THE LEGENDARY SIBLINGS by Gu Long

[bliss]

Are the he/she slip ups intentional?
A little hindsight at work?

Isn't it pretty obvious by now that Du Qiaoqiao is a hermaphrodite? They kept referring to her as being half man half woman and someone called her androgynous.

[Athena]

Tie Xinnan said:”Let me go and I will tell you!”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Very well.”
Tie Xinnan sighed:”This is a secret, you can’t tell anyone else.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Who am I going to tell? You, fool. I like you very much; I will protect you from whoever wants to harm you. I won’t tell anyone.”
Tie Xinnan blushed; he raised his head and said softly:”I don’t have the item.”
Xiao Yu’er looked at him for some time and suddenly burst out in laughter.
Tie Xinnan asked:”Why are you laughing?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Do you think I am stupid? Don’t lie to me?”
Tie Xinnan said:”I swear I am not lying.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”If you don’t have the item, why would they come after you? And why are running away from them?”
Tie Xinnan sighed:”The item is in the possession of someone very close to me, I am afraid those people will go after him. That is why I pretend that I have it and lure these people away from him.”
Xiao Yu’er was a bit surprised and said:”Hmm, a diversionary tactic.”
Tie Xinnan said:”Yes.”
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”I never thought you were such a heroic person.”
Tie Xinnan lowered his head and said:”I am not, but that person is my own brother.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I understand now, but tell me that is that item everyone wants.”
Tie Xinnan lowered her head even further and said:”It is treasure map.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”A treasure map. If I knew it was something that worthless I would not bothered to ask about it? If I wanted riches I could get it anywhere, why all this trouble.”
He stood up and walked around and frowned:”It is strange that there is a house here.”
Tie Xinnan said:”We have run so long and hard, we must be near a village. This must be a guard house for soldiers to keep watch, but now there is peace in the land there is no need to post guards here anymore.”
Xiao Yu’er walked to the door and smiled:”There is a well.”
Tie Xinnan said:”There are a few bowls in that old cabinet, I will get some water.”
Xiao Yu’er looked at him and said:”Will you run away?”
Tie Xinnan replied:”Why should I run away?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I know you won’t run off.”
Tie Xinnan did not run away, she came back with a bucket of water. That conceited look on his face was gone, he looked very gentle. He was even willing to do jobs like getting water, washing the bowls and such, tasks which most men will not do and he was doing very accurately.
Xiao Yu’er was very amused, but then he heard the hooves of a horse. Both of them were startled, fortunately Xiao Yu’er had sharp eyes and saw it was his own white horse. The horse had ran off earlier when the two of them were running, and now it came back to look for its’ master again.
Xiao Yu’er was surprised and happy; he quickly went outside and hugged the head of his horse. He said:”Horsy, you’re a good horse. Tomorrow I will feed you cabbage. Hmm, I have to give you a name too. Her horse was called Cherry, I will name you White Cabbage.”
He looked into the house, but it was very dark and he could not see anything. After a few moments, Tie Xinnan came out with two bowls of water, he was smiling happily:”I have tasted the water, it is very refreshing.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Horsy, should drink too. Give him these two bowls first.”
Tie Xinnan anxiously said:”No…No! I…I have just cleaned these two bowls. Let it drink from the bucket.”
He put one bowl near the well and handed the other to Xiao Yu’er. He hurried inside.
When he came back, Xiao Yu’er was still standing there. Tie Xinnan blinked her eyes and smiled:”Drink, the water is very refreshing.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I am afraid that the water in the well is poisoned.”
Tie Xinnan laughed:”Impossible! If the water is poisoned I will be dead by now. I just drank a bowl earlier, I am going to drink another bowl now.”
He picked up the bowl near the well and drank it up.
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I feel safer now.”
He picked up his bowl and drank the water, and poured bowl after bowl.
Evening came and the sky was full of stars now.
Suddenly, Xiao Yu’er yelled out:”Something is wrong! I feel dizzy.”
Tie Xinnan looked at him and said:”Just sit down, you will be fine.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”There is definitely something wrong, I feel weak all over.”
After he finished he fell down and shouted:”Poison….The water is poisoned!”
Tie Xinnan back away with two steps and coldly said:”Don’t be afraid. There is no poison in the water, just some sleeping powder in it. You can stay here and have a good long nap, tomorrow morning you will be able to walk again.”
Xiao Yu’er panted:”Why did you put sleeping powder in the water?”
Tie Xinnan said:”I can’t take you along to where I am going.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”You…..You…..”
But fatigue took over and he did not speak anymore.
Tie Xinnan laughed:”You’re a smart boy, but….”
While he was talking he turned around and wanted to walk away, suddenly his legs felt weak and he fell down too.
His face changed, he got up and tried to walk but after two steps he fell down again. He did not even have the strength to crawl anymore, he said in a crackling voice:”What is going on here?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Could it be that you put sleeping powder in your own water too?”
Tie Xinnan said:”Impossible! I just put….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly and leapt up.
Tie Xinnan was shocked and said:”You…But…”
Xiao Yu’er clapped his hands and said:”You’re a smart boy too, but compared to me you have still a long way to go. Do you really think I did not see you putting sleeping powder in the water? Let me tell you something, my pair of eyes were washed with top herbal elixirs, I can even find a needle middle in the night.”
Tie Xinnan said with fear:”You switched the bowls?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Yes, I did. But you did not see it. I will tell you something else; I learnt tricks like this when I was two years old. The people who raised me are the patriarchs of using sleeping powder and other substances like that.”
Tie Xinnan tried her best to stay awake and shouted:”What….What do you want to do with me?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I don’t want to do anything with you. But I just don’t believe what you told me. First I will have to search you thoroughly and see if you really don’t have the map.”
In the beginning Tie Xinnan’s face was as white as paper, but now it turned red, he shouted:”I beg of you don’t…..”
His voice was cracking, his body was trembling too. He tightly held on to his clothes. He kept begging:”Please, I beg of you…..Don’t…..”
Gradually his voice died out and her grip loosened.
Xiao Yu’er looked at him and chuckled. When he stopped moving, Xiao Yu’er knelt beside her and thought the more you plead the more I want to search you.
At this moment, the wind was blowing and a figure appeared. Although the figure did not make a noise and stood behind Xiao Yu’er like a ghost. In the corners of his eyes he could vaguely see that the figure wore red clothes.
Xiao Yu realised who came.
The mysterious figure just stood there, she was very slender and loveable.
She raised her hand and her manner was so refined and beautiful. Like a fairy distributing happiness and love to mortals.
But this hand only distributed death and that hand could take Xiao Yu’er life any time.
Xiao Yu’er seemed unaware of that and said to himself softly:”This man is really strange, why would he sleep here? And he won’t wake up. Hey! Hey, wake up! You will catch a cold sleeping here!”
The hand that wanted to pat down stopped.
Xiao Yu’er was talking to himself:”What should I do? Since I saw him I cannot just leave him here like that. Just my luck to see that well when I was thirsty, and now I am stuck with this fellow.”
The girl in red said:”Don’t you know this man?”
Xiao Yu’er jumped up like he was stuck by needle in his behind. When he turned around he gazed at the figure with big eyes like he saw a ghost.
Xiao Yu’er already knew who came, he saw a reflection in the bucket of water and knew the Little Fairy, Zhang Qing had come. But Xiao Yu’er really had her fooled with his brilliant acting, he looked at her for some time and stuttered:”Little Miss, when did you came in? I…”
Before he could finish, Zhang Qing slapped him in his face. Xiao Yu’er wanted to dodge but he could not, he was rolling on the ground now.
Zhang Qing coldly said coldly:”How dare you call me [little Miss]!”
Xiao Yu’er covered his mouth and put on a long face, he crawled up and said:”Yes, I understand, honourable Miss….I..”
Before he could finish, he was slapped again.
Zhang Qing sternly said:”I don’t like the way you call me.”
Xiao Yu’er stuttered:”Yes, auntie. I won’t do it again.”
Zhang Qing coldly said:”That is more like it.”
She still sounded very cold, but at least she was not so hostile anymore. She did not understand why she was less hostile now, but one look at Xiao Yu’er she could not stay angry with him.
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and said:”Auntie, don’t be angry. I have an uncle who said that if a person becomes angry his flesh will turn sour. No….No! When people become angry they will become old and ugly. Auntie, you’re so pretty, it will be a shame if you would become old and ugly.”
Surprisingly, Zhang Qing heard him out.
She looked at this boy and thought he was most strange.
She asked:”Do you really think I am pretty?”
When she asked that question, she realised that she became too friendly and immediately slapped Xiao Yu’er again. Her pretty eyes looked stern again and said:”Even if I am, you should not talk about it.”
Xiao Yu’er chuckled to himself and thought this slap was much softer, but he still looked like he was crying and said:”Yes, auntie is very pretty, but I won’t speak of it again.”
Zhang Qing asked:”Tell me, how you came here?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I came here with a few uncles to do business. Today an uncle bought a new horse for me, and told me to ride and play with it. Although the horse was young, it was very fierce. It ran off and I could not control it and finally it stopped. Now, I don’t know where I am.”
He did not even have to think about making up this story; it just flew out of his mouth. It was such a convincing lie.
Zhang Qing nodded and said:”True, even the most obedient horse can be difficult to ride when it is out of control. And you’re just a small boy.”
She knew from her own experience, that is why she was a bit sympathetic towards the little brat. But she did not know that it was this brat who was responsible for her painful experience.
Xiao Yu’er almost exploded with laughter, but he just said:”Yes, yes. I was riding a wild horse and finally it stopped, when I saw the well I wanted to have a bit of water and that is when I saw sleepyhead here.”
Zhang Qing looked at Tie Xinnan and scoffed:”Do you think he is sleeping?”
Xiao Yu’er exclaimed with surprise:”But what is he doing if he isn’t sleeping.”
Zhang Qing said:”Little brat, let me tell you he is been drugged by someone. Strange, who could have drugged him? Never mind that, I can now search him.”
She did not suspect Xiao Yu’er anymore and talked to herself in his presence. Xiao Yu’er became anxious when he saw her searching Tie Xinnan, but he could not do a thing.
However, she could not find anything after an extensive search. Xiao Yu’er thought: [It seems that the map really isn’t in his possession, but why was he so afraid when I said I would search him.]
Suddenly, Zhang Qing called out:”Darn! The item must be taken by the one who drugged Tie Xinnan. Who could that be? Little brat, get a bucket of water and pour it over him. I want to question him.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Yes, don’t worry. I can even carry ten buckets of water.”
But he pretended to have trouble carrying even one, and when he came back he was panting heavily. He muttered to himself:”How come the bucket is so heavy? I…”
Suddenly he tripped and fell down; the water was splashed on Zhang Qing.
She scolded:”You worthless pig!”
Xiao Yu’er turned pale of fear and crawled up, he took of his clothes clumsily and used it to wipe Zhang Qing’s clothes.
He kept saying:”Auntie, please forgive! It was an accident.”
Zhang Qing angrily said:”You look like human, but you are as useless as stupid pig. If you ruined my clothes, I will kill you.”
She stamped her feet and shook her clothes. Xiao Yu’er hurriedly crawled down to wipe. She was muttering to herself and wanted to kick the stupid pig away.
But before she could lift her leg, the Yinling Quan acupoint of her felt numb. She could not move half her body anymore, she was shocked and yelled:”You, little brat!”
Xiao Yu’er kept saying:”I am sorry, it was an accident. I am very sorry….”
While he was talking, he sealed her Zhongbi, Liangqiu, Pailing acupoints; he sealed all her major acupoints of her leg, with that she fell down.
Zhang Qing may be young, but she had encountered some formidable people in her life. Some of them were infamous rogues, but she never thought that this little brat was ten times more dangerous than those thugs. She never saw through him and was already defeated; she was fuming but could not do a thing.
Xiao Yu’er chortled and deliberately looked at her closely:”Oh, are you ill? Did you catch a cold? Why did you suddenly fall over? I never thought you would be that sickly, a little bit of cold water and you are ill.”
Zhang Qing was fuming and said angrily:”Good! Very good! I never imagined you would be so good.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I am sorry, it was not my intention. I wanted to give your horse some water, since I burnt his tail and behind I feel a bit remorseful about that. Since you horse is almost completely healed, there is no need for the water. I thought I might as well give it all to you.”
Zhang Qing shouted:”So it was you who burnt Cherry’s tail.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Burning Cherry, drowning Little Fairy, this stupid pig is not that stupid. Let me teach you something, never underestimate anyone and never overestimate yourself. A little girl wanting to be an aunt, always wanting to be superior can only lead to downfall.”
He did not care whether Zhang Qing was about to explode with anger; he carried Tie Xinnan in his arms and put her on his white horse. It looked like he was about to leave.
Zhang Qing gritted her teeth, she knew it was best to keep quiet or else she might suffer bigger humiliation.
However, Xiao Yu’er turned around and laughed:”Right! If I have to return those three slaps you gave me earlier. Seeing that you are a girl, I will settle with returning three slaps back.”
Zhang Qing said with fear:”How dare you?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I would not dare, I would not dare…”
And then he swung out his palm and slapped Zhang Qing in her face, her cheek was all red. She had never suffered so heavily before in her life.
She yelled:”You….You! You remember this!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Rest assured! I won’t forget anything. Your first slap was very hard, so I had to return that hard slap back. Your second slap was not so heavy anymore.”
After the second slap, Zhang Qing tried to hold back her tears but in vain. From the day she was born, nobody had ever hit her before.
She was crying and looked at Xiao Yu’er resentfully and said:”I will never forget you! Never! Never!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I know you will never be able to forget about me. Women always remember the men who hit them for the first time. And I will feel very happy being remembered by a girl like you.”
He laughed loudly and said:”But I cannot just forget about the third slap, but your third slap was very light. I cannot bear to strike you hard. What do you think I should do?”
Zhang Qing roared:”Drop dead!”
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and laughed:”Well, like this we will call it even!”
He looked into Zhang Qing’s eyes and bent his head forward.
Zhang Qing was trembling now and shouted:”What do you want?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”You used your hand to slap me, I will use my mouth to hit you. I will be much lighter than your hand.”
Zhang Qing shouted:”You, monster! How….”
She could not say the word [dare] anymore, because Xiao Yu’er gently lifter her chin and kissed her softly on her lips.
She stopped yelling and was totally stunned.
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”You’re just 15, 16 years old. How can you be my aunt? You could be my wife; you have a sweet little mouth. I would like kiss your mouth ten times a day, I would still like it.”
Zhang Qing looked at him and said slowly:”If you touch me again, I will kill you…. I will kill you….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Don’t worry! I will never touch you again; I will never want a bad-tempered girl like you. I wonder who the unlucky fool is who will become your husband.”
Zhang Qing shouted:”Kill me! You would be smart to kill me, if not I will hunt you down and kill you slowly, bit by bit!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly; he turned around and walked to his horse.
Zhang Qing shouted:”Why don’t you kill me? Why? One of these days, you will regret it. I swear you will regret it!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed and pulled his horse along as he walked.
Zhang Qing looked at him walking away till he was out of sight, she could not hold back her tears anymore and cried.
She could hear Xiao Yu’er sing a song:”Poor little fairy…. Weeping and crying! If Xiao Yu’er hears it, he will clap his hands and laugh heartily.”

As he walked he kept singing, he noticed that his singing voice was quite good. At least it sounded better than the weeping sounds of Zhang Qing.
He stopped singing when he could not hear Zhang Qing’s crying anymore. He rubbed his face and sighed, but suddenly he started to laugh loudly again.
That little tigress was really fierce, his cheeks still ached. But her lips were sweet and soft, it seemed that delicious taste was still in his mouth. He started to run forward again, his white horse followed. But soon his horse began to pant and then it stopped, it lied down to rest. It was too tired to continue. The sky was vast in the prairie, the stars were bright and the evening wind was cool, Xiao Yu’er soon fell asleep. He dreamt he was holding Zhang Qing in his arms, and she told him:”Every day you can only give a hundred kisses. Just a hundred and no more, but I expect at least a hundred a day.”
When he was about to kiss Zhang Qing, she leapt up and slapped him. But something is wrong, someone really slapped him. Could it be that Zhang Qing had returned? He woke up startled and saw Tie Xinnan. It was Tie Xinnan who slapped him; he also poured water on Xiao Yu’er.
Under the stars, the beautiful eyes of Tie Xinnan were filled with anger, he bit his lip and said:”You, brat! Like everyone else, you have to sleep too! You have finally fallen into my hands now.”
Xiao Yu’er wanted to jump up, but he could not move anymore. His acupoints were sealed, but he was neither angry nor anxious. He chortled:”I was having such a nice dream, you disturb my beautiful dream you have pay now. I was about to kiss someone a hundred times, you have to let me kiss you a hundred times.”
Tie Xinnan was trembling and said:”What did you do to me?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Nothing special. I just searched you from top to toe and covered every spot of your body.”
Tie Xinnan trembled even harder now, her face was so red it was showing even in the dark. She was so upset now, that she could not speak.
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and sighed:”Why didn’t you tell me that you were a girl? If I knew I would not have searched you. You should know that although I am young I am still a man, how could I control myself…”
Tie Xinnan shouted:”Shut up! Shut up! If you say another word, I will kill you!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I have done it already, does it really matter if I keep quiet about it.”
Tie Xinnan gritted her teeth and she burst into tears.
Xiao Yu’er made a funny face and said:”It seems that you have no choice but to marry me. I have to take an older woman as my wife. (*Sigh) When I am 30, you will be an old hag.”
Tie Xinnan pulled a dagger from her shoe and said in a shaky voice:”What last words do you have? Say it now!”
Xiao Yu’er exclaimed with surprise:”You really want to kill me? I don’t mind if you want to marry someone else, I won’t object. Why do you have to kill me?”
Tie Xinnan gritted her teeth and said:”If you have nothing to say, I will….”
Xiao Yu’er wanted to burst out with laughter, but he could not. He could almost cry, because she really believed that lie of his.
Women?!? Are they smart of dumb?
Xiao Yu’er smiled wryly:”I beg of you marry someone else. I don’t care who you want to marry, as long it isn’t me. I really can’t stand it.”
Tie Xinnan shouted:”Are these your final words? Good!”
She tightened her grip on her dagger and was about to stab Xiao Yu’er in the chest.
Xiao Yu’er yelled:”I have something to say! Wait! Wait!”
Tie Xinnan stamped her feet and said:”Be quick about it!”
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”I have something to say, I hope you can tell it to all the men in the world. Tell them never to save anyone and especially women. If they see a woman about to be killed, never burn the tail of a horse. Instead set fire to their own arses and run in the opposite direction.”
Tie Xinnan said:”Yes, you did save my life. But….I…”
She sat down and started to weep, she wept and said:”What can I do? What should I do?”
Xiao Yu’er gently said:”Don’t worry, just kill me. Don’t let the worries get to you, let me die. If I can die at your hands I will be happy too.”
Although he said that he was secretly watching Tie Xinnan, she was crying harder and harder. Xiao Yu’er felt smart and thought: [I finally know how to deal with women. You have reach their hearts, and when you have succeeded, they will listen to you and be obedient.”
While he began to feel proud, Tie Xinnan stopped crying and leapt up and ran away.
Xiao Yu’er was shocked and shouted:”You cannot leave me behind like this! What will happen if wolves or tigers come? Even worse, what if Zhang Qing catches up with me? Do you know that I saved you again earlier?”
He shouted loudly, but Tie Xinnan could not hear him.
The wind was cool; the sky was filled with beautiful, shining starts. But Xiao Yu’er was certainly not enjoying it.
In fact he was angry and muttered to himself:”Jiang Yu! Who can you blame but yourself. Why did you have to antagonize women? It is your own fault if you’re eaten by wolves or killed by Zhang Qing.”
His white little horse walked next to him and started to neigh.
Xiao Yu’er said:”Little Cabbage, my words are true. The next time if you see a man trying to strangle a woman with a rope, get a longer and thicker rope for him. Or if you see a man about to kill a woman with a knife, help him to sharpen the knife.”
His white horse neighed and ran off.
Xiao Yu’er smiled wryly:”Even you are not reliable, you must be a mare.”
He noticed that White Cabbage ran towards a person, that person just stood there not moving. It was Tie Xinnan, she came back.
Xiao Yu’er was surprised and happy, but he stayed silent. White Cabbage went over to her and neighed softly. She slowly walked over; in the blowing wind she looked very elegant.
Xiao Yu’er sighed and thought: [I should have seen that she is a woman. Only women walk that elegantly.]
Tie Xinnan stood next to him; Xiao Yu’er closed his eyes deliberately.
She said melancholically:”I know you’ve done nothing to me.”
Xiao Yu’er finally laughed:”You only found out now?”
Tie Xinnan said:”I thought you….That is why….”
Xiao Yu’er said:”For the love of heaven, please speak up.”
Tie Xinnan lowered her head and said earnestly:”Are you willing to accompany me to a certain place?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Of course I am willing, but first you have to unseal my acupoints. I don’t suppose you will carry me on the way to that place of yours.”
Tie Xinnan’s face became redder and laughed; she bent over and gently patted Xiao Yu’er a few times and unsealed his acupoints. It seemed that she was afraid to hurt Xiao Yu’er.
Xiao Yu’er smiled wryly:”When you sealed my acupoints, you were most harsh. But now you’re all weak and meek. Women, women….”
He got up and spat on the ground.
Tie Xinnan turned her back to Xiao Yu’er and said softly:”Originally, I did not want you to go with me. But now, but now I know you’re very kind to me.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”You did not know it earlier?”
Tie Xinnan said:”I did not want you to go with me, because the place where I am going is very secretive…”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Where do you want to go anyway?”
Tie Xinnan slowly said:”It is near Mount Kunlun…”
Xiao Yu’er exclaimed with surprise:”The Valley of Evil? Are you planning to go to the Valley of Evil?”
Tie Xinnan turned around and said with shock:”How did you know?”
Xiao Yu’er hit himself lightly on the head and muttered to himself:”Oh heaven! This girl asks me about the Valley of Evil, I know everything about the Valley of Evil.”
Tie Xinnan looked at him completely surprised and asked:”How come?”
Xiao Yu’er answered:”Don’t ask me that first. Please tell me, why you want to go the Valley of Evil. You don’t look like the sort to go to the Valley of Evil.”
Tie Xinnan said:”I…I am going there to look for someone.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Who?”
Tie Xinnan said:”You would not know even if I told you.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”You should know, that I know everyone in the Valley of Evil.”
Tie Xinnan was surprised and said:”You…”
Xiao Yu’er interrupted her:”I grew up in the Valley of Evil.”
Tie Xinnan’s expression changed and said:”I don’t believe you.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”You don’t believe me? Well, only a place like the Valley of Evil can produce someone like me. Can you think of any place else?”
Tie Xinnan was a bit dumbfounded for a moment, but soon she smiled sweetly:”I can’t think of any place else. I should have known.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Can you now tell me who you are looking for?”
Tie Xinnan lowered her head and stayed silent for a moment, she then slowly said:”I am looking for someone who has the same surname as me, Tie. He is very famous.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Could it be that you’re looking for one of the Ten Great Malevolents, the Mad Lion Tie Zhan?”
Tie Xinnan lifted her head and exclaimed with shock:”Do you know him? Is he really there?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”You are very fortunate to have meet me, otherwise you would have gone there in vain. Who told you that the Mad Lion was there? You should really beat that person up.”
Before Tie Xinnan could respond, she had passed out.

Tie Xinnan rode the horse and Xiao Yu’er pulled the reins and walked. Both of them did not speak.
It was night now, it was cold and quiet and the vast prairie seemed limitless but it was not.
After a long journey, they finally left the prairie behind. The wonderful, simple but mesmerizing prairie had left a deep impression behind in Xiao Yu’er’s heart.
But Xiao Yu’er did not look back, what he left behind was over. No point on dwelling on it. Tie Xinnan looked very pale, but she was still very pretty. Ever since Xiao Yu’er found out she was a girl, he noticed that she was prettier than most girls. Furthermore, he noticed she was more fragile than he imagined. Ever since she heard Tie Zhan was not in the valley, she did not speak or moved. If the white horse were not here, she would not have been able to travel either. Xiao Yu’er could not help it but sigh and think: [Women, women. They cannot cope with setbacks, the ugly ones cannot and the pretty ones cannot either.]
But he did not speak out his thoughts; he could not be bothered by it.
Suddenly, Tie Xinnan spoke softly. She still had tears in her eyes, but she did not look at Xiao Yu’er:”Why won’t you talk?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Since you do not speak, why should I talk?”
Tie Xinnan asked:”But don’t you have questions?”
Xiao Yu’er answered:”Why should I ask questions? I know everything.”
Tie Xinnan said:”You know everything?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled casually:”You were forced to flee from your home, so you decided to look for your father. Although you do not really like him, perhaps you even left him when you were young. Or even abandoned by him, but he is still your father.”
Tie Xinnan’s eyes glared up and looked at Xiao Yu’er, she asked:”My father? Who is my father?”
Xiao Yu’er answered:”The Mad Lion, Tie Zhan.”
Tie Xinnan exclaimed with shock:”Who? Who told you that?”
Xiao Yu’er yawned and said:”I told myself! I know that women won’t confess the truth even if they are confronted by it. So, I don’t need you to acknowledge it.”
Tie Xinnan stared at him, like she never saw him before. This boy is not human, he is a little demon. He is an oracle.
After some time, she finally asked:”How…How did you know?”
Xiao Yu’er continued:”I also your name is not [nan] as in “man.” But it is actually Tie Xinlan, [lan] as in orchid. That should be a name that is worthy of you.”
Tie Xinnan stuttered:”Yes, …you’re right. My name is Tie Xinlan.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”I know you must be quite flustered now and you do not know where you should go now. That is why I did not speak, I wanted to give you some peace to think things over.”
Tie Xinlan smiled wryly:”How old are you? Sometimes I am quite frightened, I don’t know if you’re a boy or some….”
Xiao Yu’er interrupted:”Demon?”
Tie Xinlan sighed softly:”I sometimes think you are the personification of an oracle, how else can you guess the thoughts of other people?”
Xiao Yu’er seriously said:”Because I am smarter than anyone in the world.”
Tie Xinlan said melancholically:”Perhaps you’re right…”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Have you thought it out?”
Tie Xinlan asked:”What do you mean?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Do you know what you are going to do?”
Tie Xinlan lowered her head and said:”I….I…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Well, you should hurry up. I can’t stay here and keep you company forever.”
Tie Xinlan lifted her head and her face was whiter than paper and exclaimed with shock:”You…you can’t?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Of course I can’t.”
Tie Xinlan said softly:”But….But…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Yes, initially I wanted to accompany you. We could have roamed the realm together, but since you’re a girl this plan cannot go through. I can’t have you as my disciple anymore.”
Tie Xinlan shrieked:”You….You…You…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”We’re not related, we’re not really friends. Why should we keep each other company? Furthermore, I have a lot of things to do, I can’t be stuck with a woman the entire time.”
Tie Xinlan felt like she was horsewhipped, she was stunned and trembled. After a long while she smiled sadly:”We’re not friends nor are we related….You can go now…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Are you…”
Tie Xinlan turned around and sneered:”You have your own places to go, you don’t have to worry about me.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I am afraid you are not fit to walk, I will give you this horse.”
Tie Xinlan bit her lip and said:”Thank you, but I don’t need your horse. I don’t need anything from you….You…”
She dismounted and immediately turned her head around. She did not want to look at Xiao Yu’er, because she did not want him to see her tears.
Xiao Yu’er pretended not to see that, he took the reins and laughed:”It is good that you don’t need a horse. Because I’ve grown to like my horse. I would be saddened if I should part with White Cabbage.”
Tie Xinlan said in shaky voice:”I…I…” She wanted to say: [I am even inferior to a horse? Aren’t you saddened if we should part?]
But she did not say that, her heart was shattered.
Xiao Yu’er said:”Very well, I am off. Take good care of yourself.”
Tie Xinlan did not turn back, she heard him mount the horse, whip it and riding off. He left, just like that.
Xiao Yu’er could not keep quiet anymore and shouted:”Of course I will take good care of myself. I don’t need your hypocritical care. I would rather die than to see you again.”
She fell down and started to cry.
Xiao Yu’er did not hear her crying. In any event, he at least pretended not to hear her. He patted the head of the horse and muttered:”You see how smart I am, like that I have freed myself from a woman. You should know that women are not easily dealt with.”
As he rode on, he did not look back. After a long time, he muttered to the horse again:”White Cabbage, can you guess where she is off to? You don’t know, do you? To tell you the truth, I don’t know either. Shall we wait and spy on her?”
White Cabbage could not talk back, although he could disagree.
Xiao Yu’er dismounted and muttered again:”Just knowing a few secrets of a girl won’t do any harm. And we have no urgent matters at hand. There is no harm in waiting, is it?”
White Cabbage could not talk back; Xiao Yu’er was just looking for reasons for him to wait. The good thing about horses or other animals is that at least they cannot expose you or betray your true intentions.
Tie Xinlan did not come this way, could she have taken another direction? But this is the only way, could it be that she lost her way? Or could it be….
Xiao Yu’er suddenly mounted his horse and shouted:”Go! White Cabbage, we’re going to see what she is doing? You should know that I am not worried about her well-being. I don’t have feelings for anyone in this world.”
While he was talking, White Cabbage had already taken off faster than he came. In a few moments, they returned to where they parted with Tie Xinlan. Xiao Yu’er saw Tie Xinlan.
She was lying on the ground, not crying nor moving.
Xiao Yu’er flew down from his horse and yelled:”This is not the place to sleep!”
Tie Xinlan trembled and crawled up yelling:”Go away! Who told you to come back? Why have you come back?”
In the dark, Xiao Yu’er saw the face of Tie Xinlan was all red a bit too red, almost purple. Her slender body was trembling and every word she said took a lot of her energy.
Xiao Yu’er exclaimed:”You’re ill!”
Tie Xinlan scoffed:”Even if I am, that is none of your business. We’re not friends, nor related, why should you care?”
She managed to stand up, but was about to fall down again.
Xiao Yu’er said:”I want to care now!”
He held her up and touched her cheek with his other hand. She was burning.
Tie Xinlan was pushing away Xiao Yu’er’s hand and said in a weak voice:”Don’t touch me!”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Too late, I am not letting go.” With that he lifted her in his arms.
Tie Xinlan shouted:”Let me go! Don’t touch me!”
She was resisting and yelling, but she could not break free from his grip and her voice became weaker and weaker. She used her fists to hit Xiao Yu’er, but even her hits were soft and weak.
Xiao Yu’er said:”You’re very ill, you could die! If you don’t listen to me, I will remover your trousers and spank you! You should know that I am not joking now.”
Tie Xinlan yelled:”You….you….”
She put her head on Xiao Yu’er chest and started to weep loudly.

The end of chapter 6

[Athena]

I think I made a few mistakes with the he/she, his/her/him when referring to Tie Xinnan/Tie Xinlan.

[atlantean0208]

I think I made a few mistakes with the he/she, his/her/him when referring to Tie Xinnan/Tie Xinlan.

Little Fish is the ultimate con-man and very intelligent... thanx again for the great read

[Honam426]

Athena, you are a goddess among mortals. Keep up the excellent work.

[Felipe]

thankz athena for the everyday update, it must be tought... really thankz

[JAJA9]

aiyah athena you have made my new year a little bit better. Good to read your update but better still is knowing that you are back. I just want to let you know that you are making a lot of people happy out there and we really appreciate your sacrifice of time and effort. Welcome back

[Athena]

Chapter 7 Shock and Fear

Tie Xinlan was seriously ill. When they arrived at Haiyan, Xiao Yu’er found the best inn and asked for the best room. The best room was already occupied by someone else, Xiao Yu’er just said:”If you leave, this ingot of gold is yours.” With that he put an ingot of gold on the table.
All he said were nine words; the occupant took the gold and left as soon as he could. Gold cannot speak, but it is more useful than saying a hundred or thousand words.
Because Tie Xinlan endured disappointment, fear, sorrow, anxiety and the cold wind of the prairie made normally very healthy and strong Tie Xinlan ill. She had a high fever and slept for an entire day.
When she woke up, she saw Xiao Yu’er boiling some herbal medicine. She tried to get up but Xiao Yu’er pushed her down. Tie Xinlan groaned:”Why? Why have…?” Xiao Yu’er said loudly:”Don’t open your mouth!”
She saw bags under Xiao Yu’er’s eyes, it seemed he did not have a proper night of sleep for some time now. She started to cry again.
Xiao Yu’er walked over to her with a bowl of herbal medicine soup and said:”Don’t cry and drink this up! This is a very good prescription and this is best herbal soup. After drinking it, you will feel better again. Stop crying like a child, or else I will spank you.”
Tie Xinlan asked:”Who prescribed this?”
Xiao Yu’er answered:”I did.”
Tie Xinlan said:”You’re a physician too? Are there things you don’t know?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Keep your mouth shut and drink up!”
She smiled sweetly:”If I am not allowed to open my mouth, how I am going to drink your soup.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed; he suddenly noticed that girls could be very cute too. Especially, when they are smiling sweetly to you.
At dusk, Tie Xinlan was sleeping again.
Xiao Yu’er walked around in the inn aimlessly and muttered to himself:”Jiang Yu! Don’t forget, when girls smile to you they want to harm you! The gentler they are, the more dangerous your situation is. If you’re not careful, your life will be over.”
His white horse was in the stables eating grass.
Xiao Yu’er walked over and caressed his head and said:”White Cabbage, don’t worry! I won’t fall for their tricks, when she is better again I will leave at once.”
He suddenly heard horses coming this way from and stopping in front of the inn. The inn was small, but it had everything even a fine wine house.
Xiao Yu’er heard that these people came here in a hurry and decided to have a look.
From afar, he could see four, five muscular men entering the inn. They were not talking to each other and found a table and sat down. The proprietor was afraid to ask and immediately put a bottle of liquor and cups down at their table. These people just sat there, dumbfounded.
They wore expensive brocades and had swords hanging from their girdles, they looked quite impressive. But their cheeks were red and swollen, like they were slapped numerous times by someone.
After some time, two more men came in. They looked even worse, their cheeks were red and swollen too but they also had no ears. There was bloody bandage tied around where their ears supposed to be.
The first five men stared at the two newcomers totally surprised. When those two noticed the other five, they wanted to leave but it was too late. They had been seen.
Xiao Yu’er was amused and decided to hide and watch what was going on here.
Could the two groups be enemies? And they were so unfortunate to meet each other here and were going to fight each other. Xiao Yu’er did not want to go in and be involved in this.
But they were not fighting; they just looked at each other.
A muscular man of the group of five with pimples, although you could not see his red pimples clearly now due to the redness and swelling of his cheeks, he looked at those two men for a moment and laughed:”Protecting silver peacefully into Anxi…. I have heard that the two great escort guards of the Anxi guard agency never lose anything. How come you have lost your ears now? Most peculiar!”
When he laughed his cheeks hurt incredibly, but he could not help himself. Later on he covered his mouth with his hands and it looked like he was crying more than laughing.
The two men were fuming and their eyes were red now, the man on the left with a scar said coldly:”You should not laugh when your face has been slapped red and swollen. The pain will ruin the laughter.”
The man with pimples slammed his hand on the table and shouted:”What did you say?”
The man with the scar sneered:”We should make fun of each other, we’re both in the same predicament now.”
The man with the pimples jumped up and wanted to go over, the man with the scar stood up too. Xiao Yu’er thought: [They are going to fight now.”
But before they could fight, their companions to pulled them down.
The one who pulled down the man with pimples was an elderly man with a long beard. His face was not that red and swollen as the rest. He shook his hands and said with an enforced smile:”The Anxi and the Dingyuan guard agency have been rivals for a long time. Competing with each other and trying to snatch away each other’s businesses, but that is just business rivalry. We are all martial artists in the realm, let us not fight now and create more problems.”
The companion who pulled down the man with scar was a skinny man, he said with an enforced smile too:”Brother Ouyang is right. We’re all sent here to this forsaken place by our guard agencies, that is already very unfortunate. We should create even more problems now.”
The elder man with the surname Ouyang sighed:”Furthermore, we all suffered at the hands of the same person. We should unite ourselves instead of fighting each other.”
The skinny man said with surprise:”Were you assaulted by her too?”
The Ouyang elderly man smiled wryly:”Who else could it be? Who else could be that lethal and vicious? We really suffered terribly at her hands.”
With that he and the other six men sighed deeply and sat down again.
All seven of them had a different facial expression, but all had anger and hatred in their eyes.
The man with the pimples slammed his fist on the table and said angrily:”If we did something wrong and that little wretch would punish us, we would have nothing to say. But for no reason she just beat us up.”
The Ouyang elder sighed:”The weaker will be bullied by the strong, which is the universal rule of the realm. I am not looking down on us, but our martial arts are nowhere near the level of her. Even if we are unhappy, what can we do about it.”?
The skinny man suddenly laughed:”But looking at that wretch it seems that she suffered a bit too at the hands of someone too. Her eyes were red; like she had been weeping bitterly and even her precious horse is gone. We just had the sheer luck of meeting her when she was furious, and she used us to vent her anger.”
The man with the pimples laughed:”Brother Xu is right. That little wretch must have met someone more formidable than her, or she could have met a handsome young fellow and lost her heart and horse to him.”
All of them laughed, even if their cheeks hurt a lot. But at least they felt a bit better and happy again.
Xiao Yu’er immediately understood that they met the Little Fairy, Zhang Qing. He too experienced her slapping methods at first hand. But these people suffered even harder than he did, she must have taken out her frustration and anger out on them.
Xiao Yu’er wanted to laugh too, but suddenly he noticed that the seven men stopped laughing. He took a look and saw that their faces were all frozen and their eyes gazed at the door, they broke out in a cold sweat.
Zhang Qing was standing at the door and slowly:”I told you to look for someone, why are you here drinking?”
Xiao Yu’er’s heart skipped a beat, he remained calm and slowly backed out. He knew very well, he was the person Zhang Qing was looking for.
Fortunately, it was dark now. Only lamps inside the rooms were lit and it was very dark outside. Xiao Yu’er drew back along the corner of a wall, he continued to back away to the stable.
He could not be seen by Zhang Qing, his horse could not be seen by her either. Unfortunately, his horse was a bit too white.
There was pool of mud near the stable, Xiao Yu’er grabbed some mud and smeared it on his horse. His horse wanted to neigh; he quickly stuffed his mouth with hay. He patted his horse and said softly:”White Cabbage, don’t make a sound! I am sorry, but it is your own fault for being so white. You’re even whiter than the skin of Tie Xinlan.”
While he was talking, his white horse was all dirty and muddy. Xiao Yu’er laughed when he saw this and wiped his hands on the tail. He quickly returned to the room.
The lamps were not lit and Tie Xinlan was awake. She looked at Xiao Yu’er with her pretty, shiny eyes, she immediately grabbed Xiao Yu’er arm and screamed:”Where are my boots?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Your boots? Those old boots of yours?”
Tie Xinlan panted:”Yes, that pair of boots.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”The soles were almost gone, so I threw them in the sewer canal.”
Tie Xinlan was trembling and repeated:”Threw away?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Even beggars won’t want those old, worn out boots of yours, why are you so anxious about them? I bought you a new pair, a hundred times better than the old ones.”
Tie Xinlan jumped off the bed and said with a shaky voice:”Where did you dump them? Take me there….”
Xiao Yu’er said pulled her arm and said:”You need not go.”
Tie Xinlan stamped her feet and said:”You, idiot! I want to look for those boots, I have hidden…”
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and asked:”What have you hidden?”
Tie Xinlan said:”That item! That thing…. I almost list my life for it and now it is gone. I wish I was dead.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Didn’t you say that you did not have it?”
Tie Xinlan was weeping and said:”I lied to you.”
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”Who told you to lie to me? Now, you’ve done it. I just chucked it away and I don’t remember where I threw it away.”
Tie Xinlan fell on the bed and could not move anymore, she stuttered:”Everything is gone now….”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”It is just a piece of wrinkled, old paper. What is the fuss about it? Don’t let the anxiety make you ill again.”
Tie Xinlan immediately got up and asked:”How did you know it is a piece of paper?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”If you’re talking about that piece of paper, I already took it out of your boots. Not only is it old and wrinkle, it is smelly too. It smells like sweat.”
Tie Xinlan threw herself into his arms and hit him on the chest, she smiled and yelled:”You’re horrible! Why did you trick me?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”You lied to me first. I already guessed that it was hidden in your boots. But, I never thought you would hide it there, you are quite clever.”
Tie Xinlan said:”You’re the clever one, nothing can deceive you. You really scared the living daylights out of me.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Are you not afraid now? I have the map now.”
Tie Xinlan lowered her head and said:”Why should I be afraid when it is in your possession?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Are you not afraid I won’t return it to you?”
Tie Xinlan said:”I am not afraid.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Alright, I am not giving it back.”
Tie Xinlan said gently:”I am giving it to you.”
Xiao Yu’er looked at her with surprise and said:”But you were willing to die for it than seeing other people take it”
Tie Xinlan said:”You’re different from the rest.”
Xiao Yu’er did not understand why, but he felt happy and a sweet feeling overwhelmed him.
But immediately he convinced himself: [Jiang Yu, be careful! This sweet feeling is dangerous.]
He wanted to push her away, but he could not bear to do that.
Tie Xinlan slowly asked:”Where did you go earlier?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Outside and I saw someone.”
Tie Xinlan asked:”Who?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”You know her too, unfortunately I know her too.”
Tie Xinlan exclaimed with fear:”Zhang Qing?”
Xiao Yu’er nodded and said:”Yes, it’s her.”
Tie Xinlan said with a trembling voice:”Where is she now?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Open the window and you might see her.”
Tie Xinlan felt cold all over and said:”She…she is outside. How can you joke at a time like this?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Even if she stood in front of me I would still joke.”
Tie Xinlan bit her lip and said:”You….What shall we do?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Now, the only thing we can do is run. We….”
Before he could finish, he heard a loud voice yelling:”Open up! When we tell you to open the door, you should open! Don’t ask questions about what we want!”
With that they heard a door being kicked open.
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”We can’t run anymore.”
Tie Xinlan looked pale and said in high voice:”It seems Zhang Qing is going to search every room. She must have found out that we were staying in the area. But they have not found us yet, let us run while we still can.”
She pulled Xiao Yu’er arm and wanted to jump out of the window.
Xiao Yu’er shook his head and said:”That won’t work, they will immediately know it is us. Zhang Qing will come after us and we can’t escape from her.”
Tie Xinlan broke out in a cold sweat and said:”What can we do?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”Don’t worry, I have a plan.”
Suddenly they heard a female voice shouting:”Get out! Get out now! How dare you barge in without knocking!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Perhaps that woman was taking a bath.”
He was not anxious at all, he was chuckling and too out small old bag.
Tie Xinlan asked:”What is that?”
Xiao Yu’er answered:”One of my treasures, I stole this from someone with someone with the surname Du.”
He took out a pack of things; sticky, soft. It looked like a combination of dried bean curd and human skin.
Tie Xinlan looked at it and suddenly said:”Is it human skin?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Good eyesight!”
He took out two pieces gently and said:”Take off your outer clothes, stuff them anywhere. And then put on this mantle….Good, now come here with your face.”
She close her eyes and felt her face was cool and her body got goose bumps all over. When she opened her eyes, Xiao Yu’er face had changed too.
He had wrinkles all over his face but he did not have a beard.
Tie Xinlan could not help herself but to laugh softly:”You really are something. You turned into a short old man.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”A short old man and an old woman.”
The footsteps and voices were nearing their room.
Xiao Yu’er was not flustered and took out a beard from the bag and attached it on his mouth. He took a bottle of silver powder and sprinkled on the hair of Tie Xinlan. Both of them had greyish hair, Xiao Yu’er then took out some pens of different sizes and began to draw something on Tie Xinlan’s face.
The footsteps were getting very close now; they were almost at their door.
Tie Xinlan was feeling cold and her limbs were weak.
Xiao Yu’er remained calm and kept saying softly:”Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. My art of disguise is not perfect yet, but it is sufficient to deceive them.”
Now, the footsteps could be heard outside their door.
Xiao Yu’er cleaned everything up in a go and held Tie Xinlan’s arm and said:”We’re leaving now. We’re going to through the main door.”
Tie Xinlan exclaimed with fear:”The main door?”
But her voice had gone hoarse now; Xiao Yu’er calmly opened the door.
In front of them stood the men with the red and swollen cheeks, they had just arrived at their door. Zhang Qing stood behind them in her fiery red dress.
Xiao Yu’er did not lift his head and said:”Sirs, please make way. My wife has eaten something wrong and is terribly ill. If we don’t see a physician soon, I am afraid she will die.”
His voice sounded old and hoarse, he sounded like an old, anxious man. Tie Xinlan was trembling and looked like a sickly old woman.
All the men made way at once, they were afraid to infected by the old woman. The man with pimples covered his nose and frowned:”Suddenly falling ill in the 6th Month, it must be malaria. Why else would she tremble in cold?”
Xiao Yu’er sighed and walked slowly through them. Tie Xinlan almost fainted, she wished she had wings and could fly off now. She did not understand how Xiao Yu’er was able to keep calm at such a time.
When they finally passed Zhang Qing and were in the main courtyard, Zhang Qing carefully looked at them. It seems that she was not suspicious for a bit.
However, after a few more steps, they heard a clang sound. Zhang Qing drew a sabre from one of the men and hacked at the head of Xiao Yu’er.
Tie Xinlan was so shocked that she went numb, but Xiao Yu’er did notice that hack. He allowed it the sabre to reach his head and the possibility that his head could be split into two. He continued to walk slowly through the courtyard. The sabre halted a few centimetres from his head.
All those men sighed with relief and thought: [The little wretch is very paranoid, she even wanted to kill an old harmless man.]
Xiao Yu’er seemed to be unaware of everything, when he reached the stables he pulled out his disguised horse and stuttered:”I can’t leave you even if the old woman has fallen ill.”
Tie Xinlan was so tensed and her sight was blurred, her clothes were soaked with sweat. She wanted to pinch Xiao Yu’re very hard, for even going to get the horse instead of running off.

Now, Xiao Yu’er and Tie Xinlan were on the main street. Tie Xinlan still did not realize how they escaped, it was like a dream. She let Xiao Yu’er help her mount the horse and Xiao Yu’er was stilling pulling the reins and slowly pulled the horse along.
Tie Xinlan said anxiously:”Please, I beg of you. Let us leave as fast as possible.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”No, we can’t do that. They might still be watching us. If we run, we will be uncovered. Look at this beautiful night, let us enjoy the scenery. It is most idyllic.”
Tie Xinlan sighed deeply; she was totally bemused by Xiao Yu’er. He wanted to enjoy the lovely night scenery now, it seemed there was no end to the street.
They reached the outskirts; they had left the lights of the lamps behind them.
Tie Xinlan sighed deeply and smiled wryly:”You…You…. I can never guess what is going on in your heart.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Heart? I don’t have a heart. I have everything else, but I don‘t have a heart.”
Tie Xinlan bit her lip and smiled at him:”But when she did not stop that hack, you would be dead by now.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I knew al along that she only used that sabre to test me. If she really saw through my disguise, she would have drawn her own weapon and attacked me.”
Tie Xinlan sighed:”You’re right. You are really remarkable that you can think of that in such a dire situation. Are you never afraid?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Do you think I am not afraid? Let me tell you something, I am very afraid of dying. I think only madmen are not afraid of death.”
Tie Xinlan smiled sweetly:”Where are we going now?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”We can go anywhere, no one recognizes us. However, you’re still ill….”
Tie Xinlan smiled:”I broke out in a sweat when I was scared by them earlier. I think I am better now; I have some strength in my limbs now. Strange, isn’t it?”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Can you walk?”
Tie Xinlan said:”Yes, I can. If you don’t believe me I can dismount and walk a bit for you.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Very well, dismount. Because I have to go now.”
Tie Xinlan’s body shook and exclaimed:”What are you saying?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”We already parted earlier, didn’t we? It was because you were ill, I had to take care of you. Now you’re better, we should go our separate ways.”
Tie Xinlan’s face turned pale, even paler and scarier when she heard Zhang Qing came. She started to tremble again and tears welled up in her eyes, she screamed:”Are you…are you going to leave? Really….”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Of course. You already gave me the map and I saved your life. We’re even now.”
Tie Xinlan was crying and bit her lip:”Haven’t you got a heart? Have you really lost it? Did wild dogs ate your heart when you were young?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Yes, you’re right.”
Tie Xinlan said:”You….You….”
She raised her hand and slapped him very hard.
Xiao Yu’er did not dodge and looked at her, he said casually:”Fortunately, my heart was eaten by wild dogs. I should thank those dogs, if the hearts of men are captured by women they will suffer a fate worse than death.”
Tie Xinlan was weeping bitterly and fell down from the horse, she continued to cry:”You’re not a human! You’re awful!…”
Xiao Yu’er pulled her up and smiled:”Goodbye! It does not matter whether I am a human or not. At least I am not an idiot who will be moved by women’s tears.”
A cold voice from behind said:”You’re not an idiot, you’re very intelligent. Perhaps a bit too intelligent.”
The voice sounded both cold and beautiful, it was the voice of the Little Fairy, Zhang Qing.
Tie Xinlan immediately stopped crying, Xiao Yu’er trembled for a moment. But he did not turn around, he just sighed:”My good wife, why are you crying? You won’t die, let us see the physician first, if we’re too slow he close up.”
Zhang Qing coldly said:”Are you finished? Yes, your disguise is excellent. But it is too late for you to find a doctor, no doctor in this world can save you know.”
Xiao Yu’er stood there, not moving, Tie Xinlan did not move either.
Zhang Qing asked:”What do you have to say?”
Xiao Yu’er suddenly turned around and laughed:”Very good! I saw through my disguise, but how did you do that? Could you tell me?”
Zhang Qing sneered:”When I hacked at you, even if a deaf man can hear the whooshing sound of the blade. If you really were an old feeble man, you would roll on the ground out of fear. It was improbable for an ordinary old man to walk away that casually.”
Xiao Yu’er tilted his head and thought for a moment, he sighed:”You’re right! You’re smart too, smarter than I thought.”
Zhang Qing said:”You found that out a bit too late.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Don’t be conceited either! I deceived you at least for a while. You found out a bit too late too, if I wasn’t dragged behind I would have been gone a long time ago. And you would not have the chance to catch up with me now.”
Zhang Qing was not angered and scoffed:”If you are really that clever, you would be able to think of a plan to escape. If you can’t, your head is useless and you might as well cut if off.”
Xiao Yu’er chortled:”Why should I think of a plan? Do you really think I can’t defeat you? I was just lazy to fight you earlier on. People say that men should not fight with women, I….”
Before he could finish, Zhang Qing’s palm was almost in his face. It was a normal palm technique, but it was very fast. Incredibly fast, if you did not see it you won’t even believe that someone could be that swift.
Xiao Yu’er was watching her as he spoke, being on guard. But he could not avoid that palm, he twisted his body but he was still hit. Three fingertips hit him on the face and left three red imprints.
Zhang Qing had attacked now with her second stance.
Xiao Yu’er shouted:“Stop! Good men should not fight with women! Stop!”
Zhang Qing ignored his shouts, she hated to awful boy. Her face was white and in a matter of moments, she attacked him with 20, 30 stances.
Xiao Yu’er could not see the brilliance of her stances; Xiao Yu’er could easily every attacking technique.
But when her technique actually came, Xiao Yu’er had to avoid that attack most awkwardly. He changed a dozen movements, even groping the chest of the opponent. But he noticed that he could not retaliate in time. Every time he wanted to retaliate, Zhang Qing’s new stance had already come. With great difficulty he could avoid the attack, and when he wanted to counter-attack her third attack had begun. It was simply dodging and avoiding for Xiao Yu’er.
Tie Xinlan looked at the fight and all she saw was red flashy figure moving about. She could not see the stances, moves of Zhang Qing; she could only see a pair of hands that looked like a white line.
That while line zigzagged through that red flashy figure like a whip. Xiao Yu’er was dodging every whiplash, but wherever he went the whip would follow closely.
Tie Xinlan could not see the brilliance of her techniques either; she had never seen such fast stances in her life. It was like a demon or a ghost was guiding the hands of Zhang Qing.
Xiao Yu’er felt that Zhang Qing had a dozen hands; whenever he avoided one hand another hand would follow.
In the end Xiao Yu could only see the white, flashy palm figures of her, he was feeling dizzy and shouted:“Stop! I poisoned you! You…”
He wanted to use this old trick again, but Zhang Qing did not even listen. Tie Xinlan was very anxious and became paler and paler, but she was still too weak to help and fight.
Xiao Yu’er was sweating heavily and said:“Don’t you believe it? Do you have any idea how powerful my poison is?”
Zhang Qing scoffed:”No one is capable of using poison when fighting with me! Especially, a little brat like you. You can’t trick me!”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I am not lying, I….”
He suffered a hit on his face and flew away; he landed 2 metres away and rolled on the ground.
Tie Xinlan screamed:“Xiao Yu’er! Are you….”? Xiao Yu’er jumped up and wiped away the blood from the corners of his mouth, he grinned:”Don’t worry, she can’t kill me. As long as she is incapable of killing me, I have a chance to defeat her.”
Zhang Qing laughed coldly:”I would like to see how tough your body really is.”
With that she stormed forward and attacked with another seven stances.
Her stances were not exquisite nor were they vicious, but she was too fast for words. She did not give people the chance to recover. If her opponents cannot fight back, how can they defeat her?
Xiao Yu’er gritted his teeth, he was decided to be ruthless. No matter what, he had to hit her twice.
He saw a flaw in her palm techniques and decided to attack relentlessly.
But when he attacked, Zhang Qing had already covered up her flaw. His attack was only launched and already he suffered a palm in his stomach.
Tie Xinlan shouted sadly:”Stop, please stop! Just give her the map!”
Xiao Yu’er made two somersaults and jumped up again. His face hurt very much, but he gritted his teeth and laughed:”She will have to kill me first in order to….”
Zhang Qing angrily said:“Do you really think I can’t kill you?”
And she attacked with another five, six stances.
This time Xiao Yu’er would not allow himself to be hit, he changed strategy again. Forego attack, concentrate on the defence. He twirled his pair of small fists hoping it would block all coming attacks.
But Zhang Qing was able to punch through his defensive stances.
Stance after stance, like she was using an axe to chop wood, and finally she managed to chop her away through his defences.
Tie Xinlan called out:”Watch out!”
But Xiao Yu’er flew up again and rolled on the ground.
Tie Xinlan pleaded:”Stop! I beg of you, you can’t defeat her. She is too fast.”
But Xiao Yu’er stood up again and had a painful smile on his face and said:”Because she is too fast, she can’t kill me. If she is fast, she can’t use too much force. Don’t you understand?”
Zhang Qing’s face changed, she did not thought that this little brat would be that brave. He could still stand up, she knew herself that her palms were quite powerful.
Anyone else would be dead or seriously wounded after three palms, but this brat was able to get up and ready to fight again.
Zhang Qing bit her lip and said:”I know your body is tough, but let’s see how many attacks you can still endure.”
Her attacks became faster and faster, Xiao Yu’er stances became slower and slower. He fell and got, he fell and got up again….
Tie Xinlan with tears flowing from her eyes and pleaded:”Little Fairy, please spare him. He can’t take anymore.”
Xiao Yu’er shouted:”Shut up! She hit me seven times, I have to hit her back seven times too.”
Zhang Qing scoffed:”You’re dreaming.”
He jumped up for the seventh time, but soon he fell down again. However, he would crawl up every time he was thrown on the ground.
Zhang Qing looked at him, her facial expression was very strange. It looked like she was angry, hatred, pity or even pain.
She coldly said:”If you admit defeat, I will spare you.”
Xiao Yu’er said loudly:”Rubbish! Who needs to be spared by you? I want you to beg to me, I want to tear your clothes to shreds and hang you on a tree and hit you severely.”
He staggered somewhat before standing again.
Zhang Qing stormed over and kicked him down, Xiao Yu’er rolled over the ground.
Tie Xinlan closed her eyes; she could not watch it anymore. Her heart was broken; she did not know why she would care so much for this hated enemy.
Xiao Yu’er was panting on the ground and could not move anymore.
Zhang Qing’s chest moved up and down, she was breathing heavily too. She panted:”Little brat! You, rascal! You, little demon! Can you still stand up now? Can you still fight?”
Xiao Yu’er clutched the grass and slowly crawled up, he said with a shaky voice:”You’re the brat, rascal! You’re a thug….a thug!”
Zhang Qing angrily shouted:”How dare you to insult me!”
She rushed over and kicked Xiao Yu’er again, sending him rolling again. Tie Xinlan shouted:”You’re ruthless! How can you hit someone who is down.”?
Zhang Qing said hatefully:”It is his own fault, he should not have insulted me.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I love to insult you! You’re a thief, you kill for riches! You’re a ruthless thug, you’re not a fairy you’re a shrew!”
His voice was very weak but he kept swearing at her. Zhang Qing was trembling with anger; she put a foot on his chest and said:”Continue to swear! Go on! I will make sure you will never be able to swear again. I didn’t want to kill you, but you’ve forced me to do this….”
She gritted her teeth and was about to strike out her palm, Tie Xinlan screamed with fear and crawled over. But at this point Xiao Yu’er held embraced Zhang Qing’s legs. He did not know where he got the strength, but he held her slender body up now and kicked her in the waist. Zhang Qing did not expect a dying person capable of fighting. Her legs felt numb and her head span, before she understood what went on she was kicked in the waist and fell on the ground.
Xiao Yu’er immediately dropped himself on her and quickly sealed all major her acupoints. Tie Xinlan was surprised and happy, she said with a shaky voice:”Xiao Yu’er, what just happened?”
Xiao Yu’er panted and laughed:”I told you before, she can’t kill me….I bathed in herbal medicinal water when I was a child. When other children drank milk, I was drinking herbal soups instead. Even people who use ten times more force than her can’t keep me down from getting up.” Tie Xinlan said:”But you were…..earlier….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I was putting up a show, hoping she would drop her guard. I deliberately sweat at her, making her mad. When she is fuming with anger, I will have the last laugh.”
Tie Xinlan broke out in tears of happiness but was still a bit worried, she asked:”Are you alright?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I am tougher than iron and bronze. How can she injure me with those white delicate hands of her? Her fists feel like cotton.”
Although it was cotton, it must have been heavy cotton. He felt pain almost everywhere, every bone felt dislocated.
He looked resentfully at Zhang Qing and said:” What do you have to say now?”
Zhang Qing kept her mouth shut, but tears welled up in her eyes.
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Tears won’t do you any good. I have said that I will return the blows you dealt on me…..”
With that he dealt a blow at her, in one go he used his fists to deal four blows. Four heavy blows.
Zhang Qing closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, she did not make a sound.
Xiao Yu’er said:”Beg and I might forget a few blows.”
Zhang Qing shouted:”You despicable fiend! Kill me!”
Xiao Yu’er slapped her face. Tie Xinlan pleaded:”Let her be.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Let her be? Why should I spare her? Did she show mercy earlier? I said I would tear her clothes to pieces and hang her on a tree…..”
Zhang Qing yelled:”You dare?!? If you do that, I will come back to haunt you even when I am dead.”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”I was not afraid of you when you were alive, why should I fear you when you’re dead.”
He pulled her up by her hair and he slapped her four times in her face. He laughed:”Now, we are even. The interest will follow in awhile.”
Tears ran from Zhang Qing’s cheeks, she said:”You’re ruthless…..”
Xiao Yu’er said with indignation:”Me, ruthless? Aren’t you ruthless too? You perceive what others do to you as ruthless. But, have you forgotten how merciless you are when you’re dealing with your adversaries.”
He was getting angrier with every word he said, he tore her clothes apart revealing her white shoulders.
She shouted:”Demon, monster! Bastard………..!”
She cursed with every word she thought of.
Xiao Yu’er just grinned and listened, he shook his head and said:”If you knew how to swear, I might even listen and be amused. But your cursing methods are really crude, I see no other alternative but to shut you up.”
He took some mud from the ground and wanted to stuff it into her mouth.
Zhang Qing now showed signs of fear and wept:”Please, spare me….Please, spare me….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Good, you finally know to beg for forgiveness. Don’t you forget that.”
Zhang Qing wept bitterly, she was still a girl. She was still very young and for the first time in her life she knew how it felt when you’re bullied and she finally knew fear.
Xiao Yu’er laughed and threw her on the ground, he said:”Good, I will spare you.”
He did not look at Zhang Qing again; he turned around and helped Tie Xinlan up. He whistled and yelled:”White Cabbage, White Cabbage….”
That white horse really liked him and came immediately.
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”White Cabbage, sorry to trouble you but you have to take us both on your backs. If we have put some distance, I will let you rest a very long time and let you drink.”
He helped Tie Xinlan mount the horse and he leapt up too, although the horse was small he was quite strong. It neighed and galloped forward.
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Little Fairy, goodbye! I hope we will never meet again.”
With that he left, leaving behind a Little Fairy who could not move and was just lying there on the ground. The only thing she could do was cry, but Xiao Yu’er did not hear that.
They sat closely together; Tie Xinlan felt her body was light and soft. She thought she was floating in the clouds and would not move nor talk.
After some time, they could not hear the crying of the Little Fairy anymore.
Tie Xinlan sighed softly:”You are really the bane of the Little Fairy.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”It’s her bad luck that she should run into me.”
Tie Xinlan remained quiet for a while, she said casually:”I did not expect that you could fight that fiercely and savage. You were totally oblivious to death….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly:”I may be a rascal, but I am definitely not a coward. You can expect a lot from me, but don’t expect me to beg for my life.”
Tie Xinlan smiled sweetly and said gently:”You’re right, you may be a rascal but you are a real man.”
After another long silent moment, Tie Xinlan said:”Do you know why Zhang Qing is after the treasure map?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”She is probably greedy.”
Tie Xinlan said:”You’re wrong there, she might be cruel but she is not an evil person.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”She doesn’t look like a good one either. A good person tried to kill you, but an evil person saved your life. That is very strange.”
Tie Xinlan said:”I am serious now. She wants the treasure map, because her mother has a very close relationship to the owner of the treasure.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Hmm, she is quite fierce, her mother was be an old shrew.”
Tie Xinlan smiled:”Her mother is not an old shrew at all, she was once a beautiful maiden in the realm. Any men who saw her would be mesmerized by her.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I would like to meet someone like that.”
Tie Xinlan bit her lip and said:”If you were born at least ten years earlier you might have seen her when she was young. She is old now but the elder generation of the realm will still be flustered when they hear the name of the [Jade Maiden] Zhang Sanniang.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Why didn’t you say that she was born ten years too early, and could not have met me? Who is the father of Zhang Qing?”
Tie Xinlan said:”This….I don’t know.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”True! The children of a beautiful woman have a lot of missing fathers. One of the reasons could be that there are too many possible fathers in the game.”
Tie Xinlan laughed when she heard this and continued:”Don’t be that rude. That Jade Maiden was very pretty but she was a cold and strict woman. She attracted a lot of suitors, but she did not even look at them. She only had eyes for one.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Who is the lucky man?”
Tie Xinlan said:”The owner of the treasure, Yan Nantian.”
Xiao Yu’er’s body shook and exclaimed:”Yan Nantian?”
Tie Xinlan asked:”Have you heard of this name before?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I…I think I’ve heard it once, but I can’t remember.”
Tie Xinlan said:”When you’ve heard this name, you should not forget it. He was the most famous swordsman of the realm, even till now nobody can match his swordsmanship.”
Xiao Yu’er only said:”Hmm.”
Tie Xinlan said slowly:”Although he was not very handsome, he really looked heroic and valiant. Unfortunately I was born too late too, so I will never have the chance to meet him.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Do you want my help to look for him?”
Tie Xinlan sighed:”You can’t find him anymore, no one can. According to the stories of the realm, he entered the Valley of Evil for some reason more than ten years ago and never came back. His swordplay might be invincible, but there are so many evil men in there. How could he survive?”
Xiao Yu’er stayed silent for some time, he just said:”Hmm.”
Tie Xinlan said:”It is said that before he entered the valley, he knew he would not survive. So that is why he hid his numerous treasures and his manual of invincible swordsmanship in secret place. Without the map, you can’t find it.”
Xiao Yu’er nodded his head in agreement:”Those riches are not the driving factor, but that manual is. Whoever obtains that manual can become invincible. No wonder so many people want to claim it.”
Tie Xinlan said:”The Little Fairy does not want the manual, she just wants to comfort her mother….”
She turned around and she swiftly glanced at the ground, her entire body shook and exclaimed:”Did you…Did you see that? This….”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I have noticed that some time ago, there is an extra shadow.”
If you looked at the ground, you would notice there was an extra shadow. It seems that someone was standing on the rear of the horse. But the horse continued to gallop forward, totally oblivious to the extra passenger.
Xiao Yu’er stayed calm, but Tie Xinlan was flustered. She held on to a hand of Xiao Yu’er. She pulled the reins of the horse, the horse neighed and Tie Xinlan almost fell down.


To be continued.......

[Athena]

Thanks everyone for your kind words! Well, finally things are getting a bit more interesting here. There is nothing worse than translating boring chapters.

[fastclock]

Thanks Athena,

Nothing like reading a wuxia story inside the house, when it's howling with snowstorm outside....

[Athena]

The voice said coldly:”Why are you afraid? If I really wanted to kill you, you would be dead by now.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I was afraid, I would have leapt off the horse by now.”
The voice laughed too:”You’re a funny person. I immediately saw that you are an interesting person, I came here to make friends.”
The voice sounded clear but hoarse, you could say that his voice sounded metallic and cold. However, you could hear that the voice belonged to a young man.” Tie Xinlan was afraid; she looked around and saw a short but skinny person dressed in black. He stood there like he was glued to the horse nevertheless he seem to be able to float away at any time.
He wore tight shining clothes and he had used a black mask to cover his face. You could only see his pair of eyes, his pupils were as dark as ink and his irises were as white as paper. In the night, it looked very scary whenever he blinked.
Tie Xinlan was startled and exclaimed:”Are you the Black Spider?”
That strange person laughed:”Yes, I am. I am surprised that you recognize me.”
Tie Xinlan said:”Why…Why are you here?”
The Black Spider said:”I am not here because of you, when I saw that boy I was quite amused by him. He is even more interesting than the treasure map, I want to make friends so I have to forget about the map.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I never imagined that I would be more important than a treasure map. I want to make friends with you too. Black Spider, what is your real name?”
The Black Spider coldly said:”You are really ill-informed, almost everyone in the realm has heard of me. How can you roam the realm if you do not have sufficient information.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”When did you start to follow us?”
The Black Spider said:”When I saw you colouring your own horse.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”That is strange, why didn’t I see you?”
The black spider laughed coldly:”When I want to follow someone for the rest of his life, he won’t even feel my presence. If I don’t reveal myself, no one can see my shadow.”
Xiao Yu’er turned around to look at the Black Spider and laughed:”You look young, but you sound arrogant.”
The Black Spider angrily said:”Who said I was young!”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I can tell from your voice. Can’t you hear it yourself?”
The Black Spider stayed silent for a while and grinned:”I may be young, but I am still old enough to be your uncle. I just came here to make friends and not to impose my age on you. You can call me, older brother.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Older brother? You’re shorter than me, I should be the older brother.”
The Black Spider looked at him angrily and said:”I don’t know how many people in realm would beg for a chance to call me older brother, but I just ignore those people. I want you to call me older brother, and you are refusing.”
Tie Xinlan gave Xiao Yu’er a look not to antagonize the Black Spider.
Xiao Yu’er pretended not to see it and laughed:”Very good, younger brother Black Spider. You’re very capable….”
The Black Spider angrily shouted:”What did you call me?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Younger brother, shall we go for a drink?”
The Black Spider laughed:”You don’t know that calamity will fall upon you soon. Only I can save you, if you would call me older brother, it will be of great help to you.”
Tie Xinlan was very anxious and could strangle Xiao Yu’er now, how hard can it be just call him [older brother] and be done with it? However, Xiao Yu’er grinned:”Younger brother, what can I trouble will I run into? Tell me a bit about it.”
The Black Spider looked at him for some time and scoffed:”Fine, I wanted to help you but since you want to be the older brother I will have nothing to do with you anymore.”
With that he waved his hand, in the moonlight you could see a silver line of some sort shooting out of his sleeve.
Xiao Yu’er wanted to see what that was, but when he blinked his eyes the Black Spider shook his hand and flew away.
And then he disappeared and his silver line too.
Xiao Yu’er was a bit stunned and sighed:”No wonder he sounded arrogant, his lightness martial arts is quite good.”
Tie Xinlan sighed:”Not just quite good, his personal secretive lightness martial arts [The Flying Celestial Spider] is unmatched in the realm.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”What is so special about this skill?”
Tie Xinlan said:”He has hidden some special lanyard made from the silk spun by a thousand year old rare spider in Nanhai. It is very strong, not even swords and sabres can sever it. The lanyard is put in a mechanized tube, when he waves his hand the lanyard will shoot out. It can reach about 40 metres and at the end of the cord there is a sharp silver needle that can puncture anything. He will go with the line and that is why he is so swift, he also makes him very secretive.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”He is not only strange and funny, but his martial arts are funny and strange too. But I wonder how old he really is, why is he so fixated on being other people’s seniors.”
Tie Xinlan said:”No one has ever seen his real face and nobody knows his true age. He hates when people call him young. Whoever makes that mistake will suffer dearly.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Why am I not suffering?”
Tie Xinlan laughed sweetly:”That is strange, he really likes you. If not he might have cut out your tongue for calling him younger brother.”
After laughing some time, she sighed:”But he never lies, so there could be trouble ahead. I am afraid that we will really have a calamity at our hands.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Don’t listen to him! How many calamities could there be?”
His voice became softer and softer, almost like a whisper. He looked at the rear of the horse like he saw something. Tie Xinlan wanted to look too, but Xiao Yu’er said:”Let’s go!”
Tie Xinlan asked:”What did you see?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Nothing….Hahahaha! What could there be?”
Tie Xinlan lowered her head and stayed quiet, she then said sadly:”Every time you laugh, you are lying.”
Xiao Yu’er was a bit taken back, he laughed:”You saw through me, I took up this bad habit from one of my guardians. I can’t shake this habit.”
Tie Xinlan did not know that the guardian Xiao Yu’er mentioned was the ever-lying Ha Ha’er. She did not want to ask, she only anxiously asked:”What did you see?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Nothing special, there is no need for you to look too.”
Tie Xinlan laughed:”I know you don’t want me to worry. But if you won’t let me have a look I will be even more worried.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled wryly and shook his head:”Women…Women… Well, have a look.”
Someone managed to print a small snake figure on the croup. The snake figure was printed on with blue ink; under the moonlight it looked greenish and ugly. It looked like it could move and was about to bite.
Xiao Yu’er knew it could not move, but he felt uneasy when he saw it. He got goose bumps all over.
Tie Xinlan’s face changed and stuttered with fear:”Snake….The Blue phosphorous snake….The spirit of Qinghai…..The Deer Eating Celestial Lord….”
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and laughed:”What are you saying?”
Tie Xinlan was pale again and said with a trembling voice:”You don’t understand….you don’t understand…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Just a little snake, what is all the fuss about?”
Tie Xinlan said:”This is a great disaster!”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Why?”
Tie Xinlan took a deep breath and said:”The blue phosphorous snake is the sign of the spirit of Qinghai, the deer eating celestial lord. If you can see his symbol that means his is in the area. With him around, disaster will come.”
Xiao Yu’er frowned:”What is this dear eating celestial lord?”
Tie Xinlan asked:”Have you ever heard of the 12 Zodiacs?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I think so, but I am not sure.”
Tie Xinlan said:”The 12 Zodiacs are the most diabolical, evil and ruthless robbers of the realm for the last 30 years. Normally, they keep a low profile. But when they have their sights on something or someone, no one and nothing can escape them. In the past 30 years, they only failed once.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”That snake is one of the 12 Zodiacs.”
Tie Xinlan said:”Yes, that deer eating celestial lord is the most vicious and diabolical one of the 12 zodiacs. He always dwells near Qinghai. I should have guessed that he would want me and my map.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Why do you say that?”
Tie Xinlan said:”The only time the 12 Zodiacs failed was when they encountered Yan Nantian. How can they not want to have the treasure and manual of Yan Nantian.”?
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and smiled:”You’re very knowledgeable for your age.”
Tie Xinlan said sadly:”I had to roam about on my own when I was very young. It is not strange that I would know a bit more about the realm. When you start to roam the realm, you will learn these things too.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”The more you know, the more you fear. Ignorance is a bliss, no matter who we encounter we will fight him with everything we have.”
Tie Xinlan smiled:”But we already know now, what shall we do now?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Since we can’t overcome him, we might as well run.”
Tie Xinlan muttered:”Run? Where can we run to?”

The end of chapter 7

[Athena]

Chapter 8 The Azure Serpent Lord

They both rode the same horse; they were travelling intensively and were sweating heavily washing away their disguises.
The white horse was foaming at the mouth; Xiao Yu’er took a handkerchief to wipe away the foam. He patted him and said softly:”White Cabbage, I am very sorry. But we have no choice….”
Tie Xinlan looked at him and suddenly smiled:”Strange, you are nicer to the horse than to humans.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”That is because the horse is nicer to me than anyone else.”
Tie Xinlan sighed and said sadly:”Who is unkind to you? I…”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Are you kind to me? If I can’t walk, will you carry me on your back and walk several kilometres? When I am feeling down, can you keep quiet and let me be?”
Tie Xinlan was a bit taken by that and smiled wryly:”Why are your words also so be perplexing?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”That is why I am inferior to a horse too. If you’re really good to a horse, it won’t abandon you. And it won’t say things to make you uncomfortable.”
Tie Xinlan bit her lip and really wanted to bite Xiao Yu’er.
Up ahead was a small mountain village; they could only vaguely see houses. However, they could see the smoke emitting from the kitchen chimneys.
The greying green smoke blended in beautifully with the blue sky, it looked like a beautiful painting. No artist could paint should a wonderful scene.
Tie Xinlan smiled:”Look at the smoke….”
Xiao Yu’er interrupted:”It looks dirty, what is so nice about it?”
Tie Xinlan said:”Can’t you see the beauty of it?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”The only good I see in that some is that up ahead we can get something to eat.”
They were near the borders of Qinghai and Sichuan; there are more Han Chinese here.
They saw an old man standing outside a house, and smoke a pipe. He looked at the sky and muttered:”It looks like a sunny day today, I will put the cotton blankets in the sun.”
Xiao Yu’er dismounted and walked over, he smiled:”Old sir, can we have something to drink and to eat? My sister and me are quite hungry.”
The old man looked at him and Tie Xinlan for a while and laughed:”You’re very polite, young master. If you don’t find my house too dirty, please come in.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled and thanked him; he helped Tie Xinlan dismount and said quietly:”These peasant people can be quite friendly.”
Tie Xinlan smiled:”How can they not be after seeing a lovable and polite young boy like you.”
She blushed when she said this.
Xiao Yu’er laughed when he saw her reed cheeks:”Maybe, he saw that you are a pretty young girl. He may be old but he is not blind.”
Tie Xinlan smiled sweetly and put her hand on his shoulder and they entered the house of the old man.
The old man had cleaned the table and put two bowls and two pair of chopsticks, he smiled:”Please wait, I will see if my wife is done with cooking.”
When he entered, Tie Xinlan and Xiao Yu’er could smell the fragrant rice scent. Xiao Yu’er’s stomach rumbled and eagerly looked at the door of the kitchen. They just heard some clanging noises from the kitchen.
An old woman finally came out of the kitchen with two big bowls of coarse rice with some salted vegetables and meat in her hands.
She limped over the table and put the food down, she bended her waist and smiled:”Please eat first. Don’t be polite, don’t let the rice get cold.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Alright, we will.”
He did not wait till the old woman left the room; he took a pair of chopsticks and was about to eat. Suddenly, he heard a clang sound, Tie Xinlan had just picked up a bowl of rice put it down again and said:”Very hot.”
Xiao Yu’er immediately used his chopsticks hit Tie Xinlan’s hand and she dropped her chopsticks. She looked at him surprised and asked:”Why did you do that?”
Xiao Yu’er did not speak; he emptied the bowls of rice on the table. The dry and coarse rice filled the table, but a small green snake was crawling through the rice.
Tie Xinlan exclaimed with fear:”Snake…..The 12 Zodiacs!”
Xiao Yu’er stormed into the kitchen, Tie Xinlan followed closely. They saw the old man lying on the ground, his face was all black. An old woman lied on the ground next to the furnace, her face had a green, black colour. But her hair was black; she did not look like the woman who brought the food.
The old woman with white hair was gone.
Tie Xinlan said in a trembling voice:”Utterly ruthless…..How very dangerous.”
Xiao Yu’er gritted his teeth and said bitterly:”These people are ten times more evil than I am. How can they just kill two poor elderly people like that!”
Tie Xinlan said:”I knew we could not escape.”
Xiao Yu’er took out an ingot of gold and threw it on the ground, he took up a piece of charcoal and wrote on the wall: [Bury these two properly, or else I will come back for your life.]
Suddenly the white horse neighed frantically; Xiao Yu’er stormed outside and saw a snake crawling up the shank. The tore off a piece of his robe and brushed off the snake and stamped it to death. He stroked the manes and said:”White Cabbage, don’t be afraid! Those evil people can’t harm you and can’t harm me either.”
She pulled Tie Xinlan up and rode off as soon as possible.
The white horse knew there was danger around and really galloped very hard, in a few moments they ran passed the mountain village.
Tie Xinlan was still trembling and muttered:”That was very dangerous, if we took half a bite we would be dead now.” Xiao Yu’er laughed:”But we are still alive.”
Tie Xinlan asked:”How did you find out?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”When you lifted the bowl you immediately put it down again, because it was hot. But that old woman held the bowls in her hands with no pain at all, she must have learnt some sort of poisonous sand palms or such.”
Tie Xinlan said:”Nothing can deceive your eyes.”
Up ahead was a carpet of green grass, but on further examination that carpet of grass could move, a hundred green small snakes.
Tie Xinlan shrieked, Xiao Yu’er directed the horse to head towards another path, this path was smaller and narrower, and it was a forest path.
Xiao Yu’er had never travelled through on such a clean and picturesque road before, he was a bit suspicious. Unexpectedly, a snake hung upside down from a tree, it was a big azure coloured snake and its’ body was as thick as the arm of Tie Xinlan. It hung in front of Tie Xinlan, the horse was startled and Tie Xinlan screamed.
Xiao Yu’er yelled:”Don’t be afraid! Catching snakes and hitting dogs are my specialties.”
He swiftly seized the snake’s head and threw it against a tree. That grasp and fling was both fast and beautifully, the snake was knocked out.
Tie Xinlan sighed with relief and said:”Luckily you’re not a woman. Most women are terrified of snakes.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Give me your dagger.”
Tie Xinlan handed him the dagger and said:”Be careful! Don’t let the blood splatter on you.”
Xiao Yu’er grunted, Tie Xinlan saw that Xiao Yu’er was as white as paper. He used the dagger to cut himself in the arm.
Tie Xinlan exclaimed with shock:”What are you….”
She could finish her sentence, because it was like someone took the air out of her lungs, she saw black blood flowing out Xiao Yu’er’s wound.
Xiao Yu’er was very pale and shouted:”I am finally deceived once.”
He opened his palm and drops of black blood formed. Looking at the snake, it was still stiff and motionless. Near its’ head, the snake glimmered. Tie Xinlan exclaimed with shock:”The snake was already dead, that monster hid a bendable sword in the snake and when you grabbed the snake you were cut by that poisonous blade.
Xiao Yu’er smiled tragically:”You’re so clever, a true prodigy.”
Tie Xinlan said:”Fortunately, you discovered it on time. You’ve released the venomous blood from your body. Are you alright now?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Fine, but after one hour I will be no more.”
Tie Xinlan trembled and fell down the horse, she said in a shaky voice:”You’re joking?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”There is no cure for the venom, if I didn’t cut myself to release the venomous blood I would be talking to the old man we met earlier now. But now I can still live for another hour.”
She ran into his arms and wept:”There must be a cure, you don’t know…”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”I grew up with experts in using poison, if I don’t know, nobody knows.” Even now he was smiling and feeling proud.
Tie Xinlan said:”But you can make an antidote, right?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Yes, I can.” Tie Xinlan was very happy and said loudly:”You were teasing me again.”
Xiao Yu’er slowly said:”It takes three months to make an antidote.” Tie Xinlan’s smile disappeared, she sat down and wept:”How can you joke at a time like this! Tell me, what can I do! Tell me!”
She sobbed bitterly:”I hate you! You’re not human, how can you make jokes at a time like this. Don’t you know how I will feel? I hate you!”
Xiao Yu’er ignored her; he took out the parchment and waved it in his hand, he shouted:”Stupid snake! Can you see? This is the treasure map, do you want it?”
He shouted the same words twice, and from a tree a cold, sharp and revolting voice coldly laughed.
That man sneered:”It will be mine sooner or later, there is no rush.”
The man wore azure brocade; he blended in with the leaves. He was skinny and tall and he curved his body to hide in the tree, it seemed that he did not have a bone in his body. Those beady little eyes of his stared at Xiao Yu’er, he really resembled a snake, a venomous snake.
Tie Xinlan looked up and felt numb, it was like a snake was crawling up her clothes. Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Is this map yours sooner or later?”
That Azure Serpent Lord laughed evilly:”If you present it to me now, I spare your life.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Of course, I believe you.” Tie Xinlan screamed:”Hand it to him! We….we don’t need it anyway.”
The Azure Serpent Lord said:”The girl is smart.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”She is smart and I am stupid.”
He abruptly put the parchment in his mouth and began to chew on it.
The Azure Serpent Lord slithered down from the tree and lifted Xiao Yu’er from the horse, he angrily roared:”Spit it out!”
Xiao Yu’er allowed him to throw him down the horse and swallowed the parchment, he opened his mouth and laughed:”I can’t spit it out anymore.”
The Azure Serpent Lord roared:”You just sealed your fate!”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”There is only one map in the world and I am the only one who knows the contents. If you kill me, you will never find the treasure.”
The Azure Serpent Lord was stunned and loosened his grip.
Xiao Yu’er said casually:”If I were you, I would present the antidote now. If I live I might be able to draw another copy of the map, a corpse cannot draw.”
The Azure Serpent Lord looked at him madly, suddenly a sinister smile appeared on that bony face of his. He smiled evilly:”Do you really think I will be threatened by you?”
Xiao Yu’er lifted his head and grinned:”Really.”
The Azure Serpent Lord said slowly:”The parchment is light but strong, it must be still in your stomach in one piece. I just have to cut you open and retrieve it.”
Xiao Yu’er kept his smile, but a chill ran through his heart. Tie Xinlan screamed:”You can’t do that! You can’t…” The Azure Serpent Lord laughed sinisterly:”Why can’t I? Just watch me.”
He drew a bendable sword from his girdle and shook it straightening it out.
Xiao Yu’er might be very intelligent but he could not think of plan of escape. Tie Xinlan struggled up to attack him, but she was still recovering from her illness. The Azure Serpent Lord raised his palm and struck her down in one go. He laughed evilly:”You might be specialized in hitting dogs and catching snakes, but cutting open people’s chests and stomachs are my specialities. Don’t worry, this stab won’t kill you yet.”
Xiao Yu’er was sweating and said with a smile”Thank you!”
The Azure Serpent Lord said:”Even if I have cut you open and retrieved the parchment, you will still be alive. I will let you die slowly and painfully.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”But you should be careful before you start. I ate the patriarch of snakes this morning and it still not digested. Do be careful that you won’t cut your own father.”
The Azure Serpent Lord angrily shouted:”You, little dog!”
When he was about to stab Xiao Yu’er, there was a sudden clang sound that pushed away his sword.
Xiao Yu’er had secretly picked up the dead snake with the sword; he used it to block the blade of the Azure Serpent Lord. He raised the sword and stabbed at the Azure Serpent Lord.
The Azure Serpent Lord gently avoided that attack, he laughed maliciously:”If you use force, the poison will only travel faster and you will only die quicker!” With that he counter-attacked and Xiao Yu’er blocked four of his stances but his arm was beginning to feel weak and could not lift his arm anymore.
Tie Xinlan had fainted, a chill went up Xiao Yu’er’s heart.
The Azure Serpent Lord laughed:”What other tricks do you still have?”
He pointed his sword at the chest of Xiao Yu’er and slowly moved the tip down to the abdomen. Xiao Yu’er chest was bleeding now and laughed arrogantly:”Being cut open is such a happy event! I am lucky that I can enjoy such treatment….”
While he was laughing, he could hear a series of clanging sounds; the sword of the Azure Serpent Lord was broken into four parts.
He made a somersault backwards and clutched to a tree, he shouted:”Who is there!”
A sweet and beautiful female voice said:”You should know who I am.” The voice sounded like Zhang Qing’s voice. Xiao Yu’er was happy that he was saved, but when he heard that voice his hope was gone again. There was not much difference whether he fell into the hands of the Azure Serpent Lord or Zhang Qing.
The face of the Azure Serpent Lord turned pale, he said:”Oh, it is you, Miss.”
The voice said:”Even if you don’t know who I am, you should know where this road leads to. How dare you to behave audaciously here!”
Xiao Yu’er almost could clap in his hands, he had hope again. Because it was not the Little Fairy, Zhang Qing. Her voice was very similar to Zhang Qing’s, but this voice talked much slower than her. A girl in a green dress holding a flower basket walked between the trees. She was very graceful and slender, it seemed that she could be blown away by the wind at any time. Her elegant eyebrows were knit and her eyes were filled with melancholy. She was not an absolute beauty, but she was very exquisite and you would immediately take a liking to her. Behind her was a young man with thick eyebrows, he looked quite tall and muscular. But he still looked very naïve, he respectfully followed her and he did not even dare to lift his head. The girl looked like a daughter of a wealthy prominent family, and the boy looked like the son of a family with stern upbringing.
The Azure Serpent Lord’s face changed when he saw those two young people, he lowered his head deeply and said with an enforced smile:”It is you, ninth Miss.”
The girl said casually:”Very good, you seem to remember me. But you seem to have forgotten whose property this is. How dare you cut people open here!”
She did not look callous, but her voice was cold and indifferent. It was not like she did not want to care, but she was just inattentive to everyone. Nobody is important or worthy of her attention.
Xiao Yu’er could not guess who this girl was, she looked like a princess but she is not. She is obviously a girl with a martial arts background. She should be filled with hope, happiness like most girls her age, but she seems to be tired of all worldly affairs.
The Azure Serpent Lord lowered his head even lower; he said with a trembling voice:”I thought I haven’t entered the restricted part yet….”
The girl said:”Now, you know.”
The Azure Serpent Lord said:”Now, I know.”
The girl said:”Now, you know. So you also know what to do?”
The Azure Serpent Lord smiled sadly:”Yes, I know.” He used his broken blade and slashed off his left hand. Even Xiao Yu’er was surprised by that action. This [ninth Miss] was very casual about it and just waved her hand saying:”Good, you can leave now.” With that the Azure Serpent Lord quickly left. Suddenly Tie Xinlan shouted:”No, you can’t let him go! Don’t let him go!” She had woken up, and crawled up but soon fell down again.
The girl looked at her and said:”Why?”
Tie Xinlan pointed at Xiao Yu’er and said:”He is poisoned by him, only the Azure Serpent Lord has the antidote. If he doesn’t give the antidote, he won’t make it through the day.”
The girl said plainly:”Why should I care?” Tie Xinlan’s body shook and she fell again.
The young man smiled:”Ninth sister, let us help them.”
The girl said:”If you want to save them, go ahead. I won’t interfere.”
She turned around, and walked away without looking at anyone again. The young man looked at Tie Xinlan who was lying on the ground, he lowered his head and said:”I am sorry….” With that he quickly followed the girl.
Tie Xinlan shouted:”Miss, I beg of you….Miss….”
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and suddenly laughed loudly:”Let’s go, no need to beg.”
Tie Xinlan said:”But you….”
Xiao Yu’er said loudly:”Life or death, it is all the same. Besides, she is too young, how can she help us. Stop pestering her, you will only make things difficult for her.”
He walked over and helped Tie Xinlan up, and they started to walk.
The girl said coldly:”Stop.”A smile formed at the corners of Xiao Yu’er mouth, but he just said loudly:”Why should we stop? If I die here, I will only tarnish your clean road.”
He continued to walk and did not turn around. All of a sudden he saw a flash and the girl was standing in front of him. She said coldly:”You won’t die! But don’t think I don’t know you’re provoking me. I am saving you, because I want you to know that the Murong sisters can do almost everything.”
Xiao Yu’er scoffed:”I never wanted your help! It is my own decision if I want to die or live happily, I don’t need your concern.”
The ninth Miss said indifferently:”I have decided to save you, you have nothing to say about your own fate now.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”This is your own decision, right? I have never begged for your help, even if you saved me I won’t thank you for it.”
The ninth Miss did not reply, she turned around and said:”Follow me.”

The end of chapter 8

[Athena]

Thanks Athena,

Nothing like reading a wuxia story inside the house, when it's howling with snowstorm outside....

Thanks for reading! I hope you will enjoy the following chapters too.

[Ren Wo Xing]

Tsk tsk, terrible. I feel sorry for his poor uncles back in the Valley of Evil. They expected him to shake up the world, and so far all he's been doing is petty trickery and getting his *** kicked by everyone he fights.

He must've been a terrible, terrible learner. That, or his Uncles martial arts have atrophied

Edit: Oh, and of course, superb job as always, Athena. Trying to read Chinese novels at my current level of Chinese is doable, but so painful as to completely negate the joy from the reading. I was a big fan of Ming Jian Feng Liu, and Jue Dai Shuang Jiao is shaping up superbly too

[Du Gu seeking a win]

Tsk tsk, terrible. I feel sorry for his poor uncles back in the Valley of Evil. They expected him to shake up the world, and so far all he's been doing is petty trickery and getting his *** kicked by everyone he fights.

He must've been a terrible, terrible learner. That, or his Uncles martial arts have atrophied

I think the 2nd possibility should be correct. Why should people who 'reigns' the (JiangHu) realm retreat into a valley? The way they 'beat' YNanTian is a measure of their m.a. 'prowess'.

[atlantean0208]

Tsk tsk, terrible. I feel sorry for his poor uncles back in the Valley of Evil. They expected him to shake up the world, and so far all he's been doing is petty trickery and getting his *** kicked by everyone he fights.

He must've been a terrible, terrible learner. That, or his Uncles martial arts have atrophied

Edit: Oh, and of course, superb job as always, Athena. Trying to read Chinese novels at my current level of Chinese is doable, but so painful as to completely negate the joy from the reading. I was a big fan of Ming Jian Feng Liu, and Jue Dai Shuang Jiao is shaping up superbly too

you misunderstood little fish, he is not like the usual GL hero, he fight with treachery and deceit the same as his infamous sifus defeating Yan Nan Tian at the valley of evil. I think he learn very well whatever tricks that his uncles teach him (my observation up to chapter 7) ...

[Ren Wo Xing]

Maybe he doesn't have enough fighting experience or something. I really don't see the likes of Yin Jiuyou and Ha Ha'er being defeated even in pure martial arts prowess by the likes of Tie Xinlan, do you? I mean, come on. They ARE members of the Ten Great Evils, after all, and consequently amongst the heterodox fighters, their skills should be top notch. Xiao Yu'ers style is supposed to be better than theirs, a mix of all of'm...but all I'm seeing is spanked, spanked, spanked...

[Athena]

Chapter 9 Trapped in ice

At the end of the road was a manor; it was not a very grand manor. But every brick, every tile, every room was built with care and flawless. After walking through the courtyard they came into the main hall, it seemed that there were no servants, but everything looked very tidy. Xiao Yu’er was panting and staggering now, the young man secretly supported Xiao Yu’er.
Xiao Yu’er gratefully smiled:”Thank you, what is your name?”
The young man’s face turned red and said:”My name is Gu Renyu.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”You’re not a Murong?”
Gu Renyu’s face was still red and said:”I am their cousin.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”You’re very nice, but a bit too honest. You look like a girl, blushing all the time.”
Gu Renyu stuttered:”I…I….”
If he did not have thick eyebrows and was not that tall and muscular, he did not look like a man. Xiao Yu’er would have mistaken him for a girl.
The ninth Miss did not stop and walked through the main hall and through the corridor, but they could not see anyone here. Finally she walked to a small garden with two, three elegant gates on both sides, she stopped there and said:”Enter.” With that she turned around and walked away again.
Gu Renyu said:”Please…please go inside. This is…this is my room.”
Tie Xinlan smiled too:”I think this is the only room suitable for men.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Hmm, with the exception of you, only women live here.”
Gu Renyu stared at Xiao Yu’er with some disbelief and said:”Haven’t you heard of the names of the nine Murong sisters before?” Tie Xinlan was sitting and had closed her eyes for a moment, but when she heard this she opened her eyes again and exclaimed:”You mean the [Nine elegant ladies of the realm]?”
Gu Renyu blushed again and said softly:”Yes, you’re right.”
Xiao Yu’er looked at Tie Xinlan and smiled:”You know this too, tell me how formidable these Murong sisters are.”
Tie Xinlan sighed:”These nine sisters are excelled in every field of martial arts, from lightness, projectiles and so on. All of them are both beautiful and intelligent. They almost know anything, so a lot of people in the realm would like to have a Murong sister as spouse.”
Xiao Yu’er blinked and laughed:”Are they all married now?”
Tie Xinlan said:”All of them are married with the exception of the ninth sister, the other eight are either married to young masters of prominent Wulin families or famous young heroes…”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly:”No wonder everyone fears them in the realm, even if people are not afraid of the Murong sisters, they should be afraid of the eight accomplished husbands.”
His face gradually became black and breathed quite heavily now, but it did not stop him from laughing and joking.
He patted Gu Renyu’s shoulder and laughed:”Just stay close to her and pay a lot of attention to her, sooner or later she will notice you.”
Gu Renyu’s face turned even redder now, he lowered his head and looked secretly at Tie Xinlan. He said:”It is really my mother’s wishes that I would….”
At this point, that ninth Miss of the Murong family appeared, he scoffed:”Yes, these are auntie’s wishes. You’re not too keen on being treated coldly.”
Gu Renyu could almost crawl under a table and stuttered:”I didn’t…I did not mean it that way….”
Murong Jiumei said coldly:”Young master Gu, nobody invited you over and nobody will ask you to stay. Auntie thinks you’re very special, but nobody here shares that idea.”
She did not look at Gu Renyu anymore; she threw a black jaded bottle on the table in front of Xiao Yu’er. She coldly said:”Take half and smear the other half on your wound, in six hours you will be healed. And by then I want you to be gone.”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”I have never begged for your help and I don’t want you to become my wife. There is no need for you to act conceited and such, you may think that you’re special but I don’t share that idea.”
Murong Jiumei turned around and looked at him coldly.
Xiao Yu’er pretended not to notice that, he opened the bottle swallowed half the contents, licking his lips and said:”Very sour.”
And then he smeared the remaining half on his wound. He was an intelligent man; although he was nitpicking it did not stop him from using the medicine.
Murong Jiumei hatefully looked at him, in her cold eyes there was almost a spark of fire, she slowly said:”Although I saved you, I can still kill you.”
Xiao Yu’er stuck out his tongue and laughed:”You won’t, because you look vicious but deep in your hear you are very kind.” Somehow, Murong Jiumei blushed now, and then sternly said:”Leave now! Don’t let me ever see you again! Or else I will poke out your eyes, cut off your tongue and then kill you.”
Gu Renyu was terrified, he never saw the always cold and cool Murong Jiumei being furious. He had certainly never heard her say such bitter words before.
Xiao Yu’er still grinned:”I will leave, but don’t beg me to return when I am gone.”
Murong Jiumei was trembling with anger and said:”You…..You….”
Suddenly from afar someone shouted:”Murong Jiumei, where are you? You little sister has come to see you.”
The speaker was very fast before she was finished, she was standing outside, and Murong Jiumei bit her lip and gracefully walked outside.
When Xiao Yu’er heard that voice, his smile was gone. Tie Xinlan’s face turned pale and said:”Is it the Little Fairy Zhang Qing?” Gu Renyu said:”You’re…you’re right. She is a good friend of the ninth Miss.”
Xiao Yu’er slowly sat down and smiled wryly:”What a small world…..”
He heard Zhang Qing laughing:”Well, aren’t we arrogant nowadays? Don’t you come out to greet friends anymore?”
Murong Jiumei said:”Who knows where you wander off to? I haven’t scolded you for forgetting about me for such a long time, you have a lot of nerves to lecture me first.”
Zhang Qing laughed:”Ha! Our ninth Miss really knows how to talk, her cheeks are all red, and you’re becoming more beautiful by the day. Tell me, how many people have come asking for your hand.”
Murong Jiumei said:”Stop being so annoying.”
Zhang Qing said:”I don’t think your heart finds this question annoying.”
Murong Jiumei coldly said:”I will never marry anyone in my life.”
Zhang Qing said:”You’re right! All men are despicable and deserve to die! Especially those who look quite handsome and have a sharp tongue.”
It was like she was talking about Xiao Yu’er, judging by her tone she deeply resented and hated Xiao Yu’er. Tie Xinlan’s limbs felt cold and asked softly:”What shall we do?”
Xiao Yu’er sighed:”We can’t run, we can’t fight. I can’t think of anything.”
After he was finished, Zhang Qing had entered. She exclaimed with shock:”How come you’re here too?”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”Long time no see, how are you doing?”
Murong Jiumei frowned and asked:”Sister Qing, do you know him?”
Zhang Qing hatefully said:”I know him, of course I know him. But…but why is he here?”
Murong Jiumei casually said:”He was injured just outside, I….”
Xiao Yu’er loudly interrupted:”Don’t ask anymore. I am neither friend nor relative of the Murong family. I am injured now, if you want to kill me go ahead. You don’t have to give face to anyone and I will not fight back.”
Zhang Qing sneered:”Can you fight back?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”If I can fight back, you would be lying on the ground now.”
Zhang Qing slapped him and angrily said:”Stop talking!”
Xiao Yu’er did not move, and laughed:”I will keep quiet, what else can I say. You fell into my hands twice, I should blame myself for taking pity on you and sparing your life twice.”
His words were righteous and fair and quite moving, but he did not mention how he managed to defeat Zhang Qing those two times.
Murong Jiumei could not help herself but to ask:”Sister Qing, did you really fall into his hands twice?”
Zhang Qing was furious now, but she did not know how to retort Xiao Yu’er. When Murong Jiumei saw Zhang Qing’s anger, her expression changed awfully strange too.
Xiao Yu’er saw that and said with an astounded tone:”Miss Murong, let her kill me. Even if I am killed in your home, I know you look down upon her and I won’t blame you.”
Zhang Qing was boiling with anger and laughed:”You really think I won’t kill you!”
Xiao Yu’er said:”I know you can and will, the famous Little Fairy Zhang Qing is not afraid of anyone. And especially not afraid of a person who can’t fight back.”
Zhang Qing roared and her fingers looked like swords and were aimed at the temples of Xiao Yu’er. Xiao Yu’er did not move, but Tie Xinlan was scared stiff.
Suddenly a figure stood in front of Xiao Yu’er, Murong Jiumei blocked Zhang Qing. The fingers of Zhang Qing almost made contact with Murong Jiumei, she quickly retracted her attack.
She angrily shouted:”Are you siding with the enemy?”
Murong Jiumei said casually:”If it was somewhere else, I would not care who you would kill. However, she should show some respect here, sister Qing.”
Zhang Qing said:”I will apologize to you after I have killed him.”
Murong Jiumei said:”Ever since this manor was built, blood was never spilled here, nor allowed to be spilled. If you really want to break this rule, I suggest you do it now.”
Zhang Qing stamped her feet and said:”You don’t know how horrible, this little brat is.”
Murong Jiumei said:”That can be true, but you just have to wait till he…”
Zhang Qing shouted:”I can’t wait any longer.”
She changed movements seven times, hoping to evade Murong Jiumei, however Murong Jiumei quickly adapted every change she made. Even if Murong Jiumei did not block Zhang Qing and allowed her to pass, Zhang Qing would not have killed Xiao Yu’er. However, when she saw that Murong Jiumei kept blocking her, she became angrier and angrier and really wanted to kill him. She stretched out her hand and her fingers attacked Murong Jiumei seven times. Murong Jiumei avoided those seven stances and coldly said:”Sister Qing, you attacked me first, don’t blame me for being rude.”
Zhang Qing did not stop her attacks and said coldly:”Whenever I set my mind to something nobody can stop me! Not even you, just use her famous Murong needles on me…..”
She was interrupted with a powerful blast. Zhang Qing shifted her body to avoid that fist, she shouted:”Little sister Gu! You’re joining the fight too.”
Xiao Yu’er chuckled: [So he has the nickname little sister Gu, it really suits him. He is too honest, but his martial arts are very solid, worthy of a descendant of prominent martial arts family. That conceited Zhang Qing can’t defeat him.]
He did not know that Gu Renyu looked very shy and honest, but his martial arts are quite good. He is known in the realm as the Jade-faced Divine Fists Gu Renyu.
Zhang Qing looked at them and put her hands on her waist and said:”What are you waiting for?”
Xiao Yu’er was thinking the same thing: [What are you waiting for? Fight!]
But Gu Renyu just stood there not moving, he lowered his head and said:”If Miss Zhang will stop fighting I would dream of lifting my finger against you.”
Zhang Qing sneered:”The heir of the famous Divine fists of the Gu family is a useless coward. The only thing you can do is flatter up to Miss Murong here.”
Gu Renyu just stood there, not saying another word.
Zhang Qing stamped her feet and said:”Alright! Murong Jiumei, show me what you have in that seven exquisite pouch of yours.”
Murong Jiumei coldly said:”As long you won’t try to kill people here, I won’t fight you.”
Zhang Qing first looked at her and then at Gu Renyu, one was standing in front of a window the other stood in front of the door. With or without intention they had surrounded Zhang Qing.
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”No good looking around, you can’t overcome them. The famous Little Fairy is surrounded.”
Zhang Qing looked at him for a while and laughed:”You want me to fight them and then you can watch and enjoy the fight.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”If you’re too afraid to fight just leave. No need to find an excuse.”
Zhang Qing said:”I am leaving now, if you can hide in here for the rest of your life….My respects! If not the moment you leave this place, I will kill you at once.”
She turned around to Murong Jiumei and smiled:”Unless you marry him and will stay at his side, otherwise I will make sure he dies at my hands. There is no reason why I should fight you, people might say that I am bullying you.”
She took three steps back and disappeared with a sweet laughter. Xiao Yu’er did not expect her to leave like that.
He was stunned and smiled wryly:”Women….women….. The hearts of women….truly mysterious.”
Murong Jiumei sighed softly:”No one can guess the thoughts of her, nor can one perceive her character. I am the only one in the realm who can match her…”
Xiao Yu’er blinked his eyes and asked:”In other words, only you and her are worthy of being called heroes?”
Murong Jiumei said:”Yes.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”Who should be number one?”
Murong Jiumei said after some thinking:”She handles her affairs most strangely, her temperament keeps changing. Even I cannot guess what she is thinking, she is definitely the most lethal person in the realm.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”How about you?”
Murong Jiumei said coldly:”I don’t interfere in the affairs of the martial arts realm.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”If you would take an interest in the realm, she would be number two, wouldn’t she?”
Murong Jiumei just grunted. Xiao Yu’er said very seriously:”Yes, you are really number one….” He paused for a moment; Murong Jiumei actually smiled a bit. However, Xiao Yu’er continued:”You’re self absorbing skills should really be ranked number one in the realm.”
Murong Jiumei’s mood changed again, Xiao Yu’er busted out in laughter:”I only thought men were capable of being self absorbed, but women are capable of that too and are even better than in that. You should really go out and have a look, and then you will see that there are countless of people who are just or even more capable than you. Just by closing your own doors and proclaiming to be invincible is just plain stupid, but I can’t help it if you do that.”
Murong Jiumei said:”You….You….” Xiao Yu’er laughed:”You have saved my life twice, but you did that out of your own will. I never begged for it and I won’t you show gratitude. I will certainly not flatter up to you.”
The only thing Murong Jiumei could say was:”Good….Very good….”
She wanted to look at cold and refined, but in vain. She was shaking with anger. She was a cold and not easily aggravated person, but somehow Xiao Yu’er could get to her with just a few sentences.
Gu Renyu said slowly:”She is very kind to you, why do you have to anger her?”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”I am doing it on purpose, she is much prettier when she is angry. And that cold façade of her is quite annoying.”
Gu Renyu could not help himself but to look at Murong Jiumei. He saw her red cheeks and really made her more attractive than usual. After a look he was completely dazzled and shook his head saying:”You’re right. Much prettier.”
Murong Jiumei looked at him and said:”How dare you say such things in my presence! What do you take me for?”
Gu Renyu was shocked and quickly lowered his head, he said:”You’re not pretty, you’re ugly when you’re angry.” Tie Xinlan was very worried and pensive, but when she heard that she had to laugh too. Without saying Xiao Yu’er was rolling on the ground laughing.
Two young girls ran through the woods, they giggled and called:”Ninth Miss, Ninth Miss….”
Murong Jiumei was still fuming and did not know how to vent her anger, she angrily shouted:”Why are you shouting? I am not deaf!”
The two maids lowered their heads and said:”Yes, ninth Miss.”
They secretly looked at Xiao Yu’er and said:”The room is ready, Miss. Are you now….”
Murong Jiumei said:”Of course now, I am going to have a look like always.”
The two girls never heard Murong Jiumei talk like this; they only muttered a soft:”Yes.”
They immediately left again. Murong Jiumei coldly said:”Young master Gu, if you have nothing else to do please watch these two here. If not you can go too.”
Gu Renyu said:”I am fine, I will….”
He stuttered some more, but Murong Jiumei had already left. Xiao Yu’er looked at Tie Xinlan for a moment and then followed Murong Jiumei. Gu Renyu looked at her absentmindedly, Tie Xinlan also looked at Xiao Yu’er a bit surprised. Gu Renyu sighed, Tie Xinlan sighed too:”You’re very kind to her, perhaps a bit too kind.”
She was talking about Gu Renyu and Murong Jiumei, but she thought of her and Xiao Yu’er. Why was Gu Renyu so nice to Murong Jiumei? What about Xiao Yu’er…..she was very confused and was caught in her own thoughts, she did not hear what Gu Renyu said. After a while, she said melancholically:”Do you love her?”
Gu Renyu said a bit dumbfounded:”I don’t know.”
Tie Xinlan smiled kindly and said:”How can you not know?”
Gu Renyu sighed:”Everyone thinks that I should love her, even I think I should love her. But….but I don’t know if I love her. I just know that I am afraid of her.”
Tie Xinlan smiled pleasantly:”You’re a very good man.”
Gu Renyu looked at her and then lowered his head saying:”You…you’re a very good person too.”
When Murong Jiumei was in the garden, she turned around and said coldly:”Why are you following me?”
Xiao Yu’er grinned:”I don’t to follow you, but I don’t kill Zhang Qing might find a chance to kill me. I don’t mind dying, but I don’t want to disgrace you.”
Murong Jiumei looked at him for a while not saying anything, then she turned around and walked away again.
Xiao Yu’er followed, he was panting and said sensitively:”I can’t walk anymore. Can you hold my hand?” Murong Jiumei ignored him and even walked even faster. Xiao Yu’er said:”Let me die of fatigue, you can present my body to Zhang Qing when I am dead. She won’t cause anymore trouble for you when I am dead.”
Murong Jiumei did not look back, but she started to slow down. Xiao Yu’er said:”Some girls just need to look tougher than men. But when they actually meet a man, they will be useless. Hey! Have you ever seen a girl before who is afraid to hold the arm of a man?”
Murong Jiumei could not take it anymore and sneered:”Afraid? I am just….”
Xiao Yu’er interrupted:”You’re just not willing. Nobody likes to admit that they are afraid and not willing is just a better sounding excuse.”
Murong Jiumei turned back and actually held his arm.
Xiao Yu’er followed her again, he grinned:”Your hands are very small, mine should be at least twice…..”
He was talking to her, but he was also carefully observing the gardens, corridors, chambers they passed. They reached a very nice looking garden with beautiful porches, and there were a series of different chambers with different sizes, colours and designs. Xiao Yu’er counted nine chambers in total; they must be the rooms of the Murong sisters. The first chamber was cream yellow, Murong Jiumei pushed open the doors and entered. The curtains, tablecloths and bedding with all cream yellow. The room was simply decorated, but it looked very smart and sophisticated.
Murong Jiumei examined everything carefully, she inspected if there was any dust. Xiao Yu’er looked at her and asked:”Is this the room of your oldest sister? Is she coming back?”
Murong Jiumei said:”Is it alright to let her room covered in the dust when she is not here?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Right, even if she isn’t coming back everything has to be tidy too. It seems you have a good bond with your sisters.”
Suddenly he did not spout nonsense anymore, Murong Jiumei could not guess his intentions and merely grunted.
Xiao Yu’er said:”Your eldest sister must be a very sophisticated, refined and tranquil person. Not to mention gentle and beautiful. There are not many women like her in this world, who is her husband?”
Murong Jiumei finally looked at him and said:”Nobody is good enough to be her husband, but if one should look the closest match would be my eldest brother-in-law.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”How are his martial arts?”
Murong Jiumei said coldly:”Have you ever heard of the Splendid Jade Swordsman?” Originally, she intended not to speak to this annoying brat anymore. But somehow, she started a conversation with him. The brat talked to her about something she loved to discuss. Xiao Yu’er could aggravate her with just a few sentences, but he could also pacify her again with another few sentences.
The second room was all pink, on the walls hung short swords, long bows even the scabbards of the swords were red. Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Your second sister must be very different from your eldest sister. She is a very frank and open person and has quite a temper. But she is a very nice person and is also very considerate.
Murong Jiumei stayed quiet for a while, but in the end she asked:”How did you know?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”The secretive weaponry of the Murong family is renowned in the realm, but your sister seems to love using bows. That would point out that she is a rather open and frank, loving simplicity instead of complex projectiles and such.”
Murong Jiumei said:”Hmm and what else?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Users of long swords are usually stable, calm. Users of short swords are usually turbulent, dangerous. Your second sister’s swords almost look like daggers, meaning whenever she gets angered she will go all out and will not hold back.”
Murong Jiumei nodded in agreement and said:”The swordplay of my second sisters is renowned for being turbulent and dangerous throughout the realm.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”But your second brother-in-laws’s martial arts are not very high, are they?”
Murong Jiumei was surprised that he said that, she looked at him for a long time and nodded. She said:”My second brother-in-law is the only son of the famous Nangong family. The martial arts of the Nangong family are good and high, but my brother-in-law has always been sickly. That is why…(* sigh).”
Xiao Yu’er clapped his hands and laughed:”That explains it all.”
Murong Jiumei asked:”What do you mean?” Xiao Yu’er said:”When she married to your brother-in-law, she left all her weapons at home. Meaning that her husband’s martial arts are clearly beneath her own and because she is a considerate person she deliberately left her own weapons back. She did not want to harm the feelings of her husband, she is truly a kind and considerate woman.”
Murong Jiumei silently looked at him for a while, and then they went to the third room.
The walls of the third room were covered with black wallpaper; the room was a bit dark. However, the room was decorated with style and elegance. There was a go board, a painter’s accessories and painting of lady painting hung at the wall. There was an inscription [Murong Lady]; it must be her own work.
Xiao Yu’er looked around and smiled:”Your third sister must be a literary talent, but she is a bit of a loner. She must be a rather melancholic person, but most literary women are like that.”
Murong Jiumei said slowly:”She does not like sunshine, she likes rain and she always paints or plays the qin* when it rains. It sometimes seems that she does not belong to this mortal world. Her music sounds so celestial, unfortunately…unfortunately I haven’t heard it in a long time.”
Xiao Yu’er asked:”What about your third brother-in-law?”
Murong Jiumei said:”He is a true prodigy of the realm, he is excelled in the literary fields. And at the age of 29 he became the Wulin chancellor of the provinces Guangdong and Guangxi.
Xiao Yu’er smiled:”A perfect match.”
Xiao Yu’er followed Murong Jiumei to each room and after walking out of the eighth room, Murong Jiumei looked very calm and gentle. She suddenly thought this brat was not that annoying anymore, they finally arrived at the ninth chamber.
The room was light blue, it was the most magnificent and beautiful of all the rooms. Every item in this room was precious and exquisite. Murong Jiumei looked at Xiao Yu’er, as if she asked: [Do you know that this is my room? Can you tell me what kind of person I am?].
Xiao Yu’er looked around for a while, he suddenly laughed:”The owner of this room is different from the others, she is entirely different.”
There was a faint smile on the face of Murong Jiumei, but she still looked cold and indifferent. She just casually asked:”What is different?”
Xiao Yu’er said:”Blue means that she is quite self absorbed and pretentious. All those antique just prove that she is childish, prestigious and very common….”
Murong Jiumei could not endure to hear the rest and stormed out the room, she looked very white. She was boiling with anger and did not look at the awful little monster again.
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly:”If I am wrong, why should you be angry? If I am right, you should not be angry at all.” Murong Jiumei did not look back and continued to walk, Xiao Yu’er just followed. After making a few turns here and there, they came on a brick road that lead to a big bronze door. Xiao Yu’er could not look beyond that door, but somehow that door had something mysterious and terrifying. He could not explain that feeling, he just saw Murong Jiumei taking out a key and used it to open the door. Without a sound the door opened, a cold air escaped gushed out from the door. Xiao Yu’er felt that this room looked very much like the house of uncle Wan Chunliu. There were all sorts of jars, bottles with herbal medicine. There was also a big copper cauldron for cooking and composing different medicinal herbs or herbal extracts. But the house of Wan Chunliu was built with normal bricks, but this room looked like it was built out of one giant blue stone. The house of Wan Chuliu felt warm and comfortable, but this room was eerie looking and cold.
Murong Jiumei had closed the door again; her normal white face looked a bit greenish in here.
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”Miss Murong is a female physician. You are really a talented girl, why have you brought me here? Do you want to examine me?”
Murong Jiumei said:”Yes, you’re right.”
Xiao Yu’er said:”The poison in my body is gone, what else would you like to examine?”
Murong Jiumei said:”You have something in your body which is very annoying, if I cut that off you will be a much better person.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed:”What would that be?”
Murong Jiumei said coldly:”Your tongue.”
Xiao Yu’er stuck out his tongue and quickly backed away from her, he said:”Do my words really aggravate you that much? If so, I feel very flattered.”


To be continued……

* Qin: An ancient Chinese instrument, resembling a zither. Even now a lot of people still play the qin.

Thanks Ren Woxing for your kind words!

[dbx]

Thank you Athena!!! You're always so fast!!! I hope my Chinese skills get as good as you.

[Felipe]

Athena, because of you I'm getting addicted to this story... really good, and really thankz