The Severed Night - Part 1

第1章 Chapter 1

“Huiyue —!” shouted the voices, echoing in the wind through Unnamed Ridge. The forest birds scattered.

The gradually falling red and green leaves and the faint, dull gray sky traced out the sharp, rugged outlines of the towering mountain body.

Amidst the gloomy light, looking around, one could see that the grassy marshes were filled with heroes everywhere.

The sun sank another inch lower.

A thin trail of smoke rose up beside the cliff. Suddenly all the footsteps seemed to be heading in one direction.

All the clamoring voices died down and were followed by a series of metallic sounds as swords were drawn from their sheaths.

Each clear, resonant clang of refined iron was accompanied by the fading autumn wind, unexpectedly giving off an eerie tune.

A trail of dark red blood splashed on the middle of the dirt road. The crowd quickly ran up along the path and finally found a familiar figure kneeling under a tree.

“Father!” yelled the young man in the crowd as he rushed forward. Just as his right hand was about to touch the man’s shoulder, the corpse’s head rolled off smoothly.

The few people at the front hastily backed away two steps. After recognizing the still fiercely open eyes on that head, they finally lost their composure and cried out angrily: “Huiyue —!”

“Huo Door!” shouted a voice not far away. The swordsman who was surrounded by everyone seemed to be sitting lazily on a stone beside the road. Looking at all the ever-changing expressions of those people, he actually burst into loud laughter. His hands shook slightly with the sword that was dripping with blood stains.

The crowd angrily bellowed: “Huiyue! For your own selfish grudge, you’ve been wandering for years, and now you’re still stubbornly unreasonable!”

“If it wasn’t for remembering your master’s old name, we would have killed you long ago! But you still don’t know how to behave, acting wildly without restraint, with no evil deeds left. The number of deep-seated murders you’ve committed in these years... Today, we’re here to carry out divine justice!”

Huiyue listened to all the people’s pompous accusations and reprimands, thinking back to the last decade since her master’s sect was defeated—she had been drifting aimlessly. She couldn’t help but feel amused.

Her sword never left her hand; her feet had no place to stand; she came and went without a fixed destination; alone in desolate places.

After years of wandering, countless times barely escaping death, all that won for her was an unending string of notorious evil names.

Yet this group of false, thieving mice, jumping around east and west, bowing and scraping, had suddenly become the heroes of this era overnight.

Huiyue sneered: “This world is truly absurd. A bunch of mediocre villains dare to arrogantly claim they’re carrying out divine justice?”

Her eyes held a depth of weariness beyond her years; her body was thick with blood stains—she couldn’t even tell what color they originally were anymore. Only knowing that she too was injured, with wounds on her clothes from blades tearing open again and again.

Even if she tried to keep her expression calm, it was hard to conceal the weakness of her waning vitality and haggardness; even her breathing was deliberately lighter now.

Still, all those people were quite wary of her and didn’t dare get close. They looked left and right, hesitated repeatedly, before finally waiting for an old man to come from behind.

Half a month of pursuit had exhausted the old man just as much; he stood there leaning crookedly with his broken sword as support, sighing in disappointment several times before finally speaking hoarsely: “If your master were to see you like this today, I’m sure even nine netherworlds below would not be at peace.”

Huiyue seemed a bit surprised that someone had mentioned the old days after so many years; she frowned slightly and then her spirit also picked up. She laughed lightly and said: “Master Shou Door, it seems you still remember my master? Back then when you stood shoulder to shoulder with him, rejecting tyrants and corruption, you were all filled with righteous anger, proudly saying that your death would be glorious. How come now, you’ve also become the dogs of those corrupt officials? Is luxury too tempting for the eyes, or is it only at the moment before one’s death that people realize they’re actually just a kind of monster who almost walked on the right path?”

The bearded man beside her suddenly flew into a rage and pointed at her as he shouted: “You beast! Master Shou Door gave you two points of face, and yet you don’t know how to appreciate it? Master Shou Door is an honest man—he set up this clear trap for you. It’s just that you yourself insisted on being stubborn!”

A barely audible ringing sound, perhaps just an illusion from everyone, but it made the bearded man’s voice stop abruptly.

Huiyue gently pushed open her sword sheath one inch with her finger joints and saw him forcefully enduring until his face turned red. She smiled mockingly and said: “I didn’t originally plan to kill you next. Why? You want to go down first and pave the way for that little beast?”

The young man beside him was looked at by countless eyes; he unconsciously had goosebumps, his skin twitching involuntarily as he shouted falsely in fear: “Master Shou Door! My father and you are like brothers who share life and death. He gave up everything for this world’s common people, not leaving behind any selfishness. But what kind of dead-end situation has he ended up with? Huiyue is shamelessly lawless; she’s a plague on the martial arts world!”

A deep voice coldly huffed: “Huo Old Brother, don’t be afraid. With her current state, even if she wanted to escape, it wouldn’t be easy. How could she dare kill someone in front of us? It’s just a foolish fantasy.”

“That’s right.” Huiyue smiled lightly and said: “Big Brother, why don’t you come out and try it?”

The old man said: “Huiyue, I really don’t want to kill you. You could have not come today, but your killing intent is too strong—I simply can’t let you off.”

Huiyue looked down, her scattered hair and a few spots of dried blood intertwined on her face. Hearing this, she raised her chin slightly and glanced over.

Completely different from the situation at the end of one’s path was the expression full of mockery.

“Master Shou Door, it’s not necessary to be so fake now. All these years, you’ve allowed those mice who are your lackeys to chase me relentlessly to my death—wasn’t that also because you were afraid that someday I would come looking for you?”

Huiyue propped herself up on her knee and slowly stood up, taking an unsteady step.

All the people were like startled birds, their bodies tensing instantly.

“This chaotic age is like a turbulent wave. But I don’t want to be swept into this raging flood. I insist on being the one standing at the peak of the waves.”

Huiyue’s sword was held uncertainly; she drew it out and pointed it down crookedly.

The thin blade reflected the dim twilight, and she lifted her lips in a smile full of arrogant pride as she said each word clearly: “I want those who flow with the current to fear me, those who stir up the wind to hate me—I want my sword tip to always hang above the sea; even if I die, my bones will lie openly under the sun and moon.”

Just as she raised her sword tip slightly, the steps that were previously unstable suddenly became heavy like a thousand kilograms. She strode forward fiercely, stirring up a circle of floating dust.

“—I just want you all to be uneasy day and night!”

“Retreat!”

Master Shou Door pushed away the young man with his hand as he retreated, blocking the long sword coming towards him in front.

Suddenly yellow sand rose like waves, swirling smoke and mist everywhere.

Seeing that he had taken the lead, the crowd shouted a few times before following to charge wildly, using all eighteen kinds of weapons to fiercely attack Huiyue’s body.

The young man, on the other hand, ran away in terror against the flow of people. He didn’t even care if his father’s corpse was being trampled or if his head was being kicked off the mountain.

But even though there were a hundred people blocking him, he could still see Huiyue’s sword from time to time amidst the chaotic interlacing shadows.

The sword light rose and fell, like countless surging waves, relentlessly biting at his back. It even seemed that it might break through the impenetrable killing array in front of him.

It wasn’t strange for people on the martial arts scene to say that Huiyue’s sword could shake clouds and thunder, split light and darkness, drain star streams!

Such a person, how could she still be alive?!

“Kill— I don’t believe this demon really won’t die!”

The crowd had already been killing madly.

Master Shou Door threw away his broken sword, snatched the naohu from beside him, and chopped down fiercely from behind.

Huiyue heard the shout and pulled out her sword. With all her remaining strength, she blocked the blade’s edge with it.

The piercing ringing sound could be heard by everyone; for a moment, one couldn’t help but stand up straight with goosebumps. In just an instant, the blade was broken into pieces by the residual force of the sword style.

Huiyue left her hand and scooped up the fragments that flew to her eyes in her five fingers. Her sword body’s momentum didn’t change; it sliced diagonally upwards from behind. In only a flash of lightning, it cleared out a bloody path connected to the young man.

But this one strike also completely drained her strength, making her right hand droop and unable to be raised anymore.

Life or death was just one zhang apart.

The young man suddenly stopped his steps.

Master Shou Door saw the opportunity and slapped out a palm, heavily hitting Huiyue’s back of her head.

The young man’s face contorted with viciousness. Both hands gripped his sword as he rushed back fiercely.

Huiyue’s eyes were already scattered; she couldn’t dodge at all. She could only barely avoid the vital points as the blade stabbed into her abdomen.

The young man hadn’t even had time to rejoice in the thrill of luck when he saw a broken segment of white edge, spitting out a string of fine blood droplets as it swung across from his neck. Then he saw the gushing splashes of thick red before his eyes.

“Huo Old Brother —”

“Nephew!” shouted those voices in alarm.

It was dusk.

Huiyue supported her body that was on the verge of death and forcefully leapt to the side, plunging into the deep ravine. Following the evening breeze, she fell straight down without a trace in an instant.

The bearded man quickly ran over to the shore and leaned his head down to look. A flash of cold light suddenly shot up from below the cliff without warning.

Even though he had swiftly withdrawn his body backwards, that blade tip still arrived one step faster and stabbed into his eye socket, immediately dripping with blood all over.

The bearded man screamed in pain as he rolled around on the ground.

Master Shou Door looked at the misty smoke-covered mountain ravine for a long time, unwillingly but helplessly saying: “Search! I want to see the person alive; if not, then see their bones!”

第2章 Chapter 2

The rain had stopped.

A young beggar girl ran along the path, avoiding the prickly underbrush that scratched at her skin. She tripped on a step and looked back to see who was lying there.

"Damn it! Why are you blocking my way!" she shouted angrily.

She wiped away the rain from her face and knelt down to check if the person was breathing.

The girl found that the person's breath was barely detectable, and their skin felt as cold as a corpse. She muttered under her breath, "You're just an unlucky deadbeat."

Despite her fears, she managed to drag the injured woman into the temple. Her legs trembled with fear and exhaustion as she ran away.

The rain clouds slowly parted, revealing patches of clear sky. The small beggar girl sat outside the temple door for a while before going back in to check on the woman's condition.

She found that the woman was still unconscious. The girl then stole her money and valuables, but only managed to find a few copper coins and an old book.

The beggar girl was disappointed by this meager loot. She took out half a page of the book and was about to throw it into the fire when she suddenly stopped herself.

She carefully smoothed out the page and put the book back in her pocket. The girl then lay down on the ground, staring at the green moss growing on the walls.

After a while, she got up again and wrote the characters from the book's cover on the floor using her finger. She then compared it to the characters engraved on the sword.

The beggar girl was excited by this discovery, thinking that the book might be a rare sword manual. However, when she looked at the woman who had been beaten so badly, she became unsure whether the book was actually valuable or not.

If it were worth enough to buy her some meat buns and hot soup, then that would be good enough for her.

The girl wiped away the drool from her mouth and grinned. She rubbed her nose and went over to look at the woman again.

She found that she did not have an especially striking face; her features were ordinary but elegant. The girl couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment as she stared at the old scar on her chin, which made the woman's appearance seem even more threatening than before.

The beggar girl then pressed down hard on the woman's injury until she winced in pain before laughing and removing her hand.

"Hey, you owe me your life now," she said. "I saved your life so I should get something in return right? Well, what do you think about ten ounces of silver? Oh well, forget it. You're probably too poor to afford that much money. So how about five ounces instead?"

The girl rubbed her knee and grumbled about the bruise she had gotten from falling down.

"I'll let you know that I'm doing this for your own good," she continued. "I can sell you to a nice family if you behave yourself. But if not, then I'll sell you to that fat bald man who will break your arms and legs and lock you up! You'd better listen carefully now!"

第3章 Chapter 3

Chapter 26: A Fiery Battle

As he watched the flames lick at his body, the man known as Lizardman began to laugh hysterically. "What a glorious end! To be consumed by fire and transformed into part of the inferno itself!" he exclaimed.

The Phoenix King stared at him coldly. "You're mad," he stated flatly.

"You are correct," the man replied, his eyes gleaming with fevered intensity. "Madness is the price of power. But you will join me soon enough!"

As if on cue, a figure burst through the flames behind Lizardman - it was Zara, her clothing tattered and singed from the intense heat. She stumbled forward, collapsing to her knees in front of the Phoenix King.

"It's too much," she gasped. "I can't... I can't hold back his power any longer..."

The Phoenix King gripped her shoulders tightly, trying to steady her. He knew what had to be done. He looked up at Lizardman one last time - a man consumed by his own greed and delusions of grandeur.

"Enough," he said quietly. And then, in a flash of brilliant light and fire, the two figures vanished from sight.

The inferno raged on for another minute or so before dying down to embers. The Phoenix King stood alone in the center of the charred circle where Zara had fallen moments earlier. His robes were still smoldering slightly but his expression was serene.

"What have you done?" asked an astonished voice from behind him.

He turned around slowly, taking in the sight of his allies standing amidst the ashes and rubble. "What I had to," he replied simply before turning back towards the smoking crater where his opponent had fallen. He knew that Lizardman was gone for good this time - but at what cost?

As if reading his mind, the Phoenix Queen stepped up beside him. "We are here to help you bear the burden of your actions," she said softly before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

The Phoenix King gave her a grateful nod before addressing the rest of the group: "It's over now. Let us return home and face whatever consequences may come."

He knew that the road ahead would be long and fraught with challenges but they had faced worse together as a team. Their bond remained unbroken even in the darkest times; for it was their greatest strength when all else failed.

And so, amidst the smoldering ruins of their battle against madness itself, the phoenixes took flight once more into an uncertain future - united not just by duty but also by love and loyalty earned through trials beyond measure.

第4章 Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Beggar Girl's Deception

Qiuyu woke up, still lying on the floor of the temple. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, feeling a sharp pain in her chest from the wound. Looking around, she saw no one else in the room.

Huiyue was gone.

Qiuyu panicked for a moment before remembering that she had threatened to sell Huiyue if she didn't cooperate. She cursed herself for being so stupid and quickly got up to look for any valuables or clues left behind by Huiyue.

Searching through the entire temple, Qiuyu found nothing but some old books with strange characters on their covers. She flipped through them and discovered that these books contained martial arts techniques. One of the books even had a sword diagram that matched the symbols engraved on Huiyue's sword!

Qiuyu's eyes lit up as she realized what this meant: the old book must be an ancient martial arts manual! She couldn't wait to learn more about it.

Just then, Qiuyu heard footsteps approaching outside. She hid behind a pillar and listened carefully, trying not to make any noise.

It was two men talking loudly as they walked into the temple courtyard.

"Master Shou Door's group has been pursuing that bitch for half a month now! I wonder what happened last night."

"The mountain path is so dangerous at night. Maybe she slipped or got caught in an ambush?"

Qiuyu recognized them as members of Master Shou Door's sect, the same ones who had attacked her and Huiyue earlier!

She quietly moved deeper into the temple, trying to hide from view. The two men continued talking outside:

"Huiyue must have gone through that mountain pass. We should split up and search for any clues!"

"Yes, let's go! We'll find her again soon enough."

The voices faded away as they left to scour the area. Qiuyu waited a moment before coming out from behind the pillar.

She felt a chill run down her spine - this was too close for comfort! Qiuyu knew she had to act fast if she wanted to stay alive and find Huiyue first.

But how could one small beggar girl hope to compete against an entire sect of martial artists?

Qiuyu bit her lip in frustration, then noticed something shiny on the ground near where she woke up. It was a silver coin! She picked it up and examined it closely; there were strange characters engraved on its surface.

This must have been dropped by Huiyue when they struggled earlier!

With renewed determination, Qiuyu left the temple to start her journey in search of answers about this mysterious girl who had saved her life...

第5章 Chapter 5

The little beggar girl mimicked the habit of jianghu people, putting her hands together in a fist and bowing to Hengyue.

It was an overly rigid action, combined with a flippant, laughing expression, that looked like nothing but a farcical spectacle no matter how you looked at it.

This slippery, smooth-talking little actor, with a face full of humility and concealing thick resentment, spoke clearly and loudly: "Big Hero, I am just a poor beggar child, killing me is not worth it. For a big shot like you, would you go over to kill the barking dog on the street? That would damage your knightly style?"

Hengyue listened carefully with one ear; what he heard was a mouthful of words polished and refined.

Compared to the little ant beneath her feet who had been desperately begging for its life just now, this yellow-haired boy who dared to look up at her now seemed more like a fearless wolf that was indifferent to life and death.

With sharp claws, sharp teeth, and contempt for society.

Hengyue felt a moment of melancholy, as if she saw some distant shadows in herself. But that feeling was as fleeting as a mirage, and there was no way to find its roots.

Because her mind was completely blank, and she couldn't remember anything.

Hengyue tightened her grip on the sword hilt, and said calmly: "You're not still going to sell me, are you?"

The little beggar quickly pulled his mouth and apologized with a smile: "Little ones like us, all I say is bullshit, how can you take it seriously? Let me just kowtow three times and make amends for my mistakes."

With that, he nimbly bowed down, "Bang bang bang" knocking his head towards her, sounding quite sincere.

For a moment Hengyue thought she was dead, this kid was praying to her ancestor's grave.

This monkey-like kid knocked his head five or six times in a row, but still didn't hear Hengyue tell him to stop. He himself stopped and curled up into a ball on the ground, staring wide-eyed at what was in front of him.

Seeing that Hengyue was looking at her intently, he wasn't afraid either, and tilted his head, revealing his broken forehead, shamelessly asking: "Are you angry yet?"

Hengyue smiled.

Even though this kid had a no less brazen attitude than a scoundrel, in fact, she herself wasn't very angry right now, only feeling a bit helpless.

The world was full of people who were greedy and uncouth. Not to mention that they also wore golden masks on top of their ugly faces, not only did they lack benevolence and righteousness, but they also wanted to leave behind fame for centuries.

Compared to this, what was a little beggar girl rolling in the dirt?

She was simply living more freely, without any pretenses at all.

Hengyue said: "I'm not angry."

The little beggar didn't believe a single word of it.

Hengyue looked at his expression and asked instead: "Do I look angry to you?"

The little beggar hesitated for a moment before covering his neck and carefully saying: "Whether you're angry or not, I don't know. But I'm afraid. Big Hero, when you smile like this, are you thinking of cutting me up into pieces like a watermelon?"

Hengyue was fresh: "How? You're so afraid of me?"

The little beggar had no energy to sigh: "I'm just a kid ah. You're an adult, and moreover, you're a big shot with a sword. Of course I'm scared of you."

"Turns out you are afraid of death." Hengyue listened to a joke, savored slowly: "Doing things that seek death is one thing after another, the mouth has never said anything clean either."

The little beggar rolled his eyes: "I'm also afraid of suffering ah, this old thief in heaven, it's not like being afraid of him will let you live a few more days. I don't feel good, I have to swear at people."

Hengyue shook her head and said: "You are not afraid of death. Those who just want to survive can be as afraid of death as they want? For you, living is better than anything else."

The little beggar ignored him, thinking that these big shots all like to say some self-righteous big words, but have never put the thoughts of street dogs in their hearts. His life was in her hands now, he didn't argue with her either, and acted submissively by following along: "Yes, yes, you're right, I'm so brave, not afraid of death at all."

As soon as other people show a little bit of favor, she immediately gets carried away.

Hengyue was deeply aware of this type of petty person's nature, and didn't mind the sarcasm in her words. Just chatting with this little thing for a while, to pass the time, even the pain in her body wasn't so unbearable anymore.

Hengyue reached out her hand and grabbed his half-tattered shirt collar in front of him in the boy's frightened gaze.

The little beggar wanted to retreat but didn't dare to retreat. Every hair on his body stood up straight, and he could only bow down and see Hengyue's tiger's mouth wound with flesh and blood outside. The bloody smell lingered slowly in the cold air, Hengyue's movements were also slow, pulling her wide shirt collar upwards, straight into his nose, and then patted it lightly, with her fingertips lightly sliding over his neck.

The little beggar experienced for the first time what killing intent was like. He held his breath, that bit of unruly wildness instantly ran away without a trace.

It took all his face to turn red before he heard Hengyue ask again: "What's your name?"

The little beggar again shriveled up into a withered January grass. As soon as the other party takes one step forward, he immediately retreats by eight chi.

"Big Hero, if you're happy, call me shabi, dog thing, little bastard are all good. If you think they all sound bad to hear, just call me feed, that guy, or dead girl."

Hengyue looked at him fixedly, her eyes as calm as still water.

The little beggar was stared at by her until he felt his scalp tingle, as if every thought in his heart had been peeled off. Only then did he reply honestly: "I used to be raised by an old blind man who sang songs in the city, he originally wanted to break my hands and feet to let me go out and beg for food, but again he felt that I would be inconvenienced taking care of him afterwards, not as good as growing up a bit more and selling it for money. He didn't make up his mind, that old man died of illness, leaving only me alone, no one else called me what my name was. That old blind man always thought I chattered too much and made too much noise, so he always called me little birdie."

"Little Birdie." Hengyue murmured once, lightly smiling: "Turns out it's a bird ah. I still thought it was a little fox."

The little beggar had no temper to speak of: "Then from now on I'll call myself little fox! You said so!"

Hengyue looked at his carefully cautious manner and put down the hand that had been rubbing the sword sheath all this time, teasingly said: "You're so afraid for what? I haven't even bullied you, nor have I said right away that I want to kill you now."

"Hey, what are you saying." The little beggar rubbed his thighs with both hands, and his thin body seemed to be able to be picked up by one hand, hunched over and nodded: "In the future, you can't kill me either ah, lest it dirty your sword."

Hengyue praised him sincerely: "Little Sparrow, you are really a capable person."

The little beggar quickly started knocking his head again, mumbling humbly: "No no."

"I won't kill you." Hengyue didn't tease her anymore, leaning back against the wall with her head raised, saying a sentence to set him straight: "I don't kill children."

The little beggar half-believed and half-doubted: "Really?"

He felt that his whole brain was cold right now.

Hengyue hugged the sword in her arms, her face pale as she closed her eyes and adjusted her breath.

The little beggar observed for a while, seeing that she really didn't seem to be pretending, truly not intending to care about him anymore. He slowly moved his body, gradually changing from kneeling to sitting, and crawling backwards.

His knees were numbed by the kneeling, he rubbed them again and again, crying out in pain as soon as he touched it, tears also flowed down. Then he stuck his frozen cold face on top. After it felt a little better, he went back to sneak glances at the sword master in front of him.

The gloomy night was like an endless galaxy sprawling between the two of them, with her vision, she couldn't see clearly at all.

It's as if she had been living alone before, but this quietness in the temple somehow didn't suit her.

Probably it was because of the distance between the two people that gave her a strange sense of security. The little beggar raised his head several times in a row, and finally tried out the question tentatively: "Big Hero?"

Hengyue lifted up an eyelid lazily, glancing at him indifferently. After waiting for a while without hearing his voice, he casually spat out a word: "Say."

The little beggar quickly asked: "What characters are carved on your sword?"

第6章 Chapter 6

The Little Bird was confused.

Could a moving piece of gold not know that it is gold?

And besides, being able to stir up a huge wave in the stagnant city of Stone Hill, worth a thousand lives, except for Hengyue such a half-credit hero who is renowned throughout the world, who else could there be?

But Hengyue's tone was too flat, Little Bird couldn't discern her meaning from her words, thinking she had guessed wrong. Turning sideways, he asked with bated breath: "You... Hero, do you know a man named Hengyue?"

Hengyue's five internal organs were like being burned by fire, and the blood seemed about to be boiled dry, the brain in a state of chaos. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly when she spoke to her, listening in fits and starts, not having the mind to consider too much.

When he asked her that, she finally understood, oh, so it turned out she was someone else's good fortune.

She smiled self-deprecatingly, her scattered gaze slowly condensed, then little by little sank into darkness, churning obscurely in the silence. Her thumb rubbed back and forth on the sword body's engravings, with a kind of indescribable fear that seeped out from deep within her bones.

She only knew that she had killed people.

Killed many people.

But didn't think even a street beggar like him had heard her evil name.

She wasn't afraid of the danger lurking around every corner, or being at the end of her rope. But what scared her was that she had countless still unpaid blood debts, sins piled up high, no place to hide her shame.

It scared her so much that she mistakenly thought she was standing atop a vast and boundless cliff, with deep chasms all around, whether she looked down or lifted her head, mountains of corpses were piled up on all sides. They one by one crawled out from the bone pile, grabbing her ankles, wanting to pull her along to break into powder.

Hengyue shuddered violently, shaken from that brief hallucination as if she had made a round trip between the realms of Yin and Yang. That lingering fear actually pressed down all her chaotic thoughts, her mind was unusually clear.

She casually wiped away some cold sweat with her hand, brushed the fragments of hair stuck to her forehead, and nonchalantly inquired: "You know her?"

Little Bird didn't understand why she had been silent for so long, immediately exclaiming: "That kind of big shot, how could I possibly know him? I don't even know if he's a man or a woman!"

Hengyue was stunned by his words, laughing in surprise: "Then why did you mention her?"

Little Bird still didn't comprehend her irritation, casually saying: "I heard it in the city."

Hengyue leaned forward, both hands clasped over her mouth, lowering her voice to act mysterious as she said: "You know why she's worth so much? Not only is she valuable, but also a price of a general!"

Little Bird was puzzled by her words, asking: "Why?"

Hengyue raised an eyebrow, finding him funny: "You don't like that old man called Si?"

Little Bird laughed loudly, not understanding her anger at all.

Hengyue looked at him, genuinely curious: "Why?"

Little Bird huffed coldly, very disdainful: "Whoever curses me behind my back, I wish I could spit on them! Except for one kind of person, I'm too lazy to argue with."

Hengyue understood: "Dead man?"

"Exactly!" Little Bird patted the dirt off his feet, old and decrepit as he said: "He isn't telling people about a rational argument, just wants everyone to know that he's a big good guy. If I had his status, I could brag even better than him! I could say I'm blooming into flowers! Unlike Hengyue, the childish ghost stories can be spread all over the street, and as soon as someone says something nice about her, they get scolded by the entire inn's customers. Look at that, you heard one or two sentences and said she was craving fame."

She raised her head, unable to control her mouth, also cursing the person across from her: "You read too many books until you went stupid?"

Hengyue's face was shrouded in thick darkness, her posture straight as a board, unmoving. Little Bird heard her take in a deep breath, then hear her lowly call out: "Little Sparrow ah..."

Little Bird felt his scalp tingle, all over goosebumps, stammering: "I'm wrong. I didn't mean you. Big Hero you're very smart, I haven't read any books, everything I say is very...very what is it called? Very vile words! I can't possibly have the wisdom of those adults — "

"Not!" Hengyue decisively cut her off, "You said it right!"

Little Bird: "..."

Hengyue couldn't help but praise again: "Little Sparrow, although you only lived as long as someone's fingernail, yet you understand more than some people who have lived a lifetime."

Little Bird was overwhelmed with joy, stupefied: "Thank...thank you?"

Hengyue didn't know what she was thinking about, laughing intermittently in a low voice.

Little Bird felt it was somewhat spooky, asking again for confirmation: "You...you really don't know Hengyue?"

Hengyue stopped her laughter, switched to the hand that had been hugging her sword all this time, firmly saying: "If I knew her, then I should be the one who kills her."

Little Bird laughed at his words, taking advantage of his limited vision, making ghost faces and shaking his head as he praised flatteringly: "Is is is, Female Hero you must be a dashing swordsman wandering the rivers and lakes, craving evil to be eliminated! Hengyue isn't anything, if she's encountered by you, it would just be a few hacks from side to side, forcing her to beg for mercy!"

He said this as he ran off towards the door, crouching down outside.

But Hengyue had no reaction at all, not even changing her posture, only giving him an annoyed look.

Little Bird waited there for a while, himself getting too cold to endure. He crept back in timidly. Not getting beaten up this time really wasn't normal, seven up and eight down asking: "Big Hero, you're really not angry at all?"

He widened his eyes, yelling wildly: "You won't be secretly holding in resentment, waiting for a while before directly beating me to death, will you?"

"Tsk." Hengyue was exasperated, threatening him: "Say another word, and I'll beat you."

Little Bird relaxed, patting his chest in relief: "Got it!"

.....

How can there be someone so shamelessly itching for a beating?

Once confirming that the temple this person really wouldn't kill her, Little Bird's heart was relieved. He found a dry place to lie down, wanting to continue sleeping with the dream he had just before.

But he only now remembered that this broken-down house was also cold as hell. His two feet no matter how much he rubbed them were still ice-cold, completely unable to stir up any bit of drowsiness.

Tossing and turning for a few times, Little Bird finally sat back up, cautiously calling out towards the opposite side: "Big Hero? Big Hero———!"

Hengyue was too lazy to respond.

Little Bird knew she must have woken up by now, carefully moving his body. He wanted to lie down as well but suddenly heard her say something.

He propped himself up on one elbow, waiting for a while without hearing any sound, then called out: "Big Hero, I'm asking you a question, don't get mad. Have you ever eaten human flesh?"

"No." Hengyue opened her eyes, "You have?"

"No." Little Bird grabbed at his feet that were now numb from the cold, rocking his body as he recounted, "But there was one year with big snowfall, lots of people came into the city and outside it, all from the north. I heard an old beggar say, their place had been invaded by barbarians, grabbing up all the commoners. That group of beasts set up a huge pot on the street, specially picking out soft and tender children, throwing them in one by one. By nighttime, a bunch of those animals surrounded the big pot, singing songs and drinking wine while eating meat. The leftovers were even split down to others, forcing the rest of the commoners to eat it as well! It directly scared that old beggar half-crazy. He was lucky enough to finally get here, but in the middle of the night he went crazy again, running out and freezing himself to death. He said, human meat tastes about the same as pork meat, pungent. He only ate one bite before days of sour bile all came out."

Hengyue listened half-heartedly, after he finished asking: "You eaten pork meat?"

"No, I don't like eating meat." Little Bird pinched his own arm, grinning and saying: "Look at how filthy I am, if they want to eat me, they'd have to wash for half a day. Shouldn't be any problem."

He said this as he quieted down, seemingly waiting for Hengyue's response.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Little Bird finally asked: "You really don't recognize Hengyue?"

Hengyue remained silent for a long while before asking: "Why? You scared of the barbarians?"

Little Bird was honest: "Scared."

Those people who ate humans were the most terrifying monsters in his heart. After Old Beggar died, he had nightmares about it for several nights straight. Later he found a place to bury him, and every day went to look at it, afraid someone would dig up his corpse to eat it.

"I'm not scared." Hengyue's voice was still hoarse from the illness, but also had some kind of firmness and warmth, smiling lowly: "Listening to what you said, I only want to slaughter them all."

Little Bird finally didn't speak anymore.

After an unknown amount of time passed again, Little Bird thought Hengyue must have fallen asleep. He carefully moved his body, wanting to lie down as well but suddenly heard her say a sentence.

So he propped himself up on one elbow, waiting for a while without hearing any sound, then asked: "You're very smart."

With so many arguments about words and language, she had only grabbed onto one point — Hengyue hated the barbarians. Therefore, roundabout and indirect, repeatedly asking over and over.

This was similar to Hengyue herself: the things she doubted, she wouldn't listen to others say, just observe it herself.

"Too bad still not smart enough." Hengyue regretted, "Otherwise you shouldn't have had such a strong curiosity."

These words scared Little Bird so much that he trembled all over, desperately trying to clear himself: "I'm not smart! I don't know anything! Also don't know who you are! I only know you're a good person! I won't go around asking anymore!"

Hengyue asked: "Who did you go find today?"

Little Bird answered without hesitation: "I didn't find anyone at all!"

"Good." Hengyue said, "That's best."

Little Bird finally laughed bitterly, his shoulders slumping as he smiled stiffly: "They want to find the person who is Hengyue, not me."

"You remember this and that's it." Hengyue said, "You're still so small. I also hope you can live a bit longer."

Little Bird lowered his head, hugging his knees, gripping his tattered pants tightly.

Hengyue said: "Come over here."

Little Bird was somewhat resistant, only after Hengyue repeated it again did he slowly walk towards her.

He knelt on the ground, both hands covering his head, blocking his ears. Avoiding vital points, preparing himself to let her hit him as she pleased.

But there was only some rustling sound, followed by a sudden warmth over his body. He was wrapped in a layer of cloth that smelled of blood, held in someone's embrace.

Seeming to have seeming and not having breath, he heard in his ear: "Sleep."

Hengyue's body was scorching hot, Little Bird from the initial wariness gradually sank into warmth that had never been there before. It was as if a freezing cold day suddenly came across a sun, quickly becoming lost within it, soon falling deeply asleep.

The night was deep and frosty, the mountain road desolate, young sword client and one robust man walked with tired steps, occasionally glancing around, on edge. After approaching that single lonely inn with lights on, they stopped in unison, knocking on the door.

The waiter's eyes were half-opened as he heard those urgent knocks, cursing internally before hurrying to serve.

"Two young heroes, are you here to rest?"

The robust man searched each corner of the doorway, seeing nothing. He then circled around to check the other side.

The young sword client leaned against the big door, about to fall asleep: "I've got a question for you."

第7章 Chapter 7

Chapter 7

TITLE: The Arrival of the Black Clad General

BODY:

As the first light of dawn broke over the rooftops, a cacophony of sounds and bright heat began to rise from all corners of the small city.

The peddler, who had been walking along the street singing, suddenly stopped when he reached a crowded alleyway. He put down his carrying pole and began rummaging through his baskets of wares.

In the shadowy corner across from him sat a woman wearing a hat that covered her entire face. She had rolled up her sleeves to reveal an injured wrist, calmly eating a flatbread.

The peddler glanced over curiously but quickly averted his gaze when she seemed to sense his presence and turned towards him. He busied himself with organizing the contents of his baskets.

From afar came the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves.

This quiet mountain town was once again hosting new guests.

Leading the group were several men dressed in black, each holding a sword and their hair tied up high. They strode forward with an air of might, exuding a strong aura that commanded respect. Their stern gazes instilled fear into any who dared to meet them eye-to-eye.

However, following closely behind was a ragged group of constables who tarnished the overall impression of authority.

The peddler mulled it over in his mind and decided they didn't seem like local officials.

These city officials were all nothing more than flabby, spineless men with loose skin hanging off their bones. When encountered by martial artists on the streets, they would scramble to bow and scrape in an attempt to please them rather than risk getting punched. There was no way they could behave like this.

But then why did the constables trail behind them so obediently? Following their every move and keeping a low profile?

They must be military officers from the border.

The peddler shook his head, moving his merchandise aside to make room for them.

Huiyue sat motionless.

A gust of wind lifted her robe, brushing against her nose. She caught a faintly recognizable scent - the same blood smell as on herself.

She casually glanced over and spotted several pairs of shoes with blood-stained soles. It seemed they hadn't had time to change before rushing here.

What place could have resulted in so many deaths that even the earth was drenched in it?

Huiyue wiped her mouth, slipped into a hidden alleyway, and followed them discreetly.

The useless constables were soon sent away by the black-clad young man, leaving only him and two others who entered the largest inn in town.

Two scholars sitting at an angle to the window were drinking tea when they noticed the sudden hush fall over the hall. They looked towards the door and whispered:

"Such pompous demeanor. This tiny place is far too lively lately. If a few more come, there won't be enough room left for them; they might even end up fighting amongst themselves."

"Are you saying that the war has ended?"

The scholar snorted, "What sort of ending could there possibly be? They are still fighting their own men!"

The leader turned his head to survey the room. Ignoring everyone's expressions, he spoke in an authoritative tone:

"This area is infested with bandits. The government is currently carrying out a suppression operation. Any idle individuals should leave immediately; otherwise, they will all be treated as criminals."

He raised his voice, using inner strength so that it rang like thunder in their ears.

A group of martial artists emerged from the rooms to look down at him from the second-floor staircase.

The black-clad general strode forward and loudly repeated what he had said:

"From tomorrow onwards, I don't want to see any more outsider martial artists in this town. Anyone found carrying weapons on the streets will have them seized. Anyone without official documents will be arrested for questioning. And anyone who resists will be executed on the spot!"

The group of martial artists were utterly appalled.

Since coming to this remote mountain village, they may not have been able to rule supreme, but at least they had enjoyed a certain amount of bravado. They all came from reputable sects and were here to fulfill their hearts' desires. For several days now, they had felt proud and lighthearted, believing that they had successfully rooted out evil and saved the people. Now an ordinary soldier was daring to dictate to them?

Someone immediately snapped back defiantly, "How arrogant!"

The two stern-faced junior officers behind him finally spoke up, but their words were even more infuriating:

"You're not as bad as them."

That martial artist was momentarily stunned before he felt a surge of anger:

"You—"

The stern-faced junior officer did not wait for him to finish his sentence. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the man's face, taking no step back whatsoever:

"And what about that?"

The martial artist backed down with shame on his face. Having lost face, he could only stump his feet as he walked away, making sure everyone heard each "stomp" along the way.

The scholars put aside their tea and listened intently until now before laughing out loud:

"It's Li Xingze's man."

He lifted up his head and gulped down the half-cold tea in one go, then laughed heartily:

"Splendid!"

That black-clad general ignored everyone else and strode two steps across the open space. He turned his head to look up and sneered thinly:

"Master, if you don't come out on your own, I'll have to come upstairs and invite you."

The door of the room in the very center of the second floor opened just as he finished speaking.

Thank you for reading the rewritten chapter! Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

Here are a few key points about my translation style:

- I aim to preserve the original story's main plot points, character relationships, and narrative viewpoint while rewriting it into natural English.

- My translations focus on maintaining continuity from previous chapters by incorporating relevant details from the provided summaries and character bibles.

- I strive for clarity and coherence in my rewrite. If something seems unclear or inaccurate based on context clues, please let me know so that we can refine it further.

Thanks again for your patience during this process!

第8章 Chapter 8

Chapter 8 (Part 1)

TITLE: The Missing Master

BODY:

Qiuyu awoke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. She sat up abruptly, only to find that Huiyue was nowhere to be seen. Panic seized her as she scanned the small temple, searching for any clues or valuables left behind by her missing friend.

Her eyes landed on an old book lying on the floor. She picked it up cautiously and flipped through the pages, discovering that it contained martial arts techniques. Qiuyu's brows furrowed in confusion; why would Huiyue leave such a thing behind?

Suddenly, she heard voices approaching from outside the temple. Two men from Master Shou Door's sect were searching the area, their footsteps growing louder with each passing moment.

Qiuyu's heart raced as she realized she was about to be discovered. She quickly hid herself, her mind racing with possibilities of what might have happened to Huiyue during the night.

第9章 Chapter 9

Chapter 9 (Part 1)

TITLE: The Missing Master

BODY:

Suddenly, she heard voices approaching from outside the temple. Two men from Master Shou Door's sect were searching the area, their footsteps growing louder with each passing moment.

Qiuyu's heart raced as she realized she was about to be discovered. She quickly hid herself, her mind racing with possibilities of what might have happened to Huiyue during the night.

Chapter 9 (Part 2)

TITLE: The Missing Master

BODY:

Huiyue lay hidden in the dense underbrush, her breath coming in short gasps as she strained her ears for any signs of pursuit. She had managed to slip away from Qiuyu's side during the night, realizing that her presence would only endanger the innocent girl further.

As the sun began to rise over the mountains, casting a pale light through the trees, Huiyue knew she couldn't stay hidden forever. She had to find a way to throw off Master Shou Door's men and return to Qiuyu before it was too late.

With a deep breath, Huiyue pushed herself up from the ground, wincing at the pain that still lingered in her injured body. She would need to be careful, but she had to keep moving if she wanted to survive this ordeal.

The journey ahead would be treacherous, filled with uncertainty and danger at every turn. But Huiyue was determined to protect Qiuyu, even if it meant sacrificing herself in the process.

She steeled her resolve and began to make her way through the dense forest, her footsteps light and her senses heightened as she scanned the area for any signs of pursuit. Master Shou Door's men were relentless, but Huiyue knew that she had to be even more determined if she wanted to see Qiuyu again.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, casting its rays through the canopy above, Huiyue pressed on, her heart pounding with each step. She would not give up until she found a way back to Qiuyu's side and ensured her safety once more.

The path ahead was uncertain, but Huiyue knew that she had to keep moving forward if she wanted to protect those she cared about most. With every ounce of strength remaining in her battered body, she continued on, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

第10章 Chapter 10

The journey ahead would be treacherous, filled with uncertainty and danger at every turn. But Huiyue was determined to protect Qiuyu, even if it meant sacrificing herself in the process.

Chapter 10 (Part 2)

TITLE: The Missing Master

BODY:

Huiyue emerged from the dense forest, her clothes tattered and bloodied. She had spent half a day searching for Qiuyu, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

As she stepped into the small village, she saw that it was unusually quiet. The streets were deserted, and the usual crowd of beggars and street urchins were nowhere to be seen.

Huiyue felt a growing sense of dread as she searched through the alleys and backstreets. She had no idea what might have happened to Qiuyu during her absence. Her mind raced with terrible possibilities.

She finally arrived at the temple where they had sought refuge the night before. To her relief, she saw Qiuyu sitting outside, looking exhausted but unharmed.

"Qiuyu!" Huiyue called out as she rushed over to her friend's side. "I've been looking for you all day! Are you alright?"

Qiuyu looked up at her with a weak smile. "Huiyue... I'm so glad you're back. I was worried sick about you."

Huiyue sat down beside her, taking Qiuyu's hand in hers. She wanted to hug her friend tightly, but she knew that the wounds on her body were still too fresh.

"Qiuyu, what happened here? Why is it so quiet?" Huiyue asked with concern.

Qiuyu sighed deeply. "After you left, I heard two men from Master Shou Door's sect approaching. They were searching for clues about your whereabouts. I hid to avoid being caught."

Huiyue felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of their enemies. She knew that they would stop at nothing until they captured both of them.

"Qiuyu, we need to leave this place immediately," Huiyue urged. "We can't stay here any longer. It's too dangerous."

Qiuyu nodded in agreement. "I know... But where will we go? We have no money or supplies."

Huiyue thought for a moment before replying, "There is an old friend of mine who lives near the coast. He may be able to help us. But it won't be easy getting there."

Qiuyu's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean... we're going to sea?"

Huiyue nodded solemnly. "It's our only chance, Qiuyu. We must leave this land behind if we want to stay alive."

第11章 Chapter 11

PART 1: