Chapter Six Timing
writer:
无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
The storm stopped, and the majority of Changling sighed in relief. The sunny weather they usually were so tired off became exceptionally likable. Many caravans hurried to take care of their inventory. Unexpectedly, just after noon, the sky became dark again and then another wave of rain covered Changling.
This rainstorm was not as strong as the one last night, but it lingered and did not show any signs of stopping soon. The streets were veiled and hard to see through, covered in smoke and rain, once again.
In the south of Changling, there was a structure built like a monastery that took up multiple acres.
The Qin Dynasty rewarded those who won. Someone who could killed one leader of the enemy would be given a baron title, nine acres of land. Those who killed two thousand could enjoy the taxes of three hundred households.
So the majority of Changling’s residences, and the residences of soldiers, were extremely and unusually large. Changling expanded outwards again and again. This structure in the south of Changling was actually not large in comparison. Yet except for the rare few in the palace, the nobility in the Qin Dynasty were filled with great wariness and terror towards this place.
Because this was where the Divinity Bureau was located.
The majority of the Qin Dynasty investigations relied on the Astrology Bureau. The Astrology Bureau had thousands of members in every locality, and each official also had numerous subordinates under them. They did not need to report their cases to the other bureaus and would directly report to the emperor, so the power of the Astrology Bureau was slightly above the other bureaus.
Yet Divinity Bureau was an abnormality. The Divinity Bureau only had a hundred or so registered officials, not even a tenth of Astrology Bureau. They usually performed investigations and observations. However, the people they investigated and observed were officials, cultivators, and those who may become cultivators.
In other words, the Divinity Bureau was the secret agency that His Majesty the Emperor and the two prime ministers used to spy on the officials and the cultivators.
Also, all officials in Divinity Bureau were “war orphans.” They were the children of dead generals and soldiers. These people did not have many connections. They did not have many relations for people to threaten so they were even colder and more emotionless than ordinary people.
In the eyes of most officials and cultivators, the Divinity Bureau was even more terrifying than the Astrology Bureau.
Mo Qinggong was in one of the study rooms in the Divinity Bureau. Unlike usual, his slightly plump body gave off a faint tang of blood. His oily face did not have any smile, but an imperceptible fiendishness.
This kind of fiendishness caused even some of the insects that lived in the surrounding yards to disappear.
The cause of his bad mood was the Astrology Bureau’s Bureau Chief Ye.
Last night, Bureau Chief Ye killed the seventh student of the Sword Furnace, Zhao Zhan, with one blow. She had plucked out a thorn in the throat of the Great Qin, something everyone should be proud of. However, there was proof showing the official of the Divinity Bureau, Murong Chen, had not died by Zhao Zhan’s hand, but by her hand.
The officials of Divinity Bureau were responsible for supervising the officials as they conducted their business. Murong Cheng was a cultivator with a good future, and after killing Murong Chen, Bureau Chief Ye, and the other academians of the Astrology Bureau did not even clean up the wound son Murong Chen’s corpse.
This meant that they did not even try to conceal it.
Bureau Chief Ye Celing was too arrogant!
What made him even more angry was the Divinity Bureau had been the one to detect Zhao Zhan. While Zhao Zhan was dead, there were three more disciples of the Zhao Sword Furnance still alive, and many more survivors of the country of Zhao still existing. originally, according ot the Divinity Bureau’s plan, after killing Zhao Zhan, they would expose his corpse at the market and lure out more survivors of the country of Zhao. But Ye Celeng decided to bury Zhao Zhan with honors, and even received the emperor’s silent agreement. This caused much of Divinity Bureau’s efforts and their future plans to all turn to nothing.
At this time, following a rhythmic knock, Qin Huaishu walked into this room and in front of his desk.
“Did you learn?”
Mo Qinggong raised his head, suppressed his anger and asked in a low voice.
Qin Huaishu nodded cautiously and directly said, “The Fang Marquessate Establishment has given us a clear answer. That youth of the Fang Marquessate Establishment wine shop has great talent, but has the rare physique of excessive yang.”
Mo Qinggong frowned. “What is the excessive yang physique?”
“A kind of body where one has too much yang energy.” Qin Huaishu explained in detail, “This kind of body would have much more energy in the organs than ordinary people. Like a fire burning too hot, ordinary people with this kind of physique will have a body in decline during their youth.”
Mo Qinggong’s expression became slightly ugly. “In other words, their fire burns too hot and burns away their blood?”
“About the same. However, too much fire normally can be treated by medicine. But this physique is one that even Fang Xiumu cannot deal with, or rather, even if he has that kind of spirit medicine and treasure, it is not worthwhile to use them on this person.” Qin Huaishu nodded. His eyes were filled with sympathy and regret because he knew just how difficult it was for someone with an ordinary birth to enter the eyes of major personages.
That youth from Falling Parasol, from a certain viewpoint, possessed the ability to reach the heavens with one step. But because of his physique, he was fated to continue existing in that poor alleyway.
Mo Qinggong had been in his prestigious position for many years so he naturally did not feel as emotional as Qin Huaishu who was still trying to climb up the ranks.
Since this youth could not become a cultivator, this youth would not become someone useful to the Divinity Bureau. He shook his head minutely and then threw the case file of the youth into a fire basin used specifically to burn casae files.
The bright red flames licked at the edge of the basin. Mo Qinggong was silent for a long moment. However, Qin Huaishu did not immediately leave as he expected so he looked up again at Qin Huaishu.
“Sir, there is a problem with Murong Chen’s identity.” Qin Huaishu continued to speak, his voice low. If one did not listen closely, they would not be able to hear.
Mo Qinggong’s eyes narrowed as he asked in puzzlement, “We are not familiar with Murong Chen, but I know his birth and family, where is the problem?”
Qin Huaishu said, “There is nothing wrong with his birth. But he just agreed to a marraige with the Xu Marquessate Establishment. If there had been no accident, this winter, he would have married into Xu Marquessate Establishment.”
“Married into Xu Marquessate Establishment?”
Mo Qinggong’s pupils uncontrollably contracted and he felt a burst of cold.
In the Qin Dynasty, the only path to being ennobled was based on their military service
Those that enjoyed the taxes of ten thousand households, and thousands of acres of land were marquesses.
To get three hundred households, one needed to kill two thousand enemies. How much service was needed for ten thousand households? Even people who did not know how to count could guess the terrifying number needed.
So there were only thirteen marquesses in the Qin Dynasty.
Two prime ministers, two bureaus, thirteen marquesses. These thirteen marquesses, the two bureau chiefs, and the two mysterious prime ministers were at the top of this powerful dynasty.
A grimace slowly appeared at the corner of Mo Qinggong’s mouth.
He once again grabbed a case file and threw it into the fire basin next to him.
Regardless of whether the most powerful person in the Divinity Bureau, the one in the innermost room, Bureau Chief Chen, knew that Murong Chen was marrying into the Xu Marquessate Establishment or not, regardless of whether Bureau Chief Chen had arranged it, since this matter already reached the level of Bureau Chief Chen and the Xu Marquessate Establishment, his anger and displeasure towards Ye Celeng was meaningless.
The rain continued to fall.
The limited number of guests in the wine shop left after the usual lunch hour. Ding Ning moved a bamboo chair to sit down under the eaves by the door. Then he watched the rain as he ate noodles.
The noodles were mixed with snowy-white pieces of fish and pickled cabbage. The pieces of fish were irregular and unattractive, but the pickled cabbage was abundant and full of flavor. The soup was thick and a layer of bright oil floated at the top, making people feel that this would be flavorful.
Ding Ning sedately finished eating. After drinking half a bowl of the soup, he washed the bowl. He called to Zhangsun Qianxue in the back yard, put on a pair of old grass shoes, opened an old umbrella and walked into the rain.
At the entrance to Falling Parasol Alley, a caravan passed by him, the drivers habitually mumbling and cursing the sky as they wore their straw rain capes.
Ding Ning smiled slightly.
It really was not a pleasant matter to travel in these streets filled with chicken dung and other odors. This suddenly rain was a blessing to him. The rain could block many people’s gazes and senses, could wash away many traces, and could make this opportunity he waited for so long to become even more perfect.
So even though his grass shoes were soaked and uncomfortable, he was in a pleased mood.
In a pleasant mood, he walked towards the Fish Market at the eastern edge of Changling.
The enormous Wei River passed through the Qin Dynasty’s territories and spilled into the Eastern Sea. This enormous river did not just nurture the great majority of farming fields of the Qin Dynasty, it allowed the ships of the Qin Dynasty to explore and reach the island nations. Some cultivators could even obtain rare treasures from overseas. When the enormous Wei River reached Changling, it split into several branches. The source of the river could be traced back to the edge of the Qin Dynasty, the Ba Mountains.
The Fish Market of Changling was located on the two sides of the smallest branch of the Wei River, the Eastern Qing River.
This little river just a dozen meters wide had been dammed due to the need for agriculture fields. Some of it had been turned into fish ponds, and some people built a market on top of it.
These markets were markets for the ships that could not maneuver onto land. Yet over time, countless huts build up on the shores. The roofs and signs of these huts covered the sky. Hidden underneath that layer were countless passageways. Even between the water surface and the mud were many foot bridges, some crude wood bridges, plants. Some smaller ships and even big wooden buckets became transportation tools here and caused the location to become even more complicated.
When the light was dim, and a person looked down from the tall center of the market, the market deep down at the center was like a ghost town filled with fire and shadows in the abyss.
This market without its end in sight was the Fish Market. Ordinary people, and even the majority of cultivators could get anything they wanted here, except for fish.
Translator Ramblings: Fish Market is the worst misnomer.
Volume 3 6 - Mental State
A burst of rain silently poured down, shrouding all of the Wu Mountain in an even thicker mist, as though it were a heavenly realm.
The carriages waited silently on the mountain paths that were turning muddy. Lu Siche stood next to one of the carriages and looked nervously in the direction Fan Wugou and Li Lingjun had departed.
As the sound of familiar footsteps came through the darkness, Lu Siche’s expression eased slightly.
Li Lingjun walked out of the forest without Fan Wugou, but his body felt clear as a crystal. The fatigue and dust of his long travels seemed to have been cleansed away leaving an unusual presence emanating from him.
In Changling, Li Lingjun had shown admirable abilities in many areas and a presence that people would follow. Yet, he had to carefully seek survival. But in this moment, in the eyes of the people in the caravan, Li Lingjun’s caution seemed to have greatly disappeared and his figure seemed to have grown larger.
With this change in presence many realized something, they became excited.
Li Lingjun knew what his faithful retainers needed at this moment so he coughed softly and spoke in a warm and clear voice. “We do not need to hurry to Cheng City. We are going to the Deer Mountains.”
Everybody stilled. Before most people could mull over the true meaning in the words, Li Lingjun continued slowly. “At Deer Mountains, before the start of the conference, Father-King will make me the crown prince.”
The Wu Mountains had yet to reach the period of spring storms, but Li Lingjun’s words exploded by their ears like thunder.
The Deer Mountains was a junction for multiple dynasties. Being dubbed the crown prince at Deer Mountains …… Li Lingjun had yet to formally returned to the capital of the Chu Dynasty; for decades now, the position of the Chu Dynasty crown prince had been vacant …… from every angle, this matter seemed unreasonable.
Yet, everybody in the caravan knew of Li Lingjun’s speech and conduct. They noticed that Li Lingjun had not added the words “if there are no accidents.”
He did not even say such words. This meant that the crown prince had already been decided and there would be no accidents.
Everybody in the world knew that the King of Chu was getting on in years and Li Lingjun was set to become the crown prince. This meant that soon, he would be the unrivalled master of the Chu Dynasty.
The lord they followed would become the king of a dynasty. Then what glory would come to the people that followed him?
This was the sweet coming after the bitter.
Most of the people in the caravan were so excited they knelt on the ground.
Only Li Lingjun was not completely overjoyed. He walked next to Lu Siche and said in an icy tone by his ear, “Kill Su Qin …… no matter the cost. Do not let him leave Chu alive.”
Lu Siche’s brow furrowed deeply. He did not know at this moment why Su Qin had to be killed, but he could sense Li Lingjun’s unparalleled violent and poisonous emotions.
After evening time, Falling Parasol quickly grew quiet.
There were no customers in the wine shop. Ding Ning cleaned up the tables and prepared to close the shop.
Right at this time, Fu Su walked into the wine shop.
Seeing Ding Ning busy, he casually picked up a towel and started to help by wiping down tables.
“Since business is good, why not hire a few more people? This way, you can spend more time cultivating.” Fu Su said with a warm smile as he looked at Ding Ning who had not refused his help.
Ding Ning glanced at him and said calmly, “In many people’s view, the most important part of cultivation is time. It feels as though if they are born with a few centuries of life, they will definitely reach realm seven or eight. But in my view, they do not actually understand cultivation. If one purely wants to use time in order to have a breakthrough,often, they will not have a breakthrough. Many cultivators like this would be white-haired by realm five or six. At that time, they would feel that the heavens are unfair to not let them live five centuries.”
Fu Su frowned slightly. Inexplicably, he felt that Ding Ning’s words contained many useful principles.
“Then what do you feel is most important about cultivation?” he asked humbly, after a moment’s thought.
Ding Ning looked at him and said, “Naturally, it is the mental state.”
“When one is pleased, one feels anything one does is correct and has meaning. One would not suspect that what one does is useless and a waste of time. When one has no hesitation, one will naturally progress rapidly.” He paused, looked at Fu Su who was deep in thought, and continued. “In reality, even if one is crossing the river during the night, there are countless paths. But those that are unable to cross, usually suspect they are mistaken- walking halfway and stopping or retreating to set off on another path. They take detours but feel that they are still correct and will continue further than the cultivators ahead of them.”
Fu Su carefully considered the words and found that they were in complete concurrence with the words of his teachers; he couldn’t help but feel solemn respect and said, “No wonder they say that your comprehension can equal those freaks from Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect.”
“Why have you come so late?” After finishing the clean-up, Ding Ning moved over a basin of clean water for him and Fu Su to wash their hands. “You should not have come just to flatter me.”
Fu Su smiled and took out a blue jade wine pot from his sleeve, saying, “Last time, you invited me to drink wine. This time, it is my turn.”
The wine inside the blue jade pot was also blue. When it was poured into the cup, it formed a line that glowed with light.
After he drank a cup, he felt each droplet of the wine explode like those ocean fish roes the elite of court liked to eat,carrying a slightly fishy presence. The fishy presences went deep into his internal organs like flowers blooming. Many of the parts of his organs that had dried up due to an overabundance of yang energy seemed to be covered with a film of water.
He took a deep breath, looked at Fu Su and said, “This wine is slightly special.”
Fu Su smiled and said, “This is good wine, and it is not sold. The family has kept it for a long time. After you finish this pot, there is no more, so drink more.”
“He treats you special.” Deep at night, seeing Ding Ning return after helping Fu Su to the entrance of the alley, Zhangsun Qianxue said with cold sarcasm. “He even brought you life-saving wine made from seven-heart flower. This is something priceless. In ten years, Fish Market might not be able to harvest enough seven-heart flower from the ocean to make this much wine.”
“It can give me three years of time. I will use these three years to trade for cultivation.”
Ding Ning sensed the warm medicinal power that were nurturing the dry places in his body. He calmly spoke of cultivation to her. “This will let me get closer to realm three first class before the Min Mountain Sword Trials starts.”
Zhangsun Qianxue looked at him with displeasure and said, “He treats you so, but you use him. Do you not feel guilty?”
“Do not care too much about the process, just the results.” Ding Ning looked at her and said, “Even the best process, if everyone dies, is useless.”
“Do not always mention those old events to me.”
Zhangsun Qianxue’s expression turned frosty and she said slowly, “You say such things because you think that many things he did in the past were mistakes?”
Ding Ning nodded and said, “Naturally, he has many mistakes.”
Zhangsun Qianxue did not like to argue, so while these words would be the start for many people, it was a finish to her.
She turned and walked into the courtyard.
Ding Ning said nothing else. Just like usual, he washed up with hot water and got into bed.
The countless little silkworms in his body started to wake up and furiously consume the energies in the wine.
The places in his body that had been nourished became dry again but at the same time, astounding energy formed in his body.
The vital energy in his body grew stronger rapidly at a speed that ordinary cultivators could not imagine.
—
It was a waning moon now. The moon had become a small crescent line in the sky.
In Forefather Zhou’s eternally springtime room situated in the Zhou Family Ink Garden, Zhou Susang stood respectfully with her head held low in front of Forefather Zhou.
Looking at this young woman, Forefather Zhou’s eyes were filled with complicated emotions. He narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in as harmonious tone as he could. “Your period has finished. What have you felt?”
Zhou Susang knew that Forefather Zhou asked only out of concern for the progress of the secret art he cultivated, but she still couldn’t help but blush and said embarrassed, “Forefather, I have not felt anything special.”
Forefather Zhou’s eyes flashed with light. Before she could react, his withered hands landed on her hands and moved up along her arms.
Her body shook slightly, and goosebumps instinctively rose on her skin. But she stopped breathing and didn’t dare to move.
Forefather Zhou”s vital energy slowly moved along the two paths in her body and carefully sensed the changes in hier body.
Yet, his expression grew uncontrollably dark.
She had not sensed any changes. He also did not sense any changes.
There were no changes …… that meant that the wine shop youth’s understanding had been incorrect.
This was not a secret art suited for women to cultivate.
Or perhaps, that wine shop youth had lied.
In this moment, just like Li Lingjun, his heart filled with violent and malicious emotions.
Translator Ramblings: Ding Ning’s lie is quickly discovered. Also, as a commenter pointed out, Wu Zejian, the first empress regnant of China, was a concubine of the father before becoming empress consort of the son.
Volume 6 6 - Never An Ordinary Person
The Qin swords were the foundation of the Qin Dynasty. Most of the sword-using sects in the world were in Changling, and they had the best in swordsmanship and sword forging. Except for the several swords forced by the powerful cultivators of the Zhao Sword Furnace with their true fire, most of the famous swords of the world in the last century came from the Qin cultivation sects.
Compared to the Qin swords, the seal weapons made by the Chu were the basis on which the Chu Dynasty fought with the other dynasties. Sword nuclei were mostly simple in their character, while the seal weapons were more complicated. Once seal scripts were inscribed, they could gather primal energies of the universe, and have them flow through like in the channels of a cultivator. This did not just require a high understanding of the sword, but also great forging skill and inscription skill to merge countless lines in a space of inches without any mistake.
It was very difficult to create those powerful seal weapons. Each one’s formation was the effort of generations of cultivators and craftsmen and each one had the power to rival a powerful cultivator’s attack. Even more importantly, the materials, forging methods, seal formations, and the method to activate these seal weapons were all absolute secrets. Only a few people in the imperial palace were in contact with such secrets. Even if other dynasties wanted to copy, they could not.
But now, the strongest Chu weapon, “Flying Heaven”, had appeared in the Qin army. The Qin had copied it!
Ji Xingbai felt both cold and shocked. In the army, many Chu generals and cultivators had eyes burning with anger. Someone had undoubtedly leaked the highest secrets of the Chu to the Qin. Leaking the highest secrets meant that the other Chu weapons were no secret to the Qin.
On this battlefield, they were all fighting for the Chu Dynasty, and countless brothers and comrades had died here. But in the Chu Dynasty, there were people who sold out all of them, all of the dynasty.
Who was it that had betrayed this country?
Consort Zhao Xiang sensed the energy vibrations of these seal weapons before Ji Xingbai, and she stopped.
A terrifying explosion sounded. Hundreds of seal chariots flew up, truly flying into the air. With the full power of the cultivators on the chariots behind these ones, these chariots flew through the air like hundreds of meteors to crash towards her.
Sensing the fall of these chariots, and then the terrifying power from the “Flying Heaven” seal weapons, she reacted, and frowned slightly.
The chaotic energy in the world was torn apart by five rays of light. These five bright rays of light came from the five “Flying Heaven” statues.
The five rays came out of the hands of the “Flying Heaven” statues, quickly expanding to brilliant pillars of light. Compared to the five vast pillars of light, the hundreds of chariots crashing at Consort Zhao Xiang appeared small.
The energy given off by these chariots formed black chains, layers of nets. At the center of the net was Consort Zhao Xiang, and also where the five pillars of light were descending.
Seal weapons could possess great power, but the cultivators who used the seal weapons may not be able to catch the true position of a powerful cultivator. It was only possible to trap a cultivator like Consort Zhao Xiang with this, so many chariots after rehearsing many times.
In this moment, many Chu cultivators paled, including powerful realm seven cultivators. Because even they could not imagine them surviving such a blow.
Frowning meant she had not thought of it, and that it was difficult, but to Consort Zhao Xiang, this just meant this was difficult but not impossible. She stood there unmoving and then punched.
In this short instant most people on the battlefield could not sense, she punched five times.
With her first punch, the ground under her feet suddenly sank, like hammered by a great hammer. Ahead of her fist, a burst of bloody light appeared. This light came from the light of her fists, the energies of her body rapidly flowing and pressing on each other, the light coming out of her flesh.
In the next moment, the bloody light turned into a ring shaped shockwave that exploded out. Ahead of her fist, the compressed air turned into a terrifying wave of power, an enormous sword essence.
She usually did not use the sword, but she was a student of the Ba Mountain Sword Field. At this key time, her strongest attack was still the sword.
Five such bloody lights exploded. In this moment, she punched five times. Five enormous sword essences hit the bottom of five chariots.
The five chariots made from heavy and thick metal were sent flying, immediately disintegrating. They flew back far faster than they had just been falling, turning to five balls of light burning with blue flame.
These balls of light hit more chariots above them, and then collided with the five descending pillars of light. These balls of light were like pin needles hitting the metal rods that were the pillars of light. But in the next moment, the bases of the five “Flying Heaven” statues gave off bursts of dissonant friction sounds, and then the five seal weapons fell backwards. The five pillars of light started to dissipate, the shattering light flying away in the wind.
Beautiful rainbows exploded in the air, and the chariots affected were easily sent flying.
Consort Zhao Xiang tiredly pulled her fists back. She was standing in an enormous pit many hundreds of feet wide. Around her, the powerful chariots had fallen like broken kites.
The cultivators who had been swept by the beautiful rainbows started to burn up. Many cultivators flashed out silently from behind the “Flying Heaven” statues.
Even though the primal energies of the universe were so turbulent most cultivators could not gather energies, there was still the sound of mountains moving as they flew, and enormous amounts of primal energies gathering in this direction.
Consort Zhao Xiang was very tired. She could not punch like that again, could not stop so many grandmasters. But at this time, she sneered and turned her head to look at a clearing to her side.
Many shadows appeared over there, slowly forming a troop, a very tired troop without any armor.
Volume 2 6 - The True White Goat Hanging Horn
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
The black winged insects perched on the carriage wheels flew out and gathered to flow into the sleeve of the carriage driver.
The carriage wheels landed back on the ground leaving a puff of dust in the wake. The two horses resumed their original appearance and continued to race forward. The carriage driver didn’t even slow down to examine the corpses of the two Qi cultivators.
In no time, the corpses of these two Qi cultivators started to rapidly decay, turning even the rags on their bodies into black water. This black water then sank into the ground.
The forests were deathly silent. All beings within ten thousand feet were dead. Yet, not long after the carriage had disappeared from this region of forest, a thread of black smoke slowly appeared.
The black energy grew thicker, gradually taking the form of a black figure.
This was a middle-aged man dressed in black robes. His hair was tied up in thirds behind his back. He sensed the sword essence that had dissipated through the air and slowly walked over to the spot where Fang Xiang’s golden dragon had passed.
In an instant, he seemed to have touched the path of this sword. His black eyes, with its unusually large pupils, flickered violently.
Then he bowed deeply, in a grand salute, to the place where the two Qi cultivators had passed away. He said softly, "For Qi."
It was over twenty days until the Deer Mountain Conference. But as the four noblest rules in the world were going to be at Deer Mountain in person, the battles and explorations had already started.
A middle-aged man dressed like an ordinary scholar but whose presence was one with the surrounding forest and evidently had great power, came to the base of a mountain.
This mountain was a relatively short mountain of the dozens of mountains opposite Deer Mountain.
While short, he should be able to clearly feel the movement of the primal energies of the universe on the peak of Deer Mountain once the Deer Mountain Conference started.
As the shortest, naturally there would be less interest in it.
But when he came to the base of this mountain, this middle-aged scholar’s expression underwent a change, and he stopped.
At the base of this mountain, where the forest and bushes met, there was a faint sword mark on the ground.
This sword mark had just cut through the moss on the ground without even reaching the earth. But in his eyes, it was an unsurpassable wall.
This light sword mark twisted and winded, stretching for an unknown number of miles. It managed to completely surround the base of the mountain, yet, the sword mark had not been interrupted in the least. Someone had swung the sword, and the sword moved along the border of the forest and the bushes to create the border.
Herein were countless twists and turns, small and large, but this person had accomplished it all in one blow.
This middle-aged scholar did not know what kind of grandmaster could have performed with the sword like this. He had never seen such a powerful state. Yet, he knew the mark the grandmaster had left behind was telling everyone that he had taken over this mountain.
The middle-aged scholar started to retreat. He looked up, filled with awe. The Deer Mountain Conference had not yet started, but he had already seen a tall mountain he had never seen before.
Using the reformation, and the support of the peerless cultivators at the time, Emperor Yuanwu had destroyed the power of the old aristocracy and three dynasties. But in the following storm of blood, countless Qin cultivators died and many powerful armies perished. Even the Ba Mountain Sword Field, which had become the strongest sect in the world, disappeared in the rivers of history.
Exploiting this vulnerability, the Chu Dynasty defeated the Qin armies, forcing the Qin to give up Yangshan Commandery to avoid years of war. The four strongest dynasties in the world signed an agreement of non-aggression. They set a time limit of nine years to remake the agreement at Deer Mountain.
The Qin Dynasty had lost the war against the Chu, yet, the Chu, Yan and Qi dynasties signed the agreement because many people had lost their lives at the hands of the stunning Qin cultivators of the previous Qin Dynasty. Also, the Qin Dynasty’s political situation was stable. Emperor Yuanwu, the empress, and the two ministers formed a stable triangle that had unprecedented control of the Qin Dynasty.
So even though these three other powerful dynasties of the world did not feel great fear, they were very wary and cautious concerning the Qin Dynasty.
A true conference where everything had to be discussed had never appeared before in the history of the Qin, and even in the previous dynasties. So just like Zhang Yi said, nothing was set. No one knew what would happen or how many hidden grandmasters would appear around Deer Mountain.
A caravan of at least a dozen carriages sedately advanced towards Deer Mountain. These carriages looked ordinary, but the walls of the cabins were carved with numerous complicated and indescribable seal scripts. The light of these seal scripts formed a thin layer of light in the cabin, but no energy leaked out.
The cultivators sitting inside were mostly young and they all had a kind of indescribable pride.
The other unique trait they had was that their bodies seemed exceptionally light and ethereal, like clouds that would float into the sky at any moment.
At a bend in the road, in a carriage at the middle of the caravan, a youth of thirteen slightly lifted the curtain and looked back. There were three black carriages ten miles behind them. He said softly to the slightly older-looking youth sitting opposite him, "Those three carriages have been following us from Changling."
The older youth had a handsome oval face as gentle as jade. His hair was casually tied up with a cloth tie. Clouds and mist seemed to rise from his hair strands, so his black hair looked like a tall black mountain shrouded in the mist.
"Ignore them."
He smiled disdainfully and said, "Since they followed us from Changling and passed through the forts, there will not be any problems. At most, they are sects or families that are not strong enough. They want to borrow our power to open the path to avoid attracting trouble along the way."
Sitting in the last carriage of the three carriages the two youths spoke of was Ding Ning and Fu Su.
The black carriage they rode in looked extremely ordinary on the outside. However, on the inside, the cabin was wide, covered in expensive and soft fur.
Even though the path was bumpy, the softness of these furs would make people feel comfortable.
This kind of carriage was a moving residence and cultivation place for cultivators. But the horses that pulled these carriages needed to be rested and switched. The food and clean water stored in the first carriage had to be replenished.
The three carriages had followed the caravan ahead of them this entire journey. When they were near one of the district cities, Forefather Zhou’s voice came from the middle carriage, "We are going to rest in the city tonight."
"This is Lueyan District of Guanzhong, not far from the home of my junior sect brother Shen Yi." As they travelled the last bit of road towards the district city, Ding Ning mentioned to Fu Su in a pleasant mood.
Fu Su had never left Changling in his life. Looking at the scenery that was completely different from Changling, and how this vast world were all lands belonging to Qin, he was in an even better mood. So he gave a small smile and said softly, "This is even close to Xie Rou’s family."
Ding Ning frowned slightly and said, "Yes."
Fu Su glanced at him, shook his head and said, "You are so boring. You don’t even let people take up the topic."
Ding Ning looked at him and shook his head. "You are the one with the bad taste to joke about this."
Fu Su still did not give up. He said, "What is not good about Xie Rou?"
Ding Ning said calmly, "It’s me that’s not good."
Fu Su stilled. When he thought of how all cultivators in Changling should know of Ding Ning’s state of health, he was slightly embarrassed. A long moment later, he comforted. "There will be a solution."
Ding Ning nodded and said, "Maybe there are solutions, but I have to use my time wisely."
Fu Su naturally did not know Ding Ning’s true thoughts. After a moment’s thought, he said, "You are right. You know your priorities better than me."
As they talked, the carriage had moved into the streets of the district city. It finally stopped in front of an inn.
But the moment they stepped off the carriage, Ding Ning’s body froze for a moment.
Fu Su naturally detected his strangeness. He looked over and then stilled as well.
There was a carriage parked under a green tree by the inn door. Walking out of the carriage was a tall and beautiful young girl.
She coincidentally saw Ding Ning and also froze as well.
"Is this Xie Rou?"
Fu Su reacted after a breath and said softly in disbelief, "There are such coincidences?"
"Why are you here?"
The tall and beautiful girl seemed to hesitate but still walked over and asked Ding Ning.
Ding Ning took a deep breath.
Looking at Xie Rou’s expression, he knew that this was truly a coincidence.
"What are you doing here?" He did not answer Xie Rou’s question and softly asked as he looked at her trembling eyelashes.
Translator Ramblings: All coincidences are manipulated by the power to be …… the author.
Volume 5 7 - Tomorrow
The morning light rose again.
A familiar presence appeared in Ding Ning’s perception. He was confused.
The door was pushed open. He sensed a gaze landing on him.
He looked towards the gaze and saw Ye Celeng still in her white dress. However, her white dress today inexplicably seemed brighter.
He and Ye Celeng were not meeting for the first time, but she looked at him very differently than she usually did.
“Wen Houling is dead,” Ye Celeng said gently to him. She did not appear to be in a hurry to leave. She closed the door, sat down at the table in front of him and observed his reaction.
Ding Ning stilled slightly. This was something he had not expected. He was familiar with Wen Houling. He knew not many in Changling could kill him.
Ye Celeng looked at his furrowed brows and confused but serene state. This expression was far different than a certain person in her memories, but inexplicably, her heart beat faster. “Ye Xiao acted.”
“Ye Xiao was able to kill him?” Ding Ning’s expression grave. But when he thought of Bureau Chief Chen, he laughed self-deprecatingly. “Changling is full of hidden dragons. It appears many people are too good at concealing themselves. Some people are much stronger than I imagined.”
“When Liang Lian was killed by the Nine Death Silkworm, everyone in Changling knew you were here. So in everyone’s view, you cannot be related to the Nine Death Silkworm. Even the marquises in Changling are speculating he had a student long ago and that student would be of considerable age. Otherwise, comprehension of One Line Heaven is not possible.” Ye Celeng looked deeply at Ding Ning. “But I know who you are. So, who are you really?
These two phrases were in conflict but Ding Ning’s expression could not remain calm.
A drop of water fell from Ye Celeng’s face. This was not a product of energy, but a teardrop.
In the world, the greatest power was still the greatest of emotions between people. Ding Ning’s heart was attacked by this greatest power. He grew silent and hung his head.
“Is there any meaning?”
He was silent for a long time and then responded without answering Ye Celeng’s question.
Ye Celeng smiled sorrowfully as she looked at him. “You know why I had to stay in Changling. You know why I stayed in Changling, why I did so many things I was not willing to do. You feel there is any meaning in asking me this?”
Ding Ning said, “You know that he’s dead.”
“I thought so too originally.” Ye Celeng also looked down. She was like a child who was cold in the winter and needed warmth. “I just want to know if he left behind an heir and what they wanted to do until I met you.”
“You are too young. I know Shen Xuan would not be wrong in quantifying your bone age. You were born three years after his death. Your actual cultivation is only realm five. Then how do you know all these things, know so many people, and have the One Line Heaven sword essence?”
Ye Celeng still did not look up but her voice became hurried. “No one knows the One Line Heaven sword essence better than I. I do not believe anyone can comprehend this sword essence without being taught by him personally.”
“His body turned to ash. He left nothing behind. How could he be brought back to life?” Ding Ning also smiled sadly. “You believe in resurrection?”
Ye Celeng looked at him in all solemnity. “I hope that something like resurrection happened.”
“There is still no meaning.” Ding Ning’s face turned cold as he slowly said, “Even if there is a resurrection, I am not the person you are familiar with.”
Ye Celeng suddenly laughed. The sadness in her eyes faded and she smiled like a true child.
“Some things will change, some people will not change.” She looked at Ding Ning and said slowly, “There is no meaning in arguing about this. I came here to tell you something important. The people for the prison break are all gathered.”
Ding Ning seemed to grow nervous like he had a premonition and asked, “Who is it?”
Ye Celeng glanced at him and said, “Fish Market, the eldest miss of the Shang family.”
Ding Ning coughed in pain. This was the last thing he wanted to hear, but it happened to be the same as his premonition.
“It appears you do not wish for her to participate in this matter.” Ye Celeng smiled brightly and even with some flirtatiousness. “But this is her choice, just like my stay in Changling is my choice in the end, and has nothing to do with you.”
Ding Ning stilled.
“From many years ago, Zheng Xiu never suffered a defeat since she entered Changling. But she has suffered too many defeats these few days. Now that Wen Houling is dead …… she will do some other things.”
Ye Celeng looked at Ding Ning and said, “Ye Xiao, the person who is most reluctant to leave Changling has left. People like me are tired for Changling. If you really worry for our safety, then be quick in rescuing Lin Zhujiu, and stop hesitating.”
Ding Ning nodded slowly and said, “Tomorrow.”
Ye Celeng walked out of the medical clinic and boarded the carriage waiting for her outside. The carriage started to move. She did not put down the curtain and looked at the walls and roofs along the way.
The sun was rising. The faint yet golden sunlight shone on the grey walls and black roofs, reflecting a solemn light.
Her gaze turned to the distance, to those turrets that soared like giants. A faint mocking smile appeared on her lips. “These former arrangements have now become means to limit oneself ……”
A moment later, she sighed emotionally. “Changling …… is really majestic. No matter what, the person who created this magnificent city is amazing.”
When that person had achieved his fame, she had been a young girl. When she first fell in love, those people had died.
She always felt she was a beat too slow. Now, everything was different but not too late.
She patted gently on the windowsill. The carriage moved through the streets and headed towards an old bridge.
This was an old bridge that did not allow carriages to pass through, and was only preserved for the convenient access to surrounding shops. Even the bridge hole was damaged. There was a pomegranate tree growing from a pier on one side, and this tree was already very old.
There was a sesame oil shop on a side of the bridge, and then a tofu shop next to the oil shop. Inside the narrow alley between the two shops was a blind fortune teller on the bamboo chair.
The blind fortune teller was not old, just in his thirties, and looked clean and white like a scholar. He did not have any mystical airs so he appeared to not have much business.
She walked directly towards the blind fortune teller, moving by his side until she was behind him. She said, “Where is your stringless zither?”
The blind fortune teller did not respond.
She turned back until she was in front of the blind fortune teller. Then she looked directly into his eyes and smiled. “As expected, you are faking your blindness and are truly deaf.”
The blind fortune teller looked at her and suddenly started to tremble.
“Do not make any special reactions.” Ye Celeng took a deep breath and quickly repeated, “Where is your stringless zither?”
“Come with me.”
The blind fortune teller did not hesitate at all, standing up, and heading into the alley.
There was a small crude courtyard in the alley. They stepped in and entered the only bedroom.
This blind fortune teller’s body finally seemed to get released and trembled violently. His eyes shone with light. He looked at Ye Celeng’s lips so seriously it was almost perverse.
“Nine Death Silkworm.”
Ye Celeng said simply. “I need you to tell Lin Zhujiu we are rescuing him tomorrow. I need you to find a way to get someone into the Great Floating Water Prison.”
Volume 4 7 - Double Defeat
The silver light came from a wall in front of her. It would be more accurate to say it was an enormous monument.
She was located in what appeared to be an enormous underwater cave with a giant monument stuck into the centre of this cave from above. It seemed as though this giant monument was half in the ground and half in the water, right in front of her
This enormous monument was made from a special kind of blue-gray metal. The surface had many deep seal lines, and the blinding silver light flowed in the seal lines before radiating out.
This was a lifeless giant monument. Compared to the monument, Zhao Si’s body was like a little fish facing the bottom of a giant ship.
Yet looking at this giant monument, she laughed enthusiastically. “We meet again,” she said to the monument.
Then she released the accumulated energies of her body along the meridians in a wild and violent manner! She had broken through the rock this entire way. When she reached this spot, the water from the underground yin river also had arrived here.
There were black and sticky lines within the water. When her sword essence activated, the black lines suddenly broke through the water. They were black oil.
When the black oil came into contact with her surging primal energies of the universe, it was like one life encountering another. Heat formed, and then with a boom, the lines of black oil became swords of fire.
This was a scene hard to describe in words.
The numerous swords of fire moved through the water, with a presence to pierce the sky as they stabbed towards the seal scripts of the giant monument. Numerous air waves exploded on the giant monument. Sprays of water exploded outwards like fine powder. Silver sparks flew out of the seal scripts. The silver scripts shone so brightly the underground cave looked like a dazzling starry sky. But there was no warmth, only coldness and destruction.
This presence was the presence of Empress Zheng who she was familiar with.
A crack appeared in the monument’s seal scripts. The flowing silver light disappeared. Zhao Si’s presence fluctuated violently. Blood leaked from the corners of her mouth, but she still wore a proud smile.
She had been defeated by Zheng Xiu’s sword on the Wei River. But in the subsequent matches with Zheng Xiu, she had won.
The Zhao Sword Furnace will take back the lost swords with their own hands! She said to herself determinedly as she looked at the enormous monument.
When the sparks flowing on the monument dissipated, many invisible rays of starlight that fell down towards this Great Floating Water Prison were suddenly cut off.
This naturally could not escape the attention of the empress in the palace. No anger appeared on her perfect face, only a cold smile. She thought her predictions were correct. Just like that person had known her best back then, she knew that person the best.
Now, the Nine Death Silkworm’s conduct was very similar to that person. So she was able to predict.
She did not care about this momentary victory. She felt, as she tightened her net, she would capture all these great rebels. She even started to imagine how she would see all these people in the Great Floating Water Prison together.
As the silver sparks on the monument dissipated in front of Zhao Si, the silver sparks that flowed like blood invisibly through Great Floating Water Prison also disappeared.
An unique tremor and explosions sounded in the Great Floating Water Prison.
Bai Shanshui stood in front of the Thirty Thousand Catty gates. Behind her, the commander who had been sent flying had struggled upright.
The army had regrouped to form a semi-circular encirclement to surround Bai Shanshui. Yet without the commander’s next order, they did not attack immediately.
These Dongling Army soldiers had not heard Bai Shanshui’s words like the general did. But they had a strange feeling when they saw Bai Shanshui standing in front of the gates. They all felt that the gates would rise in the next moment.
Suddenly, their breaths stilled.
Bai Shanshui smiled.
A wave of dust appeared on the ground ahead of her. The gates lifted.
She stepped forward without hesitation. Her beautiful and indescribably rebellious presence passed through the gates.
The strange tremors emerged from the Great Floating Water Prison. The entire prison was trembling.
The inside of the Great Floating Water Prison was usually ignored by Changling’s people, but there were many terrifying officials within.
Feeling the entire Great Floating Water Prison trembling, these terrifying officials started to feel terror. But not all.
When Bai Shanshui walked towards the second gate, the water filling the tunnel suddenly pressed outwards, and hit this gate like an enormous fist.
Then the gates curved, and gave enough space for Bai Shanshui to pass through. The flowing water docilely flowed by her side and moved away.
A layer of waves rose on the dusty ground outside the Great Floating Water Prison. The usually dry earth was like a beach right now.
The water in front of Bai Shanshui had completely disappeared, leaving behind uneven stones. At the end of the tunnel was a figure standing there without fear.
Bai Shanshui had defeated the Dongling Army and passed through the Thirty Thousand Catty Gates to arrive here. Her presence had reached a peak. But the figure blocking her had no terror. His presence surged towards her as though to suppress her.
This person was not Shen Xuan.
He was an old man in blue robes. His features were small but his face was long, causing his face to look like a flat bamboo board.
Looking at this old man, Bai Shanshui laughed. “Du Qingli, you think you can stop me?”
The old man imperceptibly frowned. Perhaps there were people in the world who knew there were two imperial academicians of the Qin Dynasty, but people rarely knew their names, much less recognize them at a glance.
“I am not of the Qin, and cannot know your name. Before I prepared to come here, I did not even know that you and Du Hongtan existed.”
Seeing that the old man did not respond immediately, Bai Shanshui laughed more happily. “You should know who told me. I can tell you very clearly he will not come today. We are able to come here. You should understand his abilities …… even if we are defeated today, you cannot escape his retribution.”
As the entire Great Floating Water Prison trembled, this old man who was not weaker than Bai Shanshui at her peak suddenly felt a hint of terror.
“Nine Death Silkworm ……” He knew who the “he” Bai Shanshui spoke of referred to and unconsciously uttered.
This was the time Bai Shanshui had been waiting to attack.
Bai Shanshui attacked. Her green longsword disappeared from her hand.
In front of the old man’s forehead, a dot of green rippled. At the center of the green waves was a green needle.
“Even if it’s the Nine Death Silkworm, if you cannot even win against me, why fear the retribution of the Nine Death Silkworm?” Bai Shanshui said mockingly.
The pupils of the old academician of the imperial palace contracted. He sensed the focused sword essence of that thin needle. Not caring about Bai Shanshui’s response, he shouted harshly. “That Nine Death Silkworm heir told you this tactic!”
As he shouted, a narrow green sword appeared in his hand, looking like a thin stalk of bamboo. It did not fall towards Bai Shanshui’s sword essence, but his left eyebrow.
With a soft sound, Bai Shanshui’s sword essence inexplicably disappeared.
A wound appeared on his left eyebrow. Blood flowed down and covered his already small left eye. Shrill screams echoed through the tunnel.
Bai Shanshui launched her second attack.
Her lifebond sword appeared again in her hand. In an instant, seventeen green beads of water appeared in front of her sword.
The seventeen beads of green water started to accelerate and elongate.
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