Chapter Thirty-Nine: Saving Zilan

Ghost Sword sat in the room, and from afar, he heard a series of clattering roof tiles moving closer and closer, which made him stifle a laugh.

White Serpent chuckled, “Other people’s lightness skills are silent as a whisper, but these two heroes arrive with the din of drums and gongs, causing a commotion that shakes the heavens. Pity the folk of Pig Market—tomorrow they’ll be fixing their roofs again.”

Some bolder townsfolk, hearing someone trampling their rooftops and breaking tiles, came out wrapped in their clothes, cursing loudly, but when they saw Wang Cheng and Wang Zhuo standing on the roof with swords drawn, glaring like wrathful gods, they quickly shrank back into their homes, pulling the covers over their heads, cursing all the while despite the stench of manure.

The pair raced to the top of Old Liu’s wall, gasping for breath, and then roared, “Ghost Sword! White Serpent! Come out and face your deaths!” At this, not only did White Serpent and Ghost Sword burst into laughter, but even the Eight Servants doubled over, and little A’Ping laughed until tears streamed down his face.

Muller, roaring with laughter, cursed, “Those two brats nearly split my wound open!” Once A’Ping and A’Tai had finished laughing, they leapt into the courtyard, shouting, “Who are these oafs, bellowing in the night?”

With that, they snatched up two flowerpots and hurled them. Wang Cheng split one with his sword, but the soil showered his head and face with dust. Wang Zhuo, eager to show off, kicked the other flowerpot, smashing it to pieces, but the moment his foot struck, he felt a sharp pain and let out a wail, dropping his sword to clutch his foot, hopping on one leg along the wall until he lost his balance and tumbled to the ground outside the courtyard.

The laughter inside grew even louder. Wang Cheng jumped down to help Wang Zhuo up, and together they ran to the gate, ramming it several times until the wooden door gave way. A’Ping and A’Tai were already waiting barehanded in fighting stances. Without a word, the four fell to blows, but in just a few exchanges, the brothers were disarmed and pinned helplessly to the ground.

White Serpent approached with a smile, “You oaf, who told you White Serpent and Ghost Sword were here?” Wang Cheng cursed, “Where’s that scoundrel Ghost Sword? Come out and face me!”

Ghost Sword was by nature cold and rarely smiled, but tonight he had already laughed three times, his mood excellent. Seeing Wang Cheng’s insolence, he didn’t take offense and replied with a smile, “I am Ghost Sword. What business do you have with me?” Wang Zhuo shouted, “You! My family, the Wang clan of Taiyuan, never wronged you—why did you kill my parents and steal our Xuanming Sword?”

Ghost Sword looked surprised, “I’ve heard of the Wang clan of Taiyuan, but I’ve never been there, much less killed your parents or stolen your sword.” Wang Cheng fumed, “Liar! What’s that black sword in your hand? Dare you draw it for us to see?”

Ghost Sword smiled, “Why wouldn’t I dare?” With that, he drew the sword. The brothers immediately shouted, “Still lying! That’s the Xuanming Sword—there’s only one in the world, we’d never mistake it!” Ghost Sword raised the black sword, studying it in the moonlight. “So this is the Xuanming Sword. I heard of it when I first entered the martial world, but back then it was kept by the Tianshan Sect. I thought I’d never see it, yet it’s been in my hand nearly twenty years. I had no idea. How shameful.”

He then said gravely, “Even if this is the Xuanming Sword, so what? I didn’t kill for it—it was a gift from the one who saved my life twenty years ago.” Wang Cheng demanded, “And who was that?”

Ghost Sword sneered, “My benefactor has long since passed away. If you want to argue with him, I can send you on your way to meet him!”

Wang Zhuo, realizing Ghost Sword wasn’t his parents’ killer, said, “So it wasn’t you, then.” Ghost Sword replied, “Not so simple.” Wang Zhuo asked, “Why not?” Ghost Sword said, “The sword must taste blood before it can be sheathed. Since you made me draw it, I’ll use your blood to christen it! Why bring death upon yourselves? This business is grave—I cannot let you live!” And with that, he thrust his sword.

A flash of cold light swept by, the blade darting like lightning. Ghost Sword’s heart tightened as he raised his sword to parry. The opponent’s sword twisted, aiming for his wrist. Ghost Sword spun the Xuanming Sword twice, breaking the attack, but the other sword flashed toward his chest. Ghost Sword swept his left arm’s wide sleeve to deflect the blade.

His opponent did not press the attack, but instead flipped through the air, landing atop the wall in an arc.

Ghost Sword said coldly, “The Trifold Life Swordplay! Beidou Illusory Moon footwork! Who are you?” The newcomer was Li Chongyuan. A few days earlier, he and Lin Qingli had arrived in Luoyang. Strangers in a strange city, what could they do? By day, he posed as a wandering scholar, Lin Qingli disguised herself as a boy attendant, and they searched the city’s streets and alleys. At night, they watched from the inn rooftop for any unusual activity. On this night, as they were about to return to their room, they heard a tremendous clatter and saw two burly men racing toward Pig Market. Intrigued, they followed. When the Wang brothers made their spectacle, they watched, thoroughly entertained, then saw White Serpent and Ghost Sword appear. Lin Qingli immediately recognized them and was certain Zilan must be there.

Seeing Ghost Sword about to kill the Wang brothers, Li Chongyuan, pure-hearted by nature, could not bear to let them die, especially after hearing that the sword in Ghost Sword’s hand was the Xuanming Sword. Unable to restrain himself, he intervened.

Meanwhile, Lin Qingli slipped into the back hall. Entering, she saw a giant man, bandaged all over, peering outside—the very same Golden Vajra of Kunlun, Muller. Knowing his ferocity, she dared not startle him, but crept around behind and entered the inner hall, where Zilan was held. Zilan, seeing someone in a scholar’s cap and green robe slip in, was startled.

Lin Qingli quickly pressed a finger to her lips in a hush gesture and removed her cap, letting her long hair fall.

Zilan, both surprised and delighted, whispered, “Qingli! Is it you? Has my father come?” Lin Qingli murmured, “Don’t speak, sister. Only Li Chongyuan and I have come.” Zilan asked, “But wasn’t Chongyuan exiled to Shengxian Peak?” Lin Qingli replied, “It’s a long story—let’s talk after we get out.” She helped Zilan to her feet, but though Zilan was unbound, her limbs were weak. “White Serpent hasn’t abused me,” she said bitterly, “but she’s forced me to take boneless powder—I have no strength.” As they left, Zilan stumbled against the doorframe. Muller heard the noise and turned. In a panic, Lin Qingli grabbed the purple clay teapot at hand and smashed it over his head. Muller, swathed in bandages and slow to move, could hardly dodge, and the pot struck him hard.

Porcelain shards flew. Outside, White Serpent stepped forward, “Who are you, sir, and what is your connection to the Tianshan Sect? Are you from Tianshan?” Li Chongyuan was about to answer when a crash sounded inside, followed by Muller’s roar, “Someone’s in the back!”

Han Qinghua, Ghost Sword, furious, lunged at Li Chongyuan, while White Serpent dashed toward the rear hall. The Wang brothers scrambled to their feet and fled.

Li Chongyuan, sensing Lin Qingli had succeeded, wasted no time. He sprang up with Beidou Illusory Moon footwork, drawing a strange arc in the air and slipping past Ghost Sword to lunge at White Serpent from behind. As he brushed by Ghost Sword, the latter gave a low shout, his left hand unleashing the Nether Bloodshade technique toward Li’s ribs. Li’s right hand held fast with the sword, while his left used the Sixfold Grasp to cut at Ghost Sword’s pulse. Ghost Sword quickly withdrew his left palm and kicked at Li’s lower back. Li spun in midair, countering with a single-footed kick—the “Heaven-Blazing Fire” technique of Wind and Thunder Palm, turned into a kick on the fly. Their feet met, and Li used the force to leap away, landing before White Serpent.

White Serpent, quick to react, stepped back, her wrist flicking to draw her snake-shaped sword and, with a cry, sent its tip stabbing like a rainstorm. Ghost Sword charged from the side, joining the fray so it was two against one. His skill surpassed White Serpent’s; in swordplay they were equals, but their internal energies were distinct—Ghost Sword’s power was deep, while Li Chongyuan combined the strengths of both the northern and southern Tianshan schools.

Against Ghost Sword alone, the fight would be uncertain, but with White Serpent hindering him, Li was hard-pressed. In the crisis, Li saw a sword at his feet—one the Wang brothers had dropped. He flicked it into his left hand, wielding his right in the Trifold Life Swordplay against Ghost Sword, while his left unleashed the Falling Snow Swordplay at White Serpent.

All three fought with dazzling speed, their sword shadows weaving and dividing. The Eight Servants, cowed by the ferocity of the swordplay, dared not approach. White Serpent and Ghost Sword were eager to finish Li quickly to reclaim Zilan, but Li, knowing nothing of Muller inside, only sought to buy time for Lin Qingli to escape with Zilan, then find his own chance to slip away.

So while White Serpent and Ghost Sword grew more impatient, Li’s swordplay only steadied. The three reached a deadlock. Muller, seeing the way blocked, tore off his bandages with a roar, ignoring the blood seeping from his wounds, and lunged at Lin Qingli with his huge hands.

Lin Qingli dared not meet his strength, stabbing at his heart. Muller caught the sword barehanded, letting blood gush from his palm, twisted it into a knot, and tossed it aside. Seizing her chance, Lin Qingli dragged Zilan through the back door into the courtyard. The Eight Servants, having come around from the front, joined Muller in hemming them in.

The Eight Servants normally carried steel-backed repeating crossbows, but dared not use them now, fearing their wild shots would hit Zilan. Brandishing their blades, they closed in step by step.