Xia Ke Xing translation

[Ian Liew]

This is it! The end of Chapter One!!! =)

Chapter One
Tha Black Steel Symbol (cont'd)

Xie Yanke continued "Mr and Mrs Shi are true heroes, and if you got hold of this symbol, you'd simply request for me to do something difficult - that's fine with me. However, if the symbol fell into the hands of some petty evil miscreants, and they asked this old man to cripple myself, forcing me to not live nor die, or forced me to commit suicide, and if I didn't want to die, then I'd go against the oath "Any favour will be answered". At least my luck was good this time, and got the symbol back so easily.. Ha ha ha ha.." He let out a hearty laugh which shook the roofs.

Hua Wanzi said "I heard that Mr Xie swore an oath that regardless of who it was who gave you the symbol, you would answer his request. In addition, even if it was a rival from seven generations, you undertake that you would not hurt him. You obtained this symbol from this little friend's hands, how do you know that he has no request for you?" Xie Yanke spat on the ground, and said "What is this little beggar? I, Xie Yanke, have to listen to a little beggar? What a joke!" Hua Wanzi then said "Friends, let's listen, Mr Xie says that a little beggar boy is not a person, so he doesn't count." If she was talking about some other person, everybody would have burst out laughing, or at the very least the Snow Mountain party would have given her support, but at the moment the four directions were silent, and even the sound of a needle dropping could probably be heard.

Xie Yanke's face flushed green again, and thought "This brat is challenging me with words, and asking her friends to speak behind my back that I am not a man of my word." then thought further "Aiya... this is bad, perhaps this beggar boy was a delibrate trap set by these people, and since I've taken the symbol from his hands, I cannot go back now." He then smiled coldly and said "There's nothing in this world which can be too difficult for the surnamed Xie. Little beggar, follow me. What you wish of me doesn't concern these other people." He then grabbed the hand of the little boy. He didn't really care about the other people here, but he was afraid that they would issue orders behind the boy's back, and come up with a very difficult request, asking him to cripple his hands, and then he wouldn't know what to do. It was better to bring the boy somewhere safe, and then ask him.

Hua Wanzi stepped forward and said softly "Little friend, you are a good boy. This uncle here loves to kill people. Quickly beg him that from today onwards he will never kill..." but before she could finish, she felt a strong wind before her face, and the last words "another person" were stuck in her stomach, and she could not speak.

Hua Wanzi had known that Xie Yanke was a man of his word, and she had thrust her sword at his face before. He said he would collect some other day, and someday, sometime, she was going to have Xie Yanke thrust his sword at her face. As for her six martial brothers, with the exception of Wang Wanren, each of them still owed Xie Yanke a sword thrust. If this debt was collected, it would mean their deaths. This is why she risked her life, unafraid to incite Xie Yanke's wrath, asking the little beggar to beg that he not kill another person. If the request was made, Xie Yanke would be forced to submit, and she and her other five martial brothers would be saved. Xie Yanke saw through her plan, however, and with a flick of his robes forced her to swallow her sentence. He then shouted "Who needs a brat like you to speak so much?" and waved his robes again. Hua Wanzi couldn't find her balance, and fell to the ground.

Once Hua Wanzi's back fell to the ground, she stood back up immediately, ready to continue, but she saw that Xie Yanke was already very far away, his hands holding on to the little beggar boy's hand. Obviously he didn't want the boy to hear any more from the people over here.

The other people saw Xie Yanke knock Hua Wanzi down just by waving his robes a yard away. Given such power, nobody dared to chase after him.


-end of Chapter 1-




Twenty more to go.....

[Han Solo]

[green destiny]

Ian,

Thanks for the translation I never read or watch any adaptations of Xia Ke Xing so it's just like reading a new whole story. I enjoy your translation

[Temujin]

I wonder if Ian Liew is going to continue this translation ?

[Let Me Walk]

All the talk of how powerful Shi Potian is has got me interested in this novel. This is one of the lesser known novels of Jin Yong so I hope someone would continue with the translation.

[eliza bennet]

I too hope that someone would continue to translate this one!

It is the first time I read it and completely caught up with the story.

[kidd]

I'm halfway through chapter 1. I always thought Shi Qing & wife is a righteous couple. A true 'xia'. But seeing the way he forces Zhou Mu to let him see the tablet, he seems like a bully. I kinda lost some respect for him. Eventhough Zhou Mu is not a nice guy, if he got the item first, SQ has no right to use force on him to make him handover the item.

[siegefried]

IMO, i think this story is not really worth translating(Read the whole book in chinese at shuku.net). SPT is a god.. he cant lose properly and this book does not have a proper ending...

[kidd]

No book is unworthy of translation. It is easy for u, who know chinese and can read any chinese book u like, to say which book is worthy and which book is not, because u can read them all. Us who are not chinese educated don't have this luxury and depend on translations. Ian Liew seem to like it enough to attempt to translate it. So, I don't think it's worthless.

[siegefried]

Its graphical enough and is not a bad story but us just have a stupid God who gets beaten in strange ways yet is extremely good at martial arts. His illiteracy allows him to become the most powerful guy in the world. It is not worthless but if u turly know the story, then u will realise that it is very linear...

[Ian Liew]

-spoilers-

For me, the joy of Xiakexing wasn't so much the good vs evil theme, good guy learns kungfu for revenge/defending country/save girl kind of story (which I do like) but the way the poor chap gets framed for so many things and the way it all finally gets explained. I treat it more like a mystery story rather than a true wuxia, although the wuxia setting is done well. The Snow Mountain/Golden Sun sub-plot, Bai Zhizai and his ever-decreasing list of 'number ones', the despicable Shi Zhongyu and Ding Dang's plots (and poor Shi Potian's willingness to accomodate them), the coolness of Zhang San and Li Si when they exposed Shi Zhongyu, the extremely likeable Shi Jian, the cunning Bei Haishi who finally respects Shi Potian from the bottom of his heart, the eccentric Xie Yanke and his funny thoughts, the priceless scenes between Shi Potian and Ah Xiu - the scene where he bursts into tears when she says she believes that he is not Shi Zhongyu was so touching, and lifted such a huge burden from him (and the reader)... there are so many nice moments in Xiakexing, that even though the story isn't particularly epic, it's a good read. It's a story in which the joy is in the journey, rather than in the conclusion.

[kidd]

The moment they heard the words "Black Steel Symbol", Shi Qing, Min Rou, An Fengri all thought the same thing - "So it is the Black Steel Symbol." The other six members of the Snowy Mountain Sect also showed the similar reaction on their faces. In truth none of the seven actually had a good careful look at the item in the beggar boy's hands, but judging from the reaction of the Shi couple and the Golden Sabre Camp Leader, and how interested they were in the item, it was assumed that this must be the item. On the other hand, the three people Shi, Min and An were thinking the same thing - Geng Wanzhong of the Snowy Mountain Sect was a very respectable character, and as he had shown interest in the item it couldn't be wrong.

I don't get it. If the Snow Mountain Sect people didn't know that the piece of metal the begger boy was holding was the "Black Steel Symbol", what for they surrounded the poor kid in the first place?

[Candide]

Its graphical enough and is not a bad story but us just have a stupid God who gets beaten in strange ways yet is extremely good at martial arts. His illiteracy allows him to become the most powerful guy in the world. It is not worthless but if u turly know the story, then u will realise that it is very linear...

You're close to being illiterate yourself with your atrocious spelling and grammar, so don't criticise him, and bugger off.

So Ian, as Temujin has asked, are you going to continue this translation? There are only 20 more chapters to go. Not a lot, really.

[kidd]

Now that I've started reading the chinese version myself, I really appreciate Ian's and other translators' effort in translating these novels for the non-chinese educated people.

I can imagine how hard it is to translate the stuff written in these books, what with all those formal words that one would never use in normal conversation.

[Ian Liew]

I don't get it. If the Snow Mountain Sect people didn't know that the piece of metal the begger boy was holding was the "Black Steel Symbol", what for they surrounded the poor kid in the first place?

I think it was because they knew what they were looking for, and while they weren't sure as to whether that piece of metal was what they were looking for, they took extra care and pains to check out every possible clue in the area. Given all the events leading up to then, if Zhou Mu didn't have the symbol then it had to still be in Hou Jian Ji. They were merely scrutinising every possibility, and the poor beggar boy happened to be holding on a piece of metal (and was drawing attention to himself).


As for continuing the translation, I'm expecting my first child in September, and although I'll probably be on leave then (and have more time on my diaper-soiled hands) I'm not sure if I feel up to continuing. It was fun the first few pages, then towards the middle it was like "Oh no... not even halfway yet".. and by then end it was "Come on, come on, 4/3/2/1 pages to go...". No offense to those who have been giving those excellent Gu Long translations, but I'm tempted to take a GL story as my project rather than a JY novel as it's very ... hard, especially since my Chinese isn't even half-decent (I'm using this as a means to practice and improve my language). Thankfully, Huang Yushi has kindly offered to continue this translation for everyone, and I'm grateful for his offer. At least now we wont all have this story hanging in mid-air anymore!

[junny]

As for continuing the tranlsation, I'm expecting my first child in September

Congratulations! Will it be a boy or girl?

[Ian Liew]

Little boy

And because of my exposure to these forums, a Chinese name is no longer a formality and I'm still thinking of one... I've seen so many instances (especially in TLBB) where names all come from a certain phrase, and it's beautiful and meaningful. In fact, just by reciting the name a learned person will know where the name came from. I'm wanting so hard to have that for my son, and as a Christian, it's easy to take a Chinese Bible and thumb through all the nice verses and extract two Chinese words.

Or so I thought... I'm still thumbing... Gone are the old days when we just simply chose a Chinese name with a nice corny meaning and left it at that, secure in the knowledge that it was the English name by which your child will be known. For me, anyway, thanks to the great world of wuxia!!

[kidd]

Congratulations, Ian

[siegefried]

You're close to being illiterate yourself with your atrocious spelling and grammar, so don't criticise him, and bugger off.

So Ian, as Temujin has asked, are you going to continue this translation? There are only 20 more chapters to go. Not a lot, really.

.........

When typing fast, spelling and grammar errors are nothing. Also, I didn't criticise him. I just said that the story was linear. And bugger off yourself, this is an attack for no reason, isn't a forum used for discussion? And I am not allowed to express my views in a forum? Don't be so narrow minded.

[kidd]

I know the translation hasn't reach here yet, but I just want say it out. What a scum Shi Zhong Yu is, trying to rape a 13 year old girl. Not even over puberty yet. The way he treated Ah Siu is so horrible. And those poor maids.