I'm going to attempt to translate my favorite Gu Long novel, Duo Qing Jian Ke Wu Qing Jian, translated as Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword. However, a more common title is probably "Xiao Li Fei Dao"(Little Li's Flying Dagger) that tv series seem to like.
It's quite long, so hopefully I can finish it before I'm busy again, or maybe someone else can finish it for me. Also, I'm open to corrections of mistakes as well as suggestions on how I should make the translation. Should I keep Gu Long's unique writing style and it's horrible grammar. Or should I use a more conventional style? I'm not sure which is better.
Sentimental Swordsman Ruthless Sword
Written by Gu Long
Chapter 1. Flying Dagger vs. Quick Sword
The cold wind act as a knife, using the ground as the cutting board, and people as fish meat.
The snowstorm extends for thousands of miles, making everything seem like bright white silver.
In this cold winter snowstorm, a horse carriage came from the north. It's wheels shattered the snow on the ground, but cannot shatter loneliness in the world.
Li Xun Huan yawned, trying to stretch his legs. The inside of the carriage might be quite comfortable, but this trip is just way too long, too lonely. He not only feel exhausted, but also irritated. He feels that loneliness is the biggest annoyance in his life, yet loneliness frequently accompanies him.
A person's life is usually filled with contradictions. No one can do anything about this.
Li Xun Huan sighed and took out a wine bottle. As he’s drinking the wine, he also begin to cough. His continuous coughing made his pale face appear very sick, as if fire from Hell is burning his flesh and soul.
The wine bottle's empty now, so he grabbed a little dagger and start to carve a wooden human figure. The dagger's thin and sharp, his hand is long and powerful.
The figure is that of a woman, so beautiful and warm under his masterful carving, looks so full of life.
He not only gave her a striking look, but also gave her life and soul, only because his life and soul is already quietly disappearing under the tip of the dagger.
He's no longer young.
Wrinkles filled the corners of his eyes, every wrinkle filled with all the joy and sadness in his life. Only his eyes are young.
This is a strange pair of eyes, a shade of green, similar to the Spring wind blowing on the Willow leaves, warm and flexible. Or similar to the sea water under the Summer sun's light, filled with energy.
Maybe it's only because of this pair of eyes that allowed him to live til today.
The wooden figure is finally finished. He mindlessly stared at this figure, not knowing for how long, and then pushed the carriage door open, jumping out.
The carriage driver immediately stopped the horses.
This carriage driver’s eyes are sharp like a eagle, but as those eyes looked at Li Xun Huan, they immediately became warm, filled with loyalty and sympathy. Like a beast looking at its master.
Li Xun Huan dug a hole on the ground, burying the figure he just carved into that hole. Then he just mindlessly stared at the pile of snow where he buried the figure.
His fingers have now been frozen, his face red from the cold, and snowflakes covered his whole body. Yet he does not feel the cold. The item buried under the snow is like the most important person in his life. As he buried "her", his own life also became filled with emptiness.
Any other person would find this event to be quite strange, yet the carriage driver is already used to all this. He only said, "It's almost dark. We still have a long road ahead. Please come back onto the carriage, young master."
Li Xun Huan turned around, finding that there is one set of footprints besides the carriage, coming alone from the far north, going ahead alone.
The footprints are quite deep, showing that this person has walked very much, is very fatigued, yet still would not stop to rest.
LI Xun Huan took a deep breath, said, "I can't believe there's someone who will travel in a place like this in this kind of weather. I think he must be a very lonely, very sorrowful person.
The carriage driver didn't say anything, only sighing in his heart, thinking, "Aren't you also a very lonely, sorrowful person? Why do you only sympathize other people, but forget yourself?"
There's a lot more Pine wood under the carriage seat, so Li Xun Huan begin to carve yet again. His technique is now excellent with so much practice, because what he's carving will forever be that one single person.
This person not only filled all of his heart, but also all of his body.
The snowstorm finally stopped, but the coldness only got heavier, the loneliness thicker. Good thing the wind also carried the sound of a person's footsteps.
Although this sound is much softer than the horses, it is the sound Li Xun Huan has been searching for. So no matter how soft it is, it cannot escape Li Xun Huan’s ears.
As he pulled up the drapes of the carriage's window, he saw the shadow of that lonely person walking in front.
This person walks very slowly, yet does not stop. Although he heard the horses, he still does not turn around to look. He has neither an umbrella nor a hat. The melted ice and snow dropped from his face to his neck. He only has a single piece of thin clothing.
Yet he still held his head high, as if he's made of steel. Snow, coldness, exhaustion, fatigue, hunger, all cannot conquer him.
Nothing can conquer him.
Its only as the carriage passed him that Li Xun Huan saw his face.
His eyebrows are thick, eyes very big, thin tight lips made a line, a straight nose that also made his face look even thinner.
This face reminds one very easily of stones in a flower pot, strong, rigid, cold, as if nothing matters, not even himself.
(I'll continue with Chapter 1 later)