The Heart of the Sword

Swordheart of the Way

Zhuge Lan resolves to rid the world of evil and uphold justice. She ventures alone into Yin-Yang Valley to cross swords with Fu Wuniang, a woman so feared that martial artists tremble at the mention of her name. To secretly protect Zhuge Lan, the young hero Sima Jie traps Fu Wuniang’s son, only to be gravely wounded by Zhuge Lan by mistake. When she realizes that the young man whose life is hanging by a thread is the “Jade Vajra,” anguish overwhelms her. The remarkable hero and heroine are drawn into a tangled affair of love and resentment. Demonic stars of the underworld emerge one after another, and the martial world is swept up in bloodshed.

The Sevenfold Demon Lord captures the “Jade Vajra,” forces him to swallow a poisonous parasite, and subjects him to every kind of torment in order to threaten the righteous. He also gathers a host of villains, intending to sweep away all the martial sects and rule the martial world alone. The righteous schools face an impending catastrophe. Zhuge Lan rallies the forces of justice and rushes to the Miao frontier to save Sima Jie. She climbs the executioner’s cliff alone, braves the perilous Valley of Death, crosses the Quicksand Gorge, and traverses the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons… When she witnesses the demons boiling people alive, the steely heroine is overcome with grief. Sima Jie infiltrates the demons’ lair and uncovers their secrets. Sword energy surges through Sevenfold Valley as the battle between good and evil slowly unfolds, while longing and misunderstandings between Zhuge Lan and Sima Jie continue to grow…

This novel is full of twists and turns, with a moving, sweeping narrative. Its heroes and knights, driven by a desire to save the world and possessing fearless courage, are worthy of admiration. It is an engrossing read and a classic of wuxia well worth reading.