If You See Snow - Chapter 9

On the other side, Sang Chi Yu stared at the silent communication compass for a long time without saying a word.

“Sang Gongzi, are you ready?” A man not far in front of him opened a deep blue vortex. “This is my power, the Gate of Nothingness. Through this gate, you can go anywhere. My cultivation is still shallow, so I can only connect up to 300 miles away, which is enough to get you to the Black Street. Once you step into this gate, you will be one of us – a member of the Black Street. So, how about it, Gongzi? Do you need to think about it?”

Sang Chi Yu did not answer, but asked, “How long does your transmission take? Can it be finished by tomorrow morning?”

“Gongzi can leave at any time. This time, it’s just to let Gongzi get familiar with our Great Compassion Temple. Does Gongzi have other important matters?”

“No.”

Sang Chi Yu put away the compass and stepped into the vortex. The scenery before him changed dramatically. He arrived at a dilapidated temple, with the smell of charred meat in the air. Bright bonfires hit his eyes, and his cheeks felt the scorching heat. Countless men and women were drinking and eating meat around the bonfire, wrestling and fighting naked with each other, and some even rolled in the mud for fun. Most of them were people with spiritual power, whose appearance had undergone some slight mutations, with some having vertical pupils in their eyes, hairs growing on their cheeks, or lines appearing on their faces.

Along the dilapidated red wall, there were many happy Buddha sculptures, either sitting or lying down. Each Buddha statue was having intercourse with a delicate and charming woman in its arms. Various lanterns swayed around, casting eerie and mysterious shadows on the Buddha’s face.

Those who couldn’t walk in the sun gathered here, in the Black Street – a settlement for refugees, murderers, and scum. Some of them entered the Great Compassion Temple to become monks, and the temple bestowed upon them a secret medicine that gave them the power to confront the forces of light.

At the forefront of the temple was a strange black statue of Guan Yin (1). It had many twisted arms which stretched out in all directions, reminiscent of the terrifying tentacles of sea monsters. Standing on the statue was the owner of the Great Compassion Temple, and also the extraditor of Sang Chi Yu in the Black Street – Hei Guan Yin.

As soon as Sang Chi Yu entered, it was as if a bucket of ice had been poured into a boiling cauldron, and the noise immediately stopped. Everyone stared at him without blinking. Sang Chi Yu used to be their biggest enemy, and this man’s hands were stained with the blood of scum. Almost all of the top one hundred evil people on the Black Street had been killed one by one by Sang Chi Yu.

Hei Guan Yin reached out his hand towards Sang Chi Yu, and Sang Chi Yu stepped towards him.

Everyone else watched this silent man pass by, whispering to him:

“Sang Chi Yu, my brother was killed by you, do you remember?”

“My beloved woman died in your hands. You took her pretty little head.”

“Eleven years ago, during the opening of the Secret Sect, you killed my husband.”

Sang Chi Yu walked to the forefront. Hei Guan Yin smiled and said, “But we don’t hold any grudges against you. Killing on the Black Street is not a crime. In fact, we have long known that you will come to us someday. I don’t know if you have noticed, but the sins on your hands are much heavier than ours, despite being a descendant of a noble family and the first disciple of the Secret Sect. However, don’t worry, we won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Hei Guan Yin knew that Sang Chi Yu coming to the Black Street was a last resort. Kun Lun Secret Sect was where he grew up, and it was impossible to sever ties with his teachers, friends, and relatives in just one day. Moreover, Sang Chi Yu was a person of upright character, and it was already impressive that he could be persuaded to come to Black Street. As long as Hei Guan Yin could obtain information about Kun Lun Secret Sect from Sang Chi Yu, he would be satisfied.

“I want to ask you about someone,” Sang Chi Yu spoke up.

“Who?” Hei Guan Yin asked kindly.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd as a group of men with painted faces entered the ruins of the Great Compassion Temple. They carried spirit fire guns and swaggered in with unfriendly expressions. The monks gritted their teeth and stood at the ready. A black-haired man walked slowly into the ruins. He was the only one without paint on his face and without a gun. His pure black outer robe shone with a radiant aura, as if moonlight were splashed over it.

As long as one lived in the Black Street for a period of time, they would know that this was the most difficult gang to deal with in the Black Street – the Paradise Pavilion. They had no faith, no rules, and their only creed was to indulge in pleasure.

Han Ye clapped his hands and laughed, with a tone of sarcasm in his voice, “Sang Chi Yu, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Hei Guan Yin ignored him and only asked Sang Chi Yu, “Who does the gentleman seek? Ask me anything you want.”

“No need, he’s already here.” Sang Chi Yu’s gaze fell on Han Ye.

Han Ye stood under the Thousand-Armed Guan Yin statue and faced Sang Chi Yu from a distance. He spoke first, “Your Secret Sect has always regarded us as trash, as poisonous insects. Last time, when your people came to the Black Street, they all wore steel masks and claimed that the air here was toxic, and that just one breath would cause skin ulcers. Since Sang Gongzi has come, I have specially prepared something made of gold for you.”

He threw the thing in his hand forward, and a shiny golden object rolled to Sang Chi Yu’s feet. However, it was not a mask, but a muzzle.

Sang Chi Yu looked at him expressionlessly.

Han Ye laughed with malice, “Why don’t you try wearing it? I have always treated people from your Secret Sect with respect. Don’t believe me? Come on, let Sang Gongzi see his colleague.”

He clapped his hands and one of the subordinates from the Paradise Pavilion brought forward a crawling man, chained with a golden chain. The man wore the exact same golden muzzle as the one Han Ye had thrown at Sang Chi Yu, crawling on all fours like a dog. As soon as he tried to stand up, someone whipped his back immediately. His back was already bloody and mutilated, a gruesome sight. Sang Chi Yu recognized this man. His name was Li Meng. They were both part of the Secret Sect and often saw each other. His special power was Teleportation – a common power among members of the Secret Sect.

Li Meng also saw Sang Chi Yu and immediately burst into tears, calling out unintelligibly, “Save me!”

Han Ye raised his hand and the Paradise Pavilion member loosened the chain. Li Meng crawled and scrambled, dragging the jingling chain towards Sang Chi Yu, clinging to his leg with all his might. Han Ye laughed sinisterly. “Hei Guan Yin, you are too naive. Would Sang Gongzi really harm a colleague? Do you expect him to attack Kun Lun when they face each other in the future? I suggest you think about whether he will remember past kindness or seek revenge.”

Hei Guan Yin shook his head and laughed. “I believe Sang Gongzi is not that kind of person. The Great Compassion Temple has shown him goodwill, and he will not let us down.”

“You are extremely foolish.” Han Ye’s face turned cold.

As soon as he finished speaking, a scream of horror sounded from behind him, and everyone around took a sharp breath. Han Ye frowned, seeing the shocked expressions around him and feeling suspicious. He turned around and saw Sang Chi Yu calmly inserting his fingers into Li Meng’s eye sockets. The man, who had clung to Sang Chi Yu as if he was his last hope, trembled violently like a fish out of water. Blood flowed in rivulets, twisting around his face like snakes. He gradually weakened until he was motionless.

As Sang Chi Yu withdrew his fingers, the moment they left the man’s eye sockets, icy blue meridians retracted from his fingertips, unnoticed by anyone. He turned his face and met Han Ye’s astonished gaze with emotionless eyes. Only then did Han Ye realize that Sang Chi Yu had changed; he was no longer the first disciple of the Secret Sect who had helped the needy and saved the world.

The others did not expect Sang Chi Yu to really take action. Even Hei Guan Yin was somewhat surprised. What was even more surprising was that Sang Chi Yu not only made a move, but also did it so ruthlessly.

“I’ve heard that killing is not illegal in the Black Street,” Sang Chi Yu said.

“Indeed.” Han Ye suppressed his shock and said, “Sang Chi Yu, I didn’t expect…”

He didn’t get to finish the sentence. A chill ran down his spine as a shadow enveloped him. He once again saw the shocked expressions of the others. Sang Chi Yu, who had been standing in the distance, had disappeared without a trace. At the same time, a cold hand clasped his neck from behind.

The unexpected speed caught him off guard. He guessed that Sang Chi Yu had drunk a secret medicine, but he had not anticipated his power. The Black Street had a secret book that recorded all the information they had obtained about the Kun Lun Secret Sect so far, including the special powers of the Secret Sect’s top experts that they knew of. Sang Chi Yu was a blank slate in it. Even though they knew he was a spiritual power user, the Black Street had never heard of Sang Chi Yu using his power in the many years of confrontation. Unexpectedly, Sang Chi Yu’s special power, like his colleagues, was Teleportation. Han Ye’s heart turned icy, and his fingers grew cold inch by inch.

It would only take him five breaths to activate his Black Flame Fire, but he believed that Sang Chi Yu’s speed in breaking his neck would not exceed one breath.

He was doomed.

However, Sang Chi Yu did not make a move. He instead released his grip on Han Ye’s neck.

The icy breath receded, and Han Ye’s stiff back relaxed slightly. He turned his head in confusion, wondering why Sang Chi Yu didn’t kill him. He could clearly feel Sang Chi Yu’s chilling killing intent. Sang Chi Yu’s gaze seemed to fall on the top of his head, and he reached up to touch his hair, realizing that the black sandalwood hairpin was missing.

“Why aren’t you doing anything? Don’t expect me to be grateful,” Han Ye sneered.

Sang Chi Yu brushed past him, walking towards Hei Guan Yin.

This kid seemed to think he was better than him. Han Ye’s temple twitched as he restrained himself and said to Sang Chi Yu’s back, “Since you’ve made up your mind to join the Black Street, I won’t bother you anymore. By the way, my undercover agent retrieved some information from the Kun Lun Secret Sect, and I thought you might be interested.”

“Oh?” Hei Guan Yin became interested. “Please tell us more.”

Han Ye waved his hand, and the people of Paradise Pavilion stepped back. Hei Guan Yin nodded and the monks of Great Compassion Temple slowly withdrew. In the ruins, only the core members of the Paradise Pavilion and Great Compassion Temple remained. Sang Chi Yu was not interested in their conversation and wanted to leave, but Hei Guan Yin asked him to stay.

Han Ye slightly raised his lips and lowered his voice, “Su Ru Hui is not dead. My people saw him with their own eyes. The Kun Lun Secret Sect has hidden him.”

Sang Chi Yu was slightly startled, and his calm eyes looked at Han Ye without any ripple.

Footnotes

1. Guan Yin – a bodhisattva in Chinese Buddhism, is a figure who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world to help others reach enlightenment. Guan Yin is often depicted as a female figure, and is associated with compassion, mercy, and kindness.