Vol 1 Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter Five: Healing (Final)
Yilin followed the girl outside “What’s your name?” she asked
The girl gave a sly grin “My last na!”
Yilin’s heart thu fun offace
“What“Do you think your friend is the only one who is called Linghu Chong?”
Yilin felt deep sorrow in her heart She sighed and could no longer hold her tears back “Big brother Linghu was my savior,” she said “His death was my fault, I…I am not worthy to be his friend”
Just then, in the hallway outside, two hunchbacks hurried by Yilin recognized thezhi The girl giggled
“What odds! An old, ugly hunchback, together with a young, ugly hunchback”
Yilin was a bit annoyed at the girl’s remarks “Girl,” she asked, “is it possible for you to find yourto hurt, and I’ht now”
The girl grinned “I know you’re faking a headache You’re just ’s name My dear sis, youroing to blame you for sure!”
“You are much more capable than I am, and you’re very smart too Even the renowned Master Yu didn’t knohat to do with you People are all thanking Buddha that you aren’t the one picking on others Who would dare bully you?” Yilin countered
The girl burst into laughter She held Yilin’s hand and said, “Now you’re the onefun of me If it weren’t for your Master, that bull-nose would’ve beaten randpa calls me Feifei; you can call me Feifei too”
Yilin felt a little better when the girl said her real nairl knew she was still thinking about Linghu Chong, and used his nairl had hidden outside theand overheard her report to all the o find your ht be?”
“I knohere they went,” Qu Feiyan said “If you want to look for the”
“Why don’t you want to go?” Yilin asked in surprise
“I ao But you’re different, you’re so glooo there early,” Qu Feiyan said
Yilin’s heart thumped “You mean your mother and father…”
“My parents were o If you want to look for theo to the underworld”
Yilin was very vexed “If your parents have passed away already, how can you still !”
Qu Feiyan grabbed onto Yilin’s left hand and started to beg, “My dear sis, I don’t have anyone else, I’m always so lonely nobody plays with er!”
Yilin was hed, “I’ll stay with you a little longer But you have to stop saying such nonsense Also, I am a member of the Buddhist order, so it isn’t appropriate for you to call me sis”
Qu Feiyan laughed “You think I was just saying silly words, but I think they make perfect sense Different people have different perspectives You are older thanwith that? Sis Yilin! Why don’t you quit being a nun?”
Yilin was startled, and stepped back
Qu Feiyan let go of her hand “What’s so great about being a nun?” she asked “You can’t eat fish, shrimp, chicken or duck, not to mention beef or laht now because you shaved your head,[1] once you grow a nice long head of beautiful hair back, you’ll be a real babe!”
Yilin could tell that Qu Feiyan was speaking from her heart, so she sy We believe in the doctrine of the Four Emptiness; ould I care whether ly?”
Qu Feiyan turned her head toward Yilin and looked at Yilin’s face carefully It had just stopped raining, and dark clouds started drifting away slowly Moonlight streale and illulohich h
“Sis, you are so beautiful,” she said slowly, “no wonder he thinks about you so much”
Yilin’s face beca about?” she exclai to leave”
“Fine! I’ll stop,” Qu Feiyan said with a s Glue?’ I need to save someone”
“Who are you saving?” Yilin asked in surprise
“He’s a very important person, but I can’t tell you who he is yet” Qu Feiyan grinned
“I really should give you the medicine if you need it to save somebody’s life,” Yilin said, “butGlue’ is not easy, and we have been ordered not to use it if the wounded person is unworthy”
“Sis,” Qu Feiyan said, “if so-Shan Sword School, would he be worthy or unworthy?”
“If he cursed -Shan Sword School, of course he would be unworthy, how could he be any good?”
“That’s really very interesting,” Qu Feiyan ain that he would have really bad luck after seeing nuns, and would lose all his bets He abused you, your -Shan Sword School If such an unworthy fellow got wounded…”
Before she even finished, Yilin had already turned around and strode away angrily Qu Feiyan ju Yilin’s way She kept s but had no intention to let Yilin pass
It suddenly struck Yilin “Yesterday at the Huiyan Wine House the girl sat with a hu was murdered When I carried his body down the stairs, she was still sitting there She ; there’s no need for her to eavesdrop on what I said at all Could she have followed irl an important question, but could not make herself speak the words Yilin could only blush with embarrassment
“Sis, I know you want to ask ht?” Qu Feiyan grinned
“Yes, would you please tell me? I…I would really appreciate it!” Yilin pleaded
“I don’t know, but there’s someone who does However, he’s badly wounded and could die anyGlue,’ he hu’s body is”
“You don’t know yourself?” Yilin asked
“If I, Qu Feiyan, knohere Linghu Chong’s dead body is, hai’s sword tomorrow and die a terrible death!”
“I believe you You don’t have to vow,” Yilin said hurriedly “So who is this person?”
“It’s up to you if you want to save his life or not And the place we’re going to isn’t such a good place either”
In order to find Linghu Chong’s body, even a hill of knives or a forest of swords could not stop Yilin froood place” Yilin nodded “Let’s go” They ate
It was still raining outside Soate Yilin and Qu Feiyan each took one and walked out of the gate toward the northeast corner of the city It was already late at night, and there was hardly anybody in the street When they walked by, a couple of dogs in the deep alleys barked All Yilin could think of here to find Linghu Chong’s body, so even though Qu Feiyan walked through many remote little streets, she did not care After they walked for quite a while, Qu Feiyan entered a very narrow alley A small red lantern stuck out from a door at the left side of the street Qu Feiyan knocked on the door three times Someone approached from the courtyard within, opened the door, and stuck his head out Qu Feiyan whispered so into his hands
“Sure, sure! Come in please, Misses!” the man said
Qu Feiyan turned back and h the doorway TheYilin, but still hurried ahead to lead the way After they walked through the courtyard, they arrived at a roo The man parted the door curtain
“Miss, Sister, through here please,” he said
The scent of perfue bed in the room Exotic silk quilts and pillows covered the bed They were decorated with Xiang[2] Ereatest arts of its type in the world A pair of loving birds playing in the water was embroidered on the cover of the red silk quilt It was ht colors and the ducks almost seemed alive Yilin had been cloistered in the White-Cloud Nunnery since she was very little The quilt she used was a very siorgeous bed set in her entire life She gave a quick glance and i red candle sat on the small table next to the bed; a mirror and a makeup box sat neatly by the red candle; two pairs of exotic slippers laid on the floor side by side near the bed – a pair for man and a pair for woman Yilin felt a sudden shock when she raised her head and saw a shy face both red with e surprise Then she realized that it was only her own face reflected from the mirror
The sound of footsteps came fro sht clothes and her manner was quite coquettish
Yilin felt more and more uneasiness “What is this place?” she whispered to Qu Feiyan
Qu Feiyan grinned and then whispered so to the maid
“Sure!” The woman covered up the smile on her lips with her hand and walked out slowly
“That woht to herself
“Why did you bring ain
“This is a very fashan It’s called the Jade House,” Qu Feiyan said with a broad grin
“What is this Jade House?”
“The Jade House is the best brothel in town”
When Yilin heard the word “brothel,” her heart skipped a beat, and she almost fainted When she saw the way the roo was not right, but she did not expect to be in a brothel at all Although she did not really understand what a brothel was, she had heard from the secular apprentice-sisters that prostitutes were the most lewd of woh money
“Did Qu Feiyan bring me here to be one of them?” She was so shocked and worried that she almost burst into tears
A hter exploded from the roo Yilin had recognized it as the voice of the villain, “Ten Thousand Miles Loner” Tian Boguang Yilin’s legs gave out on her; she collapsed into a chair, her face frightened and pale
“What’s wrong?” Qu Feiyan was startled and rushed over to check on her
“It’s Tian…Tian Boguang!” Yilin whispered
“That’s right, I recognized his voice too It’s your cute little apprentice Tian Boguang” Qu Feiyan grinned
“Who’s sayingshouted loudly from the next room
“Hey, Tian Boguang,” Qu Feiyan yelled, “your Master’s here Come here quickly and ko to your Master!”
Tian Boguang becaed “What Master you little bitch? You’re just babbling Keep at it, and I’ mouth”
“Wasn’t it true that you swore to take little sister Yilin of the Heng-Shan Sword School as your Master at the Huiyan Wine House? She is right here Hurry up, and get on over!” Qu Feiyan urged
“How can she possibly be in a place like this?” Tian Boguang exclai to kill you!” A trace of fear could actually be heard in his blustering voice
“Come here and ko to your Master first,” Qu Feiyan said airily
“No, no! Don’t let him come over!” Yilin hurriedly objected
Tian Boguang let out a cry in shock, and then came a loud “thump,” as he apparently jumped to the floor from his bed
“Sir! What are you doing?” a woman’s voice inquired
“Tian Boguang,” Qu Feiyan shouted, “don’t you run away! Your Master’s here to settle a score with you”
“What da retorted “I was tricked by that Linghu Chong! If that little nun comes one step closer, I’ll kill her in a blink!”
“Fine! I a over And you don’t co voice
“Tian Boguang,” Qu Feiyan yelled, “you’re supposed to be a somebody in the Martial World, why don’t you be aout of your promises? Come over here and ko to your Master!”
Tian Boguang snorted, but did not say another word
“I don’t want him to ko; I don’t want to see him either He…he is not my apprentice,” Yilin said
Tian Boguang jumped in immediately, “See! The little Sister doesn’t want to see me at all!”
“Fine,” Qu Feiyan said, “have it your way, but e came here earlier, ere followed by a couple of little sneaks You’d better go and get rid of theuard outside, and keep people fro us If you do your job well, thento be the little Sister’s apprentice to anyone Otherwise, I’ll just announce it to the entire world!”
Tian Boguang raised his voice and gave a sudden shout, “You sneaking little punks, you’ve got a lot of nerves!”
Aopened with a bang, followed by the clang of teapons falling atop the roof; then so away could be heard Again ca leaped down the roof back to his room
“Killed one, a little skulker fro Sword School The other one ran away,” he declared
“You’re hopeless! How could you let one get away?” Qu Feiyan complained
“I couldn’t kill that one,” Tian Boguang explained hurriedly “She…she was a nun of the Heng-Shan Sword School”
“So it was your Uncle-Master! Of course you couldn’t kill her” Qu Feiyan giggled
Yilin was astonished She murmured, “Was that my apprentice sister? What do I do now?”
“Hey, little girl, what’s your na asked
Grinning, Qu Feiyan said, “You shouldn’t ask questions like that If you keep yourher score on hold for now”
Tian Boguang shut up immediately
“Qu, let’s leave here quickly!” Yilin said urgently
“But you haven’t seen the patient yet,” Qu Feiyan insisted “Didn’t you have so your Master unhappy, and want to go back, that’s fine with me”
“Well, I ao see hi for a moment
Qu Feiyan smiled and walked toward the bedside She pushed the wall at the east side of the room, and a secret door opened silently Qu Feiyan waved at Yilin, h the door Yilin felt that the whole business with the brothel was gettingwas in the rooured the further she was froth and decided to follow Qu in There was another rooht With the illumination from the exterior, she could tell it was a small room There was also a bed in it, shrouded by a curtain She could vaguely see that so on the bed behind the curtain Yilin stopped at the secret door but was afraid to go in
“Sis, go ahead, help hi Glue’!” Qu Feiyan directed
“He…he really knohere big brother Linghu’s body is?” Yilin asked in hesitation
“Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t I don’t know”
“But you said earlier that he did know” Yilin was frustrated
“I’entleet to work, otherwise, just turn around and leave nobody’s going to stop you,” Qu Feiyan snapped
“No hu’s body, even if there is only a sliht to herself “Alright, I ork on him,” she declared
She went back to the et the candle, and then walked back to the small room and stopped at the bedside She opened the curtain and saw a reen handkerchief covered his face When he breathed in and out, the cloth ave Yilin a bit of comfort
“Where was he wounded?” she turned and asked
“His chest The wound is very deep; it barely missed his heart,” Qu Feiyan answered
Yilin gently lifted the thin blanket covering his chest A large wound could be seen right in the , but since the gash was so deep, the man was still in critical condition Yilin calht, “No matter what it takes, I have to save his life” She passed the candle to Qu Feiyan, and took the wooden box containing the “Heavenly Connecting Glue” out of her pocket After opening the box, she put it on the table at the side of the bed and then gently pressed down around the ins of the wound
“All the pressure points that help to stop bleeding have already been sealed Otherwise he would be dead by now,” Qu Feiyan said in a low voice
Yilin nodded All the pressure points around the wound had already been properly sealed Much better than what she could have achieved by herself She slowly re that covered the wound Once the padding was reushed out Yilin had learned how to treat wounds from her seniors She pressed down on the wound with her left hand, and applied the “Heavenly Connecting Glue” to the wound with her right hand When she finished, she i back into the wound “Heavenly Connecting Glue” was the Heng-Shan Sword School’s treasured poultice, prepared from a secret recipe Once applied to the wound, it stopped bleeding in short order Yilin could hear theheavily She wasn’t sure if he would survive, so she couldn’t resist but to ask the question
“Sir, I have soive me an answer”
Suddenly, Qu Feiyan tilted her body to the side The candlestick tilted to the side as well, and the flame suddenly went out Darkness swept the entire room
“Oops!” Qu Feiyan let out a cry “The light went out”
It was so dark in the rooers She became quite flustered “How can a member of the Buddhist order remain in such an unsavory place? I need to leave here as soon as I find out where big brother Linghu’s body is,” she thought With a tre voice, she asked
“Sir, are you feeling a little better now?”
The roan but did not answer her question
“He’s running a fever Feel his forehead, it’s burning hot!” Qu Feiyan exclaimed
Before Yilin even had a chance to answer, her right hand was already caught by Qu Feiyan and put on top of the reen handkerchief that covered the ers touched a burning coal; she couldn’t help but to feel pity for him
“I also have medicine to take orally I’d better adht the candle?”
“Sure, you wait here, I’ll go find some flints”
Hearing that Feiyan was leaving, Yilin becarabbed onto Feiyan’s sleeve
“No, no, don’t leave What am I suppose to do here alone?”
Qu Feiyan let out a sh “Go ahead and take out the medicine,” she said
Yilin took out a bottle from her pocket, opened the bottle and duive them to him,” she said
“Better not drop the pills in the dark This concerns somebody’s life; it’s no joke Sis, if you are afraid to be left here alone, then I’ll stay here, you go find the flints,” Qu Feiyan proposed
Yilin was evenaround the brothel all by herself “No, no, I a,” she cried out immediately
“Once you decide to save soh You can just put the pills in his ive him some tea to help him s In the dark, he can’t see who you are What are you so afraid of? Here, here’s the tea cup, be careful, don’t drop it,” Qu Feiyan said
Slowly reaching out with her hand, Yilin took the tea Pausing, she thought to herself, “Master has always told us that as Buddhists we should always bea seven-story paGoda for the Buddha Even if this hu’s body is, he is on the verge of dying, and I should still try to save his life” So she slowly extended her right hand When the back of her hand touched the man’s forehead, she turned her hand over and placed three “White Cloud Bear Gallbladder Pills” into his mouth He sed the that seeratitude
“Sir, I know you are wounded badly, I really should let you rest, but I have one urgent thing to ask of you Hero Linghu Chong was murdered, his body…,” Yilin said
“You…you are asking for Linghu Chong…?” the man croaked
“Yes! Do you knohere hero Linghu Chong’s body is?” Yilin asked anxiously
The man mumbled so out Yilin asked one more time, and then moved her ear close to theIt see but could not make the words come out
Yilin suddenly re Glue” and “White Cloud Bear Gallbladder Pills” onderful treat medicines as well Particularly after one took the “White Cloud Bear Gallbladder Pill,” he would pass out for a half day It was just an i process How could she be so self absorbed as to push hiently and moved out from under the curtain and sat down on a chair near the bed
“I’ll wait till he feels better and then ask again,” she murmured to herself
“Sis, is he going to be alright?” Qu Feiyan asked
“I hope he will recover, but the wound on his chest is really deep Qu, ho is he?” Yilin asked But Qu Feiyan did not answer
“My grandpa said you couldn’t let a lot of things go,” Qu Feiyan said after a while “You really shouldn’t be a nun”
“Your grandpa knows me?” Yilin asked in surprise “How does he…he know that I cannot let things go?”
“Yesterday in the Huiyan Wine House, Grandpa and I atching your fight with Tian Boguang”
“Ah,” Yilin said, “so your grandpa was the one sitting with you?”
“Yeah” Qu Feiyan sue When he said he was the second best at fighting while sitting down, Grandpa actually believed hiht he really knew some kind of sword art he created while on the toilet, that could defeat Tian Boguang Ha-ha”
Yilin could not see her face in the dark, but she could ileeful Qu Feiyan was the more sorrow Yilin felt
Qu Feiyan went on, “Later after Tian Boguang ran away, Grandpa said he had no guts He had promised to be your apprentice, and should have koed to you and called you Master How could he go against his word?”
“Big brother Linghu only tricked hiht,” Yilin explained
“Sis, you are truly kind After the way Tian Boguang treated you, you’re still hu was killed, you just carried his body and wandered around with no specific destination Grandpa said, ‘This little nun is really a passionate girl I ao crazy Let’s follow her and watch’ So the two of us followed behind you and watched how you just carried his body and didn’t want to let hio Grandpa said, ‘Feifei, see how upset this little nun is If this lad Linghu Chong weren’t dead, the little nun would definitely give up on the nunnery and marry him’”
Yilin flushed with great e in the dark
“Sis, was ht?”
“He died because of me,” Yilin said “I really wish I was the one who died instead of hi brother Linghu’s life, I…I…even if I had to fall all the way to the bottoain,[3] I would not complain” Her voice was filled with sincerity as she said those words
All of a sudden, the roan