Once Yang Lianting woke up, it took him a long time before he realized where he was.
Blackwood Cliff.
Dongfang’s bedchamber.
An incense for calming the mind and aiding sleep seemed to be lit within the room, it smelled quite pleasant.
He habitually wanted to move, but all his limbs felt too numb, too heavy to move. Following the line of sight, he saw Dongfang Bubai resting beside the bed, pillowing his head on his thin arms. Long black hair fell down his back in a disheveled manner. The flickering candlelight shone upon the side of his pale and hollow face. Unconsciously, he pursed his cracked lips and furrowed his brows. Even in his sleep he seemed to be suffering great pain.
Yang Lianting quietly gazed at him for a long time, he almost thought he was dreaming. He gently breathed out, then lifted his hand to smooth out the deep crease between Dongfang’s brows. He had only moved a little, yet Dongfang Bubai woke up.
He too was caught in a daze.
Pursing his thin lips Dongfang Bubai quietly gazed at him for a long time, only to abruptly realize he was not dreaming. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly stood up from the bed and asked him, “Lian di, do you have any discomfort?”
“Does it still hurt? How long have you been awake?”
“I– I’ll go call Ping Yizhi–” Having spoken, Dongfang Bubai swiftly turned around and was about to go out the wooden doors. Yang Lianting looked at his figure and could not help but sigh.
“Dongfang–”
Opening his mouth to answer him he realized just how hoarse and dry his throat felt, as if honed over hard sandpaper. Listening to it was very unpleasant. He creased his eyebrows, about to say more, when he suddenly saw Dongfang Bubai standing in place, staunchly staring at him with red eyes.
“Come here.”
Yang Lianting was in terrible pain, he couldn’t move and was unable to see how severe his injury was. He slowly stretched out his arm and weakly patted the place beside him with his hand.
The night was pitch-black, the moon obscured by low clouds. Looking out into the vast darkness of the night, he was unable to estimate the time. Yang Lianting softly smiled and slowly stated, “It’s so late. If you call over Ping Yizhi in the middle of the night just to treat me, an insignificant guard, that scrawny old man will be angered to death.”
“I’m alright.”
“Dongfang, sit closer. I want to see you.”
Dongfang Bubai silently sat down beside him. In the mellow candlelight, Yang Lianting noted that he had lost a lot of weight.
“Dongfang.”
“Hmm.”
“You’ve lost weight again.”
“Hmm.”
“Is the Wulin General Assembly over?”
“Hmm.”
“How many days have passed? I feel like I’ve slept for a long time.”
“Hmm.”
“I thought–” Yang Lianting chuckled cheekily, “It’s so nice to wake up from a nap, and the first person I see is you.”
“…”
This time Dongfang Bubai did not sound a reply. Black eyes downcast, he sat still and stayed silent for some time, then lowered his head, stretched out his hands and stubbornly hugged Yang Lianting who was lying on the bed. The both of them were completely inseparable. They anxiously embraced each other, as if they were fully depended on each other, were unwilling to part even for a moment. Relieved to have survived such a horrendous calamity Dongfang Bubai closely and intimately pressed his face against Yang Lianting’s body.
“You’re finally awake.”
“Don’t you know? If you didn’t wake up again, if you didn’t wake up–” Dongfang Bubai did not speak further. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the fear lingering in the depths of his heart.
“You’re finally awake.”
“I almost killed Ping Yizhi with my own hands.” Pursing his lips and lowering his eyelids, Dongfang Bubai laughed out loud in a bitter tone as if mocking himself. “I thought even he couldn’t save you.”
His tone was too fragile.
Listening to him reply, Yang Lianting felt his heart soften in distress. Raising his hand, he gently placed a loose strand of hair behind Dongfang Bubai’s ear.
Before he could answer, a maid’s voice sounded from outside and interrupted his thoughts.
“Cult Master, Guard Yang should take his medicine.”
“What time is it?” Yang Lianting asked.
“The Hour of the Tiger.”[25]
Dongfang Bubai raised his head, pulled up the quilt covering Yang Lianting, and looked outside.
Upon his sound of approval, the door opened in response, and the maid kneeling outside walked in. Shaking like a leaf, she did not dare to raise her head.
“Bring the medicine over.”
Dongfang Bubai reached out his hands and took the medicine without looking at the maid. Having done so many times, he then skillfully fed Yang Lianting the medicine with a porcelain spoon. The maid tilted her head upward, seeing that Yang Lianting was awake, she was startled and her eyes flashed with joy. Lowering her head downward, she did not dare to speak further and swiftly retreated.
Yang Lianting took the medicine bowl from Dongfang Bubai and drank the remaining liquid on his own, while pondering over the maid’s frightened look. Gulping down the bitter liquid in the bowl, a thought crossed his mind. “Dongfang, did you feed me medicine like this every night for the past few days?”
“Well, Ping Yizhi instructed that you must take the medicine five times a day.”
The maid had closed the doors when she had gone out. Inside the chamber only their two figures sitting side by side were left.
“Dongfang.” Yang Lianting paused and quietly inquired, “Have I been unconscious since the Wulin General Assembly?”
“Hmm.”
“On that day, how’d you bring me back to Blackwood Cliff?”
“…”
Dongfang Bubai did not reply immediately.
His dark eyes glinted briefly, only to return to normal in the next instant. He lightly pursed his lips, quietly took the emptied bowl out of Yang Lianting’s hand and placed it aside. In a gentle voice, he said, “Lian di, you just woke up, you should rest well.”
As if he had not heard Dongfang Bubai deliberately avoiding his question, Yang Lianting chuckled and nodded assuredly. He patted the position beside him, “Then you sleep with me.” Yang Lianting met Dongfang Bubai’s red rimmed eyes and softly said, “Dongfang, I miss you very much.”
Hearing him speak, Dongfang Bubai’s lips faintly moved. He sat still for a while, his body shaking slightly. After staying silent for a while, he took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. Eyelids drooping downward, his sight falling upon a point in the air, he softly curved his lips into a tender smile.
“I miss you too.”
“You don’t know how scared I was.”
Dongfang Bubai’s voice sounded dry and hoarse, his lowered eyelashes hiding the dreadful images flickering in his dark eyes. Pursing his lips, he quietly told him, “I thought you were dead.”
“The blade’s edge was so long and sharp, you stabbed it into your own abdomen.”
“The blood kept flowing down the blade’s edge, dripping all over the ground.”
“Ping Yizhi wanted to pull out the blade, but I was afraid he’d hurt you. I nearly lost my mind and killed him with my palm.”
“You were unconscious for seven days.”
Lightly breathing out then turning his head, his eyes fell upon Yang Lianting’s thoughtful face. Dongfang Bubai’s back was as straight as a pine yet his lips were taunt into a line, his arms were shaking uncontrollably and his hands were clenched into fists.
“Yang Lianting.”
“You’ve got a lot of guts.”
“Don’t you know, don’t you know–”
Dongfang Bubai’s chest rose and fell violently, his sore eyes flushed deep red. He ruthlessly glared at Yang Lianting, as if he intended to fly into a ferocious rage. In the end, he merely turned his face aside and lightly sighed.
“Don’t you know, if you die–”
“I will never go on living.”
His voice sounded clear and cold, yet Yang Lianting could hear the determination beneath his indifferent tone. In an instant, dull and raw agony rushed into his heart. He felt as if scalding water were poured over the most vulnerable part of his heart. Yang Lianting wanted to smile and comfort Dongfang Bubai, but before he could speak, his eyes reddened in sorrow.
I know.
Of course I know that Dongfang is like this.
Forever an infatuated fool.
Dongfang Bubai clearly sat atop the world yet he was always more than willing to indulge him with all his heart, to dig out his very heart for him.
“You don’t need to explain.” As if seeing through the thought hidden in Yang Lianting’s heart, Dongfang Bubai calmly took a deep breath, turned his face, and interrupted what he intended to say, “Now you’re finally awake.”
“Everything else doesn’t matter.”
Dongfang Bubai paused, then suddenly stated in a low voice, “Lian di, as long as you are safe and sound, everything else does not matter to me.”
There was no beginning and end to his words.
Yang Lianting faintly frowned, he had an indiscernible hunch in his heart. He swiftly shook his head, only to think that this bad feeling must be absurd. Not saying anything, he again patted the empty position beside him on the bed, signaling Dongfang Bubai to lie down beside him.
It was late at night. Looking out the window, the sky outside was pitch-black, and the clouds were blown by the stormy wind. But within the chamber it was warm and cozy, and the two close figures were tinted in a gentle and mellow candlelight.
Dongfang Bubai lay beside Yang Lianting.
Smelling the nice pinewood sent of the person next to him on the bed, Yang Lianting slowly relaxed his body. In fact, his open wound felt very painful and his body was faintly twitching. Only due to his persistent endurance was he able to keep his face from paling. Fortunately the flickering candlelights and long shadows obscured his features. With Dongfang Bubai peacefully lying by his side he sunk deeply into his own muddled thoughts. Thinking back, the days he had spent inside the water dungeon seemed as if they had occurred a lifetime ago.
Dongfang Bubai’s shallow breathing lingered in his ears, like a fleeting song. Yang Lianting gently smiled.
“Dongfang, in fact, there’s no need to call that Ping Yizhi.”
Dongfang did not realize what he meant.
“With you by my side, what use is Ping Yizhi, that old man.”
“…”
He furrowed his eyebrows and wanted to retort, yet before he could say anything Yang Lianting leaned forward and kissed his lips.
The wound had not fully healed, so once Yang Lianting made his move, he could feel the open wound being torn further apart. Fresh blood flowed down his abdomen, forehead covered in cold sweat, yet Yang Lianting breathed in and deepened the kiss with Dongfang Bubai.
Entwined lips and teeth.
Closely related and mutually dependent.
In Yang Lianting’s heart, only one thought remained.
Dongfang, my Dongfang.
Great!
Just, the kiss did not last long.
Dongfang Bubai’s six senses were exceptional, so he quickly caught the metallic smell of blood coming from Yang Lianting’s body. Startled, he suddenly moved back and ended their kiss.
Checking Yang Lianting’s injury, his face rapidly paled.
“Yang Lianting, you’re fooling around again.”
“Does it hurt?”
“You’ve lost so much blood–”
“I’ll immediately call Ping Yizhi over.”
[2] Reference to ch. 30: “He is around thirty years old, his martial art is really low, and he has no ability at all. But recently Dongfang Bubai has pampered him so much; it really is remarkable.” As she said this, her whole face turned dark and her mouth twisted; it seemed that she really despised this person. - Ren Yingying introducing Yang Lianting to Linghu Chong.
[3] Translator’s note: The Twelve Halls of the Holy Cult are all spread out across China.
[4] Reference to ch. 31: From the corner of his eyes, Dongfang Bubai saw Ren Yingying beside the bed, slowly torturing Yang Lianting with her sword. With the shout “Little witch!”, a pink cloud of a figure darted towards the bed at Ren Yingying.
[5] Lit. don’t see, don’t scatter (不见不散), fig. be there or be square.
[6] Mount Song Sect (嵩山派) is part of the Sword Sect Alliance of the Five Mountains, Zuo Lengchan is the Sect Master of Mount Song Sect.
[7] Lit. one’s words turning into a prophecy (一语成谶).
[8] Reference to ch. 31: “I admire your braveness, so I won’t torture you anymore.” - Xiang Wentian to Yang Lianting prior to the final confrontation.
[9] Lit. to forsake darkness for light (弃暗投明), fig. to turn over a new leaf.
[10] Northern Mount Heng Sect (恒山派) is part of the Sword Sect Alliance and a Buddhist nunnery.
[11] Wudang Temple (武当派) is an independent Daoist sect.
[12] Yue Buqun (岳不群) is the head of Mount Hua Sect and titled 'Gentleman Sword' for his reasonable and righteous conduct. He teaches his disciples strictly and rigidly, including his most senior disciple Linghu Chong.
[13] Lin Zhennan (林震南) is the head of the Fortune Prestige Security Service and a descendant of the supreme martial artist Lin Yuantu.
[14] Liu Zhengfeng (刘正风) is the junior disciple brother of Mo Da, the Sect Master of Southern Mount Heng Sect. He is secretly friends with Qu Yang, Elder of the Sun Moon Holy Cult.
[15] Yu Canghai (余沧海) is the ruthless head of the independent Qingcheng Sect.
[16] Reference to ch. 30: “The Sword Sect Alliance, that shameless and despicable bunch, can’t win in a fair fight, dirty tricks are their specialty!” - Inscription on a stone wall by the Former Ten Elders.
[17] Reference to ch. 31: Yang Lianting sat on the bed, focused intently on the battle, his face full of concern. An idea crossed Ren Yingying’s mind, as she crept towards the bed. Suddenly the dagger in her left hand rose and stabbed into Yang Lianting’s right shoulder.
[18] The Sword Sect Alliance of the Five Mountains (五岳剑派) is an informal alliance formed by five major righteous martial arts sects. They specialize in swordplay and are based on the Five Great Mountains in Daoism. The alliance was initially established to counter the 'evil' cult. However, the alliance is prone to mutual distrust and infighting.
[19] Lit. to eat bear’s heart and leopard’s gall (吃熊心豹子胆), fig. bold, audacious, foolhardy.
[20] Translator’s note: Zuo Lengchan’s threats were likely cut off due to censorship, he’s insinuating that Yang Lianting will be tortured or raped before he’s killed, if Dongfang Bubai doesn’t comply with his demands.
[21] Lit. rivers of blood (血流成河), fig. a bloodbath, a large number of people are killed.
[22] Lit. the Central Plains (中原), fig. the area on the lower reaches of the Yellow River which formed the cradle of Chinese civilization.
[23] Ping Yizhi is known as the Killer Physician (杀人名医) because of his work ethic. He believes that life and death are predestined, so saving a life is equivalent to violating the law of nature. As such, he makes a rule that for every life he saves, another must die. Translator’s note: I’m assuming he makes an exception to this rule for the Cult Master.
[24] Fig. impressive (刮目相看), lit. to treat sb with renewed respect.
[25] The Hour of the Tiger is equivalent to 03:00-05:00.