Chapter 20 – The Second Star (2/2)

But there were no vipers in the cabin, only a person.

In Xiao Jun’s eyes, Ingot, so vivacious and charming, had become as abominable and terrifying as a viper.

Ingot didn’t even blink.

“Why don’t you ask me what I know? And how I know it?”

It seemed his words were effective. Xiao Jun, who was originally about to attack, suddenly didn’t.

That was because he really did want the answers to those questions.

Ingot smiled. “That’s better. If you want to kill me to shut me up, you should at least first let me make things clear before you attack.”

It turned out Xiao Jun was willing to ask: “What exactly do you know?”

“Honestly speaking, I happen to know quite a bit.” Sounding completely at ease, he said, “Everything that you don’t want people to know about, I know.”

“Like what?”

“Gao Tianjue worked out a plan for you to kill someone. After you did, she told you that you shouldn’t have killed him. Even if everyone under heaven wanted to kill him, you couldn’t. Because you are his son.”

Xiao Jun’s fists clenched. They clenched, not upon a person’s throat, nor upon the vital spot of a viper.

They clenched on themselves, on his own life and blood and soul.

“Other than Gao Tianjue, who would ever have guessed that you were the son of Three Fearsome Laughs General Li? Even you could never have guessed. That’s because you always believed that he killed your mother.” Ingot sighed. “Gao Tianjue told you that even if he did kill your mother, you can’t deny that you are his son. Gao Tianjue hated his guts, so he devised this plot, had you kill him. That way, he would die in unrest, and you would regret it for the rest of your life.”

Xiao Jun showed no reaction. He was already numb to the point of collapse.

“Even in your wildest dreams you never imagined that there could be someone in the world who would use such vicious methods to kill people. If Gao Tianjue hadn’t told you herself, you wouldn’t have believed it.”

“Did she tell you this herself?” Xiao Jun seemed like a person who had been awaked from a dream by being stabbed with a needle. “Why would she tell you these things?”

“Perhaps because she felt proud of herself, and couldn’t help but tell someone. Perhaps because she wished me to spread the story, that she had gotten her revenge in this way. Then no one in Jianghu would ever forget her.”

Both conjectures seemed highly possible.

Ingot sighed again. “Although, perhaps only heaven knows why she told me.”

Xiao Jun looked at him, his expression empty, numb, exhausted. But murderous intent still shone in his eyes.

“You shouldn’t know these things.” He sighed. “And I wish you didn’t.”

“I know what you mean.”

“You do?”

“I’m so charming, you really can’t help but like me. But now that I know all these things, you have no choice but to kill me to shut me up.” He continued, “Even though you don’t want to continue living, you have to kill me first so that I don’t reveal your secrets. They are things you cannot allow others to know.”

Xiao Jun didn’t deny it.

He was in control of himself, his spirit and energy. All of his energy and concentration, all of his gathered Qi, was focused on something.

And that something was how to deliver a killing blow.

Ingot didn’t seem to notice.

There are some things that others don’t notice whatsoever that he would notice from the very beginning. And yet some things that others noticed immediately, he wouldn’t notice whatsoever.

Anyone at all could see Xiao Jun’s intent to kill, that he planned to crush Ingot like a viper. And yet Ingot looked happy. With a chuckle, he said, “Actually, I should know these things. Even if I didn’t want to know them, I should. And fortunately, there are some other things I know.”

“What things?”

“Some things that I should know. Some things that should make you very happy, you and other people as well. Anyone who knows such things should be able to live a long, happy and peaceful life.” He smiled, exceedingly cheerful. “And only someone as smart and talented as me could know such things.”

***

Some people seem to be unable to refrain from praising themselves, to boast, to talk themselves up. People who look down on them end up being overlooked.

Xiao Jun knew that Ingot was not such a person.

He just liked to talk this way because he wanted others to be happy, and hoped that others could be like him, and go with the flow.

Depression, nervousness, sorrow, and wrath are not only useless, they can also cause people to make unforgivable mistakes.

A person should maintain a bright and open frame of mind in order to make the most correct decisions and made the best judgements.

So as of now, Xiao Ju could no longer take Ingot to be a boastful, naughty child. He asked him, “What type of things are you talking about?”

“Well for example, some people are convinced that they killed someone, and are certain that they should not have killed that person. Therefore, they are sad to death. That is because they don’t know that the person isn’t dead at all. But,” Ingot said, “I do know.”

“You do know?” said Xiao Jun in shock. “Who are you saying isn’t dead?”

“General Li, of course.”

“You really know this?”

Ingot sighed and shook his head. “What kid of person do you think you are? Chu Liuxiang? Little Li Tanhua?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Of course you’re not. You’re not even qualified to compare yourself to them.”

Xiao Jun had to admit this was correct.

Even though he was a very proud person, he admired those two great heroes of the older generation as much as anyone.

“Since you already admit that you can’t compare to them, then why don’t you think about it a moment. How could Three Fearsome Laughs General Li, who roamed unhindered throughout the earth, possibly die by your hand?”

Xiao Jun was speechless.

He knew that he was fundamentally not a match for General Li, and wished that what had occurred had not.

But underneath that pale moon, he had clearly seen his sword stab General Li in the heart.

He would never forget the look on General Li’s face as his sword stabbed into the flesh and blood.

“Why don’t you say something?” asked Ingot. “Don’t tell me you still think you killed him?”

Xiao Jun was silent for a long time. Slowly, he said, “The reason I’m still here is because I hoped he wasn’t dead. I hoped that I would see him again.” His expression miserable and dark, he said: “And if he is dead, I hoped that I could see his corpse.”

“But they haven’t pulled up his corpse, even after switching shifts several times during the dredging process. They haven’t even caught sight of his shadow.”

“True.”

“Do you know why they haven’t found General Li’s corpse?” said Ingot. “You probably know.”

“But I don’t.”

“You really don’t?” said Ingot, looking surprised. “Such a simple thing, and you still don’t get it?”

He again shook his head and sighed. “They can’t find the corpse, because he isn’t dead!” Ingot acted as if he were chiding a child. “If a person isn’t dead, there can’t be a corpse. If you can’t understand something as simple as that, then you really are an idiot.”

“Even if he wasn’t dead at first, he would be drowned by now.”

“Why?”

“Because the shores are patrolled constantly, and all of the guards are experienced martial artists. Gao Tianjue spent ten long years training up this group of people.”

“I believe it.”

“Perhaps their kung fu doesn’t count as being truly top rate, without compare. But their eyesight, hearing, endurance, as well as their powers of observation and judgement, are all first rate.”

“I believe it.”

“It’s clearly impossible for General Li to have slipped past the shores of the lake. Even if they couldn’t stop him, they would have at least seen him.

“Who ever said General Li made it to the shores? If he went onto the shores, of course he would find it impossible to evade the eyes and ears of those men.”

“Well, then he must have drowned in the lake,” said Xiao Jun sadly. “It’s already been a day and a night since he entered the waters. There is no way he could stay under this long. Furthermore, even if he wasn’t dead at the time, he was seriously injured.”

Ingot stared at him for a while, before coldly asking him: “Do you really think he is dead?”

Xiao Jun didn’t answer, because even he was not sure what he believed in his heart.

He was never the type of person to say much. Even at times when he should speak, he wouldn’t speak very much.

Right now, he should have remained silent because of grief, and yet had actually spoken quite a bit.

That was because in his heart, he still had some hope.

Ingot could actually refute everything he had said.

—If you saw a man do something incredibly abnormal, and then become filled with deep pain and suffering, and yet could understand enough to forgive him, then you would be a truly magnanimous person. A true man.

***

Ingot stared at Xiao Jun for a long time before suddenly saying, “I know that you don’t dare to make a bet with me. Definitely not.”

“What do you want to bet about?”

“I want to bet that he’s not dead. Do you dare make the bet?” He looked askance at Xiao Jun and did something that experienced swindlers will do to attract gamblers: “I advise you not to make the bet, because this time I definitely will not lose.”

Xiao Jun’s pale white face suddenly grew red, the color of watered-down blood.

He knew that Ingot didn’t really want to make a bet with him, nor did he himself want to win such a bet.

He wanted to lose.

Perhaps Ingot was using this as a method to comfort him, to raise his spirits, stop him from being depressed, remove his thoughts of longing for death.

For whatever reasons Ingot did it, he felt grateful in his heart.

“I’ll bet with you,” he said. “Whatever the bet is, I’ll take it.”

Ingot laughed, just like a swindler who had seen the sheep get hooked into the trap.

“You won’t regret?”

“I won’t.”

“If I can find General Li, let you see him with your own eyes, alive, then what?”

“I’ll do anything you want.”

***

This was not something Xiao Jun would normally say. Considering his identity and position, he wouldn’t say something such as this in any situation.

But if he lost to Ingot, he really would do as he said. He would willingly do anything Ingot said.

And he truly hoped that the loser would be himself.

But he really did not see how Ingot could win. How could Ingot possibly find General Li?

General Li had to be dead. Even if in the one out of ten thousand chance were true and he hadn’t died, how could Ingot possibly know where he was?

Ingot had absolutely no way to know.

The red on Xiao Jun’s face disappeared, because in his heart, though he wished to lose the bet, he still believed Ingot would lose.

It seemed Ingot could tell what he was thinking. “Why don’t you ask me what will happen if I lose?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

Ingot frowned deliberately and thought for a moment. Then he asked, “Do you know why Gao Tianjue suddenly became so agreeable? Why she would obediently hand her treasures over to me?”

That matter didn’t have anything to do with the bet, but Xiao Jun hadn’t been able to figure it out. He’d wanted to know all along, so he said, “Why?”

“Because she was already under my control,” said Ingot. “I sealed seven or eight of her acupuncture points in a matter of seconds.

“Oh?”

“You don’t believe it. I knew you wouldn’t.” Ingot laughed happily, proud of himself. “How could someone like me seal the acupuncture points of someone as skilled as Gao Tianjue?” He chuckled. “You’re thinking to yourself, this kid is crazy; he has skin thicker than anybody to be able to boast like this, to tell such lies.”

Xiao Jun didn’t deny it, because that is exactly what he was thinking at the moment.

“But think for a second. Had I not sealed her acupuncture points, how could her things end up in my hands?”

No one could deny the truthfulness of what he said. So Xiao Jun asked, “How did you seal her acupuncture points?”

“Oh, that was nothing,” he said, acting deliberately casual. “I just showed her something.”

“You just showed her something? When you moved to seal her acupuncture points, couldn’t she dodge or fight back?” Xiao Jun was both shocked and a bit suspicious. “What did you show her?”

“Of course it was something special. Something very special.”

***

Twenty years ago, Gao Tianjue was already unstoppable under heaven, powerful and invincible.

In those twenty years, she had no idea how many amazing and terrible things she had done. But she did know that she had shed many tears alone in the night.

After twenty years of setbacks and painful lessons, she had become even more eccentric, cold, proud and ruthless. And her martial arts were even more powerful.

If there was truly something in the world that could make her lose her head to fear and let a teenage youth seal her acupuncture points, then that thing was definitely very special.

Anyone could reach this conclusion.

Many people in Jianghu would trade their lives for such an item.

Ingot coolly said, “If I lose, I’ll give it to you.”

At some point, he had pulled the object out and held it in his hand. Even though he wasn’t a very big person, his hands were not small, and when he closed it into a fist, no one could see what was inside.

Xiao Jun didn’t want to win, and receive this item. But everyone gets curious.

He couldn’t help but ask, “What is this thing?”

“Nothing, really,” said Ingot in a deliberate understatement. “It’s just a star, that’s all.”

“A star?” asked Xiao Jun. “What kind of star?”

“A small star,” he said, sounding apologetic and regretful. He sighed. “A very, very, very small star.” And then, Ingot revealed his second star.

**

[1] Zhongnan Mountains are located in Xi’an, and are known for their connection to Buddhism and Daosim.

[2] I’m pretty sure he’s referring to Xiao Jun’s subordinate with the pockmarked face.