1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
Bloody Swordsman Guzheng

Approaching the next location, Zhang broke the silence on the way. He also said, the next “Location is Nan Gu Bamboo Forest. We have to be careful when entering that forest.”

“True. The forest was controlled by the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng,” Jiao continued.

Although Shuwan already knew the story, but he still had time to joke by saying, “Guzheng? Since when did the forest become a place for music performances?”

Zhang then warned Shuwan, “Hei, Shuwan, can't it be a little serious? He is not just any swordsman. Do you know that?”

Jiao also explained a little, “The bamboo forest breeder is known by the nickname ‘Bloody Guzheng Swordsman.’ Whoever hears Guzheng's quote of the swordsman he will die.”

“I've seen firsthand the fight of the warrior Guzheng with a wanderer like us. Well, even after that fight I had a chance to face him. But I finally got away and ran away from there.

At first the traveler intended to take Guzheng belonging to the swordsman, but he died because he could not withstand the strength of the Guzheng.

When the swordsman played his Guzheng, it was like I saw that there was a dark force surrounding him, and each of his passages could drive people crazy because of his voice. Once his opponent was weak from madness, he would kill him by playing the next song. The quote from the second song is what will turn into poisonous needles to finish off his opponent.”

“Because of that too, Nan Gu Bamboo Forest is referred to as ‘Mine Forest.’ If we can defeat the swordsman, we can pass through the bamboo forest safely. But if we are the ones who defeated him, then we will have the same fate as that wanderer,” Zhang explained.

Shuwan responded to the stories of his two friends, saying, “The power that comes when playing Guzheng? Doesn't that mean that the weak point is also on Guzheng itself? Why not just destroy it?”

Zhang sighed and answered Shuwan's question, “Do not destroy his Guzheng, to touch it is also very difficult.”

Shuwan drowns in his daydream. The story in the red book explains that the warrior Guzheng died at Zhang's hands. Zhang can deal with it. But the swordsman became a murderer because he was affected by the black magic of Guzheng. If you can save him, it will be better. I need to be able to save her and change the ending of this story.

“Maybe I can solve this problem, if I can see firsthand what the power of Guzheng is like,” Shuwan said.

Zhang seemed to not believe Shuwan's words, and he threw a question at him, “Solve it? What's your plan?”

“Can stop for a moment? I'll explain the plan to you.”

They paused for a moment to devise a plan before entering Nan Gu Bamboo Forest.

Shuwan explained in detail his plan to Zhang and Jiao.

Arriving at the bamboo forest, Zhang and Jiao entered first on horseback. While Shuwan, enter after them on foot. He walked slowly so that his existence was not realized.

Right after Zhang and Jiao entered the forest, the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng appeared. The swordsman came down from the top of the bamboo tree, and was directly facing them.

Apparently the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng was a woman. This was the first time Zhang and Shuwan had met him. As for Jiao, this was the second time meeting the swordsman.

“You're up again, Little Girl?” said the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng who recognized Jiao.

Jiao replied to the woman's words, “We meet again, Zhi Ruo.”

“Heh, are you trying to get through this bamboo forest? Don't expect you guys to come out safely!”

Guzheng's warrior immediately went to attack Zhang and Jiao, but they were able to avoid him.

The passage of the first song Bloody Swordsman Guzheng couldn't affect them, only making them slightly headache due to the sound waves generated from Guzheng's passage.

As planned, Zhang and Jiao pretended to be affected by Guzheng's passage, and this made Zhi Ruo the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng laugh in satisfaction. He also prepared to play a second song with his Guzheng.

When Guzheng had been plucked and the poisonous needles had come out, Zhang and Jiao managed to dodge. Simultaneously, the needle appeared from the opposite direction that held the poisonous needles until finally the two counter-needles fell to the ground.

“Who would dare mess up my game?” yelled Zhi Ruo.

“It was me,” Shuwan said from behind the trees.

Shuwan emerges from Zhang's direction and Jiao enters the forest. Then he smiled at the failure of the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng to play his song.

***

Earlier...

“Are you crazy? It's too risky!” said Zhang who was worried about Shuwan's plan.

“What Zhang said. How can you try to save the criminals who have killed so many people?” continue Jiao.

Quietly Shuwan explained the intent of his plan, “The guilty person is not the one, but rather Guzheng who has the demonic power. It seems you have been consumed with the fire of hatred. Do you know that if you return hatred with hatred, there will be no peaceful end? If that were the case, the chains of hatred between humans would not be able to be cut off. It will only give birth to another hatred that is getting bigger.”

Zhang and Jiao simply fell silent, the thing Shuwan said seemed to have opened their minds and hearts.

Shuwan continued the discussion of his plan, “You can be the bait to lure him out. When the attack he launched, I will deal with it.”

“But how to deal with the voice from Guzheng?” ask Jiao.

“It's easy. I'll make earplugs with cotton swabs in my medicine pouch.”

“A earplugs?” zhang and Jiao said simultaneously because they did not know what earplugs were.

“True. Jiao said that if Guzheng was giving out dark power and could make people who heard it go crazy. Using the earplugs I made, we were able to block the sound from getting into the nerves through the ear. Worried, it was not only the sound effect but also the effect of the poison carried with the air when Guzheng played. So, this earplug serves as a filter, so that both air and sound do not enter the ear directly,” Shuwan explained.

Zhang also praised Shuwan's idea of making earplugs, “That's a good idea!”

Shuwan continued the discussion of his plan, “After you face the Guzheng Warrior directly, follow the flow of the game. When he launches his second game, I will appear to go head-to-head with him.”

“Are you not worried if something happens to you?” zhang said he was worried about Shuwan.

Shuwan smiled and said, “Why should I worry? There will be both of you.”

“Then be careful,” said Zhang.

“Alright, Zhang. If I need help, you guys should help me, huh?”

“You rest easy, there is me, the dashing and mighty Zhang who will protect you.”

“Huh... Very confident!”

Jiao who watched Zhang and Shuwan argue was just laughing, in her heart she whispered, may the God Match be on my side to be able to match the two of them.

Jiao also responded, “It's okay Shuwan, besides this is for our own good.”

Zhang hooked up and said, “True what Jiao said. We do this for the good of ourselves too, so you don't have to apologize.”

“Thank you.”

Zhang and Jiao entered the bamboo forest on horseback. Shuwan followed them behind on foot.

***

So this is the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng? That guzheng... Must be destroyed immediately! inner Shuwan.

“You have dared to ruin my plan, and now feel the consequences!” yelled Zhi Ruo who instantly played his Guzheng.

Shuwan did not flinch from Zhi Ruo's game. Until Zhi Ruo finished playing his first song, he said, “How could you not be affected by my game?”

“Why should I be affected by your ugly game?” shuwan provoked.

Zhang who was on the other side also called Shuwan, stupid “Shuwan! Why did he provoke him? What if something bad happens?”

“You relax. Shuwan provokes him in order to disrupt Zhi Ruo's game. When his emotions are provoked, he will be angry and lose focus to play the next song. That's the tactic Shuwan is doing,” explained Jiao.

“I didn't think he had such a sneaky mind, but I like it,” Zhang said.

Didn't you like it from the beginning? Inner Jiao while chuckling.

Back to Shuwan's fight with Zhi Ruo.

“Bigger! Then feel this..”.

Zhi Ruo plays his second song, poisonous needles come out and lead to Shuwan. But Shuwan and turned it upside down by throwing his needles.

Zhi Ruo dodged Shuwan's counterattack. A fierce battle ensued between them. Until the power of both of them was drained because of this fight.

Then Shuwan said, “It's best to stop this fight, and repent while you still have a chance to live.”

“Shut up! I don't need your talk! I'll finish you right now!”

Zhi Ruo again launched an attack, but he lost quickly to Shuwan.

Shuwan did fight by utilizing the speed he gained from the results of physical training that he routinely did. Moreover, he was able to pierce through the opponent's defense through his opponent's blind spot.

So Shuwan managed to stop Zhi Ruo's attack by punching his weak point by utilizing Zhi Ruo's blind spot.

As a result, Zhi Ruo was unable to move due to totokan Shuwan.

Shuwan then took Zhi Ruo's Guzheng and said, “Those who are bound to the flow of black magic will forever be entangled there. The only way to be saved is to destroy his inheritance and repent to the Almighty.”

Meanwhile Zhi Ruo was still trying to break away from Shuwan to save his Guzheng, but it was too late. After taking Guzheng out of Zhi Ruo's hand, Shuwan destroys him with his Black Sword.

Instantly, Zhi Ruo was drowned, and fell. His strength had already disappeared along with the destruction of his Guzheng. Then Shuwan approached Zhi Ruo, and focused his strength on installing a seal on Zhi Ruo's body to release the dark power left in Zhi Ruo's body.

Zhi Ruo rebelled, saying, “What are you doing? Release!”

Shuwan did not respond. Shuwan's hand touched Zhi Ruo's forehead, and he began to focus on reciting the spell. Slowly the seal appeared on Zhi Ruo's forehead, and made Zhi Ruo cry out in pain.

Zhang and Jiao were just stunned by what Shuwan was doing.

The seal shone, and slowly the remaining dark power came out from Zhi Ruo's body. Zhi Ruo was getting weaker.

“You.. You ruined my life.!” zhi Ruo shouted while crying because what Shuwan did was considered to have destroyed it.

“I saved you from that dark power that has blackened your heart. With this, you can repent and live a new life. Don't you want to live like normal people? You can still do a lot of good to treat the pain you have been suffering all this time.”

Zhi Ruo who listened to Shuwan's words only cried. Shuwan's words have reminded him of a promise he had to his late sister, that she wanted him to live quietly without committing any more crimes just to earn money.

“We will take you to the temple, that you may draw nearer to the Almighty and atone for all your sins to those whom you have consumed. That way, your life will be calm again.”

Zhi Ruo nodded in agreement.

Zhang and Jiao, who had witnessed Shuwan's fight, ran over to him.

They rushed to find a temple that felt safe for Zhi Ruo to stay and atone for his sin. After arriving at a temple on the edge of a valley. The place is beautiful, and soothing. The temple was named Chang Ling.

Upon entering, Shuwan discussed the purpose and purpose of his arrival to the monk-chief. The abbot agreed and promised to look after Zhi Ruo.

“From now on, you'll stay here. I have also asked permission to the abbot,” Shuwan said softly.

“Thank you very much. If there wasn't, maybe I'd still be a murderer. If you can tell, who are you?”

“My name is Lin Shuwan, just call me Shuwan. Those two friends of mine, Zhang and Jiao.”

Zhang and Jiao smiled as they waved at Zhi Ruo. Zhi Ruo returned to smile at Zhang and Jiao.

Zhang approached and said, “Because it's already evening, what if we stay here and continue the journey tomorrow?”

“What Zhang said. You also look exhausted after fighting with Zhi Ruo, Shuwan,”.

“Alright then, we'll spend the night here.”

There is no better revenge than to make yourself better. While still given the opportunity to live, why not do good to atone for sins? Although the road is difficult, if you want to try, you can certainly achieve it. It is never too late as long as there is a willingness to change as badly as his past.

By repenting Zhi Ruo, then the story of the Bloody Swordsman Guzheng ends.

Shuwan, Zhang and Jiao's long journey to the Land of Clouds continues.