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Thread: Kung Fu by Giddens Ko (功夫-九把刀)

  1. #521
    Senior Member LuDongBin's Avatar
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    If he did block me, it would prove that deep in her heart, he did have feelings.

    .... his ...?

    Thks deathblade.

  2. #522
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    Thanks!
    I prefer the suspense - after all, you have always been reliable with the consistent updates

  3. #523
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    Uh oh! Is that basketball thing suggesting that Ah Yi is going to the dark side?! Dun dun duuuuun!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

  4. #524
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    I have a feeling that Yi Jing is definitely going to die. Maybe killed by Ah Yi for some reason? Some weird karmic rebirth cycle thing where the apprentice brother kills his love and master and he winds up seeking revenge until he too becomes a crazy old man?

  5. #525
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    The reality of a twisted contradiction (5)

    Hey, in a bit, why dont we go practice some sword techniques, and then go home? I said. What a weird kind of date.

    I cant. You dont want to keep going to school, but Im different. My mom helped me find a new tutor. Today is our first class, at 7. Why dont you come? We can practice sword techniques after. She looked at her watch.

    Oh. Nah, sounds boring. Heroes dont need to study.

    Yi Jing laughed. Today Im studying English. If the hero wants to kill foreign bad guys, he will have to be able to understand English.

    I harrumphed. When heroes need to kill foreign devils, they just kill them without even thinking about it. Whats the point in understanding English?

    A sad look filled her face. The hero doesnt care about the heroines future.

    Yi Jing was interested in foreign culture. In the future maybe she would study at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages [153] in the south. As for after that, even Yi Jing had no clue. Maybe she would turn out to be a well educated heroine.

    If Yi Jing went to study at Wenzao, our simple but ever victorious Heaven Reaching sect could move to the enchanting south, and there engage in acts of chivalry.

    I shouldered my backpack. You go to your class, I said. Its a good thing. I want to head to Yuanlin again.

    Yi Jing also put on her backpack. Why do you have to go to Yuanlin again?

    I frowned. I want to know who Master really is, and what really happened. I want to help him.

    You have to, she said. Unlike some other person who just bullies the weak by dunking over them all the time.

    Ah Yi didnt hear. He was focused on grabbing the bouncing ball, regardless of whose hands it was in.

    So, I walked Yi Jing down the mountain and then hopped on the bus, heading toward Yuanlin amidst the fading twilight.

    Masters home was hidden amidst the twisted alleys, and even though Id been there once, I had to wander around for quite a while before I found it.

    I stood at the door, listening to the sounds emanating from within; laughter, television, chopsticks. It seemed it was dinner time. I stood there blankly for a while until the sound of chopsticks ceased and was replaced by the sounds of bowls and plates being stacked up. Finally, I rang the doorbell.

    The door opened, and there stood a boy wearing an elementary school uniform.

    Im looking for your mother, can I come in? I said with a smile.

    Mom! the boy yelled over his shoulder. Theres someone here for you!

    The sound of cleaning stopped, and Masters daughter came out from the kitchen. When she caught sight of me, she quickly dried her hands and called for me to come into the living room.

    Even though deep in my heart I already firmly believed that she really was Masters daughter, and that the pictures in the photo albums were 100% genuine, I will continue to call her woman. In 1988 I had no concept of the idea of computer generated images.

    The woman introduced the family to me. The man eating sunflower seeds was her husband and the two kids staring at the TV were her son and daughter. One was in third grade, the other in fourth.

    Is my father with you over there? Does he have a place to sleep? Is he eating well? The womans eyes were filled with tears, but her husband seemed irritated.

    I nodded. Your father is doing well, I said sincerely. Hes staying at my house, and hes healthier than ever.

    She hurriedly grabbed a wallet out of the drawer, pulled out five one-thousand yuan bills, and stuffed them into my hand. Please take care of father, she said. He has a bad temper. And try to encourage him to come home. Tell him not to worry me so much, I really need him.

    I couldnt accept the money. After all, of the three things I lacked the least in the world, one of them was money.

    The reason I came today is because I want to ask some more questions about your dad. I really cant figure out what is going on. I stuffed the money back into the womans hand.

    She asked me to sit, and poured me a cup of tea. What would you like to ask? Dont tell me dad did something strange again.

    Something strange? Master constantly did strange things. Where to begin?

    But, there was something truly strange. I suddenly remembered how Master had been wounded by Lan Jin in the Qin Mausoleum. The wound was absolutely real.

    Did your dad ever talk about the wound on his hand? Do you remember anything about it?

    She didnt hesitate for even a moment. Of course I remember. Two small, round scars. Hes had them ever since I was born. He got them when he was fighting in the War of Resistance against Japan in the mainland.

    That was quite a different story from Masters, but I was mentally prepared for such an answer, and wasnt very surprised. I immediately responded, How did he receive the wound? Was he stabbed? Shot?

    Dad said that some stone fragments caused by an exploding grenade shot into his hand and almost crippled him.

    I nodded. So thats what happened. As before, confusion filled my heart.

    We really shouldnt have sent him to that rest home, she said sadly. All it did was give him dementia.

    Her husband suddenly jumped into the conversation, What good does it do to talk about that now? he said with annoyance. If he comes back, all hell do is talk crazy all day.

    The woman lowered her head silently.

    I took an awkward sip of tea and then quietly said, Did your dad did he ever study any traditional martial arts? He really likes to talk about those kinds of things.

    She nodded. I know what you mean. But dad never studied anything like that, and never even seemed interested in it at all. It was after he lost his memories that he became completely wrapped up in a new world of his own creation.

    As carefully as possible, I asked, Did you ever consider that your dad could actually do martial arts?

    I never thought about it, she said.

    I laughed. Im pretty sure your dad sealed his old friends pressure point the other day, and immobilized him. Right?

    The woman sighed. Uncle Li got so mad because of everything that he had a stroke. I took him to the emergency room, and thankfully, after he rested a while, he got better. Thankfully he wasnt literally angered to death by dad.

    I wanted to go find out whether Masters supposed old friend and fellow villager had really suffered from a stroke, or instead had had his blood vessels temporarily sealed. But it was too much trouble, just too much.

    **

    [153] Wenzao Ursuline is the premiere language school in Taiwan http://tinyurl.com/pyyd4gq
    Current Translation: I Shall Seal the Heavens
    Recommended Translation: Heroes Shed No Tears

  6. #526
    Senior Member wandering's Avatar
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    thanks....can't wait to figure out the mystery
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    Check out WXFS translated comic of Tian Long Ba Bu
    Last updated: 02/04/2008
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  7. #527
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    another update!
    Thanks!

  8. #528
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    The reality of a twisted contradiction (6)

    Your dad really cant do kung fu? I asked earnestly.

    Her response was resolute: Dads health has always been poor.

    I picked up the cup and handed it to the woman to look at. The tea in the cup was not just hot, it was boiling, boiling so hard it popped and bubbled.

    She was shocked. What is this?

    This is what your dad taught me, I said quietly. His abilities are even more powerful.

    The woman didnt seem to want to believe. What did you put into the tea?

    Qigong, I said. [154]

    She looked a little annoyed. Qigong?

    Your dad is a Qigong master. That sounded a lot more normal than saying he was the greatest expert in the martial world.

    The woman looked like she wanted to respond, but her face was covered with an expression that read, What do I say now?

    I decided to change the topic: Did you ever hear the old gentleman who had the stroke talk about anything else that happened in the old persons rest home? Perhaps one of the side effects of Masters 300-year slumber was that hed forgotten a lot of things.

    The woman shook her head, but then looked as if shed remembered something. I said, Even some unrelated trivia or random fragments, just tell me. I think that something happened in the rest home that caused your dad to change like this.

    Right then, the man chomping on sunflower seeds said angrily, Whats the point in saying so much to this kid? Call the police and have them bring your dad back. Just have the kid leave an address.

    The woman thought for a moment, then said: When dad was in the rest home, he played chess with people all the time. Mahjong too. Some of the old gentlemen there practiced Taichi and Taichi sword, but he wasnt interested at all. Thats what old Uncle Li told me.

    I nodded. That was nothing special.

    She continued, Later, some young foreigners from the Rotary Club [155] came to volunteer. Dad was really eager to play Go and Chinese Chess with them [156]. They were all foreigners, and dad was really patient with them. He didnt just teach them Go and Chinese Chess, but also learned western Chess from them.

    It really seemed like Master had a good time then.

    The woman took a sip of hot tea. Dad is just a warmhearted person. From what Uncle Li said, he got really good at western Chess.

    I could only nod. It wasnt difficult to imagine Master enthusiastically forcing people to learn Go and Chinese Chess.

    Looking like she wanted to laugh, the woman continued, Who would have thought that when Master taught them how to play Go, there was a smart young man who actually beat him a few times.

    Id never played Go before, so I dont really know how difficult it would be for a beginner to win, but I can only imagine the tragic scene in which a bunch of old men are suddenly beaten by a novice. [157]

    The woman went on slowly, That particular young man came back often to play with dad. Maybe I should say they were glued together. Dad would beg him to play, sometimes dozens of games per day. Dad just wouldnt give up. Sometimes the young man would play five or six games with different people at the same time. Occasionally he would play a few of the games blind, or sometimes mix in Chinese Chess as well.

    Play blind? I asked. Like, he closed his eyes?

    It seemed the woman was very familiar with Go. She said, Basically, you dont look at the board, and play only by relying on your memory. Its incredibly difficult, not to mention if you are playing against multiple opponents. That boy was really some kind of prodigy. Considering he was a novice, its almost impossible to believe.

    The womans eyes suddenly lit up. That boy really was kind-hearted. After dad ran away from the rest home, he would send a new-years greeting card every year. Just two days ago, another one came. He said he would be coming to Taiwan to visit, and if there was a chance, he would love to meet with his old Go teacher.

    As I listened, I began to plan how to figure out whether Master could play Go.

    After that, I chatted with the woman about some of Masters old stories, and then finally rose and took my leave. It wasnt until the woman had led me to the door to leave that I suddenly remembered something shed said when I first arrived.

    You said there was some very important reason you needed to find your dad for. What was that? Should I tell him something for you?

    Im not really sure, she said, tilting her head to the side and frowning. In any case, its something important, so please make sure to pass the message to dad. Tell him to come home as soon as possible.

    This was really weird. Maybe she just missed her dad too much.

    Ill tell him, I said. Goodbye.

    Goodbye. The woman shut the door.

    **

    [154] Im not sure if I included a link to Qigong, which is a system of breathing techniques, in previous chapters. Qigong main article: http://tinyurl.com/8mgo3. Qigong martial arts application: http://tinyurl.com/nxdr47c
    [155] Heres information about the Rotary Club http://tinyurl.com/2sj6wn
    [156] For anyone not familiar with Go and Chinese chess, heres some info: Go http://tinyurl.com/7alp5ce and Chinese Chess http://tinyurl.com/748xfu
    [157] Being somewhat familiar with Go and having played it, I can say that for a beginner to beat someone even remotely familiar with the game would be astounding, let alone someone good at it.
    Current Translation: I Shall Seal the Heavens
    Recommended Translation: Heroes Shed No Tears

  9. #529
    Senior Member deathblade's Avatar
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    Alright, done with part 5! Now 70% done with the novel. The next update is gonna be really cool! Maybe my marathon will continue later tonight. Or maybe not. Time will tell....
    Current Translation: I Shall Seal the Heavens
    Recommended Translation: Heroes Shed No Tears

  10. #530
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    wah - deathblade on a roll!

    Thanks for spoiling us!!!

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    thanks deathblade

  12. #532
    Senior Member LuDongBin's Avatar
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    Press on deathblade!

  13. #533
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    Thanks deathblade

  14. #534
    Senior Member deathblade's Avatar
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    Wow two milestones!

    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i57.tinypic.com/fd90so.jpg')

    Don't think I'll be able to pump out another update tonight, but I will tomorrow morning. Stay tuned!
    Current Translation: I Shall Seal the Heavens
    Recommended Translation: Heroes Shed No Tears

  15. #535
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    Tuned in !

  16. #536
    Senior Member deathblade's Avatar
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    Part 6

    Tossing a chunk of concrete isnt hard at all. But to toss it straight up is. And to repeatedly toss a chunk of concrete straight up is even harder. Furthermore, if you have to wait for it to shoot back down, and then catch it, it isnt just a question of whether you are strong enough, but whether you have enough guts.

    If you dont catch it right, bones will break, internal injuries will be inflicted, and you will be squashed.





    A rival in love (1)

    By the time I got back to Changhua, it was almost ten oclock.

    I jumped up through the big hole. I couldnt see Master, but I could hear the sound of him snoring.

    Are you trying to pretend youre autistic or something? I opened the wardrobe, and there was Master squeezed inside, sleeping soundly.

    Why didnt you sleep on the bed? I said, shaking him.

    Master rubbed his eyes. Not in a good mood.

    I pulled him and pointed toward the bed. You go to sleep. Im gonna give Yi Jing a call before I go to bed.

    Master yawned. Why did you and Ah Yi both laze around today and not practice martial arts? He slowly reclined onto the bed.

    I sidestepped his question and said, Master, can you play Go? I picked up the phone and sat down in the corner.

    He closed his eyes and mumbled, Of course. My Master taught me. But his skill was not very high, so I am not very skilled either.

    I nodded, dialing the phone. Then suddenly, Master shot out of bed as if hed been struck by lightning.

    Startled, I said, What are you doing?

    But almost immediately I knew what had surprised him.

    Theres an aura of death. Putting up my guard, I grabbed two metal rulers from under the bed.

    An expert. Calm and collected, Master took one of the metal rulers.

    This aura of death is really horrific. I was frightened. It was more than horrific. It was like the howls of a vengeful spirit.

    Be very careful, said Master, his eyes narrowing.

    The two of us ran forward, leaping out of the hole and charging in the direction of the aura of death.

    We hopped from shop signs to electricity poles, me a few meters behind Master, my imagination running wild.

    This aura of death was mixed and disorderly, a complete mess.

    Unease, complete chaos.

    A chaotic aura of death will cause anyone to feel uneasy.

    Why had so many experts appeared in the martial world this year?!

    Master stopped.

    I stopped.

    Because the aura of death had disappeared.

    An aura of death is based on Qi. There could only be two reasons for it to suddenly disappear into nothing.

    Number one, the person emitting the aura of death had died.

    Number two, the aura of death had been expertly concealed.

    The first possibility was not likely, and the second just went to prove that the owner of the aura of death was hiding like a ghost.

    Master stood on the shop sign of a clothing store that had long since shuttered its doors for the night. He stared ahead into a small, dark alley.

    I stood on an electricity pole, my legs shaking.

    To be honest, my martial arts were already quite good. But I really couldnt control my stupid legs.

    Because I could sense the presence of a powerful master hiding in that blackness, beckoning toward us robotically.

    The aura of death just now was emitted as a way of saying hello.

    Or perhaps some kind of occult rite.

    This was completely different than attacking a bunch of gangsters with guns.

    Master? I said nervously. Can you tell if the aura of death is really gone?

    Do not try to tell me that you do not know. His eyes never left the dark alley.

    Is it a good guy or a bad guy? Maybe its a good guy? The metal ruler in my hand quivered.

    Do not try to tell me that you do not know. The corners of his mouth seemed to be slightly turned up into a smile.

    Then what do we do? I asked. It was a stupid question, really.

    Do not try to tell me that you do not know. He laughed. You are talking a lot tonight.

    No Im not. Lets just go in. I gritted my teeth.

    You go first. I will come in one minute after you. He tucked the ruler into his belt.

    What? One minute?

    No jokes. I was starting to sweat. Disciples skill is not very high, I will be charging into my death for justice.

    Nowadays, experts are not easy to come across, said Master earnestly. If you only fight against people who use guns, your martial studies will suffer. If you want to be eligible to be a hero of the ages, you must bravely fight in the face of danger.

    I dont want to, I said earnestly.

    Masters eyes glittered. If you wish to conquer terror, you cant always eat soft persimmons.

    My eyes glittered even brighter than Masters. I hereby swear that in the future I will only eat the hardest persimmons I can find. But dont make me go in there alone. You know that Im not qualified to do that yet!

    Master laughed. If you only fight enemies who are the same level as you, how can you call yourself a hero? When you fight in Jianghu, it is a struggle for your life, not just a competition.

    I understood the truth of what he was saying, but to put the theory into practice required not only bravery, but the ability to not fear for ones life.

    Yet I did fear for my life.

    Master sat down. Furthermore, a true life and death struggle is not a strength match, but a match of skill and ability. If you truly believe in the spirit of Justice, then the benevolent is invincible will be more than just a catchphrase.

    I also sat down. The benevolent is invincible, everybody is happy, the world is at peace, we can all rejoice. I looked at Master with a bitter smile. Master, it doesnt matter what you say, Im not going in there alone. My Chinese language teacher said it well, fathers and sons go to war together, blood brothers take down tigers together. Master for a day, father for life. Master, lets charge in together.

    Master looked at me wryly. Two years ago you always stammered about and spoke forthrightly. How is it that you have become so glib?

    To avoid death, I could say just about anything.

    And then, the aura of death screamed back to life, roiling viciously out of the alley in waves.

    Master drew the ruler from his waist and stood up. He is asking us to hurry. If it must be together, then together we go.

    I stood up, letting out a deep sigh.

    Master and disciple jumped down onto the cold, desolate street. Slowly, oh so slowly, we walked into the dark alley, and into the hand of Death itself.

    Oh so slowly.

    Oh so slowly.

    Oh so slowly..

    Plastic buckets filled with festering water, a surprised cat, stinking fast food leftovers, an empty bottle of rice wine rolling along.

    And an old vagrant sitting on top of something round.
    Last edited by deathblade; 02-02-15 at 11:24 PM. Reason: formatting change
    Current Translation: I Shall Seal the Heavens
    Recommended Translation: Heroes Shed No Tears

  17. #537
    Senior Member LuDongBin's Avatar
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    What a coincidence! Keen observation as usual, deathblade.A wave to Anh Nam.

  18. #538
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    Wowsa! Here comes the action!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

  19. #539
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    Thanks again, deathblade!

  20. #540
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    thanks deathblade

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