Chapter 7

The Martial Alliance had murdered the prince’s heir.

The affair threw the imperial court into turmoil.

The Noble Consort wept until she fainted several times.

Distressed for his beloved consort, the emperor sent troops to attack the Alliance.

It broke apart, its members fleeing in every direction.

But the court’s actions angered the outlaws of the martial world.

Many took refugees into the wilderness and became bandits.

Masters who had lived in seclusion emerged one after another.

The martial world was in upheaval again.

The whereabouts of Wenjian Manor’s sword manual became a mystery.

It had last been seen in the Alliance leader’s possession.

But whatever martial art he had practiced had deranged his mind.

Years later, a woman began sending out challenges.

Anyone who won could take Wenjian Manor’s sword manual from her.

Anyone who lost had to cut off their own head.

Those who answered her challenges fell one after another.

In the end, a challenge from her became a death warrant. Accept it, and you died.

Some were too afraid to accept.

Their heads were cut off all the same.

Even if they fled, she hunted them down.

Later, curious onlookers investigated and discovered

that all these people’s weapons had undergone the so-called “Sword Trial Ceremony” and been stained with children’s blood.

Soon the martial world began calling her a heroine instead.

She was difficult to find.

Only once, during a duel,

did someone knock off her mask.

The spectators cried out,

“It’s her!”

“She used to be a slave. A Daoist in Taicang told her fortune: ‘Baseborn to the bone.’”

Someone passed the remark on to that Daoist.

He bristled with anger, his beard quivering and his eyes bulging.

“I said ‘Blade-born to the bone’! You misheard me. There was nothing wrong with my eyes!”

When Yuran told me, she teased me with a smile.

“He really didn’t get it wrong, my lady. You are a born prodigy of the sword.”

I sighed.

“Against the court’s armies, though, I’m only a mantis trying to stop a carriage.”

She comforted me.

“We’ve had our revenge, my lady. Don’t think about that night anymore.”

I took off my clothes and asked her to repair my tattoo.

She touched the scars on my back with aching tenderness.

“I managed to turn your scars into a tattoo before. But if you go on fighting like this, I won’t know how to mend it.”

I told her not to worry.

Her touch was light. As the needle entered my skin, I felt only a faint itch.

Stroke by stroke, she worked the new scars into the skull.

It no longer looked as it originally had.

Its brows, eyes, mouth, and nose were all obscured by crisscrossing sword scars.

“My lady.” Her needle suddenly stopped.

“Hm?”

“Have you ever thought about what you’ll do after you’ve had your revenge?”

I thought for a moment without answering.

The moon shone beautifully outside. Most of Taicang’s lights had gone out.

In the distance, I could just hear the river lapping at the shore, beat after beat, like some ancient rhythm.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Perhaps find somewhere to pass down the sword manual.”

“Don’t joke, my lady. You know perfectly well there’s no sword manual.”

“Yes. Even without one, the martial world went mad over it.” I paused. “If it had really existed, Wenjian Manor might have been destroyed long ago.”

Yuran said no more. She simply lowered her head and continued her work.

I closed my eyes.

Wenjian Manor rose in my mind as it had been before the fire.

Beautiful scenery. People living happy lives.

Back then, I thought our days would always go on that way.

“Done.” Yuran withdrew the needle and draped my outer robe over me.

I rose and walked to the window.

Taicang’s lights went out one by one, like stars falling from the sky.

“Yuran.”

“Hm?”

“Do you remember Wenjian Manor’s rule?”

“I do. Those who forge swords must understand what a sword is. The sword is the lord of weapons, an instrument of killing. Whoever wields one must do so with reverence, and never slaughter the innocent.”

I nodded.

My revenge had sparked a conflict between the court and the martial world.

I had killed those I meant to kill.

But many others had died because of me.

“Tomorrow,” I said, “we’ll go to the next place.”

“Where?”

“The capital.”

Yuran froze. “The capital?”

“He won’t be the only one to order a sword seized. There will be another.” I touched the sheath, feeling the fine texture beneath my fingers.

In the capital, I had seen their extravagance, and how little they cared for the suffering of the world.

This revenge might take a lifetime. Perhaps even a lifetime wouldn’t be enough.

But what of it?

Time had never mattered to me.

Outside, the river sounded on.

Holding my sword, I leaned against the window and slowly closed my eyes.

Tomorrow, there would still be a long road ahead.

It was a road I had chosen for myself.

The End