Originally translated by Darkaos on 11/26/12. Reviewed and partially re-translated by kaister.
Chapter 37
See Through Life and Death
A well-dressed young man standing beside him decided to step forward. He argued, “This is not a light wound. That sir is heavily injured. This student, until now, had never seen it before.”
The Kid glared at him. “What kind of thing are you? (i.e. Who the hell are you?)150”
The young man said, “This student is not a thing. This student is a person. My name is Jian Chuanxue.151”
The Kid asked, “You are Jian Fusheng’s son?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Yes.”
The Kid said, “Since your name is Jian Chuanxue (simply transfer knowledge), one could’ve imagine you’ve already learned his medical knowledge. Your medical skill shouldn’t be light.”
The Kid said, “Although this student is of humble talent and shallow learning, I still know a bit about medical science related medicine and metal injuries.152”
He pointed to the people behind him. He continued, “All these uncles and elders are therein experienced people, if we couldn’t treat this wound, other people in all likelihood would also not be able to treat it.”
The Kid angrily asked, “Why do you think other people wouldn’t be able to treat it?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “The wounds on the body of that sir are in five different locations. Two are from old wounds; three locations are injured by a sharp weapon in the recent two days. Although they are not on vital location, however, every sword injuries are cut so deep that it had already affected the muscles and bones of the joints.”
He rested his voice and then continued, “If the patient immediately received medical attention after the injuries, then perhaps there is still a chance. It’s a pity after the injuries he still toiled excessively. Moreover, he also decided to drink and drank quite a bit. The wounds are already starting to fester.”
Every word he said went straight to the crucial points. The Kid could only stand aside and listen.
Jian Chuanxue said, “However the most severe are still the two old wounds. Even if we managed to treat his new wounds, he can at most live for seven more days.”
The Kid expression changed, “Seven days?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “At most seven days.”
The Kid said, “But the locations of those two old wounds, don’t it look like it’d already closed back up?”
Jian Chuanxue, “It is precisely because the would already closed up, therefore he can at most live for seven more days.”
The Kid said, “I don’t understand!”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Of course you don’t understand. The people that understand this are not many. Unfortunately he happens to know one of these people, and was coincidentally his friend.”
The Kid was even more confused. “His friend?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “After he suffered his injuries, he coincidentally met this friend. This friend happened to carry the best metal-injuries medicine153, and also happened to carry the most vicious bone-dissolving powder.”
Jian Chuanxue sighed deeply. “Metal-injuries medicine gave life back to the muscle. Bone-dissolving powder eroded the bones. Once the sword cuts closed back up, the poison had already entered the bones. Within seven days, the 137 bones of his entire body154 would inevitably dissolve into a pus of blood.”
The Kid held onto his hand with one hand. He was holding onto it tightly. “Is there any medicine that can cure this poison?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “No!”
The Kid asked, “And also no one could remove this poison?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “No.”
His answer was simple, unequivocal, and affirmative; that cause people hard to doubt and hard to not believe.
But for the Kid to have to believe this; how painful and cruel it must be.
Only he knew who this friend Jian Chuanxue was referring to, and because he knew therefore it was even more painful.
There was only pain and nothing else; because he couldn’t even hate this person.
To not be able to love the one that should be loved or hate the one the should be hated, for a young man whose blood hadn’t even turned cold, how hard it must’d been to endure this kind of pain and misery?
He suddenly heard Xie Xiaofeng currently asking, “At the most seven days, but at the least, how many days?”
He did not dare to turn his head around to face Xie Xiaofeng, nor dare to listen to Jian Chuanxue’s reply.
But he already heard it!
“Three days.”
Although Jian Chuanxue’s answer was just as clear and affirmative, his voice still had this hopeless sorrow. “At the least, it’s possible it’s only three days.”
* * *
If a person suddenly realizes he only has three short days to live, what kind of reaction would he have?
Xie Xiaofeng’s reaction was very strange. He laughed.
Death is certainly not a laughable matter, definitely not.
Why did he have to laugh?
Is it because of a contempt and cynical attitude toward life? Or is it because of a type of free and ease after seeing through everything in life?
The Kid suddenly turned around and rushed over. He yelled, “Why are you still laughing? How are you still able to laugh?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not answer. He retorted, “Everyone came from afar, the host couldn’t even serve the guest some wines?”
Jian Chuanxue’s hand had been quivering. At the point, he finally let out a sigh.
* * *
The idea of “drinking a cup” wasn’t truly about drinking a cup.
After downing three cups, Jian Chuanxue’s hands finally restored its stability. Wine was originally used to make people calm their nerve, and steady the mood.
But for a doctor that handled external wound with a surgical knife throughout the years, he shouldn’t have a pair of hands that trembled often.
Xie Xiaofeng’s eyes was fixated on his hands. He suddenly asked, “Do you drink often?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “I drank often, but at a small amount.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “If a person drinks often, does that mean he likes to drink?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Something like that.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Since you likes to drink, why don’t you drink a larger amount?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Because drinking too much is still not good for your body, so…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “So though your heart wanted to drink, you must force yourself to control yourself.”
Jian Chuanxue admitted.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because you want to continue to live, live for several for years, the longer the better.” Jian Chuanxue definitely could not deny this — life is so valuable, who wouldn’t treasure it?
Xie Xiaofeng raised his cup and drank it all. He said, “When a person want to live on, he usually have plenty of things on his mind he wanted to do but doesn’t dare to do; because for the sake of living there are a lot of limitations, a lot of hesitations.”
Jian Chuanxue took a long, deep sigh. He forcibly laughed and said, “Amongst all of living things, who could live without care or worries and do whatever he wanted?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “There is one kind of people!”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Which type?”
Xie Xiaofeng smiled and said, “The one that knew they only have a few days to live.”
He was laughing, but besides him who had the heart to laugh? Could actually laugh out loud?
In all the tragedies in human history, what is sadder than death?
An eternal sadness.
* * *
The wine was already almost enough.
But not yet enough.
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly said, “If you knew you only have, at most, several days to live, in these several days, what would you do?”
* * *
This is an outstanding question; outstanding and yet interesting but carried a type of cruelty and cynicism.
Perhaps many people in the depth of the night had once asked this question to themselves during the sleeplessness!
— If I could, at most, live for three more days, in these three days what would I do?
However, very few would ask people this question.
He was not asking any specific person, but everyone that was sitting here.
Amongst the seated crowd, one stood up and yelled, “If it were me, I will kill someone!”
* * *
This person’s name was Shi Jingmo155.
In the Western River156 region, the Shi family was a prominent family. His family’s ancestors were all famous Confucian physicians157. He was currently the ninth generation. Every generation was well-behaved and law-abiding gentleman.
He was also a gentleman; silent and rarely spoke, refined and courteous. For him to unexpectedly say these words was obviously very shocking for anyone who knew him.
Yet Xie Xiaofeng laughed. “You want to kill people? How many do you want to kill?”
Shi Jingmo seemed to be taken back by this question. He muttered, “How many? How many can I kill?”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How many do you want to kill?”
Shi Jingmo replied, “I originally only thought of one. After thinking about it, there are two others who also deserve to die!”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “They had all wronged you?”
Shi Jingmo gritted his teeth. His eyes were burning with anger, as if his mortal enemy was right in front of him and he was prepared to chop off their head anytime.
Xie Xiaofeng let out a sigh. He said, “Unfortunately you still have many more days to live, therefore you can only watched them freely live out their lives, and possibly live happier than you.”
Shi Jingmo was dumbfound and staring blankly for a long while. He slowly loosened his tightened fist. The anger in his eyes slowly disappeared. He dimly said, “That’s right. Because I am still living, I could only let them continue to live.”
His voice was filled with a helpless sorrow. Living on had right now, for him, unexpectedly became a burden.
He couldn’t help ask himself in his heart.
— If a person continues to live on, is it good fortune or bad fortune?
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly turned his face and stared at Jian Chuanxue. He asked, “How about you?”
Jian Chuanxue had been pondering and was evidently surprised by the question. “Me?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You are a person of talent, good background, education, and also firm and upright. You must be well respected by many. You, of course, would not act beyond proper decorum and ethics.”
Jian Chuanxue could not refute that.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “However, if you had three more days to live, what would you do?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I…I would plan out my funeral arrangements and then quietly wait for death.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Really?”
His eyes were as sharp as knives; it was as if it already pierced into his heart. “Is what you’re saying the truth?”
Jian Chuanxue lowered his head and then lifted it back up. He shouted, “It’s not the truth, absolutely not.”
He drank three more cups of wine and continued shouting, “If I only had three more days to live, I would feast and drink wholeheartedly, seek out prostitutes, gamble wildly, gather all of the wh0res in the city, strip naked and play hide and seek.”
His father shockingly stared at him. He asked, “Why…why would you be thinking of doing such things?”
Xie Xiefeng said, “These things are all very interesting. If you had three days to live, you might do the same!”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I…I…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “It’s a pity both of you still needed to live on, therefore even you desperately wanted to, you could only secretly think about it in your heart.”
Jian Chuanxue finally sighed. He forcibly smiled and said, “Honestly, I don’t even dare to think about it.”
A twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old good-looking maidservant, who was carrying a big bowl of piping hot oven roasted duck, walked in.
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly asked her. “If you had three days to live, what would you do?”
The maidservant was startled by the question and hesitated for a while without answering.
The Kid with a solemn face said, “Since Mr. Xie asked you, you must answer honestly.”
This maidservant was shy and scared, finally with a blushing face said, “I want to marry.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You haven’t marry yet?”
This maidservant replied, “No.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why aren’t you marrying?”
This maidservant said, “I’d been sold as a servant since I was young, what kind of man can I marry? What kind of man would marry me?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But since you could only live for three days, you will have to marry any kind of man you can get!”
This maidservant said, “As long as it’s a man, it’ll do. As long as it’s a living man, it’ll do.”
Her face was lit with excitement and suddenly laughed loudly. “Afterward, I’ll kill him.”
A twenty-seven or twenty-eight year old lady wanting to marry was not a strange matter, those last words was nevertheless something hard to understand.
Everyone was shocked. “Since you already married him, why do you want to kill him?”
The maidservant replied, “Because I have never been a widow before. I wanted to experience what being a widow is like.”
Everyone looked at each other in dismay. They wanted to laugh, yet could not laugh. No one expected such a woman like her would have such a ridiculous and extreme notion.
This maidservant said, “Unfortunately I am not dying yet so not only would I not be a widow, I might not even get to marry someone.”
She lowered her head and sighed. She put down the food on her hand and walked out with her head low.
After a long while, one of the people seated was muttering to himself. “If I have three days to live, I would marry her.”
* * *
This person’s name was Yu Juncai158. He was a famous doctor, but was unfortunately born very grotesque; not only was he hunchback with lame leg, he face was full of pockmarks.
It was because he was famous; he was well-known not only for his talent but also his grotesque look. So no matter how hard or what methods that matchmaker used, once people hear of the famous name “Doctor Pockmark”, they would strategically withdraw. One time the matchmaker was even chased away with a broom.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You really wanted to marry her?”
Yu Juncai said, “This woman is clean and pretty. Being able to marry her is already consider good fortune, but pity…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Pity since you're not dying, you have to consider the reputation of your family. Can’t simple marry a maid into the family.”
Yu Juncai only nodded, sighed, forcibly smiled, and drank wine.
Xie Xiaofeng loudly laughed again. Everyone was looking at him laugh.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Everyone at first must’ve wanted to ask — how could a person who know he’s going to die soon able to laugh? Right now, how come no one is asking?”
No on replied, no one could reply.
Xie Xiaofeng answered for them. “Because right now you’re all secretly envious of me. Because I can do all the things all of you wanted to do but are unable to do.”
If a person was able do as he please without a moment of hesitation, I believe a lot would be secretly envious in their heart.
Yu Juncai already drank two cups of wine. He suddenly asked, “How about you? In these three days, what will you do?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I want you to marry her.”
Yu Juncai was shocked, “Marry who?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “My god sister.159”
Yu Juncai said, “Your god sister? Who’s your god sister?”
Xie Xiaofeng rushed outsider and pulled the pretty maidservant, who was hiding outside secretly listening, back in.
“My god sister is her.”
Yu Juncai froze.
The pretty maidservant also froze.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What’s your surname? What’s your name?”
The maidservant held her head low. She replied, “Why would a maid have a surname? The master gave me a name called Fang Mei. My name is Fang Mei!”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Right now you’ll have a surname. Your surname is Xie.”
Fang Mei said, “Surname Xie?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Right now you’re my god sister. My surname is Xie. If you’re not a Xie, what are you?!”
Fang Mei said, “But you… you…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I am the Emerald Cloud Peak, Green Water Lake, Divine Sword Manor’s Third Young Master of the Xie family, Xie Xiaofeng.”
Fang Mei seemed to have heard of this name before. “Third Young Master of the Xie family? Xie Xiaofeng?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “No matter who became the god sister of the Third Young Master of the Xie family, it is not a disgraceful matter!”
He pointed at Yu Juncai. “Although this is not a beautiful man, he would definitely be a good husband.”
Fang Mei’s head was hanging even lower.
Xie Xiaofeng pulled her hand and put it onto Yu Juncai’s hand. “Right now I’m pronouncing you two husband and wife. Anyone here objects?”
No, of course not.
* * *
This was a wedding160, a very unusual wedding. It didn’t follow any established standards and even a bit absurd.
No matter what, this was still a happy occasion. It still raised people’s spirits up. Only Shi Jingmo was still dejected.
Xie Xiaofeng slowly walked over. He suddenly asked, “Who is your friend?”
Shi Jingmo said, “Who?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “The one that had wronged you.”
Shi Jingmo tightened his fists. “I…I had always considered him a friend, but he…”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What unforgivable thing did he do to you?”
Shi Jingmo gritted his teeth. He did not even say a single word. His eyes already had tears welling up.
This matter, he was’t willing to speak, nor could he speak about it.
No matter how great the enmity was, how deep the pain was, he could still clench his teeth and endured it. However, yet, could not bear the shame this matter had brought to him.
Xie Xiaofeng was looking at him. He eye filled with sympathy. “I could tell you are an honest man.”
Shi Jingmo hanged his head. “I am simply a useless man.”
Being an honest man usually means a useless man.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “At least you’re well-read.161”
Shi Jingmo said, “Perhaps it’s because I’m so well-read, I’ve became so useless!”
Xie XIaofeng said, “Useful!”
Shi Jingmo laughed. His laughter was full of self-mockery and cynicism. “Useful? What’s useful about it?”
Xie Xiaofeng ridiculed, “Sometimes a pen can also kill a person.”
[End of Chapter 37]
Footnote
150. I kinda kept this literal because of the next line. It kind of like saying a person is either “something” (someone/big shot) or “nothing” (no one/insignificant).
151. Jian Chuanxue (简传学), surname Jian means simple, given name means “passed on knowledge”.
152. The text said daoguijinchuang (刀圭金创), daogui is a Chinese medicine measuring device but this term could simply refer to medicine or medical skill in general; jinchuang is literally “metal wounds”, it refers to wound or cut created by metal-based objects since people were commonly injured by sharp metal-based weapons in ancient time.
153. jinchuangyao (金创药), nowadays is simply medicine to treat any wound. But the term itself is literally “metal wound medicine”.
154. Human skeleton has a total of 206 bones. I’m not sure why Gu Long thinks it only has 137…unless this means “137 of 206”, which can still be the case based on the wordings.
155. Shi Jingmo (施经墨), surname means grant/bestow, given name means “scripture ink”.
156. Xihe (西河), lit. “western river” is a name for a lot of location in China. If I were to guess, I think it’s on the western side of the Yellow River around Henan area.
157. ruyi (儒医), lit. “Confucian doctor”. I believe it means doctors who were Confucian scholars.
158. Yu Juncai (于俊才), surname Yu, given name mean “handsome talent”.
159. yimei (义妹), lit. mean “righteous younger sister”, typically official sister not related by blood, ala blood brother. Thinking about it, I guess “adopted sister” is also correct.
160. xishi (喜事), lit. “happy matter”. Could also mean wedding.
161. duguoshu (读过书), lit. means “read some books”. The books in this case are Confucian books and books related to proper manner, principals in life…things that are part of the standard education of Chinese scholar.
Notes
On title "kanpo" is literally "see through" and it means the same thing. These fascinate me because sometime compounded words mean the complete opposite from one language to another.
• Retranslated medicine/powder.
• qiaqiao could mean fortunately/luckily but also unexpectedly/coincidentally. Don’t think lucky is a suitable translation based on the context.
• Every other section practically needed to be re-translated because they simply do not match the original.
• I re-translated quite a bit...so there's nothing I took notice of listing. If I list out all the changes, this section will contain most of the chapter.
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Originally translated by Darkaos on 12/24/12. Reviewed and partially re-translated by kaister.
Chapter 38
Condemned in Speeches and in Writings
Shi Jingmo asked, “You can also kill people using a pen?”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You don’t believe it?”
Shi Jingmo said, “I…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “The table over there has pen and ink. Why don’t you go over there and try it?”
Shi Jingmo asked, “How do I try?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “All you need to do is write three words, you would be able to condemned that person to death.”
Shi Jingmo asked, “Which three words?”
Xie Xiaofeng answered, “That person’s name.”
Shi Jingmo lifted his head and looked at him shockingly. Until now, he finally realized this near-death person standing right before him was carrying a mysterious and dreadful energy; at anytime, anywhere could do thing no other people could do.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Quickly, go write it. After you finish writing, seal it and hand it to me. I guarantee no one here will reveal your secret.”
Shi Jingmo finally stood up, walked over there, and lifted the pen.
The energy from this person did not allow him to refuse, nor dare to refuse. The words of this person were also difficult to not believe.
* * *
The tightly sealed envelope was already in Xie Xiaofeng’s hand. Inside there was only one sheet of paper, one name.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Aside from you, I assured you no one right now know whose name is written in this letter.”
Shi Jingmo nodded. His pale white face was twisted due to the nervousness and excitement. He couldn’t help but ask, “From now on what?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “From now on, only one person would be able to see this name.”
Shi Jingmo asked, “Which person?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “A person that could absolutely help you keep your secret.”
He turned his body and faced the Kid. “Of course, you had already figured out that this person is you!”
The Kid said, “Yes.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Once you see this person’s name, this person obviously will not be able to live long.”
The Kid said, “Yes.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “He obviously will die of an accident.”
The Kid said, “Yes.”
He held out his hand and accepted the letter in Xie Xiaofeng’s hand. His hand was just as steady as Xie Xiaofeng’s.
For everyone here, it wasn’t sure whether their face was of respect or fear.
One envelope, one sheet of paper, one name, in one moment had already determined the life and death of one person!
Who exactly were they? Why did they possess such authority?
Shi Jingmo’s forehead was dripping cold sweat like beans. He suddenly rushed over and snatched the letter in the Kid’s hand. He crumbled it, shoved it in his mouth, chewed it, swallowed it down, and then suddenly started vomiting non-stop.
Xie Xaiofeng was coldly looking at him but did not stop him.
The Kid’s face was even emotionless. Until his vomiting stopped, Xie Xiaofeng blandly asked, “You can’t bear letting him die?”
Shi Jingmo shook his head profusely; tears and sweats were pouring out at the same time.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Since you hated him to the bone, why can’t you bear letting him die?”
Shi Jingmo asked, “I…I…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “There are still papers over there. I can still give you one more chance!”
Shi Jingmo was shaking his head with his might. “I really don’t want him to die, really don’t want to!”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed. “It turns out your hatred for him is not as deep as you thought.”
He was smiling. He helped up the Shi Jingmo that was nearly completely stupefied on the ground. “No matter what, you had that chance to kill him but you let him go. Once you thought of this, you will feel more comfortable in your heart.”
* * *
The room was very dim, yet his face seemed to be shining.
Everyone was involuntarily looking at him. The expressions on their faces were of respect and no longer fear.
— One letter, one sheet of paper, one name, and in one matter to resolve the hatred and enmity in one person’s heart.
— Who exactly is he? Why does he have such mystical power?
* * *
The cups were filled with wine again. Everyone silently raised their cups, and drank it all down. Everyone understood who this cup was for — perhaps only three days, in these three days, what else will he do?
Xie Xiaofeng took a deep long sigh. He was laughing gleefully. Regarding all of this, he was very satisfied.
He loved good wines, and love other people’s respect toward him. These two were something he had abandoned for a long time. Yet, they were gradually warming his whole body up.
“What ought to leave, will leave eventually.”
He looked at these people. “Right now do you have anything that would make me stay here?”
The Kid raised his cup again, drank it in one gulp, and then spoke one word at a time. “No, of course not.”
* * *
Everyone raised his or her cups again. After drinking these cups, everyone was looking at Xie Xiaofeng.
Only Jian Chuanxue kept his head down. He suddenly asked, “Right now, is it already time for you to leave?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Yes.”
He stood up, walked over, and grabbed Jian Chuanxue’s shoulder. “Let’s leave together.”
Jian Chuanxue finally raised his head. “Leave together? You want me to go with you?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Go feast and drink wholeheartedly, uninhibitedly go to prostitutes, and gamble wildly.”
Jian Chuanxue, “And then?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “And then I’ll go die. You can come back and be your gentleman.”
Jian Chuanxue did not even think any further. He immediately stood up.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Watching them walked out side-by-side, every one knew Xie Xiaofeng’s parting this time would lead to his absolute death.
How about Jian Chuanxue? Would he still come back to be his gentleman?
* * *
They had already left the door. Jian Chuanxue suddenly stopped. “Right now, we still can’t leave yet.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Because you are the third young master of the Xie family, Xie Xiaofeng.”
This was not considered a reason.
So Jian Chuanxue clarified, “Everyone here know the swordplay of the third young master of the Xie family is a swordplay without equal in the world and yet no one has witness it before.”
Xie Xiaofeng acknowledged this. His fame was well known in the world, yet very few had ever witnessed his swordplays.
Jian Chuanxue said, “If the Third Young Master died, who else would be able to witness the Third Young Master’s swordplay?”
No one, of course none.
Jian Chuanxue said, “Everyone came here through long journey. What they wanted to see was not the Third Young Master’s sickness, but the Third Young Master’s sword. The Third Young Master in every case should not let everyone go back with fruitless effort and carry a life long regret.”
These were truthful words. The Third Young Master’s sickness was not something good to see, what was good to see was the Third Young Master’s sword.
Xie Xiaofeng laughed.
He smiled and turned around. “Is there any sword here?”
* * *
There were swords here, of course there were.
* * *
There was sword. It was not a classic sword, nor a famous sword. It was a good sword. It was a good sword that was heavily refined and forged with extremely fine steel. Whether a sword could become a classic sword or a famous sword usually depends on who is using it. A sword in the hand of its true master is a superb sword. A sword, even if it’s a famous sword, that’s not in the hand of its true master will be a sword that’s hard to handle and a sword that’ll be lead to its ruin and burial. In such case, not only would its name not be preserved through the ages, it would be difficult to prevent its destruction.162
Wouldn’t the fate of a person be the same?
* * *
Once the sword left its sheath, it transformed into a splendid light; an arch of magnificence, brilliance, splendor, and beauty.
The brilliance was flickering, the changes was high above; light as a cloud, and in fleeting motions. Everyone felt that this brilliant light was close to them; yet, no one could determine exactly where it was. Its transformation had practically surpassed the utmost limit of human capability, had practically made it hard for anyone to believe.
However, it was indeed here; furthermore, it was everywhere. But just when everyone was pretty much certain of its existence, it suddenly disappeared again.
Appeared like a miracle, disappeared like a miracle.
* * *
All of its motions and variations, in one moment, was completed and had ended. It was like a meteor and like a flash of lighting, but it was a miracle much closer than a meteor or lightning. Because the power that initiated these changes actually came from a single person.
A normal looking person with flesh and blood.
Once the light of the sword fully disappeared, the sword was still here but the person was gone.
* * *
The sword was on a beam.
Everyone was foolishly looking at the sword. Not sure how long had passed until one person finally took a deep sigh.
“He will not die.”
“Why?”
“Because this world always has people like him.”
“Why?”
“Because no matter where he goes to, he would always remain in our heart.”
* * *
Night.
Brilliant lamp was just lighted. The light was like daytime.
They were both a bit drunk. Jian Chuanxue was even more drunk. He mumbled, “Those people must’ve thought it was very strange, and why I would suddenly thought of doing all these things. I had always been a good child.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Are you a human?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Of course.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “As long as you’re a person, it doesn’t matter what type of person, it’s always easier to learn how to be bad than how to be good. Especially in regard to eat, drink, prostitution, and gambling; you don’t even need to learn these things.”
Jian Chuanxue immediately agreed. “It seems everyone innately know about these things.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But to truly master these subjects is not easy.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “And you?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I’m an expert.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Where is the expert planning to bring me to next?”
Xie Xiaofeng answered, “To get money.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “An expert needs to spend money to do these things?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “It’s because I am an expert, I need to spend money. In fact I’ll spend much more than other.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Why?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because these are money wasting matters. If you are worry about spending, you might as well go back home and take care of children.”
* * *
These are indeed words spoken by experts; only true experts will understand the principle behind this. Wanting to have fun to the fullest, at the same time haggling over every ounce, skimpy and petty on the inside; these are true pests of the party. Because even if they saved a few pennies, in other people’s eye they aren’t even worth a penny.
Experts also have their own distress. Their biggest distress is one word — money; because spending money is far easier than getting money. However, this didn’t seem to trouble Xie Xiaofeng at all. He brought Jian Chuanxue and wandered all over the place. Suddenly wandered to a general store with a tattered shop front. No matter how you look at it, it didn’t seem like a place with money.
In the general store there was a blurred vision, half-deaf half-blind old man. Simply looking at him, he didn’t seem like a person with money.
Jian Chuanxue thought it was very strange!
— Since we don’t intend to buy oil, don’t intend to buy vinegar, what are we doing here?
Xie Xiaofeng already walked over. He walked next to the old man and spoke a few words next to his ear.
The old man’s expression immediately changed and looked like a mouse suddenly being surrounded by eight cats.
Suddenly he brought Xie Xiaofeng with him and entered a small doorway at the back with a cloth curtain hanging over it.
Jian Chuanxue could only wait outside.
Luckily Xie Xiaofeng came out rather quickly. Once he came out, he asked, “Is thirty thousand taels of silver enough for us to spend?”
Thirty thousands taels of silver?
Where did thirty thousands taels of silver came from?
How could a small tattered general store all of a sudden have thirty thousand taels of silver?
Jian Chuanxue simply had no way of believing. But Xie Xiaofeng did indeed have thirty thousand taels of silver.
The old man did not come out yet. Jian Chuanxue couldn’t help but ask, “What kind of place is this exactly?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “It is, of course, a good place.”
He smiled and added, “A place with money is usually a good place.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “How can a place like this have money?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “The meat of a bun is not on the top. Whether a person has money or not, you can not determine this based on the appearance.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “That old man has money?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Not only does he have money, he is potentially the wealthiest within eight hundred miles here.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Then why does he have to live like this?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because he is willing to live like this, therefore he has money.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Since he is not willing to spend money himself, how could he for no reason give you thirty thousand taels of silver?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I, of course, have my method.”
Jian Chuanxue blinked his eyes. He lowered his voice and asked, “What method? Is it dog eat dog?”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed. He only laughed and did not say a word.
Jian Chuanxue was even more curious. He couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t tell me that old man is a great pirate of this land?”
Xie Xiaofeng smiled and said, “These are not the things you should be asking.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “What should I be asking right now?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Ask me where I am taking you to spend money on.”
Jian Chuanxue also laughed.
No matter what, spending money is something that makes people happy.
He immediately asked, “Where are we planning to go spend money at?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not speak yet. That old man stuck his head out of the cloth door and siad, “Right here.”
* * *
This place was a small worn down general store. Even if they purchase every item here, it wouldn’t be more than five hundred taels.
Jian Chuanxue, of course, asked, “This is also a place to spend money?”
The old man squinted his eyes and sized him up. His head retreated back in, as if he couldn’t even be bother to speak to him.
Xie Xiaofeng already laughed. “If this place did not have anywhere to spend money on, then where did that thirty thousand taels of silver come from?”
These words made sense. Still it was hard for Jian Chuanxue not to be skeptical. “This place has women?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Not only has women, this place has the best women within eight hundred miles.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Within eight hundred miles, the best wines are also here?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Here.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “How do you know?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because I’m an expert.”
* * *
The back of the variety store was a doorway, a small and narrow doorway with an old worn cloth door over it.
Where were the wines?
Where were the women? Could it be that they were all inside that small doorway with the shabby cotton cloth curtain?
Jian Chuanxue wanted to open that curtain to take a look. Before the curtain was opened and before the head came back out, there was this fragrant aroma.
A smell to die for.
And then he suddenly fainted.
* * *
When he woke up, Xie Xiaofeng was already drinking wine. He was not drinking alone. There were many women accompanying him to drink.
Though not sure whether the wine were the best, but the women were pretty good, extremely good.
Jian Chuanxue staggeringly stood up, staggeringly walked over, and first grabbed a cup of wine and drank it completely.
It was, sure enough, great wine.
The girls were all watching him, laughing. Their laughs made them even more beautiful.
Jian Chuanxue looked at them and then looked at Xie Xiaofeng again. “Did you smell that fragrance at first?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “No.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “I smelled it, why didn’t you?”
[End of Chapter 38]
Footnote
162. I have to admit, I’m not 100% on this section. The text is literally word-by-words with same punctuation:
“Sword can get its owner, sword wins, get its famed sword can not get its owner, sword grasp, sword ruin, sword sinks, thus can not leave name for thousand ages, even not able protect its body.”
Just a few notes — “its owner” is really its rightful/real owner, I translated as its true master. Although the word is not given in the text, based on context it’s implied. I translated “sword wins”/jiansheng to “a superb sword” though sheng=“victory” it could also mean superior because the victor is the superior one. I’m throw off by “get its famed sword”/deqimingjian but I interpret that section as “even a famed sword without its owner” which I’m pretty certain that’s what it’s saying. However, that front portion is really confusing to me. I don’t understand what “sword grasp”/jianzhi actually means. I recognize the word “zhi” from guzhi which means “stubborn” or lit. “refuse to grasp”. So with along that same line of thought, I translated “sword grasp” to “sword hard to grasp”. I am the least confident in this translation and will not be surprised if it’s completely wrong.
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09-11-14, 02:49 AM #43Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 6/03/14 and 6/08/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 39
Gambling With Swords
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I was pinching my nose.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Why did you pinched your nose?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied. “Because I already knew what that smell was.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “What kind of smell was that?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Mixiang163 (knockout gas).”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Why do they need to use knockout gas to make me lose consciousness?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “This way it’s more mysterious.”
He smiled, “Isn’t the more mysterious it seems, the more interesting it is?”
Jian Chuanxue looked at him, and then looked at these girls. He couldn’t help but sigh. “Looks like you are indeed an expert, truly an expert.”
* * *
“Why do people always say ‘eating, drinking, whoring164, gambling’? Why not say ‘gambling, whoring, drinking, eating’?”
“Don’t know.”
“I know.”
“Tell me why?”
“Because gambling is the most difficult. No matter how much you eat, drink, or visit brothel, you won’t lose everything in an instant. However, gambling, you can lose it all in a flash.”
“Once you lose it all. You cannot eat. You cannot drink. You cannot go to brothels.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“So gambling should be last.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“Right now, isn’t it time for us to start gambling?”
“It seems like it.”
“Where are you going to bring me to gamble?”
Xie Xiaofeng had not say anything yet, that old man suddenly stuck his head out the door and said, “Here! We have everything here!”
* * *
This was definitely not the run down general store.
This was a very beautiful house. It had beautiful decor, beautiful women, excellent foods, and excellent alcohols.
This place seemed to have everything. Unfortunately there was no gambling.
If you are gambling, you have to gamble whole heartily. If you had already did something else with a woman whole heartily, could you also gamble with her whole heartily?
Besides this type of women, there was also Xie Xiaofeng here.
Jian Chuanxue, of course, did not want to gamble with Xie Xiaofeng. Gambling can destroy friendships, leading to irreconcilable differences and leading to them becoming bitter enemies. However, if your gambling chip also belonged to your friend, how are you able to gamble with him?
Old man’s head retreated back in again. Jian Chuanxue only asked Xie Xiaofeng, “How should we gamble?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Doesn’t matter how, as long as we get to gamble.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Can it be that we are the only two gambling?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Of course there are other people.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Where are the people?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “They will come soon.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Who are these people?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Don’t know.”
— He smiled and said, “What I do know is, the people that old man got they must be good leg165.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “What is a good leg?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Good leg means they are experts166. That also means it doesn’t matter how we gamble or what we gamble, they are willing and able to gamble.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Willing and able to gamble means they are willing and able to lose?”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed and said, “It’s possible they wouldn’t lose. We might be the one that’ll lose instead.”
Gambling is playing against odds. As long as there is no cheating, anyone has a chance to win.
Jian Chuanxue said, “What are we gambling today?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not say anything because the old man stuck his head out the door again.
“Today, we’re gambling with sword.”
He squinted his eyes and looked at Xie Xiaofeng, “I promise the people that are coming are good legs.”
* * *
In Wulin, there were seven major sword schools —
Wudang, Diancang, Huashan, Kunlun, Hainan, E’mei, and Kongtong.
Shaolin disciples mostly didn’t use sword; therefore Shaolin wasn’t included.
Since Sanfeng167 zhenren168 (Taoist Master Sanfeng) was able to brilliantly grasp the true essence of neijia169 (internal style) swordplay and after the establishment of the school, Wudang was revered by the people, who practiced sword, as a standard orthodox school. Over the years, a large number of the school’s disciples developed into experts. Since the beginning, their reputation and prestige never waned.
Amongst the older generation of the current Wudang swordsmen, there were six head disciples. They were known as the “Siling Shuangyu” (Four Divinities, Two Jades).
The head of the Siling (Four Divinities) was Ouyang Yunhe170. Since he first appeared, he had been through thirty-six large and small battles. He had once confronted the renowned martial artist Taoist Gu that lived in seclusion in Bashan171 and only lost to several moves.
Ouyang Yunhe had a slender stature, heroic and charismatic. He not only carried a great deal of prestige and respects amongst his peers in his school. He also had enjoyed good relations with the people of Jianghu. Therefore, after the battle in Bashan, he was widely considered the most likely successor to lead Wudang. He also carried himself properly and had a clean living and honest lifestyle.
Surprisingly he actually showed up in a place like this today. The first person Xie Xiaofeng saw was him. It seemed like the old man wasn’t lying because Ouyang Yunhe was definitely an expert.
The swordplay of Kongtong came from the same lineage as Wudang, however it favored more lateral thinking. The lateral approach didn’t mean it was not good; sometimes it was even more incisive and fierce. Swords were seeded from the heart. A swordsman’s intent was always an effect of the sword skill they had practiced. Therefore the majority of the disciples of Kongtong were rather sombre and vicious.
As a result even though Kongtong was still considered a proper neijia (internal style) martial art, very few recognized Kongtong School as a proper neijia school. This made Kongtong disciples rather sensitive. They did not like dealing with their peers in Jianghu.
However the people of Jianghu did not disregard them, because in recent year everyone knew they’d developed an extremely fearsome set of swordplay. The swordplay had very few moves, but each move was lethal. Obviously it was not easy to master this swordplay. Beside the zhangmen172 (school master) and the four elders, it was said only one other person was capable of executing these lethal moves. This person was Qin Duxiu173.
The one that was following behind Ouyang Yunhe was Qin Duxiu. Qin Duxiu was obviously also an expert.
Huashan was peculiarly dangerous. Their swordplay was also peculiarly dangerous.
Huashan’s disciples were never numerous because in order to become a disciple of Huashan, one must have the will to endure hardship and be undaunted despite of setbacks. The current Huashan zhangmen (head master) was reclusive and arrogant. He was extremely strict and demanding toward his students. He would never allow Huashan disciples to brashly step away from Huashan.
Mei Changhua174 was the only one that could come and go freely; the one that could roam around Jianghu. It was because he had confident in Mei Changhua. Mei Changhua, without doubt, was also an expert.
Kunlun’s Feilongjiushi (Flying Dragon Nine Stances) was famed throughout the land. It was acclaimed in Jianghu. Amongst the disciple, there was only one dragon.
Tian Zailong175 was this dragon.
Tian Zailong was also undoubtedly an expert.
Diancang had picturesque scenery and was like spring year round. Their disciple began apprenticeship at a young age. Growing up in such an environment, most of them are congenial and gracious gentlemen. They were rather indifferent toward fame and fortune.
Although Diancang’s swordplays were light and swift, they rarely had any fatal killing intent.
However there was barely anyone willing to offend Diancang’s members. That was because they had a revered swordplay that would make people unable to step outside a certain area. The only thing was that this skill required seven people in order to display its full power.
That was why in Diancang, every generations had seven disciples. Every one in Jianghu referred them as the “Diancang Seven Swords”.
In these three hundred years, every “Diancang Seven Sword” had an exceptional and skilled swordsman.
Wu Tao176 was this generation’s Seven Swords’ exceptional figure.
Wu Tao was also an expert.
Hainan was in the middle of the south sea. Separated in such far away place, the people were also extremely solitary. If there weren’t any certainty on producing victories, they would not be willing to cross westward over the sea.
In the past ten years, Hainan swordsman practically vanished in the central plain. Around these times, Li Pingzi177 had suddenly appeared.
This person was not over the age of thirty. He had one arm, a lame leg, and extremely ugly. However his sword skill was perfect and precise. Once he used his sword, it made people forgot about the lone arm, lame leg, and his ugly appearance.
The person was also an expert.
These six were without doubt some of the finest and top-rated masters of current Wulin. Every single one of them was amongst the best and stood out from the crowd.
However the most distinct person was not them, it was Li Zhenzhen178.
Li Zhenzhen of Emei was referred by Jianghu as the “Luocha179 Xianzi” (Demon Fairy) Li Zhenzhen.
* * *
E’mei was the most refined in the world.
After the prior Miaoyin-shitai180 (Nun Master Miaoyin) succeeded the school, the E’mei’s air of elegance was concentrated within their female disciples.
Li Zhenzhen was obviously a woman.
After Miaoyin-shitai took the helm of the school, Emei female disciples were all head shaven nuns. Li Zhenzhen was an exception, the only exception.
The current E’mei zhangmen was the oldest amongst the seven great school masters. When she entered E’mei and shaven as nun, she was already around thirty.
No one knew what she did before thirty. No one knew her past background and history. Furthermore, no one had imagined at the ripe old age of sixty-three, she would succeed at the helm of E’mei.
Because Jianghu at the time was bustling with rumor, someone even said she was a famous beauty of Yangzhou.
It didn’t matter what kind of person she was before. After the entered E’mei, the things she had done were not something ordinary woman could have done.
Since the day she shaved her head to be a nun, she had never smiled — at least no one ever saw her smiled.
She adhered to strict Buddhist monastic principles and cultivates Buddhism painstakingly. Every day she had one meal, one bowl of huma (sesame) rice181 and one bowl of wugen (rootless) water182.
Before she became a Buddhist nun, she had an ample body size. After three year, she was skinny as Amur silver grass. After taking control of E’mei, her weight was only thirty-nine kilograms. Those that had seen her in person could not believe in such a thin and feeble body could produce such power and strength. Her disciples were all similar to her: adhered to Buddhist principles, carried painstaking cultivation, possessed absolute asceticism, and had a strict vegetarian and non-alcoholic diet.
She believed all young women would have normal and abnormal desires. However if she were in a persistent half-hungry situation, it would prevent her from thinking too much.
She had only made an exception on Li Zhenzhen.
Li Zhenzhen practically could do whatever she wishes. No one ever constricted her.
This was because even though Li Zhenzhen liked to eat and drink, liked to be well dressed, had bad temper, young and energetic, she never made any mistake. It was similar to how the sun would never rise from the west.
Wulin had traditionally been a male’s world. This was because men had more harden hearts and stronger strength wise. On Wulin’s heroes list, there were seldomly any woman. Li Zhenzhen was an exception.
In the past few years, the honor and glory Li Zhenzhen obtained for Emei were nearly greater the all other E’mei disciples combined.
* * *
Li Zhenzhen was also a beauty. Today she was wearing a water green color long flowing dress. The material, design, trim, and workmanship were all excellent. Although it was not particularly transparent, in well-lit environment it insinuated her slim waist and perfectly straight legs. This place was very bright.
Although sunlight could not shine through, lamp light was very bright. Under this light, her clothes were practically like a veil of mist.
She didn’t mind at all, not one bit. She would wear whatever she liked.
Because she was Li Zhenzhen.
It didn’t matter what she wore because no one would dare look down on her.
When she walked in, she went straight to Xie Xiaofeng and her eyes were fixed on him.
Xie Xiaofeng was also staring back at her.
She suddenly laughed.
“I know what you are thinking in your heart.”
She said, “You must be thinking whether I slept with men often?”
* * *
And those were her first words.
* * *
There were some people that were innately different from others. People that, in any time and any place, would say something startling or do something startling.
Li Zhenzhen was this type of people.
Xie Xiaofeng understood this type of people because he also used to be this type of people. He often liked to shock people.
Xie Xiaofeng also knew Li Zhenzhen wanted to see what he looked like when he was shocked.
Therefore he didn’t even look a bit shock. He only insipidly asked, “Do you want me to be honest?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “Of course I do.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Ok I’ll tell you. I am only thinking about how I can get you to sleep with me.
Li Zhenzhen said, “You only have one method.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What method?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “Gamble.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Gamble?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “If you can win, I’ll do whatever you want.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Then if I lose, I’ll need to agree to whatever you want me to do?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “Correct.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “The stake sure isn’t small.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “If you want to gamble, a bigger stake makes thing more interesting.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What do you want to use to gamble?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “Gamble using swords!”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You really wanted to gamble using swords with me?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “You are Xie Xiaofeng; the swordsman Xie Xiaofeng that’s matchless under heaven. If I don’t gamble using swords with you, what would I gamble you with? Perhaps I should crouch on the floor like a little kid and throw dice?”
She lifted her head, “If you are gambling with an alcoholic, you’ll gamble with alcohols. If you are gambling with Xie Xiaofeng, you’ll gamble with sword. Gambling with anything else is meaningless even if you win.”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed heartily and said, “Good! Li Zhenzhen sure is Li Zhenzhen.”
Li Zhenzhen laughed again and said, “Couldn’t believe the world famous Third Young Master actually knows about me.”
This time she was really laughing, not the cynical laugh she had at first or that heroic female laugh.
A laugh that was truly a woman’s laugh, a real woman.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Even for a person that had never seen a pearl before, the first time they see a pearl they understand its preciousness.”
He smiled and gazed at her, “Some people are like pearls. Even if you never seen her before, the instant you see her you would be able to recognize her.”
Li Zhenzhen laughed even more charmingly. She said, “No wonder why everyone says the Xie family’s third young master not only had a sword that was fear all men of the world, he also has a lip that can charmed all women of the world.”
She sighed, “Unfortunately after these women had been charmed, they couldn’t avoid being heart-broken.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Do you know that a people that always make other people grieve, will always have moment of grievance himself?”
Although his voice had a certain tranquility, it also had a certain unspeakable sadness.
Li Zhenzhen let her head hanged. “A person that always make other people grieve, will always have moment of grievance himself.”
She softly repeated his words and suddenly lifted her head. She stared at him and said, “I will always remember these words.”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed again and asked, “Ok, how do you want us to gamble?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I often heard other people say, the third young master draws his sword without emotion and would never leave any ground to the opponent.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “A three chi183 (feet) long sword, in itself, is a heartless item. If you ever relent with the blade, then why bother drawing it the first place.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Therefore once you draw your sword, the opponent would always die under your blade. Even till now, no one could blocks three moves from you.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “That is because I always spent all the energy within three moves.”
Li Zhenzhen asked, “Within three moves, if you cannot win, does that mean you’ll lose?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Very likely.”
He smiled and dully continued, “Fortunately, I still haven’t experience such a situation.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Maybe you’ll experience this today.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Oh?”
Li Zhenzhen turned around. Ouyang Yunhe, Qin Duxiu, Mei Changhua, Tian Zailong, Wu Tao, and Li Pingzi silently stood behind her. She look at them, “You recognize these people?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Although I have never met them before, I could recognize them.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I’m gambling that every one of them can withstand your three moves.”
Xie Xiaofeng said: “Every one?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Every one! As long as one of them couldn’t, I’ll lose!”
She also innocuously laughed, “This ways it wouldn’t be unfair. If you use up all your energy within three moves, you wouldn’t have the energy to deal with the last one or two people.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Fight between masters is not a battle between rhinoceros. We use skills, not brute strength.”
Li Zhenzhen’s eyes lit up and said, “Then you’re willing to gamble?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Today, I intended to have a huge gamble. What other method of gambling is more blissful than this?”
He faced upward and laughed, “Being able to fully face the distinguished disciples of the seven major sword schools. No matter whether I’ll win or lose, it would be something I’m content with in my life.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Good, Xie Xiaofeng is most certainly Xie Xiaofeng.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Are you preparing to be the first fighter?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I know the third young master has always disdain fighting with woman directly, how could I be the first? Besides…”
She smiled and continued, “Although a fight between masters is about skills not strengths, a weaker strength character is still at a disadvantage. How could these shixiong (older martial brothers) possibly allow me to be at a disadvantage?”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed, “Your words are reasonable.”
Li Zhenzhen sweetly said, “Women, in front of men, sometimes are rather unreasonable. Even if what I said was wrong, everyone would not blame me.”
Ouyang Yunhe, Qin Duxiu, Mei Changhua, Tian Zailong, Wu Tao, and Li Pingzi were still standing silently there. Perhaps Li Zhenzhen had already said whatever they wanted to say.
Xie Xiaofeng looked at them and said, “Who’s the first one that’ll take the first move?”
A person slowly stepped forward and said, “It’s me.”
Xie Xiaofeng sighed and said, “I knew it would be you.”
* * *
The person was, of course, Ouyang Yunhe.
Wudang was a prestigious orthodox school. In such a situation, how could they hide behind and go later?
Xie Xiaofeng sighed again and said, “If the first one wasn’t you, I would be disappointed. The first one is you, I am also disappointed.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Disappointed?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “It was said the Kongtong had recently developed a new set of swordplay; mysterious and extremely dangerous. I thought Kongtong disciple would fight to be first.”
Anyone could hear that these words had thorns. Only Qin Duxiu seems as if he didn’t hear anything.
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Kongtong and Wudang have the same lineage. It’s the same whoever comes out and make his move.”
Xie Xiaofeng slowly nodded and gently said, “That’s right. Whoever comes out and take first move, it’s the same.”
After saying “first move”, he had already made his move.184
Wu Tao was originally the farthest away; with the flash of his body, he already drew out Wu Tao’s sword on his waist.
After saying the last word, he was already in front of Qin Duxiu. He suddenly turned his sword around and handed Qin Duxiu the sword hilt.
Qin Duxiu was startled and took the sword. Nobody would’d thought Xie Xiaofeng hand came out like a flash, and drew his sword.
A flash of the sword and it was already at between his eyebrow and eyelash.
Qin Duxiu surprisingly did not panic in the face death, turn his hand over and disperse the sword, and then forged ahead.
With only the choking of a dragon roar, a sword already jolted and flew out. It flew upward toward the sky.
The sword flickered green with a bit of blue. It was the Qingyun (Blue Cloud) Sword185 that was forged by the best miantie186 (Burmese steel).
There was only seven of this type of swords. It was exclusively used by Diancang Seven Swords. However it was now in the hand of Qin Duxiu’s. It also flew out of Qin Duxiu’s hand.
When all the sword flashes disappeared, the sword was actually in Xie Xiaofeng’s hand. Qin Duxiu’s sword had returned back to his sword sheath on his waist. Everyone was shocked, Qin Duxiu, himself, looks like dying embers.
To him, what happened in those moments was simply a nightmare.
However, this nightmare was real.
Xie Xiaofeng did not look at him again and walked right to the front of Wu Tao and said, “This is your sword.”
He used two hands and offered it back to him. Wu Tao could only take it, the hand taking the sword was already trembling. He suddenly took a deep sigh and dimly said, “No need to make your move, I’ve already lost.”
Li Zhenzhen asked, “You really admit defeat?”
[End of Chapter 39]
Footnote
163. Mixiang lit. unconsciousness fragrance. Note: fragrance and smell is the same word in Chinese.
164. Piao (嫖), lit means visiting a prostitute. Note that “whoring” is only referring to the patron not the prostitute.
165. Haojiao, lit. good leg, means a good gambling partner, opponent.
166. Haoshou, lit. good hand, means a professional or expert.
167. Zhang Sanfeng (张三丰), founder of Wudang. Surname is Zhang (very common surname), given name means “three plentiful/great”
168. Zhenren, Taoist/Daoist master. Usually refer to those with particularly high cultivation in Taoist teaching.
169. Neijia, internal martial art. It focus on spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects of martial art instead of physiological aspect (i.e. external).
170. Ouyang Yunhe (欧阳云鹤), surname Ouyang, given name means “cloud crane”.
171. Bashan, Mt. Ba in eastern Sichuan.
172. Zhangmen, head master or leader of a martial art school.
173. Qin Duxiu (秦独秀), surname Qin, given name means “alone excel”.
174. Mei Changhua (梅长华), surname Mei, given name means “always magnificent”. Same hua as Huashan.
175. Tian Zailong (田在龙), surname Tian, given name means “at/exist/present dragon”.
176. Wu Tao (吴涛), surname Wu, given name means “large wave”.
177. Li Pingzi (黎平子), surname Li means dawn, given name means “flat/level/equal son”.
178. Li Zhenzhen (厉真真), Surname Li means severe, given name shenzhen means truth. Note: These “Li” are all different characters, different than the most common Li surname. The spelling is the same but tones are different. It's really Lì Zhenzhen, Lí Pingzi -- and the most common Li surname is Lǐ (李).
179. Loucha (罗刹), demon in Buddhism.
180. Miaoyin-shitai (妙因师太), her name is Miaoyin which means “clever/wonderful cause/reason”. Shitai is a title for (typically older) Buddhist nun.
181. huma rice. A sesame glutinous rice. It’s made of steamed rice with sesame and suger added, also known as the “fairy rice”. A traditional dish of Wuyishan. [Source: baidu]
182. wugen water (无根水), literally rootless water. It’s either fresh snow water, morning dew drops, or fresh rainwater that had never touch the ground. It is thought off as the “purest” of water.
183. Chi (尺), Chinese foot. It’s about a third of a meter or slightly above 13 inches.
184. Chushou (出手), lit. put hands out. It means making move or taking action. It was use in this sentence twice and the previous several lines of dialogues.
185. Qingyun Sword (青云剑), lit Blue Cloud Sword.
186. miantie (缅铁) I’m think this is “Burmese metal”. but mian also means ”faraway”. Apparently it’s a type of iron added to make weapon sword. It’s a treated iron but not exactly steel.Last edited by kaister; 09-12-14 at 01:49 AM. Reason: few bad capitalizations
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09-12-14, 01:48 AM #44Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 6/13/14 and 6/17/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 40
The Premeditated Plan Comes First
Wu Tao slowly nodded and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll not forget our appointment.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I believe it.”
Wu Tao turned and faced Xie Xiaofeng. He seemed as if he wanted to say something but did not even utter a word. He finally left without turning his head back.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Good. A win is a win. A lost is a lost. Diancang’s disciples are certainly gentlemen.”
Li Pingzi suddenly coldly said, “Fortunately I am no such gentleman.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “What’s good about not being gentleman?”
Li Pingzi said, “It is because I am not a gentleman, I do not fight to be first.”
His lone eye lit up and his ugly face revealed a sly smile. “The last person to go would not have to waste any energy waiting for an exhausted enemy, he would also have a chance to study your swordplay. Even if I don’t kill you, I could at least withstand three of your moves.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You are certainly not a gentleman. You are a petty man.187”
He actually smiled, “However a real petty man is still better than a fake gentleman. A petty man would still say honest words.”
Mei Changhua suddenly bitterly smiled and said, “Then the one at the most disadvantage are people like me.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Why?”
Mei Changhua said, “I am not a gentleman nor a petty man. Although don’t want to be first, I don’t want to be last.”
He slowly step forward, eye fixated at Xie Xiaofeng. “This time whose sword will you borrow?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Yours.”
* * *
To some people, a sword is simply a sword. It is something forged out of steel. It is something that can be used for protection. It can also be used to kill. However, to some other people, a sword is something completely different. It is something they devote their entire life to. For them, life and sword are merged into one.
It is because only a sword could bring them fame, fortune, and glory. Also only a sword could give them humiliation and death.
If the sword were here the owner would also be here. If the sword perished, the owner would also perish. To these people, a sword is not simply a sword. They are their most trusted companions. The body of a sword, has its life, has its spirit. It could be said they would rather lose their wives than their sword. This is not an overstatement; this is also not too extreme.
Wu Tao was this type of people. He believed that under any circumstance, losing his own sword was an unforgivable sin. It was also shame you cannot wash away. Therefore, after he lost his sword, he did not have the face188 to stay here any longer. Mei Changhua was also this type of people.
Having Wu Tao as a prior example, he was especially guarded toward his own sword.
Right now, Xie Xiaofeng made it clear that he wanted to borrow his sword in front of him.
Mei Changhua laughed, laughed loudly. His hand was gripping tightly onto the sword hilt. The veins on his arm were already popping out. No one would be able to pry this sword off his hand, unless they take the hand with it.
He seemed confident on himself but he underestimated Xie Xiaofeng.
At the point where he begun to laugh, Xie Xiaofeng had already made his move.
No one could describe the speed of his move; and no one could describe this move's brilliance and change in variation. However his target was not Mei Changhua's sword, it was his eyes.
Mei Changhua dodged and retreated; turned over his hand and drew out his sword. Drawing your sword out is a very important sword skill. Huashan disciple would never overlook this aspect.
Mei Changhua had a very quick sword draw. His movement was fast and with a flash of a sword he was already under Xie Xiaofeng's left rib.
No one would imagine that in an instant, his elbow was easily lifted. His entire body lost its center of gravity, and his body was moving like he was riding on cloud and mist189.
By the way he was able to regain his balance, his sword was already in Xie Xiaofeng's hand.
This was not a miracle nor was it magic. This was the Xie family's Third Young Master's unique skill "Stealing Sky Exchanging the Day190 Sword Seizing Form".
On first glance, what he did, did not look complicated. However when he was utilizing this skill, he had never fail once.
Mei Changhua's smile froze. On his face, there was a peculiar and furtive expression.
All of a sudden, there was a dragon roar191, which seems as if it came from beyond the sky. A sword light flashed and spiraled in mid-air; suddenly, like lightning, it struck down from above. That was the Kunlun's world famous "Feilong Jiushi" (Flying Dragon Nine Stances); sword like a divine dragon, and man like a hidden cloud. No sword skill from any school or any sect could compare to the force of this single sword strike.
Unfortunately, his opponent was Xie Xiaofeng.
Xie Xiaofeng's sword was like a gust of wind. No matter how powerful the force was, it would dissipate within the wind.
Once the power from this sword faded away, he could feel a wind blowing onto his body.
Although the wind was light, its coldness chilled down to the bone. It seemed as if it was freezing the blood flow throughout his whole body. His body crashed down from mid-air onto the ground.
* * *
The wind stopped.
The breathing also seemed to have stopped too. Not knowing how long had passed; Ouyang Yunhe finally took a long sigh and said, "That truly is a sword-play that’s unparalleled in the world."
Li Zhenzhen coldly followed, "Unfortunately the execution was improper. A person of Xie Third Young Master's caliber shouldn't win like that."
Jian Chuanxue suddenly said, "He was injured. Battling against seven experts, one has to strive for a speedy battle and divisive end while using any method to secure a win."
Li Zhenzhen asked, "You also understand swordplay?"
Jian Chuanxue said, "I don't know anything about sword, but I do understand this principle."
He suddenly sighed and slowly continued, "Actually he doesn't really need to win. Unfortunately he is Xie Xiaofeng, as long as he lives he is only allow to win and must not lose! He must not sully and ruin the reputation of Divine Sword Manor."
Li Zhenzhen suddenly laughed and said, "Reasonable. Your words sound reasonable. The Xie Third Young Master mustn't lose."
Jian Chuanxue said, "If he doesn't lose then you'll lose. Why are you so happy?"
Li Zhenzhen said, "You don't understand?"
Jian Chuanxue said, "I don't understand."
Li Zhenzhen sweetly said, "Hard to believe there is something in the world that you don't understand."
The expression on her face was like the rainy season’s month's weather; you couldn't tell whether it would be sunny or cloudy. Revealing a smiling, she lifted her head. "Since you don't understand, why should I tell you?"
Li Pingzi suddenly yelled, "I'll tell you!"
Li Zhenzhen's expression on her face changed, she cut in, "The words you all said, did it not count?"
Li Pingzi said, "What did we say? I'd already forgotten."
Ouyang Yunhe said, "I did not forget."
His attitude seemed stern and serious. "We made a promise to her. Before victory is determined, we would not reveal its secret."
Li Zhenzhen relaxed and said, "Luckily you are a gentleman that keeps his promise."
Li Pingzi scoffed, "He is a gentleman. He wanted to keep his promise. That is his business. I am just a petty man. The words of a petty man are nothing more than fangpi192 (utter rubbish)."
His hand was already tightly gripping onto the sword hilt, "If I needed to fangpi (speak rubbish), no one could stop me."
Xie Xiaofeng altered his sight, smiled, and said, "Fangpi (farting) is an critical part of human life. I guarantee you no one would stop you."
Li Pingzi said, "Very good then."
His sole eye flickered and then said, "She was the reason we came here to gamble with you using sword."
Xie Xiaofeng said, "I'd already thought of that."
Li Pingzi said, "But what you didn't know is that she has a separate bet193 with each of us."
Xie Xiaofeng asked, "What's the bet?"
Li Pingzi said, "She bet that every single one of us would not be able to withstand three moves from you."
Xie Xiaofeng said, "So if she lose against me, she'll win against all of you."
Li Pingzi said, "She'll only lose to just you but will beat the six of us. Her winnings are still greater than her lost."
Li Zhenzhen laughed again and sweetly said, "You people should've known. I would never commit myself to be at a disadvantage."
Xie Xiaofeng said, "What is she gambling for with all of you?"
Li Pingzi said, "Do you know Tianzun (Divine Supreme)?"
Xie Xiaofeng bitterly smiled and said, "I know."
Li Pingzi said, "Lately Tianzun's power had grown tremendously. The seven major sword schools cannot stand idly aside. The older generations are already in biguan194 (seclusion) and not coming out. We, the younger generation's disciples, had decided to gather at Mount Tai195 to form the Seven Schools Alliance."
Xie Xiaofeng said, "This is a good idea."
Li Pingzi said, "On that day, obviously we have to appoint a leader of the alliance."
Xie Xiaofeng said, "If all of you lose to her, then she would be appointed as the alliance leader?"
Li Pingzi said, "That's exactly right."
Li Zhenzhen gently said, "Even if all of you appoint me to be the alliance leader, what is wrong with this?"
Li Pingzi said, "There is only one thing wrong."
Li Zhenzhen said, "Which one?"
Li Pingzi said, "You are too smart. If we appointed you as the alliance leader, I'm afraid the alliance on Mount Tai would be a second Tianzun."
Li Zhenzhen said, "Right now Kunlun, Huashan, Kongtong, and Diancang had already, in an instance, lost badly to the sword of the Third Young Master. Are you confident that you can withstand three of his moves?"
Li Pingzi said, "I am not."
He bitterly smiled and continued, "It is because I'm not confident that I had already decided to count the bet as fangpi (uttering nonsense).”
Li Zhenzhen sighed and said, "Actually I already know you’re a petty man that would not keep his promise. Fortunately, this is not the same for everyone else."
Ouyang Yunhe said, "I am also."
Li Zhenzhen was really taken by surprised, lost her voice and said, "You? You are also the same as him?"
Ouyang Yunhu's expression seemed extra serious. He said, "I have to be like this. Jianghu cannot have another Tianzun."
He slowly walked over next to Li Pingzi's side.
Li Pingzi laughed heartily, patted on his shoulder, and said, “Although you are no longer considered a real gentleman, you are most certainly a real man.”
Ouyang Yunhu sighed and rambled, “Or perhaps I was never a true gentleman.”
After saying these words, he made his move; an elbow fist struck on Li Pingzi’s right rib.
When there was the noise of ribs breaking, the sharp sword already came out of the sheath.
With the flicker of sword light, blood was flying everywhere. Li Pingzi’s lone eye seemed to be popping out, glaring at Ouyang Yunhe. Until now, he finally realized Ouyang Yunhe and Li Zhenzhen were on the same side. Till now, he finally knew who was the real petty man.
But it was too late now.
* * *
The sword blade was still dripping blood.
Qin Duxiu, Mei Changhua, Tian Zailong faces were all white.
Ouyang Yunhe coldly stared at them and warmly said, “What I, Ouyang Yunhe, hates the most in my life, are these petty men that couldn’t keep their promises. Hated them so much I would kill each and every one of them with my own blade. If anyone believes I had killed wrongly, I wouldn’t mind dying to absolve my guilt.”
Li Zhenzhen gently said, “They all know your character, and would never think that way.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “A victory is a victory. A defeat is a defeat. Every one is a gentleman here, and would never go back on his words.”
Tian Zailong suddenly shouted, “I am no gentleman. Right now, I wanted to vomit just hearing this word.”
Ouyang Yunhe had a serious face and said, “Then Tian-shixiong (older martial art brother) meant…”
Tian Zailong, “I don’t have any other meaning. I just wanted to say that I no longer have any intention of going to Mount Tai. Whoever all of you want to appoint as the alliance leader, it’s not my business.”
Qin Duxiu said, “If you are not going, then I also would not go.”
Me Changhua said, “I would definitely not go.”
Tian Zailong spiritedly said, “Great, let’s go then. Who could stop us!”
The three of them took a giant step on shoulder by shoulder. Tian Zailong was in the middle; Mei Changhua and Qin Duxiu were on the left and right. Suddenly they sandwiched the middle. By the time they separated, Tian Zailong's left and right side were leaking out fresh blood. He struggled and wanted to draw out his sword.
The sword was still in the sheath; he had already collapsed.
“You are all vicious!”
These were his last four words; his last statement.
* * *
It was silent; silent for a long while.
Every one was looking at Xie Xiaofeng. Every one was waiting for his reaction.
Xie Xiaofeng was looking at the sword in his hand, the sword that was originally Mei Changhua’s.
Mei Changhua suddenly said, “This is a good sword?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “It is a good sword.”
Mei Changhua said, “This sword was passed down generation from generation in Huashan. In the past three hundreds of years, it was never fallen in the hands of an outsider.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I believe that.”
Mei Changhua said, “If you believe my killing of Tian Zailong was, why don’t you kill me with that sword? I’ll die with no regret.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “He indeed deserve to die. I deserve it even more, because we both misjudged people.”
His hand was lightly stroking on the sword’s edge. He slowly raised his head. “Right now Diancang’s Wu Tao had already left in defeat. Hainan’s Li Pingzi had been killed. Tian Zailong’s death means Kunlun is already in all your control. The gathering in Mount Tai already belong to all of you.”
Ouyang Yunhe spoke in a serious tone. “This result is what we had originally planned out.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You all must’ve known I am a person nearing death.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “We definitely already know you could only live for three more days.”
Li Zhenzhen sighed and said, “News in Jianghu typically spread fast. Not to mention, especially news regarding you.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You people could also see that once I made my move, the wounds already ruptured.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Even if we cannot see it, we could imagine it.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “So all of you must be thinking, a person like me should not get involve in other people’s business.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “But we still respect you. No matter whether you’re dead or alive, you can still preserved the honor of Divine Sword Manor’s reputation.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “At least we admitted defeat. We’re defeated under your hand.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I know. This I am thankful for. However, all of you seem to have forgotten one thing.”
Li Zhenzhen asked, “Which one?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “With me here, Tian Zailong and Li Pingzi didn’t have to die.”
Li Zhenzhen asked, “Because you believe you should have saved them?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “That’s right.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “So even though you did not kill them personally, they had died because of you?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Yes.”
Li Zhenzhen asked, “So you wanted to avenge them?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Can’t say it is to avenge them. Think of it as a way of putting my consciousness at ease.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I understand what you mean. Since you have to die regardless, even if you die under our hands it will at least put you at rest and die with no regrets.”
She softly sighed and slowly continued, “Unfortunately you still have a lot you do not know.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Oh?”
Li Zhenzhen, “You only see the top layer of the current situation and had already came to a conclusion. The details within, you didn’t even seem to care or wanted to ask anything about it.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What should I be asking?”
Li Zhenzhen, “You should at least ask this one question: ‘What is the reason Li Pingzi and Tian Zailong deserved to die?’ ”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “They deserved to die?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Of course they deserved it!”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Absolutely deserved it!”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Because if they did not die, our seven school alliance cannot be established.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Because if they did not die, there would be more people that’ll die.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Li Pingzi was thoughtless and unruly. He was basically a character that could not accomplish anything and liable to spoil everything.196”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “If we wanted to accomplish great task, we had to sacrifice these type of people.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I felt a bit bad about his death, but Tian Zailong…”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Even if Tian Zailong died ten times over, it wouldn’t have absolve his guilt.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Why?”
Li Zhenzhen said, “Because he was an enemy agent!”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Enemy agent?”
Li Zhenzhen laughed.
She was laughing, but was more solemn than when she was laughing, “Do you know what an enemy agent means? Enemy agent is someone that will sell people out.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Who did he sold out?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “He sold us out, and he sold himself out.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Who was the buyer?”
Li Zhenzhen replied, “It’s Tianzun. Of course, it’s Tianzun.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “You should’ve known. Beside Tianzun, who could’ve bought out a person like Tian Zailong.”
Xie Xiaofeng questioned, “Do you have any proof?”
Li Zhenzhen asked back, “You wanted to see the proof?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I do.”
She suddenly turned around and pointed her finger out.
Her finger was small and delicate. However, right now it looked like a sword, a pin.
She actually pointed at Jian Chuanxue.
“This person is the proof.”
Jian Chuanxue remained clam. His expression on his face, however, seemed to have changed.
Li Zhenzhen said, “You are the third young master of the Xie family. You are the most powerful swordsman of the world. You are definitely not a fool.”
Xie Xiaofeng definitely would not admit he was a fool, nor could he.
Li Zhenzhen asked, “Have you thought to yourself, how did we know you only have three days to live?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not need to.
— It was a matter of time before people find out about this matter. Everyone would know.
— However, the number people that did know about this were small.
— Who would’ve known about this matter the most?
— Who would’ve known where Xie Xiaofeng would be at in these two days?
Xie Xiaofeng laughed.
[End of Chapter 40]
Footnote
187. xiaoren, literally means a “little man” usually refers to someone with a bad character. I’m translating it as “petty man”.
188. Face here is this Chinese ideal that represents pride, honor, and/or reputation.
189. Tengyunjiawu (腾云驾雾) Chinese expression to describe someone in a trance. (?) I guess him being off balance messed up his thoughts.
190. Toutianhuanri (偷天换日) Chinese expression to describe an underhand attempt.
191. dragon roar (龙吟) is just a really loud noise.
192. Fangpi (放屁), lit. means farting, but also means talking nonsense/rubbish. I kept it untranslated because it hard to keep the flow of the dialogue since no English word has this dual meaning.
193. Bet and gamble is the same word in Chinese so all the previous text that mention gamble could also mean “bet”. I should mention this earlier.
194. biguan (闭关), in wuxia is a concept where a master secluded himself to improve his martial art. Literally means “seclusion”.
195. Taishan (泰山), Mount Tai, a historical and cultural mountain located a Tai’an in Shandong.
196. The phrase “chengshibuzu, baishiyouyu”, lit. means “successes not enough, failures plenty”.
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09-13-14, 06:25 PM #45Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 6/30/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 41
Thought Lightly of Life and Death
He was laughing, but no one would believe he was laughing from his heart.
He was looking at Jian Chuanxue.
Jian Chuanxue lowered his head.
“Yes, I said it.”
“I am part of Tianzun, and so was Tian Zailong.”
“I told Tian Zailong, that’s why they knew about this.”
He did not say these words out loud but it was not necessary.
“I was wrong about you.”
“I thought of you as a friend; clearly I am wrong.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not say these words out loud, and it also wasn’t necessary. Xie Xiaofeng only said the following words:
“I don’t blame you.”
Jian Chuanxue also only asked him one question. “You really don’t blame me?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I don’t blame you because you originally didn’t know me.”
Jian Chuanxue was silent for a while. He finally slowly said, “Yes. I originally did not know you, not even for a bit.”
These were very simple words, but had very complicated meanings.
— Not know means not familiar.
— Not familiar means not really knowing what kind of person you are.
Xie Xiaofeng understood what he meant and understood how he was feeling.
So Xie Xiaofeng only said three words!
“You can leave.”
* * *
Jian Chuanxue left; he left with his head down.
After he left for a while, Ouyang Yunhe finally took a deep sigh and said, “Xie Xiaofeng truly is Xie Xiaofeng.”
This was also a very simple statement, and very crude.
However, its meaning was not simple, nor crude.
Li Zhenzhen sighed. She took a long soft sigh and said, “If I were you, I would not let him go.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You are not me.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “You are not me either, and also not Ouyang Yunhe, Mei Changhua, and Qin Duxiu.”
Xie Xiaofeng, of course, was not.
Li Zhenzhen said, “It’s because you are not, therefore you do not understand us.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “That’s why you thought we shouldn’t have kill Li Pingzi and Tian Zailong.”
Li Zhenzhen said, “That’s why we had already decided, to accomplish our goals we’ll take any steps necessary.”
Ouyang Yunhu said, “We only have one goal.”
Without Xie Xiaofeng asking, Li Zhenzhen already said it out!
“Resist Tianzun, uphold righteousness!”
She continued, “Perhaps our actions may not be proper, our intentions are definitely correct.”
Mei Changhua said, “So if you really thought we had wrongfully killed, why don’t you kill us with this sword.”
Ouyang Yunhe said, “Not only will we not fight back, we will die without any grudges!”
Li Zhenzhen said, “I am a woman. Women are a bit more afraid of death, but I would also die without resentment.”
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng’s hand had a sword. It didn’t matter what sword or whose sword, once it was in the hand of the third young master of the Xie family it was a sword that kills!
It would slay any person, the question was — Does this person deserve to die?
* * *
Dusk. There was fog.
There should not be any fog at dusk, but there was a dream-like fog.
People should not have dream, but do dream.
Xie Xiaofeng went into the fog, into the dream.
Was it a fog-like dream? Or a dream-like fog?
If there’s a saying that life is supposedly dream-like and fog-like, is this saying too crude or too true?
“We are all men, men of Jianghu, therefore you should understand why we did what we had done.”
These were Li Zhenzhen’s words; therefore he did not kill Li Zhenzhen, and did not kill Mei Changhua, Qin Duxiu, or Ouyang Yunhe. Because he knew these were true words.
In Jianghu there was basically no absolute right or wrong. If a Jianghu man wanted to accomplish his goal, he ought to use any mean necessary.
When they needed to do one thing, often they did not even have a choice.
No one wanted to admit to these points, but no one could deny it either.
This was the fate of a person of Jianghu. This was also precisely the biggest grievance for a person of Jianghu.
Jianghu would always have a person like Li Zhenzhen. Supposedly he did kill Li Zhenzhen, then what? What would it change?
“We chose her to be the alliance leader because we believe she is the only one that could handle Tianzun’s Murong Qiudi.”
These words came from Ouyang Yunhe. These were also true words.
He suddenly realized Li Zhenzhen and Murong Qiudi were the same type of people.
These people seemed to be natural born winner. They would succeed in whatever they do. On the other hand, there are people that are natural born loser. No matter how much they’ve already won, they would lose it all in the end.
He couldn’t help but asked himself, “What about me? Which type am I?”
He did not answer his question. He didn’t really want to know the answer to this question.
* * *
The fog was cold and thick. It was so thick it seemed to have blocked him off from the rest of the people in the world.
This type of weather was perfect for his current mood. He really didn't want to see anyone else.
However at this moment, someone appeared amidst the thick fog.
Jian Chuanxue’s face, which appeared amidst the fog, looked as if he had just escaped from hell.
Xie Xiaofeng sighed, “It’s you.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “It’s me.”
His voice was coarse and melancholic, “I know you don’t want to see me, but I have to come here.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Why?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Because there are some words on my mind. Whether you are willing to listen or not, I must say it out.”
Xie Xiaofeng looked at his deathly pale face and finally nodded. He said, “If you must say it, I’ll listen.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I am definitely part of Tianzun because I could not refuse them. I still don’t want to die yet.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I understand. If a person like Tian Zailong couldn't refuse them, then how could you?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I am different from him. He trained and learned about swords. I am trained in medicine. The art of medicine is focus to helping the world and saving people. We put emphasis on the lives of people.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I understand.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I’d only joined Tianzun for several months. I have learned medicine for twenty years. The views on human life had long been ingrained in my heart.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I believe it.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Therefore no matter what Tianzun wanted me to do, I would not view human life as child's play. As long as it’s my patient, I would devote myself completely to save this patient. It doesn’t matter who this patient is.”
He looked at Xie Xiaofeng, “The same applies to you.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “It’s too bad my injuries couldn’t be healed.”
Jian Chuanxue sorrowfully said, “As long as I think there’s still a slim chance, I would never give up.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I know you’d already did your best. I am not blaming you.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Tian Zailong was indeed part of Tianzun. They had originally wanted me to arranged to have him kill you!”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed, “Things like this could be arranged?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Other people couldn’t, but I could.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How would you arrange this?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “If I added some bone-decaying medicine onto your wound, I just need to give him the signal. When you face Tian Zailong, you wouldn’t even have the strength to fight back.”
He said hurriedly, “No matter who defeated the third young master of the Xie family, it would’ve shook the entire Jianghu. Not to mention, they already had a bet.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Whoever kills Xie Xiaofeng would be leader of the alliance in Taishan?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Correct.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “If Tian Zailong could kill me in front of the head disciples of the seven great sword schools, Li Zhenzhen would’ve ceded the leadership position to him. Then the alliance of the seven sword school would simply be in Tianzun’s control.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Correct.”
Xie Xiaofeng lightly sighed and said, “But it’s a pity you didn’t do it.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I cannot do this. I just don’t have the will to carry it out.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “It’s because the art of medicine is humane; something that’s ingrained in your heart.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “Correct.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Right now there is only one thing I don’t understand.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “What?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “How could Li Zhenzhen and them know I only have three days to live? This should be something only the people of Tianzun would know.”
Jian Chuanxue expression changed, cracked his voice and said, “Could it be that Li Zhenzhen is also part of Tianzun?”
Xie Xiaofeng looked at him. He stayed calm and imperviously asked, “You really did not know she is also part of Tianzun?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You should’ve known. An expert chess player, behind their piece was another hidden piece that was even more dangerous. Murong Qiudi never had much faith on Tian Zailong. In this round of chess, her real move lies in Li Zhenzhen.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “You’d already thought of this?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I’m not that foolish.”
Jian Chuanxue let out a sigh of relief, and said, “Then you must’ve killed her.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I did not.”
Jian Chuanxue face changed again, and asked, “Why did you let her go?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because only she has the ability to go against Murong Qiudi.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “But she…”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Although right now she’s still part of Tianzun, she would not be willing to stay under Murong Qiudi for long. Taishan (Mt. Tai) is her best chance. Once she ascends to the leadership of the alliance, she would use her power and might to go against Tianzun.”
He smiled and added, “I understand her kind; she would never let this opportunity slip by.”
Jian Chuanxue’s hands were sweating. He was not stupid, but he would never have thought of any of this.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Murong Qiudi had been using her but didn’t realize she was also using Murong Qiudi. She joined Tianzun probably with the intention to borrow its power to allow her to reach to this stage.”
He sighed and continued, “This piece that Murong Qiudi played was like a poisonous snake. Poisonous snake could put someone’s life out, but at any given time could turn back and take a bite at its owner.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “This bite could be lethal?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “She could gain Murong Qiudi’s trust. She, of course, should also be capable of finding Tianzun’s lifeline. Once she bites on this lifeline, it definitely wouldn’t be light.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “However a centipede does not topple over even when dead.197 If she wants this one bite to be fatal, it wouldn’t be that simple.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Therefore we have to fight poison with poison. Have them battle each other out. Once they both exhausted each other, someone else will take their place.”
Jian Chuanxue asked, “Who is this someone else?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Every generation in Jianghu has its hero. Who this person will be? No one knows!”
He took a long sigh, “This is the destiny of a man of Jianghu. Life in Jianghu is like a fallen leaf amidst the wind, duckweed in water; often one has no control over its destiny. As long as we know both Tianzun and Seven Sword Alliance would both fall, that’s enough. There’s no need to know too much.”
Jian Chuanxue did not ask anymore. He was a not a man of Jianghu. He did not understand the people of Jianghu; he understood Xie Xiaofeng even less. He suddenly realize this person was not only like a duckweed or fallen leaf floating about unpredictably; he was also like the night fog earlier: illusionary, indiscernible, and hard to grasp.
This person was sometimes profound, sometimes carefree, sometimes melancholy, sometimes gleeful, sometimes lenient and charitable, but sometimes suddenly became extreme and cold-hearted. Jian Chuanxue had never met someone with such complicated personality.
It may be because of such complicated and fluctuating personality, he was Xie Xiaofeng.
Jian Chuanxue looked at him, suddenly sighed, and said, “I came, originally, because I have something to tell you.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Although I could not help you with your wound, your injuries aren’t incurable.”
Xie Xiaofeng’s face lit up.
If a person knows he has a chance to still live, who wouldn’t want to live?
Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t help but ask, “Who could still save me?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “There is only one person.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Who?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “He is also a strange person. Just like you, he is ever changing and hard to grasp. Sometime could also be cold-hearted and emotionless like you.”
Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t deny, only sighed.
The people with the most emotions are the people that could be the most emotionless. Was he full of emotions or devoid of emotions? This, not even he, himself, could tell.
Jian Chuanxue looked at him, then suddenly sighed and said, “It doesn’t matter who he is. Right now you would never be able to find him?”
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng was never afraid of death. Every person, when they are young, are not afraid of death. This is because they don’t know why death is fearful.
Especially Xie Xiaofeng. When he was young, he had heard of plenty of stories of true heroes. True heroes were never afraid to die.
Heroes are not afraid of death. Those afraid of death are often not heroes. If the person dies at this instant, so what? Even after twenty years, he is still a hero.
This ideology was deeply rooted within him. After he grew up, he was even less afraid of death. That was because the one that dies were other people, not him.
As long as his sword was still in his hand, then “life and death” were in the palm of his hand.
Although he was not god, he had control on the fate of other people’s survival and demise. Why should he be afraid of death? Sometimes he had also wonder what it feels like to die, because it was something he had never experience.
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng also did not want to die. His family had a glorious background and celebrated reputation. No matter where he went, he was well respected. Even when he was young, he already knew this. He was also intelligent. When he was four, he was already known as a prodigy. He was cute. In women’s view, he was always an incorruptible angel. Whether it was a noble woman or a wash lady, their views were all the same.
He was a genius at studying martial art. Sword skill that other couldn’t even learn in ten years, he could master it in ten days.
He had never been defeated before.
Opponents he had face included dangerous swordsmen and most brilliant gamblers. However he had never lost before. Betting with sword, betting with alcohols, betting with dice, betting anything; he had never lost. A person like him, why would he want to die?
* * *
He was not afraid of death, probably because he was never threatened by death before. Until that day, that moment, when someone told him he had only three days to live. In an instance, he finally understood the fear of death. Although he didn’t want to die, he was helpless.
A person’s life and death are often not decided by the person himself. This is true for anybody. He understood this point.
Therefore even though he knew he was about to die, he could only wait for death because he had no alternatives.
However, the situation had changed.
A person waiting for death suddenly has a glimmer of hope to live. This hope is then suddenly dashed by another. This change from one extreme to another all happened in an instant.
Who could endure this type of shock?
Jian Chuanxue did not move an inch. He seemed as if he was waiting for him to snap his neck.
— Since you’re not allowing me to live, I don’t want to allow you to live either.
This is a principal the people of Jianghu often adhere to. This was the result he was expecting.
Xie Xiaofeng, on the other hand, did not move. He quietly stood there and coldly stared at him.
Jian Chuanxue said, “You could kill me. However even if you kill me, I will not speak.”
His voice was nervously shaking, “Because right now I finally know what kind of person you are.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What kind of person am I?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “You are far more heartless than anyone thought.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Oh?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “If you don’t even care about your life or death, why would you bother with other people’s life or death.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Oh?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “As long as you believe it’s necessary, you are willing to sacrifice anyone at any moment. It doesn’t matter who this person is.”
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly laughed and said, “So I am better dead than alive.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I don’t really want to see you die. I am not saying because I wanted to protect this person.”
[End of Chapter 41]
Footnote
197. Chinese saying “baizuzhicong, sierbujiang“, lit. a centipede die without showing signs of death. It mean the influences of the powerful will lingers after its downfall.
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09-15-14, 03:08 AM #46Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 7/02/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 42
Back From Death’s Door
Xie Xiaofeng was baffled. “Protecting him?”
Jian Chuanxue said, “I know he would definitely save you. However if you do not die, he will die in your hand.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
Jian Chuanxue replied, “Because once the two of you meet, one will die under the other’s sword. The one that’ll die would definitely not be you.”
He slowly continued, “Because I know that no matter what situation you’re in, you will never allow yourself to be defeated. Because as long as the third young master of the Xie family is alive, he will not allow himself to lose to another’s sword!”
Xie Xiaofeng was pondering, then slowly laughed, and said, “You are right. I can die, but I can never allow myself to be defeated by another’s sword.”
He looked far away, took a long sigh and said, “Because I am Xie Xiaofeng!”
* * *
This statement could be his last statement, because this could very well be his last day.
He could collapse at any moment; because after he said these words, he left without turning back. He knew that once he leaves, he would not have any more chances to find a way to keep on living.
However he didn’t force anything, and he did not plead. It was like waving goodbye to the colorful clouds. There was no sentiments, nor reluctances.
Because although defeat wasn’t a choice for him, death was!
* * *
The night had slowly gotten dark. The fog had gotten thicker. Jian Chuanxue watched the back of his thin and haggard body slowly disappeared into the thick fog.
He really didn’t turn around and take a look.
— A person that was this heartless to himself, and yet let alone other people?
Jian Chuanxue clenched his fist and bit down on his teeth. “I cannot say, definitely cannot say…”
His voice seemed resolute; however, his body already rushed out. He loudly called out, “Xie Xiaofeng, wait!”
The fog was dreary and fuzzy. He could not see anyone or hear anyone response. He was running and panting until he fell down.
The mud was damp and it was salty like tears. He suddenly saw a pair of legs.
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng was standing in front of him. His head was tilted down looking at him.
Jian Chuanxue did not stand up. He said while crying, “I cannot say. If I said it out, I would let him down.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I understand.”
Jian Chuanxue said, “However if I don’t say it, how would I be able to not let you down.”
He couldn’t sit back and watch Xie Xiaofeng die.
He simply could not leave people in mortal danger.
It was against the principal he had followed for the past twenty years.
After battling with his internal struggles. “Fortunately, I’ve at least thought of a method.”
“What method?”
“Only this method can put me at ease. And only this method can allow me to keep my secret.”
He thrust a knife into himself.
A faint simmer of the knife blade flashed within the thick fog.
An extremely sharp knife; the seven cun198 long knife had completely entered his chest.
* * *
If a person still has a conscience, sometimes this person would rather die than go against his conscience. He still had a conscience.
Thick fog, running water. The Amur silver-grass at the side of the riverbank was rustling. The river water was flowing silently in the dark. The thick fog above the river was like smoke.
A desolate river and a desolate weather.
Xie Xiaofeng was on the edge of the riverbank in between the Amur silver grass. The sound of the flowing water was like the breathing of a dying man. He was listening to the water and he was listening to his breathing.
The flowing water would never stop; however, his breathing could stop at any moment.
What a sad and lonely mockery this was.
* * *
Who would’d imagine the world famous Xie Xiaofeng was alone sitting on the riverbank waiting for his death?
Death that was not emphatically lamentable or worth grieving was his kind of death.
He chose to die this way. It was because he was too tired. All of the strength used for striving and struggling for life had already disappeared. It was said that a person nearing death had a lot of strange reminisces of his life. There were some things that had already been forgotten, suddenly appearing back in his mind.
However, he didn’t even dare to think. Right now he just wanted to talk to someone; anyone would do. He suddenly felt very lonely. Sometimes loneliness is harder to bear than death. Otherwise why would some people decide to die because of loneliness?
* * *
The wind blew by.
The pervading thick fog above the river suddenly had a faint flickering fire.
It was not a lamp fire, but a stove fire.
There was a lonely boat with a small red clay stove. A flickering flame was shining on an old man, who had a green bamboo hat, a green woven coat, and hair white as snow.
The wind was blowing a bitter and astringent but cool aroma. Not sure whether it was medicine or tea boiling on the stove.
A lonely boat with a weak stove fire and a lonely old man. For him, all the joys and sorrows, separation and reunion in life were all nothing but passing smokes in front of his eyes. Was he also waiting for death?
* * *
Looking at this old man, Xie Xiaofeng suddenly with a strange feeling in his heart. He suddenly stood up and waved.
“The old man on the boat, do you mind steering the boat to here?”
The old man didn't seem to have heard anything. He did asked, “What do you want?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You seemed to be staring blankly on the boat. I am staring blankly on the riverbank. Why don’t we sit down and have a chat, as a way to pass the time on this long night.”
The old man did not say anything. But there was an “ainai”199 (exclaim) sound and the light boat was slowing moving toward here.
Xie Xiaofeng smiled.
On this cold and damp thick fog, the two of them meeting seemed to brought a hard to describe serenity and warmth.
* * *
The water in the copper pot on the stove fire was already boiling; the bitter and clear fragrance was even stronger.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Is this tea or medicine?”
The old man said, “It is tea. And it is medicine.”
Looking at the flickering but bright firelight, his old face had a strange expression. He slowly continued, “You are still young. You probably do not understand and appreciate the taste of bitter tea.”
Xie Xiaofeng responded, “However I already understand that only through bitterness would you get the extra sweetness.”
The old man turned his head and looked at him. He suddenly laughed; every wrinkle was filled with joy.
Afterward he lifted the copper pot and said, “Good. You drink a cup.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How about you?”
The old man replied, “I am not drinking.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man squinted his eyes and warmly said, “Because I had already experienced all kinds and types of bitterness in this world.” These seemed to be very desolate words; but coming from his mouth it seemed to have another feeling.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “If you are not drinking, why were you preparing the tea?”
Old man replied, “People that prepare the tea are not necessarily the one that will drink it.”
Within he squinted eye, there seemed to be flickering light. He slowly continued, “A lot of things in the world are like this. You are still young, of course you wouldn’t understand.”
Xie Xiaofeng received the cup filled with bitter tea. He almost couldn’t help but laugh.
He did not laugh, nor did he want to dispute.
Being refer to as a young man wasn’t bad. What wasn’t good was that this young man was nearing death.
* * *
The tea was still boiling hot. The crude teacup holding the tea was small. He drank it all in one gulp. It didn’t matter whether he was drinking tea or wine; he drank it fast. It didn’t matter what he was doing; he did things fast. Was it because he believed his life would end soon?
He finally couldn’t hold back and laughed. He suddenly said, “There something that if I say it out, you would’ve been shocked.”
The old man was looking at his cynical smile waiting for his words.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I am already a person nearing death.”
The old man was not shock. He didn’t even had a hint of surprised on his face.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I am telling the truth.“
The old man said, “I could tell.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Are you going to tell me to get off the boat?”
The old man shook his head.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But I could die any moment here, in front of you.”
The old man said, “I have seen people die, and I have seen dead people.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “If I were you, I would not let a stranger die on my boat.”
The old man said, “You are not me. And you will not die on my boat.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because you’ve met me.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Since I’ve met you, I will not die?”
The old man replied, “Yes.”
His voice was very calm and assertive, “Since you’ve met me, it’ll be difficult for you to even die.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because I also do not want a stranger to die in my boat.”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed again.
The old man asked, “You think I couldn’t save you?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “You only saw my wound but didn’t see my poison so you thought you could save me.”
The old man said, “Oh?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “My wounds may be on the skin surface, but the poison is bone deep.”
The old man said, “Oh?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “No one could cure my poison.”
The old man asked, “Not even one?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Perhaps there is one.”
He patted his clothes and got up. He slowly continued, “This person, nevertheless, shouldn’t be you.”
The old man asked, “So now you’re thinking of walking away?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “All I can do is walk away.”
The old man said, “You can’t walk.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Could it be that, since I’ve met you I can’t even walk away?”
The old man said. “Cannot.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because your drank my bitter tea.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Could it be that you wanted me to compensate you?”
The old man replied, “You can’t afford it.”
Xie Xiaofeng wanted to laugh, but couldn’t laugh.
He suddenly realized his fingers and toes were completely numb, and it slowly spreading into other parts of his body.
The old man said, “Do you know what kind of tea you just drank?”
Xie Xiaofeng shook his head.
The old man said, “That was Wumasan (Five Numbing Powder).”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Five Numbing Powder?”
The old man said, “This is a Huatuo’s200 secret recipe. After Huatuo passed away, it had been lost for many years.”
He slowly continued, “However one person was determine to find the secret to this formulation. He spent seventeen years of effort and attempted a various herbs around the world. He even used his own wife and daughter to experiment.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Did he succeeded?”
The old man slowly nodded and said, “That’s right. He succeeded. However, his daughter had already become blind. His wife had become mad.”
Xie Xiaofeng was shocked and looked at him. He asked, “This person is you?”
The old man replied, “This person isn’t me. It’s just that before he jumped into a river, he give me the secret formulation.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “He jumped into a river?”
The old man said, “If you turned your daughter and wife into that, you would’ve jump too.”
He coldly stared at Xie Xiaofeng, and then coldly asked him, “A tea like this, can you compensate for it?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I cannot compensate for it.”
He bitterly smiled and said, “However if I had known what kind of tea this is, I wouldn’t have drank it.”
The old man said, “Well, you already drank it.”
Xie Xiaofeng forcibly laughed.
The old man said, “So right now your four limbs are starting to become numb. You won’t feel any pain from someone cutting into you.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “And then?”
The old man did not answer. He slowly took out a black leather box.
* * *
The leather box was flat and thin. Although it looked old, it had this mysterious gloss on it from constant handling. The old man slowly opened this leather box. Inside there was a dull ray of light.
It was light from the edges of dao201 (knives).
Thirteen pairs of knives.
Thirteen pairs of distinct shape knives; some looked like sickle hook, some looked like saw tooth, some are narrow and long, some curved and warp. These thirteen pairs of knives only had one thing in common — their edges were very thin; thin and sharp. The old man was still staring at these thirteen blade edges. The old eyes had a glint of light sharper than any blade edge.
“Then I’ll use these on you.”
The old man finally answered Xie Xiaofeng’s question, “Use those thirteen knives.”
Xie Xiaofeng sat down again. That type of fearful numbness had almost spread throughout his entire body. Only his eyes can still see.
He could also see those thirteen blades. It was hard for him not to see it.
* * *
The river water was still flowing quietly. The stove light grew dimmer.
The old man held up a long and narrow blade — nine cun (inch) long but only seven fen202 (0.7 cun) wide.
“First I would use this blade to cut your flesh.” The old man said, “Those rotten flesh.”
“And then?”
“Then I would handle you with this blade.”
The old man held up a hook like blade, “I’ll use this to tear open your bloody flesh.”
“And then?”
“Then I’ll use this blade to press down and pry open up your flesh to your bone.”
The old picked another blade, “Then I’ll dig out the poison on your bone. Dig it all out and into the root of the poison”
An old man wanted to tear apart your flesh, and press down and open up your bone. Xie Xiaofeng did not even bat an eye.
The old man looked at him and said, “However I can guarantee you will not feel any pain.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Is it because I drank that Five Numbing Powder?”
The old man replied, “That’s right. This is what Five Numbing Powder is used for.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “This is the only way to remove the poison in my body?”
The old man replied, “Right now, this seems to be the only way.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You already know that I was poisoned, so you’d already prepared everything?”
The old man replied, “That’s right.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How did you know?”
The old man replied, “I had been watching you.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “I want to use your life to exchange it for someone else’s life.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Which person?”
The old man replied, “A person that kills people.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What kind of people does he kill?”
The old man replied, “Some that deserve to be killed, some that didn’t deserve to be killed.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “So he needs to be killed?”
The old man replied, “A person that does not deserved to be killed, I do not need you to kill. And you wouldn’t kill him either!”
His eye had a strange expression, “I promise you wouldn’t regret killing him.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not say anything.
He suddenly felt that fearful numbness was seeping into his brain, his heart.
He could still hear the old man asked, “Do you want to die?”
He had also heard himself say, “I do not.”
* * *
The last sound he heard was the noise of a cutting edge scraping onto a bone.
It was his bone.
However, he had no feelings.
Sky was bright. Sunshine everywhere. The earth was splendid.
Sky was dark. Moonlight shining. Stars filled the sky.
No matter whether the sky was bright or dark, there are still these beautiful facets of life. If a person can live on, why die?
Who would want to die?
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng did not die. His first sensation was a pair of hands performing a massage therapy on his chest.
This hand was very neat and stable. The palm of the hand was rough with callus. Afterward he heard his heartbeat, from faint beat to growing more stable. He knew this pair of hands saved his life.
The old man was looking at him. A pair of tired and old eyes had unexpectedly become limpid and bright like the starlight in the autumn night sky.
He suddenly realized this old man was much younger than he originally thought.
The old man finally let out a breath and said, “Right now you can continue living. As long as you are willing, you can live a bit longer than anyone else. Right now your bones are like a newly picked cob of corn. Just as fresh and clean.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not open his mouth. He suddenly thought of what Jian Chuanxue said.
— Right now in the world, there is only one person that could save you.
— However if he saves you, he would definitely die under your sword.
[End of Chapter 42]
Footnote
198. 1 cun is about 3.33 cm or 1.313 inches.
199. Suppose to be an exclamation sigh.
200. Huatuo (华佗), famous doctor during the Chinese Three Kingdoms period.
201. dao is a general term for single edge blade weapon. Both saber and knives fall into the single edge blade weapon category.
202. Fen is one tenth of cun, about 0.33 cm.
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09-16-14, 05:15 AM #47Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2010
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- San Francisco Bay Area
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- 226
Originally translated by kaister on 7/06/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 43
Like the Palm of My Hand
Jian Chuanxue must be wrong. He had no reason to kill this old man. Even if there was a reason, he would not make such a move.
Jian Chuanxue must be talking about another person. Or perhaps he never knew an old man like him existed and did not know that Huatuo’s secret formulation still exist.
Xie Xiaofeng let out a sigh of relief; he was quite satisfied with his theory.
The old man said, “Some people seem to be born luckier that others. Even the heavenly father gives him special treatment.”
He looked at Xie Xiaofeng, “You’re this kind of person. You recovered far quicker than I thought.”
Xie Xiaofeng could not refute this point. No one could refute this. His physical strength was indeed far stronger than others.
What could be considered miracles that happened on other people could happen to him at any time.
The old man said, “After two or three more days, you would be fully recovered.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Afterward, I will need to help you kill somebody?”
The old man replied, “This is the condition I have for you to exchange for your life.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “So I must do this?”
The old man replied, “You must.”
Xie Xiaofully forcibly laughed and said, “I had kill before and would not mind killing another.”
The old man said, “I know.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But this person, I haven’t even seen his face before.”
The old man said, “I would let you see him.”
He suddenly laughed. He laughed mysteriously, “Once you see him, you would definitely want to kill him.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man said, “Because he deserves to die!”
His smile disappeared, his eye showing sorrow and hatred.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “You hated him that much?”
The old man said, “I hate him more than anyone else could imagine.”
He gripped his hand and slowly continued, “Because I was ruined by him. If it wasn’t for him, I would be living a much happier life.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not question any further.
He suddenly thought of his life. Was his life fortunate or unfortunate?
He suddenly couldn’t help asked himself: “My life, how did it become like this?”
* * *
Inside the cramped and small boat, the window was opened wide. The moonlight was shining brightly above the river.
The old man looked at the moon through the window and said, “Today is already the thirteenth.”
Xie Xiaofeng remarked, “Thirteenth?”
He seemed surprised because until this moment he wasn’t aware the he had slept for two days.
The old man said, “On the night of the full moon, you would see him.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “He would come here?”
The old man replied, “He would not come here, but you would go. You have to go.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “To where?”
The old man pointed his finger outside the window and replied, “Go on this road.”
The light boat had docked. Under the moonlight, there was a small path that was almost covered up by the Amur sliver grass.
The old man said, “Follow this path and you’ll see a maple forest. After the maple forest, there will be a small inn. You might as well lodge there and rest for two days.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “And then?”
The old man replied, “Wait until the night of the fifteenth when the full moon rises. You can follow the road at the back entrance of the inn and enter the maple forest. You will see the person I wanted you to kill.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How could I tell he is that person?”
The old man replied, “Once you see him, you would know right away.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because he will be there waiting to kill me. You’ll sense this killing aura!”
Xie Xiaofeng could not refute that. Killing aura is not something you can see or touch. However for a person like him, he would’ve been able to sense it. Only people like him could sense it.
The old man said, “Once he sees you, he’ll sense your killing aura. So even if you didn’t make your move, he’ll still try to kill you.”
Xie Xiaofeng forcibly smiled and said, “It looks like I don’t even have a choice.”
The old man said, “You originally don’t.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “But how do you know he’ll be there?”
The old man replied, “We had already planned to meet up there. If he doesn’t die, I would die by his hand. This was also something without a choice.” His voice was low and strange. His eyes had that sorrowful expression.
After a long while, he finally continued, “This is also our fate. It’s something no one could escape from.”
Xie Xiaofeng understood what he meant. To some people, fate is cruel. However, this old man didn’t seem like these people.
— Could it be that he had a sad and painful past?
— What kind of person was he in the past?
“What kind of person is he now?”
Xie Xiaofeng wanted to ask but he did not. He knew the old man would not answer. He didn’t even ask for the old man’s name.
The name was not important. What was important was the fact that this old man did save his life. To him, knowing this one point was enough.
The old man was staring at him and suddenly said, “Right now you can leave.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Right now you want me to leave?”
The old man replied, “Right now I want you to leave.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because our trade has been agreed upon on.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Can it be that we can’t even become friends?”
The old man replied, “No.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why?”
The old man replied, “Because some people naturally cannot have any friends.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You are this type of people?”
The old man replied, “It does not matter whether I am or not, because you are.”
He also understood what he meant. Some people are destined to be alone, and this is their fate.
The old man slowly continued, “Can anyone change their destiny? If you insisted on changing their destiny, it’ll only lead to tragedy.”
His eyes showed that bright flickering light again, “You must remember these words. This is from lessons of lifelong painful and tragic experiences.”
* * *
The night was not completely dark; but it was approaching a very dark blue shade.
Xie Xiaofeng walked on the narrow plank on the wet riverbank. He realized his legs were still very weak.
The old man said, “You have to remember to sleep for two whole days.”
His tone sounded very considerate. “Because that person is absolutely not easy to handle. You’ll need your full strength.”
This type of sincere concerns always makes a vagrant feel melancholic.
Xie Xiaofeng did not turn around, but he couldn’t help ask, “What else do I need?”
The old man replied, “Still needs a little bit of luck, and a sword…a very quick sword!”
* * *
The old man’s light boat disappeared.
The dark blue flowing water. The dark blue night.
Xie Xiaofeng was finally on the small path covered by Amur silver grass. He kept on walking. He wasn’t thinking of anything else. He just wanted to quickly reach the small inn outside the maple forest. He only wanted to see the full moon rises.
Under the full moon, what kind of person would be waiting for him outside the maple forest? Would he be able to obtain the little bit of luck he needed? Or that fast sword? He had no assurance. Even the Xie Xiaofeng that was peerless in the world, he had no confidence!
He slowly sensed who that person might be!
Only tiger or leopard can seek out another tiger or leopard. Only a tiger or leopard, can sense the presence of another tiger or leopard. This is because they are the same kind.
Beside themselves, there are no other animals in the world that can engulf them!
This world definitely does not have another animal that dares to approach them, not even a sly rabbit or cunning fox dares to.
That’s why they are always so lonely.
* * *
“How many friends do I have in my life? How many women?” Xie Xiaofeng was asking himself. Of course he had friends, had women. However, how many friends were truly loyal to him? How many women truly belong to him?
He thought of Tie Kaicheng, thought of Jian Chuanxue, and thought of Old Miaozi. He also thought about Wa Wa and Murong Qiudi.
— Did other people wrong him? Or did he wrong other people? He couldn’t think about this. His heart was aching to the point where bitter water was coming out of his mouth.
He also asked himself, “In my life, how many enemies did I have?”
This time his answer was more certain. People that hated him didn’t have that many reasons; it was because he was Xie Xiaofeng. The number of people that hated him was not small. He never minded. Perhaps he only minded one person. This person had cast an unremovable shadow in his heart.
He always hoped he would meet this person. This person always hoped to meet him. He knew they would eventually meet.
— If this world had a Xie Xiaofeng and this world had a Yan Shisan, they would eventually meet.
— When they meet, one person’s blood will cover the other person’s sword blade.
This was their destiny!
Right now that day was finally here!
Maple forest. The maple leaves were red like fire.
Outside the maple forest there was indeed a small inn. It supplementary sold wine.
The travelers on the road were typically lonely. As long as the inn’s patrons were lonely in their hearts, the inn would always sell wine. It didn’t matter whether it was a big inn or small inn; they were all the same.
What could help cope with loneliness better than alcohol?
* * *
The owner of the inn was a slow-witted and obese old man, but he had a young wife. Within these big and expressionless eyes, there was always this sense of being perplexed and tired. Around dusk, she was asininely sitting behind the counter and asininely looking outside on the road. It was as if she was waiting for a prince on white horse to take her away for this boring and tedious life.
This type of life was not suitable for energetic young people; but there were two energetic youngsters working as the waiters. They were taking care of the inn like a loving mother taking care of her child: bearing the burden willingly, putting in their utmost effort, without questioning the price they were paying, and not bickering about receiving any reward.
After seeing the owner’s young wife, their eyes had become full of enthusiasm. It might be because of this enthusiasm, they stayed here. Xie Xiaofeng would soon be able to confirm this.
He suddenly realized that pair of large and lost eyes, was hiding this hard to put to word kind of temptation.
When he arrived at this inn that evening, he had already realized.
He obviously also discovered something else.
* * *
At dusk, she had four small dishes and a pot of hot porridge and brought it into Xie Xiaofeng’s room personally. She typically did not do these things, but for whatever reason she made an exception today.
Xie Xiaofeng saw her put one dish at a time on the table.
Although she stayed mostly behind the counter, her waist was still very small. With soft clothing, the portion below her waist suddenly tightened. It made her curves protruded even more in front of Xie Xiaofeng’s eyes. Even the mysterious part of a woman’s body was not an exception.
Xie Xiaofeng was fortunate to be facing her back. He could have no reservation looking at these points.
Was she doing this intentionally or unintentionally? Regardless, Xie Xiaofeng’s heart was already beating, beating very fast.
It had been too long since he came at close contact with a woman, especially her type of woman.
In the beginning he wasn’t aware of it. Even now, it was hard to believe.
However, this boorish, lazy, and kind of dirty woman was actually a real woman. Every part of her body had this primitive and sufficiently attracts-people-to-commit-an-offense type of heat. He still remember the name her husband called her.
He called her, “Qing Qing.”
Was it ‘Qing Qing’ (blue) or ‘Qin Qin’ (dear)?
Thinking about the slow-witted and obsess old man’s body pressing on her young body and calling her “Qin Qin’, Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t help feeling a bit bad. It was not known when she had turned around but she was currently staring at him with that pair of big and lost eyes.
Xie Xiaofeng was not a child; he did not shied away from her stare. A man like him would not hide his interest in another woman.
He faintly smiled and said, “Next time you enters a guest’s room, you should wear thicker clothes.”
She did not smile nor blush.
Her eyes were shifting lower to a part of his body that had experienced a change. She suddenly said, “You are not a good person.”
Xie Xiaofeng bitterly laughed, “I never was.”
Qing Qing said, “You never really wanted me to change to a thicker clothing. You only wanted me to remove this set of clothing.”
She was definitely a crude woman; however, her words were hard for anyone to deny.
Qing Qing said, “Although you’re thinking about this in your heart, you mouth daren’t say it because I’m another man’s wife.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Could it be that you’re not?”
Qing Qing said, “Whether I am someone else’s wife, it’s the same.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Same…?”
Qing Qing said, “I’m originally came here to seduce you.”
Xie Xiaofeng was taken back.
Qing Qing said, “Because you are not a good man and you don’t look too bad. Because you don’t seem poor and penniless. I need some money so I used this way to earn some an extra income. If I don’t seduce you, who would I seduce?”
Xie Xiaofeng wanted to laugh but couldn’t. He had heard of woman saying these types of words. However, he had never imagined a woman say it in this type of attitude. Her attitude was solemn and serious, like an honest businessman making an honest trade.
Qing Qing said, “My husband knew about this. The income of this place is not sufficient to feed one person. He could only allow me to use this method to earn extra income. Even the salaries of those two workers are paid for using this method.”
If another woman said these words, it would be revolting.
However, this woman was different.
Because it was as if she was born to be this type of woman, born to do this kind of business.
It is like pork meat. It doesn’t matter what method is used to cook the pork, it will similarly make hungry people’s mouth water.
Xie Xiaofeng finally laughed. In such a situation, if a man was laughing it meant the deal has been agreed upon on.
Qing Qing suddenly went over there. She used her warm and well-developed body and pressed against him. Her waist was softly rubbing on him. However, when Xie Xiaofeng reached out with his hand, she suddenly nimbly moved away.
She was just letting him get a little sample. “Today I will come again. Leave your door open and keep the light off.”
* * *
Night. Xie Xiaofeng blew out the lamplight.
His body still had her inexpensive cosmetic’s fragrance. However he, in his mind, did not feel like he was committing a crime. He was never an ordinary person. His attitude toward a situation was not the same as an ordinary person. Beside this was a very ancient and honest business; this woman needed to live.
He needed a woman.
* * *
Most people from Jianghu believed the night before a battle, you shouldn’t approach and lust for another woman. Lusting for a woman typically leads to a loss of physical strength.
Xie Xiaofeng had a different perspective on the matter. He didn’t see it as a loss but a temper.
For example, wine should never have water added to it. However, a long stored nu’zhen needs a bit of water added to bring out it full alcoholic flavor. He was in the same situation. This battle could be his last battle.
The opponent he will meet in the battle could be the strongest he had ever faced. Before the battle, he had to allow himself to fully relax.
Only a woman could allow him to relax.
— He was Xie Xiaofeng.
— Xie Xiaofeng was not allowed to lose!
Therefore as long as it was for victory, he shouldn’t mind other things.
* * *
The window was closed. The window paper was quick thick, not even the moonlight could shine in.
The moon would be full soon, yet the room was dark. Xie Xiaofeng was lying down waiting quietly in the dark. He was waiting but he didn’t have to wait long.
The door was opened and the moonlight followed in. A slender silhouette of a person in a wide gown was in the middle of this moonlight. The door immediately closed and the silhouette was swallowed by the darkness.
Xie Xiaofeng did not open his mouth. She didn’t either.
The night was quiet. She didn’t even make any footstep noise. It was likely that she was carrying her shoe and walked in barefooted. However Xie Xiaofeng could feel her coming closer to the bedside. He could sense the wide gown slipping off her body.
There must be nothing underneath the wide gown.
She was not the type of woman that liked added inconveniences. She didn’t want to trouble herself either.
* * *
Her body was warm, soft, and slim but quite ample.
They still hadn’t said a single word.
Speeches were rather extraneous at this point. They used a long-used and ancient method; they swallow (kiss) each other.
She was more passionate than he thought. He liked this type of passion, but he already realized she was not the woman called “Qing Qing”!
Who was she? She was not that woman, but she was a woman. A real woman. A woman among women.
Who was she?
* * *
The bed usually makes these annoying sounds. They moved to the floor.
The soundless floor was cold and hard.
What he received was far more than he had imagined. What he gave up was also far more than he imagined.
He took a deep breath.
After he took the deep breath, he softly sighed.
“It’s you.”
She slowly sat up. The voice had this unusual sense of cynicism. It was not sure if it was toward him or toward herself.
“It’s me.”
She said, “I know you would never dream that it could be me.”
The moon would soon be full. She opened the small window next to the bed. Her pitch-black hair scattered on her shoulder of her naked body. Under the moonlight, she seemed to a be a new and openly flirtatious young lass.
She, of course, was not a young girl anymore.
“I know you would want a woman. When you are nervous, you would be like this.”
She had always understood him well.
“However, I knew you wouldn’t want me.”
She softly sighed, “Other than me, you wouldn’t refuse any woman. However, you would definitely refuse me.”
“So that’s why you did this!”
“Only this way, would you want me.”
“Why must you?”
“Because I still like you.”
She turned around and looked directly at Xie Xiaofeng. Eyeballs were even more limpid than the moonlight, and even more tender.
She was saying truthful words. He also believed it. They knew each other too well; there was no need to lie.
Perhaps it was because of this that she loved him, that she wanted him dead!
It was because she was Murong Qiudi. However, she was not the Amur silver grass in the autumn breeze.204 Instead she was winter plum in the winter snow; the poppy in hot spring valleys; roses in winter days: stubborn, poisonous, and full of thorns.
A bee stinger like thorn.
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You can see that I am nervous?”
[End of Chapter 43]
Footnote
203. nu’zhen (女貞), seems to be another name for nu’erhong, lit “female wine”, “daughter wine”, “daughter red wine”.
204. Her name is Qiudi (秋荻), individually qiu is autumn and di is short of dihua or Miscanthus sacchariflorus, which is Amur silver grass.
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09-18-14, 12:07 AM #48Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 7/08/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 44
The Life Snatching Sword
Murong Qiudi said, “I cannot see, but I know. If you are not nervous why would you be interested in that woman with the dead fish eyes?”
She sat down besides him, “However I do not understand why you would be this nervous.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You have things you don’t understand?”
Murong Qiudi softly sighed and replied, “Perhaps I do know why. It’s probably because I don’t want to believe it.”
Xie Xiaofeng responded, “Oh?”
Murong Qiudi said, “I had always understood you. Only fear can make you nervous.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What am I afraid of?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “You are afraid of being defeated under another person’s sword.”
Her voice had a tone of cynicism. “Because the Xie Third Young Master is never allowed to be defeated.”
Although they were cushioned on beddings, the floor was still cold and hard.
She shifted her sitting position and placed her body weight on Xie Xiaofeng’s thigh. Afterward she continued, “However there are not many people that can threaten you in this world. Perhaps there is only one.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Who?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “Yan Shisan.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “How do you know it is him?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “Of course I know. It is because you are Xie Xiaofeng and he is Yan Shisan. The two of you would eventually meet one day; and one of you would eventually die under the other’s sword.”
She sighed, “This is both of your destinies. No one could change it. Not even I can change it.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “I originally wanted you to die under my hand. Unbelievably there was someone that rescued you.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Do you know who that person is?”
Murong Qiudi bitterly smiled, “If I know a person like him existed in this world, I would’ve killed him.”
She sighed again, “Although I know now, it is too late.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Right now you know who he is?”
Murong Qiudi said, “He is Duan Shisan205. He has thirteen knives but they’re used to save lives.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “How come I have never heard of this person?”
Murong Qiudi said, “Because Yan Shisan wanted to kill him. As long as Yan Shisan is alive, he would not dare show his face.”
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly took a deep sigh, as if he had let go of a huge responsibility. “Right now I felt relieved. “
Murong Qiudi said, “Relived on what?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I had always suspect he is Yan Shisan. He saved me because he wanted to have a duel with me.”
Murong Qiudi said, “However he did indeed saved your life. How could you let him die under your sword?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “That’s right.”
Murong Qiudi said, “If that is indeed what you are worrying about, you should feel relived right now.”
She gently caressed his chest. “I know Yan Shisan is no match for you. You can definitely kill him.”
Xie Xiaofeng looked at her, couldn’t help but ask, “You came all the way here to put me at ease?”
Murong Qiudi gently said, “I came here only because I still like you.”
Her voice had reveals her truthful feeling, “Although sometimes I do hate you, hate you to the point that I wanted you dead; however, if someone wanted to touch you I would get mad. If you are to die, you should die in my hand.”
She was speaking out her true feelings.
In her life, it was possible she was living under contradiction and suffering.
She wanted to find happiness. Everyone has a right to find happiness. However, her methods were wrong. Xie Xiaofeng sighed and gently pushed her hands away.
Perhaps they were both wrong, but he didn’t want to think about this any longer. He suddenly felt really tired.
Murong Qiudi asked, “What are you currently thinking?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I only wanted to fine a place to get a good sleep.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “You don’t want to sleep here?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “With you besides me, I cannot sleep!”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Why not?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because I do not want to die in your hand, at least not right now.”
* * *
Murong Qiudi, of course, wouldn’t have kept him here. She understood his personality. If he wanted to go, no one could hold onto him.
If you held his hand, he would’ve chop his hand and leave anyways. If you had chopped his legs off, he would've crawl his way out.
However, today, she did grabbed onto his hand. She said, "Today you can relax and sleep here."
She explained, "Even if I had hated you enough to want to kill you in the past, today I don't. At least I'm not thinking about it today."
Xie Xiaofeng laughed, "Perhaps today is a very special day?"
Murong Qiudi said, “Today is not specially a good day, but there's a special person coming."
Xie Xiaofeng asked, "Who?"
Murong Qiudi slowly sat up. She coiled her black cloud like long hair on top of her head. Finally gently said, "You should remember we still have a son."
Of course, Xie Xiaofeng remembered. In these days, he had already learned how to forget things he shouldn't remember. However, these were things he did not want to forget, nor could forget.
He almost couldn't help jump up. "He also came?"
Murong Qiudi slowly nodded and said, “I brought him here.”
Xie Xiaofeng tightly gripped onto her hand and asked, “Where is he now?”
Murong Qiudi said, “He does not know you are here. You wouldn’t be able to find him.”
She lightly sighed and said, “Even if you found him, what use would it be? Do you not know he hates you? Hated that you never treated him as a son. Hated that you never take your responsibility as a father.”
She glared at Xie Xiaofeng, “Could it be that you now have the courage to admit you are his father?”
Xie Xiaofeng let go of her; his hands were cold, his heart even colder.
Murong Qiudi said, “However if you can defeat Yan Shisan, I’ll bring him to see you. Then you can tell him you are his father.”
Her eye had a hint of pain. “If a boy never knew who his father is, not only would he suffer in life, his mother would suffer too.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “So you never told him you are his mother either?”
Murong Qiudi admitted, “I did not!”
Her expression was even more painful, “However I am already getting older. I almost have everything I ever wanted. Right now, I only want a son; a son like him.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Could it be that you are determined to tell him everything?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “I would also tell him you are not wrong. I am the one that’s wrong.”
Xie Xiaofeng could not believe nor dare to believe.
He couldn’t bear asking, “If you are so determine, why do you have to wait until I defeated Yan Shisan?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “If you don’t win, you’ll be dead.”
Xie Xiaofeng could not deny that. There could only be a Xie Xiaofeng that died in battle, never a Xie Xiaofeng that was defeated in a battle.
Murong Qiudi said, “If you die under Yan Shisan’s sword, then why should I let him know he has a father like you? Why should I increase his pains and agonies?”
She spoke one word at a time, “Why should I send him to death?”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Send to death?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “If he know his father died under Yan Shisan’s sword, of course he wanted revenge. How could he be a match against Yan Shisan? If that is not sending him to death, what is it?”
Xie Xiaofeng was silent. He could not deny that her words were reasonable. Furthermore, he definitely did not want to send his son to death.
Murong Qiudi smiled again and gently said, “However, I believe you will definitely not lose. You, yourself, should be very confident.”
Xie Xiaofeng kept his silence. After a while, he finally slowly said, “This time I don’t.”
Murong Qiudi seemed very shock, “Could it be that not even you can defeat his Douming Shisan Jian (Life Snatching Thirteen Sword)’?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “The ‘Life Snatching Thirteen Sword’ are not fearful. The fearful one is the fourteenth sword stance.”
Murong Qiudi remarked, “There’s a fourteenth sword stance?”
Xie Xiaofeng answered, “Yes.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Are you saying his ‘Life Snatching Thirteen Sword’ has a fourteenth variation?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “That’s right.”
Murong Qiudi said, “Even if there is one, I’m afraid not even he might know about it.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Even he didn’t know about it before, he definitely knows now.”
Murong Qiudi said, “However I believe even this fourteenth sword stance might not be able to beat you.”
She seemed to always have full confidence in him.
Xie Xiaofeng was pondering, after a long while finally answered, “That’s right. He might not be able to beat me.”
Murong Qiudi seemed happy again, “I imagine you might even have a way to counter this sword stance.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not answer. He again thought about that lightning strike.
— Yan Shisan’s fourteenth sword stance was indeed invincible and invulnerable. However after that lightning strike, it suddenly changed; it’d become laughable. This was what he said to Tie Kaicheng that day. He did not boast or exaggerate.
— What is a man thinking about right before he dies?
— Is he thinking about his love ones and friends? All his joys and pains?
— What he thought about wasn’t these.
The moments before death, he was still thinking about Yan Shisan’s fourteenth sword stance. His life was sacrificed for sword, before death how could he be thinking about other things?
— In that split second, he heart felt as if it was suddenly struck by lightning; it was a sudden inspiration.
Poets right before they recite an immortalized poem, they must’ve felt similar lightning strike in their heart.
However this sudden inspiration does not come by luck, it comes from concentration of all your life-long hard works; then your heart will have this lightning-struck inspiration.
Seeing Xie Xiaofeng’s expression, Murong Qiudi became extremely delighted. “I believe right now you have a method to break his fourteenth sword stance.”
She looked at him and smiled, “You needn’t keep you mouth shut, you cannot hide this from me.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “That’s right. I can counter that one stance, but pity…”
Murong Qiudi said, “But pity what?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But pity that one sword stance was not even his most ultimate move.”
His expression was earnest and serious. Murong Qiudi couldn’t refrain from showing emotion, “That sword stance is not it?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Definitely not.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Then what is the true essence of his swordplay?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “It’s the fifteenth sword stance!”
Murong Qiudi asked, “It is clearly ‘Life Snatching Thirteen Sword’, how come there is a fifteenth sword stance?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “His set of swordplay is profound and delicate. It most definitely has a fifteenth variation. That is like…like…”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Like what?”
Xie Xiefeng answered, “Like a flower.”
There was light in his eye because he finally found a suitable comparison.
He quickly continued, “The thirteen sword stances in the beginning are the stem. The fourteenth sword stance is the flower’s leaves. You must wait until the fifteenth transformation before the flower finally blooms. The fifteenth sword stance is actually the real flower.”
A good flower must be assisted by leaves and must have a stem to grow. However, if a flower doesn’t bloom, it is not truly consider a flower.
Xie Xiaofeng explained, “Life Snatching Thirteen Sword is the same, without the fifteenth sword stance, it basically has no value.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “So what if there is a fifteenth sword stance?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “At that point, not only am I not his match, there are no one in this world that would be his match.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “At that point, you would definitely die under his sword?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “If I can witness the existence of such sword skill, even if I die under his sword I would die with no regrets!”
His face seemed to be glowing with excitement. Only with sword could his life have a purpose, could he be truly consider living! Only a sword could have an eternity; whether he existed didn’t matter anymore. Murong Qiudi understood him, but could never understand this one point.
She also did not want to understand.
— In order to understand this, it requires too much pain, too much effort.
The only thing she cared about: “Right now did Yan Shisan develop this sword stance?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not answer. No one could answer this question. No one knew.
The night grew darker. The moon grew fuller.
Although it was a different place, it was still the same full moon. Although it was a different person, sometimes it was the same feeling.
* * *
Under the moonlight, there was a river with flowing water. On this river, there was a small boat.
On the boat there was a stove fire, a pot of tea, and a lonely old man.
The old man’s hand was holding a wooden stick and a knife — a four chi (feet) long wooden stick and seven cun (inch) long knife.
The old man was using this knife to slowly pare down this wooden stick.
— What was he cutting this stick into? Did he want to cut it into a sword?
The cutting edge was extremely fast. The knife on his hand was extremely stable. No matter who couldn’t tell such a feebly old man could have such a steady hand.
* * *
The wooden stick had slowly taken its shape. Surely, it was the shape of a sword.
A four chi (feet) long wooden stick became a three chi (feet) seven cun (inch) long sword. There was a blade edge and a sword tip.
The old man was lightly touching the edge of the sword. The stove firelight was flickering onto this face. His face had a strange expression.
No one could tell whether it was joy, sadness, or regret. However it you could see his eyes, you would understand that he was reminiscing.
Reminiscing the past that was full of happiness and joy, and full of sorrow and pain. He was holding onto the sword hilt and slowly stood up.
The sharp point was dangling, but his stooping body suddenly straightened up. He was completely standing up, as if in an instance he had became a completely different person.
This type of change was like a broken and worn down buried sword that was suddenly dug back up revealing a glimmering light.
He, as a person, was also the same. In one instance, he also seemed to be glowing. This type of glow made it seemed like he was full of life. It made him seemed at least twenty years younger.
— How could someone have such a drastic change simply because there was a sword in his hand?
— Was it because he was originally a gleaming person?
* * *
The river water was flowing. The light boat was drifting on the water.
He looked as if he was a nail that was nailed at the front of the boat. He was gazing that the sword point he was holding on his hand. He gently thrust the sword out.
The sword was made out of peach wood; it was gloomy and awkward. However, when this sword was thrust out, the sword seemed as if it became radiant and lively.
He had already poured his life energy onto this piece of wooden sword.
* * *
A sword that was lightly thrust out should not have any change. However the changes appeared, appeared as natural as flowing water.
This sword in his hand was like a hatchet in Lu Ban’s206 hand, a brush in Xi’s207 hand; not only was there life, there was also spiritual energy.
He sketched in light shade and wave around in the dust, in a split moment struck out thirteen sword strikes. Swordplay was supposed to be agile and fluid, like the river water. However after these thirteen sword strikes, there seemed to be a sudden killing aura above the river water. There seemed to be a killing aura between heaven and earth.
The thirteenth sword struck out, all the changes seemed to be exhausted, like the flowing water reaches an end.
The sword’s momentum slowed down, very slow.
Although it was slowing down, it was still changing. Then suddenly the sword whipped out, neither here or there and without any orderly way. However this was like Wu Daozi208 putting the final touch to the eyes of the dragon. Although vain, it was a pivotal point to all the changes.
Afterward, he struck out his fourteenth sword stance.
* * *
The sword aura and killing aura above the river were strong, as if the whole sky was covered densely with dark clouds. After this sword stance struck out, suddenly it dispersed the dark clouds in the sky revealing the sunlight.
It was not the warm and calm type of sunlight, but the gold and rock melting type of intense sun with a blood red sunset. After this sword stance thrust out, all the changes and variations truly came to an end; the water that was already at its very end was already all dried up. His power was also exhausted.
However at this time, the sword tip suddenly had a strange motion. The sword tip was already tilting toward the stove fire; and after that sudden motion, the stove fire extinguished! The sword tip was in motion. Originally it was moving, it suddenly came to a complete stop. It was completely still. Even the light boat, which was gently rocking on the river, became still. It also seemed as if the flowing water underneath the boat stopped flowing.
No words can describe that situation. There was only one word, one very simple word — death!
No change, no life! What this sword brought was only death!
Only “death” is the end of all things, when they are truly at their end!
— Running water dried up, changes exhausted, life ended, destruction of all things!
This was the true essence of “Life Snatching Thirteen Sword”! This was truly a sword that “snatches lives”!
That one sword stance was impressively the fifteenth sword stance!
* * *
With a “bang” sound, the wooden sword broke!
[End of Chapter 44]
Footnote
205. Duan Shisan (段十三), surname Duan means sections, given name means “thirteen”.
206. Lu Ban (鲁班), legendary master craftsman, called the father of Chinese carpentry.
207. Xi (羲), short for Fuxi, a mythical emperor.
208. Wu Daozi (吴道子), a famous and legendary Tang dynasty artist.
209. hualongdianjing (画龙点睛), means add the touch that brings a work of art to life.
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09-20-14, 05:08 AM #49Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 7/10/14. Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 45
Well-Matched Opponents
The river water restored its flow. The light boat restored its movement. He, however, was still motionlessly standing there; body drenched in sweat, clothes all soaked up.
His face had an extremely strange expression; not sure if it was surprise, joy, or fear!
A type of fear bore out of a power that humankind was incapable of foreseeing or controlling! Only he knew; this was not a sword stance he created.
No man could have created this sword stance. No one could understand this sword stance variation or existence. This was just like “death”; no one could understand, no one could predict. The power in this change and variation was also something no one could control.
* * *
The vast land was in a sheet of darkness. He was standing in this darkness. It was like he was shivering, shivering with fear.
Why was he scared? Was it because he knew that not even he, himself, had the ability to control this sword?
On the river there was suddenly a long sigh. A person sighed and said, “How come ghost don’t cry? How come god has no tear?”
A boat appeared on the river, it looked like a huafang210 (decorated luxury boat) on the misty rain lake. The lamplight on the boat was extremely bright; there was a chess set, a bottle of wine, a zither, a roll of book, and a black rock under the light.
A whetstone for sword!
A person was standing at the front of the boat looking at this old man. He was looking at the broken sword on the old man’s hand. His eye was carrying a sign of indescribable sorrow and fear. The old man slowly lifted his head and looked at him.
“Do you still recognize me?”
“Of course I recognize you.”
— The huafang (boat) in Green Water Lake at Emerald Cloud Peak. The huafang (boat) had a ferryman who had nowhere to return to.
These were all that the old man would never forget. It was on this huafang (boat) where he reflected on his famed sword, where he reflected on his heroic years. It was this person who had sighed at his foolishness, who had admired his brilliance. What he did, was it brilliance or was it foolishness?
“Shopkeeper Xie.”
“Yan Shisan.”
They stared at each other and then gloomily sighed. “Can’t believe we can still meet again.”
Shopkeeper Xie sighed deeply., “Cangjie211 created the Chinese characters, and gods and demons sob at night. This sword stance you’ve created, the gods and demon should be similarly sobbing.”
The old man understood what he meant. This one sword did indeed divulge a heavenly secret, but lost the will of the heaven. The will of the heaven was humane. Since this sword stance had been created, from now on it would be unfathomable how many people would die because of it.
The old man was silent. After a while, he gently said, “I did not create this one sword!”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “No?”
The old man shook his head and replied, “I created the Life Snatching Thirteen Sword, and discovered its fourteenth variation. However, I wasn’t satisfy and knew it must have another transformation.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “So you had been looking for it!”
The old man said, “That’s right. I’d been looking for it because I know I will only be able to defeat Xie Xiaofeng with this transformation.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “You had not been able to find it?”
The old man replied, “I spent all my energy and effort and still couldn’t find it, but Xie Xiaofeng had already died.”
— The pitch-black cover in Divine Sword Manor with the pitch-black coffin.
The old man sorrowfully said, “With Xie Xiaofeng dead, who under heaven is still my match? What reason do I have to search anymore?”
He took a long sigh and said, “So I not only sank my sword and buried my fame. At the same time, I put the idea of searching for that last transformation and abandoned it at the bottom of the lake.”
Shopkeeper Xie was pondering and slowly said, “Perhaps it was because you were no longer intentionally looking for it therefore you found it.”
This one sword was the “god” within swordplay.
“God” is not something you can see or find. If god wants to come, it will come suddenly. However you must reach a state of “no man, no self, no forgetfulness” before god comes. This is precisely the principle of “enlightenment” in Zen Buddhism.
Shopkeeper Xie continued, “Right now, you obviously know the Third Young Master did not die.”
The old man nodded.
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Right now do you have the confidence to defeat him?”
The old man was staring at the broken sword in his hand. He said, “If only I have a good sword.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Do you wish to get your sword back?”
The old man asked, “I can still find it?”
Shopkeeper Xie replied, “As long as you look for it, you will be able to find it.”
The old man asked, “Where can I look for it?”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “Right here.”
* * *
The marking on the side of the boat was still there.
Shopkeeper Xie said, “You should remember, you marked this with your own sword.”
— That famed sword had been subdued212 but how about the person? The person right now was here.
Some people were precisely like sharp weapon made with heavily refined steel; even if it was subdued, you can still felt its presence.
The old man couldn’t help but sighed deeply, “It’s unfortunate that this was not the place I sank the sword.”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “Mark the boat to find the sword213 is something only foolish people would do.”
The old man said, “That’s right.”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “But you are not a foolish person. You marked the boat and sank your sword without the intention of coming back to find it again.”
The old man said, “That’s right.”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “You did that unintentionally. No intention but there’s god’s will.”
He slowly continued, “If you could unintentionally find the essence of your swordplay, why couldn’t you unintentionally find your sword?”
The old man did not say anything because he had already seen his sword. In the pitch-black lake water, there was a sword floating up. He could already see the thirteen pearls on the sword scabbard.
* * *
The sword obviously did not float by itself and definitely did not find its former owner by itself. Sword basically didn’t have a soul. If there was a soul, it was due to the person holding the sword. This sword could float because Shopkeeper Xie pulled it back up.
The old man was not shock. He could already see the string on the sword’s edge, and could see the other end of the string was on Shopkeeper Xie’s hand. There are plenty of unfathomable and unexplainable phenomenons that occur in this world. It was only because they always have this type of string that no one saw.
After many painful experiences, the old man finally understood this principle.
Shopkeeper Xie still explained, “That day after you left, I had already fished this sword up. I have been safeguarding this for you.”
“Why did you do this?”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “Because I know sooner or later you and the Third Young Master will meet again.”
The old man sighed and said, “I also know this is our destiny.”
Shopkeeper Xie said, “No matter what, right now at least you found your sword.”
The sword was already on his hand. The thirteen pearls on the scabbard were still shining.
Shopkeeper Xie again asked, “Right now do you have the confidence to defeat him?”
Yan Shisan did not answer. Right now his sword had returned to his hand. It was still as sharp as before.
He, with this sword, dominated the world and never lost a match. He had always been heartless and fearless. Besides, he had already found the essence of his swordplay; he would definitely become invincible in the world. However, there was an unspeakable fear in his sword. Though he did say it out, people could see it.
Even Shopkeeper Xie could see this. He couldn’t help but ask, “You are afraid? Afraid of what?”
Yan Shisan replied, “Life Snatching Thirteen Sword is like a poisonous snake I am raising. Although it could kill someone and I could still control it, but now…”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Now what?”
Yan Shisan replied, “Now this poisonous snake had become a poisonous dragon. It already has it own mystical transformation.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Can it be that right now not even you can control it?”
Yan Shisan was silent. After a long while, slowly said, “I don’t know. No one knows…”
It was because it was unknown, therefore it was scary.
Shopkeeper Xie seemed to have understood what he meant. They were both looking far away at the same time; both of their eyes had a strange expression.
After a long while, Yan Shisan asked, “You specially brought my sword here, is it because you hope that I’ll defeat him?”
Shopkeeper Xie actually admitted, “Yes.”
Yan Shisan asked, “You are not his friend?”
Shopkeeper Xie replied, “I am.”
Yan Shisan asked, “Why do you hope that I’ll defeat him?”
Shopkeeper Xie answered, “Because he had never been defeated before.”
Yan Shisan asked, “Why do you want him to be defeated?”
Shopkeeper Xie replied, “Because after he is defeated once, he’ll realize he is not a god and not someone that can not be defeated. Only after this one lesson can he truly mature.”
Yan Shisan said, “You’re wrong.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Wrong about what?”
Yan Shisan said, “This idea is not wrong. It is wrong if applied to him.”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “Why?”
Yan Shisan replied, “Because he is not other people…because he is Xie Xiaofeng. Xie Xiaofeng can only die and can not be defeated!”
Shopkeeper Xie asked, “How about Yan Shisan?”
Yan Shisan replied, “Yan Shisan is the same.”
* * *
Yan Shisan returned to his light boat. The light boat had already drifted away.
Shopkeeper Xie returned to the front of the boat. He saw the light boat go into the distance. There was suddenly an unspeakable fear and sorrow in his heart.
There are always two types of people in this world. One type’s purpose in life is not for survival; it’s waiting to be ignited. Only when it is ignited will it shine brightly.
It doesn’t matter if it is just a fleeting moment of brightness.
Another type of people would only see other people ignite. They rely on other people’s brightness to shine upon themselves. Which one are the smarter people?
He did not know. He only knew the sorrow was not for other people, it was for himself.
It was not nightfall yet. The setting sun was already turning red. It was red like it was burning.
The maple forest under the setting sun also looked like it was burning.
Xie Xiaofeng was sitting under the burning sunset, outside the burning maple forest. His hand did not have a sword, not even a carved wooden word. He was still waiting.
— Was he waiting for a person? Or waiting to be burned?”
* * *
Murong Qiudi was watching at him from faraway. She had been watching for a long while. Right now she finally came over.
The way she walked looked beautiful.
Even if you knew she was coming over to kill you, you would still think it looked beautiful.
“A woman since the moment she was born is to be looked at by others.”
No matter when, she would not forget these words. As long as it made senses, she would never forget them.
She walked to the front of him and looked at him. She suddenly asked, “Is it today?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “It is today.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “It is now?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “It is now.”
The person he was waiting for could show up at any moment.
Murong Qiudi said, “Your hand should at least have a sword.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I do not have a sword.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Is it because there is a sword in your heart, it’s not necessary for your hand to have a sword?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “A swordsman would obviously have a sword in his heart.”
If there was no sword in his heart, how could he learn sword? Xie Xiaofeng said, “It’s a pity the sword in my heart is definitely not capable of killing Yan Shisan.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “Then why are you not looking for a sword?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because I know you will bring it to me.”
Murong Qiudi asked, “What kind of sword do you want?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Casually anything.”
Murong Qiudi said, “It can’t be casual.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why not?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “Because a sword is the same as a person, there are various kinds. Every sword’s shape, weight, length, and width are all not the same. Every sword has its own characteristics.”
She sighed and continued, “So when a person choose a sword, it’s like choosing a friend. It cannot be careless and casual.”
Xie Xiaofeng understood this principal. Battle of true masters, there couldn't be one mistake. The swords they decided to use play a critical role on their victory or defeat.
Murong Qiudi suddenly laughed. She was laughing complacently, “Fortunately even if you don’t say it, I know what sword you desire the most in your heart.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You know?”
Murong Qiudi replied, “Not only do I know, I have already brought it for you.”
* * *
She really did help him brought his sword over. Jet black and old looking sword scabbard, a very classic and elegant shaped blade edge, and even piece of frayed black silk fabric that had gone through countless handling on the sword hilt; were all something Xie Xiaofeng would never forget.
To him, this was sword that had gone through life and death, trials and tribulations, with him, and yet a far away friend. Although it was eternally hard for him to forget, yet hard to imagine they could one day see each other again. The young waiter from the inn gently placed this sword on top of a green piece of rock and then quietly left.
Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t help but reach out his hand and gently touched the sword scabbard. His hand was originally still trembling but once he held onto the sword handle, it immediately regained stability. He tightly gripped onto the sword hilt as if he was a sentimental youngster tightly embracing his first love, his lover.
Murong Qiudi said, “You do not need to ask me why this sword is in my hand. I will not answer even if you wanted to ask me because I don’t want you to lose focus.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not ask.
Murong Qiudi said, “I also know if I stay here, you’ll also lose focus so I should leave.”
She softly held onto his hand and gently said, “However I would wait for you in the inn, I believe you’ll return very soon.”
* * *
She really did leave; she still looked beautiful the way she was walking. He saw her graceful figure from the back and couldn’t help asked himself: “Is this the last time I will see you?”
At the moment, he suddenly felt this hard to say regret of parting with her. He almost wanted to call her back but he did not do that.
Because at the very moment, he could feel this threatening killing aura!
It was like a gust of cold wind blowing from within the forest.
On the back of the hand that was holding onto the sword, green veins were already popping out. He did not turn back and look nor did he need to, he already knew the person he was waiting for was here.
Obviously this person was Yan Shisan!
* * *
The setting sun was as red as blood. The maple forest was also as red as blood. Between heaven and earth, it was basically filled with killing aura.
Let alone that between heaven and earth there were these two figures!
In a mountain of red leaves, that was a black silhouette of a person. What the color black symbolizes are sorrow, misfortune, and death. Black also represents loneliness, arrogance, and elegance. What it represented was precisely the life of a swordsman. Like most swordsmen, Yan Shisan love the color black, idolized the color black.
In the time he was in Jianghu, he never wore any other color. Right now he restored this type of attire, even his face was covered with a black cloth. He was not willing to let Xie Xiaofeng recognize that he was the weak stooped old man that was preparing the medicine. He did not want Xie Xiaofeng have any hesitation before the battle.
Because the biggest wish in his life was to have a duel to the death with the world’s number one swordsman.
As long as he was able to fulfill this wish, then what’s the matter whether he lose or die?
* * *
Right now he truly believe Xie Xiaofeng would not be able to recognize that this black-clothed swordsman that was as straight as a javelin, was the same feeble old man with the crooked body like a shrimp. However, Xie Xiaofeng could recognize he was the foremost strongest rival in his life, Yan Shisan!
Because he could see that the sword in hand had thirteen precious pearls on its pitch-black scabbard. Although this was not a sharp weapon that cut through steel as if it was mud, it was well known in the world. In the hearts and mind of the people in Jianghu, what this sword represented was misfortune and death!
* * *
When Xie Xiaofeng turned around, his vision had been steered to this sword; it was like a pointy needle coming across a magnet. He obviously also knew that this was Yan Shisan’s symbol.
His hand also had a sword. Although the two swords were still in their sheaths, it seemed as if auras of the swords were clashing and violently reverberating.
Yan Shisan suddenly said, “I recognize you.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “You met me before?”
Yan Shisan replied, “No.”
The pair of eyes that was exposed in between the black cloth was sharp as a knife. “But I still recognize you, you must be Xie Xiaofeng.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because you recognize this sword?”
Yan Shisan replied, “This sword isn’t really anything. In another person’s hand, it’s simply a useless metal.”
The slowly continued, “The last time I saw this sword, it was as if it died with its owner. Right now in your hand, it immediately have killing aura.”
Xie Xiaofeng finally sighed deeply and said, “Yan Shisan is most definitely Yan Shisan. Hard to imagine we finally meet.”
Yan Shisan said, “You should be able to imagine this.”
Xie Xiaofeng responded, “Oh?”
Yan Shisan said, “Since there are two people like us in between heaven and earth, there will be a day where we would eventually meet!”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “The moment we both meet, does that mean one would definitely die under the other’s sword?”
Yan Shisan replied, “Yes.”
He was tightly holding onto his sword, “Yan Shisan is able to live till now is for this very day. If I cannot duel with the world’s number one swordsman, Xie Xiaofeng, Yan Shisan would die with everlasting regret.”
Xie Xiaofeng stared at the eyes exposed between the black clothes and said, “At least you should allow me to see your true face.”
Yan Shisan replied, “Why do you need to see my true face? When have you ever let other see your true face?”
He coldly laughed and continued, “What kind of person Xie Xiaofeng truly is? No one in Jianghu has ever known.”
Xie Xiaofeng shut his mouth. He could not deny this. What exactly his true face looked like, not even he seemed to remember.
Yan Shisan said, “What kind of person you are is not important because I already know that you are the third young master of the Xie family, Xie Xiaofeng.”
[End of Chapter 45]
Footnote
210. huafang (画舫) is also translated to “gaily-painted pleasure-boat” based on baidu and hudong but it sounds kind of funny. It’s simply these amazingly decorated Chinese luxury boat that looks like a floating building. Hong Kong’s Jumbo Kingdom is a very modern and famous example of a huafang. They’re sometimes called “floating restaurant” but I’m reluctant to call it that because huafang isn’t necessarily a restaurant. Beside the huafang described here is definitely much smaller in scale.
211. Cangjie (仓颉), a legendary figure that is said to have created Chinese characters.
212. xiaochen (消沉), means either low-spirted/dejected/depressed or demoralized/despondent.
213. kezhouquijian (刻舟求剑), idiom. It’s referring to a man that marked a boat to find his lost sword. The idiom means taking measure without regard to changes in circumstance.
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09-23-14, 03:00 AM #50Senior Member
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Originally translated by bliss on 2/01/06 (first 3/4) and kaister on 7/12/14 (last 1/4). Reviewed by kaister.
Chapter 46
The Great Confusion
Xie Xiaofeng said, “So…”
Yan Shisan said, “So all you need to know is that I am Yan Shisan, and this should be enough.”
Xie Xiaofeng stared at him for a long while, suddenly smiled and said, “Actually all I need is to see your sword, and that should be enough.”
* * *
He had seen the “Life Snatching Thirteen Sword” before. You could say that he was thoroughly familiar with this swordplay’s every details and variations. However, this would not impact the outcome of their duel. Because this sword technique, when executed by Tie Kaicheng, would never have the full power, force, and accuracy that it was capable of. Therefore, he really wanted to witness the Life Snatching Thirteen Sword executed by Yan Shisan.
However, he also understood that the most important sword would be the one he would never get to see.
The most important sword move would be the move that determines life and death, victory and defeat. If Life Snatching Thirteen Sword already has a fifteenth transformation, the fifteenth sword would be the fatal sword move.
Of course he would never be able to see it.
Because the moment this sword comes out, he would be dead! His death would be certain. The one sword that he hoped to see in his lifetime would be the one sword that he will never get to see.
— Could this really be his fate?
What a twist of fate214, why must it be so cruel?
* * *
It wasn't something he wanted to dwell on, so he suddenly spoke, "There are swords in both of our hands; we can attack at any time."
Yan Shisan said, “That’s right.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But you won’t make your move that easily.” Yan Shisan said, “Oh?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because you'll definitely wait; wait for my negligence, wait for your chance.”
Yan Shisan asked, “Wouldn’t you also wait the same way?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Yes.” He sighed and continued, “It's a pity that such an opportunity won't come that easily.”
Yan Shisan agreed.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “So we will wait for a long while. It’s hard to say, we might wait until we are both exhausted before such opportunity arise. I’m certain that we can both remain very patient.”
He sighed again and said, “But why must we stand here and wait like idiots?”
Yan Shisan asked, “What are you suggesting?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “We can at least take a look around and go for a stroll.”
A smile came over Xie Xiaofeng's eyes as he added, “The weather is so beautiful, the scenery is so magnificent. The two of us are standing on the verge of death, the least we can do is to enjoy life for just a bit.”
* * *
Thus they started to walk; their first steps seemed to happen at the exact same time. Neither of them wanted to gain an advantage over the other, because to them, this duel wasn't about victory and defeat, or life and death. To them, this duel was about justifying their entire lives. That's why they did not want to deceive the other, and most importantly, they did not want to deceive themselves.
The maple leaves were even redder. The sunset was even more magnificent.
Before the darkness enveloped the land, heavens would always descend to the human world even more splendor. It is like a person before death seems even more virtuous and intelligent.
This is precisely life. If you truly understand life, you will have less sorrow and more joy.
* * *
The maple forest already had fallen leaves. They were stepping on the fallen leaves and slowly walking ahead. Their footsteps were making loud noises. Their strides were getting bigger, but the noises were getting lighter. This was because their vitality and energy were slowly building up to its peak.
Once they finally reached their peak, they would make their move.
Whoever reached the peak first would be the one to make his move first.
They did not want to wait for the opportunity because they both knew neither would give the other any opportunity.
* * *
They both essentially made their move at the same time.
No one was capable of seeing these two draw their swords. Their swords suddenly flashed out like bolts of lightning.
In that single instant, the weight of their bodies seemingly vanished; it was as if they could soar freely through the sky.
Because they had entered the state of forgetting one’s self. Their awareness had surpassed the world around them. They were in complete control of everything.
The flashes of the swords were freely moving. Shredded maple leaves were falling down like rain of blood.
But they did not see it. In their eyes, nothing else in the world existed, not even their own bodies.
The only thing that existed was the opponent's sword.
The tall firm maple trees around them instantly split in half with the gentle slash of their sword.
Because these trees simply didn't exist in their eyes.
The dense maple forest around them was nothing but a level plain in their eyes. Wherever their swords wanted to go, that was where the swords went.
There was no longer anything in the world that could obstruct their blades.
* * *
Tree after tree toppled over in the forest, the sky rained blood in a riotous profusion. There was suddenly a strange transformation from the never-ending flashes of light; the change was serious yet awkward.
With a loud “DING”, sparks splashed in every direction.
The flashes of sword light suddenly disappeared. The sword stances suddenly stopped. Yan Shisan's eyes were fixated on the sword edge. There seemed to be an inferno blazing in his eyes. And there seemed to be a glacier freezing in his eyes. Although the sword was still in his hands, its variations had finally reached its end. He had already executed his fourteenth sword.
Now his sword was already dead. The tip of Xie Xiaofeng’s sword was currently facing the tip of his sword.
If his sword was a poisonous snake, then Xie Xiaofeng’s sword was a nail; a nail that had been planted seven inches onto the snake and nailed it to death. This duel should have ended then and there.
But at that exact moment, the already lifeless sword suddenly began to tremble.
The fluttering leaves dancing in the sky suddenly all dispersed. Everything that was moving suddenly all became still.
Absolute stillness.
Other than this trembling sword, there were no other vital signs between heaven and earth.
There was suddenly an expression of extreme fear on Xie Xiaofeng’s face.
He suddenly realized that although the sword was still in his hands, it already became dead.
As soon as his opponent’s sword began to regain its life, his sword would been dead. It would no longer have any transformation because all its transformation would be controlled by the opponent’s sword.
All the life and energy had been snatched away by this one sword.
Right now this one sword could at any time pierce through his chest and throat. There was no force in this world that could block this.
Because this sword was “death”.
When “death” approached, what in the world could stop it?
* * *
However, this one sword did not strike out.
Suddenly in Yan Shisan’s eyes revealed an extremely dreadful expression, even far more dreadful than Xie Xiaofeng.
Then he did something no one would’ve thought of, no one would’ve imagined. He suddenly turned the tip of his sword around and slashed his own throat.
He did not kill Xie Xiaofeng, and yet he did kill himself!
However, at the moment his sword slashed his own throat, there was no longer any fear in his eyes. At that moment, his eyes were clear and bright.
Full of happiness and serenity.
And then he collapsed.
Until that moment he collapsed, until the moment his heart stop beating, his breathing stop, the sword in his hand was still trembling non-stop.
The setting sun faded away. The fallen leaves totally dispersed. Xie Xiaofeng did not leave yet.
He did not even move. He could not understand, did not understand. He couldn’t figure it out. He could not believe how a person, at the edge of victory, would kill himself.
However, he had to believe this. This person was indeed dead. This person’s heartbeat and breathing stopped. His hands and legs were already cold. The person that was supposed to die was Xie Xiaofeng, not him.
But at that moment he died, his heart contained neither fear nor hatred, only happiness and serenity. He was not crazy. At that moment, he was already invincible. Of course, no one could threaten him anymore.
Then why did he do something like that?
Why did he?
Why?
Why?……
* * *
The night was already dark, extremely dark.
Xie Xiaofeng was still motionlessly standing there.
He still didn’t understand. It was still not clear. He still could not figure it out. When this person collapsed, the black cloth covering his face had already flipped over.
Xie Xiaofeng had already seen his face. This person was Yan Shisan, was that frail old man with the medicine pot, and was the person that saved his life.
This person saved his life, only because he was Xie Xiaofeng.
— If he could not duel with Xie Xiaofeng, Yan Shisan would die with deep regrets.
Xie Xiaofeng hadn't forgotten Jian Chuanxue's death, and he hadn't forgotten Jian Chuanxue's words.
— This person will save you, but this person will also die under your sword.
* * *
The endless night. The long night had finally passed by. The first rays of light from the east shined through the forest and onto Xie Xiaofeng's face like it was from a golden sword.
Wind rustled through the branches and leaves. The sunlight was incessantly moving as if it was the vibration of a godly sword.
Xie Xiaofeng’s tired and absent-minded eyes suddenly had light. He suddenly took a deep breath and muttered, “I understand, I understand…”
A voice behind him took a long sigh and said, "But I still don't understand."
Xie Xiaofeng quickly turned around and found a person knelt behind him with his head down. His hair bun and garments were already soaked in morning dew; evidently, he had knelt here for a while.
He was so absorbed in thought that he never noticed that someone had come.
This person slowly lifted his head and looked at him. His eyes were full of red veins, and appeared to have unspeakable weariness and sorrow.
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder and said, "It's you? You've came as well!”
This person said, “Yes, it's me. I've been here for some time, but I still don't understand!”
This person turned towards Yan Shisan's body and sadly said, “You should've known that I would've wanted to see him one last time.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I know, of course I know!”
He had never forgotten what Tie Kaicheng had said either.
— He has no friends and no family, although he taught me his swordsmanship, he never allow me to get close to him. Also, he never let me know where he came from or where he will go.
— Because in his life he is afraid to having any sentimental feeling toward a person.
— Because if a person wanted to become a swordsman, he must be emotionless.
Only Xie Xiaofeng understood these intricate feelings that they had, because he knew Yan Shisan was not truly emotionless.
He let out a long sigh and said, “He must've wanted to see you as well. Although you aren't officially his disciple, you are the one person whom he had passed his swordsmanship to. He would've wanted you to see that last sword of his.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “That one sword was the epitome of his swordsmanship?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “That’s correct, that was the fifteenth transformation of ‘Life Snatching Thirteen Sword’. No one in the entire world could ward off or dodge it.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Not even you?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Not even I.” Tie Kaicheng said, “However, he did not use that one sword to kill you.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “If he did attack with that one sword, there’s no doubt I would be dead. Unfortunately at the very last moment, he unexpectedly was unable to strike out that sword move!”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Why?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because his heart had no killing intent!”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Why?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because he saved my life before!”
He knew Tie Kaicheng didn’t understand so he continued, “If you saved a person’s life, it’s very hard to kill him again. Because you already have developed feelings toward this person.”
That is indeed a type of emotions that is hard to explain. Only human would have that kind of emotion. It is because human have this type of emotions that they are considered human.
Tie Kaicheng said, “Even if he didn’t have the heart to kill you, there was no need for him to die!”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “At first, even I couldn't figure out why he took his own life.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Right now you’ve figured it out?”
Xie Xiaofeng slowly nodded his head and sorrowfully said, “Now I finally understand, he, in actuality, has to die.”
Tie Kaicheng was even more confused.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because in that one moment, although he didn't want to kill me, although he couldn't bear to kill me, he already had no way of controlling the sword in his hands. Because the power of that one sword couldn't be controlled by anyone. Once it was unleashed, someone has to die under its blade.”
Everyone can't avoid encountering something that is totally beyond his or her control and totally beyond his or her comprehension. In this world there are originally mysterious forces that exist where no human power is able to control. Tie Kaicheng said, “I still do not understand why he must destroy himself.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “What he wanted to destroy was not himself, it was that sword.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “That one sword is basically the unparalleled and peak of swordsmanship, why did he want to destroy it?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Because he suddenly realized, what that sword brought forth are nothing but destruction and death. He simply couldn't allow such a sword to remain in this world. He was not willing to become martial art’s ultimate sinner.”
His expression was serious and sorrowful, “However the changes and power of this sword was already no longer in his control. It is like a person suddenly realizing that the snake he is raising is actually a poisonous dragon! Although it was close to his hand, it totally did not adhere to his commands. He can’t even get rid of it, and can only wait until this poisonous dragon completely sucked his flesh and bone dry.”
Tie Kaicheng’s eyes were showing an expression of extreme fear, “So all he could do was destroy himself first.”
Xie Xiaofeng sadly said, “Because his flesh, bone, and life had already merged together with this poisonous dragon. And because the poisonous snake was basically the essence of this person. Therefore if he wanted to destroy this poisonous snake, he must first destroy himself.”
* * *
This was a sad and tragic story, full of strange and mysterious dread, and full of the deepest and sincerest philosophy.
This story sounded absurd, yet it was absolutely true. Absolutely no one could deny that it existed.
Right now he had already destroyed the life of this swordsman of a generation. The unparalleled swordplay he had created also disappeared at the same time.
Xie Xiaofeng was looking at his corpse and simply said, “But at that moment, he really had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. There wasn't a match before him, and there will never be a match after him. He can die with no regrets.”
Tie Kaicheng was gazing at him and asked, “Do you wish the one that died was you instead?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Yes!”
There was an indescribable sadness and loneliness in his eyes. "I would've rather the one that died was me instead."
* * *
This is life.
Life is full of contradiction; it is even harder to differentiate between gain and lost.
Tie Kaicheng took off his outer clothes that were drenched by the morning dew and covered Yan Shisan’s corpse. He asked himself: “If a dead person also has consciousness, would he rather the one that died was Xie Xiaofeng instead?”
He couldn’t answer this. He gently moved Yan Shisan’s hand away from his sword, and put the sword back into the scabbard that had thirteen precious pearls.
The famed sword had already been depressed, however the sword was still here. How about the person?
The sun was rising from the east and sunlight filled the sky. Xie Xiaofeng was following the yellow mud road the sunlight was shining on and went back to that nameless inn. Yesterday, when he walked out following this path, he would not imagine he would return.
Tie Kaicheng was behind following him. His footsteps were similar to him, heavy and slow.
Looking at the view of his back, Tie Kaicheng couldn’t help asking himself in his heart!
— Right now he was still Xie Xiaofeng, the Xie Xiaofeng that was unparalleled in the world. Why did it looked like he changed so much?
* * *
The mistress of the inn, however, did not change.
Her pair of big and lifeless eyes still had this hard to say weariless and confusion.
She was still blankly sitting behind the counter and blankly staring at the road outside. It seemed as if she was still waiting for a prince on white horse coming here to take here away from this banal and tedious lifestyle.
She did not see her prince on white horse, but did see Xie Xiaofeng. This pair of big and lifeless suddenly seemed to have an ambiguous215 smiling expression, “You came back?”
She seemed like she couldn’t believe Xie Xiaofeng actually came back, but he did. However, she did not feel surprise. There are plenty of these people in life. They are already used to accepting whatever fate has arranged for them. Xie Xiaofeng smiled at her and acted as if he had already forgotten what he did to her yesterday night.
Qing Qing said, “There are people at the back waiting for you. They have waited for a while!”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I know!”
Murong Qiudi should be there waiting for him and also their child.
“Where are they?”
Qing Qing lazily stood up and said, “I’ll bring you there.”
* * *
She was still dressed in those thin and soft clothes. When she was walking in front of him, Xie Xiaofeng could see everything clearly below her waist.
After walking out of the lobby and into the courtyard, she suddenly turned around and looked up and down assessing Tie Kaicheng. Tie Kaicheng seemed to want to pretend he didn’t notice her but he was not very good at pretending.
Qing Qing said, “There is no one here waiting for you.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “I know!”
Qing Qing said, “I also did not tell you to follow us!”
Tie Kaicheng said, “You did not.”
Qing Qing asked, “Then why did you not wait at the front?”
Tie Kaicheng left quickly and seemed as if he didn’t want to look at that pair of big and lifeless eyes.
Qing Qing’s eye was again showing that ambiguous smiling expression. She looked at Xie Xiaofeng and said, “Yesterday night, I was originally prepared to go look for you.”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Oh?”
Qing Qing gently caressed herself below the waist and said, “I even washed my legs.”
What she washed obviously was not only her leg; her hand had already made this very clear.
Xie Xiaofeng intentionally asked, “Why didn’t you go?”
Qing Qing replied, “Because I know the money that woman gave me is definitely more that what you will. I can tell you are not that type that is willing to spend money on women.”
Her hand was clearly enticing him, “However if you like, tonight I can still…”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What if I don’t like?”
Qing Qing replied, “Then I will go look for that friend of yours. I can tell he will definitely like it.”
Xie Xiaofeng laughed, bitterly laughed.
This woman at least had one good point; she would never hide what was on her mind. She would also never let an opportunity go, because she wanted to continue living and live a better life. Considering from this point of view, a lot of people are not better than her. In fact, not even he was better than her.
Qing Qing asked again, “Do you want me to go look for him?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “You definitely should!”
He was being very honest. Every one has the right to seek to better their lives.
Perhaps the method she was using was improper, but this was only because she never had a chance to choose a more proper method.
No one truly gave her the opportunity.
* * *
“The people waiting for you are in this room.”
This room was the one he was staying in yesterday night.
Qing Qing already left and went pretty far. She suddenly turned around, stared at him, and asked, “Would you think I am a woman with no sense of shame?”
Xie Xiaofeng answered, “I would not.”
Qing Qing smiled, truly smiled. The smile was as innocent and pure as a newborn baby.
Xie Xiaofeng, on the other hand, could not even smile. He knew there were plenty of women like her in the world. Even thought their lives were in a hellhole, they could still smile like a baby. Because they would never have a chance to know how tragic their actions were. He only hated how people judged their sins before they were given a better opportunity.
The dark yet damp room actually had sunlight shining in right now.
No matter how dark a place is sooner or later there will be sunlight shining in.
A withered and haggard man was facing the sunlight, and crossed his legs sitting on that wooden plank bed that could make a “zhizhi” (creaking) sound at any movement. The sunlight was very eye glaring but his pair of grey white eyes did not even move.
[End of Chapter 46]
Footnote
214. zaohuanongren (造化弄人), lit. means “destiny makes a fool of people”.
215. nuanmei (暖昧), could be used to describe 1. an obscure/dubious/shady [attitude] or 2. an [action or conduct] that can’t be shown to the public.Last edited by kaister; 09-23-14 at 03:04 AM.
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09-24-14, 03:54 AM #51Senior Member
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Originally translated by kaister on 7/14/14. Reviewed by kaister, kinda.
Chapter 47
Not Caring about Fame and Fortune
He was blind.
A woman with her back facing the door was lying on the bed. It appeared she was sleeping and was sleeping soundly.
Murong Qiudi was not in this room; the Kid (Xiaodi) wasn’t either.
The pitiful blind man and that woman that was fond of sleeping…could it be that they were the one waiting for Xie Xiaofeng here?
However, he had never seen them before.
He had already stepped in but was about to step out. The blind man, on the other hand, called out to him.
Like most blind people, although this blind man could not see, his hearing was especially good.
He suddenly asked, “Is the person that came here the third young master of the Xie family?”
Xie Xiaofeng was shocked. He could not guess how this blind man knew it was him.
The face on the withered and haggard blind man was showing this extremely strange expression and asked a very strange question.
“Can it be that the Third Young Master does not recognize who I am?”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “Why would I recognize you?”
The blind man replied, “If you take a closer look, you would definitely recognize me.”
Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t help but stop and take a really close look at him. He suddenly felt a chill through his body.
He did indeed recognize him.
This pitiful blind man was unexpectedly Zhuyeqing, that Zhuyeqing with eyes sharper than a poisonous snake!
* * *
Zhuyeqing laughed, “I know you would definitely recognize me. You also should be able to guess how I became blind.”
His smile could send chills to anyone looking at it. “However, due to her kindness and blessing, she spared my life. She actually even married a woman to me.”
Xie Xiaofeng obviously knew who “she” was. However, he could not guess why Murong Qiudi did not kill him, or why she would marry a woman to him.
Zhuyeqing suddenly sighed and said, “No matter what, the wife that she married to me is truly a good wife. Even if I need to cut off my ears, I am still willing.”
His original vicious tone had become gentle. He reached his hands out, shook that woman, and said, “A guest came; you should pour the guest a cup of tea.”
She obediently sat up and came out of bed with her head down. She poured cold tea in an old and broken tea bowl and brought it over.
Immediately after Xie Xiaofeng took the tea bowl, he almost dropped it.
There were suddenly chills in his hand and chills all over his body, which were colder than one when he recognized Zhuyeqing.
He finally saw this woman’s face. Zhuyeqing’s obedient wife unexpectedly was Wa Wa. The Wa Wa that he had caused untold misery to.
* * *
Xie Xiaofeng did not shout out only because Wa Wa was begging him. She was begging him with a pair of eyes that was about to cry. It was as if she was begging him to not ask and to not speak. He did not understand why she would do this? Why she was willing to become her enemy’s wife?
However he did not open his mouth. He could never refuse this pitiful girl’s request.
Zhuyeqing suddenly asked, “Isn’t my wife good? Isn’t she pretty?”
Xie Xiaofeng could still manage to control his voice and said, “Yes.”
Zhuyeqing’s smile could even light up that withered and haggard face. He gently said, “Although I cannot see her face, I still know she must be pretty. Such a kind-hearted lady definitely would not be ugly.”
He did not know she was Wa Wa.
If he knew his kind and gentle wife was a woman that he had caused untold misery to, what would he do? Xie Xiaofeng did not want to think anymore, loudly asked, “Are you waiting for me here? Did the ‘Lady’ ask you to wait for me?”
Zhu Yeqing nodded and he voice became cold, “She wants me to tell you she had already left. It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, dead or alive, she will never see you again.”
This was obviously not her true intention.
She only wanted him to stay behind to show Xie Xiaofeng what kind of person he had become and what kind of wife he had married.
Zhuyeqing suddenly said, “She originally wanted the Kid (Xiaodi) to stay here! However the Kid also left. He said he needed to go to Mount Tai.”
Xie Xiaofeng couldn’t help but ask, “To do what?”
Zhu Yeqing’s answer was simple and to the point. “To do whatever he likes.”
His voice became full of cynicism. “Because he does not have a celebrated family background, does not have parents or brothers, so he could only test his luck and pave his own road.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not say anymore. What needed to be said had already been said. He quietly stood up and quietly walked out the room.
He believed Wa Wa would definitely follow him. She had many things she needed to explain.
* * *
This was Wa Wa’s explanation —
“When Murong Qiudi force me to marry him, I originally decided to die.
I only agreed to marry him only because I wanted to create a chance to kill him, to avenge my family.
However, in the end, I could not carry out the plan.
Because he is no longer the Zhuyeqing that destroyed my family. He’s only a pitiful and useless blind man. Not only was he blind, the tendons on his legs had been severed.
One time, I originally was viciously committed to killing him. However the moment before I acted on it, he woke up due to a nightmare weeping. He was telling me all his evil deeds he had committed in the past.
From that moment on, I could no longer hate him.
Although from time to time I reminded myself to never forget the enmity I have with him. However my heart no longer harbor any hatred towards him, only pity and sympathy.
He often beg me while crying to not leave him. Without me, he would not even survive a single day.
He does not know that right now I can’t leave him either.
Because only beside him could I feel like a real woman.
He does not know about my past and would not look down on me. He definitely would not abandon me or slip out in the middle of the night while I am asleep.
Only with him by my side would I feel safe and blessed because I know he needs me.
For a woman, to be able to have a man that truly needs her is her biggest joy.
Perhaps you would never understand this type of feeling. However, not matter what you say, I will not leave him.”
What could Xie Xiaofeng say? He only said one word, other than this word he simply couldn’t think of what else to say.
He said, “Congratulations.”
* * *
Cold moonlight. New tomb. “Grave of Yan Shisan.”
These five simple words were carved on the granite tombstone, because no amount of words could describe his legendary and tragic life. This legendary swordsman was buried here. He had reached a height in swordsmanship in which no other man had tread before. Right now, like any other he was buried in the yellow earth.
* * *
The autumn wind was rustling. Xie Xiaofeng’s heart was similarly desolate. Tie Kaicheng had been looking at him. He suddenly asked, “Could he really die with no regrets?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Yes.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “You truly believe the poisonous dragon he killed, would not revive in you?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Absolutely would not.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “But you already know all the transformations within his swordplay and saw his very last sword stance.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “If we say there is still someone that can execute that sword move, the person is definitely me.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “It must be you.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “But I can no longer use the sword again.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Why?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not reply back to him and simply stuck out his pair of hands from his sleeve. On his two hands, the thumbs had been cut off.
* * *
Without thumbs, you cannot hold a sword. For a person like Xie Xiaofeng, if he couldn’t hold a sword wouldn’t that be equivalent to death.
Tie Kaicheng’s expression changed. Xie Xiaofeng, on the other hand, laughed, “In the past I would never do this. I would rather die than do this.”
His laughter was not forced. “However, right now I thought this through. As long as a person can attain peace in his mind, no matter what the sacrifice is, it’s worth it.” Tie Kaicheng was silent for a while as if he was letting his words soak in.
And yet he couldn’t help but ask, “Could it be that even sacrificing your own life is worth it?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I don’t know.”
His voice was mild and serene. “I only know if a person mind is not at peace, living is more painful than being dead.”
Of course he was qualified to say this, because he indeed had a painful experience. Also it was not known after however many tragic and painful experiences did he finally opened his heart and soul and found relief.
Seeing the serenity in his face, Tie Kaicheng finally sighed and mustered, “Right now where are you preparing to go?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “I don’t even know. Perhaps I should finally go back home. However before I go back, I might even take a look everywhere, travel everywhere.”
He smiled again, “I am no longer the unparalleled swordsman in the world, the Xie Third Young Master. I am only an ordinary person, I no longer need to torture myself like he used to.”
What kind of person a man is? What kind of person a man wants to be? These are usually decided by the man himself.
He also asked Tie Kaicheng, “How about you? Where do you want to go?”
Tie Kaicheng muttered, “I also don’t know. Perhaps I should also go back home. However before I go back, I might even take a look everywhere, travel everywhere!”
Xie Xiaofeng smiled and said, “Very good then.”
* * *
The refreshing sunlight right now was shining in front of them on the beautiful mother earth.
* * *
This was a simple and plain town but it was a crucial path to Mount Tai. Although they said they would casually take a look and casually travel, they still ended up on this path. Sometimes the relation between men is like a kite that had been released, no matter how high or how far the kite flew it was still tied to a string.
It is just that this string is like that thread attached to that sword in the river water; other people usually can’t see it.
* * *
The little town also had an inn that was not considered too small or too big. This inn obviously also sold wine.
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Have you ever seen an inn that doesn’t sell wine?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “No.”
He smiled, “An inn that doesn’t sell wine is like frying vegetable without salt. Not only are you going against other people, you are going against yourself.”
The strange thing was this inn not only sold wine but also medicine.
The wind carrying the scent of medicine was much stronger than the scent of wine.
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Have you ever seen an inn that sells medicine?”
Xie Xiaofeng did not open his mouth and the innkeeper interrupted, “Our little inn does not sell medicine. It is only because in the past two days there’s a tenant who had fallen sick. His friend is preparing medicine for him.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “He had a sudden sickness?”
The innkeeper sighed and said, “It is a sudden sickness. He looked perfectly fine one instance, and now sick to the point of near death.”
He suddenly realized he said something wrong, quickly smiled and explained, “However his sickness is definitely not contagious. The two of you could relax and lodge here.”
But a sudden sickness that put a person to near death is usually contagious.
A well experience traveler in Jianghu most definitely had this common knowledge. Tie Kaicheng knitted his brow, strolled to a window at the back and saw a young person fanning a medicine stove under the raft inside the courtyard. A person helping a friend prepare medicine usually did not carry a weapon. The person not only carried a sword but one of his hands was tightly gripping onto the sword as if he was prepared to guard against any sneak attack. Tie Kaicheng looked for half a day and suddenly called out, “Xiao Zhao.”
This person instantly jumped with sword out of its sheath. By the time he saw Tie Kaicheng, he finally let out a sigh of relief and smiled apologetically, “It’s the head escort chief.”
Tie Kaicheng pretend to not notice the nervousness on his face, smiled and said, “I am drinking wine outside. After you’re done making the medicine, come find us and let’s drink together.”
* * *
Xiao Zhao’s name was Zhao Qing216. He was originally a watchman in the Red Flag Escort Agency. However since little he was very driven person, a few years ago he actually entered Huashan School. These were partly because of his effort and also partly because Tie Kaicheng's effort cultivating him.
He obviously could not refuse Tie Kaicheng’s invitation. He came very soon.
After two cups of wine, Tie Kaicheng finally asked, “Who is this friend of yours that’s ill?”
Zhao Qing said, “He’s one of my shixiong (martial older brother).” Tie Kaicheng asked, “What kind of sickness does he have?” Zhao Qing replied, “It’s…it’s a sudden sickness.” He was originally a frank and straightforward young person. Right now he seemed to be holding back his words; it was as if he had a secret he was unwilling to let other people know.
Tie Kaicheng was smiling and looking at him. Although he did not expose him, it made him feel worst than being exposed. His face was starting to turn red. He never had the habit of lying to the head escort chief. He wanted to tell the truth but unfortunately there was a stranger next to the head escort chief. Tie Kaicheng said, “Mister Xie is my friend. My friends will never betray their friends.”
Zhao Qing finally sighed and bitterly smiled, “My shixiong’s sickness was cause by an injury from a sword.”
A “sickness” that came from a sword injury was definitely a sudden sickness, and would most definitely be quick and serious.
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Which one of your shixiong is the one that’s sick?”
Zhao Qing replied, “It’s my Mei-dashixiong (eldest martial brother).”
Tie Kaicheng was visibly affected, “Is it that ‘God Sword With No Shadow’ Mei Changhua?”
He was indeed shocked. Mei Changhua was not only the head disciple of Huashan, he was also renowned swordsman in Jianghu.
With his swordsmanship, how did he become so “sick” under another’s sword?
Tie Kaicheng also asked, “Who made him sick?”
Zhao Qing said, “It’s a new disciple of Diancang who’s very young.”
Tie Kaicheng was even more shocked. The fame of Huashan swordplay was above that of Diancang. How could a new disciple of Diancang defeat the head disciple of Huashan?
Zhao Qing said, “We originally was supposed to go to a gathering in Huashan. We ran into him here and he suddenly had some friction with my dashixiong. He wanted to have an one-on-one duel with my dashixiong to decide victory or defeat.”
He was sighing and continued, “At the time we thought he was mad and was seeking death. Unbelievably…no one would believe dashixiong would be defeated by his swordplay.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “The duel was decided under how many moves?”
Zhao Qing’s face was even more embarrassed. After a long hesitation, finally softly said, “Seemed like not even ten moves.”
A newly recruited Diancang disciple could actually defeat Mei Changhua in under ten moves.
Not only was this hard to believe, it was also embarrassing. No wonder Zhao Qing was holding back and not wanting to say it.
Beside Mei Changhua had always been arrogant. He made many enemies in Jianghu. Obviously, he needed to be guarded against potential enemies looking for revenge.
Zhao Qing said, “However his swordplay did not seem to originate from Diancang, particularly his last move. Not only was it vicious and surprisingly crafty, it seemed careful and mature. It seemed like martial art that was at least ten years or more worth of painful training.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Do you think he might’ve joined the school with previous skill?”
Zhao Qing said, “Definitely.”
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly asked, “What kind of person is he?”
Zhao Qing said, “His age seems young but the things he does seemed seasoned. Although he said very little, but whatever he said, he said it with moderation.”
After thinking about it, he said, “It seemed like he’s not the type to cause slight disagreement and fight. This must be a deliberate fight for him to establish his name in Jianghu.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What is his name?”
Zhao Qing replied, “His surname is also Xie, Xie Xiaodi217.”
Xie Xiaodi, these three words suddenly became renowned throughout Jianghu.
In the short span of five days, he injured Mei Changhua, defeated Qin Duxiu, and even the number one expert amongst the later generation in Wudang, Ouyang Yunhe, was defeated by his sword. The rise of this youngster was like a miracle.
* * *
Night. There was a lamp and wine on the table.
Tie Kaicheng muttered to himself with the wine, suddenly smiled and said, “I guess right now you already know who Xie Xiaodi is.”
Xie Xiaofeng did not answer him directly, yet sighed and said, “I only know he must be anxious to become famous. Because only after becoming famous would he be able to get rid of the shadow in his heart.”
— What was his shadow?
— Was it his famous parent?
Or was it those long suppressed painful memories?
Tie Kaicheng said, “He deliberately cause trouble with the disciples of those famous schools. I originally thought he was fighting to become the head of the alliance for Mount Tai.”
“However he did not do that.”
“Because he knew his prestige was not enough, so he still supported Li Zhenzhen to the seat of the alliance leader.”
“That was already two days ago. For today’s news, he had already taken the new alliance leader, Li Zhenzhen, as his wife.”
Tie Kaicheng smiled and said, “Right now I finally know, he is far more brilliant than we thought.”
Li Zhenzhen was also an intelligent person; she knew their union would be mutually beneficial to both of them.
Tie Kaicheng said, “I always wonder what was Lady Murong's feeling after hearing about his news.”
Xie Xiaofeng also did not know.
He did not even know what his feeling was at the current moment.
Tie Kaicheng suddenly smiled and said, “Actually we should not worry about them. Every generation of Jianghu there are people like them that shows up. As they are struggling and fighting to climb up, they would use any mean necessary. Once they established their fame, they would focus on doing that job well.”
Because they were all intelligent people, they would not easily destroy their hard-earned fame and reputation. Perhaps it was because people like them that always exist in Jianghu, therefore balance was maintained. Because they will naturally maintain a check and balance amongst them. That kind of relationship is like the world needed tiger, leopard, lion, and fox; rats and mosquito; for there to be natural equilibrium.
Xie Xiaofeng suddenly sighed and said, “A youngster without a prominent family background and parents to rely on, is definitely hard to establish a name.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “However young people should have that kind of ambition. If he is constantly climbing up, no one would say he’s on the wrong path.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Yes.”
At the moment they finished talking, suddenly a group of youngsters rushed in and loudly asked, “Are you Xie Xiaofeng?”
Xie Xiaofeng nodded.
One of the youngsters drew out his sword and pointed the sword tip at him. “Draw your sword out, let’s decide who’ll be the victor of a battle.”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Although I am Xie Xiaofeng, I already do not use a sword.”
He let these youngsters see his hands.
The youngsters were not affected; their desire to achieve fame was too aggressive.
No matter what, Xie Xiaofeng was still Xie Xiaofeng. Whoever kills Xie Xiaofeng would become famous.
They suddenly drew their swords out at the same time and aimed toward Xie Xiaofeng.
* * *
Although Xie Xiaofeng could not hold a sword, he still had a hand. His hand chopping on their maimen (pulse on their wrist) was like a sudden gust of wind blowing by.
Their swords immediately left their hands.
Xie Xiaofeng picked up the sword. He held the swords with his middle and index finger and snapped them into two halves.
Afterward he only said one word!
“Leave.”
They immediately left. They left faster then they came. Tie Kaicheng laughed.
They were young people; passionate with a fiery, hotheaded and impulsive, taking action without thinking of the consequence. However, Jianghu could never do without these youngsters. It was like the ocean could never do without fishes.
It was because of these young people, could Jianghu forever maintain its fresh excitement and colorful liveliness.
Tie Kaicheng asked, “You don’t blame them?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “I definitely do not blame them.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “Is it because you know once they grow up, they would not do these things?”
Xie Xiaofeng replied, “Yes.”
After thinking about it, he said, “Other than this, obviously there is another reason.”
Tie Kaicheng asked, “What reason?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Because I am also a man of Jianghu.”
* * *
The people living in Jianghu are like fallen leave in the wind and duckweed in the water. Although they do not have root, they have courage, uprightness, and loyalty. Although they are typically living in hardship, they don’t blame the heaven or fault men. Because at the same time, they have a rich, colorful, and beautiful life.
Xie Xiaofeng said, “There’s a saying you mustn’t forget.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “What saying?”
Xie Xiaofeng said, “Once you’ve became a man of Jianghu, you’ll always be a man of Jianghu.”
Tie Kaicheng said, “I also have a saying.”
Xie Xiaofeng asked, “What saying?”
Tie Kaicheng said, “Once you’ve become Xie Xiaofeng, you’ll always be Xie Xiaofeng.”
He smiled and slowly continued, “Even if you cannot hold a sword anymore, you are still Xie Xiaofeng.”
[End of Sword of the Third Young Master]
Footnote
216. Zhao Qing (赵清), surname Zhao, given name mean “clear/clean/pure”.
217. Xie Xiaodi (谢小荻), surname Xie, given name means “little” (xiao), “di” (荻) - same as the di in Murong Qiudi. Obviously, this also sounds similar to Xiaodi (小弟), which is translated as “The Kid” here.Last edited by kaister; 09-24-14 at 12:08 PM.
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09-24-14, 03:55 AM #52Senior Member
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Double Post. It's ok. I might just reserved this space for an the extra foreword, maybe.
I'm happy that this translation is finally completed. The translation of this story started on 11/24/2004 and finally completed today on 9/24/2014. I'm glad people will have a chance to read this end-to-end.Last edited by kaister; 09-24-14 at 12:07 PM.
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