Horizon, Bright Moon, Sabre
aka: Tian Ya Ming Yue Dao [天涯明月刀], Tin Ngaai Ming Yut Dou [天涯明月刀], Thiên Nhai Minh Nguyệt Đao, Thien Nhai Minh Nguyet Dao, Peristiwa Bulu Merak.
This novel was written in 1975.
Is the horizon far away?
Not at all!
Man is at the horizon, so how can the horizon be far away?
What colour is the bright moon?
It is blue; and like the ocean -- blue, deep and sorrowful.
Where is the bright moon?
It is in his heart; his heart is the bright moon.
What about his sabre?
His sabre is in his hand!
What kind of blade is that?
His sabre is as broad and as lonely as the horizon, as pure and sorrowful as the bright moon; even with a flash of steel, sometimes it seems as if it is empty.
Empty?
Empty and illusory, as if it never exists, yet it is present everywhere.
But the speed of his sabre does not appear to be very swift.
How can a sabre that is not swift be invincible under the heavens?
This is because his sabre has gone beyond the limits of speed!
Where is he?
He has not returned, but his heart is already broken.
Where is the path of his return?
The path is right in front of him.
Can he not see the path?
He is not looking for it.
So he cannot find the path?
Perhaps not now, but he will find it sooner or later.
Will he find it for sure?
Definitely!
* * *
The sun was setting in the west.
Fu Hongxue stood alone under the setting sun. It was as if he was the only person in the whole world.
It was cold and barren for a thousand miles around; it seemed that even the colour of the setting sun had changed because of its loneliness … changed into a greyish white that was mournful and desolate.
He felt the same.
His hand clenched a sabre; a pale white fist with an ebony-black sabre!
Pale white and ebony black were colours close to Death! And Death was the limit of emptiness and loneliness!
His eyes were lonely and empty; they could almost see death!
* * *
He was walking. He walked very slowly, but he never stopped. Even if Death was waiting for him in front, he would never stop.
His walking posture was strange and unique; the left foot would take a quick step forward, and the right foot would follow slowly. He appeared to walk with considerable difficulty. Nevertheless, he had walked countless miles, and made innumerable journeys; and he walked the entire road by himself, step by step.
When could he stop walking like this? When could he even stop walking?
He didn’t know. In fact, he had never considered it!
Now that he was here, what lay beyond? Was Death really in front? Definitely! His eyes contained Death, his hand also gripped Death; in fact, his sabre represented Death!
It was an ebony-black blade with an ebony-black hilt and an ebony-black scabbard.
His sabre may represent Death, but it was his whole life!
* * *
The sky had become even darker, but he could still make out the presence of a small town in the far distance.
He knew that it was Phoenix Settlement, one of the more populous towns in this remote area. He knew, of course, because that was where the death he was looking for could be found.
Little did he know that Phoenix Settlement was already dead!