Chapter 19 (Second Update for V-Day): A Sacrifice of the White Blade Causes Ten Thousand Ghosts to Cry
Chapter 019 One Sacrifice of the White Blade, Ten Thousand Ghosts Weep
After Chief Escort Yang finished telling his story, Master He quietly finished his plate of scallion tofu, keeping the story's conclusion in mind.
It was delicious and very touching.
Especially when you get to know Yang Wei personally, and have witnessed his loyalty, courage, kindness, and deep affection, you'll appreciate even more the profound impact and emotion this simple and unpretentious dish can evoke...
"This is the most comforting and palatable dish I've eaten in nearly a year." Putting down his chopsticks, Old Master He's brow relaxed slightly as he spoke slowly.
Wang Sumo listened quietly, and the emotions brought on by the dish of scallion tofu had gradually subsided, and she slowly regained her composure.
Master He looked up at her and asked gently, "Does the Eight Treasures Pavilion require eight horses?"
Wang Sumo replied, "Eight horses. When on the road, the Eight Treasures Pavilion will be stored in a wooden box. It will only be raised when we stop in a spacious place. When the Eight Treasures Pavilion is raised, it will not be pulled by horses."
This is truly amazing.
He had indeed heard people talk about Bazhenlou before, but now that the owner of Bazhenlou was right in front of him, and the rumors about Bazhenlou had come true, he could clearly see the joy and longing in the old man's eyes.
Sure enough, Master He continued to ask, "Has the Eight Treasures Pavilion been to many places and seen many people and events in the martial arts world?"
Wang Sumo nodded again, responding gently, "I've met them. Happy ones, unhappy ones, joyful ones, sad ones, all sorts of experiences. Most of the time, I don't even know where I'll stop my carriage, where the Eight Treasures Pavilion will rise, so I don't know who I'll meet next, whether they'll be frail or dressed in fine clothes, what they've been through, what their circumstances are, or what kind of dish they want to try..."
Wang Sumo narrated in a gentle and detailed manner, as if a series of paintings were unfolding before one's eyes.
“There were lively, chivalrous swordsmen who would start talking excitedly as soon as they entered the Eight Treasures Restaurant; there were also calm and taciturn passersby who would quietly finish their meal, pay their money, and leave; and there were those who refused to leave after finishing their meal, only to be angrily swept away and kicked out by the old man…”
Master He smiled, immersed in this scene that perfectly blended the spirit of the martial world with the everyday life of ordinary people…
“…Therefore, the more places Bazhenlou has been, the more people and things it has seen in the martial arts world.” Wang Sumo sighed. “That’s why Bazhenlou doesn’t open its doors to customers, but only receives guests in the building. Once a precedent is set, there will be more trouble, and it will no longer be possible to quietly run Bazhenlou and travel all over the country with the old man.”
Old Master He nodded slowly and sighed softly, "It was Qingyun Manor that broke the rules."
In the heart of Master He, the daily life at Bazhenlou was a beautiful picture, but he never expected that he himself would be the one to destroy it.
"Tomorrow, let He Ping escort you down the mountain," said the upright and forthright Master He.
Wang Sumo smiled and said truthfully, "Actually, my visit to Qingyun Manor wasn't entirely because of Elder He's matter; it was my personal business. The Elder He took me to the top of Qingyun Mountain, a place that the Eight Treasures Pavilion couldn't reach. It was a worthwhile trip..."
Master He lowered his eyes and smiled. Talking to this girl never felt like it took too long or was boring.
Like a gentle spring breeze, just like right now.
Master He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said, "I heard from He Ping that Lao Qu is with you."
There was no surprise or panic in Wang Sumo's eyes. He Ping was the eldest disciple of Master Huo and was originally close to Master He.
Since He Ping recognized the Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand, he naturally wouldn't hide it from Master Huo and Old Master He. It wasn't surprising that Old Master He knew the old man was at the Eight Treasures Pavilion.
Moreover, the fact that Master He called him "Lao Qu" shows that he was familiar with him.
Even though the old man spoke awkwardly about Master He, there was a certain familiarity between them. Their relationship was probably not the "never seeing each other again" that the old man described. There was likely still a bond between them from years ago when they roamed the martial world together.
Years later, they rarely see each other anymore, and it seems they're still secretly competing with each other...
The old are like children, and so are the young.
They said they had a fight and things weren't going well, but they still talked about it every day.
Wang Sumo was prepared, so when Master He asked, she remained calm and said, "Yes, the old man has been at Bazhenlou. We've been traveling together for some time now."
Wang Sumo could openly admit it in front of him, but never publicized it in the martial arts world. He never thought of using Lao Qu as a signboard to attract others to Bazhenlou.
This girl has a very good character and knows how to act appropriately.
Master He was increasingly pleased.
He put down his teacup, his tone becoming more intimate, and said leisurely, "I've known Lao Qu for many years. When I met him, we were both only seventeen or eighteen years old. In the blink of an eye, we're almost seventy."
Wang Sumo didn't hide anything, smiled, and honestly said, "Actually, Grandpa Qu did mention Master He a couple of times."
"Oh?" Old Master He suddenly became interested, and his previously refined and gentle eyes now showed a hint of deliberate curiosity. "How did he bring it up?"
Wang Sumo had a pretty good idea of what was going on—not only was the old man concerned about Master He's side, but the old manor's side was also very concerned about the old man's attitude.
Wang Sumo said gently, "I asked the old man if we could go to Qingyun Manor this time."
"What did he say?" Old Master He didn't leave any room for doubt.
Wang Sumo said, "The old man said that as long as Master He is in charge of Qingyun Manor, we can go there with peace of mind. In the martial world, not everyone is worthy of being called the Longevity Gentleman Sword, but Master He certainly is."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Old Master He sat up straight, stroking his beard and laughing with a hint of smugness. "Old Qu, Old Qu!"
Wang Sumo could tell that among the people that Master He cared about, the old man was at least among the top few.
The same should apply to the old man.
The familiarity and mutual respect between the two, though still separated by a layer of awkwardness, may well have been a pair of good brothers who once ventured into the world together and later became lovers and rivals.
"What are you doing driving the Eight Treasures Pavilion?" Master He knew very well that the Eight Treasures Pavilion could not possibly be wandering aimlessly through the martial world, stopping wherever it went to raise the building and cook.
If it were anyone else, Master He might not have asked.
However, because the old man was there, Master He wanted to find out exactly what she was doing at Bazhenlou.
Wang Sumo pretended not to notice and continued, "Before I met the old man, I was driving the Eight Treasures Pavilion in search of the spices that are the rare treasures of the world recorded in the 'Records of Delicacies'. I traveled all over the world, looked all over the world, and searched all over the world."
"The Tale of Delicacies?" Master He had never heard of it. "May I borrow it for a look?"
“Of course.” Wang Sumo took the booklet out of his sleeve and handed it to Old Master He.
She always carried "The Tale of Delicacies" with her, not just as a map and clue book, but also because she would often take it out to look at the spice-related information recorded in it.
As Master He flipped through the book, he listened to Wang Sumo say, “The ‘Records of Delicacies’ is a collection of clues about rare treasures and spices compiled by our predecessors from various books and classics. They are scattered and found in every corner of the world, and their authenticity needs to be verified. Therefore, you may not be able to find what you want in one place. You can only go to one place and look at it one place at a time.”
Even Master He couldn't help but glance at her.
Having roamed the martial world for many years, he could tell at a glance that finding all the spices in this book was even more difficult than finding a long-lost martial arts manual...
She's still a young woman!
He has more courage than any man.
"Girl, collecting all of these won't be an easy task," Old Master He kindly reminded her, but his tone, compared to his previous friendliness, carried an added hint of admiration.
When you're young, who hasn't dreamed of venturing into the world? But most of us are full of enthusiasm and don't know how to get involved in the world. So, a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger.
But if she has this booklet, she should know the difficulty of doing this; only those who know the difficulty and still continue to do it have enough courage and boldness.
Years later, when he looks at these younger generations again, he can't help but think of himself back then, as well as those familiar or unfamiliar faces in the martial arts world.
He knew the twists and turns they would encounter in the future, and he had already walked the path they were about to take.
Especially after many years...
Perhaps it was his time with Wang Sumo that made him genuinely like her, or perhaps it was because Wang Sumo was traveling with Lao Qu that he felt a sense of affection for her. That's why, looking at this booklet filled with annotations and detailed records, he was afraid that she might be discouraged and frustrated if she didn't reach the end.
Wang Sumo, however, was open-minded. “I know that it is not easy to collect all these spices. They are separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and many people would give up at the thought of it. It was only by chance that the Xuanji Sect leader, Senior Yu Daozi, gave me this Eight Treasures Pavilion that I had the confidence to try to do it.”
"Just give it a try, otherwise how will you know where you can go or where you'll stop?" Wang Sumo said sincerely, her eyes sparkling like stars in the night sky.
Master He paused slightly.
He was familiar with such words. He had said them, and heard them before, in his youth…
It's just that many years have passed.
But when I hear it again, a moment of passion and envy still wells up in my heart.
Master He lowered his head again, turning the pages of the "Records of Delicacies" in his hand. Whether found or not, everything was clearly written in handwriting and meticulously marked, a testament to his serious dedication to navigating the world.
Master He's tone softened again, "You've been to so many places?"
He hadn't expected that.
Wang Sumo gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Although we didn't find more than half of the places we went, we did find a small portion of them! Day after day, year after year, we'll find more and more."
After Wang Sumo finished speaking, he took out a small pouch with several sharp corners from his waist and handed it to Master He.
Old Master He took it, and Wang Sumo said with great familiarity, "Grandpa, look, this is star anise. Using star anise as a spice is not yet widespread among the common people, but it has been recorded in books from a long time ago. Grandpa and I searched for a long time and finally found it. Putting star anise in the broth and dishes that need braising sauce and flavor will give them a very special aroma and taste."
Master He actually put it to his nose and smelled it. Hmm, it was quite special.
It's a flavor I've never tasted before.
"What kind of dish is this for?" He couldn't help but be curious.
Wang Sumo said earnestly, "Many dishes can use it. The most common way is to use it with Sichuan peppercorns to make braised pork."
After Wang Sumo finished speaking, Old Master He made a "joking" sound, clearly indicating that he hadn't heard the words "braised pork" in a long time.
Master He had no appetite for several months, and no chef would want to make braised pork when he had no appetite.
But she could sense that after Old Master He finished his exclamation of "joking," he seemed to swallow unconsciously.
Perhaps it was because of He Lin's candied ginkgo nuts, or perhaps it was because of the inspiration he received from Chief Escort Yang's scallion and tofu dish, or maybe it was because of her and Old Master Qu's plan to search for spices from all over the world, that Old Master He was tempted by braised pork.
She seized the opportunity, "How about we make some braised pork tomorrow, Master He?"
Old Master He was in high spirits when he was 'encouraged'.
"Alright, let's give it a try." Old Master He did not refuse; in fact, he was quite looking forward to the braised pork with star anise added.
"May I have this octagonal piece to look at?" the old man suddenly asked.
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Okay."
As Old Master He examined the star anise in his hand, he thought to himself that it was truly enviable that this old man, who could still travel all over the country with his Eight Treasures Pavilion at his age.
Master He collected his thoughts and said in a low voice, "Besides reassuring you to come to Qingyun Manor, did Lao Qu say anything else?"
To ask such a question shows that you truly understand the old man.
Wang Sumo smiled politely yet gently.
Master He understood immediately, "Speak freely, I won't blame you."
So she told the truth...
Wang Sumo truthfully said, "Grandpa also said that you and he liked the same girl back then, but in the end, she ended up with him."
Master He immediately scoffed, with a hint of indignation, "If I hadn't insisted on going to the Free and Unfettered Sect back then, how could it have been his turn!"
"That old man!"
He Laozhuang complained again, but as soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to realize something, and his face suddenly darkened. He asked seriously, "Is he all alone? Is there no one else?"
As intelligent as Wang Sumo was, she naturally knew what Master He wanted to ask. Wang Sumo said softly, "There is only me and Master Qu in Bazhenlou. There are no 'others' and I have never seen any 'others'."
Old Master He suddenly fell silent.
In the bright moonlight, Wang Sumo could see the sadness and disappointment in Old Master He's eyes...
After a long silence, Master He asked in a deep voice, "Old Qu, has she mentioned her to you?"
Wang Sumo shook her head again, "I met the old man two or three years ago, when he was all alone."
Master He, ever astute, asked, "Girl, how did you and Lao Qu meet?"
Wang Sumo paused slightly. Opposite him was Master He, someone the old man still cared about and who was concerned about him.
After a moment's thought, Wang Sumo decided to recount in detail how he met the old man in the rainstorm and how they traveled together.
Having not seen each other for many years, he was initially overjoyed to hear news of the other party by chance. However, after listening to Wang Sumo recount the whole story in detail, the sadness and distress in Old Master He's eyes and brows were clearly visible...
After a long silence, Old Master He said in a deep voice, "I haven't seen him for many years. I thought he was at least open-minded and healthy."
Wang Sumo said softly, "When Grandpa's headaches aren't acting up, he's healthy and cheerful. But when they flare up again, he sometimes doesn't recognize me or remember who he is, and he just frantically searches for things. So, once things at Qingyun Mountain are over, I need to go back as soon as possible, otherwise Grandpa will worry."
Old Master He finally came to his senses and said sadly, "We can't stay any longer. You should go down the mountain with He Ping tomorrow. I'll discuss the rest with Lianchi and Lingyun."
Wang Sumo remained noncommittal, but there was something she still wanted to clarify: "Elder Master He, there's something I'm not sure if I should ask?"
Old Master He looked at her and said gently, "Go ahead."
Looking at Wang Sumo now is like looking at the granddaughter of an old man, or a close younger generation.
Wang Sumo asked sincerely, "Master He, I would like to know how you and the old man met?"
Wang Sumo was afraid he would misunderstand, "Please don't mind, it's just that the old man doesn't remember things very clearly, or he doesn't want to talk about the past. But I want to know what the old man liked in the past, so that on the road ahead, I can cook more of the dishes he used to like, or dishes that will make the old man happy..."
"The Bazhenlou used to be so quiet, but now it's much more lively. With the old man by my side, we can go anywhere, no matter where we are."
Master He looked at her intently, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Now I understand why Lao Qu would travel the world with you, riding the Eight Treasures Pavilion."
Wang Sumo said gently, "An old horse in its stall may still aspire to gallop a thousand miles. New talents emerge in every generation of the martial arts world. The Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker has reached the pinnacle of the old master, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker must stay in the same place."
Master He frowned slightly.
"The current Master Qu can't use the Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand to kill people, but he can use it to catch fish. The fish will still be alive and won't get hurt. Who says this isn't stronger than the previous Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand?"
Old Master He looked at Wang Sumo with satisfaction in his eyes.
Wang Sumo continued, "In the martial arts world, many masters have emerged, but in my eyes, the old man is better now than the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker of the past. This time when he came to Qingyun Mountain, he even packed a basket of crucian carp and insisted that I take it with me to eat on the way. I told He Lin that these were my pet fish, and He Lin believed me and even helped me keep them in the fish pond and took good care of them."
After Wang Sumo finished speaking, Old Master He also laughed.
Master He knew that she was trying to comfort him, and also to tell him that Lao Qu's condition wasn't so bad...
You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?
At least, Lao Qu is still on his way, while he is in this world.
Master He's gaze darkened slightly.
Compared to the dish of scallion tofu he had just finished eating, what seemed even more reassuring was that he hadn't spoken so freely and openly, mentioning so many familiar people and things, in a long time.
Master He raised his eyes again, "Girl, it's still early. Tell me about any other memorable people and events you encountered at the Eight Treasures Pavilion."
Impressive?
Wang Sumo suddenly remembered, "Qiu Bairen, who sacrificed his white blade and made ten thousand ghosts cry."
Master He became interested. "He's a master who suddenly appeared in the martial arts world in recent years. Rumor has it that his blade is two meters long, with powerful and decisive strikes. Usually, the blade is in its sheath, but once drawn, it can make ten thousand ghosts weep! It's a pity I never had the chance to meet him, but you've encountered him..."
Wang Sumo nodded, "Yes, we met him. The old man even fought with him."
Old Master He's eyes suddenly held a mixture of envy, satisfaction, and perhaps both, and he couldn't help but say, "Tell me about it."
"One day, the Eight Treasures Restaurant stopped by the stream. The old man was fishing for crucian carp with the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaking Hand technique when Qiu Bairen, who was passing by, saw him. Qiu Bairen recognized the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaking Hand technique and insisted on competing with the old man."
"The old man was eager to drink crucian carp and tofu soup, but Qiu Bairen insisted. He said that he had already challenged three sects, seven schools, and four mountain villas in the martial arts world, and none of them were his match. Now that he had finally met the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker, who had disappeared from the martial arts world for a long time, how could he just refuse to fight?"
"The old man originally didn't want to pay attention to him, but he was so aggressive that the old man got really angry. No matter what kind of sword he was, or whether he had challenged any sect in the martial arts world and none of them could beat him, the old man beat him so badly that day that he was completely powerless to fight back."
"Finally, he sat by the stream in a huff, refusing to leave or say a word. Later, the old man brought him a bowl of crucian carp and tofu soup and told him, 'You have never tasted the bitterness of sorrow. Even if your blade can make ten thousand ghosts weep, you cannot make yourself feel the pain. Your skill is stuck at this level.'"
"The old man's words hit the nail on the head: the reason he was thinking of challenging other sects to break through his current level was because his cultivation technique had been stuck at this level and he couldn't make any progress. Qiu Bairen was suddenly awakened by the old man's words and realized the truth. He kept repeating the old man's words, 'You can make ten thousand ghosts cry, but you can't make yourself feel the same way,' and then he left in a daze."
Three days later, when we saw him again, he was a completely different person.
"What does it look like?" Old Master He listened with great interest.
"Still very cold, with a scabbard more than a meter long on his shoulder and his hands on the scabbard, he said to the old man in a low voice, 'My Autumn Wind White Blade has reached a bottleneck and I have been unable to break through. I was thinking that I might have an epiphany when I challenged the major sects. Fortunately, I received guidance from the old senior. I want to experience the coldness and warmth of human relationships.'"
"Ah!" Old Master He exclaimed.
Wang Sumo waved his hand, "Then he left. After that, the old man and I never saw him again. But since then, we have never heard any rumors of Qiu Bairen fighting against any masters in the martial arts world. He should go and experience the coldness and warmth of human relationships."
Master He scoffed, "He realized it after being reminded by Lao Qu."
Wang Sumo crossed his arms and said in a low voice, "The fact that the old man could say such a thing to Qiu Bairen is probably because he felt something in his heart."
Master He looked at her.
Wang Sumo continued, "I didn't know much about the old man before, but you, Master He, mentioned that woman. Later, she did indeed only take the old man's attention, and she was once in a state of disarray. Perhaps the Cloud Piercer and Mountain Breaker wasn't like this in the past, but he suddenly regretted it, which is why the fish were all alive when he caught them."
Master He stroked his hair and asked probingly, "Girl, do you really not know martial arts?"
Wang Sumo shook her head, "No."
Master He sighed, "What a pity. With your talent, you could have achieved great things if you had studied martial arts."
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Old Master, you flatter me. The world is so vast, how many people know martial arts? When traveling the martial world, you may not necessarily need martial arts. The Eight Treasures Pavilion is enough. The more people you meet, the more you will understand."
Master He approvingly said, "Yes, in my youth I met many people and went to many places, eager to establish my own sect. In the end, I created this Qingyun Manor and have stayed here ever since, losing sight of my original aspirations. It would be better if you, Lao Qu, stayed with me at the Eight Treasures Pavilion..."
"Didn't you just ask how I met Old Master He?" Old Master He stood up, his slender figure tall and elegant. He placed his hands behind his back, looked out the window at the starlight leading to the mountaintop in the distance, and recalled the past.
"At that time, Lao Qu was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy. He had not studied under anyone and was just a grassroots boy who dreamed of traveling the world."
"And back then, I wasn't a grandmaster yet, but just He Wenxue in his youth..."
[Author's Note]
The first 100 will receive a VIP bonus! Leave your weapon here [shy]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com