I'm trying translating several chapters of HSDS as a way to learn Chinese and English. Hope you guys and gals will enjoy my translations.
NOTE: I've been learning Eng and Chinese for just 1 year so if someone find my syntax and vocabulary ridiculous, please tolerate me and please point them out for me, I will be extremely pleased to receive your instructions.
Many thanks in advance.
Chapter 25:
Part 1:
Everyone was worried about Zhang Wuji’s injury so they did not attend to the pursuit and instead effusively surrounded him. Zhang Wuji showed a faint smile, he gently swung his right hand downward once to demonstrate that he was not injured at all, the Nine Yang Divine Art had been started inside his body and began to expel the Yin cold energy of the Xuan Ming Divine Palm from the body, white jets of steam started to emit hastily and continuously out from the top of his head which now looked like a steamer. He untied the coat, both sides of his body had a clear deep-black palm-mark imprinted on. Under the revolutions of the Nine Yang Divine Art, the color of the two palm-marks changed from black to purple, from purple to ashen grey, until finally the two palm-marks were all gone after around an hour. In the past, Zhang Wuji had spent several years yet unable to fully drive the poison of the Xuan Ming Divine Palm out of his body, this time, in only a short while it was eliminated easily and completely. He stood up, said: “This event was very dangerous, but eventually we can recognize our enemies’s appearances.” When the Xuan Ming Elders collided palms with Yang Xiao and Wei Yixiao, they had already been attacked by the Nine Yang Divine Art of Zhang Wuji before so the Yin poison in their palm power was even less than two tenths of its normal self, but both Yang and Wei still had to sit in meditation circulating their energy for over a half of the day in order to totally expel the Yin poison from their bodies. Zhang Wuji cared for his grandmaster’s injury, Zhang Sanfeng said: “The fireworker monk’s internal cultivation technique is not good, even though his external technique is fierce, it’s still far inferior to the Mysterious Gloomy Divine Palm, my injury is not ominous.”
At that time, the Sharp Metal Flag’s General Flag Herald Wu Jingcao entered the palace and reported that all the intruding enemies had withdrawn from the Wudang mountain. Yu Daiyan immediately ordered the Taoist who was tasked with managing guests to prepare a vegetarian feast in honor of the Ming cult’s members. During the feast, Zhang Wuji turned toward Zhang Sanfeng and Yu Daiyan to report on what had happened to himself since their separation. Everyone acclaimed in shock after hearing the story. Zhang Sanfeng said: “That year, also in this Taoist Trinity palace, I clashed a palm with an old man, but during that time he disguised himself as a Mongolian military officer so I don’t know who he is in those two old men. It’s really ashamed that up to now we still have not been able to know thoroughly about our enemy.” Yang Xiao said: “What is the origin of that young girl surnamed Zhao that even elite fighters such as the Mysterious Gloomy Two Elders are willing to accept her commands?” Everybody made many guesses but they could not come to a conclusion on this matter.
Zhang Wuji said: “At the moment, there are two important tasks. The first one is obtaining the Black Jade Break Connecting Paste to well treat third uncle Yu’s and sixth younger uncle Yin’s injuries. The second one is finding out eldest martial uncle Song and his companions’ whereabouts. The solutions to both matters are in the hands of that girl surnamed Zhao.” Yu Daiyan said with a strained smile: ”I’ve been disabled for twenty years so even if you really had miraculous pills and divine medicines, my injury would not be able to be cured. Rescuing eldest brother and sixth younger brother is more important.” Zhang Wuji said: “We cannot delay anymore, Left Herald Yang, Bat King Wei and Shuo Bude you three please descend the mountain together with me to trace the enemy. The Five General Flag Vice Heralds of the Five Element Flags, each to go to one of the five schools including Emei, Huashan, Kunlun, Kongtong and Fujian Southern Shaolin to contacts and inquire about the news. Maternal grandfather and maternal uncle please proceed to Jiangnan to reorganize the members of the Heavenly Hawk Flag. Priest Tie Guan, mister Zhou, great monk Peng and the Five Element General Flag Heralds temporarily stay on at the Wudang mountain and listen to the orders of my grandmaster.”
During the feast, he gave the instructions casually. Yin Tianzheng, Yang Xiao, Wei Yixiao and the others all stood up and bowed their bodies to accept the orders. Initially Zhang Sanfeng had doubted that such a young man as Zhang Wuji being could unite and command the hero group, but seeing Zhang Wuji giving orders which even great heroes in the martial world such as Yin Tianzheng obeyed without any hesitation, he felt overjoyed and thought to himself: “He can learn my Taiji fist and Taiji swordsmanship, that’s only because he has a good internal energy background and a strong perceptivity, although it’s hard to do so, that’s still not truly valuable. But as for he being able to control the great devils of the Ming cult and the Heavenly Hawk sect, lead them into the upright path, that’s really a big matter. Hey, Cuishan had a heir, Cuishan had a heir already.” Thinking as far as here, he couldn’t help stroking his beard and smiling. Zhang Wuji, Yang Xiao, Wei Yixiao and Shuo Bude the four people hastily finished their meal then immediately said good-bye to Zhang Sanfeng and went down the mountain to search for Zhao Min’s track. Yin Tianzheng and the others sent the four people off to the front of the mountain before returning. Yang Buhui was attached to his father and didn’t want to part from him so she accompanied them for another li (Chinese mile). Yang Xiao said: “Buhui, you go back and look after sixth younger uncle Yin carefully.” Yang Buhui responded: “Yes, Dad.” Her eyes darted toward Zhang Wuji, suddenly she blushed and said in a tiny voice: “Wuji ge-ge, I have a few words to say to you.” Yang Xiao, Wei Yixiao and Shuo Bude the 3 people chuckled: “You two have been friends since childhood, certainly there’re some personal affairs to talk to each other.” They then sped up their footsteps and ran forward for a far distance. Yang Buhui said: “Wuji ge-ge, you come here.” She pulled his arm to come to and sit down on a big rock next to the mountain side. Zhang Wuji secretly wondered: “She and I have been acquainted with one another since childhood, the friendship between us is not ordinary, this time we met again after a long separation, yet since then she have treated me coolly and stand-offishly. What does she have to talk to me now?” He only saw that though Yang Buhui had not begun to speak, her face had reddened already, she bowed her head in silence, only after quite a long time did she say: “Wuji ge-ge, when my Mom was at the brink of death, she asked you to look after me, didn’t she?” Zhang Wuji said: “Yes.” Yang Buhui said: “You crossed tens of thousands of li accompanying me from the bank of the Huaihe river to the Western region and delivered me to my Dad’s hands. On the way, you had to risk your life many times and suffer so many hardships. A great graciousness cannot be repaid by merely saying thanks so that kindness of yours I’ve only put it deeply in my heart and from before up to now I’ve not raised anything about it at all.” Zhang Wuji said: “Never mind. What good does that have to be raised? If I had not accompanied you to the Western region, I myself wouldn’t have had those lucky encounters and if that’s the case I’m afraid that at this moment I would have been dead due to the dispersion of the poison of the Xuan Ming Divine Palm already.” Yang Buhui said: “No, no! You’re humane, heroic and generous so every adverse thing that you met can change into good luck. Wuji ge-ge, I’ve been motherless since childhood, although my Dad love me very much, there’re some matters which I don’t dare to talk to him about. You’re the head of our cult, but in my heart, I still only consider you as my older full brother. That day at the Brightness Peak, when I suddenly saw you return safe and sound I felt so happy that I was speechless, but I felt embarrassed to say it out in front of you, are you angry with me?” Zhang Wuji replied: “No! Certainly no.”
Yang Buhui continued: “I treated Xiao Zhao very severely and pitilessly, perhaps that does not look pleasing to your eyes. Just because my Mom died so miserably that since then I’ve always had harsh feelings over evildoers. Later on, when I saw Xiao Zhao treat you well, I no longer hated her.” Zhang Wuji smiled and said: “This little girl Xiao Zhao is indeed somewhat unusual but I think she doesn’t have bad intentions.” It was sunset at that time, autumn breezes blew gently on their faces bringing a feeling of coolness. There was an extreme tenderness on her face, her eyes glistened, she said: “Wuji ge-ge, do you think my Mom and my Dad should have not treated sixth younger uncle Yin badly?” Zhang Wuji said: “That’s a matter of the past. We should let bygones be bygones.” Yang Buhui said: “No, to outsiders, it passed a long long time ago, even now I’m 17 years old already. But no matter what sixth uncle Yin cannot forget my Mom. Now he is injured severely and in a stupor day and night, yet he’s often held my hands and unceasingly called me: ‘Xiaofu! Xiaofu!’ He said: ‘Xiaofu! Please don’t leave me. My arms and my legs were all broken, now I’m just an invalid, I beg you, please don’t leave me, don’t be indifferent to me.” Speaking up to here, her eyes filled with tears, looking really excited.
Zhang Wuji said: “Sixth younger uncle said those words in an unconscious state of mind so they aren’t credible.” Yang Buhui said: “No, you don’t understand but I do. Afterwards, when he came to his sense, each time he looked at me, his look and spirit were still the same, intending to ask me not to leave him, only that he didn’t dare to say it out.”
Zhang Wuji let out a sigh, he knew well that even though this sixth younger uncle had profound martial arts, his personality was actually extremely feeble, when he was younger, he often saw that even a minor matter could cause his sixth younger uncle to sob for quite a while, Ji Xiaofu’s death was really a hard blow to him, at this time, his four limbs were broken, no wonder he felt fearful and unsafe. He said: “ I’ll try my best to obtain the Black Jade Break Connecting Paste to cure third uncle’s and sixth younger uncle’s injuries.” Yang Buhui said: “Every time he looks at me like that, the more I ponder the more I feel that my Dad and my Mom was unkind to him, the more I ponder the more I felt he is so pitiful. Wuji ge-ge, I personally agreed with sixth bro… younger uncle Yin, regardless his arms and his legs will be restored or he’ll be disabled all his life, I’ll always stay by his side and never leave him.” Saying as far as here, there were two streams of tears flowing down her cheeks, but her face showed a high state of spirit which looked both shy and happy. Zhang Wuji couldn’t have ever thought that she and Yin Liting could entrust their lives to each other, he didn’t know what to say at the moment. He was shocked and only stammered: “You… you…” Yang Buhui said: “I stated to him as sure as eggs in eggs that I would be with him in my whole life. Even if throughout the rest of his life, he was unable to make a move, I would stay by his bed to serve him with food and entertain him with chats all the rest of my life.” Zhang Wuji said: “But you…” Yang Buhui interrupted him: “It was not because of sudden sentiments that I promised him, on the way here, I’ve thought of this matter carefully. Not only can he not leave me, but I also cannot leave him. If his injury was too serious to be cured, I wouldn’t be able to live too. Every time he looks at me passionately when I’m beside him, I feel extremely happy. Wuji ge-ge, when I was in my childhood, I told you everything, when I wanted to eat a pie, I also told you, on route, when I saw an attractive lollipop, I told you as well. At that time, we couldn’t afford to buy them so at midnight you stole them for me. Do you remember?” Recalling the situation on the old days when they had been two kids who had been hand in hand heading for the West and had a common destiny, Zhang Wuji couldn’t help feeling melancholy, he lowered his voice, said: “I do.”
Yang Buhui put her hand onto the back of Zhang Wuji’s hand, she said: “After you gave me the lollipop, I didn’t have the heart to eat it but held it in my hand while walking, exposed to the Sun, the lollipop melted, I was so sad and regretful that I cried non-stop. You then said that you would find another one for me, but since then we’ve not seen that kind of candy again yet. Although later on you bought me the candies which were both big and delicious, they only caused me to cry my eyes out instead of liking them. At that moment you was so angry with me as to scold me for not listening to your words, right?”
Zhang Wuji smiled and said: “Did I scold you? I don’t remember this.” Yang Buhui said: “My temperament is very obstinate, sixth younger uncle Yin is the first lollipop that I’ve liked so I’ll never like any other second one. Wuji ge-ge, sometimes I have a childish thought that you’ve treated me so kindly and saved my life several times so I… I ought to live for serving you. However I always consider you as my elder full brother, I cherish and respect you from the bottom of my heart, but as for sixth younger uncle Yin, I like and feel pity for him to such an extent that words fail me. He is two times as old as me, also he’s a man of an older generation, people will most likely laugh at me, especially my Dad is his sworn enemy, I… I know this is not quite alright, but no matter what I’ll always tell you.” Saying up to here, she didn’t dare to look at Zhang Wuji’s face, she stood up immediately and ran away.