TGM Vol.3 Chapter 6 – Change (6)

Steward Ouyang hung his head in silence, but Mrs. Dongfang was surrounded by the disciples, and although no one dared to touch her, she could not move even half a step. “Master! How can you do this to me?”

Dongfang Qingqi seemed not to hear her complaint, but only looked at Ouyang and said in a low voice: “I treat you as a brother, but you are stabbing people in the back. Why don’t you tell me all the causes and consequences, and explain it to me?”

Ouyang was silent for a long time before he said softly: “Human beings and demons are different, there are many reasons. Twelve years ago you saved me, I worked hard for you to return this kindness. Now that the favor has been repaid, you and I are no longer related.”

“You are a demon?” Not only Dongfang Qingqi, but also everyone was surprised.

Ouyang said, “Why, knowing I’m a demon, does it change everything? I robbed your wife and took away the key criminals …… just because I am a demon …… you should be able to accept the result, right?”

“Steward Ouyang! You don’t …… mean to,” Pianpian couldn’t help but interrupt, only to be interrupted by Dongfang Qingqi’s wave of his hand.

“I don’t remember saving your life, so I can’t say anything about your kindness. But you have done your best for my Fuyu Island, I am grateful for this decade. I can let you go this time, but this person I can not allow to take away.”

The man who was behind Ouyand was hunched over and wrapped in linen and one could not see anything else about him.

Ouyang felt the wound on his back, gritted his teeth and pulled out the iron arrow, throwing it on the ground and spilling blood. Lady Dongfang could not help but let out a cry of surprise from behind and called out to him with great pity, “Is Tong Lang …… okay?”

Ouyang quietly looked at Dongfang Qingqi and said, “The reasoning of your mortals is that you have been kind to me, I should not have done something wrong to you. But your kindness I have spent ten years to return, and now we are equivalent to a stranger, I have to take him away, and if you want to kill or capture, is also your freedom.”

He raised his hand and lifted the man up, and with a click of his foot on the ground, he actually flew up lightly, and in the blink of an eye, he was three or four feet above the ground. Dongfang Qingqi could not let him escape in front of his eyes and at once pulled out the sword at his waist. The sword is called “Jīnghóng”^[1], which can change its length at will, and it was the sword that injured the Tiangou and the Gu Diao in Lutai Mountain.

Ouyang saw a cold light behind him stabbng towards him and knew the power of it, thus did not dare to let it hit him straight on, immediately gently pun in the air to let it pass over him. Suddenly heard the sorrowful voice of Lady Dongfang from below: “Tong Lang are you going to leave me alone? Have you forgotten what you promised?”

He was suddenly stunned, the action was frozen in the air for a moment, Dongfang Qingqi immediately saw the flaw and with a turn of the wrist the sword is like a dragon swinging its head, twisted over, Ouyang is already too late to dodge it this time, struck the man’s wrist with a shocking thrust so that the fingers suddenly lost strength and the man fell straight down and was caught by Pianpian, who was shocked – this man did not scream and shout. – does not scream or shout or move, and the body is as heavy as iron, almost could not catch him.

Ouyang saw that the man was taken away, immediately fell to the ground to grab back, Dongfang Qingqi drew his sword and fought with him in one place, only to feel that his body was soft, the sword tip that stabbed upwards also slips, as if stabbed a piece of thick oily skin. He has been with him for ten years and treats him like a brother, and pities him for not knowing kung fu, every time he wants to teach him with good intentions, but is always politely refused.

Now he finally understands why he declined. His body was light and soft, even more swift than the kung fu of Fuyu Island, and his punches and kicks were effortless. He understands that this is in concession, Ouyang is a demon, if the real force, even with the cultivation of immortals for many years will not be able to withstand. The gap between mortals and demons and gods is the same as the sky and the earth, even if they desperately try to catch up, it is mostly in vain.

Thinking of this, Dongfang Qingqi suddenly felt a moment of distraction. What else in this world can be trusted completely? His wife, whom he loves with all his heart, has someone else in her heart and betrays him outright; the man he treats as his brother hides from him for ten years, and before he leaves, he even steals away the biggest secret of the Fuyu Island. He cultivated immortality for several decades, and is the master of one of the five sects of the world, how glamorous! Now he understand what it is like to view the sky from the bottom of a well^[2].

His mind was in turmoil, his moves also followed the chaos, when Ouyang coldly shot out a hand to grab the sword, he was shocked and immediately tried to pull back but who knew that his hand was like cast iron and would not move a single jot. Chu Lei, seeing the bad situation, immediately wanted to go forward to help but was sternly stopped by his voice, and in a flash of lightning, Ouyang snatched away the sword and stabbed it into the right side of Dongfang Qingqi’s chest amidst the shouts of the crowd.

“I’m sorry!” Ouyang lightly let go of Jinghong, swiftly stepped to the right to dodge Chu Lei’s sword and turned back to grab the man pulled away by Pianpian in front of his body. Pianpian has long been prepared for him to snatch and has made up his mind that even in death will not let this person go, clutching that person’s body linen tightly, who knows that the linen can not stand the force and after two strong tugs, with a ripping sound, that person’s face is finally also in the moonlight, revealing the extraordinary.

He is thin with a rickety back, his body is covered in snow-white hair, even on the face and can not tell whether it is male or female, whether they are old or young. But the most frightening thing is not his appearance, but his hands clutching two black iron rods as thick as their wrists. The two iron bars were nailed into the back of his feet so that they can only be held by hand, otherwise any move will be too painful to bear.

The crowd could not imagine that the person wrapped in linen was such a person, in such a miserable state, and are frozen.

Ouyang picked up the man and leaped to the top of the tree, saying: “The gods sealed the key of the iron cable inside him, separating him from that person for ten thousand miles and never to see each other again, but not for you mortals to torture him! The gods will punish him for his sins, what does it matter to mortals? I’ll take him away today! Farewell!”

“Wait …… wait!” Dongfang Qingqi covered the right side of chest, blood gurgled from his fingers, he was pierced through the lung, the pain between breathing is incomparable and the words have become very difficult, “You …… said torture …… However, this matter … …I do not know …… the ancestral teachings of the Fuyu Island ……in the dungeon imprisoned by the ancient gods to chastise the most important criminals …… no one can let him go …… but also must not be tortured ……”

Ouyang did not say anything, silent for a moment, turned around to leave, but heard Lady Dongfang under the tree said piteously, “Tong Lang! What did you promise me?”

He paused for a long time before whispering: “Madam, I have failed you. But do you love me, a vile demon, or do you love that I can help you cultivate and stay young forever?”

Lady Dongfang never imagined that he would ask this question, so she couldn’t help but cry and tremble, “You …… never trusted me. What you said …… was just to trick me into helping you find this man ……”

What seemed like an example of immortal Mandarin Ducks^[3], from now on never to be separated till the mountains stood, in heaven and earth together to dare to be with the gentleman …… those wind, flower, snow and moon^[4], are only her imaginary dream. It’s a big one-man show. She looked forward to it with such joy, carefully planned to help him find this person, bring them together, so as to say goodbye to everything in the past, to know the true meaning of happiness …… but she only tasted the bitterness of repetition.

“I never trust anyone,” Ouyang whispered solemnly. “Demons are so vile, you can hate me as much as you like.”

He rose up and dodged Chu Lei and Pianpian’s lightning-fast two swords, flashed in the air and soon they could no longer find the trace.

Lady Dongang’s eyes were bewildered to see his figure disappeared in the night sky, only felt her whole world also died. ‘Behold beyond the River Qi, the verdant bamboo forest dances. A handsome man intently working, As a great master sculpting a piece of jade, As a great artist sculpting a piece of ivory, Relaxed, confident, dignified and stately. Such an elegant man, how can he be forgotten by me.’ The lingering song still remains in her ears, who would believe that she really moved for a reticent demon, it is simply as if she had reverted back to the days of teenage nostalgia, if with him she can not want anything else.

The gentleman turned around and walked away without her, ignoring her and forgetting her.

Who said that good and evil will eventually have their reward, she now finally tasted the bitter fruit. She is a bad person, guilty of the most terrible crimes.

But who has said that a bad person can not love a person?

The right chest of Dongfang Qingqi was seriously injured, finally collapsed, the disciples on the side paniked and came to support him. Chu Lei and Pianpian chased after them for a long time, but they couldn’t catch up with Ouyang and the weird demon, so they finally had to return unhappily and carry Dongfang Qingqi back to the room with the others to stop the bleeding and heal the wound.

But, no one looked at her, no one came to greet her, as if she was a mass of air.

She shed tears for a long time, then suddenly smiled again, slowly, turned around and walked away.

No one knows where she is going, and no one …… cares anymore.

This demon farce, finally because of the traitor they got the upper hand. Xuanji and several of them did not expect the final result, it turns out that the Fuyu Island does not have the Dinghai Iron Chain underneath it, Yu Sifeng’s speculation is not valid. In the dungeon was locked up an old demon, sealed with the key to the Dinghai Iron Chain …… things have become clear here, those demons wanted to save the ancient demon, and at any cost.

As for the other four sects, it is not easy to speculate for the time being. From what they have seen of the extent of these demons abilities, the Xuanyuan Sect must have escaped this disaster, but ninety percent of them must have been exterminated. The three factions, namely, the Dianjing Valley, the Li’Ze Palace and the Shao Yang School, it is still a secret as to whether or not they have hidden the Dinghai Iron Chain. Now the Fuyu Island is greatly wounded, the things that the demons wanted have been snatched away, so they think temporary they will not come to cause trouble.

However, the matter of Steward Ouyang gave the disciples of FuYu Island a considerable stimulus, who do not know he came to the island ten years ago, whether it is simply for revenge, or for today’s behavior? The disciples of Fuyu Island had a deep relationship with Dongfang Qingqi, no less than father and son, and since Ouyang had injured the Sect Leader and escaped, they were all full of resentment.

Early this morning, Xuanji and the others followed Pianpian to Fuyu Town and brought back the disciples who had been expelled by Dongfang Qingqi and briefly explained the situation.

When Xuanji saw them crying, she quietly pulled Yu Sifeng’s sleeve and whispered close to his ear, “They still don’t know it’s because of Lady Dongfang. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Lady Dongfang these days, have you seen her?”

Yu Sifeng shook his head, “Now everyone avoids mentioning her, so don’t mention it either. I think if she still had some brains, she wouldn’t have stayed and would have left long ago.

Xuanji sighed, “I think she actually likes him a lot.”

Yu Si Feng smiled faintly and said in a low voice: “It doesn’t matter whether you like it or not. The thing about relationships is that they are always a mix of suspicion and suspiciousness, especially when they have a special status, it’s impossible to trust people with all your heart.”

After all, no one wants to be hurt by feelings.

Xuanji scratched her palm, it was soft and itchy, and he couldn’t help but feel is heart fluttering when he heard her voice softly saying, “If you like someone, don’t be suspicious. …… That’s tiring and not unpleasant.”

He sighed in his heart, the so-called like, is always half pain and half sweet, because too much care, so suffer from loss. The actual fact is that you can’t get to know the beauty of love without knowing the pain, but knowing the beauty of love, the bitterness and tangled sourness of it, only the individual himself knows.

“You are still young …… still …… don’t understand it.” he laughed lightly.

Xuanji hurriedly said, “I’m not young anymore. I know! I like Linglong, Sixth Brother, Father, Mother, Brothers …… I never suspect ah! Why be suspicious?”

What a fool. He sneered in his stomach.

“But…” She suddenly spoke in a small voice, she was blushing like a sunset, her eyes roaming over his face, her eyelashes trembling slightly and holding the Yuzan Flower behind her ear that had not yet dried up.

“I seem to like you more.”

There was a thud, the baked meat and noodles he bought all fell to the ground. Xuanji laughed but suddenly she felt a little panicky and left, leaving him behind dumbstruck with the poor roast meat and noodles lying at his feet. A long time later he came back to his senses, hugging his arms, his thinking was a little frantic, could not help but laugh and sigh, he turned around to look for her but saw that the flash of white has long gone far away. He actually does not dare to chase up, only to follow alone, the heart is sweet and sour and he does not know what it is feeling.

When the group returned to the Fuyu Island, Zhong Minyan wanted to talk to Brother Ouyang again, but he could not find anyone anywhere, so he pulled a disciple who was passing by and asked him, “Brother, where is Brother Ouyang now?”

When the disciple heard the words “Brother Ouyang”, his face changed dramatically and he struggled away from his hand, saying coldly, “I don’t know!”

When Zhong Minyan saw that he looked bad, he wondered, “How could you not know? I brought him here earlier! He even made a promise with Steward Ouyang!”

The disciple laughed coldly and said, “That thief Ouyang hurt the master, and the whole island wants to eat his flesh! What steward! How can he be worthy?”

After saying that, he looked up and down at Zhong Minyan and said: “That Ouyang is a demon, and his brother is no good either! I think he is also a traitor. Master Rong has sent people to lock him up and torture him severely. If you are a good person, don’t be confused by demonic words!”

After saying that, he waved his sleeve and stormed off in a huff and left Zhong Minyan standing there in shock.

Locked up? Torture? What Ouyang did and what does it have to do with his big brother? He had come all the way with Ouyang, and he was not a demon! He was obviously a weak and sickly man!

The thought of such a frail person being tortured, he couldn’t help but feel the pain in his heart. He had seen the torture skills of Master Rong that night, how could Brother Ouyang still be alive after being stepped on by him! No, he had to go to the master to intercede!

Thinking of this, he hurriedly turned back to the guest room, looking for where Chu Lei went.

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[1]: 惊鸿 (jīng​hóng) – meaning graceful or lithe.

[2]: 坐(zuò​) 井(jǐng) 观天(​guān​tiān) – literal translation is ‘to view the sky from the bottom of a well’ meaning ‘(to be) ignorant and narrow-minded‘. The idiom probably stems from the story of the frog who lived in a well and thought the well was the entire world until it left the well and realised it was only a tiny part of the vast world.

[3]: The Chinese refer to Mandarin ducks as 鸳鸯(yuānyāng), where yuan (鴛) and yang (鴦) respectively stand for male and female mandarin ducks. In traditional Chinese culture, mandarin ducks are believed to be lifelong couples, unlike other species of ducks. Hence they are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity, and are frequently featured in Chinese art.

[4]: 风(fēng​ )​花(huā) ​雪(xuě) 月(​yuè) – wind, flower, snow, moon. An idiom referring to ‘trite poetry subjects’ or language without substance. Can also be used to refer to a love affair.