Lu Xiaofeng Book 5: Mansion of Spirits

[Ysabelkid]

Thanks foxs for another update

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs

[owlHoot]

thks Foxs! Interesting twist again

[foxs]

Jaya, HPC, DongBin, Ysabel, Anh, Owl, you are most welcome. New chapter.

---

Chapter 17 – Ambushed by the captives
Translated by Foxs

The strong horses let out long neigh and dashed forward.

The three people had sat down, while looking coldly at Lu Xiaofeng. One was Gao Tao, one was Hai Qikuo.

But the third person was not Cousin, it was Du Tiexin.

Lu Xiaofeng was sure he only put Cousin, one person, in the storage hold under the carriage, but now that one particular person was missing instead.

Where did he go?

Where did these three come from? Who was driving the carriage in the front? Was it the driver who was supposed to go to buy some wine?

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly laughed. He wanted to talk, but was unable to.

They sealed his acupoints really hard, the muscles on his face were stiff and numb; not only he was unable to speak, he could not even laugh.

Clearly they did not want to listen to him talking at all, they did not want to see him laugh either. But by the time they wanted him to talk, he simply could not close his mouth.

Du Tiexin stretched out his fingers and then clenched his hands into fists again, his knuckles made cracking noise like a string of firecrackers.

Gao Tao looked at his hands; suddenly he asked, “How many years altogether you were the Hall Master of the Torture Chamber?”

“Nineteen years,” Du Tiexin replied.

“Under your hands, was there anybody who dared not to speak the truth?” Gao Tao asked.

“No,” Du Tiexin replied.

“I hear that you had many opportunities to become the Zongpiao Bazi [chief, big boss],” Gao Tao continued, “Why didn’t you take it?”

“Because Torture Chamber was more interesting,” Du Tiexin replied.

“You like to watch people being tortured?” Gao Tao asked.

“That’s right,” Du Tiexin replied.

Gao Tao laughted, Hai Qikuo also laughed. These two people’s laughter sounded like rusty metal grating against each other, making those who heard it felt the root of their teeth ached.

Hai Qikuo said with a laugh, “I really want to see your technique of the past.”

“You will see it soon,” Gao Tao said.

“Is the Torture Chamber ready?”

Gao Tao nodded.

Hai Qikuo said, “I heard that in the past, the traitors of the Thirty-Six Strongholds would rather go into a deep fryer than going into his Torture Chamber.”

“Absolutely correct,” Gao Tao said.

“Is it true that you have a special method to deal with traitors?” Hai Qikuo asked.

Gao Tao laughed mysteriously, “Not only special, it’s also very fascinating.”

Lu Xiaofeng closed his eyes; he really wished he could close his ears as well, because what he heard was really unpleasant to the ears, but he knew that it was the truth.

Gao Tao suddenly spoke in a sing-song voice, “Entering the Torture Chamber, grieving and heart-broken. Entering the Torture Chamber, crying for dad, crying for mom.” [Translator’s note: the original Chinese rhymes, ‘torture chamber’ – xingtang, ‘heart-broken’ – duanchang, ‘mom’ – niang.]

Hai Qikuo winked; he deliberately asked, “What about exiting the Torture Chamber?”

Gao Tao said, “Exiting the Torture Chamber, see the King of Hell [yan wang].”

“Entering the Torture Chamber is the same as seeing the King of Hell,” Du Tiexin coldly said.

“There is the King of Hell in the Torture Chamber?” Gao Tao asked.

“I am the King of Hell,” Du Tiexin said.

Suddenly outside the carriage window became dark, even starlight and moonlight were not visible. The rumbling of the carriage’s wheels became deafening. The carriage appeared to be driven into a deep cave. It continued traveling in the cave for a short while before coming to a halt.

Gao Tao heaved a deep sigh and said, “We are here.”

“Is this the Black-Heart Old Du’s Torture Chamber?” Hai Qikuo asked.

Gao Tao cackled hysterically, “This is precisely the Old Yanwang’s Yama’s Palace.”

They lifted Lu Xiaofeng off the carriage and dragged him off like carrying a torn sack; recklessly and without any care. First they banged him against the carriage door, and then they banged him against the mountain wall; they banged him really hard that Lu Xiaofeng’s head was dizzy, he even felt that his bones were falling apart.

Gao Tao deliberately sighed and said, “What you have in your hand is a living person, not a torn sack; why don’t you be a bit more careful?”

“I can’t see,” Hai Qikuo replied.

He was not lying; the cave was indeed very dark, they literally could not see the fingers of their own hands.

After walking for a short moment, the path was getting narrower and narrower, the chance of getting banged onto the wall was getting higher and higher.

Right now Lu Xiaofeng himself even felt that he had really turned into a torn sack.

Fortunately, right that moment the mountain wall in front of them made a loud creaking noise and suddenly flipped up, revealing a cave inside. Unexpectedly there was light inside.

Not only it had light, it also had table and chairs. On the table there was a white candle, like the one usually found in funeral hall. The candle was already burnt more than half.

The flame of the candle flickered due to the breeze blowing from a crack on the cave wall, as if it was designed to provide ventilation of this cave.

Hai Qikuo casually tossed Lu Xiaofeng in front of the table. “This is a very good place,” he said with a sigh.

Gao Tao said, “Even if there are ten thousand people looking around for three years and six months, they won’t find him in here.”

With his hook Hai Qikuo tapped Lu Xiaofeng’s head. “If they can’t find him, who’d save him?” he said.

Gao Tao laughed and said, “Even if he’s really crying for dad, crying for mom, no one would come to rescue him.”

“In that case, won’t he be dead for sure?” Hai Qikuo asked.

“He won’t die so fast,” Du Tiexin said.

“Why?” Hai Qikuo asked.

Du Tiexin coldly replied, “Because I am going to let him die slowly; very, very slowly!”

“So if he wanted to die a bit faster he can’t?” Hai Qikuo asked.

“Definitely not,” Du Tiexin replied.

Hai Qikuo laughed. Noticing that Gao Tao was looking down, as if he was studying Lu Xiaofeng’s body, he immediately asked, “If you are to do it yourself, which part would you cut first?”

Gao Tao patted Lu Xiaofeng’s hand; he said, “Naturally from these two precious fingers.”

“If it were me,” Hai Qikuo said, “I would start with his two strips of eyebrows.”

“Which two?” Gao Tao asked.

“Naturally the ones above his lips,” Hai Qikuo replied.

The more they talked, the more they sounded very pleased with themselves, just like butchers discussing a lamb they were about to slaughter.

Lu Xiaofeng has always been an open-minded person, and he had always been very calm under any circumstances, but right now the feeling in his heart was like his entire body was already inside a deep fryer.

It appeared that he was really without the least bit of hope; if he could die a bit faster, it would be good luck indeed.

Who would have thought that at this moment, a cold laugh was heard in the darkness outside.

“Who’s there?”

Gao Tao, Hai Qikuo, and Du Tiexin, all three of them quickly rushed out.

These three were first-class martial art experts of Wulin world; not only their reaction quick, their movement fast, they were all veterans of a hundred battles. The number of people who could block their joint attack was indeed not many.

It appeared that the person coming outside sounded was alone. This person practically came to deliver his life.

As soon as they rushed out, they spread out in a fan formation; no matter who this person was, they would never let him walk out of this place alive.

Hai Qikuo was dauntless and violent, the iron hook on his hand was an extremely potent weapon; with ‘five nails splitting the mountain’ power, he was the first to charge forward.

With one palm protecting his chest, Du Tiexin brandished his right fist, following closely behind him.

There was another cold laugh, suddenly there was a sword flash in the darkness, just like the wrath of a thunder, with the power of lightning. But it was even faster, even more terrifying than lightning.

There was a clear ringing sound, ‘Ding!’ the hook struck the rock wall, sparks flew everywhere. The hook seemed to carry a severed arm.

Du Tiexin fell backward with his face up, a splash of blood pouring out of his throat like a bubbling spring.

Without even letting out miserable cry these two had breathed their last.

What a fast sword!

The blade of the sword was still flickering in the dark; under the flash of the sword, there seemed to be a shadowy figure.

As soon as Gao Tao saw this person, he withdrew step by step backwards.

[zhouyu]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

you can't stop there,

haha

[zhouyu]

I was initially thinking it was Sword God to the rescue. But i am having second thoughts. It might be Wooden Taoist eliminating the witnesses. hmmm

[LuDongBin]

The end seems to be near and yet so far away .... foxs, foxs ...

[ycb5959]

Thanks, cliffhanger!

[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.

[Justin13]

Wow... what is going on?

Thanks Foxs!

[kyss of the sword]

A sword like that could only be xmxc. But is he a saviour or out to hunt lxf.

[Clown Prince]

Wow!
Thank you Foxs

[HPC7595]

Thanks foxs

[Ysabelkid]

Thanks foxs for another update

[szfong]

Thanks foxs,

Last chapter...

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs

[kyss of the sword]

Yeah. Greeat job

[Justin13]

Wonder if it's PAP or WP?
(For those to who get the Singapore joke)

[foxs]

zhuoyu, yeesssssss .... why not? DongBin, why far away? It IS near. ycb, Jaya, Clown, HPC, Ysabel, szfong, Anh, you are welcome. Justin, sorry, I don't get it. Am not Singaporean. Kyss, sorry buddy, wrong guess, but thanks for playing.

---

His face was completely twisted, just like he saw a malicious spirit suddenly appeared. After a few steps, he dropped down, with tears, nasal mucus, saliva, urine and feces flowed out of his orifices; his entire body crumpled like mud. Unexpectedly he died of extreme fear.

Who could scare him that bad?

Who had such a fast sword?

Was it Ximen Chuixue?

A man slowly came out of the darkness, wearing grey robe and a deep-basket like bamboo rain hat.

It was not Ximen Chuixue, it was Old Sabre Honcho!

Lu Xiaofeng had just come out of a deep fryer, but then he fell into an icehouse; his whole body felt icy-cold.

He wanted to grab this man’s fatal point; this man naturally also wanted to take his life!

Even if he would rather enter a deep fryer than the Torture Chamber, but right now he would rather enter the Torture Chamber than fall into Old Sabre Honcho’s hands.

To his surprise, Old Sabre Honcho’s voice was very gentle, as he asked, “Were they being rude to you?”

Lu Xiaofeng let out a rueful smile.

Because he was banged around so much a moment ago, finally the blood in his vessels was able to flow relatively smoothly, so that right now he was able to speak.

But at this very moment, what could he say?

Old Sabre Honcho said, “No matter what, I can’t let you suffer under their hands; they are not worthy.”

Lu Xiaofeng could not resist saying, “I know now, that all along you have been planning on killing them after the operation succeeded.”

Old Sabre Honcho did not deny at all, “Wipe them all out, not a single one is allowed to remain,” he said.

Lu Xiaofeng said, “Perhaps the basement of the House of Blues was meant to be their burial ground.”

“Lingfeng Mansion is the same thing,” Old Sabre Honcho said.

-- Damp and dark basement, the cry of people trying to run for their lives, badly mangled corpses.

Lu Xiaofeng tried hard not to throw up; he said, “They were going to die anyway; even if they did not kill Tie Jian and the others, your plan has not failed.”

Old Sabre Honcho chuckled and said, “I have already told you, I won’t fail.”

Lu Xiaofeng could only concede; it looked like the final victory currently belonged to him indeed.

Old Sabre Honcho said, “It’s just like when you are besieging a city; even if you have broken nine layers of wall, even if the blood outside is flowing like a river, I am still lying down in peace and quiet inside the city wall.” He smiled and said, “Because my planning is more thorough than yours. You were able to break nine layers of wall, I have already established the tenth layer. By the time you reached this last layer, your spirit already weary, your strength exhausted; in the end you still fall down outside the city.”

“You believe I have no way of exposing your true identity?” Lu Xiaofeng asked.

“Right now there is no one in the world who can vouch for you,” Old Sabre Honcho replied, “Tell me, who’d believe you?”

“There is one,” Lu Xiaofeng said.

“Who?” Old Sabre Honcho asked.

“You,” Lu Xiaofeng replied.

Old Sabre Honcho laughed heartily.

“Only you know that I am telling the truth,” Lu Xiaofeng said, “Therefore, you must kill me to close my mouth.”

“What about you?” Old Sabre Honcho said, “Are you absolutely sure that what you think is correct?”

Lu Xiaofeng said, “I …”

Old Sabre Honcho said, “I know that you are not absolutely sure either. Unless you can take off my bamboo rain hat and see my face with your own eyes.”

Lu Xiaofeng was unable to deny.

“There is one more thing that you are wrong,” Old Sabre Honcho said.

“What is it?” Lu Xiaofeng asked.

“I don’t have any thought to kill you at all,” Old Sabre Honcho said.

“You don’t?” Lu Xiaofeng said.

Old Sabre Honcho chuckled again and said, “Why would I want to kill you? What’s the difference between you and a dead person anyway?”

He smiled and turned around. As he confidently walked out, he said, “If one is unworthy to be killed by me, I would never do it.”

Lu Xiaofeng could not help asking in loud voice, “Now can you show me who you really are?”

Without even looking back, Old Sabre Honcho said, “No.”

Candlelight flickered, it was about to go off.

Old Sabre Honcho has left. There was a huge boulder at the entrance of the cave, and it was closed tight. Even if could go freely, he would never leave this place alive.

Right now this place was like a sealed jar, even a fly could not go out.

-- Why would I want to kill you? What’s the difference between you and a dead person anyway?

There was none. This sealed jar would be his grave.

Sooner or later everybody would have to enter the grave, it’s just that he would prefer to die early than sitting inside the grave, waiting for death.

The sad thing was that even if he wanted to die now, he simply could not die.

The candle was burned completely; wasn’t his life just like this candle?

He had never realized that he was not an invicible, an omnipotent superhuman. Until now.

He was always able to get out of previous crises; perhaps that was no more than a bit of luck?

And now that he met Old Sabre Honcho, such a fearsome opponent, his luck had run out.

-- I know that you are not absolutely sure either. Unless you can see my face with your own eyes.

And now he would never see that face, he could only take this question to the underworld.

-- Would he go to the underworld?

-- Even he himself was not sure. But if he did not go to the underworld, where would he go?

The candle has died, but he was still alive.

In the world, only one thing is worse than sitting in the grave waiting for death; it’s waiting for death in the dark.

He recalled a lot of things. A lot of people came into his mind. So much so that he even remembered that pair of bright eyes in the carriage window.

This moment, why did he still think about her?

Could it be that this woman with a pair of bright eyes, who crossed path with him on the street, had some kind of strange and mysterious relationship with him?

The room suddenly became very stuffy; he already started to sweat. Beads of perspiration crawled down his face, just like ants.

Suddenly he discovered that he could move his hands.

-- You have a pair of hands, which is unequalled under the heavens; your two fingers are your priceless treasure.

Everybody said the same thing, but right now the only thing these two fingers could do was to pinch his legs as hard as he could, to keep him awake, to remind him that he was not special at all.

It’s just that on the contrary, being awake was more painful.

“It would be better if I could sleep some more.”

If by the time he wake up he found himself alreay in the underworld, wouldn’t that be delightful?

He could not sleep.

Along with darkness and stuffiness, came tiredness and hunger and thirst. The thirst was the hardest to endure.

How long would he have to suffer for his sins?

Until he die!

But when would he die?

He suddenly sang loudly; the very same nursery rhyme he had always sung:

“Little girl carrying a clay doll,
Came to the garden to admire the flowers…”

Golden childhood, sweet memories; even the pain of the past has not become very sweet.

Life is so beautiful, why is it that people always wait until they are dying to know and treasure it?

Suddenly there was a rumbling noise as the huge mountain wall opened.

Fire light shone through, followed by a large group of people swarming in. Included among these were Tie Jian, Wang Shidai, and Hua Manlou. At the very front was a white-haired old Taoist. To Lu Xiaofeng’s shock, it was none other than Wooden Taoist!

At the death door he was suddenly rescued, it ought to be the happiest moment of his life. But Lu Xiaofeng suddenly felt a wave of anger bubbling up in his chest; to everybody’s surprise he fainted from anger.

[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.