Lovers' Blades, Heartless Swords

I, Li Xiaoyao, am a wanderer of the jianghu, known as the Heartless Snowdrift Sword Hero. Ten years ago, my sect was wiped out, and I failed to avenge it. After ten years of hard training, I finally created the Heartless Shadow-Stepping Sword Art. When I returned to the martial world, my fame soared. To take revenge, I adopted the alias Chu Yunfei and traveled the jianghu.

One night, I was staying at an inn when I heard footsteps on the roof. Suddenly, a masked figure came through the window and removed her veil. She was a beautiful female thief, being pursued by constables from the capital. Her injuries were severe, and she had lost too much blood, so she passed out. I hurried to stop the bleeding and hid her in the bed. Then I put on her night clothes and led the constables away.

By dawn, I had returned to the inn. The female thief had woken up, though she still could not move freely. From her, I learned that she was named Meng Die Feixue and made her living as a traveling performer. Her brother had offended the local tyrant Xing Kui, the county magistrate's younger brother, and so Meng Die Feixue's brother, Meng Yunfei, had been wrongfully arrested and imprisoned. Seeing her heartfelt distress, I was moved and resolved to rescue Meng Yunfei.

At dusk, I sneaked into the prison, knocked Meng Yunfei unconscious, and got him out without anyone noticing. Meng Die Feixue was deeply grateful. I told her, "We are both children of the jianghu. There's no need for that." She did not put on airs either. "May I ask my benefactor's name?"

I said, "My name is Chu Yunfei. We may meet again on these green hills and by these clear waters, if fate wills it." I prepared medicine and silver for the siblings and sent them on their way. And so the story began. The next time Meng Die Feixue and I met, our love story unfolded. Later, our tale was celebrated throughout the martial world and embellished by storytellers into The Loving Pair and the Heartless Sword, a story passed down through the ages.