Silver Spear Cleansed in Blood - 碧血洗银枪 - Gu Long

[kaister]

No problem...

I'm happy to help people finished this story, since it was started in 2005.

[kaister]

Chapter 21 - No Regret


Why would a person want to keep on living? Was it because he want to do things that he thought he should be doing? If a person could not do things they thought they should do, why should they keep on living? Above the well was a courtyard. Right now the sun had risen. The sunlight was shining through the blood. There was other people’s blood and Tie Zhentian and Tie Quanyi’s blood. When Tie Zhentian went up, there was a steel sabre was hacking toward him. He used one of his hands to twist this person’s wrist and the other hand to hang onto this person’s shoulder. With a loud yell, he broke this person’s arm. Unfortunately this person was not Jue dashi or Feng Chaofan.

Outside the kitchen was two chairs. Jue dashi and Feng Chaofan was sitting on these chairs, coldly watching. They brought other people to do their deed for them. With their status, why should they personally deal with a heavily injured person?

They indeed couldn’t imagined a third person would come out of the well. No matter who, when dealing with matter out of their scope, mistakes bound to happen. Ma Rulong originally wanted to used this chance to kill them. As long as he strike down one of them, he would have a chance to strike down the other one.

However by the time he came out, Jue dashi and Feng Chaofan were several yards away. He still rushed at over there. He had already decided to do this, no matter whether it succeed or fail. He would not look back.

He body still had the black clothes on. However not sure when, he already pulled off his black mask. It was probably when he went down the well. He was never afraid of people seeing his face and never had the habit of hiding his identity. However the face he had right now was not the face Jue dashi was familiar with.

The face he had on right now, no heroes in Jianghu had seen before. He was definitely not consider and top-level expert amongst elites in Jianghu. However, he had practiced martial art since he could walk. Ma Rulong’s wugong might not be able to compare with Shaolin, Wudang, and these sects with rich history, but Tianma Tang’s martial art was his own speciality.

A person would can succeed, gain fame, and survive, must have his own unique speciality. Especially lightness skills. Tianma Tang’s lightness skill were renowned. With Tianma Xingkong, the power when landing from mid-air was frightening.

A country hick wearing a crude clothes that no one recognize, suddenly came out of what was supposed to be an empty well.This person was charging toward you with a frightening skills. No matter who encounter this, it was hard no being shock, beside he wasn’t the only one rushing over.

Tie Zhentian already freed his hand and was closely behind Ma Rulong. He extended his iron fist but his target was not Jue dashi or Feng Chaofan. He suddenly grab Ma Rulong waistband with his index and middle finger. He pressed on Ma Rulong’s acupoint at his back waist. With a growl, Ma Rulong fell back behind him.

He must stop Ma Rulong becase he already saw Jue dashi’s eagle claw turned from light green to light red. Even the vein from his arm turned from green to red, like the brilliant and insipid color autumn sun setting. No one other than him understand the danger of the Three Sun Lineage-Breaking Hand, since he, himself, experienced it. He could not let Ma Rulong put himself in such danger. Jue dashi originally raised up, but now slowly sat back down and coldly stared at them.

“Who is he?”

“A friend.”

“Can’t believe you still have friend.”

Tie Zhentian cackled: “Although, Tie-mou had killed countless and made countless enemies but friends are no less than you. Friends like this, you don’t even have one.”

Jue dashi coldly glared at Ma Rulong that recently got up: “You are really his friend?”

“Yes”

“You are really willing to risk you life for him?”

Ma Rulong said: “My life is mine. I still have one life to risk.” He did not deliberately changed his tone. However his tone already changed.

Jue dashi did not hear his tone so he asked: “Do you know why I must kill him?” Ma Rulong did not know.

Jue dashi asked again: “Do you know ‘Brothers: friends and respectful. Filial and righteousness unparalleled’ three brothers of Yang family?”

Ma Rulong knew. The three brothers of Yang family are Hedong Wulin heroes and very wealthy.

The three brother are like one, they had money, fame, power, frank, straightforward, loyalty, and filial. The household of three families all lived in one mansion so they could take care of one another.

Jue dashi expression changed and said: “Do you know the the three brother’s family of twenty-nine male members all died in Tie Zhentian’s hand? Seventeen female member sold to the border garrison as army slave?”

Tie Quanyi suddenly yelled: “Do you know why did he do all these?” His voice was sad and shrill: “Do you what the Yang brothers did to my parents, wife, and children?”

Jue dashi coldly laughed! “This is your retribution.”

“That is their retribution.” Tie Zhentian said: “I am the one that kill all the males and sold all the females of the Yang family. This has nothing to do with anyone else.”

He was pointing at the people Jue dashi brought along. These people that were still glaring and wanting his life.

“These people are all relatives and friends of the Yang family. All know I am injured by your Three Sun Lineage-Ending Hand. Also know that killing me is a glory and fame-inducing deed. You are already a famous daxia, that why you are not wrestling with them for a chance to kill me.” Jue dashi actually did not deny this.

Tie Zhentian mightily yelled: “However, I am still not dead. If you want my life, it is still not that easy. I can still rip off the skull of three to five of them.”

Jue dashi coldly said: “These people are seeking for justice and vengeance. If they die, they will die with no regrets. I would not stop them or need to stop them.”

Tie Zhentian said: “Do you want me to fulfill their wishes?” He pointed his finger at Ma Rulong: “What I did had nothing to do with him. If you let him go, whoever wants my head, I will not stop them.”

Jue dashi coldly stared at him for a while and then turned to Ma Rulong: “Before today, I don’t think I have seen you before.” Jue dashi said: “You don’t look like a bad person.”

Ma Rulong only listened and did not speak, question or deny. Jue dashi again said: “How long have you met Tie Zhentian?”

Tie Zhentian said: “Not long.”

Jue dashi said: “How long is not long?”

Tie Zhentian interrupted: “He only knew me for one day.”

Jue dashi sighed: “For only one day and you already willing to risk you life? There
are definitely very few men like him.”

He suddenly waved Ma Rulong away and said: “You go.”

Ma Rulong stood there and did not move. Jue dashi looked at him and said:
“You’re not going?”

“I’m not going.” Ma Rulong with determination said: “Definitely not going.”

Tie Zhentian roared: “You go. Leave immediately.”

“There is only one way I will go.” Ma Rulong actually said this calmly, firm but calm, “Kill me and lift me out.”

Jue dashi coldly said: “Killing you is not hard. At first if not one was holding you, you are already lifted out of here.”

“I know.”

“You must be lifted out?”

“Must.”

“Why?”

“Not particular reason.”

These words already doesn’t sound right. A person did not need a “particular
reason” to make friends, without thinking of danger consequence, and goals. However one they’d became friends, what he did for his friends was not for a “particular reason” but an indescribable feeling. For things you must do, courage and loyalty with no regret. For one’s own conscience without guilt and not allowing sleepless night. For no regret in one’s own life or death.

Not for any particular reason? For what? What if you succeed? What if you fail? What if you live? What if you die?

Success without turning around. Failure without turning around. Live without turning around. Die without turning around. No turning around and no lowering your head.

[kaister]

soooo good thank you for doing this speedy translation

You're welcome.

Unfortunately, the problem with speedy translation is that it's prone to errors. It could be typo, wrong or awkward phrases. Some are mistakes (typo, misread) or deliberate (direct translation).

Every times I read my paragraph I found something wrong. In the recent 4-5 chapters, I try to skim through it once and catch the most obviously errors. In the prior chapters, I didn't really do it. For me to catch most of the mistake, I really have to sat down and reread the entire thing...

Please be a bit forgiving regarding translation. However, if there is an obvious error that's bothering you or something you have no idea what it is saying, please say. I'll fix it asap.

[Anok Cukai]

Thank you KAISTER for this translation.
Keep up the good works.
Am following the story with interest.

[Han Solo]

Might help you if you get an editor.

Han Solo

[kaister]

Might help you if you get an editor.

Han Solo

Yea...I already asked someone might help me edit my translation but I'm not sure when he'll get it done. I told him to take his time cause I didn't want to rush him.

In the meantime, I will just continue posting my translation the way I've been doing. I think what I have right now is sufficient enough.

Once I get back the edited text I'll repost all the chapters. I'm simply gonna edit existing post and replace the text in that post. I'll leave something indicating the chapter had been edited.

[wuminlinya]

love your whole chapter translation.

hope you continue it .

thank you.

[BlackRaven]

You're welcome.

Unfortunately, the problem with speedy translation is that it's prone to errors. It could be typo, wrong or awkward phrases. Some are mistakes (typo, misread) or deliberate (direct translation).

Every times I read my paragraph I found something wrong. In the recent 4-5 chapters, I try to skim through it once and catch the most obviously errors. In the prior chapters, I didn't really do it. For me to catch most of the mistake, I really have to sat down and reread the entire thing...

Please be a bit forgiving regarding translation. However, if there is an obvious error that's bothering you or something you have no idea what it is saying, please say. I'll fix it asap.

i am not a picky person. i know that for you, reading a new story and translating is very fun, and re-reading your translation for proofreading and editing is boring


for me, reading a fast translation is super fun. even if there is a typo, i can use still my imagination and the context to understand the story. and your translation is easy to understand and enjoyable


so, i think you should do what is fun for you, what you have been doing since the start, meaning read a new chapter for your own enjoyment then translate without doing the boring re-reading and editing

[kaister]

Green Fog Not Fog


Ma Rulong lifted his head. The sunlight was shining at his face. Although this not the face of a handsome male that would not move a young girl’s heart, but no matter who saw it his expression was respectable and honourable. Tie Zhentian was looking at him.

“This was not a bad offer and was already agreed on, why did you refuse?”

“Because I wanted to open an offer with them.” Ma Rulong said: “One that is even better than yours.”

“What offer?” Jue dashi asked: “What kind of offer is better than his offer?”

“He wanted to us two of his life and exchange it for my one life.” Ma Rulong smiled: “This is a losing proposition, I would not do.”

“What kind of offer would you accept?”

“Use my one life to exchange for their two lives.”

Jue dashi coldly laughed: “This offer would not go through.”

“Why?”

“No one can a person exchange one life for two lives.” Jue dashi coldly said: “No one’s life is worth that much.”

“There is one.” Ma Rulong said: “I know at least one.”

“Who?”

“Ma Rulong!”

After hearing this name, Jue dashi pupil immediately contracted. Ma Rulong’s pupils was also contracting.

“I know the person you really wanted is not Tie Zhentian but Ma Rulong.” Jue dashi admitted.

“Using Ma Rulong’s one life to exchange for their two lives, would this offer go through?”

“It would!” Jue dashi was trying to control himself: “Unfortunately no one could find Ma Rulong.”

“One person con find him.” Ma Rulong said: “At least one person can find him.”

“Who?”

“Me!”

Ma Rulong was also trying to control himself: “If you let them go, I guaranteed I could give Ma Rulong to you.”

Tie Zhentian suddenly laughed! “You are a good friend and this is a good offer. However, this proposition would not succeed.” The laughter was hoarse: “Because no one would believe any of your words.”

Jue dashi ignored him. Ma Rulong also ignored him. The two were facing each other, staring eye to eye, the contracted pupil were like a sharp nail.

Ma Rulong clearly said: “You should know what I am saying is not a lie.”

“I can see.” Jue dashi firmly said: “However, I can not let them go first.”

“You don’t trust me?”

Jue dashi said: “Once you hand over Ma Rulong, I would immediately let them go.”

Feng Chaofan immediately said: “I promised.”

Ma Rulong coldly laughed: “If all of you don’t trust me, why should I trust any of you?”

“Because I am Feng Chaofan and he is Jue dashi. You are only an person of unknown origin.” Although he did not really answer the question, this was, however, the best reply.

“If you want this proposition to go through, you better listen to our demands.” Jue dashi said: “Or else we will kill Tie Zhentian, and then you!”

His words are extreme. He originally a heartless, ruthless man that kill without mercy. Ma Rulong had no choices.

“Okay, I believe you.” He clasped his two hands: “I am that person you are looking for.”

“You are Ma Rulong?”

“I am.”

He was Ma Rulong. He handed himself over. He was the one that betray himself. If someone asked him: “Why?” Even he could not reply to this question. Because he could answer: “No particular reason?”

However he, himself, did not know why was he doing this for? Was it because of impulse? Was it because he was hot-blooded? Or was it because of an indescribable loyalty and courage?

Ma Rulong still held up his head and the sun was still shining on his face. “You can not recognize me because my face had already changed by someone else.” Ma Rulong said: “I have been hiding in the general store for a long time.” He could not reveal his real face to them because he didn’t know how to return to his original face.

Because Yu Linglong’s Exquisite Jade Hand already modified his face from under his skin. He could not reveal this either because he did not want to drag other into this. However he was speaking the truth, every word of it.

So he asked: “Right now shouldn’t you let them go!”

Jue dashi look at Feng Chaofan and Feng Chaofan look at Jue dashi. Neither of them had any expression.

“What do you think?” Jue dashi asked.

“How about you?” Feng Chaofan retorted: “If he is Ma Rulong, why would he hand himself in because of Tie Zhentian?”

“No reason.” Jue dashi said: “Absolutely no reason.”

Tie Zhentian suddenly laughed: “I already knew you could not fool them. You should’ve known that no one would believe you.”

He almost laughed till he was out of breath. Ma Rulong wanted to laughed, laughed out loud and until he couldn’t laughed anymore. He did not laughed.

He was not lying. Every sentences and words he said was the truth, but no one believe him! Was this matter worth laughing about? Should he laughed until tears shows up? If he laughed until tears show up, what kind of tears was it? Tie Zhentian was still laughing like he would soon laughed to the point his eyes tear up. If he laughed until tears show up, what kind of tears was it?

“You are just an unknown figure of unknown origin. I am “Sky Turning Earth Shaking” great bandit Tie Zhentian. Even if you have ten lives, you could not exchange it for my one life. You should quickly leave.”

Ma Rulong did not go. Tie Zhentian laughs suddenly stopped and suddenly roared: “Your proposition failed, why are you still here?”

“Because he is you friend, your best friend.” Jue dashi coldly said: “So he decided to die with you here.” Tie Zhentian quickly turned around, glared at him showing an extremely dreadful and angry expression.

“You said you would let him go.”

“I did.”

“Right now, are you not going to let him leave?

“It’s not that I am not letting him go.” Jue dashi said: “It’s that he does not want to go. I would never force someone to do something they don’t want to do. So no one can force him to leave. Therefore if someone would force him to leave, I would kill that person first.”

Tie Zhentian glared at him, as if his eyes going to pop out. “I understand. I understand.” His voice with sorrowfulness, “Right now I finally understand.”

“What do you understand?”

Tie Zhentian clenched his teeth, and gripped his hands: “Although you are petty, cruel and merciless, I still treat you as an individual. You can’t separate between right and wrong, killed the innocent, yet I still consider you a man. I, Tie Zhentian, killed countless in my lifetime and sometime I killed the wrong innocent man. So what I am being accused? So what if some chopped my head off or even chopped my body in pieces?” He fiercely continued: “Now I finally understand, you are not even consider human.”
 Jue dashi coldly listened and suddenly asked: “You want to watch you friend die first? Or want your friend to watch you die first?”

Tie Zhentian angrily bellowed, body suddenly sprung up toward Jue dashi. He energy was almost exhausted but still had a sliver of strength that was as powerful as lion or tiger. At this moment, in the courtyard there was suddenly a clear and sharp laughter: “Everyone is living so well, why a need to die?”

When the laughter appeared, a billow of smoke fog slowly emerge from outside the wall. The mist looked like it was dark green color with a jasmine aroma. After saying these ten words, the fog already thicken, thick like smoke, green like jadeite.

This was not smoke, nor was it fog. There was no such thing as a dark green fog, but just had to look like fog. Just like how Ma Rulong was clearly Ma Rulong, but he just didn’t look like Ma Rulong.

[kaister]

Chapter 23 - Dishonest Honest Man


Tie Zhentian’s thrust was originally his last strike, the life and death final strike. He already determined to die. However he did not die because he did not really went forward. This time Ma Rulong was the one that pulled him back by grabbing onto his waistband.

Jue dashi originally prepared to meet his attack, however that did not happen. After the laughters, the green fog was fading away. His motions suddenly stopped, his expressionless face suddenly had a strange expression. Then he could not see Tie Zhentian anymore.

This green fog seem as if it was blown from the devil’s mouth. The little courtyard was completely enveloped in such a short period. Other than this layer of green fog, nothing else could be seen. At this time, Ma Rulong already brought Tie Zhentian back to his general store.

Jue dashi could not see anything, Ma Rulong could not see anything either. However Ma Rulong already lived here for several months, and already came to Tao Baoyi’s home before. He did not as much caution as Jue dashi and them. He was not afraid of sneak attack and not afraid of getting hit on his head. A person that was already prepared to die, what was there to be afraid of? So he came back to the general store.

People that sleep early usually wake up early. The neighbors were usually people that sleep early, normally at this time the general store was already opened.

Today was an exception. Ma Rulong carried Tie Zhentian and weaved through the alley behind the general store. He jumped in over the wall.

Tie Zhentian appeared to be very weak. Although he did not strike out at first, his energy was completely released. Ma Rulong was pulling him so he could only follow. However he did not forget his brother. Although Tie Quanyi was not his real brother, throughout these years they had been though life and death. Between the two of them, they had developed a thicker than blood relationship.

“I can not leave him here.” Tie Zhentian said: “We must go back and bring him out.” It was already too late to go back.

“They did not want him, only you.” Ma Rulong said: “They still haven’t caught you yet so they would not harm him.”

In the backyard of the general store, the layout almost exactly the same as Tao’s courtyard except it was missing the well and had an extra room, Zhang Laoshi’s room. The door to his room was opened, Zhang Laoshi was not in it. He was not in the kitchen either. Xie Yulun was here but seemed like she was really asleep. Ma Rulong quietly opened the door, went in, and did not disturb her.

He rested Tie Zhentian on his own bamboo chair the he sat on all the time. Then he went to the front and brought back a bucket of salt and a basket of chicken eggs. Zhang Laoshi was not in the store either.

After swallowing handfuls of salt and two eggs, Xie Zhentian asked: “There is your general store?”

“Ehh.”

“Who is the woman in the bed?” Xie Zhentian again asked: “Your wife?”

Ma Rulong did not answer. He did not want to lie to Xie Zhentian. However even he was not sure whether to acknowledge or deny it. He didn’t even know how to answer that.

Tie Zhentian also did not ask anymore. He suddenly sighed: “You should not have brought me back here, absolutely shouldn’t have.”

“I must bring you back here.”

“Why?”

Ma Rulong said: “Because there might be a person here that can heal your injury.”

Tie Zhentian eyes lit up. He couldn’t not be happy. As long as there was a chance to heal his injury, he would have a chance to go against Jue dashi. It was because he was too confident and was so certain, that he fought Jue dashi completely with palm skill. However, he would not repeat the same mistake.

“Who can heal my injuries?” These were the words he wanted to ask but before saying this, the sleeping Xie Yulun suddenly said: “You should not have brought him back here because there was no one here the can heal his injuries. Other than people of the Xie family, no one could heal his injuries.”

“However you......”

Xie Yulun opened her eyes widely and glared at him. “I am not a person from the Xie family. I am only the wife of a general store owner.”

Still the same word, same meaning. She knew the was the only way to force Ma Rulong tell the truth. Of course, she would not let this go. Tie Zhentian suddenly stood up and swallowed another handful of salt and two eggs. “I’ll leave.” He really wanted to leave.

He had roamed Jianghu for twenty years. Obviously he could tell there must be a secret here. He did not want to make it difficult for Ma Rulong.

Xie Yulun did not let Ma Rulong open his mouth and said: “You should have left long ago.”

Unexpectedly Tie Zhentian suddenly sat down!

“I can’t go.”

“Why?”

The one asking was Xie Yulun but Xie Zhentian was answering to Ma Rulong. “If I stay here, when they come here I can still help you fight them.”

“Looking for me?” Ma Rulong said: “Why would they come here to look for me?”

“Right now, you would be the first person they would look for.”

Ma Rulong did not understand. Tie Zhentian let out a sigh: “You really thought they did not believe your words?”

Ma Rulong said: “You think they believe it!”

Tie Zhentian said: “Absolutely believe it.”

Ma Rulong said: “Why wouldn’t they acknowledge it?”

Tie Zhentian said: “Because if they acknowledge what you said was true, acknowledge that you are Ma Rulong, they would have to let me go.” He coldly laughed: “Since we are at the palm of their hands, no one could escape, why should they acknowledge it? Why should they let me go?”

Ma Rulong was startled. Right now he really couldn’t laugh. Now he knew, Jiang people was full of false heart and absolutely not what he thought. Xie Yulun was constantly staring at him and suddenly struggle to sit up.

“You are Ma Rulong?” Her voice became coarse: “You are the devious and sinister evil-doer Ma Rulong?”

Ma Rulong could only felt a suddenly surged in his chest. It’s both vigour and anger.

“That’s right, I am Ma Rulong.” He voice also became coarse: “I am that evil-doer Ma Rulong.”

Xie Zhentian was startled.

In recent year, there were very few things that could startled him. However, this
woman was clearly Ma Rulong’s wife, how could she not know Ma Rulong was Ma Rulong?

Xie Yulun was startled, after a while she sighed: “You are not that Ma Rulong.”

“I am.”

“You are not, absolutely not.” Xie Yulun said: “The Ma Rulong was evil, vicious, and capable of doing anything.” Her voice suddenly became gentle: “However I have already been with you for three months and twenty one days. I can tell you are not a bad person.”

Ma Rulong did not say anything. He couldn’t say anything; it as if his throat had been frozen. Right now he was already used to being insulted and accused, people’s pity and understanding seems to affect him more.

At this time, the front of the general store started to have noise. Ma Rulong didn’t seem to want to face Xie Yulun, so he suddenly rushed out. Zhang Laoshi was really in the shop. He was arranging the general items, looked like preparing to open the store.

Ma Rulong stared at him: “You came back.”

“I did not come back.” Zhang Laoshi said: “I didn’t even leave, how would I come
back?!”

He really didn’t leave? At first he clearly wasn’t in the room, kitchen, and the store had no other people.

Zhang Laoshi said: “I was at the bathroom at first.”

He was not at the bathroom at first either. When he go to the bathroom, he would lock the door from the inside. However, at first, the bathroom door was locked from the outside.

Ma Rulong already learned how to pay attention to these small things. Because he know, a lot of large things can be view from small things. He suddenly realized, this honest man was not really honest either.

[kaister]

Wow...

Embarrassingly the raw translated chapters had too many error. From chapter 23, I'll reread the entire chapter before posting...lol...

I'll come back to redo the earlier chapters later, maybe after I am done translating this entire book.

edit:
I reread the chapter 21-22, they had minor errors. It wasn't bad, unlike chapter 23 lol.

[BlackRaven]

good job with chapter 23! this story is so good that i devour a chapter in a matter of minutes

[kaister]

Chapter 24 - Old Customer and Big Customer


Before a general store opened, there are a lot of thing to take care of, cleaning and tidying. Zhang Laoshi was doing those things. For a person that managed a general store for eighteen years, when a store was suddenly missing a large bucket of salt and a large basket of egg, how would he not know. Zhang Laoshi did even seem to notice that.

Yesterday after noon there was rain, the mud in the alley was not dry yet. There was mud on his foot and was not completely dry. He definitely went out at first. Where did he go? Why did he not admit it? Ma Rulong suddenly realized he was very dishonest. Besides he was mysterious and strange. The was the second time Ma Rulong felt this way.

Zhang Laoshi already prepared to open the store. When he wanted to unpin the door, Ma Rulong suddenly said: “Today, we would close down for a day.”

Zhang Laoshi slant his head pondering, and asked: “Is today a holiday?”

“No.”

“Is today a special occasion for the family?”

“No.”

“Then why are we not opening today?”

Ma Rulong could not say the real reason but could not come up with another reason. He was not something that could lie. “Because I am the owner of this store.” Ma Rulong said: “If I say not to open today, then we will not open today.”

Zhang Laoshi tilted his head and ponder. This was not really considered a reason at all, but hard not to accept.

However someone in the room retorted. “Today we are opening like normal, ignore what he said.” That was Xie Yulun’s voice.

Ma Rulong rushed over there and seemed a little angry. “Why should my words be ignored? Why are you butting into my business?”

“Not that I wanted to. It’s your friend that wanted to.”

Tie Zhentian said: “Because today this general store must be open for business. Absolutely must.”

Ma Rulong did not understand. “Right now they already know I am Ma Rulong and this general store’s owner. They could come anytime. Why should we still openly let them in?”

“It is because they already know you are here, you must open this store.”

“Why?”

“Because if the store was not open, they would just charged in.” Tie Zhentian
said: “Right now if we open the door wide open, they would be confused about our strength and become extra cautious about coming in.”

Xie Yulun coldly added: “It looks like everyone here could think more carefully than you.”

Ma Rulong could only keep quiet. He could not deny it, Xie Yulun and Tie Zhentian could think more carefully than him but how about Zhang Laoshi? Could it be that this honest man that had never been around Jianghu could thought of this?

The four door covers had already been taken off. Zhang Laoshi held a old worn broom and sweep the outside and inside around the door cleanly, as if he already knew there was an esteemed guest coming and wanted to specially welcome this guest. The alley lane outside was quiet.

Tie Zhentian suddenly asked: “Is that person sweeping outside your clerk?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“An honest man.” Ma Rulong felt like he was lying to himself: “His name is Zhang Laoshi.”

Tie Zhentian’s eyes glittered. “I like honest man.” His words seemed like it contained deeper meaning, “Only an honest man can fool all these treacherous, cautious, and petty men.” That world renowned righteous gentleman Jue dashi was a deceitful, skeptical, treacherous, petty little man.

Ma Rulong understood his anger.

“He believes you are Ma Rulong. He could still kill Tie Zhentian and then kill Ma
Rulong. If he had the guts to do this, I would have respect him a bit more.” Tie Zhentian coldly laughed: “But he doesn’t dare because he doesn’t want to turn back on his words in front of everyone. He wanted the world to believe that he is absolutely against evil and a just and righteous gentleman.”

He grasp his fist firmly: “I only hate not being able to chop this ‘gentleman’ into pieces. Every one of them.”

Xie Yulun suddenly sighed. “It’s a pity that you can not even kill one of these gentleman, whereas you would soon die.”

This was the truth no one could refute.

How come truth was so heartless and cruel? Xie Yulun said: “Even if they could
the grasp the strength of this place and don’t dare to anything recklessly. They must surrounded this general store. None of you should even think about charging out.”

Her voice has a strange implication to it; not sure whether it was pity, sadness, or mockery.

“So you people could only wait here and I could only wait with you people. Regardless they would eventually come in. Hard to say, they might be already preparing to send someone to investigate the current situation here.” Xie Yulun said: “Investigating the situation here is not hard because this place is only a general store. Anyone can come in to buy something.”

She bluntly said: “When they come in, it looks like I will die with all of you.” This was also the truth, again hard to refute, an undeniable truth.

Xie Yulun glared at Ma Rulong. “I don’t care whether you really did those things. I only wanted to ask you one thing.” Her question was like a whip: “You are letting me inexplicably die like this with you. Could you really have a clear conscience about this?”

When this question was asked, it was like a whip lashed onto his body. Couldn’t, he could have a clear conscience about this.

“I could tell them. You are innocent.” Ma Rulong hesitatively said: “I could send you away first.”

“Where could you sent me? Would they believe I am innocent?” She coldly asked: “You wanted them to take me like a wild dog and then tortured and interrogated?”

Ma Rulong felt like the one being tortured and whipped. “What do you want me to do?”

“I just want you to return several things back to me.”

“Return what?”

“Return my real face. Return my martial art.” Xie Yulun suddenly became
angered and agitated: “I don’t even know how you manage to take them away from me. If you still have a heart, you should return those back to me.”

Ma Rulong had no way to return those to her. He didn’t want to face her, didn’t want to lift his head. He felt like a thief. He wish she really had a whip in her hand. He would rather be slashed and whipped. He would rather endured the cruelest punishment than to bear the guilt and conscience.

At this moment, Tie Zhentian suddenly firmly said: “It looks like your general store already have a customer here.”

Any customer that came here today could potentially be sent by Jue dashi to investigate them. Tie Zhentian’s forehead was showing green vein. “You go see what he came here to buy? Is it really a general item? Or wanted to come here to buy our lives?”

The one that came was the pregnant young housewife with the big stomach.

Ma Rulong could already hear her laughter. She was not only the noisiest person in the neighborhood, but also the one the like to laugh the most.

She laughed because she was in a good mood. She was in a good mood because there was a new life in her stomach.

Ma Rulong did not go out to take a look. He was very relief toward her.

“She is a regular customer and comes everyday.”

“Came everyday? To buy what?”

“To buy brown sugar.” Ma Rulong said: “To her, brown sugar is like ginseng. Not
only is it nutritious, it can cure all.”

Those that couldn’t afford ginseng could only buy brown sugar. Brown sugar and ginseng both comfort the heart, like some believe god and some believe in Buddhism.

However she did not come here to buy brown sugar. Ma Rulong already heard her talking to Zhang Laoshi: “I know you would think it’s strange.” She chuckled: “Because I am not buying brown sugar today.”

“Why are you buying?” Zhang Laoshi asked.

“Buying salt.”

The general store sell salt. Everyone uses salt. People buy salt everyday, there is nothing strange about this.

“How much are do you want to buy?” Zhang Laoshi asked.

“Today our family wanted to salt meat, the saltier it is the better it could be
preserved.” The young housewife seemed deliberately explained why she was buying salt: “I want thirty catties of salt.”

People buy salt from general store everyday, but very few would buy thirty catties worth at once. A typical general store would only stock thirty to forty catties of salt.

Tie Zhentian’s green vein on his forehead became thicker. “You get her in here.” He lowered his voice: “If she doesn’t want to, drag her in.”

Ma Rulong did not move. “Why didn’t you go?”

“She is pregnant.” Ma Rulong said: “I can not do this to a pregnant woman.”

“Even if you clearly know she was sent by that hypocrite. You would not do this?”

“I would not.”

No matter what the circumstances were, he would not do and not willing to do. He would rather die.

Tie Zhentian stared at him suddenly sighed: “You are truly a good man. I had never seen a good person like you. People like you are very rare nowadays.”

Xie Yulun suddenly also lightly sighed: “People like him, I have also never seen before.”

Zhang Laoshi already told her, “We already sold all the salt in the store. You better come back at night.”

The young housewife was still smiling as she was leaving. A general store the did not have any salt to sell, what a laughable matter.

Tie Zhentian said: “By letting her go, you are already telling Jue dashi I am here and you saved up all you salt for me.”

Ma Rulong also knew about this.

Tie Zhentian said: “I believe your general store would have a lot of business today. Very soon there would be a second customer.”

He was not wrong. Not long after, there second customer already showed up at the doorstep.

The second customer was a big customer, and immediately after he came in said: “I want to buy something.” This person had hoarse and low voice: “Whatever you have, I will buy.”

“Buy everything?”

“Buying everything.” This person said: “I want to buy everything you have.”

[BlackRaven]

there were 2 chapters yesterday, fun fun. kaister's judge's brush is faster than ma rulong's sword!

[kaister]

there were 2 chapters yesterday, fun fun. kaister's judge's brush is faster than ma rulong's sword!

Ok...lol....I don't know about that considering I haven't seen Ma Rulong use his sword.

Anyways, I actually have more translated chapters than what is posted. This is because I prefer translating than proofreading and posting...lol...so don't be surprised if you see me posting couple of chapters at once.


By the way....BXXYQ is actually a shorter story compare to other Gu Long works.
For example, even though BXXYQ has 39 chapters and Wulin Waishi has 44 chapters, WLWS is actually more than two times longer than BXXYQ in terms of texts.
I mean I have seen chapters ranging from 15 pages at most to "6" pages (lol). In comparison, a typical Jin Yong novel have over twenty something pages per chapter...if I remember correctly.

[kaister]

Chapter 25 - Dead Alley


This big customer was a big business. Business was business. You have something to sell, other could buy. What other want to buy, you should sell. How much other want to buy was how much you want to sell. Ma Rulong could tell Tie Zhentian expression already changed, also know his face’s expression also changed. Unfortunately he could not see the expression on Zhang Laoshi’s face, and could only hear him said:

“Our general store is not consider too big or too small. The items in the store are not too much or too little. Can you alone really carry all these away?”

“I can ask other to help to move them.” This big customer said: “As long as you give me a price, I’ll pay and call people to help me move them.”

Calling people to help move? What people? Do you really want the products or the lives? Ma Rulong did not rushed out to confront this big customer. He suddenly had a strange feeling, as if this honest man had a way to deal with him.

Zhang Laoshi already said: “I am only a clerk of this general store. I can not make a decision for such a big business.”

“Who can decide?”

“Our owner.”

“Is your owner here?”

“Yes.” Zhang Laoshi said: “He’s just inside. You can go in and ask.”

“I’m not going in. Tell him to come out.”

“Why won’t you go in?”

“Why won’t he come out?” This big customer’s attitude changed.

Zhang Laoshi’s reply was also extreme: “Because he is the owner. No matter whether it a big owner or small owner, they then to have a little bit of a attitude.”

Big customer did not look happy: “If he doesn’t come out, I’m not buying anything.”

Zhang Laoshi continued with extreme words: “Right now, even if you doesn’t want to buy. It wouldn’t do.” He said: “So you MUST go in.”

Tie Zhentian had been paying close attention to their conversation, his eyes carried a expression of deep thought. There voices were not soft, in there the can clearly hear every words. There was no need to play such close attention to it.

He was trying to determine the big customer tones and dialect, he must hear of this person’s voice before. Ma Rulong wanted to ask whether he knew the background of this person. Tie Zhentian already said it out.

“Wang Wanwu!” His voice seemed nervous: “Be careful toward this man’s two arm.”

In Wulin there was only one Wang Wanwu, his Separate Muscle Wrong Bone Hand (Fenjin Cuogu Shou) and High Force Eagle Claw Kung Fu (Dali Yingzhua Gong), are famous specialities of Jianghu. He had a merciless heart and vicious hand and were both just as known and his martial arts. Once he attacks, he’ll go after all of opponent’s vital joints. Those that fought him, were either dead or crippled.

Right now he already made his attack, Tie Zhentian warning came too late. Ma Rulong already heard the sound of bone being crushed. Very soft sound but it was very ear piercing, pierced from the ear to the heart. It pierced straight through the stomach and straight to the bone.

Ma Rulong just felt the stomach in contraction and spasm, even his own joint was tingling. Doesn’t matter whether Zhang Laoshi was really an honest man, he was still his clerk and lived together for three months and twenty-one days.

The strange part was that he only heard the bone cracking but no painful groan. There were only two type of the people that can endure this without yelling out. One was hard-boned tough man. The other was a dead man or one that fainted due to near death.

Ma Rulong and Tie Zhentian wanted to rush out but they did not. Someone was coming in from outside. This person was falling back into the room. This person left arm and right shoulder were broken. The person face was sweating due to pain, whole body with cold sweat, but he still endure it without yelling out.

This person was a tough man, everyone in Jianghu knew Wang Wanwu was a tough man. This person actually wasn’t Zhang Laoshi, but Wang Wanwu! The Wulin renowned Huainan’s number one expert famous for Separate Muscle Wrong Bone Hand, Wang Wanwu. The Wang Wanwu that had broke countless hero’s arm. Right now, he arm was broken by another person, a clerk of a general store. He would never had believe such a thing would happen, and neither did Tie Zhentian and Ma Rulong. However those were not suppose to occur tends to occur unexpectedly, nothing is impossible in the world!

Wang Wanwu had a shocked and painful expression on his face, and fear. He had never been scared in his life. However the attack from a clerk of a general store made him scared.

Separate Muscle Wrong Bone Hand and High Force Eagle Claw Kung Fu were Huainan’s Eagle Claw King’s martial art specialities. He was Eagle Claw King’s direct successor and disciple and also Huainan’s number one expert. However the instant he attack, he was overtaken. The general store clerk could actually in one move blocked his path of retreat and broke his joint. He could only back away one step at a time and back into the room behind the worn hanging cloth door.

The cloth door was pulled down. He already could not see that normal-looking Laoshi, the wretched clerk, however he did not see the people in this room. His eye were full of shock, pain, and misery. He already couldn’t see anything. Tie Zhentian suddenly stood up, pulled him and placed him on that old worn bamboo chair. Wang Wanwu should recognize Tie Zhentian because they used to be friends. Later they became mortal enemies, mortal enemies were harder to forget than friends.

However he did not seem to notice the man standing in front of him was Tie Zhentian. He seem like he didn’t notice anything standing in front of him at all. He was still sweating, pea size cold beads of sweat, non stop fro his face.

“Who is that person?” His voice was as if he was in a nightmare: “Who is that person?”

This was precisely the question Tie Zhentian had in mind. He turned his head and asked Ma Rulong: “Who is your clerk really?”

Ma Rulong did not answer. He only knew his clerk name was Zhang Laoshi, was a confused and good nature person. He had not glamorous past and no bright future, as if he could only make a living in this worn down general store till the day he die. This type of person, how could he use one move to succumb a renowned Wulin master Wang Wanwu? Ma Rulong did not know. The owner of the general store was not the same owner before. Obviously, the clerk might not be the same clerk as before. Ma Rulong already know this much but he could not tell who this clerk really was. He really couldn’t tell.

Wang Wanwu face was still perspiring cold sweats, the mouth was still asking the same question he was asking before. Tie Zhentian suddenly slap him across his face. Wang Wanwu, in his life, might never had been slapped by anyone before. He was originally in a nightmare but this slap astonished and woke him up. He finally saw the person in front of him, his past thoughts and memories were flooding back to him.

“It’s you!” Wang Wanwu said: “You...you are here.”

“It’s me.” Tie Zhentian undoubtably was also thinking about their past, “You should already know I am here.”

Wang Wanwu looked at him, his eyes seemed anguished. “I know you are here. I came here to kill you. Because I wronged you and betrayed you, I became even more hateful of you instead.”

These words seemed heartless but truthful. If you had betrayed another, you might be the same and hate this person instead and wanted this person dead. Because as long as he’s still alive, your heart will never be at peace, will always be ashamed and regretful. Perhaps the one you hated wasn’t him, but yourself. Wang Wanwu again said: “Ten years ago, I betrayed you. Because at that time I already did something wrong to you I was afraid you would know, so that was why I wanted to use other to kill you.”

“I know.”

If you already know, why didn’t you kill me then? Wang Wanwu had a painful expression, “I would rather die in your hand. At that time if you had kill me, I would not be where I am at today.”

These were also truthful words. To die in the hand of the Sky-Turning Earth-Shaking great bandit, Tie Zhentian, was at least better than being defeated by a clerk of a general store. It was a terrible defeat and too painful, Tie Zhentian understood this type of pain. The old grudges were already the past. “Rabbit Die Fox Sorrow”’s pain and sorrow would forever be there.
[TL: Wow, felt like forever since I wrote a note. The original saying here is “tusi hubei” which literally translate to what I have. However it means a sympathy with one of its kind. These four words idiom always had a back story, if you don’t know it than you would not understand what it means. The story of tusi hubei’s story was about how the rabbit and fox had a common enemy, the hunter because they are both prey of hunters. One day the rabbit was killed by hunter and the fox averted this and started crying next to the rabbit after the hunter left. This idiom is thus used to describe the death of your brethren or unfortunate sorrow. I hope you’ll learn something from this...lol...]

It was already quiet outside, as if nothing had ever happened. Zhang Laoshi did not come in. Right now looked as if he was a real old honest man sitting at the front of the general store. Still no one would be able to tell he as expert with formidable skills. -- Who exactly was he? Why did he stay at the general store with Ma Rulong? Ma Rulong suddenly rushed out, he wanted to know the answer to these questions more than Tie Zentian.

Zhang Laoshi was indeed sitting innocently at his regular worn chair. The general store still had it original appearance. However the situation outside was not the same. In typical days, the alley lane outside was quite busy. There were women drying laundry, mischievous children, dogs and cats urinating everywhere. Right now, they s
should be everywhere.

Although this alley lane was poor and dirty, it was usually vibrant and busy. Now this alley lane did not even have a single person. No people, no movements, no noise. The busy alley, was now a dead alley.

[kaister]

Chapter 26 - Dead Land


The general store did not have a counter, just an old school table with accounting book and a money box. Ma Rulong sat down on a wooden stool next to the wooden table, staring at Zhang Laoshi.

Zhang Laoshi always had slow reaction and expressionless face. Right now it was the same. If someone said that at first he use one move and defeated the Huainan’s number one fighter Wang Wanwu, no one would believe it.

--- Was his face modified by Exquisite Jade Hand Yu Linglong? --- Who was he originally? --- How many people could defeat Wang Wanwu in one move? Ma Rulong stared at him for a long time, suddenly said out a name.

“Dawan.”

“Big bowl? You need a big bowl?” Zhang Laoshi’s face did not have any peculiar expression: “Bowls are in the kitchen, do you need me to get it for you?”

“The Dawan I am talking about is a person.”

“Oh?”

“You haven’t seen her?”

Ma Rulong let out a sigh and slowly stood up. Suddenly he strike using his index and middle finger trying to gouged out Zhang Laoshi’s eye.

Zhang Laoshi closed his eyes. This was his only reaction, other than eyes, he body did not move a bit. Ma Rulong, of course, we not really finish this. He suddenly realized he was pretty stupid, even if Zhang Laoshi was really an honest person he would know that Ma Rulong would never do something so vicious. Of course using this method, he would never be able to test out his martial art. Couldn’t ask and couldn’t test, what could he do? While Ma Rulong was thinking about what to do next, more customers had arrived.

“Du, du, du”, the sound of wooden staff touching the floor could be heard from far away. Two people came, they were both cripples. They were both holding crutches. From just looking at their upper body, it seem as if it was one person. These two wore the same clothes, manner, and face, like they were molded from the same cast. The have the same curve and slant, underdeveloped legs, softly hanging in midair. It looked as if one of their original leg were cut off and was replaced with the legs of a child. Look like a can’t-be-spoken-about ugliness and weirdness to it.

However both of them had a serious expression to them and also full of confidence. The only difference between the two was that one’s defect was the left leg, and the other’s defect was the right leg. Ma Rulong immediately thought of a legend in Wulin, and two figures close to being legends.

In the far north’s Xingxiu Hai (Constellation Sea), there was a pair of naturally born crippled twin brother, one was called Tiancan (Heavenly Ruin), and other is called Dique (Earthly Scarce). Their temperament was extremely weird, wugong (martial art) was equally strange. People they take in as disciples are also like them naturally born crippled twins.

Every on in Jianghu knew about them, but very few ever seen them in person. Xingxiu Hai’s disciples rarely partake in Jianghu’s business, almost none ever been to Jianghu. The only thing different from the legend was ---

Disciples of Xingxiu Hai attire were strangely magnificent, some would even wear pearl clothes decorated with real pearls. An innate inferiority made them enjoy showing off artificially. The clothes these two were wearing were rather ordinary, looked like what any other men would wear.

Disciples of Xingxiu Hai must complete their martial art training before entering Jianghu, until their seniors believe they were at an undefeatable stage. Cripples learning martial art was already more difficult than normal people. The time they entered Jianghu were usually at an older age.

However these two were young, at most twenty three or twenty four years old. Could it be that at such an young age they had already mastered Xingxiu Hai unique and special martial arts? At a level where they could not be defeated?

Although these were just legends, it was already established in the mind of many. Deep and rooted legends are usually more truthful and real “truth”, and more easily acceptable to people. Sounds of wooden crutches hitting the floor stoop, and they were in the store. Ma Rulong turned around to face them. Although in his heart he already established them as Xingxiu Hai’s disciples, he still asked: “What do you two wish to buy?”

“We do not want to buy anything?” The man with defective left leg first spoke and the man with the defective right left continued: “We just wanted to come to see exactly what kind of person you are that could withheld Wang Wanwu here and what method did you use to make him stay?” Their word were extremely straightforward and frank without any artificiality.

“My surname is Sun, name is Sun Zao (early).” The man with the disabled left leg again said: “He is my twin brother and his name is Sun Chi (late).”

“Because I was born a bit later than him.” Their names were really ordinary, not like the fabled Xingxiu Hai’s disciple that were deliberately mysterious and mythical.

Sun Zao said: “We are twins and natural deformities, these type of people using like to pretend to be Xingxiu disciples.”

Sun Chi continued: “So you much think we are Xingxiu disciples.”

“But you are wrong.” Sun Zao said: “We have no relation with Xingxiu Hai.”

“Ten year ago we went to Xingxiu Hai once.” Sun Chi continued saying: “We wanted to search for these extraordinary figure and help impart these legendary, invincible, and world famous martial art.”

“Unfortunately we were disappointed.”

“That place was just a desolate and barren land. Summer was broiling, and winter was bitterly cold. A place hard for anyone to live in.”

“We are telling you all these you can know that our martial art are all our relentless effort from training.”

“So if you also wanted us to stay, you don’t need to hold back.”

Ma Rulong had been listening to them. After they finished, his heart had a lot feelings. They were still young. They were not artificial, not showy, not fake, and not unconventional. They had great desire to built up their reputation and name, without relying on anyone. Although they were handicapped, they don’t have inferiority complex or given up in life. Ma Rulong did not want to be enemies with them. “I don’t want to hold you here.” He said: “You two could leave anytime.”

They did not leave, the two brothers used looked at him the same way. A strange look and first to speak was Sun Zao.

“We could tell you do not see us as enemies.” Sun Zao said: “If you are someone else, we could be friends.”

“You are not really a dangerous and evil person.” Sun Chi said: “It’s a pity you are Ma Rulong.”

The two brothers sighed at the same time and then turn around. With “du” sounds, they seem to be preparing to leave. They did not seem to want to become enemies with Ma Rulong either. However, they had not left either.

When they are about to move, their crutches fell on the floor. Zhang Laoshi already raised his hands. Ma Rulong only heard a soft, sharp, and swift sound piercing through the air, the two crutches suddenly broke in halves. The two items also feel on the ground alongside with the crutches, they were two peanuts.

Zhang Laoshi loved to drink. Peanuts were common and good with alcohol. Zhang Laoshi had a bunch of peanuts on his table. However no one would have thought he would break these solid crutches with peanuts. Even with a sharp blade, it might not be able to break these crutches.

Sun Zao and his brother wouldn’t thought of it either. Although they did not fell, they were standing on one leg. They were standing very steadily, as if they were nailed on the floor. However, their expression changed.

Ma Rulong expression changed also. “What are you doing?”

“I want to hold them here.” Zhang was still expressionless: “You don’t want to, but I want to.”

Ma Rulong did not ask why. A this moment, he suddenly felt the his fingertip, toe. edge of mouth and eye, and every sensitive place all had a sudden and mysterious change. The suddenly became stiff and frozen.

Also at the moment, Sun Zao and his brother suddenly jumped mid-air and dashed toward outside. Although they were crippled, when their body moved, not only was it posture elegant but they were also fast like hawk. Although they were crippled, their lightness skills were superb. There were very few people that could compare to them.

However when they landed, they were still in the general store. Once they landed, they could not jump again because on the bodies of the two brother, at least four acupoints had been sealed.

Around eight nine peanut fell off their bodies. A read neijia (inner family) expert could harm with flowers and leaves. Of course could even flick peanuts through air to seal acupoints. However, no one ever saw that Zhang Laoshi was such an elite expert, and no one could’ve imagine.

How did Zhang Laoshi make his move, and how did the Sun brothers fell down? Ma Rulong did not see. His vision already blurred and entire was numb and unresponsive. He also did not see Zhang Laoshi stood up and walked over and grab and bottle of medicine from Sun brothers’ bodies.

Until Zhang Laoshi put the medicine in the bottle into his mouth, he finally return to normal. Zhang Laoshi was still expressionless only calmly asked: “Now do you know why I have to keep them here?”

Ma Rulong already knew. Although there were things he never seen, he still know there were a lot thing that he did not need to witness in order to understand. He knew he was already poisoned by Sun brothers, one the could not be seen and could not be felt. A type of formless and untraceable poison.

What they had said might have been true, only true words could make other careless and negligent. When he had no animosity toward them, they released this formless and untraceable poison. Just like when someone already accepted another as good friend, the other backstabbed him.

It was not that Ma Rulong did not understand these things, but when he opened his mouth, the first words his said was: “Let them go.” He said: “Right now, just let them go.”

Zhang Laoshi couldn’t help but ask: “Why?”

“Because I am Ma Rulong. Because they are only doing what they thought was right.”

Because they were still young. Things young people do are like this. Because they wanted fame and wanted to be successful. This wasn’t their wrong. A young person that wanted success and fame, absolutely was not wrong.

When the Sun brothers left they did not look back and take another look at Ma Rulong. Ma Rulong also did not look at them, he did not want to increase the shame and regret in their heart.

He only asked: “You really have never seen Dawan and did not know who she is?” Ma Rulong asked: “You are always the clerk of this general store?”

Zhang Laoshi did not answer. He already picked up the peanuts on the floored, cracked the shell open, and ate them. When he started chewing, he sighed and said: “Things he should asked about, he didn’t. The person he should’ve asked, he didn’t. However he kept on asking me these rubbish.”

Ma Rulong said: “I know I should go ask Wang Wanwu, how many people do they have? and who had came?”

“Why didn’t you go ask?”
 Ma Rulong said: “Because what I am asking here is even more important.”

“Important?! What’s so important about it?” Zhang Laoshi sighed again: “So what if I have seen Dawan? What if I didn’t? Why must you ask these question?”

“Because I want to know where she is.” Ma Rulong firmly said: “I must know where she is.”

“Where she is, what does it have to do with you?”

“Of course it does.” Ma Rulong looked straight at him and said: “If you long to see someone, you should understand.”

Zhang Laoshi did not have any expression, but the peanuts on his hand suddenly fell on the floor! He bend his hip to pick them up, as if he was intentionally avoiding Ma Rulong pair of glowing eyes. At this moment, Xie Yulun yelled from inside the room: “You want to know about Dawan?! Why didn’t you come in and ask me?”

Ma Rulong immediately went in. As turned and went through this door with a worn door cloth hanging on it, suddengly a group of people scrambled into this little alley.

There was a total of twenty eight people; young, healthy, agile movement, and well grouped. On these twenty eight people, they were wearing the black cloth with the same exact style and cut, with multilayer leggings, and hands were carrying the same exact size and shape back sacks.

What was in the black sacks? What were the twenty eight burly men doing there? Most people would be curious, most people would stay to find out what were their intention. Ma Rulong did not stay, he only saw a glance and then lift the door curtain and went in. Other than Dawan, other people and other things didn’t seem to interest him.

Xie Yulun already struggle and sat up, expression in her eyes seemed complicated and strange. Was it pain, anger, or sorrow? Perhaps it was a little bit of all these emotions. She glared at Ma Rulong.

“You know Dawan? You two set this up to harm me?”

Ma Rulong did not deny this. He did not want to deny, right now didn’t want to deny anymore. There was no need to deny. Xie Yulun pair of thin hand was gripping hard onto the corners of the bed sheet, but was still trembling.

“You were always thinking about her?” Her voice became coarse: “You are with me everyday but you are thinking about her everyday?”

Ma Rulong did not deny, he especially couldn’t deny this. Xie Yulun’s hands were shaking even more.

“Why do you have to think about her? Could it be that you like that ugly wretch?”

This was alway what Ma Rulong constantly asked himself. -- Why do I think so much about her? Was it because I already like her? Not like, rather love. Only love could be this persistence, this strong. However he did not dare think about this, nor did he dare believe this.

Xie Yulun coldly laughed: “Do you want to know who she is?”

“I do.”

“If you know who she is, perhaps you would be disappointed.”

“I wouldn’t, absolutely wouldn’t.” Ma Rulong answer was very firm and clear: “It wouldn’t matter who she is.”

“Fine, I will tell you.” Xie Yulun was like shouting: “She is only one of my maid.”

Ma Rulong reaction was rather calm. “You are a big Miss. She is an servant. You
are a beauty. She is an ugly. Doesn’t matter who you are or who she is? I would still feel the same way about her.” After finished saying this, he left.

Xie Yulun shouted: “You come back, I’m not finish talking.”

Ma Rulong did not go back, he didn’t even turn his head around. No matter what she said, he didn’t want to listen.

Xie Yulun suddenly drop down to the bed and buried her head under the pillow. She truly a big Miss, perhaps even more arrogant than a princess, even more honourable. No one had ever seen her cry. Could it be that she was crying right now? “Zhang Rongfa” was only a owner of a general store. “Ma Rulong” was just a wicked man that would do anything. No matter for who, she should not cry.

Tie Zhentian and Wang Wanwu had been coldly looking at them. Tie Zhentian
suddenly sighed.

“I am lecherous man. In my life, I at least had several hundreds women.”

“I am about the same.” Wang Wanwu said.

“But I still could not understand women.” Tie Zhentian sighed: “I would probably
never understand in my lifetime.”

Wang Wanwu also sighed and said: “I am the same.”

Ma Rulong did not heard what they said. Once he went out, he was immediately
shocked by the changes that occurred. He would never had imagine in this lowly alley, in this lowly store there would be such a shocking change.

Zhang Laoshi did not change. He looked a little drunk. He worn table had an empty bottle, the cheap wine in the bottle was already in his stomach. He was lying on the chair. Not sure whether he was awake, sleeping, worried, or drunk. He was usually like this and this was not the first time. The shocking change was in the poor and ordinary alley.

Originally you couldn’t see anyone outside. Originally did not know where the people living in the poor houses in this lowly alley went. However, even the poor houses in this lowly alley could not be seen. In this instance, all the house had be removed. These twenty eight young, muscular and agile men wearing black clothes remove them. Their cloth sack must have tools in them to remove these houses. They were very efficient.

The roof bricks and tile were removed one at the time, the wood planks were pried open, the nails were pulled out. They were quickly moved away. The worn household furniture, clean and dirtied clothes, utensils, and bowls, the broken children toys, women’s novelty items, men’s unrestrained wine --- were all moved away.

Although this lowly alley was poor and ordinary, to some people this was home sweet home. These are their homes. However, right now their homes had disappeared. Every single houses were gone. This alley was no longer an alley. Other than this general store, everything else had been taken down and moved. The alley lane suddenly became a muddy and ugly empty land. Barren land, dead land, open and empty, a dead land with absolutely nothing!

[Han Solo]

Thank you for translation

[BlackRaven]

still following this every day thanks kaister!

[kaister]

Chapter 27 - Black Rock


Up above was still the blue sky, white cloud, and sunlight. Far away was still city sound, people, and houses. Clear sky was still here, human society as before, but that was a place where Ma Rulong didn’t belong. The distance between Ma Rulong and that place was very very far. What Ma Rulong could see was a dead piece of land! He was shocked, and couldn’t understand.

Fortunately when he turned his head around, Zhang Laoshi already woke up. Not sure whether he woke up form the worry, sleep, or drunken state. Sometime awake was not better than sleep or drunken state. Because when he was awake, he eyes had the same shock and fear.

Ma Rulong immediately asked him: “What did you see?”

“I did not see anything.” No seeing anything was absolutely more frightening than seeing anything. Lost and cluelessness were always human worst fear.

Ma Rulong again said: “Even if they wanted to trap us to death. There is no need to dismantle all the houses. They could hide in these building and use them as covers.”

He couldn’t understand why they would dismantle these building. He was hoping Zhang Laoshi could explain. Zhang Laoshi hadn’t open his mouth, twenty eight burly man already scrambled into this lowly alley.

Ma Rulong could tell these were not the same twenty eight men earlier, but the were just as young, well built and wore the same tailored black clothes. On their hand they were not holding a canvas sack but a black bamboo basket. In the baskets were pieces of black round rocks, round as a pearl and shiny black. They looked like black color jade pearl.

Ma Rulong had never seen these rock, nor could he tell who’s command were these men under. The black rocks were not easy to get. It was not an easy getting one or two of these. Very few people in Jianghu could support these black-clothed burly men. The strange this was, they place these precious black stone one piece and one row and column at a time, as if they were seeding them on the ground.

The actions seemed well organized, fast, and effective. The empty muddy land was very quickly covered with black stones. The baskets of these twenty eight men were empty and they hurried away. Almost immediately there were again twenty eight similar men, holding these same black rock and came walking toward here in the same pace. Ma Rulong wanted to ask Zhang Laoshi whether he recognized whose subordinate were these, whether he know who had the ability to support these type of men, and whether he knew what they were doing.

He still had not ask because he suddenly saw a strange expression on Zhang Laoshi’s face. Within the lifeless eyes, an expression of extreme fear appeared. He suddenly rushed over as quickly as possible and put up the door planks back on. Today he said he must open for business, so the why did he had to close immediately? Ma Rulong did not understand. Zhang Laoshi already grabbed him and quickly entered the room.

Inside was especially dark, the three people in the room looked even more weary than before. Zhang Laoshi took out an ebony bottle from his clothes and gave it to Tie Zhentian.

“This is for you.” He seemed rushed: “First eat half and save the other half. Chew it first and then swallow it.”

Tie Zhentian of course had to ask: “What is this?”

“This is a Jasper Pearl.” Zhang Laoshi said: “After an hour, it would healed your injuries by a half. After dusk take the other half, it should restore you by eighty percent.” He suddenly sighed and said: “Just hope you can live till them.”

Tie Zhentian’s eye suddenly lit up. What he was holding in his hand was the only medicine in the world that could’ve save him. It was also one of the world’s most precious medicine. However he did not swallow it because there was something he had to make sure.

“Who are you?” He ask Zhang Laoshi: “Why would you have Jasper Pearl?”

“This has nothing to do with you.”

“Of course it does.” He made sure to say it clearly: “I, Tie Zhentian, had never taken other people’s grace in vain. If I do not even know who you are, how can I take this?” A man that was adamant about grudges and gratitude, would never do such a thing.

Ma Rulong suddenly cut in: “You can take his medicine and accept his kindness. Also, you don’t have to pay him back.”

“Why?”

“Because he is my friend. In turn yours too.” Ma Rulong said: “Between friends no matter who help who, there no such thing as ‘repayment’.”

Tie Zhentian did not say a single word, open the bottle and swallow half the medicine.

Wang Wanwu took a long sigh and said: “Tie Zhentian, why don’t you kill me now. I will die with no regret.”

Because he already know, the one that defeated him at first was not a nameless figure. Only subordinate of the Biyu Villa would have Jasper Pearl. To be defeated by a disciple of Biyu Villa was absolutely not a disgraceful matter. Since he was defeated, then what was death anymore?

Although Wang Wanwu did not say these out, Tie Zhentian already understood. Right now everyone had determined Zhang Laoshi was a subordinate of Biyu Villa. In these hundred of years, Biyu Villa did not have any male disciples. Zhang Laoshi was obviously disguised by a female. Ma Rulong stare at him and clearly said: “Right now, shouldn’t you just admit it?”

“Admit what?”

“Admit that you are Dawan!”

Zhang Laoshi finally softly sighed and said: “That’s right, I am Dawan.”

The dishonest honest man was indeed Dawan, not the big bowl the hold food from the kitchen. But the Dawan with flesh and bone and that dare to do anything. Also the Dawan that Ma Rulong kept on thinking about. Was she also thinking about Ma Rulong?

If they were mutually thinking about each other, then why did she refused to let Ma Rulong know she was indeed the one he had been thinking about?

Ma Rulong could not understand. Woman’s heart was always hard for a man to understand. Dawan stick out her hand, her finger tip touch his hand; and then immediate retracted her hand. No one know how to control their feeling better than her.

“Tie Zhentian would soon recover his energy. Wang Wanwu does not deserved to die. You also shouldn’t need to die.” Shen coldly said: “Once you have the chance, you should all blitz out.”

Ma Rulong tried to control himself but couldn’t help asked: “How about you?”

“I......”

Xie Yulun suddenly yelled: “Why didn’t you people ask me? What I should do?”

Dawan finally turned her head and face her, Xie Yulun’s eyes were filled with hatred, fear, and anger.

Xie Yulun angrily said: “Why did you have to do this to me?”

“I’m really sorry.” Dawan said: “But you have to believe me, I didn’t purposely harm you.”

“Why did you have do this?”

“Because I can not let you marry Qiu Fengcheng.”

Dawan continued: “We grew up together. I would not allow you to marry such a cruel and vicious man.”

Ma Rulong lost his voice and said: “She is Madame Biyu’s daughter?”

“She is.” Dawan said: “Madame Xie summoned all of you to Winter Plum Valley, so she can choose a good husband for her.”

“You also went that day?”

Dawan nodded her head: “No only did I go that day, I saw all of the changes happening.”

No matter who witness the sudden change of situation that day, they would all think Ma Rulong was the culprit.

Dawan again said: “However I still believe there was a bigger conspiracy to that.”

Ma Rulong immediately asked: “Why?”

“There were too many perfect coincidence.” Dawan said: “I never trust anything
with too many coincidences.”

--- The pit in the snow land, Xiaowan’s jade, Jin Zhenlin’s spear peircing straight at the jade, Jue dashi and Pang Tianba arriving at the right time --- these were all coincidences. Thing with too many coincidences were usually preplanned.

Dawan cotinued: “Madame Xie wanted me to go there because she wanted me to choose. This incident affects the future of this Miss. I can not make a brash conclusion.”

She looked at Ma Rulong: “So I deliberately let you escape so I could test you out. I wanted to see what kind of person you are?” -- Being buried in the snow and sticking out a hand was her first test.

Dawan said: “If you had not stop and save me, that day you would’ve die under my hand.”

A culprit fleeing would never risk their life to save a strange woman. No only that, he gave her his only item that kept him warm, his fox fur coat, and his own white horse. However one test was not enough so she continued to test him over and over again.

“After numerous test, I started to believe you are not a cruel and vicious person. And I was starting to get suspicious of Qiu Fengcheng.” Dawan said: “It’s a pity this plot was too perfect. Even I could not find any flaw to it. Although I know you have been framed, I have no way to proof your innocence.” She softly sighed and said: “Because I had no evidence. In order to make Madame Xie believe you are innocent, I needed solid evidence.”

Ma Rulong bitterly smiled, “Even if Madame Biyu is willing to believe, Jue dashi and them would not let me go.” A person that had some many Jianghu heroes believing was the murderer, how can he be Biyu Villa son-in-law.

Dawan said: “Later I found out when I was trailing you. Madame Xie had already decided to select Qiu Fengcheng as the son-in-law candidate and even decide on date of the wedding ceremony.”

Wang Wanwu suddenly said: “I seem to have heard of this too.”

“What Madame Xie already decided on, it was hard to change.” Dawan said: “Unless I can find solid evidence and the proof that Qiu Fengcheng was the culprit.”

She did not find it. When Qiu Fengcheng did things, he did not leave behind any evidence. The most ingenious part was that Qiu Fengcheng actually confessed the entire ordeal to Ma Rulong. Unfortunately whatever Ma Rulong said at the point, no one would believe. No only not believe, other people would think he wanted to push blame to Qiu Fengcheng. It would just make other believe he was the culprit more. Qiu Fengcheng put himself in the brink of death and than cleverly escape death, because he understand the mentality of human.

Dawan sighed again. “No only was her plot ingenious and secretive, but it was very extreme. Even I was impressed by him. However in my eye if he marry Miss, I am wiling to accept that.”
 Xie Yulun suddenly sighed: “At the point I already came out. Not that I wanted to see Qiu Fengcheng, but I wanted to find you.”

“I understand.” Dawan gently said: “No matter what you said. In your heart you treat me as a sister.”

Xie Yulun bitterly smiled: “But I could not had imagine you would forcibly taken
me.”

Dawan said: “It was the only thing I could do.”

Because she needed time to find evidence, she needed to push back the wedding date set by Madame Biyu. If the bride was missing, the wedding ceremony could not go on.

Dawan said: “I was thinking back and forth, the best way was to hid both of you together so other could not find any of you. This way you can also understand what kind of person Ma Rulong is.” She continue explaining: “I deliberately let him see your real beauty first. This was also to test out whether he could control himself in the dark room.”

“So you also stayed with us.” Xie Yulun said: “Because you are still not at ease.”

Dawan admit: “If he dare do anything to you, he would not be standing here.”

Xie Yulun suddenly sighed. “I was not wrong about him.” Her voice became gentle: “He is definite is not a bad person.”

Ma Rulong had been quietly listening. He was just finding out all of these details.

Tie Zhentian suddenly let out a long sigh and said: “He is really a good person. This was originally a good plan. Unfortunately, he made a bad friend.”

“Friend is a friend.” Ma Rulong: “There is no such thing as a good or bad friend because there are only one type of friend. If you backstabbed or betray me, you are not actually my friend. The word friend should not be used at all.” His attitude became serious, “I don’t believe in god, don’t believe in Buddha, but I do believe in friends.”

“I understand what you mean.” Tie Zhentian said: “However, if you did not have a friend like me. Your identity would still be hidden. No matter what, I dragged you down.”

“Do you regret having me as a friend?” Ma Rulong asked: “Or should I regret having you as a friend?”

“I don’t regret it.” Tie Zhentian said: “I know you don’t regret it either.”

Within the term “friendships”, there should be no “regret”.

Wang Wanwu suddenly also sighed.

“Seeing the two of you as friends, I realize I never had anyone consider friends in my life.”

Ma Rulong’s secret was indeed revealed all because of Tie Zhentian. How about Dawan? If it wasn’t for Ma Rulong, who would have know she was “Zhang Laoshi”? Who would know she was an subordinate of Biyu Villa? If it wasn’t for Ma Rulong, why would she have to give up this plan in the middle? However she did not complain nor regret, because if it wasn’t for Ma Rulong she would not have done all of these.

Ma Rulong ask her again: “When we were surrounded, did you release the green fog?”

“That was not fog.” Dawan said: “That was Biyu Villa’s “Jade Winter Smoke”, it was thicker and spread faster than fog. Once the winter smoke spreads, you can’t see anything.”

“It was because you spread the Jade Winter Smoke, they know that someone from Biyu Villa was here.”

“Also because the knew the people from Biyu Villa are here, they would not do anything brash.”

Dawan said: “As long as they don’t move and we could delay a bit of time, we can still have a chance. Unfortunately the currently situation had changed, we can no longer fully retreat.”

Ma Rulong said: “Why?”

Dawan asked him back: “What did you see at first?”

Ma Rulong said: “Saw about sixty to seventy people wearing black clothes.”

Dawan said: “What else did you see?”

Ma Rulong said: “Also a large amount of black color stones.”