My brother and I had no names. We were abandoned in our swaddling clothes at the Xinghua Temple in Weizhou. The abbot took us in as disciples and named us Zhi and Po. He said the names came from Buddhist scriptures: to break attachments and sever delusions.
In the autumn of the second year of Kaiyun, the Khitan breached Weizhou. All the monks in the temple perished, and the gold leaf was entirely stripped from the Buddha statues. My brother and I survived by hiding in a cellar. In the ruins, we found two items: the abbot's old inkstone and the dagger used for shaving heads.
That winter, I fled south with my brother, nearly dying beneath the hooves of barbarian steeds. Fortunately, the swordswoman Qi Xiaozhou saved us, appearing like the reincarnated Bodhisattva of our temple.
...Xiaozhou entrusted us to the Shengle Sect. Her original intent was sheer mercy; little did she know she was casting us into hell. The Wei father and son used living humans as cultivation cauldrons to practice their wicked arts. It was a tragedy beyond human endurance. I swore an oath in the dark: even if I must die, I will ensure Po lives!
...I helped my brother escape and handed him the dagger. I told him: if you survive, never forget where you came from. Later, I heard from the Shmashana Grove Guardian that Po had fallen off a cliff, his bones crushed to dust. ...You wicked demons of the Wei clan, even if I fall into the Avici Hell, I will claim your lives!
...That mediocrity, Wei Yidu, dared to lust after Xiaozhou. He ordered me to ghostwrite his letters, forging his hand. At first, I intended to draft a plea for help, but every letter was inspected, so I had to abandon the thought. I solely copied the style of the Wei Stele rubbings; Xiaozhou was exceedingly fond of this calligraphy. Grinding the ink once more, it was as if I saw the solitary lamp of my ruined temple. Every time her letter arrived, it was like a ray of heavenly light piercing through hell.
...After six bitter years of waiting, I finally slaughtered the Wei father and son. Though I committed a wicked deed, my heart holds no regret.
...Xiaozhou actually agreed to the marriage proposal! Amidst my wild joy, I feared exposure. I obtained the Wei clan's relic, the Water Lady Script, and used it to change into Wei Yidu's visage. This Water Lady was severe in appearance yet merciful in heart... Nine truths and one lie somehow sealed our marriage vow.
...Over ten surviving disciples remained in the Shengle Sect, all of whom possessed dull aptitudes. Fortunately, their very dullness spared them from becoming cauldrons. I took them with me and retreated into a deep valley, wishing to let this sect fade into oblivion within the martial world.
...Suddenly, Xiaozhou drew her sword and slit her own throat in the courtyard, blood splattering across her plain white robes. ...Ten years have passed; how could she have learned of the old sins? ...It must be those remnants of the Shengle Sect who leaked the secret. I will slaughter them all! Since Xiaozhou is dead, why should I wish to live on? ...I only beg Luoshen to restore my true face. When I meet Xiaozhou again in the underworld, I shall tell her the absolute truth: I am Azhi, not a ghost of the Wei clan!
