Death Scripture
Chapter 12: Pledges.

The first person that Gu Shenwei — now called Servant Huan — took care of was a dying young man in his twenties . There were three gashes on his chest, but he seemed to feel nothing . Lying on a brick bed, he didn’t groan or make a request, as if he was already dead .

Although they said to take care of him, really, he was just there to watch him die while filling up his bowl with water .

Golden Roc Castle’s mercy was to not bury him while he was still alive .

The teenagers hadn’t even gotten familiar with their new names after only staying one night in the castle before they were sent to take care of the dying . They started their new life with the heavy stench of blood .

Only one person was needed to take care of the dying man, but it was ‘off season’ these days . The man was the only wounded person in the yard, so Servant Ji called everybody . His explanation was to “Learn to get used to it”, but he himself stood far away next to the doorway and held his nose .

“This is the outcome of being a killer . ”

Servant Ji seemed to be rejoicing over the misfortune of the dying young man, but man lying on the bed had no reaction to Servant Ji’s words at all .

“He is Servant Xie . We entered the castle at the same time . Look at him now though, he is lying there, waiting for death, and I’m the one watching him die . Hey, hey, want to be a killer? Work hard in your next life . ”

The young man named Servant Xie didn’t argue a single word; perhaps he hadn’t even heard the words spoken by Servant Ji . It was Servant Yao (Lin Yang) who gathered his courage to raise his head and ask,

“But one can become a somebody once he becomes a real killer, isn’t it?”

Servant Ji was annoyed by these words . “Right, be a somebody, all of you, go become a killer . If any one of you can live longer than me in the east castle, I will kowtow to him . Who do you think you are? Want to be a killer? Humph!”

Servant Ji shook the red stick in his hands threateningly at them, but because he didn’t want to approach the dying, he left, irritated . In his eyes, the Servant Xie lying on the brick bed was already dead .

Servant Xie died at dusk . Although the teenagers were reluctant, they had no choice but to carry the corpse under the threat of the red stick . They carried the corpse through the west door and dropped it down the cliff .

“This is the final destination of all the servants of Golden Roc Castle, called Groaning Ghost Cliff . Listen, can you hear the strange sounds from below the cliff? It’s just like the moans of the dead . ”

Servant Yao was teasing the teenagers again . One after another, the teenagers turned and ran away . Servant Ji was guarding inside the west door, and snorted at the teenagers’ behavior, though nobody knew whether he snorted with ridicule or disdain .

Gu Shenwei also ran with the others . He had already been here last night, and really had heard a moan under the cliff .

Not long after that, the teenagers heard from Servant Ji that the cliff outside the west door really was called Groaning Ghost Cliff . Servant Yao hadn’t made up the story . As for how he knew it, he didn’t say anything, so no one was able to guess .

The Groaning Ghost Cliff was a triangular platform and had the remains of a stone table on it, positioned in the centre . It was said that in the past, people would add wood to the stone table and burn the dead . That was how the name Ji Xin Yuan came to . Since Golden Roc Castle changed its custom, the stone table had gradually been abandoned and destroyed . Now, only a few pieces of charred stone were left .

In the following days, all that the teenagers did everyday was watch people die, then dropping their corpse off the Groaning Ghost Cliff . Most of the dead were young people; they had dreamed of becoming a killer and entered the east castle to be a disciple, but unfortunately, they failed in the end .

Golden Roc Castle was divided into a number of relatively independent regions . The east castle trained killers while the west castle focused on various types of compound courtyards, such as Ji Xin Yuan which handled the dead .

Although everybody knew that more people died than lived, they still fought for the right to enter the east castle one after another . The teenagers couldn’t understand why . Most of them had the same thoughts as Servant Ji; It was better to stay in the west yard honestly than to be a dead killer .

But ambitious Servant Yao seemed to have a different idea . Several times, he had implied that he had the talent of being a killer . Nobody took it seriously however, because he didn’t know kung fu and his body was no different than others .

Gu Shenwei had also seriously considered working hard to enter the east castle . The killers from Golden Roc Castle had slaughtered the Gu family, so he would learn to be a killer here and then take his revenge . While this was an attractive idea and the perfect plan in his mind, it was not easy to realize .

First, there was little time as the young lord of Gu family could be found out at anytime, so he had to hurry and take revenge .

Second, training in the east castle was cruel and bloody . There were very little who could pass and survive successfully . He was afraid that he would die before getting revenge .

The third and also most problematic was that without a reference, a low level servant like him wasn’t qualified at all to enter the east castle .

Gu Shenwei wanted to seek advice from the God’s will again, but nothing happened .

Since he had entered Golden Roc Castle, God’s will seemed to have been blocked outside . He was helpless now, with neither away to find his elder sister nor a way to take his revenge . Right now, not to mention extinguishing the Shangguan Family, he couldn’t even see the tail of Shangguan Nu’s clothes .

He was really afraid that he would be trapped in Ji Xin Yuan and carry the dead for his the rest of life .

Not only him, all the teenagers felt like they had been forgotten . Golden Roc Castle seemed to not take the ten kids seriously . The teenagers would also be like those dying people, wasting their lives in this ominous courtyard until their death .

The fifth day after they had entered the castle, the teenagers finally glimpsed a sliver of hope to survive .

Xue Niang, Miss Luo Ningcha’s servant, had come .

Although the teenagers had never been comforted by Xue Niang and had suffered under her Iron fingers, seeing her now was just like seeing their beloved one . Only she could save them out of the sea of misery .

Although the teenagers had never been comforted by Xue Niang and had suffered under her Iron fingers, seeing her now was just like seeing their beloved one . Only she could save them out of the sea of misery .

That afternoon . Xue Niang opened the door and came in . As curt as usual, she said, “Follow me . ”

The teenagers who were cleaning Ji Xin Yuan almost cheered aloud, but Servant Ji was standing in the doorway . They dared not show their joy because his red stick was not easy to deal with .

“Who are you?”

Servant Ji looked at the unfamiliar middle-aged woman with surprise . The woman walked so quietly that he hadn’t even heard the footsteps . He was very unhappy about this .

“I’m Miss Ningcha’s wet nurse . ”

Servant Ji frowned . He had never heard of a ‘Miss Ningcha’ in the castle, and this woman’s body was as flat as a coffin; she didn’t look like anyone’s wet nurse .

“What Miss?”

With one finger, Xue Niang poked Servant Ji, causing his face to turn red . With a low humming sound, he sat down on the doorstep .

“Let’s go . ”

Xue Niang turned around and walked towards the courtyard door . Behind, the teenagers rushed to follow . Only Servant Yao had something more on his mind; he lifted Servant Ji up and softly told him the origin of Xue Ning .

Xue Niang led the ten teenagers through the east door . They walked along the alley, and after several turns, they reached the courtyard of the eighth young lord Shangguan Nu . The lords of Golden Roc Castle resided in the north castle, far away from Ji Xin Yuan . There were many crossroads along the way . Gu Shenwei had observed carefully, but could only memorize three quarters of them . It was surprising that Xue Niang had been able to easily find them despite never coming before .

The eighth young lord’s house faced the south and was divided into two sections . Though it was not large, it was very elegant . It was hard to imagine that the owner of this place was actually a killer .

Xue Niang pointed towards a vacant area in front of the great hall and ordered, “Kneel down . ”

Everybody followed, but Gu Shenwei hesitated for a moment .

He had long resolved that he would take revenge with unscrupulous means . As long as he could get revenge, then there was nothing he couldn’t bear . Thinking of this, he quickly bent his knee and kneeled on the ground with the others .

Xue Niang glanced at him . It was not the teenager’s moment of hesitation, but his straight back that had aroused her attention .

Kneeling next to the teenagers were the ten virgin girls and several close maidservants, their expressions anxious . It seemed that something big had happened .

Kneeling next to the teenagers were the ten virgin girls and several close maidservants, their expressions anxious . It seemed that something big had happened .

The door of the hall was open . In front of the door was a translucent screen, reflecting a slender silhouette .

“Have they all arrived?”

“Yes, Miss . ”

Big God Head’s daughter didn’t like the title of Young Mistress, so her closest servant called her Miss . From then on, all the servants that had come along with her all called her Miss .

“Let them swear one by one . ”

This was indeed the voice he remembered of Big Head God’s daughter, her tone devoid of the shyness and happiness of a newlywed bride . Instead, it had a hint of uncontrollable anger .

“I, Xue Niang, swear to heavens that in my lifetime, I will be loyal only to Miss Luo Ningcha, daughter of Iron Mountain Big Head God . I will follow my lord’s surname Luo and never change my surname . If I violate this oath, I shall be struck by lightning from the heavens, descend into the eighteenth level of hell, and never have a chance to reincarnate . ”

Servant Yao was the first to follow and swear with sincere words . If Gu Shenwei hadn’t known Servant Yao through and through, he would have believed that he had followed the Miss for many years .

Servant Yao had his own way in seeking information; for example, he had known about the Groaning Ghost Cliff . This meant that his set of methods for dealing with people actually worked in Golden Roc Castle .

Gu Shenwei needed to understand his enemies, so he followed Servant Yao to be the second one to swear . He had just received his new first name and now he had to change his surname . He swore with his mouth, but in his heart, he kept repeating, I’m Gu Shenwei .

It was difficult for those teenagers who couldn’t speak the language of the Central Plains, so Servant Yao volunteered to be the translator . The teenagers followed with stammering words . Surprisingly, they were able to finish the oath .

Nobody knew why Big Head God’s daughter suddenly made them pledge .

After pledging, the Miss behind the screen asked,

“Xue Niang, who do you think is suitable?”

“The other aspects are not important; the key point is that the person must be clever, and I think he is appropriate . ”

The person she pointed to was Servant Yao, so Servant Yao responded quickly . He immediately moved forward two steps on his knees, kowtowed and said,

“Little Servant would go through scorching fire and freezing water for Miss . ”

The person she pointed to was Servant Yao, so Servant Yao responded quickly . He immediately moved forward two steps on his knees, kowtowed and said,

“Little Servant would go through scorching fire and freezing water for Miss . ”

The Miss didn’t mention what he was suitable for, she only answered, “Then him . ” . The bizarre show for displaying loyalty came to an end .

Later, the teenagers were led by a maidservant back to Ji Xin Yuan, while Servant Yao was left alone and didn’t come back until nightfall .

Servant Ji complained while he locked the door . He had already inquired about the origin of Xue Niang and dared not directly challenge her, so he could only make oblique accusations . In his eyes, the ten boys ‘belonged’ to him . Xue Niang and the eighth young mistress putting her hands on them was actually against the rules and snatching his interests .

Servant Yao was also implicated, but he didn’t mind . He went back to the bedroom shared between the 10 teenagers, kicked off his shoes, jumped onto the brick bed and sighed with relief . Lying on the bed, he didn’t say anything for a long time .

Everyone knew his personality . Either way, he would boast about his special treatment from the Miss .

“From tomorrow on, I will not be accompanying you all to take care of the dead . ” Finally, Servant Yao seemed to have thought of something unimportant and told them casually .

“Why? Are you leaving here? ” Someone asked curiously . In Golden Roc Castle, the language of the Central Plains was the official language . Those barbarian teenagers had barely learned enough to communicate .

“Xue Niang will teach me kung fu; I will be a killer some time later . ”

The teenagers were surprised at these words . Servant Yao had shown his interest in becoming a killer long time ago, but nobody had thought that good fortune would welcome him so quickly .

“Can you?” Servant Qi asked abruptly in the Central Plains language at Servant Yao’s side . Although he and his brother had joined to be sworn brothers, they had never forgotten Servant Yao’s betrayal .

In fact, everyone also wanted to ask this question . The first dead person they had thrown away was a disciple who had failed in the east castle . A thin body like Servant Yao probably could not stay up one day and be sent back to Ji Xin Yuan .

“You don’t know anything,” Servant Yao said with disdain . “the killers are also humans, they have various grades and ranks and also follow the ways of the world . A normal person will die, but I’m the one recommended by the eighth young lord and Miss . Who would dare to touch me?”

No one could refute him . They knew nothing about Golden Roc Castle and didn’t understand the real situation .

But Gu Shenwei was persuaded by these words .

He did not want to waste time learning to be a killer, but if he could get the lord’s favor and recommendation, did that mean that he would have the opportunity to approach Shanguan Nu?