The Sword And The Exquisiteness by GU LONG

[Goofy]

this is getting better and bettter. <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0">

how long is this story btw?

[Acidbeastonfire]

Good work Athena. & I was thinking SLFD was a mind twister. this story really gets me to the edge of the seat. the 'unknown mastermind' seems to be a master of poisons..very much like OYF.

[Athena]

To Ren Woxing: The Chinese name was Ji Feng Kuai Jian.
To Goofy:Thanks. The novel consists of 40 chapters. So I'll be doing this for a long time. <IMG SRC="smilies/help.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/sigh.gif" border="0">
To Acidbeastonfire: This mastermind is a very talented person, you will soon find out. <IMG SRC="smilies/devil.gif" border="0">

Hong Lianhua stood there worried about Yu Peiyu. He finally realised that this refined young man was a formidable fighter.
But although Yu Peihad had the will to kill this Xie Tianbi, but his strength was gradually weakening. And Hong Lianhua couldn't intervene.
Xie Tianbi began his assault again, his plan was to weaken Yu Peiyu out first by only defending and attack when he was tired.
Yu Peiyu was wounded at several places by his sword.
Hong Lianhua was feeling very sad by this battle. All of a sudden Yu Peiyu's chest was left unguarded. Xie Tianbi saw his chance and aimed his sword directly towards his chest. Hong Lianhua cried out and rushed forward. But this wicked Xie Tianbi was too quick, Hong Lianhua closed his eyes couldn't bear to watch anymore.
Xie Tianbi laughed evily, he was certain he was going to kill Yu Peiyu.
But somehow Yu Peiyu placed his palms mysteriously on the blade and pressed on both sides. The sword couldn't advance forward, Yu Peiyu used his elbow to hit Xie Tianbi on the chest.
Yu Peiyu consequently used his palm to smack Xie Tianbi on the face. The force of that smack sent Xie Tianbi flying in the air.
The press against the blade, the elbow and the smack were performed almost in one breath.
Yu Peiyu didn't give Xie Tianbi the chance to land and caught him in the air and used his palms to press against his chest and a few of his ribs were broken by that squash.
At first Hong Lianhua could hear Xie Tianbi panting heavily after Yu Peiyu began pressing Xie Tianbi's chest his panting became weaker and weaker.
Hong Lianhua yelled:"Don't kill him yet! I want to question him first!"
Yu Peiyu dropped Xie Tianbi on the ground and raised his head and said:"Did I finally defeat him?....I finally have defeated him..."
Xie Tianbi collapsed on the ground and couldn't move anymore.
Hong Lianhua took Yu Peiyu by the hand and asked excitedly:"Those techniques you used, are they the famous "An Antelope Putting Up His Horns" and "The Outer Sky Rainbow?"
I have heard that old master Yu was renowned for these 2 techniques and were 2 special skills of the Xiantian Wuji School."
Yu Peiyu said tragically:"My father never used these stances to harm anyone in his life. But I...I..."
Yu Peiyu couldn't stop himself from weeping again.
Hong Lianhua was impressed with those 2 stances and sighed:"Very sophisticated stances! Very superb martial arts! Truly perfect and miraculous. The skills of ancient Wulin seniors are truly amazing."
He tapped on Yu Peiyu on the shoulders and laughed:"Why din't you tell me earlier that you had such high martial arts. I was worried sick."
Yu Peiyu said:"I...I..."
Suddenly he fell into Hong Lianhua's arms. The fight had exhausted him.
Hong Lianhua quickly took out a pill and put it in Yu Peiyu's mouth and said:"This is The Lesser Return Pill of Kunlun, it is known to be the best herbal stimulant in the world."
Yu Peiyu asked:"The Lesser Return Pill? That's a very precious medicine, you should keep it yourself."
Hong Lianhua looked sadly and said after awhile:"It...reverend Tiangang gave it to you."
Yu Peiyu exclaimed:"Master, master....he...he.."
Hong Lianhua sighed:"I found the pill in the rice cake. I thought there was poison in the rice cake, I never thought..."
Yu Peiyu wept:"That's why master said the rice cake was very special not everyone could eat it. Xie Tianbi, the bastard!"
He turned around to look at Xie Tianbi and was horrified.
Xie Tianbi still lay there but his head was gone.
They now had a headless corpse, Yu Peiyu and Hong Lianhua looked at each other with with disbelief.
Both of them wondered what happened to the head, no one could have chopped off his head in a few moments and disappeared in a flash.

<font size="1">[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Jianren]

Please sir, can i have some more?

[Ren Wo Xing]

I knew it! Gu Long's "One word theft" strikes again!

[Goofy]

for now, I suspect the abbot of shaolin because he is the least obvious. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

otherwise, it is the jin girl who fell in love with yu. <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

[Athena]

I'm not going to reveal any clues about the mastermind. But I can tell you this, it isn't Yu Peiyu or Hong Lianhua. <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

Although Hong Lianhua was a very intelligent man, he couldn't figure out what happened to the head of Xie Tianbi.
Hong Lianhua and Yu Peiyu looked at each other with disbelief and surprise.
When they took another closer look of the body, they saw that a part of the shoulders was gone too.
Hong Lianhua exclaimed:"I understand now!"
Yu Peiyu asked:"You have figured it out?"
Hong Lianhua sighed:"Take another closer look of the body."
Yu saw that the corpse was dissolving piece by piece. The flesh and blood turned into this pus and the rain washed it away.
Yu Peiyu was horrified and disgusted when he saw this, he almost threw up.
He took a deep breath and asked:"Could this be the infamous poison, the Bone Melting Pellet?"
Hong Lianhua answered:"I'm afraid so. He knew he was going to die anyhow so he wanted to take all the secrets down to the grave with him."
Yu Peiyu said:"I broke his arms how could have taken the pellet?"
Hong Lianhua deducted:"I think the pellet was hidden somewhere in his mouth. When he was defeated by you he must have bitten into the tip of his tongue and crushed the protective layer around the pellet. It is said that the Bone Melting Pellet becomes poisonous after mixing it with blood. So the blood of his tongue started the process. (sigh*) He would rather rot away than reveal any secrets."
Yu Peiyu said with a hint of respect:"Never thought he would be that brave!"
Hong Lianhua smiled wryly:"If you think he was brave you were wrong. He knew if he revealed anything to us his fate would be even worse."
Yu Peiyu smiled tragically too:"You're right. All these men were not afraid of death but feared the mastermind. Who can this man be? Death is something dreadful but somehow he managed to become even more dreadful than death itself."
Hong Lianhua said softly:"He is truly more dreadful than death. I can't possibly imagine what kind of man he is."
Yu Peiyu said suddenly:"This fake Xie Tianbi did this because he wanted to protect the secret of his disguise. Because if he died "normally", we could have examined his mask carefully and perhaps find some clues.
Hong Lianhua said:"You're absolutely right."
Yu Peiyu gritted his teeth and said:"That's why the mastermind prepared those pellets. Dying is not enough for him, his henchmen were to disappear completely if they were captured."
He took Hong Lianhua by the hand and said:"At this moment I know that at least 6 people are imposters. And except for you no one else believes my story. And up till now nobody knows about their plans. But how many imposters are there? That is something which I do not know either but every time I think about that I'm chilled to the bone."
Hong Lianhua felt depressed too when he thought of this problem.
Yu Peiyu continued:"When your family, friends become the lackeys of this monster. What can you do? There is nobody left you can believe and trust. What options are there?"
Hong Lianhua said:"The fake Xie Tianbi is dead now, but who are his other henchmen?"
Yu Peiyu said:"Wang Yuluo, Ximen Feng, Lin Shoujuan, the Dragonking of Taihu, Silver Spear Shen and that Yu Fang... that Yu character are his men. Because I know that my father and his friends are dead."
Hong Lianhua sighed:"I think there couldn't be more than these 6 men."
Yu Peiyu asked:"How can you be that certain?"
Hong Lianhua explained:"The art of disguise is very difficult to master. And when you have mastered it, it is very hard to disguise yourself as someone else perfectly.
It takes years to learn the way of talking, walking of that person. And not to mention his martial arts."
Yu Peiyu called out:"Of course! Martial arts! If they want those men to look real they have to learn their martial arts."
After saying this he started walking.
Hong Lianhua blocked his way and said calmly:"An Antelope Putting Up His Horns and The Outer Sky Rainbow, right?"
Yu Peiyu said:"Right, these 2 stances belong to us, the family Yu. No one else in the world knows these 2 techniques. If that Yu character cannot display these 2 techniques I will have proof he is an imposter."
Hong Lianhua sighed:"This is a good plan but it will be useless against your father's reputation."
Yu Peiyu asked why.
Hong Lianhua explained:"Old master Yu was a famous gentleman. Nobody could have forced him to use martial arts when he was alive."
Yu Peiyu understood where he was getting at and felt lost again.
At this time the entire corpse of the fake Xie Tianbi was gone washed away by the rain.
Hong Lianhua was lost too and said softly:"At least the murderer of reverend Tiangang is dead. But to be honest who did actually kill him? Who can proof it?"
Yu Peiyu shivered when he heard Hong Lianhua talking and said:"But you....you don't have to..."
Hong Lianhua laughed:"Don't worry! I want to punish myself but I won't commit suicide and make those conspirators happy."
Yu Peiyu felt relieved and said:"I knew you were an extraordinary man."
Hong Lianhua looked up and said:"But there is one thing that I have to do."
Yu Peiyu watched him and said:"Going to Mount Kunlun?"
Hong Lianhua said:"The Kunlun disciples deserve to know what happened to reverend Tiangang. It is my duty to inform them."
Yu Peiyu said:"I will go on your behalf."
Hong Lianhua looked at him and smiled:"Allright!"
There was no need for pleasantries or formalities. That's the way of a true man a true hero.
They two of them stood there in the rain looking at each other. Hong Lianhua said:"You have to be careful. Just keep focus on your objectives. Your life is very important."
Yu Peiyu said:"I understand."
Yu Peiyu picked up the sword that he hit out of Xie Tianbi's hands and stuck it into his girdle.
Hong Lianhua added:"Before I forget, a bit of good news."
Yu Peiyu quickly asked:"What?"
Hong Lianhua said:"It is about your fiancee, Lin Daiyu. You don't have to worry about her anymore."
There was always something very strange about Hong Lianhua's expression when he mentioned Lin Daiyu. Although he was smiling his smile wasn't very convincing.
Yu Peiyu didn't notice the change in Hong Lianhua's expression and asked:"How come?"
Hong Lianhua said:"She is being protected by a very formidable Wulin dignitary."
Yu Peiyu said:"I feel assured when the leader of the Beggars Association is keeping an eye out for her."
Hong Lianhua said with a smile:"It isn't me." His face changed again.
Yu Peiyu was puzzled and said:"A formidable Wulin dignatary? Reverend Chuchen of Wudang?"
Hong Lianhua laughed:"Although this person isn't as famous as reverend Chuchen. But people would rather offend him than offend this person."
Yu Peiyu suddenly thought of someone and said:"The most gorgeous of flowers! The Cherry Blossom Hai Tang. Madame Hai Tang of the Baihua Association."
Hong Lianhua praised:"Very good! I think she suspects something and is starting her own investigation."
Yu Peiyu said:"It seems we're not alone in our quest."
Hong Lianhua suddenly called out:"Damn! I forgot another important thing!"
Yu Peiyu asked carefully:"Is this "thing" good or bad?"
Hong Lianhua stamped with his feet:"There is a fake Xie Tianbi running amok. What happened to the real Xie Tianbi? I hope he is allright. I have to look for him."
As soon as he finished he was gone.
Yu Peiyu softly sung to himself:"Here he comes, here he goes. Unmatched throughout history. He is very intelligent and enlightened. Unparalleled by others. He roams the world and is very righteous..."

It was still raining, suddenly 7, 8 horses rode by. Yu Peiyu didn't pay attention to them. But one of the riders dismounted and flew in front of Yu Peiyu.
Yu Peiyu was startled to paced back one step.
Yu Peiyu recognized this rider, it was the Diancang disciple he met earlier, Yang Junbi.
Yu Peiyu remembered what Hong Lianhua said before he left and asked:"Did something happen to master Xie?"
Yang Junbi wanted to greet him but when he heard Yu Peiyu's question his face changed.
He asked:"Young master Yu, how do you know?"
Yu Peiyu was startled and stuttered:"I...I..."
Yang Junbi looked even more serious now and his eyes were brighting up and said loudly:"I wanted to inform young master Yu about this tragedy. But it seems you already knew. Isn't that a strange thing?"
Yu Peiyu smiled wryly:"I just asked casually."
Yang Junbi said:"My leading martial arts brother has been missing since last night. Even abbot Tianyun and reverend Chuchen were informed just awhile ago. Young master Yu left early in the morning, how did you know?"
His words were sharp and insinuated that Yu Peiyu had something to to with the disappearance of Xie Tianbi.
At this point the other Diancang disciples rode back and were looking at Yu too with stern eyes.
Diancang disciples were known to be friendly and gentle but when something is amiss they are very vigilant and cautious.
Yu Peiyu sighed:"Master Xie could have met up with some old friends. But with Master Xie's martial arts he is very capable of taking care of himself."
Yang Junbi said sharply:"Diancang disciples always carry their swords with them. If the sword is present so is the wielder. If the wielder is dead, the sword will be lost. Young master Yu must have heard of this saying before. We discovered the sword of leading brother Xie outside his tent somewhere in the grass. Unless something has happened to him he wouldn't be that careless."
Yu Peiyu said:"This...this..."
Suddenly he realised he knew a lot of secrets but he couldn't tell anyone anything about these secrets and furthermore no one would believe him.
Another Diancang disciple on a horse asked loudly:"Young master Yu, why are you alone? Isn't reverend Tiangang with you?"
Another disciple on the horse said sharply:"Judging by young master Yu's clothes you must have fought someone."
Another disciple said loudly:"There is no one around here. Young master Yu, who was your adversary?"

End of chapter 3

<font size="1">[ April 16, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Jianren]

oh no!! is the last translation end of chap 3 or 4!!!

[Han Solo]

And the action thickens.

How come in sentimental swordsmen (xiao li fei dao) and this story, ppl drop like flies.

Also the mysterious headmen smells a lot like the controller of assassins in Chu Liu Siang.

Good translations. and thanks.

[Athena]

Chapter 4 The Haunting During A Stormy Night

Yu Peiyu couldn't answer the questions of those Diancang disciples.
He couldn't tell them that reverend Tiangang died at the hands of that fake Xie Tianbi. He couldn't tell them that this Xie Tianbi was an imposter. And that the body of Xie Tianbi was gone.
Also no one would believe him if he did.
Yang Junbi angrilly asked:"Why don't you answer our questions, young master Yu?"
Yu Peiyu sighed:"If all of you already suspect me being involved in the disappearance of master Xie, which is ridiculous, what else can I say."
Yang Junbi was somewhat pleased by this answer and wasn't looking that fierce as before. He said:"If that's the case, would you mind returning with us. If young master Yu cannot explain certain matters to us, but you can certainly tell them to chancellor Yu."
Before he finished this sentence Yu Peiyu's face changed and said:"I can't go back, absolutely not."
Again all the Diancang disciples loudly questioned:"Why not?"
"If you haven't done anything wrong why are that afraid."
All the Diancang disciples dismounted and looked at Yu Peiyu with suspicion and anger.
Yang Yunbi said sternly:"Yu Peiyu, it is impossible for you to escape now. I suggest you go back with us!"
Yu Peiyu was sweating at this moment and because of the rain he was feeling cold all over.
From a bit further a voice said coldly:"Yu Peiyu, you don't have to go anywhere!"
7, 8 Taoist priests carrying umbrellas walked this way. Obviously these were Kunlun disciples.
Yang Junbi said sternly:"Even if he's a Kunlun disciple he has to go back with us. Kunlun and Diancang have always been friends, but this matter concerns the life and death of our leading brother Xie. So Taoist brother please forgive us for being rude."
The faces of the Kunlun disciples looked even more fierce and dark than the Diancang disciples.
The leading Kunlun disciple was a pale-looking Taoist priest with a short moustache. He looked at Yu Peiyu with deadly eyes and said:"You do not have to go anywhere."
Yu Peiyu backed one step and Yang Junbi asked:"What is going on here?"
The pale-looking Taoist priest said sadly:"Master Xie's whereabouts are unknown, but our leader reverend Tiangang is....is..." His umbrella fell to the ground he used too much force on the handle and broke the umbrella.
Yang Junbi was startled and asked:"Did reverend Tiangang pass...away?"
The pale-looking Taoist said tragically:"Our teacher was ambushed, he was stabbed by a sword through the back."
Yang Junbi said:"Unbelievable?"
The Taoist continued:"We just found the body of our teacher and have put in a coffin."
Yang Junbi said:"Reverend Tiangang's martial arts has reached the level of perfection. Falling leaves within metres cannot escape his ears. It is highly unlikely he was ambushed."
The Taoist gritted his teeth and said:"If our teacher was betrayed by someone he trusts. Someone close to him, our teacher would never have suspected that person would betray him."
While he said this he stared at Yu Peiyu with pure hate.
Now the Taoist spoke to Yu Peiyu and screamed:"Yu Peiyu, how did the master die? Tell us! Tell us!"
Yu Peiyu trembled and said:"Master...he...master...he..."
The Taoist yelled:"Did you kill the master?"
Yu Peiyu shook his hands and quickly yelled':"No, I did not! I would never harm the master."
Someone pulled out the sword out of his girdle and gave it to the Taoist.
The Taoist held the sword and pointed it at Yu Peiyu and said:"Is this the sword that killed our master? Did you use this sword to kill him?"
This sword was indeed the murder weapon, but the user of this sword was dead now. And Yu Peiyu was carrying this sword at the moment.
Yu Peiyu felt like his heart was bleeding and stepped back a few paces.
Everyone looked at him with fierce eyes.
Yu Peiyu knelt down and looked up into the air and screamed:"Heaven! Heaven! What have I done wrong? Do I really deserve to suffer this much? Do I deserve to die?"
Suddenly the sword landed in front of him.
The Taoist said:"This is your only way and the most easy way."
Indeed this way, the only choice he had. This is absolutely impossible to explain, no one will believe him. The truth sounds so strange and bizar.
His only witness is Hong Lianhua. But can he convince the people of Kunlun and Diancang. Does Hong Lianhua have proof?
Normally, the disciples of Kunlun and Diancang would certainly believe the words of Hong Lianhua.
However, this matter concerned the life and death of the leaders of Kunlun and Diancang. Even the very essence and survival of these 2 schools. Perhaps this matter would concern the entire Wulin.
So they wouldn't believe Hong Lianhua unless he had solid evidence.
Yu Peiyu thought everything over and knew he didn't have a choice. He picked up the sword with rage and stormed out of the encirclement of Kunlun and Diancang disciples.
All the Diancang and Kunlun disciples were calling out in surprise and were totally confused.
But still they were disciples of the 2 prominent Wulin schools and some of them quickly composed themselves and drew their swords and aimed at Yu Peiyu.
Yu Peiyu used his sword to block these attacks and send those swords flying.
Yu Peiyu put all his grievances, rage and injustice into those stances.
Everyone was shocked that this young man had such tremendous force.
Before they had a chance to organize themselves Yu Peiyu was long gone.

<font size="1">[ April 17, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Goofy]

Athena, can you list the leaders and names of 13 schools?

and maybe their lead disciples?

thank you, great work. <IMG SRC="smilies/hatoff.gif" border="0">

[Athena]

To Goofy:I jotted down a dramatis personae for this novel. Some of the leaders of the 14 Great Schools are on the list. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Yu Peiyu fled, there was no other choice for him. He had to stay alive to find out the truth.
It was still raining and he could hear his pursuers closing in on him.
He was feeling exhausted and the rain clouded his sight. In a haze he thought he saw a carriage riding by.
He couldn't keep it up anymore and fell down and fainted.

When he woke up he saw that he was inside a carriage. Was he captured after all?
He look around and saw a lamp, broom and some other ordinary things. He pulled away the cloth and saw an old man riding the carriage.
Judging by his beard and clothes he was quite old and an ordinary poor man.
Yu Peiyu felt relieved now.
The old man smiled:"Yu Peiyu are you awake?"
Yu Peiyu was startled and asked:"How did you know my name?"
The old man laughed:"Just awhile ago I heard a bunch of people calling out: Yu Peiyu come out now! So I figured you must be Yu Peiyu."
Yu Peiyu took a closer look at the old man and saw that his eyes were filled with wisdom and he looked very benevolent.
Yu Peiyu bowed and said:"Thank you sir! For saving my life."
The old man laughed:"No need to thank me. You don't look like a criminal to me! If you did I would have handed you over to those men."
Yu Peiyu said with a faint smile:"Sir, you're the first man in a very long time that believes that I am good."
The old man laughed:"A young man like you shouldn't be that depressed. We'll go to my house and have some warm soup."
The old man rode the carriage to his house.
Yu Peiyu was thinking that an old cottage might be a good place for him to rest. He was never a fussy man but now luxury had even less meaning in his eyes. And this poor old man could praise himself lucky that he had a house.
Suddenly he heard the old man talking to the horse:"Don't you recognize the way home anymore?"
Yu Peiyu crawled up and took a look outside.
To his amazement he saw a large manor, beautifully decorated and well-preserved.
Yu Peiyu was surprised and asked:"Sir, do you...live here?"
The old man replied:"Yes, I do."
Yu Peiyu was totally surprised and thought: Perhaps this old man is an eccentric man of wealth. Or even a retired government official. Or maybe a robber with a disguise.
Yu Peiyu could only guess what the motives of this old man were.
Yu Peiyu looked outside and saw a few horses standing near 2 large fierce-looking stone lions near the gate.
There were a few big fellows standing next to the horses.
Yu Peiyu wondered who the riders were at this point he knew that this old man was a prominent figure in Wulin.
Yu Peiyu felt scared he knew that he had a lot of enemies in Wulin.
Suddenly Yu Peiyu peeked through a small hole and saw 2 men walking towards the carriage one of them was the pale-looking Taoist priest of earlier.
Yu Peiyu felt cold and thought he was doom for it.
The Taoist spoke:"Old benefactor, have you seen a young man on your way here?"
The old man smiled:"I have seen lots of young men. I'm not sure which one you mean."
The Taoist said:"He is wearing a green robe, he is very handsome. But I think at this moment he must look very tired and dirty."
The old man said:"I have seen this young man."
The Taoist quickly asked:"Where did you see him?"
The old man stroked his beard and said:"In fact I captured him."
Yu Peiyu was terrified and almost fainted.
The Taoist priest looked coldly at the old man and said:"Alhtough I believe this young man is exhausted right now. But still impossible for you to capture, old benefactor. Please remember this in the future, benefactor. I, Baihe of Kunlun do not like jokes."
He turned around and walked away.
The old man sighed:"If you know that I cannot capture him. Why do you ask me?"
He whipped the horse and instructed it to go on.
He softly said:"Young lad, you should know by now that the smarter they are the easier you can trick them. You just have to know how to fool them."
Unfortunately Yu Peiyu couldn't hear these words anymore. When he did hear the old man he was already at the old man's house.

The house was indeed quite old and there was mildew here and there.
Yu Peiyu was lying in bed he was wearing new clothes but was still trembling with cold.
With difficulty he got up and staggered to a window and opened it.
He looked out and saw a beautiful large courtyard. But somehow it looked very dark and sinister. Maybe it was the weather or perhaps it was night now. But the ambiance was very spooky.
Yu Peiyu shivered and thought:What is this place? What is going on here?
Suddenly he saw a lamp floating his way. He was horrified and he heard a melancholic voice singing:"Where on earth can you find a more bright moon? Perhaps in the sweetest dreams. You say you have seen a fairy's laugh. Who can tell it was dream or not?"
Yu Peiyu saw a white apparition coming his way. It was young woman with a pale face, very beautiful but there was something eerie about her.
Yu Peiyu couldn't move anymore.
Suddenly he heard the door opening he turned around and saw the old man walking in.
Yu Peiyu grabbed his hand and asked:"Who is out there?"
The old man smiled:"There is no one out there."
Yu Peiyu opened the door and saw that there was indeed no one.
The old man looked at him with compassion.
Yu Peiyu grabbed the old man again and asked:"Where am I? What place is this? And who are you?"
The old man said calmly:"I'm just an old man who saved your life."
Yu Peiyu let go of him and sat down in a wooden chair, stunned.
The old man said:"You're too tired, you should rest."
Yu Peiyu said:"But I saw..."
The old man interrupted him:"You didn't see anything."
There was something mysterious about his voice. Yu Peiyu felt relaxed and smiled wryly:"You're right. I didn't see anything."
The old man nodded and said:"The less you see the less there is to trouble you."
He put down a bowl of soup and told Yu Peiyu:"Drink up! And get some sleep. Who knows tomorrow could be entirely different from today."
Yu Peiyu sighed:"Well, at least today is over."

Yu Peiyu had a nightmare, something black was pressing against him. He couldn't breathe and panted heavily in his sleep.
Suddenly he woke up and saw a white hand in front of him. It looked like if the hand was trying to strangle him.
He called out:"Who! Who is here!"
In the darkness and with the bad lighting he saw a figure with long hair and a pair of beautiful eyes but with a melancholic look.
Now he remembered it was the apparition he saw earlier. The figure seemed to have been startled by him and quickly left through the door. Yu Peiyu was puzzled and couldn't see the old man.
He was very confused and he didn't know whether this apparition was a ghost or a human.
He chased outside and saw the figure standing under a tree.
Yu Peiyu carefully walked closer afraid to startle her again.
When he took a closer look he realised it was a beautiful young woman but it wasn't the same girl he saw through the window.
She seemed more innocent but her looks were very similar.
Yu Peiyu smiled and apologized:"I have mistaken you for someone else, Miss."
She just looked at him for some time and suddenly she turned around and ran away.
Yu Peiyu couldn't help asking:"Miss, do you live here?"
She turned around and smiled at Yu Peiyu. Before he knew it she vanished into the fog. Yu Peiyu couldn't help himself and walked into the fog.
The girl stood there smiling in a silly way.
Yu Peiyu asked:"Miss, can I ask you a few questions?"
The girl nodded.
He asked:"What is this place?"
She shook her head.
He was disappointed and sighed and asked:"Are you one of the persons who lives here?"
The girl smiled:"I'm not a person."
Yu Peiyu was startled by this answer, because this entire place was too eerie for words.
She continued:"I am a bird. Like the ones in the tree."
She looked up and whistled to the birds and smiled silly:"Those are my sisters."
Yu Peiyu asked:"Are you talking to them?"
The girl said happily:"Do you believe that I can talk to them?"
Yu Peiyu said gently:"Of course I believe you."
The girl suddenly looked very sad:"But they don't believe me."
Yu Peiyu said:"Maybe they are fools."
She said happily:"I am a robin."
With that she happily ran off.

Yu Peiyu felt very calm and returned to the old cottage. When he entered a sword was pointing at his back.
A cold voice said:"If you move I will stab you."
It was a very enchanting voice. He turned around and saw it was the girl he met earlier.
The girl coldly asked:"Who are you?"
Yu Peiyu was surprised and a bit annoyed:"Miss Robin, don't you recognize me?"
The girl responded:"Why should I know you?"
Yu Peiyu said:"I was just talking to you."
The girl scoffed:"You must be dreaming."
Why did this girl treat him this way. She was the same girl he met earlier, right?
Again he was totally confused.
And said softly:"I must be dreaming."
The girl fiercely asked:"Who are you? What are you doing in the house of old man Gao? Are you a thief? What are you after? Speak up!"
Yu Peiyu sighed:"I don't know, I really don't know a thing anymore."
Everyone in this manor seemed to be crazy, they are friendly to you for one moment and in an instant they treat you like a criminal.
The girl laughed coldly:"You don't know? I will give to the count of 3 to talk. If you remain silent don't blame me for being ruthless."
She counted:"One!"
Yu Peiyu just stood there.
She continued:"Two!"
Yu Peiyu didn't know what to say and kept his mouth shut.
The girl was stunned and finally said:"Three!"
Yu Peiyu moved like a fish in the water and "swam" away from the tip and gently hit the sword out of her hand.
The sword flew up and was stuck in the ceiling.
Yu Peiyu turned around and said coldly:"Miss Robin, stop pretending! Now I have a few questions. And I don't speak the language of the birds so I hope you can talk in the tongue of humans."
The girl smiled sweetly:"I'm just playing with you. I will teach you the language of the birds tomorrow."
And smilingly she walked out the door.
Yu Peiyu called out:"Wait!"
In an instant the old man blocked his way and said:"I saved your life and that doesn't mean you can interrogate other people here."
Yu Peiyu scoffed:"Sir, your timing is excellent! Why didn't you appear when she had her sword pointed at me?"
The old man walked to his chair and sat down. He lighted his pipe and said while smoking:"I'll be honest. There are some strange things going on here in this manor.If you ignore these events no harm will come to you, if not you will certainly find death here."
Yu Peiyu angrilly said:"Although I'm willing to be ignorant but that girl wanted to kill me."
The old man sighed:"You should forget about her. They are all very tragic women, we should even forgive them."
He looked very sad.
Yu Peiyu asked:"Who are [they]?"
The old man said:"Why must you know who [they] are?"
Yu Peiyu loudly said:"Why won't you tell me anything?"
The old man sighed:"It is not that I'm not willing. But it is best that you don't know."
Yu Peiyu was silent for a moment and made a bow to the old man:"Sir, I will repay you someday for saving my life."
The old man asked:"You want to leave now?"
Yu Peiyu said:"It is best that I be on my way."
The old man seriously said:"There are about 100 disciples of Diancang and Kunlun in the surroundings. Can you go away unnoticed?"
Yu Peiyu asked:"What's the connection between Diancang, Kunlun and this manor."
The old man said:"If there was a connection, you wouldn't be safe here and listening to me now."
Yu Peiyu said:"You know...you know about my.."
The old man said:"I know everything."
Yu Peiyu yelled:"I didn't kill Xie Tianbi and didn't kill my teacher reverend Tiangang. You have to believe me."
The old man said:"Even if I believe you, will the others too."
Yu Peiyu backed up against the wall.
The old man said:"The best you can do right now is stay here and keep a low profile. After some time they will look for you somewhere else. And I will help you escape then. Meanwhile you can take this chance to rest properly."
Yu Peiyu was moved and his eyes were watery and said:"Sir, why do you help me?"
The old man was still smoking his pipe and said:"Since I saved you I hate to see you die at the hands of someone else."

Suddenly a long rope curled up the sword stuck in the ceiling and pulled it out.
A pretty hand caught the sword and she said:"Old man Gao, my mother wants to speak to him."
The old man looked at Yu Peiyu. Yu Peiyu saw that his face changed a bit and he heard the old man asking the girl:"Your mother wants to talk to who?"
The girl smiled:"Except for you and I who else is here?"
Old man Gao asked:"Why does your mother want talk to him?"
The girl stared at Yu Peiyu and said:"I don't know. Just quickly take him to mother."
After saying that she left.
Old man Gao sat in his chair not moving for some time.
Yu Peiyu couldn't help asking:"Who is her mother?"
Old man Gao replied:"The lady of the manor."
He put away his pipe and told Yu Peiyu:"Follow me, but be careful. Some Diancang and Kunlun disciples have entered the manor."
Yu Peiyu sighed:"I do not understand. You have hidden me here but also you're allowing them to look for me right here. But since you have let them inside why are you afraid that they might see me."
Old man Gao ignored his remarks and kept walking.
Yu Peiyu smiled wryly:"I'm going to see the lady of the manor. May I at least know what the name is of this manor."
Old man Gao replied:"The Murder Manor."

<font size="1">[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[TigerWong]

Alright! We've finally arrived at Murder Manor. Spooooky... <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/nono.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/sweating.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/yikes.gif" border="0">

<font size="1">[ April 18, 2003: Message edited by: TigerWong ]</font>

[Athena]

Perhaps some of you have already noticed I translated Meng Zhu with chancellor.
So I made up my mind.

To Tigerwong:She had a different nickname in the Chu Liuxiang series. Namely Nan Yang Xu Shuzhen. But the characters of her name are the same. (I have no idea what "Nan Yang" means in her case, I believe it is a place in China). Perhaps the hometown of the family Xu? <IMG SRC="smilies/noidea.gif" border="0">
I can remember reading her name at least twice. Once in the Great Desert, when Chu Liuxiang and Hu Tiehua were talking about Gao Yanan and her swordsplay.
The second time is in the Legend of the Bat, I think even in the first chapter and the first paragraph.
But I could be wrong. Love to hear your opinion.
Also I'm going to use your translation for "Sha Ren Zhuang" Murder Manor. A nice alliteration. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

They were moving through a long corridor.
Yu Peiyu asked:"Murder Manor?"
Old Man Gao said:"A very strange name, isn't it?"
Yu Peiyu asked:"Why the strange name?"
Old man Gao answered:"Here anyone is allowed to murder and kill. No one will interfere and ask. And anybody can be killed or murdered here and nobody will come and save you."
Yu Peiyu got goosebumps all over and said:"Why? But why?"
Old man Gao earnestly said:"It is for your own good that you don't know the reason."
Yu Peiyu continued:"But why doesn't somebody say something abou it?"
Old man Gao said:"No one will and nobody dares."
Yu Peiyu said:"But why doesn't the lord of the manor do something about it?"
Old man Gao turned around and had a strange smile on his face and said:"The reason why the lord doesn't interfere is...."
They heard footsteps walking this way, Old man Gao pulled Yu Peiyu into a chamber.
They saw 2 Taoist priests in purple robes walking by. On their backs they carried 2 long swords.
Yu Peiyu waited till they were gone and asked:"Does this mean that anyone can walk about freely here?"
Old man Gao said:"If their intentions are to kill they can walk freely and undisturbed. But the hunted should be very very careful around here."
Yu Peiyu asked:"How come the hunted would come here? If they know that at any time here they might get murdered or killed. Aren't there safer places to hide?"
Old man Gao said:"Maybe they have no place to go but here. Or perhaps they don't know the rules of the manor. Or maybe they were lured here by their enemies. Perhaps they came here to kill someone else."
Yu Peiyu exclaimed:"All 4 motives are very convincing. But what about the lord of the manor....."
Someone suddenly said:"Mother, here he is."
Yu Peiyu saw it was the girl he met earlier. She was standing outside a big door and staring at him.
Old man Gao walked up the door and said:"Madame, you wanted to see him?"
A voice at the other side said softly:"Enter."
Although she just said one word but it seemed like it was a voice from the netherworld.
Yu Peiyu entered and saw the lady of the manor.
And there were 2 young girls standing next to her. Both looked exactly the same. Twins!
They were the girls Yu Peiyu met earlier in the courtyard and the cottage.
That explains it.
One looked very innocent and silly, the other looked quite mean and cold.
All 3 women were very pretty but all looked sad, melancholic.
He remembered the words of old man Gao:"They are all very tragic women, we should even forgive them."
But why are they sad? What is their story?
The lady spoke:"It is quite dark here, isn't it?"
Yu Peiyu replied:"Yes, it is!"
She continued in her gloomy tone:"I like darkness, I don't care much for the sun. Sunlight is only for happy people. But darkness belongs to people who are sad."
Yu Peiyu thought:Why do you keep on being sad and depressed?
But Yu Peiyu didn't say a word. The gloominess of the room made him uncomfortable.
The woman asked:"What is your name?"
Yu Peiyu said:"My name is..."
Old man Gao coughed and Yu Peiyu said:"Ye. Ye Peiyu."
The woman asked:"So it is not Yu Peiyu?"
Yu Peiyu was startled.
The woman said:"A long time ago someone with the family name Yu killed someone very close to me. I always hated those Yu's, anyone with the name Yu can't be a good person."
Yu Peiyu didn't know what to say and just said yes and nodded.

<font size="1">[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Athena]

The woman said:"I am very glad that you are here. I hope you will stay a bit longer I do enjoy talking to you."
In fact Yu Peiyu hardly talked to the woman at all.
But he said:"Thank you, Madame."
Suddenly the cold twin quickly walked up to him and used the scabbard of her sword to hit Yu Peiyu's calf. Yu Peiyu knelt down in pain.
Someone opened the door and walked in. It was Baihe of the Kunlun School.
And following Baihe was Yang Junbi of Diancang.
The girl scolded Yu Peiyu:"The next time you dare to disobey the orders of the lady I will break your legs. Now go and clean up the courtyard!"
Yu Peiyu said with a low voice:"Yes, Miss!"
Baihe and Yang Junbi were looking around but ignored the simple "servant."
Baihe approached the lady of the manor and said:"Benefactress, have you seen a strange young man here?"
The woman said coldly:"The only stranger I see is you."
Baihe continued:"But someone did see..."
The girl said fiercely:"Are you implying that my mother and I are hiding that stranger?"
Baihe was stunned by her question and smiled apologetically:"That is not my meaning."
The girl scoffed:"What is the meaning of this? A Taoist priest storming into the sleeping quarters of a woman. I take it you're not here to recite Taoist scriptures."
Baihe was now lost for words and could maintain his smile with trouble:"I have asked the lord..."
The girl said:"If you want to kill anyone go right ahead and search every room. Except for this room, this is my mother's room."
Baihe said:"Yes, I understand. Yes..."
He bowed to the woman and her daughters and quickly left and Yang Junbi followed and closed the door.
Yu Peiyu was still sweating.
The woman looked at him and asked:"Why are you afraid? You don't have to tell me, everyone that comes here is afraid of something."
She turned to old man Gao and said:"You can go now."
Old man Gao said:"He..."
She answered:"He will stay here, I would like to talk to him."
Old man Gao was hesitant for a minute but said:"Yes, Madame."
And left the room too, the twins followed and closed the door behind. Yu Peiyu sat down in one of the chairs.
Yu Peiyu was quite scared of the lady of the manor. She kept looking at him. He heard laughter outside after awhile.
He walked to a window and looked outside. He saw a black cat running and a little elderly man chasing the cat. The man was skinny and small, he wore a long robe. Although he had a beard but he was no taller than a child. And he had the expression of a child.
Several men outside were watching this midget chase the cat too and were laughing and some of them used pebbles to throw at the cat.
Yu Peiyu sighed when he saw this.
The woman spoke:"Why do you sigh?"
Yu Peiyu said:"I feel sorry for this man, he is being ridiculed because how he looks."
The woman said without a trace of emotion:"That man is my husband."
Yu Peiyu was surprised and said":"He is the lord of the manor."
She said coldly:"Yes, he is."
Yu Peiyu returned to his seat and sat there not saying a word for some time.
Now he knew why old man Gao called them tragic women. Also he began to understand why anyone could come here and kill and murder.
The lord of the manor is a pathetic midget who is respected by nobody.
The lady just sat there in her seat staring at Yu Peiyu. Yu Peiyu was feeling sorry for her and her daughters.
After some time a servant brought some tea and light refreshments. Yu Peiyu was feeling quite hungry and finished them all.
The only thing the lady did all this time was staring at him.
Yu Peiyu couldn't help wondering:"WHY DOES SHE KEEP STARING AT ME?"
Yu Peiyu was feeling sorry for her but also his curiosity was aroused.
It was night now, the lady suddenly asked:"Would you mind accompanying me for a stroll in the yard?"

As they 2 of them walked in the big courtyard Yu Peiyu saw a strange house in the yard. There were no windows and the big iron door was rusted. Yu Peiyu was curious and walked towards it.
The lady said:"Don't go there."
Yu Peiyu asked:"Why?"
"Anyone who goes in there will die," she said calmly.
She smiled mysteriously and added:"That house is full of dead people. Whoever enters will have to share their fate."
The lady said:"That is the family grave of the Ji family. All the ancestors of the Ji family are burried there. All the Ji ancestors were mad when they were alive and now they're dead they are still mad. Everyone in the Ji family is crazy"
Madame Ji held the hand of Yu Peiyu, Yu Peiyu had goosebumps again. And he felt that her hand was ice-cold.
They walked down a small path, Madame Ji stopped in front of a well and said softly:"This is a strange well."
Yu Peiyu asked:"How come?"
The lady explained:"This well is called "The Demonic Mirror."
It is said that it can predict your future. When the moon is bright and you look into the well it will reveal your future."
Madame Ji said:"Why don't you try?"
Yu Peiyu was quite curious about this and couldn't help to look down.
All of a sudden Madame Ji began screaming:"BLOOD! BLOOD!"
Suddenly the fence around the well broke and Yu Peiyu fell into the well.
Madame Ji was running away screaming:"BLOOD! THE DEMONIC MIRROR!"
Yu Peiyu fell into the well and was thinking:Why won't she rescue me?
This is the second time I fall into a well.
Yu Peiyu couldn't help sighing to his series of misfortune and bad luck that didn't seem to go away.
He was feeling cold and wet.

The night passed and the first light appeared.
After a very long time he heard someone singing and talking to the birds.
And a pretty face appeared above the well.
Yu Peiyu happily called out:"Miss Robin..."
Miss Robin said:"Oh it is you. No wonder I couldn't understand you. You're not a bird."
Yu Peiyu said:"I wish I was a bird right now."
Miss Robin said:"Since you're not a bird. Goodbye!"
"Wait!" Yu Peiyu called out.
"Won't you at least help me get out of this well?" he said.
Miss Robin said:"Why should I help you?"
Yu Peiyu said:"Because...because..I..."
Miss Robin laughed:"Even you can't come up with a good reason. I'm off."
Yu Peiyu was totally bemused by this situation. He had a mind to slap her silly at this moment.
Sudddenly he remembered the words of Madame Ji:"Everyone in the Ji family is crazy."
Yu Peiyu was sulking at this moment and wetted his lips with some water.
Suddenly a long rope dropped down, he was thrilled and called out:"Thanks!"
He climbed out of the well and saw Miss Robin standing next to the well. She was smiling in her usual silly way. She had a small pretty bird in her hand.
Yu Peiyu asked her:"Why did you help me after all?"
Miss Robin said:"She told me to help you. Didn't you my little sister?"
She was talking to the bird in her hand.
The bird was chirping.
Yu Peiyu couldn't tell anymore whether this girl was pretending to be silly or really was mentally challenged.
He asked:"Can you really understand her chirping?"
Miss Robin was a bit annoyed by his question:"You don't believe me either."
Yu Peiyu quickly said:"I believe you. I really do. But how did you learn their language?"
She happily said:"I just understand them when I'm around them."
Yu Peiyu looked at her and actually believed her. He suddenly asked:"Are they happy?"
Miss Robin lifted her hand and thought for a moment and said:"Some of them are, some of them aren't.
She happily added:"At least they are happier than silly humans."
Yu Peiyu nodded and said:"You're right about that."
Miss Robin laughed:"I'm glad you understand, you should..."
The bird in her hand suddenly flew up, Miss Robin's face changed.
Yu Peiyu asked:"Miss, why.."
She waved her hand and she quickly ran off. Yu Peiyu thought:She does look like a little fragile bird."

Yu Peiyu heard someone digging further up ahead and walked over.
He hid in the bushes and saw a midget digging. It was the lord of the manor. And next to him was the black cat. It was dead now, and by the looks of it. It died quite awfully.
One can hardly tell anymore that it was a cat.


End of chapter 4

<font size="1">[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Athena]

Finally! 4 chapters down. Hurray! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">
Another 36 to go! <IMG SRC="smilies/bawling.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/help.gif" border="0">
What happened till now was still the entree.
The real story begins starting with chapter 5 Back from the dead.

[TigerWong]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="80%" bgcolor="#dcdcdc" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" bgcolor="#DCDCDC"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee"><font size="1">Originally posted by Athena:
<STRONG>To Tigerwong:She had a different nickname in the Chu Liuxiang series. Namely Nan Yang Xu Shuzhen. But the characters of her name are the same. (I have no idea what "Nan Yang" means in her case, I believe it is a place in China). Perhaps the hometown of the family Xu? <IMG SRC="smilies/noidea.gif" border="0">
I can remember reading her name at least twice. Once in the Great Desert, when Chu Liuxiang and Hu Tiehua were talking about Gao Yanan and her swordsplay.
The second time is in the Legend of the Bat, I think even in the first chapter and the first paragraph.
But I could be wrong. Love to hear your opinion.
</STRONG></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, you're right. They mentioned her at the beginning of Legend of the Bat. I even translated that part (but I used her Cantonese name), shame on me for not remembering! <IMG SRC="smilies/lecture.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

I was thinking of the fourth Hua Shan leader, the Flowery Fairy, whom Hua ZhenZhen inherited her kung fu from. Which was also in Legend of the Bat. In any case, Chu LiuXiang comes after The Sword and The Exquisiteness.

<font size="1">[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: TigerWong ]</font>

[Athena]

Chapter 5 Back From The Dead

The lord of the manor put the cat into the hole. He was burrying the cat, and Yu Peiyu could hear the lord talking to himself softly:"It is said that a cat has 9 lives, but why do you only have 1. Poor thing! Are you trying to fool me? Or am I easily tricked?"
Yu Peiyu sighed when he saw that this little man had such a benevolent heart.
The lord heard the sigh and called out:"Who is there?"
Yu Peiyu walked out and gently said:"Don't be afraid. I have no ill intentions."
The lord was looking at him in a nervous way and asked:"Who are you?"
Yu Peiyu tried his best not to scare him and smiled:"I am a guest at your manor. My name is Yu Peiyu."
Yu Peiyu didn't want to lie to this poor man. Also he felt that this man was very kind. Anyone who takes the effort of burrying a dead cat can't be all bad, can he?
The lord seemed to have calmed down and smiled:"You're a guest, I am your host. I am Ji Zanghua."
Yu Peiyu said:"I know, I met the lady of the manor and your daughters."
Ji Zanghua smiled wryly:"It seems that everyone meets them first."
He added:"But don't listen to them. My wife is a bit mad, quite mad. No, she is a madwoman. My eldest daughter is very fierce, nobody would dare to offend her. Even I am afraid of her. Although she is pretty she is ruthless. The next time you see them, quickly hide."
Yu Peiyu was surprised that he would talk about his wife and daughter in this way. He didn't know if he was telling the truth. But why would he lie to him.
Ji Zanghua said:"I'm just giving some advice, they are my family I wouldn't tell lies about them."
Yu Peiyu sighed and said:"Thank you, Mr. Ji."
Yu Peiyu asked:"What about the girl who talks to birds?"
Ji Zanghua laughed:"You mean Lingyan, she wouldn't harm anyone. She is...she is mentally handicapped."
Yu Peiyu said softly:"Oh I see, mentally handicapped."
Suddenly they heard some people walking this way.
Ji Zanghua grabbed Yu Peiyu's hand and said:"It is probably them. Don't let them see you, they will kill you. Come, follow me!"
Yu Peiyu remembered the well incident, the strange Madame Ji. So he quickly followed Ji Zanghua. Ji Zanghua swiftly made a few turns here and there.
They arrived at a small pavilion, Ji Zanghua said:"You'll be safe here, nobody will come here."
Yu Peiyu asked:"What is this place?"
Ji Zanghua said:"This is where my late father would study Buddhist texts. When he was 50 years old he stayed here and never left this place for 25 years."
Yu Peiyu asked:"But this is such a small place, why did old Mr. Ji have to spend his days here?"
Ji Zanghua said sadly:"My late father felt that he had killed too many people in his younger years. He wanted to repent for his mistakes. He reached a very high cultivation and said that any hardship to the flesh was irrelevant."
Yu Peiyu sighed:"Old Mr. Ji was a remarkable man."
Yu Peiyu shook his head when he remembered that Madame Ji said that everyone in the Ji family was crazy.
Ji Zanghua said:"You can stay here, I will bring you food and water. There is already too much bloodshed in this manor. I don't want to see anymore bloodshed."
Yu Peiyu watched him when he walked away and thought:He is wife is mad, his daughter mentally handicapped. He himself is a midget. He is even more unfortunate than I, but he managed to be an altruist. I wonder if I can do the same thing in his position.
He sat on the pillow and saw that they were no windows. Just those paper walls surrounding the pavilion.
Suddenly he saw some markings on the floor, he wiped away the dust and saw the 8 trigrams were carved on the floor.
Being a disciple of the Xiantian Wuji School learning and studying the secrets of divine formations was compulsory.
So he knew that there was something strange about this carving of the eight trigrams. So he used his knowledge of this art to find out what secret was hidden here.
He used his finger to touch some lines of the eight trigrams and suddenly the pillow shifted and a secret passage beneath was opened.
Yu Peiyu was curious and entered the secret passage. At this point suddenly 20 odd swords pierced through the oil paper walls. Missing Yu Peiyu by a hair.
Yu Peiyu broke out in a cold sweat, if he hadn't discovered the markings and if he didn't study the art of formations he was dead now.
He quickly entered the secret passage and sealed the entrance with the pillow again.
The wielders of the sword stormed in and saw no one was here.
They were all Kunlun and Diancang disciples.
One of them said:"Where did he go?"
Baihe said angrilly:"How did he know we were coming?"
"He cannot have gone far, let us search!" someone said.
All of them left the pavilion and continued their search.
Yu Peiyu crawled out when he was sure everyone was gone for some time.
He know knew that everyone in this manor is stark raving mad.
Suddenly he heard someone calling:"Young master Ye. Ye Peiyu."
He knew that only Madame Ji and her daughters would call him by this name.
He quickly hid in the secret passage again.
Although the secret passage was quite long and was bound to lead to a particular place, Yu Peiyu just stayed near the entrance. He was too tired to go and investigate.
After some time he fell asleep.

Suddenly the pillow shifted and Yu Peiyu was startled and looked up he saw Ji Zanghua.
Ji Zanghua said:"Thank goodness! You're allright."
Yu Peiyu gritted his teeth and said:"What are you trying to pull now?"
Ji Zanghua hit himself on the chest and said:"It is all my fault, my wife saw me taking you here. So she must have informed those Kunlun and Diancang killers."
Yu Peiyu scoffed:"Why should I believe you?"
Ji Zanghua said:"If I betrayed you why would come here and help you now."
Yu Peiyu felt that he was right and said:"My apologies for being rude."
Yu Peiyu leapt out and Ji Zanghua put the pillow back in place.
Ji Zanghua said:"This isn't the time for apologies."
Suddenly arrogantly said:"Do you think you can escape now, Yu Peiyu!"
3 swords stabbed towards Yu Peiyu. Ji Zanghua screamed:"Stop! Don't fight!"
But nobody paid any attention to him and those attackers continued their assault on Yu Peiyu.
Yu Peiyu was cut on 2 different places, the disciples of Kunlun and Diancang had him surrounded.
Yu Peiyu did his best to ward off the attacks, but he was heavily outnumbered and before he knew it he was cut again.
Baihe said:"Keep him alive! We want to interrogate him first."
Yu Peiyu flew up towards Baihe, suddenly he changed direction and one of the pillars of the pavilion was struck down.
It was Yu Peiyu who broke the pillar with his bare fist. The roof came crashing down, Yu Peiyu picked up the heavy pillar and swept it towards the Diancang and Kunlun people.
Everyone screamed and panicked and one Diancang disciple was hit on the chest and fainted. A few of his ribs were broken. 2 swords were hit out of the hands of 2 disciples.
Baihe shouted and directed the attack:"He is insane! He is not even human. If we can't take him alive we will take him dead."
Yu Peiyu whirled the pillar and nobody could get close to him.
Ji Zanghua who stood far and far away from the fight said softly:"What an impressive strength! What an impressive power!"

Everyone wielded their swords around hoping that they could see a window of opportunity to attack Yu Peiyu.
Yu Peiyu was unaware of everything around him at this time. He was in a trance he just wanted to get away from them. Suddenly he chucked the pillar straightforward. The pillar travelled with incredible speed and was headed towards a Kunlun Taoist. It was too late for him to avoid the pillar and the pillar pierced right through his body.
He screamed in pain and wasn't dead yet. Blood splattered everywhere, everyone was too frightened and quickly moved aside.
Yu Peiyu closely followed the pillar and stormed out.
He just ran and ran and suddenly saw that strange house.
The house of death.
He thought a tomb is perhaps the best hiding-place.

<font size="1">[ April 20, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Athena]

A sword blocked his way and a girl said:"Whoever enters, dies!"
Yu Peiyu recognized her as the eldest daughter of Ji Zanghua. He said tragically:"It is best that I can die at your hands. At least you are not mad..."
Yu Peiyu was too exhausted and fainted again.

When Yu Peiyu woke up he saw he was in the room of Madame Ji.
There was nobody in the room, but now someone opened the door. It was the lord of the manor, Ji Zanghua. Even till now Yu Peiyu had no idea whether this midget was good or evil.
Yu Peiyu got up and said:"There are no grudges between us, why do you want to harm me?"
Ji Zanghua walked to the bed and said apologetically:"I am very sorry. I wanted to help you, but now I have only made things worse. I didn't know that those men were following me."
Yu Peiyu said:"Why don't you go now?"
Ji Zanghua said:"I cannot let you fall into the hands of those women."
Yu Peiyu smiled sadly:"But they just saved me."
Ji Zanghua sighed:"Young man, you don't know what they are planning. They want to torture you and play with you before they kill you."
Yu Peiyu shivered and asked:"Why would they? I haven't done anything to them."
Ji Zanghua said:"You really don't know?"
Yu Peiyu replied:"I haven't the foggiest."
Ji Zanghua explained:"Have you forgotten that my wife hates everybody with the family name Yu?"
Yu Peiyu said:"Of course, I did forget about that."
At this point he believed Ji Zanghua and was ready to go with him.
Ji Zanghua said:"Follow me."
At this moment someone opened the door, it was the eldest daughter of Ji Zanghua.
She coldly looked at Ji Zanghua and showed no signs of respect and love. Only resent and hate.
She coldly called out:"Leave!"
Ji Zanghua jumped up and angrilly shouted:"Ji Lingfeng, don't forget I am your father. Show a bit more respect when you talk to your father!"
He was jumping up and down and was pratically foaming at the mouth.
Yu Peiyu was stunned that this normally friendly looking midget turned into a frantic madman.
Ji Lingfeng was not afraid and scoffed at her father:"You're refusing to leave?"
Ji Zanghua made a fist and stared at his daughter eyes filled with hate.
Ji Lingfeng stared at her father with scorn, and Ji Zanghua looked at his daughter with hate.
Yu Peiyu was puzzled, how it happened that the relationship between father and daughter had become this bad between both of them.

Ji Zanghua suddenly took a long breath and seemed to have composed himself and said:"Dear daughter, don't get angry. Father will be very sad when you're angry. If it means this much to you I will leave now."
He walked out the door and softly mumbled:"What is this world coming to. Fathers afraid of daughters."
Yu Peiyu was quite shocked to see this entire situation.
Ji Lingfeng coldly said:"Go back to bed!"
Yu Peiyu said:"I do not want to impose anymore. I think it is best that I take my leave."
Ji Lingfeng said:"You believe those words of that midget. Do you really think I would hurt you?"
Yu Peiyu said:"He is still your father, how could you.."
She yelled:"HE IS NOT MY FATHER! HE ISN'T! HE ISN'T...."
Yu Peiyu was a bit surprised of this reaction and didn't know what to say.
After a few moments she composed herself and returned to her normal cold self.
She asked:"Do you really think he is a good man?"
Yu Peiyu didn't answer because he didn't know for sure what Ji Zanghua was.
She laughed and said:"Many people are deceived by him. And till their deaths they don't even know they were betrayed by him."
Yu Peiyu said:"There are no animosities between him and I."
Ji Lingfeng said:"This place is filled with hatred and do you know why?"
Yu Peiyu answered:"I don't know."
Ji Lingfeng loudly said:"Because he...he loves to kill and adores death. He loves to see the lives of others destroyed at his hands. The more tragic you die the happier he will be."
Yu Peiyu was flabbergasted by this abnormal home. Wife hating husband, husband afraid of daughter and daughter despising father.
Ji Lingfeng said:"You don't have to believe me. Why should you?"
Yu Peiyu said:"It is not that I don't believe you, but I saw your..him taking the effort of burrying a cat. So I think he cannot be that bad."
Ji Lingfeng smiled coldly:"He killed the cat."
Yu Peiyu exclaimed in surprise:"He did?"
Ji Lingfeng said:"He loves to destroy things, no matter it is a cat, dog, a flower, a tree and even humans. He cannot stand other beings alive."
Ji Lingfeng said:"You can dig up a hole anywhere you want, you'll bound to find a skeleton of some animal or man."
Yu Peiyu sighed:"I just want to leave this place." and sat down on the bed.
Ji Lingfeng said:"If you want to live you will have to listen to me. If not you're free to go as you please."
After she said this she opened the door. Ji Lingfeng said:"Ji Zanghua won't dare to come in here. I have some hold over him and with that I can protect you."
Yu Peiyu asked:"You're willing to protect me?"
Ji Lingfeng said:"With me around no one will be able to harm you."
Yu Peiyu said:"You're right! This is the safest place at this moment. But I rather risk my life than beg for help."
He stood up and walked to the door.
Ji Lingfeng said:"Do you really want to die?"
Yu Peiyu didn't answer her and kept walking.
She continued:"There is no other way for you. Why are you so keen on being a hero?"
Yu Peiyu turned around and said:"Thanks for your concern. I will choose my own roads."
Ji Lingfeng scoffed:"Go ahead! I don't give a toss about your life."
Although she said that she looked at him completely dazzled.

After resting for a half day he felt recharged. Also the reason why he could get better this fast had to do with the Lesser Return Pill of Kunlun.
Yu Peiyu felt that only old man Gao can be trusted and he is trying to find the way to his cottage.
However walking around some time he still couldn't find it but wandered to the small pavilion.
The pavilion has collapsed now thanks to him.
Suddenly it dawned to him he would try the secret passage. Perhaps that would lead to safety.
It was pitch dark in the tunnel, Yu Peiyu stretched out his hands to feel the way ahead. Suddenly he touched someone in front of him.
He could feel that this person was wearing a robe made from linnen. He asked:"Who are you?"
The person didn't move and didn't speak.
Yu Peiyu was sweating and asked again:"Who are you? Why are you hiding here?"
The figure didn't speak, Yu Peiyu was moving around the figure and was using his hands to touch around and fortunately he found a lamp.
He quickly lit the lamp.
Yu Peiyu saw an old man sitting cross-legged on a pillow. His hair and beard were white but he did look a bit like Ji Zanghua.
Yu Peiyu said:"Are you the father of Ji Zanghua? Weren't you dead?"
The old man didn't move even his hair and beard were motionless. It was very eerie.
Yu Peiyu walked up and touched him again and realised it was a wax statue.
Yu Peiyu laughed and was also curious:"This is must be the wax statue of Ji Zanghua's father. But why is it here?"
There was also a bed and a small bookcase, these were just ordinary furniture but somehow it seemed out of place in this secret hiding-place.
Yu Peiyu thought about this for some time and finally it dawned to him. Old Mr. Ji must have been forced to retire. And announced he was going to repent in the above small pavilion. But he secretly constructed this tunnel to hide and he would put the wax statue on his place above. And everyone will believe he was sincerely repenting.
Yu Peiyu laughed when he figured this out.
He took a look at the books on the case and glanced through them. They weren't martial arts manuals. They were just some love poems written by a woman.
He put the books back and saw a pouch on the bed. He opened it and found a piece of ancient jade in it. There were characters carved on it [Xiantian Wuji] and the character [Yu].
Yu Peiyu recognized the jade and knew only members of his Yu family had this kind of jade.
He found a piece of family treasure in this secret place. He was very puzzled and looked at the pouch. There was an image of a beautiful woman embroided on it.
The woman was Madame Ji and the characters next to her were:
Always at your side, never leaving never stop hoping.
Yours Meiniang
Meiniang was obviously the name of Madame Ji.
Yu Peiyu began to understand, he remembered the hate Madame Ji had against people with the family name Yu.
She must have had a lover with the family name Yu. This man came here probably to escape from his pursuers and Madame Ji hid him in the secret hideout of her dead father-in-law.
She must have fallen in love with this man or knew him before she married Ji Zanghua.
Anyhow this lover must have left her and causing her to be grief-stricken with sorrow and eventually lead to her present mental state.

Yu Peiyu thought if the lover left he must have left via another secret exit. Perhaps it was here.
He continued his walk down the tunnel. After walking for a very long time he finally saw some light shining through the ceiling of the tunnel.
He was very happy and pushed against the stone tile and climbed up.
As soon as he climbed up someone grabbed him and shouted:"You have returned! I knew you would come back to me."
Yu Peiyu saw that it was Madame Ji who grabbed him and he was back in her room.
She was crying and said:"How could you leave all those years ago? I waited and waited how I hated you for leaving without a word. But now you've returned I will forgive you."
Yu Peiyu knew that Madame Ji must have mistaken him for her long lost lover. He sighed:"Madame Ji, you're mistaken. I'm not the man you have waited for. Please let me go."
Madame Ji was crying and laughing:"I will never let you go. If I release you, you'll leave me again like all those years ago. I will never, never let you out of my sight."
Yu Peiyu didn't know what to do with this predicament and saw that Ji Lingfeng was here too. He happily said:"Miss Ji please explain to your mother who I am."
Ji Lingfeng watched him coldly and laughed:"I know who you are. You're the man my mother has waited for all these years."
Yu Peiyu yelled:"Why do you make of fun of me too!"
Ji Lingfeng smiled lightly:"You have kept my mother waiting for all these years. You should make her happy."
Yu Peiyu couldn't break free from the strong grip of Madame Ji.
She pushed him on her bed and said lovely:"How are you doing? Do you realise how much I have longed for you?"
Yu Peiyu stuttered:"I...I..."
Madame Ji said:"I know you must be tired. I'm so happy that we are reunited. I'm so happy...Lingfeng bring us some wine. I want to celebrate."
Ji Lingfeng did as she was told and brought back a bottle of wine and 2 jade cups.
Madame Ji picked one cup and brought it to his lips and smiled tenderly:"I have never been this happy in a long time. You must drink up."
Yu Peiyu saw that she was very pretty and looked happy. He also knew that he couldn't explain this to her and the best thing to do is wait and see. He drank the wine.
Madame Ji continued:"Do you remember the first time we drank together. You told me you would never leave me. Do you remember?"
Yu Peiyu smiled awkwardly:"I...I.."
Madame Ji said:"Although you lied to me then, but now you cannot lie to me anymore. At least now that you have drunk this cup of wine."
Yu Peiyu was startled when he heard this and suddenly felt weak and dizzy.
He cried out:"Poison....wine.."
Madame Ji smiled:"This is called the Heart-broken wine. After drinking it you can never leave me again."
Yu Peiyu said:"I'm not,....I am not...."
Before he could finish he passed out already.
Madame Ji stopped laughing and touched Yu Peiyu's hair and face and softly mumbled:"I
remember the first time he climbed out that secret tunnel. I was just changing my clothes and saw him. He was standing there looking at me, smiling. Although I was shocked and angry at first but when I looked at his handsome face and those beautiful eyes. I was....I was. I couldn't attack him."
She was reminiscing about the past.
Ji Lingfeng asked her:"You must be very lonely then?"
Madame Ji said:"I was very lonely, married to a man like Ji Zanghua. How can a woman not feel lonely? Because of loneliness I fell for him."
Ji Lingfeng said:"Well, he was quite good to you."
Madame Ji smiled charmingly:"He is. He gave some of the sweetest moments in my life. Just the sheer memory is enough to lighten up my day."
Ji Lingfeng continued:"Because you were too happy. And when he left you, you were even feeling more miserable."
Madame Ji said:
"Yes...yes...but now I don't hate him anymore. He is mine, totally mine and nobody can steal him away from me anymore."
Ji Lingfeng said coldly:"Unfortunately you have killed the wrong man. This man is not the man you have waited for."
Madame Ji screamed:"You're lying! Besides him who knows this secret tunnel!"
Ji Lingfeng said:"That man knew this secret, although it was a secret he could still figure it out. This man could too, because they are both members of the Yu family and have studied the art of secrets and formations."
Madame Ji shouted:"Shut up! Shut up!"
Ji Lingfeng continued:"You know as well as I do that this man isn't [him]. But you just like to fool yourself and keep living in a dream."
Madame Ji began crying:"Why did you have to destroy my dream? Why? Why?"
Ji Lingfeng said:"You brought us into this world of darkness and unhappiness. Because of you Lingyan has become mad. And I...and I hate you."
After saying this tears welled up in her eyes.
Madame Ji dragged Yu Peiyu off her bed and shouted:"You're not him! You're not him!"
Ji Lingfeng opened the door and yelled:"Yu Peiyu is dead now. Come and watch!"
A group of people immediately ran over. The first man to arrive was Baihe, he took Yu Peiyu's pulse and said to the others:"He is dead!"
A Diancang disciple regretfully said:"It's a shame that we couldn't kill him ourselves."
Baihe said:"Although I cannot kill him. I will cut up his body."
He drew his sword and wanted to hack at Yu Peiyu's body.
Suddenly everyone heard a Ping and Baihe dropped his sword. He turned around and saw Ji Zanghua smiling.
Baihe asked him:"Benefactor Ji, why did you do that?"
Ji Zanghua said calmly:"A Taoist priest should know when to stop. Cutting up a body is not befitting for a true cultivated priest."
Baihe was stunned by his remark and scoffed:"Since when did benefactor Ji become this caring?"
Ji Zanghua was angered now and said:"When wasn't I kind and caring?"
Baihe thought this midget is the lord of Murder Manor. How can he claim to be benevolent. But Baihe was afraid of him and his martial arts and didn't want to offend him.
Baihe apologized:"Benefactor Ji, forgive me. It is just that Yu Peiyu has commited an unforgivable crime and we're just not satisfied that he died this easy."
Ji Zanghua said:"No matter what he did, it is over now. He is dead. We should respect the dead."
Baihe couldn't retort this argument and said:"Since he is dead already why do you still..."
Ji Zanghua said seriously:"This is my manor, dead people are my true guests. If he was alive you're free to do what you please. But now he is my guest and my responsibility is to take care of him."
Baihe said:"So be it. We will take our leave now. We will take the body back with
us. Although he killed our master but still he is a disciple of the Kunlun School. Anyway, thank you for your hospitality."
Ji Zanghua said:"I don't care whether he was a Kunlun disciple or a Huashan disciple when he was alive. His body now belongs to me. Whoever wants to take him away will have to defeat me first."
Ji Zanghua stood there ready to fight anyone who would dare to take this body away. The disciples of Kunlun and Diancang looked at each other and were lost what to do. Baihe sighed:"Anyway Yu Peiyu is dead! We have avenged our teacher. Let us comply to the wishes of lord Ji."
Ji Zanghua quickly picked up the corpse of Yu Peiyu and ran off.
Ji Lingfeng stood there observing the entire situation with a cold shoulder. It seems she expected things would turn out this way.
Baihe wanted to say something but Ji Zanghua was gone already.
Baihe stamped his feet and said angrily:"Everyone in this manor is a complete idiot! Let us quickly go and put a distance between us and this accursed place."

Ji Zanghua changed the clothes of Yu Peiyu
and washed away the dirt on his face. He
carried him to the the courtyard with utmost
care. He used a shovel to dig a hole and mumbled:"Poor child! Dying at such a young age. It is a pity you didn't listen to my advice otherwise you wouldn't have died at the hands of that witch."
Suddenly someone said:"If he listened to you he would suffer even more."
JI Zanghua turned around and saw Ji Lingfeng and jumped up again:"What are you doing here? Won't you leave me alone?"
Ji Lingfeng said lightly:"He is dead already, leave him alone."
Ji Zanghua said:"I am giving him a good place where he can be alone."
Ji Lingfeng scoffed:"People burried by you always come back to haunt you."
Ji Zanghua angrilly said:"How dare you talk to me in this way? Even though I am not your father you should still respect me. Do you really think I am afraid of you? Get lost now! Before I burry alongside this man."
Ji Lingfeng was not impressed and said:"You would actually dare to touch me.....Have you forgotten when grandfather died he told me lots of secrets. And one of those secrets is your worse nightmare."
Ji Zanghua became scared now and asked:"What is it that you want?"
Ji Lingfeng said:"I want this body, don't touch him again."
Ji Zanghua laughed:"Since when did you begin to like corpses. Could it be that you and I are alike. Of course, your family name is Ji too."
After saying this he walked away.
Ji Lingfeng picked up Yu Peiyu and said softly:"Everyone thinks you're dead. But sometimes people come back from the dead."

Ji Lingfeng brought the body of Yu Peiyu to the ancestral tomb house of the Ji family.
He was put on the ground, after some time Yu Peiyu's body began to move.
He woke up and sat up he saw he was in the ancestral tomb house of the Ji family and shivered.
He suddenly saw someone sitting in front of him. He thought it was a wax statue but when he blew the hairs of this man moved.
Yu Peiyu moved towards the man and took his pulse, it was a dead man, a corpse.
He looked around and some more of these corpses. He dawned to him the ancestors of the Ji family weren't burried or cremated but stuffed.
Yu Peiyu was terrified to learn this macabre custom.
Yu Peiyu got goosebumps all over when he saw these bodies. All these bodies sat in armchairs and they looked like they were watching Yu Peiyu.
Yu Peiyu wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible and swiftly tried to find the exit.
He walked pass a few bodies when he suddenly saw the father of Ji Zanghua.
Suddenly the corpse next to old Mr. Ji got up and said:"You are here too."
Yu Peiyu was scared stiff he saw that this corpse wore a long white robe and had a white cloth covering his face.
The corpse walked towards Yu Peiyu, Yu Peiyu backed and backed and stuttered:"You....you..."
He was so terrified to say another word,
the body suddenly said:"Don't be afraid I'm not a ghost."
Yu Peiyu somewhat assured by this stammered:"Who...who..are you?"
The body thought for a minute and laughed:"I am Yu Peiyu."
Yu Peiyu said completely scared stiff:"If you're Yu Peiyu. Who am I?"
The body removed the cloth from his face, the face had some healed wounds on it.
Yu Peiyu exclaimed with utmost surprise:"It is you, master Xie of Diancang!"
The real Xie Tianbi was also in the house of death. This was indeed the shock of his life.
Xie Tianbi laughed tragically:"Yes I am Xie Tianbi. Never thought you would recognize me."
Yu Peiyu smiled sadly:"Master Xie, you gave me a true scare just a moment ago."
Xie Tianbi smiled apologetically:"I am very sorry. I was just locked up here for days and when I saw you I was so happy that I decided to play a little joke on you."
Yu Peiyu asked:"Master Xie, I think you wanted to see whether I was really Yu Peiyu. By watching my reaction to your words you could see whether I was real or an imposter."
Xie Tianbi sighed:"I think at the moment only you can understand my feelings. And only I will believe and understand your problems."
Yu Peiyu was a bit saddened and asked:"Master Xie, are you too..."
Xie Tianbi sighed:"Although I believe you now. It will be of little help to either of us. I am afraid we will never see another sunrise again."
Yu Peiyu asked:"But how come you're here."
Xie Tianbi said:"That day, after the ceremony at the gathering, I drank a bit too much wine and was feeling woozy. I returned to my tent to rest after a few hours someone woke me. And asked me who I was."
Yu Peiyu was puzzled and said:"He entered your tent and asked Master Xie who you were. That is strange."
Xie Tianbi said:"At that time I was annoyed and got up and saw that this man looked exactly like me. I was too surprised to talk. It was like looking into a mirror."
Yu Peiyu said angrilly:"It was that bastard."
Xie Tianbi said:"I looked at him and he looked at me. He said [I am the leader of the Diancang School Xie Tianbi. Why are you sleeping in my bed.]
I was still feeling woozy at the time and yelled out [You're Xie Tianbi? Who am I?]"
Yu Peiyu said:"Master Xie's experience earlier gave you the idea to test me, right?"
Xie Tianbi said:"Exactly, when that fiend heard my reaction he scolded me and said I was an imposter. And wanted to fight with me using Diancang martial arts. The loser would be the imposter and the winner the real Xie Tianbi."
Yu Peiyu said:"That fellow cannot be your match."
Xie Tianbi sighed:"That man was very good and I was drunk that night and I think they even put a sleeping potion in my wine. After 3 stances he knocked my sword out of my hand and he used orthodox Diancang swordsplay."
Yu Peiyu said:"Were you driven away just like that?"
Xie Tianbi continued:"At that moment chancel...Yu....Yu Fanghe, Wang Yuluo and others entered the tent. They were near my tent all the time and deployed all the Diancang disciples to different locations..."
Yu Peiyu asked:"Master Xie, I think you weren't aware that they were imposters too."
Xie Tianbi said:"I never would have dreamt that they would be imposters too. However at that time I was happy when the chancellor appeared. Before I could speak all of them accused me of being a fake."
Xie Tianbi now held Yu Peiyu's arm and said:"Then I realised how it felt like being wrongfully accused of something. I felt like exploding but couldn't resist and was tied up and thrown on a carriage."
Yu Peiyu said:"Was Yu...that Yu character also on the carriage?"
Xie Tianbi said:"He wasn't, but his henchmen had orders to take me to a remote place and kill me."
Yu Peiyu said:"In that case master Xie, you were lucky to have escaped."
Xie Tianbi said:"If they weren't too cautious I wouldn't be here now."
Yu Peiyu asked:"What do you mean?"
Xie Tianbi explained:"If they had killed me somewhere remote I would be dead now. But they were afraid someone would find my corpse so they brought me to Murder Manor. Everyone knows that bodies disappear very easily here in Murder Manor."
Yu Peiyu sighed:"The people here do kill very easily."
He waited for Xie Tianbi to continue but Xie didn't say a word anymore.
Yu Peiyu said:"It seems you're still not completely healed from your wounds. I bet those henchmen had something to do with your injuries."
Xie Tianbi said:"You're right."
Yu Peiyu asked:"If I may ask, master Xie. How did you escape death in the end?"
Xie Tianbi said:"This involves a third person without this person's consent I cannot reveal his identity."
He asked Yu Peiyu:"But why are you here?"
Yu Peiyu looked sadly and said:"I am a dead man now. And someone put me here."
Xie Tianbi said in surprise:"Dead man? Could it be..."
A voice coldly said:"Yes, you have died once and have returned from the dead."
The speaker is Ji Lingfeng.
Xie Tianbi was dazzled by her beautiful appearance and smiled:"Miss, what do you mean? How can dead people be brought back to life?"
She said calmly:"I brought him back to life."
Her voice was calm and mysterious. It really seemed that she had that ability.
Xie Tianbi and Yu Peiyu looked at each other and didn't speak.
Ji Lingfeng walked up to the corpse of Ji Zanghua's father and knelt down and kowtowed 3 times.
She said:"You must be wondering why I only pay respects to him only. He save my life once and if I wasn't saved, you two would be dead now."
Yu Peiyu and Xie Tianbi were silent.
Ji Lingfeng turned to Xie Tianbi and said:"You were almost dead, they were ready to give you the final blow. But I tricked them into believing you already died. I lured them away from you and saved you."
Xie Tianbi said:"I am forever in your debt, Miss."
Ji Lingfeng scoffed:"You must feel embarrassed that you, the leader of a prominent Wulin school was saved by a unknown girl. Is that the reason why you didn't reveal who saved you?"
Xie Tianbi laughed wryly:"Miss, you're mistaken. I just...."
Ji Lingfeng rudely interrupted him:"I am a very petty woman. If I saved someone I want that person to be in my debt and remember me forever. If not I will personally kill him. Never forget this."


End of chapter 5

<font size="1">[ April 21, 2003: Message edited by: Athena ]</font>

[Goofy]

It is no wonder if he had really turned mad from the topsy turvy events. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

But I like his character - not too perfect with enough charms.

I take it that the murder manor people are not as bad. perhaps lord ji was the mastermind or hainan master???