大唐双龙传 [Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan] by Huang Yi

[徐中銳]

Xu Xiong, I don't think they even mastered the first level [of Great Method of Nine Mysteries]. Fu Junchuo only taught them the theory, plus the acupoints and channels and meridian. The boys learned Secret to Long Life on their own.

They believe that they've passed the 1st level after :

On the evening of the ninth day, there was a sudden thunderstorm; the two boys were unable to sleep, they were compelled to practice. As usual, Kou Zhong wandered around the valley, Xu Ziling went to soak in the creek, with only his head above the water. Both were training their respective skill.

Not long afterwards, they both entered the peculiar state of ‘no-self’, where they seemed to be asleep, but were not actually asleep, and seemed to be awake, but not quite awake. In their mind suddenly there was the picture that they knew so well from the ‘Secret to Long Life’. Furthermore, they no longer care about following any particular arrow, they simply entered the state of emptiness where their spirit was fixed on certain hard-to-describe phase.

Amazing things happened.

First it was Xu Ziling who suddenly felt his heart was burning, the hot burning feeling like he was on fire. And then the heat reached its peak, linked in countless ways it spilled onto all channels and acupoints, big and small. This kind of feeling was so unbearable that he nearly wanted to kill himself to end the pain. It was fortunate that the ice-cold creek water and the rainwater slightly alleviate his pain.

It was fortunate that Xu Ziling was smart that he knew that it was the moment his spirit and mind aroused, so he no longer paid attention to the pain in his body, he also ignored the arbitrary rushing and random surge of the ‘real qi’ within him. He was deep in meditation, focusing his mind on only one thing.

It was also fortunate that Fu Junchuo did not have time to tell him the condition concerning the unleashing of qi.

If the movement of qi was due to regular Nine Mysteries Great Method training, the heat may start at the lower extremity of the backbone, and then following the arteries and veins, it would flow upward, breaking through Yu Zhen Guan [jade pillow pass], via Ni Jiu [mud/clay nine], and then returned to Ren channels [see Eight Extraordinary Channels, Chapter 7] at the front. This cycle continued ceaselessly for thirty-six days and became the basic method.

For average martial art practitioners, this is the state where they yearn for even in their dreams, because from this state they would embark on the path to become masters in internal strength.

Xu Ziling’s situation was actually unprecedented. Average people would think that they were having fire deviation; if the fire deviation was mild, they would be paralyzed, if it were heavy their pulse and channels would rupture and they would perish. Hence when Shi Long tried to follow the diagram the other day, because he already had a preconceived idea, as soon as he felt something was not right, he stopped immediately and did not dare to continue.

Xu Ziling, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on, and thought that it ought to happen this way; under no apprehensions, the dead horse has become a living horse, and he obtained the real essence of the diagram instead.

Kou Zhong was under different situation. A burst of incomparably strange cold qi penetrated the top of his head and flowed into all channels and acupoints, big and small. The cold was so intense that he nearly froze to death; automatically he started to run to keep the qi and blood flowing freely.

And thus the two of them overcame their respective adversity this way for two sichen [i.e. 4 hours] until daybreak. Kou Zhong eventually could not endure anymore and collapsed on the ground. In this terrible moment, the channels in his entire body seemed to burst open at once and he lost consciousness.

Xu Ziling felt that the tidal wave of heat that nearly burned him to death was rapidly subsiding; momentarily he felt like he was falling into nothingness and lost his consciousness as well.

By midday, the rain stopped and the sky was clear, the sun broke through the clouds and was shining brightly. Kou Zhong was the first to wake up; he felt his entire body was immerse in coolness and did not feel bothered by the burning sun at all. It was extremely comfortable.

Kou Zhong was still unsure of what was going on. Recalling last night’s experience, he still had a lingering fear, and sat up in daze.

One look around and he was amazed.

The whole heaven and earth seemed to be a lot clearer. Not only the colors were a lot richer, a lot of minute details that he usually overlooked have also become clear. Even the subtle change in the way the wind blows that he usually missed failed to escape his acute hearing.

The strangest thing was that both the heaven and the earth, the stone, a single blade of grass, seemed to be connected to him as if they were alive, while he himself has become part of them; the two no longer became separate entities.

Kou Zhong was greatly surprised; he quietly pondered that after the qi was aroused, the world unexpectedly looked completely new. Right this moment, a surge of great delight rushed forth in his heart, making him sprang up immediately.

First of all, Kou Zhong remembered Xu Ziling. Shouting gleefully, he called out, “Xiao Ling, I finished the first level. Look! My body is a lot lighter, I can do somersault.” After somersaulting twice, he ran up to find his good brother.

The fact is that even if we asked martial art master of this age, great martial art scholar with extensive knowledge and experience, they may not know what kind of skill these two boys have trained. Even the author of the ‘Secret to Long Life’ may only return a blank stare looking at the two boys’ present condition.

But the change in the two boys’ physique was real. Only, speaking about real fight, unless their opponent was an ordinary disciple of ordinary school, it would not be hard to make them kneel and beg for mercy. However, if this trend continued, nobody could predict what kind of level these two boys would be able to reach.

Hearing his shout, Xu Ziling slowly woke up. Still floating on the water, he felt his body was comfortably warm, without the slightest bit of cold. Hurriedly he crawled up the bank, and was so shaken that he dropped on his knees in disbelief. Because he saw the world was twice as beautiful than before.

From that day onward, the two of them believed that they had reached the first level of the Nine Mysteries Great Method...

And Secret to Long Life was, thankfully (for Kou & Xu), « the method to circulate the qi » :

Fu Junchuo said, “Underneath it’s defending the form, above it’s defending the spirit. Spirit controls the spirit, mind controls the movement. Mind is movement, getting away from it means emptiness. This emptiness is an unusual emptiness, thus not empty is in fact emptiness. Peace and quiet is profound, its existence cannot happen by chance, where it goes cannot be pursued. Thus welcome it accordingly, because unintentional is actually intention. At the beginning the mysterious way become the first level.” [Translator’s note: my apology, these passages are way above my head, I simply translated it as close as I thought it literally means.]

After a short pause, she continued, “Don’t covet this first level. A lot of people spent their entire life and still unable to connect qi and mind, obtain the form but miss the spirit, until they finally quit midway, having achieving nothing.”

Seeing the two boys shook their heads and swayed their minds, looking as if they gained a lot, she was astounded. “Do you understand what I am saying?”

Kou Zhong asked in surprise, “Such a simple words, what’s so difficult to understand?”

Fu Junchuo recalled her Shifu’s high praise that she was an amazing talent to train martial art, yet until today it was only after reaching the sixth level that she was truly able to grasp the essence of the method. How could these two boys understand just by hearing it once?

Pointing to Kou Zhong, she said, “You, explain it back to me.”

The light from outside the window gradually dimmed; inside, the room was warm with faint fading light, carrying with it the desolate feeling of lapsing time.

Kou Zhong was stunned as he said, “You have said it very well, it’s hard to find other words with which to explain it. If I have to explain it, I’ll say that from a with-form method we need to enter the formless method, hoping to move the spirit. When the opportunity arrives, then we can have enough self-realization to access the formless treasure-trove within ourselves that Niang was referring to. Spirit and mind unleashed, then using unintentional thought resist and harness it, so that we can produce his mother’s … oh, I mean, produce the true qi. Heavens, can I start training now?”

Listening to this, Fu Junchuo was dumbstruck. This explanation was clearer than her own Shifu, Fu Cailin. This boy’s innate talent was really high, it was just that he had been through horrifying situation that he could not progress further.

Xu Ziling said, “If Zhong Shaoye is that eager to train, it might be harmful to you instead. Speaking about unintentional is actually intention, it is referring to the kind of mental state where we intentionally forgoing the intention, where emptiness is not empty, where peace and quiet is profound, its existence cannot happen by chance, where it goes cannot be pursued.”

When Fu Junchuo heard this, her scalp felt numb. These two boys were like fine jade that has not been carved and polished; even she herself was somewhat inspired by this radiant light that penetrates ten thousand zhang of darkness.

Kou Zhong said in embarrassment, “I was just saying! But please, Niang, quickly teach us the with-form method, so that when the opportunity comes, I can keep on training, even when I eat or defecate.”

Fu Junchuo angrily scolded him, “Don’t speak foul language. Now I will teach you first how to sit cross-legged and the method to circulate the qi. I will say it just once and won’t repeat it.”

While the two boys’ mind was greatly excited, there was a knock on the door...

But how will they now escape from Yuwen Huaji ?

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs.

The ending was exciting. Will the boys be able to escape the danger this time?

[Komeng]

Thanks foxs

[LuDongBin]

The end of Sui Dynasty? Thks foxs.

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs

[Laoren]

Thanks foxs.

[徐中銳]

Folks, George reminded me about the unabridged thread. I thought I'd ask y'all if any of you are willing to volunteer your time to create 'Glossary'? You know, all names and places and stuffs ... But you have to commit for quite a long time. Please let me know, I would appreciate some help very much, so that I can concentrate on translating.

I didn't respond to this question yesterday because I needed to consider more seriously the undertaking... Because I've made promises already that needs to be fulfilled. You know a man and his word...

Well, in a similar way—modelled from your disciplined pace of 2-3 days, I'm willing to give it a try, methodically starting from the beginning to diligently document character names (with Chinese spelling and translation links [if it accepts from Cojak site]) and chapter appearances/location... How I'll precisely do so can be discussed and settled upon

It'd certainly be a separate Thread from this Translation Thread (which I enjoy as it allows reader feedback—like a helpful book club/study discussion) and your proposed Unabridged Thread (which can be overwhelming[ly isolating], solitary).

And of solitude, if I manage it right there'd be still time for music & films which I've depended daily to revitalise me (wielding the remote akin to a sword, playing St. Vincent amid house renovations)
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[HPC7595]

Thanks foxs

[foxs]

Ysabel, Jaya, Bocah, Komeng, Anh, Lao Qianbei, you are welcome. Xu Xiong, I still think that they ‘thought’ they passed the first level, but the internal cultivation was actually from Secret to Long Life. However, I realize that this is a matter of opinion. Sky, that is for me to know and for you to find out. DongBin, I am kind of surprised as well that Yang Guang died this soon. Xu Xiong, thanks for volunteering. My plan is that I will create the first post, which is the index, and then I’ll have you post something for the second post (anything, just for space holder), and then the third and subsequent posts will be the chapters.

---

Book 6 Chapter 6 – Killing Their Way Out of Imperial City

Before Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s feet even landed on the ground, rain of arrows already shot at them. Evidently other than the Emperor’s Personal Chamber Palace, the rest of the Imperial City has noiselessly fallen under the control of Yuwen Huaji and the renegades under his command.

Apparently these hundreds of powerful arrows have been prepared as well; the arrows were hard and accurate, perhaps even Ning Daoqi himself would have to entail strenuous effort to block them.

Greatly shocked, while their bodies were still falling, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling raised their true qi with four palms faced the ground, unexpectedly before they touched the ground their bodies rose high into the air again. Not only they evaded the rain of arrows, they also managed to throw themselves into the cluster of trees in the imperial garden next to the palace hall.

With a loud shout countless renegade soldiers, wearing white band on their heads, charged out of the woods to intercept the two boys.

In an instant the two boys were falling into the enemy ranks and were separated by the crowd.

Outside the woods there were torches everywhere; the battle cry shook the heavens.

After brandishing his fists to knock out two men, Xu Ziling managed to snatch a long saber. Using the strength of his wrist, he brandished the long saber, a burst of powerful saber qi passed through the edge of his blade, three men fell face up instantly and died on the spot.

Seizing this opportunity, Xu Ziling fled up a tree. He saw everywhere outside the woods were people running and chasing and killing each other, several palace halls already caught fire, thick smoke rose up to the sky, blocking the light from the sun and the moon.

Under the light of the blaze, the Imperial City has become the killing hell.

Two martial art masters from the renegade troops pursued him up the tree, Xu Ziling executed chain-saber technique, blood splashed and the two men dropped dead to the ground.

Under the powerful sound of the arrows, Xu Ziling was unable to divert his attention to look for Kou Zhong. Soaring high to the sky, he unexpectedly broke his own record by crossing a distance of seven, eight zhang, and landed on the edge of the imperial forest.

About a dozen renegade soldiers pounced on him, fast as lightning Xu Ziling darted forward. He tried to avoid being caught in hard fighting. The long saber in his hand flickered like lightning flashes, with unbelievable speed he hacked on three sabers, immediately three more enemies fall face up, they met a violent death. Even he himself was so surprised that his hand could be that formidable.

Two spears attacked from behind, without looking back Xu Ziling swayed left and right, relying on his senses, and dodged the spear attack by a hair’s breath.

And then he ducked forward and broke out of the siege.

A harsh shout coming from about thirty zhang on his left. Recognizing Kou Zhong’s voice, Xu Ziling knew that Kou Zhong was in danger. His heart was shaken, he could no longer maintain the ‘clear water in the well’ realm, immediately the spear of a renegade soldier, who had been hiding in the dark, was about to pierce the vital point on his flank.

The instant the tip of the spear penetrated his clothes, Xu Ziling came back to his senses; his tiger body twisted abruptly, his internal energy reacted, the fatal spear thrust slipped away, it only ripped his clothes and scratched a long cut that reached his back.

Flicking his saber, Xu Ziling hacked the renegade soldier’s face. With a ferocious roar he swept past a dozen or so enemies. His toes kicked the ground, he charged toward the direction of Kou Zhong’s voice.

Under the flickering blaze, a group of about thirty renegade soldiers were engaging Kou Zhong in close fight, one of them was surprisingly Yuwen Shiji. Xu Ziling noticed that for each sword attack from him, Kou Zhong had to strenuously move his spear to deal with it, giving the other soldiers the opportunity to attack.

Xu Ziling also noticed that Kou Zhong’s entire body was covered with blood, and that his footwork was unsteady, so he knew that Kou Zhong would not be able to hold on much longer.

Letting out a wild roar, Xu Ziling’s saber and body merged into one entity; forgetting any saber technique, he simply brandished his saber in a large saber sweep, like a furious billowing waves of the stormy sea it shot toward Yuwen Shiji.

Yuwen Shiji was just thinking that in two or three more sword moves he was going to take Kou Zhong’s life, and then he would turn his attention to find Xu Ziling. Seeing Xu Ziling was coming to deliver his own life, he was delighted; leaving Kou Zhong behind, he turned around to meet Xu Ziling.

Xu Ziling had already thrown the matter of life and death to the back of his mind; his heart and mind were free from surprise and fear.

‘Dang! Dang! Dang!’ the two men crossed each other in the air and exchanged three moves.

When his sword made contact with Xu Ziling’s saber, Yuwen Shiji knew something was not right; he felt that the opponent’s scorching hot true qi was bursting out of the saber and an instant later it attacked his meridians; his own ‘Mysterious Ice Energy’ [see Book 1 Chapter 1] seemed to be subdued by the opponent’s incomparably subtle innate true qi, so that he found it hard to block.

Although his power was far inferior to Yuwen Huaji’s, but compared to Xu Ziling’s, it was still deeper. Just by taking a mouthful of true qi, he neutralized at least half of the strength of the opponent’s qi invading his body. The sword in his right hand executed an exquisite, beyond compare technique, to deflect the long saber sideways, and continued seamlessly to hack on Xu Ziling’s neck; only the power was not as severe as before.

Xu Ziling stayed calm without any hint of fear, his left palm stretched out flat, with incredible precision it moved from bottom to top, without even missing a hairsbreadth it landed on the sword’s blade and pushed it up.

A whiff of chilliness crept up in Yuwen Shiji’s heart; now he understood why Yuwen Chengdu and Yuwen Wudi suffered defeat in these two boys’ hands, and why his elder brother Yuwen Huaji repeatedly ordered him not to allow these two boys escape alive from this place.

A sudden gust of wind assaulted his back.

Since the two men exchanged moves in the air, by now Xu Ziling has landed behind him. Yuwen Shiji has never imagined that Xu Ziling’s saber would be that fast; unexpectedly without the slightest delay Xu Ziling already launched a counterstrike, swiftly hacking toward his back.

Yuwen Shiji ignored the still surging qi in his body. Clenching his teeth, he swiveled around and promptly blocked Xu Ziling’s saber.

‘Qiang!’

Yuwen Shiji let out a miserable groan, his mouth spurted fresh blood, as his sword, along with his body, was struck by Xu Ziling’s saber that he flew backward until his back crashed against the trunk of a large tree. Injury on top of injury, he slumped down to the ground.

Xu Ziling did not get it easy either, Yuwen Shiji’s reaction force jolted his body that his meridians nearly burst and his five viscera nearly ruptured; fortunately he had sustained many injuries in the past that he already knew what to do. The instant before he fell to the ground, he incited the fantastic beyond compare, which can bring people back from the dead, innate true qi from the ‘Secret to Long Life’, to neutralize Yuwen Shiji’s overpowering ‘Mysterious Ice Energy’.

‘Bang!’

Xu Ziling fell heavily by Kou Zhong’s feet.

A hard fight where both sides went full strength like this, victory or defeat was decided very quickly.

Having experienced how formidable Yuwen Shiji was, Kou Zhong thought Xu Ziling was dead. In his fury, with a divine strength, which nobody knew where it came from, his spear thrust to the left and pierced to the right, killing the enemy that they scattered to the east and fell down to the west.

Someone wanted to attack him from behind; Kou Zhong swiftly turned around and thrust his spear. The enemy spurted blood as his body was thrown about a zhang back. The other enemies were intimidated by his power, plus Yuwen Shiji was out of commission, hence they scattered away in panic.

Kou Zhong felt the sky was spinning, the earth went around; he knew that it was because he had lost too much blood and had exerted too much strength. His condition was very close to a lantern which oil was nearly dried up. Letting out a deep sigh, he believed that the two brothers would lose their lives in this place. But suddenly Xu Ziling sprang up and shouted, “Get on my back!”

Kou Zhong was delighted, “Good kid!” he shouted. Casting off the spear, he threw himself onto Xu Ziling’s back, and held on to him tightly.

Xu Ziling circulated his qi to force a mouthful of fresh blood out of his system, afterwards the pit of his stomach felt better as his qi was able to flow freely. And then he leaped diagonally up onto a tree branch protruding horizontally overhead first before borrowing the bouncing force of the branch he flew ten more zhang toward the back of the roof of a two-storied building nearby.

His movement was as fluid as moving clouds and flowing water. By the time the renegade troops wanted to pursue, he, with Kou Zhong on his back, was already at the roof ridge on the other side of the building.

There was a long laughter from afar but quickly coming near. Yuwen Huaji flew over and shouted, “Where do you think you are going?”

Hearing Yuwen Huaji’s voice, Xu Ziling knew that if he caught up with them, they would not escape alive. Hastily he jumped down, and landed in the courtyard of the palace complex where the palace maids and the eunuchs slept. Without thinking he ran inside the building.

[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.

[Komeng]

Thanks Foxs

[Ysabelkid]

Thanks foxs

[LuDongBin]

A fantastic fight .... power spent and now Yuwen Huaji? End this cliff hanger quickly. Thks foxs.

[徐中銳]

Xu Xiong, thanks for volunteering. My plan is that I will create the first post, which is the index, and then I’ll have you post something for the second post (anything, just for space holder), and then the third and subsequent posts will be the chapters.

We'll work something out And piecing together info for a Glossary-of-sorts (in addition to a Characters List) won't be too difficult, especially because we can call readers' help... Of audience-participation, who here would like to find a Sui/Tang Dynasty map for the Unabridged Thread (so as to better understand Kou & Xu's travels as well as the contesting over bordering territories of that time) ?

[BocahTuaNakal]

i think, even if they become miserable, they will benefit greatly from this fight. remember every time they got hurt, they broke through another level of martial art. and also the difference in 'the path' that they took is more prudent ...

[Anh Nam]

thanks foxs

[chualot]

thanks foxs

[HPC7595]

Thanks foxs

[LuDongBin]

Here's the map showing the Sui and Tang territories as well as some major cities:
wh14_suitang_small.jpg

Source: http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ms...14_suitang.jpg

[Laoren]

Thanks foxs, exciting fights; haha no pain no gain!!!