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Thread: Righteous Blood Cleansing the Silver Spear (碧血洗银枪) - Gu Long UNABRIDGED

  1. #21
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    Default Chapter 17

    Chapter 17: Things You Mustn’t Do [有所不为]


    Dinner was fried hot pepper with dried fish, only one dish. The other bowl was a soup boiled with meat and bone for the patient. The patient had already woken up, and just lying on the bed without moving and kept on staring at the ceiling.

    Ma Rulong was also stupidly sitting next to the bed on the worn out cane chair. He was suddenly thinking about a lot of things; thought about all the things that he was once very proud of.

    — Should he have really done all those things? Were they really that impressive?

    — Between men, why are there always such a huge gap? Why is some men’s life so lowly? Why are some so arrogant?

    He suddenly realized, if he could close this gap between men then this would be worth being proud of. If he had still live the life before, he would definitely not thought of this.

    — If a person could experience unexpected setback and suffering, would it benefit him?

    — Dawan's way to handle Xie Yulun, was it because of this?

    Thinking of this, his heart already felt better than before. He believed Xie Yulun used to be a very prideful person, and thought she deserved to be so prideful.

    Didn’t know starting from when, Xie Yulun was staring at him. She stared for a long time and suddenly said, “Say it again.”

    “Say what?”

    “Say who you are and who I am.”

    “I am Zhang Rongfa. You are Wang Guizhi.”

    “We are a married couple?”

    “A married couple of eighteen years. We always lived here and opened a general store. Everybody around here knows us.”

    Ma Rulong let out a sigh and said, “Probably because our lives are so dreadful and poor, you don’t want to live such a live so you are trying to forget everything in the past.” He comforted her, “Actually, this type of life isn’t that bad. At least we can live in peace.”

    Xie Yulun glared at him for a long time. “You listen to me.” While speaking each word clearly, “I do not know who you are or what is going on. However, I know that all of this must have someone behind the scene paying you to cause me trouble.”

    “Who would cause you trouble?! Why would they want to cause you trouble?”

    “You truly do not know who I really am?”

    Mu Rulong truly didn’t know who she was so he couldn’t help asking, “Who exactly do you think you are?”

    Xie Yulun coldly smiled, “If you know who I really am, you might be startled to death.” Her voice was full of pride, “I am god’s daughter. In the world no woman can be compared to me. I can make you rich anytime, and can kill you anytime. So you better bring me back or else one of these days I will cut you up one piece at a time and feed you to the dogs.”

    She was indeed a very, very arrogant woman. Not only does she not put other people in her own eye, she also viewed other people’s lives so lightly. In her mind, other than her, no one in this world was worth anything. A bit of hardship and suffering for someone like her would be the best.

    Ma Rulong sighed again, “Your sickness is getting to you. It’s better to sleep early.”

    Right after he said this out, he realized one problem. This room had only one bed, where would he sleep?

    Xie Yulun, without a doubt, was also thinking of this and sharply said, “If you dare to sleep here and if you dare to touch me, I would...I would...”

    She did not continue. She couldn’t really do anything to him. She couldn’t even stand up. If he wanted to do anything to her, she couldn’t really resist. Ma Rulong did not really do anything to her.

    Ma Rulong was a man, a healthy young man. Not only that, Ma Rulong already knew what she originally looked like and knew she was a very beautiful woman. In that dim room, under that snow-white bed sheet...behind that…he did not forget nor could he forget. However he did not do anything to her. Although his view of things had changed and was not as prideful as before, there were certain things he would never do even if you were to kill him. Perhaps, this was something he should be proud of.

    * * *

    Every day passed like this and Xie Yulun actually slowly calmed down. When people encountered something in which they are completely helpless, there isn’t much they could do. No matter who, it is better to show restraint and acceptance. Even if you don’t, going crazy, creating a scene, or hitting your head till death is pointless.

    How about Ma Rulong? The type of life was not just different from the way he lived before; it was drastically different. Before, he didn’t look highly on plain, common, and poor people; but now he realized they have a kind-hearted and interesting side to them. At times he felt really irritated and wanted to go find out news from Jianghu and find Dawan and Yu Wu.

    Even so sometimes he wanted to give up everything and live such a simple life. Unfortunately even if he felt this way, this was not how others saw things. In reality he was not Zhang Rongfa; he was Ma Rulong.

    * * *

    In recent day, a strange customer started appearing in the general store. Every day after nightfall, he would come in buy two chicken eggs, two cuts of toilet papers, two catties93 of raw salt, and one catty of rice wine. A family that used twenty eggs and two cut of toilet papers every time was already suspicious. Every day using two catties of raw salt, who would have ever heard of such thing.

    Although this was strange but the things he bought wasn’t strange. Chicken eggs, toilet paper, salt, and wine were very common items. The person that bought these looked very plain, tall, and skinny that looked like any other man here. However, he conspicuously looked worried and tired.

    Not until that one day that pregnant young housewife saw him, did Ma Rulong started to notice. Because the housewife unexpectedly said, “Who is this person? How come I have never seen him before?”

    She knew everyone that live here and could recognize everyone. She sounded so sure. “This man does not live here and I’m positive he had never came here before.”

    Therefore, Ma Rulong was starting to take notice of this man. He was not very good at observing other people. Young masters of rich families were usually not very good at being observant of other people. But, even he noticed a few peculiar signs.

    Although this man was fairly skinny, his legs and arms were especially thick. Every time he reached his hand out to pay or take his items, it seemed like he was trying to hide something. Not only that, he hands moved quickly, as if he didn’t want people to see his hands. Besides he always came after nightfall, a time when everyone was home eating dinner and when it had the fewest people in the alley. Although his body was tall and his leg was big, his step were particularly light and you almost couldn’t hear his footsteps. Sometime when it was raining, the muds on his foot were less than other people.

    Although it was after the new year and was already springtime, the weather was still very cold. His clothes were particularly light but he didn’t seem to be afraid of the cold. Although Ma Rulong was not a seasoned veteran in Jianghu, he could tell this man was trained in martial arts and he was trained very well. His hand probably had the strength of someone trained in Iron Palm94.

    Why would such a good fighter in Wulin come here everyday to buy chicken eggs and toilet papers? If he came here to hide from his enemies, there was no need to buy these things everyday. If he were sent by Yu Wu to protect Ma Rulong, why would he be doing these things that’ll catch other people’s attention.

    Could it be that Qiu Fengcheng, Jue dashi and them already discovered that this general store was suspicious so they sent someone to investigate? If this were the case, why would he buy twenty chicken eggs and two catties worth of salt everyday. Ma Rulong was really scratching his head regarding this matter.

    He shouldn’t waste time thinking about something he didn’t understand. However, Ma Rulong was getting more and more curious. Everyone could not avoid curiosity, and Ma Rulong was not an exception and neither was Xie Yulun. She also knew about this person coming here. One day she couldn’t hold it and asked, “This person you people are talking about, is it really a man?”

    “Of course it is a man.”

    “Is it possible that it’s a woman disguised as a man?”

    “Absolutely not.”

    Ma Rulong was already familiar with the magic of “Art of Disguise”. However, he believed this man could not possibly be a woman. Xie Yulun was evidently disappointed.

    Ma Rulong already thought her question was strange, so he couldn’t help but asked, “Why did you ask such a question? Could it be that you hope he is a woman?”

    Xie Yulun was pondering for a while, then sighed and said, “If ‘he’ is a woman, then it’s possible she came here to save me.”

    — Why only a woman would save her? Ma Rulong did not ask, only said, “You married me for eighteen year. I always treated you well. Why do you need someone else to save you?”

    Xie Yulun hatefully glared at him. Just by mentioning this matter, her eyes were already showing the pain and hatred she had. Once she became like this, Ma Rulong immediately left the room. He really didn’t dare or wish to see these eyes.

    * * *

    One night, not long after the mysterious man bought the items and went back, the young housewife, with surname Yu, suddenly lifted her huge stomach and came here. Her face seemed both nervous and excited. “I know, I know.” She was catching her breath and said, “I know where that man lives.”

    Zhang Laoshi, which never really meddle or talkative, unexpectedly and couldn’t help asked, “Where does he live?”

    “He lives in Tao Baoyi’s place.” Young housewife said, “I saw him went in with my own eyes.”

    Tao Baoyi was the town crier. It was said that he had practiced martial art but he never mentioned it himself and no one had seen him training. The place he lives was the neighborhood’s biggest house, built with red bricks. Town crier usually had a lot of connections; a friend living at his place wouldn’t be strange.

    However, his family was only him and his wife. With a friend, even if they managed to eat all twenty eggs, eating two catties worth of salt everyday would kill them.

    Young housewife said, “I deliberately drop into Mrs. Baoyi’s home. I did not see that person anywhere but I clearly saw him went in. I secretly asked Mrs. Baoyi why did that person buy two catties of salt everyday? Baoyi deliberately started an argument with the Mis'ess. At that point, all I could do was leave.”

    Zhang Laoshi had been listening and suddenly asked, “Today are you buying brown sugar?”

    “Not buying it today.”

    “Are you buying pickled vegetable?”

    “Also not buying.”

    Zhang Laoshi suddenly became serious, “Then why haven’t you gone back home to sleep?”

    Young housewife blinked and looked at him for a while and could only leave. Zhang Laoshi was already preparing to close the store and then muttered, “Poking into other people’s business is bad. People that are nosy always annoy me.”

    Ma Rulong looked at him and suddenly realized this old man was also a bit strange. This was the first time he thought this Zhang Laoshi was strange.


    [End of Chapter 17]

    _[Footnote]__________________________________________________
    93. Catty is roughly 1.3 pounds or 600 grams.
    94. Tieshazhang (铁砂掌), lit “iron sand palm” or more commonly known as “Iron Palm”.

  2. #22
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 18

    Chapter 18: The Person That Eats Salt [吃盐的人]


    This night, like usual, he slept on a bed spread next to the bed. He couldn’t sleep.

    Xie Yulun could not sleep either. He suddenly heard her called him. “Hey, are you asleep yet?”

    “No.” People asleep couldn’t be talking.

    “Why aren’t you asleep?” Xie Yulun again asked, “Is it because of that person’s matter?”

    Ma Rulong intentionally asked, “What matter?”

    Xie Yulun said, “That town crier used to practice martial art, is it possible he used to be a bandit? Could that person be one of his old partners? Coming here, they are probably planning to do something.”

    Ma Rulong said, “What does that have to do with buying salt? What does that have to do with us?”

    Xie Yulun said, “Maybe they are planning to rob this general store, buying salt because they were investigating.”

    Ma Rulong couldn’t take it and asked, “What does this general have that is worth robbing?”

    Xie Yulun said, “There is one thing.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Which one thing?”

    Xie Yulun replied, “Me.”

    Ma Rulong said, “You think they want to take you?”

    This time he did not have any thought of laughing because he knew this was a possibility. Xie Yulun suddenly sighed and said, “Perhaps you really do not know who I am but you have to believe me. If I fell into the hands of these villains...”

    She didn’t continue and seemed as if she had already thought of all kinds of terrible outcomes. After half a day, she gently said, “Although I couldn’t understand why you are doing this to me, I could see in these days that you are not a bad person. Therefore, you must help me investigate that person’s origin.”

    “How do I investigate?”

    Xie Yulun suddenly coldly smiled again, “You think I couldn’t tell you know martial art. Even if you are a owner of a general store now, you must’ve roamed Jianghu before. Also, you must be well known because I can tell your martial art is not bad.”

    Ma Rulong did not say anything. An expert that had been trained with over a decade worth of martial art will be different compare to ordinary people. He believed she could tell because she was staring at him all day. She didn’t really have anything else to do or any other thing to look at.

    Xie Yulun glared at him again, “If you won’t help me do this, I would...”

    Ma Rulong asked, “What would you do?”

    Xie Yulun replied, “I would stop eating and drinking from now on. I wanted to die anyway.”

    This was such a masterful move. Ma Rulong obviously could not let her starved to death.

    Xie Yulun asked, “How about it?”

    Ma Rulong let out a sigh and asked, “When do you want me to go?”

    Xie Yulun replied, “Now, go right now.”

    She pondered and said, “You should changed into black clothes and cover your face with a black cloth. If you are discovered and someone is chasing after you, you must never come straight back here. I am sure you don’t want other people to find out where you are from.”

    It seemed like she knew these tricks from Jianghu more than him.

    Xie Yulun said, “You must follow my words. Although I have never done this before, but an veteran of Jianghu taught me this.” She sighed again, “I would rather hid in this rundown general store with half my life because I believed I would eventually find out what is happening. So you must never let other people find out about this place, or else we would most likely die.” Ma Rulong could only listen and forcibly smiled. He never did such sneaky thing in his whole life, but this time he must.

    * * *

    It was already late at night. Poor family, due to — hard work in the morning, needing to get a rest, saving lamp oil, the only thing they can always enjoy, and other various reasons — sleep particularly early. In the dark and long alley, there were no light or people.

    Ma Rulong stealthily left his general store. He already changed to black clothes and wore a black mask with only his eyes exposed. He knew which building Tao Baoyi lived in because he occasionally went out. There were five buildings build with red bricks; three were still bright and two were dark. For his house, however, the lamplights were already out.

    The house had a courtyard at the rear. On the left side of the courtyard was a kitchen. Next to the kitchen was a firewood storehouse. There was a well in the middle. Ma Rulong was using his long neglected qinggong (lightness martial art). He went around the house and could find anything or hear anything. Tao Baoyi’s wife was still young; he just couldn’t poke a hole through the window and take a peek. So he came back instead.

    * * *

    Xie Yulun still had her eyes wide open waiting. Once he came back, she kept her eye and ear open and listened to what he said. She then gently sighed.

    “I was wrong.” While sighing, “I said you must be well known in Jianghu. Now I know I was wrong. You don’t seem to know much about Jianghu.”

    She was not really wrong. Just because you are famous in Jianghu doesn’t mean you are experienced. Just because you are experienced doesn’t mean you are famous. Ma Rulong did not want to retort this but he had already looked and did what she said. Xie Yulun did not agree.

    “You look at places you are not supposed to look and did not look at places you should.”

    “Where should I be looking?”

    “Did you look in the kitchen?”

    “No.” Ma Rulong didn’t understand, “I know the kitchen did not have anyone, why should I take a look?”

    Xie Yulun asked, “Was the kitchen stove recently used?”

    Ma Rulong was even more confused. Whether the stove was used recently, what did that have to do with anything?

    Xie Yulun again asked, “Did you look in the well? Does the well have any water?”

    “Why should I look there?”

    “Because a stove with no fire and a well with no water is a perfect place to hide people. Inside there might be a secret compartment.”

    Ma Rulong let out a sigh, “Person taught you this must be a veteran, and knows a lot of things.”

    Xie Yulun said, “Now I’ve already taught you these things.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “You still want me to go take a look?”

    Xie Yulun replied, “You better go right now.”

    * * *

    The stove was hot and there was tinder next to the stove. Although there was a pot of water on the stove, there was no water in the well. Was that person hiding in the well? Ma Rulong could not tell.

    He learned bihugong95 (Gecko Martial Art) when he was young, so it wouldn’t be hard for him to go down. However, if there was person there, once he went down, that person will see him first. Once that person saw him, he would not let him come out of the well alive. It was possible that he could avoid their strike or he strikes them first. However why would he do this? He couldn’t think of a reason.

    He was prepared to leave again, prepared to go back to listen to Xie Yulun’s angry nagging. Although he was still not someone’s husband, he could understand husband’s feelings when his wife was nagging him. He did not go but suddenly heard a voice from the well coldly asked, “Zhang laoban (boss), you came?”

    It was low and hoarse voice. It was the person that bought salt. He had not seen the other person, but other person already seen him.

    Ma Rulong bitterly smiled, “I came!”

    Person that bought salt asked, “Since you are here, why don’t you come down to sit for a while?”

    Ma Rulong originally could leave but since this person already know who he was so even if he left, this person would still go to “Zhang’s General Items” store. A refugee should never let other know where they were hiding. Ma Rulong understand this because he was a refugee, so he toughen himself and said, “I’m coming down.”

    In the pitch black and deep well, there was suddenly a light. At the bottom of the well were two people, one was the one that bought salt, and the other was the one that was eating the salt.

    This person had broad shoulder, long leg, wide forehead, and high cheekbone. He originally must be a big, tall, and strong person. Right now he was skinny as a stick. His skin was dried and cracked. The strangest part was he kept drinking water.

    Drink a mouthful of water, eat a handful of salt, and swallow a raw chicken egg. He not only wasn’t afraid of saltiness, he did not even die from the salinity. Had no idea where the water he drank went. His dried skin looked like a cracked earth.


    [End of Chapter 18]


    _[Footnote]__________________________________________________
    95. bihugong (壁虎功), bihu is “gecko/house lizard” and gong/kung is martial art. It is a type of flexible martial art related to internal strenght, also call the “wall climbing martial art” or “picture hanging”. People who practice this could lean his back against the wall and use his shoulder strength to move on the wall and look like a house lizard moving on a wall.

  3. #23
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 19

    Chapter 19: Things You Must Do [有所必为]


    — The person that bought salt was currently drinking wine, a bottle of rice wine he bought for himself. He was slowly taking one sip at a time. The way he was drinking wine was like a miser spending money. He wanted to drink but wasn’t willing to because he could not be drunk. He needed to take care of his friend, the one that wasn’t afraid of being salty and the one who was eating salt.

    * * *

    The bottom of the well was much wider than the opening. There was a bed, a small table and chair here. The lamp was on the table. The man that eats salt was on the bed. The man that bought salt was on the chair, quietly sitting here watching Ma Rulong using his Gecko Martial Art slide down the wall of the well. His hand holding the bottle of wine was huge and rough with blunt fingernails. Undoubtedly he was trained in zhushazhang96 (Vermillion Palm) type of martial art.

    Next to his chair was a heavy bamboo rod that looked like it was at least forty - fifty catties. However, he did not strike out a deadly blow! He only coldly said, “Zhang laoban, we know you would eventually come. You actually did come.”

    “You know I would come?” Ma Rulong was confused, “How do you know?”

    The man that bought salt took another sip of wine. “If I operate a general store and someone buys two catties of salt everyday, I would think it is strange too.” He coldly smiled, “However a real general store owner, even if it is strange, would stay out of other people’s business. It’s a pity you are not.”

    “I’m not?”

    “You originally should not be a general store owner.” The man the bought salt said, “Just like I originally would not go to general store to buy salt.”

    “You can tell?”

    The man the bought salt said, “You came here to investigate me. I also investigated you already.” The man that bought salt slowly continued, “You originally should be Zhang Rongfa. You have already opened a general store here for eighteen years. You have a bedridden wife, an honest clerk, and you never like to be nosy.” He suddenly sighed, “Unfortunately you are not Zhang Rongfa, absolutely not.”

    Ma Rulong again asked, “How do you know I am not Zhang Rongfa?”

    The man that bought salt said, “Because your nails are too clean, hair is too neat, and also you bath everyday. I already found out that the original Zhang Rongfa was not a person that cares much about cleanliness.”

    Ma Rulong could not refute and had nothing to refute. This person was obviously a keen and experienced person in Jianghu. Before Ma Rulong was suspicious of him, he was already suspicious of this general store!

    “If you are not Zhang Rongfa, who are you? Why do you pretend to be Zhang Rongfa? Where is the real Zhang Rongfa?” The man that bought salt continued, “I thought of these questions before, and was thinking for a long time.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “You’ve thought this through?”

    The man that bought salt said, “I only realized one point.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Which one point?”

    The man that bought salt said, “This must be a well-crafted plan. Every small detail was secretly arranged. You could disguised as Zhang Rongfa and fool all of your customers who are regulars of eighteen years. It must be a brilliant art of disguise.”

    He said confidently, “Although there are a lot of people in Jianghu that know the art of disguise. In this world, only one can achieved it at this level.”

    This person, of course, was Exquisite Lily-White Hand Yu Linglong.

    The man the bought salt continued, “Miss Yu have not pay attention to Jianghu’s affair for over twenty years. Only one person could’ve persuaded her to come back and use her art.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Absolutely only one person?”

    The man that bought salt replied, “Absolutely only one person. Other the Jiangnan Yu Wu, no one would be able to persuade her. “

    Ma Rulong forcibly smiled. He finally understands, there was no such thing as a perfect plan in the world. No secret that could remain hidden forever. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t figure out the holes to Qiu Fengcheng’s plot.

    The man that bought salt again said, “You went through such a meticulous arrangement, wasted a lot of effort, and even disguised as a owner of a general store. As I can see you are the same as us, we are all refugees (fleeing). You are also trying to avoid being hunted and getting killed. The people that wanted your life must be worst than our adversaries.” He laughed and said, “Since we are all refugees of Jianghu, why should I try to find out your secret? You originally did not need to investigate me. That’s why I could still go to your store to buy these things everyday.”

    Ma Rulong sighed, “I originally do not want to come either.”

    The man that bought salt said, “Unfortunately, you are here.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Do you want to kill and get rid of me?”

    The man that bought salt replied, “Since you can get Jiangnan Yu Wu to do this, you must also have an impressive background. Even if I want to silence you, I might not succeed.” He suddenly laughed, “If you are really who I guess you are, once I make my move, it is possible that I am the one that will die.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “The person you guessed is who?”

    The man that bought salt replied, “Ma Rulong, Hall of Divine Horse’s big young master, and White Horse gongzi Ma Rulong.”

    Ma Rulong’s heart jumped. If it were not because of Lily-White Hand Linglong altering his face, other people would have already discovered his expression had changed. However, he just had to ask, “Why do you think I am Ma Rulong?”

    The man that bought salt said, “I have my reasons.”

    His reasons were — right now in Jianghu the most wanted man was Ma Rulong. The only man that could asked Jiangnan Yu Wu for help was also Ma Rulong. He said, “Right now the three big families and five big sects in Jianghu had already posted a reward of 50,000 taels of gold for you. The top-rated experts that are after you are at least fifty to sixty people. Only the disciples of Beggar Clan did not seemed to care and did not get involve with this matter.”

    Beggar Clan had the most disciples, had the greatest territories, their eyes were the most varied, and could gather informations the quickest. Beggar Clan had huge expenses, 50,000 taels of gold was not a small sum. The man that bought salt said, “Why would they not get involved? Of course because Master Yu Wu has a relationship with you.”

    Ma Rulong was quiet for a while and then softly said, “You shouldn’t say these words.”

    The man that bought salt said, “Is it because if I said it out, you would kill me afterward? Because you suspect I also want these 50,000 taels of gold?”

    Ma Rulong asked, “You don’t?’

    The man that bought salt assuredly replied, “I do not.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Why not?”

    The man that bought salt did not open his mouth. The man that eats salt suddenly replied, “Because of me.”

    He had been eating salt, the saltiest coarse salt. No one would have imagined there would be a person in this world that could eat this amount of salt. Two catties worth of coarse salt and he ate half already. After swallowing ten raw eggs, his face finally had a bit of liveliness to it and he finally spoke.

    He said, “For twenty years, people that wanted my heads were no less than you. I’m also familiar with feeling of being wrongfully accused.” Although he looked weak, his word a bit of heroism to it, “Although 50,000 taels of gold is not a small amount, I couldn’t care less.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “How do you know I’ve also been framed?”

    The man that eats salt replied, “Because I believed in Yu Wu. If you are not framed, the first man that wanted your life would be him.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Who are you?”

    The man that eats salt replied, “I am also like you; a person that had been framed, a person with a price on his head, and a person that could only lives like a wild dog that doesn’t dare to see daylight. This is because we both don’t want to die, and even if we die we want to die after we clear our name.” He laughed again, a desolate and solemn laugh, “Regarding my name, it’s better not to ask.”

    Ma Rulong looked at him for a while, and then looked at the man that bought salt. He suddenly said, “I believe you would not sell me out.”

    The man that eats salt said, “I also believe in you.” He extended out his hand. His hand was like his friend’s, a huge brute hand and cold as ice. However when Ma Rulong held on to his hand, he felt indescribable warmth.

    The man that eats salt laughed and said, “You go. I’m not holding you here.”

    Ma Rulong said, “You can come back to buy salt. I’m not going to question you.”

    The man that eats salt looked at him for a while, and suddenly sighed, “It’s a pity we met too late. I’d already suffered heavy injury and could no longer help you clear your name. Otherwise, I would love to have a friend like you.”

    Ma Rulong said, “Right now we can still become friends. Making friends is not about taking advantage of one another.”

    The man that eats salt suddenly laughed loudly. He laughed was hoarse and short, already couldn’t laughed anymore, but was full of heroic spirit! He said, “It doesn’t matter if you are Ma Rulong or not, and doesn’t matter who you are, I want you as a friend!”

    Ma Rulong firmly shake his hand. “I also do not care who you are. I also want to have you as a friend.”

    Dawn had not come yet; the spring was cold and chilly. Ma Rulong’s heart was burning hot; his entire body was hot because he made a new friend, a person of unknown origin. Without a care about the outcome, yet friends that could treat each other with sincerity.

    “You became friends with him!” Xie Yulun was still waiting for him and that was her first thing she asked, “You don’t even know his name, and you became friends with him?”

    Ma Rulong said, “Even if everyone in the world is his enemies, and wanted to kill him and dismember his body, I am still willing to become his friend!”

    Xie Yulun asked, “For what?”

    Ma Rulong replied, “Not particular reason.”

    Not particular reason? This is the truth in regard to making friends. If you needed a “particular reason” to make friends, then what kind of friends can you make? What kind of friend are you?

    You could see the daybreak from the window. Ma Rulong was sitting under the window. Xie Yulun was leaning her head and then looked at him for a while, then lightly sighed and said, “I understand what you mean but I couldn’t do this.” There are not much young girls that could understand these types of sentiments.

    Xie Yulun suddenly asked, “Do you know why that friend of yours needs to eat salt?” Ma Rulong didn’t know. He basically didn’t even ask.
    “I know.” Xie Yulun said, “He must’ve been injured by Three Suns Lineage Ending Hand (Sanyang Juehu Shou)97!”

    “Three Suns Lineage Ending Hand?” Ma Rulong was from a prominent Wulin family but he had never heard of this.

    “This palm skill had been lost for a while. When a person get struck by this palm, not only would his body dehydrates and skin dries up, he also lose his sense of taste and only want to eat salt. The more salt he eats, the more he would want to drink water and more injured he would get. At the time of death his body would completely dried up, as if he was burnt alive.”

    She pondered and said, “Although swallowing raw eggs is better than drinking water, this would only prolong his life for one and half more month. His outcome would still be death with no way of being saved.”

    “Absolutely can not be saved?”

    Xie Yulun did not answer his question and asked, “What kind of person is your friend? What does he look like?”

    “I believe he was originally a big and strong man. His shoulders were broader than regular people by at least a half. His hands and legs are also big. His waijia98 (external family) palm skill must be really good.”

    Ma Rulong said, “Right now even though he’s injured and close to death, when he speaks he still have this intimidating heroism to him.”

    Xie Yulun had a sparkle in her eyes.

    “I already know who he is.”

    “Who?”

    “This palm skill is even more potent and harder to master than Yin family and Cui family’s Three Sun Lineage-Ending Palm, it could only be mastered by a person that never touches women.”

    A person that had never touched a woman, how many were there in Jianghu?

    Xie Yulun said, “From what I know, in the past fifty years there is only one person that was willing to master this.”

    Ma Rulong immediately asked, “Who?”

    “Jue dashi!” Xie Yulun said, “Although Jue dashi is heartless, ruthless and very willing to kill, but he wouldn’t lightly use such a secret martial art skill. Unless his opponent palm skill is much better, forcing him to use this type of martial art.”

    Jianghu experts, most of them, have hidden ultimate martial art moves. Unless they were forced to, they would not reveal this move.

    Xie Yulun said, “If he wasn’t forced to a point where he had not other choice, Jue dashi would never use Three Sun Lineage-Ending Palm.”

    She asked Ma Rulong again, “How many people could forced Jue dashi into such situation?”

    “Not many.”

    “Have you heard of the “Sky and Earth Turning” Tie Zhentian99?” Xie Yulun asked, “Can he be consider one of these people?”

    Ma Rulong knew his facial expression must have changed. Of course he had heard of the name, “Sky and Earth Turning” Tie Zhentian. Roamed Jiangdong100 for twenty years, kill people like nothing, accumulated cases like mountain; hard to know how many people wanted his head. Unfortunately it was hard to trace his whereabouts, no one could find him. Furthermore he had top-level martial art, cruel and vicious. Even for those that could find him, their souls were shattered by his iron fist.

    Xie Yulun again asked, “Do you think your friend is Tie Zhentian?”

    Ma Rulong refused to answer. That person was undoubtedly Tie Zhentian. “For twenty years, people that wanted my heads were no less than you... 50,000 taels of gold…I couldn’t care less.” Other than Tie Zhentian, who would have said this. He also said something else, “I’m also familiar with feeling of being wrongfully accused.”

    Ma Rulong suddenly loudly said, “Doesn’t matter what he did in the past. I think he must have his own difficulties. Furthermore, he already had been push to the brink of death by these so called righteous and heroic people.”

    Xie Yulun asked, “You think Jue dashi would wrongly accused a good person?”

    Ma Rulong coldly laughed, “Being wrongfully accused by him, Tie Zhentian is not the only one.”

    Xie Yulun sighed, “You are a good friend. A friend like you isn’t bad. Unfortunately this good friendship would not last long.”

    Ma Rulong said, “There is really no way to save him?”

    Xie Yulun slightly said, “If I am the big Miss of the Xie family, maybe he could be saved.”

    She deliberately sighed, “It’s a pity I am only the general store owner’s wife. I couldn’t even cure my own sickness, how can I save other?”

    Ma Rulong did not say anything.

    He understood what Xie Yulun meant. If he really reveal the truth to her, it might be possible for her to save Tie Zhentian.

    However if he did this, he would have betrayed Dawan and Yu Wu.

    They were also his friends.

    Xie Yulun turned around her body and avoided him, “I’m tired, let’s sleep!”

    Ma Rulong did not sleep. He knew he couldn’t sleep.

    Didn’t know whether Xie Yulun truly wanted to sleep or pretending to sleep but she did not mention this again.

    Outside the window was just showing a fish stomach like color and there were still no sound from anyone.

    Ma Rulong quietly opened the door and softly walk out.

    [End of Chapter 19]



    Footnote
    96. zhushazhang (朱砂掌), lit. vermillion palm.
    97. Sanyang Juehu Shou (三阳绝户手), sanyang, means “three yangs” or three positive/brightness, think yin-yang; juehu means household ending or family ending; and finally shou is simply hand.
    98. waijiazhang (外家掌), literally mean “outer-family palm”. It refers to palm skills that are not from Shaolin or a Shaolin derivative.
    99. Tie Zhentian (铁震天), surname Tie means iron, and given name means “sky shaking”. fantianfudi (翻天覆地), means “sky filling earth overturning” is an idiom used to describe everything turning on its head, a complete confusion.
    100. Jiangdong (江东), lit. river earth, referring to the region eastern end of Yangtze River.

  4. #24
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 20

    Chapter 20: No Other Choice [别无选择]


    Ma Rulong went out to the alley lane, and finally heard the baby of the household on the opposite side crying. After three more steps, a small door with Chaishen (god of wealth) on it opened. That young pregnant housewife was standing at the door seeing his young husband off to work. Ma Rulong pretended he did not see them. The husband was holding a small cloth bag and left. The housewife did not seem to notice Ma Rulong, turned around and closed the door.

    Ma Rulong sprinted out, after three rises and falls, he entered Tao Baoyi’s back yard. There seemed to be noises in the kitchen, the sound of rinsing and making rice. Tao Baoyu’s wife was a hard worker, she was already preparing her husband’s breakfast. Ma Rulong did not pay much attention to it. Tao Baoyi practiced martial art before; he probably used to be Tie Zhentian’s subordinate. He didn’t felt like a need to be cautious about this couple. He jumped into that well with no water.

    * * *

    The one catty of rice wine was empty. The man that bought salt was wide awake and was helping his friend tidy up his bed. The man that eats salt also did not sleep. Half of the remaining salt from last time was gone. They saw Ma Rulong but was not surprised and seemed as if they knew he would come back.

    Ma Rulong went straight to the point and the first thing he asked was: “Are you Tie Zhentian?”

    “I am.” His answer was also straightforward: “I am the infamous bandit Tie Zhentian that kills without blinking his eyes.”

    Ma Rulong said, “Are you injured by Jue dashi’s Three Sun Lineage-Ending Palm?”

    “Yes.” Tie Zhentian was a bit taken back but he did not ask how he knew.

    Ma Rulong continued to ask, “Your injury, can it still be healed?”

    This time Tie Zhentian retorted, “Why are you getting involved in my business?”

    Ma Rulong replied, “Because you are my friend!”

    Tie Zhentian said: “You already know that I am the infamous bandit Tie Zhentian, you still want me as your friend?”

    Ma Rulong said, “We are already friends. No matter who you are, that would not change.”

    Tie Zhentian stared at him and suddenly laughed loudly, “I, Tie Zhentian, made a lot of mistakes in my life. However, I never had a bad friend.”

    He was really laughing right now. As if as long as he could make new friends, even if he was wrongly killed, he could die with no regret.

    The man that bought salt suddenly said, “He really did made a lot of mistakes because he was too reckless, too easily agitated. Also for friends, he is willing to do anything.”

    He continued one word at a time, “However, this time he was not wrong.”

    — This time what did he do? Why was he framed? Ma Rulong did not ask.

    He believed in them, so he only asked, “Your injury, can it actually still be healed?”

    “Yes.” The man that bought salt replied, “There is one medicine that could save him.”

    “Which medicine?”

    The man that bought salt dejectedly sighed, “Even if I said it out there is no use because we absolutely could not get this medicine.”

    He forcibly laughed and said, “Not only can we not get it, we can’t steal it, can’t rob it. Otherwise, I would have went and took it.”

    Ma Rulong again asked, “The medicine you want, was it made by a family named Xie?”

    The man that bought salt changed his expression: “How do you their last name is Xie?”

    His expression changed too fast, too weird, Ma Rulong said, “How come I shouldn’t know?”

    The man that bought salt said, “Because...” His words were very hesitant like he was not willing to reveal the secret nor did he dare.

    Tie Zhentian, however, loudly butted in, “Because that person is not willing to let other know her last name is Xie. Because she had a tragic history. No matter who, if they mention this, she would kill them.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Who is this person?”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “Madame Jasper of the Jasper Villa. My injury could only be by her Jasper Pearl.”

    Ma Rulong froze. — Madame Jasper’s last name was Xie. What was Xie Yulun’s relation to her? What did she have to do with Jasper Villa? He suddenly realized there were a lot of questions, questions he never thought of before.

    Right now he didn’t have time to think.

    He suddenly heard someone at the opening of the well said, “Tie Zhentian, you can not escape. Tie Quanyi101, you can not escape either.”

    * * *

    The hunters already arrived, the refugees were in the well and they were like fishes in a net. Where else could they escape?

    Ma Rulong’s heart sank because he already knew the person above was Feng Chaofan. If Feng Chanfan was here obviously Jue dashi was nearby, and probably Monk Chiku and Jade Taoist could be here too. Even if they were not here for him, he couldn’t escape either.

    Tie Zhentian used one hand to cover his mouth, and put the salt on his other into his own mouth. He suddenly said, “That’s right. I am here. My brother is also here, we are waiting for you.”

    There was no response from above after a long time. The people above were obviously surprised, how come Tie Zhentian had not died yet? His words still have such strength to it. After a long time, you could finally heard Jue dashi coldly said, “Tie Zhentian, you come up. I would spare Tie Quanyi’s life!” Tie Quanyi was obviously the man that bought salt.

    “Humph, us brothers already decided that we would die together.”

    Tie Zhentian laughed loudly, “Good, good brother!”

    “If you want our lives, you better come down.” Jue dashi did not go down, no one did. Although there was nowhere to escape down in the well, the first one the go down would also die.

    “They would definitely not come down.” Tie Zhentian lowered his voice and coldly laughed, “They are already daxia (great heroes). There’s no need to be a hero.”

    “Besides they already know we have no where to escape.” Tie Quanyi also softly said, “They are definitely waiting for us up there.”

    “However, they would not wait for long.” Tie Zhentian said, “Soon, they would figure out to use fire or water, these vicious and cheap methods, on us.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “With their status, would they really use these methods?”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “Because they have an excuse.”

    His smile looked as if he was mocking and grieving, “To handle monsters like us, no matter what they do, no one would criticize them. However if we do the same to them, it wouldn’t be the same.” He suddenly tightly gripped onto Ma Rulong’s hand. “Are you my friend?”

    “Yes.”

    “My age is older than you, shouldn't you listen to me?” Tie Zhentian said, “For this matter, you must listen to me.”

    “Which matter?”

    “When they start to use fire or water on us, we would rush out.”

    “Good.” Ma Rulong had no objection, “Actually we could rush out right now.”

    “We as in me and Tie Quanyi, not you!” Tie Zhentian kept his voice especially low, “They knew Quanyi and I are here, but they could never had guess there is an third person.”

    “They would of course couldn’t imagine the owner of a general store could be here and became friend with the great bandit, Tie Zhentian. All they want was the two of us. Once they succeeded they would not stay here. Once they left, you would be leave safely.” He was gripping even harder on Ma Rulong’s hand, “Once we part today, there would be no next time. I don’t want you to avenge me nor clear my name. As long as you continue to live, that’s good enough for me.”

    Why did he become friend with Ma Rulong for? For nothing in particular. He only wanted his friend to live on because he knew for some people at certain times, just being able to stay alive was already hard enough.

    Ma Rulong had been quietly listening and did not say a thing. He had a lot of things to say but he did not even say a word. Because these words did not need to be spoken out. He had already made a decision.

    Tie Zhentian also did not say anymore and started to eat salt again. He swallowed a big handful at a time in his mouth. He still have a last breath of air, he could still fight to the death. He had the same type of attitude as Ma Rulong.

    There hadn’t been any movement above the well for a long time. The people at the bottom of the well could not escape anyway. Jue dashi and them were people that could hold their temper. Tie Quanyi pulled a Burmese knife out of his waistband and lightly touched the knife’s edge. He then hatefully said, “Even if I have to die, I want to kill him!”

    Tie Zhentian asked, “Who do you want to kill?”

    Tie Quanyi replied, “Tao Baoyi.”

    Tie Zhentian said, “You can’t kill him.”

    Tie Quanyi asked, “This time he must have betrayed us, why can’t I kill him?”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “Because he already has a wife and his wife is pregnant. In Jianghu, he is not the only one that betrays his friend. Beside this is not the first time you and I have been betrayed. Why must you kill him?” He suddenly let out a long sigh, “If you must kill people, the first one you should kill is me!”

    Tie Quanyi said, “You?”

    Tie Zhentian said, “If it weren’t for me, how did you ended up like this?!”

    Tie Quanyi looked at him and suddenly laughed, “Right. You are absolutely right. If it were not for you, I would not ended up like this. My parents were brutally murdered and my wife was raped. Other people said this was only my retribution. If it wasn’t for you, why am I getting these reprisals? I…” His voice cracked, his distorted smiling was getting tear. Suddenly leap up vertically and hollered, “I, Tie Zhentian, have kill countless in my life. Today, I might as well sell you my head? All of you come and get it!”

    He was not Tie Zhentian! He said this because he wanted to go out first and used himself as bait. This way his friend would have a chance to escape. He did not even care about his life and death.

    Ma Rulong understand his intention. Tie Zhentian also understand and suddenly lift his head and laughed. “You can not take this from me. As to who would die, I should be first. As long as I am still alive, I will not let other harm you!”

    While laughing, he used his skinny and bony body and rushed up. Using one leg he stepped on Tie Quanyi’s shoulder, he leaped again and leaped out the well. There was immediately a dreadful cry above the well. Tie Quanyi also leaped out. It didn’t matter who die first and who die later; they would die together. If this were one year ago, Ma Rulong would tear up seeing such a show of friendship. However Ma Rulong did not tear up, but his chest had blood — blood boiling. A person that was determined and prepared to shed blood would usually not shed tear. He knew what Tie Zhentian said was not wrong. If he quietly stayed in the well and wait until they die, he would be able to escape back to the general store. Then no one would come here to buy salt and his secret would be safe. He could also simply forget about this matter and forget about Tie Zhentian.

    If he also rushed out, he would just die with both of them. Because if he rushed out, Jue dashi and them would eventually find out who he was. A typical owner of a general store, would not risked their life and fight alongside the great bandit Tie Zhentian. A reasonable person would never do such an idiotic thing. Ma Rulong was not an idiot; he knew what he had to do to keep his life.

    A person only has one life. Like any other people, Ma Rulong also valued his life. However, he also realized that, in life, there are more valuable things than life.

    Since Jue dashi was determined that there was only two people in the well, if a third person came out, they would be surprised. When they were startled, he would have his chance. If there were a chance, he would not let it go. Even if there were no chance, he would still do the same. He would still rushed out.


    [End of Chapter 20]

    Footnote


    101. Tie Quanyi (铁全义), surname Tie, given name means “complete righteousness”.

  5. #25
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 21

    Chapter 21: No Turning Back on Honor [义无反顾]

    Why would a person want to keep on living? Is it because he wants to do things that he thinks he should be doing? If a person could not do the things he thinks he should be doing, why should he keep on living?

    Above the well was a courtyard. Right now the sun had risen. The sunlight was shining through the blood. There were other people’s bloods and Tie Zhentian and Tie Quanyi’s bloods. When Tie Zhentian went up, there was a steel sabre 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 were two chairs. Jue dashi and Feng Chaofan were 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 man?


    * * *

    They indeed couldn’t imagine a third person would come out of the well. No matter whom, when dealing with matter out of their scope, mistakes bound to happen. Ma Rulong originally wanted to use this chance to kill them. As long as he strikes 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 zhang (yards) away. He still rushed over there. He had already decided to do this, no matter whether it succeed or fail. He would not look back.

    His body still had the rough black clothes on. However not sure when but he already had his black mask pulled off. It was probably at the time 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 considered a top-level expert amongst the elites in Jianghu. However, he had practiced martial art since he could walk. Ma Rulong’s wugong (martial art) might not be able to compare with Shaolin, Wudang, and these sects with rich histories, but Hall of Divine Horse’s martial art had its own speciality.

    A person would can succeed, gain fame, and survive, must have his own specialty, especially lightness martial art skills. Hall of Divine Horse’s lightness skills were renowned. With Heavenly Steed Galloping Across the Sk102 (Tianma Xingkong), the power when striking down 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 frightening skills. No matter who encountered this, it was hard not being shock. Beside he wasn’t the only one rushing over.

    Tie Zhentian already freed his hand and was closing in 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 because he already saw Jue dashi’s eagle claw turned from dark green to dark red. Even the green vein from his arm turned to red, like the brilliant and insipid color of the autumn setting sun. No one better than him understood the danger of the Three Suns Lineage Ending Hand, since he, himself, experienced it. He could not let Ma Rulong put himself in such danger. Jue dashi originally rose up, but now slowly sat back down and coldly stared at them.

    “Who is he?”

    “A friend.”

    “Can’t believe you still have friends.”

    Tie Zhentian cackled, “Although Tie-mou103 (I) had killed countless and made countless enemies but certainly do not have less friends than you. This type of friends, you don’t even have one.”

    Jue dashi coldly glared at him for a while and then turned to Ma Rulong that recently got up, “You are really his friend?”

    “Yes”

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

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

    Jue dashi did not recognize his voice so he asked, “Do you know why I must kill him?” Ma Rulong did not know.

    Jue dashi asked again, “Do you know the ‘brothers and friends: respectful; filial and righteousness: unparalleled’ three brothers of the Yang family?”

    Ma Rulong knew. The three brothers of the Yang family were Hedong104 Wulin heroes, and enormously wealthy people of several generations.

    The three brothers were like one person; they had money, fame, power, frankness, straightforwardness, loyalty, and filial. The household of three brothers all lived in one mansion so they could take care of one another.

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

    Tie Quanyi suddenly yelled, “Do you know why did he do all these?” His voice was sad and shrill, “Do you know 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 who killed 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 at him and wanted his life. “These people are all relatives, friends, and brothers of the Yang family. They all know I am injured by your Three Sun Lineage Ending Hand. They also know that killing me is a glory and fame-inducing deed. You are already a famous daxia, that’s 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 justice and vengeance. If they die, they will die with no regrets. I would not stop them or need to stop them.”

    Tie Zhentian asked, “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 nor deny. Jue dashi continued to ask, “How long have you met Tie Zhentian?”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “Not long.”

    Jue dashi asked, “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 are willing to risk your life? There are definitely very few men like him.”

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


    * * *

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

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

    Tie Zhentian roared, “You need to 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 no one was holding you, you are already lifted out of here.”

    “I know.”

    “You must be lifted out?”

    “Must.”

    “Why?”

    “No particular reason.”

    Those words are already not right. A person can have “no particular reason” to befriend a person; he can disregard advantages and disadvantage, pay no attention to the consequences, and not have any objectives. However once he befriended this person, what he does for his friend is no longer for “no particular reason” but for some indescribable feelings. It is for the things you must do: the type of valor and code of brotherhood that honor does not permit you to turn back on. It is for you to be able to face your conscience and noble teachings. It is for a chance to not deal with not being able to sleep in the middle of the night. It is for you to live a life where you can look into your heart with no shame. And also for you to die where you can look into your heart with no shame.

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

    Success without turning back, failure without turning back, live without turning back, and die without turning back! No turning back and no lowering your head!


    [End of Chapter 21]


    Footnote
    102. Tianmaxingkong (天马行空), lit. heavenly horse walking on air. Here it’s a martial art skill. The phrase itself is use to describe “out of this world” ability.
    103. Tie-mou here means “this certain person named Tie” used by the person himself. You can essentially replace it with “I/me”. In Chinese, it’s fine for an individual to speak in third person.
    104. Hedong (河东), municipal located at the heart of Tianjin.
    Last edited by kaister; 07-16-14 at 03:43 PM.

  6. #26
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 22

    Chapter 22: The Green Fog That’s Not Fog [绿雾非雾]


    Ma Rulong lifted his head up. The sunlight was shining on his face. Although this was not the face of a handsome man that would move young girls’ hearts, he, no matter who saw him, still had a respectable and honourable expression. 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 another 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 use two lives and exchange it for my one life.” Ma Rulong smiled, “This kind of 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 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 were also contracting.105

    “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, will this offer go through?”

    “It will!” Jue dashi was trying to control himself, “Unfortunately no one can find Ma Rulong.”

    “One person can.” 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 can give Ma Rulong to you.”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly laughed! “You are a good friend and this is a good offer. However, this proposition will not succeed.” The laughter was hoarse, “Because no one will 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 will immediately let them go.”

    Feng Chaofan immediately said, “I promise.”

    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 just a 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 were extreme. He originally was a heartless, ruthless man that kill without mercy! Ma Rulong had no choice.

    “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 sold himself out. If someone asked him, “Why?” Even he could not answer this question. Because he could no longer answer: “No particular reason.”

    However he, himself, did not know why was he doing this? Was it because of impulse? Was it because he was hot-blooded heart? 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 Lily-White 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 looked at Feng Chaofan and Feng Chaofan looked 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 laugh, laugh out loud and until he couldn’t laugh anymore. He did not laugh.

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

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

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

    “Because he is your 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 will 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 just that he is not willing to go. I will 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 were going to pop out. “I understand. I understand.” His voice was sad and shrill, “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 a human. You can’t separate between right and wrong, killed the innocent, yet I still consider you a human. I, Tie Zhentian, killed countless in my lifetime and sometimes it unavoidably I wronged a good man. So what if I am being accused? So what if someone 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 your friend die first? Or want your friend to watch you die first?”

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

    When the laughter appeared, a billow of smoke fog slowly emerged 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 thickened; 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 it just happened to look like fog. Just like how Ma Rulong was clearly Ma Rulong, but he just didn’t look like Ma Rulong.


    [End of Chapter 22]


    Footnote:
    105. I have to admit, I’m not familiar with this expression. If I were to guess, i think it’s similar to “eyes wide open”. In that it’s expressing how the subject is showing great interest or awareness of what’s happening.

  7. #27
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 23

    Chapter 23: A Dishonest Honest Man [不老实的老实人]


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

    Jue dashi was 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 seemed 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 and them 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 was not as cautious as Jue dashi and them. He was not afraid of sneak attack and not afraid of blindly hitting 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 who 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 and depleted. 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 together. Between the two of them, they had developed a thicker than blood relationship.

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

    “They do 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 backyard 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 that he had 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 a handful of salt and two eggs, Xie Zhentian asked, “This is your general store?”

    “En (Yes).”

    “Who is the woman on 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. It was hard for him 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 too certain; therefore 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 that this was the only way to force Ma Rulong to tell the truth. Of course, she would not let this chance 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 in the beginning.”

    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, I can still help you fight them when they come.”

    “Looking for me?” Ma Rulong asked, “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 retorted, “You think they believe it?!”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “Absolutely believe it.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Why wouldn’t they acknowledge it?”

    Tie Zhentian replied, “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 in 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, the heart of Jianghu people was full of sinister and deceits and absolutely not what he could have imagine. Xie Yulun was constantly staring at him and suddenly struggled to sit up.

    “You are Ma Rulong?” Her voice became coarse, “You are that treacherous, malicious Ma Rulong that capable of doing any unimaginable evil deeds?”

    Ma Rulong could only felt a suddenly surged in his chest. It was both vigor and anger.

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

    Tie Zhentian was startled.

    In recent years, there were very few things that could startle 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, “That Ma Rulong was treacherous and malicious, 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 seemed harder for him to bear.

    At this time, the front of the general store started to have a voice, Zhang Laoshi’s voice. Ma Rulong didn’t seem to want to face Xie Yulun, so he immediately rushed out. Zhang Laoshi was really in the shop. He was arranging the general items, looked like he was 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 went 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 knew, a lot of the larger things can be seen from the smaller things. He suddenly realized, this honest man was not really honest either.


    [End of Chapter 23]

  8. #28
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 24

    Chapter 24: Regular Customer and Big Customer


    Before a general store opened, there are a lot of thing to prepare, clean and tidy up. 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, there was no way he would not know. Zhang Laoshi did not even seem to notice.

    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. Did he go out at first? Where did he go? Why was he hiding it? Ma Rulong suddenly realized he was not very honest, and he was mysterious and strange. This 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 make up a good reason either. He was not someone that was good at lying. “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 pondered. 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 leave 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 think of this?

    The four door covers had already been taken off. Zhang Laoshi held an 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.” He coldly laughed, “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. “Unfortunately, you are not able to kill any of these ‘gentleman’, instead you will die soon.”

    * * *

    This was the truth no one could refute.

    How come truth was so heartless and cruel? Xie Yulun said, “Even if they could not grasp the strength of this place and don’t dare to do anything recklessly. They must have 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 already be 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 couldn't have a clear conscience about this.

    “I could tell them you are innocent.” Ma Rulong hesitantly said, “I could send you away first.”

    “Where could you send 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 me?”

    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 angry 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 wished she really did have a whip in her hand. He would rather be slashed and whipped. He would rather endure 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 Buddha.

    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.”

    “What 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 you buying?” Zhang Laoshi asked.

    “Today our family wanted to salt meat, the saltier it is the better it could be preserved.” The young housewife seemed to deliberately explain 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 that did not have any salt to sell, what a laughable matter.

    Tie Zhentian said, “By letting her go, you are already telling Jue dashi that 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.”


    [End of Chapter 24]

  9. #29
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 25

    Chapter 25: Dead Alley [死巷]

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

    “Our general store is not considered 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 others to help me 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? Were they really going to take the products or the lives? Ma Rulong did not rushed out to confront this big customer. He suddenly had a strange feeling. He felt that this honest man must have 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 tend to have a little bit of an 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 don’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, so in there they could clearly hear every word. There was no need to play such close attention to it.

    He was trying to determine the big customer tones and dialect, he must’d heard 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 Wanwu106!” His voice seemed nervous: “Be careful toward this man’s two arms.”

    In Wulin there was only one Wang Wanwu, his Tendon Separating Bone Alternating Hand (Fenjin Cuogu Shou107) and Powerful Eagle Claw Martial Art (Dali Yingzhua Gong108), were unrivaled in Jianghu. His merciless heart and vicious hand were just as famous as his martial arts. Once he attacks, he’ll go after all of opponent’s vital joints. Those that fought with 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; it pierced from the ear to the heart, straight through the stomach, and into the bone.

    Ma Rulong just felt the stomach in contraction and spasm; even his joints were 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 types 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 from outside was coming in. This person was falling back into the room. This person left arm and right shoulder were broken. The person face was sweating due to the pain, whole body with cold sweat, but he still endured 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’s109 number one expert who was famous for his Tendon Separating Bone Alternating Hand, Wang Wanwu. The Wang Wanwu that had broken countless heroes’ arms. Right now, his arm was broken by another person. It was broken by 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 supposed to occur tends to occur unexpectedly, nothing is impossible in the world!

    * * *

    Wang Wanwu not only had a shocked and painful expression on his face, he was also in fear. He had never been scared in his life. However the attack from a clerk of a general store made him scared.

    Tendon Separating Bone Alternating Hand and Powerful Eagle Claw Martial Art were Huainan’s Eagle Claw King’s martial art specialties. He was Eagle Claw King’s direct successor and disciple and also Huainan’s number one expert. However the instant he attacked, he was overtaken. The general store clerk could actually in one move block his path of retreat and broke his joints. 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 also did not see the people in this room. His eyes 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. It seemed like he didn’t notice anyone standing in front of him at all. He was still sweating, pea size cold beads of sweat, non-stop on 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 his mind. He turned his head and asked Ma Rulong, “Who is your clerk really?”

    Ma Rulong had no way of answering. He only knew his clerk’s name was Zhang Laoshi; he was a confused and good nature person. He had no glamorous past nor 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 either. The owner of the general store was not the same owner before. Obviously, the clerk might not be the same clerk as before either. 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 many times before. Tie Zhentian suddenly slap him across his face. Wang Wanwu, in his life, might never have 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 undoubtedly 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 had wronged you and betrayed you, I became even more resentful of you instead.”

    These words seemed heartless but truthful. If you had betrayed another, you might be the same as him and hate that person instead and wanted that 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 continued, “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 and Earth Turning’ great bandit, Tie Zhentian, was at least better than being defeated by a clerk of a general store. He was terribly and painfully defeated; Tie Zhentian understood this type of pain. The old grudges were already in the past. The “rabbit dies, fox grieves”110 type of pain and sorrow would be there forever.

    It was already quiet outside, as if nothing had ever happened. Zhang Laoshi did not come in. Right now he must’d looked as if he was a real honest man sitting at the front of the general store. Still no one would be able to tell he was an 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 its 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 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.


    [End of Chapter 25]


    FOOTNOTE
    106. Wang Wanwu (王万武), surname Wang, given name means “myriad martial”.
    107. Fengjin Cuogu Shou (分筋错骨手), lit “seperate tendon, wrong bone, hand”
    108. Dali Yingzhua Gong (大力鹰爪功), lit. “giant strength, eagle claw, martial art”
    109. Huainan (淮南), a prefecture-level city in central Anhui Province.
    110. tusihubei (兔死狐悲) — A Chinese idiom that means ‘having sympathy with a like-minded person’. Idiom’s back story — A rabbit and fox had a common enemy, the hunter. They vow to share life and death, trials and tribulations. One day, while enjoying nature, a band of hunters came and killed the rabbit in one shot. The fox averted this. After the hunter left, the fox came back next to the rabbit crying.

  10. #30
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 26

    Chapter 26: Dead Land [死地]


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

    Zhang Laoshi always had slow reaction and an expressionless face. Right now he 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 Lily-White 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, and suddenly called out a name.

    “Dawan.”

    “Dawan (big bowl)? You need a dawan (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?”

    “The dawan (big bowls) I’d seen were bowls, not a person.”

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

    Zhang Laoshi closed his eyes. This was his only reaction, other than eyes, his body did not move a bit. Ma Rulong, of course, would not really do such a vicious thing. 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 legs was cut off and was replaced with the legs of an infant. It looked like it had an indescribable 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 legend in Wulin, and two figures close to being mythical.

    In the far north’s Xingxiu Hai111 (Constellation Sea), there was a pair of naturally born crippled twin brothers, one was called Tiancan (Heavenly Ruin), and other is called Dique (Earthly Defect). Their temperament was extremely weird; wugong (martial art) was equally strange. People they take in as disciples were also like them, naturally born crippled twins.

    Every one in Jianghu knew about them, but very few ever seen them in person. Constellation Sea’s disciples rarely partake in Jianghu’s matters, almost none ever been to Jiangnan.

    The only thing different from the legend was the disciples of Xingxiu Hai wore strangely magnificent attire. Some would even wear pearl clothes stitched together 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 a young age they had already mastered Xingxiu Hai unique and special martial arts? Were they at a level where they could not be defeated?

    * * *

    Although these were just legends, it was already established in the minds of many. Deeply rooted legends are usually more “real” than the real truth, and more easily acceptable to people. Sounds of wooden crutches hitting the floor stopped, and they were inside 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 in 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 words were extremely straightforward and frank without any artificiality.

    “My surname is Sun, name is Sun Zao112 (early).” The man with the disabled left leg again said, “He is my twin brother and his name is Sun Chi113 (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 with natural deformities, the type of people that usually like to pretend to be Xingxiu disciples.”

    Sun Chi continued, “So you must have thought 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 figures to help impart these legendary, invincible, and world famous martial art to us.”

    “Unfortunately we were disappointed.”

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

    “We are telling you all of this just so you know that our martial art are all from our own relentless effort and 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 feeling. They were still young. They were not artificial, not showy, not fake, and not unconventional. They had great desire to build 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 the same eye expression to look at him. It was a very strange expression. The first one to speak was still Sun Zao.

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

    “You are not really a cunning and dangerous 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. Two items also fell on the ground alongside with the crutches; they were actually 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 Laoshi was still expressionless, “You don’t want to, but I want to.”

    Ma Rulong did not ask why. At this moment, he suddenly felt the his fingertip, toe, edge of mouth, eye, and every sensitive places 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 were their postures elegant but they were also fast like hawks. Although they were crippled, their lightness martial arts were superb. There were very few people that could be compared 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 brothers, at least four acupoints had been sealed.

    Around eight or nine peanuts fell off their bodies. A real neijia (inner family) expert could harm with flowers and leaves114. 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 body was numb and unresponsive. He also did not see Zhang Laoshi stood up and walked over to grab a bottle of medicine from Sun brothers’ bodies.

    Until Zhang Laoshi poured 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’d 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. A poison that could not be seen and could not be felt. It was 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 bent 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 he turned and went through this door with a worn door cloth hanging on it, suddenly 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 always what Ma Rulong constantly asked himself. — Why do I think about her so much? 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 to 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 seemed as if she was crying out, “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 fell down to the bed and buried her head under the pillow. She truly was a big Miss, perhaps even more prideful 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 whom, 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 also the same.”

    * * *

    Ma Rulong did not heard what they said. Once he went out, he was immediately shocked by the changes that had occurred. He would never had imagined 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. His 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 houses had be removed. These twenty-eight young, muscular and agile men wearing black clothes removed 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, and 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 house was 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!


    [End of Chapter 26]


    Footnote
    111. Xinxiu Hai (星宿海), lit. “constellation sea” but I’d also seen it translated as “starry sea”. There’s a Xingxiuhai in Qinghai but the text did say “far north” so it may not be related to the Qinghai one.
    112. Sun Zao (孙早), surname Sun, given name means “early”.
    113. Sun Chi (孙迟), surname Sun, given name means “late”.
    114. feihuazhaiye (飞花摘叶), lit. “flying flower plucking leaf”. Typically used to wuxia to describe reaching an ultimate level.

  11. #31
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 27

    Chapter 27: Black Stone [黑石]


    Up above were 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 had already woken up. Not sure whether he woke up from the worry, from the sleep, or from the drunken state. Sometime awake was not better than being asleep or being drunk, because immediately after he woke up his eyes had the same shock and fear.

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

    “I did not see anything.” Not seeing anything was absolutely more frightening than seeing something. Lost and cluelessness were always human worst fear.

    Ma Rulong continued, “Even if they wanted to trap us in. There is no need to dismantle all the houses. They could hide in these buildings and use them as covers.”

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

    Ma Rulong could tell these were not the same twenty-eight men earlier, but they were just as young, well built and wore the same tailored black clothes. On their hands they were not holding a canvas sack but a black bamboo basket. In the baskets there 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 rocks, nor could he tell whose command were these men under. These black rocks were not easy to get. It was not an easy getting one or two of these. Also very few people in Jianghu could support these black-clothed burly men. The strangest thing was that they placed these precious black stones one piece, one row and column at a time. It was as if they were seeding them on the ground.

    Their 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 rocks and came walking toward here at the same pace. Ma Rulong wanted to ask Zhang Laoshi whether he recognized whose subordinates 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 did 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 was even more confused. Zhang Laoshi already grabbed him and quickly entered the room.

    * * *

    Inside was especially dark, the three people in the room looked even wearier 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, “Within an hour, it would healed your injuries by a half. After dusk, take the other half and 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 saved him. It was also one of the world’s most precious medicines. However he did not swallow it because there was something he had to make sure.

    “Who are you?” He asked 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 interrupted, “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 also.” Ma Rulong said, “Between friends no matter who help who, there is 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 knew, the one that defeated him at first was not a nameless figure. Only subordinate of the Jasper Villa would have Jasper Pearl. To be defeated by a disciple of Jasper 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 Jasper Villa. In these hundred of years, Jasper Villa did not have any male disciples. Zhang Laoshi was obviously disguised by a female. Ma Rulong stare at him and clearly asked, “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 foods 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 is always hard for a man to understand. Dawan stick her hand out, her fingertip touched 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.” She 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 about 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 asked, “Why did you have to do this to me?”

    “I’m really sorry.” Dawan said, “But you have to believe me, I am not intentionally harming you.”

    “Why did you have to 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 Jasper’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, “Not only did I go that day, I saw all of the changes happening.”

    No matter who had 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 piercing straight at the jade, Jue dashi and Peng Tianba arriving at the right time…these were all coincidences. Thing with too many coincidences were usually preplanned.

    Dawan continued, “Madame Xie wanted me to go there because she wanted me to choose. This incident affects the future of the big 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. Not 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 tests, 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 Jasper 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 Jasper Villa son-in-law.

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

    Wang Wanwu suddenly interrupted, “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 to prove 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 that point, no one would believe. Not 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 escaped death, because he understood the psychology of human.

    Dawan sighed again. “Not only was his plot ingenious and secretive, but it was very ruthless. Even I was impressed by him. However for me to watch Miss marry him, I am not 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 take 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 Jasper. 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 hide 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 continued and explained, “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 admitted, “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 said, “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 considered a friend 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 known she was “Zhang Laoshi”? Who would know she was a subordinate of Jasper Villa? If it were not 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 were not 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 Jasper 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 Jasper Villa was here.”

    “Perhaps it was because they knew the people from Jasper Villa are here, they would not do anything brash.”

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

    Ma Rulong asked, “Why?”

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

    Ma Rulong replied, “Saw about sixty to seventy people wearing black clothes.”

    Dawan asked, “What else did you see?”

    Ma Rulong replied, “Also a large amount of black color stones.”


    [End of Chapter 27]

  12. #32
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 28

    Chapter 28: Legend of the Dead Valley [死谷传奇]


    What so scary about black colored stones? As long as no one forced you to swallow it or used it to smash your head, it didn’t matter whether it was white, red, blue, yellow, or black, it shouldn’t be scary. The strange thing was that Dawan was evidently very scared of them. Xie Yulun actually seemed to be scared of them as well.

    Xie Yulun suddenly asked, “The stones you saw, was it very, very black? Round, black, and black to the point it is shiny?”

    “Yes.”

    “Where did you see them?”

    “In the hand of those people in black clothes,” Ma Rulong said, “Each of them held onto a big basket of black rocks.”

    “And then?”

    “And then they laid these black rocks on the ground.”

    Xie Yulun did not ask anymore and did not say anything. Her eyes seemed to reveal the same expression as Dawan, one of extreme fear like a child a seeing a monster, that could only appear in nightmare, right in front of their eyes. Why do they fear these black stones?

    Tie Zhentian was now full of curiosity and couldn’t bear asked, “Are there any of these black stones nearby?”

    “No,” Ma Rulong said, “Even if there is a few, there couldn’t have been that much.”

    Wang Wanwu helped him add, “When I came here I already check nearby several hundred li (500 m.). There are plenty of stones here but round, black, and shiny stones, I didn’t see any.”

    “So these stones must’d came from outside several hundred li (500 m.) away.”

    “Definitely.”

    Tie Zhentian was curious, “Why would someone want to shipped rock several hundreds li away to place it on the ground here?”

    Although he did not really expect this be answered, Dawan did reply.

    She said, “Because he is a madman.”

    Dawan continued, “A real madman is not scary. However those that look completely normal but are really mad in heart are the ones you should fear.”

    She explained, “Normally you see him all proper and well mannered attitude. However once he goes crazy, he’s capable of doing anything. Even those things that madman would not do.”

    The most fearsome part was nobody knew he was mad and when he would become mad so no one was cautious of him. Once you believed he was a modest gentleman, he would suddenly cut off your nose and feed it to the dogs. Even after your nose was gone, you still would not believe he did such a thing.

    Dawan said, “The madman I’m talking about is this type of people.”

    Tie Zhentian asked, “You’d seen him before?”

    Dawan replied, “I have not, and originally thought I would never see him ever!”

    She sighed and said, “Unfortunately, I would meet him soon!”

    Xie Yulun suddenly tightly held onto her hand.

    “Would he really come?”

    “He would definitely come.” Dawan said, “It’s the Jade Winter Smoke that drew him here.”

    “You saw those black rocks and knew he would come?” Ma Rulong asked.

    “That’s right.” Dawan said, “In this world, only the place where he lives would have this type of black rocks.”

    “Where does he live?”

    “Dead Valley,” Dawan said, “A dead valley with absolutely nothing except for these black rocks.”

    She slowly continued, “That place rarely have people, even bird rarely flew over. No matter who, it’s hard to live in such a place. Hard to believe he could actually live there, and lived rather well.”

    “Why did he have to live in such a place?”

    Dawan said, “It wasn’t his choice, someone forced him there.”

    “Who forced him?”

    “There is only one person in the world that could defeat him.” Dawan said, “So there is only one person the could force him to do something he doesn’t want to.”

    She suddenly asked, “Do any of you know that thirty years ago, Jianghu had a person called ‘No Thirteen’ (Wu Shisan)?”

    “Wu Thirteen?”

    Dawan said,: “No, not the Wu in Zhou Wu Zheng Wang (common surnames). The wu as in nothingness.”

    “Why is he called No Thirteen (Wu Shisan)?”

    “Because he said he was a person with no name, surname, father, mother, older brother, younger brother, older sister, younger sister, son, daughter, wife, and friends.”

    “That’s only twelve no’s.” Ma Rulong asked, “What is the last no?”

    “Wudi (No rival).115

    “Wudi (Invincible)?” Ma Rulong in disblief, “Really invincible?”

    “Thirty years ago, he was only twenty three years old, yet dominated Jianghu and unrivaled in the world.”

    Ma Rulong still did not believe. “Thirty years ago was not a long time, how come no one know about him today?”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly barged in, “Some one knows, I know.” He said it in detail and affirmatively, “That year was Gengzi116, I was nineteen. It was Chongyang117 of September (September 9th) when I hear of his name.”

    “You’re old yet still remember this so clearly.”

    “Because that was my birthday.” Tie Zhentian said, “It was also because that day he defeated Lian Shanyun118.”

    Lian Shanyun was an expert at the time with his “Covering the Day Across Cloud Forty-Nine Sword”119 was famous in Jianghu. The power of the swordplay was the beneath the Bashan’s Taoist Gu who created “Willow-less Revolving Wind Forty-Nine Sword”120.

    Tie Zhentian said, “He was defeated before he even used a single move from his forty-nine swords. He was defeated by a new youngster in Jianghu who took his sword with his bare hand.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “This youngster was No Thirteen?”

    “At that time, I already hear of the a famous swordsman in the past name Yan Shisan. However afterward for the next three months, all I have heard of was Wu Shisan (No Thirteen).” He reaffirmed, “Exactly three months, ninety days.”

    Ma Rulong couldn’t help but asked, “How come you remember it was exactly ninety days?”

    “Because within that ninety days from Chongyang to Laba121 (December 8th), he defeated the Jianghu’s forty-three most famous experts.” Tie Zhentian said, “The last one was Iron Sword Sect’s grand master, who was at the time eating Laba congee with his disciples, was thrown by him into the pot of congee.”

    “And then?”

    “And then there was nothing.”

    “Nothing?” Ma Rulong asked, “What do you mean nothing?”

    “Nothing means after that day, the man, ‘No Thirteen’, disappeared.” Tie Zhentian said, “Afterward, no one in Jianghu heard of the name ‘No Thirteen’.”

    “And no one knew about his whereabouts.”

    “None.”

    “Yes.” This time Dawan butted in, “Someone knows. I know.”

    She tend to know thing other people didn’t know. After that day, No Thirteen somehow managed to find “Jasper Villa”. On Chuxi (New Year’s eve) of that year, he battled Madame Jasper outside the villa at Emerald Slope. This time the one that was defeated was of course No Thirteen.

    No one had won a battle against Madame Jasper, absolutely no one. The strange thing was, Madame Jasper did not kill him that day. She only trapped him at Dead Valley and made him swore he would never leave the valley. A dead valley where no grass grew and no birds came, was like the Xingxiu Hai in the extreme north. An environment no one could survive. So No Thirteen from the day became “nothing”, and was quickly forgotten by the people.

    Dawan said, “However we did not forget about him because Madame always said if there is anyone in the world the survive in Dead Valley, it would be him. As long as he lives, he would wait until he had confidence for revenge. He would definite break his vow and leave Dead Valley.”

    Ma Rulong asked, “Dead Valley only has him?”

    Dawan replied, “Only him.”

    Ma Rulong said, “However, right now it seemed like he already has eighty-four subordinates.”

    Dawan sighed and said, “I’m afraid not even Madame knows how he could’ve live in Dead Valley and would definitely not know where these people come from. However Madame did say, what other couldn’t even imagine doing, he could somehow.”

    * * *

    Outside was originally extremely quiet. At this time there was suddenly a clear and loud laughter. A person with a very graceful and pleasant voice said, “Very thankful for Miss Xie and young lady’s concern. To be honest, even I originally didn’t have the ability to do all of this. It’s just that I was extremely lucky.”

    The person speaking was very far away from this room. However when he spoke, everyone in the room could hear it clearly. Everything everyone said in this room, he could hear it clearly.

    Dawan casually asked, “You are No Thirteen?”

    She did not raise her voice, the person outside could still hear.

    “I am.” He answered.

    Dawan deliberately sighed. “Your hearing is very sensitive, even better than rabbits.”

    Dawan was obviously deliberately agitating him and wanted him to storm here all by himself. The person outside was laughing even more cheerfully. “I’ve trained this all by myself. I was all alone by myself in Dead Valley for two years. Couldn’t hear a single thing and was bored to death. The only thing I could do was listened to sound other people couldn’t hear.”

    “What sound?”

    “The noises of poisonous snakes mating underground, insects crawling under the ground, snake eating insects, insects eating maggots, and turtle laying eggs.” No Thirteen laughingly asked, “Have any of you heard any of these noises before?”

    No. No one heard of it before.

    No Thirteen said, “However I can hear all of these noises. In fact, I could hear them clearly.”

    If a person could hear all of these things clearly, what else could they not hear?

    No Thirteen continued, “Fortunately I don’t need to hear these noises anymore!”

    “Oh?”

    “Because five years later, I already have many people to talk to.” No Thirteen said, “That Dead Valley with no people, right now already have 824 people for me to talk to. What I want them to say, they would say. What I say, they would listen.”

    Dawan asked, “Where did you find all these people to talk to?”

    “Because my luck is especially good,” No Thirteen smiled, “At that Dead Valley, there is one more thing besides black rocks.”

    “What thing?”

    “Gold,” No Thirteen was laughing joyfully, and said, “I can guaranteed none of you had never seen so many gold in your life.”

    With so many gold, what else couldn’t he do?

    No Thirteen said, “So my days became happier and happier. My martial art also improve a bit, so I couldn’t help coming out for a walk. The most important part is that I wanted to see Madame Xie and her daughter. If it isn’t for her, how would I have today?”

    Dawan couldn’t help but asked, “How do you know Madame Xie’s daughter is here?”

    “Of course I know,” No Thirteen laughed, “Once a person have this much gold, there are very little things he doesn’t know.”

    “Why don’t you come in to see her?”

    “I’m not in a hurry.” No Thirteen said, “I already waited for twenty years, what’s another couple of days?”

    “What are you waiting for?”

    “I have already sent people to purchase all kinds of silks and satins, invite tailors with the best craftsmanship, to help Miss Xie tailor make some clothes. And especially brought Jingcheng’s122 jewelry and cosmetics.” No thirteen laughed, “After Miss Xie changed into her new clothes and put on her makeups, I would come request to see her.” He smiled and said, “Right now I’m not in a rush because I always dislike sordid woman.”

    His voice was still very pleasant, have not said any indecent or used any vulgar words. Dawan’s heart already sank, she already hear the unnerving implication in his words.

    — He like woman dressing up attractively. Once Xie Yulun dressed up beautifully, he would prepare to “like” her.

    Tie Zhentian, of course, knew what he was preparing to do. He suddenly asked, “Is he human?”

    “Seems like it.”

    “Then very good.” Tie Zhentian asked, “Since he is human and I am human, why can’t I go out and take a look at him?”

    No Thirteen from the outside immediately said, “Please come out. Please come out quickly. I have already set up a grand feast, welcoming all of you.”

    Tie Zhentian laughed, “Comfortably feasting on a meal is exactly what I need.”

    He suddenly asked Wang Wanwu, “Do you want to?”


    [End of Chapter 28]


    Footnote
    115. wudi (无敌), lit. “no rival” means unparalleled, invincible, etc.
    116. Gengzi year (庚子年), the 37th year in an ancient Chinese sexagenary cycle (60 years cycles). However, when converted to western calendar cycle as a reference year 1900AD was a Gengzi year. Therefore, 1960 and the upcoming 2020 are Gengzi years.
    117. Chongyang (重阳), also known at the “Double Ninth Festival” that occurs on the 9th day of the 9th month of the lunar calendar.
    118. Lian Shanyun (连山云), surname Lian means connected, given name means “mountain cloud”.
    119. HengyunZheriQiQiSishijiuJian (横云遮日七七四十九剑), lit. “across cloud, concealing day, seven seven forty-nine sword”.
    120. HuifengWuliuQiQiSishijiuJian (回风无柳七七四十九剑), lit. “Return wind, no willow, seven seven forty-nine sword”.
    121. Laba Festival (腊八), a new harvest festival the occurs on the 8th of the 12th month of the lunar calendar. It’s customary to eat sometime call the Laba congee on this festival.
    122. Jingcheng (京城), lit. “capital city.
    Last edited by kaister; 08-03-14 at 10:58 PM.

  13. #33
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    Default Chapter 29

    Chapter 29: Feast [盛宴]


    Wang Wanwu already stood up. “I also wanted it to the point of death.” The feast had not started. The muddy empty land was covered with round and shiny black rocks. However there was a folding chair123 made of fine wood and high craftsmanship. Behind the folding chair, a brocade curtain was hanged high. There was also a curly beard and sideburn, depressed green eye Persian slave. He was wearing bright red hat with blue silk ribbon on top. He was wearing a golden embroidered black robe fastened with a bright red waistband. His hand was holding a curved sabre and standing behind the folding chair. No Thirteen was sitting on the folding chair.

    He did not look like a orphan with no name, surname, father, and mother. And he absolutely did not look like a madman. His face was very pale white but was very handsome. His body gesture was very polite and elegant. His pale white face made it hard for anyone to figure out his real age. His refined smile and magnificent noble attires also made it even harder for people to notice his age.

    Although the feast hadn’t started, numerous guests already arrived. Jue dashi and them were his guests. And like any other guest, they stood in front of the folding chair because other than this folding chair there was no chair or any place to sit down.

    Other than this folding armchair, there was absolutely nothing else. However once Tie Zhentian and Wang Wanwu came out, the host used the most polite manner to invite them to “sit down”.

    He first asked the Persian slave, “Did you see whether there are any other guest coming?”

    “I did not see any.”
 No Thirteen immediately raised his hand to greet the guest, and with and genuine smile he said, “Please sit. Please be seated before we start talking.”

    The first to “sit” was actually Jue dashi. He was sitting on an non-existent chair. He face had no expression, hanging in mid air as if there was actually a chair underneath him. Therefore, everyone else started “sitting”. Only Tie Zhentian was still standing.

    No Thirteen asked, “Why didn’t gexia (you) sit?”

    “I like to stand up to eat.” Tie Zhentian smartly replied, “Standing up to eat, you can eat more.”

    “Make sense!” No Thirteen clapped his hand, smiled, and said, “Today everyone should eat more. Today I have prepared for everyone Eastern Sea mullet, Northern Sea shark fin, Southern Sea bird nest and lobster, Jingcheng’s lamb and roast duck, Jiangnan’s vinegar fish and steamed crab, and whole cattle and sheep. Enough for everyone to eat till their heart’s content.”

    There wasn’t any of the things he said but he used the most hospitable attitude to urge the guest to “eat a bit more”. He also prepared a few vegetarian dishes for Jue dashi.

    The first to eat was also Jue dashi. Since even Jue dashi started to eat, everyone else of course could only comply and eat. These people were all renowned Wulin heroes from everywhere, real men of Jianghu. Right now were all like little children “playing tea”. Every person was holding onto a non-existent chopstick, sitting on a non-existent chair, and began eating non-existent food. The only difference between them and children was that they, themselves, did not believe play pretending was very fun. Although their actions seem very comical, their looks were very stern and serious.

    Other than Jue dashi, every single one of them looked as if there was an invisible hand holding onto their necks. Jue dashi’s face still had no expression, picking up food with his chopstick one at a time and masticating slowly. When he was chewing, not sure whether he was angry, scared, or had a mouth full of bitterness. Since he had become famous, he had not done a matter that was disgraceful in front of people. However right now his hard earned reputation, was chewed and swallowed one bite at a time by these non-existent things.

    Tie Zhentian had a body full of goosebumps from what he saw. He could not imagine why Jue dashi would do such a thing? Why such fear toward this madman? However, he finally understood exactly what kind of madman was No Thirteen.

    Although Dawan already explained it carefully to him, however Tie Zhentian finally understood no matter how detailed she said it she could not describe the madness he possessed. No Thirteen was also staring at Tie Zhentian. Only Tie Zhentian was the only one that did not move his chopsticks.

    “Why don’t you eat a bit?”

    “Eat what?”

    “The taste of lamb and vinegar fish aren’t bad,” No Thirteen said, “Roast ducks are better eaten hot.”

    “Where are the roast ducks?” Tie Zhentian asked, “Where are the vinegar fishes?”

    “You couldn’t see?”

    “I couldn’t see.”

    No Thirteen said: “Other people could see, why couldn’t you?”

    “Because I am not as smart as them.” Tie Zhentian said, “These things you said, probably only smart people can see them.”

    No Thirteen stared at him again for a while and suddenly laughed, “So you are a fool, only a fool could not see so many delicious foods here.”

    His voice suddenly stopped and his face had an angry expression. He turned his head and sneeringly stared at Feng Chaofan. He loudly asked, “How could you do such a thing?”

    Feng Chaofan was startled, “What did I do?”

    “There are so many good foods here that you choose not eat, why did you have to eat my little dog?”

    “Your little dog?” Feng Chaofan did not understand what he was saying. “Where is your little dog?”

    “He was here at first.” No Thirteen said, “Right now he was eaten alive by you with skin and bone.”

    Not only was he angry, he was also sad. “This little dog had been with me for several years. He was like a son to me, why did you have to eat him? Why are you so cruel?”

    Feng Chaofan expression changed. “Sky Offering Daxia” Feng Chaofan was already famous thirty years ago with a pair of sixty-three catties Hunyuan Iron Plates roamed between the white mountain and black water124. What haven’t he seen before? Obviously, he could tell No Thirteen was deliberately causing trouble for him. He hoped Jue dashi could give him a hand and fight against this madman. They were long time friends. Jue dashi should at least say something on his behalf!

    Unexpectedly the first person to say something was not his friend, but the abhorred and great bandit Tie Zhentian. “There isn’t a single dog here.” Tie Zhentian said, “No big dogs or little dogs.”

    “You are a fool. Of course you couldn’t see.” No Thirteen said, “I saw it with my own eyes, it was definitely not fake!”

    “I’m afraid you saw it wrong this time.”

    “You insist there is no dog here?”

    “Absolutely none.”

    “However I said there is and it was already in his stomach eaten by him.” No Thirteen suddenly had a mischievous smile and clearly said one words at a time, “Do you want to bet with me?”

    “How to bet?”

    “Bet whether that dog is in his stomach,” No Thirteen chuckled, “Use your head as a betting chip.”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly felt his hand and leg became cold, his stomach was about to throw up. He already figured out what the madman wanted to do. Feng Chaofan obviously figured it out too. He suddenly howled and charged at No Thirteen. His “Tiger Claw Kung Fu” and his Hunyuan Iron Plates were famous Guandong Wulin unique specialities.

    Jue dashi face actually changed and madly yelled, “Stop! Quickly Stop!” He said it a bit too late, Feng Chaofan’s body already fell down. No Thirteen’s Persian slave behind him had his curved blade out of his sheath.

    A flash of blade, fresh blood shot out like arrows.

    — There is only one method to see whether someone’s stomach had a dog inside. The most rudimental, forceful, and cruelest method; the kind only madman would use. This madman was already using this method. The Feng Chaofan that roamed Jianghu for thirty years actually couldn’t dodge his blade — a chest-cutting, belly-opening blade.

    Everyone’s expression changed and some were already throwing up, some were running away outward, and some were pouncing forward. No Thirteen was still chuckling, a mad laughter that was surreptitious and wicked. No one would forget this after hearing it once. The flashes of blade were still moving, one blade one life. No one could escape the blade of this Persian slave. Because once his blade strikes, a black stone already flew over. They came from No Thirteen’s hand.

    No Thirteen using his middle finger to flick the black stone, once you heard the noise the black stone already hit the target’s acupoint. The only one that could dodge it was Jue dashi and Tie Zhentian but they had no way to avoid that folding chair. The blade’s light and blood already blind their eyes. They almost could not see where No Thirteen was. At this time, they could see Ma Rulong.

    Ma Rulong broke through the blade and blood. He was not here to die, but was here to save lives. Although he didn’t have confidence to fully retreat, he still have to risk it. No one could hold him back, he would rather die than let this cruelty continue. He must rescue all that he could rescue. At this moment, he was not really concern with his own life.

    He did not die. He knew he did not die and beside he saved several people. However when he rushed back to the general store, he was already injured and exhausted. He collapsed right after entering the door! He went through hell and risk his life to save whom?


    [End of Chapter 29]


    Footnote
    123. huchang (胡床), is an ancient Chinese folding chair.
    124. baishanheishui (白山黑水), lit. “white mountain, black water”. It refers to the area between Mt. Changbai (lit. long white mountain) and Heilongjiang (lit. black dragon river), i.e. the northeast China.

  14. #34
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    Default Chapter 30

    Chapter 30: Tailor, Make Ups, Bridal Sedan Chair [裁缝胭脂花轿]


    When Ma Rulong woke up, everything was all quiet. The world became lonesome. He was already carried inside by someone and placed on the only bed in house. This was his first time sleeping on this bed.

    Xie Yulun was by his side looking at him, it was only the two of them in this room. Ma Rulong forcibly smiled at her and immediately asked, “Where are the people?”

    “What people?”

    “The people I rescued.”

    Xie Yulun did not answer and asked him back, “Do you know who you rescued?”

    “I know.” Ma Rulong said, “Tie Zhentian came back with me.”

    “Other than him, who else?”

    “Also Jue dashi.” Ma Rulong was very calm. “Jue dashi came back with us.”

    He said this calmly. Xie Yulun seemed rather agitated. “So you know you rescued him?”

    Ma Rulong laughed. “Why wouldn’t I know?”

    He actually laughed. Why did some people always laugh at time where they shouldn’t be laughing?

    “You knew?” Xie Yulun seemed even more agitated. “You know he was the one that forced you into a corner. A person that was determine to have your life, and you saved him?”

    “I saved a person.” Ma Rulong said, “As long as he is human, I would not let him die in the hand of that madman. It doesn’t matter whether he is a friend, enemy, or anyone; it was all the same.”

    Xie Yulun looked at him strangely and after a while asked, “Are you speaking the truth? Or are you intentionally doing all this for me to see?”

    Ma Rulong did not answer this question; he refused to answer.

    “You are real.” Xie Yulun said, “Because you were really risking your life for him at first!” She suddenly sighed, “I originally would never believe you are such a good person, however right now I really couldn’t not believe.”

    * * *

    Jue dashi had been quietly standing at the corner next to the wooden shelves with general items. He was standing there since he came to the general items store. He didn’t move, speak, or take a look at anyone. His body had bloodstains, clothes were shredded, and also suffered some injuries. However, he still remained calm and composed.

    The people that came back with him, other than Tie Zhentian, were two people that were originally his fellow colleagues. However these two looked as if they had never seen him before. They acted as though they would contract incurable diseases if they approach him. Of course, they knew who these people in the general store were; they were his enemies. They did not want to be dragged down by him. Jue dashi also did not looked at them; his eyes were blank like he did not see anyone.

    The first to speak was Dawan, “I know it is hard for you to stay here. However as long as you are willing to stay, we would not force you out.”

    Jue dashi remained silent.

    Dawan again asked, “Do you have something to say?”

    “Yes,” Jue dashi suddenly opened his mouth, “However what I have to say, I could only say it to one person.”

    “Who?”

    “Ma Rulong.”

    * * *

    The little shed was messy and plain. Dawan stayed in this little shed for nearly four months. Right now there were only two people inside. Jue dashi could finally meet alone with Ma Rulong.

    “This time you saved me.” He said, “If it weren’t for you, I would not be here. If I am not here, I would surely be dead like others outside.” He slowly continued, “However I would not let you go because of this. As long as I am not dead and you are also not dead, I would never let you go.”

    Ma Rulong smiled and lightly said, “I rescued you not so you would let me off, otherwise why would I even save you?”

    Jue dashi said, “However, these are in the past.”

    Ma Rulong sighed, “Correct, no matter how you treat me in the past, it doesn’t matter anymore because we might not even be alive tomorrow.”

    “However we are still not dead yet.” Jue dashi said, “The tailor still hasn’t come and make ups haven’t been sent, thus that madman would not come in for the moment.”

    “Hopefully so.”

    “It must be like this.” Jue dashi said, “I understand this madman. He sees us as fishes in the net, he is not in a rush to kill us.”

    He continued, “So we might have a chance to escape. Therefore I came to tell you, no matter whether we are friends or enemies. In this period, I will follow your, Ma Rulong’s, lead. In my lifetime, I never take orders from anyone. However this is an exception.”

    Ma Rulong was staring at him and after a while asked, “Is this what you wanted to tell me?”

    “Yes.”

    Other than Tie Zhentian and Jue dashi, two other people came back with Ma Rulong. One was Wang Wanwu; his shoulder joint was shattered. Surprisingly, he still hadn’t die by the curved blade that no one could avoid.

    When Dawan arranged for Jue dashi to meet with Ma Rulong, he suddenly asked Tie Zhentian, “I know a brother of yours ended in the hands of Jue dashi. Don’t you want to know whether he is dead or alive?”

    “I do.”

    “Why didn’t you ask?”

    “I couldn’t ask, nor want to ask.” Tie Zhentian said, “I am afraid he already die under his hand.”

    If Tie Quanyi really died under Jue dashi’s hand, he would never let him go.

    “But I can’t kill him.” Tie Zhentian said, “Since Ma Rulong brought him back, I should not harm him.”

    When Dawan came back, Wang Wanwu suddenly told her, “I want to see him alone.”

    “See who?” Dawan asked, “Ma Rulong?”

    “Yes.”

    “You also have something to say?” Dawan asked again, “The thing you need to say, you can only say it to him?”

    Wang Wanwu nodded.

    When he nodded, his eyes were looking at Tie Zhentian because he knew Tie Zhentian must have something to say to him.

    Tie Zhentian indeed asked him, “Do you know why you still haven’t die?”

    Wang Wanwu spoke. “I did not die because you always protected me. Although we were rival, right now it seemed like you consider me as a friend.”

    “However the words you have to say could only be said to Ma Rulong himself.” Tie Zhentian said, “Why couldn’t you say it to me? Obviously you don’t believe in me.”

    “I believe in you,” Wang Wanwu said, “It’s just that I trust Ma Rulong even more.”

    “Why do you have to trust him?”

    “Because Jue dashi also trust him.” Wang Wanwu asked, “Is Jue dashi his friend?”

    “No.”

    “A person that is equally trusted by his friends and enemies, how could anyone not trust him?”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly laughed. “Right. You are right.” He firmly pat on Wang Wanwu shoulder, “You go then.”

    Ma Rulong also could not believe Wang Wanwu wanted to see him alone. Also couldn’t believe the first thing he said was to tell him a secret.

    “I haven’t die yet not because Tie Zhentian was protecting me.” Wang Wanwu said, “I haven’t die because No Thirteen didn’t really want me to die.”

    He also told him another secret. “His ‘Finger Flicking God Art125, Flying Stone Hitting Acupoint’ is definitely in a more advance state than anyone had ever attained. His Persian slave skill is definitely much faster than anyone. However the people that was killed by them were not killed by the flying stone and under the curved sabre.”

    “No?”

    “Those people died because among them at least half of them had been bribed.”

    Wang Wanwu explained, “For example, let’s say Zhang San and Li Si were friends. However Zhang San was already bribed by him but Li Si did not know. When that Persian slave slash with his sabre and Li Si died under it, would other people think the Li Si’s death was because he couldn’t avoid Persian slave’s strike?”

    “Yes!”

    “When other people saw No Thirteen flicked a throwing stone, would other people think Li Si’s death was because No Thirteen flying stone hit his acupoint?”

    “Yes.”

    “Actually that wasn’t the case.” Wang Wanwu said, “Actually No Thirteen did not hit his acupoint. It was because he was hit on the acupoint by his brethren amidst the chaos.”

    He also said, “I must come here to tell you this because I don’t want you to underestimate No Thirteen martial art, and also don’t want you to think he is a god.”

    Ma Rulong, of course, asked him, “How do you know this secret?”

    “Because I was brought out by him,” Wang Wanwu forcibly smiled, “so I didn’t die.”

    “Why do you have to tell me this secret?”

    “Because I trust you,” Wang Wanwu said, “Right now I am confident that you would not betray anyone.”

    Those that came back with Ma Rulong, other than Tie Zhentian, Jue dashi, and Wang Wanwu, there was also one more. This person was not too old or too young, not too handsome or too ugly, didn’t dressed too glamorously or too shabby. This was the type of person you see plenty of everyday.

    Right now he still haven’t die was probably because he was too normal looking. There were a few people that knew sometimes “normal” was a great cover, sometimes it might not even be normal at all.

    Dawan happened to be one of these few people. She was well aware of him. She suddenly asked, “What’s your name?”

    This normal looking person smiled, nodded, and shook his head.

    Dawan again asked, “You can not hear what I said or can not speak?” The person responded the exact same way. He was still smiling, nodding his head, and then shaking his head.

    No one would be able to understand what he meant. Dawan didn’t understand either. His intention was so people wouldn’t understand.

    Dawan suddenly also laughed. “Of course you are not deaf or mute. You just don’t want to mention your name.” She slightly continued, “I asked you, of course you don’t have to answer. However when others ask you, it would be difficult for you to not answer.”

    The person suddenly asked her back, “Are you people waiting for someone?”

    “Waiting for who?”

    “Waiting for a tailor,” The person said, “The tailor No Thirteen sent here to help make new cloth for a lady Xie.”

    Dawan stared at him.

    “How do you know No Thirteen sent a tailor here?” Dawan asked, “How do you know we are waiting for him?”

    “Of course I know.” This person said, “I also know this tailor already arrived. Not only did he brought silk fabrics and make ups, but also brought a bridal sedan chair.”

    “Where is this tailor now?”

    “In here.” This normal person suddenly revealed an abnormal smile. “I am this tailor.”


    [End of Chapter 30]


    Footnote
    125. TanzhiShengong (弹指神功), lit. “flicking finger divine martial art”.

  15. #35
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    Default Chapter 31

    Chapter 31: The Miraculous Tailor [神奇的裁缝]


    Carefully looking, this person was indeed a tailor. Again carefully looking, you would think he looked like anything. If you casually said that he did something, no one would suspect it. Every occupation had people like him: plain and normal looking, common clothing and polite smile.

    “I am a good tailor. Within several hundred li (Chinese mile), there are absolutely no tailor better than me.” He smiled and said, “The clothes I make are guaranteed to be novel and form fitting.” People normally welcome a good tailor. However this tailor was an exception, absolutely no one here welcomed him.

    Dawan forcibly smiled, “I can tell you are a very good tailor. However no matter how good you are, without fabrics and materials you can not make any clothes.”

    Once the clothes were completed, No Thirteen would not let them comfortably stay here. She hoped this tailor could not finish the clothing. She could not see any clothing materials on him.

    But this tailor said, “I’d already brought them here. I can guarantee they are the best materials with the best color, newest designs, highest quality, and absolutely would not fade.”

    “Where are the materials you brought with you?”

    “Right here.”

    No one could see where his materials were. However once he turned around, his hands suddenly had two bolts of silk fabrics. One was a scarlet red silk fabric that was also embroidered with a golden peonies flowers. Everyone was startled. No one could tell what kind of method he used and where he pulled these two bolts of silk fabrics. Suddenly like magic, he conjured up a big bag of rogues, perfumes, and face powders. No one could tell where on his body could he be hiding all of these things.

    Tie Zhentian sighed, “Couldn’t believe us old Jianghu could overlooked this. Couldn’t believe this fellow here is an expert.”

    Tailor smiled and shook his head. “I am not an expert (gao ren, lit. “tall man”). I am not tall (gao) at all. You are taller than me. Tall people with the right appearance look much better wearing clothes.” He glanced at Tie Zhentian from head to toe, “Unfortunately the clothes you are wearing aren’t good. Next time, if we have a chance, I’ll help you make two sets of clothes.”

    “At first I heard you brought over a bridal sedan chair.”

    “Once the time is right, the bridal sedan chair will show up.” Tailor smiled, “Since the brides and bridegroom are not in a hurry, why are everyone so anxious?”

    When the words “bride and bridegroom” were mentioned, everyone’s expression changed.

    They definitely did not guess wrong, No Thirteen did have wild ambitions. If he could marry the big Miss of Jasper Villa, not only would it angered Madame Jasper, Dawan would need to die too.

    Tie Zhentian suddenly asked Dawan, “Can we let him make cloth for Miss Xie?”

    “No.”

    Tie Zhentian said, “Is there such thing as a tailor that doesn’t make clothes?”

    “Seems like there’s only one kind.”

    “What kind of tailor would not make clothes?”

    “A dead tailor.”

    The tailor looked as if he did not understand their meaning and actually laughed. “I am not a dead tailor. I am a good tailor.”

    “It’s a pity a good tailor can also become a dead tailor.” Tie Zhentian coldly laughed and slowly extended his arm. His injuries were already getting better. When his iron fists were extended, his joints on his body cracked, dense like firecracker.

    Even if this tailor was an idiot, he should understand his meaning. He suddenly yelled, “Wait! I still have something to say.”

    “Say it.”

    “What I have to say, I can only say it to Ma Rulong.”

    “He doesn’t want to hear it.” Tie Zhentian inched forward, “I know he doesn’t want to hear it.”

    Ma Rulong suddenly went over.

    “This time you are wrong,” Ma Rulong said. “He is also human. He have something to say, why wouldn’t I listen?”

    * * *

    Ma Rulong left with the tailor. No one stopped and no one disapproved. As long as Ma Rulong already decided, no one could disapprove. What kind of secret does this tailor have to tell Ma Rulong? Why was he only telling him? No one knew and no one wanted to know. Everyone trusted Ma Rulong like they trusted themselves. No one knew when did this started; however every one knew this was how it was right now.

    * * *

    After a long while, Ma Rulong came back by himself. Dawan immediately asked him.

    “Where is the tailor?”

    “At the back, helping Xie Yulun tailor clothes.”

    “Why do you let him go?”

    “Because he is a tailor, this is what he is suppose to do.” Ma Rulong said, “He isn’t the only tailor in this world. If I don’t let him, other tailors would come.”

    His explanation wasn’t really satisfying. Right now what they needed the most was time. The more time they get the better chance they would have. Ma Rulong should understand the well but it doesn’t look like he really understood this point. Everyone in the general store couldn’t help but sighed. Outside the general store, No Thirteen suddenly laughed loudly.

    “I haven’t admire anyone for a long time.” No Thirteen said, “Right now I have to admire you.”

    “You admire me?” Ma Rulong actually asked, “Why do you admire me?”

    “Because I know you are that Ma Rulong. The people here are all you enemies and rivals. They should’ve killed you a long time ago.” No Thirteen said, “However, right now every one seem to submit to you. For any secret, they are only willing to tell you. Even if they think what you are doing is stupid, they still did not protest. People like you, shouldn’t be waiting for death along with them.”

    “What should I do?” Ma Rulong actually asked.

    “You should come out. Meet me face to face and become friends.”

    Ma Rulong actually immediately agreed. “Good, I’ll come out.”

    He actually really went out. No one would’ve thought he would really go out. Even No Thirteen, himself, might not have thought he would come out. However, he actually did do the exact thing no one would imagine him doing. Could it be that he really wanted to become friends with this madman? Could it be that he really did not that he might die on his hand once he step out? Could it be that he was also mad like No Thirteen where he didn’t look crazy normally but was demented inside?

    * * *

    
 Looking at him pulling open one of the door and walking out, everyone jumped back. Tie Zhentian was looking at Dawan, and Dawan was looking back at Tie Zhentian. These two couldn’t believe Ma Rulong suddenly became like this.

    “Is he crazy?”

    “Doesn’t look like it.” The one that understood Ma Rulong the most was Dawan. Right now even Dawan wasn’t too sure.

    “He doesn’t look like an idiot either.”

    “He absolutely not stupid.”

    “Only god knows.” These things did indeed seemed like only god knew.

    Tie Zhentian suddenly asked, “Do you think the tailor is a bit strange?”

    “Not just strange, but extremely weird.” Whoever could suddenly grab two large bolt of silk fabrics out of thin air, was definitely not a normal person.

    “I know in Jianghu there was a ‘heart-absorbing’ art that could make a person lose his self.”

    “There is.”

    “Do you think Ma Rulong is hypnotized by this ‘heart-absorbing’ art? Therefore he is acting strange.”

    This was definitely a high possibility. Another possibility was that tailor already taken Xie Yulun hostage and used her to threaten Ma Rulong.

    Tie Zhentain and Dawan already thought of these and at the same time went into this room with the door curtain. Once they went in, they were startled. Even more startled by Ma Rulong’s display at first. And even more startled than seeing ghost. Tie Zhentian roamed Jianghu for decades; he had never seen such a shocking thing. He almost couldn’t believe his own eyes. What exactly did they see?


    [End of Chapter 31]

  16. #36
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    Default Chapter 32

    Chapter 32: The Frightening Hand [吓人的手]


    The situation inside the room had changed greatly since they were last here. The big bed, that was like pious Buddha in people’s home, arranged in the middle of the room was demolished and removed. Xie Yulun, who normally took struggles and took a great deal of effort to clean and dress, was standing up right now. This was not the reason why Dawan and Tie Zhentian was shocked.

    They were shocked because they saw Ma Rulong again. The one standing next to Xie Yulun was not the tailor, but was actually Ma Rulong. They clearly saw Ma Rulong leaving in front of them with their own eyes. However, they also clearly saw Ma Rulong standing right in front of them with their own eyes.

    * * *

    Actually who they saw was actually not “Ma Rulong”, who they saw both times was “Zhang Rongfa”. In their own mind, “Zhang Rongfa” was “Ma Rulong”. The two were the same person. In here there was only one “Zhang Rongfa”, he already left at first, why was he still here? How come the tailor, on the other hand, was no where to be seen?

    * * *

    The big bed that was in the middle of the room was also gone. However Ma Rulong and Xie Yulun seemed to be very interested in it and were standing there. Their eyes were always staring at the empty spot. Seeing Dawan and Tie Zhentian, Ma Rulong lifted his index finger and place it next to his mouth, telling them to be quiet. Dawan and Tie Zhentian were very capable of holding themselves back, they at least did not make any noise. They did not forget that this madman could even hear snakes copulating and turtles laying eggs.

    Dawan immediately blitzed out and grab the accounting book, brush, and ink that she normally used and went back in. She was relying on the brush and ink to communicate with Ma Rulong.

    ‘Who are you?’

    She already couldn’t tell whether this person was Ma Rulong disguised as Zhang Rongfa. This person was Ma Rulong, Xie Yulun could confirmed this.

    ‘What was the person that left at first?’

    ‘It was the tailor.’

    Although Dawan and Tie Zhentian already thought of this, but it was still rather hard to believe.

    ‘How did that tailor became Zhang Rongfa?’

    Ma Rulong smiled and use the brush and ink and worth on the book: “Since she can disguised me as Zhang Rongfa, why wouldn’t she be able disguised herself as Zhang Rongfa?”

    Dawan frozed. She was too shock and too happy. She couldn’t believe that this person would appear. Right now of course she understand what was going on. Tie Zhentian still didn’t understand. “Who did you say that person was?”

    Dawan immediately wrote out that person name, a miraculous person, a miraculous name.

    ‘Exquisite Lily-White Hand Yu Linglong.’

    A what appeared to be complex and mysterious situations, after being said out the answer was actually really simple. Right now Tie Zhentian already understood, “Exquisite Lily-White Hand Yu Linglong”, already said everything. With her brilliant art of disguise, she became a plain looking man that did not catch other’s attention. Then replaced the tailor sent by No Thirteen and came here.

    No one expected her to come so no one realized this. When she was alone with Ma Rulong, she used the medicine and tools she had prepared and transformed herself to another Zhang Rongfa.

    Dawan right now finally realized that “tailor” and “Zhang Rongfa” looked similar. Only with slight alternation by Exquisite Jade Hand, she can very quickly became Zhang Rongfa. Obviously, she already planned all of this. Why did she do this? Why did she have to used Ma Rulong’s identity to meet No Thirteen? Dawan and Tie Zhentian still couldn’t figure this out.

    * * *

    The place where there was originally a bed, besides some dust there was nothing else. What was Ma Rulong and Xie Yulun staring at? Why did they dismantled and removed this bed?

    Dawan and Tie Zhentian also couldn’t figure this out. They asked Ma Rulong but Ma Rulong only smiled at them, so all they could do was foolishly stood there with them and stared at that the empty spot. Right when they felt really foolish, they were suddenly taken aback. Because they saw something very shocking.

    This time they saw a hand. This empty spot with nothing on it suddenly had a hand popped out from beneath the ground. A rather large, thick and strong hand that looked like a small tree growing from the ground. The middle finger, ring finger, and little finger were extremely straight, where the index finger and thumb formed a circle. This hand gesture usually meant everything had been solved, and there were no problem.

    Whose hand was this? Why did this hand popped out from beneath the ground? Obviously this a living person’s hand. A dead person’s hand would not make hand signal. They had been living here for several months, why was there a living person underground?

    Looking at this hand would’ve frighten anyone, but Ma Rulong actually wasn’t a bit surprised. He also reached his hand out and used his finger to flick this hand’s thumb three times. After a while, another three flicks. He repeated this a total of three times. This hand suddenly retreated back and into the ground.

    The empty spot suddenly became empty again, except for an extra hole. A hole that could have a hand reached out and retreated back in. The hand disappeared but the hole was still here.

    The hand came from within the hole, where did the hole came from? This piece of land was a solid ground. The dirt on this piece of land wasn’t different from any other land. It also capable of growing green grass, flower, and tree but would definitely not grow a hole. A hole that could have a hand come out anytime.


    [End of Chapter 32]

  17. #37
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    Default Chapter 33

    Chapter 33: Inside the Hole [洞中]


    Dawan looked at Tie Zhentian, Tie Zhentian looked back at Dawan, and then they both looked at Ma Rulong. They did not understand what was going on but they knew Ma Rulong definitely knew. Ma Rulong did not look at them, he was fully concentrated on staring at this hole.

    What was originally a hole the size of a bowl suddenly became bigger. The hard ground around the hole suddenly rippled like water. The waves became bigger and the shaking became stronger, like a boiling pot of water. Suddenly the frothing soil calmed down. The small hole suddenly became a large hole and even larger than a table surface. A person popped out from the hole. His face was covered in mud but his eyes were shiny. He smiled at Ma Rulong, smiled at Dawan, and smiled at everyone. However he did not recognize them and they did not recognize him. They had never seen him before.

    The person already came out, and stood next to the hole where he came from. He was looking at this hole; his eyes were filled with delight and admiration, like an artist appreciating his own masterpiece. He was looking at it for a while and then turned around, took the brush and ink, and wrote these words on the worn out accounting book: ‘Please enter the hole, sir.’

    * * *

    The hole seemed very, very deep. This hole was not really a hole; it was a tunnel, a deep and long tunnel. The tunnel was dug from a very far away place; the exit was definitely outside of this land filled with black rocks. Dawan finally understood. Everyone understood. This tunnel was their only chance to live. Therefore, everyone entered this hole.

    The tunnel was longer than expected, the exit was outside several streets at a dim but wide cross alley. At the exit there was a luxurious horse carriage that only the noble, powerful, or rich could get. The jet-black carriage compartment was shiny enough to see one’s reflection. The fours horses were undoubtedly well-trained colts. There were also three of the exact same horse carriages waiting on both side of the cross lane. The drivers also had his whip ready.

    A man dressed in green clothes, who came out of the hole, explained to them, “To avoid No Thirteen’s pursuit, we prepared three additional carriages. These carriages also have six males and one female, a total of seven people. The tracks left behind by these carriages would be the exact same.” He said six male one female because Dawan was still disguised as a man. He was already prepared to take a seat in this carriage.

    “We do not need to wait for Miss Yu. She will have her own way to deal with No Thirteen. She would definitely have a way to withdraw safely.”

    He was looking at Ma Rulong, who was hesitant to get on, and smiled, “She specifically ordered me to make sure you mustn’t wait for her because she knew you are a bit stubborn.”

    Fortunately he did not show his stubborn behavior this time. Once he got on the carriage, the driver immediately whipped the horses. Sixteen horses raised their hooves synchronically; and thirty-two wheels moved at the same time. The carriage tracks left behind on the four roads were identical.

    The man in green clothes said, “Among these four roads: one leads to Hall of Divine Horse, one leads to Mt. Song, one leads to Jasper Villa.”

    “How about the other one?”

    “The other one is where No Thirteen came from.” The man in green cloth said, “It leads to Dead Valley.”

    “Which one are we taking?” Xie Yulun was full of hope, “Are we returning to Jasper Villa?”

    “No!” Dawan said, “Definitely not.”

    “Why?”

    The man in green clothes said, “Because No Thirteen would definitely figure out we would most likely go there.”

    Xie Yulun sighed. Dawan said, “Where are you planning to send us?”

    “Dead Valley.” The man in green clothes said, “Because no one would think we would go to Dead Valley.”

    He added, “Anyway, Miss Yu insisted we must go this route. She would also go to Dead Valley.” No one asked: “Why does she have to go there?” Everyone believed Miss Yu must have her reasons.

    * * *

    The carriage was moving steadily and quickly without any trouble. The carriage compartment was spacious and comfortable. Dawan had been paying attention to this man in green cloth. She suddenly asked, “Are you a disciple of Beggar Clan?” Everyone believes he should be. To be able to carry out such a plan, only the Beggar Clan had the manpower and resource to accomplish this. Beside only Jiangnan Yu Wu would dare to get involve in this matter.

    The man in green cloth shook his head. “I am not a disciple of Beggar Clan,” He smiled and said, “I actually had never roamed Jianghu.”

    The answer surprised everyone. Dawan again asked, “What is your name?”

    The man in green cloth hesitated, seemed unwilling to reveal his name as if saying it out was an embarrassing matter. However, he still said it out. “I am Yu Liu (six).”

    “Yu Liu?” Everyone was even more surprised and couldn’t help but asked, “Who is Jiangnan Yu Wu (five) to you?”

    “He’s my fifth brother.”

    Jiangnan Yu Wu was famous throughout the realm, and commanded the world’s number one clan. He had relative, friends, and acquaintances throughout Jianghu. His younger brother should definitely be a very famous figure. The strange thing was, no one ever heard of a person name “Yu Liu”.

    “All of you mustn’t have known Yu Wu has a younger brother like me.” Yu Liu said, “All of you must think it’s strange. How come Yu Wu’s younger brother never reveal himself in Jianghu?”

    “Why didn’t you?”

    Yu Liu bitterly smiled, “With an older brother like Yu Wu, why would I be in Jianghu? Even if I am here for one hundred years, I would still be Yu Wu’s little brother.” He looked at his wide, firm, and rough pair of hand and slowly said, “Furthermore, I have no ability. I could only dig holes.”

    Ma Rulong looked at him, his eyes revealed a sign of respect. He always respected a person with a backbone, respect this independent personality.

    “You said you have no ability and could only dig holes.” Ma Rulong said, “However outside four streets, digging a hole 70-80 zhang long (zhang, approx. 10 ft. or 3.3 m.) and having the exit exactly in the middle of a room inside the general store.” He sighed and said, “You said you have no ability, but other than you who else could dug out a hole like this?”

    Yu Liu laughed. “Listening to what you said, it made me feel as if I have a bit of ability.” He looked at Ma Rulong with his smiling eyes. “Right now I finally understand why fifth brother would say that.”

    “What did he say?”

    “He said your strongest point is that you never forget the other people’s good point.” Yu Liu said, “He also said, he had only seen two people like you.”

    “Which two?”

    “One is himself.” Yu Liu smiled. “And the other is you.” His smiling eyes were full of warmth. “So he wanted me to ask you, whether you are willing to become friend with a person that can only dig holes?” Ma Rulong already reached out his hand.


    [End of Chapter 33]

  18. #38
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    Default Chapter 34

    Chapter 34: Mansion and the Sinister Night [華屋惡夜]


    Jiangnan Yu Wu was not only a famous hero in Jianghu, but also a celebrated and gifted scholar with startling brilliance, carefree and candid. Yu Liu, on the other hand, was a completely different person, like what he said himself. He actually did looked like a crude man; rough hand, thick leg, ordinary and simple. On his clear and square face, there wasn’t a sign of intelligence on it. Only when he was smiling, he showed a slight resemblance to Yu Wu. However, right now every one was curious about him because he didn't seemed as simple and ordinary as he looked. Every one had a lot of questions to ask him because everyone wanted to know exactly what kind of person he was.

    “You had never roamed around Jianghu? What do you typically do?”

    “I do a little bit of everything,” Yu Liu answered, “But I often help others build houses.”

    “Are you a mason or a carpenter?”

    “I do both masonry and carpentry.“ Yu Liu said, “However, usually I just build the look.”

    To build a house, you first have to build up the look, which is you must have a blueprint. How tall the house should be? How many degree of slope should the roof be? How much weight should it support? How deep is the foundation? Everything should be calculated carefully; there should be no mistake. If there is any mistake, the house could collapse quickly.

    Tunneling is the same; you also had to plan it out, measure the distance. As long as there is one mistake, the tunnel exit would not be at its original planned position. If he dug the exit of the tunnel outside of the general store and in front of No Thirteen, he would just be digging the graves for him and these people.

    Dawan sighed again. “Now I know, why your fifth brother specifically requested you to dig the tunnel.” Dawan said, “Digging a tunnel like that must be even more difficult than building a house.”

    “That tunnel was not something I could’ve dug alone. The people on those three other carriages were all my helpers.”

    These were all already planned out. Those people came to help dig tunnel, and upon leaving could be used to help mislead No Thirteen’s pursuit. Everyone was used efficiently and effectively.

    “They all must be sent by your fifth brother, must be Beggar Clan’s disciples.”

    Everyone thought so, however Yu Liu laughed. “They are not Beggar Clan’s disciples.” He said, “They are all people that constructed houses with me, so they also know how to dig tunnel.”

    Everyone was very surprised. “You planned all this out?”

    Yu Liu smiled, “Since my fifth brother wanted me to do this, of course I have to manage it well.”

    Such a thorough plan and such a large-scale operation, was actually all led by this “crude man”. He looked crude, filthy, and dense; his hands, face, clothes, and shoes were covered in mud; and even his nail cracks were filled with dirt. However no one thought he was crude, filthy, or stupid anymore.

    There was only a person that asked, “Where’s your fifth brother?”

    Yu Liu sighed. “He handed over the entire task to me. He, himself, did not get involve in anything.”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly sighed. “If I also have a brother like you, I would be like Yu Wu and not worry about anything.”

    When he sighed, he eye was staring at Jue dashi. Everyone knew he must had been thinking about his brother Tie Quanyi. Though his brother might not be comparable to Yu Wu’s brother, his brother was definitely able to do something other people’s brother could not do. His brother was willing to die for him anytime.

    Jue dashi had no reaction. No matter what others were saying, it seems as if he did not hear anything.

    * * *

    Midnight. When they got on the carriage, the sky was already completely dark. Right now, only over four hours had passed. Everyone thought Yu Liu would continue on throughout the night, but they were wrong.

    They just entered a rather large town and passed through a very wide main street. From the carriage window, although the stores of this street were already closed, one could tell this a very busy and prosperous town. Just as they were looking out the window, the carriage turned into a dead alley.

    The alley was a dead end. There was only a single house, a seemingly large and rich family. A rich family house with red-lacquered gate and a pair larges stone guardian lions crouching outside the gate. There was also a pathway suitable for a carriage to ride through. The red door entrance was closed, their horse and carriage, however, were still riding along this pathway. Just when the carriage was about to crash into these large doors, the red doors suddenly opened and the carriage rode straight in. They stopped at a very large courtyard. The instant the horse and carriage were inside, the large doors closed. Yu Liu opened the carriage door.

    “Everyone please get off of the carriage.”

    “Get off? Get off for what?”

    “Tonight, we will stay here!”

    “Why are we staying here?”

    Yu Liu smiled. “Because No Thirteen would definitely think we would ride through the night.”

    Everyone thought they would continue on through the night, therefore he deliberately stop here. Tie Zhentian suddenly also smiled. “This is a great idea!”

    * * *

    The courtyard was large. The house was also very large with carved beams, painted rafters, and newly pasted snow-white window papers, which under the moonlight seemed to be glowing white. However, there was nothing inside the house — no people, no tables and chairs, no household furniture, no lamp lights. Although there was no lamplight, there were, however, starlight and the moon. Although there were the starlight and moonlight, it made the empty mansion even more cold and miserable.

    Yu Liu explained, “This is a new house I helped construct recently. The owner of this mansion is a retired high-ranked government official. He will start moving in next month.”

    Right now the last quarter moon was still hanging high in the sky, which was why there were no one here.

    “Who was the person that opened the door at first?”

    “Also one of the people that help me built houses.” Yu Liu said, “I can guaranteed he will not reveal our secret.”

    That person, of course, would never give away their secret. That person was a deaf, not only deaf but also mute. Deaf, mute, crippled, hunchback, and old. Already did not have any hope towards life. Nothing in the world would move him.

    * * *

    An empty and desolate mansion, a slow-witted and ugly handicap, a barely-lit and tattered lantern, a cold, windy, and frigid night in spring, and seven fugitives. The tattered lantern was swaying in the wind. The ugly hunchback carried the lantern, limping one step at a time, leading the group from the front. Other people didn’t want to look at him. He didn’t want others to look at him either.

    He led the seven people into four separate rooms. Ma Rulong and Yu Liu in one room, Dawan and Xie Yulun in one room, Tie Zhentian and Wang Wanwu in one room, and Jue dashi occupies one room by himself. No one wants to get near him and he doesn’t want to get near anyone. On a cold spring night, a person like him staying alone in a house without anything; when thinking about the bitter past and present, how will he cope?

    * * *

    Everyone felt really tired, extremely tired, but not many people could sleep. Xie Yulun did not sleep. There was a straw mat laid on the floor, she was sleeping on this straw mat. The wind outside the window sounded like a woman weeping.

    “Are you asleep?”

    “No.” Dawan couldn’t sleep either.

    “How come you couldn’t sleep? What’s on your mind?” Xie Yulun asked.

    “I’m not thinking of anything.” Dawan said. “I just wanted to have good night sleep.”

    Xie Yulun suddenly laughed. “You don’t have to lie to me. I know what you are thinking about.”

    “Oh?”

    “You’re thinking about Ma Rulong.” Xie Yulun said, “I know you really like him.”

    Dawan neither admit nor deny this. She just asked back, “Why aren’t you sleeping? Do you also have something on your mind?”

    Xie Yulun’s reply undoubtedly would have surprised anyone.

    “I’m like you. I’m also thinking about Ma Rulong.” She sighed, “These several months, he had been sleeping with me in the same room. Every night I could hear him breathing. Why wouldn’t I be thinking about him? How could I be able to sleep?”

    Dawan didn’t say anything else. She suddenly stood up, walked to the window, and opened it up. In this calm deep night, a girl like her being affronted about her emotion, what else could she say?

    Xie Yulun seemed as if she still had a lot to say.

    “I do not have any sisters. In my life, you are the one closest to me.” Xie Yulun said, “I have never thought you would harm me, so that day when you suddenly hit my acupoint, I was surprised.”

    She took a deep breath. “Now even though I finally understood your good intention, I was still surprised back then!”

    Dawan did not look back and did not open her mouth.

    Xie Yulun continued, “It would’ve been better if I had completely lost consciousness. Unfortunately I was still very much awake, I still remember every thing you did to me.” Xie Yulun slowly continued, “I would never forget those things.”

    She sighed again. “You brought me to that yamen (government office). You shut me in the small room, stripped me naked, and laid me down on that cold and hard wooden bed. You also brought a man to inspect my body. I know everything.”

    Dawan suddenly sighed and said, “At the time I thought you’d already faint, so…”

    Xie Yulun did not let her continue and asked, “Do you know how I felt back then?” Xie Yulun asked, “Do you know what it feel like for a girl to have another see her like that for the first time?”

    “I don’t know.”

    “Of course you wouldn’t know.” Xie Yulun said, “Because you haven’t had another stripped you naked and have a man look at you before.”

    She suddenly laughed, “However I promised you’ll know soon enough.”

    Dawan’s complexion changed, suddenly darted toward the window. Unfortunately she was too late. As she was trying to jump up, Xie Yulun already aiming for her back and struck her acupoints.

    Xie Yulun wanted revenge. — Dawan was already aware of this, which was why she was preparing to escape. This seems very logical. However if this is what you’re thinking, then you’re wrong, very wrong.

    Dawan face changed and was preparing to jump up not because she was aware of what Xie Yulun was trying to do. She actually didn’t even hear what she was saying. She was trying to jump out the window because she saw something extremely shocking. Saw something she would never imagine seeing.

    If she could speak, she could have prevented those dreadful events from happening. However she could not speak. Xie Yulun already hit six, seven of her acupoints, and even sealed her yaxue (mute point). She couldn’t even utter a word.

    If Xie Yulun happened to know what Dawan saw, she would’ve been shocked. However Xie Yulun didn’t know, so she was smiling, smiling happily.

    “Soon you will understand how I felt back then.” Xie Yulun chucklingly said, “Because I will do exactly what you did to me. I also wanted Ma Rulong to look at you.”

    Ma Rulong also did not sleep. He wanted to have a chat with Yu Liu, but Yu Liu already feel asleep the instant he dropped on the straw bed. Yu Liu was not a man in the Jianghu (martial art world), not a well-known martial artist, not a young master from a renowned family. He did not have glory of famous people, nor share their burden. Ma Rulong was sighing in his heart. He also wanted to be an average person like Yu Liu, where one could just fall asleep the instant they go to bed. Unfortunately, he was Ma Rulong.

    The window was half opened, half shut. The wind was wailing outside. He suddenly saw some signaling with their hand outside the window. It was Xie Yulun beckoning him to come out.

    “I want to take you somewhere to see something.” Xie Yulun’s eye lit up and said, “I promise you, you’ll love it.”

    She was smiling mysteriously. Ma Rulong couldn’t help but to follow her. They went back to Xie Yulun and Dawan’s room. There were two straw mats on the floor. She laid Dawan on one of them and covered her up using the second one.

    “Go ahead and lift up the straw mat.” Xie Yulun said, “Then take a look from this end to that end.”

    She wanted Ma Rulong to look Dawan’s leg and then Dawan’s face. Ma Rulong did exactly what she said. He saw one end and his face changed, saw the other end and his expression looked as if someone stabbed him.

    Xie Yulun laughed, and said smiling, “I thought you wouldn’t be this surprised because you should’ve known that I would get even.”

    Ma Rulong was even more stunned, after a long pause finally asked, “Who are you trying to get even at?”

    “Dawan, of course.” Xie Yulun was chuckling, “What she did before, I’m doing the same to her now.”

    “What she did to you before, you’re doing the same right now.” Ma Rulong repeated what she said, voice also sounded as if someone was stabbed him.

    “Did you also sealed her pressure point? And also put her underneath this straw mat?”

    Xie Yulun nodded, nodding and smiling at the same time. Ma Rulong did not say anything else; suddenly lift up the straw mat on the top. Xie Yulun couldn’t smile anymore, look on her face seemed as if someone stab, cruelly stabbed and twisting the knife. At first, she clearly put Dawan there and covered her up with the straw mat. However, the person right there was not Dawan. Lying on the straw mat was that deaf, mute, hunchback, and old cripple.


    [End of Chapter 34]

  19. #39
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 35

    Chapter 35: Panic in the Sinister Night [恶夜惊魂]


    Right now that cripple was not that different from other people, because he was already dead. Everyone eventually dies. Dead people are the same. It didn’t matter if you were a hero or a beauty when you were alive, they would all be the same when they were dead — only a dead person. The only difference between this dead person and any other dead person was that both of his fists were clenched tightly like a miser clenching onto his wallet. What was he holding?

    Ma Rulong pull opened his hands, and the expression on his face looked as if he had taken a blow with knife. The cripple’s hand was holding a black stone, a very round and shiny black stone. Only Dead Valley had this type of stone.

    Xie Yulun let out, “No Thirteen (Wu Shisan)!”

    If No Thirteen really came, where was Dawan? Neither Ma Rulong nor Xie Yulun could answer this question. Didn’t even dare to think about it. Also another mystery was Yu Liu’s plan extremely careful so how did No Thirteen manage to come here.

    * * *

    Tie Zhentian was already asleep. A veteran like him would’d taken any chance to sleep. He also thought Yu Liu’s plan was very meticulous, and this place was very safe.

    However, a veteran like him would also be easily woken up. He was woken up by a very strange noise. By the time he woke up, Wang Wanwu was no longer in the room. Even the straw mat on the floor was missing.

    The only door and two windows in the room were locked. He also did not hear any noise from Wang Wanwu opening any door or window. Also, the door and window can only be lock from the inside. If Wang Wanwu went out, there was no way he could lock up the door or window. So there were no sign of anyone opening the door or window but Wang Wanwu was not in the room. How did he leave this room?

    The only explanation was there was a secret exit. It was common for large house like this to have a secret passage or hidden wall, especially considering this house was built by Yu Liu.

    However, Tie Zhentian could not find this exit so he was especially dumbfounded. Wang Wanwu, like him, was here for the first time. Then how come he couldn’t find this secret exit that Wang Wanwu could? There was also another mystery. Why didn’t Wang Wanwu stay in the room and sleep? Why did he quietly sneaked out of the room? Even if he wanted to go out, there was no need to sneak out through a secret passage?

    Tie Zhentian did not spend much time on these questions. He never liked to dwell on any complicated and confusing matters. The moment he came out of his room was the same time Xie Yulun asked Ma Rulong to come out. Tie Zhentian saw them but did not call out to them.

    On the cool calm night, a young man and a young woman wanted to talk in private so why would he want to disturb
    them? He never liked to spoil the moment. He only wanted to find Wang Wanwu.
    They were staying in the side rooms of Chinese-style courtyard. Outside was an extremely large backyard. The garden was not particularly decorated. In this quiet spring night, there seems to be a hard to describe eerie and desolate quality. He went through an alley paved with round rocks, suddenly heard someone groaning behind the rock garden. He couldn’t tell who was groaning but could tell that this person was in a great deal of pain.

    Behind the rock garden was a lotus pond. Even though there wasn’t any lotus yet, the pond water was being pulled in. A naked body came out of the lotus pond and fell on the ground next to the pond. His whole body was convulsing due to the pain. This person was not Wang Wanwu. Surprisingly, this person was Jue dashi.

    Tie Zhentian stood there and stared blankly. He would never imagine Jue dashi would be in this state. However, he would soon realize why Jue dashi would be in this pain. Jue dashi was also human, also has human desire, and also experience time when he was tormented by these desire. However, he had no way to vent this out like regular people; therefore, he could only sneak out in the middle of the night and use cold water to cool himself off. Tie Zhentain suddenly realized he was a pitiful person. His cold-hearted and stubbornness was only a result of his long years of suppressive lifestyle. Jue dashi was alarmed, suddenly jumped up, put on his monk gown and looked at Tie Zhentain with a shocked face.

    Tie Zhentain sighed, “You don’t need to worry about me telling anyone. What I saw tonight, a third person would never know.”

    Jue dashi was startled, embarrassed, regretful, at a lost and then said, “Do you know Tie Quanyi is dead?”

    Tie Zhentian clenched up his fist, “Did you killed him?”

    “Doesn’t matter who killed him. If you want to avenge him, you might as well make your move now.”

    Tie Zhentian looked at him. Not only did he not make any move, he actually sighed and said, “Right now I could not kill you.”

    “Why?”

    — Because right he only felt pity and sympathetic towards him, no murderous intent. Tie Zhentian did not say this out; at that moment there was a loud shriek. It came from Xie Yulun right when she saw the cripple’s corpse.

    * * *

    The corpse did not have any blood or open wound. The fatal wound came from the fact that his pulse was severed by an internal palm technique. An extremely soft class of internal palm technique, which did not even leave any external signs after severing arteries. When Tie Zhentian came here, Yu Liu also arrived. There was visible display of panic and anger.

    “Who killed him?” Yu Liu asked, “Why come here and killed a pitiful cripple?”

    Tie Zhentian was similarly enraged. “That murderer would not need any reason to kill.”

    “Are you referring to No Thirteen?”

    “Who else would it be?”

    Yu Liu was even more surprised. “How did he find this place? Perhaps our plan was leaked out?”

    Everyone was thinking about this question.

    Xie Yulun suddenly asked, “I understand.”

    “Understand what?”

    “That devil can even hear a turtle laying an egg, why wouldn't he be able to hear you tunneling?” Xie Yulun said, “He must have waited outside the tunnel exit, watching us.”

    “No,” Yu Liu said confidently, “There was no way he was able to hear me digging the tunnel.”

    “Why?”

    “If you put his ear on the ground and concentrate, he might be able to.” Yu Liu said, “He must be using this way to hear turtle laying eggs.”

    Also “turtle laying egg” was simply a figure of speech. Was there any sound when turtles lay egg? No one had heard of it and no one knew.

    “When I was digging the tunnel, he was only focus on the noises within the convenient store. How could he be listening to ground noise far away?” Yu Liu asserted, “Our operation was very scrupulous, barely any sound was made.”

    He had the utmost faith in himself. Everyone also had faith in him, therefore the problem remained.

    “If No Thirteen did not hear the digging and tunneling and there was no leak in the plan, how did he manage to get here in half a day?”

    Tie Zhentian suddenly said, “There is only one loophole to the plan.”

    “Where’s the loophole?”

    “On Wang Wanwu.”

    Yu Liu immediately said, “You think he was a spy? On the way here, he left secret markings to allow No Thirteen to catch up to us?

    These questions, in itself, were the answers. Other than Wang Wanwu, there wasn’t anyone that could be a mole. Without a mole, No Thirteen couldn’t catch up to them.

    “Where is Wang Wanwu?”

    “He already disappeared.” Tie Zhentian said, “When I woke up, he was already gone.”

    “Why did you wake up?”

    “I was awoken by a very strange noise.” Tie Zhentian said, “Originally, I have no idea what that sound was. Thinking about it right now, it sounded like a secret passage opening.”

    Yu Liu immediate confirm this, “This room was originally meant to be the master’s study room. When he was in charge, he must’d offended some people so he deliberately requested to have a secret passage created.”

    Tie Zhentain said, “But I could not find it.”

    Obviously it would be hard for other people to find the secret passage Yu Liu built. Luckily, it shouldn’t be hard for the man himself to find it.

    * * *

    Since this room was intended to be a study room, it wouldn’t be too small. Wang Wanwu originally slept at a corner near the window.

    The entrance to the secret passage was below the spot where he had slept. Once you activated a trigger, the passage entrance would open up. Tie Zhentian simply could not find this trigger. The trigger was a simple relief craving on the decorative windowsill. Yu Liu pulled on the sculpture and the floorboard opened up revealing the entrance to the underground passage.

    The passage was damp and dark; the exit was inside a well. Of course, this well did not have any water in it. Although there was no water, there was a person.

    A dead person, one that was wrap in a straw mat. This was the same type of cheap straw mat they were sleeping on. The dead man was Wang Wanwu.


    [End of Chapter 35]

  20. #40
    Senior Member kaister's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 36

    Chapter 36: After Midnight [三更后]


    The corpse also did not have any traces of blood or open cut. Wang Wanwu also struck by that soft and gentle palm technique that severed his heart pulse and killed him.

    “How come he died?” The person asking the question was Xie Yulun. The one answering was Tie Zhentian.

    “Of course he needed to die.” Tie Zhentian say, “Being a spy, this is how they usually end up.”

    “You think No Thirteen silenced him?”

    Absolutely, this question, in itself, was also the answer, the only possibility, the only answer. The questions that no one could answer were, “Where was No Thirteen? Where was Dawan? What did No Thirteen do to Dawan?” No one even dare to think about these questions.

    * * *

    Far away, a night watcher’s gong was struck to indicate sangeng126 (third night period, around midnight). Sangeng was always a period where one feels the most overwhelmed and unsettled. They suddenly thought of Jue dashi.

    After hearing Xie Yulun cried out, Tie Zhentian rushed there and Jue dashi was left at the side of the pond. He and Tie Zhentian both heard the cry at the same time, must’d known something terrible happened here and should’d came. However, he was not here.

    — Perhaps he was like Wang Wanwu, was stealthily assassinated somewhere in the grand house’s dark and hidden corners? His hand also holding a black stone.

    The place was now shrouded with bleak signs of deaths; any one could potentially meet death at any given moment. The first one to die was the cripple. The second one was Wang Wanwu. The third one could potentially be Jue dashi. Who would be next?

    * * *

    Sangeng had passed, the night grew darker. There could be more deaths through the rest of the night. The murderer was like the grim reaper that could suddenly appear at any moment. Right now could be hiding in the shadow waiting for its next target. Ma Rulong understood that it was a pivotal point where he needed to make a decision.

    “All of you, leave.”

    “Leave?” Xie Yulun asked, “To where?”

    Ma Rulong said, “Anywhere you want, as long as you quickly leave this place.”

    “If we go, what about you?”

    “I…”

    Xie Yulun suddenly loudly said, “I know what you are doing. You want to stay here to find Dawan. If you can’t find her, you would never want to leave.”

    Ma Rulong admitted, “Are you telling me I shouldn’t look for her?”

    “Of course you should look for her. “ Xie Yulun sneered, “But why don’t you think about this? Can you really find her? And if you did, then what? Could it be that you’re capable of rescuing her from the hands of No Thirteen? Could it be that you don’t think No Thirteen would kill you?”

    She was getting more and more agitated, “You’re only thinking of looking for her. Besides her, you don’t have anyone else in your eyes? Why aren’t you taking other people into consideration? Why aren’t you thinking about yourself?”

    After she finished those two sentences, tears were already forming in her eyes, and were about to fall at any moment. Everyone could tell why she would cry, Ma Rulong, of course, also should know why. Still he did not utter a word, not saying a word meant he had already finished saying what he wanted to say. No matter what other people said, he was determined to stay here.

    Xie Yulun bit on her lip and stomp on her feet. “Fine, if you are looking for death and go die by yourself. We’ll leave.”

    She clearly decided to leave, but still hadn’t even taken a step. She was stomping on her feet. However her leg seemed as if it was tied together by an invisible silk rope, couldn’t even take one step forward.

    Ma Rulong finally sighed and softly said, “Actually you should understand. If the one that was missing wasn’t Dawan but you, I would’ve done the same.”

    Before he even finished his word, Xie Yulun’s tear already rolling down her face.

    Tie Zhentian suddenly looked up and laughed, “I finally understand.”

    “What do you understand?”

    “Originally I always thought those who are not afraid of death are people who are loveless, now I know I am wrong.” Tie Zhentian said, “Actually people with love are even less afraid of death, because their heart already possessed by love, already threw away everything else.”

    He heavily patted on Ma Rulong’s shoulder and said, “If you won’t leave, we won’t leave either. If we can’t find Dawan, no one would go.”

    However right after he said those words, he darted out. Ma Rulong and Xie Yulun followed him and went out, because they heard a frightened hiss. Not from a person, but a horse.

    * * *

    The main entrance was opened again. However after hearing the horse frightened neigh, and the wheels rolling, by the time they got there both the horse and cart vanished into the dust. The coachman of the carriage, however, fell dead onto the stone steps, hands and feet were already ice cold, hand tightly gripping onto a black stone. Who was driving the cart away? Who was taken in the cart?

    With faint evening wind and cartwheel and horse hiss noises, it wouldn’t be difficult chasing it. “Chase after it!” Tie Zhentian both arms shook, actually executed his “Eight Step Pursuing Cicada”127 lightness martial art, and headed toward direction of the cart and horse noise.

    Everyone in Jianghu knew this lightness martial art. Everyone hear of the name “Eight Step Pursuing Cicada”. However, people capable of mastering this skill was far fewer than anyone would imagine.

    Fortunately Ma Rulong's “Heavenly Steed Galloping Across the Sky” was also a long renowned special lightness martial art skill. He caught up to Tie Zhentian in no time. Being able to match the world famous Tie Zhentian shoulder to shoulder, was something worth being proud of. Tie Zhentian was proud of him, even gave a pat on his shoulder, expressing his praise. However soon they realized that compare to what they originally thought of themselves, they were not that worthy of being proud of.

    Because Xie Yulun also caught up to them, light as a feather following besides them. Didn’t even seemed like she was exerting any kind of energy. After being treated by Miss Yu’s exquisite lily-white hand, her power had been fully recovered. With their combined forces, was it enough to handle No Thirteen and the Persian slave that was capable of drawing his saber in a flash?

    Lightness martial art biggest use wasn’t for “attack”, but for “retreat” and “defense”. No matter in what kind of battle, effect of “retreat and defense” was not any less than “attack”. The energy exerted were something greater than that needed for attack. The physical strength used up when using lightness martial art definitely wouldn’t be less than any other martial art. Xie Yulun, unexpectedly, could also easily open her mouth and speak.

    “We can never catch up.” She said, “The four horses pulling the carriage are good horses. Not only well-trained, but also had great stamina. When I sat in the carriage, I already calculated how fast they were going.” She still needed to take a breath before continuing, “Initially, we will be faster than them, that’s why it looks like we will catch up. After three to five li (Chinese mile), we would start to slow down, on the other hand they would speed up.”

    Ma Rulong also knew Xie Yulun calculation was right. However he still continued to chase, even knowing he couldn’t catch up. This was the answer. It was because human have this fighting spirit despite setbacks, even knowing you could not but still do type of perseverance, therefore humankind could have lasted.

    * * *

    They indeed could not catch up. The carriage was pulling further and further away, slowly couldn’t even hear them. Behind, the sound of another carriage appeared and it was coming closer and closer. The person driving the cart was Yu Liu. In the beginning he was comparatively slower. However he now almost caught up, approaching with a four horses, six wheels large carriage. He let the originally far ahead and speedy people onto his cart.

    “We will definitely catch up,” Yu Liu guaranteed. “This is a straight road, they could only go on this road.”

    “Where does this road lead to?”

    “Dead Valley.”

    * * *

    Catch up to them in Dead Valley and then what? If they were no match for No Thirteen, wouldn’t chasing them meant death? They hadn’t even thought of this question.

    Right now everyone seemed to have acquired Ma Rulong’s temperament, doing things on principle and disregarding any consequences. Their attitude could be described by Xie Yulun’s words.

    “No matter what, Dead Valley is not a place anyone can go. It’s not easy even for us to able see the place.”

    No one had been to Dead Valley. No one had an idea exactly what kind of place was Dead Valley. But everyone had some idea, that place was not the desolate and uninhabited place it once was. Because that place had gold, and unimaginable amount of gold.

    Gold had become everything in that place. There was already a large amount of healthy, outstanding young people attracted to there, constructing many magnificent and wonderful architectures. Everyone would think like this, unfortunately they would all be wrong.


    [End of Chapter 36]


    Footnote
    126. Chinese text said “sangeng” with means the third night period, usually around 11am to 1pm. I translated it as “midnight”.
    127. Babuganchan (八步赶蝉), literally mean eight steps pursuing cicada, which mean a person can catch a cicada in flight within several steps. Supposedly a very common qinggong used by a lot of wuxia characters.

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