Le ciel au-dessus des rivières et des lacs est dégagé

Chapitre 78

Ze Xiu drew his Dragon's Roar sword and slowly walked over. Ji Moli, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, remained motionless. Ze Xiu made a sword gesture, seemingly preparing to attack. Ji Moli indeed focused his attention on guard. Unexpectedly, Ze Xiu kicked the ground, sending several small pebbles flying towards Ji Moli's face with a sharp sound. Ji Moli hurriedly dodged, while Xiao Man had already climbed onto Hao Guai Hao Guai's back and was running wildly up the mountain.

He immediately gave chase, but Long Yin was already upon him, swift as lightning. In an instant, the two exchanged over a dozen blows. Long Yin danced like a wild green snake, possessing the force of a storm; its swings could even stir up small pebbles on the ground, its power breathtaking. Ji Moli was somewhat overwhelmed, repeatedly laughing, "Truly first-rate skill! Not simple at all!"

He suddenly reached into his robes, flicked his sleeves, and several beams of cold, blue light shot out. Ze Xiu immediately recognized them as poisoned iron needles. Although they were silent, they were so small and light that they lost their aim when the wind blew them away. With a wave of his hand, the needles clattered to the ground, none of them piercing his body.

This kind of hidden weapon is most dangerous when used at night, especially by someone hiding in the shadows. In broad daylight, it's almost ineffective against a fight between two people. Ji Moli was indeed gradually losing ground, but he remained quite relaxed, seemingly unconcerned. He dodged the dragon's roar and suddenly looked up with a grin, asking, "Mr. Zexiu, you are very knowledgeable. Do you know what my nickname is in the martial arts world?"

Zexiu was startled, and suddenly realized something was wrong; his nickname was----

"Ji Moli, the God-Buddha Hand." He said his nickname himself, "There's nothing I can't catch if I want to."

Zexiu hurriedly withdrew his hand, but it was too late. His grab was truly earth-shattering and incredibly fast. Zexiu felt a tightness on his wrist, and sure enough, he had been grabbed. Then, a slight pain followed—his poison needle had pierced through!

His right hand went numb instantly, and he almost lost his grip on the Dragon's Roar. Ji Moli laughed and said, "This poison is called Death Fiend. There is currently no antidote in the world. Mr. Zexiu, you should be careful. If you continue like this, someone will die in no time..."

Before he could finish speaking, a flash of cold light appeared before his eyes, and the chill seemed to pierce his eyes, causing a sharp pain. Ji Moli was somewhat bewildered, staring blankly at him. Ze Xiu sneered, "Who told you I can only use a sword with my right hand!" His left hand clearly held the Snowfall Sword, a sword as fast as a startled swan, its blade pure white, without even a drop of blood on it.

Ji Moli lowered his head quietly. His right shoulder and arm suddenly and slowly broke off, falling to the ground. The wound was smooth and clean, and for a moment no blood flowed out. He gave a strange smile, as if to say that it didn't hurt at all. However, the next moment his face turned pale, and he suddenly knelt down, blood gushing out like a fountain.

Zexiu raised his sword, intending to kill him again, but his vision blurred. He knew the potency of the poison, and if he tried to kill him again, he feared he wouldn't be able to catch Xiaoman. He barely managed to gather his strength and pressed several acupoints on his right arm to control the poison's effects. When he looked down again, there was only a pool of blood on the ground, and Ji Moli had vanished without a trace.

Crimson Butterfly Scroll, Chapter Eighteen: Deathly Curse (Part Three)

Updated: 2008-10-24 17:05:29 Word Count: 3427

Third update.

Zexiu had no energy to pay attention to him. She picked up the broken snow and staggered up the mountain as fast as she could.

He seemed to have heard of the poison called Deathly Fiend. No one knew who had developed this terrible poison. There was no antidote. After being poisoned, one would experience excruciating pain all over their body, as if being cut open, and eventually die a miserable death.

He was panting heavily, looking down at his wrist. A bead of blood the size of a soybean had appeared where he had been pricked by the needle. It was as black as ink and instantly congealed on his wrist without flowing down.

A chill ran through him. He made a cut on his arm, and blood slowly flowed out, a pale bluish-red. It seemed that the poison had been sealed by the acupoints and was not spreading as quickly as before.

I hope Master is still on Mount Taihua! Otherwise, he will die here today!

Suddenly, footsteps came from ahead. He barely looked up and saw Xiaoman running down in a hurry. When she saw his pale and dejected face, her face, which had already turned pale with fright, turned even paler.

"Zexiu!" She rushed over to support him. "What's wrong?"

Zexiu was furious: "What are you doing down here?!"

Xiaoman's eyes were filled with tears: "My...my darling was stolen by a ghost! That ghost jumps around without leaving a trace, and it said that if I didn't leave, it would steal all the money I had, and strip me naked and hang me on a tree to make human jerky...I had no choice..."

Stealing money is one thing, but if she were stripped naked and hung from a tree, she'd rather come down and be killed.

Zexiu sighed, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, feeling his legs gradually go numb. Unable to move, he was horrified and cried out, "You... quickly cut my arm!"

Xiaoman had no idea what was wrong with him. Terrified and at a loss, she immediately slashed his arm, her face pale. Dark blood gushed out instantly, like ink, flowing around the wound before congealing in the blink of an eye. She gasped, "It's poison!"

Ze Xiu felt the stinging pain of being skinned alive gradually spreading, and his face turned pale. His forehead was covered in cold sweat. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and said sharply, "You go up! Go alone! Don't be afraid of being stripped naked and hung from a tree!"

"I'm not going!" she cried out.

"Listen to me!" He was growing too weak to speak. "Xiaoman, you...you have to listen to me..."

Tears streamed down her face as she grabbed his arm and pulled him forcefully up the mountain. Ze Xiu, who was nearly fainting from the pain, was jolted back to reality by her pull. He whispered, "You go up alone. There's still hope for survival. Don't let Tian Sha Shi Fang capture you!"

She didn't speak, but just pulled him with all her might. He was still muttering down below, telling her to go alone. Xiaoman suddenly said fiercely, "I won't go! I'll die with you! I'm not afraid of living. Why would I be afraid of dying?!"

Zexiu's lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out. A wave of excruciating pain engulfed him. He fainted.

Xiaoman used all her strength to drag him away, but she became stubborn. Even a god couldn't stop her.

She suddenly remembered that night when the fire raged, and she had helplessly circled outside the burning house, feeling as if countless knives were cutting into her heart. That pain was unforgettable. What would she have done if Zexiu had been inside?

He was about to die, and her mind was completely blank; she couldn't hear anything.

There was only one thought: save him! Or die together.

She slipped on something, fell to the ground, and her face was covered in mud and grime. She wiped it off casually with her hand, grabbed Zexiu's arm, and continued climbing.

Heavy footsteps suddenly sounded behind her. She turned around abruptly and saw Ji Moli standing there, his face pale. Half of his body was soaked in blood, and his right shoulder, arm, and hand had been severed. A strange smile played on his lips as he approached and whispered, "He's definitely dead. You should come with me; my master wants to see you."

Xiao Man seemed not to hear and continued walking. Ji Moli frowned and said, "I'm actually an impatient person..."

"Shut up." She interrupted him, turning back to look at him coldly. "I'm an impatient person too. I doubt your husband would be happy to see a dead man! If he dies, I will never live on alone!"

Ji Moli was somewhat stunned, but the next moment, he immediately reached out to grab her. Xiaoman pulled out the dagger from Zexiu's arms and was about to slit her throat when she suddenly saw him stop, stretch out one leg, and extend his left hand. He stopped in this strange posture, like a statue.

Xiao Man was stunned, not quite understanding what had happened. Ji Moli probably didn't understand what had happened either; he just couldn't move or speak.

Suddenly, he heard a very faint "thud." He stumbled, but was able to move again. He hurriedly looked around, but the surrounding area was full of jagged rocks, and the leaves in the woods were just sprouting tender buds. There was nowhere to hide, and not a soul in sight. He shook his head and was about to grab Xiaoman again, but halfway through his outstretched hand, he froze in place with a "thud."

But this time he could speak, so he called out loudly, "Who is this master?"

No one paid him any attention. Xiao Man was still looking around when he suddenly heard a slightly hoarse voice above him say, "Here's your horse back. Take him up the mountain."

Xiao Man hurriedly looked up, but there was nothing above her, not a single person in sight. However, she heard the sound of horses' hooves behind her, and Hao Guai Hao Guai came running over. Xiao Man was overjoyed and tried her best to pick up Ze Xiu, but she was too weak to get him onto the horse. Someone behind her said, "He really doesn't know any kung fu at all."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zexiu in her hand became lighter, and somehow she was lifted onto the horse's back. This time she finally recognized the voice; it was the same ghost who had threatened to strip her naked and hang her from a tree. She didn't have time to figure out whether the ghost was kind or malicious; she jumped onto the horse and galloped up the mountain.

Ji Moli seemed to hear the sound of cold sweat sliding down her forehead, wondering how this person was going to deal with her.

Suddenly, the man said, "You can stand here for a day and a night and guard the door for me."

He was covered in cold sweat and couldn't utter a single word.

Xiao Man spurred her horse up to the mountaintop, where she saw only scattered rocks and a small slope leading to what appeared to be a cave, presumably the dwelling of the Ghost Master. She dismounted to catch her breath and was about to lead her horse forward when she suddenly heard the Ghost Master behind her say, "So late! I've been waiting for quite a while."

She was so startled she almost jumped up, and hurriedly turned around, finally getting a clear look at Mr. Ghost. He was probably an old man in his sixties, with gray hair and beard, and looked... utterly ordinary, the kind of ordinary old man you could find anywhere on the street.

Seeing Xiaoman staring at him, he smiled slightly: "Go on up, don't you want your man to live?"

Xiao Man hurriedly led her horse uphill and into the cave. It was quite spacious inside, furnished like a room. A layer of dry grass was laid on the ground, and on top of the grass was a very simple tiger skin. A person was lying on it with his eyes closed, his black hair disheveled and his face pale.

When Xiaoman saw the man's face clearly, her legs went weak.

----Tianquan! He's not dead?!

The old man followed him in, casually tossing the half-dead Zexiu on the ground. He then reached into his robes, pulled out a box, and opened it to find two rows of gleaming blue iron needles inside—the very same ones Ji Moli had used to wound Zexiu. He didn't know when he had acquired them, but he held them in his hands, examining them repeatedly, lost in thought for a long time.

"Huh? You don't look well. Do you know this young man too?" The old man suddenly looked up at him.

Xiao Man was stunned for a long time before she said, "Yes, yes. I... I know him. I thought he... was dead. Did you save him, old man?"

The old man tossed the box of iron needles aside, took out his own silver needles from his robes, tore off Zexiu's clothes, and stuck several needles into his chest, forehead, and dantian. He said, "Hmm... When I saw him, he was already poisoned. He fought a very powerful old man for a while, and then someone came to help that old man. I saw he was about to die, so I intervened to save him. Whether he can save his life depends on fate. Oh, the same goes for this kid."

He kicked Zexiu, very rudely.

Xiao Man exclaimed anxiously, "What are you doing! He's almost dead and you're still kicking him!"

The old man smiled and raised his eyes: "No one in the world can kick him except me. Do you know who I am?"

Xiao Man shook her head, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Ah, you're his master!"

The old man chuckled, "Right. Needing a hint like that to remember doesn't necessarily mean you're very smart, but you do have quite a bit of money on you." He took out a purse, and Xiaoman's face immediately turned green—it was her purse! When had he stolen it?!

He took out the silver notes inside, flipped through them, and exclaimed, "You're just a little girl, yet you have three or four thousand taels of silver notes on you. You're really quite wealthy!"

She had even more hidden in her bundle! Xiaoman didn't dare say anything, only smiling apologetically, "If you like it, please take it; consider it my gift to you. As for their poison..."

"Yes, I said it depends on fate." He got up and walked to the back of the cave, then turned back and beckoned to her: "No rush, come here. Wash your face, I get annoyed when I see a girl who's all dirty."

Rolling on the floor and still calling me a stepmother?! Don't you dare say that stepmothers treat me better than their own mothers?

Chapter Nineteen of The Crimson Butterfly: To Survive (Part 1)

Updated: 2008-10-24 17:05:30 Word Count: 3528

The climax continues, at midnight.

First update.

Xiao Man casually wiped her face, but instead of getting it clean, it became even dirtier. The old man didn't care. He took out a bright red fruit from somewhere, chopped it up with one hand, squeezed the juice into a bowl, and then beckoned, "Come here, I have something to teach you."

He slowly walked over to Zexiu, roughly pinched his nose, and after a while, Zexiu instinctively opened his mouth to breathe. He then poured the dirty liquid from the bowl into Zexiu's mouth, making him look even more suffocated than a dead man.

Xiao Man watched in terror, muttering, "Grandpa... is he really your disciple? You won't kill him?"

"You're not that easy to die!" The old man threw down his bowl, squatted down in front of Tianquan, and looked down at the silver needles in his chest and dantian. The needles, which should have been a bright white, had turned a dark purplish-black. He wrapped his hand with a handkerchief and pulled out the needles one by one, saying, "Once the needles have all changed color, you have to replace them with new ones within half an hour. Come and watch carefully. I'll only insert them once; if I don't remember, it's your responsibility."

Xiao Man was completely confused, so she could only squat down and watch carefully, figuring out where to start, how far to prick, how to turn the needle, and how to apply gentle pressure. The old man handed her the last needle: "You try it, prick it into that eye."

She carefully held the needle and inserted it little by little into the acupoint on his chest. The old man said, "Very good, that's it. Got it?"

Without waiting for Xiaoman's reply, he got up and threw the poisoned needle he had pulled out into a copper basin, and the clear water inside instantly turned as black as ink.

"Um...you don't mean you're planning to have me give you acupuncture from now on..." Xiaoman followed him cautiously, like a little tail. "Or is it that acupuncture alone can cure the poison?"

The old man put on a straw hat, slung a tattered basket over his shoulder, and wore a yellowed handkerchief around his waist. He clutched a dirty hoe in his hand, looking more like a farmer than any farmer himself. He said, “If acupuncture could cure poison, wouldn’t I be a god? That only protects their vital organs, keeping them alive. I’m going to gather herbs and will be back within three days. Remember to change their needles. Don’t be late, or the consequences will be severe.”

As he turned to leave, Xiaoman grabbed his sleeve and asked seriously, "What are the chances of saving him?"

He thought for a moment: "If it were just that white-clad boy alone, I'd probably have less than a 10% chance. But now that brat is also poisoned, I'm about 70% sure. This is fate. You stay obediently in the cave and don't open the door for anyone but me."

Xiao Man glanced at the open opening and said with difficulty, "Grandpa, there's no door here."

He chuckled. "Who says so? The general is the door." He whistled and shouted, "General! Guard the door! Don't let anyone in!"