Poison of the Human Panacea: Chapter 57
“This Heart-Deluding Gu is quite powerful, and should not be used lightly… who would you use it against?
Si You tucked the Gu into his sleeves, “That is no concern of yours, I[1] have my own use for it.”
Yet Lian Jiu appeared to be quite interested, “I do not see Si Hufa as a man ensnared by love… I am quite curious, what kind of person could the unattainable object of desire be for someone such as Si Hufa, to the point where he would need the Gu to enthrall his heart?”
Si You’s tone grew hostile. “I’ve said it already, this is my own private affair.”
“Let it be then.” Lian Jiu took a sip of the wine, “But I should remind you. Were you to plant this Gu into someone, you should take care to make sure the first person to enter their line of sight after its implantation is you. It’s true that planting the Gu could cultivate desire, the one subjected to the Gu would indeed love you for the moment with all his heart, and see no other except for you. But he won’t love you for a lifetime. The deeper your feelings run for him, the stronger your obsession, that will only hasten the Gu insect’s decline. By the time of the Gu insect’s death, it would be the end of a spring dream[2], when everything comes to naught, and that would be the day of his demise as well. You shall suffer the pain of being separated from your beloved[3]. That is its price.”
……
Si You tilted his head back as he drank a mouthful of wine, he said softly, “To quench the thirst by drinking poison, hmm? For the moment… it’s fine if it’s for the moment. I’m not asking for a lifetime. I only ask for the ecstasy of the moment. When he dies, I will accompany him in death.”
When Bai Tan heard Si You say this, a trace of unease grew from his heart…
He’s so besotted with the old demon, perhaps, he wanted to use it on that old demon?
When he thought of this, in his mind, he conjured up the image of the two of them sweetly affectionate with each other. He couldn’t help but clench his fists tightly.
It appeared… he still couldn’t let it go.
Lian Jiu took another sip of wine, he said, “Do you think Tian Su is currently with that little evildoer?”
“Perhaps, but neither of them would make it far. This sandstorm doesn’t look to be abating anytime soon. They must be hiding nearby. I shall send out a messenger hawk for a search when the weather improves.”
“That would be good.” Lian Jiu patted the prairie wolf lying by his side. “Perhaps, this could come to good use.”
Bai Tan thought that these two were practically colluding hand in glove with each other. If it weren’t for Li Wuzhang being injured, he would have instantly made a move and ended the two of them. He didn’t want to stay any longer and dragged Li Wuzhang back towards the horse. But at that moment, he felt a long, thin, and chilly object curl up next to his ankle. A snake! He jerked his foot back instinctively, while he slashed downwards with Shiyue. Yet the severed snake head still sprang up, and bit squarely into his calf!
In excruciating pain, Bai Tan released a soft groan, then he heard the quiet snarling of some beast coming from the other side. He turned his head sideways to look, and sure enough, the wolf at Lian Jiu’s side had gotten to its feet. He couldn’t stop himself from fearing the worst, but his foot was already going numb.
“Who’s there?!”
Lian Jiu let out a sharp cry, the large wolf leaped up and lunged for him over the waist-high bushes. Its movements were as swift as the wind and quick as lightning. Bai Tan raised Shiyue to slash at it. There was a blood curdling howl, and the wolf’s head dropped to the ground, its blood splashing across the dirt.
“Little evildoer!”
“I’ve searched high and low for you[4]!”
When he saw several figures quickly pursuing him, Bai Tan grabbed Li Wuzhang and tossed him onto the back of the horse. But before he could mount the horse himself, a rush of wind assailed him from behind. He struck the horse suddenly with a palm, and with Li Wuzhang on its back, the horse sprinted away wildly. Meanwhile, he slashed his blade behind his back with his other hand in defense. Yet at the moment, Bai Tan was dragging along a numb, injured leg and couldn’t jump easily. So, he dropped to the ground and rolled away from Lian Jiu’s blow. He saw that razor sharp claw slicing towards his forehead, and with one hand he performed “Zhu Tian Hua Mo Zhua[5]” to counter; he blinked, and in the same instant, he used a movement of “Yan Shi Mei Xing”.
Now that his alluring bone was in full bloom, the seductive air about him was already quite overpowering, that, combined with his Arts of Enchantment, was nothing that Lian Jiu could withstand. He froze on the spot and was struck by Bai Tan’s blow squarely in the chest. He spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed back three zhang, before he slammed into a tree.
But before Bai Tan could get to his feet, a long, black shadow hurtled towards him from above. He snatched at it while he swiftly slid backwards against the ground like a python. Si You’s shadow menaced him step by step, following him from above like a lingering wraith. The two of them met with multiple blows and exchanged hit after hit, but Bai Tan still couldn’t get away. As the poison began to affect him, his situation grew more precarious. His hands missed Si You’s, and each landed a hit on the other’s chest, which pushed both of them back several meters. Bai Tan took the chance, and reached out to call back Shi Yue, but he saw Si You swing his arm, and a long chain snaked out to stop the path of the chilly light flying towards him. In an instant the chain wrapped itself around his hurt leg and hung him upside down from the tree next to him. Immediately, Bai Tan felt the world spinning around him and a wave of dizziness came over him. He couldn’t muster his strength as he clawed around wildly in midair, but he had nothing to grab ahold of.
“Little scoundrel who doesn’t know his place!” Si You let out a long laugh, he walked towards him, and yanked the youth up by his sleek hair. He took a sniff, “The obscene smell of a vixen, how revolting. Let’s have you burn, so that Wulin could be freed of your curse.”
After saying this, he took a huozhezi[6] from his sleeves, and slowly inched towards the ends of the youth’s hair.
Bai Tan struggled with all his might, but his hair was held firmly in Si You’s grip, and he couldn’t move at all. The fire quickly licked its way up from the tips of his hair, and an acrid smell rose from it. But just then, a strong burst of wind rushed in and put the fire out in an instant! A figure descended from the sky and took Bai Tan into his embrace. Si You hurriedly cried out, “Sect Leader-”
The words were scarcely out of his mouth, when two heavy blows struck him consecutively in the face. He was knocked back several zhang[7] by the blows, then crumpled to the ground.
Wu Yanfu undid the long chain, and held the youth close, he grasped the ends of his burned hair and cut it off with a stroke of his blade. As he lowered his head to look at Bai Tan’s bloodless little face, his heart felt as if a knife was twisting inside, “Are you injured anywhere else?”
Bai Tan had just gotten down from the tree, he was so dizzy he was seeing stars. Yet from the corner of his eye, he saw Si You’s figure move. He lifted an arm and a white object streaked towards them. He swiftly put a hand over Wu Yanfu’s eyes and struck at it. The white object promptly crumbled into dust, and a flying insect sprang out, but it didn’t dare get closer to Wu Yanfu, and in the blink of an eye, it dove into his palm.
Bai Tan hurriedly backed up a few steps and closed his eyes. Wu Yanfu saw Si You’s hand reaching towards them and his pupils contracted. He was afraid that Si You would hurt Bai Tan, so he threw him back with a blow, and he turned around to put an arm around Bai Tan’s body, “Tan Er!”
Bai Tan heard his voice, and at that moment, could feel the butterflies fluttering in his stomach[8], as if he was falling for him again like all those years ago.
Yet he knew in his heart, he would soon… soon die.
To die with these feelings, without any pain, that wouldn’t be such a terrible thing.
He pondered this to himself, like a huge weight was lifted off his chest, but his body grew hot as if he had become drunk from wine, and he longed to become closer to this man. He couldn’t help himself as he wrapped his arms around Wu Yanfu and buried his face in the crook of his neck as he moaned, “Shizun…”
Wu Yanfu’s whole body trembled, he wondered if he was in a dream. “What is it, Tan Er?”
“I’m so afraid… hold me, don’t let me go.” Bai Tan finished his mumbling, then groggily leaned into his embrace.
“Of course, I won’t let go.” Wu Yanfu felt for the youth’s pulse, with only one touch he realized that his pulse was unusually irregular. The look in his eyes darkened and with him in his arms, he strode to Si You as his hand shot out to grab him by the neck.
“Si You, what have you done to him?”
Si You’s neck arched back, his eyes closed, and his face was despondent as he cried out in a quivering voice, “Sect Leader… I shouldn’t have disobeyed your orders. If you must take my life, I wouldn’t dare defy you, and am willing to accept my death.”
“Do you really think I wouldn’t be willing to do so?” A glacial light reflected from Wu Yanfu’s eyes as his hand reached behind Si You’s neck. His fingers[9] tightened, then with the sickening crunch of bone, his thumb had already pierced into Si You’s shoulder blades[10].
Si You screamed in agony, his whole body shaking.
Wu Yanfu’s hand moved inch by inch to his wrist, his narrow eyes were half closed and shone with a trace of bloodlust. “Si You, when you last attacked him, I didn’t pursue the matter on account of your life being near its end, and you having aided me during your youth. Do not mistake my benevolence for a carte blanche from punishment[11]. I will ask you again, what did you use on him? For every time I ask, I will snap one of your bones… until you are willing to talk.”
A chilly light emanated from the jade mask, as if it belonged to a jade faced shura. Si You’s entire body felt cold, as if he’d plunged into the Hell of Cold and Ice[12]. He knew this man’s methods better than anyone, only now, the one on the receiving end was himself.
“It… It was Lian Jiu who planted the Gu in him. I… couldn’t resist seeking revenge for the loss of an arm!”
Wu Yanfu’s fingers tightened further, his grip was so tight that Si You’s shoulder blades creaked, “Did I allow you to seek revenge? Why did you not wait for me at the Dragon Gate, but instead left with the people from Yueyin Palace?”
Si You’s face turned pale with pain, he kept shaking his head. He could only feel impending doom, and his knees dropped to the ground with a thump, “I had come out from the Dragon Gate, met with Lian Jiu and his associates, and was made aware that they were seeking to take you back to Yueyin Palace. As your subordinate, I had considered the Sect Leader’s current predicament, so then I decided to go along with them. Who could have known that I would have encountered him here…”
Wu Yanfu’s hand moved like lightning, one finger dotted down his Ren artery. Every fingerprint drew blood, as he sealed shut the acupuncture points on his Ren artery[13]. “I will spare your life. I’ve pierced your shoulder blades and rendered one of your arteries useless. You would have no chance of using your chain again, so you may as well stop your pining for that arm. Should you continue to bear ill will against him, I shall make your life worse than death.”
Si You sprawled on the ground trembling, but his face was twisted, as if half laughing, half crying.
“Si You gives his thanks… for the Sect Leader sparing his life.”
Sect leader, soon… soon you shall know of my current feelings.
That little evildoer won’t have long to live, but Si You will never abandon or leave you, until death and beyond.
Wu Yanfu held Bai Tan as he took a few steps forward, he saw that a few people were fleeing from the oasis in a carriage. He immediately leaped forward, and on the spot, struck down the few people on horseback. Then, he snatched Lian Jiu from inside the carriage and pulled him away from the horses. But he saw that his face was a ghastly green, with his mouth full of blood; he had already fallen unconscious.
He had no attention to spare, Wu Yanfu sealed Lian Jiu’s acupuncture points with a few movements and shoved him onto the horse. He carried Bai Tan into the carriage, and peeled his clothes open to check his injuries, neutralize the poison, and see to his wound. After a few mouthfuls of poisoned blood was sucked out, Bai Tan awoke drowsily. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Wu Yanfu crouching below him, with his head lowered and holding his ankle. The bandage-wrapped face was stained with blood. He couldn’t help but be caught off guard, “Shizun.”
Translator: Shizaya
Proofreader: Grumpykit
QC: Xiao
Proofreader’s Comments: God, please just kill the shit already.
Translator’s Comments: I’m ready for more angst~
Translator’s Notes:
[1] An important note is that Si You refers to himself as “this demon”. This is rare even for evildoers in Chinese Wuxia (because no one wants to think of themselves as a bad person XD); it implies that Si You understands and accepts that he is beyond redemption.
[2] Spring dream – in Chinese it refers to ephemeral splendor and the impermanent things in life. It can also mean “wet dream”…but that’s not the case here .>_>
[3] An important idea of Chinese Buddhism is the concept of the 8 sufferings: birth, aging, sickness, death, to be separated from one’s beloved, to be forced together with one’s hated, to be unable to attain one’s true desire, and the pain of existence (this last concept is hard to explain). This refers to the fifth of these, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du%E1%B8%A5kha for more information
[4] Literally, “I’ve worn out a pair of iron shoes looking for it”, the second half of the idiom is “得来全不费功夫”, which means “but i ended up finding it with no effort at all”. Usually, the second half isn’t said, since it’s rather self-explanatory
[5] Literally, “Heaven slaying Demon Turning Claw”
[6] 火折子 (huozhezi) is a small tube of tightly rolled, rough paper that was used for starting fires in ancient China. Usually, it contained phosphorus so the fire would keep burning.
[7] Old Chinese unit of measurement for distance, one zhang is equivalent to 3.3 meters or 10.9 feet.
[8] Literally, “small fawn dashing around in one’s heart”, basically heart doing flip flops or butterflies because the person feels nervous near his loved one.
[9] The actual term here, “虎口”, literally “tiger’s mouth”, actually refers to the part of your hand between your thumb and index finger.
[10] Literally “pipa bones”, Pipa is a Chinese musical instrument (it looks a bit like a ukulele). There’s actually quite a bit of debate about whether the pipa bones are the shoulder blades or the collar bones, but I believe the medical consensus is shoulder blades.
[11] The actual term here is “gold amulet to be exempt from death”. In Ancient China, at very rare times, the Emperor would give a gold amulet to those who have done the kingdom or the emperor himself extraordinary service. The carrier of the amulet can use it for any purpose (to gain money, land, etc), but in TV drama it’s most often shown to be used as a get out of jail free card during times of peril.
[12] In Buddhism, there are 16 (sub) levels of the first major layer of Hell, or the Hell of Thoughts, the lowest sublevel is called literally “Cold and Ice”.
[13] In Chinese Wuxia, you use Qi to break through acupuncture points to get better at martial arts. To have them sealed again basically makes your skills useless.
Chapter 56 Chapter 58
Xiao's Yaoi Playground 