Sharing Honor and Disgrace - Part One (Newly Revised)
Typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, hail, thunderstorms, avalanches, black winds, and mudslides.
The nine malevolent swords, whose craftsmanship remains unknown, have been named after natural disasters since their creation. Unlike the Shattered Star Sword passed down in the He family, these nine swords are not only coveted but also inspire awe.
Of those who obtain the Cursed Heart Sword, six or seven out of ten are transformed by its power. However, eight or nine out of ten suffer mental breakdowns and become possessed by its power.
Only one in ten thousand geniuses has the chance to glimpse the threshold of sword mastery.
Liu Langxian spent his entire life searching for these few unparalleled divine swords. Especially after losing that competition, his desire for the Calamity Sword reached an unprecedented peak.
The final stretch from Sword Forging City back to Wuling is an avenue lined with apricot trees on both sides. Some say it leads to "happiness," taking advantage of the homonym of "apricot" in Chinese.
Many first-time visitors from the north and west exit Wuling through the South Gate, just to walk this avenue. If family or friends have been here before, they will definitely lead those who haven't been to take a detour, passing through the "Happiness" Avenue and entering Wuling from the South Gate. Entering and exiting through the "Happiness" Avenue, and then going to the Peace Temple to pray for blessings, no one would refuse to do something that doubles the joy.
In Wuling, when there is a happy occasion in early spring, the wedding procession often exits through the west gate, then circles around to the south gate, taking the bride along this avenue lined with blooming white apricot blossoms. It's common for several wedding processions to meet at this time of year. Fortunately, the "Happiness" avenue is wide enough to accommodate everyone.
Unfortunately, the bride cannot lift either the veil or the sedan chair curtain. Whether it's a "blessing avenue" adorned with flowers or one where petals flutter in the breeze, it can only exist in the bride's imagination. The apricot blossoms have a very short blooming period; by the time the bride returns as a married woman, they have often already faded.
Liu Langxian had never been interested in things that were artificially imbued with meaning, and he couldn't even explain why he was somewhat averse to them. However, this time he was a little angry and only wanted to get back quickly, so he didn't care about his unease.
After resting at the last inn along the way, Liu Langxian was about to set off. From here, one could already see scattered apricot trees, their branches dotted with pure white blossoms.
Liu Langxian mounted his horse and rode towards the apricot tree. It was a day with little sunshine, and the wind stung his face.
The further we went, the more apricot trees there were. The blossoms were no longer scattered, but clustered together on the branches. Birds with brown and white plumage flitted lightly among the flowers.
The sweet fragrance gradually intensified, permeating the lungs. Both Liu Langxian's mind and the horse's gait became lighter, the clatter of hooves mingling with the joyful chirping of birds among the flowers.
However, this joyful singing was quickly overshadowed by an even greater delight. From afar, Liu Langxian could see the red roof of the bridal sedan chair.
There were two bridal sedan chairs, one for each of the two families, lined up on either side of the road. A thin layer of pure white petals covered the road, like snow. The crowd, beating gongs and drums, moved forward on the fragrant snow.
As the red roof of the bridal sedan chair became clearer, the sounds of horses' hooves and birdsong in Liu Langxian's ears were replaced by deafening drum music. The only constant was the speed at which the apricot trees on both sides receded, their petals scattering in the air like drifting snowflakes, as Liu Langxian rode his galloping horse through them.
There was plenty of space between the wedding processions of the two families, and Liu Langxian still felt overwhelmed with joy.
Having emerged from this ocean of joy and smiles, Liu Langxian spotted a small black dot on the roadside in the distance, seemingly waving at her.
After running a little further, Liu Langxian tightened the reins, and the horse slowly pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.
"Oh dear, Senior is back." Pei Jiangxi was dressed in a simple black dress, with only a few white apricot blossoms embroidered on the hem.
"You brat, you tricked me into running this errand for you again." Liu Langxian deliberately emphasized his tone, but his anger had actually subsided considerably along the way.
Pei Jiangxi said cheerfully, "I won't let you come for nothing."
"You took that Spirit Gathering Jade Cauldron too, didn't you? How despicable." Liu Langxian pulled on the reins, maintaining a distance that allowed him to see Pei Jiangxi at the best possible level.
"You noticed that too?" Pei Jiangxi scratched her head sheepishly and argued, "How can this be considered immoral? I was just teaching people how to fish."
"I think it's like giving a man a fish," Liu Langxian said with a hateful look at Pei Jiangxi. "The Spirit Gathering Jade Cauldron uses people as sacrifices. Isn't that why you tricked me into going there to teach that kid how to forge swords?"
Pei Jiangxi took a step back, leaned against the back of the white horse she had ridden, and said seriously, "I don't understand what human sacrifice means."
"Don't pretend to be innocent after getting the benefit." Liu Langxian laughed and scolded Pei Jiangxi for playing dumb. "Don't bother me with these kinds of despicable things in the future. If you're really unhappy, I might as well kill him with my sword."
“Little Pei really doesn’t understand.” Pei Jiangxi said as she reached into the saddlebag on the white horse beside her, took out a palm-sized scroll, and waved it, saying, “Look what I got for you.”
Liu Langxian glanced at it, and his eyes, which had been full of complaints, suddenly brightened, and his composed demeanor crumbled instantly. He dismounted and strode over eagerly, his hand trembling as he held the scroll in Pei Jiangxi's hand, remaining silent for a long time.
“It’s the one you’re thinking of,” Pei Jiangxi said mysteriously, putting her hand to her mouth.
Liu Langxian reached out his hand to Pei Jiangxi, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Just then, the wedding procession caught up, and the surging waves swept over them once more. Pei Jiangxi looked with satisfaction at Liu Langxian, who was frozen in place, and then at the wedding procession moving through the rain of flowers.
The girl in the bridal sedan chair secretly lifted the curtain and looked out at the world. The bride-to-be nervously peered out, her round eyes blinking, filled with the reflection of the apricot blossoms. She curiously observed the young man and woman among the apricot trees: Pei Jiangxi with black hair and dressed in black, and Liu Langxian with white hair and dressed in white.
What a brave girl. Pei Jiangxi thought to herself, and smiled at the girl.
The bride timidly lowered the curtain and hid back in the sedan chair.
The sounds of gongs and drums faded into the distance, leaving behind a carpet of petals like stars on the ground, and the branches of the apricot trees seemed to be adorned with festive cheer. A refreshing fragrance filled the air.
“This is the ‘List of Cursed Swords’.” Liu Langxian swallowed hard. The sound of gongs and drums seemed to still linger in his ears, mixed with his heartbeat, making it difficult for him to hear Pei Jiangxi’s voice clearly.
He clearly saw Pei Jiangxi open her mouth, but he didn't hear anything.
"Is this the 'List of Cursed Swords'?" he asked again.
Liu Langxian took the scroll handed to him, eagerly unfolded it, and said happily, "It really wasn't for nothing that I spoiled you."
“The closest one is in the Burial Sword Gorge,” Pei Jiangxi said. “That way you will have four ‘Malice Swords’.”
“Okay, okay,” Liu Langxian replied.
“The map is right below the scroll,” Pei Jiangxi reminded him.
Liu Langxian then noticed that along with the scroll, a piece of parchment depicting a map of Peach Blossom Spring had also been handed over.
Pei Jiangxi suggested, "Why don't we walk the entire 'Happiness Avenue' before we go?"
Liu Langxian withdrew his gaze from the scroll, looked at Pei Jiangxi with a complicated expression, and said, "I really can't understand you."
*
Nana and Xiang Wugang emerged from the magnificent waterfall, the thunderous roar of the water still chasing after them.
Xiang Wu held a turquoise-inlaid sword in his left hand, a gift from Pei Jiangxi after the turmoil in Wuling City. His right hand was held out, holding up a thin golden shield that blocked all the flying water droplets. Lin Zhenna stretched out her hand and felt a few water droplets splashing from the waterfall.
"You didn't get wet, did you?" Xiang asked indifferently.
"Thanks to you." Nana turned around and looked behind her. A waterfall, like cotton gauze, cascaded down from the sky, as if pearl powder had been scattered from the gauze. Fine, white mist filled the canyon. Nana couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity."
As the golden barrier dissipated, a refreshing mist washed over his face. Following Lin Zhenna's gaze, clumps of mist danced and mingled between the two natural cliffs.
The hazy, indistinct view is quite pleasing to the eye.
“Then we can walk back next time,” Xiang replied without hesitation.
As they were pondering, two large birds, their broad wings outstretched, burst forth from the misty spray and flew overhead. Nana's eyes followed the birds' flight path. She said, "Let's go."
The two followed the large bird's silhouette, continuing forward along the river. Gradually, the sounds behind them faded, replaced by the gentle murmur of flowing water. More and more longswords lay scattered on the ground.
“Look, there’s horse manure here.” Xiang Wu squatted down, picked up the broken sword next to him, and poked at it. “Someone was here before us.”
They were round, dark-colored lumps with a faint greenish tinge. But they had almost no smell.
"You have excellent eyesight," Nana exclaimed.
Xiang Wu proudly said, "When we came out of the tower, I often looked at the horse manure to make sure the pursuers had reached the front and blocked our way."
Nana was silent for a moment, watching Xiang Wu's retreating figure, and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
Xiang Wu turned his head and saw Nana smiling at him. He said, "Thanks to you, we were able to escape."
Xiang Wu tossed the broken sword aside, stood up, and casually asked, "How's your injury?"
"Thanks to the daily medicinal baths from the Pavilion Master, I'm feeling much better," said Lin Zhenna.
"I thought you had really lost your martial arts skills."
“It really is.” With that, Nana reached out and grasped the hilt of a Seven Star Sword, half-pierced into the ground. She clenched her teeth, trying several times but failing to pull it out. Frustrated, Nana could only continue walking forward, hoping to find some longer swords that weren't so deeply embedded.
Xiang Wu deliberately slowed his pace, walked around behind Lin Zhenna, and stood in front of the Seven Star Sword. Xiang Wu grasped the hilt with his right hand and easily drew the Seven Star Sword. He looked at Lin Zhenna's back in surprise.
"The sect leader said that my inability to use martial arts is not a problem with 'Yan Yu Ci,' but because Master has placed a restriction on our sword hearts." Lin Zhenna found another bull-headed double-grooved longsword, which was three-tenths of an inch deep in the ground. She took a deep breath and exerted force, and the sword quickly loosened, but after several attempts, she still could not pull it out completely.
Elephant caught up from behind and handed the Seven Star Sword to Lin Zhenna.
Nana took the longsword, swung it twice in the air, and said breathlessly, "If you lose your virginity, your sword heart will be sealed, and you will naturally be unable to use martial arts."
"Why do you do such a thing?" Xiang Wu asked, puzzled.
Nana caught her breath and performed another complete sword move, beads of sweat already sliding down her temples. Xiang Wu quickly went over and took the longsword.
"To prevent the martial arts from being passed on to outsiders," Lin Zhenna replied breathlessly, "to master 'Yan Yu Ci,' either the practitioner must possess pure Yin Qi, or a disciple must lead the exchange of sword hearts."
Xiang Wu was somewhat dissatisfied with this kind of distrust, which he found incomprehensible, and the way it was treated like a thief.
“Even with intentional guidance from a young age, it’s almost impossible for a man who practices martial arts to cultivate pure Yin Qi. It’s the same even if he becomes a eunuch.” Lin Zhenna rested one hand on her knee and patted Xiang Wu’s arm with the other, saying, “You’re because your body is full of my Qi.”
Sweat trickled down Nana's jawline, dripping onto the grayish-white stones on the ground. Looking down at the sweat stains on the stones, Nana was surprised at how weak she felt.
"Want to rest for a while?" Xiang Wu planted the Seven Star Sword back into the ground.
“Actually, I’d rather believe my master than her.” Nana recovered, her eyes showing some struggle.
"But she did lift the restrictions on Kenshin."
Nana recalled the scene before she went up Niushou Mountain: the night sky at the top of the mountain was like a blooming redbud tree. Han Yizhi told her that she was given a 'dispersing qi' technique that could only be used once, and that she should never use her light-body skills. She was to walk up the Hundred Steps Heavenly Ladder to Mashou Mountain.
"Don't use your light-footed skills. Walk slowly, even though it will be slower," Han Yizhi reminded him before he left.
Nana walked for about an hour and a half. The steep stone steps were a real ordeal for someone like her who was just recovering from a serious illness. Several times she tried to grab onto something, but all her efforts were in vain. There were chains on both sides of the stone steps for people to use as a support, but now they were far from their original positions because of the explosion at the Ping An Temple.
Above were endless staircases leading up to the summit, while below lay a near-vertical cliff. At the halfway point, descending became even more difficult than ascending, a daunting prospect for many. However, Nana never considered giving up; her sole aim from beginning to end was to reach the top.
Han Yizhi told her that there might be danger on the top of Niushou Mountain.
Nana never considered giving up, because Xiang Wu never gave up on her. Fortunately, the width of the steps was just right for her, exactly the length of a foot, so at least not half of her foot would be dangling in mid-air. She used her longsword as a walking stick and climbed upwards step by step.
The continuous explosions assaulted her eardrums, and the blood-red night sky constantly assaulted her eyes. In the end, Nana was practically using both hands and feet, constantly spitting out hair that was in her mouth, but she always remembered Han Ye-ji's instructions and preserved all her energy. Her ascent up the mountain became increasingly disheveled, but her heart grew ever more at peace.
With each drop of sweat that slid down her cheek, her understanding of sword techniques deepened. With every sway of the tree shadows, a dazzling array of sword moves could be seen filtering through the gaps in the leaves.
Finally, Nana climbed the last step and saw Xiangwu kneeling in a shallow pit in the ground, chanting scriptures with a devout expression.
In a daze, she seemed to see the golden, but somewhat dilapidated, Buddha statue at Senra Temple.
She heard: “Be your own protector, be your own support. If someone can tame you, it is like a charioteer taming a horse.”
The 'dispersed energy,' which had just been like a clear spring, began to surge and churn within Lin Zhenna's body like a raging torrent, engulfing the crowd in front of the Peace House.
No more, no less, Nana (Im Jin-ah) used exactly eight swords.
“She knows Yanyu Tower very well, down to every single move.” Nana said to Xiang Wu, “She even knows it better than I did at the time.”
"It seems that the Pavilion Master is using the swordsmanship of Yijian Mountain," Xiang Wu said.
“I have completely transferred my ‘form and energy’ to you. To be honest, I’m just an ordinary person with a sword heart now, and I can’t do anything.” Nana said, “The ‘dispersed energy’ she gave me that day was just enough for me to use each sword move once.”
Nana was a little scared and said, "It wasn't just the moves, it seems she already knew how many of my sword strikes I could make."
A dazzling pink appeared ahead, as if the sunset had fallen into a valley.
“We’ve arrived at Peach Grove,” Xiang Wu said happily. “The Pavilion Master said that once you cross Peach Grove, you will reach Peach Blossom Spring, where you can re-establish your ‘form and energy’.”
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