Chapter 9: Betting One’s Life on a Single Sabre

The sound of the apricot tree in the courtyard gently rustling in the wind could be heard. The sound of chess pieces being placed on the chessboard were gentle and tasteful, as though they were a musical instrument. There was no expression at all on the face of the young man in white who was trimming his nails. The two who were playing chess didn’t even bother to raise their heads.

Mingyue Xin couldn’t keep herself from saying, “We didn’t come here to watch you play chess.”

Gongsun Tu said, “I know you have come here to find me. I am the one who bathed the Peacock Manor in blood. You didn’t find the wrong person.”

Mingyue Xin’s hands clenched into fists, her fingernails piercing into her flesh. “And the other three?”

Gongsun Tu didn’t directly answer. Instead, he first introduced the young man in white.

“This is the son of Luoyang’s Xiao family, Xiao Siwu [Si Wu means ‘four withouts’].” He explained, “The ‘four withouts’ means this. His flying dagger skill is without equal, he has killed people without number, and when angered, without mercy.”

“The fourth without?”

“Even when he isn’t angered, he’s still without mercy.” Gongsun Tan continued, “He also has another nickname, a very long and strange one. ‘He’ll go to heaven or hell to seek out Little Li, and whole heartedly wishes to kill Ye Kai’.”

In former years, Little Li’s flying dagger overawed the world. Once his flying dagger was sent out, it would never miss! His glorious, magnificent fame had not yet been matched to this very day by any.

Ye Kai received tutelage from him, and gained the essence of his flying dagger. He roamed the martial world for thirty carefree years, and although he didn’t kill a single person without good reason, no one dared to offend him.

Mingyue Xin said, “Not only is this merciless young man certain that he can kill Ye Kai, he also wants to seek out Li Tanhua and compete in martial arts against him?”

Gongsun Tu said, “That seems to be so.”

Mingyue Xin laughed. “He seems to be very arrogant.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Very arrogant people tend to have the ability to back up their arrogance.”

Mingyue Xin said, “That seems to be so.”

Gongsun Tan smiled. “But actually, it isn’t?”

Mingyue Xin laughed. “The more arrogant one is, the less actual ability one has. There are many people in the martial world who are like that.”

Gongsun Tan’s smile was meant to sow discord, but her laughter was nothing short of a direct challenge. These words of hers clearly were meant for Xiao Siwu to hear.

But it seemed as though this haughty young man hadn’t even heard her words. His features remained totally emotionless. The dagger in his hand moved very slowly, and every single motion was extremely careful, as though he were very much afraid that he might cut his hand.

His hand was very steady, and his fingers were long and very strong.

Fu Hongxue never paid attention to people’s hands, but he now paid attention to this person’s. He observed every single movement very carefully.

Trimming one’s fingernails isn’t really all that exciting. It’s not worth watching.

However, Xiao Siwu seemed to become very uncomfortable underneath Fu Hongxue’s stare. He suddenly said in a cold voice, “Watching a person trim his fingernails isn’t as good as watching people play chess.”

Gongsun Tu laughed. “Especially since these two chess players are grandmasters of our time.”

Mingyue Xin blinked a few times. “This Daoist priest would be the boss of the Ziguan Temple?”

It seemed as though Gongsun Tan once more wanted to cause trouble. He intentionally asked, “What boss does the Ziguan Temple have?”

Mingyue Xin laughed. “In a Daoist temple, the head Daoist priest would be the boss. In a *****house, the madame would be the boss. ‘Boss’ is a title that can be applied to all sorts of people.”

The white haired man picked up a chess piece, then suddenly turned his head and smiled towards her. “That’s right. I’m the boss of this place.”

Mingyue Xin sweetly said, “How has business been recently?”

The white haired man said, “Passable. No matter what time it is, there’s always some stupid husband or stupid wife who comes here offering incense or fragrant oils. And of course, during beautiful spring and autumn days, business is very brisk.”

When he spoke, he really sounded as though he were a boss.

Laughing, Mingyue Xin became even more cheerful. “Bosses are usually very boring people. I didn’t expect you to be such an interesting boss.”

The white haired man said, “I’m the sort of man who abstains from nothing at all.”

He also smiled very cheerfully, but Mingyue Xin’s laughter suddenly seemed very forced. “Abstains from nothing at all? Boss, what is your surname?”

The white haired man said, “My surname is Yang.”

Mingyue Xin said, “Yang Wuji?”

The white haired man said, “That seems to be so.”

Mingyue Xin was no longer able to laugh.

She knew of this person. Thirty years ago, he shared an equal amount of fame with the sect leader of Wudang, the Daoist priest Bashan. He was known as one of the ‘Seven Great Swordsmen of the Outer Regions’.

She also knew that there were four lines in a poem which described him. The first line was ‘Abstains from nothing at all’, and so was the fourth.

Very few people knew these four lines.

‘Abstains from nothing at all, as soon as he laughs he kills, if he intends to kill someone, he abstains from nothing at all.’

Supposedly, if this Daoist were to treat you very coldly, that means he considers you a friend. But if he were to laugh at you and treat you very kindly, there usually is only one reason for that: He will kill you!

In addition, it was said that after he had decided to kill you, he would abstain from nothing at all and would kill you regardless of the relationship you had with him. In addition, no matter where one went, he would hunt you down and kill you.

Just now, he laughed with her, and in fact he was still laughing. When was he planning to make his move?

Mingyue Xin stared at him, not daring to look away for a second.

Unexpectedly, Yang Wuji turned his head around again. With a light clinging sound, he placed the chess piece in his hand on the board.

After playing that chess piece, he swept all the pieces on the board off. With a sigh, he said, “You truly are a grandmaster. I admit defeat.”

The middle aged man in black clothes with white socks said, “That wrong move is wholly due to the fact that you were distracted by others. How can it count as a defeat?”

Yang Wuji said, “A single wrong move can cause total disaster. How can it not count as a defeat? In addition, playing chess is like swordsmanship. One should be totally focused and not allow one’s self to be distracted. If one can be distracted by others, how can he be considered an expert?”

Gongsun Tu laughed, “Fortunately, although it is easy for you to be distracted while playing chess, you are never distracted while wielding your sword.”

Yang Wuji lightly said, “Fortunately, that is the case. That’s the only reason why I’ve been able to stay alive up till now.”

The middle aged man in black clothes with white clothes sighed. “Unfortunately, although I am never distracted while playing chess, when I begin competing in swords with others, my mind becomes as muddled and chaotic as the spring grass.”

Mingyue Xin said, “Your surname, sir?”

The man in black said, “I can’t say, I can’t say.”

Mingyue Xin asked, “Why can’t you say?”

The man in black said, “Because I’m a nameless, ordinary fellow. The only thing I am good at is chess.”

Mingyue Xin asked, “You are a chess prodigy? Whose chess prodigy?”

Yan Nanfei suddenly chuckled. “Naturally, he is Gongzi’s chess prodigy.”

The man in black seemed to just notice him. He immediately chuckled, then cupped his hands and said, “Oh, so it’s young master Yan.”

Yan Nanfei said, “Unfortunately, I’m not your young master.”

The man in black smiled. “Young master, do you play chess?”

Yan Nanfei said, “I barely have the time to flee for my life these days. How could I have the energy to play chess?”

The man in black laughed. “I, on the other hand, would be willing to lose my life for the sake of playing chess. Why worry about running for my life?”

Yan Nanfei laughed loudly, and the man in black smiled as well. Evidently, the two of them were already acquainted.

With a chess prodigy like this, what type of person might his young master be?

Yan Nanfei asked again, “Does your young master play any chess?”

The man in black said, “He does not.”

Yan Nanfei smiled. “I imagine it isn’t because he is too busy fleeing for his life. It’s because he’s too busy taking the lives of others.”

The man in black laughed loudly, and Yan Nanfei smiled. Was the person they were speaking of Gongzi Yu?

Yan Nanfei and Gongzi Yu used to be friends?

The man in black cupped his hands again. “Young master, rest here for a bit longer. I must bid you farewell.”

Yan Nanfei asked, “Why don’t you sit for a while longer as well?”

The man in black said, “I came to play chess. Now that there’s no chess game going on, why should I stay?”

Yan Nanfei said, “In order to kill people!”

The man in black said, “Kill people? Who wants to kill people?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Me!”

His face suddenly sank, and he turned to stare coldly at Gongsun Tu. “The person I want to kill is you.”

Gongsun Tu didn’t seem surprised at all. He let out a sigh, then said, “Why do you want to kill me?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Because you have killed far too many people.”

Gongsun Tu lightly said, “And there are quite a few people who want to kill me. But I am still alive.”

Yan Nanfei replied, “You’ve lived for far too long. I’m afraid that today will be the day you must die.”

Gongsun Tu said leisurely, “Today is a day of dying. I just don’t know who will be the one to die!”

Yan Nanfei laughed coldly. At that very moment, he drew forth his sword from beneath his clothes, the Rose Sword!

This soft sword could actually be stuck around one’s waist normally, as though it were a belt. The soft leather scabbard was dyed red using some unknown material, so red that it looked like a spring rose in full bloom.

When he saw this sword, Gongsun Tu couldn’t help but reveal a look of respect in his eyes. “I recognize this sword. It was refined a hundred times and smelted a thousand times over. It is soft, yet unyielding. It really is a rare, incredible tool!”

Yan Nanfei said, “I also know about your hook. Where is your hook?”

Gongsun Tu laughed. “When did you ever see a person using a hook to pick flowers?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Pick flowers?”

Gongsun Tu said, “Isn’t a rose a flower?”

The man in black suddenly said, “If you want to pick a rose, you had best remember that roses have thorns. The thorns can do more than just prick one’s hand; they can also prick one’s heart.”

Gongsun Tu said, “I have no heart to be pricked.”

The man in black said, “But you have a hand which can be hurt.”

Gongsun Tu laughed again, then said without a care, “If he pricks my hand, I shall prick his heart.”

The man in black said, “What will you use to prick his heart?”

Gongsun Tu said, “A person.”

The man in black asked, “Who?”

Gongsun Tu said, “Zhuo Yuzhen.”

The man in black asked, “So if he hurts you, you will kill Zhuo Yuzhen?”

Gongsun Tu nodded. “Zhuo Yuzhen cannot die, and therefore I cannot die either. The only one who can die is him!”

The man in black said, “So you have placed yourself in an invincible position for this battle?”

Gongsun Tu said, “That was the case all along.”

Smiling, he looked at Yan Nanfei. “So by now, you should have realized who will be the person to die today.”

Yan Nanfei said, “You!”

He coldly continued, “Only a dead person can be guaranteed to not kill others. I intend to make sure that Zhuo Yuzhen stays alive, but even more do I intend to make sure that you die.”

Gongsun Tu let out a sigh. “It seems you still don’t understand, since you didn’t hear the words I said earlier.”

The man in black said, “But I heard them.”

Gongsun Tu said, “What did I say?”

The man in black said, “You said that as soon as you see blood, immediately kill Zhuo Yuzhen.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Who did I say that to?”

The man in black said, “I don’t recognize that person. All I know is that you called him ‘forefinger’.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Where is he right now?”

The man in black said, “He took Zhuo Yuzhen with him and left.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Where did he go?”

The man in black said, “I don’t know!”

Gongsun Tu said, “Who knows?”

The man in black said, “It seems nobody knows!”

Gongsun Tu said, “No one knows to begin with!”

Smiling, he looked at Yan Nanfei. “Do you fully understand now?”

Yan Nanfei nodded, but still did not bat an eyelid.

Gongsun Tu said, “So whose death day shall today be?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Yours!”

Gongsu Tu shook his head, smiling wryly. “It seems that not only is this fellow very stubborn, he’s also very stupid. Even now, he doesn’t understand.”

Yan Nanfei said, “The one who doesn’t understand is you, because despite all of your calculations, there is something you have forgotten.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Oh?”

Yan Nanfei said, “You forgot that I cannot die and do not want to die. What’s more, if I die, I still won’t be able to save Zhuo Yuzhen. Why would I let you kill me? Why wouldn’t I kill you?”

Gongsun Tu was startled. “Since nobody can die, what do you propose?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Pull out your hook and give my sword a try. If I cannot defeat you within ten stances, I will give you a person’s life!”

Gongsun Tu said, “Whose life?”

Yan Nanfei said, “My life.”

Gongsun Tu said, “And if you defeat me, I must give you a life as well?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Naturally.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Whose life do you want? Zhuo Yuzhen’s?”

Yan Nanfei said, “I want to see you respectfully presenting her to me.”

Gongsun Tu mumbled to himself for a while, then asked the man in black, “Did Yan Nanfei personally say those words just then?”

The man in black said, “He did.”

Gongsun Tu asked, “Is Yan Nanfei the type of person who keeps his word?”

The man in black said, “His promise is worth its weight in gold. Even if he dies, he won’t go back on it!”

Gongsun Tu suddenly began to laugh again. He loudly laughed, “Actually, everything I have said up till now was to get you to make that promise.”

By the time his laughter ended, his hook appeared in his hand.

A hook as bright as snow. Eyes as keen as an eagle’s. A smile as cruel as a hawk’s. Although his weapon was very heavy, it’s transformations were light and complicated.

Gongsun Tu smiled. “Do you know what’s the good thing about this hook?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Go ahead and tell me.”

Gongsun Tu lightly stroked the tip of the hook. “Although this hook is very heavy, in a small room, it can be used freely. How about your sword?”

Yan Nanfei said, “If you can force me out of this room, you can consider me as having lost.”

Gongsun Tu laughed loudly. “Great. Why haven’t you drawn your sword yet?”

Yan Nanfei said, “There’s no need for me to draw my sword.”

Gongsun Tu said, “No need?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Even a sheathed sword can still kill. Why should I draw it out? After I pull it out, perhaps it’ll become unable to kill.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Why is that?”

Yan Nanfei said, “Because the ingenuity of this sword lies not in the tip but in the scabbard.”

Gongsun Tu did not understand. “Can it be that the scabbard of the sword is even sharper than its point?”

Yan Nanfei gently stroked the bright red scabbard. “Do you know what was used to dye the scabbard red?”

Gongsun Tu did not know.

Yan Nanfei said, “The juice of the ‘Blood Rose’.”

Gongsun Tu clearly did not know what a ‘Blood Rose’ was. He had never heard of it.

Yan Nanfei said, “The ‘Blood Rose’ is a rose that has been irrigated using five different types of poisoned blood.”

Gongsun Tu said, “Five types of poisoned blood? What five?”

Yan Nanfei said, “The seven-inch serpent, the hundred-sectioned centipede, the thousand-year old cold snake, and the blazing red poisonous scorpion.”

Gongsun Tu said, “And the last one?”

Yan Nanfei coldly said, “The last one is the blood of unfilial, unjust traitors and villains!”

Gongsun Tu was unable to laugh this time.

Yan Nanfei said, “The creatures which the Rose Sword kills are these five types. If it meets a filial son, a loyal official, or an honorable man, then there is no way for the power of the sword to be released.”