling in martial art skill like the Lama!

Reverend Hui Ming had been living in seclusion for several years, he did not know the earth-shattering change that happened outside. Because of excessive wantonness, Zhu Youjiao's physical condition deteriorated quickly, and sure enough, as Ke Pingting predicted, he died prematurely. Reigning for only seven years, he died at the age of twenty-two. After Zhu Youjiao's death, his younger brother Zhu Youjian succeeded the throne, assuming the regal name of Chong Zhen.

Upon his ascension to the throne, he executed Wei Zhongxian by dismemberment[9] and expelled Madame Ke from the Palace, and later, she was also put to death. Other members of the clique of traitors like Cui Chengxiu and the others were also beheaded. Wei Zhongxian's adopted son got away with a comparatively light indictment, he was stripped out of all nobility and was banished to the frontier. Yuan Chonghuan, as well as Donglin society members, were re-instated. For a period of time a healthy environment was being promoted, he succeeded in building a popular image.

It's a pity that Emperor Chong Zhen killed Wei Zhongxian as an individual act. After sweeping the clique of traitors clean, he did not take advantage of the momentum by promoting what is useful and getting rid of what is harmful, on the contrary, he aggravated the people by raising land tax, fleecing out the people’s money, to such an extent as to destroy the kingdom. This is something to be talked about later, let us leave it for now.

After the death of Ke and Wei, like the saying goes, ‘when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter’. Youjiao’s ‘Great Protector’ Master[10] Changqin, who belonged to the Red Sect of Lama, utilized his martial art skill to escape back to Tibet. Wei Zhongxian’s trusted aide, Lian Chenghu also escaped to seek protection under Master Changqin.

In the meantime, the chief of Kada’er tribe on the border, Meng Sasi, was having a lofty ambition; he wanted to unify the tribes around the border. Hearing that Master Changqin had returned, he sent out a large number of treasures to gain his assistance. Master Changqin’s experience was as vast as the ocean, at first he did not wish to help. But Lian Chenghu had another idea, he was a Manchu’s agent, and believed that the Manchus will rule the world, sooner or later they would deal with the people around the border with force. The people around the border had little manpower, their armed force was weak, not as good as Meng Sasi’s force hence he wanted to build the foundation first. And thus he strongly urged Master Changqin to accept the offer. He also came with Master Changqin to the border. Unexpectedly today he accidentally came across the wandering monk Yue Mingke.

He knew that Yue Mingke had Xiong Tingbi’s legacy in his possession. If he could get his hands on the book, he might go outside the Great Wall and assume an important position, and no longer had to return to the border to let out a long-line, hang-in-the-distant kite. And so he incited Master Changqin to deal with Reverend Hui Ming.

Master Changqin’s martial art skill was by no means insignificant, with the pair of copper cymbals in his hands, he was indeed unstoppable by ten thousand men. In her effort to save Yang Lian, Yu Luocha had entered deep into the palace and once fought with him. That time Yu Luocha defeated him with her tornado-like swordsmanship, even so, she had needed twenty, thirty stances. In all his life Master Changqin only suffered defeat once, under Yu Luocha, therefore, he was extremely conceited. To his surprise this time he came across Reverend Hui Ming, who was even more formidable of Yu Luocha in the past. Reverend Hui Ming was carrying a child in his arm, and fought him with only one palm. No matter how he brandished his pair of cymbals, again and again he failed to gain the advantage to press closely on.

Master Changqin was secretly very upset, but because he was carrying a child, Reverend Hui Ming was also very cautious. Luckily the child was as bold as Yang Yuncong, he was not scared at all. He found it very amusing to watch Reverend Hui Ming with his bare hand fighting this big and tall foreign monk, forcing him to fall back again and again, while that foreign monk’s strange weapon would make noise like broken gong from time to time. The child even forgot the sorrow of losing both of his parents. When he saw a brilliant move, he would call out, "Good, good! Shifu, you must teach me this move!" And then he would crane his neck to see how Reverend Hui Ming fought.

Although Reverend Hui Ming was delighted to see this child's amazing courage, he was afraid the child would be injured. After exchanging several stances, he feigned an attack and then turned around to leave. Seeing that although Reverend Hui Ming did not look defeated at all, but suddenly left, Master Changqin was astonished. He was just about to press on with his cymbals, he suddenly saw a flash of light in front of his eyes, with a burst of cold air penetrating his skin. In the instant Reverend Hui Ming retreated and advanced again, he had already pulled the Gliding Dragon out of its sheathe. With a flip of his wrist the sword went up and with a loud 'dang!' the cymbal in Changqin's left hand was cut into two!

Master Changqin was greatly shocked; frightened, he retreated several steps back. Reverend Hui Ming was extremely happy to see his treasured sword was forged to perfection, with a great and amazing might. He wanted to test it further, so he leaped up and moved the sword in a pattern, threatening the Spirit Gate Acupoint on Master Changqin's back, expecting Master Changqin to turn around to block.

Meng Sasi shouted his order, like migratory locusts the arrows flew to shield Master Changqin. Reverend Hui Ming brandished his sword to protect all four sides of his body. A series of continuous 'Ding! Ding! Dang! Dang!' was heard, the arrows were met by the sword's ray and were immediately broken!

Reverend Hui Ming laughed aloud and muttered another 'Amituofo!' before saying, "Forgive me for not keeping you company, the impoverished monk is leaving!"

When Reverend Hui Ming was busy blocking the arrows, Master Changqin took off his red kasaya and used it as a weapon in place of his left cymbal. He charged forward again and shouted, "Buddha still wants to determine victory and defeat with you!" He shook the kasaya and like a clump of red cloud he struck down, thinking that he would use his school's unique internal energy cultivation to overcome the enemy's power, using soft to overcome hard, to snatch the treasured sword away.

Disappointed, Reverend Hui Ming said, "You still want to entangle me?" The tip of his sword went up, 'Rip!' it tore a piece of the red kasaya. But kasaya was unlike a conventional weapon; when a conventional weapon broke, it can no longer be used, not so with kasaya, although it was ripped, it could still be used. Master Changqin took advantage of the momentum, turning the kasaya around, he wanted to wrap it around the sword. At the same time, the cymbal in his right hand cut across with whistling noise.

Reverend Hui Ming's both internal and external martial art had reached perfection, naturally he would not fall into his trick. Shaking the tip of his sword slightly, he pulled it out to meet the incoming cymbal. Master Changqin knew the fierceness of his sword, he did not dare to block, but leaped aside three steps to evade the blade of the sword. To his surprise, Reverend Hui Ming's Tianshan Sword Technique was exquisite beyond compare, like glued to him, Master Changqin was unable to evade the sword; he leaped to the left and to the right, the sword's ray had never left his back.

Reverend Hui Ming wanted to cut Changqin's right cymbal as well, but about a dozen or so warriors under Meng Sasi rushed forth to surround him. Reverend Hui Ming thought these warriors would not stand a single blow of his, therefore, he was thinking that after finishing up Master Changqin, he would break their weapons in a single swoop. Unexpectedly one of them was capable of moving amazingly quick, the pair of sun and moon hooks in his hands flickered as it went straight toward the child in Reverend Hui Ming's bosom in a killer strike!

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[9]Or 'death of a thousand cuts'. See also “execution through measured lacerations”, footnote 15 of Chapter 1 by Faerie Queene.

[10]Orig. ‘fashi’, fa – law, method, shi – master; one who has mastered the Buddhist sutras.

[SkyWalker]

Thanks for the update foxs.

YMK martial arts is truly great. I think his master skills might have been better than YLC's master.

[Fighting_Wind]

THANK YOU FOXS FOR ANOTHER TRANSLATION!!! =D

I always thought that YLC and YMK at the beginning had already surpassed YLC'S master =D But wow, he is good. I think he could have cut off the dude's wrist in an instant but YMK is nice. I wonder how he's gonna protect the child.

[foxs]

You are welcome, guys. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it. Now ... presenting: Yu Luocha!
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Reverend Hui Ming pushed the ground with his toes, like an arrow he shot sideways; the child in his bosom screamed in terror. Reverend Hui Ming turned around to see and could not refrain from laughing coldly. "Ha!" he said, "I was wondering who it was! Turns out it is Lian Da Zongguan[11]! Aren't you satisfied by harming Military Commissioner Xiong? Now I have shaved my head and become a monk, Wei Zhongxian ought to be satisfied. The Ol' Yue is nothing, how can I dare to bother you that you chase me beyond the Great Wall." Reverend Hui Ming did not know that Wei Zhongxian had been executed by dismemberment, he thought he was still in power just like in the past, and had sent Lian Chenghu and this Lama to pursue him.

With a bitter laugh Lian Chenghu moved his double hooks slantingly. Together with Master Changqin, they launched a converging attack from left and right. Lian Chenghu was exceedingly vicious, seeing Reverend Hui Ming was holding the child on his left, he knew the left was his weak point. Moving his flickering hooks, he concentrated his attack on this weak point. Even if the child in Reverend Hui Ming's bosom was more courageous, he would still be frightened to the point that he was panicked. His little arms grabbed Reverend Hui Ming's shoulder tightly, while from time to time he would scream in fright.

With a copper cymbal in his right hand and a monk robe in his left, Master Changqin changed his tactic from defensive to offensive. Reverend Hui Ming was furious; brandishing his sword, he unleashed the full potential of the Tianshan Sword Technique his Shifu and he had created. Purplish streaks of light flew filled the air, cold rays suddenly arose; like a roaming dragon, yet seemed graceful. Wherever the blade went, the wild grass on the prairie, taller than an adult man's waist, was blown away by the sword wind, creating rustling noise. How could Lian Chenghu and Master Changqin dare to get close?

However, Lian Chenghu and Master Changqin were seasoned fighters, while Reverend Hui Ming was carrying a child, so he did not dare to be careless; therefore, after fighting hard for fifty to seventy stances, they were still fighting to a standstill. Meng Sasi led his warriors to form a circle about a hundred steps away from the fighting, ready with bow and arrows; they were waiting for Reverend Hui Ming to be defeated, and then they would shoot him from all directions.

While they were at the stalemate, suddenly they heard a long laughter from a distance. Reverend Hui Ming's heart was moved; no sooner than he heard the laughter, he saw a clump of white shadow flying over the grassland. Shortly afterwards, people were screaming everywhere. Before Meng Sasi's men were able to see clearly, many of them were already stabbed by the sword and fell down to the ground. Someone was shouting in fear, "Run for your life! White Hair Demoness is here!"

Reverend Hui Ming sent out a forceful attack, forcing Master Changqin and Lian Chenghu to withdraw several steps. He heard the White Hair Demoness calling out, "I trust you are well since our last meeting! It is not our appointed time yet, but I am here anyway!" Her voice was as heroic as in former days, but she sounded older than before!

Master Changqin shot a glance and he was scared out of his wits. Although White Hair Demoness did not look as young and beautiful as he remembered it, her appearance was still distinguishable. Since he had suffered a crushing defeat under her hands, Master Changqin thought, 'Yue Mingke is already formidable, now this demoness is here. If the two of them join hands and attack together, I will die without a burial ground for sure.' Thereupon he turned around and fled.

Lian Chenghu also withdrew his double hooks and wanted to run for his life, but his qinggong was slightly inferior to Master Changqin's. White Hair Demoness came in very fast that before Lian Chenghu managed to cover about ten zhang, like a shadow attached to his body she was already at his back. The sword flashed, it stabbed straight onto his back. Lian Chenghu did everything he could to resist several stances. The ray of White Hair Demoness's sword fluttering randomly, it went to the front but suddenly turned to the back, it seemed to point to the left but attacked to the right. Probably Lian Chenghu managed to block about a dozen or so stances, suddenly White Hair Demoness shouted, "Gotcha!" Her sword was as swift as her voice, Lian Chenghu's heart and guts turned cold, he could not tell which direction her sword would strike, he only felt pain on his kneecap and 'thump!' he tumbled down on the ground!

White Hair Demoness grabbed and lifted up Lian Chenghu, while sealing his acupoints at the same time then she turned to Reverend Hui Ming and said, “Let’s go!”

“Where?” Reverend Hui Ming asked.

“I will go wherever you are going,” White Hair Demoness replied, “You do not dare to compete with me?” Reverend Hui Ming suddenly realized that the White Hair Demoness wanted to have a qinggong competition with him.

Reverend Hui Ming was secretly laughing: ‘It’s been many years and now we meet by chance, unexpectedly she did not want to talk about what happened during our long separation first, but want to compete in qinggong instead.’

“Come on,” White Hair Demoness said, “I am carrying an adult, you are carrying a child, you are afraid you will lose to me?”

Reverend Hui Ming only smiled, he thought, ‘A few years ago my qinggong was inferior to yours. Today we have not even started, victory or defeat has yet to be determined, yet you are already boasting!’

It must be known that Reverend Hui Ming and White Hair Demoness’ martial art skills came from the same root; one was straight, the other backward. It was because Reverend Hui Ming’s Shifu, Hermit[12] Tian Du and his wife were acting rashly out of a feeling of wrongdoings that each started their own martial art set. Warrior Tian Du once said: ‘One was straight, the other backward, although each has its own strength, once it is trained to the level of reaching divinity, it has been brought to the point of perfection, the straight will win over the backward. This logic is not easily understood.’ Therefore, Reverend Hui Ming was also curious of how far White Hair Demoness had advanced; he wanted to measure it in against his own. Now that the White Hair Demoness had repeatedly urged him, he broke into a smile and said, “Alright.” His body rose up and he shot faster than a stormy wind, with White Hair Demoness following closely behind. Like two clumps of white cloud the two of them flitted across the great prairie.

After running for half a day, they had reached the edge of the prairie. Further ahead was the plateau which was part of the Tianshan mountain range. Because Reverend Hui Ming had a head start, plus he was carrying a child, who was considerably lighter than the adult the White Hair Demoness was carrying, he was surprisingly about a dozen of steps ahead.

Suddenly White Hair Demoness halted her steps and said, “No need to continue, this round we are equally matched. You have trained hard for several years, your progress is amazing, congratulations!” Inwardly, Reverend Hui Ming was ashamed. They stopped running.

The child clapped his hands in delight and called out, “Shifu, you know the skill of the immortals? Riding on your back I felt like I was soaring above the clouds or riding in the fog.”

Reverend Hui Ming laughed and said, “It is not the skill of the immortals. You will understand it when you grow older.”

“Shifu,” the child spoke again, “I want to learn this skill too.”

White Hair Demoness cast this child a glance. “Is he your new disciple?” she asked. Reverend Hui Ming nodded. White Hair Demoness said, “This child’s intelligence is not below Yang Yuncong’s, his quick-wit does not seem to be inferior either.”

“He is still very young,” Reverend Hui Ming replied, “Whether he is good or not, he will succeed or not, it is still too early to tell.”

White Hair Demoness put Lian Chenghu down and unsealed his acupoints. “Now we should interrogate him!” she said with a laugh.

Reverend Hui Ming said, “Ask him first, how many men did Wei Zhongxian send to hunt me?”

“Wei Zongzhu[13] has already died!” Lian Chenghu said.

Reverend Hui Ming and White Hair Demoness could not help but be shocked. “How did he die?” White Hair Demoness hastily asked.

"He was put to death by dismemberment on the new emperor's order," Lian Chenghu replied.

"That's good," Reverend Hui Ming said, "If he died of old age, then I'll say he had it too easily."

"What about Madame Ke?" White Hair Demoness asked.

"She was also executed," Lian Chenghu replied.

Remembering that he had once witnessed Madame Ke's immoral lascivious behavior and how she dominated the imperial court, Reverend Hui Ming was secretly pleased. However, White Hair Demoness was a little grieved remembering how devastated Ke Pingting must have been. She said, "Actually, she was exploited by Zhongxian; it would be enough if she were expelled out of the Palace." And she asked the details of the real situation.

-----------------------------------------
[11]'big or great chief manager'.

[12]Orig. 居士 (ju – resident, shi – scholar), a lay Buddhist or hermit. Thanks to Han Solo and Junny.

[13]Lit. ‘ancestor master’.

[SkyWalker]

Great post foxs! Thanks!

That was a great entrance made by YLC. And it seems like they're both very happy to see each other again. Mutual understanding and respect. I love them! Looks like YLC qingong is still a little better than YMK after all these years. I think in terms of internal power, YMK should be a little better. They're probably on par in sword skills though. Can't wait for the duel.

[Fighting_Wind]

THANKS FOXS FOR ANOTHER TRANSLATION! Woot! YLC is here!!!!! I read somewhere that the only thing YLC was superior to YMK is qingqong but from the novel she has excellent swordsmanship so yeah, narrow match =D.

[Han Solo]

Thank you for translation

[foxs]

You are all welcome guys.
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Afraid of White Hair Demoness's cruel punishment, Lian Chenghu told her everything, except the fact that he was a Manchu agent, and the real reason behind his presence on the border. He had never expected that White Hair Demoness had already obtained Ying Xiuyang's confession and hence she knew that Lian Chenghu was the enemy's undercover agent. After he finished, she smiled and said, "Are you telling me the truth and did not conceal anything from me?"

Lian Chenghu was so frightened that he broke into cold sweats; bracing himself for the worst, he said, "No!"

With a cold laugh White Hair Demoness said, "You are a Manchu agent, why didn't you tell me that?"

Lian Chenghu's face turned ghastly pale, he was tongue-tied and was unable to say anything. White Hair Demoness said, "You have committed all kinds of evil, I cannot spare you." With a flash of her sword she cut him into two.

White Hair Demoness laughed aloud and said, "Yue Mingke, sorry, I forgot you have become a monk. Reverend Hui Ming, what do you say for us to have a sword competition?"

Reverend Hui Ming laughed and said, "It won't be fair."

"How so?" White Hair Demoness asked. Reverend Hui Ming pulled his Gliding Dragon sword and casually swiped it down, cutting a large rock into two halves. White Hair Demoness cheered and said, "So you still know how to refine swords."

Reverend Hui Ming said, "Actually, when one's martial art skill is trained to perfection, any type of weapon won't make any difference. With painstaking effort I have refined two treasured swords, but I am thinking of giving the other sword to my disciple, so that he can defend himself with it."

White Hair Demoness seemed unconvinced; "Using a treasured sword, you will only gain a slight advantage," she said.

Reverend Hui Ming said, "Our generation's skill is not perfected yet, the difference between our sword skills is not far, naturally the treasured sword will give me quite an advantage." He paused for a moment, then with a smile he said, "Both in terms of power and swordsmanship, you and I are more or less the same. You'd better help me test this treasured sword, see if you would be able to defeat me within a hundred stances."

White Hair Demoness was secretly angry, she thought, "Using this treasured sword, I won't need a hundred stances." Thereupon without further ado she received the Gliding Dragon and casually stood in attention. "Please start!" she called out.

"You go first," Reverend Hui Ming said.

"Excuse me," White Hair Demoness muttered. The tip of her sword shook, and stabbed horizontally forward.

Reverend Hui Ming slightly pulled his sword and neutralized her attack with a formless stance. White Hair Demoness turned her sword around and cut backhandedly. Reverend Hui Ming did not parry at all, he also turned around and backhandedly attacked an opening in her defense. It was an attack to force the enemy to withdraw his own attack. White Hair Demoness was forced to deflect her sword to block. Reverend Hui Ming swiftly launched a series of attacks, but he would pull the sword as soon as it was about to make contact with the opponent's weapon, so that although she was wielding a treasured sword, she was quite powerless.

White Hair Demoness' fighting spirit was aroused, she mused, "I will attack you continuously, let’s see how you will evade!" Her shadow arose, her sword movements changed swiftly. Reverend Hui Ming secretly sent out his mysterious power, he stood motionless in full concentration. As soon as her sword arrived, he turned his hand in a twisting motion, the flats of the two swords stuck together just like magnet attracting iron. White Hair Demoness's sword pointing to the east, Reverend Hui Ming's sword followed by pointing to the east; White Hair Demoness's sword moving to the west, Reverend Hui Ming's sword followed by moving to the west.

Before the hundred stances were over, White Hair Demoness halted her sword and angrily said, "We'll compete again in twenty years!" Returning the Gliding Dragon to Reverend Hui Ming and took back her own sword, she turned around and flew away without saying anything.

Reverend Hui Ming sighed and said, "Why are you so eager to outdo others?" He had wanted to ask her about Zhuo Yihang, Wang Zhaoxi and his other old friends, as well as her own experience, but he did not have enough time.

Reverend Hui Ming took the child back to Tianshan and gave him the name Chu Zhaonan. Other than personally teaching him how to cultivate internal energy, he told Yang Yuncong to teach him basic martial art techniques, such as: eyesight training, lower back and footwork training, palm technique training, and so on.

In a flash several months passed, it was already the depth of winter, Tianshan was very cold. Early in the morning every day, the two boys must train their martial arts to keep their body warm outside. One day, Reverend Hui Ming was meditating in his room; suddenly he seemed to hear that the boys were talking to someone outside. Reverend Hui Ming walked out of the temple. He saw an ugly looking old granny standing in the middle of the courtyard, indifferent of the two boys sending out palm attacks to her. She floated to the east and slid to the west, making the boys frantically follow her all around.

Reverend Hui Ming was shocked, he thought, "In the depth of the winter she is able to go up Tianshan; her martial art ability can't be low." He noticed from the way she move that her body movements were of the highest quality technique, moreover, he had a feeling that he had seen these kind of movements before; hence he could not stop himself from asking, "Hey, who are you? Why do you bully children?"

"Shifu," Chu Zhaonan said, "Quickly fight her, she says our Tianshan Palm Technique has an unwarranted reputation."

The old granny did not say anything, but suddenly she sent out a palm strike toward Reverend Hui Ming. Her palm seemed to be floating lightly, but the force behind it was extremely powerful. Reverend Hui Ming raised his palm to block.

After fighting for a while, he knew exactly who she was, but he did not say anything. About a hundred stances later, his palm met hers, the old granny leaped up and then ran away.

"Hey," Reverend Hui Ming called out, "You came to faraway Tianshan only to have a palm competition with me?" And he ran after her.

After crossing two mountain peaks, the old granny suddenly stopped; turning her head, she peeled a mask from her face. This 'old granny' was actually the White Hair Demoness. Where in the world had she stolen the mask from? And why did she turn herself into an old and ugly granny?

"Why are you playing this kind of joke on me?" Reverend Hui Ming sounded upset.

White Hair Demoness' elegant countenance fell, she said quietly, "This mask goes very well with my white hair, don't you think?"

From the way she spoke, Reverend Hui Ming was aware that she was not joking; his heart was moved, he knew that she must be broken-hearted, thereupon he stayed silent, giving her the chance to talk.

A moment later, White Hair Demoness sighed and broke the silence by asking, "Did Zhuo Yihang look for you?"

Reverend Hui Ming was surprised. "When did Zhuo Yihang arrive at the border?"

White Hair Demoness said, "So the two of you have not met?"

"If he is here," Reverend Hui Ming said, "I am sure he would try to find you first."

With a bitter laugh White Hair Demoness said, "Indeed he is looking for me."

"And you haven't met him?" Reverend Hui Ming asked, "I don't understand, the two of you are like a pair of immortals, why aren't you together, but wander around in this barren land beyond the Great Wall?"

White Hair Demoness only shook her head. Reverend Hui Ming was about to ask again, White Hair Demoness suddenly said, "If he is looking for you, please advise him to return quickly, don't look for me."

"Why?" Reverend Hui Ming blurted out.

White Hair Demoness' countenance changed abruptly. "I should go!" she sighed and said.

"Hey, wait a minute," Reverend Hui Ming said, "What actually happened between the two of you?"

White Hair Demoness said, "Tianshan's two peaks, north and south, are separated by a thousand li, since you already occupy the northern peak, I will have to occupy the southern peak."

"If Zhuo Yihang is here," Reverend Hui Ming said, "I will tell him where to find you."

"Why are you so meddlesome?" White Hair Demoness said, "I don't want to see him anymore!" As soon as she finished speaking, she dashed down the mountain.

Reverend Hui Ming knew running after her would be useless; he sighed and said, "Passion and karma are easy to bind, but are not so easy to untie; just how many heartaches are there in this world?” Suddenly he felt his face was burning, as he recalled his own heartache in the past; his heart was in turmoil as he hastened back to his room to continue his meditation.

[SkyWalker]

Thanks for the great post foxs!

From their sword duel, I take it that YMK is indeed a little bit better than YLC in overall martial arts. Anyone think otherwise?

Here comes ZYH. I think YLC does want to see him, otherwise, why would she tell YMK where she'll be staying. Her pride will only bring her unhappiness.

[zhouyu]

wow, nice translation and great fight,
thanks again for taking your time out to share this with everyone.

its pretty obvious that White Hair Maiden wants ZYH to find her, why else would she tell YMH where to find her.

[SkyWalker]

I just noticed something. Chu Zhaonan is the 2nd disciple. I wonder why in 7 Swordsmen he became the 1st disciple and Yang Yuncong the 2nd. Anyone got any idea? Also, he was given the best sword as well.

[Fighting_Wind]

@Foxs: Thanks foxs for another tranation!!! =D =D =D

@Skywalker: Yeah, without a doubt I think YMK is better. She borrowed his superior sword and couldn't defeat him. But then again if we talk about Martial Arts, =D YMK is around 10 years older than WHD and she probably is more powerful than YMK 10 years ago. ... That is weird about the 2nd and first disciple and sword, maybe he just forgot.

Man, afer high exposure to Jin Yong's film adaptions I think it is gay that although WHD is the main character she does not have a unique sword or scroll or anything (as of now.) It's so sad about how she wore an ugly mask to suit her hair. Well I think WHD does want ZYH to see her but that does not mean she wants to get back with him.

[SkyWalker]

@Skywalker: Yeah, without a doubt I think YMK is better. She borrowed his superior sword and couldn't defeat him. But then again if we talk about Martial Arts, =D YMK is around 10 years older than WHD and she probably is more powerful than YMK 10 years ago. ... That is weird about the 2nd and first disciple and sword, maybe he just forgot..

FW - where did you get the idea that YMK is 10 years older than YLC? I know he's a little older, maybe a few years, but I don't think he's 10 years older. Can anyone confirm this?

[Fighting_Wind]

double post

[Fighting_Wind]

This is just from me memory. I remember at the start of the novel they said 3 years ago YLC made her debit into the martial art world when she was 18, so at the start I am quite definite she was 21. When YMK was introduced he was never given a definite age but they described him as around 30. Yeah, so here's the chapter of unabridged version.

"It was a young man around thirty years of age with large ears and a square face. He was clutching a person under his arms, a person whom he let go of as soon as he got to the mountain’s highest peak. Of course the person this man was carrying would turn out to be Zheng Hong Tai. The man looked over at Yu Luo Cha and asked, “Are you Yu Luo Cha? Who is this other person?” Even though Lian Ni Chang had made herself famous within the martial arts world by using the title of Yu Luo Cha, yet she really doesn’t like it when people calls her “Yu Luo Cha” to her face. She laughed coldly and said, “And what if I am?”

Zhuo Yi Hang replied with courteous respect, “Your humble brother am Wu Tang’s sect-leader Taoist Priest Purple Sun’s disciple. My name is Zhuo Yi Hang, may I be bold enough to inquire about your name and sect?” The person replied, “My unworthy name is Yue Ming Ke, "

:/ But yeah, depending on whether he looks older/younger than he actually is that might change a lot of things. But I'll stick to around 10 years as it makes YLC's loss more dignified =D

[SkyWalker]

Looks like you're right Fighting Wind. It's been years since I read the beginning of the novel so these details have already escaped me. I should do a re read again someday. Thanks for clearing that up though.

[foxs]

Good memory, Fighting_Wind! I didn't remember it either.

I've had the intention of commenting on this, but somehow it always slipped out of my mind:

Actually, I really given up on the character of ZYH after this battle. It seems like the kungfu of the Wudang section is not up to the reputation at all as the leader of the wulin world. After so much hard work on practicing on his martial arts, he is still no where near any expert of his era at all and hardly able to defeat any senior expert in the wulin world.

I think the author really bias on developing this character at all. Throughout reading this novel until now, on all of his battle, he is been looking down by his opponent whereby mainly he just barely been able to fight on par with them and usually will need help to been able to survive. I really doubting Taiost Purple Sun's martial art as the No.1's swordman of the wulin world after looking at the martial art of his sole heir,ZYH. Where is Taiost Purple Sun's secret sword manual and his legendary swordplay that help him obtain the title of the best swordman of the wulin world?

I don't think Purple Sun had any secret sword manual. When reading this, Wang Chongyang and Yideng Dashi of LOCH/ROCH came into my mind. They were good, but they did not have any secret manual. Plus, their disciples were mediocre. What I am trying to say is: Liang Yusheng did not give Purple Sun any screen time (much like Jin Yong's treatment to Wang Chongyang), so we do not know for sure how good he was. The other characters of this story said he was good, and that was it. But it is entirely possible that he was indeed good, much better than his all his Shidi and his disciples (i.e. Zhuo Yihang).

Anyway, on with the story ...

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About half a month later, one evening just when the sun was setting and the crescent moon was starting to rise, Reverend Hui Ming was training his swordsmanship on one of Tianshan’s peaks. His sword moved so swiftly that the flickering blade cause the moonlight seem to be dimmed. Suddenly he heard rustling and a panting noise from the waist of the mountain. Reverend Hui Ming quickly went over, he heard someone praise him, “Good swordsmanship!”

Reverend Hui Ming pulled aside the snow-covered vine and saw a freezing Zhuo Yihang, whose face was entirely red, whose limbs were frozen stiff, as he was crawling on piles of snow. “You have been through so much hardship!” Reverend Hui Ming said.

Zhuo Yihang stood up and rubbed his hands and feet. He said with a laugh, “I am used to it now, at first it was a lot harder! It’s just that these past several days were unusually cold, my breath turned into ice, I thought I was not going to reach the peak!”

Reverend Hui Ming hurriedly brought Zhuo Yihang back to the temple, he ordered Yang Yuncong to brew hot tea for him. After Zhuo Yihang had caught his breath, Reverend Hui Ming questioned him in detail, and only then did he know that because it was the first time Zhuo Yihang took a long journey alone, plus he was unfamiliar with the northwest’s geography, he took almost a year to go from Shanxi to the border. When he finally reached the border, he still had to scour the Tianshan mountain range that stretches for more than 3000 li. When he was thirsty he had to chew the snow, when he was hungry he had to hunt snow sheep and roast them. It took him an extra of more than half a year before he was finally able to find this place. Luckily even though he experienced so much hardship and suffering, his body was already trained and robust, his martial art was also a lot more advanced than before.

Good friends have met each other, naturally they were very happy. Zhuo Yihang stayed at Tianshan for several days, he unburdened everything that happened since they parted. When he told about how after the great battle on Mount Wudang Yu Luocha had left with a broken heart, he could not restrain tears from streaming down his face.

Yue Mingke laughed and said, “Just a few days ago Yu Luocha was here. Ah, I forgot to tell you that the people around here are calling her the White Hair Demoness; nobody knows that she was the Yu Luocha, whose prestige has shaken the Jianghu in the past.”

“That’s right,” Zhuo Yihang sighed and said, “Because of me her hair had turned white, yet I am incapable to seek the panacea to restore her youthfulness.”

Reverend Hui Ming remembered folklore told by herdsmen north and south of Tianshan; he laughed and said, “Panacea to restore one’s youth, perhaps there is none, but a wonder drug to change white hair back to black and can also preserve one’s youthfulness, may not necessarily be nonexistent.”

“Where is it?” Zhuo Yihang asked anxiously.

Reverend Hui Ming said, “According to folklore told by herdsmen of the prairie, there is a kind of flower known as Superior Dark Clouds Immortal Flower. It blooms once every sixty years, each time it blooms, it only produces two stems of flower, one white one red, about the size of a large bowl. It is said that the flowers can make white hair turn back to black and rejuvenate the body. I think the drug ingredient of these flowers is probably more precious than that of Heshouwu[14]. Recovering one’s youthful vigor, that I do not believe, but turning white hair back to black, that is not so strange.”

Zhuo Yihang was very disappointed to hear that the flowers only bloom once every sixty years, plus nobody knew for certain where the plant grows. With a bitter laugh he said, “If the flowers have just bloomed recently, by the time they bloom again in sixty years, won’t she be close to a hundred years old?”

Dhyana Master[15] Hui Ming also brought up what White Hair Demoness had said and her expression when she said it. Zhuo Yihang said, “If she is that heartless by not willing to see me, then she probably won’t say where she lives.”

Reverend Hui Ming said, “The southern peak is colder than this place, not only that, the way to that place is a big forest where nobody has ever set foot on. I am afraid it will be more difficult to find than this place.”

Zhuo Yihang said, “Even if I have to freeze into fossil and my life is gone on the desolate mountain, I still have to go.”

“In that case, why don’t you wait until early summer before you start your journey?” Reverend Hui Ming said.

“My heart is burning with anxiety,” Zhuo Yihang said, “How can I wait until early summer?”

Yet Reverend Hui Ming insisted that he stayed for seven more days. In these seven days, they researched and studied internal energy cultivation together. Zhuo Yihang actually already had a strong foundation, with Reverend Hui Ming’s direction, his advancement enjoyed quite a benefit.

Zhuo Yihang sighed and said, “My several Shishu are like frogs at the bottom of the well, they do not know the blue ocean is so big, they thought their martial art skill is unsurpassed, while compared to you[16], the difference is indeed too far.”

Reverend Hui Ming said, “Although they are rather arrogant, actually, Wudang’s internal energy cultivation technique indeed deserves the admiration of the Wulin world. It was probably after your Dharma ancestors’ book was lost that nowadays nobody has been able to peep into its innermost mystery.”

Lamenting in his heart, Zhuo Yihang said, “I really wish I can take you as my master, so I can reverently learn your swordsmanship.”

“Zhuo Xiong,” Reverend Hui Ming said with a laugh, “You must be joking. It is possible for us to carve and polish each other, how can you consider that as teaching one another? Actually, right now you already have a good teacher and helpful friend, an immortal-like close family, you don’t need to find another one.”

Zhuo Yihang understood to whom he was referring to, with a forced smile he said, “If I can have her to see me, I will be perfectly satisfied. Talking about this word, ‘marriage’, I am afraid it’s quite hopeless for me.”

When the seven days were fulfilled, Zhuo Yihang took his leave from Reverend Hui Ming and started his journey to the southern peak. He spent many months trekking the primitive vast forest, enduring all kinds of hardships from the wind, the frost and the snow, scared by insects, snakes and beasts, only then was he able to finally see the south peak in the distance. However, what he saw was a snow-capped mountain with its peak disappearing into the clouds above, with icicles hanging upside down, falcons circling overhead, and snow sheep going up and down the mountain, while the weather was extraordinarily biting cold; he stared at this scene bleakly.

Like a pilgrim on a religious journey to the holy land Zhuo Yihang cast aside all worries, he climbed to the peak doggedly and only three days later did he reach the waist of the mountain. Luckily his internal energy had advanced greatly, otherwise he would not be able to withstand the difficulties.

That day he was climbing when cold wind arose abruptly; the weeds and the mountain reeds were blown with loud flapping noise, ice chunks as big as millstone rolling down the hills everywhere. Hastily Zhuo Yihang stopped climbing and took shelter in the midst of several ancient trees which formed a natural barrier. He sat cross-legged in meditation waiting for the wind and the snow calamity to pass. After about the time needed to cook rice has passed, the wind gradually stopped. Zhuo Yihang was ready to continue his journey when suddenly he seemed to hear voices not too far away. The voices were clear.

“Have you investigated clearly that White Hair Demoness is Yu Luocha?” an old-sounding voice was heard.

Zhuo Yihang was startled. He heard another voice reply, “I am sure. Although her hair had turned white and her countenance is haggard, I can still recognize her. Moreover, no one else in the world can wield a sword like her.”

Zhuo Yihang peeked outside and saw about several zhang away from where he was four men appeared from a thicket, presumably just like him, they were also hiding from the wind and the snow. The attires of these four men had nothing in common with each other. The first one was a Lama wearing a large red kasaya, the second one was a Taoist priest in black robe, the third was a strange looking Buddhist monk wearing climbing boots, with a string of skulls hanging on his neck, and the last one was an old man about sixty years of age.

Zhuo Yihang was greatly astonished, “Are all these people here for Yu Luocha?” he mused.

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[14]See footnote 24 of Chapter 22.
[15]Orig. 'Chan Shi'. See also footnote 6 of Chapter 9.
[16]The original is plural, i.e. he was referring to Yue Mingke and Yu Luocha.

[SkyWalker]

Thanks for another great post foxs.