Chapter 19: Executioner

A flash of sabre light. A splash of blood.

She saw the flash of sabre light. She even saw the splashing blood.

The pearls of blood seemed to splash out from between her eyes. When she saw these pearls of blood, it was as though she had seen her own ghost, or seen her two legs leave her body and then give her a kick.

She even felt as though her left eye could now see her right eye.

Who can truly understand her feelings?

Nobody. Only living people can understand other people’s feelings. A dead person’s head definitely can’t hold these thoughts, because it has already been chopped in half. A person whose head had been chopped in half originally shouldn’t be able to see anything, unless the sabre was simply too fast. When the sabre blade chopped down, the sense of vision hadn’t died yet. She could still see what happened in that split second.

This very last split second.

How long is a split second?

There are sixty split seconds in the snap of a finger. The strange thing was, the last split second before a person dies, they can think of some things which they normally wouldn’t think through in an entire day and night.

Right now, nobody knew what she was thinking, and she naturally would never be able to say it.

Ni Ping. Thirty three years of age.

The second son of Ni Baofeng, ‘Master of the Pavilion of Hidden Treasure’, he wielded a long sword. He was one of the more famous quick swordsmen of the next generation of martial artists.

He was single and had never wed.

After the Ni Family Garden had been destroyed, he often stayed with the famous prostitute, Bai Ruyu, in her ‘Courtyard of Jade Fragrance’.

On April 19th, Fu Hongxue killed Ni Ping.

Ni Hui, twenty years old.

The second daughter of the ‘Master of the Pavilion of Hidden Treasure’, intelligent and resourceful, with extremely high skills in lightness kungfu. She alone practiced the overpowering hidden projectile skill, ‘Celestial Maiden Flowers’. She had killed three people.

She was single and had never wed.

On April 19th, Fu Hongxue killed Ni Hui.

Duo Qingzi, thirty-five years old.

Originally, his surname was ‘Hu’. His background was unclear, but he entered the Xingxiuhai sect in his infancy. Even as a youth, his martial arts proficiency was very high, and the ‘Great Soul-Searching Hand of Severing Heaven and Shattering Earth’ was one of the seven great Secret Skills of the martial world. He had killed an innumerable number of people.

He was single and had never wed.

Before March had ended, he had evilly killed six married women.

On the night of April 19th, Fu Hongxue killed Duo Qingzi.

Luo Xiaohu, forty years old.

He had robbed and plundered the lands west of the river. He wielded a sabre and thought very highly of himself. He considered himself the best sabre-wielder in the world.

He was single and had never wed.

On April 21st, Fu Hongxue killed Luo Xiaohu.

Yang Wulu, forty four years old.

The cousin of Yang Wuji, ‘Master of the White Clouds Temple.’ A disciple of the Kunlun sect. He had a very high attainment in the ‘Eighteen Stances of the Flying Dragon’. He was very narrow minded, and would definitely take vengeance when slighted. He really rather had Yang Wuji’s attitude of ‘abstain from nothing when killing’.

He became a Taoist priest when young, and was single.

On April 22nd, Fu Hongxue killed Yang Wulu.

Yin Rudi, thirty years old.

Jin Rumu, thirty three years old.

The two worked together and had killed people without number. They were nicknamed the ‘Twin Killers of the Five Elements’. Their martial arts techniques were extremely secretive.

They had very unkind temperaments and were very stingy. By this year, they were fabulously wealthy.

Yin Rudi was a lecher.

Jin Rumu was castrated at birth.

On April 23rd, Fu Hongxue killed Yin Rudi, Jin Rumu.

Zhuge Duan, fifty years old.

He was the Buddhist disciple of Guanxi’s ‘One Sabred Luo’. He was unfeeling and skeptical, and loved to kill people.

He had long since become a widower.

He had married three times, but all three of his wives had died to his sabre.

No children.

On April 24th, Fu Hongxue killed Zhuge Duan.

‘A Flower Branch’, Qian Lixiang. Twenty nine years old.

A rapist and an expert in using knockout drugs.

He was single and had never wed.

On April 25th, Fu Hongxue killed Qian Lixiang.

There was a great deal of material left in the thick folder in front of him. It had all been obtained from various places by the two men in front of him.

He only flipped a few pages. Then he no longer read.

One of the two standing in front of him was Gu Qi, him of the black shirt and white socks. The other wore a moon-white monk’s robe that was totally spotless. It was the crazy monk from the Ancient Monastery of the Celestial Dragon.

Right now, he didn’t seem crazy in the slightest.

His attitude towards the two was very gentle and mild. They, on the other hand, were very respectful towards him, just like how loyal ministers would act towards their monarch.

Although they were standing facing him, there was a very large, very broad table between them.

Regardless of the time or place, he would always keep an appropriate distance between himself and others.

Although his smiling face was very amiable, no one ever dared to annoy him, because he was the most legendary figure in the martial world of this day and age.

He was Gongzi Yu.

The room was tasteful and secluded. Every single item had been selected with the greatest care and placed in the most suitable place. But there weren’t many things on the table. Aside from that folder, there was only a long sword wrapped in yellow silk.

From outside the window, the shadows of flowers flickered about. No voices could be heard, and there were only the three of them inside.

When he wasn’t speaking, they didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly. They all knew that Gongzi Yu liked silence.

The folder was shut.

Gongzi Yu finally let out a sigh. “Why do you always want me to look at these things?”

With two fingers, he gently flicked the folder back to them, as though he were afraid of being contaminated by the bloody acts and murderous aura described within.

Only then did he continue, “Why don’t you directly tell me, how many people has he killed over these past few days?”

Wu Hua looked at Gu Qi.

Gu Qi said, “Twenty three.”

Gongzi Yu wrinkled his forehead. “Seventeen days, twenty three people?”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu sighed. “Hasn’t he killed just a little too many people?”

Gu Qi said, “It is too many.”

Gongzi Yu said, “I hear that your chess buddy, Yang Wuji, also had his hand chopped off by him.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu chuckled. “Fortunately, one can still play chess with his left hand.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Did Yang Wulu seek out Fu Hongxue in order to get revenge for his cousin?”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Luo Xiaohu naturally fought in order to compete to see whose sabre was faster.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Why did Zhuge Duan kill all three of his wives?”

Gu Qi said, “Because they smiled once at other men.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Out of these two people, one thought too highly of himself, and the other was too skeptical of others. Those types of people can do more harm than good. From now on, you must not accept those sorts of people into our organization.”

Gu Qi and Wu Hua simultaneously said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu’s countenance became mild again. “But I know that their sabre techniques weren’t weak.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “The Great Soul-Searching Hand of the Xingxiuhai sect can also be considered a very powerful martial arts technique.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “I hear that Fu Hongxue has always been depressed recently, and has drowned himself in alcohol.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “And yet, none of these experts you sought out were able to block even a single sabre chop of his.”

Gu Qi did not dare to open his mouth. He didn’t dare to say ‘yes’ again.

But Gongzi Yu was waiting for him to respond. When he asked a question, the answer must be concise, but there must be an answer. A lack of an answer would be an indication that his question was not worth being taken seriously.

Anyone who didn’t take him seriously was guaranteed to receive a suitable punishment.

Gu Qi finally said, “Although he drinks a great deal, his hand is still very steady.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Alcohol has no effect on him?”

Gu Qi said, “It has a little effect.”

Gongzi Yu said, “What effect?”

Gu Qi said, “When he strikes, he becomes even more vicious than before.”

Gongzi Yu was silent, then slowly said, “I imagine he must be very angry. Thus, his sabre has become even more fearsome.”

Gu Qi did not ask why. In front of Gongzi Yu, he only answered, never asked.

But Gongzi Yu continued. “Because rage is also a type of power. A power which can compel someone to do many things.”

Looking at him, Gu Qi’s eyes were filled with admiration and respect.

He never looked down upon his opponents. His analyses and judgements were always correct. His understanding of his opponents was perhaps even deeper than they themselves had.

Thus, he was successful. His success definitely was not due to luck.

Gongzi Yu suddenly asked, “He still waits for others to attack first before drawing?”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu let out another sigh. “This is the most fearsome point of all. A man who can gain mastery after his opponent launches the first strike is definitely much more fearsome than a man who gains the advantage after taking the initiative.”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Do you know why?”

Gu Qi said, “Because when one launches an attack, right at the point when he is about to attack but hasn’t yet, his power is at the softest point. His sabre severs the opponent’s life at precisely that moment.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Can anyone else do this?”

Gu Qi said, “They cannot.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Why?”

Gu Qi said, “Very few people besides him are capable of seizing that brief, transient moment.”

Gongzi Yu smiled. “It seems your martial arts have improved.”

Gu Qi said, “Just a bit.”

He didn’t dare to be too modest. His words were honest. In front of Gongzi Yu, no matter who you are, you must speak the truth.

Gongzi Yu’s smile became jubilant. “Do you want to test his sabre and see how fast it is?”

Gu Qi said, “No I don’t.”

Gongzi Yu said, “You know you aren’t his match?”

Gu Qi said, “To my understanding, there are only two people who can stop him.”

Gongzi Yu said, “One of them is Ye Kai?”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu said, “The other one is me?”

Gu Qi said, “Yes.”

Gongzi Yu slowly stood up. He walked to the window and pushed the screen open, causing the fragrance of the garden to rush towards his face. He stood there quietly, not moving, not speaking.

Gu Qi and Tu Hua didn’t dare to move either.

After a long, long time, he slowly said, “I’m afraid there’s something you don’t know.”

Gu Qi still didn’t dare to ask.

Gongzi Yu said, “I don’t like killing people. In my entire life, I have never personally killed anyone before.”

Gu Qi wasn’t surprised. Some people didn’t need to personally kill.

Gongzi Yu said, “Nobody can stop him. At most, I can kill him.”

Because he himself was like a sabre, a steel sabre. You can break him, but you definitely can’t make him bend.

Gongzi Yu said, “But right now, I don’t want to make an exception and kill him.”

Because he still had misgivings. His incomparably noble, just, and heroic reputation wasn’t easily obtained. So he couldn’t kill people, and even less could he kill Fu Hongxue.

Because Fu Hongxue wasn’t a person whom everybody felt deserved to die.

Gongzi Yu said, “So now, I can only let him kill people. The more he kills, the better.”

Let him kill? Until when? Until everybody wanted to kill him, until he went mad.

Gongzi Yu said, “So now, we can still give him some more provocations, and let him kill a few more people.”

Turning around, he looked at them. “We can even give him some people to kill.”

Gu Qi said, “I will make arrangements.”

Gongzi Yu said, “What type of people do you plan to arrange for him to kill?”

Gu Qi said, “The first is Xiao Siwu.”

Gongzi Yu said, “Why have you chosen this person?”

Gu Qi said, “Because this person has already changed.”

Gongzi Yu said, “I think you can definitely arrange for some more interesting people for him to kill.”

Smiling, he slowly continued, “Right now, I’ve already thought of the most interesting person.”