AS : AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF JUEDAI SHUANGJIAO! 武俠即奇幻：絕代雙驕之英譯! A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION ! NATIONAL NORMAL UNIVERSITY! 國立台灣師範大學翻譯研究所碩士論文! Ryan Kueck! 柯潤元! Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sharon Lai! 指導教授：賴慈芸博士! December 2013! 2013年 12⽉ ! Contents!

Partial List of ’s Novels……………………………………………….……..iii! Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………...iv ! Introduction…………………………………………………...... 1 ! Motivation…………………………………………………………….…………….2! Significance to the Field……………………………..…………….……………..3 ! Background on Wuxia Fiction……………………….……………………….…..4 !

Literature Review..…………………………………….…………………………………11 !

Wuxia in English Translation…………………………………….….……………11 !

Reviews of Translation…………………………………………….……………..13 !

Reviews of Reception……………………………………………….……..……..16 ! Gu Long: His Life, His Works, His Style……………………………………….…….22 ! His Life…………………………………………………………………….………..22 ! His Works…………………………………………………………………………..25! His Style………………………………………………………………….………...30!

Legendary Siblings…………………………………………………….………….39 !

Legendary Siblings in English………………………………………….……………..43 !

Setting……………………………………………………………….……………..44 !

Proper Names……………………………………………………………………..45 !

General Problems………………………………………………………………….52 !

Conclusion………………………………………………………………….……………..58 !

References………………………………………………………………….……………..61 !

Appendix A: List of Gu Long’s Novels……………………………….………………67!

Legendary Siblings in Translation…………………………………………………….71!

!ii Partial List of Gu Long’s Novels! The following is a list of the titles that I will be referencing throughout my thesis. As only Gu Long’s The Eleventh Son (Xiao Shiyilang 蕭十一郎) has been published in English, I have made my own translations of the titles for easier reading. A complete list of his works is provided in Appendix A. 1. A Fine (Mingjian Fengliu 名劍風流)

2. Legendary Siblings (Juedai Shuangjiao 絕代雙驕)

3. The Legend of Chu Liuxiang (Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi 楚留香傳奇)

4. The Sentimental Swordsman (Duoqing Jianke Wuqing 多情劍客無情劍)

5. The Happy (Huanle Yingxiong 歡樂英雄)

6. Meteor, Butterfly, Sword (Liuxing, Hudie, Jian 流星·蝴蝶·劍)

7. The Legend of (Lu Xiaofeng Chuanqi 陸小鳳傳奇)

8. Betrayal of the Eleventh Son (Huobing Xiao Shiyilang 火併蕭十一郎)

!iii Abstract!

The Chinese wuxia novel has enjoyed a long history spanning millennia. While even within the last century there have been hundreds of published wuxia authors, only a handful of names are ubiquitous in the Chinese-speaking world. This thesis will introduce one prolific wuxia novelist who is well-known and studied in China and

Taiwan, but overlooked for the most part by Western academics: Gu Long (古龍). After an introduction to his life and works, I will compare his writing style with that of

(金庸), the wuxia author favored by academia. I will also introduce my own translation of

Gu Long’s Juedai Shuangjiao (絕代雙驕) and state my case for why Gu Long’s novels, which closely resemble fantasy novels, are excellent candidates for translation into

English to extend the wuxia genre to English readers,.

Keywords: Gu Long, wuxia novel, Juedai Shuangjiao, translation, fantasy

!iv 摘要! 武俠⼩說的歷史悠久，儘管近數⼗年，華⽂⽂壇裡已有幾百位武俠作家，但是達到 家喻⼾曉境界的作家屈指可數，更何況在歐美國家，讀者對於武俠⼩說就更陌⽣了。本論 ⽂以古⻯作為研究對象，探究其⽣平、著作並且與⾦庸對⽐，藉此機會介紹古⻯的作品給 ⻄⽅。除此之外，筆者翻譯了《絕代雙驕》，並且在本論⽂討論所使⽤到的翻譯策略，最 後提出古⻯的作品較容易進⼊⻄⽅世界的原因。 關鍵字：古龍，武俠小說，絕代雙驕，翻譯，奇幻

!v Chapter One! Introduction! novels, wuxia xiaoshuo 武俠⼩說, have enjoyed a long

history. There have been hundreds of modern wuxia1 novelists over the past century; however, only a handful of their names are ubiquitous throughout the Chinese-speaking world. Jin Yong ⾦庸 (Louis Cha 查良鏞 1924- ) is almost synonymous with wuxia novels; he has been celebrated as the greatest author of the genre and has even been honored with his own “study of Jin Yong” (⾦學) as academics have begun studying and analyzing his works. The English-speaking world has also recently begun to recognize his works. Within the past few decades there have been academic works focusing on

Jin Yong both written and translated into English. A selection of his novels has been translated into Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, and English (Lai 1998,

134).

This thesis, however, will introduce another prolific wuxia novelist, also well- known and studied in China and Taiwan, but overlooked for the most part in Western academia: Gu Long 古龍 (Xiong Yaohua 熊耀華 1937-1985). Gu Long and Jin Yong’s careers overlapped, but as Gu Long continued to experiment with each of his new

1! There is no consensus on the exact starting point of “modern martial arts fiction,” but most critics agree on the consequential contribution of Extraordinary Heroes on River and Lake (Jianghu Qixia Zhuan 江湖 奇俠傳) by The Unworthy Son of Pingjiang 平江不肖生 (Xiang Kairan 向愷然 1889-1957) published in 1922 (Lai 1998, 30).

!1 stories, he gradually separated his writing style from the traditional backdrop which Jin

Yong maintained.

This introductory chapter will give a brief overview of my motivation for writing this thesis, the significance of this thesis, and background information on the wuxia genre. Chapter Two will introduce recently published English translations of wuxia fiction and review some of the academic papers focusing on those works and opinions on the reception of this new genre. Chapter Three provides a biography of Gu Long and an analysis of his writing style. In Chapter Four I will discuss some of my thought processes and the hurdles I encountered during the translation of Legendary Siblings

(Juedai Shuangjiao 絕代雙驕). And Chapter Five concludes with my ideas on the translation of Chinese martial arts fiction and advice to future translators in this field.

Appendices attached include a list of Gu Long’s novels and my translation of Legendary

Siblings.

This thesis will not provide an in-depth analysis of wuxia or Gu Long’s position in literature as a whole or of Gu Long’s life and how that may have influenced his writing.

Motivation!

Like many Americans born in the mid-1980s, I was introduced to the wuxia genre by Hollywood films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Hero (2002), and

House of Flying Daggers (2004). These were also my first introduction to the Chinese language and culture before I began studying Chinese in 2007. After stepping into the

field of translation, I decided early on that I would like to try my hand at translating something that piqued my interests and had yet to be translated into English.

!2 My experience reading parts of the few Chinese martial arts novels in English translation failed to live up to the excitement I had felt watching those wuxia films in my youth. On the recommendation of my advising professor, Dr. Sharon Lai, I read and began translating Gu Long’s Legendary Siblings. After comparing Gu Long and Jin

Yong, it became clear to me that Gu Long’s novels would be easier to translate and more likely to be accepted by a western audience. It is my hope that this thesis and translation can continue to widen the selection and reach of Chinese martial arts fiction as I sincerely believe that Gu Long’s later works lend themselves to translation much better than any of Jin Yong’s novels.

Significance to the Field!

According to Lin Baochun 林保淳, “in recent years, Jin Yong has become the dominant figure, nearly the sole figure, in academic analyses of wuxia novels. People instinctively bring up Jin Yong when discussing the genre and most readers are only

familiar with his books, rejecting outright all other wuxia novels”2 , 3 (洪文軒 3).

There have been innumerable studies of modern Chinese martial arts fiction conducted in the Chinese-speaking world. The majority focus on Jin Yong, Gu Long, and 梁羽生 (Chen Wentong 陳文統 1926－2009), three prominent authors in the genre. In comparison, English academic works on the subject have

!2 Originally from Lin Baochun’s “救救台灣的武俠小說 — 解構金庸及走出金庸體系的迷思” published in 《明報月刊》Volume 31卷2期, February 1996.

!3 All quotations from sources originally in Chinese are my own translations unless otherwise noted.

!3 developed tunnel vision on Jin Yong. In terms of the translation of wuxia novels, while there is by no means a large selection, there is also a bias towards Jin Yong’s works.

The present thesis aims to slightly offset the partiality given to Jin Yong—in both academia and translation—in favor of his colleague, Gu Long. I have translated the first

book of Gu Long’s seminal work, Legendary Siblings,4 which is included at the end of this thesis. If published, my translation will be the second English rendition of a Gu Long novel after Rebecca Tai’s translation of Xiao Shiyilang (蕭十一郎) entitled The Eleventh

Son. I will also introduce my own take on translating this genre, citing some specific strategies which vary from previous translators.

Background on Wuxia Fiction!

Chinese wuxia fiction is a genre of traditional Chinese fiction. Fiction with martial arts themes has evolved over thousands of years from the storytelling tradition and has appeared in many forms throughout Chinese history (Lai 1998). However, before the end of the (1644-1911), the term wuxia xiaoshuo 武俠小說, as the genre is described today, did not exist (葉洪生 11).

Chinese tales of xia 俠—chivalrous as most translate the term today—heroes can be traced back to the Warring States period (403-221 BCE) (Liu, James 1); Sima

Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji 史記), written from 109 to 91 BCE,5 includes biographies of some of these “xia characters.” There were many different types

!4 As published by Storm & Stress Publishing Co. in 2009; there are a total of five books in this series.

!5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Records_of_the_Grand_Historian

!4 of people classified as being xia before the modern xia hero was born, including the wandering youxia 游俠, benevolent renxia 仁俠, young shaoxia 少俠, righteous yixia 義

俠, boisterous haoxia 豪俠, courageous yongxia 勇俠, reclusive yinxia 隱俠, Confucian ruxia 儒俠, sword-wielding jianxia 劍俠, thieving daoxia 盜俠, monk sengxia 僧俠, and female nüxia 女俠 (葉洪生 11). The xia character of the protagonist has always been the heart of these stories although the definition, ideals, actions, and assessment of these characters have evolved over time: the youxia of the Warring States period travelled great distances heralding justice; the haoxia of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) domineered local villages by their own moral compass; the shaoxia during the Six

Dynasties (220-589) were recalcitrant young men full of self-confidence, the jianxia of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) were strange and mysterious expert swordsmen, the yixia after the Song Dynasty (960-1279) advocated a return to man’s natural benevolence

and righteousness 6 (葉洪生, 林保淳 16).

Below I will give a concise overview of the major changes seen in the genre starting from its first popularization in the Tang Dynasty until the end of the Qing

Dynasty, and then from the beginnings of the modern wuxia novel until the end of Gu

Long’s career in the mid-1980s.

Wuxia Fiction 618-1920!

6! These previous xia characters did not necessarily practice a form of martial arts (wu 武 ) like modern wuxia characters

!5 Tales of chivalry did not flourish until the end of the Tang dynatsy, and by the end of the Song Dynasty, chivalry was one of the main subjects of oral story-telling (Liu

1967, 81), although by this time, these protagonists were no longer normal people, but mystical persons imbued with supernatural skills (Lai 1998, 13).

Also during the Song, chivalric stories began to split into chuanqi 傳奇, short stories recited in classical prose, and huaben 話本, short- to medium-length stories told in the vernacular (葉洪生 21). There was not much evolution in the stories in the literary language, with most writers following the format established in the Tang Dynasty (Lai

1998, 20). However, some stories about heroes were joined together and became longer prose military tales such as The Water Margin (Shuihu Zhuan 水滸傳) (Liu 1967,

108). Unlike the previous literary-language stories which only focused on one person or event (Lai 1998, 23), The Water Margin revolved around a gang of heroes. These heroes also did not possess the magic abilities that the heroes of the Tang Dynasty had.

After the success of The Water Margin, it became the model for many stories after the

Qing Dynasty.

Another important evolution in martial arts-themed fiction provided by these longer stories was the introduction of a love story plot. Different from The Water Margin, other military romanticizations detailed generations of military generals and their exploits, including their romances with female generals, “a barbarian princess or daughter of some chieftain” (Lai 1998, 25).

Up until the end of the Qing Dynasty, what began as tales of honor and valor had evolved into several branches. As James Liu divided them: 1. Chivalric tales and

!6 detective stories (gong an 公案) involving “a group of knights-errant who protect an upright official and help him to eliminate criminals” (Liu, James 117); 2. The romances of the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School (yuanyang hudie pai 鴛鴦蝴蝶派) combining chivalry and love (Liu 1967, 121); 3. Tales of flying swordsmen which included elements of the supernatural (Liu 1967, 129); and 4. Tales focusing on feats of strength and schools of swordsmanship and martial arts—wuxia (Liu, James 134).

Wuxia Fiction 1920-1985!

It was only after The Unworthy Son of Pingjiang’s Extraordinary Heroes on River and Lake and The Legends of Modern Chivalric Heroes (Jindai Xiayi Yingxiong Zhuan

近代俠義英雄傳) in the early 1920s that martial arts fiction began to distinguish itself from previous chivalric fiction (葉洪生, 林保淳 3). Novels published before the twentieth century were mainly short stories modeled after the Tang Dynasty legends and written in classical Chinese (葉洪生 43). Wuxia fiction varied greatly in length and style during

1910-1920s with the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly stories gaining great popularity (葉洪

生 29-30). After 1920 and the May Fourth New Literature Movement (xin wenxue yundong 新文學運動), literary prose decreased significantly, stories grew in length, and professional wuxia novelists emerged (葉洪生 43). Huang Yonglin (黃永林) compressed the changes in wuxia novels from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the 1920s into five categories: “1. More descriptions and criticisms of the current society; 2. More intricate depictions of characters; 3. More room for imagination and more developed themes of

!7 romance; 4. More concrete and elaborate descriptions of martial arts; 5. More diverse

and innovative narrative styles”7 (翁文信 125-126).

In the 30s and 40s, Master of the Returned Pearl Pavilion 還珠樓主 (Li Shoumin

李壽民 1902-1961), Bai Yu 白羽 (Gong Zhuxin 宮竹心 1899-1966), Zheng Zhengyin 鄭

證因 (Zheng Rupei 鄭汝霈 1900-1960), 王度廬 (Wang Baoxiang 王葆祥

1909-1977), and Zhu Zhenmu 朱貞木 (Zhu Zhenyuan 朱楨元 1905-?) unified the style and content in wuxia novels through their works, establishing a course of development for later wuxia novels over the next fifty years (葉洪生 45).

Martial arts fiction in the 1950s was prohibited in Mainland China and censored in

Taiwan 8 which led to the development of a “New School” (xinpai 新派) of wuxia novels in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. These New School authors began to express new thoughts and ideals as well as employ a new writing style (葉洪生 62), but the Hong

Kong authors, including Jin Yong and Liang Yusheng, moved in a historicized and scholarly direction, while Taiwanese authors removed most historical aspects (陳康芬

175).

The wuxia market flourished in Taiwan during the 1960s; there were over three hundred martial arts authors, mostly soldiers or scholars, who produced a great number of martial arts novels. One publisher, Zhen Shan Mei Chubanshe 真善美出版社, is

7 From Huang Yonglin’s article “Changes and Characteristics of Chinese Martial Arts Fiction from the 1920s to the 1940s” (二〇至四〇年代中國武俠小說的現代轉型及其特徵).

8! Martial arts fiction was considered “a relic of the old literature of the bourgeoisie” in Mainland China and was banned outright. Taiwan censored all works that were deemed to have connections with the Commu- nist Party and by authors who did not leave Mainland China (Lai 1998, 39).

!8 estimated to have published between 1,200 and 2,000 stories written across 25,000 to

40,000 books (葉洪生, 林保淳 151-152). In “The Modernization of Wuxia Fiction” (武俠

小說的現代化轉型), Gong Pengcheng (龔鵬程) wrote that “while novels still used martial arts (wu 武) and chivalry (xia 俠) as their source material, the novels became more modernized and shifted emphasis from describing martial arts to writing about human nature” (翁文信 105).

The 1970s and later saw many adaptations of wuxia novels into television, theatre, comics, and movies, but there was a decrease in new authors and books and some publishers stopped printing altogether as the popularity of martial arts fiction began to decline (葉洪生, 林保淳 340).

With such a long literary history, martial arts fiction has developed its own tropes

—

“murder, escape, finding a martial arts master, practising the martial arts, returning to the world of River and Lake from some secluded place, encountering a beautiful woman, the humiliation and frustration of defect [sic], finding another martial arts master, being abandoned by a lover, being wounded, being healed, finding a treasure, revenge, settling scores, and retiring from the world of River and Lake to some secluded place” (Lai 1998, 81) —and its own lexicon used by all martial arts authors. Originally serialized in newspapers, modern martial arts fiction tells tales of adventure and romance between men and women with extraordinary, almost supernatural, abilities set in historical China.

“Fiction on martial arts themes first attracted western translators’ attention in the eighteenth century” (Lai 1998, 90). Since then, there have been many translations of certain stories; for example Water Margin (水滸傳), or sections thereof, has been

!9 translated and re-translated several times in the past two hundred years.9 However, in comparison, the modern wuxia novel has been relatively ignored in translation.

9! Some translations are “Tales of a Chinese Giant” (1872-3), All Men Are Brothers (1933), Outlaws of the Marsh (1980), Men o the Mossflow (1986-7), The Broken Seals: Part one of The Marshes of Mount Liang (1994) and The Tiger Killers: part two of The Marshes of Mount Liang (1997) (from Lai 1998, 91-92).

!10 Chapter Two!

Literature Review!

This chapter is presented in three parts. The first section introduces the wuxia novels that have already been published in English translation. The second reviews academic papers focusing on these translations, analyzing the ideas of researchers in the field of modern martial arts fiction in English. The third part looks at articles written on the reception of these translations. Sections two and three will end with my own reflections of these papers and the general reception of wuxia by the novels’ English- speaking audiences.

Wuxia in English Translation!

For a large part of the western world, the Chinese martial arts novel may still be a relatively new and unfamiliar genre. Although wuxia has become more recognized and recognizable through its adaptations into movies or video games, the novels on which

these are based are all but nonexistent in English translation.10

A total of five modern Chinese martial arts novels written in the past century have been published in English:

• Flying Fox of Snow Mountain (Xueshan Feihu 雪山飛狐) written

by Jin Yong in 1959 and translated by Robin Wu in 1972

10! There are actually a great number of martial arts novels available in English if unauthorized, unpub- lished (and amateurish) translations found on the internet are included.

!11 • Blades from the Willows (Liuhu Xiayin 柳湖俠隱) written by

Master of the Returned Pearl Pavilion in 1946 and translated by Robert Chard in 1991 • Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain (Xueshan Feihu 雪山飛狐)

translated by Olivia Mok first in 1993 and edited in 1996 • (Shujian Enchou Lu 書劍恩仇錄)

written by Jin Yong in 1955 and translated by Graham Earnshaw in 1995 with the most recent edition by Earnshaw, Rachel May, and John Minford in 2005 • The Deer and the Cauldron (Luding 鹿鼎記) written by Jin

Yong in 1969 and translated by John Minford in three books; the first of which was published in 1997, the second in 2000, and the third in 2003 • The Eleventh Son written by Gu Long in 1973 and translated by Rebecca Tai (戴幸) in 2005

As seen above, Jin Yong accounts for over half of the translations available in

English. I believe solely looking at one author is not enough to give the wuxia genre due justice. Granted, there are also movies, television series, video games, and other available adaptations of martial arts fiction, but the selection in print is extremely limited.

As evidenced by the prefixes and forwards of the four most recent translations, each of the translators seemed to have the same target audience and translation strategy: “This book is an attempt to translate and make acessible to the English reader this important work in Chinse wuxia fiction” (T. L. Tsim, Foreword to Fox Volant of the

Snowy Mountain). “While every effort has been made to follow as closely as possible the original in rendering the text into English, the translator has taken it upon herself to

!12 leave out certain sections or to move some paragraphs to ensure a smooth reading of

the translated text” (Mok, Introduction to Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain). “[W]e11 hope to give English readers a glimpse of the rich Chinese cultural tapestry that is Cha’s kungfu world...I hope that now some English-speaking readers will be able to share a little of the enormous pleasure his novels have given to millions of Chinese readers since they first appeared over twenty years ago” (Minford, Translator’s Introduction to

The Deer and the Cauldron). “I was as faithful to the spirit of the original as I could be. I took the view that I could omit or simplify, but not add and Mr. Cha agreed with my

approach” (Earnshaw, The Book and the Translator).12 Unfortunately Tai did not mention her strategy or intentions in her “Note from the Translator,” but it is safe to assume she held similar thoughts in mind.

Reviews of Translation!

! A number of papers have been written and translated into English asserting the value of Jin Yong’s works. Specifically in the field of translation, many have explored the task of reproducing the terminology of martial arts fiction in English, the reception of the

English translations, and some have written analyses of these translations.

In Translating Chinese Martial Arts Fiction, with Reference to the Novels of Jin

Yong, Sharon Lai writes a comprehensive history of the wuxia genre and its English translation. Before analyzing the translations of Jin Yong’s novels, Lai selects twenty-

!11 Minford’s “we” is referring to himself along with Sharon Lai and Graham Earnshaw, fellow translators of Jin Yong’s works.

!12 http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Sword-Louis-Cha/dp/0195907272

!13 eight stories with martial arts themes which have been translated over the past two hundred and fifty years. The original dates of publication for these tales span the 1600s to the 1900s. Using these stories as reference, she give examples of the different strategies used by translators over the years, focusing mainly on domestication and foreignization.

Lai then analyzes how modern translators tackled the same problems when translating Jin Yong in terms of lexicon, omission, annotation, and adaptation. In general, Lai says of Wu’s Flying Fox of Snow Mountain, “As a version it is reasonably readable, but over-simplified. The translator's insufficient knowledge of Chinese history and culture constitute another problem” (Lai 1998, 136). Mok’s translation of the same book “follows the original so closely that it sacrifices idiom” (Lai 1998, 137). She draws attention to the fact that Earnshaw “is not a Chinese nor a specialist (he is a journalist working in Shanghai), [so] he has certain difficulties in translating passages in the literary language, especially poems and allusions. Nevertheless, this translation is much more idiomatic than the earlier two” (Lai 1998, 137-138). As for The Deer and the

Cauldron, Lai simply states that “it is much more admired by critics than Xueshan [Fox

Volant] and Shujian [Book and Sword]” (Lai 1998, 138).

Her conclusion is not very encouraging: translating Jin Yong’s works is filled with challenges—“problems of language and the problems of bringing to life a historical period and a sense of cultural heritage” (Lai 1998, 173)—and of the variations of strategies used by these translators have only been somewhat successful. She believes

“the translation of Jin Yong’s works call for still more imaginative and bold strategies” (Lai 1998, 174).

!14

As a student of martial arts, Drew Cameron believes everything should be as authentic as possible to maintain the full “Chineseness.” He warns against the translator making assumptions about the cultural knowledge of the readership and makes it clear that he believes the majority of readers of wuxia novels in English are those who are

“interested in or already are practicing the Chinese martial arts” (Cameron 15).

The overall emotion of his analysis of The Deer and that Cauldron is one of lament. The assortment of strategies Minford used in translation, including simplification, borrowing terms from other languages such as Italian and French, and even creating new words, seemed to be the exact opposite of what makes a successful translation in Cameron’s eyes:

I personally consider direct romanization of Chinese martial arts terms into English, by using or whatever romanization system a translator is used to, to be the best way of translating such terminology in a Wuxia novel...I believe that many of the readers of a Wuxia novel in English translation would very likely be those who practice the Chinese martial arts themselves or those who possess an interest in them...As such, I suggest that direct romanization of these key terms to be a good strategy to give readers an authentic Wuxia reading experience while at the same time allowing them to learn more about Chinese language and culture. (Cameron 65). He concludes with a suggestion, a warning, and a word of encouragement to future translators: be braver in the foreignization of wuxia novels, make sure to clearly identify your audience to avoid any disappointment, and be positive about the reception of martial arts fiction in English. Unfortunately, it may be more difficult for translators to remain positive after such a harsh review.

!15 In A Comparison between the Book and the Web Versions of the English

Translation of The Book and the Sword, Elliot Chiang (江奇忠) also stresses that cultural content and martial arts should not be downplayed or omitted, but explained. He hails the glossary and footnotes in the book for providing readers with more complete explanations than in its Internet version; however, Chiang still believes the translation could have supplied even more information on characters relations, history, names and sobriquets, kungfu, and weapons. He advocates the use of footnotes which only provide facts and separate themselves from the actual story. An example of what he considers an appropriate annotation:

ZHAO, BUDDHA Zhao Banshan, Hidden Needle Lu’s old friend from the Dragon Slayer’s Society, now prominent member (third-ranking) of the Red Flower Society; a dart expert, sometimes using copper coins as missiles, nicknamed the Thousand Arm Buddha, or Buddha Zhao for short (江奇忠 70). Each of these three assessments of the translations utilize different theories of translation—Venuti’s “domestication” versus “foreignization,” Lefevere’s “translation as rewriting,” and Venuti’s theory along with Vermeer’s Skopos theory, respectively—to investigate translation practice, but it is impossible for any critic to refrain from offering his own opinions on whether or not the final product was “successful.” But while the translations of Jin Yong’s works currently on the market may or may not suit critics in the academic field of translation, it is impossible to extend these opinions to a larger public audience.

Reviews of Reception!

!16 Apart from textual analyses, there have also been papers published on the reception of martial arts fiction in English translation. Unfortunately, most of these have a similarly dim outlook. John Minford, the translator of Jin Yong’s The Deer and the

Cauldron, had even asked, “what hope can there be for Martial Arts fiction in English translation? What hope for the bastard child, in this strange world into which we are proposing to drag it? Who wants it anyway?” (Minford 4). He continues to explain that of the numerous Chinese works that have been translated and re-translated into English, he only considers a few to have been successful. Minford later describes martial arts novels as a Chinese banquet in which westerners have no right to partake (Minford 31).

He ends saying:

The crucial consideration is whether or not the readers can believe in and visualize people fighting, whether or not they can hear people speaking. In order to achieve this goal, a whole lexicon has to be created, partly from the detail of Chinese kungfu, partly from whatever bits and pieces we can use--beg, borrow or steal, Hermes-magpie-like--from the Western traditions of fighting, wrestling, fencing, duelling. But more important than all of this is the rhythm of the language, the cut and thrust of the sentence and paragraph (Minford 35). I agree that readers must be able to relate to the characters and the story; whether they can picture people fighting and speaking is one important determining factor of the success of a novel. But that should not depend solely on the martial arts and the lexicon used to describe them. Borrowing words from Western traditions could and will disappoint and confuse some readers. Translators cannot invent a new, wholly accepted lexicon overnight. A lexicon should be the aftereffect of creating English wuxia novels where readers can first and foremost accept the characters.

!17 Lawrence Wong ends his Is Martial Arts Fiction in English Possible? on a more positive note, stating that classical Greek literature may have been unaccepted and foreign at first in English translation, but over hundreds of years of exposure, English readers have become familiar with the cultural background. Just as with other foreign literatures, it is possible to slowly acclimatize Chinese culture and wuxia novels in

English.

While an understandable presumption (although the only way to begin this acclimatizing process would be to have more translations available in English and to get people to actually read them), Wong counters this statement saying translators have yet to “tame the hydra” (Wong 111) that is martial arts fiction. The three heads of his beast manifest themselves as unmanageable terms, fighting scenes, and cultural differences.

I might suggest that the former two heads perhaps both stem from the cultural differences, but there is no denying that Chinese words specifically used for detailing martial arts, various names for geographical locations often used in wuxia novels, and a plethora of other terms can carry a significance to which most English readers may not be privy. Although he asks to be excused for sounding personal, he claims that fight scenes—“the essence of all martial arts fiction” (Wong 112)—in English translation are left lacking, presumably due to the absence of any exact correlations for these words in

English. Wong compares Jin Yong’s dramatic fight scenes, which can run over several pages, to From Russia with Love, The Lord of the Rings, and Terminator 2: Judgment

Day. However, for Wong, Jin Yong’s fight scenes beat out all three.

!18 Lingdun Wei (危令敦) separates readers of Chinese literature into three categories: sinologists who read for knowledge, general readers who read for enjoyment, and students who read for both interest and for study. Wei believes that it would be difficult for the general populace to begin reading Chinese works—aside from classical Chinese literature which has an established readership in academia—because the quality of some translations leave much to be desired and the subject matter does not suit the tastes of Western readers. Wei looks at Minford’s The Deer and the

Cauldron as an example, highlighting what he sees as the major advantages and disadvantages to the novel’s reception.

The story of The Deer and the Cauldron revolves around the antics of a ,

Wei Xiaobao (韋小寶) (Trinket in Minford’s translation). Wei asserts that as this type of character has roots in Western literature, citing Lazarillo de Tormes, a Spanish novel published in 1554 as an example of a similar picaresque novel. As the Chinese martial

arts novel somewhat follows this picaresque tradition13 , Wei believes this might appeal to a foreign readership.

On the negative side, Wei is also uncertain about the cultural background: in this specific example of The Deer and the Cauldron, the continuous presentation of China’s power during the height of the Qing Dynasty. He also has reservations about allusions to Genghis Khan and “the yellow peril,” asking “How could English readers not be shocked” (危令敦 97) after seeing the unfavorable stance the book takes against non-

13! “The picaresque novel is a popular sub-genre of prose fiction which might sometimes be satirical and depicts, in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picaresque_novel

!19 Chinese people—a famed pugilist losing in a contest of strength to the willowy

Shuang’er 雙兒 (Doublet in Minford’s translation) and even Westerners being chased out of brothels by Trinket’s mother simply for being “foreign devils.”

In contrast to what the translators themselves wrote, these aforementioned papers on wuxia novels and their reception in English translation have no consensus on translation strategies or even target audience. Of course each translator will have a different approach, but most should agree that the intended end result is that people read and enjoy these novels. It is sad enough that these books do not share the readership they do in the Chinese-speaking world, but it is worse to try to pigeonhole them into being translated solely for those who practice some form of martial art or who merely wish to compare it to the original Chinese.

In fact, a look at some of the reviews of the translations on online booksellers such as amazon.com gives the opposite impression. In the website’s five star rating system, the three books in the The Deer and the Cauldron series received a 4.6

(nineteen reviews total), a 4.4 (five reviews total), and a 3.8 (four reviews total), respectively. The Book and the Sword was given a 4.7 (seven reviews total), Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain a 3.8 (thirteen reviews total), and The Eleventh Son a 4.3

(fourteen reviews total). While it seems true these books have not had a wide readership, the readers they do have at least appear to be satisfied.

I do not think the mountain of decisions these translators have faced—for which some have been unsparingly criticized, such as Minford’s translation of Chinese kungfu as “karate”—is a problem with the genre itself, but of the translator’s selection of novel. I

!20 am not disputing Jin Yong’s fame, but I do disagree with the decision of most modern

English translators of the genre to select his works as an introduction to wuxia fiction.

Even the Preface to Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain tells readers that “Jin Yong [is] nearly impossible to translate.” In the next chapter, I will present Gu Long and his works in an effort to introduce another extremely popular author of wuxia novels—one with an extremely different writing style which I believe would carry into English translation much smoother than Jin Yong’s.

!21 Chapter Three! Gu Long: His Life, His Works, His Style!

This chapter will discuss different aspects of Gu Long’s life and career. I will end with a synopsis of Legendary Siblings and my own assessment on the translation of this genre and why Gu Long’s works would be a better choice for translation.

His Life!

Gu Long was born in Hong Kong, where his parents—originally from (江

西)—had moved due to the unfavorable political climate during the Chinese Civil War.

There is some dispute over the year of his birth, with statements ranging from 1936 to

1941, though it appears most scholars agree on 1937 as statements from friends after his death state that Gu Long lived forty-eight years. (翁文信 31). In 1950, his parents moved to Taiwan following the Kuomintang government after the Chinese Civil War.

His family life fell apart shortly after arriving in Taiwan. His parents often fought and sometimes took their anger out on him and his younger sister (彭華 9). After his parents divorced, Gu Long, still only in high school, left to live on his own. With the help of his friends, he survived on the little money he made from working odd jobs (費勇, 鍾

曉毅 4).

His studies never fell behind despite his situation (費勇, 鍾曉毅 4) and he was able to put himself through to where he studied English. However

!22 he did not finish his degree and found work as a translator after dropping out of college.

Gu Long began submitting his own work through various channels and only began to focus on wuxia novels at the suggestion of a publisher (費勇, 鍾曉毅 6). His first martial arts work was published in 1960.

At this time he had already met a dancer named Zheng Lili (鄭莉莉). They had begun living together and shortly after had a son. After just three years, Gu Long ended up leaving his girlfriend and son in the winter of 1963-1964, (彭華 16).

But there were plenty of women in Gu Long’s life, and it wasn’t long until he found another one he liked. Not soon thereafter, he fathered another son with another girlfriend, a dancer named Ye Xue (葉雪) (彭華 102). This brief moment of happiness was not meant to last either, and they soon separated.

Around 1971, Gu Long married for the first time. His wife was a young high school girl named Mei Baozhu (梅寶珠). But after having three children, they too divorced (費勇, 鍾曉毅 25). A few years after the divorce, Gu Long met and married another high school student, Yu Xiuling (于秀玲) (彭華 284).

Meanwhile, aside from floundering in a sea of women, Gu Long was writing a staggering number of novels and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Around 1977, his lifetime of heavy drinking began to catch up with him and his health began to slowly deteriorate. In 1980, after some trouble at a bar, he was sent to a hospital with a knife wound which required a transfusion. Unfortunately, the blood he received also gave him hepatitis, worsening his situation (彭華 251). During his final years, Gu Long spent

!23 much of his time in the hospital. After spending several days in a coma, Gu Long died on September 21, 1985 (彭華 320). His last words were, “Why haven’t any of my girlfriends come to see me?” (費勇, 鍾曉毅 33).!

! There were basically four things that filled Gu Long’s life: women, alcohol, friends, and literature. It could be argued that his fondness for each was rooted in his early childhood; perhaps the familial troubles he experienced as a child influenced his outlook on family, shaping his attitudes towards women and friends. In his adult life Gu

Long was a loner and an alcoholic. He frequented adult entertainment venues and had a rather feeble idea of family. He also had a bad habit of taking advances from publishers and not producing anything, often leaving publishers to find someone to write for him (費勇, 鍾曉毅 13). Gu Long did, however, have his own chivalrous and gallant side. As something of an orphan himself, he often donated money to orphanages. After his death, a large portion of his wealth was donated to charitable organizations (彭華

66).

A passage in his novel A Fine Sword (名劍風流) could also describe his early life:

“I’d already experienced too many of life’s miseries. But no matter what, I’m still alive.

I’m still young and the world is a big place; I can go anywhere I want” (彭華 11). Gu

Long’s friend and apprentice, Ding Qing (丁情), had said, “Gu Long was never short of women, but he often tossed the women he loved aside for the sake of his friends. He always thought that women were replaceable but good friends were hard to find; how

!24 could he forsake his friends and care only about women? That’s how Gu Long felt about women and friends, and that’s the reason a lot of women hated him” (彭華 103).

Friends meant everything to Gu Long. He once wrote, “No matter what’s being

compared, friends always win”14 (蘇姿妃 52). The importance he placed on friendship carried over greatly into his writing. His character Chu Liuxiang (楚留香) from The

Legend of Chu Liuxiang (Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi 楚留香傳奇) series is perhaps the greatest example. He has friends from all walks of life who are willing to cast aside their lovers, reputation, wealth, status, and even their own life to aid Chu Liuxiang when he is in trouble (陳墨 226-227). But what separated his friendships from those written by other wuxia authors, is that “Gu Long did not seek the type of sworn brotherhood between male characters found in traditional Chinese wuxia and in Jin Yong’s novels, but a pure friendship” (蘇姿妃 54-55). His Works!

Gu Long’s entrance onto the wuxia stage was drastically different from that of Jin

Yong. Jin Yong was born into an illustrious family where he grew up studying journalism.

He began working for a leading newspaper in Shanghai, in 1947. Jin Yong’s first martial arts novel was serialized in 1955 after he had moved to Hong Kong. He established his own newspaper, (明報), in 1959 which provided him the perfect place to publish his own stories until he put down his pen in 1972.

14 Originally in Gu Long’s “Chu Liuxiang and His Friends” (楚留香和他的朋友們) published in 中國時報 on September 16-17, 1982.

!25 Gu Long began his career helping other wuxia authors write installments for their novels, slowly learning from his peers. Many of his earlier novels were nothing special as he had yet to develop his own style. There were also many clear traces of imitation of other authors, including Jin Yong (費勇, 鍾曉毅 9). This could have been due to his living situation at the time; Gu Long relied heavily on his writing to survive, which resulted in his excessive output without regard for quality (費勇, 鍾曉毅 10). Gu Long himself explained he originally wrote such a great number of stories only to be able to

eat, drink, travel, entertain girlfriends, watch movies, and have a place to live.15

Each scholar who has researched Gu Long’s novels appears to have their own opinion on the stages of his career. In 1979 Gu Long separated his own works into three stages of evolution: his early period from 1960-1963, middle period from 1964-1970,

and late period after 1971.16 Hong Wenxuan (洪文軒) compiled the positions of many other scholars, some of which paint very different pictures of Gu Long’s writing. Cheng-

Wen Tsao (曹正文) broke his career into 1. Exploration (1960-1964) 2. Prolificacy

(1965-1968) and 3. Peak (1969-1984). In “A Review of the Five Great Wuxia

Authors” (武俠五大家品賞) Chen Mo (陳墨) wrote 1. Beginning (1960-1965) 2. Peak

(1966-1973) and 3. Recession (1973-1984). Whereas Liu Qiaoyun (劉巧雲) wrote 1.

Foundation (1960-1964) 2. Transformation (1965-1968) 3. Turning point (1969-1974)

!15 古龍, 一個作家的成長与轉變.

!16 古龍, 一個作家的成長与轉變 — 我為何改寫 《鐵血大旗》.

!26 and 4. Decline (1975-1984) (洪文軒 29-31). There are two major differences between these scholars’ opinions: the years that divide the stages of Gu Long’s career and whether or not they include a fourth stage that asserts a decline in his writing. As seen in the few examples above, Legendary Siblings, which Gu Long began writing in 1966, does not alway occur in the same point in these differing opinions. Regardless of where others put it, I believe Legendary Siblings marks the beginning of Gu Long’s fame as the first major success in his career. Below I will detail some of the characteristics of Gu

Long’s writing style during each stage of his career as he himself periodized it.

Early Period: 1960-1963!

Gu Long wrote fourteen novels during the first four years of his career. His early career can be summarized as a period of emulation; his writings were still immature, somewhat clichéd, and inexperienced (彭華 66). His early works followed the more traditional guidelines of martial arts novels, his writing was underdeveloped, and he had yet to create his own style. Some of his characters could be two-dimensional and simple

(彭華 51). As a wuxia author and critic, Tsao described his earliest novels as far behind

Jin Yong and Liang Yusheng. The structure and language of his novels still adhered to the outdated, traditional models and lacked any new aesthetic value. However they did display Gu Long’s vivid imagination and literary background (曹正文 148). Fellow martial arts author and critic Jiang Shang Ou 江上鷗 (Li Rongde 李榮德 1945- ) described the works in his early period as being able to lure readers with peculiar plots and excellent

!27 manipulation of suspense, but lacked depth and the author’s later contemplation on life and morals (彭華 62).

Gu Long made some early attempts at writing “new, different, and innovative” martial arts novels (彭華 53). Although Gu Long had made early attempts at developing his own style, Tsao still criticized his stories of being unnecessarily complicated, the majority of his characters were unappealing, the language still mirrored older wuxia works, and the endings were a predictable, tale ending (曹正文 82-83). Simply put, they were failures.

Middle Period: 1964-1970!

Gu Long only wrote nine novels during the next six years of his career. But with just these few works, he made great strides in experimenting with his own style in the hopes of setting himself apart. He moved away from writing long, intricate and bloody

fight scenes and started to focus more on the characters’ personalities. However, there is still evidence of influence from other wuxia authors, including Jin Yong and Liang

Yusheng (彭華 76).

In his 1966 novel A Fine Sword, Gu Long added aspects of thriller and mystery novels. Compared to his more traditional colleagues, Gu Long absorbed much of his inspiration from foreign novels. While still in college, he began reading many Japanese and English works which ultimately influenced his own writing style. During an interview,

Gu Long explained that he was more satisfied with his later novels, attributing his success to the inspiration he received from these foreign novels (彭華 13). He

!28 especially admired Japanese novels for their ability to maintain their unique traditional

flavor, yet still assimilate characteristics from foreign novels.17

Although Gu Long’s unique writing style continued to develop during this second period, it was still far from his own personal expectations (彭華 83). His 1967 novel

Legendary Siblings marked a great success in his career. The characters he created for this tragic comedy have left a lasting impression on its readers. With the success of

Legendary Siblings, Gu Long’s popularity quickly rose, supporting his quest for change within the wuxia genre.

Late Period: After 1971!

Gu Long wrote another forty-five novels until his death in 1985. Some of his more popular novels written during this time were also influenced by foreign works. Meteor,

Butterfly, Sword (Liuxing, Hudie, Jian 流星·蝴蝶·劍) was inspired by The Godfather. His character Chu Liuxiang was modeled after Ian Fleming’s James Bond—smart, brave, surrounded by women, and never loses—but is still a classic Chinese hero—aloof yet compassionate (費勇, 鍾曉毅 85). The Legend of Chu Liuxiang spans eight novels, incorporating detective and mystery themes. The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng (Lu Xiaofeng

Chuanqi 陸小鳳傳奇) could be described as more mystery than wuxia, combing aspects found in the Sherlock Holmes and James Bond series (彭華 206). More than a few of his later novels include elements of detective novels.

!17 古龍, 談 “新” 與 “變”, 《大人物》代序.

!29 In the last few years of his life, the number of titles he published severely decreased, partly due to his deteriorating health, and partly due to the failure of the movie studio he opened in 1980 (彭華 288). As Gu Long spent more time in the hospital, his apprentices picked up their pens to finish Gu Long’s stories (彭華 298).

His Style!

Gu Long was one of the earlier Taiwanese wuxia authors to constantly attempt to change the way he composed wuxia novels. There were five major differences in his writing style compared to other authors at the time: 1. He moved away from the old

“story-telling” and used more contemporary literary techniques; 2. He moved away from traditional explanations of martial arts moves; 3. He replaced Confucian, Buddhist, and

Taoist philosophies with Western existentialism and psychology; 4. He removed much of the detail when describing certain characters, fight scenes, and scenery; 5. He did not write stories detailing the entire life of the main character (葉洪生 90-91). Gu Long’s changes possibly came about because he felt the traditional wuxia novel did not suit modern tastes (葉洪生 96). Following these points above, I will explain some of the more major changes that I believe most separate Gu Long from Jin Yong.

New Writing Style!

Gu Long fully absorbed content from previous wuxia writers. He wrote, “I tried to emulate Jin Yong when writing wuxia. Even after ten years, when I wrote A Fine Sword

!30 and Legendary Siblings, I still was imitating his writing.”18 He enjoyed reading wuxia novels as a child, some of which greatly influenced his own writing. In a 1976 interview with Ye Hongsheng (葉洪生), Gu Long said that his favorite Taiwanese martial arts author was Sima Ling (司馬翎), and that Lu Yu’s (陸魚) 1961 Ways of the Young (少年

行) inspired him the most to be creative and innovate (彭華 42). However, Gu Long disliked how these novels were written following the oral storytelling tradition—the plot structure was too loose and there were too many characters. He was also dissatisfied with how these characters were portrayed (彭華 23).

The Court Cases of Judge Peng (彭公案), The Court Cases of Judge Shi (施公 案), The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (七俠五義), Five Junior Gallants (小五 義), and The Three Chivalrous Swordsmen (三俠劍) were all written based on storytelling. These can be considered this generation’s newest and most accessible wuxia novels. But most of the heroes in these novels are not true heroes who can captivate a thrilled audience because at the end of the Qing Dynasty, people were not encouraged to be heroes. Most people only believed mature, prudent gentlemen

19 should be praised. He was also tired of the general storylines found in the genre. According to him, there were only two types of wuxia novels:

Wuxia novels can be separated into a two categories: The story of how an ambitious young boy endowed with special gifts struggles to learn martial arts and, after succeeding, breaks the shackles of his oppression and reaches the pinnacle of virtue and ability. The process of course includes numerous fairy-tale-esque coincidences and adventures, including animosities, affections, ending with revenge and a happy marriage.

!18 古龍, 談我看過的武俠小說（二）.

!19 古龍, 《多情劍客無情劍》代序.

!31 The story of how an upstanding chivalrous warrior uses his intelligence and martial arts skill to thwart a tremendous evil force. This warrior is young, handsome, skilled in both mental and physical capacities, and has incredible luck. At times he is even able to disguise himself so well that the impersonated’s family and friends cannot tell he is a fraud. These methods are not bad; the characters include heroic knights, eccentric vagabonds, valiant women who follow their husbands in death, ruthless tyrants, low-life hoodlums, and prostitutes. These types of stories are full of twists and bizarre occurrences, suspense and thrills, and also quite romantic. These are also not bad, but unfortunately they have been used too often,

20 becoming clichéd and formulaic.

If our current wuxia novels really began with The Unworthy Son of Pingjiang’s Extraordinary Heroes on River and Lake, reached their peak at Master of the Returned Pearl Pavilion’s (還珠樓主) The Swordsmen of the Sichuan Mountains (蜀山劍俠傳), then underwent a change with Jin Yong’s Eagles and Heroes (射雕

英雄傳), over ten years have passed with not further change.21 The time for another change has undoubtedly arrived! If you seek change, you must strive for

22 transformation, smash the old, rigid molds, and attempt to accept ideas. In the same preface Gu Long continues by mentioning War and Peace, Of Mice and

Men, Airport, Little Women, and The Old Man and the Sea as masterpieces which use sharp observation, extensive imagination, and discontent with the status quo to illustrate their characters’ humanity and beliefs and provide some insight on the world. Gu Long invited martial arts fiction writers to do the same and create a new style by combining what he took from foreign literatures with the elements of wuxia tradition and culture, introducing the genre to those who are unfamiliar with it.

20! 古龍, 談 “新” 與 “變”, 《大人物》代序.

!21 For an idea of his timeline, 江湖奇俠傳 was published in 1922, 蜀山劍俠傳 from 1932-1949, and 射雕英 雄傳 from 1957-1959.

!22 古龍, 《多情劍客無情劍》代序.

!32 Gu Long focused his writing on exploring humanity. “Humanity is the only thing a novel cannot lack. And humanity is not just anger, revenge, sadness, and fear, but also includes love and friendship, generosity and chivalry, humor and empathy. Why must we

always focus on the negative side?”23 He hoped this would raise the position and value people placed on martial arts novels. He explained this desire in a preface to one of his novels, stating that most people do not even consider martial arts fiction a form of literature. He considered this a terrible reality for an author, but also believed that if something exists, it must have value; and with such a long history, wuxia novels are no

exception.24

Along with this shift in focus, Gu Long is known for writing in short sentences that set a quick pace. He used some film techniques, such as weaving different scenes without clear transitions and relying heavily on dialogue to explain situations and develop the plot. In fact, some of his works, such as The Eleventh Son (蕭十一郎) and

Betrayal of the Eleventh Son (Huobing Xiao Shiyilang 火併蕭十一郎) were written first as screenplays which he later adapted into novels. Gu Long’s language has been described as turbulent and lively, as opposed to Jin Yong’s meticulous and smooth writing (費勇, 鍾曉毅 41). Most sentences are very short, broken by one or two longer sentences; in his later novels, most sentences are also paragraphs. He “mainly uses simple declarative sentences. His fluctuating structure, passionate language, and

!23 古龍, 說說武俠小說，《歡樂英雄》代序.

!24 古龍,《多情劍客無情劍》代序.

!33 plentiful emotions leave a clear impression. Gu Long was the first to use this literary form in wuxia fiction” (費勇, 鍾曉毅 46).

Although Legendary Siblings was written earlier in his career, there are still traces of his style.

! 他輕輕拍著那⼩⽩⾺的頭，道：「⾺兒⾺兒，咱們也去瞧瞧熱鬧好麼？但你瞧⾒漂 亮的⼩⺟⾺時，可要⾛遠點，咱們年紀還⼩，若被⼥⼈纏著，可就⼀輩⼦不能翻⾝了。」 ! ! 桃花打⾺飛馳，⻑⻑的秀髮被⾵吹起，吹到鐵⼼男的臉上，鐵⼼男卻似毫無感覺， 動也不動。 ! ! 桃花只覺他呼吸的熱氣吹在脖⼦裡，全⾝都像是發軟了，她⼩⼿拼命抓緊韁繩，回 眸道：「你坐得穩麼？」 ! ! 鐵⼼男道：「嗯。」 ! ! 桃花道：「你若是坐不穩，最好抱住我，免得跌下⾺去。」 ! ! 鐵⼼男道：「嗯。」居然毫不推辭，真的抱住了她。 ! ! 桃花都軟了，突然道：「只要你救了我的族⼈，我 ……我什麼事都答應你。」 ! ! 鐵⼼男道：「嗯。」 ! ! 桃花眸⼦⽴刻⼜發出了光，⾺打得更急，這段路本不短，但桃花卻覺得仿佛⼀下⼦ 就到了。 ! ! 他們已可瞧⾒那⿈⾊的帳篷，已可聽⾒聲聲驚呼。 ! ! 桃花道：「我們是不是就這樣衝進去？」 ! ! 話未說完，突⾒⼀條⽩⾊的⼈影，突然⾃⾝後直飛了出去，本來坐在⾺股上的鐵⼼ 男，已站在⼗丈外。 ! ! 桃花⼜驚⼜喜，趕緊勒住了⾺。 ! ! 只⾒鐵⼼男筆直地站在那裡，雪⽩的⾐衫雖然染了灰塵，但在陽光下，看來仍是那 麼乾淨，那么瀟灑。 ! ! 這正是每個⼥孩⼦夢寐中盼望的情⼈。 ! ! 桃花⼼裡飄飄盪盪，幾乎將什麼事都忘了。 ! ! 但驚呼叱罵聲仍不住傳來，鐵⼼男已在厲聲喝道： ! ! 「鐵⼼男在這裡！誰要來找我？」 ! ! 驚呼叱罵聲突然⼀⿑消寂。 ! ! ⾵吹草⻑，鐵⼼男⾐袂飄飄。 (225-226)! He patted his white horse on the head. “Oh, horse, let’s go see what all the excitement’s about. But if you see a pretty , better keep your distance. We’re still young; if you get caught now, you’ll never be free.” Peach Blossom whipped the horse faster, her beautiful hair blew in the wind—and right into Cinran’s face. But he didn’t move a muscle; he didn’t feel a thing. Peach Blossom could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. It made her limp. She clutched the reigns tighter and glanced back. “Are you steady in your seat?”

!34 “Mm,” he grunted. “If you feel like you might fall off, hold on to me so you don’t.” Without another word he put his arms around her. Peach Blossom melted. “If you save my people, I, I’ll do anything in return.” “Mm.” Peach Blossom’s eyes lit up; she whipped the horse faster. Their road wasn’t short, but to Peach Blossom it only took a few moments. She could already hear screams among the yellow tents. “Should we ride in just like this?” asked Peach Blossom. As she finished her question, a blurry white figure suddenly vaulted over her. Cinran was already standing ten yards in front. Peach Blossom was astonished and overjoyed. She yanked the horse to a halt. She watched Cinran stand there like a statue. His white shirt was covered in dust, but with the bright sun it looked clean and pristine. This was the man of every girl’s dreams. Peach Blossom’s heart fluttered; she almost forgot what was happening. The screams still spread. “Cinran T’ye is here!” he shouted, “Who’s looking for me?” The screams suddenly fell silent. The wind blew through the grass; Cinran’s clothes flapped in the wind. Scenes change subjects with no more than a break on the page and most of his sentences are short descriptive sentences describing scenery which break up large amounts of dialogue, much like a movie script might read.

Gu Long’s writings have had a large impact on the evolution of Taiwanese martial arts novels. Many authors after him were influenced by his unique style, whether it be simply emulating his techniques or generating new styles diverging from his (彭華 323).

After Gu Long, using shorter sentences and more imagery techniques quickly became a popular trend (費勇, 鍾曉毅 42).

Martial Arts and Character Development!

Most martial arts novels explain where the main characters learned their skills and provide long narratives of their studies. Jin Yong is no exception to this norm, and in

!35 his early career, neither was Gu Long. But as he developed as an author, he began to remove most of the detail from his fight scenes.

He believed that “martial arts are meant for killing people, not for putting on a show” (費勇, 鍾曉毅 49) and completely removed the extravagant depictions of martial arts. As Liu Qiaoyun (劉巧雲) related, “Descriptions of martial arts were not at the center of Gu Long’s novels...In his novels, the more intense the confrontation, the less fighting he described...he spent more time building the atmosphere and each character’s aura of vigor, but when they actually started fighting, it was over within one move, or you could tell who would be victorious simply from their dialogue” (劉巧雲 100). Often characters are able to defeat an opponent in an instant, leaving bystanders guessing what exactly happened, giving his fight scenes a completely different flavor than Jin

Yong’s lengthy, intricate contests. !

Over the history of martial arts and martial arts fiction in China, readers have become familiar with the different schools and sects portrayed through the novels.

Traditionally, each character in the novel would learn particular styles of martial arts.

Again Gu Long breaks from tradition, replacing it one of his favorite devices, the “move

that is not a real move” (無招之招)25 (費勇, 鍾曉毅 47). He does not disclose where his characters learned their skills and created many fantastical schools of martial arts.

Characters within the novel never fail to recognize these movements, but Gu Long only

!25 This is similar to Jin Yong’s “the one with no moves defeats those with moves” (無招勝有招), first de- scribed in his 1959 The Return of the Condor Heroes (神鵰俠侶). While Gu Long did not create this idea, unlike Jin Yong who originally used this to describe one character, he was the first to favor it for most of his characters. Many characters in Gu Long’s stories do not belong to one of the mainstream schools of martial arts and sometimes have their own special and strange skills.

!36 provides the name of a certain move without further explanation, leaving the rest up to the reader’s imagination (Liu 2006, 105).

Aside from departing from the norm of including the childhood of the main character, Gu Long often wrote much of himself into his characters. “An artist’s works contain more than just his personality and education; they are closely interconnected with his circumstances in life and his emotions, especially writers who give form to their feelings and experiences in writing. If you don’t any have those experiences, how can

you create such imaginative ideas?”26

Many male characters in Gu Long’s later novels were vagabonds with very little explained about their pasts. For the most part, his characters experienced some sort of abandonment; many were orphans who had trouble fitting in with society (費勇, 鍾曉毅

52). Like Jiang Yu’er 江魚兒 in Legendary Siblings (Minnow in my translation), Gu Long was a lonely orphan who cared nothing for money. Like Li Xunhuan 李尋歡 from The

Sentimental Swordsman (Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian 多情劍客無情劍) and many of his other characters, Gu Long was somewhat of a vagrant. Like Wang Dong 王動 in The

Happy Hero (Huanle Yingxiong 歡樂英雄), he was homeless at a young age, later picked up and saved by a great “martial artist.” And like Guo Dalu 郭大路, also from The

Happy Hero, he had an incredible fondness for alcohol. He wrote many stories of the

!26 Originally in Gu Long’s “不是不幸” published in 《民生報》 on May 8, 1984. Cited from Su Zifei’s (蘇姿 妃) 仗劍江湖載酒行 — 古龍的生命歷程與其創作風格之關係, 26.

!37 hardships and discrimination these people underwent as they “constantly sought self- validation and understanding” (費勇, 鍾曉毅 51).

Settings!

! Jin Yong wrote fifteen martial arts novels over his seventeen-year career, drawing inspiration from China’s past rich history, sometimes even taking actual historical figures and events and making them into a wuxia story (費勇, 鍾曉毅 113). He took themes from classical literature—“Many plots in his works echo conventional ‘records of the strange’ (zhiguai) or the anecdotes in the miscellanies (biji xiaoshuo) by authors of late imperial China. Moreover, his novels are filled with allusions to the Buddhist sutras,

Daoist classics, as well as to such philosophical texts as Zhuangzi and Laozi, which he nicely integrates into the structure of the story” (Tian, 222)—and also incorporated religious elements—“Many motifs in Jin Yong’s novels have a resonance with the traditional values of Daoism and Buddhism” (Tian, 222). Jin Yong’s political opinions also crept into his novels; he was quoted “saying that he was so disgusted by some people’s pursuit of power at the expense of any moral decency during the Cultural

Revolution that he could not help criticizing these people in his martial arts novels.” (Shen 214).!

Unlike Jin Yong, Gu Long liked to leave the setting relatively blank. As his stories are closer to detective novels or romantic fiction which hardly ever incorporated ethnic conflicts or people in search of treasure (費勇, 鍾曉毅 38), the settings for his stories were not necessarily related to the plot. Gu Long never discloses a specific historical

!38 time period or dynasty during which his stories take place, simply favoring phrases such as “a long time ago” (從前) or “at that time” (那一段時間) (費勇, 鍾曉毅 38). There are also very few geographical cues, rarely alerting readers to a specific city in which the events are unfolding. For the most part, Gu Long simply mentions the name of a province, river, or mountain to alert readers to the movement of the story.

Some of Gu Long’s books are still being reprinted today. Even in Hong Kong and

China, Gu Long has not been completely extinguished by Jin Yong (彭華 324). He has been listed as the top martial arts novelist in Taiwan by Taiwanese wuxia researcher Ye

Hongsheng (費勇, 鍾曉毅 17). Although there is no disagreement that Jin Yong is the most famous and popular wuxia novelist, Hong Kong author James Wong (黃霑

1941-2004) has said, “If you set aside whose novels are better, Gu Long’s or Jin Yong’s, and solely consider the number of authors they inspired, Gu Long has to be on top” (費

勇, 鍾曉毅 18). According to Hong Kong author Yan Qing (燕青), “It seems Jin Yong is the only one who can compare with Gu Long in terms of volume of sales or breadth of circulation. Even for those who do not read the novels, Gu Long’s works are often seen on the silver screen or on television. Again, if we contemplate the number of novels that have been adapted into movies or television series, only Jin Yong can compete with him” (費勇, 鍾曉毅 15).

Legendary Siblings!

!39 Legendary Siblings, Gu Long’s first major success, was written between 1966 and 1969 and spans 126 chapters. This particular story was adapted into two movies produced in Hong Kong and six television series filmed in both Hong Kong and

Taiwan. 27 There is also a comic book version of the story, a video game, and a sequel

adaptation television series, Legendary Siblings 2.28 !

It is a story of twins, Jiang Yu’er and Hua Wuque 花無缺, whose parents were pursued and killed by a jealous pair of sisters, Lianxing 憐星 and Yaoyue 邀月 (Sorella and Summoon in my translation). These sisters plotted further revenge by separating the newborn brothers and arranging for them both to grow up training in martial arts, one with their father’s friend and one with themselves. Lianxing and Yaoyue planned to cultivate the twin’s hatred for each other so that they could pit the twins against one another when they came of age.

However, their plot did not proceed as planned and Jiang Yu’er was eventually raised by a group of infamous criminals. His cunning and intelligence flourished as he studied various forms of martial arts, including poisons and disguise. Hua Wuque grew up learning superior martial arts, but in comparison, was relatively naive.

Jiang Yu’er eventually makes his way into the world of Rivers and Lakes where he meets multiple romantic interests. Meanwhile, Hua Wuque pursues him and is

!27 A full list of all television and film adaptations (129 in total) of Gu Long’s works was compiled by Guo Lianqian (郭璉謙), Zhong Yifen (鍾宜芬), and Gu Jiajun (古佳峻) of the Graduate Institute of Chinese Lit- erature at Tamkang University and published in the compilation of papers presented at the International Symposium on Gu Long and Wuxia Novels (傲世鬼才古龍：古龍與武俠小說國際學術研討會論文集, 335-351)

!28 http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/絕代雙驕

!40 continuously bested by Jiang Yu’er’s wit. They develop an antagonistic friendship through the adventures they share and even become entangled in love triangles with the women they encounter.

During their final battle at Lianxing and Yaoyue’s behest, they learn the truth of their identities and finally acknowledge each other as brothers.

Tsao believes that Legendary Siblings is one of the most outstanding wuxia novels ever written, surpassing Jin Yong’s Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部) and

The Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龍記). He considers this novel his best work in terms of structure, and rates it as Gu Long’s second best work, after The

Sentimental Swordsman (曹正文 199). In his book 古龍小說藝術談, Tsao relates each of the major characters and events in Legendary Siblings and his personal sentiments:

If you want to grasp the meaning of chivalry, ask Yan Nantian; If you want to know love’s envy, see Master Yaoyue; If you want to understand deceit, make friends with Jiang Biehe; If you want to comprehend unnerving patience, get acquainted with Jiang Yulang; If you want to marvel at humanity’s cruelty, step into ’s Valley; If you want to experience a woman’s passion, court Su Ying; If you want to see life’s tediousness, search out Hua Wuque; If you want to make sense of a young girl’s heart, find Tie Xinlan; If you want to glimpse the grandeur of gambling, look at Xuanyuan Sanguang; If you want to fathom the adversities of life, commune with Jiang Yu’er. I will never forget Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu’s heartbreaking departure; I will never forget Jiang Yu’er’s first life lesson in Villain’s Valley; I will never forget Jiang Yulang’s escape through the pit of night soil; I will never forget the masked Master Jiang Nan’s vulgar abode; I will never forget Black Spider’s shadowless entrances and exits; I will never forget how Su Ying leapt into a reservoir for love; I will never forget the backstabbing ; I will never forget Jiang Yu’er and Hua Wuque’s final fight. (曹正文 197-198)

!41 As you can see, everything he mentions has very little to do with Chinese culture or martial arts, and more so with overarching characteristics, emotions, and actions that all humans tend to experience. If Gu Long’s stories are more about the relationships his characters create and not about their kung fu, at least the majority of the stories should easily translate into English with only minor snares when handling the secondary theme which is martial arts.

!42 Chapter Four! Legendary Siblings in English!

It is my hope that my translation will be read by a general audience, which includes many who have little or no knowledge of Chinese culture, history, or geography. Unlike previous translators, I do not feel the need to keep everything as is and I do not wish to burden readers with footnotes. For the most part, I do not plan on abridging the story or removing anything longer than a sentence. In order to achieve this goal, I looked at Legendary Siblings as a fantasy novel, a genre familiar to an English- speaking audience, instead of a wuxia novel. There are many sub genres of fantasy; I will use a broad definition of fantasy as explained by The Encyclopedia of Fantasy: “A fantasy text is a self-coherent narrative. When set in this world, it tells a story which is impossible in the world as we perceive it; when set in an otherworld, that otherworld will

be impossible, though stories set there may be possible in its terms.”29

Considerations for the translation of Legendary Siblings, and most likely for the majority of Gu Long’s other books, mainly boiled down to the setting and names of characters. Other wuxia novels would also need to tackle history, but Gu Long removed that matter himself—this novel is purely fiction. In this chapter I will discuss these two attributes as they pertain to Legendary Siblings along with some other complications, all of which needed to be taken into account when sorting out what I consider the main

!29 http://sf-encyclopedia.co.uk/fe.php?nm=fantasy

!43 factor for the overall success of this translation: how much “Chineseness” should be preserved.

Setting!

Like all wuxia novels, Legendary Siblings takes place in—what feels like— ancient China. But unlike other novels, Gu Long’s do not clearly announce the exact year or even dynasty during which the story takes place. For example, in the beginning of The Deer and the Cauldron, Minford provides readers with a list of “important dates in the historical background” and even suggests further reading for those interested in the actual historical backdrop of the book. This is impossible for Legendary Siblings.

Perhaps what most accurately reveals the date of this story is the rudimentary map Gu Long slowly paints for diligent readers. Spending his early childhood in Hong

Kong and the remainder of his life in Taiwan, Gu Long never personally explored western China; his only access was through maps. And the map he reproduces in this story fits the modern province borders set in the mid-1950s by the newly established

People’s Republic of China. But he most likely did not mean for his characters to be running around modern China. His descriptions of clothing and settings still paint a picture of China long ago.

As Gu Long merely uses “ancient China” as a backdrop for his story, I do not believe it is necessary to leave every reference to cities and borders intact; instead I believe landmarks should be the main instrument in translating this map for foreign readers. Minford and Mok both include a map complete with borders of all Chinese provinces. While this might be more helpful for Jin Yong’s stories as these borders may

!44 play a role in the plot, I feel adding them in a map for this story would be an unnecessary strain on the audience. Unfortunately Tai’s translation of The Eleventh Son does not include a map, leaving readers up to their own devices when place names, actual or imaginary, are mentioned. Much like other , such as The Lord of the

Rings and the more recent A Song of Ice and Fire, which include maps, I would like to present one where borders are mostly defined by rivers and mountain ranges. While not eradicating China completely, this strategy will hopefully reduce the overt “Chineseness” of the book in favor of a more fantastical ancient land.

Proper Names!

The other factor determining the level of foreignness maintained in the translation is the translation of personal names. Being able to visualize the characters of a novel is one mark of its success, and I believe the characters’ names are a major part of this process. For the most part, characters’ names—not including nicknames—have been left as their pinyin transliterations.

As others have pointed out before me, the romanization of Chinese names can be confusing and difficult to remember, especially with so many homophones, and even

more so if characters are siblings.30 It is no surprise that people who do not speak

Chinese have a hard time remembering Chinese names. In a brief pilot study I conducted on the short-term memory of English and Chinese names written in both

30! Of course siblings would share the same surname, but it is also common to share the first character in their given names. For example, where each letter stands for a Chinese character in a person’s name, the first child of the A family could be named ABC, the next child ABD, the next ABE, and so on, leaving read- ers with almost identical names in English romanization.

!45 English and Chinese, surprisingly even native Chinese speakers had more difficulty with

Chinese names than their English counterparts as they would appear in novels.

! What this experiment sought to understand is how translation may affect the ability to recall personal names in novels. I devised two tasks, mirrored in both English and Chinese. The first task was simply a list of ten names. Subjects were given one minute to review the list and then recall as many as possible in no particular order. In the second task, subjects were given two paragraphs, four to five sentences each, relating a short scene involving different characters. After reading the story for one minute, they were asked to freely recall the story including character names. These tasks focused particularly on personal names translated between English and Chinese.

The tasks were separated by language, each with three subject groups. Test subjects who completed the two tasks in Chinese included native Chinese speakers with little English ability (abbreviated in the graphs below as C), native Chinese speakers who are proficient in English (C/E), and native English speakers proficient in

Chinese (E/C). Subjects for the English tasks included native speakers with little

Chinese ability (E), native speakers proficient in Chinese (E/C), and native Chinese speakers proficient in English (C/E). Below is a table detailing the members of each group.

!46 Chinese Tasks English Tasks

C C/E E/C E E/C C/E

Male:Female 3:4 3:6 4:1 Male:Female 6:1 5:2 3:4

Average age 26 25.44 38.4 Average age 27.14 37.14 27.29 (years) (years) Average length of 3 12.5 13.2 Average length of 0.73 12.57 16.14 study of second study of second language (in language (in years) years)

The result data recorded in the tables below solely reflect names recalled in full.

In the case of Chinese names in Chinese, subjects were more likely to recall only parts of names (only the surname, only the given name, etc.) or recall the order of the syllables incorrectly (e.g. Fan Minshu 范敏淑 for Fan Shumin 范淑敏). Surprisingly, this did not occur for Chinese names transliterated into English. In the case of English names transcribed into Chinese, subjects were more likely to “mispronounce” one of the syllables (e.g. Ke’erte 柯爾特 for Ke’erdun 柯爾頓). For English names in English, subjects would sometimes recall a similar name rather than the one provided (e.g.

Natalie for Natalya). These were all considered unsuccessful recall and are not reflected in the results.

!47

!48

The data suggests that in all circumstances, English names are easier to remember than Chinese names as they appear mostly commonly in novels (surname and given name combinations in Chinese and only given name in English). There were still many issues not taken into account in this experiment and it deserves further research. For the translation of novels between Chinese and English, these initial

findings may advocate parting from writing Chinese names in pinyin.

!49 Changing the Chinese names to anything other than pinyin could very well paint a different picture of the characters in the novel. A name familiar to a foreign audience— for example “Jeffery”—might make characters easier to imagine and remember, but may end up raising the question, “Why would someone in ancient China be named Jeffery?”

While this would make proper names easier to remember, I believe there is too much conflict with the rest of the novel to be a plausible solution.

Minford left the majority of names in The Deer and the Cauldron in pinyin (of course with the exception of Russian names which are written in English) and only occasionally created new names for certain characters; for example Shuang’er 雙兒 is given the name Doublet, Wei Tongchui 韋銅錘 is Mallet, and Lanxiang 蘭香 is Orchid

Scent. Tai adopted the same strategy of leaving all names in pinyin with the exception of two characters: Xiao Gongzi 小公子, Little Mister, and Tian Gongzi 天公子, Count

Carefree. Mok, on the other hand, chose to literally translate the meaning of the

Chinese names, resulting in names such as Valour Ruan, Radiant Zhou, Sign Tian, and

Century Tao. Providing a name that is partly in English may help with remembering characters, but I believe this strategy is still unsuccessful as these are still not commonly recognized as names.

As Legendary Siblings more closely resembles a fantasy than a historical romance, I think following the example of existing fantasy novels is a viable answer.

Again using The Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire as examples, their authors, J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin, have created their own names

!50 instead of choosing from existing English or foreign names. In my case, I have also tried to create new names when I deemed the pinyin too difficult to pronounce.

Another problem with names particular to Legendary Siblings is the band of thieves “the Twelve Zodiac” (十二星相). The group is comprised of members who represent each of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. As the Chinese Zodiac is not unfamiliar in the West, I believe that maintaining this iconic and integral part of the novel intact is necessary; however, the convention behind the names of these villains is difficult to portray.

The names and forms of address for these characters are shown in the table below, with the exception of the dragon, who does not appear in any of the five books of the Legendary Siblings series.

Animal of the Name in the Literal Meaning My translation Zodiac Original Chinese

Rat ⿏ wei wu ya 魏無牙 toothless Wei Murin the Rat

Ox ⽜ huang niu 黃牛 yellow ox Bovin the Ox

Tiger ⻁ bai yang 白山君 king of the white Tigris the Tiger mountains

Rabbit 兔 hu yaoshi 胡藥師 pharmacist Hu Lepo the Rabbit

Dragon ⻯ N/A N/A N/A

Snake 蛇 bishe shenjun 碧蛇 green snake sir Ophid the Snake 神君

Horse ⾺ ma yi yun 馬亦雲 horse [runs] like the Equina the Horse clouds

!51 Animal of the Name in the Literal Meaning My translation Zodiac Original Chinese

Goat ⽺ bai yang 白羊 white goat Capra the Goat

Monkey 猴 xianguo shenjun 獻 sir who offers fruit Guenon the 果神君 Monkey

Rooster 雞 sichen ke 司晨客 one who controls Gallus the Rooster the morning

Dog 狗 yingke jun 迎客君 sir who greets Canid the Dog guests

Pig 豬 heimian jun 黑面君 black face sir Sus the Pig

For the most part it is impractical to translate these names literally, leaving them in pinyin will lose all meaning to a foreign audience, and I feel simply naming these characters after the animals they represent will lose some of the imagery behind the

Chinese names. For these I have referenced the genus or subfamily of the animal’s scientific classification to pick names derived from their Latin roots. This was my attempt at creating something that could pose as a name, have a meaning behind it relating to these animals, and yet not be too overt in that meaning.

General Problems!

Aside from deciding how I wanted to handle names and the setting for the entire novel (and perhaps a future setting for all wuxia novels in English) to strike a balance between Chinese an pure fantasy, I feel the remaining problems in translation were rather minor complications all translators of Chinese texts encounter.

!52 Some forms of address, such as directly calling someone unrelated by blood

“brother,” “sister,” “aunt,” “uncle,” etc, are perhaps not as common in English as in

Chinese, but, I believe, are acceptable.31 However Chinese has a number of pronouns

English lacks. Some examples include:

1. qianbei 前輩: literally “earlier generation;” can be used in direct-address of someone

older or in self-address when talking to someone younger 2. houbei 後輩: “latter generation;” can be used in direct-address of someone younger

or in self-address when talking to someone older 3. pindao 貧道: “poor Taoist;” a humble form of self-address used by Taoist monks

4. xiaoren 小人: “small person;” used to refer humbly to oneself as a person of a lower

social status 5. mou 某: “certain;” can be used in combination with other characters such as 某人 or

某家 (literally meaning “a certain person”) to refer to someone who has been

mentioned; could be a first, second, or third person pronoun 6. zaixia 在下: “under;” a humble form of “I”

Used in conversation, they basically mean nothing more than “I” or “you” (in most cases “I”), but they have different nuances, such as expressing status, which English cannot as easily display. There I merely simplified them to common English pronouns.

31! The terms “brother” and “sister” are also used in religious orders which may cause undesired connota- tions.

!53 Similar to Mok, 32 I also fell into repeating “master” for multiple titles, such as gongzhu 宮

主 (the owner of a palace) and daxia 大俠 (a skilled swordsman or warrior).

Wordplay in Chinese was also sometimes difficult to match in English. In Gu

Long’s The Eleventh Son, a woman throws needles into the eyes of some men who are watching her bathe. She then asks them, “偷看女人洗澡，會長『針眼』的。這句話你們

難道沒聽見過？” 33 “Have you ever heard the saying that whoever peeps at bathing women will get needle-eyes?” (Tai 6). The Chinese is saying is that peeping Toms will get styes, the wordplay being the word for “stye” in Chinese, zhenyan 針眼, zhen 針 meaning needle and yan 眼 meaning eye. However Tai’s translation as “needle-eyes” fails to convey the wordplay and leaves the reader curious as to what exactly a needle- eye might be.

In each case I encountered in my translation, I attempted to mirror the effect in the original.

她一把抱住小魚兒，喘著氣道：「阿拉，真主，感謝你……他還在這裡。」

小魚兒道：「阿拉？是什麼事將你又『拉』來了？」 (219)

!32 Lai lists seven different titles in Chinese which Mok translated all as “master.” 1. “Grand Master” for zhangmen 掌門 (head of a martial arts school) 2. “Great Master” for dashi 大師 (respectful term of ad- dress for a Buddhist monk) 3. “kind master” for enshi 恩師 (teacher, so called by his or her disciples) 4. “master” for zhuangzhu 莊主 (lord of an estate) 5. “master” for zhaizhu 寨主 (lord of a robbers’ den) 6. “master” for jiazhu 家主 (lord, so called by his servants) 7. “master” for gaoshou 高手 (expert or adept) (Lai 1998, 143).

!33 http://www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=D487:2.

!54 She flung her arms around Minnow and gasped, “Allah, thank you. He’s still here.” “Allah? What’s so alarming to bring you back here?” chuckled Minnow. Here Minnow uses the second syllable in “Allah,” transliterated with the character la 拉 “to pull,” to jokingly ask what brought—or pulled—a girl who had just left the scene

back so soon. I tried to use the same unfamiliar word34 in a similar sense with the hope of creating a not-so-successful pun.

Another important and troublesome play on words also involves one of the main character’s names. When Tie Xinlan 鐵心蘭 is introduced, she is disguised as a boy who goes by the name Tie Xinnan 鐵心男.

小魚兒笑道：「這樣才乖，對了，你得先告訴我，叫什麼名字？」

白衣少年道：「鐵……鐵心男！」

小魚兒眨眼笑道：「蘭花的『蘭』？」

白衣少年大聲道：「自然是男兒的『男』。」 小魚兒大笑道：「鐵心的男兒，好，好名字，男兒的心，本該像鐵一樣硬，不想你模樣雖

生得有些像女孩子，名字卻取得似乎剛強。」 (218).

“That’s a good boy,” Minnow laughed. “Oh, right, you haven’t told me your name.” “T’ye. Cinran T’ye!” Minnow blinked and laughed. “Doesn’t Cinlan mean orchid in the common tongue?” “It’s Cinran and it means masculine!” “That’s a good name; boy’s should be masculine with a heart hard as iron. I wouldn’t have guessed someone like you who looks a bit like a girl would have such a tough name.” She changed her name from tie 鐵 “iron” xin 心 “heart” lan 蘭 “orchid” to tie 鐵

“iron” xin 心 “heart” nan 男 “boy.” The slight alteration changes it from a feminine name

!34 Gu Long had just explained that Minnow did not know “Allah” was the Muslim word for God.

!55 to a masculine one, and Minnow explains to the readers what the name means.

Obviously the pinyin name carries no meaning for an audience who does not speak

Chinese, making the translation for this brief section significantly more complex. Aside from changing the pinyin to a more stylized fantasy name and the consonant switch

(from lan to nan in the original Chinese to lan to ran in my translation), I circumvent having to explain the meaning of the words from their original Chinese meaning by using a fantastical mystery language (presumably that the audience does not know is

Chinese). Similar to other fantasy novels, there may be multiple languages among differing groups of people, but they all speak the same language.

I also made stylistic changes in revision of my translation, most notably in the dialogue. I attempted to retain all the content, but I rearranged much of the syntax to make it sound more natural to English-speaking ears. The majority of dialogue also begins with the name of the speaker and a mode of transmittance (saying, yelling, laughing, etc.). I also shifted these to the middle or end of the sentence, or deleted the name of the speaker entirely.

Conclusion!

As Shuang Shen in Translating Jin Yong: The Context, the Translator, and the

Texts points out:

...it is implied by some responses to the English version of Jin Yong's novel that those who know enough Chinese to read Jin Yong's novels will not touch their English versions, and readers equipped with bilingual capability will only read the Chinese originals for pleasure and study the English translations for the sake of comparison...Pleasure, an extremely important factor in the reception of popular culture, is also understood to be restricted within a monolingual and culturally specific framework (Shen 203).

!56 In my opinion, Shen’s sentiment is support for translating the works of an author like Gu

Long, removing heavy cultural particularities, and possibly even for fantasizing the setting in wuxia novels. It is more unlikely that a culturally-specific novel will be read in leisure outside of that culture.

Overall I had to strike a balance between certain aspects within the book to portray a more or less Chinese atmosphere. I would like to state that I do not wish to remove everything that makes my translation of Legendary Siblings Chinese. I would like this to be read by a general audience, for which some things needed to be altered, most notably proper names, but nothing cardinal from the original was removed in my translation.

I believe the spirit of my Legendary Siblings coincides with the translations that have come before it and my above statements echo those in previous translator prefaces. As Earnshaw wrote, “I was as faithful to the spirit of the original as I could be, but took the view that it was necessary to simplify some elements of the story and the

writing in order to make it more acceptable to an English-reading audience.”35 Mok also clearly explained in her introduction that she removed some more troublesome passages; and while he didn’t alert his readers in his own translator’s note, Minford’s major abridgment of The Deer and the Cauldron from five books to three shows that there was much in Jin Yong’s novels he felt might pose as a problem to his new audience. What separates us is that I chose a wuxia novel that could be characterized as fantasy and not a historical romance. And I believe that makes all the difference.

!35 http://www.earnshaw.com/b&s/b&s.php.

!57 Chapter Five! Conclusion!

Wuxia novels are a traditional Chinese fantasy that have developed over thousands of years as storytellers and authors borrowed from each other to create the massive, shared world of jianghu, the “under”world of Rivers and Lakes. This world overlaps with the very real China which is used as the backdrop for all wuxia stories. As a fantasy novel, the translator could separate or combine these two worlds as they see

fit.!

Ideally, English translations would have an established lexicon to use while translating martial arts novels; however, as many terms encountered have no corresponding terms in English, this has yet to come to fruition. With the slow import of

Chinese culture to the West, some of these words, such as qi, have made their way into

English, but there are still many words for which there an exact equivalent does not exist. Faced with these difficulties, translators of modern martial arts novels have used several strategies—omission, adaptation, transliteration, and annotation. Most scholars agree that martial arts fiction in English translation would be more successful if there was a corresponding lexicon in English; as things stand, each translator has had their own rendition for most of the terms unique to wuxia, perhaps to its detriment. As a translator of martial arts novels, I believe we should attempt to use as many of these specified terms from previous translations as possible. Nonetheless, I feel that the cultural and historical themes in most martial arts novels, in particular Jin Yong’s works, prove a greater obstacle in translation and reception than individual words.

!58 “If a translation is good, the reader will be ‘seduced’ into learning a foreign language and will want to study the original work; on the contrary, if it is not good, then the reader will lose interest in the language and culture of the original work” (Shen,

204-205). Jin Yong rooted his novels in Chinese history, thrusting his characters into cultural conflicts, sometimes to mix with actual historical figures. As most Chinese children might learn these stories in school, reading a fantasized version may be especially stimulating, but it might be difficult to seduce a foreign audience with the same accounts.

Assuming Jin Yong’s novels were translated with the intent of providing them to a broad readership, most critics and academics assert that the only people who read these novels are those already studying wuxia novels in Chinese culture. They could be translated solely for a small niche market of people studying Chinese martial arts or culture, but I would imagine this audience would prefer to read the novels in the original

Chinese. I also believe it would be dismal for an author or translator to write fiction specifically for such a small population. This is not a fault in the translation, but more likely in the selection of novel to translate.

! His intrepid writing style is precisely why I believe Gu Long is a better option for

English translation and expanding the readership of martial arts fiction. He was affected by popular Western novels and borrowed from genres familiar to and popular with

Western audiences, while removing the possibly cumbersome historical background so prevalent in Jin Yong’s novels. Without requiring a profound knowledge of Chinese history, his stories simply use ancient China as a setting, making them slightly easier to manipulate. If future translators were so bold, adapting his stories and removing the

!59 story from China could also be feasible. What Gu Long’s novels excel at portraying are not the weapons and martial arts of his characters, but the motivations behind their actions, which should easily translate into English. Perhaps translations of his works could in turn influence Western literature, just as it had influenced him.

Previous literature advocates “the extensive but judicious use of omission” (Lai

1998, 140-141), but comparatively little would need to be considered for omission in Gu

Long’s novels. The debate over how to handle substantial amounts of history, culture, religion, etc. in wuxia novels would all but take care of itself. Footnotes which could break up the flow of a novel would also be unnecessary as well, reducing the potential burden on both the reader and translator. As an alternative to removing some of these aspects, I believe it is also possible to “hide” some of the “Chineseness” of the novel in fantasy. Instead of removing or explaining each cultural detail, I have attempted to treat this story as a product of imagination despite being set in an actual location. Without explanations, readers who have a background in Chinese language and culture may pick up on certain references, and those who do not may simply perceive them as fantasy.

Gu Long’s desire for change made him the top wuxia author in Taiwan to date, and possibly the second in the world. With such considerable differences in writing styles between Gu Long and Jin Yong, I believe Gu Long’s works should be used to introduce the martial arts genre to Western audiences. Perhaps after a larger, more solid foundation has been set for terminology, future translators may return to face the challenges Jin Yong’s novels produce in translation.

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!62 龔敏（2006）。從梁羽生、金庸到古龍 — 論古龍小說之「新」與「變」。林保淳 主 編，傲世鬼才古龍：古龍與武俠小說國際學術研討會論文集。台北：台灣學生書局有限公 司，127－146。 English:! Cameron, Drew (2012). Translation as Rewriting: A Descriptive Analysis of John Minford’s English Translation of Jin Yong’s Luding Ji. Master’s Thesis, Fu Jen Catholic University. Hamm, John Christopher (2005). Paper Swordsmen: Jin Yong and the Modern Chinese Martial Arts Novel. University of Hawai’i Press. Lai, Sharon (1997). Domesticating and Foreignizing: Strategies for Translating the Fiction of Louis Cha. Translation Quarterly Nos. 5 & 6 April 1997, Special Issue, Martial Arts Fiction in English Translation, Published by the Hong Kong Translation Society, 69-86. ------(1998). Translating Chinese Martial Arts Fiction, with Reference to the Novels of Jin Yong. Doctorate Dissertation, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Liu, James J. Y. (1967). The Chinese Knight-errant. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Liu, Petrus (2006). Cultural Bodies in Gu Long. 林保淳 主編，傲世鬼才古龍：古龍與武 俠小說國際學術研討會論文集。台北：台灣學生書局有限公司，91－112. Liu, Zaifu (2007). Jin Yong and Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature. Huss, Ann and Liu, Jianmei (eds).The Jin Yong Phenomenon: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Modern Chinese Literary History. Youngstown: Cambria Press. 23-38 Minford, John (1997). Kungfu in Translation, Translation as Kungfu. Translation Quarterly Nos. 5 & 6 April 1997, Special Issue, Martial Arts Fiction in English Translation, Published by the Hong Kong Translation Society, 1-42. ------(1997). The Deer and the Cauldron: The First Book, A Martial Arts novel by Louis Cha. New York: Oxford University Press. Mok, Olivia (1993). Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.

!63 Shen, Shuang (2007). Translating Jin Yong: The Context, the Translator, and the Texts. Huss, Ann and Liu, Jianmei (eds).The Jin Yong Phenomenon: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Modern Chinese Literary History. Youngstown: Cambria Press. 201-218. Tai, Rebecca (2005). The Eleventh Son: A Novel if Martial Arts and Tangled Love. Paramus: Homa & Sekey Books. Tian, Xiaofei (2007). The Ship in a Bottle: The Construction of an Imaginary China in Jin Yong’s Fiction. Huss, Ann and Liu, Jianmei (eds).The Jin Yong Phenomenon: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Modern Chinese Literary History. Youngstown: Cambria Press. 219-240. Wong, Laurence K.P. (1997). Is Martial Arts Fiction in English Possible? With Reference to John Minford’s English Version of the First Two Chapters of Louis Cha’s Luding Ji. Translation Quarterly Nos. 5 & 6 April 1997, Special Issue, Martial Arts Fiction in English Translation, Published by the Hong Kong Translation Society, 111-131. Websites:! Clute, John and Grant, John (1997). The Encyclopedia of Fantasy. Retrieved on Dec 27, 2013 from http://sf-encyclopedia.co.uk/fe.php? id=0&nm=introduction_to_the_online_text. Earnshaw, Graham (2001). The Book and the Sword: A Martial Arts novel by Louis Cha. Retrieved on Sept 10, 2013 from http://www.earnshaw.com/b&s/b&s.php. ------(2005). “The Book and the Translator” Customer Review. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Sword-Louis-Cha/dp/0195907272. The Book and the Sword. Customer Reviews. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http:// www.amazon.com/The-Book-Sword-Louis-Cha/dp/0195907272. The Deer and the Cauldron: The First Book. Customer Reviews. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http://www.amazon.com/The-Deer-Cauldron-First-Book/dp/0195903234/ The Deer and the Cauldron: The Second Book. Customer Reviews. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http://www.amazon.com/The-Deer-Cauldron-Second-Book/dp/ 0195903250/. The Deer and the Cauldron: The Third Book. Customer Reviews. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http://www.amazon.com/The-Deer-Cauldron-Third-Book/dp/0195903277/. The Eleventh Son. Customer Reviews. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http:// www.amazon.com/The-Eleventh-Son-Martial-Tangled/dp/1931907161/.

!64 古龍（1970）。 《多情劍客無情劍》代序。 Retrieved on September, 8, 2013 from http://www.gulongbbs.com/book/dqjkwqj/952.htm. ------（1971）。 談 “新” 與 “變”。 《大人物》代序。 Retrieved on September 1, 2013 from http://www.rxgl.net/gulong/drw/000.htm. ------（1971）。說說武俠小說。《歡樂英雄》代序。 Retrieved on September, 1, 2013 from http://www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M.1162100606.A.DA4.html. ------（1973）。蕭十一郎。 Retrieved on November 1, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=D487:0&F=-1. ------（1974）。 孔雀翎。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=I09B9:1. ------（1974）。 多情環。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=I09C0:1. ------（1974）。 碧玉刀。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=I0448:1. ------（1974）。 長生劍。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=I0603:1. ------（1975）。 霸王槍。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=I0444:1. ------（1975）。《三少爺的劍》前言。 Retrieved on September, 8, 2013 from http:// www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M.1162100606.A.533.html. ------（1978）。 離別鉤。 Retrieved on August 22, 2013 from http:// www.haodoo.net/?M=u&P=D415:1. ------（1979）。 一個作家的成長与轉變 — 我為何改寫 《鐵血大旗》。 Retrieved on September, 1, 2013 from http://www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M. 1162100606.A.571.html. ------（1980）。風鈴·馬蹄·刀。《風鈴中的刀聲》代序。 Retrieved on September, 1, 2013 from http://www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M.1162100606.A.163.html.

!65 ------（1983）。 談我看過的武俠小說（一）。 Retrieved on September, 8, 2013 from http://www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M.1161666515.A.FDA.html. ------（1983）。 談我看過的武俠小說（二）。 Retrieved on September, 8, 2013 from http://www.ptt.cc/man/Gulong/D1E/D99B/DFB8/M.1161666515.A.572.html.

!66 Appendix A!

List of Gu Long’s Novels! The following table is from Peng Hua’s (彭華) biography of Gu Long, 俠骨柔情～古龍的 今世今生 pages 332-336. Name Date of Publication Publisher

蒼穹神劍 1960 第一出版社

月異星邪 1960 第一出版社

劍氣書香 1960 真善美出版社

湘妃劍 1960 真善美出版社

劍毒梅香 1960 真善美出版社

孤星傳 1960 真善美出版社

失魂引 1961 明祥出版社

遊俠錄 1961 海光出版社

護花鈴 1962 春秋出版社

彩環曲 1962 春秋出版社

殘金缺玉 1962 華源出版社

飄香劍雨 1963 華源出版社

劍玄錄 1963 清華出版社

劍客行 1963 明祥出版社

浣花洗劍錄 1964 真善美出版社

情人箭 1964 真善美出版社

大旗英雄傳 1965 真善美出版社

武林外史 1965 春秋出版社

!67 Name Date of Publication Publisher

名劍風流 1966 春秋出版社

絕代雙驕 1967 春秋出版社

血海⾶ 香 1968 真善美出版社

大沙漠 1969 真善美出版社

畫眉鳥 1970 真善美出版社

多情劍客無情劍 1970 春秋出版社

鬼戀俠情 1970 春秋出版社

蝙蝠傳奇 1971 春秋出版社

歡樂英雄 1971 春秋出版社

大人物 1971 春秋出版社

桃花傳奇 1972 春秋出版社

萧 十一郎 1973 漢麟出版社

流星·蝴蝶·劍 1973 桂冠出版社

九月鷹飛 1974 春秋出版社

長生劍 1974 漢麟出版社

碧玉刀 1974 漢麟出版社

孔雀翎 1974 漢麟出版社

多情環 1974 漢麟出版社

霸王槍 1975 漢麟出版社

天涯·明月·刀 1975 漢麟出版社

七殺手 1975 漢麟出版社

劍·花·煙雨·江南 1975 漢麟出版社

三少爺的劍 1975 桂冠出版社

!68 Name Date of Publication Publisher

絕不低頭 1975 漢麟出版社

陸小鳳傳奇 1976 春秋出版社

繡花大盗 1976 春秋出版社

決戰前後 1976 春秋出版社

火併蕭十一郎 1976 漢麟出版社

拳頭 1976 南琪出版社

邊城浪子 1976 漢麟出版社

血鸚鵡 1976 漢麟出版社

白玉老虎 1976 桂冠出版社

大地飛鷹 1976 南琪出版社

銀鉤賭坊 1977 春秋出版社

幽靈山莊 1977 春秋出版社

圓月彎刀 1977 漢麟出版社

飛刀，又見飛刀 1977 漢麟出版社

碧血洗銀槍 1977 桂冠出版社

離別鉤 1978 春秋出版社

鳳舞九天 1978 春秋出版社

新月傳奇 1978 漢麟出版社

英雄無淚 1978 漢麟出版社

七星龍王 1978 春秋出版社

午夜蘭花 1979 漢麟出版社

風鈴中的刀聲 1980 萬盛出版公司

劍神一笑 1981 萬盛出版公司

!69 Name Date of Publication Publisher

白玉雕龍 1981 萬盛出版公司

怒劍狂花 1982 萬盛出版公司

那一劍的風情 1982 萬盛出版公司

邊城刀聲 1983 萬盛出版公司

獵鷹·賭局 1984 萬盛出版公司

!70 絕代雙驕（⼀） LEGENDARY SIBLINGS Book One 著：古龍 譯：柯潤元 By: Gu Long Translation by: Ryan Kueck

!71 The World of Rivers and Lakes World The

!72 Chapter One! Sword Meets Flower! Tales of Fengor Gian the Jade Gentleman and Naitan Yann are often heard throughout the world of Rivers and Lakes. Given the chance, no one would forgo seeing Fengor’s chiseled features or Naitan’s magnificent swordplay. There hasn’t been a woman who didn’t swoon at Fengor’s smile, nor anyone capable of withstanding a strike from Naitan. Naitan’s talent was more than just brute strength; he could split a hair in two, perhaps even blindfolded. And no one could keep count of how many girls’ hearts Fengor had shattered with his smile. But now, this strapping young man had donned tattered clothing and sped down an abandoned road steering a rickety, old cart. Had someone seen him, no amount of convincing would have him believe this was that same thriftless socialite. The heat of the day still lingered under the setting July sun. Both man and horse were short of breath in the muggy air, but the whip in Fengor’s hand still drove forward. The cart careened down the road, dry grass sweeping aside like girls fainting at his approach. A rooster’s crow tore the silence. Why was there a rooster on this old road? Where did it come from? Fengor looked uneasy, his sharp eyes squinted underneath his frayed hat surveying the area, but he only saw a large rooster perched upon a stump on the side of the road. It stood there as if nailed in place; its majestic crown, colorful tail, and gold plumage sparkling underneath the falling sun. Its eyes twinkled with a peculiar, demonic stare. His face turned pale and he jerked the cart to a halt. The horses neighed and the cart slowly came to a stop. “What’s wrong?” asked a sweet voice from inside the carriage. Fengor hesitated for a moment and forced a laugh. “Nothing, I just went the wrong way.” He turned the horses’ and raced back the way they came. He heard the rooster crow again, laughing at him. He whipped the horses faster, the grass covering the road was already flattened allowing a quicker pace, but they hadn’t gone a mile before something else stood in their path. This road was long neglected and hid no signs of people, yet an enormous black hog was lying across the path. It was anyone’s guess where it had come from. He didn’t see it when they had just made their first pass, yet here it was. Fengor looked sick as he stopped the cart a second time. The only thing in sight was this large hog rolling around in the dust, and even so its body was completely clean. Its thick hair looked like a rug of glistening gold thread. “Made another wrong turn?” asked the voice inside the sealed carriage. Fengor’s face dripped with sweat. “I...” The soft voice let out a tender sigh, “Why are you trying to hide it? I already know.” “You know?” “After I heard the rooster crow, I assumed the Twelve Zodiac had found us. You didn’t want to worry me, so you didn’t say anything, right?”

!73 “But our path was a secret, how did they find us?” he sighed. “But, just relax, I’ll handle whatever happens.” “Wrong again,” said the woman in the carriage. “I made a promise to live and die with you. No matter what hardships come along, we’ll face them together.” “But you’re—” “It’s okay, I’m feeling fine now.” Fengor clenched his teeth. “Okay. Can you walk? Both ways are blocked with bad omens. It looks like we’ll have to abandon the cart and cut across the field.” “Why do we need to abandon the cart? They’ve already spotted us, it’ll be nearly impossible to escape. We might as well just wait here. The Twelve Zodiac have a bad reputation, but we might have no reason to fear them.” “I, I’m more afraid you’ll—” “Don’t worry, I’m fine.” A sweet smile grew on Fengor’s face. “I’m so lucky to have found you,” he said gently. Even the radiant setting sun seemed to lose its color next to his smile. “I’m the lucky one,” returned the woman. “There must be countless jealous and resentful women in the world of Rivers and Lakes. They just—” She hadn’t finished before the horses suddenly reared up and let out a startled cry. The horses seemed to have sensed something. A refreshing evening breeze blew past, the hog flopped over, the rooster crowed in the distance, and the tall grass danced in the wind under the darkening sky. An unlucky chill surrounded the area. The wilderness under the summer sun was suddenly gripped by an unspeakably bleak and desolate aura. “It seems like they’re here,” Fengor said flatly. A piercing cackle came from behind the cart. “That’s right, we’re already here.” The laugh sounded just like the rooster’s crow—sharp, shrill, and brief. He had never heard such an unappealing sound in his life. “Who’s there?” he snapped as he whipped around. The rooster-like chuckle continued as five people emerged from behind the cart. The first person was a scrawny man no more than five feet tall. He was clad head to toe in scarlet. It was difficult to look at his face. The second man was impressively tall, massive and solid, with yellow clothes and a yellow skullcap. He wore a steel, emotionless face. The three men behind him were dressed in absurd, mismatched and multicolored patches, like a gaudy beggar’s costume. The physiques varied, but their faces were equally fierce. Their demeanor showed dauntless bravery and they moved in perfect unison—not a second too quick or too slow from each other. One more person was trudging ever closer from the distance. These five men combined were probably no heavier than this fellow. He was so corpulent he could hardly move; he wheezed with each step he took. “It’s so hot,” he muttered, “I’m about to die.” His face was covered in sweat which shook off as his fat rippled. Fengor jumped from the cart and forced his face to appear calm. “Would you be Gallus the Rooster and Sus the Pig of the Twelve Zodiac?”

!74 The man in red chuckled. “Master Gian’s eyes are indeed sharp, but we are merely a rooster and a pig. Gallus and Sus are just names those in the world of Rivers and Lakes bestowed on us; we’re not worthy of them.” Fengor’s eyes flickered, “I presume you are—” “Red is the rooster’s comb, yellow is the body, and the colorful ones are the tail feathers,” interrupted the man in red. “As for the one back there, he’s exactly what you think he looks like.” “And what do you want with me?” “We heard that Master Gian had a new pet and we just couldn’t pass up a chance to see exactly how beautiful a woman must be to make such an impression on the Jade Gentleman. We also have something to discuss with you.” Fengor’s stomach turned. “I’m afraid I left in quite a hurry, I didn’t bring anything with me. Surely there is nothing here to captivate such fine sirs as yourselves.” “Master Gian sold all of his possessions overnight. We don’t know why and honestly we don’t care, but that bag of jewels you received for your estate...” Gallus’s comb cackled again, “Master Gian should know that the Twelve Zodiac never leaves empty handed. Why don’t you hand over that bag of jewels.” Fengor burst into laughter. “My, my, you have really done your homework. I know the Twelve Zodiac never makes an uncalculated move, but...” “But what?” said the comb, “You won’t?” “If you’d like me to oblige, you simply—” Before he finished speaking, streaks of silver shot toward his chest. Gallus’s comb moved swiftly. In an instant he brought out an oddly shaped weapon, hooked like an iron beak, which shot towards Fengor like lightning. His odd movements looked like a rooster pecking at the ground. His attacks were aimed at the pressure points down the right side of Fengor’s chest. He leapt into the air, somersaulted, and evaded each attack with precision. But there were three pairs of claw-shaped sickles waiting for him on the ground. As soon as the comb moved, the tail followed suit. Gallus’s colorful tails were no slower than his red comb. These claw sickles were a rare sight in the world of Rivers and Lakes. One beak and three sets of claws. Their movements were perfectly timed as if one person had grown several hands, and their coordination was as exact as if that were true. Fengor was not in the least incompetent, but four unconventional weapons paired with peculiar movements was too much to handle. He was already overwhelmed and yet one more savage remained. Gallus’s yellow body remained to the side. His aggressive stare glued to Fengor, waiting for an opening. “Go get him,” chuckled Sus, exhausted. “Don’t go easy on this guy. I’ll go take a peek at the little beauty in the carriage.” “Stop!” shouted Fengor. He wanted to rush over, but he was surrounded. Those four left him no openings. Sus had already hobbled to the carriage and reached out to open the door. A beautiful, white hand came out and between those delicate and slim fingers was a flower. A black plum flower.

!75 Plum blossoms during midsummer were strange enough, let alone black ones. The white hand against the black flower had a mysterious, indescribable beauty. “Can you see what this is?” The sweet voice from inside the carriage spoke each word slowly. Sus’s face twisted, his hand became paralyzed on the door; even the rooster beak and claws seemed to freeze in midair. These six thieves who shook the world of Rivers and Lakes seemed to be caught by some magic, each of their hands, feet, and faces seemed to go rigid. “Prismatic Valley’s Floral Palace,” Sus said hoarsely. “Not bad,” said the woman in the carriage. “I...” Sus’s teeth chattered; he wasn’t able to say anything. The woman in the carriage said softly, “Do you wish to die?” “I… don’t....” “And yet you aren’t leaving.” Before she finished speaking, the red, yellow, , and black all vanished. Sus’s steps were no longer encumbered and he stopped wheezing; if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they’d never have believed someone that massive could be so light on his feet. Fengor rushed to the carriage window. “Are you okay?” “I only waved my hand,” laughed the woman. “I didn’t think you’d take a black plum blossom from the palace,” he sighed in relief, “or that the nefarious Twelve Zodiac would be so afraid of them.” “So now you know just how scary those people are. We should leave; if someone else should come it’s alright, but if—” The loud rush of clothes whipping through the air rang as the six returned even quicker than they had left. “We almost fell for that,” laughed Sus. “If she was really from Floral Palace, we wouldn’t have left alive. When have you heard of anyone from Floral Palace letting people live?” The woman in the carriage said, “I spared you, and yet—” “Come out, you fake!” he bellowed. Sus punched the door shattering it to pieces. The woman in the carriage had disheveled hair and looked sickly, but that didn’t subtract from her beauty. Her eyes were not extremely charming, her nose was not the straightest, her lips were not remarkably petite, but one glance once was more than enough to make anyone stare, especially after seeing the deep sentiment, understanding, and intelligence in her eyes. She had a large bulge on her stomach. She was pregnant. Sus stared blankly and then burst into laughter. “It’s just a fat lady who pretended to be from Floral Pa—” She flew out of the carriage. Sus didn’t have time to react before she slapped him in the face several times. Just as quickly, she returned to her seat. “What do you think of this fat lady?” “A measly surprise attack?” Sus roared in anger and swung his fist. Despite his obesity, he was swift and fierce.

!76 She still had a smile on her face. Her delicate hands waved through the air and Sus’s fists were thrown back toward him and landed with a thud against his shoulder. He was unable to evade. The powerful fist that had just smashed the carriage door knocked him over as he screamed in pain. Gallus’s comb and tail were about to advance upon the carriage, but promptly froze in place. They stared blankly at the woman, not moving an inch. Sus’s voice shook, “Grafting Flowers to Jade...” “If you know that much, you should know I’m not a fake,” said the woman “I… I’m sorry,” he said. Sus raised his hand and slapped his own face until it was blacker and fatter than before. “I’d like to do something good for my child’s sake,” she sighed. “Hurry. Leave now.” They retreated faster this time; even their shadows disappeared in an instant. But under the vast twilight sky, another figure was speeding towards them. Fengor watched until he couldn’t see them anymore then sighed in relief. “Luckily you’re still able to stop them, otherwise—” He realized she looked ill. Her body was shaking as she dripped in cold sweat. She looked in unbearable pain. He was shocked. “What’s wrong?” “I...I’m having a contraction...I’m afraid I’ll...” “This is not good.” Fengor feet danced in a fluster. “Hurry,” she screamed, “Move the cart to the side of the road. Quick!” In a panic, he pushed the cart into the long grass alongside the road. The horses neighed in frustration. Fengor frantically wiped sweat from his brow before thrusting his head into the carriage. The broken door was covered by a jacket. After a few minutes, the vibrant cries of a baby resounded from the carriage. “Two!” shouted Fengor. “Twins!” Covered in sweat and overjoyed, he poked his head outside. He froze. Gallus and Sus, who had just run away like frightened mice, were once again standing in front of the cart. Six pairs of frigid eyes stared at him. Fengor wanted to act calm but his face had already changed colors. “You...you’re back?” he choked. “Are you surprised?” snickered Gallus’s comb. “Did you come back to die?” he shouted. “Die?” laughed Sus. “I can tell you aren’t ignorant,” Fengor said sternly, “Don’t you know of the strength of Prismatic Valley’s Floral Palace?” Normally very refined and mild, now his eyes had turned red. Sus laughed again. “Master Gian, do we still need to continue this charade? We both know the people who want your lives are the two heads of Floral Palace, not us.” A trickle of sweat ran down Fengor’s prominent nose to the corner of his mouth. He licked his dry and cracked lips. “You really are crazy. The masters of Floral Palace want my life?” He laughed. “Do you know who’s in the carriage right now?” “She’s just a woman from Floral Palace, a mere chit of a girl,” said the comb coldly, “A traitor who ran away from the palace.”

!77 Fengor shivered. He wanted to force a laugh, but he couldn’t anymore. “Surprised, Master Gian? Afraid to ask how we know?” mocked Sus. “That’s a secret you couldn’t guess in a lifetime.” This was a mystery indeed. Fengor had abandoned his family and was now running from the grasp of the two heads of Floral Palace. But no one knew this aside from him and his wife. Somehow they knew. How? He was at a loss and had no time to think. The woman in the carriage was moaning, the babies were crying, and standing outside were six men who wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep after killing a man. Fengor rushed forward abruptly; a light flashed before his eyes. Gallus’s body held a pair of scimitars and blocked his path. He didn’t try to avoid the attack; he grit his teeth and charged forward. He arrested the yellow man’s wrist and with a twist, slipped one of the scimitars into his own hand. His leg flew toward the man’s stomach while the sword swept out to deflect the comb’s iron beak. He pushed through the claw sickles and plunged the scimitar at Sus. These moves were precise, fast, and vicious; the scimitar, beak, and claws all grazed his clothes as he pressed through. Sus evaded the attack but it threw him off balance. “Be careful!” he yelled as he threw a couple more punches, “This guy’s going all out!” These men had lived through countless struggles; they knew that when someone fought with no regard for his life, it was difficult to stop him. They watched Fengor’s blade, but they never matched his force. They were just toying with him! Fengor slashed left, kicked right, yet despite risking his life, his vicious attacks fell on nothing but air. Sus wouldn’t stop laughing. Gallus’s body only had one sword, but he was still very skilled; evading his frequent advances was taxing. The three pairs of claw sickles blended together seamlessly; guarding was useless against their offense and he couldn’t break their impenetrable woven defense. The three tails alone were more than he could handle. Then there was Gallus’s comb. Faster than a ghost, his red clothes fluttered as he ricocheted around the field. His iron beak danced through the air. The only time it paused was when it sat atop one of Fengor’s major organs. He was disheveled and hardly had the strength to scream. Now this sybarite looked more like a wild animal—all for the sake of his beloved. Though he expended his utmost, it was to no avail. The lion was already trapped, the tiger already caught; fighting back was a useless struggle. Clouds had slowly covered the gloomy evening sky. While this battle was intense and stimulating, it was almost too tragic to watch. His sweat and blood was only repaid with mockery. “Stop! Please! You’re no match for them,” she screamed from the carriage. Sus rushed over, pushed aside the curtain. “Oh, this one’s pretty lucky,” he snickered, “She had twins.” “Get away, you bastard!” shouted Fengor. He charged over but was pushed back. He was tossed aside each time he ran to the cart. His face was covered in blood. The woman screamed as she held her children tight, “You ! You...you...”

!78 “Don’t worry, beautiful,” Sus laughed, “I won’t lay a hand on you now, but once you recover...” “Bastard!” Fengor howled, “If you dare touch her...” Sus stretched out his hand and brushed her face. “I’m touching her,” he taunted, “What can you do?” Fengor screamed and raised his scimitar. The iron beak, claw sickles, and scimitar descended on him instantly. More blood seeped onto his shoulders, chest, and back. “Be careful!” the woman stammered. “Your Jade Gentleman is about to become a jade lump,” laughed Sus. Fengor was soaked in blood. “You bastards, even if I’m torn to a thousand pieces, I’ll never let you live.” The air was filled with angry screams, smug laughter, pathetic squeals, and newborn cries. It was enough to melt even the coldest of hearts.

!79 Chapter Two! Baptized by Blades! Blood! Fengor’s body was covered in blood! “I won’t let you risk your life alone!” screamed the woman. She set aside her children and leaped at Sus. She reached for his throat, but his massive hand blocked her. “What happened to your skills?” he laughed, “Pitiful woman, why did you two have kids...” She lunged again before he finished laughing. Sus brushed her aside again, but this time she clung to his arm in desperation and sunk her teeth into his neck. Sus roared in pain. Blood trickled down her supple lips. It was an evil, foul blood, but she felt pleasure as it ran down her face—the pleasure of revenge. He flung his fist under the pain and threw her back into the cart. She tumbled to the ground and laid motionless. But she had already tasted the blood of her enemy. She laughed callously as tears ran down her cheeks. “Leave, hurry. Don’t mind us. You don’t have to die. The sisters of Floral Palace have no ill will against you...” Fengor howled in protest. Again he rushed over and again he was met with that wall of iron. He ignored them. His shredded body was covered in deep cuts and scratches. He collapsed on the ground before he could reach his wife. She cried, struggling to crawl toward him. He also started to inch toward her. They didn’t want anything but to die together. Their hands were just about to touch when Sus’s foot came down crushing their hands beyond recognition. “You’re so...evil!” she screamed. “You’re just realizing that now?” he mocked. “I’ll give you anything...everything,” cried Fengor. “Just please, let us die together!” “It’s too late for you to say that now,” Sus laughed. “You two looked pretty happy when you tricked me and hit me, so I’ll let you die slowly, and separately.” “Why? What have we done to you?” she asked. “I guess there’s no harm in telling you. I’m only doing this because someone told me not to let you die together.” “Who? Who was it?” Fengor pleaded. “Guess.” Gallus’s body suddenly darted over. His flushed face was still blank and impassive. “We must remove all traces of them. We can’t let these brats live.” “True!” said Sus. The man in yellow didn’t say another word. He raised his hand and swung his scimitar down at the carriage. Fengor screamed; his wife wasn’t able to make a sound. The swift, merciless blade suddenly snapped in mid air.

!80 He leapt back in bemusement and yelled, “Who’s there?” Aside from the two Zodiacs and the pair on the ground about to die, no one was in sight. But how did that iron blade just break in two? Gallus’s comb turned pale. “What’s wrong?” “Something weird. Only a ghost would know,” said the rooster body. He sped forward again and swung the half-blade. It broke in half again with another loud crack. Even with that many people watching carefully, no one saw how. The yellow man’s face finally broke. His voice quivered, “Maybe there is a ghost.” Sus stood there muttering to himself for a moment. “Let me try.” He kicked up the scimitar Fengor had dropped on the ground and laughed as he swung down at the carriage. Mid-swing, they heard a loud thunk; his wrist shook and the sword jerked. Although it didn’t break in half, there was a notch in the blade. The comb looked sick. “So there’s someone plotting against us.” Sus couldn’t laugh anymore; his voice shook, “But we can’t see what it is; it must be very small. This person can use something so small to break iron? That’s an incredible amount of strength.” “There can’t be a person like that,” said Gallus’s body, “It has to be a...” He couldn’t help shivering. He didn’t want to say the word “ghost” again. Fengor also seemed surprised as lay there dying. “She’s here...” he mumbled. “It must be her.” “Who?” chirped Sus, “Could it be Naitan Yann?” “Naitan Yann?” came a voice, “He’s a slob.” The voice was supple, lively, and had a youthful flare. But it came as a shock out in this abandoned field. Fengor and his wife didn’t need to look; they already knew who it was. Both their faces dropped. Sus and Gallus were dumbfounded. They looked around, but all they saw was the tall grass blowing in the breeze. Suddenly a figure appeared under the gloomy dusk sky—a delicate and thin woman. They had no idea where she came from. The wind blew; the figure that stood almost a hundred feet away was instantly in front of them. From her voice, anyone would guess she was a young teenager—still childish, pretty and charming. But the woman standing there was at least in her mid-twenties. She wore a flowing temple robe that swept the ground and had wispy hair down to her shoulders. She was more beautiful than spring in full bloom. Her spirited eyes were full of wisdom and mischief—not the kind of impishness a woman her age should have. You could tell she had a very complex character. No one could guess what she was thinking. All who set eyes upon her were stunned by her unrivaled beauty, but were also unable to refrain from pitying her. This unmatched beauty was disabled. Her draping sleeves and long skirt could not hide her deformed left arm and leg.

!81 Sus got a good look at her. While he was in awe, the surprise on his face relaxed. He bowed and asked, “Are you the second head of Floral Palace?” “You know me?” she giggled. “Who doesn’t know the name Master Sorella?” “Such a flatterer.” “I couldn’t.” Master Sorella bat her eyes and smiled. “It seems you’re not afraid of me.” Sus bowed and laughed, “I just—” “You’ve done so many bad things,” she laughed, “Yet you’re not afraid of me. This strikes me as odd. Maybe, you don’t know I’m about to take your lives?” Sus instantly turned pale, but he forced a laugh. “Surely you’re joking.” “Joking? You’ve nearly killed my maid. I’d be showing you mercy if I killed you quickly. Who would joke with people like you?” “But...” he choked, “But this was Master Summoon’s—” Loud claps arrested his speech as she slapped his face a dozen times—just like Fengor Gian’s wife, but much harder. His lips were swollen and covered in blood. He could barely get out another word. Sorella still stood there, sleeves fluttering, sporting a carefree appearance like she hadn’t moved at all. But her girlish smile was gone. “Who said you could say my sister’s name?” she said coldly. Gallus was scared stiff. The comb stammered, “But, but this really was Master Sum—” He was slapped mercilessly before he could finish saying her name. His diminutive stature was nearly sent flying. “Curious. Do you really not believe that I want to kill you?” She sighed. Mid-sigh she circled around Gallus’s yellow body. No one saw if she had moved to attack in that blur, but he was already on the ground without the slightest sound. One of the harlequin tails silently bent over to look at him. He startled back. “He’s dead...” “So now you all understand,” laughed Sorella. “You’re so cruel,” screamed the tail. “What’s so shocking about someone dying? Perhaps you haven’t killed enough? You all deserve to die.” The comb’s eyes filled with rage. He gestured and the three pairs of claw sickles whirled toward Master Sorella. There was series of short screams as that slender woman spun through the air with the metal. Two of Gallus’s tails were down; the last one had retreated twenty feet. His hands were empty. He didn’t know how she killed the other two, how she dodged his attack, or how she took his weapon in those brief seconds. Sorella shook her sleeve and five of the claw sickles jangled to the ground. She stood there with the last in her hand and laughed. “These are chicken feet? I wonder how they taste.” She opened her mouth and bit the sickle. Like a crisp carrot, this rare, terrifying weapon snapped in her mouth.

!82 “Ugh, they’re awful,” she said shaking her head. She spat out the small piece. A light streaked through the air and the last of the colorful tails suddenly fell. He covered his face with his hands and rolled around on the ground, howling as blood seeped out between his fingers. He turned over a few times and then stopped. His hands fell away to reveal the mangled aftermath. That piece of iron had utterly shattered his face. Sus immediately fell to his knees and trembled, “Master, spare me, spare me...” Master Sorella ignored him and stared at the rooster crown. “What do you think of my kungfu?” she laughed. “I, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” he whimpered, “I’ve never even dreamed of anything like that.” “Are you afraid?” Gallus’s comb had seriously never thought he would be on the receiving end of this childish question. Now that we was, he had no choice but to be compliant and reply. “Yes... Yes, I’m very afraid.” “If you’re afraid, why don’t you beg me to spare you?” He knelt down and cried, “Master, spare me...” Sorella glanced around and laughed, “If you two want me to spare you, that’s simple enough. You just have to hit me.” “I can’t...” refused the comb. “And as brave as I may be, I can’t,” said Sus. She stared at them. “You two don’t want to live?” Gallus’s comb and Sus didn’t know how many times they had been asked that question. Normally they’d pass it off as an empty threat; answering it would just be a slap in the face. But they would have to play nice and answer that same question from Master Sorella. “I want to live,” they said. “Then hurry.” They looked at each other and reluctantly began walking over. “Yes, come on,” laughed Master Sorella. “Just relax and hit me; the harder the better. If you hit me hard I won’t retaliate, if you hold back... well...” If this is what she wants, who am I to refuse? How lucky would I be to knock her out? And if don’t, that shouldn’t be a problem either, thought Gallus’s comb. If that’s what your plan is, don’t blame me. Even with your skill and steely body, if you don’t block, I’ll smash you with one hit, mused Sus. They both held on to a chance of survival. Although they were laughing hysterically on the inside, their faces looked furrowed with panic. They hung their heads. “Well? What are you waiting for?” laughed Sorella. Sus burst forward, both fists in front. Backed by his mammoth body, his fists were considerably powerful. His attack was frightening strong. His two fists were light and quick, constantly feinting in different directions; only at the last second did he aim for the attack, landing on Master Sorella’s chest and stomach. The Pig Becomes an Elephant. This was epitome of his life’s training. Countless people in the world of Rivers and Lakes have been demolished by this punch.

!83 Gallus’s comb also flew forward; his iron beak was no more than streaks of light that rained upon Master Sorella’s chest. This was a special technique he normally didn’t use if it were not a matter of life or death. There was a rumor that his Serenade to the Stars had killed eight of Weiwu’s finest armed escorts at once. “Indeed, you’re not holding back,” she laughed. Amidst the laughter, her right hand moved like a butterfly through the silver rain. Somehow their unrestrained attacks lost their aim; their fists weren’t quite cooperating. They wanted to swing left, but their fists veered right; they wanted to pull back, but they accelerated. There were two loud thuds followed by cries of pain. Master Sorella was still standing in place giggling. She hadn’t moved an inch. Sus was laying on the ground and the comb had been thrown in the grass several feet away. Pained grunts escaped from the brush. Then nothing. The iron beak was implanted in Sus’s chest; he clenched his teeth and yanked it out. Blood rushed from his wound like a geyser. “You... you...” he muttered. “I didn’t touch you at all,” Sorella laughed, “You two hit yourselves. Why would you do that?” Sus’s eyes bulged in anger as he glared at her. His mouth started to move but he didn’t have a chance to say another word. He never would. “If you didn’t want to kill me, you should have eased up a bit, maybe you wouldn’t have died. After all, I did give you a chance to live,” she sighed. No one was left to respond. The horses were dead on the ground; the cart was on its side. Fengor and his wife were struggling to crawl towards the carriage, hoping to hold the crying children inside. The rags the babies were wrapped in were almost in reach. But a hand suddenly pushed the babies away. It was a soft and beautiful hand. The delicate, white robe sleeves rested on the hand, yet seemed dull compared to the hand itself. Fengor moaned, “Give me... give me...” “Master, please, give me my children.” The woman’s voice trembled. Master Sorella laughed, “Nuu, I didn’t know you already had Fengor’s child.” Despite her laughter, her smile was somber, bitter, and filled with contempt. “I know, Master. I, I’m sorry,” wept Nuu, “but... the children are innocent, please spare them.” Sorella looked at the pair of infants with bewilderment. “Children, cute children...” she muttered, “How nice if you were mine...” She suddenly glanced at Fengor with hatred, resentment, disdain, and anguish. “Fengor Gian, why did you do this? Why?” “Only because I love her.” “You love her?” Sorella erupted. “How does my sister not surpass her in every way? You were injured and she brought you to our home. She took care of you in every possible way. She’ll never be as good to you... My sister was so good to you, and you, you... run off with her maid?”

!84 Fengor grit his teeth. “If you have to ask, I’ll tell you. Your sister isn’t a person. She’s fire, ice, a sword... maybe even a ghost or a god, but she’s not a person. She—” He looked at his wife and calmed. He said gently, “She is a person, a living breathing person. She wasn’t just nice to me, she was the only person who understood me. She’s the only one in the world who loved my mind, my soul, and not just my face.” Sorella suddenly slapped him. “Don’t say that!” “That came from my heart, why can’t I say it?” “You only know she was nice to you; how can you not know how I felt? Even if... even if you lost your face I’d still... still...” Her voice slowly trailed off and she had nothing left to say. Nuu whispered, “Second Master, you—” “What? I can’t like him? I can’t love him?” Sorella yelled, “Is it because I’m a cripple? Cripples are people too! I’m a woman too!” She seemed like a completely different person. Moments ago she was a god who held lives in her hands, invulnerable and untouchable. Now she was just a woman —a weak and miserable woman. Tears ran down her face. This person, the stuff of legends in the world of Rivers and Lakes, was crying. Fengor and Nuu couldn’t help but stare as each drop streamed down her cheek. “Master,” Nuu said dejectedly, “I’m going to die anyways; from now on... he’s yours. Save him, I know you’re the only one who can save his life.” Master Sorella shivered when she heard that. It was an arrow to her heart. Fengor suddenly burst into laughter—a sad, shrill laugh that encompassed all the pains in the world. His bloodshot eyes stared at Nuu. “Save me? Can anyone save me? How can I live with you dead? Nuu, do you not know how I feel?” She put all her remaining strength into not letting the tears in her eyes fall. “I know. I’ve always known. But if you die, what will the children do? What will happen to them?” With that her voice turned into a inconsolable wail. She grasped Fengor’s arm and said through her tears, “This is our sin. No one has the right to force their children to pay for what their parents have done. You can’t. You can’t escape this by dying.” Fengor had since stopped his insane laughter. His teeth were clenched tight enough to bite through steel. Nuu’s voice quivered, “I know how easy it is to die and how hard it is to live. But I beg you, for the children, please, you must live.” “I must?” Tears trickled down Fengor’s face. "I have to live...” Nuu turned her head, “Master, you must save him. If you have any love left for him, you won’t let him die in front of you.” Master Sorella said calmly, “Really?” “You can save him!” Nuu screamed. “You must know how to save him.” Sorella let out a long sigh. “Yes, I can save him.” “Wrong.” A gentle voice came from somewhere in the field. “You can’t save him. No one can.”

!85 The voice was faint, almost imperceptible. It was cold and emotionless, but also evocative, graceful, and frightening. No one would forget this voice after hearing it. The whole atmosphere seemed to fill with cold, murderous intent from this one sentence. It drained all the color for the setting sun. Fengor quivered like an autumn leaf. The color ran from Master Sorella’s face. A figure in white emerged from the under the sinking sun. Sorella didn’t know where she came from. Her pure white clothes rode the wind, her hair drifted like clouds, and she stood with graceful poise like a fairy. But her features were indescribable; no one would lift their head to look at her. She seemed to be born with some frightening, inexorable magic, like she was forever above everyone else and no one could even look to her. Master Sorella’s head also bowed down. She bit her lip and said, “Sister, you... you came.” “I came,” Master Summoon said lightly, “You didn’t think I would?” Master Sorella’s head sank even lower. “When did you arrive?” “Not too early, but early enough to hear things you didn’t wish me to hear.” A thought suddenly came to Fengor. “You... You were already here,” he said loudly. “The rooster and the pig ran and came back again. Was it you who told them to come back? All of those secrets... were you the one who told them?” “You just thought of that now? Isn’t it too late?” said Summoon. Fengor’s face burst with anger. “You... How could you do this? How could you be so vile?” “I act ten times viler towards vile people.” Nuu couldn’t hold herself back. “Master, this was all my fault. You, you can’t blame him.” “You...” Master Summoon said slowly, “You dare speak here?” Her voice was as sharp as a knife. Nuu lay on the ground groveling. “Good, you understand. Now you may die.” Nuu looked at her, too scared to cry. She shut her eyes and whispered, “Thank you, Master.” She opened her eyes and looked at Fengor and her children. It was just a glance, but the emotion it held was as deep as the oceans. Fengor’s heart broke. “Nuu, you can’t die! You can’t die!” “I’ll be going first... I’ll wait for you.” She shut her eyes once more, never to be opened again. “Nuu! Wait for me, I’m coming...” Somehow Fengor summoned the strength to crawl towards Nuu, but as soon as his chest left the ground he was knocked back by down by a strong wind. “Why don’t you just sit back down,” said Master Summoon. “I’ve never begged anyone before,” Fengor Gian trembled, “but I’m begging you, please, I want nothing but to die with her.” Summoon said, “You’re dreaming if you think you can even lay a finger on her.” Fengor glared at her with death. The sparks of fury in his eyes could have turned the world to ash.

!86 But Summoon just stood there calmly. He suddenly began laughing like a mad man. “What are you laughing at?” sighed Sorella. “You two think you’re so amazing. You think you can control everything. But if I die, I can be with Nuu. Do you think you can stop me?” spat Fengor Gian. He continued to laugh and rolled on the ground. He curled his knees into his chest and the laughter slowly drifted into silence. Sorella gasped and rushed over to him. She turned him onto his back. A knife was plunged deep into his chest. The moon was already in the sky shining its light on the field. Master Sorella knelt down, motionless. The cool summer breeze played with her hair. “He’s dead,” she finally whispered, “He finally got his wish. And what about us?” She stood up and ran to Summoon. “What about us?” she screamed, “What about us? They both got their wish, what about us?” Master Summoon seemed to be completely indifferent. “Quiet!” she said coldly. “I don’t want to be quiet. Just what exactly did you gain from doing this? You, you just made them love each other even more; made them hate you more.” Summoon slapped her. Sorella backed away several steps and rubbed her face, “You... you...” “You know they hate me, but you don’t know how much I hate them? My heart’s about to burst...” Summoon rolled up her sleeve and yelled, “Look at this!” Under the moonlight, the skin on her lustrous, ivory arm was covered with flecks of blood. Master Sorella gazed blankly, “Is that...” “After they left, I... hated them so much. I had to stab myself every day and every night; I had to torture myself to lessen the pain in my heart. Did you know that?” screamed Summoon. “Did you know that?!” Her cold speech had become zealous and unsteady. Sorella stared at the blood on her arm. Tears covered her face as she ran into her sister’s embrace. “I didn’t know,” she muttered, “I didn’t know you also hurt so much.” Master Summoon held her sister’s head gently and looked up at the large crescent moon. “I’m also human,” she said softly, “Unfortunately I’m also human. I must endure the pains of being human and suffer the pains of hatred, jealousy...” Moonlight bathed their lovely, embracing bodies. They were no longer scourges of the world of Rivers and Lakes who struck fear in the hearts of everyone. They were simply a pair of ordinary, pitiful women suffering the same heartbreak. “Now I know, sister,” whispered Sorella Summoon suddenly forced her away. “Stand straight!” Sorella took several steps back before she could catch herself. “This is the first time in over twenty you’ve hugged me,” she said mournfully. “I’m content even if you push me away.” Summoon looked away. “Strike!” she demanded. “Strike? Strike who?”

!87 “The children!” “The children?” Sorella choked. “They were just born, and you want to, to...” “I can’t let their children live. If they don’t die, I’ll be tortured by the fact that they are Fengor Gian and that wench’s children. I’ll suffer for the rest of my life.” “But I...” Master Sorella hesitated. “You won’t kill them?” “I… I can’t. I won’t kill them.” “Fine. I’ll do it.” With one smooth movement Master Summoon’s long sleeve brushed the ground carrying the dropped scimitar into her hand. With a flash, the blade came down on the sleeping children. Master Sorella sped to halt her hand, but the edge of the blade had already grazed the child’s face leaving a perfectly straight laceration. The child woke in cries of pain. Summoon yelled angrily, “You dare try to stop me?” “I...” “Let go!” she screamed, “Have you ever seen anyone able to stop me?” Sorella suddenly laughed. “Sister, I’m not trying to stop you. I’ve just thought of a better way to to handle this than killing them. If you kill these two ignorant children, what good would that do? They have yet to understand pain.” A twinkle came to Master Summoon’s eyes. “And if I don’t kill them?” “If these children live in misery their whole lives, then Fengor Gian and that wench wouldn’t have died in peace.” Summoon sank into thought. “And how to you propose they live in misery?” “Right now no one knows that Fengor Gian has fathered twins, right?” Master Summoon couldn’t quiet grasp what she meant. “Correct,” she nodded. “And the children themselves don’t know, right?” continued Sorella. Summoon scoffed. “The man who calls himself the best swordsman in the world, Naitan Yann, life- long friend of Fengor Gian, should have arranged to meet him on this road; otherwise they wouldn’t have taken it.” Master Sorella cracked a smile and finished her thought, “If we take one of the children and leave one here, when Naitan Yann arrives, he’ll take the child here with him. Surely he’ll teach the child his unparalleled skills and groom him to avenge his parents when he is older. We simply have to leave something behind on Fengor Gian’s body that he will know we’re from Floral Palace. Then when the child is of age, he will come to seek revenge, right?” Master Summoon’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Impressive.” “When the time comes, the child we took will also have grown studying martial arts. He’ll be the only man in Floral Palace; if anyone comes to harm us, naturally he’ll fight and take the brunt of the attack. And of course they won’t know they are actually brothers. No one else will know, that way—” “They shall become irreconcilable enemies,” concluded Summoon. “Exactly,” cheered Master Sorella. “Brother will take revenge against brother. Being related, they should be equally talented and equally matched, drawing out the contention. Who knows how long it will take one to kill the other.”

!88 Master Summoon finally broke a faint smile. “This would be amusing.” “It will be absolutely marvelous. Isn’t this much better than killing them now?” “Regardless of who kills who, we’ll tell the survivor this secret... I’m sure his face will be exquisite.” Master Sorella clapped. “Indeed!” Summoon suddenly shifted back to her cold demeanor. “But if someone tells them this secret...” “No one else knows.” “Except for you!” “Me? This was my idea, why would I tell them? Besides, sister, you know me, how could I pass up on watching something as fun as this?” Master Summoon stood silently for a second, then nodded. “That’s true, only you could come up with a scheme as convoluted as this. And even though you thought of it, I just hope you can keep this secret to yourself.” “It may be convoluted,” Master Sorella laughed, “but it’s good. And even though they’re twins, one of their faces will already have a scar. Once they’re older, they won’t look the same. No one would believe that these mortal enemies are in fact brothers.” The child with the cut had stopped crying; he looked astonished by this twisted, evil plot. He lay there with huge, innocent and disconcerting eyes almost as if he could see the pains and tribulations awaiting him in the future and knew how harsh his life would be. Master Summoon lowered her head and looked at the children. “Seventeen years,” she muttered. “I’ll have to wait at least another seventeen years...”

!89 Chapter Three! The Unstoppable Swordsman! Clean cobbled streets, simple houses, friendly faces... This was a normal town. The July sun beat down on the only main street in town and the banner for the only bar on that street—Taibai’s House. The bar was nearly empty. The bartender leaned on the counter half-asleep. A customer sat at a far table, but customers like him were too lazy to order. He had been sitting in that exact spot for the past few days, but aside from the cheapest drinks, he didn’t order the slightest bit of food. This customer was indeed poor, so poor that the grass sandals on his feet were almost worn through. He put his feet on the table showing off the large hole in his sandal exposing his foot. But he didn’t care. He leaned against the wall with his feet up and rested his eyes. His long body sitting in the corner looked like a lazy tiger taking a nap. The sun came through the window splashing across his two bushy eyebrows and squared cheekbones, illuminating his stubble. He squeezed his eyelids tighter and used one of his lanky hands to cover his face while the other grabbed the old, rusty sword at his side. He yawned and fell asleep. It wasn’t much past noon when a group of horses raced through the small, peaceful town. The people on the streets stared in shock at the luxuriously adorned stallions. They all stopped in front of the bar and the group of extravagant, strong men scrambled inside, almost destroying the door in the process. The man in front of the pack had a bejeweled sword at his waist; he looked proud and haughty, despite his face being covered in shiny, red pockmarks. As soon as he walked into the bar he shouted, “Taibai’s House? This rundown dump can’t be called Taibai’s House.” The man behind him had a round face and a fat belly, and although he also wielded a sword, he looked more like the manager of a clothing store. “You’re wrong, boss,” he laughed, “Li Taibai wrote some good poems, but he was a poor, lowly guy; it seems fitting he would live in a place like this.” Boss Layk lifted his head and laughed. “Too bad Li Taibai died a long time ago; otherwise we could buy him a drink. Hey, barkeep, your finest food and drink. And snap to it!” Their voices grew louder after a few drinks. The man in the corner scrunched his face and stretched his back. “As loud as they are vulgar,” he complained. Then he slapped the table and yelled, “Something strong to take my edge off.” His voice erupted like thunder, startling those moneyed men out of their seats. Boss Layk shot him a disgusted glance. He stood up, but was grabbed by a lanky, venomous man. “The head of the armed escorts is about to arrive,” he said lowly, “We don’t need to make a trouble.” Layk puffed and eventually sat down. He took another drink. “Did he really say this place, Sunsan? Sure you didn’t mishear him?” “I’m sure,” chuckled the skinny man, “Qiner heard him too...”

!90 The portly man wiped his mouth and laughed. “Yep, this is the place. I heard this time he’s meeting with a great hero. That’s why he wanted us to bring the gifts and wait here.” “Do you know who he’s meeting?” asked Boss Layk. Qiner smiled and whispered a name. “What?! Him!? He’s coming here?!” “If not, why would the head escort come himself?” They began acting more proper and lowered their laughter, but doubled their drinks. Their table buzzed with a constant whisper. “I heard his sword was given to him by a fairy. It cuts steel like butter and glows in the dark, brighter than a torch.” “Yeah, that’s true. If he didn’t have a magic sword, how could he decapitate all of the wraiths on Phantom Peak?” After that they couldn’t help but remove the scabbards from their waist. Some even took out their and polished the blade with the bottom of their shirts. “My blade’s pretty impressive too,” Layk laughed, “But it’s nothing compared to his. Otherwise I’d be just as famous.” Qiner shook his head, “No, no. You wouldn’t even if you had a sword like that. And besides, just his lightness kungfu... You think the city wall around the capital is tall? He can jump it with just one hop.” Boss Layk looked embarrassed. “Really?” “Of course. I heard he was drinking one night in the capital, and before the sun rose he was at Phantom Peak. The spirits there took one look at is glistening sword and all their heads fell off! I heard the light is like lightning; even people hundreds of miles from Phantom Peak saw it.” The poor man in the corner was also rubbing his blade with his shirt. He rubbed it twice, took a drink, and then started to laugh. “There’s no such person like that, no such sword.” Boss Layk’s face twisted. He slapped the table and shouted, “Who’s spouting this bullshit? Get your ass over here!” The man acted like he didn’t hear anything; he just sat there wiping his rusty blade and drinking. Layk jumped out of his seat to rush at him, but Qiner pulled him back again. He gave a look to Boss Layk then swaggered over there himself. “So, friend,” he laughed, “looks like you’re a swordsman yourself. You seem a bit unconvinced with what other people say, but do you even know who we’re talking about?” The poor man lazily lifted his head to reveal a big toothy grin. “Who?” “Unstoppable Yann, Naitan Yann, Yann the Magic Swordsman... Surely a swordsman such as yourself should be convinced just hearing his name.” The man just sat there blinking. “Naitan Yann?” he chuckled, “Who’s Naitan Yann?” Qiner grabbed his gut and laughed deep. “You’ve never even heard Unstoppable Yann’s name and you call yourself a swordsman?” “If you say it like that, you must know him pretty well. What he looks like... and his sword...”

!91 Layk ran over and smacked the table. “We may not know what he looks like, but we know he looks better than you’re ugly mug,” he yelled. “And his sword is a million times stronger than yours.” “I see you’re also in the armed escort business. I wouldn’t think your eyes would be so inept. Some guys may not be handsome, but this sword...” “You mean this old thing is some mystical sword?” Layk erupted with laughter. “This is the sword that cuts steel like butter.” Laughter filled the room. “If your sword can cut steel like butter,” said Layk, “than I need to buy you a drink, and—” “Great!” interrupted the man, “Take out your sword and let’s see!” He was sitting there so nonchalantly, but when he stood up, Layk was so jolted he had unconsciously taken two steps back. Qiner might’ve been fat, but for having such an imposing trunk, he seemed to shrink threefold. Even though the man was quite thin, his frame was impressively large; his shoulders were broad and his hands hanging at his side almost reached his knees. A pale, small boy wearing green clothes and a matching hat had silently crept into the bar. As he leaned against the bar watching this scene, he couldn’t help but giggle. Layk pulled out his polished longsword and puffed out his chest. “Alright! Give it your best shot.” “Just swing at me as hard as you can.” Boss Layk grinned. “Be careful. Don’t blame me if you get hurt.” He swung his wrist full circle and brought down his longsword. The poor man still had his glass in his left hand and held his rusty sword in his right. He brought it up to meet Layk’s sword. After a soft clink, Layk fell two steps back. Only half the sword remained in his hand. Everyone was stunned. The poor man rubbed his rusty sword and laughed. “What do you think?” Boss Layk was speechless. “N-nice sword. That’s a nice sword.” The man sighed. “A nice sword like this... too bad it’s a waste in my hands.” Layk’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Say, friend, you wouldn’t be looking to sell it, would you?” “I’d like to, but it’s hard to find someone interested.” “Me,” laughed Layk, “I’m interested. What do you say?” The man looked him up and down and nodded. “Seems like you have some mettle; maybe just enough to handle this magic sword. But... your eyes are amateurish and I don’t know how skilled you are.” “Don’t worry about that,” laughed Layk. He pulled his three friends to the side and they talked for a few moments. Then all four turned around and dug their hands in their pockets, spilling silver out onto the table. The poor man sunk into his chair. He took another sip without looking at the money. After a few seconds, Boss Layk hesitantly walked over. “I don’t know if five hundred is—” “How much?” The man glared at him.

!92 Lei laughed nervously, “I don’t know if one thousand is enough, but to be honest, sir, the four of us have all emptied our pockets; this is all we have.” The man thought it over. “Hmmm... this sword is priceless, but as the saying goes, a fair maiden deserves fine rouge; a great hero deserves a keen sword. Alright, it’s yours for a thousand.” Boss Layk was too afraid the man would change his mind that he didn’t think twice about how quickly he agreed. He heaved the bag of silver over and laughed. “One thousand in full. You can count it.” The man lifted it with one hand and said, “No need to count, I’m sure you’re right. So, here’s the sword. Only the finest and truest of champions can wear it. From now on you should be careful, or this magnificent weapon might turn to a lump of rusted iron...” “Yes, yes, thank you.” Layk held the sword close with both hands as if cradling his most precious possession. He was exhilarated. The poor man took a piece of silver from the bag and tossed it on the table. He stretched his back for a while and sighed. “I’ll be going. Your tab is on me.” Then he strutted out without looking back. The pale young boy looked at Boss Layk and giggled, then left to follow the man. Layk was so excited he almost forgot his own name. “Now that Boss Layk has this sword he’ll be even more unstoppable,” laughed Qiner. “Soon the world of Rivers and Lakes will be under our boss’s control.” “That’s right, but I couldn’t have done it without you guys,” laughed Layk. “Looks like the beginning of a good luck streak. Otherwise what are the chances of something like this happening?” “Now that Boss Layk has this sword, even Naitan Yann will need to watch his back. And the leader of our armed escort office will have to step down too.” Layk had a huge grin on his face. “If that really happens, I won’t forget you.” He wasn’t quite sure what to do with this sword. Holding it didn’t feel right, neither did setting it down. He was like a puppy excited to get a new toy. “What’s gotten you guys so excited?” Amidst the laughter, a spirited, short man in gaudy clothes with fiery eyes strode in. The imperial air that followed him veiled his short stature. With just one look you could tell he was accustomed to giving orders. Qiner and the others walked over to him. They bowed, greeting the head of the armed escorts. Then all at once, everyone told him what just happened. His eyes widened. “Really?” he laughed, “Well that surely is a lucky turn of events.” Boss Layk had gone over with the others, but suddenly decided his status had improved after acquiring this sword. He took a few steps back and smiled at the lead escort with disdain. “You’re right, Se-, Brother Nehc, this was just a lucky coincidence.” He was quick to act on his decision; he even changed how he addressed his superior. Ser Nehc smiled as if he didn’t notice. “I must say, I’ve never seen a sword like this before. Perhaps Brother Layk will let me take a closer look?” “Of course,” laughed Layk, “Once you see it you’ll understand.” “Qiner, can you lend me your sword?” asked Ser Nehc.

!93 He took Qiner’s sword, rolled up his sleeves and smiled. “Be careful, Brother Layk.” His sword came down before he finished his warning. Boss Layk tried to mimic the man; he had picked up a glass with his left hand, but Nehc’s sword slashed down before he could take a drink. He was too flustered that he fumbled bringing up his sword. There was a rapid series of clanks and a thud. Half of a sword fell to the ground, but it wasn’t Nehc’s—it was Lei’s “magic sword.” The first clink was the swords connecting, then the sword hitting the ground, followed by the glass, and finally Boss Layk himself. Not only had all the color ran from Boss Layk’s face, but everyone else was left frozen, jaws dropped. Ser Nehc tossed his sword aside and laughed coldly, “You call that a magic sword?” “But... it just...” “Clearly you were just taken in.” Layk jumped to his feet. “I’m going to find that bastard and get—” “Wait!” ordered Chen. Layk reverted back to his subordinate standing. “Is there something you want me to do, Ser?” he asked turning around. He corrected his form of address, but again Ser Nehc didn’t seem to notice. “What did this man look like?” he asked. “He was a shameless beggar, but he was a rather big guy.” Nehc muttered to himself. Then his face dropped. “Did he have bushy eyebrows? An unusually large build? His eyes always half open, half closed, like he hadn’t slept in days?” “That’s him,” said Layk, “Do you know him?” Nehc looked at him, then at Qiner, then leaned back and let out a long sigh. “Even after all these years, you’re still clueless.” Layk hung his head. “Yes...” “Do you know who that was?” asked Ser Nehc. They stared at him blankly. “Who?” “That was the best swordsman in the world of Rivers and Lakes,” Ser Nehc said slowly, “Naitan Yann! He’s the man I came here to see.” Boss Layk fell back to the floor. That young boy in green followed him out and the two walked briskly onto the main street. The boy finally caught up and whispered, “Are you Master Yann?” Naitan Yann continued his march and without looking back he said lowly, “Were you sent by my friend, Gian?” “I’m Master Gian’s page, J’eel Gian.” Naitan whipped around and said sternly, “Why are you here, now?” His eyes burnt like lightning in the night sky. J’eel unconsciously shivered and dropped his hands. “I, I was afraid of being followed, so I only traveled at night. And... and even though I’ve been with my master since a child, my lightness kungfu is very poor.”

!94 Naitan’s face relaxed and he slowly shut his eyes. “Your master sent a letter. He wanted me to wait for him. He didn’t write why, but there must be a sizable secret. What exactly is going on?” “I don’t know, but my master suddenly sent all of his family away. I’m the only one left. He sent me here to find you and ask you to meet him down this back road. He’ll explain everything in person. Given the situation... my master seems to be hiding from a powerful enemy.” Naitan looked intrigued. “Oh? Sounds interesting. Why didn’t he say so before? I guess he’s always been a bit mysterious. And he’s got plenty of enemies, but this one he’s actually afraid of!” J’eel bowed. “Exactly.” “How long has he been on the move?” “Looking at the time now, I think he might already be waiting.” “You should have come earlier. If by chance—” Suddenly he heard shouting. “Master Yann!” A group of people rushed over; the man in front was fit and light on his feet. It was the astute Ser Nehc. Naitan furrowed his brow. “Might this be the head of the Weigard, Zhengard, and Ninggard armed escort offices,” he said lowly, “known in the world of Rivers and Lakes as Drifting Petals Kinhong Nehc?” Kinhong bowed. “You flatter me; I’m not that important... My men severely lack perceptive skills. They didn’t recognize you...” Naitan laughed, “I woke up in a bad mood when I heard them say they wanted to buy the great poet Li Taibai a drink. But then I saw they were from your escort office; I couldn’t take it out on them physically. How could I make myself feel better if I didn’t help myself to some of their money?” “True, true, it’s their fault.” Kinhong bowed again. Naitan stopped laughing and asked, “Are you looking for me?” “Yes, I came especially to meet Master Yann.” “How did you know I was here?” he demanded. “I happen to be at an impasse. Fortunately I got a tip on your whereabouts; that Master Yann would be somewhere around here waiting for someone, so I made haste.” Naitan smiled. “Looks like that drunkard ran his mouth again...” Then he saw Layk, his head down, still holding the hilt of the rusty sword. He couldn’t help but laugh again. “Looks like you’re pretty confused.” “I... this sword...” Layk kept his head down. “Still want to make a of yourself?” scolded Kinhong. “Don’t you know he could defeat me without even using a sword? In the hands of Master Yann, any blade can cut steel like butter.” “The way you’re flattering me, seems like you must want something,” chuckled Naitan. Kinhong Nehc sighed. “Well, yes. I’ve taken a job protecting a large amount of priceless valuables—which I’ve taken all precautions to keep secret—yet somehow the news has come to the attention of the Twelve Zodiac. They’ve sent me a letter clearly expressing their intent to rob the cargo. Naturally, I don’t plan on moving it anytime soon —”

!95 “And you want me to help protect the cargo?” “No, I couldn’t ask that... I knew you were here, so I asked to parley with the Twelve Zodiac nearby. I would just like you to accompany me and say something to dissuade them from attacking our convoy.” “If you aren’t able to protect it,” Naitan said slowly, “why did you accept the assignment?” “It is indeed my fault, but please...” “The Twelve Zodiac has been a menace for many years, if their whereabouts weren’t so well-concealed, I would have dealt with them long ago. I will lend you my help with this.” “Thank you.” “Don’t thank me, yet. Although I will help, I have urgent business to attend to that cannot be delayed.” Before he finished speaking, Naitan turned around. “Master Yann, wait,” Ser Nehc said anxiously. He waived his hand and Qiner brought forward a small chest filled with gold. Kinhong bowed and saluted again. “I know that your skills are more than enough to support you, but I brought—” Naitan Yann burst into laughter. “Kinhong Nehc,” he said sternly, “even if you brought me all the gold in the world, you still couldn’t delay my meeting my friend.” He put his hand on J’eel’s shoulder. “I’ll go first, you follow behind.” As soon as he finished those words he was out of sight. Kinhong’s face sank. Qiner muttered, “That’s one weird fellow. He’ll cheat you out of some silver, but when someone hands him a chest of gold, he refuses...”

!96 Chapter Four! An Unfair Fight! A thick mist rolled in at dusk. In the twilight, Naitan’s figure was almost undetectable. As he sprinted past, at most you could discern was a glimmer of some blurry shape. The old path was overgrown with tall grass that danced in the wind, masking the sounds of footsteps and horses. The crescent moon was slowly climbing the horizon, but couldn’t disperse the night’s woe and gloom. Naitan didn’t stop. Odd... If he’s already here, why can’t I hear him?! Suddenly a shape sped in front of him; then a second. Under the moonlight he could see them clearly: a small swallow being chased by a hawk. The swallow seemed exhausted; its wings were starting to slow down and the hawk slowly closed in. It would not escape. “Despicable hawk,” scoffed Naitan, “You’re just as bad as those scoundrels; picking on the weak...” In his anger, he lunged at the hawk. The hawk opened its wings and Naitan Yann came away empty handed. The swallow cried as the hawk caught it in its talons. “I’ll admit you have some skill, damn hawk,” he yelled as it poised to fly away. Naitan readied himself for another attack. He let fly and the hawk spiraled to the ground. “Hey, Fengor,” Naitan Yann laughed, “I can pluck a hawk from the sky bare- handed!” He ran over and released the swallow from the hawk’s grasp. It was heavily injured and unable to fly. “It’s okay, little swallow. Hang on, you’ll be alright...” muttered Naitan as he took a seat in the grass and pulled out a vial of the styptic panacea Jin’chuang from his shirt and lightly rubbed some on the swallow. It slowly moved its wings in his hands. Naitan Yann cracked a smile. “You’ve delayed me long enough, swallow. If you can fly, then get going.” The swallow spread its wings and flew off. It made a circle around Naitan and then disappeared. “Ten thousand pieces of gold didn’t stop me for a second, but who’d have thought a swallow would keep me this long.” He laughed, satisfied, and continued hurrying down the road. Suddenly he heard the sound of a child crying. Could Fengor have a child?! He hastened toward the child’s cries when that horrible scene of corpses opened before his eyes. Naitan Yann was already far out of sight, even J’eel Gian had disappeared. Kinhong Nehc stood in the same place, stiff as a statue. “So what time did you ask to meet with the Twelve Zodiac?” asked Qiner, stumbling over each word. “Tonight at dusk.” “Tonight? Where?” “Just up ahead.”

!97 “How many people did they bring?” Qiner looked nervous. “Their letter was signed Sus, Gallus, Guenon, and Canid.” “Pig, Rooster, Monkey, and Dog... are all coming?” “Correct.” Qiner’s legs began to shake, “We should leave, if it’s just us... I don’t think...” Kinhong dismissed them. “Ser, are you—” “The owner of the escort offices has been good to me; how could I repay him by running away?” He rushed forward without looking back. “Ser—” shouted Qiner. He ran a few steps and stopped. “What’s wrong?” said Boss Layk, “You’re not going?” “Let him fight his glorious battle. We don’t need to die with him.” Layk’s expression changed. “Fucking assholes,” he chided, “I, Panthu Layk, won’t debase myself like you.” “Yeah, yeah,” returned Qiner, “I’m an ass and you’re a lionhearted hero.” “You are an ass. Today you finally show it.” Layk continued to curse as he chased after Ser Nehc. Kinhong slowed down to a crawl. As he entered the vast grassland enshrouded by twilight, each deft step was made carefully as if massive weights were strapped to each foot. He heard footsteps approaching quickly from behind. Without looking back he said, “Panthu Layk, is that you?” “Yes, Ser, it’s me.” Kinhong sighed. “I knew only one would come.” “I can die happily hearing you say that. I may be dumb, but I’m not a shameless ass. But, Ser, why—” “You’re wondering why I didn’t bring more people?” “Yes.” “Each member of the Twelve Zodiac has a distinct type of kungfu; there aren’t many people in the world of Rivers and Lakes who can defeat them. If I called upon my friends they would come on their honor, even if they didn’t want to. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I sent my friends to their deaths.” Panthu sighed bitterly, “And that’s why you lead us. Although I may match you in skill, I wouldn’t be able to lead the three largest armed escort offices. I—” He was cut short by a howl. Hearing a dog cry at the moon in the countryside at dusk isn’t a strange occurrence. But this dog sounded especially peculiar; it was a strange and evil ululation. Panthu tensed. “Could that—” Before he could say another word, the air filled with dogs barking. Shortly after, they heard another noise amidst the clamor. Panthu Layk was a brave man, but now he couldn’t stop trembling. Ser Nehc, however, hadn’t flinched. He forced a laugh. “These Twelve Zodiac really are something else...” “The Twelve Zodiac specializes in playing tricks,” he whispered to Panthu, “But it’s nothing more than a show of strength. Don’t get taken in; don’t lose your spirit.”

!98 Panthu puffed out his chest and shouted, “I’m not afraid. They couldn’t even frighten a child!” His words said one thing, but his voice said otherwise. Barking dogs on a secluded country road sounded more like the wails of demonic wolves. Kinhong crossed his arms. “Where are the Twelve Zodiac? Kinhong Nehc is here to greet them!” Despite his small size, each word was distinct through the dogs’ shrieks. A large black figure suddenly leapt out from the darkness. At first glance it looked like a man on a horse, but it was actually golden-haired monkey on the back of a large wolfhound. The dog looked more like a tiger, at least twice the size of a normal dog, and its low growl was enough to make any man wish to flee. The golden monkey had fiery, piercing eyes. Its gaze seemed otherworldly. These were not normal animals found on the plane of man. The two animals slowly approached. The monkey screeched, pulling out a peach which he tossed in front of Kinhong. He laughed coldly. “A majestic dog comes to greet his guests and a gifted monkey presents fruit. But what I want are the people from the Twelve Zodiac, not these animals.” The golden monkey screeched again as if it understood what he said. It backflipped off the dog and as it landed, a white cloth appeared in its hands that read: Eat it and we will greet you.! “I wouldn’t have come today if the Twelve Zodiac were a group of treacherous backstabbers,” Kinhong laughed. “I’ll eat it even if it is poison.” He picked up the peach when Panthu rushed over, plucked it from his hand, and inhaled it—pit and all. “Terrible to waste a free peach!” he laughed. A bloodcurdling laugh came from the trees, “No wonder the flag of the Three Gards can easily traverse the Yellow River. I see your escort offices have at least two brave men.” Eight figures came out as the laughter continued. Kinhong Nehc was in no way a big man, yet the person leading this group was even more elfin. He wore a shiny gold jacket, his cheekbones were unusually pointed, and his eyes glowed like fire. This little ’s smile ran from ear to ear. If he looked one third human, the other two thirds was monkey. The other six were dressed in all black, complete with masks covering their faces. The only thing visible was a pair of bright, demonic eyes. Kinhong said, “I presume you are—” “What we seem to be,” the one in gold cackled. “Naturally you can tell just by looking. Do we really need to explain?” “And where are Sus and Gallus?” “They went to take care of some other business. Do you think the few of us aren’t enough?” “I came here alone. I wasn’t planning on going back alive,” said Nehc. “Seeing more of the faces behind the Twelve Zodiac would be nice, but I can’t complain if I see a few less.”

!99 Guenon’s laugh continued. “I knew you were brave, but I didn’t know you could be such a flatterer. You’ve spent a long time climbing to the head of your armed escort services; it would be a shame if you died.” “I didn’t come here to flaunt my silver tongue,” said Kinhong sternly. “You want to fight?” “Precisely! And if I win, you won’t ever again think of robbing our convoys.” “And if you lose? You’ll hand over your cargo?” Kinhong laughed. “That consignment was sent off long ago with our second-in- command, Slon Deyang. Coming here was simply bait to lure the tiger from the mountain.” Guenon made a signaled and Canid’s men brought forth a small sandalwood box. Guenon opened it and said, “Take a look at this!” Inside was a human head—Slon Deyang’s head! Kinhong’s face turned white. “You... you...” “If the Twelve Zodiac was so easily tricked, we wouldn’t be so despised in the world of Rivers and Lakes,” Guenon laughed, “But to be honest, that shipment was in our hands long ago, we just came for your life!” He signaled again and yelled, “Attack!” As he screamed, the gold monkey leapt at Kinhong; the monkey’s claws aimed for his face. The dog snarled and pounced at Panthu. He shrieked and dodged aside, assuming a dog of that size wouldn’t be too nimble. It rolled over and swiped its thick paw. Panthu wasn’t able to escape in time; he fell forward like a log. A gaping mouth full of sharp teeth dove for his throat. He held back its head with all his might as they wrestled on the ground. The dog continued to snarl; Panthu’s grunts were almost as savage as the dog’s. Kinhong had swung several times, but that gold monkey seemed to glide through the air. Its busy claws never strayed far from his face. Guenon laughed his strange cackle. “Who would have thought that the brave men of the Three Gards armed escorts can’t even handle a couple of animals.” As he taunted, Kinhong Nehc stretched out his right arm unfurling a silver bullwhip. He swung it through the air. The tip blanketed the area like rain forcing the monkey to retreat. “Where do you think you’re going?!” screamed Kinhong. Dozens of silver needles erupted from his whip; a few aimed for the monkey, most headed for the . Despite the monkey’s agility, it was no more than an animal; it couldn’t possibly dodge an attack from the most famous armed guard on either side of the Yellow River. The needles plucked the monkey out of the air. Guenon and Canid had all safely jumped away. “Impressive Drifting Petals,” remarked Guenon. All eight men sprang upon Kinhong. Even if he grew three heads and six arms it wouldn’t be enough to survive their combined attack. He fell to the ground and spun the whip around himself to form a shield as he rolled away, but the Guenon and Canid had him surrounded. Where could he run?

!100 The giant dog had a firm grip on Panthu’s shoulder, but Panthu also clamped down on the dog’s throat. Blood spilled on the ground as the pair tussled. Suddenly someone yelled. The voice shook the heavens as if the sky was about to open up. A man fell from above like the god of thunder had descended. Everyone was shocked by the sound; Guenon and Canid all froze. A colossal man towered there with disheveled hair and paralyzing, bloodshot eyes. His tormented face was enough to frighten this pack. Even more bizarre was this man had a baby slung around his back! Kinhong Nehc was covered in blood. “Master Yann is here!” he celebrated. Guenon looked dejected. “It can’t be.” “Twelve Zodiac, prepare to die!” he roared. “The Twelve Zodiac has no quarrels with you,” Guenon protested, “Why are you —” Naitan had already lunged forward. One of Canid’s men rushed to stop him, throwing his fists against Naitan Yann’s chest. Naitan Yann barely even flinched. Before he had time to scream about his broken wrists, Naitan had grabbed his chest. In his impatience, he kicked the man as hard as he could. This kick was an authentic Shadowless Kick. It truly had no shadow, nor could you tell his leg had moved. Naitan had just grabbed the man and with a loud smack, he was split in half! Blood dotted the ground and covered Naitan’s clothes. The rest of Canid’s men howled in anger as they all descended on him. Separately these seven did not possess remarkable kungfu. But when seven people live and train together for years to develop an impressive succession of strikes, it is not so trifling. Although there were now only six, their attacks still left no area untouched. Not even a drop of water could escape. “Be careful, Master Yann.” Kinhong couldn’t refrain from cautioning him like a subordinate. But Naitan had already rushed forward. Like a tiger raiding a group of sheep, he already held two corpses in his hands. The skies rained blood. Five of the six were already dead. The remaining man saw Naitan his back turned and reached for the baby on his back planning on taking it as hostage. But Naitan had sensed his movements. “Stop!” he commanded, and he threw the corpse in his hand at the man’s face. Blood sprayed over Canid’s face; he was so shaken that he forgot to dodge. The corpse plowed him to the ground like an anvil. Each tiny hair on Kinhong’s body stood up. Even though Guenon thought nothing of killing people, he was still overwhelmed by Yan’s killing intent. “You still want me to attack?” asked Naitan. “W-why did you—” choked Guenon. “Why? Do you know who Fengor Gian was to me?” “Did that pig...” “Others have already died, what’s the point in you living?!” Naitan was already standing in front of Guenon with his hand firmly grasping his chest. Surprisingly he didn’t try to move or fight back. Naitan’s grip tightened. His fingers sunk into Guenon’s flesh. Guenon still stood there, back straight, not making a sound.

!101 “Who’d have thought, even though you’re so small, you’re still a true man. If it were any other day I might have spared you, but today... Any last words?” Guenon raised his head and started to laugh “Who’d have thought, even though you’re so big, you’re not a true man.” Naitan Yann was stunned. “Everything I’ve ever done has been just. And you people still deride me. Good and evil cannot coexist so I never pay you much heed; but I’d like to know what proof you have of that.” “Is someone who cannot separate right from wrong or compassion from hatred a real man?” “I—” “If you know right from wrong, then you shouldn’t kill me.” “Why shouldn’t I kill you? My friend, Fengor Gian—” “My point exactly,” Guenon cut in. “If you kill me for any other reason, there’s nothing I could say. But if you kill me for what happened to Fengor Gian, then you know nothing of right and wrong, compassion and hatred.” “So the Twelve Zodiac has never raised a hand against Fengor Gian?” “No, the Twelve Zodiac did pursue him; but we’re bandits, you know that. Bandits rob people for their money, that’s what they do. And if that’s in their nature, is that really a significant enough reason to despise them? However, the one who asked the Twelve Zodiac to move against Fengor Gian... that should be the true recipient of your retaliation. Do you know who that is?” He said this with such assurance and composure that it stifled Naitan’s rage. “The one who went to you was that bastard, J’eel Gian. He’s the only one who knew my friend’s path.” Guenon’s face contorted, and then he started to laugh. “Your body isn’t the only thing you’ve trained, you’re pretty smart too. Fengor Gian was sold by his close friend for just three thousand silver.” Naitan’s eyes were about to burst. “That bastard!” he screamed. “Do you know where this bastard is now?” Naitan Yann lifted him with one finger. “You know where he is, don’t you?” he huffed. Guenon maintained his composure. “I wouldn’t have said that if I didn’t.” “Where is he? Tell me!” Even though Guenon was dangling in the air, he was as confident as if he were on his own two feet. He stared at Naitan Yann and smiled. Naitan looked at his grinning face and said slowly, “I commend you for not telling me.” Saying he would kill him, butcher him or rip him limb from limb wouldn’t frighten Guenon. He knew that before Naitan found out where J’eel was, he couldn’t kill him. But Guenon couldn’t help but shiver after hearing that. “So... what if I do tell you?” “You tell me and I’ll pluck out your eyes.” When Kinhong heard this he almost lost himself. How can Naitan Yann be so inhuman? He’ll take his eyes even if he does tell him? Now Guenon will never tell him.! Guenon let out a long sigh as he thought it over. “Even if I don’t have eyes, at least I’ll be alive.” “Let’s hear it,” said Naitan.

!102 “You might change your mind about going there after you do.” Naitan Yann got angry. “I’m afraid of no place!” Guenon’s eyes were half closed. With a faint smile he said slowly, “J’eel Gian is no idiot, he knows the Twelve Zodiac enjoys killing people more than a kid enjoys squashing ants. You think he took our silver without fearing for his own life? He was only brave enough because he already had a place to hide. Our silver was simply his traveling expenses. And the place he’s hiding... is somewhere the Twelve Zodiac wouldn’t step foot. Even if we were all together.” Naitan Yann started to laugh. “Floral Palace? I was just on my way there.” “Floral Palace isn’t the only restricted place for respectable martial artists.” “Where else besides Floral Palace?” “Villain’s Valley in the Kunlun Mountains...” Kinhong Nehc had been listening attentively. He sank back and started to tremble just hearing those first two words. “Master Yann, you, you can’t go there.” Naitan’s hair and beard stood on end. He looked intently at Guenon. “Are you telling the truth?” “I’ve said what I have to say, it’s up to you whether you believe it.” Kinhong trembled. “Villain’s Valley is a hive of scum and depravity. Every person there is irredeemably evil and has taken innumerable lives with their hands. There’s not one who isn’t detested by all in the world of Rivers and Lakes. Though most would revel in seeing them die, the sheer number of them... No one has dared take one step into Villain’s Valley. The Seven Swords of Kunlun, the Four Heavenly Shaolin Monks, nor the Swordsman of the River would...” “Well,” said Naitan, “I’m not a Shaolin monk or a swordsman of the river.” “I know Master Yann’s skill with a sword is unmatched,” pleaded Kinhong Nehc, “but there must be hundreds, even thousands of thieves and rogues there.” Naitan Yann scoffed. “For righteousness, I fear not the mouth of hell.” “But this might just all be a lie!” screamed Kinhong. “Guenon already despises you. Maybe this is just a ploy to...” His mouth wouldn’t form the words, but they knew what he wanted to say. Naitan looked at the sky and laughed. “Villain’s Valley may be a mountain of swords, but that doesn’t mean it will take my life.” Kinhong was at a loss. He sighed, speechless. Guenon also sighed. “Good! Naitan Yann truly is a hero. Brave enough to even charge into Villain’s Valley. Even though you won’t return, you’ll have earned the respect of everyone in the world of Rivers and Lakes.” “Do you have anything else to say?” “No. You may take my eyes!” With an ear-splitting cry, two bloody caverns were all that remained of Mr. Simian’s intense, penetrating eyes. Naitan tossed him in front of Kinhong Nehc. “You can have him,” he said; then disappeared. Panthu Layk lay in a pool of blood resting against the giant dog. Dog and man, both on the verge of death, unable to lift a finger. Kinhong looked at him, then at Guenon. “You may be clever, but you’ve done something stupid today.”

!103 Guenon had almost passed out from the pain but he suddenly perked up as if a ghost was propping him up from behind. He took out a pouch of medicine from inside his shirt and smeared some in his eye sockets. Surprisingly he could still talk. “Me? Stupid?” His voice quivered. “Naitan Yann didn’t take your life, but he left you in my hands. Do you think I’ll let you live? That medicine you just used will do you no good!” “Of course it will. I can’t die.” “Who will save you?” “I don’t need anyone to save me.” “That’s something I’d like to see,” he said patting the top of Guenon’s head. “You don’t want your cargo?” Kinhong’s hand froze. Guenon clenched his jaw. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to kill me,” he laughed. “If you want it back, I’m the only one who can give it to you. Can you live knowing you let it go?” Kinhong’s hand shook as his heart swayed on whether or not to kill him. He finally sighed and let his arm fall. “Alright, you win.” The fate of his armed escort agencies depended on this cargo. Kinhong Nehc had never betrayed anyone in his life; how could he turn his back on the owner of the Three Gards? Guenon laughed like a madman. “Let today be a lesson to you, Kinhong Nehc! Killing me is no easy task, no matter who tries!” The sky was completely black. The lanterns in that small town had already gone out. Even the drunks at Taibai’s House had all stumbled out, leaning against each other. The bartender rubbed his tired red eyes and moved to lock his doors. Suddenly a cart sped down the road; but there were no horses—a man was pulling the cart; the man who had cheated those guys out of a thousand silver. From the dim light escaping the doorway, he could see that the man was covered in blood. He looked furious like a monster, but also like an angel. The barkeep stared taken aback by the sight, then ran back inside to hide. The man had pulled the cart up to the door. It was a large cart that would have needed two horses to pull it, but in his hands, it seemed as light as a feather. Naitan rested the cart against the wall and carried the sleeping baby into the bar. The barkeep gathered his courage. “Yes, sir, what... what’s your fancy?” Naitan stared at him and barked, “Who said I wanted a drink?” The bartender was stunned. “If the good sir... doesn’t want a drink, then what would you like?” “Porridge.” Again the bartender was at a loss for words. “But... we don’t sell—” “Go boil a few bowls of rice and bring me a bottle of something strong!” The barkeep was about to faint. But how could he say no? The baby sipped the porridge and sank back to sleep. Naitan eyes grew wilder with each swig. The bartender couldn’t even look at him.

!104 He wouldn’t look him in the face, but he did steal a few glances to count—in just a short amount of time—how many he had drunk. Seventeen large bowls of his strongest spirits! The barkeep couldn’t lift his jaw. Suddenly Naitan took out two pieces of silver and threw them on the table, “Go buy some things for me.” “W-what would you like, sir?” “Coffins. Two of the finest coffins.” The barkeep almost fell over. His mouth was open but he didn’t say a word; he couldn’t believe his own ears. Naitan smacked the table again and the silver jumped into the man’s shirt pocket. “Coffins. Two of the finest. Got that?” “Yes... yes...” “Yet you’re still here.” The barkeep turned around and ran. He finally hauled the coffins back by the time Naitan finished his twenty-eighth bowl. Naitan’s eyes were entirely red. He dragged Fengor and Nuu’s corpses from the cart and set them in the coffins. He did everything himself. He didn’t want anyone to touch another hair on his friend’s body. Then he hammered a couple nails into the lids with his bare hands. Each nail slipped into the wood like it was tofu. The barkeep watched in disbelief. He wasn’t sure if he was watching a god or a demon. Naitan Yann drank another seven bowls while staring at the coffins. He didn’t cry, but his face looked more grief-stricken than if he had. He held one last bowl in his hands and sat lifeless for almost thirty minutes. “Brother,” he finally said, “I want you to stay with me. I want you to watch me kill every one of your enemies with your own eyes.” The sun sat just above the horizon, lighting up the largest sign on the main street. Two gold words gleamed in the sunlight: Orange Jasmine. The Orange Jasmine sign could’ve been made out of gold; everyone in the northern plains knew that the spices at Orange Jasmine were the absolute purest. A shop assistant was eating his dinner inside Orange Jasmine. The street outside was bustling with pedestrians; the town was liveliest in the evening. Suddenly a large carriage came careening down the street. A voice from the carriage came like thunder and the cart burst right into Orange Jasmine. In the excitement, the shop assistants all rushed over. A large man jumped out of the wreckage. For some reason none of the shop assistants could move; they just stood there and watched as he took two pots of the finest spices and placed them inside two coffins. Then the man jumped back in front of the carriage and ran off. He shouted back, “You should feel normal after an hour. I’ll pay you double for the spices later!” Everyone on the street was entranced by the air around this man. No one even thought of stopping the cart. The sweet aroma of harvest drifted from a melon field. A young farmer girl was relaxing in the shade of a tree at midday.

!105 Her shirt was half opened exposing her breasts, more mature than the melons in the adjacent field. The baby in her arms was suckling milk sweeter than melon juice. A cool breeze passed; she looked about to fall asleep. She felt someone’s eyes on her breasts. There were many philanderers in the countryside; she got plenty of looks every day. But this time, whoever was watching her felt different. She unwittingly opened her eyes and sure enough there was a strange man sitting underneath a nearby tree. He was not imposing and his clothes were not grandiose; in fact his face looked rather haggard. But he had an air of authority about him. But what she found strangest was that this man held a baby in his arms. The woman thought it was a bit off but she paid him no mind. Her head sank back down. The baby in his arms started to cry—a loud, resounding mewl. She was a new mother herself; her heart was filled with gentleness. When she heard its cries she couldn’t help but look up. This time she noticed that the man wasn’t staring at her breasts with lust, it was more as if he was pleading her. She giggled, “Is his mother gone?” “Yes.” She paused for a second. “He looks hungry.” “He is hungry.” She looked at the baby in her arms. “Here, give him to me, I’ll feed him. I’ve eaten two whole chickens the past few days, so I have plenty of milk. My little one won’t be able to finish it all.” The man’s strong face lit up. “Thank you,” he said quickly and handed the baby over. She looked at this child still covered in fine hair, no older than a few days, and a deep cut already sat on his soft, chubby face. “You should be more careful with your baby,” she frowned. “His mother really is something, letting a big man like you take him.” “The baby’s mother is dead.” She was shocked. She touched the baby’s face and sighed. “A child who will never have a mother. How sad.” The man looked to the sky and sighed. He looked at the child with a sadness and pity he couldn’t express. He was born in misfortune. The day he was born there was nothing to greet him but hate and death; perhaps his whole life would be filled with disaster. But he knew nothing of it. A radiant smile sat on his little face.

!106 Chapter Five! Villain’s Valley! The rushing waters of the Hotan sparkled under the setting sun. The river had forked not far from its source; the channel to the east was the Yurungkash. Naitan Yann followed it upstream as it traversed the precipitous and undulating terrain, penetrating into a home of many great masters—the mysterious, legendary Kunlun Mountains. The sun lingered in the summer sky, though at the foot of Mount Tulong it felt more like mid-autumn. A strong breeze raced through the air, but it wasn’t strong enough to disperse the dense fog. Naitan was tired but his horse was exhausted; the wheels on his cart refused to move on this rocky mountain path. The shadow of Mount Tulong weighed heavily on the cart. Naitan held the reins in his left hand, the baby in his right. A stinging aroma escaped from inside the carriage that made him want to vomit. The baby was sound asleep; he seemed he was already accustomed to constant traveling and hardships. Naitan looked at him with boundless compassion. The corners of his mouth turned slightly into a smile as he whispered, “You’ve drank a lot of women’s milk on this journey, kid. From the central plains to here, I don’t think any other—” He stopped abruptly and flew out of his seat. Just as he left, an array of projectiles stuck into the cart where he was sitting. Somersaulting through the air, he used his left hand to stop the horse and then ducked underneath it. He wasn’t afraid for his own safety, but for that of the child in his arms. His leap-flip-rein-duck was as quick and fluid as a swimming dragon. Someone yelled from the shadow of the mountain, “Excellent kungfu!” Naitan shouted, “And who is attacking from—” Before he could say “the shadows,” his horse let out a deafening squeal and reared onto its hind legs. Blood gushed from a hole that an arrow had punched deep in the horse’s side. Naitan didn’t have time to think. His iron palm swept out and shattered the horse’s yoke. The injured horse sped off screaming as Naitan sent out another fist, this time making a big hole in the side of the carriage. He could still hear the horse’s screams. He laid the baby inside the carriage and saw countless reflections of light showering toward him as he turned around. Once again he took for the sky. He felt another volley of darts brush under his feet. If he had been any slower, not only would he be injured, but the baby could have easily died. Even if the baby wasn’t killed, the horse would have dragged the cart over their bodies. The horse fell to the ground. Naitan Yann was still floating in the air. He saw handful of blades reflect in the darkness like a rainbow; they flew at him from all sides. But even in mid-air, he still hadn’t used all of his skills. His arms shot out and he climbed another several feet. Their swords passed under him.

!107 The men didn’t have time to stop themselves and clashed into each other. Naitan counted seven men as they fell back to the ground on one side. Although Naitan couldn’t make them out clearly in the dim light, he could tell that four of the seven were Taoist monks. Naitan landed on top of the cart. As soon as his feet touched the carriage, he darted off to engage a Taoist monk in blue. These people simply attacked without so much as a word; he couldn’t show mercy now. His two palms could’ve stopped a ton. The monk was about to bring up his sword, but suddenly realized that would be a mistake. His face sank and he bent backwards, not wanting to take the hit. He stumbled and ran away. Naitan followed him drawing his longsword. The monk panicked and thrashed his sword. They met with a clangor. Although their swords were made of the same metal, the monk’s sword was carved into pieces. He fell to the ground and rolled back. Naitan roared as his sword came down like lightning cracking open the heavens. Again there were streaks of light through the air followed by a deafening chime. Three more monks in blue were on one knee and had interlocked their swords to shield their brother against Naitan’s attack—that one had already fainted. Naitan towered over them. His beard and eyebrows stood on end as he demanded, “Are you the Four Eagles or the Three Hawks?” A monk responded, “Four Eagles, how do you know—” Naitan Yann burst into laughter. “Who else would be able to stop my sword besides those from the Seven Swords of Kunlun?” “And who else would be able to force three poor Taoists to block one sword besides Naitan Yann?” Naitan stopped laughing. “But why do the Seven Swords of Kunlun attack me with such ferocity? I don’t understand.” The monk forced a smile. “We are guarding this place to stop a man escaping to Villain’s Valley. We never thought that Master Yann would also be traveling here.” Naitan finally sheathed his sword. As he did, the three monks dropped their swords to the ground as if they had no strength left to hold them. “Who are you waiting to stop?” “Hazean Sima.” “How do you know he will pass through here?” “The Eight Warriors of the Red Basin followed him here. These men are of the Eight Warriors,” answered the Kunlun Taoist, gesturing to three men who emerged from the trees. “Wilowen, their leader, third warrior Adus’hai, and seventh warrior Adum’hai.” The Eight Warriors of the Red Basin are well known and distinguished in the world of Rivers and Lakes. Naitan looked over to see the three men looking back with proud and angry eyes. Yet despite just picking themselves up off the ground, there seemed to be no resentment. Wilowen, the leader of the Eight Warriors, had a square face, a high nose, and slanted eyebrows that stretched to his temples. He truly had a pressing air of heroism. He held his fist and bowed. “We followed him to the banks of the Hotan. That is where

!108 we lost him. We would hate to see him reach Villain’s Valley, so we asked these fine monks to help guard this area. We did not know we would run into Master Yann.” “We had noticed that you looked different,” laughed Adus’hai, “but we know he’s skilled in disguise. We’ve developed a deep loathing for this pariah, so—” “No wonder you attacked with such vigor,” Naitan Yann nodded. “When ambushing a criminal, the more aggressive the better.” “But, Master Yann, why are you here?” asked one of the Four Eagles of Kunlun. “I am going to Villain’s Valley.” The seven all paused in astonishment. “We are aware Master Yann has the highest mettle, but... no one has ever made it past the horde of fiends gathered in Villain’s Valley. And no one has ever dared to face them alone. Master Yann, please rethink this carefully.” Naitan Yann’s eyes lit up. He looked off into the fog and said lowly, “If a real man accomplishes something no one else dares to try, his death is nothing to regret.” The Four Eagles of Kunlun looked at each other with shame. “But from what we know, over the past twelve years, four of the ten most infamous villains in the world of Rivers and Lakes have already made it to the valley,” Wilowen warned. “It might be more than four,” added Adus’hai. “Du’scha the Bloody Hand, Hahar the Vicious Buddha, Neriss Tu the Androgynous, Mawli the Gourmand...” Naitan Yann scowled, “Mawli? That demonic cannibal?” “That’s him,” returned Adus’hai, “He’s called the Gourmand because they say the only thing he won’t eat is people’s heads. When he heard that, he laughed and said he eats everything—including heads.” “I can’t let someone like that live,” Naitan Yann said angrily. “And the one who considers his lightness kungfu unparalleled,” Adus’hai continued, “who has never met an opponent face to face; the expert of attacking from the shadows. Novith Yin is also in the valley.” Naitan Yann smiled. “Oh! Novith Yin, the Half-Man Half-Ghost is in the valley? Wasn’t he taken care of by the Shaolin elders after plotting against the homes of the Shaolin monks?” “Yes, that’s the story told among the Rivers and Lakes,” explained Adus’hai, “Though according those inside the temple, while the Shaolin elders did trap the Half- Man Half-Ghost at the bottom of the Valley of the Damned, he somehow managed to escape. No one from Shaolin ever speaks of it because they do not wish to harm the sect.” Naitan Yann sighed, “Shaolin was once the tallest and strongest tree among the forest of martial arts schools, now it has fallen so low. I’m afraid their preoccupation with saving face is to blame.” “Is protecting the reputation of a sect really so easy?” said the monk sympathetically. He could understand their plight; after all, the Kunlun sect was also slowing withering. “None of those people will be easy to deal with,” interrupted Wilowen, “Especially Neriss Tu the Androgynous. Not only is she extremely cunning, her mastery of disguise is impeccable. I heard her flight to the valley was not forced; she had other reasons.”

!109 “It doesn’t matter why she went to Villain’s Valley or how convincing her disguises are, I am going there alone. She can dress up as whoever she pleases, she cannot hurt me,” insisted Naitan. “Maybe she can disguise herself as a month old baby!” he laughed. Wilowen smiled. “Good. Master Yann will travel to the valley alone. But I’m afraid even your formidable kungfu might not be enough. However—” Naitan Yann didn’t let him finish. “Thank you all for the talk; indeed I have learned many things. It’s imperative I...I bid you good day.” He saluted and turned away. “Master Yann...” they pleaded. Naitan Yann didn’t look back. He grabbed hold of the cart and left. The seven all looked at each other in silence. “I often heard talk of Naitan Yann’s magnificent prowess. I never truly believed it until now.” “He is quite deft, but it’s not praiseworthy,” said Wilowen, “What I most admire is his heroic spirit and stern sense of righteousness. He truly made me feel ashamed.” Adus’hai watched Naitan well after he was out of sight. “I hope he’ll make it out alive so we might see him again.” The mountain road became steeper, but Naitan continued to pull the large cart with ease. Amidst the fog he saw a dim light. It came from a paper lantern tucked into a crevice in the rock face where it was protected from the wind. On this dark and foul mountainside, its eery green glow looked ghastly. In the wan light he saw two lines carved into the rock. !!Ascend the skies, enter the valley! !!Visitors, come this way! Underneath the writing was an arrow pointing to a long, winding path leading toward a valley surrounded by four peaks. The path snaked through a treacherous stretch in the Kunlun Mountains. Villain’s Valley was the ravine between this group of mountains. The entrance road soon began to slope down, not up. Naitan no longer needed to pull the cart—now it pushed him. The path wound around tight corners. In most places it was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. Suddenly the valley opened up before him. Wedged between these peaks was a multitude of lanterns as magnificent as the night sky. The Villain’s Valley in everyone’s mind was dark and starless, but before him was a sea of lights. Yet these lanterns didn’t deter the mystery of the valley; they actually made it much more terrifying. What exactly was Villain’s Valley like? Naitan felt his heart race. He was about to find out the answer to the question on everyone’s mind. In the light he saw a stone tablet on the side of the road. Come in, come in! !!Never serve another!

!110 Past the tablet the road flattened out, but Naitan knew that however welcoming, this road led to the most dangerous place. Every step he took brought him closer to danger and death. No gates. No walls. No fences. Villain’s Valley looked more like a mountain resort—full of houses; quiet and peaceful under the lantern light. Just how many traps were hidden in this quiet mountain retreat? How many murderers? Naitan pulled the cart, sweating. He finally reached the valley. At any moment there could be a fatal ambush. Lavish houses lined either side of the main cobblestone road. Light crept out of the corners of shut doors and windows. Suddenly he noticed people walking towards him on the road. In that instant, Naitan braced himself for an endless stream of assailants. But these two didn’t even glance in his direction; they simply walked passed. Their clothes were elaborate, but his eyes were red. He couldn’t get a clear look at their faces. Naitan noticed the number of people on the street steadily grew. Still, no one paid any attention to him. He had stepped into Villain’s Valley, an unspeakable place among upright martial artists, but it was no different than walking into a peaceful, affluent town. Naitan was confused; he wasn’t sure what to do. He had faced uncountable dangers in his life, yet never had he felt so flustered. He couldn’t remember how many dangerous places he’d visited. Somehow even the scariest couldn’t compare to this quiet valley. The baby’s cry echoed from the carriage. Naitan took a deep breath, reassured himself, and saw that the door in front of him was open. The smell of food and wine escaped from the entrance. Naitan strode inside. Inside the tasteful room were five ornate tables, two of them were occupied by a few people drinking and talking quietly. The building resembled a bar, but one more elegant than Naitan had ever seen. He walked in carrying the baby, found an empty table and sat down. He looked around but didn’t notice anything odd. The other patrons were wearing stylish clothes, simply talking and laughing; they didn’t seem at all like criminals who had escaped into the mountains. Naitan mused that perhaps the more despicable the person, the harder it was to tell solely by appearance. Others will avoid you if you put on a menacing face; surely they had to hide just how vile they are. A door in back suddenly opened and a man walked out. He was short, fat, and wore a big smile on his chubby face. He looked like a peaceful little bar manager. Naitan took a deep breath, sat up straight and didn’t move. The tubby manager skipped over, rested his hands on his chest and laughed. “It must have been a terrible hassle for you to come all this way.” “Yeah,” Naitan grunted. “Three years ago I heard that you ran into some trouble with the Tang family in the Red Basin. We were all waiting for your arrival, but I didn’t think you would make us wait until today.”

!111 “Oh?” With that he reasoned that these people had mistaken him for Hazean Sima the Butcher. His held his impassive expression. The manager waived his hand and a beautiful young girl in green frisked over. Her lovely eyes lingered on Naitan Yann as she smiled and curtsied. “Hello.” “Hey,” he grunted back. The manager laughed. “Mr. Sima has had a long journey; he doesn’t feel like playing with you now. Run along and fetch him a glass of liquor. Then feed this baby some rice porridge.” “What a cute baby,” she giggled. Her glance flit up to Naitan and like a swallow she glided away. Naitan stared at the fat manager. Could this guy be the Vicious Buddha? His smile looks so genuine, he’s considerate of the child... it’s hard to believe that in one night he killed his master and all the students in the school just because his sister-in- training called him a fat pig.! The girl had floated back carrying food and drink. The liquor smelled very strong and the food looked superb. “You must be hungry after your long journey,” chuckled the fat manager. “Please have something to eat, then we can discuss business.” “Right.” He said yes, but he didn’t move an inch. If his hands moved it would be to kill someone, not to eat. The manager laughed again. “Everyone says that life must be hard for us here in this valley, but how can life be hard with so many gifted people? The food here is exquisite; not even the emperor eats food like we go. You’ll never guess who made it. “You must have heard the story of a man in the Beggars Guild called Black Hole. The one who poisoned all seven elders of his guild within one hour...” He slapped the table and let out one long guffaw. “He truly is a hero. An outstanding specimen. He is our cook!” Naitan was astonished, but he simply muttered, “Oh.” The round faced manager roared with laughter, “Brother Sima is indeed worthy of joining us. You won’t touch your food before you’re sure it’s safe. Actually, before you arrived, we already thought of you as one of our own.” He picked up the chopsticks and took a bite from each of the dishes. “Well, are you assured?” If they think I’m Hazean Sima, I can use this to my advantage to figure out where that bastard J’eel Gian is first. But would I arouse their suspicions if I refuse to eat? They wouldn’t try to poison me if they think I’m Hazean...! He thought it over and decided it would be best to eat. He picked up his chopsticks, mumbled, “Alright,” and began shoveling it down. The dishes were indeed delectable. Naitan cleared each plate—he ate even faster after realizing it would be better to fight on a full stomach. “How is Black Hole’s cooking?” the manager laughed. “Great.” “The little one’s rice soup should be ready any minute.” “The faster the better.”

!112 “As soon as he’s done eating you can make your move, Master Yann.” Naitan instantly felt ill. “What...what did you say?” The fat man erupted with laughter. “Master Yann is so renowned and has such a unique physique; even if I were blind I’d still be able to recognize Master Yann. I acted I had mistaken you for Hazean Sima so you might feel a bit more at ease. How else would you eat Black Hole’s food dripping with his special sedative?” His boisterous laughter continued. “You filthy wretch!” He kicked the table sending everything on it across the room. Hahar slipped away. “Master Yann shouldn’t get so riled up. The medicine will only act faster.” Naitan couldn’t tell anything was wrong with his body. He thought Hahar was bluffing; but when he tried to gather his qi, there was nothing. He was shaken and angry. He lunged forward and swung his iron fist. Hahar just stood there laughing; he didn’t move an inch. Naitan fell to the ground before reached him. His limbs went limp. His insurmountable strength had disappeared. He heard Hahar’s complacent laugh, the baby’s cry... they both seemed so far away... The sounds quickly faded into silence.

!113 Chapter Six! A Sinister Plot! A lantern lit up Naitan’s face. He felt like the lantern was spinning in front of him. He wanted to cover his eyes but he couldn’t move his hands or feet. He had a pounding headache and his throat was on fire. He clenched his teeth and focused intently on the light... Why was it spinning? Then he looked at the smiling face behind the lantern. “Good, good, Master Yann is awake,” Hahar laughed. “I have some friends here who would all like to see the wonder that is the world’s greatest swordsman.” Naitan had noticed the different figures but the light burned his eyes, he couldn’t make out what they looked like. He just heard Hahar laugh. “These friends... I’m not sure if Master Yann is familiar with them. Allow me to introduce them. This is Du’scha the Bloody Hand.” “I had the pleasure of seeing you once twenty years ago.” His voice was as cold as ice. “Unfortunately I had a pressing matter. I wasn’t able to see your skills first hand.” His figure was thin and long. He wore a brilliant white robe and his hands were tucked into the sleeves. His face was pale; so pale it was almost translucent. Naitan bore the headache and laughed. “Twenty years ago? I would have gladly fought you if you hadn’t been so badly maimed by the Master of the Southern Skies. You think you would be alive today if I had?” Du’scha looked angry. “I’ve survived until today and I’ll continue to do so. But you, Master Yann, you will die soon.” “But before he does, he’s still able to laugh. Quite like myself,” laughed Hahar. “This is Mawli the Gourmand. Have you heard of him, Master Yann?” A resounding laugh filled the room. “I’ve long heard of Master Yann’s iron bones. I’m sure you taste just like beef jerky; you have to chew slowly to experience the full flavor. I’m looking forward to savoring you in a few moments.” “Can you not go three sentences without mentioning eating people? I just introduced you to the world famous Master Yann. You really should be more polite. How can you talk about eating him like that?” “I told him he would taste good. That’s the highest praise I could give. What would you know; you peasants only eat pork.” “Now that you mention it, pork does smell a bit off. I wouldn’t mind seeing what Master Yann tastes like,” laughed Hahar. “I’m afraid Master Yann’s flesh might be too tough.” “No, you don’t understand. Tough meat tastes like tough meat, tender meat tastes like tender meat, monk meat tastes like monk meat. Each has their own special flavor.” A dainty voice interrupted, “Have you eaten monk meat before?” “A lot. The most famous I’ve eaten was the Iron Shoulder Monk from Mount Wutai. I ate him for three whole days. Actually, those who make a name for themselves have a bit more flavor.” “Oh my, just how many people have you eaten?” she laughed. “I’ve lost count.”

!114 “And who was the best?” “If you mean the fullest and tenderest, that would be my wife, hands down. She had such delicate skin... Just thinking of it makes me drool.” “Alright, alright. Let us change the topic,” laughed Hahar. “Look, you’ve made Master Yann upset.” “We can’t get him angry. Once someone’s angry, their flesh gets sour. I’m sure you all didn’t know that. That’s just one of the results of my tiring research.” Hahar continued, “And this is Neriss Tu the Androgynous—” “Master Yann has already met me,” cut in her sweet voice, “I served him his food not two moments ago. You don’t need to introduce me!” Naitan Yann started at the realization. So the girl in green was really Neriss Tu. She’s been well-known for over twenty years and can still pull of such a convincing teenager.! Du’scha’s bloody hands and Mawli’s cannibalism weren’t enough to surprise this impressive adept, but Neriss’s uncanny skill of disguise made his heart sink. “How can you run your mouth for so long, Hahar,” said an unfamiliar voice. “Do you want to introduce everyone in the valley? Hurry up and question him. When you’re done he can keep me company in hell.” The voice was muffled and erratic—at first it sounded like the voice came from the left, then it suddenly came from the right. Some people sound a bit off when they speak, but this was downright creepy. It sounded like a man on his deathbed, or perhaps from inside a coffin. The voice made the hairs on Naitan’s body stand up. Novith Yin really is a half- man, half-ghost. He even sounds like a ghost when he talks.! Hahar laughed. “Novith Yin hates to be neglected, even when he acts like a ghost. Master Yann is already here; are you still worried he won’t spend time with you?” “I hate waiting!” Naitan felt an ice cold hand run along his back up to his neck. One touch from that hand sucked all the warmth from his body. “Get your creepy hands off him, Novith!” yelled Mawli. “How can anyone eat something your nasty hands have touched.” Novith laughed coldly. “You can have a piece of him, too. You just need to be faster.” “Hold on, I still have questions!” said Du’scha. “So ask. No one’s stopping you,” giggled Neriss. “Naitan Yann, did you come here for me?” “You’re not worth it.” Du’scha didn’t move. “I’m not worth it? Then who is?” “J’eel Gian.” “J’eel Gian? Has anyone heard of that name?” Hahar laughed. “Villain’s Valley doesn’t harbor insignificant, petty criminals.” Naitan grit his teeth. “This bastard may not be famous, but he’s ten times as miserable as you wretches. I’ll let you go once you hand him over.” “How amusing,” laughed Hahar. “Did you hear that? He said he’d spare us. We should all thank him.” A chorus of laughter resounded, each voice more disturbing than the previous.

!115 “Should you really be laughing?” Naitan said softly. Neriss Tu snickered, “You’re bound by thirteen cow halters and Du here has pressed four of your pressure points. You’re sitting there saying you’ll spare us instead of begging for mercy. I’d say that deserves a laugh.” Naitan Yann grunted. “But I don’t see the harm in yelling you. There truly isn’t anyone here by that name. You must have been tricked. You must’ve been sent here to die.” “What’s funny is that you actually believed he was here!” snickered Hahar, “Naitan Yann has lived so long, but he’s still just a child.” “Bastard!” erupted Naitan. His scream was like a crack of thunder on a clear day. Their ears stung. “His qi came back,” warned Neriss. “He must’ve circulated his qi to break Du’s paralysis.” Naitan laughed wildly. “You’re quick!” He leapt out of his seat and flexed his arms. All thirteen cow halters around his body shattered and were strewn around the room. Novith screamed in frustration and had disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye. He claimed that his lightness kungfu was second to none and he was indeed the fastest of the group. He left this mess for the others. Hahar fell over a table with a loud thud. He rolled onto the floor and disappeared into a trap door. “Ladies don’t fight men,” Neriss screamed, “They get naked for them!” She tore off her shirt and threw it at Naitan. He brushed it out of the air and she was gone. Mawli was the slowest. He was forced to hold his ground. “Okay, Naitan Yann, I’ll take you on.” He said that, but then ducked behind Du’scha. “But ol’ Du’s kungfu is better. I’d just get in his way.” In reality, despite standing up, Naitan still wasn’t able to gather his qi. If they had all cooperated and fought together, Naitan wouldn’t have made it out alive. But he gambled that their talk was just for show. It would be easy enough for them to share a meal, but asking them to put their lives on the line for each other was a different story. Novith, Neriss, Hahar, and Mawli had all ran; only Du’scha was left. Naitan could feel his qi returning. He stared at Du’scha but didn’t move. “Why didn’t you run?” “I’ve never run from an opponent.” “Are you prepared to fight to the death?” “Yes!” Du’scha flew forward, his white robe fluttering like snowflakes. But the snow was stained by two streaks of red. Fists of Ichor! Even if it wasn’t the strongest kungfu, he still looked terrifying. Naitan raised his fists and swung back at those two bloody hands. Du’scha felt exhilarated. He shook the world of Rivers and Lakes with his “Bloody Hands,” an epithet given him because he wore a pair of gloves covered in thorns caked with blood and poison. The slightest scratch would kill a man within one hour—as poisonous as the upas tree. And Naitan was defending bare handed; almost as if he had a death wish.

!116 The two threw punches back and forth. Naitan was about to take a blow, but before his fist landed, Du’scha completely lost his strength. It was like the ground had disappeared from under his feet. In that instant his wrists were caught. He didn’t have time to scream before his wrist was snapped! Naitan wouldn’t let him drop to the ground. He pulled him up by his collar and shouted, “Is J’eel Gian here in the valley?” Du’scha could have died from the pain alone. He clenched his teeth and hissed, “We said he’s not here; he’s not here!” “Where’s the baby I came with?” “I, I don’t know, just kill me!” “Sorry, but I’ll let you live for now.” He flung him across the room. Du’scha wasn’t at the top of the world of Rivers and Lakes, but he could still stand his own. He twisted through the air and landed safely. Blood trickled down his white robe as he cradled his left arm in his right. “You let me live this time, but next time I won’t spare you!” he taunted. Naitan laughed. “When did I ever ask you to spare me?” Du’scha stamped his foot and stumbled away. Naitan turned around and roared, “Return the child to me or I’ll raze this valley to the ground!” His voice resounded through the building but there was no response from the remaining four. Naitan’s anger exploded. He kicked the table across the room and punched a hole in the wall. He left the room destroying everything in his path—tables, chairs, walls, doors, windows... Everything he touched shattered into pieces. The once magnificent room was nothing more than shambles. Villain’s Valley was now a ghost town. No one was left to be found. “Fine, let’s see how long you can stay hidden!” He kicked in another door. There were two people inside; they ran once they saw his face. Naitan flew at one and grabbed him from behind. This man wasn’t completely inept at kungfu, but somehow he couldn’t fight back. His feet dangled in the air, helpless. Naitan screamed and backhanded him sending his head flying into the wall, painting it with blood. The other man’s legs gave out at the sight. He stumbled a few steps and fell to the ground. Naitan picked him up. “Wait, I have something to say,” whimpered the man. He thought he was going to tell him where the baby was so he held back his hand. “What quarrel do you have with me that you’re doing this?” “Everyone in Villain’s Valley is a despicable cheat. What’s wrong with killing you all?” “That’s true, I used to be a bad man, but I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf, why should you kill me? What reason do you have to kill me?” Naitan Yann paused for a moment. I shouldn’t kill more innocents. Why can’t I accept that people can change? Villain’s Valley is full of treacherous souls, but that doesn’t mean some can’t be saved.!

!117 He dropped him and snapped, “Leave.” The man scrambled to his feet and ran without looking back. Naitan watched him leave and sighed, “Killing more innocent people isn’t going to help. Oh, Naitan, your friend left behind his only son. If you don’t get yourself together and think of a plan, he won’t have anyone to carry on his legacy. Even if you kill everyone in Villain’s Valley, it would mean nothing...” Once he calmed his rage he started to notice all the peculiarities of this room. Enormous stacks of medicinal plants crowded half of the room. The other half was occupied by a dozen stoves, flames roaring. Some had bronze kettles, others pots and a few unrecognizable bronze vessels. A strong medicinal odor rose from each. Naitan had been in the world of Rivers and Lakes for a long time, he was familiar with many things and had a profound knowledge of medicine; he spent a fair amount of his free time gathering herbs and had even created his own special remedies. But as he looked around the room, piled against the wall or boiling in pots, he only recognized a few of these plants. “That man must be quite the accomplished doctor; it’s a good thing I let him go. If he hadn’t reformed himself, how could he have devoted so much time to practicing medicine?” Plumes of smoke filled the room. He saw a shadow slip into the fog under the moonlight. It was tall, thin, black, and moving slowly. Each step, each movement was lighter than a cat, and the eyes were more astute, more suspicious, more brilliant. Naitan held his breath and watched. He didn’t say a word. The figure brought his hands together and laughed, “Hello, Master Yann.” Naitan scoffed. “It’s me, Hazean Sima the Butcher.” “You! So you’re already here.” “I arrived long before you did, Master Yann. And I’ve heard everything that happened over the past few days, so I knew the moment you arrived.” Naitan stared at him for a second. “You’re not afraid that I’ll kill you? You’re quite the odd one to come here alone.” “When two countries are at war, you don’t kill the messenger.” Naitan furrowed his brow. “Who’s messenger are you?” “I came here under orders to ask Master Yann a question.” “Something about the child?” Naitan was intrigued. “Yes.” Naitan grabbed Hazean’s shirt. “Where is he?!” He didn’t answer. He just looked at Naitan’s hands and grinned. Naitan grit his teeth and let him go. “I was instructed to come here to ask what Master Yann will do if they return the child.” “I...” stumbled Naitan. “Would Master Yann leave and never return?” “For the child, yes.” “Then it’s a deal.” “I never go back on my word.” “Good, then come with me.”

!118 Naitan followed him out of the room. Night had completely surrounded Villain’s Valley; it looked quiet and peaceful in the moonlight. Hazean walked down a road dotted in silver lights. His footsteps were completely silent. He walked to the end of the main street and stopped in front of a lone little house. Light escaped from the front door. “The child is in the house. We request Master Yann leave immediately after retrieving the child and take the same road out that you came by. Your cart is waiting for you near the entrance to the valley.” Naitan was very impatient; he didn’t wait for him to finish before he rushed into the house. A round table sat in the center of the room. The baby lay in the middle. Naitan rushed over and snatched him up in his embrace. “I’m sorry, child.” But then he immediately threw the child to the floor. “You bastards!” It was just a wooden doll, and by the time Naitan figured that out it was too late. The room was filled with a rush of air as hundreds of weapons rained down. The sound they made through the air was sharp, quick, and powerful; they must have been thrown by adept martial artists hell-bent on killing him. The weapons filled each corner of the room as if they had anticipated any and all movements Naitan could have made. With a roar, Naitan leapt straight through the roof. He heard several gasps of surprise and saw a dozen figures flee among the shadows surrounding the house. Naitan flew as deftly as a dragon snaking through the air. There were three loud thuds followed by cries of pain as one man crashed against the roof, one onto the street, and a third through the wall. All three died instantly. Their heads burst on impact, showering the area with blood. But in that instant the others had escaped. Naitan landed in the street and howled, “You think your tricks will work on me? If you want to kill me, come out and face me!” His voice bellowed through the mountains; the echo seemed to linger for minutes. He paraded through the streets, yelling and cussing, but no one had the courage to show their face. Naitan alone was enough to scare every monster in Villain’s Valley into hiding. What dominance! What thew! But Naitan wasn’t content; he only felt worry, pain, and sadness. Although his steps were light, the weight he carried in his heart was immeasurable. At some point all the lights in the valley had burned out. Although the stars and moon shared their brilliance, the darkness in the valley was depressing. Suddenly a blade shot out from behind one of the houses. This attack was clearly from a master swordsman; his timing and positioning were beyond accurate, his attack could easily split Naitan’s head in half. This silent assault was aimed at a place even Naitan would have trouble defending. As the sword came down it appeared he wouldn’t have time to evade, but somehow Naitan sidestepped without it grazing a single hair on his body. Sparks flew when the blade struck the ground. Naitan’s hand shot out like lightning, seizing the man’s wrist. “Come here!” he demanded, “I have questions for you!”

!119 That imposing strength disappeared from the arm. He pulled it closer but it was just a blood-soaked limb—the man had cut his own arm off. Only a deranged man wouldn’t make a sound when severing his own limb! Naitan was shocked, angry, and frustrated. He picked up the sword, threw away the arm, and smashed the door to the house. No one was inside. Naitan grew more furious. He stormed through each room but they were all empty. He wanted to go mad, but that wouldn’t help. He clenched his teeth so tightly that a few cracked. His eyes were beyond bloodshot. “Fine! You want to hide? Let’s see how long you can stay hidden!” He dragged a chair out into the middle of the street. The moonlight upon his bloodied clothes made it seem as if the moon itself was red. If these were demons in the valley, Naitan was a malevolent angel. He heard someone yell, “Just what’s so special about this kid? You want him? Here, take him!” Naitan leapt out of his seat and rushed over. He saw a figure slip back into the shadows after throwing something onto the street. It looked like a baby wrapped in a blanket—Naitan couldn’t stop himself from reaching for it. But as soon as his fingers touched it he yelled, “You piece of shit! Give him to me!” He hurled the bundle into a nearby building where it immediately exploded taking half of the house with it. Once the echo stopped, the valley returned to being deathly silent. Naitan thought if he hadn’t felt the intense heat from the bomb and threw it away, he probably would have been blown to pieces. His own death wouldn’t be much to cry over, but the child’s... Naitan clenched his fists; his palms were dripping in cold sweat. Villain’s Valley was an endless barrage of traps. Even the strongest of heroes could be killed from the slightest misstep. Naitan had escaped a few already, but how many more could he survive? His energy was limited; he wouldn’t be able to fight for very long without any rest. He suddenly had an idea. If they’re using the darkness against me, why can’t I use it to search them out?! With that, Naitan had a second wind. He didn’t hesitate. He leapt forward and disappeared into the shadows. He was fighting fire with fire; he might not be able to find the child anytime soon, but at least they wouldn’t have such an easy time conspiring against him. Naitan slid through the darkness like a snake. Even if they had ears like a cat, they wouldn’t have heard him; if they had eyes like a cat, they wouldn’t have seen him. With any enemy like this, how could the people in Villain’s Valley not be terrified? But Naitan couldn’t find anyone. Every room was empty; he couldn’t figure out where everyone went. Naitan calmed himself and continued his search. He finally realized just how many houses were in Villain’s Valley. The night was quiet. The entire valley was like a graveyard. Wind came down from the mountains. It was a chilly breeze. Suddenly a peculiar noise came on the wind, almost like a voice.

!120 Naitan started. He calmed his breath and slipped over. An indistinct voice came from one of the houses. “Well, it appears Little Tu is a natural. She got the baby fall asleep.” There was no laughter, but he could tell it was Hahar’ voice. Another voice said, “Good thing we have this baby as a hostage, otherwise—” “Mawli, what are you doing?” Neriss cut in. “But the skin on this woman’s corpse looks so soft, it reminds me of my late wife’s,” he laughed. “But that corpse has to be at least a week old!” “Can still eat it if it’s kept well,” he grumbled. “Fine, eat her; she’s probably that ass Naitan’s sister-in-law. You can get back at him for Old Du.” Naitan couldn’t contain his rage any longer. He screamed and kicked down the door. Everyone in the room gasped in disbelief and the four people dispersed. “Here, you eat her!” Mawli said as he threw the coffin across the room. The spices and body spilled across the floor. He heard Hahar laugh in the darkness. “Alright, Naitan Yann, I admit you’re clever to have found us, but don’t forget we still have the child. If you follow us...” His laugh trailed away. Naitan had already begun to follow him, but the threat on the child collapsed his will. His sorrow and anger were overwhelming. In the split second he couldn’t control himself, he ruined everything. The moon shone through the window lighting up the corpse on the floor. This was the child’s mother. That pasty, bloated face. The disheveled, dull hair. Under the pale moonlight she looked frightening and pitiful. “I’m sorry, brother,” Naitan mourned, “I, I couldn’t take care of your child or even... even your body...” He choked on his sobs and wasn’t able to say any more. He stamped his foot bringing the coffin upright. He picked up the body with both hands and carefully lay it inside. He was almost glad for the tears in his eyes that prevented him from seeing his brother’s wife. He woefully closed his eyes and muttered, “But I hope you can rest in peace now.” The cold moon, a frigid coffin, a chilling corpse, in surrounding darkness... The body suddenly jerked back to life in his hands! The corpse’s hands and legs landed four quick attacks on Naitan’s chest. Even with Naitan’s unmatchable kungfu and stunning intelligence, he couldn’t have imagined something like this. Before he had time to react the vital pressure points on his left shoulder, right ribs, chest, and abdomen were struck. Our hero had finally fallen! That body fell to the ground and cackled, “Oh, Naitan Yann, now you know my tactics.” She laughed arrogantly as she pulled at her hair removing a wig. The moonlight fell on her face. It was Neriss Tu!

!121 The lights came on. Hahar, Mawli, Novith, and Hazean were all there. Even in the light these people looked depraved. “Did you really think you had simply stumbled upon us?” Hahar laughed, “That was just our ingenious plan to get you to come to us.” Mawli laughed oddly, “Did you think we were afraid of you? We knew you wouldn’t leave here alive, we just didn’t want to waste too much effort fighting you.” They continued to taunt him and laugh conceitedly. Naitan sighed heavily and shut his eyes. He knew this time he wouldn’t be able to get away. “What are you waiting for? You want him to get away again?” asked Novith. “Wait!” snapped Neriss, “I did the most work. If we’re going to kill him, I should get to do it.” “If you had listened to me in the first place, he would have already been dead. Then you wouldn’t have needed to do any of this. I think I should get to do it.” Novith returned bitterly. “No, none of you know how to butcher a man,” yelled Mawli, “If you do it wrong his flesh will go bad and you can’t eat it. Naturally, it should be me.” They all bickered over who would get to kill him. Of course, killing the world’s greatest swordsman was a great honor.

!122 Chapter Seven! Big Net, Little Fish! Hahar looked at Naitan lying on the ground and laughed. “No need to fight. I have an idea.” “And what idea do you have?” asked Neriss. “Wouldn’t we be failing to live up to Master Yann’s good intentions if we let him die quickly? We should let him slowly savor his death; that way he wouldn’t have come to play with us for nothing.” Novith started to snicker as he listened. “Interesting! Nice plan. I was just thinking of letting him taste my Soul Snatcher. I’m sure he’ll remember it even after he’s reincarnated.” “My Irresistible Beauty Kungfu is just as potent,” laughed Neriss. Mawli shrieked, “Are you saying my Bone Grater is worse?” “We should bring Old Du here too,” said Neriss, “His Heart Gouger and Hahar’s Brainscour are also hard to stomach.” “Too true,” chuckled Hahar. “So who’s first?” “It was your idea, you go first.” Hahar laughed as he gently stroked the back of Naitan’s head. The night grew darker. The once high-spirited Naitan had already been tortured beyond recognition. Anyone with half a conscience wouldn’t have the heart to describe him. “That was my sixth turn, I believe it’s brother Mawli’s turn again.” “No, no, I pass.” “If you don’t, it’s the same as admitting defeat.” “He’s barely hanging on a thread,” yelled Mawli, “A slight breeze would kill him. Why are we still hitting him?” “That’s not necessarily true,” Novith said coldly. “Okay, fine. If it’s not true, then you hit him.” “I’ll hit him when it’s my turn,” smiled Novith. Mawli exploded. “You know he won’t last until your turn, you—” Hahar broke in with his laughter, “No need to quarrel you two. There’s no harm in calling our incredible doctor here to check if Naitan Yann is still able to control his qi.” “Doesn’t matter who you get to look at him...” “I’ll go get him,” said Mawli. In moments he returned with Wanchun Loe, the very man that Naitan Yann had spared earlier that night. He was skinny but looked quite capable. His thin, serious face held absolutely no expression. He walked in, nodded slightly to the others present, and sat next to what remained of Naitan Yann. An hour passed. He finally finished examining Naitan from head to toe, and his skillful hands hadn’t even touched him. “How is he?” Mawli asked impatiently.

!123 “His Lung, Spleen, Heart, Kidney, Pericardium, Sanjiao, Gallbladder, and Liver Meridians have all been obliterated. With eight of the fourteen meridians gone, it’s a miracle he’s still alive.” “So... what do you think?” said Mawli. “He’s just afraid you’re wrong,” sneered Novith. “I may not compare to you in kungfu, but I have full confidence in my medical skills.” “Confidence?” Novith laughed coldly, “If it weren’t for your expert medical skills, ninety seven people in Kaifeng wouldn’t have died in one night, right? Who did that? Did you forget?” “I may have killed a lot of people, but in the past few years I’ve also saved a lot. If I weren’t here when you arrived, you might not be alive either.” Although his eyes were red with anger, Novith remained silent. When he came to the valley he was gravely injured, and it was Wanchun Loe who saved him. Villain’s Valley couldn’t survive without him. Hahar laughed, “Doctor Loe’s expert eyes have made their diagnosis. As he’s never wrong, that must be how it is. I propose we simply all attack him at once and kill him.” “Wait,” said Wanchun gravely, “I’d like to ask you to spare his life.” Novith said angrily, “You want to save him?” Wanchun’s expression didn’t change. “I’ve never seen a man so seriously mutilated who hasn’t died. He’s of no use to you anymore, but he could be very useful to me.” “What use? You mean you want to eat him, too?” said Mawli. “This man has at least thirty different injuries; he’s a perfect subject to test my experimental herbal medicines. If my experiments succeed, they will be of great use to you all.” Novith laughed. “He may be of use, but if your tests succeed, wouldn’t Naitan Yann recover to full health? When his injuries recover you’ll have to come save us.” “He will be saved, but he’ll also be a crippled invalid,” Wanchun said plainly. “If you want to kill him, you could easily do so at any time. There’s no need to do it now.” Novith groaned and kept quiet. Hazean hadn’t said anything the whole time; he just watched Hahar. Hahar was watching Neriss. “Whatever Doctor Loe wants,” she said. “I can try at least thirty new medicines on his injuries. Perhaps among those thirty herbs is one that will eventually save your lives.” “What are you waiting for, Doctor?” laughed Neriss, “He’s all yours.” From the look on his face, Wanchun wasn’t at all excited. He thanked them and took some pills from his shirt and pressed them into Naitan’s mouth to let his saliva dissolve them and slowly drain into his stomach. Suddenly there was a baby’s cry. Mawli was startled. “Right, there’s that child,” he laughed. Hahar looked to Novith and said, “What do you think?” “Kill it.” “Wait!” yelled Neriss. Mawli glared at her. “Now what do you want?”

!124 “You can’t kill the child.” “That’s where you’re wrong,” Hahar laughed, “It’ll only cause problems later if we let it live. It’s better if we just get rid of the problem and be done with it.” Neriss didn’t respond; instead she said, “Let me ask you this. Everyone here is a terrible person, but who here is the most vile, most despicable?” “If we’re talking about the worst person in the world, that’ll have to be you, Little Tu,” chuckled Hahar. “You flatter me, but—” “She’s nothing!” Mawli screamed before she could finish. “She just plays dress up! You think she’s the worst person in the world? Pfff! She wouldn’t eat anyone.” “I completely agree, I’m not the most evil person,” she said. “But does eating someone make you a terrible person? I once knew a carriage driver who ate people.” “Then who do you think is the worst person in the world?” “Oh, I know. Novith Yin,” offered Hahar. “Novith is wicked, hateful, dangerous... but he wears that all on his face. One glance and everyone knows he’s bad news, and they keep their distance.” “If you put it like that, then it’s not him.” “It’s not,” she explained, “Unless he learned to hide behind a smile. You need to win people over with flattery and respect, but have a knife at the ready...” “Hide behind a smile!” said Hahar, “You mean me?” “Indeed, you’re the spitting image of a happy Buddha. No one can see that you’re dishonorable by appearances alone. Even if you sold someone out they wouldn’t know who did it.” Hahar clapped and laughed, “How amusing. It wouldn’t be so bad being the worst person in the world, but even I’m afraid to look at Old Du. Maybe he’s worse than I am.” Hahar looked over at Hazean. “And then there’s Old Sima,” he laughed. “Who in the world of Rivers and Lakes hasn’t heard of ‘that malevolent butcher who slaughters people like chickens’?” Hazean cracked a smile. “Well I do have a modest reputation, but compared to the top ten criminals, I’m not even worth mentioning.” “What about the other five of the top ten?” asked Neriss. “I don’t think they’re any worse than the five here,” said Hazean, “especially Zhanwar T’ye the Mad Lion. I don’t even think he should be in the top ten.” “When the Mad Lion goes mad he’ll fight the first person he sees, regardless who it may be. Even his own son would be forced to fight him. But he’s never actually killed anyone. And then there’s all that time when he’s not crazy.” Hahar laughed, “If the Mad Lion is no good, perhaps Mimi Sao the Succubus? Confucius himself would sell his own father and mother for her.” “Mimi Sao’s art of seduction is impressive,” said Neriss, “But she only seduces boys with hardly any hair on their chins. If she met someone like Mawli she’d get eaten.” “And of course she can’t seduce someone who’s half-man, half-woman either.” “He’s no good, she’s no good, so just who is the worst person in the world? Some monk in a temple somewhere?” snapped Hahar. “We all talk about being evil, dangerous, corrupt... but we’re all the same,” she explained. “There isn’t anyone who deserves to be called the worst.”

!125 “You went on for so long and you’re just spouting crap,” moaned Mawli. Neriss ignored him and continued, “Not at the moment at least. But there will be soon.” “Who?” Neriss turned to look at the table. “That crying baby.” Everyone was speechless. “So you mean he’s the most diabolical, monstrous person in the world?” Mawli roared with laughter. Again she ignored him. “This child still has no understand of the world, he’ll listen to whatever we say. If we tell him crows are white, he won’t say they aren’t, right?” “Hmph! More crap,” said Mawli. “He’ll grow up with us; everything he sees and hears will come from us. He won’t just be a monster; he’ll be the most heinous monster the world has known. Imagine, if he learns the depravities of each person in Villain’s Valley, who else could be more atrocious, more contemptible?” Hahar giggled, “Even ghosts would be afraid of someone like that.” “And if someone who frightens even ghosts appears in the world of Rivers and Lakes, then what would happen?” “Then the whole world would be turned upside down,” Hahar clapped and laughed. “We’ll do more than just turn it upside down,” she said. “We were all forced into this valley; who here is content with that? This child was sent to us from heaven so we can take revenge.” When he heard that, even Novith smiled and nodded. “Good idea.” Hahar erupt with laughter, “Who else but our Little Tu could think of something so poetic.” And just like that Villain’s Valley had a child. Everyone called him Minnow. Because he was a little fish that slipped through the net.

!126 Chapter Eight! Life in the Shadows! Minnow slowly grew. Those closest to him were Uncle Du, Uncle Ha, Uncle Yin, Uncle Li, Uncle Loe, and... there was one other uncle... No, it was Aunt Tu. Minnow grew up spending one month with each of them. January with Uncle Du, February with Uncle Ha, March with Uncle Yin, and so on. In July he went back to Uncle Du. Minnow’s time with Uncle Du was the harshest. He had one mangled arm and he never smiled. When Uncle Du taught him kungfu, if there was anything he didn’t pick up fast enough, Uncle Du would smack him with a wooden board. Minnow’s butt was often swollen, but less frequent as time went on. Minnow’s time with Uncle Ha was the happiest. Not only did Uncle Ha laugh, but he always had Minnow laugh with him. Though it was particularly grueling when he was forced to laugh while his butt was swollen. He had to laugh. Minnow’s time with Uncle Yin was the most terrifying. Uncle Yin was always surrounded by a chilly air. Even in June Minnow could feel a chill in his heart standing next to him. If he thought about the happiest moment in his life, one look at Uncle Yin would erase any trace of pleasure from his mind. No one could smile while looking at Uncle Yin. Fortunately he could at least rest his throbbing face with him. Minnow’s time with Uncle Li was the most taxing. Uncle Li stuck closer to Minnow than his own shadow, and he was always smelling him! It was extremely disturbing. Minnow’s time with Aunt Tu was the most bizarre. One moment “Aunt” Tu was a man, the next a woman. Minnow wasn’t sure if he should call her “uncle” or “aunt”. The most memorable time was spent with Uncle Loe. Although he never smiled, Uncle Loe seemed a lot more personable that Uncle Du, and he didn’t curse as much. Each visit he forced Minnow to take medicine, sometimes he even bathed in it— Minnow couldn’t stand that. An Uncle Guinea Pig also lived at Uncle Loe’s house. Uncle Guinea Pig was no more than wooden doll; he sat there motionless eating medicine all day, every day. He was always taking medicine. He easily ate ten times more than Minnow. Minnow empathized with his plight. But Uncle Guinea Pig never complained. He never said anything; he barely even opened his eyes. There were plenty of other uncles too. One made tiny people out of clay. Minnow liked him, but one day he simply disappeared. Minnow searched but couldn’t find him anywhere. He asked others but they didn’t know either. He asked Aunt Tu but she just pointed to Uncle Li’s stomach and said, “He’s in Mawli’s stomach.” How could someone be in Uncle Li’s stomach? Minnow didn’t understand.

!127 Actually, Uncle Li went missing once too. One day he shouted, “I can’t take it! I’m suffocating here!” And then he was gone. He came back two weeks later covered in injuries, inches from death. Before Minnow was five Du’scha had brought him to a room which held a dog. Du’scha handed him a knife. Minnow was confused and asked, “A knife? What’s this for?” “Knives are for killing people. And for killing dogs.” “You can also use it to cut vegetables and meat, right?” “This isn’t a kitchen knife,” Du’scha said coldly. “Then I don’t want this knife; I want a kitchen knife.” “No more talk. Go kill the dog.” “If he’s a bad dog, just spank him. Why do you need to kill him?” Du’scha became angry. “When I tell you to kill it, you kill it!” Tears formed in Minnow’s eyes. “I... don’t want to...” “No? Fine then.” He left the room. Minnow heard a click as he locked the door behind him. “Uncle Du, let me out! I want to go out!” “You can’t come out until you kill the dog,” he said through the door. “I can’t kill him, he’s stronger than—” “If it’s stronger than you, then just let it eat you.” Minnow cried and screamed. His eyes were red and puffy and he lost his voice, but no one came for him. He thought Du’scha had already left. Minnow stopped crying. He looked at the dog; the dog stared back. It wasn’t very big, but it was by no means a family pet. Minnow was afraid. He held the knife but didn’t move. After a while his stomach started rumbling and the dog began barking. Minnow realized he hadn’t eaten dinner. He started to panic. What if the dog was just as hungry and nervous? “Don’t bark, puppy. I haven’t eaten anything either.” But the dog barked louder and more savagely. His red tongue crept closer to Minnow. He clutched the knife as he became more anxious. “I’m hungry but wasn’t thinking of eating you, so you can’t eat me, either.” The dog barked and leapt at Minnow. “I don’t taste good! I don’t taste good!” he screamed. Du’scha stood calmly outside the door. He heard the dog’s loud and piercing bark, but it soon fell completely silent. After a short while Du’scha slowly opened the door. Minnow was laying on the floor still holding the knife. He was covered with blood. So was the dog. Minnow was alive. The dog was dead. He spent two weeks recovering with Wanchun Loe before he could walk again. Minnow already had one scar on his face, now the rest of his body had scars to match. After a few days Du’scha took him out again and locked him in the same room with another dog. This time the dog was much larger. “You brought that knife?” asked Du’scha.

!128 Minnow nodded. His face was pale; he couldn’t speak. “Good. Kill this dog too.” “But this dog is... so big.” “Are you afraid?” Minnow shook his head furiously. “Yes... I’m afraid.” “Then you’ve learned nothing!” Again he turned around and left the room, locking Minnow inside. The dog began barking, then fell silent. Du’scha opened the door and the dog was dead. Minnow was alive. Although he was still covered in blood, he was at least still on his feet. Minnow had tears in his eyes but he bit his lip. “I killed him too! I stabbed him seventeen times!” “Are you still afraid?” asked Du’scha. “He’s dead now, so not anymore. But before—” “What use does fear hold? If you’re afraid, I still want you to kill it. If you’re afraid, it still wants to eat you. Do you understand?” Minnow nodded. “Do you know why you’re injured?” Minnow looked at the ground. “Because I was afraid and didn’t want to attack first.” “That’s right. Will you be afraid next time?” Minnow clenched his fist. “No.” Du’scha saw a smile turn up in the corner of his mouth. This time his injuries healed quicker. As soon as he could move again, Du’scha sent him back to that room. Every time the dog was larger and more ferocious. Even so, Minnow’s injuries lessened with each dog, and he recovered faster. The sixth time Du’scha opened the door it wasn’t a dog in the room. It was a wolf! Again Minnow was lying in bed taking medicine. Always taking medicine. Hahar came to visit; Minnow wanted to laugh but couldn’t. “Still in bed, Minnow?” he laughed, “I guess wolves don’t eat fish.” “Uncle Ha, don’t be mad, okay?” “Be mad about what?” “I really want to, but... everything hurts when I laugh. I can’t laugh.” Hahar rumbled with laughter. “Silly child. Let me tell you a secret. Sometimes it hurts when I laugh, but the more it hurts, the more I laugh.” Minnow blinked. “Why?” “Don’t you know that laughter isn’t just good to lift your spirits, it’s also a weapon —the best weapon. I’ve never found a better weapon than laughter.” Minnow stared at him wide eyed. “A weapon? Laughter can kill wolves, too?” “Not just wolves, it can also kill people,” he laughed. Minnow thought about it and said, “I don’t understand.” “Do you know why you get hurt every time?” “No... I’m not afraid anymore, really I’m not. It’s probably because my kungfu isn’t good, I can’t kill it with one strike.” “Why can’t you kill it with one strike?”

!129 “Because my kungfu—” “It’s not because of your kungfu,” Hahar chuckled, “It’s because you aren’t laughing. Those dogs and wolves can’t talk, but they can understand. The moment you enter, they know you have no good intentions, so they fight back. Attacking first won’t help.” Minnow’s eyes widened and his head bobbed as he listened. “So next time you go into that room, no matter if it’s a dog, a wolf, or even a tiger, you need to have a big smile on your face and pretend you don’t have any bad intentions. If it thinks you’re friendly, it won’t defend against you, then you can kill it in one strike. It may sound simple, but nothing is more effective.” “Then I won’t get hurt anymore?” “That’s right. Dog, wolf, or person, they won’t hurt someone who means them no harm. You just have to laugh. Always laugh, even when your knife is inside him. Keep laughing until he’s almost dead, and you won’t get hurt anymore.” “But, but that doesn’t sound very heroic,” said Minnow. “Silly child, if it wants to kill you, you should kill it first. If you must kill, does it matter how you do it?” Minnow smiled and laughed, “Yeah, I understand.” “Good boy, that’s a good boy.” And Minnow no longer got hurt. He had already killed five dogs, four wolves, two small mountain cats, and one juvenile tiger. And he had collected over twenty scars. He wasn’t even six. One day he asked Neriss, “Aunt Tu, other people say you’re really, really smart. Is that true?” “Who said that?” she giggled. “Well, they’re right.” “Do you have a lot of weird and rare things?” “You little rascal, just what’s going on in your head?” she laughed. Minnow blinked. “If I help you get back at someone, would you give me something?” “Why would I need a little kid like you to get back at someone?” “I always see Uncle Li make you mad,” he laughed, “but you don’t have any way to—” Neriss laughed with surprise, “So you know a way to deal with him?” Minnow nodded and laughed. “Tell me.” “First you have to give me a special medicine.” “Medicine? You’re coming to me and not Wanchun Loe?” “He probably doesn’t have this kind of medicine, but I know you have it.” She shook her head and laughed. “You little weirdo, you’ve really baffled me. Okay, what medicine?” “Stink medicine, the stinkier the better.” Neriss stared at him silently. “You little devil, I know what you’re going to do,” she laughed. Minnow’s eyes widened. “You do?”

!130 “You may fool other people, but you can’t fool me. You hate how Mawli always sniffs around you, so you want to hide a pouch of stink powder for him to find. But you’re too afraid of him, so you came to me to have someone you could hide behind. And you can curry favor with me.” Minnow blushed. “Aunt Tu is very smart.” “You’re not so dull yourself.” “But compared to you—” “But Minnow,” she laughed, “just think how old you are now. When you’re as old as I am, you’ll surely be something else. My cute, little boy, it appears I didn’t dote on you for nothing.” Minnow lowered his head. “So that medicine...” “Of course I have it. Putrid enough to kill someone.” Mawli wouldn’t smell Minnow ever again—he vomited for an hour straight and couldn’t hold anything down the entire day. The next day he plucked Minnow up by the collar and growled, “Rotten little fish, Neriss gave you that powder, didn’t she?” Minnow just snickered. “You’re not afraid I’ll eat you?” he said bitterly. “Rotten fish don’t taste good,” he giggled. “Fine, brat, I won’t eat you. I won’t hit you, either. You just have to get back at Neriss for me and I’ll give you something interesting.” “Really?” “Of course.” That evening Minnow and Neriss ate dinner together; a plate of braised beef sat on the table. For every piece she took, Minnow piled two more into her bowl. “This is Auntie’s favorite dish, have some more,” he laughed. “You are quite the little brown-noser.” “You were nice to me, so of course I’m nice to you.” “Why aren’t you eating any?” “I couldn’t take it from you.” “Silly child,” she laughed, “What do you mean take it from me? This isn’t anything special.” Minnow blinked and said, “But it is special.” “Why?” “I brought this plate of beef especially from Uncle Li’s house, I heard it was—” Neriss’s face went white. “This... this is what he killed yesterday?” Minnow gave a big, innocent smile as he nodded. “I think so.” “You... you little...” Her last few bites came up before she could say more. She also vomited for an hour and couldn’t eat anything the next day. Du’scha lived on the outskirts of Villain’s Valley. Behind his house was untouched wilderness. Actually inside wasn’t much different, even his bedroom was unfurnished. His house was the most primitive in Villain’s Valley. Minnow dreaded going there from

!131 Neriss’s. The wild man-eaters waiting inside for him didn’t make things better. But he had to go. Minnow sauntered over like every other day. Du’scha was sitting motionless in the corner; his brilliant, white robe made him look like a pile of snow in the dark house. This was how he found Du’scha waiting every time he visited, not once had he been in a different position. And each time Minnow was too afraid to say anything as he approached. Du’scha looked at him coldly for a second and then said, “I hear you have a little box.” Minnow lowered his head and grunted in the affirmative, “Mm.” “I hear you have a lot of nice things in there.” “Mm.” “I hear those things have been multiplying.” “Mm.” “What’s in there? Tell me,” he snapped. Minnow wouldn’t look up. “There’s...there’s a bag of stinky powder, a stick that gets big and small and can shoot a bunch of needles, and a bottle of medicine that turns people into water, and—” “Were all these things given to you by Neriss Tu and Mawli?” interrupted Du’scha. “Mm.” “I heard they’ve fallen for a number of your ruses. You use the things Neriss Tu gives you against Mawli. Then take what he gives you to hurt Neriss Tu, right? “You’re not worried they’ll get angry and kill you?” “I, I was scared at first,” said Minnow, “but then I noticed that the worse I was and the more I hurt them, the more excited they got. Especially Aunt Tu, sometimes she lets me hurt her on purpose.” Du’scha looked at him intensely and stood up. “Come with me.” Before they got to that scary room, Minnow heard something roar. It made him shiver. “Is it a big tiger?” Minnow choked. Du’scha dismissed him, “Hmph.” He cracked open the door. “Get in there!” he barked. Minnow took out his knife, braced himself, and walked in. Du’scha stood at the door with his hands behind his back. He had an uncanny ability to stand in one place for over ten hours without moving. This time the sound of the tiger disappeared almost immediately after Minnow entered. A few moments passed. “Uncle Du, open the door!” said Minnow loudly. “So fast?” “Wasn’t that something that you taught me?” “Hmph!” He opened the door. A loud roar resounded as a golden tiger suddenly pounced at the door. The last thing Du’scha expected was for the tiger to come out of that room. The sheer surprise delayed his reflexes just enough for the tiger to catch his shoulder. The scent of blood intensified the tiger’s hunger. Swipe after slash, the variation of its advances were even quicker than those of an expert martial artist. Its power was

!132 fiercer than any style of martial arts. The room was covered in blood. The magnificent beast moved like a shadow; but Du’scha the Bloody Hand was no slouch. Although his reaction was a bit slower, he wasn’t daunted. With a quick flip to the side he hopped onto the tiger’s back. He even had enough mind to yell, “Minnow, are you hurt?” If tiger was alive, Minnow must have been killed. But he heard Minnow giggle, “I’m not hurt, I’m right here.” Du’scha looked back and saw him sitting in the rafters. His hair bound in a ponytail sticking straight up like a fountain. He wore a big smile on his face and had an apple in his hand. In that moment, Du’scha lost focus. Nonplussed or infuriated, the tiger took advantage and bucked Du’scha off its back. “Be careful, Uncle Du!” yelled Minnow. The tiger had already straightened out and sprung at Du’scha. It looked as though Du’scha wouldn’t be able to evade, but he withdrew a step, slipped under the tiger’s belly, and shot his left hand upwards. The tiger let out a blood-curdling scream and blood spilled onto the ground. The tiger stumbled forward and fell. The four walls were dotted with blood and everything in the room was in shambles. Du’scha stood up; his left side was drenched in blood. After his arm was broken by Naitan Yann, Du’scha had fashioned a hook that rested atop his hand; he used it to gouge a hole into the tiger’s stomach. Minnow dropped his apple in shock. He wiped his hands on his shirt and stuck his tongue out. “You’re good. That was scary.” Du’scha stood like a statue and stared at him. His face held no hint of anger; he had no visible expression. “Get down,” he said plainly. Minnow grabbed onto the beam with both hands and hopped down. He laughed, “The tiger was good, but Uncle Du was better.” “I told you to kill the tiger, why didn’t you kill it?” Half of his face was covered in blood, the other half was pale as death. In that mess rank with the smell of blood, his face looked absolutely terrifying. But Minnow wasn’t the slightest bit unnerved; he blinked and laughed, “You always want me to kill tigers and I’ve always wanted to see how you do it.” “Are you trying to get me hurt?” The blood on his face began to dry purple; the dry side of his face turned blue with rage. If a demon from hell came up to stand next to him, it wouldn’t be as forbidding as Du’scha. Minnow just giggled looking at his face. “Why would I want to hurt you? You caught the tiger, why wouldn’t you be able to kill it? I understood that logic a long time ago.” Du’scha stared at him coldly and didn’t say a word. He had nothing left to say. Midsummer. The weather in this secluded valley deep in the Kunlun Mountains was by no means unpleasant, but everyone still felt lethargic in the heat. The only time the sun shone directly into the valley was at noon. Fortunately, no one in Villain’s Valley particularly cared for sunlight; the less direct sunshine the better. A cat strolled along a roof searching for a place to bask in the sun while a fly slowly cruised past... These were the only things that moved at noon in Villain’s Valley. But at

!133 the same time, somewhere beyond these canyon walls, someone was approaching posthaste. No one was behind him for at least a mile, but he ran as if ghosts were hot on his tail. He was exhausted to the point he could hardly breathe, but he refused to rest. His lightness kungfu was admirable, but he only held rudimentary control over his qi. Perhaps because he had been running like this for days on end, or possibly because he hadn’t eaten in days. He was fairly handsome, but unfortunately his nose protruded like a beak; it never won him any favors. His clothes were of a fine material noticeably crafted by an expert tailor, but now they were reduced to blackened tatters. The sun lit up his face. Beads of sweat ran along his hawk nose and into the corners of his mouth. He didn’t seem to notice. He finally sighed in relief when he saw the words “Villain’s Valley” in the rock but his feet quickened until he stood on that cobbled street. Sunlight illuminated the houses but was blocked out by the shuttered windows. No one was in sight. It was deathly silent. The man’s face contorted as he looked around; he was on tenterhooks slowly walking down that street. He had half a mind to call out, but couldn’t. He heard someone shout from under the eaves of a house on the left. “Hey!” It wasn’t loud, but the man nearly leapt out of his skin; his pale face turned even whiter—like birds that startle at the sound of a bow, strings on a guitar are equally frightening. His head whipped around and detected a boy of thirteen or fourteen reclining in a bamboo chair in the shadow of the eaves. The shirtless boy stared at him. His body was riddled with scars, the most impressive stretched from the corner of his eye down to his mouth. The boy’s thick, black hair was tied in a disheveled knot. He was slumped in the chair, arms and legs outstretched like he wouldn’t move even if the house collapsed on him. But there was a peculiar charm to this lazy, scarred delinquent; he had an intense allure in his face. The scar wasn’t offensive; rather it added an indescribable appeal. Somehow this listless, disorderly kid covered in scars came off as a good, upstanding young man. The guy with the hawk nose stared at him blankly—most men looked at him that way; women were even worse. It looked like the boy meant to wave but didn’t want to raise his hand. He just laughed, “Are you daydreaming? Come over here.” The man walked over without thinking, cleared his throat and returned the laugh, “Hello there, little brother.” The boy laughed. “Do you know me?” “No... I don’t know you.” “Why are you saying hello if you don’t know me?” “Well... I...” he mumbled hesitantly. The boy laughed again. “Alright, I’m Minnow. And you are?” The man stood up straight and said, “My name is Don Bashu the Tiger Killer.” “Tiger Killer,” Minnow chuckled, “Not a bad name. How many tigers have you killed?” Bashu was flustered again. “Well...”

!134 “I’ve killed plenty of tigers, but no one calls me Tiger Killer. Why should you get that name when you haven’t even killed one? Does that seem fair to you?” Bashu stood there, nonplussed. If he wasn’t in Villain’s Valley, Minnow would have already lost his head. “I see you’re pretty shaken up,” said Minnow. “You must’ve offended some rather intimidating fellows. Let’s hear your story.” Bashu contemplated for a moment, then said, “I’ve offended many distinguished martial artists. The Ding Brothers of Ang’nan, Chafeng the Sick Tiger, Tanba the Dragon of Ang’bei—” “Oh, it’s just them,” Minnow laughed, “I thought it’d be someone else. I’ve heard those names before and they don’t sound like anything special.” Bashu clenched his teeth. “They may not carry much weight, but there’s one who causes headaches for everyone she meets.” “A big-headed ghost?” Bashu ignored him and continued, “She recently became very famous in the world of Rivers and Lakes.” “What’s her name?” “Jing the Fairy.” “Fairy?” Minnow laughed, “Must be a pretty little thing with that name. People don’t have time to fall in love; they skip right to the headaches.” Bashu grit his teeth. “This wench may be fetching, but her spite, her skill, her power... even Du’scha that old Bloody Hand couldn’t compare to her.” “Oh? There’s someone like that?” Bashu’s teeth were about to crack. “She killed five of my brothers in one night. Now I’m the only one left from Tiger Forest.” “I wouldn’t mind seeing someone like her.” “You’ll regret it.” “So tell me, how did you offend them?” “How can you have so many questions?” said Bashu angrily. Minnow laughed. “This is standard.” Don Bashu stared at him blankly, then laughed, “Okay, I’ll tell you. My brothers and I happened upon the widow and sister of the old head of the three Gards armed escorts, Kinhong Nehc, and we raped them.”

!135 Chapter Nine! A Darker Shade of Bad! “What... only tasteless cart drivers would do something like that,” said Minnow, “You really think that makes you special?” “I know the act may not be much in itself,” he said angrily, “but after losing his cargo and vanishing himself, Kinhong Nehc’s widow and sister remain greatly respected in the world of Rivers and Lakes, so—” Minnow shook his head and laughed. “Doesn’t matter how you spin it, if all you’ve done was this one shameless act, you don’t qualify to enter Villain’s Valley. Unless...” “Unless what?” “Unless you present me with two gifts.” “I fled here without delay, I have no gifts.” “If you don’t have anything, then show me your two finest martial arts moves.” Bashu’s face twisted. After a few moments he stamped his foot, “Fine!” He drew a thin sword from his waist and snapped his arm straight. The wave traveled through the sword and it swayed back and forth creating a dance of on the ground. He sliced the air thrice. These three strikes were his special art called the Tiger Carving Trio. His swordplay was clean, sharp, fast, and firm. But Minnow just shook his head and laughed. “You call that a special art? That’s as pitiful as your story. If you want in the valley you’ll need to find some other way.” “What other way is there?” Minnow blinked and laughed. “I think... you’ll have to kneel on the ground, kowtow and shout ‘My liege!’ three times, and then yield your sword.” “Is this standard, too?” “Yes, this is standard.” “I, I’ve never heard of Villain’s Valley having these kinds of rules!” yelled Bashu. “Who said these were Villain’s Valley’s rules?” Bashu stared at him in confusion. “Then, then these—” “These are my rules,” Minnow chuckled. Bashu twitched with anger. “Fine, take it!” His sword fell upon the boy. But this Minnow, who refused to even move a finger, seemed to turn into a real fish. He moved slightly and slipped out of the way. Bashu’s sword descended like lightning but still missed its target. The bamboo chair collapsed with a loud crack. Bashu looked forward in incredulity; someone behind him laughed. “I’m over here. Are you blind?” He whipped around; his sword curling behind him quicker than his body could turn. But no one was there. The laughter came from atop the roof. “No rush, don’t strain yourself. I’ll wait up here.” Bashu was losing his temper; he flew up to the roof. “Is that brother Bashu?” came another voice.

!136 A man in his forties hurried over. Although roughly the same age as Don Bashu, his movements were much lighter. He was tall and thin with a wide mouth. His face looked unpleasant and his right sleeve was tucked into his belt—his right arm was missing. Bashu did a double take. “Brother Song the Silent Thunder! So this is where you’ve been. I’d nearly gone mad looking for you. I originally intended to take shelter with you.” Minnow laughed, “Well looks like you two are friends.” Bashu’s face returned to his disgruntled scowl. “Brother Song, this brat—” Song pushed him away before he could finish. “You’re here now, brother. Let me show you around.” “Take your time,” chuckled Minnow, “Show him around, but remind him to come replace my chair.” “You—” Song only let him get out one word before he stopped him again. “Of course, of course, your chair must be recompensed, but how?” “For you, I’ll settle for just his sword,” he laughed. “My sword for a broken chair?” roared Bashu. Before he finished, Song had taken the sword from his hands and presented it to Minnow. Bashu wasn’t done talking, but Song dragged him away. Song finally sighed after putting a considerable distance between them and Minnow. “How could you offend that little terror the moment you get to the valley?” Bashu was confused, “Why are you so afraid of him, brother Song?” “You think it’s just me? Who here isn’t? That little hellion has had everyone at wits’ end for the past few years. Anyone who crosses his path is soon met with disaster.” Bashu’s mouth hung open. “He can’t be that skilled.” “You didn’t hear this from me, but if you fall into that menace’s hands, it’s through no fault of your own. Consider this, who here in Villain’s Valley would act as cordial to his neighbor as I just was? If he has the valley under her thumb at this young age, you should know what kind of person he is, how proficient he is.” “I can’t believe it... I just can’t.” He suddenly touched Song’s empty sleeve. “This... was this...” Song forced a laugh, “This wasn’t his doing, but it is related to his past.” He sighed looking at his missing limb and continued, “I lost it the day he arrived in the valley. Fourteen years... it was fourteen years ago that Naitan Yann— If I didn’t decide to sacrifice it immediately, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be alive at all.” Don Bashu choked, “Naitan Yann? That brat is Naitan Yann’s—” He screamed and fell to the ground without warning. His back had a depression the size of a bowl, blood was bubbling out. Song turned around in shock. He saw a man standing there like a ghost wearing a long gray robe that fluttered in the breeze and a pair of shiny black eyes, deep as an abyss. The color drained from Song’s face. “Master Yin, you...” he whimpered. Novith grinned. “In the valley, no one is permitted to mention what happened regarding Minnow and that man. Did you forget?” “I, I didn’t have a chance to tell him.”

!137 “You didn’t have a chance to tell him before I killed him,” he cackled, “You won’t accept that, will you?” Song stepped back and muttered, “I, I...” He suddenly leapt into the air but he ascended no more than six feet before sinking back to the ground. He had no visible wounds, yet he never got up. An old lady with a big smile hunched over a cane next to the body. “Are you getting soft, Novith?” she laughed. “You should have killed that fool the moment he opened his mouth. Why wait until now?” “I was saving him for you,” he said. The old lady laughed. “Saving him? For me? Were you worried I would grow fretful having not killed anyone for a spell?” “I merely wanted to see if your Irresistible Palm has improved.” “And if it has? Do you want to be irresistible too?” Her old voice instantly transformed into a sweet melody. It was Neriss Tu. “So then,” she laughed, “where was that little brat while these two were talking? Did he hear?” “If you don’t know, how would I?” Minnow’s laugh suddenly came from the distance. He was singing. “Old sourpuss~ Mister crab face~ Got married, had a kid, but he had no nose~” “Old Xi’s in for it; that brat’s after him again,” laughed Neriss. “If he’s at Old Xi’s, I presume he didn’t hear.” Suddenly they heard someone laugh. “I see a man and a woman, and a man and a ghost; add them together and that’s four. But there are only two people here. Don’t you find that odd?” Neriss didn’t need to turn around. “There are two dead bodies here, Mawli. How can that not be enough to stop your mouth?” “People that you two killed? I think I’ve lost my appetite.” “You’re headed to Du’s place as well?” asked Novith. “I was just on my way. Hahar said he wanted to get the old group together; I’m not sure what he’s planning this time.” The three walked together to Du’scha’s hut, but they left plenty of room between them—they didn’t want to be within an arms length of each other. Du’scha was sitting in the corner, motionless. “It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten together like this,” began Hahar after they had all arrived. “I hate parties,” Novith said coldly, “If you called me here with nothing to say, I’ll —” Hahar’s laughter stifled his thought. “Please, try not to frighten me. I’m somewhat of a coward.” “You called us all here; I assume it’s to do with Minnow?” said Neriss. “Ah, Little Tu, as sharp as ever.” “That little shit?” said Novith, “What’s there to talk about? One of you taught him to kill, one to abuse, one to cry, one to laugh... Can’t he do everything now?” “It’s precisely because he can do everything that I’ve gathered you all here,” explained Hahar.

!138 “Why?” asked Mawli. Hahar sighed, “I can’t take it anymore.” “If Hahar sighs it must be too much,” laughed Neriss. Mawli scrunched his face and said, “Whoever puts up with him is a wuss.” Hahar said, “This haughty young prince now comes when he wants, leaves when he wants, eats when he wants, drinks when he wants; no one dares provoke him, and if they do they soon regret it. Villain’s Valley can take no more of him. In the past few months I have received complaints from at least thirty people, the majority of whom have claimed multiple grievances.” Hazean Sima sighed. “That little bastard gets more capable every day. I have to rethink every word that comes out of my mouth six, seven times before I answer any of his questions; otherwise I fall for his tricks.” “You think that’s bad,” snorted Mawli, “I feel queasy just looking at him. If there’s a day he doesn’t come looking for me, that’s my lucky day... I can finally get some sleep...” “The pain and trauma we cause always serves a purpose, this menace simply takes delight in causing mayhem,” complained Hahar. “But was our original hope not that he would turn out just like this?” said Neriss. “We had hoped that he would bring suffering others, not to us. Who here could have foreseen that he would disown everyone and cheat the very ones that raised him... Surely Little Tu has it the best of us.” “My ass I do! That brat mastered the few moves I have long ago, and better than myself.” “What about you, Old Du?” “Mm,” he grunted. Neriss laughed, “And what does ‘mm’ mean?” Du’scha was silent for a moment, then said slowly, “If the two of us were locked in a room, the one walking out alive would be him.” “Alright, we should do it now,” lamented Neriss, “Villain’s Valley has had enough of him. I’m afraid it’s time to ask him to lea—” “So true, so true,” interrupted Mawli, “He’s done enough harm to us here, he needs to leave and go torture other people. Good thing all of us together can still handle him; if we wait any longer, one day he’ll be stronger than us all. Then we’ll be in big trouble.” “If we’re asking him to leave, the sooner the better,” said Novith. “Tomorrow morning!” pushed Du’scha. Hahar snickered, “Those in the world of Rivers and Lakes, our friends on the dark side, the light side, in the mountains and in the seas, your days of suffering have just begun.” Mawli slapped his forehead and laughed. “If this kid leaves, I won’t eat anyone for a month!” After dusk Villain’s Valley slowly came alive. Minnow wandered this way and that, finally sauntering over to Wanchun Loe’s house.

!139 Wanchun had put seven herbs into a clay pot of boiling water. He was observing the changes in the liquid when Minnow walked in. “What did you get today?” he asked, glancing up from his experiment. “A sword. It was actually pretty nice,” Minnow laughed. “Where is it?” “I gave it to that sourpuss Old Xi.” Wanchun stirred the pot with long, wooden chopsticks. The thick steam was a perfect match for his reticent face. “And your chest?” “I got rid of that box a while ago. I gave away everything in it.” “You worked hard to collect those things, why would you give them away?” “It’s nice to have toys, but it’s just too stressful to keep them all. I might lose them, maybe someone steals one or tries to take them by force. Don’t you think that’s too much trouble?” “Alright.” “But if I give them away, all those troubles go with them,” he laughed. “I heard some people spend their lives collecting treasure and gold but never spend it! Those people are idiots.” “If those idiots didn’t exist, how could we say that we’re happy?” Wanchun stood up. “Take this jar and follow me.” Behind this room suffused with the smell of herbs was a row of three small rooms. These were Wanchun Loe’s sickrooms. No one dared to bother Wanchun when he was back here. Anyone in the valley could be the next one to visit his sickroom. A man sat with his legs crossed on a small bed in the corner. It was as if he had been frozen there. This was the man everyone called Guinea Pig. Wanchun quickly closed the door behind him after he stepped into the room isolating them from the rest of the world, estranging them from Villain’s Valley. Minnow transformed as soon as the door shut; he grabbed onto Wanchun’s arm and whispered, “Has Uncle Yann shown any improvement?” Wanchun’s cold and inscrutable face became anxious and concerned. He let out a long sigh and shook his head. “There hasn’t been the slightest change the past five years. I’ve tried nearly every herb. I, I’m very tired.” He sank into a chair like he never wanted to stand up again. Minnow stood there blankly for a long while. “I heard someone mention Uncle Yann’s name today.” Wanchun perked up. “Oh? Who?” “A dead man... He’s already dead.” Wanchun solemnly grabbed Minnow’s shoulder. “Does anyone know that you heard them?” “How could anyone know? After I heard his name I was long gone,” he laughed. “I ran over to that old sourpuss and yelled at him really loud for everyone to hear. That’s why I gave him that sword.” Wanchun slowly relaxed his hand and hung his head. “It’s not easy,” he muttered, “Not in the slightest... Despite your young age, you’ve been able to guard this secret for five years.”

!140 He picked up his head and looked at Minnow. “If someone finds out this secret, the three of us wouldn’t last an hour. You need to be especially careful. Don’t think everyone else is an invalid.” Minnow nodded. “I know. You risked your life to save Uncle Yann; you don’t think I can appreciate that? I wouldn’t say a word even if they cut my head off.” His eyes became red as he talked. “Honestly, I didn’t trust you at first,” said Wanchun, “Who’d have thought you wouldn’t lose your humanity growing up in a place like this. You’re still a good kid.” “But when I’m bad I’m the worst,” Minnow smiled. “It just depends on who I’m dealing with. And after I found out about Uncle Yann, I’ve become... nicer.” Wanchun smiled, “But you really made me panic when you ran over here five years ago saying you knew who Uncle Guinea Pig was.” “I’m sorry.” Wanchun fell silent and then looked at Minnow sideways. “Think back, who exactly was it that told you?” “I was sleeping in the shed behind Du’scha’s house. In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt like someone was... holding me.” “You didn’t scream?” “I couldn’t. Anyways, I thought it was Du’scha taking me somewhere to do who knows what. I didn’t even think it could’ve been someone else.” “That is puzzling,” sighed Wanchun. “I just remember we were moving incredibly fast, like he was running on clouds. I was picked up and the next thing I knew we were far from Villain’s Valley.” “You weren’t afraid?” “I’m not afraid of tigers, why should I be afraid of people?” “You’ll learn soon enough; sometimes people are scarier than tigers,” muttered Wanchun. “He let me down and asked, ‘What’s your father’s name?’ I said, ‘I don’t know,’ and he started chastising me for not even knowing my own father’s name.” “Then he just told you your surname is Gian?” “Mm. That my dad’s name was Fengor Gian and he was killed by someone from Floral Palace. He said to never forget to take revenge, that when I grow up I must find Floral Palace and avenge him.” “And there was no mention of someone named J’eel Gian?” “Nope.” “How odd,” mused Wanchun, “You’re Uncle Yann came to Villain’s Valley looking for someone named J’eel Gian to avenge your father.” Minnow blinked and said, “Maybe J’eel Gian is one of my enemies.” “Hm...” “Then he told me things about Uncle Yann. I wanted to ask who he was, but I didn’t expect him to disappear like the wind.” “I know, I know...” sighed Wanchun. “It was really dark that night; I only saw his black robe and black mask, two black eyes. Big, piercing, and paralyzing... I still remember those eyes.” “If you saw those eyes again would you be able to recognize them?” “Definitely.”

!141 “And those eyes don’t belong to anyone in the valley?” “Not a chance,” said Minnow, “No one here has eyes that intense. Neriss Tu’s eyes are brilliant, but compared to those hers are glazed like a blind man’s.” “This person effortlessly slipped in and out of Villain’s Valley and knows all these secrets. I’m afraid we’ll never know who that was.” “It must be someone with phenomenal kungfu.” “Naturally,” agreed Wanchun Loe. “Aside from you and your Uncle Yann, I can’t imagine anyone who could enter and escape from Villain’s Valley.” “Not even one?” “The only others capable would be the two masters of Floral Palace. But if this person wants you to exact revenge on one of their disciples, how could it be them?” Minnow suddenly clapped his hands, “Oh! I remember something.” “What?” “That person was a woman.” Wanchun looked confused. “A woman?” “Yup. She covered her face and lowered her voice when she talked, but when I saw how she held her body, it had to have been a woman.” “How do you mean?” “Like... although she had a mask on her head, she kept unconsciously raising her hand as if to run it through her hair. And when she was carrying me in her arms, she made sure to hold me away from her chest...” Wanchun sighed, “That merely adds to the perplexities. I cannot think of any other woman in the world of Rivers and Lakes who could sneak in and out of Villain’s Valley save for Summoon and Sorella. “There must be someone. They know my dad and Uncle Yann. They know intimate details about how my dad died.” “Presumably so.” “Not only does this person know the rancor of my family, they seem invested in it. They have extraordinary kungfu. They must hold some grudge against Floral Palace. Their eyes are big and bold, unlike anyone else’s...” “Even with your young age you can analyze a situation like this so clearly,” admired Wanchun. “I want to go find her. But I have to get out of this valley first. When do you think I can finally leave? When will they let me go? “It’s hard to say, but I hope—” “Doctor Loe, is Minnow here?” someone yelled from outside. Wanchun’s face went pale. “Neriss Tu’s looking for you. Go, quick!”

!142 Chapter Ten! Out of the Valley! The two changed again as soon as they left the room. Wanchun Loe reverted to being a cold, distant doctor and Minnow went back to being a clever miscreant. Neriss was leaning against the door. “What was an odd pair like you up to?” she giggled. Minnow made a face at her and laughed, “We were discussing our plot against you.” “Oh no. You little brat, if you two were planning something, it should be formulating the most foul-smelling concoction to knock out Mawli. How could you want to hurt me?” “Uncle Li is too easy to trick, it’s no fun to fool him,” chuckled Minnow. “Oh my, did you hear that? Be careful Mawli doesn’t eat you, being so arrogant like that.” “Why were you looking for me, Aunt Tu?” “Your Uncle Ha has prepared a few dishes, Mawli dug up some wine, I, I boiled a big pot of bamboo shoots and pork. We’d like to invite you over for a midnight snack.” Minnow blinked. “Why?” “You’ll know once we’re done eating.” Minnow shook his head and laughed. “Aunt Tu, if you don’t tell my why, I’m not going to eat. I might end up in bed for three days with vomiting and diarrhea.” “A little paranoid, are we?” “I learned that from you.” Neriss laughed. “Okay, I’ll tell you. We’re inviting you over because we’re sending you off.” Minnow was shocked. “Se-sending me off?” he stumbled. “You finally didn’t see one coming.” “Why... why are you sending me off?” “Because you need to leave tonight.” “I, I have to leave tonight? Where am I going?” Minnow’s mouth hung open. “Out of the valley! There’s so much to see out there; don’t you want to go look?” Minnow scratched his head, “I, I...” “Besides, you’re not so little anymore, you should go out and find a wife,” she jested, “A little devil like you, who know’s how many girls you’ll string along.” She grabbed Minnow’s hand and laughed, “Doctor Loe, you’re not going to send Minnow off?” Wanchun stood there dazed and silent. “You’ll have to excuse me; I can’t waste my precious time on something like this. Please leave.” He turned around and walked back inside. “The only things in his head are rotten tree bark and dead roots. He wouldn’t send someone off even if it were his own father,” Neriss chided.

!143 The two jars of spirits were gone within an hour. With each bowl Mawli’s face became redder, Du’scha’s became greener, Hahar laughed louder, and Neriss acted more feminine. Only Minnow looked the same, drink after drink. “Minnow can really hold his alcohol. He drinks liquor as if it were water,” laughed Hahar. “I wouldn’t drink this much if it was.” “Drinking’s nothing, what’s there to praise?” huffed Novith. “Naturally ghosts don’t drink, so people... people need to drink double!” laughed Neriss as she downed another bowl. “Oh, Minnow, my dear, you know there’s only one vice you’ve yet to master.” Mawli said, “What do you mean vice? Everything we’ve taught him are virtues! If someone on this earth doesn’t learn any of these virtues, then they’ve wasted their life.” He was overjoyed with what he’d just said and wanted to award himself a drink. But his bowl shattered before it reached his mouth. “You’re done drinking,” reproached Novith. “Why? What gives you the right to break my glass?” Mawli returned angrily. “If you drink any more, Minnow won’t be able to leave.” Mawli glared at him for a moment, then suddenly kicked the clay jar of liquor into the trees. “One day I’m going to pour an entire jar down your throat. If you’re gonna be a ghost, you’ll be a drunk one,” he said through his teeth. Minnow watched them and laughed. “Uncles, you’re all so eager to have me leave. Why?” “You are seriously one paranoid little boy. No one’s eager for you to leave,” said Neriss. “Even if you don’t tell me, I know why.” “You do?” she giggled, “Alright, let’s hear it.” “It’s okay if you want me to leave and it’s okay if you want me to go harass other people. But all this is for your own benefit, what’s in it for me? You should make it worth my while too.” “Well said, indeed,” laughed Hahar, “I can’t complain about teaching you for all these years when I hear you say something like that. With no reward, I wouldn’t lift a finger even if my own father required it, let alone some uncles.” Minnow clapped, “Excellent, I take all of Uncle Ha’s words to heart.” “Don’t worry, we all have something to give you,” said Mawli. “Then you should take them out and show me,” he giggled, “I need to approve of them first, otherwise I won’t leave.” “You little devil,” said Neriss, “Alright, Du, show him, would you?” Du’scha brought out a sack. Inside was a turquoise jacket, a blood red cloak, a hat with an embroidered goldfish, and a pair of soft leather boots. “What else?” asked Minnow. “And...” Neriss laughed, “Look.” She opened another satchel overflowing with thin leaves of gold. No more than a handful of people had seen so much gold in one place. Minnow frowned. “What the hell is this? I can’t eat it when I’m hungry, I can’t drink it when I’m thirsty, it’s too heavy to carry... I don’t want this.”

!144 “You dolt!” scolded Neriss, “You’ll take it whether or not you want it. You can buy anything with it. Countless people have shed blood over this and you don’t want it!?” Minnow shook his head. “I don’t want it. I’m not a halfwit like them.” Mawli picked up a small gold leaf between his fingers. “Did you know, that with this small piece you can buy at least three sets of clothes like the ones you have on now; or a family can buy enough food for two years?” “Don’t you like horses?” asked Hahar, “With just that tiny bit you can buy one of the best stallions. If this isn’t good then there’s nothing good in this world.” Minnow sighed, “Well if you all say it’s that great... I guess I’ll take it. So aside from these things, what else do I get?” “My goodness,” groaned Neriss, “You still want more? Your heart is a bottomless pit. Just think, over the past few years you’ve already taken every good thing we have. What do mean what else do you get?” Minnow cocked his head in thought. He picked up his gifts, stood up and turned to leave. “Hey, hey, what are you doing?” said Mawli. “What am I doing? I’m leaving.” “Just like that?” “What else is there? There’s nothing left to drink, there are no more gifts—” “Where are you going?” asked Mawli. “Wherever I end up heading due southeast once I’m out of the valley.” “What are you going to do?” “Nothing. If I meet someone I like, I’ll buy them a drink. If I meet someone I don’t like, I’ll screw with them, give them a little trouble.” “Are you planning on coming back?” asked Du’scha. “Once I’ve tortured everyone out there, I’ll be back. Back to torture you some more.” “Splendid,” said Hahar, “If you succeed in forcing everyone out there to cry in pain, we shall welcome you back. Even if you return to bring us the same fate.” “Goodbye, I’ll be back real soon,” he said waving. He left without looking back. Minnow put on his new clothes. His boots clacked as he walked down the main street carrying his bags. The echo carried into the night. “Hey, everyone,” he shouted, “Minnow is leaving. You can all sleep soundly.” Doors and windows opened on both sides of the street. People stuck their heads out watching wide-eyed as Minnow left. “I’m doing you all such a great favor, why aren’t you clapping?” he said, “If you don’t clap, I can always stay longer.” But everyone had already begun to applaud. Minnow roared with laughter. When he passed by Wanchun’s house he fell silent. He looked at Wanchun Loe, just briefly, without saying a word. Wanchun didn’t say anything either. Some things don’t need to be said. Minnow finally left Villain’s Valley. Stars filled the distant sky. Although it was still summer, the night wind brought a bitter chill to the valley. Minnow wrapped himself with his cloak and stood there blankly

!145 for a moment looking up at the stars. He’d see stars like these often, but he wouldn’t be seeing them from here. He was heading toward the unknown. Was he afraid? No. He simply felt something he hadn’t before. He couldn’t say what it was. But he didn’t look back; he continued forward. Twilight. The mountainsides were shrouded in deep shades of green. A vast, dense fog slowly crept down engulfing the endless uplands. The breeze bent the grass and carried the sounds of sheep, cows, and horses, creating a bleak music. Then the herds came in a massive swarm. What a magnificent sight! It was a sorrowful and desolate love song. Black cows, golden horses, white sheep running thunderously through the blue- green hillsides like one massive body pressing forward. Minnow watched all this from a distance; his face shined with excitement. What an exhilarating scene! What an exhilarating place! From twilight to dusk, dusk to night, he stood there like a statue. He had already grown so much. The giant herd finally moved out of sight; suddenly a song drifted on the wind. The singing was clear and melodious but Minnow couldn’t identify the words. He only recognized that each refrain started with “Ah la.” Naturally, he didn’t know that was the name of God for these nomadic tribes. He walked towards the singing. The stars gathered overhead; the moonlight transformed the grass into waves on a green sea. Minnow couldn’t tell how far he had walked before noticing the white tents dotting the endless grassland. Campfires mirrored the stars. It looked so insignificant, yet so poetic. Minnow walked faster, then he ran. A fire sat in front of each tent. Sylphlike women were singing; they wore variegated robes with oversized sleeves and their braided hair flowed over their shoulders from under brightly-colored wool hats. Light from the fires danced silver and gold off their jewelry. Minnow watched in a trance and slowly drifted closer. The women saw him and stopped singing. They ran over giggling, touching his clothes and saying things he didn’t understand. These women were innocent, trusting, affectionate, and open. A young girl with the longest braids, biggest eyes and who laughed the sweetest, smiled and said, “We are speaking Zang... are you a Han?” Minnow blinked and said, “Yeah, probably. “What’s your name?” She closed her mouth slightly into a sweet smile. “In the common tongue my name means Peach Blossom. Because a lot of people say my face... looks like a peach flower.” A number of men came out of the tents and stared at Minnow with big eyes. They weren’t very tall, but they appeared quite robust. “I should go,” said Minnow. “Don’t be afraid,” she said, “They might be staring, but they don’t mean any harm.” “I’m not afraid,” he laughed, “I just need to leave.”

!146 Peach Blossom’s big eyes looked away. She bit her supple lip and said quietly, “Don’t go. Tomorrow, tomorrow morning there will be a lot of other Han people like you coming here. It will be very festive, very fun.” “A lot of people? I haven’t seen ten people on this road.” “Really, I’m not joking,” pleaded Peach Blossom. “Then, tonight...” Peach Blossom lowered her head and giggled, “Tonight you sleep in my tent, I will talk with you.” She was slightly taller than Minnow. The wind swept her braids across Minnow’s face. Her eyes shined like the stars. Minnow had a long night’s rest; he normally was a light sleeper, but that night he made an effort to sleep through the sounds from outside. When he woke up Peach Blossom was already gone but had left a bottle of goat’s milk by his pillow. Minnow drank the milk, put on his clothes and went out. A new circle of tents had popped up just thirty feet away. Everyone was gathered there. He saw Peach Blossom standing at the center of the group of Zang and Han people, laughing sweetly and chattering away like a little bird. Her braids bobbed along with her head and under the sunlight her face did look more like a peach flower, if there were ever such a stunning peach flower. After every few sentences she spoke, a Zang and Han man would come forward and shake hands. They were obviously doing business. Peach Blossom’s laugh grew sweeter with each agreement. Minnow walked over. He didn’t call to her, instead he meandered through the tents perusing the piles of rare trinkets and jewelry each had on display. Some fat, skinny, tall, and short Han men were sitting next to their wares and some fat, skinny, tall, and short Zang people were gesturing to buy items. Minnow found it amusing to watch them—he thought they were all imbeciles. He suddenly realized that stupid people vastly outnumbered the smart. A tall, lanky man walked by leading a powerful young horse. Its white mane flit in the wind, catching Minnow’s eye. He walked over and asked, “Are you selling this colt?” The skinny man looked him over. “You want to buy it? Have an adult come over.” “Why do I need an adult?” laughed Minnow, “Anyone with silver is an adult.” “You have silver?” Minnow patted his waist. “Well I don’t have a lot of silver, but I have plenty of gold.” The man grinned with his eyes fixed on the pouch at Minnow’s waist. He stroked the colt’s fine coat and laughed. “This is a fine horse. He’ll cost a bit extra.” “Don’t worry about the price, just say a number,” laughed Minnow The man’s eyes lit up. “This horse is a hundred... at least a hundred and ninety silver.” Minnow thought about it and shook his head. “That price is wrong.” His smile vanished immediately and his face contorted. “How is it wrong? You know, this horse is one in a million, it’s—”

!147 “It is one in a million,” Minnow laughed, “so it should be at least three hundred and eighty silver. One hundred ninety is too low, ridiculously low.” The man was speechless. “Are you joking?” he said angrily. “I never joke about money... Let’s see, one gold piece is worth sixty silver, three hundred eighty silver is six and a third gold. This gold leaf is worth about seven gold pieces. Here, take it.” The skinny man was astonished. He tentatively took the gold leaf and handed over the reins, unsure of what just happened. If he had hung on any looser, the gold would have dropped from his hand. Minnow giggled as he led his new horse around the camp. He noticed not only did ignorant people outnumber the intelligent, but the ugly also vastly outnumbered the attractive. Only one young boy in white looked different than the others. This boy remained off to the side by himself as if he wanted nothing to do with these people. He held both hands behind his back. His white shirt ruffled in the wind like the snows on the Kunlun Mountains; his eyes sparkled like the stars over the field last night. Minnow found himself staring and the boy was staring back. Minnow smiled but the boy didn’t even blink. Minnow scrunched his face, stuck out his tongue, then made a funny face. The boy turned away. “What are you so cocky about?” grumbled Minnow, “You won’t acknowledge me, and you think I’ll acknowledge you?” He made sure to say it loud enough that the boy would hear. He acted like he heard nothing. Minnow walked to the tent closest to him. The fake jewelry was sparkling, just waiting for someone to get taken in. Minnow picked up a flower of beaded pearls and looked at the boy. “Is this for sale?” he whispered. The answer didn’t come from the boy, it came from a short, fat man in a tall hat. He laughed so hard his fat rolled like the grass in the wind. “The young sir has a good eye, those are splendid pearls. You won’t find many like that on the market.” This man, too, was staring at the pouch on Minnow’s waist—he had just watched him buy the horse. “How much?” asked Minnow. “For- fif- seventy silver.” “Seventy?!” he screamed. The fat man was taken aback. “Surely seventy isn’t too much, right?” “But these pearls are fake.” “Fake?! Who said they’re fake? That’s a terrible insult.” When he wasn’t smiling, his face sat there like a pile of meat. Minnow giggled, “I started using pearls as marbles when I was two, I can tell if it’s real just by smelling it.” The fat man was trying not to erupt. How did this kid get so smart? But he simply looked humiliated. “Then... how about sixty?” “Wrong again,” Minnow laughed. “You can just scoop real pearls out of the ocean, but fake pearls take a lot of time and effort to make, especially ones that look so real. They should be more expensive than real pearls.” The fat man was speechless. He stammered, “That... uh... right!”

!148 “Seventy for real pearls, so at least one hundred forty for the fake. In gold that’s a little more than two...” He had hoped that the boy was watching, so he looked over with a big smile. But the boy wasn’t watching. He had already left. “Here’s three,” Minnow said, hurriedly tossing the gold on the ground. He didn’t see the fat man’s face as he dove for the gold; he rushed off the find the boy but he didn’t know which way he went.

!149 Chapter Eleven! An Odd Kungfu! Minnow was a bit disappointed. He stood there bemused when suddenly a hand grabbed his and began to run. The soft, warm hand was Peach Blossom. She pulled Minnow and he pulled her back, all the way to her tent. Her face was red. She stamped her foot and puffed, “You, you dummy. Why didn’t you come find me if you wanted to buy something? Instead you go off and get swindled. That horse isn’t even worth eighty silver, and those pearls—” “The pearls are at most worth ten.” Peach Blossom fell silent. “You, you know?” “A smart guy like me? How would I not know?” “You knew and were still cheated?” Minnow blinked and laughed, “Sometimes being cheated is cheating someone.” Peach Blossom stared at him like she was looking at some queer, anomalous creature. She had never met such a weird boy. Minnow tucked the pearl flower behind her ear and laughed. “There, there, no need to get upset. See, you look beautiful in pearls, just like a princess. It’s too bad there’s no one here worthy of being your prince.” Peach Blossom chuckled, “You’re a stupid prince!” Minnow blinked again and said, “I’m stupid? Just wait, you’ll see I’m not stupid. You’ll see, those men who wanted to cheat me will fall for an even bigger trap I have waiting for them.” Peach Blossom sighed. “You really are a weird kid. You talk in riddles and do things no one would think of.” Minnow didn’t say anything before a voice came from outside the tent. “Is the young sir who just bought that horse inside?” Minnow made a funny face and laughed quietly. “They even delivered themselves right to my door.” He pushed Peach Blossom onto a pile of blankets. “Just lay there. Don’t move and don’t say anything.” Peach Blossom was very confused. Why couldn’t she talk? But before she could protest, Minnow threw more blankets over her and yelled, “I’m in here. Please, come in.” At least ten people came inside. The one in front was the skinny man who sold Minnow the horse. Each had bags in their hands. The fat man who sold the pearl flower held the biggest; it pressed so heavily against his stomach it made him look perfectly round. Minnow intentionally frowned. “What are you all doing with all this stuff?” The skinny man bowed and laughed, “As the saying goes, ‘All goods should be sold to a connoisseur.’ These men heard that the young sir has excellent taste, so they came to present you with their finest wares.” “You’re not all here to cheat me, are you?” giggled Minnow. “Of course not, of course not,” blurted the man, “Quickly everyone, show the young sir what you have.” As he spoke all their items were laid out on the ground. They

!150 had plenty of nice things: precious stones, jewelry, exotic animal furs and musks— everything that they had just purchased from the Zang. “These are all pretty nice. I’d like to buy them all.” The men smiled so wide they couldn’t close their mouths. “It’s best if the young sir buys them all together,” they said. “Okay, wrap it all up for me.” A few of the men stumbled over each other piling everything into one sack. It was bigger than Minnow himself; an average man wouldn’t be able to budge it. “And... as for the payment...” The fat man finally couldn’t resist asking. “You want silver?” Minnow chuckled, “That’s not a problem. How much? Just name a price.” Some of them quickly shot out prices for their goods, each at least seven or eight times what they were worth. Peach Blossom was about to jump out from under the blankets but Minnow rested his hand on her head, holding her in place. She listened to Minnow’s laugh. “How much is that all together?” The skinny man added it the fastest. “In total, six thousand six hundred.” Minnow shook his head. “That’s not right.” The two men who’d already heard him say that before knew this affluent fellow had a tendency to double the asking price; of course the others had also become privy to his “good habit.” “Yes, it’s not right,” they laughed, “What do you think it should be young sir?” “What do I think? I’m afraid you wouldn’t—” “No, no, we won’t make any opposition,” interrupted a few. “If you say so,” he giggled. “Okay, I believe... altogether I’ll give you...” Everyone’s eyes grew as he opened his wallet. They watched as he picked up the smallest gold leaf he could find and laughed, “I’ll give you all one gold piece.” Most of the men simply stood there, baffled. The skinny man forced a laugh and stammered, “Young sir, you must be joking.” “I tried to tell you, but you insisted that I name my own price and you wouldn’t have any objections. It’s too late to go back on your word now,” said Minnow, straight faced. He threw the piece of gold at their feet, picked up the sack and left. It may have been bigger than he was, yet he carried it off without showing any effort. Peach Blossom couldn’t help but laugh. She poked out her head to see some of the men standing there blankly, others angrily chasing after Minnow. “You little crook! Return us our merchandise,” one yelled. “I’m a crook?” she heard Minnow say, “You’re the crooks.” She heard a string of screams and calls for help followed by a series of loud thuds, like something heavy had toppled over. Peach Blossom was too curious to stay in the blankets for more than a moment. When she ran out, not one of those men were on their feet. Those ten large men had all been incapacitated by Minnow—some had swollen faces, others broken legs; they were all on the ground and couldn’t get up.

!151 Peach Blossom stared in disbelief. She knew that the martial artists who ventured out this far to trade were not just proficient; they always had a few aces up their sleeves. She never thought that this puzzling little kid would be so competent. Peach Blossom looked around after returning to her senses. The sun rose over the still grassland; that kid and his white horse were gone. The white colt carried the sack and Minnow walked in front to lead. The boy and his horse had already traveled over a mile. Minnow couldn’t help but laugh whenever he thought of those men. It was almost noon; the highlands were already sweltering with heat. While Minnow didn’t think much of it, the young horse had about as much as it could take. There were no signs of civilization and no trees for shade. Minnow looked around and suddenly opened his big sack. He took out an antelope horn, studied it and laughed. Then he threw it as far as he could. He periodically flung things away as he walked, slowly emptying all of the precious items in that sack worth one thousand gold. He giggled and threw them in all directions as if he were throwing stones. He resisted the urge to continue and tied the sack containing the remaining few items. Then threw the entire bag out into the field. “Well that was fun.” He suddenly heard someone yelling from behind, “Minnow! Minnow Gian! Don’t go, wait for me!” A horse approached galloping at full speed. The rider’s clothes sparkled in the sun and her bundle of black, shiny braids flew in the wind. Her face was as ruddy as a peach flower. Minnow clapped, “Excellent riding skills, beautiful!” The horse trotted up to him with Peach Blossom standing on its back. Minnow was startled when she suddenly rolled down in a somersault, popping up directly in front of him. She was biting her lip and stamping her foot again. Her eyes were swollen like she was just crying or was about to cry. “You just leave without saying anything?” she panted, “You—” “I caused a big scene this morning; if I don’t leave I’ll cause problems for you too.” Peach Blossom stamped her foot. “Then, then why did you want to cheat all those people?” “They wanted to cheat me, why can’t I cheat them?” laughed Minnow. Peach Blossom was speechless again. She looked around and said, “And your things?” “I threw them all away.” “Threw them away? You... Why?” “Have those things on the horse while I walk under this hot sun? You want me to be an idiot too?” he laughed. “Of course I got rid of it all.” “But those were all very valuable. Don’t you care?” Peach Blossom stared at him wide eyed. “What difference does that make? Of course I don’t care. Besides, those aren’t the only valuable things in the world. If I wanted them, I could get them at any time.”

!152 “You, you are insane.” Minnow roared with laughter. “I threw those things on the ground and eventually someone will find them. If that person is good and decent, they’ll be glad just to have found something. I’m happy just thinking about their face when they find it. That’s a lot better than me worrying about taking them everywhere I go.” “What if they’re bad people?” asked Peach Blossom. “If they’re found by nefarious criminals then they’ll probably start fighting because they don’t want to share. They’ll bicker and struggle and maybe one might kill everyone else to claim all the spoils.” “And that’d make you happy, too?” she said, taken aback. “Why wouldn’t I be happy? I’d be ecstatic!” Peach Blossom stared at him. “You’re a little troublemaker.” “And if these things are found by some slothful bum, then they’ll probably not want to do anything but dig through the grass looking for more. They’ll search until they die from hunger.” He chuckled and continued, “See, I didn’t just throw these things away, I’m changing the lives of any number of people. Isn’t that the most fun you could have?” Peach Blossom stood there, frozen. “You’re a monster.” “Okay, you’ve called me stupid, insane, a troublemaker, and a monster. If I’m all those things, why did you come after me?” Peach Blossom hung her head. “I, I just... wanted to ask you why, why you didn’t say goodbye. You just left.” “Do I need to say something if I’m going to leave anyway? What’s the point? If saying goodbye would help you forget me then there’s no harm in it. But you won’t forget me.” Peach Blossom quickly lifted her head and said loudly, “How do you know I won’t forget you?” “No one who meets me can forget me,” he giggled. Peach Blossom stared at him. Then she found herself with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why are you crying?” said Minnow. “Besides I’m too young, I can’t marry you. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t worry about not finding a husband.” Peach Blossom screamed, “You... you’re a, a...” She couldn’t find anything to describe this “weird kid.” She stamped her foot and suddenly jumped back onto her horse. She slapped its haunches and raced off. Minnow shook his head and sighed, “Women... I guess all women are a little crazy.” He stroked the white pony’s soft mane and muttered, “Horsey, if you’re as smart as me you’ll never get close to women. And never let a woman ride you, otherwise you’re in for it. When women get angry, they’ll use you as a punching bag... That horse’s butt will be swollen after Peach Blossom gets back.” He hopped on his horse and continued on. Someone appeared in front, blocking his path. The fellow’s white shirt stood out under the sun, as did his bright, glowing eyes. He didn’t look very menacing, even with the scowl he wore. In fact it was rather cute.

!153 Minnow recognized him as that mysterious boy in white. “Did you come all the way out here to work on your tan?” he snickered. “I’ve been waiting for you,” the boy said coldly. “Waiting for me? Before you ignored me, now you’re—” “Shut up and give them back!” he yelled Minnow was confused. “Give them back? Give what back?” “The things you stole.” “Oh, you mean those things,” Minnow laughed again. “If I knew you wanted them I would have left them for you. But... I threw them all away.” “Threw them away? Hmph! Who are you trying to fool?” “Why would I want to deceive you? What would I do with all that garbage? “Hey, do you know that you blush when you’re angry? It’s actually pretty cute, you look just like a little girl... I know a girl who does the same thing. You two must’ve been made for each other; want me to introduce you?” The boy’s face turned even redder. He tried to look more intimidating but couldn’t. His big eyes just stared at Minnow. “If you really threw those things away, then you owe me,” he shouted. “You really want me to owe you?” “I demand it.” “You really came out here for those things?” “Of course!” “I don’t think so. I bet you couldn’t care less if those fools live or die. Besides, they just lost a few goods; that’s what they deserve for cheating others. I don’t think you’re here for those things. I think you’re here for me.” “That’s right, I followed you. You’re just a kid, but I saw how corrupt and self- willed you are. If you grow up, you’ll only get worse!” Minnow scratched his head and laughed, “You want to kill me?” “Hmph! Killing you wouldn’t be too terrible, but... you’re still young, you still have some hope. If you take me as your master I can straighten you out. You might even grow up to be a decent person.” Minnow looked at him and doubled over in laughter. “You want to take me as your disciple?” “What’s funny about that?”the boy said angrily. “Having a pretty boy like you as a master would be nice, but what could you teach me? How are you better than me? It’d be the same if you were my disciple.” “Would you like to learn martial arts?” snickered the boy. “You think your kungfu is better than mine?” “I’ll have you know I’m the top-ranking martial artist in the Red Basin!” “If you really are an expert, what are you doing all the way out here? You’re not here to trade or for fun. You’re out here because you’re running from someone. Right?” The boy’s face changed. Everything was precisely as Minnow had said. His eyes seethed with anger. “Who are you exactly? Where are you from?” Minnow laughed. “There’s no need to worry about who I am or where I’m from. If you think you’re kungfu is superior, why don’t you try me out? The loser will be the disciple.” “Fine. I’ll see for myself who taught you martial arts.”

!154 “The loser will be the other’s disciple,” repeated Minnow, “You agreed to that. No backing—” Before Minnow finished, he leapt off his horse with both legs aimed at the boy’s face. The boy was caught off guard; he didn’t expect Minnow to attack with such speed. But not only was he skilled in martial arts, he had extensive experience in real fights. In his surprise, the boy didn’t retreat—he advanced. He ducked, slipping behind Minnow and without turning, swung his arm back. His fist was not only fast, his form was perfect and frighteningly accurate, as if his eyesight extended behind him. Minnow thought making the first move would give him an advantage. He tucked his feet in and rolled forward when he hit the ground. When he stopped a few yards away he laughed, “Wait a second.” The boy halted his advance. “For what?” “Can you really tell who taught me martial arts?” “Within ten moves.” Minnow shook his head and laughed, “I can’t believe that.” He had the sweetest smile on his face but his fists lashed forward. His smile was friendly; his fists were merciless. This was what Hahar had taught him. And the boy fell for it. Although none of the attacks connected, the advantage he had just gained was gone. Minnow’s advance forced him back. Minnow giggled. “I see you’re still—” Before he could finish his sentence the boy had crouched down and leaned in close. He landed two fists and an elbow on Minnow’s chest. His attacked with a style that could cause both him and Minnow to die! It was Minnow’s turn to be surprised. He didn’t want to take this next hit; he spun around, threw his arms outward, bent backwards and slipped away. But this boy didn’t let up. He clung to him like a shadow. His fists came at Minnow like rain. He put everything he could into each strike. Minnow’s hands shifted between fists one moment and palms the next; his attacks were unremitting, oblique, savage, then graceful. Never hard, never soft. He combined Du’scha’s mercilessness, Novith’s obscurity, Mawli’s zeal, and Neriss’s poise with Hahar’s deceit. It would be nearly impossible to find a match in the world of Rivers and Lakes, yet this boy’s tempestuous technique was enough to make Minnow short of breath. Nonetheless he never suspected Minnow’s kungfu to incorporate this many variations. He didn’t know what school it was. “Hey, stop!” Minnow yelled. “Okay, I’ll stop!” He sent out six more fists as he said those three words. Minnow dodged left, right, then returned three strikes of his own. “You call that stopping?” he shouted. “I won’t fall for that again.” Minnow continued to fight as he yelled, “But I’ve attacked more than ten times. A long time ago. Can you tell what school my martial arts is from? If you can’t, stop and let me tell you.” The boy’s movements slowed for a moment and Minnow took the opportunity to retreat several feet. “Can you tell?” he giggled. The boy stopped. “Of course I can’t tell. There’s no pattern to your kungfu.”

!155 “It’s not that there isn’t a pattern; there are just too many styles. You looked like you were getting dizzy.” “Too many? Which ones?” “I learned martial arts from five people, and honestly I don’t know how many styles they picked up. Each kungfu is complicated and strange...” “I am familiar with all prestigious martial arts schools, but not one is similar to your kungfu,” said the boy. “Your five masters must be cheap wannabes who made up their own style.” “Made up their own style?” laughed Minnow, “Hey if I told you their names, I’d be shocked if you weren’t scared. But you were probably still in diapers when they went into hiding. Of course you don’t know them.” “How can your tawdry imitation compare to my kungfu?!” “Your kungfu is good, but for as gentle and delicate as you are, I wouldn’t have guessed that you learned such a crazy, reckless style.” “Hmph! What do you know? My Hundred and Eight Mad Fists may not be first among martial arts schools, but it’s at least second.”

!156 Chapter Twelve! An Unexpected Complication! “Hundred and Eight Mad Fists?” Minnow clapped, “So it’s something only a crazy man would use. Too bad such a beautiful kid should learn a crazy man’s fighting style. That’s almost too hard to watch.” “If you have a hard time just watching, then it’s more than you can endure.” “I can take it,” Minnow laughed, “I wouldn’t want to learn—” He lunged forward thrusting both palms. This time the boy was prepared; he kept his guard up. He met Minnow’s attack with one of his own, arresting the advance of Minnow’s palms. This time Minnow was prepared; he wouldn’t try to stop him with pure force. He opened his body—left fist, right palm—circling the boy, half fighting, half playing. But the sheer power behind his Mad Fists was truly amazing. His mad kungfu surpassed Du’scha’s mercilessness, Novith’s obscurity, Mawli’s zeal, and Neriss’s poise. Minnow was almost at his limit. Minnow withstood another twenty-odd hits. “Stop!” he yelled, “Your kungfu is pretty good. I’m willing to learn it.” The boy spun around, stopping about five feet away. His chest heaved slightly short of breath. This Minnow is tough.! “No wonder people say, ‘don’t fight a madman because you’ll never win.’ Now I know that’s true,” chuckled Minnow. “Now you know true greatness.” “It’s too bad you’re not really crazy, otherwise you’d be even more powerful... Perhaps after years of practice you’ll start to lose your mind.” “How can you be so rude after accepting me as your master?” The boy knit his brow. Minnow laughed. “All I said was that I’d learn this style, I never said I’d take you as my master. A master can learn from his student too, can’t he?” “You still want to fight?” “No more, we can’t fight anymore. If you throw one more punch, you’ll bleed from all the orifices on your face and die,” Minnow laughed. “I’m telling you because I’m nice. And you can believe that.” The boy found himself laughing in anger. “You sure spout a lot of nonsense. That’s just a ploy to scare me.” “What? I’m not trying to scare you. Don’t you know there’s a secret technique among martial arts schools called the Seven Step Palm? Anyone hit with this technique dies after taking seven steps.” “Nonsense. There’s no such thing.” His mouth said “nonsense,” but his legs went weak and he didn’t want to move. “This technique has been passed down for one hundred years. Even if you haven’t heard of it, it just so happens that I have learned it. And—” “And you hit me with it once, right?” the boy sneered. He tried to act like he didn’t believe it, but no one would dare take seven steps after hearing it explained. The name Seven Step Palm was intimidating enough.

!157 Minnow clapped and laughed. “This time you’re right. I did only hit you once— and lightly—but if you bow to me as your master I can still save you.” “If you think a few words can frighten me, you’ve made a big mistake.” “You don’t believe me, fine. Touch the third rib on your left side and see if it hurts. That’s the sign of being hit by the Seven Step Palm.” “Hmph!” Although he meant to dismiss the idea, his hand unconsciously traveled to his rib. His face sank. Minnow lowered his head and looked at his shadow. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” The boys hands began to shake. “Of course it hurts!” he yelled, “That’s the easiest place to feel pain.” “But that’s not any ordinary pain, it’s excruciating pain. Like being stabbed and burnt. It’s a hot, searing pain that makes you want to scream.” Minnow looked up from the ground and stared at the boy’s hands. “Touch it again, but not the same place, move left a bit, then down...” The boy’s hand seemed to move on its own. “That’s it, right there!” Minnow screamed suddenly, “Now push down, hard.” He inadvertently pressed... His whole body went numb. He collapsed to the ground and didn’t move. “No matter how clever you may be, I’ll still get you to drink my bath water,” Minnow laughed and clapped. “I finally got you. Want to know how I tricked you?” The boy glared at him. His eyes were livid but he didn’t say a word. “You know there is no Seven Step Palm. But there is another special martial art skill called vessel points.” Minnow sprinted off to fetch his horse who had since wandered. The boy’s eyes had widened in anticipation. “It sounds similar to pressure points, but the technique is quite different. Pressure points are dead and vessel points are living.” He pressed two pressure points on the boy’s abdomen and stomach and laughed, “Those are pressure points. They’re always in the same spot, so pressure points are dead.” As he spoke, he tapped the boy’s left side twice. “Vessel points stop the blood flow in your veins or arteries. If your blood can’t flow, then of course you can’t move and you fall to the ground. Your blood is constantly circulating, so when you press a vessel point, you need to press exactly before a pulse in order to stop it. Blood flows differently at any given time, so vessel points are living. Do you understand?” “Yes.” The boy already seemed fascinated. “But you can’t stop the blood flow for too long, otherwise that person will die. I just released the blockage, that’s why you can talk now.” The boy was angry, but he had to ask, “Just now when you were looking at your shadow, were you counting to keep track of my heart rate? Then you told me press at the right time.” “You’re deduction skills are impressive. I may be able to teach you yet,” laughed Minnow. “So you only know a little about vessel points. You couldn’t push it yourself and had to trick me into doing it myself?”

!158 “Exactly, very good. The man who taught me about vessel points is incredibly brilliant in the ways of medicine, but knows nothing about martial arts. He knows each part of the human body like the back of his hand and he can map out the entire circulatory system, but he doesn’t know how to exploit it. So I had to ask you to press it for me.” He stopped to take a few breaths and continued, “Your qi was was still in your hands since you were ready to attack at any moment. The place I had you press isn’t a pressure point, it’s not even near one, so when I told you to push hard, your qi flowed from your finger tips without you thinking twice about it.” “Resorting to trickery is deplorable,” spat the boy. “Trickery? Do you know how much work goes into a trick like that? First, I had to keep you constantly alert for your qi to remain in your hands. Second, I had to think of an intimidating name like Seven Step Palm to confuse you.” The boy groaned as if he were being tortured. “Those two are enough.” “Nope. I also had to know about vessel points and how to time your blood flow perfectly.” Minnow puffed out his chest. “That was a flawless integration of martial arts and intelligence. If I weren’t a skilled fighter, how could I keep you on your guard? If I weren’t so clever, how could keep you off your guard? Manipulating you so effortlessly... it’s obvious you’re no match for me. Accepting someone like me as your master wouldn’t be so bad, right?” “Take you as my master?” the boy yelled, “You... you’re dreaming!” “You agreed to it before we started our match. You can’t take it back now.” The boy’s face turned red. “Just kill me!” “Why should I kill you? If you renege on your word, I’ll cut off your nose, pluck out your eyes, take out your tongue, slice off your—” “I’m not afraid of dying; you think I’ll be afraid of this?” he roared. Minnow blinked. “You’re not afraid?” “Hmph!” Minnow looked away and giggled. “Okay, if you’re not afraid then I’ll think of something else.” “I’m not afraid of anything!” he screamed. “I’ll hang you from a tree, take off your pants and spank you. Scared yet?” He knew some people wouldn’t bat an eye if threatened them with knives. But they wouldn’t be able to handle being humiliated like that. The boy’s face shifted from ashen to red. “Afraid now?” laughed Minnow, “Call me master.” The boy shuddered and grumbled, “You... you lout...” “Call me a lout, eh? Fine.” He bent over to removed the boy’s belt. “Master! Master!” he started screaming. Just saying it twice drove him to tears. Minnow wiped the boy’s face. “Why are you crying? Having a master like me would be great. Besides, you’ve already called me master, crying won’t help,” he said softly. “Come on, stop crying. If you keep it up I’ll have to spank you again.” The boy bit down on his lip to stop the tears.

!159 “That’s a good boy,” Minnow laughed. “Oh, right, you haven’t told me your name.” “T’ye. Cinran T’ye!” Minnow blinked and laughed. “Doesn’t Cinlan mean orchid in the common tongue?” “It’s Cinran and it means masculine!” “That’s a good name; boy’s should be masculine with a heart hard as iron. I wouldn’t have guessed someone like you who looks a bit like a girl would have such a tough name.” Cinran glared up at him. “You...” “I might be tougher than you, but my name sure isn’t. I’m Minnow Gian. Some people love eating fish. Have you ever had any?” Cinran bit his lip. “I... wouldn’t mind trying.” He didn’t mean he wanted to eat a real fish; he wanted the one right in front of him. He wouldn’t mind taking a big bit out of him. Minnow looked at him and giggled. “Want to try? Here,” he said holding his hand in front of the boy’s mouth. “You...” Minnow laughed. “Didn’t you want to eat me? Just so you know, you can’t hide anything from me. I know everything you’re thinking.” Cinran sighed. What else could he do. “How old are you?” asked Minnow. “Probably two years older than you.” “Well there is no age in education. The competent one is the master. That’s—” “Minnow! Minnow Gian!” More screams came from the distance. “Please don’t go! You can’t go!” A horse approached galloping at full speed. The rider’s clothes still sparkled and her braids flew in the wind. But when the horse stopped in front of them, she almost fell of its back. Her face wasn’t a ruddy peach flower—it was a pale corpse. Her eyes were still bright, but they were full of anxiety and fear. She flung her arms around Minnow and gasped, “Allah, thank you. He’s still here.” “Allah? What’s so alarming to bring you back here?” chuckled Minnow. “Please, don’t laugh at me anymore,” she said, “You can hit me or yell at me, but you, you must come with me.” Her face was covered in tears. “Another crybaby... Spare me,” sighed Minnow. He wiped Peach Blossom’s tears with his sleeve. “If you keep crying your eyes will get puffy. Then you won’t be Peach Blossom, you’ll just be Peach.” Peach Blossom snickered. Minnow clapped and said, “Crying one moment, laughing the—” Before he could finish, Peach Blossom went back to crying. She tugged on Minnow’s sleeve and blew her nose. “You made me so angry I ran off. I just got angrier the more I thought about you. I rode around for a while and then I saw something on my way back to camp.” “What happened? Did someone wipe their nose on someone’s new clothes?” Peach Blossom couldn’t hear what he said—the sound of her blowing her nose in his sleeve was too loud. “I heard men yelling, women crying, even horses screaming

!160 and running around the tents,” she explained. “It was a mess. It also sounded like people were being whipped. And there was a gravelly voice shouting, ‘Nobody move! Line up! I’ll kill you if you don’t listen...’” “If you keep crying you’re voice will sound just like his.” “I was going to rush over, but I decided to get off the horse and crawl over through the tall grass. It was long enough for me to get close. The tents were surrounded by some people. They all had big swords and whips and really mean faces. And they were on horses. I’m sure they’re bandits.” “Ooh, bandits, that’s interesting.” “They rounded up my people and those Han tradesmen like cattle. My heart shattered when I saw them whip one of my friends...” “I guess highland bandits are pretty cruel,” said Minnow. “Highland bandits here are actually all Han people; they wear our shepherds clothes as a disguise. But I could tell just by looking at these bandits that they’re from further east. They aren’t riding Zang horses, those are horses from the Red Basin. Zang horses have long legs; Red Basin horses have short legs. I could tell immediately.” Minnow didn’t laugh anymore. He furrowed his brow and said, “These bandits didn’t come a thousand miles to steal your goods or animals. There are more rich people in the Great Plains than way out here...” “There are highland bandits, but these people aren’t them.” “How do you know they aren’t? Do you know all the bandits?” laughed Minnow. “They aren’t here to take our things. They’re here for a person.” Minnow’s eyes got bigger, “A person? Who? You?” Peach Blossom bit her lip, “Han girls are much prettier than we are... They’re looking for another Han. They followed him west and even saw him come to our camp, so they’re tormenting my people to find him.” “Did your people turn him over?” “They don’t know who they’re looking for. The men looked in our tents but when they came up with nothing, the bandits assumed we were hiding him. They gave us one hour to hand him over; otherwise... they’ll violate our women and kill our men.” She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She fell onto Minnow and cried. “I came here to beg you to come back and save them. I know you’re very talented...” “Do you know who it is they want?” Minnow muttered hesitantly. “I thought they were looking for you. But then I overheard them say they were looking for someone named T’ye. Do you... do you know who that is?” Minnow turned his head and laughed. “A man named T’ye? I’ve never heard that name before. I—” “My name is T’ye. I’m the one they want!” interrupted Cinran. Peach Blossom was shocked; she stared at Cinran. Minnow rubbed his head and forced a laugh. “Idiot, why’d you say that?” “Was there a girl with the bandits?” he asked, ignoring Minnow. Peach Blossom hesitated, “N-no.” She would never have guessed those bandits were looking for such a beautiful and refined boy as this. She stood there staring. She wasn’t crying anymore. “Fine. If they’re looking for me, I’ll go with you.”

!161 “You’ll go? No, you can’t,” protested Peach Blossom. “But you’re people won’t be spared if I don’t. Why not?” Peach Blossom lowered her head. “A boy like you... you’d be like a sheep walking into the tiger’s mouth. I couldn’t bear sending you to die like that. You, you should run.” “You think I’m afraid of them?” laughed Cinran coldly. “Hmph! Those cowards couldn’t even hurt my finger even if they numbered a hundred.” “Why did you flee here if you’re not afraid of them?” she asked. Cinran was at a loss, “I, I...” Peach Blossom looked up and said, “Perhaps you’re only afraid of girls. So you weren’t afraid after you heard they were all men.” Cinran turned red. “That’s none of your business!” Minnow clapped and laughed, “So, you’re only afraid of girls... I know how you feel. Just seeing a girl gives me a headache.” “Release me. I’ll go!” “But if you die I won’t have a disciple.” “I guarantee I’ll come back.” Minnow cocked his head and thought. “Peach Blossom,” he laughed, “wouldn’t you say my disciple is heroic?” Peach Blossom looked at Cinran tenderly, then folded her hands together and said, “Allah protect you.” “The hero saves the damsel. Such a nice story. I shouldn’t ruin the atmosphere,” laughed Minnow. “Alright, go.” Minnow tapped him twice and Cinran jumped to his feet. “You—” started Peach Blossom. “You have your hero, isn’t that enough?” said Minnow, “I’ll wait here for you.” Peach Blossom stamped her foot. “Those unwilling to save others will have no one to save them in time.” She didn’t look at Minnow again. “T’ye, come ride with me.” “I...” Cinran looked at Minnow. “You...” In the end he didn’t say anything. He hopped onto the horse and they departed. Minnow watched their trail of dust slowly disappear. “Capricious women are always unfaithful, that’s for sure. She’s got a hold of Cinran now; who knows how long it will take him to break free.” He patted his white horse on the head. “Oh, horse, let’s go see what all the excitement’s about. But if you see a pretty mare, better keep your distance. We’re still young; if you get caught now, you’ll never be free.” Peach Blossom whipped the horse faster. Her beautiful hair blew in the wind— and right into Cinran’s face. But he didn’t move a muscle; he didn’t feel a thing. Peach Blossom could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. It made her limp. She clutched the reigns tighter and glanced back. “Are you steady in your seat?” “Mm,” he grunted. “If you feel like you might fall off, hold on to me so you don’t.” Without another word he put his arms around her. Peach Blossom melted. “If you save my people, I, I’ll do anything in return.” “Mm.”

!162 Peach Blossom’s eyes lit up; she whipped the horse faster. Their road wasn’t short, but to Peach Blossom it only took a few moments. She could already hear screams among the yellow tents. “Should we ride in just like this?” asked Peach Blossom. As she finished her question, a blurry white figure suddenly vaulted over her. Cinran was already standing ten yards in front. Peach Blossom was astonished and overjoyed. She yanked the horse to a halt. She watched Cinran stand there like a statue. His white shirt was covered in dust, but with the bright sun it looked clean and pristine. This was the man of every girl’s dreams. Peach Blossom’s heart fluttered; she almost forgot what was happening. The screams still spread. “Cinran T’ye is here!” he shouted, “Who’s looking for me?” The screams suddenly fell silent. The wind blew through the grass; Cinran’s clothes flapped in the wind. Someone inside a tent suddenly burst out laughing, “Wonderful! I guess you have some balls, T’ye. You didn’t make me and the Lanta brothers wait for nothing.” “I knew you were looking for me,” Cinran smirked, “What are you waiting there for? Follow me!” He turned around and slowly walked away. Roars erupted from the tents and about a dozen men on horseback ran over. Cries of terror mixed with the shrill howls. Most people would have trembled in fear, but Cinran kept his pace; he didn’t even blink. Peach Blossom watched from a distance; she was worried but also glad. Glad that T’ye was a true hero, worried that with his gentle and refined appearance he would be no match for these wild bandits. Fifteen armored horsemen surrounded Cinran in an instant, yet he didn’t even look at them. The horsemen brandished whips and swords but didn’t move an inch. Cinran walked ten yards out of their circle and stopped. He gave a cynical laugh. “Alright, why are you looking for me? Let’s hear it.” A large, one-eyed man with a short, curly beard on the lead horse yelled, “We need to ask you first. Do you have it with you?” “Yes, I have it,” said Cinran, “But you lot aren’t enough to take it. If you thought I came out here to hide, you’re wrong.” “Bullshit!” the man shouted. He slapped his reins and charged forward. His whip struck like a snake, cracking like thunder. “Hmph,” scoffed Cinran. “Get down!” His hand went up and somehow arrested the end of the whip. He shook his hand and the heavy, one-eyed man was pulled out of his saddle and thrown a few feet from his horse. Cinran lunged forward. The horses squealed and backed away. There were glints of light as swords were drawn. Two horses came from behind and the swords plummeted upon Cinran’s neck. Without turning around Cinran slunk back one step and the two large swords swept down in front of his face. He raised the whip, cracking it against the two men removing them from their horses. One man was kicked by his horse. He rolled a few yards and screamed when his own sword carved off the left half of his face. The other man’s right foot was caught in the stirrup; he frantically tried to break free, but was dragged away by the frantic horse.

!163 He dispatched three men in an instant with almost no effort. The others were scared stiff. “I guess this is the extent of the Lanta brother’s mounted swordsmanship. I never thought you would try to take this with such disregard for our difference in power.” “If the Lanta brothers aren’t enough, how about the Mao brothers?” The voice came from behind. This voice was feeble like it came by on the wind. The fainter it became, the more you strained to hear it—and then you regretted it. A sensation of countless invisible caterpillars crawling into your ears left amputation the only relief. Cinran’s face panicked. “Three Mao brothers from Mt. Emei—” “Those they greet won’t live out the day,” the man behind him cackled. “I see you’ve also heard of us.” His shrill voice numbed your ears like stepping on a chicken’s throat. Cinran slowly turned around. He saw a massive horse and on its back was a custom saddle that sat three men. At first glance the man sitting in front appeared to be no more than a child, but upon closer inspection, this “child” already had a beard—a fine, white beard resembling the hair on a monkey’s back. And this hair wasn’t constrained to his chin; it extended to his forehead, temples, neck, the backs of his hands—everywhere not concealed by his clothes. Nothing was missing from his face, but none of it seemed in its right place. His left eye was too high, right eye too low; his mouth was crooked and his nose looked upside down. He didn’t look at all like a person, yet he was. It seemed as if God had broke his mold and in his frustration squashed him between his hands and still decided to put him in his mother’s womb. Cinran felt a chill despite the midday sun. This man stared back at Cinran. “I presume you’ve heard the name Caterpillar Mao. That’s me,” he chuckled, “Better not stare too long; you’ll start to feel sick.” Cinran tried to shut out his voice but couldn’t stop himself from listening. The disgust in his stomach compelled him to turn his gaze to the second man. He wasn’t much better looking that Caterpillar Mao, but he was at least normal size—his neck alone was three times longer. And atop this long, spindly neck sat an equally compact and pointed head. His unkempt hair stood like spikes and his mouth was permanently pursed out like a beak. Cinran clenched his teeth. “And you’re Rooster Mao?” The man grinned, exposing his saw-like teeth. “Don’t bite down so hard. Everyone who looks at me gets an itch in their teeth.” Cinran wanted to cover his ears the moment he opened his mouth. How could anyone call that talking? It sounded more like the tortured screams of a chicken. A dying chicken would sound more soothing than his voice. Cinran didn’t want to look at the third but couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering. He thought this one would be at least look marginally better than the first two. How could there be anyone uglier? He couldn’t care less if he didn’t look, but when he did— Oh, hell... the first two at least had some semblance of humanity; this third one didn’t look like a person at all. The third man was an ape. If Rooster Mao was twice the size Caterpillar Mao, then this ape was easily five times larger. Rooster Mao’s long, thin neck made up for the ape’s complete lack of one—his square head grew right out of his shoulders. Caterpillar

!164 Mao’s hair was thin and white; the ape was covered in coarse black hair. It was hard to tell where his nose ended and mouth began. The only thing visible was a pair of beastly, fiery eyes. These eyes were staring at Cinran. “Ape Mao,” he said. Far off, hidden in the tall grass lay Minnow. He fought his urge to laugh after seeing these three men. He couldn’t imagine how one woman could have given birth to those three. He didn’t want what she looked like. What Minnow didn’t know was that these three brothers were the most ruthless characters to appear in the past ten years. When those in the world of Rivers and Lakes saw these three, they couldn’t laugh, let alone cry.

!165 Chapter Thirteen! A Fairy’s Judgement! Minnow had been watching from the grass for a while. He watched the parade of Cinran followed by the Lanta brothers and then the Mao brothers. They sat so heavily atop their horse yet moved so deftly and silently, no one had noticed they were there. Of course everyone knew now. All those men who had appeared so fearless trembled like an autumn leaf after seeing those three monstrosities. Minnow watched as the Lanta brothers began to panic. Why are they so afraid if they’re not the one those three are looking for? Perhaps they don’t distinguish between friend or foe and simply kill whoever they meet. The twelve remaining men were skilled in mounted kungfu, yet none moved. Their horses slowly inched backwards. “How weird,” laughed Caterpillar Mao, “T’ye isn’t running away; instead it’s the Lanta brothers who want to flee.” One of the Lanta brothers immediately saluted. “We have no desire to quarrel with you and we don’t wish to share what T’ye has, so... we shall take our leave.” “You want to leave the moment you set eyes on me and my brothers? Do you find us that revolting?” chuckled Rooster Mao. The man’s face turned yellow and his teeth chattered. “No, no! I would never—” “If not, then why do you want to leave?” “That’s not right, brother,” said Caterpillar Mao, “It’s not the legs on their bodies that are moving, it’s just the horse’s legs.” “If that’s how it is, then these men aren’t the ones being rude, it’s the horses.” “Ye-yes, it’s the horses...” spat the man. “Those horses should go to hell,” said Rooster Mao. At the word “hell” Ape Mao had already jumped down. His body was built like a stone wall. His arms were long, thick and nearly dragged along the ground. His body made him appear a bit slow-witted, but his movements weren’t slow at all. In a flash he was standing in front of the first horse. His fist came down on the horses head. It hit the ground before it could make a sound. The horse’s head was completely pulverized. Minnow was taken aback. This guy’s really strong.! In the moment it took to finish that thought, three more horses had their heads smashed. The other horses started to panic. Ape Mao dashed about and in a few moments not one of the horses had a recognizable head. The Lanta brothers stumbled off their horses, pale. One of them suddenly started screaming and ran away as if he’d gone insane. “There’s another rude one,” said Rooster Mao. He leapt forward, head first, and flew towards him like an arrow. His spiked, rooster head smashed into his back with a loud crack. The man didn’t have time to look back before his spine was shattered. His body didn’t fall over; it collapsed like a wet noodle. Rooster Mao picked up his body and shouted, “Brother, a treat for you!” He tossed the body back into the crowd.

!166 “Buns fresh out of the steamer,” laughed Caterpillar Mao. He watched the man’s body soar closer, then stretched out his little monkey-claw hands and lightly swiped at the chest. The man’s body continued its trajectory, but blood started to spill out leaving a trail a few yards long before it landed. A huge hole was in his chest. Caterpillar Mao’s hand was covered in blood. In it he held a human heart. It was still beating. “Who wants this steamed bun? It’s fresh and still warm,” he laughed. The color ran from the Lanta brothers faces. Cinran looked sick. “If no one wants to enjoy it, I’ll just treat myself.” He opened his mouth and took a bite. With just one bite he ate half of it. It squeaked loudly as he chewed. Blood ran down his chin. The Lanta brothers felt weak; they could hardly stand. Cinran had covered his mouth to prevent himself from vomiting. Even Minnow thought it was disgusting. Mawli ate people but at least looked civilized when he did. He was even particular on how it was cooked—fried, steamed, boiled—it looked like a refined meal, not at all disturbing. Minnow had never seen someone eat like Caterpillar Mao. He didn’t want to watch. This man was too barbaric; he didn’t know how to enjoy it. If you’re going to eat someone, you should at least do it like Mawli. But this Ape Mao’s strength was no small matter. Rooster Mao’s skill was incredible and Caterpillar Mao’s nimble kungfu was shocking. Minnow had to admit they were formidable, especially Caterpillar Mao. He could wave his hand and pluck out a man’s heart; aside from the speed that takes, his accuracy and knowledge of human anatomy must be extensive. Someone as quick and clever as that, even Minnow had to be impressed. He held his breath and continued to watch. Caterpillar Mao soon finished off the heart; he even licked the blood off his mouth. He wiped his hands and laughed, “Autumn is coming; you should all start eating more nutritious foods. I’m sure you all know human hearts provide excellent nutrition. I just finished one now and look, I’m brimming with energy.” And he did have more energy. There was more vigor in his voice, his eyes looked sharper, and he had more color in his face. “Was that just a show of strength?” laughed Cinran. “You’ve got a bun in your chest too. If you don’t want me to eat it, you’d better hand that over. Otherwise I’ll need to use all my energy to fight. And once I use up my energy I may just want to eat another bun.” “Don’t even think about it,” said Cinran. He leapt backward and backflipped away. Of all possible strategies, running is always the best. But he didn’t expect Ape Mao to block his path. With his arms and legs outstretched he was a seven-foot-wide wall. Cinran couldn’t get through. Ape Mao grinned. “Such a pretty little brain. It’d be a shame if it were smashed.” He only said thirteen words. Cinran threw fourteen punches. Cinran was fast and he spoke so slow it almost didn’t sound like human speech. None of Cinran’s punches missed their mark. A constant string of thuds bounced along Ape Mao’s shoulders, chest and stomach. He held nothing back.

!167 But Ape Mao took them all if they were nothing. He didn’t simply not flinch, he continued talking as if nothing were happening. Cinran’s punches were the war drums to make his voice sound more intimidating. His lips were white after those fourteen punches; he couldn’t manage a fifteenth. He couldn’t do anything else. He just stood there, baffled. “Are you done?” exhaled Ape Mao. Cinran grit his teeth. “I’m done.” “Okay. My turn.” His fist shot straight out. Cinran wouldn’t be able to withstand a hit from him. He crouched forward and squeezed under his fist. He hooked his foot around the ape’s and threw his arm out behind him. Ape Mao dropped headlong like ton of bricks. Cinran didn’t waste time turning around to see his odious face; he kept moving forward. Suddenly something thorny popped out of the ground in front of him. It was Rooster Mao’s head. Now he turned around. Ape Mao had already hopped off the ground. He was looking at Cinran with a big grin on his face. A little hand full of white hair appeared in front of his face. “Hand it over.” These three brothers were truly tenacious. Watching their brief display of skill, Minnow knew that Cinran wouldn’t be able to escape and he wouldn’t be able to win. He exhaled and muttered to himself, “Looks like I’ll have to join in. A master doesn’t need to help his pupil fight, but when he’s holding something special, his master shouldn’t allow it to be taken.” He watched as they surrounded Cinran. He was about to go fight when the sound of bells rang in the distance. A red figure appeared like fire. It was actually a person on a horse—in red clothes on a red horse. They were still far away, but drew closer with amazing speed. The bells took the Lanta brothers, Mao brothers, and Cinran by surprise. They seemed unsettled after seeing this person in red. A delicate yet callous voice called out, “No one leaves. All eighteen of you.” The rider appeared in front of them like a cloud of fire. Her clothes were bright scarlet and she brandished a sienna whip which fell upon them like a den of venomous snakes. The Lanta brothers watched it come down but they didn’t run, they didn’t resist, they didn’t even scream in pain; they just bit down and endured it. The red rider circled and in the blink of an eye, the Lanta brothers all fell to the ground. Minnow clapped silently and cheered, “Excellent whip skills, wonderful. I didn’t think Cinran would have a friend like this. Looks like I won’t need to butt in.” He didn’t notice that among those frightened faces, Cinran’s was the most distressed. Minnow was enthralled by this girl; he didn’t have time to look at anyone else. She was as ravishing as the Mao brothers were grotesque. The Mao brothers were unsightly beyond the point of resembling a person, and she was so stunning she couldn’t be human. She looked like a fairy.

!168 Her fiery clothes matched the ruddy glow of her face. If her whip was a serpent from hell, her eyes were the brightest stars in the sky. Her whip flitted. Her glance darted. “I’d take a few lashes just for her to look at me,” sighed Minnow, “But that whip is really too vicious. People say the more beautiful the women, the more spiteful she is. I guess that’s true.” He watched as the Lanta brothers tossed in pain on the ground. After a while they weren’t moving at all; they didn’t even have the strength to moan. Yet the girl’s whip didn’t let up. She glared, teeth clenched tight. She bore no semblance of a smile. It was scary how calm she was. “How have they wronged you that deserve such malice?” yelled Cinran. The girl laughed coldly, “My hatred for criminals runs as deep as the oceans.” “Stop!” he screamed. “You want me to stop? Well I don’t want to!” She thrashed around more before she stopped, turned her horse around and faced the Mao brothers. Her eyes lit up. “Good, you’re still here,” she laughed. “That’s smart, but I haven’t forgotten you.” “If a lady tells us to stay, of course we’ll oblige,” cackled Caterpillar Mao. “Do you know why you haven’t met my whip?” “I don’t.” “Those who have may live. Those who haven’t must die!” “Do you know why we didn’t leave?” he asked. “Would you be so bold?” “These cowards may be afraid of you, but we’re not!” he laughed. They leapt at her simultaneously as if they had planned their attack in advance. Rooster Mao lunged head first at her waist, Ape Mao’s fist aimed for the horse’s head, and Caterpillar Mao’s claws struck at her eyes. Their swift attack was in perfect coordination covering top, middle, and bottom. Minnow had no idea how she would block all three attacks. If she protected her head, she exposed her waist; if she protected her waist, she couldn’t save the horse. “Wanna die!?” she hissed. He heard a faint whistle; her horse reared up and both its legs came crashing down on Ape Mao’s head. Ape Mao could take hits from a man and he could take them from a horse, too. He strained to dodge but the horse still kicked his shoulder and he rolled backwards. Minnow wanted to cheer. He assumed the girl had impressive kungfu but didn’t think her horse would be so capable. He looked to Caterpillar Mao and Rooster Mao, they too were lying down on the ground. Caterpillar Mao’s hands were hacked off and Rooster Mao’s head was split in two. Minnow had quick eyes but he still only had one pair. He didn’t see how she did it. He stared blankly. His neck went cold. This girl didn’t even get out of her saddle and she beat those three . Just what kind of skills did she have? Days in the highlands were short. The sun had begun setting in the west. Light shone on the girl’s face, on her rosy cheeks, and on those “corpses.” A beautiful young lady on a burgundy horse slowly walking through a mess of dead

!169 bodies; the wind blowing through the grass, the setting sun... What kind of picture was this? Cinran stood there like he hadn’t even thought of running away. He just stared at her, wide-eyed. His face was about the same as those of the men on the ground. The girl in red finally turned her horse around to face him. Minnow couldn’t see her face but he assumed she must be smiling. She was stunning when she glowered; who knew how much cuter she was with a smile. He was just disappointed he didn’t get to see it. This girl must have feelings for Cinran, that’s why she just crushed everyone who wanted to harm him.! “Alright Cinran T’ye,” she sneered, “I’ll admit you have some skill to be able to escape all the way here. There hasn’t been anyone to have slipped from my grasp and made it this far. But now you can’t escape.” “That’s why I didn’t try.” “You’re smart. A lot smarter than these guys. But if you were really smart, you’d hurry up and hand that over so I don’t have to take it.” The longer Minnow listened the more this situation seemed wrong. While she did intervene to save Cinran, she was merely scaring off the weaker predators—she had ulterior motives. He got an idea and took something out from inside his shirt. He crawled quietly through the tall grass. The wind masked his movements. “Are you gonna hand it over?” he heard the girl say. “Hand what over? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I’ve never asked someone so nicely before!” she said angrily. “You, you still want to act ignorant?” Her whip suddenly flew towards him. It slapped against Cinran’s chest. Cinran braced himself; his face didn’t change. “Even if you kill me, I won’t know what thing you’re talking about,” he said impassively. “Fine, you forced me to do this,” she snapped, “Once I start, I won’t stop. Don’t you know I have a bad temper? Don’t you—” Her anger flared and she had no idea that Minnow had crawled up and waved his arm behind her horse. The wind carried sparks that grazed the horse’s haunches and tail. The red mare was an excellent steed, but it was still an animal. And what animal isn’t afraid of fire. It screamed and careened through the field. The girl didn’t finish her sentence before the horse had carried her off. If she jumped off, Minnow and Cinran wouldn’t be able to get away. But she loved this horse more than anything; how could she abandon it? Minnow had already thought of that. The fire caught on the horse’s tail and she took off like she had gone insane. “Woah, Cherry, calm down!” the girl screamed, “Cherry! Stop!” It would be easy enough to jump down, but reining a startled horse to a halt was no simple task—and she couldn’t bring herself to pull back hard. Cherry’s legs moved with great haste. In just a few moments they were out of sight. Minnow had already grabbed Cinran’s hand and pulled him in the opposite direction. His white colt saw them in the distance and ran parallel with them as if he recognized them. Minnow didn’t want to stop. Cinran really didn’t want to stop. Their faces had both turned blue and they were sweating profusely.

!170 The sky was already dark. They had run for miles. Neither had ever run that far in one sprint. They saw a dilapidated wooden hut in front of them. Minnow didn’t care if anyone was inside, he barged right in. As soon as they passed the threshold they collapsed on the floor, panting louder than an ox. Minnow was lying on top of Cinran’s chest; his heart beat like a drum. Fortunately no one was home. Apparently it had been vacant for a long time. It was covered in cobwebs and so were their faces after bursting through the door. Minnow was about to brush off his clothes when suddenly Cinran shoved him off, rolling him across the room. Minnow stared at him. “I just saved your life and that’s how you thank me?” Cinran turned red. “I, I’m sorry. Thank you.” Minnow laughed. “Apologies~ civilities~ fart on your knees~ smells like cheese~” Cinran did actually fart and Minnow was rolling on the floor with laughter. “What’s so embarrassing about a fart? It’s impressive enough if you don’t piss yourself back there, what’s so bad about a fart? You’re always blushing... You’re such a girl.” “I, I...” Cinran’s voice sounded like the buzzing of a mosquito, even he couldn’t make it out. “It’s not just you. Even I was afraid of her and I’m not afraid of anything. Who wouldn’t be,” said Minnow. “Hey, do you know her name?” “Everyone calls her Jing the Fairy.” “Ah, I’ve heard that name before,” Minnow clapped. He remembered that Tiger Killer had mentioned her name the afternoon on the day he left the valley. Don Bashu was absolutely terrified of this girl but at the time Minnow didn’t think someone who’s name struck fear into the hearts of everyone could be an gorgeous young girl. Minnow thought about her dressed in scarlet, horseback, braving the world of Rivers and Lakes, people bowing to her everywhere she went... Minnow was mesmerized. After a short while Cinran said quietly, “Saving me from her grasp won’t be so simple... She must really abhor you now. You should be careful.” “I’m not afraid,” Minnow laughed, “She didn’t see me, she won’t know who I am. And besides, even if we do fight that doesn’t mean I’ll lose.” “You can’t beat her. I don’t know who taught her kungfu but in just one year after she made her appearance, at least sixty martial arts experts fell by her hands.” “Those run-of-the-mill experts don’t count for anything,” chuckled Minnow. “But some really had extraordinary kungfu, like—” “Forget about that for the moment. Take that thing out and let me see.” Cinran shuddered slightly. “W-what thing?” “Whatever everyone risked their lives to take from you. The thing you risked your life not handing over. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” “No... I don’t know.” Minnow grabbed hold of his shirt and yelled, “I saved your life. Don’t you have any sense of gratitude? I just want to see it, I’m not asking you to give it to me.” “Let, let go. I’ll tell you.”

!171 Cinran sighed. “This is a secret. You can’t tell anyone.” “Who would I tell? Idiot, you’re my favorite person. I risked my life to save you when those people tried to hurt you. Why would I go tell other people?” Cinran’s face turned red again. He looked up and said quietly, “I don’t have it with me.” Minnow stared at him for a long time, then burst into laughter. “What are you laughing at?” asked Cinran. “If you don’t have it with you, why were they chasing you? Why were you running?” “Because I left it with my closest friend and I was afraid they would go after him. I pretended I still had it so they would chase me and he could live in peace.” Minnow was dumbstruck. “So you’re the decoy, the shell shed by the cicada. You don’t seem like the kind who would risk himself for someone else.” Cinran lowered his head. “I may not be a good person, but he’s my older brother.” “I see... But what exactly is it? You can still tell me that much.” Cinran’s head sunk even lower. “It’s a treasure map.” “That’s it?” Minnow laughed. “If I knew it was just a treasure map I wouldn’t even ask to see it. I could find treasure anywhere; why would I need to bother with that.” He stood up, turned around and walked to the door. “There’s a well outside.” “There are some broken bowls in this cupboard. I’ll go get some water for you,” said Cinran. Minnow blinked, “You won’t run?” “Why would I run?” “I know you won’t run.” Cinran didn’t run away. He came back with a wooden bucket filled with water. Without the arrogant look on his face he looked incredibly sweet-tempered. He fetched the water and washed the bowls, things most men wouldn’t do, and he did them expertly. Minnow watched. He thought it was very interesting. Suddenly the sound of hooves came from outside. Both of them turned pale with terror. Fortunately Minnow’s sharp eyes quickly noticed it was a white horse. His white colt met them at the hut. Minnow was amazed and delighted. He jumped up to greet the horse and brushed his mane. “You’re such a good horse; I’ll treat you to some cabbage tomorrow. Oh, I still need to give you a name. Her red horse was named Cherry, so I’ll call you Cabbage.” He glanced inside the house. It was dark inside. After a few moments, Cinran walked out carrying two bowls of water. He had a big smile on his face. “I already tried some, the water’s sweet.” “We have water, but what about the horse? He must be tired from running here, let him drink first.” “No, no,” Cinran quickly followed, “There’s... I only washed two bowls, have him use the bucket.” He set one bowl next to the well and gave the other to Minnow, then ran back to the house.

!172 He was only gone a few seconds. Minnow hadn’t moved an inch. Cinran blinked and laughed, “Drink, it really is sweet.” “I’m worried the well might be poisoned.” “What... No it’s not,” Cinran chuckled. “If it was poisoned I’d be dead. I already drank a bowl. I’ll have another one now.” He picked up the bowl near the well and downed it in one gulp. “I guess I won’t worry if you drink first,” Minnow laughed. He drank the first bowl, then a second. He drank more than his horse. The sky began to darken. Stars had already appeared overhead. Minnow looked sick. “Not, not good. Why do I feel so dizzy?” He fell to the ground. “Poison, the well water is poisoned!” Cinran stepped back and laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s not poison, just a sedative. You get a full night’s sleep here and in the morning you should be able to walk.” “Why, why would you... give me a sedative?” he mumbled. “Because I need to go somewhere. Somewhere you can’t follow.” “You...” He became less alert, he couldn’t even talk straight. “Poor kid,” Cinran smirked, “you’re smart, but—” He had begun to walk away but his legs suddenly went weak. He almost keeled over. His face looked ill. He staggered another two steps and fell face first next to the bucket. He didn’t even have the strength to push himself up. “What... What happened?” he muttered. “Maybe you put the sedative in both bowls?” “No. I didn’t. I just—” Minnow suddenly started laughing and jumped to his feet. “You,” gasped Cinran in shock, “Did you—” Minnow clapped. “Poor kid, you’re smart, but compared to me, you’re nothing. You didn’t think I saw you pour that sedative in the house? Hey, I’ve been taking supplements for my eyes since I was a kid. I can find a needle on the floor at midnight.” “You, you switched the bowls.” Cinran looked horrified. “Yup, I switched the bowls. You didn’t see,” said Minnow. “To be honest, I was already playing little tricks like this when I was two. The people who raised me developed most of the poisons in the world.” Cinran couldn’t open his eyes anymore. “What... are you planning... to do to me?” “I’m not planning to do anything to you. I just don’t believe anything you say. So first I’ll give your whole body a good once over to see what exactly you’re hiding.” Cinran’s pale face turned bright red. “Please... I beg you... don’t...” His body trembled as much as his voice. His hands clutched onto his shirt across his chest refusing to let go. “Please no... Please...” His voice grew weaker as he trailed off. His hands fell loose. Minnow stood there and giggled. He waited until Cinran couldn’t move at all before kneeling beside him and setting his arms at his sides. The more he had begged the more Minnow wanted to search. A breeze came in through the open door. It blew in a shadow.

!173 The person came in without the slightest noise and stood like a ghost behind Minnow. Under the misty starlight her clothes gave off a vaguely crimson glare. Minnow had no idea she was there.

!174 Chapter Fourteen! A Girl Appears! Her scarlet-clad figure looked svelte and winsome in the starlight. She slowly raised her hand. Her posture was graceful and stunning, like a flirtatious fairy spreading happiness and fortune to people under the stars. But her hand only brought death. She would take Minnow’s life in an instant. Minnow still appeared to not notice a thing. “What’s wrong with this guy? Why are you sleeping here? Why won’t you wake up?” he muttered. “Hey, buddy, wake up. You’ll catch a cold if you sleep here.” Her hand stopped. Minnow continued to talk to himself, “What should I do? I can’t just leave him here. Why did I see that well. Why did I have to come get a drink. I have terrible luck.” “You don’t know this person?” asked the red figure. Minnow jumped like he was just stuck in the butt with a needle. He turned around and stared at her with big eyes as if he was looking at a ghost. In reality, the mirrored surface of the bucket of water in the starlight had already revealed that the person behind him was Jing the Fairy. But Minnow’s act was perfect; he stared at her blankly for a while before he managed, “Wh-when did you get here, li-little girl?” The moment he finished speaking Fairy slapped him across the face. He wanted to dodge but couldn’t. He tumbled over. “You sure you want to call me little girl, brat?” she scolded. Minnow covered his mouth. He looked dejected as he picked himself off the floor. “Yes, miss, I—” She slapped his other cheek. “You don’t call me miss either,” she spat. “Yes, auntie. I’m sorry.” “Hmph. I guess that’s good enough.” Her voice was still frigid, but for her that was considered polite. She didn’t realize she could be so polite. For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to be furious at a kid like Minnow. Minnow blinked and said, “Auntie, don’t be angry. I have an uncle who says when people get angry they turn sour. No, that’s not it... It’s when people get angry they get older and wrinklier. You’re so beautiful, auntie. If you really do get older and wrinklier, won’t everyone be really sad?” He blinked his big eyes as he spoke and surprisingly Fairy let him finish. She looked at Minnow’s face and wondered how this kid could be so strange. “Am I really beautiful?” she found herself saying. Then she thought she was being much too civilized and backhanded him across the face. She stared at him with her beautiful eyes. “Even if I am I don’t want to hear it from you.” That last slap was much lighter than before—Minnow found that amusing—but he still cried out, “Yes, even though auntie is beautiful, I won’t say it.” “So how did a little clod like you get out here?”

!175 “I came with some uncles to do some trading. One of them bought a horse and let me ride it. But even though it was just a young colt, it was too strong for me and it ran off like crazy. I tried to stop it but couldn’t and that dumb horse brought me all the way out here. I don’t know where I am.” He didn’t blink or pause; he spun such a persuasive lie that it was more believable than the truth. Fairy nodded. “True, even the gentlest horse sometimes goes so crazy no one can stop it, let alone a kid like you.” She knew exactly what he went through so she felt especially sorry for this “clod.” But she didn’t know that he was the one who made her experience that pain! Minnow was laughing hysterically inside but he continued, “Yeah, I was tossed around by that dumb horse all day before he finally stopped running. I saw a well here and I was going to take a drink when I saw this sleepyhead.” Fairy looked at Cinran for a moment and laughed coldly, “Hmph! You think he’s really asleep?” “If he’s not asleep... Is he dead?” he gasped. “Idiot, he was drugged. But how could someone drug him? Whatever, this gives me a chance to look for it.” Her apprehension about Minnow had dissipated and she started talking to herself. Minnow watched her search Cinran’s body. He was nervous, but he couldn’t do anything about that. She searched him completely but didn’t find anything. Minnow was even more confused. He assumed Cinran was lying that he didn’t actually have it. Then why was he so hysterical when I said I was going to search him?! “This is bad. Maybe the person who drugged him took it? But who would that be? Hey kid, hurry and fetch a pale of water to wake him up. I want to ask him some questions,” she said disappointedly. “Yes, don’t worry, I can get ten pales if you want.” He looked like he couldn’t even fill one. His breath heaved with each pump. He carried the first bucket over laboriously. “This stupid bucket’s so heavy,” he mumbled, “I —” He stumbled and fell flat on his face. The bucket of water flew forward, drenching Fairy. “You halfwit pig! You are so dead.” Minnow’s face turned white. He shuffled to get up, took off his shirt and clumsily wiped Fairy’s body. “I didn’t do it on purpose, auntie. I’m such an idiot!” “You look like a boy but you’re actually a dumb pig. Damn pig. If you don’t clean me up, I’ll kill you.” She stamped her foot and shook her clothes. Minnow rushed to dry her off. He knelt down and wiped her legs. The more she yelled the angrier she got; all she could think about was kicking this stupid pig. But before she could lift her leg, her knee went numb and half her body was instantly paralyzed. Fairy screamed in shock, “You little bastard, you—” “I’m sorry, it wasn’t on purpose. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He apologized but his hands were busy pressing pressure points up her right leg, stomach, chest, and neck. He nearly pressed all the points along her stomach meridian. How could she not fall over? Despite her young age, Fairy had met a number of impressive characters, some of whom were infamous for their egregious crimes. But she never would’ve dreamt that

!176 this kid was ten times worse than all of them put together. Even she couldn’t tell; even she lost. Her body quivered with anger but she had no course of respite. Minnow giggled, stood up and looked at her with big eyes. “Oh no, are you sick? Did you catch a cold? Why did you fall over?” he said. “I didn’t think you’d be so weak to get sick after being splashed with a little cold water.” Fairy’s eyes burned with fury. “Good. Very good,” her voice trembled, “I wouldn’t have guessed you’d be this good.” “I’m sorry,” Minnow laughed, “I really didn’t do it on purpose. I was going to give that bucket of water to your horse. I feel really bad about setting its butt on fire. But I presume you’ve already gone and fixed her up, so instead I gave it to you. Besides, it doesn’t matter to me which one of you ladies I give it to.” “So it was you!” she screamed, “You burned Cherry!” “Fire burns the cherry and water drowns the fairy~ I guess this stupid pig isn’t so stupid,” he laughed. “Let me give you some advice. Never mistake someone for being too stupid, and never take advantage of someone and make them call you aunt. If a kid decides to cheat someone, there’ll be plenty of bad luck to go around.” He completely ignored that Fairy was insane with anger. He giggled, picked up Cinran and threw him on his horse to leave. Fairy clenched her teeth and tried her best to bear it. She was smart; she knew that if she could avoid an impending problem, it’s best to do so. Minnow suddenly turned around, looked at her and laughed, “Oh yeah, one more thing. You just slapped me three times, I’ll have to repay you for that. Seeing as you’re a girl, I won’t add any interest.” “You, you wouldn’t,” she said in disbelief. “No... I wouldn’t.” And he slapped her once across her face. Hard enough that her cheek was already red. She had never felt so defenseless. “You...” she puffed, “Fine! Remember this!” “Don’t worry, I never forget anything. The first time you slapped me was the hardest, so I couldn’t hold back. But the second was a little lighter.” He slapped her again. Fairy tried her hardest to bear it but couldn’t stop her tears. No one had ever touched so much as a hair on her head. Her teary eyes stared at Minnow with malice. “Fine, I’ll never forget you! Never! Never!” “I know you won’t forget me. A girl always remembers the first man to hit her. Knowing that a girl like you will always keep me in her heart, that makes me really happy.” He snickered and continued, “But I can’t keep this last one. Your third slap was actually quite soft, so I shouldn’t hit you hard. What do you think I should do?” “You can go to hell!” Minnow blinked and said, “Alright, then we’ll call it even. We don’t owe each other anything.” He looked into Fairy’s eyes and slowly lowered his head. Fairy trembled all over. “W-what are you going to do?” “You hit me with your hand; I’ll hit you with my mouth,” he giggled, “it’ll be much lighter than yours.” “You snake, you—”

!177 Before she could say another word, Minnow put his hand under her chin and kissed her soft lips. Fairy stopped screaming. She was completely dumbstruck, completely frozen. “You’re at most fifteen, maybe sixteen, how can you be my aunt? My wife, maybe,” Minnow sighed, “You’re lips are so sweet, I could kiss them ten times a day and never grow tired of it.” Fairy glared at him and said perfectly clear, “If you dare touch me again, I’ll kill you. I will kill you.” “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you anymore,” he laughed, “I wouldn’t marry a violent tigress like you even if you begged me. And if someone does end up stuck with you, well then he may just have the worst luck ever.” “Just kill me!” she erupt, “You better kill me! Or I'll kill you. I'll kill you slowly, nice and slow.” Minnow laughed, turned around and pulled his horse closer. “Why don't you kill me?” she screamed, “You'll regret this one day. I promise you'll regret it!” Minnow had already swaggered off; he didn't even look back at her. Fairy watched as he left, then finally let herself cry. She heard Minnow’s voice singing in the distance, “Little Fairy crybaby, wailing on the ground~ Makes Minnow happy, what a wonderful sound~” Minnow sang as he walked. He thought his singing was pretty good, even better than the sound of Fairy crying. He sang until she was out of earshot, then rubbed his face, took a deep breath, ran his hand over his mouth and couldn't help laugh. That tigress didn't hold anything back; his face still hurt. But her lips were incredibly sweet. Her fragrance still lingered on his lips. He laughed again and started running; he ran so fast the colt had a hard time keeping up. Then he stopped to lie down under the stars. He was tired. The starry sky above the highlands was wide and spectacular. The wind caressed his face. His mind wandered and he soon fell asleep. He dreamt Fairy was lying in his arms and said to him, “You can only kiss me one hundred times a day. Not one more, not one less.” But when he went to kiss her, she jumped up and slapped his face—wait, someone really did slap his face. Did Fairy catch up to them again? He started awake to see Cinran standing above him. It was Cinran who slapped him. Some of the water must have splashed his face waking up earlier than expected. Under the stars Cinran's face was pale and full of anger. His big, stunning eyes glared at Minnow. He grit is teeth. “You have to sleep sometime too, jackass. And sooner or later you’ll be at my mercy.” Minnow wanted to jump up but he couldn't move. Now it was his turn to lay there paralyzed. But he wasn’t angry or anxious. “I was having a good dream and you woke me up. You'll have to repay me for that,” he giggled. “I was just about to kiss someone a hundred times, so you'll have to let me kiss you a hundred times.” Cinran began to tremble. “What did you do to me?” he stammered. “I didn't do anything. I just looked over your entire body. Head to toe. There wasn't an inch I missed.”

!178 Cinran shook like a leaf; his face turned so red you could see it in the dark. But he just stood there, silent. Minnow blinked and exhaled, “Why didn't you tell me you're a girl? Then I wouldn't have searched you! You know, I may be a little young, but I am a man. How could I not—” “Shut up! Shut up! One more word and I'll kill you!” “I already did it. What's the difference if I say it?” he laughed. Cinran clenched her teeth; tears started to pool in her eyes. Minnow made a funny face. “Looks like you’ll have to marry me. And I’ll have to have an older wife,” he said. “Hey, when I'm thirty, you'll already be an old lady.” Cinran pulled a dagger from her boot. “Do you have any last words? Go on.” Minnow looked at her wide-eyed. “You want to kill me?! It’s okay if you want to marry someone else. I promise I won’t object. You don’t need to kill me.” “I’ll kill you now if you don’t have anything to say,” she said through her teeth. She suddenly turned away and stammered, “But... don’t worry, I won’t marry anyone else.” It took everything Minnow had not to laugh; he almost started to cry. Oh geez, she actually believed me. Ah, women... Are you smart, or stupid? “Please, marry someone else. Marry whoever you fall in love with. Anyone, just don’t marry me, I couldn’t take it.” Cinran lost it. “Wha- This is what you want to say? Fine.” She tightened her grip on the dagger and thrust it toward Minnow’s chest. “Wait!” he yelled, “Wait, I still have something to say.” Cinran stamped her foot. “Hurry! Spit it out!” “I have one more thing to say. I want you to tell every man in the world; warn them never to save anyone’s life, especially a woman’s. If someone’s about to kill a woman, don’t burn their horse’s butt. If you want to burn something, burn your own horse’s butt. The farther you run the better. The faster the better.” “It’s true, you did save my life. But, but I...” She suddenly flopped to the ground and started bawling. “What should I do? What should I do?” “Don’t fret. You should just kill me,” Minnow said gently. “If you’re going to be so upset, it’d be better if you just kill me. I’d be content to die by your hands.” He stole glances at Cinran as he spoke. She became more upset as she cried. Minnow was very pleased with himself. I know all the best ways to deal with women. You start playing with her heart and she’ll let you ride her like a well-trained pony; she’ll let you lead her by your little finger. Just as he was feeling so smug, Cinran leapt up and ran away in tears. He had no idea where she was going. Minnow was truly shocked. “Hey you can’t just run off and leave me here!” he yelled, “What if a wolf or a tiger comes? What if Fairy comes? You know I just saved you again!” His voice carried far but Cinran couldn’t hear him. The breeze was just as gentle and the stars were just as bright and infinite. But Minnow didn’t feel comfortable lying there. His belly burned with displeasure. “Oh,

!179 Minnow Gian, whose fault is this? You’ve only yourself to blame. Who told you to provoke that girl? If wolves come to eat you or Fairy comes to kill you, you deserve it.” His white colt had walked over and whinnied at his side. “You know what I’m saying, right Cabbage? Next time you see someone trying to hang a girl, set up a stool. You see someone about to stab a girl, sharpen a knife.” The horse neighed and then ran off. Minnow laughed bitterly. “Good boy, Cabbage. I guess you’re unreliable too. Now you leave me here. Maybe you’re really a mare...” He suddenly noticed that another person stood where Cabbage ran off. The starlight shone brighter on that person’s clothes than on the horse. Cinran hadn’t abandoned him. Minnow was surprised and happy, but he didn’t call out. He watched the horse run up to her and whinny. She finally began to slowly walk back. The wind played with her clothes. Her posture was quite graceful. Minnow felt relieved. I’m so blind. I just now noticed that she’s a girl. I should’ve known the first time I saw her; men don’t walk like that. Cinran walked up next to him. Minnow opened his eyes and pretended to ignore her. “You didn’t really do anything bad to me,” she said. Minnow couldn’t hold his laughter anymore. “You just realized that now?” “But, but you were still mean to me. So do... you...” “For God’s sake, just say what you really want to say.” Cinran hung her head and covered her face. “Will you go with me somewhere?” “Of course I will, but first you have to release me so I can walk! You’re not planning on carrying me or putting me on your back, are you?” Cinran’s face turned red but she chuckled and bent down and lightly tapped Minnow. It seemed like she was afraid to push too hard. “You hit me so hard before; now your hands are so gentle. Oh, God, women...” he laughed. But in the end he stood up. Cinran turned away and said softly, “I didn’t want you to come with me before, now I want you to. I thought about it and... I know you were being nice to me.” “You didn’t know that before?” “I didn’t want you to come because that place is too secretive.” “Just where exactly do you want to go?” “It’s in the Kunlun Mountains, it’s— ” “Villain’s Valley?” he choked, “Don’t tell me you want to go to Villain’s Valley.” Cinran whipped her head around and stared at him, “How did you know?” Minnow slapped his forehead and muttered, “Oh man... this girl is asking me how I know Villain’s Valley. If I don’t know about it then no one does.” Cinran’s eyes widened. “Why?” “Let’s forget about why for now. For God’s sake, first tell me why you want to go to Villain’s Valley. You don’t look like someone who’d want to go there.” “I, I’m looking for someone.” “Who?” “You wouldn’t know if I told you.” “Who don’t I know,” he laughed. “I know every single person in Villain’s Valley.”

!180 “You...” she said, astonished. “I grew up there.” Cinran’s expression changed. “I don’t believe you. I just can’t believe it.” Minnow laughed, “You don’t believe me? Then let me ask you this, aside from a place like Villain’s Valley, where else would someone grow up to be like me?” Cinran stood there blankly for a while, then laughed sweetly. “I guess there really isn’t any other place. I should have thought of that before.” “So can you tell me who you’re looking for?” Cinran hung her head again, stayed silent for a moment and said slowly, “I’m looking for someone who’s surname is also T’ye. He’s a very famous person.” “Would that be one of the top ten criminals, Zhanwar T’ye the Mad Lion?” Her head shot up. “You know him? So he really is there?” “It’s a good thing you ran into me, or you would have gone there for nothing. Who told you the Mad Lion was in the valley? You should go give that person a spanking.” Cinran sat on the horse; Minnow walked in front. Cinran didn’t say anything; neither did Minnow. And of course the horse wasn’t talking. The night was quiet and cold. Looking back you could still see that boundless, expansive grassland reveling under the stars, the grass undulating like waves on the sea. They finally left the highlands. Those quiet yet majestic, monotonous yet intoxicating uplands had left a permanent, inextinguishable impression on Minnow’s heart. But Minnow didn’t look back. He didn’t take one more glance—the past has already gone, let it go. Begrudge moving on? No, never. Cinran’s face looked so pale it was scary. She was undoubtedly beautiful. After Minnow learned she was a girl he noticed she was prettier than other girls, and that she was much more fragile than he imagined. After exposing her secret she didn’t speak. She hardly moved at all. If it weren’t for that horse she wouldn’t be able to take one step. Minnow couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head. Women... they can’t hold up to disappointment. The prettiest and the ugliest are all the same. It’s just a matter of time.! He didn’t really shake his head nor did he say a word. He was too lazy to talk. But Cinran suddenly spoke up. Long eyelashes covered her clouded glances. She couldn’t look directly at Minnow. “You haven’t said anything for a long time,” she said under her breath. “You’re not talking, why should I?” “But... you don’t have anything you want to ask?” “What’s there to ask? What don’t I know?” “What do you know?” Minnow laughed lethargically, “Cornered with no place left to go, you finally decided to rely on your father despite having no amicable feelings toward him and despite having been separated since you were little. Maybe he abandoned you as a child, but even with all that he’s still family.” Cinran’s hazy eyes suddenly brightened. “My father? Who’s my father?” She said, staring at Minnow.

!181 “Zhanwar T’ye.” “Wh-who said that?” she stammered. “I did,” he yawned. “I know women won’t admit what they’re thinking even after someone tells them. So if you admit it or not, it doesn’t matter.” Cinran glared at him. It looked like she had never seen him before—this kid wasn’t human; he was a demon, an elf hiding among humans. She remained speechless for a while. “What else do you know?” “I know that you’re name isn’t Cinran. It’s Cinlan. Cinlan T’ye... that’s more like your name, right?”

!182 Chapter Fifteen! A Bumpy Road! “No...” she resisted. “Yeah, it’s Cinlan.” “I know you must be a bit stressed. You don’t know where you’re going or what you should do. That’s why I’m not talking, so you can think in peace.” Cinlan forced a laugh. “Just how old are you? Sometimes you’re pretty intimidating. I don’t know if you’re really a kid, or a...” “A demon?” Cinlan sighed. “Sometimes I really can’t help but think you’re an elf in disguise. Otherwise how can you always know exactly what people are thinking?” “Because I’m smarter than everyone else in the world,” Minnow said plainly. “Maybe you are,” she whispered. “Alright, have you decided?” “Decided what?” “What you should do, where you should go.” Cinlan hung her head again, “I...” “You need to hurry up and decide. I can’t accompany you forever.” Cinlan lifted her head. Her face was as white as paper. “You, you can’t?” she choked. “Of course not.” “But, before—” “Yeah, I wanted to team up and travel around with you, but now that I know you’re a girl I had to change my plans. And I can’t have you as my disciple anymore either.” “But you—” “We’re neither kith nor kin. What are two people simply traveling together? Anyways, I still have a lot I need to do. I can’t have a girl sticking to me everywhere I go.” Cinlan looked like she had just been beaten; her whole body started shaking. After a while she laughed plaintively, “You’re right. We’re neither kith nor kin. You, you should leave.” “Then you—” Cinlan tried her best to sit up straight and laugh. “I have my own places to go. You don’t need to worry about me.” “Okay, if you can’t walk yet I’ll give you this horse.” Cinlan bit her lip. “Thank you, but I don’t need your horse either. I don’t need anything from you. You—” She jumped off the horse and immediately turned away. She’d rather die than let Minnow see her cry. Minnow pretended he didn’t see. He pulled the horse closer and laughed, “It’s fine if you don’t need him, I didn’t really want to part with him anyways. It’d be really difficult if I really had to say goodbye to him.” Cinlan’s voice quivered, “I, I...” She wanted to say, “I’m no better than this horse? It won’t be hard for you to say goodbye to me?” But she didn’t. Her heart already shattered. “Okay, I’ll be going then. Take care of yourself,” said Minnow.

!183 Cinlan didn’t turn around. She heard him mount his horse followed by the sound of hooves—he really left, just like that. Cinlan couldn’t stop from crying out, “Of course I’ll be safe! I don’t need your fake sympathies. I’d rather die than see you again!” She fell to the ground and cried. Minnow didn’t hear her—even if he did he acted like he didn’t. He just pat his horse’s head and muttered, “See how smart I am, Cabbage. I can easily brush off a girl and leave. You should know girls aren’t that easy to get rid of.” He rode on, not looking back. After a while he said, “Where do you think she’ll go, Cabbage? Don’t know? Well, I don’t know either. Let’s wait here a moment and take a look, okay?” Naturally Cabbage couldn’t respond, although he may not have approved. But Minnow had already dismounted. “There’s nothing bad about seeing a girl’s secrets; besides, we don’t have anything important to do. It’s okay if we wait, right?” Naturally Cabbage wouldn’t expose him, that was merely his own justification to himself —it’s true sometimes horses can be more lovable than people; they won’t tell other people your secrets or sell you out. The stars slowly faded. Night was coming to an end. Cinlan still didn’t come. Maybe she didn’t head this way? But this was the only road. Maybe she got lost? Perhaps she... Minnow quickly mounted his horse and said, “Come on, Cabbage, let’s take another look. Let’s see just what she’s playing at. I’m not worried about her, you know. I don’t care about anyone.” His horse broke into a run, faster than when they came. In a short time they were back where they had parted. Minnow could see her in the distance. Cinlan was still laying there—not crying, but also not moving. Minnow leapt off his horse and ran over. “Hey, this is no place to sleep.” She shook and stumbled to get up. “Go! Leave!” she screamed back, “Who told you to come back? What are you doing here?” In the early dawn light he saw her pale face had turned red, almost purple. Her beautiful lips wouldn’t stop trembling. Every word she said took an incredible amount of effort. “You’re sick,” he said. “I don’t need your help even if I am sick. You, you and I are neither kith nor kin, why do you care about me?” Although she was standing, she swayed like she was about to fall. “Well right now I just want to.” He threw his hand out and touched her forehead. She was burning up. Cinlan swat his hand away and yelled as best she could, “I don’t want you to touch me.” “Whatever, I’m going to.” He scooped her up before she toppled over. “You have some nerve. Let go, get lost!” She screamed and struggled, but she couldn’t break free and lost the energy to even tell him off. She tried to hit him, but her hands merely fell on his chest. “You’re really sick. If you don’t listen to me I’ll take your pants off again and spank you. Do you believe that?” “You...”

!184 She buried her face in his chest and started crying again. Cinlan was indeed ill, seriously ill. They arrived in a city just east of Clearwater Lake and Minnow found the nicest room in the nicest hotel. Someone was already occupying that room, but after waving a small piece of gold, simply saying “Leave and I’ll give you this gold,” got him to leave faster than if Minnow had kicked him out. Gold can’t speak but it’s much more effective than saying a thousand words. Worry, disappointment, trauma, fights, heartbreak, and now the chill of a night in the open highlands. Together they resulted in Cinlan lying with a high fever for over two days. When she woke up Minnow was brewing medicine. She struggled to get up but Minnow held her down. “Why,” she moaned, “Why are you—” “No talking.” She noticed Minnow’s eyes had sunk as if he hadn’t slept for days. Tears ran down her cheeks again. Minnow carried over the bowl of medicine. “And no crying. Take this, this is the best prescription. You’ll feel better immediately after taking it. If you cry like a little child, I’ll have to spank you again.” “Who made it?” “Me,” Minnow said, straight-faced. “So you’re a physician too. Is there anything you can’t do?” “Shut your mouth. Take your medicine.” Cinlan smiled faintly. Though sick, her smile was still charming. She laughed sweetly, “If I can’t open my mouth, how can I take the medicine?” Minnow laughed too. He suddenly realized that sometimes girls can be cute too, especially with such a charming laugh. Twilight. Cinlan slept again. Minnow paced under the eaves of the hotel. Oh, Minnow Gian. Don’t forget, when a girl laughs at you like that, she means to hurt you. She wants to tie a leash around your neck. The more pleasant she is, the less safe you are. One wrong move and your life’s over.! His white horse was in the stable eating grass. Minnow walked over and brushed his head. “Don’t worry, Cabbage. Other people fall for it, but I never will. Once she gets better we’ll leave.” He heard the thunder of charging horses stop in front of the hotel. It wasn’t the largest hotel in the area, but it had all the amenities; it even had an open-air bar. Minnow heard the horses arrive in such a hurry, he couldn’t fight his curiosity. He saw five large men charge into the bar. They found a table and sat down without a word. The owner didn’t want to ask for their order; he immediately brought out some liquor. But they all remained seated, stiff and motionless. Their clothes were colorful and each had longswords tucked into their belts. They had a dignified air about them but their faces were red and swollen, like someone had just slapped them repeatedly. After a few moments, two more people drifted in. These two looked even

!185 worse. They had matching swollen faces but they were also covered in bloody bandages. It looked like they were both missing an ear. The first group stared at these two and their eyes bulged. The latter two gazed back and their legs began to retreat, but it was too late. Minnow watched with delight. He might as well hide outside and get a closer look. These two groups must be rivals. When enemies meet they might just start fighting then and there. Minnow didn’t want to get caught up in their mess—but he didn’t know that these people had no intention of fighting. They just stared at each other like roosters sizing each other up before a cockfight. A man with a face full of pockmarks sat among the first group of five. His face was so swollen that even the round pits covering his face were almost indistinguishable. He stared at them and suddenly laughed. “Safety shall be ensured until the cargo reaches Anxi,” he mocked, “I thought the master escorts of the Anxi armed escort services never lost anything. Now he’s gone and lost his own ear. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a mystery.” His face hurt enormously when he laughed yet he couldn’t help it. After that he just barely grinned; you couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying. The latter two were livid; even their eyes turned red. The man on the left had a scar on his face. “If your face was beaten blue, it’s better not to laugh. It must be awfully painful to laugh,” he scoffed. “What’d you say?” The pockmarked man slapped the table. The scarred man sneered, “Come now, we’re all in the same boat now.” The pockmarked man jumped up and was about to launch forward. The scarred man smirked. This time they’re bound to fight.! But before either could take a step forward, the men next to them held them back. The one who grabbed the pockmarked man was an older man with a long beard. He looked the oldest and his face looked like he was hit the least. He waved his hand and forced a laugh. “The Anxi and the Dingan armed escort offices normally fight over business and steal clients, but that’s just business. Aren’t we all brothers from the great plains in the world of Rivers and Lakes? We can’t fight; it’ll damage the peace among us brothers.” The one who held back the scarred man was tall and thin. He too forced a laugh, “Brother Ouyan’s right. We were all unfortunate enough to be dispatched to this dreadful place and we’re all frustrated. No need to get upset over nothing.” “Besides, the failure today falls on all of us,” sighed Old Ouyang. “We should share a common hatred, not start fighting amongst ourselves. That’d only encourage others to laugh at us.” “You mean she also—” choked the thin man. “Who else? Aside from her, who would lay into someone with so much spite unprovoked?” Old Ouyan said bitterly, “Today was absolutely horrid.” All seven of them sighed and sank into their chairs. Their faces were swollen beyond the point of recognizing any expression, but their eyes all screamed with bitter hatred and resentment. The pockmarked man slapped the table again. “If that girl had a reason to slap us around, fine. But there’s no justification for her to come at us like that!”

!186 “It’s survival of the fittest in the world of Rivers and Lakes,” Old Ouyan sighed, “I’m not trying to be dramatic, but our skill is hardly a fraction of hers. Of course we’ll be on the receiving end of her anger. We just have to accept it.” “But seeing that girl’s face,” the thin man laughed, “she must’ve been tormented by someone else. Her eyes were red like she’d been crying, and her precious horse was gone. It’s our own bad luck that we happen to bump into that fireball and she took out all her frustration on us.” The pockmarked man clapped, “Boss Ku’s right. That girl must’ve ran into someone ever better than her. Perhaps a fetching young man. Not only was she taken in, but her horse was taken too.” They all started to laugh cheerfully, despite the searing pain it caused. It seemed to clear the air a bit. Minnow concluded they must have run into Fairy. He was already too familiar with her habit of slapping people. But this time her hand landed much harder than it did on his face. She must have gone through hell that night by the well and she took it out on this group of sorry fellows. The more Minnow thought about it the funnier it became. But those seven men abruptly stopped laughing. Their odd expressions seemed to magically freeze on their faces—some were bearing their teeth, some had their mouths wide open, some had their heads cocked. All the same their eyes stared at the door. They broke out in a cold sweat. Jing the Fairy was standing in the doorway. “I told you to find someone. Who told you to come drink?!” Minnow’s heart leapt into his throat. He calmed his breathing and backed away slowly. He knew that he was the person Fairy wanted them to find. Luckily it was already dark. The lamps inside the bar made the outside that much darker. Minnow retreated along the wall until he came to the stable. He couldn’t let Fairy see him or his horse. The worst part was his horse was white—blindingly white. The ground near the feeding trough was wet; Minnow grabbed two handfuls of mud and smeared it on his horse. It wanted to protest but Minnow shoved a handful of hay in its mouth and patted its head. “Cabbage, boy, you cannot make any noise right now. Why are you so white? You’re whiter than Cinlan.” When he was done his white horse had transformed into a pinto. Minnow thought it looked a little funny. He wiped the mud off his hands on the horse’s tail and slowly went back to his room. There were no lamps lit but Cinlan was awake. Her two big eyes lit up like lanterns when she saw Minnow enter. She grabbed him and demanded, “Where are my boots?” “Boots? Those old, worn-out boots?” “Ye-Yes,” she puffed, “Those boots!” “The soles were completely worn through. I threw them in the gutter.” “You threw them out?!” Cinlan trembled with shock. “Even a beggar wouldn’t want those old boots,” he laughed. “What are you so upset for? I already bought you a new pair ten times better than those.” Cinlan threw herself on the bed and cried, “Where did you throw them? Take me there and find them! You... stupid! That’s where I hid the—” Minnow blinked. “Hid the what?”

!187 “You know... I almost died because of that thing and you threw it in the gutter! I might as well be dead.” “That thing? I thought you said you didn’t have it.” Her eyes were filled with tears. “I lied.” “Why’d you lie to me?” he sighed. “That’s your own fault. I just threw them away, I don’t know where they ended up.” Cinlan lay on the bed unable to move. “Fine. Great. It’s all over,” she mumbled into a pillow. “It’s just an old piece of paper, what’s so terrible about throwing it away? You shouldn’t be so upset; it’s no fun always being so hysterical.” As he spoke Cinlan rolled over, sat up and stared at him. “You... How did you know it was a piece of paper?” “If you mean that piece of paper, I already took it out of your boot. It’s all ripped up and it reeks like rotten fish.” Cinlan flung herself at him and beat his chest, half laughing, half crying. “You jerk, you made me worry on purpose.” “Who told you to lie to me in the first place? I had already guessed it was in your boot. You’re pretty smart to hide something that important. I’m surprised.” “You’re the smart one, nothing gets past you. You really scared me.” “But I still have it. You’re not worried?” Cinlan hung her head. “Why should I be worried if you have it?” “You’re not afraid I won’t give it back?” “No.” “Okay, then I won’t give it back.” “Then... I’ll give it to you,” she said softly. Minnow stared at her. “But you’d rather die than give this to anyone.” “You’re not just anyone.” For some reason Minnow felt a little sweeter. His body was floating like he fell into pile of cotton candy. He immediately reprimanded himself. Minnow Gian, be careful. There’s poison in this candy. He wanted to push her away but he couldn’t seem to do it. “Where did you go just now?” she asked. “Outside. I saw someone.” “Who?” “You know this person. And unfortunately so do I.” Cinlan was terrified. “Fairy?” “Yep, she’s here,” Minnow laughed. “Where?” “Open up the window and I’m afraid she might see you.” Her hands went cold. “She’s right outside and you still think it’s okay to joke around?” “I’d still joke around if she were right in front of me.” Cinlan bit her lip. “You... Well what should we do now?” “The best thing we can do now is leave. We—” “When I tell you to open the door, you open the door!” someone outside yelled. “Don’t bother trying to stop us!” A crash rang like a door was kicked in.

!188 “Alright, I guess we can’t leave,” sighed Minnow. Cinlan’s face dropped. “Sounds like Fairy is searching the rooms one by one. Someone must’ve told her they saw us nearby. She hasn’t gotten to our room yet, we still have time to jump out the window.” She grabbed Minnow’s hand to run to the window. “No, if we escape through the window now, they’ll know it was us. Last time when she came looking for us we didn’t get very far.” Her hand was in a cold sweat. “Then... what should we do?” “Don’t worry, I have a plan,” he giggled. They heard a woman’s piercing scream, “Out! Get out! You thieves can’t just barge in without knocking!” “Maybe she was in the middle of a bath,” Minnow laughed. He didn’t seem anxious at all; he chuckled as he took out a faded embroidered pouch from his shirt. “What’s that?” “Something very valuable. Something I took from someone named Tu.” From the pouch he produced something that looked soft and sticky like layers of tofu skin—or human skin. Cinlan’s eyes widened. “That’s a human skin mask?” she said, disgusted. “Looks like you’re quite knowledgeable.” He carefully selected two masks from the assortment. “First take off your outer shirt and hide it somewhere,” he instructed. “Now put my cloak on inside out... Good, now give me your face.” It felt cool on her face; she felt goosebumps over her whole body. When she finally opened her eyes, Minnow was completely unrecognizable. His face was covered in wrinkles. All he was missing was a beard. Cinlan couldn’t help but giggle. “That’s incredible. You really turned into an old man.” “A perfect match for an old lady.” The footsteps and voices drew nearer. Minnow still moved about casually. He fished a beard out of a bag and fixed it to his chin, then a bottle of aluminum powder which he sprinkled in their hair instantly turning it white. Last, Minnow took out an assortment of brushes, dipped them in something and started drawing on Cinlan’s face. The voices continued to advance. It sounded like they were right outside the door. Cinlan’s cold hands and feet trembled excessively. Minnow’s hands were still stable. “Don’t be afraid. My art of disguise isn’t perfect, but it’s more than enough to trick them.” The footsteps were at their door. He quickly put his things away and grabbed Cinlan’s arm. “Come on, let’s leave through the front door.” Cinlan was dumbstruck. “The, the front door?!” She was too scared to scream and Minnow had already nonchalantly opened the door. The men with swollen faces had just walked up to their door. Fairy’s slender scarlet figure stood behind them.

!189 Minnow didn’t raise his head. “Excuse me, young men, my old wife doesn’t know what she ate but she suddenly feels very ill. If we don’t see a doctor soon, I’ll be calling for a mortician.” His voice was hoarse and old—a very convincing hurried old man. Cinlan continued to shiver just like a sick old lady. Those men didn’t just make way, they scrambled to let them through in fear they might catch something. The pockmarked man covered his mouth and nose. “Falling ill in June; it’s probably marsh fever. Why else would she be shivering?” Minnow sighed and sluggishly walked away. Cinlan was about to faint; she wanted to make a break for it. She had no idea how Minnow could stay calm. She passed Fairy with great difficulty and stepped out into the courtyard. Fairy stared at them but didn’t seem to have any suspicions. But before they made it more than a few steps, the sound of metal rang as Fairy grabbed a sword from one of the men and swung it at Minnow’s head. “Who are you trying to fool?!” Cinlan’s soul left her body, but Minnow acted like nothing happened. He had no reaction at all. The sword was right above his head, ready to split it in two, and he continued to slowly shuffle away. The sword stopped less than a hair’s length from his head. Even the men let out sighs of relief. This girl’s completely paranoid. She won’t even let this dirty old man go.! Minnow acted as if he didn’t know what happened. He continued into the stable and led out his painted horse. “Horsey, my old wife may be sick, but I could never leave you.” Cinlan was so perturbed, her vision blurred and her clothes were soaked with sweat. Yet Minnow still wanted to get his horse. She was itching to pinch him. The pair had made it to the street. Cinlan didn’t know how she managed to get out of there; it seemed all a dream—or a nightmare. She fumbled as Minnow helped her onto the horse. Minnow still slowly crept forward, leading the horse. “Oh God, please can you walk faster?” pestered Cinlan. “We can’t walk faster; they might still be watching us. If we speed up we’ll give ourselves away. The night sky is beautiful. Sitting horseback, slowly strolling through the streets... how remarkably poetic.” He even had enough mind to admire the night sky. Cinlan sighed. She didn’t know if she should cry or laugh. In the end, they made it to the end of that long street. In front of them lay an open field, the city lights already far behind. Cinlan finally relaxed. “I can have no idea what you’re heart is made of.” “Heart?” he laughed, “What’s that?” She bit her lip and looked at him sideways. “If that sword didn’t stop, you wouldn’t have a head either.” “I knew that sword was just to test me. If she really wanted to kill me, why would she grab someone else’s sword?” “True. I’m surprised you’re able to think of something particular at a time like that. You sure are a weird one,” she sighed. “Have you ever been afraid?”

!190 “You think I wasn’t afraid?” he laughed, “To be honest I was terrified. Only crazy people and idiots don’t know fear.” Cinlan laughed sweetly. “Where are we going now?” “Doesn’t matter where we go. It’s not like anyone will recognize you. But, about your illness...” “I was horrified. They scared me into a cold sweat, but I seems fine now. My arms and legs feel strong again. Weird isn’t it?” “Can you walk?” “Yes. If you don’t believe me, I can show you.” “Okay, come down and walk then,” he said. “I’ll be going, too.” She was taken aback. “Wha- what’d you say?” she stammered. “Didn’t we already part ways a while ago? I only took care of you because you were sick. Now that you’re better, of course we’ll be going our separate ways.” Cinlan looked dejected; she turned even paler and was more frightened than when she heard Fairy had arrived. She started trembling again and tears filled her eyes. “You, you mean you really—” “Of course, really. You gave me that, I saved your life. I’d say we’re even. We don’t owe each other anything.” Her face was covered in tears. “You really don’t have a heart,” she said through her teeth. “Was it eaten by dogs?” Minnow laughed. “You guessed right this time.” Cinlan suddenly raised her hand and slapped him. Minnow didn’t move. He looked at her and said flatly, “It’s a good thing my heart was eaten by dogs; I should thank that dog. A man’s heart falling into a woman’s hands is worlds worse than if it were just eaten by dogs.” Cinlan had fallen forward off the horse. “You’re not human!” she wailed, “You’re just not human!” Minnow pulled her up and chuckled, “Goodbye... Whether or not I’m human, at least I’m not an idiot who’s fooled by a girl’s tears. I—” “Good, you’re not an idiot. You’re so smart,” someone behind them sneered. “Too bad you may be a little too smart!”

!191 Chapter Sixteen! A Miscalculated Blunder! The voice was beautiful yet cold. Fairy had caught up again. Cinlan immediately stopped crying. Minnow twitched but he didn’t turn around before he sighed, “My goodness, why are you crying? You’re not going to die, let’s go find a doctor. If we wait any longer they’ll be closed and fast asleep.” “Are you done talking?” said Fairy, “I’m impressed, you play the part well. You really should go find a doctor; although no one will be able to save you.” Minnow stood there as if he were nailed to the ground. Cinlan was lying on the ground; she didn’t lift her head up. “Do you have anything else to say?” added Fairy. Minnow suddenly turned his head and laughed, “Well, you finally saw through me. But how? Could you tell me that much?” “Even a deaf person would’ve heard me swing that sword at you. If you really were a testy old man, you would’ve fallen to the ground in fear. You wouldn’t just keep walking forward like nothing happened.” Minnow titled his head, thought about it and sighed, “Alright, not bad. I guess you’re pretty smart. Smarter than I expected.” “You’re not upset it’s too late to finally figure that out now?” “Well you shouldn’t get too cocky,” he laughed. “I’ve tricked you once, myself, and it was much later by the time you found out. If this one weren’t holding me back, who knows where I’d be by now, but I certainly wouldn’t be here for you to catch.” Somehow Fairy wasn’t angry. “If you’re so clever you should still be able to escape. If you can’t think of a plan, I guess you’re brain isn’t good for anything. It wouldn’t be a shame to just cut it out.” “Why should I think of something else?” Minnow giggled. “Do you really think I can’t beat you? Before I was just too lazy to actually fight you. And as the saying goes, real men don’t hit girls. I—” Fairy’s palm was already in front of his face. Her form wasn’t anything spectacular, but it was fast—unimaginably fast. Most people wouldn’t believe someone could move with such speed if they couldn’t see it with their own eyes. Minnow kept an eye on her as he spoke, but when her palm shot towards him he had no time to dodge. He used his entire body to twist away yet her delicate fingers still scraped past his face. Three burning red lines surfaced on his cheek. Fairy’s second palm followed shortly after. “Stop!” he shouted, “Real men don’t fight girls. Stop!” He screamed but Fairy didn’t seem to hear anything. She detested this foul imp. Her face was livid and in a flash she had already advanced with thirty palms. Minnow watched intently but couldn’t find anything special about her fighting style. One palm came closer, nothing Minnow thought he couldn’t easily stop; but as it drew near he found it impossible to even dodge. Minnow had already switched between a dozen forms and postures; he even tried being sincere, but he found it impossible to return even one palm—he hadn’t retaliated at all. He effortlessly dodged her second strike, but

!192 when he thought of reciprocating one, her third was already on its way. He was just her punching bag. Cinlan had lifted her head, unable to look away. She couldn’t see Fairy’s maneuvers clearly. She saw a blur of red; her pearl white hands became streaks of white. Those white lines darted in every direction like a whip. Minnow was forced to retreat; the whip followed close behind wherever he went. Cinlan couldn’t see anything special about her style either, but she had never seen anyone’s hands move so swiftly. Fairy’s hands seemed to be possessed by an evil spirit —how else could she attack so quickly? Minnow thought she had grown another ten arms. The moment he dodged one, another one appeared. He didn’t have time to catch his breath. Soon all he could see were white, orchid-like shadows of her hands. He started to feel dizzy. “Stop! You’re already poisoned. You—” he shouted suddenly. He tried to use one of his old tricks but Fairy didn’t listen to anything he said. Anxiety turned Cinlan’s face green, but her body was still weak; she couldn’t help. Minnow was covered in sweat. “You don’t believe me? Don’t you know how strong my poison is?” “No one would have time to administer poison under my hands, let alone you,” she jibed, “Want to trick me again? You’re dreaming!” “I’m not lying. I—” His face took the full force of her palm with a loud slap. He was sent flying and rolled after smacking the ground. Cinlan screamed. “Minnow, are you—” He didn’t wait for her to finish. He rolled over and jumped back to his feet. He wiped off the blood on the corner of his mouth and laughed. “Don’t worry, she can’t kill me. As long as she can’t kill me, I’ll win.” “Good,” Fairy scoffed, “I’m curious to see just how hard your bones are.” She lunged forward again, palms flailing quicker than before. Her style wasn’t peculiar or especially strong, it was simply too quick—fast enough to rob her opponent of time to breathe and fight back. If they can’t fight, how can they beat her? Minnow grit his teeth. He made up his mind—no matter what, he had to hit her twice. He noticed a weak spot in Fairy’s technique. He attacked with all his strength. Who would’ve thought at that exact moment, her hand would fill that gap. Before his hand reached her his stomach took another hit. “No!” gasped Cinlan. Minnow was sent flying again. “Stop, please” she begged, “You can’t win. She’s just too fast!” But Minnow was already up. He laughed despite the agonizing pain. “It’s because she’s too fast that she can’t kill me. You have to sacrifice power for speed like this. You don’t understand that?” Fairy’s face changed. She never thought that this kid would be audacious enough to stand up again. She knew her punches weren’t weak. If anyone else had taken those hits, true they wouldn’t be dead, but damn close. And this kid could not only stand, he could fight back.

!193 Fairy bit her lip. “Fine. I guess your bones are strong enough. But let’s see just how sturdy they are!” Her attacks flew faster still. Minnow’s waned. He fell again, stood up, went back down, up again... The seventh time, Minnow collapsed while struggling to his feet, but he was determined to pull himself up. Fairy stared at him. His expression was peculiar. Was it anger? Hatred? It was a little distressing, almost too much to look at. “You just have to admit defeat and I’ll spare you,” she said. “Bullshit! I don’t need you to spare me,” he panted, “You need to beg me to spare you... I’m going to tear off your clothes, hang you from a tree, and whip you mer—” He staggered before finally standing up straight. Fairy had already rushed over. Her foot sent him rolling back on the ground. Cinlan had already shut her eyes; she couldn’t watch. Her heart was in her throat, her stomach tied in a knot. She wasn’t sure why she cared so much for this detestable little nuisance. Minnow lay on the ground breathing heavily, finally unable to stand. Fairy was also panting. “Brat! Scum! Lowlife! Can you still stand? Can you still fight?” Minnow’s hands dug into the grass and slowly pushed his body upward. “You’re scum,” he mumbled, “Lowlife. You, you’re also a thief.” “You still have the nerve to insult me?” she screamed. She ran over and kicked Minnow back to the ground. “Y-you’re so cruel,” cried Cinlan. “You’re hitting him when he’s already on the ground!” “Who told him to insult me?!” “I’ll insult you,” he said, “I don’t care. You’re a greedy thief. Everything you do is dishonorable. You kill people like flies. You, you’re a foul fairy. You’re a fairy demon.” His voice trailed off, but the insults never stopped. Fairy trembled with anger. She stepped on his chest. “Fine, go on, insult me. I’ll make it so you can never insult me again. I didn’t plan on killing you, but you forced my hand. I—” She clenched her teeth, her hand was poised to strike. Cinlan tried to scream as she scrambled— Minnow’s hands shot out grabbing hold of Fairy’s leg. He didn’t know where he got the strength; he swung Fairy’s delicate body around and hurled his leg in the air kicking her lower back. Fairy never expected someone on the verge of death would be able to strike. Her leg went numb, she was lifted off balance, kicked in the back, and fell to the ground. Minnow fell on top of her and his hands scurried over her body pressing every pressure point he could reach. He didn’t care which ones or how many, as long as she couldn’t move. Cinlan gasped with joy. “Minnow, you... What happened?” “I told you before, she can’t kill me,” he panted, “I was raised on medicinal supplements. While others were drinking milk, I was taking pills. Someone ten time stronger than her couldn’t dream of beating me to the point I couldn’t get up again.” “But you were—”

!194 “That was just an act to fool her, to get her to drop her guard,” he laughed. “Then I insulted her to get her angry. She was so flustered, I laughed so hard.” Cinlan smiled through her tears but she was still worried. “Are you really okay?” Minnow stood up and laughed. “Do you think her soft hands could hurt my rock hard body? It felt like she was throwing cotton balls.” Those cotton balls felt more like cannon balls. He talked big, but the slightest movement pained him like every bone in his body was broken. He glared at Fairy. “Do you have anything to say now?” Fairy shut her eyes and started crying. “Crying isn’t going to help. I said I’d hit you back and I’m going to. Not one less.” He had already pummeled her four times—and not lightly. Fairy still had her eyes closed. She clenched her teeth and didn’t make a sound. “Beg for mercy and I’ll spare you a few,” he said. “You bastard! Just kill me!” Minnow slapped her. She fell silent. Cinlan said, “You should have mercy on her!” “Have mercy?! Why should I? Why didn’t she show me mercy? I said I’d rip off her clothes, hang her from a tree—” “You wouldn’t!” Fairy screamed, “If you do, I, I wouldn’t spare you even if I died!” “I’m not afraid of you alive and especially not dead,” giggled Minnow. He picked her up by her hair and slapped her four more times as he laughed. “First I’ll repay you the original amount, then I’ll pay you interest.” Fairy’s face was covered in tears. “You’re so cruel...” “I’m cruel? You mean you’re not? You just think anyone who raises their hand against you is a savage. Don’t you realize you’re much worse?” He grew angrier as he spoke and ripped open Fairy’s shirt. He exposed Fairy’s supple shoulders. “You cur! Monster!” She called him everything that came to her mind. Minnow listened with glee, shaking his head. “I don’t mind listening to insults if they’re any good; I think they’re quite amusing. But your’s are terrible. You don’t know the first thing about insults. I’ll have to ask you to shut up now.” He grabbed a handful of mud and was about to shove it in Fairy’s mouth. Now she was really afraid. “Please, spare me. Have mercy,” she cried. Minnow erupt with laughter. “Good, you’ve begged me to spare your life. Don’t forget that.” Fairy wailed as tears coursed down her cheeks. After all she was a girl, still young, and it was her first time tasting what it felt like to be bullied. “Okay, I’ll spare you.” He laughed as he threw her to the ground. He didn’t look at Fairy again. He turned around, helped Cinlan to her feet and whistled, “Cabbage! Cabbage!” The horse came running back. Minnow and his white colt really were tied together by fate. “Sorry, Cabbage, but you’ll have to carry both of us for a while. Once we get further along I’ll make sure to treat you to a nice meal and a few drinks.” He helped Cinlan onto the horse then climbed up. The horse was strong for its young age. He neighed and trotted forward.

!195 “Goodbye, Fairy,” he laughed. “Oh, and I think it’d be better if we never see each other again.” He paraded off just like that, leaving the immobilized Fairy lying on the ground. He seemed not to hear her cries. They squeezed together on the horse, pressing together tightly. Cinlan felt light and relaxed like she was resting on a cloud. She didn’t want to move and she didn’t want to talk. Fairy’s cries were finally out of earshot. “You really are Jing’s natural enemy,” she sighed. Minnow laughed. “She must have terrible luck to meet me.” Cinlan fell silent. “I never thought you could be so cruel when you fight,” she whispered quietly, “You really aren’t afraid of dying.” “I may be a bad guy but I’m definitely not a wimp. It’d be easy enough for someone to make me do something, but I’ll never beg for mercy.” Cinlan laughed sweetly. “Yeah, you’re a bad guy, but you’re a good kind of bad.” The stars and moon shone like silver casting their shadows on the ground. They seemed to merge into one. After a while Cinlan suddenly asked, “Do you know why Jing the Fairy wants to steal my treasure map?” “Because she’s a greedy thief.” “You’re wrong. She may be malicious but she’s not a bad person.” “So she’s a good person? A good person wants to kill you and a bad person saves you. That’s odd.” “I’m serious,” she said, “She only wants to steal my map because her mother and the man who owns that treasure are very close.” “Oh. Well if she’s already this violent, her mother must be even more demonic.” Cinlan chuckled, “Her mother isn’t a demon. She used to be famous for her beauty in the world of Rivers and Lakes. She captivated every man who set eyes upon her.” “I’d love to see someone like that,” he laughed. Cinlan bit her lip. “Too bad you were born a few years too late. She’s older now, but the mere mention of the name Sania the Jade Woman still makes the hearts of older men skip a beat.” “You should’ve said it’s too bad she was born too early to see me... So what kind of man is Fairy’s father?” “That I’m not sure.” “That’s true. The children of famous beautiful women often have delinquent fathers. Probably because there are too many men who could be her father,” he laughed. “You’re so bad,” she chortled, “The Jade Woman was stunning, but she was as cold as ice. There were a lot of men in the world of Rivers and Lakes who pursued her but she only took a liking to one.” Minnow blinked. “And who would have such luck in love?” “It’s the owner of that hidden treasure. His name is Naitan Yann.” Minnow started. “Naitan Yann!” he choked.

!196 “You’ve heard of him?” “I, I think I’ve heard the name, but I’m sure.” “If you’ve heard his name before, you shouldn’t have forgotten. He used to be the most famous swordsman in the world. His skill remains unmatched today.” “Oh!” “He’s not very handsome, but he’s the manliest hero in the world of Rivers and Lakes. Too bad I was born a few years too late.” Minnow laughed. “Do you want me to help you find him?” “You can’t,” she sighed, “No one can find him. There are stories saying he rushed into Villain’s Valley over ten years ago and never came out. His skill may have been unmatched, but faced with so many villains, I’m afraid it’d be impossible to escape.” Minnow was silent for a moment, then muttered, “Oh...” “Apparently he left this treasure map before traveling to the valley, like he knew he would die. So he stashed his compendium on sword techniques and all his treasure in a secret place. No one can find it without this map.” Minnow nodded slowly. “Treasure isn’t much of a motivation, but whoever gets their hands on his manual would be unstoppable. No wonder so many people are after you.” “But Fairy isn’t interested in the manual. She wants the map to console her mo —” Her eyes swept across the ground as she turned her head; her body started to tremble. “L-Look, th-there’s—” “Yeah, I saw that a while ago,” laughed Minnow, “There’s an extra shadow on the ground.” There really was a third shadow, something behind Minnow standing on the horse. But the horse continued forward as if it weighed nothing. Minnow had remained calm but Cinlan began to panic. She grabbed onto Minnow’s hands and slapped the reins. The horse screamed and reared up—Cinlan fell off the horse! “What are you afraid of?” asked a voice, “If I wanted to kill you I would’ve already done it!” “If I was afraid I would’ve already jumped off the horse,” Minnow laughed. “Not bad,” the voice chuckled, “You’re pretty interesting. I noticed that about you a while ago and wanted to become friends. So I tagged along.” The voice was clear and sharp like the person’s throat was made out of metal. Although the voice sounded unfriendly, it also seemed playful. Cinlan scampered to her feet and looked up to see a thin person dressed in black standing, almost floating, on the horse’s flanks. He looked like a piece of paper stuck to the horse. Not only was he dressed in tight, shiny clothes, his face was also covered by a black mask. Only the whites of his eyes could be seen. Black as ink and white as snow. It was indescribably eerie to watch those floating eyes blink in the night. Cinlan was clearly frightened. “Are you Black Spider?!” “Not bad. You know who I am.” “Why, why are you here?” she said. “I originally came for you, but after seeing this fellow, I found him more interesting than that map. So I decided to forego the map to make a friend.”

!197 “I never thought I would meet someone who’d like me more than a treasure map. I wouldn’t mind making friends with that person too,” chuckled Minnow. “But, ‘Black Spider’? What kind of name is that?” “If you’ve never heard the name Black Spider then you’re just ignorant. How can someone who lives in the world of Rivers and Lakes not know my name?” “When did you start following me?” asked Minnow. “I was there when you painted your white horse into a pinto.” “Weird, I didn’t notice.” Black Spider laughed coldly. “If I intend to follow someone, I’ll be there their whole life and they’ll never know. I don’t think anyone would be able to see my shadow if I don’t will it.” Minnow dismounted and watched Black Spider’s body sway. “You look young, but you sure don’t sound it.” “Who said I was young?” said Black Spider angrily. “I can hear you talking. You don’t think I can hear it?” Black Spider blinked and looked at him for a moment. “I may be young, but I’m old enough to be your uncle,” he chuckled. “Seeing as I want to be friends, I won’t take advantage of my seniority. You can call me big brother.”

!198 Chapter Seventeen! Ophid the Snake! Minnow laughed. “Big brother? You’re smaller than me, you should call me big brother.” Black Spider glared at him. “I don’t know how many people who’ve begged to call me brother I’ve kicked aside. And you refuse even though I ask you to?” Cinlan stood up, pleading Minnow with her eyes to play along. Minnow pretended he didn’t notice. “Alright, Blacky my boy,” he laughed, “You look pretty dexterous—” “What did you call me?” he scowled. “Let’s say we go get some drinks, Blacky?” “Perhaps you don’t know what disaster will soon befall you,” laughed Black Spider. “I’m afraid I’m the only one who can help you. Who knows what other benefits may come with calling me big brother.” Cinlan was getting restless. She felt like strangling Minnow and forcing him to say “big brother” but he still just giggled, “What disaster lies ahead, Blacky? Please do explain.” Black Spider stared at him for a moment. “Okay, I thought I’d help you out, yet you insist on pretending to be the bigger man. I won’t waste any more of my time on you.” His arm rose as he spoke and under the moonlight a glimmering silver thread shot out of his sleeve. Minnow wanted to get a closer look but he blinked and Black Spider disappeared. With a flick of his wrist he was gone. So was the silver thread. Minnow was astonished. “No wonder he was so arrogant, his lightness kungfu is good.” “Just good?” sighed Cinlan. “He calls his unique style of lightness kungfu Spider Kiting. There’s nothing else like it in the world of Rivers and Lakes.” “What’s so special about it?” “Rumor has it the thread hidden in his sleeves was made by a thousand-year-old spider from Southern Seas. It’s dense and resilient; no sword can cut it. It’s spooled inside a custom-made coil which launches it over six hundred feet. There’s a needle on the tip of the thread that can sink into any material. Then he immediately gets carried away. He really floats through the air like a ghost.” “This kid has some bizarre kungfu,” he laughed, “Though I’m actually not sure how old he is. Why was he acting so old?” “No one in the world of Rivers and Lakes has seen his face, so no one knows his age. But everyone knows he hates being called little. Anyone who does soon runs into some pretty terrible luck.” “What about me? I seem alright.” Cinlan smiled. “That is strange. Maybe you two are meant to be friends. Otherwise he probably would’ve cut your tongue out after you called him ‘Blacky my boy.’”

!199 She laughed but it almost immediately turned into a frown. “But I’ve never heard of him lying before. If he says we’re about to be met with disaster, I’m afraid he’s telling the truth.” “There’s no impending disaster. Don’t listen to his nonsense...” His voice trailed off as he spoke; by the last word it was almost indiscernible. His eyes were glued on his horse, unsure of what he saw. Cinlan noticed and was about to go take a closer look. Minnow pulled her onto the horse. “Let’s get out of here!” “Wait, what did you see?” “Nothing,” he said, forcing a laugh, “There wasn’t anything.” Cinlan hung her head in silence. “I know when you laugh like that, it means you’re lying,” she whispered. Minnow was surprised. “I didn’t think you’d notice that quirk of mine. I picked that up from someone who raised me. I still can’t get rid of it.” Of course she didn’t know that tic came from someone who never told the truth. She probably didn’t want to know. “So what exactly did you see?” she asked. “Nothing too important. It’s fine if you didn’t see it.” “I know you didn’t let me see it because you’re afraid I’d lose control. But if I don’t see it I’ll just panic even more,” she laughed. Minnow laughed bitterly and shook his head. “Women... If you want to look, go ahead.” At some point someone had drawn a small green snake on the horse’s flank. The snake was stamped on with a green phosphorous which shone an unsightly emerald green. The glow flickered making it look like the snake was wriggling. It’s trowel-shaped head looked like it would lash out at any moment. Minnow knew it wasn’t alive, yet for some reason he felt more repulsed the longer he looked at it. His body was covered in goosebumps. Cinlan’s face sank. “Snake. A green phosphor snake... The serpent!” Minnow blinked and laughed. “What’d you say?” Her face was white and her voice trembled. “You don’t understand... you don’t know...” “Even if it were real, one little snake is nothing to be afraid of.” “Real ones aren’t scary. This fake one is!” “You’re only afraid of fake snakes? Why?” Minnow stopped laughing. Cinlan took a deep breath. “This green phosphor snake is the mark of the serpent. Wherever his mark is, he’s not far behind. If he’s near, then so is our disaster!” Minnow furrowed his brow. “And who is this serpent?” “Have you ever heard of the Twelve Zodiac?” “I might have heard of them, but maybe not,” he said, eyes sparkling. “The Twelve Zodiac is the vilest band of criminals in decades. They don’t strike often, but if they see something worth taking, the person they set their eyes on should have no delusions of escaping alive. It’s said that they’ve only failed once in the past thirty years.” “So this snake is someone in the Twelve Zodiac.”

!200 “Yes, Ophid the Snake is the most sinister and cunning person in the Twelve Zodiac. His lair is in the mountains surrounding Clearwater Lake. I should’ve known that he’d target me,” she sighed. “Why should you have thought of that?” “Apparently, the only time the Twelve Zodiac failed was at the hands of Naitan Yann. How could they pass up the chance to take his compendium?” Minnow blinked. “I wouldn’t have guessed that you’d know this much despite your age.” “I’ve been wandering the world of Rivers and Lakes since I was a little kid. I know more secrets than most. Once you’ve been around long enough, you’ll know,” she mumbled. “The more you know, the more you have to fear. It’s better to just know nothing; then you can fight recklessly with your life on the line, no matter who you meet.” Cinlan laughed. “But now that we know, what should we do?” “If we can’t beat him, our only choice is to run.” “Run? Can we get away?” Two people on one horse, running wildly. They were soaked with sweat. They finally removed their masks. “Sorry, Cabbage, keep it up,” Minnow said quietly. They saw a village further ahead in the mountains. Although dawn’s first light had barely peered over the horizon, a thin haze of smoke already sat above the rooftops. The argent smoke dissipated under the alabaster sky like a spectacular painting. But no painter could come close to reproducing this scene. They were close to the western edge of the Loess Plateau. An old man in a teal jacket with a long pipe hanging from his mouth stood in front of a house. “Looks like today will be another nice day. I should hang the quilt out in the sun,” he said, looking at the sky. Minnow flipped off the horse and walked over. “Excuse me sir,” he hollered, “Do you have anything to eat or drink that you wouldn’t mind sharing with me and my sister?” The old man looked him over, his gaze slowly shifting to Cinlan still on the horse. “The young man is very polite,” he chuckled, “If you don’t mind that an old man has only meager food, please come in.” He smiled and bowed to his guests. Minnow laughed and thanked him, then helped Cinlan dismount. “I didn’t think these villagers would be so inviting,” he said in a low voice. “Well, I don’t think anyone would be so cold to refuse a cute kid who asked so politely—no matter what he asked for.” She hung her head immediately after saying that. Minnow looked at her flushed face and laughed. “I think he saw your lovely ivory face. He may be old, but he’s not blind.” Cinlan laughed charmingly and walked in with her hand on his shoulder. The old man had already cleared the table and set out four bowls and chopsticks. “Please take a seat. I’ll go see if my wife’s done cooking.” He stepped into the kitchen and the aroma of rice escaped behind him. Minnow’s stomach rumbled as he stared at the door. They could hear the clatter of dishes. A gray-haired old woman finally appeared carrying two steaming bowls of brown rice. On top was a piece of salted meat and a few pickled vegetables.

!201 She shuffled over and set the bowl on the table. “You two start eating, no need to be polite. It won’t be any good if it gets cold,” she said. “If that’s so, then my sister and I won’t wait.” He didn’t wait for the woman to leave the room before he picked up his bowl. He was about to take a bite when he was interrupted by a thunk on the table. The bowl had slipped through Cinlan’s fingers. “It’s hot,” she laughed, embarrassed. Minnow glanced over. His hand shot out knocking the chopsticks out of Cinlan’s hands. She stared at him. “What are you doing?” she demanded. Minnow didn’t respond. He turned her bowl onto the table, covering it with the hard, dry rice. A tiny green snake squirmed out from the pile. “Snake!” she screamed, “The Twelve Zodiac!” Minnow had already rushed into the kitchen. Cinlan followed him in. The old man was lying on the ground. His face was black. An old woman also with a black, bloated face was bent over the stove, but her hair was black—clearly not the woman who had just brought out the food. The gray-haired woman was gone. “So brutal... So heartless.” Cinlan’s voice trembled. “He seems worse than I am. He didn’t even let these old people go,” Minnow spat through his teeth with disgust. “I knew we wouldn’t be able to escape.” Minnow tossed a piece of gold on the ground, then picked up a piece of burnt firewood and wrote on the wall: Bury these people or I’ll come back for you! He heard his horse scream outside and immediately rushed out to see a small snake crawling up its leg. Minnow ripped a strip of fabric from his clothes, brushed the snake to the ground and flattened it beyond recognition. “Don’t be afraid, Cabbage. These bad men can’t kill you. And definitely not me,” he said, stroking the horse’s mane. He dragged Cinlan out and up onto the horse. Then they left. That white horse seemed to understand their plight and pushed faster. They were beyond the mountain village within moments. Cinlan was still shaking. “We’re not safe... we’re not safe,” she muttered repeatedly. “We’d be dead now if we ate one grain of rice.” “But we’re alive and well,” Minnow laughed. “How did you know?” “When you picked up your bowl it was still too hot to hold. But that old lady carried it just fine all the way from the kitchen. I’d be shocked if those hands hadn’t trained something like Poison Crystal Palm.” Cinlan sighed, “Nothing gets past you.” A patch of thick green grass lay up ahead, but a closer look revealed the grass was writhing. It was a sea of small green snakes. Cinlan screamed. Minnow had already turned the horse down the fork next to the path. It was narrow with trees lining both sides. Minnow had never seen such a beautiful, secluded road—it only made him more suspicious. Suddenly a snake dropped down from a tree! This snake was the same shade of deep green, but it was much larger. Its viridescent body was as thick as Minnow’s arm. It hung down right in front of Cinlan’s face.

!202 The horse screamed and reared up. Cinlan nearly fainted. “Don’t panic,” Minnow shouted, “I’m an expert at dealing with pests.” His hand snapped out like lightning, squeezing behind the snake’s head, and he tossed it away. His movements were perfectly swift; the snake was shaken unconscious. Cinlan let out a long sigh. “Luckily you’re not a girl. All girls are scared of snakes.” “Give me your dagger,” he said plainly. She handed it to him. “Be careful; don’t touch the snake’s blood.” “Hmph!” His face contorted as he sliced his own arm. “What are you—” She couldn’t complete her question. It felt like someone had clutched her throat; it was even a little hard to breathe. The blood that seeped out of Minnow’s arm was black. All the color ran from his face. “He finally got me!” He slowly opened his hand. There were a few drops of thickened black blood on his palm. He looked at the snake again. Although it was dead, it’s body was still perfectly straight. The spot where he grabbed it seemed to have a faint sparkle. Cinlan’s face sank. “The snake was already dead. That bastard hid a flexible sword covered in poison inside its body. When you grabbed the snake, the blade inside cut you!” Minnow laughed slowly, “You are one clever, you little sneak.” “Fortunately you noticed it early and let the poison bleed out,” she said with hesitant optimism. “Maybe you... It’ll be fine.” “It’ll be fine,” he repeated. “After an hour everything will be gone!” Cinlan trembled and fell off the horse. “You’re joking...” “There’s most likely no cure for this poison. If I didn’t let the blood out, I’d be dead already. But even with this I shouldn’t last more than an hour.” “There is a cure, you don’t know...” She collapsed on the ground and cried. “I played around with some of the most famous poison users since I was little. If I don’t know, who does?” Somehow he was still conceited enough to laugh. “If that’s the case, you should be able to make an antidote.” “Of course I can make an antidote.” “You—” she said excitedly, “You’re just trying to scare me again!” “That antidote would need three months to develop,” he said slowly. Before Cinlan had a chance to smile, she fell back to the ground and cried, “You still want to joke at a time like this? Wh-what should I do?” Her cries turned into sobs, her sobs into wails. She pounded her fist on the ground. “You’re not human! You can joke about your own death, but you don’t care how others feel. I hate you, I hate you!” Minnow ignored her. He reached into his shirt, pulled out a yellowed piece of lamb hide and waived it threw the air. “Stupid snake,” he shouted, “See this? This is that treasure map. Do you want it?” He repeated it twice until a shrill yet melodic laughter came from the treetops that would send a shiver down anyone’s spine. “That’ll be mine eventually, I’m in no hurry,” he laughed.

!203 He was hiding amongst the leaves wearing tight, emerald clothing. He was hard to spot even after speaking. His long, slender body was wrapped around a forked branch as if he had no bones at all. Those narrow, slit eyes stared at Minnow. He looked exactly like a snake—a venomous snake. Cinlan raised her head. When she saw that man her whole body went numb, like a cold snake had just slid up her sleeve. But Minnow laughed. “You really think this will be yours?” “If you present it over now, I might save your life,” Ophid hissed. “Yes, yes, I believe you...” “Give it to him,” screamed Cinlan, “We can’t use it anyways!” “The girl is smart.” “Yes, yes, she’s smart,” Minnow laughed, “But I’m stupid.” He suddenly shoved the map into his laughing mouth and started chewing. Ophid slid down the tree and dashed over, lifting Minnow off the horse. “Spit it out!” Minnow couldn’t dodge. He let himself get dragged from the horse, but took that time to swallow the paper. He opened his mouth and laughed. “I can’t spit it out.” “You’ve just killed yourself.” “There’s only one copy of this treasure map and I’m the only one who has it memorized. If you let me die you can forget about ever setting eyes on that treasure.” Ophid was taken aback; he unconsciously loosened his hands a little. “If I were you,” Minnow continued leisurely, “I would hurry and get that antidote. If I live I might just draw that map for you. A dead man’s no good at drawing.” Ophid looked at him seriously. A sinister smile suddenly emerged on his gaunt face. “If you were me, would you really be threatened by a brat like you?” Minnow tilted his head back and laughed. “No?” “Lamb hide is light and durable. It’s probably sitting nicely in your stomach. All I have to do it slit open your belly. Can’t I get it that way?” Minnow was still smiling but a chill ran deep inside. “You can’t do that!” Cinlan screamed, “You can’t!” “Who says I can’t?” he gibed, “Watch!” He already took out a shimmering, celadon flexible sword. It unfurled with a flick of his wrist. Despite Minnow’s cunning, he couldn’t think of what to do. Cinlan rushed over but she hadn’t fully recovered yet. Ophid’s hand whipped back and sent her back to the ground. He laughed maniacally. “You may be an expert dealing with pests, but I’m an expert at cutting people open. Don’t worry, my sword will cut you, but it won’t kill you.” Minnow started to sweat. “Thank you, thank you...” “I’ll slice you open and take out that map, but you shouldn’t die,” he hissed, “I want you to die slowly.” “You should be careful when you cut me open,” Minnow laughed, “I ate a little snake this morning that’s not digested yet. Be careful not to hurt your snake friend.” “Still running your mouth when you’re about to die.” He thrust his sword but it was brushed aside with a clatter. Minnow had quietly grabbed that dead snake and used the sword inside to block. He followed with a thrust of his own!

!204 Ophid silently slipped aside. “If you make unnecessary movements the poison will act faster,” he laughed. “You’ll die sooner.” His sword continuously rippled forward as he spoke. Minnow could only fend off four more advances before his arm became weak. He couldn’t lift it anymore. Cinlan fainted. Minnow’s heart sank. “Have any more tricks, boy?” His sword slowly drew a line down Minnow’s chest. Blood seeped out yet he burst out laughing. “What a joy it is to be disemboweled. I never would’ve guessed I would get the chance to experience it.” As he laughed he heard three more clinks. Somehow the sword in Ophid’s hand broke into four pieces and fell to the ground. Ophid jumped into the air clinging onto the tree. His tiny eyes darted in each direction. “Who’s there?” he screamed. A girl laughed sweetly. “You don’t know who I am?” It sounded remarkably like Fairy’s voice. Minnow made a miraculous recovery; he was actually happy. That voice was like a splash of cold water—but being at the mercy of Fairy might not be any better. “You—” Ophid’s face immediately turned white. “Miss, you—” “Even if you don’t know who I am, you do know where this path leads. You have some nerve acting so savagely here.” Minnow was about to give in to despair, but at this he almost started clapping.

!205 Chapter Eighteen! Lady Murong IX! It wasn’t Fairy! She sounded similar but Fairy wouldn’t speak this slowly. Minnow had never heard her say anything without hurry in her voice. He saw a young girl dressed in green leisurely walk out from behind a tree. A hand hoe rested on her shoulder and a flower basket hung from her arm. She stood gracefully, like the slightest breeze would knock her over. Her thin eyebrows frowned and her large eyes were filled with gloom. Her face wasn’t the most beautiful but she was pretty, enough to make any man fond of her. Behind her was a boy with bushy eyebrows. His immature face was in stark contrast with his tall, thick frame. He stood behind her with deference and kept his head low. One looked like a feeble maiden; the other looked like a finely-polished boy from a noble family, too frightened to make the slightest error. But when Ophid saw those two his head fell faster than if it were just cut off. He forced a laugh, “So it’s you, Lady Nine.” “Good, you haven’t forgotten me,” said the girl in green callously, “I assume you haven’t also forgotten where you are. You want to carve open someone’s stomach here? Don’t you think you’re becoming too impudent?” She didn’t look heartless, but she emanated an air of unwelcome and disdain. She wasn’t trying to be cruel, she merely didn’t care about anyone. Regardless who stood in front of her, in her eyes they weren’t worth a second glance. Minnow couldn’t guess who this girl was. She looked like a princess from a noble family but she was just a girl out in the forest. She was young so she should face the world with beautiful optimism and expectation, but she seemed to see through everything which caused her to confront it all with indifference. He watched as the serpent’s head sank even lower. His voice trembled. “I didn’t think I was into the restricted area, so—” “And now you know?” said the girl. “Now I know.” “Now that you know, you should also know what to do, right?” Ophid let out a depressed laugh. “Yes, I know.” His sword came down, severing his own left hand at the wrist! Even Minnow was shocked at this, but the green girl, this Lady Nine, was still a stone. “Good, now you may leave,” she said, waving her hand. Before she finished, Ophid was already gone. “You can’t let him leave,” Cinlan screamed, “You can’t!” She wasn’t sure when she came to. She was still struggling to stand up and fell backwards. The girl looked at her. “Why?” Cinlan pointed at Minnow. “He’s been poisoned. We need Ophid’s antidote, otherwise he, he won’t make it past today.” “What difference does it make to me whether he lives or dies?” Lady Nine wasn’t moved. Cinlan was appalled. She fell back to the ground.

!206 “Let’s save him, sister Nine,” piped the boy. “If you want to save them, then you save them. I won’t.” She turned around and slowly walked away. She didn’t turn to look at them again. The boy looked at Cinlan sitting on the ground and hung his head. “I’m sorry.” Then he ran off and followed the girl. “My lady,” Cinlan shouted, “Please...” Minnow looked around. “We should leave too. We don’t need to beg her.” “But you—” “If I die, I die; if I live, I live. What does it matter?” he shouted. “How could such a small girl save us? Forcing her to help us will just inconvenience her.” He dragged Cinlan to her feet but only made it a few steps before the girl called back. “Stop!” A slight smile grew on Minnow’s face. “Why should I stop? Wouldn’t my dying here ruin this pristine path?” He continued walking forward and didn’t look back. In a flash the green girl was stood front of him blocking his way. “You shan’t die. But don’t assume I can’t see you’re trying to provoke me into saving you. This is solely so you understand that nothing lies beyond the power of the Murong sisters.” “I wasn’t trying to provoke you and I didn’t want you to save me,” said Minnow, imitating her cold laugh, “I’m happy to die and I’m happy to live. I have no need for other’s concern.” “I’m already going to save you. You can’t die now even if you wanted,” she said plainly. Minnow blinked. “Your conduct is of your own volition; I didn’t ask you. If you do save me, I won’t be grateful.” Lady Nine didn’t respond; she simply turned around. “Come with me.” A large manor stood built into the side of a mountain at the end of the road. It wasn’t too large nor did it look too impressive, but every room and every tile was ornately detailed with superb craftsmanship. Beyond the foyer was a small courtyard. There were no servants in sight but every inch was spotless. Minnow had started to breathe heavily after the brief walk. He was about to faint when the boy quietly rushed over and propped him up from behind. Minnow smiled gratefully. “Thank you. What’s your name?” The boy’s face blushed. “Guren Yu.” “Your surname isn’t Murong?” “I’m her cousin,” he said embarrassedly. Minnow laughed. “You’re a really nice person, just a little too transparent, almost like a girl. Why does your face turn red before you even say a word?” “I, I...” If he wasn’t so tall and stocky with such thick eyebrows, he’d definitely be a girl. Minnow kept thinking he was also a girl in disguise. Lady Nine never stopped walking. She walked through the foyer, down a corridor and across the courtyard. They never heard or saw signs of anyone else. She approached a couple of small, elaborate houses and finally stopped. “Go inside.” She turned around and left. “Please, please come in. This is my room,” said Guren. “Is there only this one room where men are allowed to stay?” asked Cinlan.

!207 “Oh,” Minnow laughed, “So everyone else here is a girl?” Guren’s eyes widened. “You mean you’ve never heard of the Murong sisters?” Cinlan had rested her eyes, but then started awake. “You mean the sisters known as the Nine Charms of the World?” Guren’s face blushed again. “Y-yes,” he whispered. Minnow looked at Cinlan. “Of course you would know,” he chuckled. “So let’s hear what makes these nine sisters so special.” Cinlan sighed. “These sisters have perfected lightness kungfu and hidden weapons and each of them are beautiful and intelligent. They excel at everything anyone else can do, so no noble family is willing to let a Murong girl marry into their house.” Minnow blinked and laughed. “So they’re not married?” “I’ve heard that with the exception of the youngest, the other eight sisters are married to either high-born martial artists or young heroes with an illustrious reputation.” “That’s exactly why people in the world of Rivers and Lakes are afraid of them. They could provoke those nine sisters; they just don’t want any trouble from their talented husbands.” Minnow’s face began to turn black. He had trouble catching his breath even while talking but he still laughed loudly, unconcerned who might hear him. He slapped Guren on the shoulder. “That old expression is right. A waterfront balcony gets the moon first. You just worry about staying close to her,” he laughed, “Excellent phrase, wonderful!” Guren’s face flushed bright red; he hung his head. He stole a glance at Cinlan. “Th-this was my mother’s idea. I—” The Lady Murong IX suddenly entered. “This was my aunt’s idea but you didn’t want to come here to be bullied, correct?” Guren wanted to find a place to hide. “I, I didn’t mean that.” “Master Guren,” she said coldly, “no one invited you here and no one is keeping you. My aunt may dote on you, but others hardly treasure you.” She didn’t look at Guren again. She tossed a small jade bottle onto the table in front of Minnow. “Take half orally, apply half externally. Your life should be reclaimed within six hours. Then you shall take your leave.” She turned around and walked out. “I didn’t ask you to save me and I definitely don’t want to marry you,” he giggled. “There’s no need for you to act so arrogant to me. Other people may adore you, but I hardly treasure you.” Lady Murong suddenly spun around and glared at him. Minnow indifferently popped open the bottle and drank half of the medicine. He licked and smacked his lips. “This medicine’s more sour than vinegar.” Then he smeared the rest onto his wound—he may have plenty of sarcastic remarks, but he knew it’s best to use the medicine first. Lady Murong stared at him angrily. It seemed like flames might shoot out of her cold stare. She didn’t blink. “I did save you. But I could kill you just as easily.” Minnow stuck his tongue out and laughed. “You won’t. You may look unsympathetic, but you have a good heart.” Surprisingly her pale cheeks blushed. “Leave. Leave now,” she spat. “Never let me see you again or I, I’ll cut out your tongue, pluck out your eyes, and kill you!”

!208 Guren was stunned. He had never seen this stiff, unemotional girl lose her temper like this. And he never imagined she could say something so violent. Minnow continued to giggle. “Of course I’ll leave. But after I go, don’t beg me to come back.” Lady Murong started to shake with anger. “You, you...” “Lady Murong, where are you?” came a voice from the distance, “Your sister came to visit you.” It sounded like this person was moving fast. Just between sentences they had moved from outside the main gate to inside the courtyard. Lady Murong bit her lip and her graceful body floated away like a cloud. Minnow was startled when he heard the voice. He stopped laughing. Cinlan’s face turned gray. “Could that be... Jing the Fairy?” “Ye-yes,” said Guren, “She’s good friends with Lady Nine.” Minnow exhaled as he sank into his chair. “How can the world be so small...” he laughed sadly. They heard Fairy and Lady Murong slowly approach from the courtyard. Cinlan’s hands and feet grew cold. “What should we do?” she whispered. Minnow sat there and sighed. “We can’t fight, we can’t run away, I can’t think of anything.” Before he finished, Fairy had barged in and gasped, “It’s you!” “Haven’t seen you in a while,” Minnow giggled, “How are you?” Lady Murong looked confused. “Sister Jing, you know him?” “I know him,” she scowled, “But... why is he here?” “He was injured outside. I—” “Don’t bother asking,” Minnow interrupted. “I have absolutely no connection to the Murong family. I’m injured again, so if you want to kill me, then kill me. You don’t have to worry about damaging their reputation or me fighting back.” Fairy laughed. “What difference would it make if you fought back?” “If I fought back, you’d be on the ground, unable to move again.” Fairy slapped him. “Say that again!” she shouted. Minnow didn’t move; he just laughed. “I’m done, what else can I say? Twice you’ve been in my hands and twice I’ve spared you because you looked so miserable. If I die at your hands today... serves me right.” He sounded benevolent and righteous. As for how Fairy had fallen into his hands, he didn’t mention a word. Lady Murong had to ask, “Sister Jing, did you really...” Fairy shook with anger, but didn’t say anything to the contrary. Lady Murong’s expression became quite peculiar when she saw her reaction. Minnow noticed. “Let her kill me, Lady Murong. Although it would be her to kill me in your house, I know that you look down on her; I don’t blame you.” Fairy was livid. “You don’t think I’ll kill you?” she laughed. “Of course you would. Jing the famous Fairy; who has she ever been afraid of? Definitely not someone like me, who can’t even defend himself.” Fairy scoffed with anger. Her finger went to jab Minnow’s temple like a knife. He couldn’t dodge. Cinlan was struck with panic.

!209 But in a flash Lady Murong had put herself in front of Minnow. Fairy’s finger touched her tender body and she jerked her hand back. “Sister Nine, you want to help this outsider?” “If it were somewhere else, I wouldn’t care what you do to him. But here, sister Jing, you should respect my wishes.” “I’ll kill him and then make it up to you.” “No one has shed blood here since this manor was built. I know you don’t want to be the one who ruins that. Are you incapable of waiting?” Fairy stomped her foot. “You, you don’t know how terrible this brat is.” “Even if he is terrible, wait until he departs and—” “I can’t wait!” Fairy speed around the room trying to reach him, but each time Lady Murong’s lithe body was one step ahead. Actually, she probably wouldn’t kill him even if Lady Murong had let her through. But she became that much angrier each time Lady Murong blocked her. Fairy felt she would never be happy until she killed Minnow. He watched as her finger changed targets and aimed at Lady Murong in a series of attacks. Lady Murong flitted away. “Sister Jing,” she said coldly, “you raised your hand against me first; don’t blame me.” Fairy’s attacks didn’t stop. “If I want to do something, no one can stop me. Not even you,” she screamed. “You just worry about bringing out the Murong family needles —” “No need,” someone behind her shouted, “How’s this!” A fist shot past—uniquely simple, but heavy. Fairy dashed out of its path. “Alright, Miss Guren, you want to fight too?” Minnow laughed to himself. So his nickname is ‘Miss Guren,’ that describes him perfectly. His actions may be a bit conspicuous, but his kungfu is strong. He’s worthy of being the descendant from a noble martial arts family. Looks like this self-proclaimed amazing Fairy might not be able to win.! He didn’t know that Guren was able to train such incredible kungfu because he was so forthcoming. Guren the Incredible Jade Fist was also well-known in the world of Rivers and Lakes. Fairy stared at them with her hands on her hips. “Why are you holding back? Come at me!” Yeah, no need to be polite; get to it.! But Guren just stood there, his head lowered. “If Lady Jing doesn’t move against sister Nine, why would I do so against Lady Jing?” Fairy laughed coldly. “I guess the heir to the Yu family’s incredible fist is just a hopeless child. Can’t you do anything but suck up to your opponent?” Guren remained still and silent. Fairy stamped her foot in anger. “Fine. Come on, sister. Let’s see what toys you have in your precious bag of wonders. Just bring them all out at once.” “If you don’t insist on killing someone here, what reason do I have to fight you?” Fairy looked at her, then at Guren. One blocked the window, the other the door. Neither party wanted to concede.

!210 “Staring won’t help,” giggled Minnow, “You won’t be getting in here. I guess the famous Fairy can be held at bay.” Fairy’s eyes darted over to Minnow. “You’re hoping they’ll wipe the floor with me, and you’ll just sit there and enjoy the show, right?” “If you’re afraid to fight, then leave,” he laughed. “No need to find excuses.” “I’ll leave. But you can’t hide here the rest of your life. I’ll have your life the moment you step foot outside that gate.” She turned to Lady Murong and laughed. “Unless you marry him and protect him your whole life, eventually he’ll die by my hand. I don’t need to bother fighting with you now; if other people hear of it they’ll say I wronged you.” She took three steps back and flew off with a resounding laughter. She really meant she was going to leave; Minnow wasn’t expecting that. He sat blankly for a moment, then laughed bitterly. “Ah, women,” he sighed, “It’s terrifying when women change their minds...” “No one can predict how she’ll feel from one minute to the next. She’s impossible to read,” Lady Murong sighed lightly, “I’m afraid she’s the only one in the world who could be my opponent.” Minnow blinked. “If you say it like that, you and her are the only two heroes in the world?” “Yes.” “So, who’s the best?” “Her actions are sharp and bizarre, her temperament is erratic; not even I can predict what her next move will be. I suppose she is the strongest in the world of Rivers and Lakes.” “And you?” prodded Minnow. “I don’t involve myself in the world of Rivers and Lakes,” said Lady Murong. “But if you did, she would become the second, right?” “Hmph.” Minnow looked nodded seriously. “True, you indeed are number one...” Lady Murong’s eyebrows raised and she gave a little laugh. Minnow continued, “I don’t know anyone more intoxicated with vanity than you.” Lady Murong’s heart plummeted. Minnow couldn’t hold back his laughter; he fell backwards holding his stomach. “And I thought only men could be so vain. Who knew that women can love themselves so much more than men. Why not go out and see for yourself exactly how many people in the world of Rivers and Lakes are better than you. I can’t help it if you just shut the door and call yourself number one.” “You...” “You did save my life twice, but they were both of your own volition. I never asked you to. I don’t need to praise you if I’m not grateful for your actions.” “Alright,” said Lady Murong, “Fine.” While she strove to put on an indifferent face, she simply couldn’t. Her body began to quiver. She wasn’t an emotional person to begin with; it wasn’t easy to get her angry. But for some reason a few sentences from Minnow made her blood boil. Guren walked over and muttered, “She’s been nothing but nice to you, why do you need to provoke her?”

!211 Minnow looked at her and giggled. “I just like pushing her buttons. You don’t she’s more beautiful angry compared to her normal, frigid self?” Guren couldn’t help but turn his head to look. He noticed Lady Murong’s pale cheeks had a pink glow. She was indeed lovelier than her usual self. He found himself staring and nodding. “Yes, you’re right. She is much prettier.” Lady Murong stared back at him. “You dare say something like that to my face? Who do you think I am?” The startled Guren quickly lowered his gaze. “No, no. You’re not pretty. You look hideous when you’re angry.” Although Cinlan was preoccupied and hadn’t said a word, she couldn’t help but chuckle at his remark. Minnow was already doubled over with laughter. Two pigtailed girls had come through the forest laughing sweetly. “Lady Nine,” they shouted, “Lady Nine...” Lady Murong had no place to release her pent up rage. “Stop shouting! I’m not deaf!” The frightened girls lowered their heads in unison. “Yes, Lady Nine.” They both stole a glance at Minnow and looked back at the ground. “Your room is prepared. Shall you—” “Of course I’ll take my nap now. I do every day. Do you even need to ask?” The two girls had never heard their mistress talk like this. They kept their heads low, “Yes, my lady,” and they tiptoed away. “If Master Guren isn’t busy, please stay here and watch them,” Lady Murong said coldly, “Or I won’t have you stay here either.” “I’m not busy, I’m not busy...” He repeated himself five or six times and continued long after Lady Murong had left the room. Minnow winked at Cinlan and followed her out. Guren was completely distracted watching Lady Murong; Cinlan was at a loss watching Minnow. All they could do was sigh. “You’re very nice to her. Perhaps too nice,” said Cinlan. She was talking about Guren but was thinking about Minnow. How could Guren be so good to Lady Murong while Minnow... Her thoughts raced. She didn’t hear a word of what Guren had just said. After a few moments of silence, she said slowly, “You like her very much, don’t you?” Guren was flustered. “I, I don’t know.” “You don’t know?” she giggled. “Everyone thinks I should like her. I think I should, too, but... But I’m not sure if I really do. I just know I’m afraid of her.” Cinlan laughed sweetly. “You really are a nice person.” Guren looked at her and hung his head. “Y-you’re nice too.” Lady Murong walked to the center of the courtyard and suddenly spun around. “Why are you following me?” “I didn’t want to, but what if Fairy comes back and kills me? My life is insignificant, but wouldn’t that tarnish your reputation?”

!212 Lady Murong looked at him for a moment, then silently continued forward. Minnow tottered along at her heels. “I can’t walk any further,” he panted, “Could you take my arm?” Lady Murong ignored him and quickened her pace. “Okay, I’ll just die of exhaustion. Send my dead body to Fairy; that way she won’t cause you any more trouble.” Lady Murong didn’t look back, but she did slow down. “Some women may look stronger than men, but put them in front of a man and they become useless. Have you ever seen a man unwilling to take a girl’s arm?” “Unwilling?” she steamed, “I simply—” “You simply don’t want to, right?” he laughed, “Would anyone admit that they’re unwilling? Saying you don’t want to is the best excuse for something you don’t have the heart to do.” Lady Murong spun around, pulled him up by the arm and hurried onward. Minnow kept up with her, giggling the entire time. “Your hand is so small. It’s probably not even half the size of mine.” His mouth never stopped talking; his eyes never stopped scanning. On one side of the garden was a winding hallway that snaked down the side of the mountain. Next to the corridor stood an exquisite house, each room built with a different architectural style and a different colored paper covering each window. Minnow counted nine rooms in the house; those must be the Murong sisters’ private chambers. The windows in the first room were pale yellow. Lady Murong pushed open the door and walked in. The window ornaments, furniture, bedding... everything was a shade of mustard. The room was minimally furnished, yet tasteful. Minnow watched as Lady Murong circled the room inspecting for dust. “This is your eldest sister’s room. Will she be returning soon?” “If she doesn’t return, can we simply let it collect dust?” Minnow laughed. “True, even if she doesn’t come back, you should keep everything spotless. You sisters seem very close.” His bitterly sarcastic remarks had stopped; Lady Murong couldn’t predict what he was playing at. She didn’t respond. “Your sister must be a refined and delightful woman,” he sighed, “That’s a rare thing. I wonder if her husband is a good match.” Lady Murong finally turned around and stared at him. “Naturally, there are few eligible for my eldest sister. But if there was one who could complement her, it is her husband.” “How is his kungfu?” “You should be familiar with the name Jade Swordsman.” She had told herself she wouldn’t converse with this despicable little devil, but somehow she’d already said this much. It didn’t help that he was talking about her favorite subject. This devil could make her furious with just two sentences. But another two could soothe her fury. The second room was all pink. Pink walls, pink longbow, even a pink short sword. “Your second eldest sister must be quite different,” laughed Minnow, “She’s probably trusting and forthright, may have a bit of a temper, but she’s actually the most compassionate, always thinking of others.” Lady Murong was silent for a few moments. “How did you know?” “Everyone knows of the Murong family’s proficiency with hidden weapons, but your sister decided to train with a longbow. So she must be very straightforward and honest. Of course she wouldn’t be fond of those discreet little tools.”

!213 “Hm. What else?” “A long sword is safe, a short sword carries risk. Your sister’s sword is almost a dagger. When she’s irritated, she probably charges forward with complete disregard of everything else.” Lady Murong nodded. “My sister’s deftness with a sword is the best in Clearwater Lake.” “But her husband’s kungfu is lacking, correct?” Lady Murong was left aghast. She stared at him astonished for before slowly nodding. “My sister’s husband is the sole descendant of the Nangong family. Their kungfu is quite prominent, but her husband is often ill.” She let out a long sigh. Minnow clapped and laughed. “That’s what I said!” “Excuse me?” “After your sister married, she left her weapons here so her husband wouldn’t feel ashamed of his own kungfu. Hence you can tell her husband’s kungfu is no match for her own and that she is a very compassionate person who always thinks of others.” Again Lady Murong looked at him in silence. Then she turned and walked to the third room. The paper windows in this room were black. The light was fairly dim, but enough to see the room was superbly furnished. Next to the vanity was an instrument stand, a chess table, and a crowded bookshelf. A painting of elegantly-dressed women hung on the wall. The plaque underneath read The Murong Sisters. She must have painted it herself. Minnow looked around. “Your third eldest sister must be a talented scholar. Perhaps a little distant, or rather melancholy. But haven’t all gifted people been like that?” he laughed. “She hates the sunlight and loves the sound of rain. The paintings she creates while its raining are heavenly. The sound of her music through the rain sounds like it too is escaping from the heavens. It’s a shame... A shame that I haven’t heard it in a long time.” “And your third sister’s husband?” “Another gifted martial artist. Not only does he excel in music, chess, academics, and art, he was already the head of the Southern Hills alliance at twenty-nine.” “Everyone must be jealous of such a fine couple,” Minnow laughed.

!214 Chapter Nineteen! Love and Hate! Minnow followed her through each room. After the eighth room Lady Murong’s expression had become much more serene; even her eyes looked more peaceful. This “devil” might not be as detestable or disrespectful as she had originally thought. After a short chat they were already at the last room. This pastel green room was the most refined and the most ornate. Everything inside was a rare treasure. Minnow slowly took everything in. “The one who stays here is completely different than the rest,” he chuckled. A glimmer of laughter flashed in Lady Murong’s eyes, but her face remained inexpressive. She acted indifferent yet still asked, “How so?” “The green in this room illustrates her conceited opinion that she is superior to everyone else. All these novelty trinkets show she is childish, vain, tasteless—” He didn’t have a chance to finish before Lady Murong’s face turned gray and ran out. She didn’t want to see this despicable bastard ever again. Minnow couldn’t contain his laughter. “You shouldn’t be angry if I’m wrong,” he shouted after her. Lady Murong continued walking away without looking back. Minnow followed her. After several turns they came to a bluestone hallway. At the end stood a large bronze door. Of course Minnow didn’t know what lay behind the door, but simply looking at it gave him an eerie feeling; he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. He watched as Lady Murong produced a golden key, slid it into a small hold in the door and turned it several times. This immense door opened without the slightest sound. A burst of cold air escaped from inside. Minnow was instantly aware that this room and his Uncle Loe’s house were quite similar. There were stores of vast assortments of medicinal herbs and of course bronze kettles and pots. But Wanchun Loe’s house was made of brick and ceramic tiles; this room was carved from an enormous slab of bluestone. Wanchun’s house felt like a cool spring day; this room contained an unearthly chill. Lady Murong locked the door behind them. Inside this room, her pale cheeks tinted green. “Oh, so our Lady Nine is a doctor. A woman of many talents. You’ve brought me here to give me a check up?” “Yes.” “The venom is already neutralized, what else is there to check?” “You have a growth on your body. If I remove it you’ll be much better.” “Oh, what’s that?” he laughed. “Your tongue.” Minnow stuck out his tongue and backed away as far as he could. “If what I say really makes you that angry, then I’m very honored.” Lady Murong laughed coldly and turned away. “The herbs in this room all have tremendous value. Do not fool around with them.” “Who, me?”

!215 “You may if you so wish. But while there are herbs in here that can help increase your lifespan, there are also toxic and lethal ones. If you’re poisoned again, no one will be here to save you.” Minnow stuck his tongue out again. “Don’t scare me. I don’t have many flaws, but I am a bit of a coward. I might faint.” “Please consent to sit and do not move. No one will be able to hurt one hair on your head. I must leave; it’s time for me to train.” “Wait, where are you going? I’ll go with you.” “If you insist on following me,” she spat, “I won’t wait for someone to kill you and I’ll do it myself.” “You know, a pretty girl like you just needs to smile to take mens’ breath away; why do you need to train in martial arts? All those years spent training just steal your years of beauty.” Lady Murong disregarded him and walked to a door on the other side of the room. She pulled out another gold key and opened the door a hair. She looked back. “If you’re impudent enough to step one foot through this door, forget about getting out alive.” “The door is locked, how can I get in?” he laughed. “I’m sure you can’t.” She disappeared behind the door and immediately shut it. Minnow heard the key turn in the lock; she didn’t let him get a glimpse of what lay behind. Minnow wasn’t worried. He casually stretched his back and laughed. “Women... Your biggest problem is that you think all men are idiots. You think I can’t tell which herb is toxic and which is curative? Well let me tell you, I grew up in a pile of medicinal herbs. I can probably identify more that you can.” He rummaged through some things as he talked to himself. “No wonder she wanted to scare me, some of these herbs are remarkable. Uncle Loe spent decades looking for these and here they have three or four bundles. Must be my lucky day.” He selected four different herbs and started chewing. If Lady Murong were watching, she would have fainted in terror. Some of the herbs he picked were indeed very rare; Minnow hadn’t even seen them before, only the pictures Wanchun drew to teach him how to recognize them. Wanchun had searched for decades but never found them, so they must be incredibly expensive. If they were made into longevity pills, one would be enough to bring someone back from the brink of death. And here Minnow was, like a tortoise chewing hay, just wasting food. But he didn’t feel at all bad; he finished them all off. He rubbed his stomach and laughed. “Oh, tummy, I might be giving you a bit too much.” He continued to poke around, still unsatisfied. He set his eyes on the longevity pills inside a bronze kettle. He lifted the kettle closer—squinted, sniffed—then grabbed a handful and started chewing them like sunflower seeds. He shoveled more into his shirt and when that was full he mixed the rest together into one kettle. His sinister face laughed, “You’re out there relaxing, so I’ll find something to occupy myself.” This would be a terrible hassle for Lady Murong. It would take her at least five days to separate these pills.

!216 But it wasn’t all fun for Minnow either. Several different herbs and longevity pills sat brewing in his stomach. He became feverish and his lips were dry as bone. He titled his head and thought for a moment, then took out a twisted strip of copper from his shirt and slid it into the keyhole, laughing. “You don’t think I can get in? Alright, I’ll show you.” He pressed his ear against the door above the keyhole, listening as he fidgeted with the piece of copper. A smile slowly surfaced on his face. “Here... here... Yes, that’s the spot.” The door clicked and drifted open. This room was colder than the last one. Another surge of cold air leaked out. “That feels nice,” he said, taking a deep breath. Now his whole body was burning; the cold air felt wonderful against his skin. He casually pushed the door open and marched in. “Lady Nine, I’m inside. You just worry about your training, I won’t bother you.” He stopped dead. In the floor of this hollowed, rock room was a pit filled with ice from the previous winter. Lady Murong was sitting on the ice. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, her index fingers resting on the soles of her feet. She wasn’t wearing a thread of clothing. Minnow had seen many things in his life but had yet to see a naked woman. He watched everything with a straight face, but this time his mouth hung open. Lady Murong’s eyes were open; she saw him too. The shock, outrage, and insecurity in her eyes were beyond description. Yet she didn’t move a muscle. She couldn’t. Minnow stood there for what seemed like minutes before he turned away and pretended to look around. “Where are you Lady Nine? Why can’t I see you?” This “monster” was actually quite thoughtful of women’s feelings. Lady Murong knew he was lying, but it was enough to comfort herself a little. Minnow circled the room as he talked. When he arrived back at the door, he noticed nine paintings on the wall. He couldn’t resist taking a closer look. The first was of a nude woman in a handstand on ice. An inscription was written on the side: Only a maiden can learn Petrification Kungfu. This is the first rule of Petrification Kungfu. Mastery requires three years. The mantra is as follows:! !Petrification Kungfu! !Mastery induces nine evolutions.! !Tissues turn to stone! !impenetrable to all matter.! !Nine evolutions mark mastery! !to dominate the world.! Minnow stopped there. “This strange kungfu is just training people to become ,” he muttered. “No wonder Lady Nine acts so cold. She’s practicing this creepy kungfu.” He looked at the second painting. The woman in the painting was now standing upright. Above her was written: Second evolution to mastery.! Inverse begets order,!

!217 Minnow was too lazy to continue reading; he had no desire to learn this bizarre style of kungfu. If someone became as hard and cold as stone, they could be invincible, but what was the point? The figure in the third painting was in the same position as Lady Murong. Minnow exhaled a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness she’s only to the third step. If she’d already mastered this, she would turn into some sort of monster. And that wouldn’t have ended well for either of us.” He didn’t look at any more of the paintings and scrambled to take them all down. Lady Murong was still staring at him. The shame and resentment in her eyes had changed to a sorrowful plea. Minnow didn’t look back as he yelled, “Don’t hate me, Lady Nine, I’m doing this for your own good. You’re such a nice person, you should live happily. Why do you want to torture yourself?” If Lady Murong could’ve spoken, she would’ve berated him, or at least begged him; if she could’ve moved, she would have already ripped him to pieces. But she didn’t say a word and she didn’t move an inch. She just stared at Minnow as he gathered the nine paintings and disappeared. Tears dripped down her cheeks. Minnow threw the nine paintings into one of the bronze kettles and set them ablaze. Then he walked back to the outer door, picked the lock and left. But he didn’t go find Cinlan; he leapt over the wall and left the mountain villa. He did everything on a whim. Sometimes it was right, sometimes it was wrong; he didn’t care either way. The only thing that mattered to him was whether or not he felt content. He never worried about possible consequences. But this time something didn’t feel right. He was burning up; his whole body felt swollen, like someone lit a fire in his gut. He ran into a small forest. A cool breeze escaped from deep inside, much cooler than outside. Minnow couldn’t move anymore. He collapsed, panting under a tree. He just wished that Fairy or Lady Murong didn’t show up. He was burning, swollen, itchy, and his mouth yearned for water. “If only there was a pond here. I could really use some water...” Suddenly someone behind him answered, “What you need now isn’t water, it’s a coffin!” Minnow felt something cool on his neck. A blade rested there. He coughed up a surprised laugh. “I guess women are superior in the end. If a woman sets her eyes on a man, he can forget about ever getting away.” “You finally figured that out. Pity it’s a bit too late.” “Are you Lady Murong? Or Fairy?” “You’re dreaming if you still think bitch Nine can save you.” Minnow started laughing. “Good, good, it’s you,” he murmured, “I guess my luck hasn’t run out.” Of course Fairy wouldn’t have guessed the person he feared most to see right now was Lady Murong, not her. “Yes, you’re the luckiest. You just had to come this way, right to where I was waiting.” She had said that to make him angry, but it wouldn’t have mattered which way he’d gone, she still be there waiting. Minnow shifted his neck. “Your sword is fast.”

!218 “Hmph. Not fast enough. Maybe you’ll still be able to talk after I cut off your head.” “Is simply cutting off my head going to be enough? After all I put you through?” he laughed. “Hey, if I were you I wouldn’t let me off so easily.” “So how would you like to suffer? I’d be happy to accommodate.” “You should at least start with a beating.” “You think I wouldn’t hit you?” she scoffed. “You may want to kill me, but you couldn’t bear to see me beaten.” Before he finished, she slapped his neck and kicked his back. “Yes, I’d hate to hit you. So true.” she said through her teeth. She punched and kicked him with almost every word. Minnow was thrown about but he just laughed, “That feels so nice.” And he wasn’t joking, it was indeed soothing. His whole body was swollen to the point he itched all over. Fairy’s heavy punches felt like a gentle massage. “Fine, if it feels so good, I’ll just hit you harder.” She put more energy into pummeling his back. “Nope, still too soft. A little harder.” Fairy was about to explode. She was surprised when she noticed Minnow didn’t look at all like he was in agony. She wasn’t aware the concoction of herbs and pills in his system had already taken affect; even a steel mallet wouldn’t leave a bruise. Fairy’s hands were sore. “Oh yeah, that’s good, harder...” he repeated. She suddenly recalled their last encounter when he persistently stood up after the beating she gave him. How could this kid endure so much? “Are you done?” someone said coldly. Fairy whipped around to see Lady Murong standing under a tree. Her hair was unkempt, eyes bloodshot, fingers twitching; Fairy couldn’t imagine what could’ve happened that she would show up like this. “No, I’m not done. What of it?” “If you’re done, I’d like a turn.” “This isn’t your house. If you try to stop me again, I’ll—” “You think I’m here to save him?” Fairy paused. “You’re not? Well you can’t be here to kill him.” “Yes, I’m here to kill him!” Lady Murong suddenly pulled out a dagger and lunged at Minnow! Minnow watched as they both came down on him. But he wasn’t afraid—there was no way he could survive, what was the point in being afraid? He kept his eyes open, watching the dagger. There was a sudden flash of light as Fairy’s short sword arrested the dagger. “You wanted to kill him, why are you saving him now?” scowled Lady Murong. “You wanted to save him, why are you trying to kill him now?” “It, it’s none of your business.” “I’m making it my business.” Lady Murong’s hand flicked as she thrust the knife another seven times. “I don’t care who tries to stop me. I will kill him!” Fairy’s sword flashed as she intercepted each strike. “Before you wouldn’t let me kill him. Now I won’t let you!”

!219 “Before you desperately wanted to kill him and now you want to save him? Perchance... you and he...” Fairy’s face instantly beat bright red. “Before you desperately wanted to save him and now you want to kill him. Maybe he and you...” Lady Murong’s white face flushed red. “You take that back!” she spat. “You take it back!” Their swords flew. They met with a loud clash as they landed heavily. They staggered a few steps back to regain their balance. Both of their wrists stung. Suddenly they both gasped in surprise. Minnow was gone! “It’s all your fault! I—” “It’s all your fault! I—” They both stamped their foot and paused at the same time. Then they both blushed. Fairy looked at Lady Murong, Lady Murong at Fair Girl. Fairy lowered her head, Lady Murong did the same. Fairy finally looked up. “He won’t get away!” “Let’s go!” said Lady Murong, looking up. They both wanted to laugh, but didn’t. Fairy bit her lip. “This time when we catch him, we’ll kill him together.” Minnow knew that his lightness kungfu and strength wasn’t enough to escape. So he didn’t try. He followed the same path back to the Murong manor, straight to the bronze door in the bluestone room. Of course the doors were locked again but that didn’t pose a problem. He opened the doors and locked them both from the inside, laughing comfortably. Everyone saw those two as reputable, talented heroines, but to Minnow they were only women. In his eyes, the world held innumerable types of men, but only one kind of woman. His body temperature continued to rise and his mouth was no better. He dropped himself into the pit and lie on top of the ice. He chipped off a few small pieces. The sound of his chewing echoed. His whole body agreed with the cold. He slept comfortably on his bed of ice. Sleeping at a time like this was a bold venture. A click woke him from his dream. The bronze door opened. Minnow’s heart leapt. He didn’t risk moving; he didn’t even want to breathe. He heard Fairy’s voice, “It’s so cold.” Then he heard Lady Murong’s, “My mother originally built this icehouse because my father hated the heat. He enjoyed drinking cold plum juice in the summer. Now I use it for other things.” “For what?” Lady Murong was quiet, then sighed. “Now it’s useless.” Her voice was filled with sadness and hatred. Minnow’s hairs stood on end. He knew that Lady Murong despised him; if he were caught in this icehouse there would be no way to escape. “Are you still worried he came back here?” asked Fairy. “Mm.”

!220 “You shouldn’t worry too much. Do you really think he’d be that bold?” “I don’t know where else he could run to.” Fairy sighed. “That is one slippery little weasel. And he has plenty of tricks. Next time I see him I won’t say a word, I’ll just kill him. Then we’ll see what he can do.” Their voices trailed off. The door clicked as they locked it behind them. Thank God they left. “Luckily women are more diligent about trivial matters, and careless about important ones,” Minnow laughed. “They were searching for me, but didn’t even bother to look carefully. If they did I’d be in trouble.” He remained silent until his body cooled back down, then he jumped to his feet. If he had sat on the ice and practiced controlling breath and circulating his qi, absorbing and melding the intensity of the medicine within his body, he would have made incredible improvements. Unfortunately he simply took a nap and then got up. The opportunity was completely wasted. Minnow steadied his breathing and his qi, put his eye to the keyhole and peered to the opposite side. Fairy and Lady Murong were still standing outside. Fairy was leaning against the wall, lost in thought. Lady Murong was standing erect, her face paler than ever. Cinlan was also there sitting in front of the kettles. She was picking up pills one by one and separating them into other kettles. With each pill she looked at, another tear streamed down her face. Minnow frowned as he watched. I left that for Lady Murong, I wasn’t expecting her to do that. I guess Lady Murong is taking out her hatred on her, forcing her to do such tedious labor.! Where was Guren Yu? He’s probably not allowed in this room either. Fairy stood for a while before walking over to Cinlan. Cinlan couldn’t hold onto the pills with her trembling hands. Minnow couldn’t hear everything through the keyhole; he made out, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t be hard on you. We were both humiliated by that jerk, I can sympathize.” Cinlan’s head dropped; tears dripped onto her clothes. “Come on, I’ll help you,” Fairy smiled. “Looks like Lady Nine won’t feed us until we sort these pills out.” Lady Murong glared at them with her frigid eyes. Her face bore no semblance of a smile. “That map,” Fairy said after a moment’s silence, “Did he really cheat you out of it?” Cinlan remained quiet. “He didn’t cheat me, I gave it to him,” she whispered. “You gave it to him? Why would you do that?” “I can give it to whomever I want! No one can tell me what to do!” she shouted, jumping out of her seat. Fairy was taken aback. “Why are you yelling?” Minnow laughed to himself. Fairy is tough on the outside and soft inside. Cinlan is soft on the outside and tough inside. They’re complete opposites. What about Lady Murong? She’s been training that weird kungfu. She’s cold on the outside... and she’s probably just as frigid on the inside. She’s the worst of those three to make angry.! There was another brief silence. “Are you still angry?” asked Fairy. Cinlan lowered her head as if she felt guilty. She would never allow someone to treat her unfairly, but she had no clue how to react when someone was polite.

!221 “You must have looked at the map. Do you remember any of it?” “I...” Cinlan hesitated, “Not really.” “I’m not interested in the treasure, I swear I won’t touch it. But I think that bastard will be heading there. If you remember where it is we can go look for him. I can help you get back at him.” Cinlan’s head sank even lower. “I really don’t remember. I’m not lying.” Minnow lifted his head to look at her face through the keyhole. He noticed her eyes shifted as she spoke. She probably remembers where it is, she just doesn’t want to tell them. She looks honest, but she’s quite the skilled liar.! !But why would she deceive them? For me? She still won’t say one bad word about me after all I put her through. She’s even angry when they speak badly of me. Why?! He mulled it over but still had his doubts. I guess I shouldn’t care why; girls are all crazy anyways.! He saw Lady Murong get up and leave. Minnow was speculating where she was going when she returned holding a bronze ladle. “What’s in there?” asked Fairy. “Lead.” “Lead? What are you doing with that?” Lady Murong didn’t answer. She held the ladle over the fire. A sadistic and conceited look flashed in her eyes as she slowly explained, “That room inside is useless now, so I may as well fill the keyhole with lead. That way no one will ever be able to get in, and no one can get out!” Minnow thought something was wrong when he saw her smile. His heart sank when he heard she planned on sealing him inside. She must have noticed he was inside and kept it to herself for fear that Fairy and Cinlan might try to save him. Minnow panicked. He wanted to open the door and make a run for it but Lady Murong had already scurried over. Minnow saw the ladle approach the keyhole—then nothing. The molten lead bled out the hole. Their voices were also cut off. Shortly after he heard pounding on the bronze door. Lady Murong was smacking the door afraid Minnow would begin banging on the door to get Fairy and Cinlan’s attention. He was terrified. He stomped his foot and yelled, “Murong, you hag, you bitch. Why are you so bitter? It’s not like I killed your parents. Or raped you. Why do you want to kill me?! If I’d found your bony ass at all exciting I’d have taken you a long time ago. Then you wouldn’t want me to die!” He let himself go. He screamed everything that came to mind. People who grew up in Villain’s Valley had a much more developed sense of cursing. If Lady Murong heard what he said, it’d be a miracle if she didn’t explode from anger. But the stone walls were thick and the keyhole was sealed; Minnow spent a great deal of energy cursing but not one word was heard. Minnow knew that screaming wouldn’t do anything. He started crashing against the wall trying to make a new way out. But icehouses need to be sturdy to prevent any heat from seeping in—it’s a natural prison. Minnow was out of ideas; he surely couldn’t dig his way out.

!222 “Who says this room is useless?” he laughed, “It’s being used as a prison. Seems like a better place than others. I guess I’m nothing more than a frozen fish.” He started to shiver. He sat down, crossed his legs and pooled his qi into his hands and feet to warm them up. Minnow was never a diligent student; he didn’t care at all that he had completely wasted a perfect opportunity. But that was only because he thought of himself as the smartest person in the world. It shouldn’t matter how good his kungfu is, even the most talented people are helpless before him; why should he waste time being diligent? Now the situation forced him to work hard. He finally realized those herbs he ate were extremely potent and wasting that time was regrettable. The stimulants mixed with his qi and strengthened kungfu exponentially. Soon he had lost himself, forgetting about life and death.

!223 Chapter Twenty! A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing! Minnow didn’t know how long he had been locked in there. Hours? Days? He slowly ate the pills stashed in his shirt while he meditated. He perceived neither hunger nor cold. But he still had no way out. He would die trapped inside at some point, so even if this training lead to the world’s finest kungfu, what was the point? Minnow alway came to that conclusion and felt like giving up. But when he wasn’t meditating the tremendous cold set in. It made no difference if he lived or died, why should he spend his last days exhausted? Eventually he started to feel hungry—hungry enough to lose concentration—then he felt cold. He knew death wasn’t too far off. He never imagined such a clever person as himself would be trapped inside a rock and what’s worse, at the hands of a woman. He finally realized women weren’t as simple or useless as he had once thought. He blamed and hated himself. “Looks like you should never be a good person,” he mumbled, “If I had just killed Fairy and Lady Murong I wouldn’t be in this mess...” Then he blamed Wanchun Loe. If it weren’t for him, he would be a terrible person through and through. He may be scorned and cursed, but at least he’d live longer than the righteous. He began to shiver. His vision blurred from hunger. “I’ll just die. Everyone dies anyways. There’s at least one good thing when you die: you won’t ever need to hear another woman nag.” Suddenly he didn’t feel cold anymore; he actually started to warm up. Perplexed, he opened his eyes and saw that the block of ice was starting to melt. He leaned over to touch the wall. It burned his hand. Minnow jumped to his feet. “What’s going on now? Is freezing to death not enough for that Murong girl, now she wants to cook me? No... Her sisters’ rooms were precious to her; she wouldn’t start a fire here.” He circled around the wall. Three sides were sweltering hot; the side that sank into the mountain was much cooler. Minnow racked his brain. “I know! One of Lady Murong’s enemies came to kill her and burned her house. Who cares about her stupid house, you idiots don’t know you’re killing the world’s smartest person too!” He started cursing again. Within a half hour the enormous block of ice had melted. Minnow was swimming; he couldn’t jump if he tried. The water was still cool, but not uncomfortably so. Minnow still couldn’t think of anything he could do, so he disrobed and took a bath. His refusal to face the grim reality made it impossible to feel anxious or afraid when there was still a chance of escape. But he still didn’t have a way out. The water slowly heated. Little bubbles began rushing up. He twitching frantically like a fish someone threw into a pot of boiling water. He just hoped that the fire would shatter the walls before he was completely cooked, but these damned stone walls were extraordinarily solid. There weren’t even any small fractures. His strength was drained. He slipped under the water. His nose burned as he took in mouthfuls of water.

!224 Such a big bowl of fish soup. There’s no way I can finish this by myself, it’s too bad—! Someone started pounding on the bronze door. Minnow started. Good, I guess someone came to share this soup!! He knew the fire wouldn’t scratch the bronze door, but it could melt the lead inside the keyhole. The tiny springs inside couldn’t stand up to the molten lead. Then if someone on the outside used a chisel or something, the bronze door could be forced open part way. Before he completed his thought the bronze door cracked open. Water rushed out like the Yellow River spilling over a dyke. Minnow let the water carry him out. The two people outside were not expecting the door to be hiding a flood. They were startled by the water rushing over their bodies. Even more astonishing was the person that came out with it. The water carried Minnow down the hall. He lay there, unmoving, like a corpse. He was starved and boiled, how could he move? He squinted and looked at the door. The fire was already out, all that remained was a pile of smoldering wood. Older houses always burn faster. He looked at the two people. The one in front was massive with a fierce face covered in a full beard. Although we was soaked, he still looked gallant and in high spirits, like a bull. Minnow relaxed when he saw him—someone as brawny as that, their brain must be compressed by all that muscle. It shouldn’t be hard for Minnow to trick him into anything. But he felt a bit dismayed when he saw the other one. He was leaning over, back hunched, wearing all white. His face looked like an upside down gourd with a goat’s beard. His eyebrows were thin, his eyes even thinner. He’d be perfectly indistinguishable among a herd of mountain goats. His body looked thin and feeble—if he hunched over anymore, his head wouldn’t even be up to that mammoth’s chest. But this one looked much more frightening. With just a glance, Minnow was fairly certain these two were the goat and the ox from the Twelve Zodiac. He noticed that the Twelve Zodiac didn’t look anything like people; they look like animals. Who knows how they managed to gather those twelve people together. They looked at Minnow with astonishment. Bovin the Ox grinned. “Everyone who listens to you must have had terrible luck during their previous life. I promised I wouldn’t believe a word out of your mouth, and yet I was still duped.” “Whoever listens to me will have great luck,” returned Capra the Goat. Bovin let out a curious laugh. “Luck? So being drenched in this foul water counts as luck? You said this stone vault would have treasure. Where’s the treasure?” “That kid is the treasure,” Capra said, pointing at Minnow. “He looks tender. If brother Mawli were here he’d have a nice, hot meal. But old goats like you only eat grass; what do you want with him?” Minnow’s heart leapt, erasing the anxiety he’d just felt. “Ox, Goat, how have you been?” he giggled. “This kid knows us,” Bovin said, startled.

!225 “Brother Li often said that of all the Twelve Zodiac, Bovin is the bravest and Capra is the smartest. I never thought I would meet you two here.” “Please, that’s too much,” Bovin chuckled bashfully. His laughter stopped abruptly and his blank face stared at Minnow. “How do you know me and... Mawli?” He stumbled over himself when he dropped the “brother.” Minnow looked away, “Brother Mawli said the ox in the Twelve Zodiac was younger than him. If you just call him Mawli, are you that ox’s uncle?” Bovin smiled. “No. That ox is me.” “Then even if he’s not present, you should call him uncle. He wouldn’t be happy if he knew you weren’t addressing him properly.” Bovin relaxed his face and laughed. “Yes, that’s true, little brother. Don’t tell him —” “Are you sure you want to call me ‘little brother’?” Minnow’s face turned to stone. “Yes, you’re right. I—” “If I weren’t here to watch you, you’d be sold off to someone and you wouldn’t even know who,” snickered Capra. Bovin stared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Do you really believe this kid is Master Li’s little brother? He’s not even old enough to be his son.” Bovin rubbed his head. “But, but everything he said is true.” “You idiot, what exactly did he say that you hadn’t said first? Answer me this, if he really is Master Li’s brother, what’s he doing in the Murong manor?” “He... was locked in there by that Murong girl.” “I guess you can’t tell what these two rooms were used for,” Capra jibed. “The Murong girl isn’t crazy; why would she lock someone in her apothecarium and treasure vault? If this kid is in here, he must know where the Murong family’s longevity pills are hidden. That’s why I said he’s the treasure.” Bovin rubbed his head again and looked at Minnow. “And here I was defending you. Turns out you’re just a little cheat.” Minnow laughed. “Is there a rule that you can only prepare medicine or store treasure in this room? When you’re not compounding medicine, can you not lock someone in here? If the Murong girl isn’t crazy, why would she fill her treasure vault with water and not treasure?” Bovin clapped. “Yeah, that’s right. I can caress a woman’s face with my hands, but I can slap her too. So why can’t an apothecarium be used to lock someone up?” “You’re about the same age as brother Li,” continued Minnow, “but you’re considered his junior. So why can’t I be his brother even though I’m younger?” “Yeah, he’s right,” Bovin said as he rubbed his head again, looking to Capra. “Dragon’s sister is only ten.” “If there were ever someone who could live to be fifty and still get tricked by little kids, it’d be you,” sneered Capra. “If he wants me to believe him, I—” “Come here,” Minnow laughed, waving him over, “I want to show you something.” He was still lying on the ground, soaking wet. When Capra was just a few steps away Minnow glided toward him, arms and legs flailing. His kicks and punches came simultaneously. Only one person would think to lay on the ground and launch an attack like that; only Mawli had practiced such an inane

!226 fighting style. It may sound impressive, but it’s not at all practical. Why would any respectful martial artist fight while lying on the ground? Unless he’s playing dead and wants to surprise someone... And only Mawli, this kind of despicable man with an candid exterior, would spend the time developing this posture. In his surprise Capra jumped straight into the air—not like a goat, more like a rabbit—and if Minnow wasn’t exhausted, he would have been a dead rabbit. Minnow sat up and crossed his legs. “Now do you believe me?” he giggled. Capra had yet to catch his breath. Bovin bowed three times. “Little uncle. No matter how old you are, if you’re a brother to Uncle Mawli, then you’re my little uncle.” “And you, Goat?” Capra lifted his head, his eyes flit around the room. “Is Master Mawli doing well in the valley?” “Good people live short lives. He’ll be alive for a long time yet.” “Everyone in the valley enjoys a long life,” laughed Capra, menacingly. “I’m sure Master Li is fond of life there and won’t be returning to this harsh world.” Minnow looked around and laughed. “Well he wasn’t planning on leaving.” “And now?” asked Capra, surprised. “Not just him, even brother Du, brother Yin, sister Tu... Let’s just say if they weren’t coming back, what would I be doing running around.” Capra’s face sank. “But they—” “They’ve been lounging around the valley for years developing unique styles of kungfu. If you were them, would you come back out?” Capra lowered his head. “Yes, yes. Then you should know where—” “They’re quite the capricious bunch. I’m not sure exactly where they are now.” Although he bowed his head, Capra’s eyes continued to dance around the room. Minnow noticed he wasn’t harboring any good intentions and cut him off. Capra seemed to relax a bit. “Perhaps, they’re standing right behind you. You might not even notice,” Minnow added. He looked just as suffocated as before; Capra wanted to turn around but was too afraid. “It’d be great if Uncle Li does come,” laughed Bovin, “No matter how strong those Murong girls are, we wouldn’t need to worry about them coming back for revenge with him around.” “You let her get away?” Minnow said plainly. Bovin sighed. “The snake called us here this time, but we’d actually been planning an attack on the Murong manor for some time.” “The Murong family’s longevity pills are indeed tempting.” “It’s too bad that Murong girl is so slippery,” chuckled Bovin. “Not sure how she heard we were coming, but when we arrived she was already gone.” “Gone?” Minnow said, surprised. “She wasn’t just out, most of the precious items here were gone as well. The front gate wasn’t even locked. There was just a note saying ‘All trespassers shall die.’ Hmph, what a joke.” “Yes. And a terrible one,” said Minnow. At that he figured out why Lady Murong had left.

!227 Fairy and Cinlan both thought Minnow had run away and wanted to find him. Lady Murong knew that while they both spoke ill of him, their hearts were soft; she couldn’t tell them that Minnow was imprisoned inside her manor. They requested Lady Murong join their search and she did. Minnow stopped there and started cursing again. “That girl is such a bitch. Nothing would’ve made me happier than you burning down her house. Let me buy a few drinks for the man who started it.” “He’s already gone,” laughed Bovin, “But we—” “Then we’ll have a few drinks. No, a hundred drinks—we’ll drink as we go! I’ll take you to find Mawli. And when we see something we like, we can... well, you know.” “Excellent, excellent,” clapped Bovin. “What about you, Goat?” “Well,” he coughed, “I...” “It’s fine if you don’t want to go. When I find brother Li I’ll just tell him you didn’t want to see him, that’s all.” “Who said I didn’t want to go? Ox, did you say that?” he said, pushing Bovin. “Let’s go! What are we waiting for?” The three drank as they walked. Minnow suddenly realized he did have a talent for drinking; it seemed like he would never get drunk. Sometimes he wondered where exactly all that alcohol went after he drank it. He peered down and decided his stomach wasn’t that large. Capra and Bovin were terrifically obedient and obliging. Minnow didn’t have to worry about food or lodging; they took care of everything. When he wanted to leave, they left; when he wanted to stop, they stopped. And they never asked where he was going. It was truly incredible to see two among the Twelve Zodiac who would be so amenable to a kid. They ran into many people who lived in the world of Rivers and Lakes. Those familiar with the Twelve Zodiac kept their distance and avoided them; those who didn’t recognize them steered clear after seeing their abnormal appearance. No one wanted to make trouble. But after passing south of the Wall in the eastern Loess Plateau, Minnow noticed that while most people still kept away, there was a growing number of people who followed them. These men tailed them everywhere. They looked respectful and they didn’t say a word; it didn’t seem at all like they had any intentions of causing trouble. Minnow looked at Bovin and Capra. Their expressions looked exactly the same— did they not notice? Minnow didn’t say anything. In the evening they found a hotel. “Spicy mala chicken with some hard liquor really makes you sweat, but gives you a lot of energy.” “Yeah, spicy chicken and liquor is excellent,” laughed Bovin, “Great combination.” Normally Minnow had to simply open his mouth and those two would go fetch it. They still acted polite, but today they didn’t move an inch. Minnow waited a moment and asked, “If it’s so excellent, why don’t you go get some?” “We don’t need to get anything from now on,” said Bovin.

!228 “If you don’t get it, are you expecting me to?” “We wouldn’t dream of it!” protested Capra. “If we don’t go get it, and we don’t tell the innkeeper to, is the food just going to fall from the sky?” “Just wait and see!” chuckled Bovin. Minnow was pacing the room when he heard three knocks on the door. He yanked the door open. No one was there. But a large serving tray was waiting on the ground. On it were plates of mala chicken, twice-cooked pork, chilled vegetables, fish with bean paste, a large pot of chicken soup, and a jug of liquor. The fragrance alone told him it was exactly what he asked for. Minnow blinked and laughed. “So you two have also mastered the art of telekinesis.” “We didn’t bring that here with our minds, we had our progenies get it for us,” said Bovin. “Oh!” “Didn’t you see all those people who were walking behind us all day?” asked Capra. “And I thought it was you two who didn’t see them.” “Those guys are our worthy progenies,” laughed Bovin. “Ah, so those are your students.” “Students my ass, I don’t even recognize them.” “If you don’t recognize them, why would they follow you?” “The Twelve Zodiac only goes to where big business happens; everyone in the world of Rivers and Lakes knows that. Those guys can’t make any deals themselves, so they just follow us around. We only move precious valuables, never gold or silver. If they’re always chasing our asses, eventually they might get a little something.” “The local black market dealers always put on a big welcome,” explained Capra, “And if anything rustles the grass, we never need to go check it out ourselves; there’s always someone who’ll come inform us.” Minnow clapped. “No wonder the Twelve Zodiac rarely moves, but when they do, they always get what they want. You don’t have countless members, you’re overflowing with hidden disciples.” “But they’ll be disappointed this time. They wasted their money on all this stuff and won’t see anything for it,” laughed Bovin. Capra joined his laughter. “They chose to do this on their own. No reason for us to hold back. Let’s enjoy ourselves.” Their boisterous laughter masked their soft speech. South of the Wall was much more agreeable. Whenever they wanted something, they simply had to speak a little louder and in no time, someone delivered it. After passing the Wall, Minnow had stopped moving eastward and began traveling southwest, straight toward Mount Emei. He appeared familiar with the roads; whenever they reached a new town, he asked the name of it and he knew which way to head next. He never asked directions from his two companions. The scenery here was a large contrast from the deserts outside the Wall. Minnow walked with a skip in his step. He couldn’t get enough of the strong liquor and spicy food. One day, Minnow snuck out by himself and didn’t come back until late.

!229 Neither Bovin nor Capra asked where he went and Minnow didn’t offer anything. The next day, again without a word, he left in the evening. The same happened for three days. Minnow didn’t say he was leaving and they didn’t ask; they were truly faithful to Minnow. It appeared as though Mawli still struck fear into their hearts, even after remaining in the shadows for many years. The reputation of the top ten criminals was not something to take lightly. At midnight on the third day, Minnow walked around the market alone. He saw a few people from the world of Rivers and Lakes in every bar and restaurant. Nine out of ten were drowning their sorrows in alcohol; there was no boisterous laughter, not even so much as a whisper. Minnow didn’t recognize any of them. Were they part of the criminal underworld? Or on the side of righteousness? Were they famous heroes? Or nameless pawns? Minnow didn’t want to ask. Some men with topknots walked down the street; their swords were long and thin, their faces unusually haughty. They paid no attention to anyone on the street but would then sometimes cast glares, taking stock of others. They appeared to simply be strolling through the market, but their faces were too imposing. Minnow guessed these Taoists must be students in the Emei sect. The speed and ferocity of the Emei swordsmen were unparalleled. They all walked around with their noses in the air; after all, they were at the heart of their territory, Mount Emei. If they wanted to draw attention to themselves and make the rounds glowering at people, they could. Who was going to stop them? Minnow made a full circle around the market. He bought a bag of incense, stopped at a food vendor near the western gate to pick up a half order of braised tendons and an order of braised beef, and then made his way back to the hotel. A full table of food awaited him. Bovin and Capra were sitting there quietly waiting. The food was mostly cold; they hadn’t touched their chopsticks. Minnow laughed, “You two have been cooped up here like old ladies the past few days. The streets are pretty lively, don’t you two want to go look around?” “Sure, we wouldn’t mind,” said Bovin, bitterly, “But in Emei, with our reputations, it’s better to stay indoors and drink peacefully.” “Are those Emei sect guys really that good?” Bovin sighed and raised his glass. “Let’s not talk about them. Come, let’s drink. A toast to you.” Minnow opened the two bags of braised meat. “I heard the soup this vendor uses is over twenty years old, so everything they stew tastes incredible. Try some.” “But we have all this food our little progenies brought us, you don’t need to go buy your own food.” “It’s good to try new things.” “Well, I won’t refuse anything you offer me,” said Capra as he picked up a piece of beef. He raved about the taste while he chewed. By the time he swallowed, Bovin had already eaten five pieces. Minnow drank two glasses of liquor. He wasn’t drunk, but he was more interested in celebrating. “I guess those Emei swordsmen are quite impressive. People from the world of Rivers and Lakes are even afraid to open their mouths. I’d like to test their skill sometime.”

!230 “Those Emei wimps would scatter in fear once you raise your hand,” laughed Bovin. Capra was eyeing the bag of incense and asked, “Are you really planning on climbing Mount Emei?” “I’d wanted to go with you two to get you out of this room. But since you don’t want to show your faces, I’ll just have to go by myself.” “When are you going up the mountain?” asked Bovin. “Tomorrow morning.” “Oh,” he signed, “It’s too bad you’ll have to reschedule your plans.” “Why do I need to reschedule?” Bovin looked at him and smiled. His smile soon became extremely unsettling. Capra laughed nefariously. “You little chicken shit. You still haven’t figured it out!” Minnow was taken aback. He slapped the table and stood up. “You old goat, you can’t—” His legs gave out and he fell to the ground before he could finish. “You should have it figured out by now,” squealed Capra. “You poisoned the liquor!” “We were worried we might not be able to fool you, so we drank from the same jug,” laughed Bovin, smugly. “We already took the antidote.” “Why? Why are you doing this?” “Did you really think we were at the Murong manor to steal their longevity pills?” chided Capra. “The medicine those bitches make aren’t worth the Twelve Zodiac’s time.” “To be honest, we went there looking for you.” “I’m afraid you’re the only one who knows where Naitan Yann’s treasure is hidden. In order to get you, Snake set up eyes around the Murong manor and sent us a carrier pigeon. We weren’t expecting the Murong girl to be gone when we arrived.” “But you stayed behind,” continued Bovin. “We searched everywhere but couldn’t find you. We burned down the house in our frustration.” “We didn’t see those two stone rooms until after the house was gone. Looks like you offended her somehow and got yourself locked in a water prison.” “Typical. That Murong girl is very temperamental.” Minnow sighed and groaned as he listened. “But why were you two the only ones there?” “We knew you had a lot of tricks,” chuckled Bovin. “If we forced you to tell us where the treasure is, you’d probably just come up with some crazy scheme. Even if you just spouted nonsense, we’d still have to follow you everywhere until you had a chance to escape. Wouldn’t that just be a waste?” “But Ox here figured that if you could go wherever you pleased, the first place you’d go would be to that treasure. So he came up with this plan to deceive you.” Minnow’s eyes widened; he looked to Bovin. “You thought of this?” “Shocking, isn’t it?”

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