Chapter 21 – Emerging From the Cage (2/2)

Fu Hongxue asked, “Does he also wish to meet me?”

The zither music once more carried an answer with it. “Yes.”

Fu Hongxue was originally a friend who appreciated his music. He wanted to continue to inquire, but a very strange noise suddenly came in from outside. Monotous, abrupt, shrill, and terrifying. One sound after the other, it rang out without stopping.

Yu Qin’s hand trembled. Two strings on the zither suddenly snapped. This abrupt, shrill sound carried within it an indescribable, fear-inducing sensation. No matter who heard this sound, they would feel their throat becoming dry, their heart rates elevate, and their stomachs contract. Not even Fu Hongxue was an exception.

Yu Qin’s face changed. He suddenly stood up and quickly strode out.

Fu Hongxue did not stop him. He never did things that were unnecessary. He had to conserve his energy, using all of his strength to keep himself calm and collected.

The weapons on the wall sparkled with cold light. That four-foot, seven-inch long painting on the wall was definitely a masterpiece as well. But he didn’t even spare it another glance. He definitely could not spare any attention to anything else. But he wasn’t able to fully concentrate all of his strength. That abrupt, shrill noise continued to cry out without stopping, as though it were an iron hammer repeatedly clanging against his mind. It wasn’t until the sound of a door opening was heard that he noticed there was a door behind him. A beautiful woman, dressed in white, was staring at him from outside the door. She actually seemed to be Zhuo Yuzhen. And yet, she was not Zhuo Yuzhen.

She was far more beautiful than Zhuo Yuzhen, so beautiful, pure, and noble. Her smile was warm and refined, and her graceful bearing was even more stirring. Even Fu Hongxue couldn’t resist tossing a few extra glances her way.

She already walked inside. She gently closed the door, then walked past Fu Hongxue’s form. She walked to the center of the great hall before turning to face him. Smiling, she said, “I know you are Fu Hongxue, but you definitely don’t know who I am.”

Her voice was just like her person; noble and graceful. But her words were very frank and candid. Clearly, she wasn’t one of those affectedly bashful women.

Fu Hongxue did not know who she was.

But she had already told him. “My surname is Zhuo. I can be considered the mistress of this place. Thus, you can call me Madame Zhuo. If you feel this manner of address is too vulgar, you can call me Zhuo Zi.” [There is a pun here; her surname, ‘Zhuo’, sounds just like the word for ‘table’. Zhuo Zi literally means ‘Table’.]

Smiling, she continued, “My nickname is ‘Table.’ My friends all like to address me by this name.”

Fu Hongxue coldly said, “Madame Zhuo.”

He wasn’t her friend. He had no friends.

Madame Zhuo naturally understood his meaning. And yet, she was still smiling cheerfully. “No wonder everyone says you are a weirdo. You really are.”

Fu Hongxue himself admitted to it.

Madame Zhuo’s eyes roamed about. “Don’t you want to ask me what relationship I have with Zhuo Yuzhen?”

Fu Hongxue said, “I do not.”

Madame Zhuo said, “Can it be that there really is nothing in the world which can move your heart?”

Fu Hongxue shut his mouth. If he didn’t want to say a single word in response, he would immediately shut his mouth, very tightly.

Madame Fu sighed. “Originally, I thought that you would at least glance at these weapons. Everyone who has ever visited here have all been very interested in these weapons.”

These weapons truly were masterpieces. It definitely wasn’t easy to collect all of these weapons. It wasn’t easy to have a chance to see them either. Very few people who practiced martial arts would be willing to pass up such an opportunity.

She suddenly turned around and walked towards the wall. She removed a simple, unsophisticated metal sword which was heavy and black. “Do you recognize whose sword this was?”

Fu Hongxue took one glance, then immediately said, “This is the sword Guo Songyang used.”

Originally, he didn’t want to speak, but he couldn’t resist speaking. He couldn’t allow her to consider him an ignorant person.

Madame Zhuo smiled. “You truly do have good eyesight.”

There wasn’t too much praise hidden within these words. In past years, the Solar Apex Sword travelled the martial world with ease, and was ranked number four in the Book of Weapons. There truly were only a few people who did not recognize this sword.

Madame Zhuo said, “Although this is just a replica of the original, its shape, weight, length, and even the metal used to smelt it are definitely the exact same as that of the Solar Apex Sword of years past.”

She couldn’t help but reveal a sense of self-satisfaction in her laughter. “Even the tassel on the sword was personally made by the grand-aunt of the Guo family. Aside from the metal sword which they pass down from generation to generation, I’m afraid that in all the world, there’s no other sword like this one!”

She hung the sword back on the wall, then took off a long whip. Dark light gleamed from it, making it look just like a nimble serpent.

Fu Hongxue said, “This was used by Ximen Rou. The Serpent Whip of the God of Whips, ranked seventh on the Book of Weapons!”

Madame Zhuo laughed. “Since you recognized the whip, I am sure you recognize Zhuge Gang’s Diamond Crutch as well.”

She hung up the long whip, then removed a pair of meteor hammers which were next to the Diamond Crutch.

Fu Hongxue said, “The Twin Comets of Wind and Rain. Ranked thirty fourth on the Book of Weapons.”

Madame Zhuo said, “Good eyesight.”

This time, there was somewhat more praise in her tone. She suddenly walked to the corner of the room and removed two metal hoops. “In the past, the Golden Coin clan dominated the martial world. Their chief, Shangguan Jinhong, shook the world with his strength. These are his Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings.”

Fu Hongxue said, “They are not.”

Madame Zhuo said, “No?”

Fu Hongxue said, “These are the Rings of Great Affection. This is the unique weapon of the northwestern Iron Ring school.”

Madame Zhuo said, “Why would a weapon designed for killing be named ‘Great Affection’?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Because once these rings settle around the opponent’s weapons, they will become entangled and never let go, just like people of great love and affection!”

A strange expression suddenly appeared on his pallid face. He continued, “When affection is concentrated, one is entangled to the marrow, even if the seas run dry and stones crumble, until death shall we part. Why is it that people of great affection are also people who kill as well!”

Madame Zhuo let out a soft sigh. “When affection is concentrated, to the point where it won’t stop until death, it can sometimes harm not only others, but also one’s self.”

Fu Hongxue said, “I’m afraid the one which is harmed is usually one’s self.”

Madame Zhuo slowly nodded. “Right. The one which is harmed is usually one’s self.”

The two of them faced each other silently. Only after a long time did madame Zhuo’s beautiful smile reappear. “There isn’t a weapon here which you do not recognize!”

Fu Hongxue said, “None.”

Madame Zhuo lightly said, “Every single weapon here has a history behind it. Back when they caused a stir in the martial world, it wouldn’t have been too hard to recognize them.”

Fu Hongxue said, “There isn’t anything which is truly hard in the world.”

Madame Zhuo said, “Unfortunately, although some weapons have become famous long ago and killed people without number, there has never been anybody who has seen its true features. For example…”

Fu Hongxue said, “Little Li’s Flying Dagger?”

Madame Zhuo said, “Right. Little Li’s Flying Dagger, Never Misses Its Mark! Even Shangguan Jinhong, said to be invincible, died to that dagger. It can truly be considered the best knife in the world.”

She let out another sigh, then said, “Unfortunately, up til now, no one has ever seen that dagger.”

With a flash of the dagger, it enters the enemy’s throat. Who, then can clearly see how long it is, or what shape it is?

Madame Zhuo sighed again. “Thus, to this very day, this is still one of the great secrets of the martial world. We have exhausted all of our efforts, but still have not been able to produce an identical flying dagger. A pearl has been lost in the great sea. Such a pity!”

Fu Hongxue said, “It seems there’s another weapon missing here.”

Madame Zhuo said, “The Peacock Plume?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Correct.”

Madame Zhuo chuckled. “There’s nothing which is perfect in the world. Fortunately, we finally have this sabre.”

She suddenly plucked down the pitch-black sabre from the wall.

With a flash of sabre light, the sabre left the sheath. Not only was its length and shape exactly the same as his, it even had three notches on the edge.

Madame Zhuo smiled. “I know that this sabre isn’t meant to be viewed by others. I fear even you yourself rarely look at it.”

Fu Hongxue’s face had turned so pale, it was almost translucent. He coldly said, “I know that some people are the same.”

Madame Zhuo said, “People?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Although some people have become famous long ago and killed people without number, no one has ever seen their real face. For example…”

Madame Zhuo said, “Gongzi Yu?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Right. Gongzi Yu.”

Madame Zhuo chuckled again. “You truly have never seen his face?”

Her laughter seemed very strange, very mysterious. But Fu Hongxue’s reply was very simple. “I have not.”

Madame Zhuo laughed. “Since you’ve already come here, you will see him sooner or later. Why be impatient?”

Fu Hongxue said, “How long is he going to wait before meeting with me?”

Madame Zhuo said, “Soon.”

Fu Hongxue coldly said, “Since he is coming soon, why the need for him training how to draw his sabre?”

That monotonous, abrupt, shrill sound was still continuing, one sound following the other. Can it be that this was the sound of drawing a sabre?

Fu Hongxue said, “There are thousands of transformations in sabreplay, but drawing the sabre is a very simple act.”

Madame Zhuo said, “You have practiced that movement for very long?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Seventeen years.”

Madame Zhuo said, “You practiced such a simple movement for seventeen years?”

Fu Hongxue said, “I only regret that I wasn’t able to practice it for a bit longer!”

Madame Zhuo laughed again. “Since you’ve already trained it for seventeen years, why can’t he train for a bit longer?”

Fu Hongxue said, “Because even if he practices for a few more days, it won’t do any good!”

Smiling, Madame Zhuo sat down. Facing him, she said, “This time, you are wrong.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Oh!”

Madame Zhuo said, “He isn’t pulling out a sabre.”

Fu Hongxue said, “He isn’t?”

Madame Zhuo said, “This is pulling out a sword.”

She slowly continued, “Over the past few hundred years, famous swordsmen have been as common as trees. There are ninety three new sword styles, with thousands and tens of thousands of transformations. Each has its own brilliance. Some swords styles have extremely bizarre techniques, unimaginable techniques. But there is still only one way to draw a sword.”

Fu Hongxue said, “There isn’t only one way. There is only one way which is the fastest!”

Madame Zhuo said, “But finding this fastest way isn’t easy.”

Fu Hongxue said, “The easiest way is the fastest way.”

Madame Zhuo said, “Even though, the true simplicity and purity of the movement can only be returned to after thousands of transformations.”

All the changes and transformations within all martial arts, could not transform into the word ‘quick’.

Madame Zhuo said, “He bitterly trained for five years before he discovered this method. He has also already practiced this simple movement for seventeen years. To this very day, he is still practicing it. Every day, he practices for at least six hours.”

Fu Hongxue tightly gripped his sabre. His pupils contracted.

Madame Zhuo stared at him. Her gentle eyes had turned as sharp as knives. One word at a time, she said, “Do you know why he has been bitterly training this sword-drawing technique for so long?”

Fu Hongxue said, “To deal with me?”

Madame Zhuo swallowed a breath. “You are wrong again.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Oh?”

Madame Zhuo said, “He doesn’t necessarily want to deal with you in particular, or you as a person.”

Fu Hongxue finally understood. “He wants to deal with every single martial arts expert in the world.”

Madame Zhuo nodded. “Because he is determined to be the best in the world!”

Fu Hongxue sneered. “Can it be that he believes that if he defeated me, he would be the best in the world?”

Madame Zhuo said, “Up to this point in time, he has always believed this.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Then he is wrong as well.”

Madame Zhuo said, “He isn’t wrong.”

Fu Hongxue coldly said, “The martial world is filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons, and the dusty world is filled with many marvelous people. Who knows how many people there are whose skills martial arts are far better than mine…”

Madame Zhuo interjected, “But up to this point in time, there still has not been anyone who can defeat you.”

Fu Hongxue shut his mouth.

Madame Zhuo said, “I, too, can tell that defeating you isn’t an easy task. You are definitely the most extraordinary person who has come here.”

Fu Hongxue couldn’t help but ask, “Many people have come here before?”

Madame Zhuo avoided this question, instead saying, “Not only is the collection of weapons on the wall very complete, they are all masterpieces. Anyone who practices martial arts would find it hard to resist giving them a few glances. Only you can be totally unmoved.”

Sighing, she said, “The strangest thing of all is, you didn’t even glance once at the painting.”

Fu Hongxue said, “Why must I look at it?”

Madame Zhuo said, “Give it a glance, and you will understand.”

Suddenly, a voice could be heard. “Since he is going to see it sooner or later, why the rush?”

A calm, leisurely voice, clearly coming from a person of good breeding, refined and urbane.

Originally, being too polite was a sign of being unfriendly and cold. But this voice carried a strange warmth, such warmth that it almost approached being brutal.

If there was a power in the world which was capable of exterminating everything, without question it must have been birthed from this warmth. And only a type of person such as Gongzi Yu could have such terrifying warmth. He clearly thirsted to meet Fu Hongxue as well. He knew that the time when they met would be a time for extermination. At least one of them would be exterminated.

Now, he was already standing behind Fu Hongxue. Within his hands, he held a long sword which could be pierced through Fu Hongxue’s vital points at any time.

What type of person was he? Was it a sword that he held in his hands?