Chapter Seven Debt
writer:
无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
Even though the Qin Dynasty did not stop ordinary citizens from carrying weapons or holding some public competitions, more powerful weapons, cultivation equipment, and cultivation manuals were forbidden from being traded.
The things that a cultivator wanted to obtain were mostly not permitted to be traded.
But those things hid in the Fish Market like fish under lotus leaves. The Fish Market had formed naturally and the businesses were not legal.
How could a market like this at the border of Changling manage to survive for so many years under the eyes of such important people?
A young foreigner to the city with thick eyebrows felt puzzled by this.
He held a slightly worn yellow paper umbrella, and wore short black gauze robes that the people of Changling would rarely wear. He did not wear shoes and went barefoot.
The worn yellow umbrella in his hand was large, but in order to cover the person in front of him, a small part of his body was soaked due to exposure exposed to the elements.
The person in front of him was a short youth dressed like a scholar. His face was narrow and his features delicate, especially his skin which was white and flawless.
Looking at the raindrops that dropped off the layers of roofs in the Fish Market, the heavy-browed young person frowned. He couldn’t help but ask the young person in front of him. “Master, how could this market continue to exist?”
The person dressed like a scholar laughed coldly. “This kind of market can only stay here due to the two prime ministers’ wishes.”
The thick-browed young person looked with puzzlement at him.
“Illegal business will usually bring higher profit. High profit will have more people bring in more things without regard for their life.”
The young person dressed like a scholar said coldly, “In these years, the reason that many precious and rare treasures could reach Changling, and the establishment of relationships with primitive countries overseas is not just because of the Wei River, but also this Fish Market. For those people high up in court, they can obtain things they could not obtain before from here. Consequently, they silently allow this place to continue to exist. Of course, the people who do business here know what kind of peace is needed here so this is a market larger than any other in the country but even safer and well-managed.”
“You have to understand one thing, any business has to bring people more benefit so that people will be interested in doing business with you. The great majority of people will not scheme with a tiger. They will not easily trade with those people who are much higher in status than them and could eat them in one gulp.” The young person dressed like a scholar looked at the thick-browed person and said calmly, “Because this basic rule exists, I am confident in coming here for a discussion.”
The Fish Market’s paths rose and fell, many of them muddy and hard to walk. Dozens of passageways layered on top of each other. For people who did not usually come here, it was a maze.
Yet for the great majority of businesspeople in Fish market who did not like those who roamed around randomly, they would not object if the paths became more complex and harder to walk.
The rainy day was dark, and the shops covered by the huts caused the paths to be darker. Only a few stores had put up lanterns.
The occasional lights were abnormalities that flickered in the wind.
Many people were still in the Fish Market. Ding Ning folded his umbrella and used it as a staff as he made his way with familiarity to the deepest parts of Fish Market.
Due to the storm, the Fish Market’s usually dry mud ground was now flooded with water. The water was just half a meter away from most foot bridges. Many small boats and wooden buckets floated around in the muddy water below the foot bridges.
Following along a swaying wooden bridge made from planks, Ding Ning waked into a very small tower.
This was a very small print shop that sold ink and paper.
The store owner was a widow over sixty. Because she did not have many expenses, and many of the transactions in Fish Market required seals or handprints, as the only print shop, her ink sold well, and she could make a living.
Because there usually wasn’t any business, this white-haired old woman was sitting and drinking tea in a crude cup before she saw Ding Ning. When she saw Ding Ning, her wrinkled face suddenly had a warm smile. she took out a plate of nuts from a nearby shelf and waited.
“Why did you come in the rain?”
This old woman was relieved seeing that only Ding Ning’s grass shoes were wet. She took out another pair of grass shoes for Ding Ning to put on.
Ding Ning smiled and did not refuse. He washed his feet at the edge of the tower, and then put on the clean worn grass shoes. Then he examined the rooftop and the walls of this building.
There were leaks on the roof and the walls, but they did not appear serious.
Ding Ning was relieved as well. He sat down on the bench next to the old woman and said, “I worried when I saw the heavy rain yesterday and wanted to see you. But I had some business, and I was delayed until now.”
The old woman laughed. She became happy whenever she saw Ding Ning.
“What problems could there be?” she laughed and said, “you frequently repair my building uses more effort than those ship repairmen. I think if the rain is heavier, and rains for a few more days, all of the buildings here will leak, but not mine.”
Seeing her smile, Ding Ning’s mood got better. He grabbed some dried nuts, chewing as he asked, “is there something you need to buy? I will get them for you.”
“My firewood, rice, oil and salt are all still full. So just rest.” The old woman shook her head. Looking at Ding Ning’s slightly pale face, she couldn’t help but shake her head again, and asked affectionally, “Did you eat lunch?”
“I did, pickled cabbage and fish noodles.” Ding Ning smiled.
The old woman was slightly displeased and said in a firm tone, “Then eat dinner here.”
“Alright.” Ding Ning nodded to indicate his agreement. “I want to eat pancakes.”
“I will make braised fish and pickled chicken legs for you.” The old woman glanced at him accusingly, her eyes full of meaning. “The pancakes are really that good? You were young back then. When you came here, it was normal for me to make you pancakes. Even now, you still think about the pancakes. If you did business, and you helped someone do things for so many years just because of a pancake, you will have lost greatly.”
“No losses.” Ding Ning smiled and said, “I mostly just keep you company, talk to you, listen to your stories, and ate a lot of free meals.”
The old woman shook her head, her eyes complex. “Keeping company and talking to me is the biggest blessing for a lonely old person without any relatives. Many people in Changling have died in battles. There are may people of my age, but rare are the ones that have the same good fortune as me.”
Ding Ning did not say anything and chewed on dried nuts like a squirrel.
On a winter day many years ago, he passed through here. The gentle old woman had given him a warm pancake. After that, he frequently came here to see the old woman, and do what he could.
But he knew very well this was not the matter of the pancake.
Because he owed her.
He owed many people. He could only hope that he could pay it off or compensate them.
After chatting for a while with the old woman and hearing her talk about recent events in Fish Market, Ding Ning bid farewell and left. He roamed around for a while, and then turned to go deeper into the Fish market.
At this time, Song Shenshu should have entered the Fish Market.
Song Shenshu was a minor librarian official, and someone Ding Ning was familiar with.
But unlike this old woman with her print shop, Ding Ning did not owe Song Shenshu. Song Shenshu owed Ding Ning.
In the past years of silent observation, Ding Ning had learned some of Song Shenshu’s habits, and knew what problems he encountered in his cultivation at present.
So he was certain that Song Shenshu would come today to get the Fire Turtle Gallbladder and appear in front of him.
Volume 3 7 - Invitation
Forefather Zhou’s hands stopped at the top of the young girl’s shoulders.
The clean but withered hands and the smooth and white skin of the young girl’s neck formed a strong contrast with a kind of evil beauty.
Because his mind was filled with violent and malicious emotions, he did not realize the passing of time. His hands were motionless. Zhou Susang did not know what he was doing and for a moment, shook uncontrollably.
Forefather Zhou was only startled awake when the clear trembling reached his palms.
His body moved back to his own cough. With a harmonious expression, he waved at the young girl, indicating she could leave. He also said softly, “There should be no problems. Just continue to cultivate.”
Zhou Susang’s anxiety immediately disappeared. She bowed respectfully to this old man before leaving.
Forefather Zhou did not watch her leave. He was silent, his head held low, and expression dark.
Time, to an old man like him, was extremely urgent. But for a powerful cultivator who was stuck at a certain obstacle but could not cultivate due to problems of the body that would cause his entire energy sea to solidify, losing the large amounts of time he once spent cultivating to idleness, made time appear extremely long.
Each breath was an ordeal.
A person amidst such an ordeal, that possessed great power but could not advance and only feel himself heading towards old age and death, would not feel pleased.
The only good thing was that he had more time than other cultivators to mull over matters.
From the beginning, his intentions were for Ding Ning to be short-lived.
The ultimate sword method of the Zhou Family Painting Remnant Scroll could not fall into the hands of outsiders. Otherwise, the gradually declining Zhou Family would lose its last foundation.
Based on his cultivation experience, before the Min Mountain Sword Trials started, Ding Ning’s energy sea would start to freeze.
At that time, he would not need to act. The opponents of the Min Mountain Sword Trials would make Ding Ning disappear from the world.
Now, Ding Ning was of no use to him in deciphering the Painting Remnant Scroll. First, he had to confirm the wine shop youth did not lie to him, and then he did not want this wine shop youth to die without meaning …… meaning to him.
This a great event, an event that has never occurred nor will ever occur again. I cannot miss such a great event.
As he thought, Forefather Zhou’s hands laced together and his expression darkened as he spoke to himself.
The great event he spoke of was, of course, the Deer Mountain Conference.
The Deer Mountain Conference that the four great dynasties had set up nine years ago was a chance for the dynasties to fight with sagacity and courage, while evincing their profound strength.
The monarchs of the dynasties would come to Deer Mountain; the most spectacular people of each dynasty would also gather here.
Emperor Yuanwu had reached realm eight now. What kind of storm would he brew? All the cultivators in the world wanted to know and see with their own eyes.
Even though all of Deer Mountain would be sealed by the armies and cultivators of the different dynasties, if they managed to reach the peaks of mountains surrounding Deer Mountain, they would be able to glimpse the energy changes at the peak of Deer Mountain.
For cultivators like Forefather Zhou, being able to sense the changes in energy released by more powerful cultivators and feeling the paths through the world at a close distance would be a great opportunity.
For Forefather Zhou, the words Deer Mountain Conference brought to mind other matters.
Deer Mountain was not far from Wu Mountain. There was something useful to him hidden in Wu Mountain. But for Deer Mountain or Wu Mountain, he had to leave the Zhou Ink Garden.
It is time to go out.
Forefather Zhou looked up at the night sky and coldly said to himself.
Then he shouted, “Prepare the carriage.”
It would take half a day to travel from the Zhou Ink Garden to Falling Parasol. If he left now, he would be at Falling Parasol by daybreak.
In the darkness before dawn, Zhangsun Qianxue opened her eyes.
All the energies in her body related to cultivation was pulled back into her energy sea and then sunken into her jade palace.
The dark-colored sword in her jade palace started to greedily absorb the vital energy and primal energies of the universe that came in without needing her conscious thought.
Ordinary lifebond swords could not hold such a stunning amount of vital energy and primal energies of the universe. Yet this Nine Hell King Sword seemed to contain a true world within, a hell world.
Her perception also entered this sword, and expanded manyfold through the sword.
The countless little silkworms in Ding Ning’s body sensed her abnormality. He warily opened his eyes and said softly, “What is it?”
“Realm seven second class, energies not complete, energy sea half sealed,” Zhangsun Qianxue glanced at him and said slowly.
“Forefather Zhou. He should be coming to find me.”
Ding Ning confirmed the other’s identity without any hesitation. He smiled coldly. “He hid in Ink Garden for so many years without revealing himself. Everybody in Changling presumed he was dead. Now he comes to find me in person. This does not seem to be an ordinary matter.”
“Although his energy sea is half sealed, it only means that his vital energy and primal energies of the universe will not flow smoothly. He also primarily cultivates the star fiend condensation. Before the first year of Yuanwu, he had experienced many cruel battles …… if we truly fight, I do not know if I can win.”
Zhangsun Qianxue said with rare seriousness, “You can resolve a person like this?”
Ding Ning considered, but did not respond.
Zhangsun Qianxue’s brows furrowed and she showed hints of disdain. “It seems that I have overthought. You have a protective talisman right now.”
Ding Ning understood her meaning but felt no shame. He said calmly, “Let’s see why he has come.”
Several carriages stopped at a street not far from Falling Parasol.
Inside the carriage at the centre, Forefather Zhou narrowed his eyes and looked at the city of Changling in the last threads of darkness before dawn.
After leaving Ink Garden, on the road here, he saw that the Changling before him had changed greatly from the Changling in his memories. It had become grander and vaster, and not as bloody as he remembered.
Many of the great compounds had disappeared.
There were no traces left.
So many things could be erased to the point of leaving no trace.
But he did not want himself to not leave a trace on this grand city.
When the first thread of dawn light appeared on Falling Parasol, Zhang Yi had risen and started cleaning the courtyard. His broom was always held a thread above the ground. Threads of energy flowed from his hand onto the ground to sweep away the fallen leaves and dust. Yet, there was no sound.
Keeping it quiet, was to avoid disturbing Xue Wangxu’s sleep.
He treated this kind of sweeping like a lesson. When he looked back on his cultivation in Falling Parasol, he discovered that his progress had been faster than in White Goat Cave.
He could not find the reason.
But Ding Ning knew the cause.
The mental state was most important in cultivation. When one, with a sincere heart went to focus on performing a matter, it was naturally easier to succeed.
Xue Wangxu had never been so weak before.
The extremely filial Zhang Yi had never worried as much for Xue Wangxu. Taking care of Xue Wangxu was the most important matter to him.
He poured his heart into every action and movement. How could he not progress quickly?
After sweeping the courtyard, Zhang Yi noiselessly opened the gates. He carried some dry wood and the stove outside to kindle fire. At this time, Ding Ning was opening up the shop like usual and it was at this time that Zhou Xieyi walked through the entrance to the alley.
Ding Ning had already known that Forefather Zhou had come in person, so he was not surprised. However, when Zhang Yi saw Zhou Xieyi appear, he was stunned.
“My family’s forefather wants to see you,” Zhou Xieyi said softly, as he walked in front of Ding Ning and bowed slightly with his head held low.
Ding Ning did not say much. He nodded and followed Zhou Xieyi to walk out of the alley.
When they neared the multiple carriages parked together, the curtain to Forefather Zhou’s carriage was pushed aside slowly by a gentle gust of power to reveal the figure of the person within.
Ding Ning bowed respectfully. He said, “How come you have come to meet me so early?”
Forefather Zhou focused on Ding Ning’s actions and expressions. A hint of indetectable cold flame flashed through his eyes. He felt that calmness could disguise many emotions.
The gentlest of smiles appeared on his face. He patted the cushioned seat next to him. Like he was beckoning to younger members of his Zhou Family, he said benevolently, “Come here to speak.”
Ding Ning respectfully sat like an obedient junior preparing to listen intently.
“I have come to see your cultivation.” Forefather Zhou benevolently reached out with two hands. Just like how he touched the young girl, his hands landed on Ding Ning’s arms.
Ding Ning’s expression did not change at all.
As his energy moved, Forefather Zhou’s breathing paused slightly. He did not sense anything abnormal. Ding Ning was just like he had expected.
So this meant that this wine shop youth had not comprehended something he had not?
Perhaps, he was too suspicious.
How could juniors like him cultivate more profound and correct things than him in such a short amount of time?
A hint of self-deprecation rose on the corner of his mouth and then turned into endless cold and violent emotion before rapidly turning into extreme gentleness.
“In a few days will be the Deer Mountain Conference that will decide the fate of the Qin Dynasty.”
He looked at Ding Ning and said gently, “This is a great event. I want you to accompany me to it. You can think about it.”
“While you may obtain many special opportunities, it will be very dangerous if you want to go to this kind of event.”
He paused before kindly adding. “Even the cultivators summoned by the Holy One to enter Deer Mountain may not be safe. We are unable to enter Deer Mountain. We can only watch from the nearest mountains and forests near Deer Mountain as we can get. But cultivators from other dynasties will also go, so conflict cannot be avoided. Even I cannot guarantee I will be unharmed. You do not have to answer me immediately and can think about it.”
You say that you cannot guarantee that you will be unharmed. It will naturally be normal for cultivators like me to die there. Ding Ning thought coldly inside. But his face betrayed no emotions except thoughtfulness.
Translator Ramblings: I think that Forefather Zhou is expressing a very human desire to matter in the world, especially since he excluded himself from the world and is facing the potential end of his life. Of course, he is quite a malicious and selfish person but his desire to matter does make humanize him slightly.
Volume 6 7 - The Situation Then
This troop seemed to have experienced a hard trip. The bottoms of many a shoe were worn through, and blood and the soles were scabbed together. They looked to be in a sorry state. But for some reason, the moment this troop appeared, they attracted the gazes of countless people on the battlefield and made people’s hearts speed up.
Just like her previous attacks, her actions were very simple. Two terrifying powers burst out of the bottoms of her feet, and the ground that had already formed a giant pit shook again. Her body disappeared from the pit, and then appeared far away. She disappeared once more, and then reappeared even further in the distance. After three times, her figure appeared at the rear of the seventy thousand Chu people.
These seventy thousand Chu people were like her barrier. Then she sat down like she was a bystander, without any of the airs of a grand master and an empress dowager. It was like when she had been sitting down by the lakeshore. But this time, she was wearing the bright phoenix robe.
Numerous Qin grandmasters had moved over mountains of primal energies of the universe. No one had thought that she would act like this. She was fleeing without fighting. But no one had objections to her just sitting down like so, they only felt that it was a matter of course. These grandmasters felt that they had punched into empty air, and even a feeling of defeat before even fighting the other.
“Kill!”
A heavy shout sounded in the air and caused these grandmasters to stop breathing for a moment.
The shout came from the troop that had suddenly appeared, the sound coming from every person. Yet because they were so uniform, and they had shouted at the same time, the sound was like one person had been shouting.
As they shouted, everyone in the troop took off the weapons they wore, and then in an uniform movement, they made the same move, unwrapping the cloth around the weapons.
After the cloth was taken off, there was glittering golden light. Everyone in the troop took the cloth off at the same time, and the golden light connected together like many burning suns merging into a giant burning sun that rose up on the battlefield.
No one in this troop wore armor, but at this time, bathing in the golden light, they seemed to be gilded in golden armor. Adding on that everyone in the troop had similar presences and the same determined resolve, this troop was unspeakably solemn and glorious.
The expressions of these Qin military grandmasters changed, their eyes filled with shock. The emotions spread through the Qin army, expanding while at the same time, cheers and shouts erupted from the Chu troops in a tsunami!
“How is this possible!”
At the rear of the Qin army, Wei Wujiu, who was far from the battlefield was slightly dazed for an instant, and gave a low howl from his throat.
When such a golden light shone over the battlefield, the identity of the troop was no longer in doubt.
Xiang Yan’s Gold Dagger Army was the strongest army of the Chu Dynasty. Even though their pure manpower was not as strong as Bai Qi’s God Killing Army, they had unimaginable resolve and special battle methods that other armies in the world did not have. On the other side of the Chu Dynasty, they were invincible.
But that was on the other side!
Even though they had abandoned all their golden armor, and dressed simply, how could they have been this fast? In the estimates of all high ranking Qin generals, this troop would need at least a dozen days to reach the Yin Mountain or the Yangshan Commandery. This was the most extreme estimate. They had come a dozen days ahead of the estimate.
After a momentary daze, Wei Wujiu suddenly felt pain. His body could not help but tremble. Now, he could finally see the malicious intent of Consort Zhao Xiang!
Consort Zhao Xiang clearly did not want to take these seventy thousand people to attack the Qin flank by herself. She just wanted to lure the flank army to move and pull them out. If not for the Gold Dagger army, she could not even have survived the Qin flank troop attacks. But right now, the formations on the Qin flank was in chaos because of her. Even their seal weapon formations were not steady. This was the best time for the Gold Dagger Army to attack.
The Gold Dagger Army would attack this flank, and the Chu army inside the battlefield were not stupid. With attacks coming from outside and inside, the Chu flank would likely be quickly defeated and eaten. These seventy thousand Chu people were still people, and with their strong spirits, it was not the Qin army going to surround the Chu army, but the Chu army biting back, wanting to swallow the Qin army!
“Cut off the head of the snake first!”
“Get Xiang Yan’s head!”
The many Qin grandmasters on the flank felt their hearts beat rapidly among the waves of cheers from the Chu army. These grandmasters were very experienced, and could see the situation. They knew that while it was not possible to guess the combat power of the Gold Dagger Army after their long trip, the legendary army’s presence gave a fatal increase in confidence to the entire Chu army.
When tens of thousands of soldiers were in a state of lunacy when they did not care about themselves, even if this was a chaotic battle, there likely was no army of similar number that could match them.
The same thoughts flashed through the minds of the Qin grandmasters. Only by using lightning tactics to assassinate the general of the army, Xiang Yan, could they change the result.
These grandmasters pushed their vital energy to the extreme, turning to rainbows lights that flashed at the army, cutting through the air like giant swords to behead the Gold Dagger soldiers. Behind them, there was the sound of the air breaking. Dozens of cultivators flew like flying swords behind the grandmasters towards the Gold Dagger Army.
The Qin were brave. The presence created by these dozen cultivators did not lose to the Gold Dagger Army. At this moment, there were shouts coming from the Qin army. “So what if they are the Gold Dagger Army, which off our armies are inferior to them? They traveled so far to come here. They are just bluffing.”
Accompanying these shouts, many seal weapons in the Qin army were activated. Gusts of rainbow light fell towards the Chu army.
“Behead?”
Seeing the sword lights on the heads of the Qin grandmasters, and hearing the shouts from within the Qin army, Consort Zhao Xiang smiled scornfully from where she sat on the ground. She softly said, “Even I cannot take Xiang Yan’s head from all of the Gold Dagger Army, much less you? Who will cut off whose head?”
Volume 2 7 - Circumstances Create Tyrants
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
What really occurred behind coincidences was worthy of being studied.
The Xie Family was a wealthy family of Guanzhong. Xie Rou, the eldest daughter, was akin to half the leader of the Xie Family. She originally had been active around Changling and if there wasn’t anything special, she definitely would not appear in a little district city.
Xie Rou hesitated slightly.
Ding Ning was silent for a moment. Then he looked at her and said softly, "Is it due to me?"
Xie Rou stilled and then understood Ding Ning’s meaning. Her face flushed slightly. She hurriedly shook her head and said, "It’s not because I swore an oath and was punished to return to Guanzhong. The family has some matters."
Ding Ning nodded calmly and politely. "I am just coincidentally passing by. Soon, we will be in a hurry to travel, so let’s bid farewell here."
Xie Rou looked at Ding Ning’s calm gaze. Her lips parted slightly but she didn’t know what to say. She watched as Ding Ning turned around. She didn’t know how she felt as she watched his back, just that she felt she had drank a cup of cold water in this icy weather.
"Just this simple?" Fu Su said softly, frowning as he looked at the returning Ding Ning.
Ding Ning glanced at him and said, "Did you expect her to come with us to Deer Mountain?"
Fu Su looked at his expression and saw Ding Ning did not seem to be joking. He couldn’t help but shake his head and sighed. He said, "I hope that you can find a solution to your health problems soon. Otherwise, you will miss a great marriage."
Ding Ning used silence to end the conversation.
"This young man is really good."
A voice filled with praise reached Xie Rou’s ears from behind her.
"Father?" Xie Rou turned around in surprise.
A short and stout merchant dressed in purple brocade stood behind her. He wore a jade belt and large jewel rings. His accessories and the patterns of his purple brocade clothes were all of tacky taste. His face was slightly rosy due to his plumpness lending him an extremely tacky appearance.
At the sight of a Xie Rou whose eyes were filled with surprise, this garish middle-aged businessman grinned. He repeated in the heavy accent of Guanzhong, "This young man is really good."
Once again, a light blush crept on Xie Rou’s face. She said, "You may not even have heard what I just talked to him briefly about. Why do you suddenly have such an opinion?"
"From his way of doing things, I can see what a person is like." The short and stout merchant looked in satisfaction at her and said, "He clearly wants to refuse you and deliberately keep a distance. But there are many ways of refusal. He chose the most appropriate and kind one."
Xie Rou looked at him in puzzlement.
The short and stout merchant smiled and explained. "He used the calmest method. This method is not drastic and will not arouse powerful emotions in you. He really does want you to gradually forget him and not have any more entanglements with you. Right now, everyone knows there are problems with his health. He should know that the Xie Family can help him, even so he treats you like this. Regardless of whether it is because he doesn’t want to drag you in, or he has no time to consider relations with a woman, this shows that he is kind at the very least, and a sincere person."
After a moment, he looked at Xie Rou and said, "Also, I learned that the reason Two Level Tower of the Changling streets was able to rise to the top is related to him. From his way of conducting matters, if the Xie Family were to really have a son-in-law as such, I fear, he can manage major matters better than me."
This short and stout merchant was naturally Xie Rou’s father Xie Lianying. According to the rumors on the streets, Xie Lianying was a very gaudy and unrefined businessman who smelled of money. People frequently referred to his name as "Successive winning". He seemed to feel that it wasn’t enough and gave his son the name "Ever-winning." All of his accomplishments up until now came from the wisdom and foresight of his wife that had been of the formerly aristocratic family located in Zhongshan in the Wei Dynasty. But the words he spoke with Xie Rou proved that he was very different from the tacky businessman of the rumors.
"In reality, even if you swore you would only marry him and will hold to this promise, you do not need to lower yourself." Xie Lianying looked at the silent Xie Rou and said, "Think of how many astounding people there were from the previous dynasty to up until now? Which of them did not have women around them that could stand side-by-side with them and help them?"
Xie Rou’s body shook slightly. She took a deep breath and looked up at Xie Lianying, saying, "Father, what do you think I should do?"
"Do not think about the oath. If you meet each other, do not lower yourself and act as though you are pursuing him. Just show your own brilliance. You only have to be more brilliant than the women around him, and become a person more suitable at fighting side by side with him. Then his gaze will naturally not land on someone else." Xie Lianying looked at her and said, "This is like how we will not be in one kind of business, but if we are in the future, we will naturally pick the best business in that area."
A hint of light appeared in Xie Rou’s eyes. "It is not very appropriate to use business as a metaphor for your daughter." While she was quibbling, her mood clearly turned for the better. Her furrowed brow relaxed and she asked softly, "We have prepared?"
Xie Lianying’s expression grew cold as he said, "This time, the Chen Family will feel the consequences."
Xie Rou noded but inexplicably hesitated.
Xie Lianying could see through her thoughts and laughed. He said, "Don’t worry, I like him and agree for him to be my son-in-law. After we pass here, I will naturally take care of him, and will send someone to see what he is doing."
Xie Rou was reassured and said with a grim expression, "Then we will depart now?"
Xie Lianying nodded and pretended to sigh in sorrow, saying, "Daughters cannot be kept when they grow up. I have acted like so and you do not even thank me?"
Xie Rou immediately rolled her eyes at him and said, "If you want me to massage your shoulders, tell me."
Xie Lianying immediately laughed. He moved his shoulders and said, "I’ve been too busy recently, and my shoulders are very stiff. Once we finish this business transaction, I really do need you to massage them."
Near the inn where the carriage was parked, was a stone bridge. And under it was a noodle shop.
"Do you want to eat noodles? My treat."
Ding Ning looked at the noodle shop, then he turned to Fu Su. "The noodle shop in Falling Parasol is quite good, especially the sour cabbage with intestine or the red soup with meat slices."
Fu Su nodded and said with a smile, "I do not like such heavy food as you. Egg and clear soup is good for me."
"Do not go. Get in the carriage, we are leaving."
A gentle voice suddenly passed into their ears at this time.
Ding Ning’s gaze stilled slightly. He turned towards the source of the sound in the carriage and said, "Forefather?"
Within the carriage, Forefather Zhou’s narrowed eyes flashed with cold light while his voice remained gentle. "The Xie Family is the richest family in Guanzhong. Since that young woman is the eldest daughter of the Xie Family, Xie Rou, there must be a reason why she has appeared here. Even if you do not want to have any entanglements with her, if she is in any trouble, you should help her if you are able."
Ding Ning frowned slightly. He naturally knew that Forefather Zhoul was not this kind-hearted. But he had no way of refusing Forefather Zhou’s words with his present position.
—
"Strange."
Xie Lianying lifted the curtain up a little and looked at the three black carriages in the distance. He turned and said to Xie Rou, "Ding Ning’s carriages have followed."
Xie Rou thought for a moment and said, "This does not seem like something he would do."
Xie Lianying thought and said, "It appears to be related to the people he is with."
Xie Rou looked at him and said softly, "Those people do not look like they are from White Goat Cave."
Xie Lianying smiled faintly and said, "No matter. Regardless of who from Changling he followed here, at least we are sure they are not our enemy. With what we are doing today, it will be good if an important person from Changling bears witness."
"It seems the Xie Family is really doing something major." Fu Su also lifted the window curtain to look at the Xie Family caravan.
At the moment, the Xie Family caravan comprised of only six carriages. This was a small number for the Xie Family, but he noticed that these carriages had not been together at the start, and had gathered together from different corners of this district city.
Ding Ning remained silent as his brow furrowed.
They were clearly concealing something carefully.
Xie Rou had not disguised herself, but the carriages that followed appeared in such a fashion. This said that the Xie Family was heading someplace nearby and what the carriages contained were important things for the Xie Family.
But compared to what the Xie Family was going to do soon, he was more worried about Forefather Zhou’s interference.
The Zhou Family were old aristocracy, and at present, they lacked wealth the most. The Xie Family had what the Zhou Family needed the most.
Forefather Zhou had already used the relationship between him and Xie Rou once.
Translator Ramblings: Money makes the world go around …… even with cultivators.
Volume 4 8 - Fear and Peace
Both the academian and Bai Shanshui were not ordinary realm sevens. Just now, to block Bai Shanshui’s attack, the old academian, Du Qingli, had suffered a sweep of his own sword essence. He only had a wound on his left brow but the sword essence reached his brain and gave him serious damage.
His body had lost control of most of its parts. But he was a real grandmaster, one that had still managed to survive after the years of slaughter in Changling.
Facing the seventeen green water beads that had taken sword form under Bai Shanshui’s control, his black eyes quickly turned faint gray.
Invisible grey energies streamed out of the cracks in the black rock above his head and surged into his body. His body did not change and felt like it was expanding rapidly.
The small swords the seventeen green water beads formed suddenly collapsed and fell from the air to the ground like scattered sand.
Bai Shanshui took a step back. Rock cracked silently under her feet, the cracks spreading outwards like a giant spider net.
Du Qingli’s face was half covered in blood but strangely calm.
He had cultivated in this Great Floating Water Prison for many years. In a sense, this was his world. He did not believe he would not be a match for this junior.
Bai Shanshui frowned deeply. A glowing and colorless water droplet silently appeared in front of her, but floated motionlessly as though it did not know how to pose a threat to this old academian.
While Bai Shanshui was being obstructed by Du Qingli, the water level in Zhao Si’s cave started to lower. The yin river water that had surged up momentarily due to water pressure started to fall back down. The waters fell, the stones appeared.
In Zhao Si’s gaze, an old man was standing on a protrusion on the rock face that was shaped like an eagle’s beak.
This old man dressed in blue robes, had petite features and a long face.
Facing Zhao Si, this old man looking down at her even had a stronger presence than she. He was the other imperial academian who guarded this place, Du Hongtan.
The Du two brothers had once been among the best young talents of Changling long ago in the past. People could rarely rival their cultivation speed. Yet the personalities of the two brothers were completely different.
Du Hongtan was relatively direct and rough. Seeing Zhao Si whose body was falling with the water, he spoke rudely, “Child, this is Changling, this is Changling’s most well-guarded prison, this is also our home. Is this where you should come?”
After the water fell down, it was air, but at this time, Zhao Si was standing in the void. Steam rose under her feet and supported her small but powerful body like a lucky cloud.
As Du Hongtan spoke, she rose up. “If you did not enter the Zhao, why would I have come here?” She looked directly at Du Hongtan and said righteously and without anger, “You first entered my home.”
Du Hongtan shook his head in disdain and said, “Regardless, now you are in my home.”
His words were arrogant and unreasonable. But he called someone like Zhao Si, who represented the Zhao Sword Furnace, a child. It was already arrogant and unreasonable.
“It is rude to not say a greeting. This can only be solved by the sword if you cannot understand.”
Zhao Si had risen to Du Hongtan’s height, but as she spoke, she was still rising. Her lifebond sword had been destroyed in the past Wei River battle, yet the desperate straits caused her to see a new world. A hot sword essence came out of her body as she attacked.
A red line appeared on the base of the enormous monument ahead of her. Then this enormous monument of unknown weight was broken. The seal lines in the monument shone with light again, but this time, they were not flowing with cold starfire, but a hot lava-like red flame. The enormous monument started to turn red and boil.
This enormous monument became her sword, and smashed towards Du Hongtan opposite her.
Du Hongtang was arrogant and unreasonable towards her. So her reaction would be even more arrogant.
Seeing this enormous sword fall towards him, Du Hongtan’s expression grew serious. He sighed sincerely. “The cultivators of the Zhao Sword Furnace are really rare geniuses in the world. When you broke this formation in an instant, you sensed all the seal lines when fighting the starfire contained within. And only cultivators of the Zhao Sword Furnace have such spirit to wield a sword like this.”
As he spoke, this enormous monument sword reached him. The enormous monument was red all over as though it would melt at any moment. The high temperature caused his hair to dry immediately and start burning.
He reached out with his hand. Black energy fell down from the rock above like black sand and fell towards his arm. His sword pressed on the hot enormous monument.
Whines emerged from within the monument like giant iron ships rubbing against each other. The entire monument abruptly stopped.
Du Hongtan’s body did not even waver. His body was extremely small compared to the monument, yet no rock fragment even fell off from under his feet. The black energy coming out of his hand bore all the force.
Black sand continued to fall down from the rock above, and bore this unreasonably arrogant Zhao Sword Furnace sword.
Zhao Si stood with her hands behind her back. Her index and middle fingers were together and pressed against the monument.
The monument slashed downwards like a sword. Her body was above the monument. She pressed all the power of her body and the weight of the monument towards Du Hongtan.
Du Hongtan stopped this blow easily. She frowned and sneered. “I had not expected the academian of the Changling imperial palace to not cultivate the sword, but these ghostly tactics.”
Hearing her mocking voice, Du Hongtan shook his head and laughed. “Child, do notforget, when I achieved fame, Yuanwu and that person had not been born yet. At our time, was Changling the world of swordsmen?”
Zhao Si did not argue. She recalled this was the truth. Also, she had mustered her full power, any extra word would be difficult for her.
But Du Hongtan was still relaxed. He looked sympathetically at Zhao Si who had reached her limit. He said, “The Great Floating Water Prison existed from the time of the previous dynasty. Countless powerful cultivators died, full of injustice. In terms of the so-called ghostly arts, where in Changling is more suitable than here? From the start, I reminded you this is the Great Floating Water Prison, this is my home …… As long as I am here, I will be the strongest. You used up a lot of energy to defeat the monument. How can you win against me now?”
More black sand started to fall. The enormous monument started to rise and press towards Zhao Si.
The Dongling Army started to form formations outside of the Great Floating Water Prison. The leading commander thought of Bai Shanshui’s air when she spoke to him, and his expression remained uncertain.
In the deepest part of the water prison, footsteps sounded and Shen Xuan’s figure appeared in the deepest cell.
Seeing him, sitting like a rotten lotus pad at the center of the water, Lin Zhujiu laughed.
“You understand whatI mean now?”
He looked at Shen Xuan who remained expressionless.
“Bai Shanshui may not win against Du Qingli, Zhao Si cannot be a match for Du Hongtan. I do not know how you can laugh so happily,” Shen Xuan looked at the smiling Lin Zhujiu and said coldly.
Lin Zhujiu’s smile did not fade and said, “I laugh because you made a good choice.”
“There is no choice.” Shen Xuan looked down and said coldly and with a powerful presence, “If you want to laugh outside, you need to at least defeat the two academians, and win against me.”
His words were hard to understand. But at this time, an unusual presence came from a cell very close to this place.
A powerful and indestructible presence.
That cell contained Zhao Shiwu who was on the verge of death.
The Great Floating Water Prison would not let people die, but would not let those on the verge of death get stronger, especially realm seven cultivators and above. Especially grandmasters stronger than usual grandmasters.
But the presence coming out of that cell caused many people to feel anxious and terrified again.
Shen Xuan’s eyes did not change. This seemed to be something that should be happening.
Volume 5 8 - If I Return
The alley was a remote and quiet one like Falling Parasol. Therefore, most of the residences were the poor people of Changling’s lower class. Loud laughter constantly sounded from one small wine shop.
A woman was in charge of serving food in the small wine shop. There were no helpers. So while there was only one table of guests, this woman was one person and so busy her clothes were glued to her skin due to sweat.
This woman was slightly pretty, and the guests had presumptuous looks that moved along the white skin of her neck towards her chest. She was embarrassed, but she did not dare to show it, just flushed brighter.
Seeing her like this, the table of guests were even more intrusive and hooted even louder.
At this moment, a person came to the door. This was a gardener.
The people the surrounding alleys all knew this gardener whose surname was Zhang. He made a living by caring for the flowers of some wealthy families. He usually did not have any savings, was large and tanned, and did not speak well. He should be in his forties or older. No girl wanted him so he was still single.
A person like this would not usually attract the attention of the guests if he appeared at the door. Yet today, when he appeared, the laughter suddenly stopped.
This tanned, short but large gardener held a large pair of gardening shears. His pant hems were covered in soil. He did not look any different than usual. But he had a faint smile on his face.
The people in the area had never seen him with such a smile. Even the woman from the wine shop stopped immediately. Inexplicably, she sensed his intentions, and the long-lost scent the smell gave off. She even started to feel joy on his behalf.
In the odd silence, the gardener walked to the table of guests, and said to the short-haired man in brocade-robes at the center. “You owe twenty three meals’ worth of money. Pay that first.”
Clearly, the short-haired man was not a friendly person. A cold sneer appeared on his lips as his eyebrows rose. Yet in the next moment, this short-haired man sensed an enormous wave of terror press into his body. He found he could not move.
“Pay money, then leave,” Gardener Zhang looked at him and said.
The short-haired man suddenly found he could move again. He took out a money pouch from his sleeve in shock, placed it on the table, and walked directly out of the shop.
His fellows were dumbfounded, not understanding why he reacted like this. They had not sensed any of the presence at all. When they confusedly followed the short-haired man out of the shop, the short-haired man suddenly stilled again.
He looked at his lower half.
He had been incontinent. Coming out of his lower body and soaking his pants was red blood.
His fellows stared with wide eyes. As the short-haired man gave a shocked scream, so did his fellows.
The short-haired man finally gave a mournful wail. Then he fell down, dead.
“I fear I cannot help you in the future,”
Gardener Zhang looked deeply at the woman in the wine shop and said softly, “If I do not die today, I will help you leave Changling.”
As he was saying this, the short-haired man was screaming outside the shop.
The woman paled, not having yet realized what had happened.
When Gardener Zhang turned to leave and she saw his broad back, she started to realize the meaning in her words, and understood the other was not an ordinary person.
She was an ordinary person.
However, after Gardener Zhang took several steps, she did not know where her courage came from as her face blushed and she shouted, “I’ll wait for you!”
Gardener Zhang laughed.
He did not care about the other sounds and gazes from people in the alley. His body vanished like a ghost as he turned the corner in the alley. The death of some ordinary gangsters would not immediately attract a violent reaction.
After passing through several streets, he decreased his pace. Just like how he usually went to care for the flowers and shrubs, he walked slowly with his gardening shears.
**
There were many peach forests in the east of Changling. The peach trees usually grew on the undulating hills. In the spring, the peach flowers would be bright and beautiful. The peach flowers many famous Changling painters would paint came from this place.
Right now was the time for the last batch of peaches to ripen. There were naturally not many peaches. But strangely, in a mountain valley filled with mist, there were still many peach trees blooming.
The peach trees were blooming but there was not even one new leaf.
There was a small stone stele in front of the mountain valley. The entire valley was extremely quiet. Even the painters belonging to the nobility did not dare to enter this valley.
The words on the stone stele were “Imperial Forbidden”. The two words came from Emperor Yuanwu’s hand.
Gardener Zhang’s figure appeared in the peach forest and finally headed into the mountain valley. He seemed to have not noticed the stone stele at all. He walked directly into the forbidden valley, and through the blooming peach trees.
There was a quiet elegant courtyard in the middle of the most beautiful part of the forest. Inside the little courtyard was a handsome man.
“Ye Xinhe, I had not thought you were still alive,” Gardener Zhang came to the front of the courtyard with his shears and said as he looked through the open gates to the handsome man.
“Back at the Deer Mountain Conference, you should have known that I was alive. So it should be me saying this to you. Zhang Shiwu, I did not know you were alive.” The handsome man was surprised when he saw the gardener.
Gardener Zhang smiled. “Life is worse than death.”
Ye Xinhe looked at him and frowned. “Zhang Shiwu, I do not seem to have any grievances with you.”
Gardener Zhang shook his head and said, “Not distinguishing what is right and wrong is the greatest of grievances.”
Ye Xinhe looked at Gardener Zhang and laughed. “You were not a match for me during the time of Ba Mountain. Even if I am injured now, you are not able to kill me. You think you can leave?”
Gardener Zhang laughed as well and said, “I wanted to give you a fair chance but now, I just want to kill you. I’ve never thought about whether or not I can leave.”
Ye Xinhe looked up and said slowly, “Pity that you cannot kill me today.”
Gardener Zhang seemed to sense something but he did not speak as his gaze fell towards Ye Xinhe’s throat. His gardening shears fell apart in his hands.
This was a pair of shears, but after separating, the shears became two swords.
The two swords flew out of his hands, and appeared like ordinary flying swords. But as they flew, one of the two silver swords turned pure white, and the other pure black.
The swords were split into yin and yang. This gardener was the Yinyang sword master of the former Ba Mountain Sword Field, Zhang Shiwu.
The sword was just ten feet away from his body when all the peach flowers in the mountain valley withered and the petals fell off.
In Ye Xinhe’s courtyard, everything was broken and flew in the air like the falling petals.
A spinning sword essence was coming towards him.
Ye Xinhe’s black hair flew in the wind.
A wood sword floated in front of him.
This wood sword had a powerful presence, even stronger than his own body’s energies. But there were many cracks on the blade right now.
With a crack, an enormous white flash fell from the sky and collided with the black and white vortex surrounding him. His teeth were bloodied, and the blood coming out was like many peach flowers.
But at this moment, he laughed and looked towards the mountain behind Zhang Shiwu.
Boom!
A door seemed to open in the world. The mountain shattered. Countless stones flew out of the white mist.
A chariot that looked to be made out of pure copper charged through the white mist with a terrifying presence. The commander on the chariot was covered in green scales like a demon.
Behind this chariot, metallic lights reflected through the white mist.
Translator Ramblings: Zhang Shiwu has the most practical sword so far.
Novels belong to writers, we only provide reading services。