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Chapter 2
Waiting to Strike a Stubborn Foe
—The most lamentable thing about a blind person was that everyone else could see that he was in danger, but he couldn’t see it himself.
Blind Cao’s eyes weren’t really blind, but you could say that he had eyes but failed to see.
His sabreplay could be twice as fast and he still would have had no chance to defeat Shen Qianxiao.
Xu Zuanming and Wu Qiying, who was hiding under the slabstone, could both see the gap left wide open in Blind Cao’s defenses.
Since Xu Zuanming and Wu Qiying could see it, Shen Qianxiao of course could see it too.
So Blind Cao could only attack with one chop. The second chop never came.
Because once his first strike chopped air, before the second strike could come, his left side suddenly felt a cold prick.
Blind Cao was horrified and shocked.
He knew that he had got a taste of a sword.
It was not his first time tasting it, but the other time it happened he was not stabbed in the midsection but in the thigh.
It hurt to get stabbed in the thigh, but it wasn’t fatal.
However, this time Blind Cao was not so lucky.
Shen Qianxiao’s swordplay seemed not to have been used at all.
Blind Cao stared at Shen Qianxiao in surprise, then looked at the sword in Zhen Qianxiao’s hand.
There was blood on the blade.
The blood had spurted out from his midsection.
X X X
Blind Cao’s breathing immediately quickened.
Shen Qianxiao didn’t add a second stab, because there was no need to.
One stab was enough to be fatal, why ruin it by overdoing it?
X X X
Another mountain breeze blew by.
Blood Spear Xu Zuanming’s expression was as ice-cold as snow.
The black-flag bearers were about to attack from his left and right to death with Shen Qianxiao.
But Xu Zuanming called for them to halt.
He smiled coldly. “I never imagined the lone runaway from the Ten Friends of Mount Huang’s swordplay would be even better than Daosenior Firenurture’s.”
Shen Qianxiao regarded him coldly. “Daosenior Firenurture was killed by you?”
Xu Zuanming shook his head.
Huangfu Ji, who had not opened his mouth to speak a single word up to now, nor moved a muscle, suddenly said flatly, “Daosenior Firenurture was killed by me.”
Shen Qianxiao looked at him.
“Who are you?”
“This old fellow is Huangfu Ji.”
“Huangfu Ji?” Shen Qianxiao coughed gently. “I never imagined Old demon Huangfu, known in former days as the Number One World in the World would hold the position of blackbelt protector in the Black Killer Gang.”
Huangfu Ji sneered, “An outstanding talent recognizes current trends, this old fellow, all things considered, is a bit smarter than Your Excellency.”
Shen Qianxiao regarded him coldly. “The Black Killer Gang has committed all sorts of outrages, and you’re the the gang chief’s headsman. Brother, you chose to a bloody assignment and you still have the nerve to call yourself smart?”
Huangfu Ji said, “Our generation has trained our martial arts hard for decades, if we don’t do any interesting things, wouldn’t that be unfair to ourselves? Wouldn’t it be letting down the successive generations of our sect?”
Shen Qianxiao nearly had steam coming out of his nose.
Huangfu Ji suddenly sighed. “It’s as they say, everyone has their own aspirations, they can’t be imposed. Daosenior Firenurture really was killed by this old fellow. If you want to avenge him, go ahead.”
Shen Qianxiao didn’t attack Huangfu Ji.
Because just at that moment, Xu Zuanming was already advancing on him step by step with his blood-reeking iron spear pointed tip down.
X X X
Shen Qianxiao’s expression suddenly went from excited to calm,
He had never seen Xu Zuanming before and had never seen his iron spear, but he knew his adversary was a very fearful person.
His spear could unleash a sudden fatal blow at any moment.
Xu Zuanming suddenly gave Shen Qianxiao a very strange smile.
He was smiling.
But Shen Qianxiao’s expression was like a block of wood.
He didn’t move, he didn’t even turn his gaze to Xu Zuanming.
It was like he thought of Xu Zuanming as nothing more than a fly.
People hate flies, but aside from being a bit dirty, that kind of thing wasn’t fatal.
But was Xu Zuanming really a “fly”?
X X X
If Xu Zuanming was a fly, then this fly was maybe a hundred times more ferocious than a tiger in the forest.
Tigers were ferocious, but how could they match Xu Zuanming’s iron spear.
His iron spear was not only ferocious, it was as diabolic as could be.
For anyone who offended this blood spear, the consequences would be “unimaginably” terrifying.
He advanced step by step toward Shen Qianxiao.
He suddenly coldly asked Shen Qianxiao, “Where is King Wu?”
X X X
Where was King Wu?
Lil Leopard obviously knew.
But he was still remaining silent in the tunnel. No one knew of his and Wu Qiying’s existence.
Xu Zuanming was asking Shen Qianxiao in order to find out King Wu’s whereabouts.
But Shen Qianxiao only shook his head.
In fact, he really didn’t know where King Wu was, and even if he did, he would never say it.
Xu Zuanming was silent for a long time, then said slowly, “You’re very intelligent, exhausting every method to make King Wu the martial world alliance head.”
Lil Leopard grinned at this.
Wu Qiying grinned as well, without a trace of surprise on his face.
Lil Leopard whispered, “Uncle, are you really the martial world alliance head?”
Wu Qiying used ant speech messaging to whisper back, “Yes, but I was forced into it.”1
Lil Leopard was stunned. “The position of martial world alliance head is coveted by who knows how many people, yet you were somehow forced into it?”
Wu Qiying smiled faintly. “There are certain kinds of people who liked to boost their friends up high.”
Lil Leopard was surprised. “The old uncle called Shen Qianxiao is your friend?”
Wu Qiying smiled faintly and still used ant speech messaging to reply, “He’s not only my friend, he’s also my enemy.”
Lil Leopard scratched his neck.
He didn’t know what Wu Qiying was talking about.
But he didn’t ask any further, because just then the air in Rivers & Lakes Loft was so tense it was suffocating.
Lil Leopard suddenly realized he really was suffocating.
X X X
Lil Leopard didn’t suffocate.
Suffocating led to death, but Lil Leopard’s breathing continued as before.
It was just that his body suddenly couldn’t move a muscle.
He stood there blankly in the dark tunnel.
He knew that his acupoints had been sealed.
The one who had sealed his twenty major acupoints of course was Wu Qiying.
Lil Leopard was’s scared, and he wasn’t angry, he was just surprised.
He knew what Wu Qiying was up to in sealing his acupoints.
Clearly, Wu Qiying was getting ready to step in and help Shen Qianxiao, but he was afraid that Lil Leopard would rush out into danger, so he first sealed his acupoints.
With a stern voice, Wu Qiying whispered in Lil Leopard’s ear, “Stay put!”
Lil Leopard inwardly smiled wryly.
Now even if eighty big mosquitoes bit him he would be unable to reach up and swat them away.
Wu Qiying said, “In four double-hours your acupoints will release on their own, then you’ll be back to normal.”
Lil Leopard once again smiled wryly to himself.
Not being able to move for four double-hours was a hard thing to endure, but he didn’t blame Wu Qiying. He understood that Wu Qiying had good intentions.
He never wanted him to take any risks.
X X X
Shen Qianxiao could be said to be the last remaining master of the Mount Huang School.
If his swordplay was only as good as Daosenior Firenurture’s, then he was definitely no match for Xu Zuanming and Huangfu Ji.
Either Xu Zuanming or Huangfu Ji were enough by themselves to put Daosenior Firenurture to death.
In fact, Daosenior Firenurture was killed by Huangfu Ji.
X X X
The wind was a bit cold.
A pressing murderous aura filled the air.
Shen Qianxiao’s sword was out.
His eyes revealed murderous intent.
Outside the Lotus Parlor, there was a bead curtain.
The bead curtain looked nice, but Shen Qianxiao suddenly cut a backhanded slash and the first string of beads was cut off.
Xu Zuanming smiled coldly. “Looks like your swordplay is not at all inferior to Daosenior Firenurture’s.”
Shen Qianxiao gently stroked the sword blade. “But he’s dead. No point in mentioning a dead man.”
Xu Zuanming said coldly, “What you say makes sense. In that case, starting today, this protector will never again mention your name.”
His words weren’t cryptic. Everyone could easily tell what he meant.
Shen Qianxiao laughed. “Protector Xu’s meaning is that this old fellow will become a dead man today?”
Xu Zuanming suddenly cackled.
His laugh didn’t sound like a laugh but like a malicious ghost wailing in the night. The sound of it made one’s hair stand on end.
While making that hair-raising laugh, Xu Zuanming’s Blood Spear nearly stabbed Shen Qianxiao’s heart.
It was truly an awe-inspiring thrust.
The speartip wasn’t dazzling, but it was indescribably sharp.
Sharp enough to destroy anything, and enough to kill the vast majority of martial world masterhands.
Though he was laughing terribly, when he struck he put all his latent internal force into his spear thrust.
He didn’t underestimate Shen Qianxiao.
At the same time, he didn’t forget the Black Killer Gang chief’s promise.
X X X
“Whoever brings me the body of Shen Qianxiao will receive transmission of this gang’s Three Move Palm Technique.”
“Those who don’t wish to learn the Three Move Palm Technique can receive 5,000 taels of gold instead.”
That was the Black Killer Gang chief’s promise.
His promise was like an imperial edict from the majestic thearch himself, he would never go back on his word.
In the Black Killer Gang, the chief’s position was transcendent.
He was like a god.
A forever invincible, forever never to be toppled god.
In the Black Killer Gang, no one aside from “Gutripper Gou” would dare to disobey his wishes.
Xu Zuanming would definitely not forget the Black Killer Gang chief’s promise.
For him it was a huge lure.
Xu Zuanming was not moved by the prospect of 5,000 taels of gold.
He often liked to bet a few hands if he had 5,000 taels of gold, he would for sure gamble to his heart’s content.
But even more enticing than 5,000 taels of gold was the Black Killer Gang chief’s Three Move Palm Technique.
Xu Zuanming was famous in the jianghu for his Blood Spear, but he also practiced internal force palm strike arts.
His palm technique was not inferior to his spearplay, but it was nowhere near as good as the Black Killer Gang chief’s.
If he could acquire the chief’s Three Move Palm Technique, then he could overpower Huangfu Ji.
Xu Zuanming and Huangfu Ji were both venerated blackbelt protectors of the Black Killer Gang, but in reality, they looked to be in harmony with each other but were actually at variance.
They always vied to render meritorious service.
On the surface they worked together, but internally lay hidden limitless danger.
The Black Killer Gang chief’s promise was heard by Huangfu Ji as well.
Huangfu Ji didn’t care about the chief’s reward of learning the Three Move Palm Technique.
He was already old, it didn’t make much difference whether he learned the Three Move Palm Technique or not.
But a reward of 5,000 taels of gold made Huangfu Ji’s heart pound.
When Huangfu Ji was eighteen he sword off gambling. He would have nothing to do with it anymore.
But he liked women.
A man enjoying playing around with women was a common thing, but Huangfu Ji was more lustful than most. Even though he was already very old, he still fooled around with a lot of women.
In Huangfu Ji younger days he had been as handsome as Pan An,2 so naturally he had more romantic encounters than he could count.
But he was old now.
Aside from using the “gold & silver tactic”, he lacked his former power to attract women.
Gambling certainly costs money, but you can win or lose.
But when a man really goes all out to go play around with women, and he uses the “gold & silver tactic”, the expense naturally is considerable.
Therefore, for the past ten years, Huangfu Ji had drawn a hefty salary in the gang, he spent it all on women.
What he needed now was not the Three Move Palm Technique, but 5,000 taels of gold.
X X X
Even though Huangfu Ji really wanted to get that 5,000 taels of gold, he was not vying to be first to attack.
He had decided to give Xu Zuanming an opportunity.
This opportunity might make it so that Xu Zuanming won the reward, but it also might get him killed in Rivers & Lakes Loft.
Could Xu Zuanming kill Shen Qianxiao?
As Huangfu Ji saw it, he had a chance, but only a three-tenths chance at best.
In other words, in his estimation, it didn’t look good for Xu Zuanming.
But even if Xu Zuanming was losing, he would never step in to help.
These two blackbelt protectors were always scheming against each other. If Xu Zuanming was killed by Shen Qianxiao’s sword, that would be just fine by Huangfu Ji.
X X X
Xu Zuanming’s Blood Spear had stabbed countless martial world masterhands in the heart.
The first thrust he made at Shen Qianxiao was a move he’d been training hard for more than twenty years, called “Flying Fish Pierces the Waves Life-Snatching Killstroke”.
This spearplay move wasn’t too difficult to learn. It would only take anyone about three days for them to become skilled in using this move.
Even so, to truly appreciate this move’s essence was very difficult.
On the surface, this spear thrust was purely and attack move.
To those who didn’t understand the finer points of this spearplay move would only attack, but would never defend.
But in fact, this spear move could not only be used to attack, it could be used to defend as well.
If this spear move could only be used to attack and not to defend, then Xu Zuanming would be dead already.
X X X
The Blood Spear unleashed a stone-shattering, sky-smashing shock.
But Shen Qianxiao’s sword just made a leisurely turn in the air.
By the looks of it, he seemed unaware that Xu Zuanming’s Blood Spear had nearly stabbed him in the heart.
But the swing of his sword was just right to clang against Xu Zuanming’s speartip and knock it away.
The spear was called the Overlord of Weapons. This spear thrust’s momentum and power were astonishing, but Shen Qianxiao just lightly used his sword to knock it away. That was really shocking.
Xu Zuanming immediately raised his spear with a clang and once again stabbed at Shen Qianxiao’s chest.
This thrust was the genuine Yue Family Spearplay.
Xu Zuanming was vicious and fiendish, but now using the Yue Family Spearplay, it surprising had an air of conquering spirit and sweeping power.
One spear thrust, then another.
Xu Zuanming loosed eight jabs in succession, seven of which were the Yue Family Spearplay.
But when he got to the eighth thrust, he once again used the “Flying Fish Pierces the Waves Life-Snatching Killstroke”.
Back and forth, over and over, he still had the utmost confidence in this spearplay move.
However, his spear stabbed air.
Xu Zuanming’s face suddenly sank.
Shen Qianxiao, clearly in front of him, somehow managed to end up behind him.
Splotch!
Xu Zuanming heard a sound that made him immediately wet his pants.
He never imagined a time would come where he would get so scared he pissed himself.
This was the first time in his life, and it would also be the last.
X X X
The splotch that Xu Zuanming heard was the sound of a sword piercing his heart.
Normally he really liked that sound, because piercing someone else’s heart to him was a real exciting treat.
However, now it was “too exciting”, because this time the heart pierced was his own.
X X X
Xu Zuanming and Blind Cao fell one after the other to Shen Qianxiao’s sword.
The black-flag bearers looked the most nervous.
Besides these two blackbelt killers, the other blackbelt protector, Huangfu Ji, was clenching his teeth in boundless grief and indignation.
Huangfu Ji was an old fox like that.
Inwardly he was pleasantly cool, he acted as if he was sad and indignant.
The black-flag bearers had their weapons out, ready to fight Shen Qianxiao to the death at any moment.
They were the Black Killer Gang’s loyal faithful.
Huangfu Ji was inwardly surprised and delighted.
He was delighted because the splinter in his eye had been pulled out for him, but now he was faced with another problem, which was how to deal with Shen Qianxiao.
If he could capture or kill Shen Qianxiao by himself, that would be an outstanding achievement, but Shen Qianxiao’s swordplay made him hesitant.
The Mount Huang School’s Daosenior Firenurture’s swordplay was not as good as Shen Qianxiao’s.
But Huangfu Ji didn’t know just how much better Shen Qianxiao’s swordplay was than Daosenior Firenurture’s.
Huangfu Ji didn’t know why, but the Black Killer Gang’s chief knew clearly.
Who was the Black Killer Gang’s chief?
Where was he right now?
X X X
To look at him, the Black Killer Gang chief didn’t seem so mighty and powerful.
He wasn’t that short, but he was a bit shorter than average.
He was not only a bit short, he was s bit skinnier as well.
Though he’d never had any physical ailments, he was always reclining on a soft couch.
His eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s, but his hands were slender and pale, not the least bit like the hands of a killer.
He’d already dispatched the black-flag bearers and two blackbelt protectors to deal with Shen Qianxiao, but he was still not at ease.
Therefore, after Xu Zuanming and Huangfu Ji led a contingent of men to go after Shen Qianxiao, he used a homing pigeon to send a missive ordering the Black Killer Gang’s crack elite masters to convene at Black Killer Gang headquarters.
The Black Killer Gang’s headquarters had always been a big secret. No one outside of Black Killer Gang members knew where it was.
If this secret leaked out, everyone in the martial world would be surprised for sure.
Turns out the Black Killer Gang headquarters was located below Mount Huang’s Purple Empyrean Palace.
The Purple Empyrean Palace was a restricted area of the Mount Huang School. No one except for the sectmaster, the Eight Daoists, and the Ten Friends could enter.
Because the Purple Empyrean Palace’s loft was where the Mount Huang School kept its martial arts manuals and its five extremely rare precious swords.
The Five Superb Swords of Mount Huang had always been the treasures of the Mount Huang School, but every since Mount Huang’s Five Superb Daoists passed away eighty years ago, the five swords had ceased to appear in the jianghu.
The Five Superb Daoists were not one person but five.
Their swordplay was said to have reached the the most sublime realm of perfection in the entire school’s history from the time it was founded all the way through the successive generations.
No one doubted this.
Because when the Five Superb Daoists were alive they really did accomplish a number of heaven-and-earth-shaking feats. For thirty—five years from the time they finished their training and together and roamed the jianghu, they were only defeated once.
They were defeated by Shaolin Monastery’s Greatmaster Three Wonder’s staff.
Eighty years ago, Greatmaster Three Wonders was the greatest extraordinary talent in the jianghu. His palm technique, staffplay, and lightness skill could be said to be invincible.
The Five Superb Daoists of Mount Huang lost, but it wasn’t a bad look. The five of them lost to Greatmaster Three Wonders by only half a move.
The Five Superb Daoists of Mount Huang were so venerated, but even just losing by half a move was still a loss.
They didn’t deny it but conceded at once.
This matter received widespread acclaim throughout the jianghu. No one felt that the Five Superb Daoists’ defeat was a dishonorable thing. On the contrary, people of the jianghu deeply admired the Five Superb Daoists of Mount Huang’s bearing.
X X X
The Purple Empyrean Palace was a restricted area in the Mount Huang School. Not to mention anyone else, even the Mount Huang disciples could not step one foot inside.
But the Black Killer Gang chief was infinitely resourceful and actually dug a big cave underneath the Purple Empyrean Palace which became the Black Killer Gang’s headquarters.
Once the headquarters was established, the chief ordered an immediate assault on the Mount Huang School.
This was a shocking affair.
But the Mount Huang School had no idea, not even when they the school was met with unprecedented disaster, they still didn’t know about it.
Now the Black Killer Gang chief’s biggest worry was the absconded Daosenior Deficient North.
Daosenior Deficient North’s swordplay was the best in the Mount Huang School, even better than Daosenior Firenurture’s.
Why?
In fact the position of Mount Huang sectmaster ought to have gone to Daosenior Deficient North.
But Daosenior Deficient North had no interest at all in the position. He seemed to be getting more and more deranged, but actually he had taken flight on purpose so that others wouldn’t think highly of him.
His swordplay was of course much better than the nine of the Ten Friends, but he gave people the impression that his martial arts was really sloppy and average.
Why did Daosenior Deficient North do all this?
No one else knew, but Daosenior Firenurture knew very well.
Daosenior Deficient North had a heavy responsibility. He intentionally pretended to be crazy and always was roaming all over the jianghu, but he was actually looking for five naturally talented disciples so they could learn the Five Superb Daoists’ Five Superb Soulsnatcher Sword Formation.
Daosenior Deficient North wasn’t doing this of his own accord, but was following the dying wish of the Five Superb Daoists.
Of course, when the Five Superb Daoists passed away, Daosenior Deficient North had not even been born yet, but they had entrusted this important task to Daosenior Bitterbuddy to handle.
Daosenior Bitterbuddy was Daosenior Deficient North’s master.
Daosenior Bitterbuddy spent decades trying to fulfill the Five Superb Daoists’ dying wish before he found five suitable candidates, Daosenior Deficient North being one of them.
Daosenior Deficient North was not originally a Daoist, but he willingly became a renunciate in order to learn the sword.
But one of the others who Daosenior Bitterbuddy found was not willing to become a Daoist.
Daosenior Bitterbuddy didn’t force him.
The other three were already Daoists.
The five of them assembled and Daosenior Bitterbuddy could have transmitted the Five Superb Soulsnatching Sword Formation to them, but just then, Daosenior Bitterbuddy suddenly was ambushed and killed by a poisoned needle.
The other three Daoists were also killed.
The one who wasn’t willing to become a Daoist mysteriously went missing.
Most aggravating of all, the Five Superb Soulsnatching Sword manual was also lost.
Before Daosenior Bitterbuddy died, he told the murderer’s name to Daosenior Deficient North.
It was the one who didn’t want to become a Daoist—surname Peng, given name Zeng.
Peng Zeng was a bit younger than Daosenior Deficient North.
But his heart was more venomous than a snake or scorpion.
Now, he was the chief of the Black Killer Gang.
X X X
Peng Zeng had obtained the Five Superb Soulsnatching Sword manual, but he still hadn’t mastered the Five Superb Soulsnatching Sword Formation.
Because in besides the sword manual, he also needed the secret Five Superb Soulsnatching Sword Formation manual in order to be able to form the sword formation.
Before Daosenior Bitterbuddy died, he quietly recited the sword manual to Daosenior Deficient North and had him make a copy of it.
But Daosenior Bitterbuddy had only recited a little more than half before he couldn’t hold out anymore and died at Daosenior Deficient North’s feet.
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Notes
- Ant speech messaging, 蟻語傳聲, is a method of communication using one’s internal force to project one’s voice over distance so that only the intended target hears it. There are other names for this skill. This particular term is commonly found in Zhuge Qingyun’s novels. Possibly he created this term, though it’s hard to say for sure.
- Pan An 潘安, aka Pan Yue 潘岳, Western Jin poet known for his good looks. Calling someone Pan An is like calling a handsome man an Adonis.