THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

Embroidering Part 3

Yang Lianting realized what she was trying to do, she wanted him to cry out in pain to disrupt Dongfang Bubai's concentration. So he tried his hardest to endure the pain and held it in, not another sound escaped his mouth. Yingying became enraged and shouted, "Are you going to cry out or not? I'll cut off your fingers one by one!" Her sword rose and sliced off one of the fingers on his right hand. Yang Lianting was indeed resilient, although the pain was unbearable, he managed to keep his mouth shut. But the first cry that Yang Lianting gave out before had already reached Dongfang Bubai's ears. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Yingying beside the bed, slowly torturing Yang Lianting with her sword. With the shout "Little witch!", a pink cloud of a figure darted towards the bed at Yingying. She withdrew at the very last second to avoid the incoming attack, but it wasn't clear if Dongfang Bubai's needles had struck their mark. Linghu Chong and Ren Woxing saw the opportunity as both slashed their swords across Dongfang Bubai's back and Xiang Wentian snapped his whip violently towards Yang Lianting's head. Dongfang Bubai disregarded his own safety, and stabbed his needle backwards into Xiang Wentian's chest.

Xiang Wentian felt his entire body go numb, as his whip fell to the floor. Right at that time, Linghu Chong and Ren Woxing both plunged their swords through the back of Dongfang Bubai. Dongfang Bubai's entire body shook, and then collapsed on top of Yang Lianting . Ren Woxing was overjoyed as he pulled his sword out from Dongfang Bubai's back and pointed the tip at the back of his neck and said, "Dongfang Bubai, finally ... finally you've fallen by my hand!" In the rush of heated combat, he hadn't yet caught his breath. Yingying was too shaken up by the fight, her two legs became weak, as she wavered back and forth and then fainted to the floor. Linghu Chong rushed to her side and caught her just as she fell, he saw a tiny gash of blood on her left cheek.

Yingying said, "You've sustained quite a number of injuries too." She extended her sleeve and wiped across Linghu Chong's face, her sleeve became stained with dots and streaks of red blood.

Linghu Chong turned to Xiang Wentian and asked, "Are your injuries serious?"

Xiang Wentian forced a laugh and said, "I won't die that easily!"

Blood gushed forth from the two fatal wounds on Dongfang Bubai's back. He cried painfully, "Brother Lian, Brother Lian, how cruel of these villains to torture you like this!"

Yang Lianting replied angrily, "You've always claimed that your martial arts was invincible, how come you can't even take care of these bastards?"

Dongfang Bubai replied, "I ... I already ..."

"You what?"

"I've already tried my best, their ... their martial arts are quite strong as well." His body suddenly trembled as he rolled to the floor. Ren Woxing was afraid that he would get up again so he stabbed his sword into Dongfang Bubai's left thigh.

Dongfang Bubai laughed feebly and said, "Chief Ren, you've finally won, I've lost."

Ren Woxing let out a hearty laugh and said, "You little sneak, do you think you can change what has transpired?"

Dongfang Bubai shook his head and said, "I'm not trying to change anything. Since I've been defeated here today, I know that my life is over." His voice had been extremely high and sharp, but now it had sunk to a lower tone as he continued, "But if we had fought one-on-one, there is no way that you would have defeated me."

Ren Woxing hesitated for a second, and then replied, "You're right, your martial arts is definitely at a higher level than mine, that I truly admire."

Dongfang Bubai went on, "Linghu Chong, your swordsmanship is incredible, but if we fought one-on-one, you wouldn't be my match either."

Linghu Chong acknowledged, "That is true, in fact the four of us combined wouldn't be able to overcome you. It was only because of your attachment to that person surnamed Yang, that we were able to break your concentration and injure you. Your martial arts are at an unimaginable level, there is no one worthy of the title, 'Number One Fighter under the Heavens' other than you. In that sense, I truly have the utmost respect for you."

Dongfang Bubai slightly snickered and said, "That the two of you are able to admit that, at least I know that you two are true men, with sincerity and integrity. Aye, what a pity, what a pity, ever since I mastered the 'Sunflower Manual', I followed exactly what was written on that script. First, I had to castrate myself to train my qi, then I had to refine pellets and intake herbs. Gradually, I lost all my facial hair, and my voice started to change, my temper started to change as well. After that, I was no longer attracted to women, I killed all seven concubines that I had with me, and ... and I put all my affection and care towards Yang Lianting. If only I were born a woman, then that would've been perfect."

"Chief Ren, I ... I'm going to die soon, I beg only one thing of you, ... please ... if you could take into consideration how well I've treated your daughter all these years ..."

Ren Woxing asked, "What is it?"

Dongfang Bubai requested, "Please spare Yang Lianting 's life, please just let him off the Dark Wood Cliff."

Ren Woxing answered, "I plan to cut him into a thousand pieces, and torture him to death over the course of a hundred days, cutting off a finger today, slicing off a toe tomorrow."

Dongfang Bubai cried out, "You ... how can you be so cruel!" Dongfang Bubai lunged up fiercely and suddenly at Ren Woxing. Because of his severe injuries, his speed was nowhere near as fast as it was before, but his attack was still astonishingly quick. Ren Woxing stabbed outwards with his sword, it penetrated the front of his chest and exited through his back. Just at that time, Dongfang Bubai flicked his finger, the needle in his hand shot out and pierced Ren Woxing's right eye. Ren Woxing withdrew his sword and leapt back, he took a deep breath and leaned his back against a wall. The impact caused nearly half the wall to collapse under his immense force. Yingying looked at her father's right eye and saw a needle embedded into one of his pupils. Fortunately, Dongfang Bubai had not much strength left in his hands, or else that needle could've punctured straight into Ren Woxing's brain. Although his life was not in danger, his right eye was permanently blinded.

Yingying tried to get the needle out but it was too short and only a fraction of it was actually still sticking out of his eye, so there was no place for her fingers to hold on to. She turned around to pick up the embroidery frame that Dongfang Bubai threw away and pulled out a piece of thread from it. She then threaded it through the needle's hole and pulled the needle out. Ren Woxing screamed in pain. The needle was hanging by the thread as blood dripped from it. Ren Woxing was furious and gave Dongfang Bubai's corpse a fierce kick. The corpse flew up and hit Yang Lianting's head. Ren Woxing used all of his power in that one kick and as they clashed heads, both Dongfang Bubai and Yang Lianting's heads burst open spilling their brain matters everywhere. Ren Woxing had been holding this big animosity for a long time, his leadership of the Sun Moon Sect was usurped and he had now been blinded in one eye, so he was feeling happy and angry at the same time. He laughed loudly towards the sky shaking all the tiles in the house. But this laughter was full of anger.

Shangguan Yun said, "Congratulations Chief for executing this big traitor. From now on, our sect would be sheltered under Chief's protection and its power would spread throughout the four oceans. Long live the Chief, unifies the Jianghu."

Ren Woxing laughingly scolded him, "Nonsense! What long live?" Suddenly he felt that if he could really live long and unify the Jianghu, then that would be the happiest thing in the world. He could not help laughing loudly at this. He laughed because he really felt happy and was feeling proud of himself. Xiang Wentian used Dongfang Bubai's needle to pierce the acupoint on his left chest. In a moment, his whole body felt better and his four limbs were able to move freely. He also said, "Congratulations Chief, congratulations Chief!"

Ren Woxing laughingly said, "You've done a really big service by punishing this traitor." He then turned his head around and said to Linghu Chong, "Chong'er's contribution is also not small."

Linghu Chong saw the trace of blood on Yingying's white jade cheek and fear still lingered in his heart as he remembered how fierce the fight was. He said, "If it weren't for Yingying attacking Yang Lianting, it wouldn't have been easy to kill Dongfang Bubai." He stopped for a moment, and continued, "Luckily his needle wasn't coated with poison."

Yingying trembled when she heard this and softly said, "Please don't say anymore. That person wasn't a man, he was a monster. Ai, when I was small, he used to carry me up the mountain to pick up vegetables and fruits. How greatly he has changed today!"

Ren Woxing put his hand inside Dongfang Bubai's pocket and felt an old thin page in there. He took it out and saw many tiny letters written on it. He waved that paper around and said, "This paper is the 'Sunflower Manual'. It's written clearly in the beginning, 'To learn this Divine Art, castrate yourself first.' I'd never be so foolish to do such a thing, Haha, haha, ..." He then moaned deeply and said, "But this Manual actually conveys a lot of profound martial arts in it, and anyone who manages to see it would definitely be tempted into learning it. Fortunately I've learned the Art of Essence Absorbing at that time. Otherwise, I'd probably have learnt the martial arts written in this Manual."

(Translator's note: In the third edition, the castration part was not mentioned to Linghu Chong and Yingying anymore. This is to fix the later chapters when Linghu Chong and Yingying somehow forget about this.)

He again gave Dongfang Bubai's corpse another kick. He laughed and said, "You were definitely crafty and sly, but you still couldn't have guessed my real intention in giving you the 'Sunflower Manual'. You have such a wild ambition and bossy attitude, do you think I wouldn't notice it? Haha, haha!"

Linghu Chong's heart turned cold and he thought, "So Chief Ren actually had a bad intention in giving him the 'Sunflower Manual'. The two of them were being crafty and were plotting against each other." He saw blood was still flowing out of Ren Woxing's right eye and his mouth was opened in a mad smile, he looked completely mean and ferocious. Linghu Chong felt terrified seeing him.

Ren Woxing extended his hand and found out that Dongfang Bubai had indeed cut off his testicles. He laughed madly and said, "This 'Sunflower Manual' would be good for eunuchs to practise." He then rolled that old paper in both of his hands and ripped it into a thousand pieces. He then hurled both of his hands open and the pieces of paper were blown all over the place by the wind. Yingying let out a sigh and said, "It's best to destroy such a harmful thing!"

Linghu Chong laughingly said, "You're afraid that I'm going to learn it?"

Yingying's whole face blushed a deep red and she pursed her lips. She then said, "You're speaking improperly." Yingying then took out a medicine and applied it to her father's and Shangguan Yun's eye injuries.

Everyone's face was also full of uncountable needle holes. Yingying looked into the mirror and saw a trace of blood on her left cheek. Even though it was really thin, it would still leave a scar when it heals and she didn't feel happy about it.

Linghu Chong said, "You already have all the luck in this world so the ghosts and gods would envy you. So this little scar on your face would definitely bring untold amount of good fortune."

"What lucky thing do I have?"

"You're beautiful and smart, your martial art is high, your father is the divine sect's Chief, and you yourself is admired by many heroes in this world. Furthermore, you're a woman that even Dongfang Bubai was jealous of." Yingying gave him a smile and forgot all about the injury to her face.

Ren Woxing and the four of them went out of Dongfang Bubai's little house, went through the garden, tunnel, and went back to the hall. Ren Woxing passed down a command ordering all the Halls' elders and the Fragrant Masters to come see him. He sat at the Chief's seat and laughingly said, "That servant Dongfang Bubai had many wicked schemes. He sat highly on the cliff and put a big distance between his subordinates and himself so all of them were awed by him. What's this hall called?"

Shangguan Yun replied, "Reporting to Chief. This hall is called 'Hall of Refined Kindness'. This name came from the praise to Chief which says 'Refined scholar, kind-hearted warrior'."

Ren Woxing laughed. "Refined scholar, kind-hearted warrior! Skilled with both pen and sword; that's not easy to do!" He then beckoned to Linghu Chong. "Chong'er, come here." Linghu Chong went in front of him.

"Chong'er, that day in Hangzhou, I invited you to join our sect. At that time, I had just escaped from my imprisonment and was all by myself, so you probably didn't believe all my promises to you. This time, I've already regained the leadership of the sect. The first matter I'd like to bring up is that old matter again..." Ren Woxing said till here when his right hand patted the chair next to him. "Sooner or later, this position will be yours. Haha, haha!"

Linghu Chong said, "Chief, Yingying's kindness towards me is high like the mountain. If you wanted me to do anything, I would never decline it. But I've already given my promise to other people to do another matter. So this matter of joining the divine sect, please forgive junior for not being able to promise you this."

Both of Ren Woxing's eyebrows were gradually raised, and he gloomily said, "You know what's going to happen for not listening to my order!"

Yingying went up and pulled Linghu Chong's arm. "Daddy, today is your big day. Why must you be worried about this kind of small matter? We can slowly talk about him joining the sect later."