Chapter - 329 Hundred-feet Tall Tower Prevents Passage (6)

After a short pause Miejue Shitai continued, "Over the last one hundred years the Wulin world was shaken repeatedly; these Saber and Sword have changed hands several times. The later generation only knows that the Tulong Saber is the Wulin world's most venerable, and only the Yitian Sword is worthy to be its match; but why is it most venerable, nobody knows. Guo Gong Polu died for his country in his youth; he had no descendant not disciple, so only our Sect's Guo Zushi alone knew the Saber and the Sword's secret. Before her death, the Senior had spent considerable amount of effort to find the precious Tulong Saber, but she had not succeeded. On her death bed she passed on this secret to my 'en shi' [benevolent master], Feng Ling Shitai. Upon receiving Zushi's commandment, my 'en shi' also looked for the Tulong Saber, but to no avail. In turn when she died she passed on this Sword and Guo Zushi's commandment to me.

It was not too long after I took over the Sect Leader position of our school when your Shibo [martial (older) uncle] Gu Hongzi made an appointment for a martial arts match with a young master from the Devil Cult. They agreed to fight one-on-one, not allowing anybody to receive help from anybody else. Your Shibo knew that although his opponent was young, his martial art skill was actually very profound. Thereupon he came to me to borrow the Yitian Sword."

As Zhou Zhiruo heard the phrase 'a young master from the Devil Cult' she could not help her heart thump madly, and her face involuntarily blushed; but she immediately remembered, "It was not him, I am afraid at that time he was not even born yet."

Meanwhile Miejue Shitai continued, "At that time I wanted to go along and help him, but your Shibo insisted that he wanted to keep the good faith; saying he stated clearly with that devil-head that no third-party participation was allowed; therefore, he was firm in not letting me go along. In that martial art match your Shibo's skill was certainly not below his opponent; but because the devil-head employed a dirty trick, in the end he managed to land a palm on your Shibo's chest and snatched away the Yitian Sword before it even came out of its sheathe."

"Ah!" Zhou Zhiruo exclaimed, remembering how Zhang Wuji snatched away the Sword from Miejue's hand on the Brightness Peak.

Her Shifu continued, "That devil-head laughed coldly several times and said 'What a big reputation Yitian Sword has! In my eyes it is no different that scrap copper and rusty iron!' Casually he threw the Sword to the ground and swaggered away. Your Shibo picked the Sword up and went back to the mountain to return it to me. Who would have thought that because of his proud character, the more he thought about the lost, the more he was grieved. He only managed to take a three-day journey when he caught an illness along the way and was not able to get up again. The Yitian Sword fell into the hands of the local authorities who in turn presented it to the royal government. Do you know who was this evil disciple of the Devil Cult who angered your Shibo Gu Hongzi to his death?"

"No …" Zhou Zhiruo replied, "I wonder who that was?"

"It was he who later on harmed your Shijie Ji Xiaofu; that devil-head Yang Xiao!" Miejue Shitai replied.

Right at that moment Lu Zhangke banged the door and shouted, "Are you done talking? I can't wait much longer!"

"Don't be impatient," Miejue Shitai said, "We will be done very soon." Quietly to Zhou Zhiruo she said, "We don't have much time; we can't talk too much. This Yitian Sword was later on granted by the Tartar Emperor to the Ruyang Prince so I went to the Ruyang Palace to steal it back. It is so unfortunate that by an evil plot the Sword has fallen into the hand of the Devil Cult."

"No, it was that Miss Zhao who stole it," Zhou Zhiruo said.

Miejue Shitai stared at her and said, "This surnamed Zhao girl is obviously in cohort with that Cult Leader of the Devil Cult. Don't tell me that up to this point you still don't believe your Shifu?"

In all honesty it was hard for Zhou Zhiruo to believe her; but she did not want to argue with her master. Miejue Shitai continued, "I have a strong reason why I want you to take over the Sect Leader position. This time I fall into the crafty villains' hands, my reputation is falling down the drain; I do not want to get out of this Pagoda alive. That lecherous man surnamed Zhang has dirty thoughts toward you, but I believe he won't harm your life. You may pretend to get close to him, and then seize the opportunity to take back the Yitian Sword. The Tulong Saber is in the hand of his foster father, that wicked bandit Xie Xun. This kid will not reveal Xie Xun's whereabouts no matter what; but I know there is one person in this world who will be able to get this Saber."

Zhou Zhiruo knew her Shifu was talking about her; she was startled and shy, and happy but scared at the same time.

Mie Jue Shitai said, "That person is you. I want you to use your beauty to obtain the treasured sword. I know this is not a very chivalrous thing to do, but for an important matter I don't want to worry about little things. Just think about it: presently the Yitian Sword is in that surnamed Zhao girl, while the Tulong Saber is in that wicked bandit Xie Xun's hand. Both have close relationship with him. If by any chance he acquires both the Sword and the Saber, and if by chance he obtains Guo Daxia's military strategy and martial arts manual; then it will be catastrophic for the common people. I don't know how many innocent people in the world will lost their lives, families will be broken, not to mention the great undertaking of driving out the Tartars will be more difficult to accomplish. Zhiruo, I know perfectly well that this matter is too difficult, in all honesty I don't want you to bear it; but what is the purpose of us training martial arts all our lives? Zhiruo, I beseech you for the sake of the common people in the world." Speaking thus, she suddenly stood up, and then bent her knees and bowed in front of Zhou Zhiruo.

To say that Zhou Zhiruo was mildly shocked is certainly an understatement; she hastily knelt down and called out, "Shifu! Shifu! You …"

"Quiet!" Miejue Shitai said, "Don't let the wicked bandit outside hear. Do you agree? If you don't, I won't get up."

Zhou Zhiruo was utterly confused; in just a short moment her Shifu had just asked of her three very difficult matters. The first was to make the heavy oath that she would not to fall in live with Zhang Wuji, the second was for her to take over the Sect Leader position; afterwards she wanted her to utilize her beauty to entice Zhang Wuji to obtain the Tulong Saber and the Yitian Sword. Each one of these three might take her ten years to decide. Based on her gentle and warm character, chances are she would not agree to any of them, much less she was given just a short time to accept. Her head was spinning and she passed out, losing her consciousness completely.

Suddenly feeling a sharp pain on her upper lip she opened her eyes and saw her Shifu was still kneeling in front of her. Crying she said, "Shifu, please get up."

"Do you agree to my request, then?" Miejue Shitai asked.

Bursting into tears Zhou Zhiruo did not have any choice but nodding her head; she almost fainted again. Miejue Shitai grabbed her hands and in a low voice said, "After obtaining the Tulong Saber and the Yitian Sword, here is how you'll get the secret inside: With one hand holding the Saber and the other the Sword, exert your internal energy and strike the Saber and the Sword to each other. Both the Sword and the Saber will break simultaneously, and then take the secret scrolls from inside the Saber's body and the Sword's blade. This is the only way to take the secret out of those precious Sword and Saber, and to destroy them at the same time. Do you understand?" She spoke in low voice, but her tone was very urgent.