Death Sutra

Chapter 54: Mama Xue

Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

They rewarded Gu Shenwei with nothing more than some good words, even if he had walked with Shangguan Ru for a half night.

When Gu Shenwei returned to the stone cabin, he found Elderly Zhang had gone to feed the horses even before the sunrise. He lay down on the Kang without taking off his clothes, and his mind was chaotic. Quickly, he fell into sleep and had many dreams.

In his dream, two giant rocs spread their wings widely, and stretched their necks, but they could not fly. This was exactly what they looked like when they die. Not far away, Shangguan Ru pointed to Slave Huan, and her face was full of anger, but then she laughed, thrillingly and creepily. The ugly squab was furiously pecking him at his feet.

Gu Shenwei's heart was torn up with anxiety. He tried hard to wake up, but he was sleeping deeply. He asked the help of a person with a vague face, but when he gradually came to see her clearly, he found she was Mama Xue. This woman sat in a chair, as she always did, cold and silent.

Gu Shenwei suddenly sat up, finally he got the dream out of his mind. There was nothing terrifying in the dream, but he was totally frightened into a cold sweat, with his heart beating heavily.

He looked up, and saw Mama Xue sitting on the edge of the Kang, whose expression was almost the same as she had in the dream. Now he could not differentiate between reality and the illusion, and his heartbeat nearly stopped.

"You had a nightmare?"

"Yeah."

"Don't be afraid. The nightmare is no different from the reality."

Gu Shenwei was stunned. It was hard to figure out if Mama Xue, who held her breath all the time, was just talking or meant something else. But he recognized that she was real, hence this was reality.

"You're doing good, very good." Mama Xue smiled, which was rarely seen. She seldom came to the stone cabin. Normally, it was Gu Shenwei, who went to the yard to see her. Apparently, her smile seemed unreal in this dark cabin.

"What? You flatter me." Gu Shenwei did not understand her intention.

"The girl has a crush on you?"

This sentence was even more confusing. He was Shangguan Ru's intimate slave, which was a fact known by everyone. But obviously, Mama Xue meant something more.

"Ah! No, Mama Xue, you misunderstand."

He finally recognized her meaning. This was ridiculous, for Shangguan Ru was only twelve years old. He explained hastily what had happened the night before.

That was simply a game. He knew it from the very start, therefore he played with the Ninth Young Master as always. The only reason she chose him was that Shangguan Yushi refused her.

Yet Mama Xue kept her smile. Finally she sighed. "So you're right that your Ninth Young Master trusts you more than anyone else."

The word "trust" shocked Gu Shenwei. He chose not to tell Mama Xue every word Shangguan Ru had said, and he was not going to tell her in the future.

"I guess so."

Mama Xue became cold again. She said, "Slave Huan, will you do anything for me?"

"Of course, I'll go through raging fire and boiling water for…"

Mama Xue waved to stop him. "That's enough. I know you're a clever boy, so let's talk frankly. You know that I can disclose your secret to the Eighth Young Master anytime, don't you?"

"Yes, I know." Gu Shenwei knelt on the Kang, and answered her carefully. He felt that she was going to tell him something important.

"And you know that without my help, you can never improve your Internal Strength after you were implanted with my Peripheral Force, don't you?"

"Yes, I know." Gu Shenwei answered more carefully. What Mama Xue did not know was that he used the words written on the Nameless Swordbook to break through the third level of Yang Strength.

"And you already had a qigong deviation before last night?"

Gu Shenwei was surprised that Mama Xue still knew that he had the qigong deviation on the Giant Rock Cliff two months ago, though he had told no one.

"Yes, that was two months ago."

"And from that day, you have three years to live."

Gu Shenwei looked at the grim-looking Mama Xue in amazement.

"In these three years, you'll have the qigong deviation once a while. Every time it will be sustained a little longer, and it will be more painful. After three years, the evil spirit stays in your heart. And no one can rescue you, not even the immortal Buddha."

"Have mercy, Mama Xue, have mercy!" Gu Shenwei pretended to be shaking.

"I will, as long as you do one thing for me. I'll not only erase the force in your Xuanji acupoint, but also teach you the real formidable Kung Fu, and then you can kill your enemies as you like, no matter who they are."

She stressed the last few words. Gu Shenwei now understood that she never believed in him when he named himself "Yang Huan", and lied about other things.

"I'll do it. I'll do anything if it serves you, no matter how hard it is."

"Well, it's not that hard. In the Six Kills Temple inside the fort, there was a wooden saber. You shall find it for me."

Gu Shenwei knew the Six Kills Temple. It was the place where the Shangguan family worship their ancestors, which was located in the northernmost area. To go there, one had to cross through the Inner Residence. "I, I'll find a way."

He said so, but he knew it was impossible.

"What way can you find? Ask the Ninth Young Master to help you."

Gu Shenwei was suddenly enlightened. That was why Mama Xue asked him to flatter the twins. This was her ultimate purpose.

"I'll try."

Gu Shenwei could not be sure. The wooden saber Mama Xue wanted must be very significant or kept some secret that Golden Roc Fort would protect it so well. Whether Shangguan Ru was willing to help, or after her help, whether he could take the saber, were all unsure. Once the thing was exposed, the Ninth Young Master could be scorned at most, yet he might die.

"You should not 'try'. If people find out, you'll definitely die." Mama Xue seeming to have guessed what Slave Huan was thinking, she said coolly.

"Mama Xue, please show me the right path."

"Now that the Ninth Young Master likes you, you should let her know when you have qigong deviation."

Mama Xue said calmly, while her words surprised Gu Shenwei. She drank the tea, and continued, "It's said there was a medical secret hidden inside the wooden saber, which can bring the dead back to life. You need it to save yourself."

"I see." He understood her plan.

"If she says the fort has countless physicians and she can find someone to cure you, what should you say?"

"I'll say… the manual I learn is from the other school. Golden Roc Fort's Internal Strength will make me deviate much more from the righteous path."

"Fine, that'll work. And you don't need to be afraid. Once I have the saber, I'll do some research, and you can return it. No one will find anything wrong."

"Yes."

Mama Xue stood up, and said, "Tomorrow I'll send you into the Inner Residence to serve the Ninth Young Master."

"But Lord had promised me to become a killer apprentice…"

"What? Are you saying you want to become a killer apprentice?" Her voice cooled down.

"Uh, no. I'll get you the wooden saber."

Mama Xue went to the door, and said, "These killers aren't formidable. I'll teach you a much stronger form of Kung Fu."

"Yes, Thank you, Mama Xue."

She was gone. Gu Shenwei sat on the Kang, and thought carefully about the task. After a while, he walked out of the cabin and went to the East Castle. He had to look up in the Nameless Swordbook, maybe he had found a method to read it.

The gate was closed, including the little gate. He tried to knock, but there was no one answer. He was surprised because for several months he could get in there easily with no impediment.

Gu Shenwei then walked into the school.

There was still a crowd of attendants standing at the school's gate. However, this time they stared at Slave Huan directly, as if he were a condemned prisoner, waiting to be executed.

He slowed down, gazing at these slaves warily. Had he offended someone unconsciously again?

Slave Qing walked out. His expression was indecipherable, and one could find envy, hatred, confusion and timidness on his face. Then he said drily, "Why are you here?"

"I…" Gu Shenwei had lost his tongue. Indeed, it had been a long time since he had stopped waiting at the gate, "Have… have the two masters arrived?"

"It's none of your business. Don't ask around. You know the rules."

Slave Qing answered stiffly, and Gu Shenwei had to leave. The crowds' noise was up, "Master Ru…" "How could that be possible…" He could only hear clearly for several words.

Now he did not know what to do. He had to wait for Mama Xue to send him to the Internal Residence.

That night, he went to greet Mama Xue as usual. She had nothing to say this time, so she dispatched him quickly.

He met with Maid Cui in the yard.

Her eyes were gouged and her tongue was cut out, but after that, she was specially trusted by Miss. Gu Shenwei sympathized with her, especially when her name reminded him of his sister, Gu Cuilan. But he never communicated with her.

He stepped aside to let her pass.

She smiled at him. This was her magic: She could identify a person simply by his steps, and sometimes she was even more accurate than a normal person.

She walked by, and slipped him a strip of paper smoothly.

Gu Shenwei went back to the cabin, and lit the oil lamp. He opened the note, which read "Nine thirty-sixth, south-east wall."

Elderly Zhang was still in the stable. He would not come to the cabin until he wanted to sleep.

Gu Shenwei burned the note.

He trusted no one. He had lost the chance to trust others. But when it was close to nine o'clock, he still went to the wall. He stood at the corner and faced his cabin. If anyone found out, he would say he got sands in his boots.

Maid Jade seemed to have no ability to hurt him.

After the sound of the gong--which indicated the time--died away, he heard a voice say, "Slave Huan, are you there?"

It shocked him cause the voice came from the wall. He answered and looked around at the wall, and then he found a hole this size of a thumb, through which a person was speaking to him. The voice sounded familiar.

"Is that you, Slave Qian?"

"Yes."

"Why him?" Gu Shenwei could not understand. After the competition last year, Slave Qian treated him coldly, even with contempt.

"What do you…"

"There's no time for details. I want to tell you one thing. You should find an excuse to delay whatever Mama Xue wants you to do."

"What do you know?"

He answered vigilantly. Maybe this was the test of loyalty from Mama Xue.

"You fool, think about it. Once she has it, she'll certainly kill all three of us."

Slave Qian sounded frightened and anxious, and he plugged up the hole when he finished talking.

Gu Shenwei walked to the cabin rapidly, wondering what "all three of us" meant.