CLX Book 6 Chapter 4 – Part 1

Chapter 4 – Sweet Dreams Are Hard to Come True

The moonlight was hazy. The moon was pale.

The dog already ran into the darkness, and the human head was still wailing, “Help me … help me …” The headless man was still crying, “Give me back my head, give me back my head …” The shrill cry rose and fell. _{Translated by foxs}

The wind was howling, acting as accompaniment to the ghost wail.

No matter who, anybody seeing this scene or hearing this sound, even if they don’t die of fright, they would lose half of their lives.

But Chu Liuxiang did not.

His person suddenly fled like an arrow to chase the dog.

“I don’t care if you are a human or a dog, if when I am hungry you give me food to eat, when I’m tired you give me a place to sleep, I can’t just watch your head being taken away by a dog.”

This was Chu Liuxiang’s principle.

He has always been a person who sticks to principles.

The dog ran very fast, in the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the darkness.

“But whether you are a human or a dog, if Chu Liuxiang wants to chase you, you can forget about running away.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

So much so that some people believed that Chu Xiang Shuai learned his qinggong from hell.

While sweeping past between the bamboo fence, he pulled out a bamboo stick in passing.

After three, five ups and downs, the dog with the head in its mouth was less than two zhang away from him.

The short bamboo stick in his hand shot at the dog like an arrow.

The black dog yelped in pain, the human’s head in its mouth fell off.

Chu Liuxiang already swept past and only then did he pick the head.

An icy-cold head; it was both cold and clammy, as if it was perspiring with cold sweat.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly felt something was wrong.

‘Bang!’ the head suddenly shook and exploded, some kind of thick and dark red, fishy smoke shot out from inside the head, carrying some kind of a hard-to-describe stench.

Chu Liuxiang collapsed.

No matter who, smelling this kind of stench, anybody would definitely collapse immediately.

The night dew was heavy, the big earth was icy-cold and damp. _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang fell to the ground.

The wind carried a faint mournful cry from the distance, but it was unclear whether it was a dog barking? Or ghost crying?

Suddenly, a human shadow floated over from the darkness.

A human shadow without a head.

Surprisingly, the person without a head could laugh; standing in front of Chu Liuxiang, it let out a ‘Ge Ge’ laughter.

Suddenly, Chu Liuxiang, who had collapsed due to the knockout drug, unexpectedly jumped up from the ground and grabbed the front piece of the ‘headless person’s’ garment. ‘Rip!’ the front piece of the garment was torn open, revealing a person’s head.

Bu Tanfu.

Turned out he had a head, only it was hidden inside his collar, and the collar was propped with a frame. If he was not so thin and short, naturally it would not look so real.

What about the head that was taken off by the dog? _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

The head was made of wax, hidden inside was gunpowder and the fuse. The fuse was already ignited, if he could calculate the time correctly, then he could calculate the length of the fuse.

His timing calculation was very accurate.

Therefore, the head exploded precisely when it was in Chu Liuxiang’s hand, and the debris scattered in all directions.

He calculated everything accurately, only he did not calculate that Chu Liuxiang could jump up from the ground.

At this instant, the eyes, nose, eyebrows, and mouth on Bu Tanfu’s face seemed to have gathered together into a ball, as if someone had punched him hard.

But Chu Liuxiang laughed, he said with a smile, “Turns out your wine capacity is not bad; looks like a few more cups won’t get you drunk.”

This time, this moment, he surprisingly said such a thing, wouldn’t you say he was amazing?

Bu Tanfu could only split his mouth open to laugh, suddenly his body shrank, surprisingly, he jumped up from under the collar of his clothes; by the time his body sprang, he was already five, six zhang away.

Chu Liuxiang blurted out, “Good qinggong.” _{Translated by foxs}

As soon as these three words were out, his person was also already six or five zhang away.

Bu Tanfu did not even dare to look back, he staked everything to run forward. His qinggong was indeed not bad; if he hadn’t met Chu Liuxiang, he could have escaped.

Unfortunately, he met Chu Liuxiang.

He passed the bamboo fence, Chu Liuxiang was about to catch up with him soon.

Who would have thought that Chu Liuxiang suddenly halted, because he saw someone in the yard combing her hair.

The moonlight was pale.

Bu Ajuan was sitting under the moonlight, slowly combing her hair.

This time naturally she did not take her head off.

Her hair was jet-black and glossy, her hands were slender, gentle and beautiful, and her face was as pale as the moonlight.

On her body she was only wearing a purple gauze garment, very light, very flimsy. When the wind blew, the gauze garment stuck to her body, revealing her well-developed breasts, slender waist and straight and slender legs. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

The light gauze in the wind was like a thin layer of mist.

The sparkling and translucent body inside the light gauze was faintly discernible; it was unclear whether it was a person in the mist? Or was it a flower in the mist? He was not a gentleman at all, but he was not blind either.

Bu Ajuan suddenly turned her head around, smiled sweetly, and said, “You are not dead yet?”

Chu Liuxiang also chuckled and said, “I’m still a human, not a ghost.”

Bu Ajuan said, “That drug was not effective?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “The knockout drug is very effective, only too bad my nose is not effective.”

Bu Ajuan said, “How powerful that kind of knockout drug is, I know very well. Even people without noses will be knocked unconscious.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled again, he said, “Even without a nose, the head would not be so light.”

Bu Ajuan blinked, she said, “When you realized that the head was too light, did you stop breathing immediately?”

Chu Liuxiang laughed again and said, “Maybe I did not notice anything, only my luck has been particularly good.” _{Translated by foxs}

Ah Juan also laughed and said, “I know that your luck has not been very good lately.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Oh?”

Ah Juan spoke charmingly, “People who encountered peach blossom luck can’t possibly be very lucky.”

Unconsciously Chu Liuxiang stroked his nose, he said, “How do you know that I encountered peach blossom luck?”

Ah Juan laughed and said, “Because not only you have a pair of peach blossom eyes, you also have a peach blossom nose.”

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, “Fortunately, my hands are not peach blossom hands, so you can still sit there nicely.”

Rolling her fluid glance, Bu Ajuan said, “Your hands are very well-behaved.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You are hoping my hands are not well-behaved?”

Biting her lip, Bu Ajuan said, “If your hands are really well-behaved, come and comb my hair for me.”

Chu Liuxiang did not speak, he did not move either. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bu Ajuan cast him a glance out of the corners of her eyes, she said, “You don’t know how to comb hair?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Although my hands are well-behaved, they are not stupid.”

Bu Ajuan asked, “You don’t like combing other people’s hair?”

Chu Liuxiang replied, “Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, it depends on the situation.”

Bu Ajuan asked, “What kind of situation?”

Chu Liuxiang replied, “See if that person’s head can be removed from his neck.”

The hair was glossy, gentle and beautiful, under the moonlight, it looked like satin.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly discovered that combing a girl’s hair was also some kind of pleasure—maybe the girl whose hair was combed by him also felt it was some kind of pleasure.

His hands were very light —

The pupils of Bu Ajuan’s eyes were as hazy as the stars, she spoke softly, “I have heard long ago that Chu Xiang Shuai never disappoints women. I never believed it before.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What about now?”

Bu Ajuan glanced back and laughed, she said, “Now I believe it.” _{Translated by foxs}

Bu Ajuan blinked, she spoke slowly, “They say that you are very smart, just like an old fox. There is nothing in the world that you don’t understand, and no one can fool you.” She continued charmingly, “I believe it now.”

Chu Liuxiang suddenly heaved a sigh; smiling wryly, he said, “But now I have a bit of doubt.”

Bu Ajuan said, “Oh?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Today I saw something that I don’t understand.”

Bu Ajuan asked, “What thing?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “How could that head talk?”

Ah Juan chuckled and said, “It wasn’t the head talking, but Bu Tanfu.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “I clearly saw the head talking.”

Bu Ajuan said, “You did not really see it, you just had that impression.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “How did that kind of impression come about?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bu Ajuan said, “When he was little, Bu Tanfu went to Tianzhu [the Indian subcontinent (esp. in Tang or Buddhist context)], he learned a very strange skill from a Taoist in Tianzhu.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What skill?”

Ah Juan replied, “Tianzhu people call this kind of skill ventriloquism, which means that he can speak from the stomach, so that you can’t tell where the sound is coming from.”

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh again, he said, “It seems that on earth, the number of strange learning is indeed not small, no matter what, no one can learn it all.”

Ah Juan spoke slyly, “Right now, you already have enough to cause other people headache, if you learn everything, will there be a way for others to survive?”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled. Suddenly he asked again, “It seems that Bu Tanfu is not your father?”

Bu Ajuan said, “Of course not, otherwise how could I directly call him by his name?” [Note: in Chinese culture, calling someone older, especially one’s parents, by first name could be considered very rude.]

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Who is he to you?”

Bu Ajuan replied, “He is my laogong [husband].”

Chu Liuxiang’s hand holding the comb stopped suddenly, the person was also stunned. _{Translated by foxs}

Bu Ajuan cast a backward glance at him, she spoke sweetly, “Laogong means Zhangfu [husband, see my notes last chapter]; you don’t understand?”

Chu Liuxiang could only smile wryly, “I understand,” he replied.

Bu Ajuan grabbed his hand and said, “When you heard that he is my laogong, why was your hand stop moving?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Just because I don’t have a habit of combing other people’s laopo’s hair.”

Bu Ajuan laughed and said, “You slowly will develop that habit.”

Chu Liuxiang smiled wryly and said, “I still think that it would be better not to develop this kind of habit.”

Bu Ajuan tittered, she said, “Are you afraid that he will be jealous [lit. eating vinegar]?”

“Mm hmm,” Chu Liuxiang replied.

Bu Ajuan said, “He can’t beat you, and he can’t chase you, what are you afraid of?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “I don’t like to see men eating vinegar.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bu Ajuan rolled her fluid glance, she said, “What if he does not eat vinegar?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “In the world, there is no man who does not eat vinegar, unless he is a dead man.”

Bu Ajuan said, “You want him dead?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You said that, not me.”

Bu Ajuan said, “Your mouth saying something is one thing, your heart thinking of something else is another thing.”

With a smile yet not a smile, she looked at Chu Liuxiang; she spoke unhurriedly, “Actually, if you wish, he may become a dead person at any time.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled, he spoke indifferently, “Only too bad I haven’t developed the habit of killing other people’s laogong yet.”

Bu Ajuan said, “You won’t do it for me.”

Chu Liuxiang did not answer.

He never said anything that girls were unable to bear.

Ah Juan said, “Don’t forget that just now he wanted to kill you.”

Chu Liuxiang blinked, he said, “The person who wants to kill me is really him?”

Ah Juan suddenly sighed softly, she stood up slowly, and took the comb from Chu Liuxiang’s hand. _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “”You are sighing.”

Bu Ajuan sighed and said, “When one feels it is difficult to bear, one would sigh.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You feel it is difficult to bear?”

“Mm hmm,” Bu Ajuan replied.

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Why do you feel it is difficult to bear?”

Bu Ajuan said, “Because I originally did not want you to die, but if he doesn’t die, then you will die.”

“Oh?” Chu Liuxiang said.

“You don’t believe me?” Ah Juan said.

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, “Because I always feel that death is not an easy matter at all.”

Bu Ajuan spoke unhurriedly, “But it’s not as difficult as you think either.”

She suddenly raised the comb in her hand and said, “You know what this comb is made of?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang replied, “Wood.”

Bu Ajuan said, “There are so many kinds of wood – as far as I know, there are about a hundred kinds.”

Chu Liuxiang was listening.

Bu Ajuan said, “Of the hundred kinds of wood, more than ninety kinds are very ordinary.” She chuckled again and said, “Ordinary means that they are not poisonous. If you use a comb made of ordinary wood to comb other people’s hair, to die is really not easy.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “And your comb?”

Bu Ajuan said, “The wood to make my comb is called Dufu Mu [lit. jealous husband wood], it is a very special kind.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What’s so special?”

Bu Ajuan did not answer this question, she lightly stroked her flowing-like-cloud hair; suddenly she asked, “Do you think my hair is fragrant?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Very fragrant.”

Bu Ajuan said, “That’s only because I applied perfumed oil on my hair.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang’s eyes flashing, he asked, “Aren’t there also so many kinds of perfume oil?”

Bu Ajuan said, “True, as far as I know, there are also about a hundred kinds of perfumed oil.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Of the hundred kinds, aren’t there also more than ninety ordinary kinds, non-toxic?”

Bu Ajuan spoke sweetly, “How come you are getting smarter and smarter?”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, “The one applied to your hair must also be a rather special kind.”

Bu Ajuan said, “Absolutely correct.”

Chu Liuxiang sucked in another mouthful of breath, he said, “Why can’t I see anything special?”

Ah Juan said, “This kind of perfumed oil of mine is called Qingren You [sweetheart/lover’s oil]. When Dufu Mu meets Qingren You, it will emit some kind of very special poisonous gas. When you combed my hair, this kind of poisonous gas, without you know it, would enter the pores of your hands, therefore, …”

She sighed softly again and slowly continued, “It would take at most the time to drink a cup of tea, your pair of hands will start to rot, it will rot down to the bone, straight until your whole body, bones and flesh, will rot all the way.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang was stunned.

Bu Ajuan smiled and said, “Do you think my technique in killing people amazing [strange/wonderful] or not? I’m afraid even the all-knowing Chu Xiang Shuai would not think of it?”

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh. Smiling wryly, he said, “It seems that on earth, strange ways to kill people are really not a few.”

Bu Ajuan said, “Today you met two of them.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “In the past two days, I already met quite a few.”

Bu Ajuan asked, “Don’t you think that each one is very ingenious?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Indeed extremely ingenious.”

He suddenly chuckled again, and continued indifferently, “Although all are very ingenious, until now I am still alive and well.”

Bu Ajuan spoke unhurriedly, “Only so far, but what about in the future?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “About the future, who would know?” _{Translated by foxs}

Bu Ajuan said, “I do.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Oh?”

Bu Ajuan said, “I can assure you, this kind of method that I use is not only the most ingenious, but also the most effective.” She smiled, and then continued, “Even if you can close your breath at any time, you can’t also close your pores at the same time?”

Chu Liuxiang nodded; heaving a deep sigh, he said, “In that case, it looks like I must die.”

Bu Ajuan said, “Hence the reason I feel it is very difficult to bear.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Since you feel it is very difficult to bear, why don’t you let me live then?”

Rolling her eyes, Bu Ajuan said, “If you want not to die, there is only one way.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What way?”

Bu Ajuan said, “Go and kill Bu Tanfu for me.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Why don’t you kill him yourself?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bu Ajuan sighed quietly and said, “Although I am not much of a good woman, I still can’t do such a thing as murdering my own husband.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You think I can do it?”

Bu Ajuan said, “He’s not your friend, neither is he your laogong, if you want to kill him, it would be no more than the exertion of lifting your hand, unless you think his life is more important than yours.”

Chu Liuxiang began to stroke his nose again.

Ah Juan suddenly said, “You’d better make up your mind quickly, otherwise if the poison breaks out, regret will be too late.”

The more relaxed she appeared, the more serious the situation was. Chu Liuxiang presumably also understood this logic, so he quickly asked, “If I’m going now, it won’t be too late?”

Bu Ajuan chuckled and said, “Chu Xiang Shuai’s qingggong is unparalleled under the heavens, I know that too.”

Smiling wryly, Chu Liuxiang said, “Only too bad he already slipped away to nobody-knows-where, how am I going to find him?”

Bu Ajuan laughed and said, “Nobody understands one’s son better than his father [idiom], nobody understands one’s husband better than his wife [not an idiom], could it be that you don’t understand this logic?”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Do you know where he is?” _{Translated by foxs}

Bu Ajuan spoke indifferently, “If a woman doesn’t even know her laogong’s whereabouts, she might as well die.” She very quickly continued, “When you first came, I’m sure you saw that mountain spring?”

Chu Liuxiang nodded.

Bu Ajuan said, “All right, if you follow that mountain spring and walk upstream, you will see a waterfall, behind it, there is a very hidden cave, where he must be hiding at night.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Chu Liuxiang said, “If I kill him, are you willing to give me the antidote?”

Ah Juan said, “That’s right; his head in exchange for the antidote, his life in exchange for your life, a fair dealing, no one suffer losses.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “But why do you want his life?”

Bu Ajuan said coldly, “When you come back, I might tell you this tale, but if you still want to ask now, I’m afraid you don’t have enough time.”

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh and said, “I only have one last question: are you definitely going to be here waiting for me?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bu Ajuan replied, “Of course.”

Indeed Chu Liuxiang did not even say another word, he turned around and left.

Only to see his shadow flashed, he was already six, seven zhang away, with another flash, he disappeared in the darkness.

Bu Ajuan seemed to be a bit taken aback, as if she never expected Chu Liuxiang to agree that readily.

“Is it true that Chu Liuxiang never kill people?”

“If only there is no one in the world who is really not afraid of death. But he is also a human, naturally he understands that his own life is much more precious than others’.”

Thinking to this point, Ah Juan laughed, she was extremely proud of herself. She has always believed that men in the world were all idiots; fooling men was easier than cutting tofu with a knife.

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