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The Inferno of Obsession: Part One
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Nice! To pierce an enemy’s heart with this sword:that is pure pleasure!
A raindrop hit the tip of the blade with a splash: it was as thoughthe rain agreed.
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Good, good! To chop an enemy’s head with this blade: that is sheer joy!
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A raindrop fell on the body of the sword, as though echoing his admiration.
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Ah, excellent! To awe heaven and earth with this sword, to strike terror into a thousand mountains: that is utter delight!
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Ah, nice! To hew your own throat open with this blade: that is true happiness!
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Of all the things in the world, why can’t I have the very best sword?
Tell me! Why?
You want the very best sword? I have it right here.
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The Inferno of Obsession: Part Two
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You have a good sword? A sword without equal, the very best?
I have one good sword. A matchless sword, the very best.
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Alright then, show me.
Sure, on one condition: you must tell me why you’re looking for the greatest sword.
I was born into a family of swords.
My ancestors were all famed swordsmiths and great swordsmen to boot.
For generations, my family has sought the beauty, power, and spirit of swords.
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But tragedy struck with my great-grandfather.
He’d spent twenty years on a great sword. To test it,
he slaughtered everyone in his family, all 84 of them except my grandfather.
My crazed great-grandfather then Killed himself.
From that day forth, my grandfather swore never to “talk sword.” He sold tofu for a living and forgot everything about swords.
And my father, he wasn’t interested in swords either.He only cared about making tofu whiter, softer, sweeter, and smoother.
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But I was different.
He squinted his eyes while he spoke.
Rain kept falling, so that you couldn't tell rain from tears...
My first word as a baby wasn’t “Ma” or “Pa”:
Every dream I had was about swords!
At the age of fifteen, I secretly cast my own sword, without anyone teaching me how.
My will and my swords were one.
I also learnt many swordcrafts, all without a teacher.
I knew my life would be devoted to the beauty, power, and spirit of swords.
it was “sword.”The first thing I ever drew was a sword;
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It was my way but also my obsession.One night, I tested my sword on my father, mother, brothers, and sisters.
....
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But I was different: I didn’t kill myself. I wanted to know what being a truly great sword felt like.
I started wandering. Within ten years, I killed 178 people and collected 182 swords.
Some were not bad, but none really caught my eye.
I was terrified, for I knew I couldn’t go on like that.
So twenty-nine years ago, I became a monk at a small temple.
The mercy of Buddha quelled my filthy thoughts.
I slowly forgot about swords, and finally...I started to repent....
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For twenty-eight years,
I gained solace in tranquility. Until last year...
All false! All lies!
The Buddha didn’t give me any peace!I never forgot about swords!
Their power! Their beauty! Their spirit!
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I left the temple.
In one year, I killed 224 people and took 230 swords.
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But they were all rotten.
Now do you see why I want the greatest sword?
I do.
And the sword?
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The rain stopped.
The sky cleared.
What a sword, what aura! Mind-blowing!
......
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There’s another condition if you want the sword.
What?Kill that man!
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The Inferno of Obsession:Part Three
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Kill me? What for?
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I’m truly sorry. I know we’ve never crossed paths, so there is no hatred nor vengeance....
But I only live for a truly great sword.
Grant me my wish and I shall never forget your kindness.
How do you want to die? This I can grant you. You really are
crazy, you know that?What if this sword still isn’t good enough, then I'll have died for nothing!
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Well, I can only hope....
Wusheng didn’t listen to him. He was staring at the sword.
The sword cover suddenly opened up all by itself.
Oh, it’s the....
My apo-logies!
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With a thud, the cover lifted a little.
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......
......
......You know what a truly great sword is?
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......
A sword that kills you is a truly great sword.
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The cover lifted up again: a dazzling light shone from within.
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Even the Abi Messenger knelt down.
The blind man placed the sword on the ground and clasped his handsin prayer.
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Wind surged from all directions.
Everyone who was watching scattered off in hiding.
The wind made Wusheng’s clothes flutter....
So it is you, O Venerable One! Here we meet again. Please awake soon.
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The blind man leapt at the sword,
and vanished.
So did the light from the sword.
Only a darkened blade remained.
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The wind died down...
and the clouds scattered.
It all felt like a dream.
Take the sword.
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The sword, now darkened, had nothing special about it.
That light just now, where did it go?
You are the one who will ignite it.
Me?
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What kind of sword is this?
And why did he call me ‘Venerable One’?
You’ll soon find out.
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Wusheng looked at the black sword again.
The sword was silent.
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