Chapter 16: Funeral Bell

The bell had stopped ringing, but the echoes remained. Fu Hongxue had already arrived at the main gate of the Ancient Monastery of the Celestial Dragon.

Although the dark grey monastery was constructed long ago, it still retained vestiges of its former glory and prestige. In the courtyard, there was an enormous thousand-jin copper cooking vessel, stained with rust. The stone steps were covered with moss as well. Although it did appear a bit gloomy and unfrequented, the grand, majestic main hall still towered like a mountain over the surroundings, and the pillars in the courtyard remained as strong and erect as a tiger’s spine.

How could such a strong, vigorous monastery suddenly collapse?

“The words of a crazy monk are naturally crazy words.”

It had been a long time since the sacrificial altar in the main hall had enjoyed the scent of meat or burning joss sticks. But it was still lofty and high above, staring down at the ignorance and suffering of men. The corners of the hall were filled with cobwebs, and the old, shabby curtains fluttered hither and fro in the wind. There was neither sight nor sound of human being here.

Where was the one who rang the funeral bell?

Fu Hongxue silently stood in front of the statue of Buddha. In his heart, he suddenly felt an extremely strange feeling. He suddenly wanted to kneel down, kneel down before this Buddha, whose gilt skin had already begun to peel off. To beg for peace, peace for Zhuo Yuzhen and her children.

This was the first time in his life he felt so pious. But he did not kneel down, because just at this time, a swishing sound came from outside of the main hall.

When he turned his head, he saw a rainbow-colored, lightning-like flash of sabre light flickering outside. Where the sabre light flashed, those pillars in the courtyard, as strong and erect as a tiger’s spine, were severed. Swishing sounds continually entered the ear, and the mountain-like main hall began to tremble and way.

He inclined his head upwards, and immediately saw that the pillars and beams supporting the ceiling were beginning to slide down.

The words of that crazy monk weren’t just crazy words. After the dancing sabre light flashed across the main hall, this towering, millennia-old monastery truly did collapse!

What type of sabre was that? How could it have such fearsome strength?

Fu Hongxue tightly gripped his sabre!

This sabre was a weapon beyond compare, but this sabre definitely didn’t have such a fearsome strength!

With a thundering sound, one corner of the main hall collapsed.

But Fu Hongxue did not collapse. The mountains might burst and the earth might split, but some people will never collapse.

Another corner of the main hall collapsed. Rubble and debris flew about as though propelled by wind. The swallows on the roof beams had long since flown away.

But Fu Hongxue continued to stand there without moving!

Outside, not only was the Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven’s Monarch, that weapon which could anger gods and aggrieve demons, waiting for him, but also innumerable murderous plots and tricks!

He suddenly sneered.

“Demon Decapitator Miao, you have a very fine sabre, but you yourself are a base creature. Why don’t you dare to stand face to face with me and fight to the death, and instead run around playing tricks?”

The sabre light disappeared. Someone sneered from outside the main hall as well. “As long as you aren’t dead, come to the inner courtyard to meet me.”

The laughter of the Heaven’s Monarch, the Demon Decapitator, sounded like the crying of ghosts. One word at a time, he continued, “I will definitely wait for you!”

“I will definitely wait for you.”

The exact phrase, the exact six words. But coming from two different mouths, they had two totally different meanings!

At this moment in time, Fu Hongxue suddenly thought of that girl who wore the jasmine flowers. He thought of how she fell to the ground, and of her eyes, filled with pain, sorrow, and despair.

She was also a person. No matter what type of person one was, they wouldn’t be willing to accept that sort of humiliation.

Could it be that all her life, she was destined to live in that crumbling, swaying room, without any road to take, and no path of escape, until debris and dirt covered her body?

Fu Hongxue’s hands tightened. He suddenly started walking out. He walked very slowly, and his gait still appeared painful and ugly. But since he began to walk, he definitely would not stop.

The doorway had collapsed. The flying dust covered his eyes, as he slowly walked past the broken pieces of wood.

Another sound, akin to giant earthquakes and massive landslides. The center of the main hall had collapsed as well.

Debris and shattered pieces of wood collided into his back.

He did not look back. He didn’t even blink. This required not only an astonishing degree of composure, it also required an unshakable, fearless degree of courage! Precisely because he was composed, precisely because he had courage, he avoided the first trap.

Just as he stepped foot over the main hall’s doorway, at least fifty or so hidden projectiles shot out at him from outside.

If he had looked back in surprise, if he had lost his composure, he would have collapsed.

Collapsed, just like this majestic monastery.

Courage and self-confidence are the pillars of a man, helping preserve humanity’s existence.

So long as these two pillars do not fall, mankind shall never be extinguished!

Just as these hidden projectiles were shot out, two rays of cold light shot out as well, intersecting. It was a sword and a hook!

Fu Hongxue’s sabre had already left its sheath. With a slanted flash of sabre light, he scurried out.

He didn’t dare to stop and look back. He didn’t know how many other deadly ambushes were there.

The copper vessel in the courtyard was still there. His slender body shot out like a javelin, coming down just behind the copper vessel.

A gust of wind blew towards him. He felt it was as cold as a sabre’s chop on his shoulders. After looking down, he realized that a four-inch long wound had been left on his shoulder. The sword and the hook had launched an extremely swift and deadly assault. If someone hadn’t personally experienced the attack, they wouldn’t be able to imagine it.

Blood flowed from his shoulder. Blood flowed from his sabre as well. Whose blood was dripping from his sabre?

That hook was naturally Gongsun Tu’s eagle-beak. But the sword was definitely not Yang Wuji’s ancient sword of Damascus steel.

This sword was far faster, far more accurate, and far more fearful than Yang Wuji’s sword. In addition, Yang Wuji’s sword-arm had been cut off.

The wound on Fu Hongxue’s shoulder was a sword wound. Who had his sabre harmed?

The main hall seemed to have totally collapsed by now. Turning around, he didn’t see anybody at all.

If the first strike does not land true, fully withdraw! This wasn’t just the rule of the Xingxiuhai sect. It was also the principle by which old veterans of the martial world followed without fail!

But why didn’t that Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven’s Monarch appear again? With the first attack, he chopped the horse in half. With his second, he destroyed the great hall. Why didn’t he strike at Fu Hongxue? Was he really waiting for Fu Hongxue at the inner courtyard?

The inner courtyard was peaceful and secluded. But there wasn’t even a shadow here either. Within the verdant mulberry grove, there was someone singing light songs. The songs were soft and haunting, causing gloom and capable of extinguishing one’s soul.

There were three lit verandas in the grove. The doors and the windows were all open.

As soon as one entered the grove, one could see a giant who looked like a deity from heaven. He was squatting in front of a barbarian bed, his hair all tousled, tied together with a golden ribbon. On his body, he wore a golden embroidered robe. But beneath his waist, he wore a battle-kilt made from a tiger’s pelt. Light shone out of his panther-like eyes, and his bronze skin sparkled. He looked just like one of the titans, who existed when the heavens and the earth were first separated, or like an undefeatable god of war from the myths.

Four women with coifed hair and light garments were wrapped around his body. One was holding a golden cup and sitting on his knee. Another was combing his hair. A third was taking off his boots. The other was sitting far away beneath the window, and singing in a low voice. They came from the cart on which the Ghostly Granny had arrived in. Although they were no longer young, they had their own mature, graceful, womanly elegance.

If they weren’t mature women, how could they endure such a virile, healthy titan?

A stove burned in one corner of the room. A sabre was placed on the table. The handle of the sabre was one foot, three inches long. The blade was seven feet, nine inches long. There were many dazzling pearls sewn onto the beautiful shark-skin sheath.

This sabre was the Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven’s Monarch? This man was Miao Tianwang, Heaven’s Monarch Miao?

Fu Hongxue stepped onto the leaves. He slowly made his way over.

He already saw this person. Although his features were still totally expressionless, every single nerve in his body had become taut.

Strength great enough to destroy a hall, and to cut a galloping horse in half, originally could only be found in fairytales. But now, it just so happened to appear right in front of his eyes.

The woman singing a song beneath the window only turned to glance at him. Her song did not change, but it sounded even more dreary now.

The woman holding the golden cup suddenly let out a sigh. “Why would a perfect good person, insist on coming here to die?”

The woman combing his hair coldly said, “Because even if he was alive, he wouldn’t be happy.”

But the woman taking off his boots began to laugh. “I like to see people being killed.”

The woman combing his hair said, “But it might not be good to see this person be killed.”

The woman taking off his boots said, “Why?”

The woman combing his hair said, “Judging from his face, this person probably doesn’t have a drop of blood in his veins.”

The woman holding the golden cup said, “Even if he does, it’s probably cold.”

The woman taking off his boots was still laughing. “Cold blood is better than no blood. I just want to see a little bit of blood. I’ve always been a very easily satisfied woman.”

Fu Hongxue had already walked to the window. He stopped. It seemed as though he hadn’t heard a single word which they had said.

He really hadn’t heard a single word.

Because he had already poured all of his attention and focus into this godlike titan.

He suddenly asked, “Miao Tianwang?”

Miao Tianwang had already stretched out his massive hand, gripping the sabre on the table.

Fu Hongxue said, “This is the Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven’s Monarch?”

Miao Tianwang coldly said, “Sometimes, it decapitates demons. Sometimes, it kills men. So long as the sabre leaves the sheath, no matter who the target is, he will die beneath its blade.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Very good.”

Miao Tianwang’s panther-like eyes revealed a trace of surprise. “Very good?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Your sabre is already in your hand. My body is already beneath your sabre. Isn’t that very good?”

Miao Tianwang laughed. “Very good. It truly is very good.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Unfortunately, I haven’t died yet.”

Miao Tianwang said, “Life and death have always been things which pass in the twinkling of an eye. I’m not in a rush. Why are you in a hurry?”

Fu Hongxue shut his mouth.

The hilt of the sabre was wreathed in purple silk. It was the color of congealed blood.

Miao Tianwang’s hand gently stroked the hilt of the sabre. He suddenly said, “Are you waiting for me to draw my sabre?”

Fu Hongxue nodded.

Miao Tianwang said, “The rumors of the martial world say that your sabre is a weapon which is fast beyond compare!”

Fu Hongxue didn’t deny it.

Miao Tianwang said, “Why don’t you draw first?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Because I want to see your sabre.”

If I pull out my sabre, I’m afraid that your sabre will never have a chance to leave the sheath again!

Although he didn’t say those words, his meaning was very obvious.

Miao Tianwang suddenly laughed loudly. He suddenly stood up, and the woman sitting on his knee immediately rolled off the bed.

Standing, he towered at least nine feet high. His waist was so thick, it couldn’t be embraced. He looked all the more majestic and awe-inspiring.

Only a person such as him was worthy of using a sabre such as this.

Fu Hongxue stood in front of him, appearing like a black panther standing in front of a majestic lion.

Although the majestic lion was awe-inspiring and terrifying, the panther would definitely not cower from it.

Miao Tianwang’s laughter didn’t stop. “Do you insist on me drawing first?”

Fu Hongxue nodded.

Miao Tianwang said, “You won’t regret it?”

Fu Hongxue smirked.

Just at this moment, a thunderbolt-like flash was charging downwards at him!

Miao Tianwang’s hand was still gripping the hilt of the sabre. The blade was still hidden within the pearl-encrusted sheath. He hadn’t drawn his sabre! The sabre light flew out from behind Fu Hongxue, as though lightning had suddenly struck out from clear skies.

Fu Hongxue had already focused all of his attention on the titan in front of him. How could he imagine that the sabre light would come from behind him? Although the woman outside had not ceased her song, she had secretly closed her eyes.

She had already seen this thunderbolt-like sabre flash’s power. Where the sabre appeared, flesh and blood would fly.

She had seen it too many times. She couldn’t bear to watch! She clearly didn’t really like to watch people being killed.

But this time, after the sabre flash chopped down, flesh and blood didn’t fly about.

Fu Hongxue’s body suddenly shot out at an incline, just perfectly managing to flit by the sabre flash. His sabre had already left the sheath as well, and with a backwards chop, he counter-attacked to the rear.

He had already calculated the position. This sabre attack of his should’ve landed right above the knees of the sabre-wielding man behind him. He never miscalculated. And his sabre had never missed its mark!

But after his sabre shot out, he didn’t see blood. He only heard a swishing sound. It wasn’t the sound of bones being snapped. It was the sound of bamboo being chopped.

The nine-foot long Demon Decapitating Sabre of Heaven’s Monarch flew out into the air. The tip of the sabre sliced into the ground, emanating a startling rainbow sabre light. From within the startling rainbow sabre light, it seemed as though there was a very small human shadow. With a sad and shrill laugh, it flew into the mulberry grove!