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Chapter 10 Grim Wind and Rain Darken the Skies, People Are Ghosts
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  The Fish Market was a noisy place with countless businesses and people which could not be seen in public.

  In the span of fifteen minutes, Ding Ning had pushed the small boat past the dark pier. During the time he moved between the countless wooden pillars which supported Fish Market, the thick-browed young person and his master, who had appeared outside of Fish Market, walked into a pawn shop near the river.

  They did not have anything to pawn. Led by an old man hunched over a black bamboo staff, these two foreigners passed through the inner doors of the pawn shop, through the narrow halls, and into another set of doors. The damp narrow hallways were quiet, yet when they entered the doors, it was a completely different world.

  A dozen or so square tables were arranged inside a relatively small hall. Dozens of people crowded around each square table. Incense burned at the corners of the room but due to the crowd. The air was murky.

  The moment he saw the scene inside the room, the thick-browed young person’s pupils unconsciously contracted. This was not due to the enmity in the eyes of the surrounding people and the presences unique to cultivators, but due to something placed at the center stage in the room.

  A waxy yellow jade rock the size of a thumb.

  In the eyes of ordinary people, this may be a low-quality piece of yellow jade. Yet almost all the cultivators knew this was the South Sun Pill Sect’s Yellow Bud Pill, formerly of the Han Dynasty. The Yellow Bud Pill’s effects were gentle in increasing vital energy. This was one of the best supplementary spirit pills for cultivators in Physical Energy Realm heading towards Vital Energy Realm when they did not have the innate talent.

  When South Sun Pill Sect had been at its peak, it only produced several hundred Yellow Bud Pills each year. Now that South Sun Pill Sect was gone, Yellow Bud Pills were even rarer.

  Pills like this were forbidden to be traded in the Qin Dynasty but the room was filled with people calling out prices.

  This place was naturally an illegal auction site.

  The thick-browed young person knew that the Fish Market had many scenes hard to imagine. Many transactions involving items important to cultivators occurred here. But he was shocked just like a rural child entering the city for the first time when he saw a transaction just after arriving on the level of Yellow Bud Pill. He couldn’t help but think, the Fish Market of Changling lives up to its reputation.

  The elegant young person dressed like a scholar behind him also stopped walking and looked at the scene. The hunchbacked old person with the black bamboo staff did not hurry them along and remained silent.

  The fight over one Yellow Bud Pill was reaching an insane level. A Yellow Bud Pill worth two thousand taels of silver in the past was now being priced at a thousand taels of gold, and many people were still competing.

  After a few more calls, only two people were left, a young swordsman dressed in grey robes, and a middle-aged man with his face covered in a black silk veil.

  The young swordsman’s face was flushed red. Sweat dripped down his face. The black-veiled middle-aged man sat motionlessly with calmness. Each time he shouted, he only added the minimum possible to the price, two hundred taels of silver, over the price the young swordsman called out.

  In a few moments, they passed a thousand and three hundred taels of gold.

  The young swordsman’s face turned from red to white. This Yellow Bud Pill was extremely important to him. If he did not obtain this Yellow Bud Pill, with his body’s sickness, he would never have a chance to progress from realm two to realm three.

  So he turned and looking pleadingly at the black-veiled middle-aged man.

  The middle-aged man saw his gaze yet only snorted in disdain.

  The young swordsman finally lost control. He stood up and shouted, “Two thousand taels of gold!”


  The entire room was silent.

  Everyone’s gaze focused on him.

  Even if this young swordsman was a member of a wealthy family, using two thousand taels of gold to buy a Yellow Bud Pill was still too wasteful for any family.

  If not for the black-veiled middle-aged cultivator raising the price, this Yellow Bud Pill would probably have been auctioned off at a thousand taels of cold.

  Hearing the young swordsman shout out the price of two thousand taels of gold, the black-veiled middle-aged cultivator visibly stilled. He sat calmly and said coldly, “Friend has great spirit. This one just doesn’t know if Friend really pay the two thousand tales of gold?”


  The young swordsman felt as though he dropped into ice, his flushed face turning white.

  An uproar in the room.

  Just by his expression, everyone in the room knew that this person was not a member of a wealthy family. He had only shouted the price of two thousand gold tales because he lost control of his emotions.

  After ridicule came coldness.

  Any place had their rules, and the rules of Fish Market were even stricter.

  The auctioneer, who had been standing in front of the table with the Yellow Bud Pill, was a thin man dressed in yellow robes. He shook his head and looked with sympathy at this young swordsman. He sighed. “You should know the rules here.”


  The young swordsman’s clothing was soaked in sweat. His right hand landed on the hilt of the sword at his wrist. Then he took a deep breath. His expression turned determined and he slowly stretched out his left hand.

  Everyone’s gaze had gathered onto the long sword at his waist already. Seeing his movement, the ridicule in most people’s eyes started to disappear, and respect rose.

  This young swordsman’s sword appeared extremely light, and a rare metallic blue. This clearly was not an ordinary sword. Its value was at least two thousand taels of gold.

  According to the rules of the black market, since he shouted the price, he could use this sword as collateral to trade for the Yellow Bud Pill. His movements showed he was clearly unwilling to give up the sword, and he was going to cut off his fingers as punishment.

  If one lost his sword, he could search for another one, but one could not grow cut-off fingers. But for cultivators who practiced the sword, the sword was a symbol, a kind of spirit. Cultivators possessing such a spirit would usually go further on the path of cultivation. So this young swordsman’s present choice caused the scorn and disdain to turn into respect.

  “Enough.”


  The young swordsman was moving to cut off two of his fingers according to the rules when a clear shout sounded.

  “Give this Yellow Bud Pill to him.” This voice was calm and simple, without any emotion.

  The young swordsman turned around in shock.

  The one who had spoken was the youth dressed as a scholar.

  When he calmly said this, the thick-browed young person behind him raised an eyebrow. He took out a black pearl from the bag he carried on his back and placed it beside the Yellow Bud Pill. This black pearl was the size of a pigeon’s egg and gave off a faint radiance. Anyone who saw it knew that this was more than two thousand taels of gold.

  The young swordsman was sure he had never seen these two people before. He thought, if the young person had been a moment slower in speaking, his fingers would have already been on the ground. He first felt joy and great luck, and then shame. He could not speak a word.

  The young person dressed like a scholar did not say anything. He looked at the old usher standing next to him and started walking.

  The hunchback old person did not speak as he led the way to a door inside the room.

  The young swordsman recovered from his daze. His hands started to tremble uncontrollably. Due to his excitement, his pale face flushed red again. “This one is Zhong Jiang …… ……”


  He clearly was about to state his name, yet the youth dressed like a scholar interrupted him after a few words. “I do not need you to repay me, so you do not need to tell me your name.”


  The young person did not turn back. The words were calm, and almost ruthless. He followed the old person into a door and disappeared under everyone’s shocked gazes.

  The young swordsman stood for many seconds, sweat once again rolling down his forehead. For some reason, he suddenly understood what the young person meant.

  For the young person, this was a matter resolved easily. But for him, he would never again encounter someone else like this. He would not have a chance to start again like this. He could never make another mistake like losing control of his emotions. The lesson he learned now was a favor greater than the pill.

  This young swordsman, who came from Zhong Jiang, took the Yellow Bud Pill the auctioneer handed him. He bowed deeply towards the door the young person had disappeared into and held his hands as though he was presenting a sword. Seeing his actions, the cultivators in the room became even more solemn.

  Inside the door was another deep alley.

  The eaves and canopy above the alley did not completely cover the alley. Rain slipped through the cracks. Many people moved like ghosts through the rooms on both sides, noisy as they did unknown business.

  Grim rain and wind darken the skies, and people were like ghosts.

  In a scene like this, even the young person who had given away a Yellow Bud Pill with a wave of the hand showed a pondering look in his calm and determined eyes.

  He immediately realized something and a hint of anger appeared on his face.

  A burning presence spread with him at the center. The wind and rain could not go near him, and the grim presence dissipated.

  The old man leading the way held a black bamboo staff.

  Up nearby on the left, several black bamboo plants were planted near the wall of the alley.

  In this moment, the black bamboo twisted like snakes and quickly turned into black energy before disappearing.

  The scene suddenly changed, and the ghostly figures disappeared. An open door appeared at the place where the black bamboo stalks had disappeared.

  A dark room was behind the door.

  “I had not expected the miss of the Shang Family to cultivate the path of yin and ghosts,” the young person said, smiling coldly.

  Translator Ramblings: Let’s shift the view away from Ding Ning for a while.

  Volume 3 10 - Awesome

  The younger cultivator was a disciple of a certain hidden sect of the Qi. While young, he had already entered realm six and was a rare once-in-a-decade genius. He had just left his sect a short time ago so he could not avoid being proud, but as an expert, he managed to use full power as he shouted. His entire body seemed to wither like a flower.

  Black flames as thick as ink surged out of his hand. Within the black flame was a fist-sized black skull that appeared to have been pieced together from countless small crystal stones.

  As he shouted, this black skull seemed to come alive and give a sharp scream.

  The insects, birds and animals within the forest seemed to be given a fright. Still unknown of what had happened, they died due to this sharp sound. Their energy naturally left their bodies, and gathered towards the black skull.

  Countless sound waves turned into tangible lines in the air and fell towards the flying indigo figure like dancing zither strings.

  The indigo-robed cultivator flying in the air wore an aloof expression. Seeing the younger cultivator wither and the lines of sound flying through the air, he gave an extremely dismissive smile.

  “Blood Sacrifice Method. Fatal Sound of the Ghost King. You are from the Ghost Sound Sect.”


  His body did not seem to move obviously. As he spoke, his breathing turned into tangible sword essences that carried astounding waves of energy which cut through all the sound lines charging towards him.

  The younger cultivator’s body shook. He seemed to be smashed by an invisible mountain. The black skull within the flames gave off repeated terrifying screams, and jerked around before hitting his palm.

  This black skull had originally come from the palm of the younger cultivator. It clearly had merged with the vital energy of his body already and become a lifebond item of his vital energy. But at this time, for some inexplicable reason, it could not merge with his body. With a snap, this skull collided fiercely with his palm like it was someone else’s weapon. His sleeve shattered into pieces and flew around his arm.

  The meridians in the young cultivator’s arm exploded like a piece of rope that could endure the weight.

  Before he could even scream, this young cultivator’s body flew backwards. Like a stone shot from a catapult, he smashed into the forest behind him.

  Only now did this indigo-robed cultivator, who was faster in the air than ordinary flying swords, finally reveal his sword.

  A thick sword shining with black light appeared in his hand. Its surface was covered in uneven patterns that appeared like dragon scales.

  The moment the older Qi cultivator saw this sword, he realized this person’s true identity.

  He knew that with the power he had just used, he would not be able to withstand this person’s sword blow. So the moment the two strange black flowers that were as tall as him formed, he threw the black bone staff in his hand towards the ground in front of him.

  The black bone staff exploded the moment it touched the ground in front of him to become countless triangular-shaped bone fragments. Each piece spun furiously and charged upwards.

  Black threads of light flowed in the cracks of these pieces. They criss-crossed to form a black beam of light with countless facets that charged towards the indigo-robed cultivator.

  The indigo-robed cultivator was still aloof, but the dismissive smile had disappeared.

  His longsword slashed without any finesse. Each scale on the sword lit up in succession like a lantern.

  When all the scales were lit, his sword gave off a dragon’s roar.

  A light that looked like metal sand appeared on the tip of his sword. A terrifying presence erupted.

  The metal sand expanded into a golden dragon.

  The golden dragon was enormous. It did not seem like those forms that were usually formed by seal scripts gathering the primal energies of the universe. This one seemed alive. Its scales were as bright as the purest of gold and also slightly transparent, giving off terrifying presence and lines of light.

  “This is the Dragon Scale Sword of the Fang Marquessate Establishment …… this person is the great Awesome General Fang Xiang …… how can he be so strong?”


  The younger Qi cultivator who had crashed through more than a dozen trees had just landed. He depressedly sat among a pile of scrap wood, his skeleton shattered. Looking at this golden dragon, he didn’t dare to believe his eyes and senses.

  The golden dragon dove down and consumed the black ray of light and the two black flowers.

  Its enormous body slide along the ground. The older Qi cultivator was drowned by golden flames. As the golden dragon brushed the ground, there were explosions and two thick balls of smoke erupted.

  “To be able to withstand my blow, it seems that you are Luo Chenkai of the Qi

  Energy Sect.” The indigo-robed cultivator said slowly, as he landed on the ground and looked at the smoke.

  The older Qi cultivator’s figure slowly appeared amidst the smoke. Although he still stood upright, there were numerous tears in his clothing with streams of blood oozing out.

  As the indigo-robed cultivator’s calm and aloof voice made its way to his ears, the older Qi cultivator wiped beads of blood from his face. Emotionally, in a low voice, he said, “I thought that it may be a marquis or the Awesome General that would come, but I hadn’t expected you to be so strong.”


  The Qin Dynasty only had one Awesome General, Fang Xiang of the Fang Marquessate Establishment. This indigo-robed cultivator was naturally Fang Xiang.

  Fang Xiang looked at this older Qi cultivator and said coolly, “The Fang Marquessate Establishment has been the leader of the thirteen marquessate establishments in Changling for many years. We did not rely on my younger brother who sat there for more than a decade.”


  At this explanation, this older Qi cultivator stilled slightly and seemed to have a realization.

  “I received imperial orders to travel through here to Deer Mountain. This is a secret.” Fang Xiang looked at him and said, “I want to know whence your information came.”


  After a pause, Fang Xiang looked at his eyes and said seriously, “It is not easy for you to possess such cultivation. I am not greedy. If you reveal the source of your information, I will let you leave.”


  The older Qi cultivator smiled slightly. The smile was exceptionally proud and determined.

  As a realm seven cultivator, he naturally possessed his own pride. Even though, due to some reasons, he had underestimated the strength of the incomer, he was well-aware of what the Qi Dynasty needed the most.

  For people like him, his own life was not as important as the glory and prosperity of a dynasty.

  “If you want to kill me, you will also pay a great price.”


  The older Qi cultivator smiled as he looked at Fang Xiang and said, “You also know that since I came here, it is not just a simple test. The Deer Mountain Conference is about to start. Your emperor doesn’t need a general who cannot be at full power. He needs your support at your peak. So it is not a question of whether

  will let me leave, but if

  will let you leave.”


  Fang Xiang nodded. Seeing this Qi cultivator who treated death as his home, he said calmly, “You speak some truth. But you are wrong about one thing. If I want to keep you here, I do not necessarily have to be the one to fight.”


  This Qi cultivator seemed to suddenly sense something and looked in disbelief at the mountain path behind Fang Xiang.

  Fang Xiang had flown through in moments, but now the carriage that had carried him was on the mountain path not far behind Fang Xiang.

  The two racing horses had eyes shining with blood light. Their hooves started to burn with blood red flame.

  Even more shockingly, they were still dragging the carriage.

  There were countless black insects on the two charriage wheels. The wings of the black insects vibrated powerfully, their power enough to support the weight of the carriage.

  This carriage was completely floating in the air, several inches off the earth and racing ahead.

  “Peculiar Insect Path!”


  At the sight of the scene before him, the older Qi cultivator finally sensed the power source behind the unusual change of the carriage – the carriage-driver.

  The younger cultivator who was sitting among the pieces of wood shouted in pain.

  He watched in tears as his chest erupted like a split watermelon. A dark red insect buzzed out of his split flesh and charged towards the back of the older Qi cultivator like a flying sword.

  The older Qi cultivator furiously inhaled.

  As he breathed, the air around him suddenly produced black

  energy visible to the naked eye.

  The black

  energy furiously flooded his body. His body did not expand, but turned even more compact. His flesh shrank back, turned black, and wrapped tightly around his bones.

  The large dark red insect attacked his back, but he did not move at all. Instead, the dark red insect that had the power of a flying sword was crushed into powder.

  At this time, the two mutant horses whinnied as the entire carriage flew over his head.

  Thunder seemed to roar through the air. Suddenly, the driver wrapped the whip around the older Qi cultivator.

  The black energy outside the Qi cultivator’s body vibrated and the black whip shattered into pieces.

  However, the pupils of the Qi cultivator contracted. He saw that the split pieces of the whip were long black insects the thickness of a finger.

  “Corpse Feeding Demon Insects!”


  The Qi cultivator recognized these long black insects, but had no time to make any movements. Dozens of long black insects leapt towards his body that was stronger than metal. In a flash, many holes appeared on his body as black energy burst out.

  He looked in disbelief at the holes in his body and slowly fell forward.

  Fang Xiang’s body had already landed back on the carriage.

  he said, coldly to himself as he entered the cabin.

  Translator Ramblings: Sometimes this third-person limited pointed of view narration really confuses me because the author refers to characters by physical appearance and not the names. It makes sense not naming people if they are going to die within 5 chapters or so, but then you get into situations where there is “Qi/Chu/Qin cultivators” in different chapters referring to different people.

  Also, I usually wouldn’t translate a general’s title but …… awesome.

  Volume 6 10

  The flank was not yet broken, so to the cultivators of the Chu Dynasty, it was still an impenetrable wall.

  The thirteen marquises of the Qin Dynasty were able to become marquises, not just because of military merit but also because of their own cultivation. Other than the Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect, there were still some cultivators in Changling who had higher cultivation than these marquises.

  Among these thirteen marquises, there were strong and weak, and the opinions about them in the outside world varied as well.

  Wei Wujiu was strong among the thirteen marquises, but he was not the top. The public opinion of him came from his cunning and scheming, and that he had accumulated many realm seven cultivators who followed him.

  These realm seven cultivators were mostly his comrades who had fought for him, but some were ones he had slowly nurtured over the years. They could be thought of as his disciples and even sons and nephews.

  When there were more powerful cultivators with him, he had fewer and fewer chances to act by himself. So in many past battles, it was rare to see him lead and fight at the font. When he moved at this time, and displayed his great resolve to kill Consort Zhao Xiang, it was like a powerful invitation.

  Thirteen realm seven cultivators were not much to this battle of tens of thousand of soldiers, but the two armies had fought for a long time, and many cultivators had died in battle or were seriously wounded, with others restraining each other.

  At this time, the Qin side being able to pull out thirteen realm sevens showed how strong the Qin Dynasty had been in these years.

  Wei Wujiu silently advanced, a hint of pride deep in his eyes. These thirteen cultivators were enough to assassinate an expert like Emperor Yuanwu. Even if Consort Zhao Xiang was special among realm sevens, how could she match these cultivators?

  Xiang Yan looked up slightly. His Gold Dagger army was still charging toward the Qin flank, but he started to leave the army, and moved toward Consort Zhao Xiang.

  From a certain point of view, he and Wei Wujiu were in similar situations. The world knew the Gold Dagger Army he led was the strongest army of the Chu Dynasty, but the army had been stationed long term on the border of the Chu Dynasty to fight some uncivilized tribes. The world only knew that he was very strong, but it was not possible to see how strong just from his attack where he beheaded four people.

  **

  Wei Wujiu’s invitation received many responses, and he felt a touch of satisfaction. Fang Qilin’s considerations had nothing to do with life and death, and the other grand masters who came out all had their own thoughts.

  A swordsman dressed in black robes sensed the other twelve different yet powerful press senses, and then looked in shock to his left. In his perception, the sky over there turned a dark green like there were sea grasses dancing wildly.

  That energy was very special, a unique method belonging to the former Wei Dynasty. Just from the ripples, he knew that the method had been cultivated to such a degree.

  Even Lian Bo was here?

  So it was his subordinate leading the fifty thousand Bright Tiger troops in the Yin mountains?

  This swordsman took a deep breath. He sensed the presence of Zhang Kuangdao and knew that it was Lian Bo’s subordinate, Li Daozhou, who had the closest cultivation to him, back in the Yin Mountain.

  There were three marquises here. From a certain point of view, the number of powerful cultivators that the Qin had stationed here were far greater than in the Yin Mountain. So why did Consort Zhao Xiang put herself here as a bargain chip, and not in the Yin Mountain area?

  Was it truly for these seventy thousand Chu people?

  A true high ranking person should pay attention to the overall situation. This black-robed swordsman charged at Consort Zhao Xiang from within the group of thirteen. In both status and cultivation, he was at the bottom, but he was the only person who had thought of this.

  These thirteen Qin grand masters were charging at Consort Zhao Xiang. Even the general of the Gold Dagger Army had left the troops, and was racing to Consort Zhao Xiang. The intentions of the Qin grandmasters were very clear.

  “Do not go!”


  But among the seventy Chu people, when some of the cultivators near the front were going to charge at the thirteen grand masters, Ji Xingbai shouted at them.

  “Why?”


  Multiple cultivators stopped in their steps, and looked at the pale Ji Xingbai.

  “I understand them better than you. She does not want us to go there,” Ji Xingbai looked at these cultivators and said.

  But saying such simple words, Ji Xingbai seemed to have used up all his energy, and his clothing was soaked in sweat. He had only interacted with Consort Zhao Xiang for a short time, but from learning her identity to now, he could sense Consort Zhao Xiang’s confidence and pride had not changed.

  Now, he started to believe that Consort Zhao Xiang chose him from the seventy thousand people not just because he had some authority among them, but there were other reasons. When a commander was picking their deputies, they would not pick the people who were just a bit weaker and slightly less cunning than them, but the people who could understand them and their intentions the best.

  If she had not judged him incorrectly, and he was right, then Consort Zhao Xiang had a solution out of this situation, and did not need them to sacrifice their lives. Including him, these seventy thousand Chu people did not have cultivators important enough to pose a threat to the thirteen Qin grandmasters.

  If they had to put down their lives, it would be at the right time!

  **

  “Just the two of us?”


  Xiang Yan and Consort Zhao Xiang were close to each other. He was the first to reach Consort Zhao Xiang, and he knelt down on one knee in a greeting. For the Chu Dynasty, this was the highest level of greeting, especially on the battlefield like this. It meant beyond ordinary respect, and also humble status.

  “If more people came, these Qin people may have discovered my tracks early, and also, there are not many people who have my absolute trust.”


  When Xiang Yan arrived, Consort Zhao Xiang had stood up. She nodded in greeting and explained. Then she said, “We two are enough.”


  Xiang Yan raised his eyebrows. Of course he did not feel this was enough. There were no realm seven cultivators in the world who could match thirteen of the same level, except for Wang Jingmeng in the past. He knew his limits, but since she said that it was enough, then he had reasons to trust her.

  Consort Zhao Xiang straightened, and then lifted her head.

  Among the thirteen presences which represented the powerful grandmasters, there was a savage and violent presence coming first like an avalanche.

  “The Snow Mountain Falling sword form. Wei Wujiu has come down from the white mountain.”


  Consort Zhao Xiang looked at the figure in the air that had arrived with the first presence, and identified the other person. Then she said proudly, “The first to come is one of Old Wei’s people. This time, Old Wei is really putting it all in. But so many have come, and still so cautious, he has not changed.”


  Her words were clear and spread through the surroundings. She did not seem to be channeling her vital energy, but before she finished speaking, a sword essence formed in the air.

  With a loud boom, many snow white bright lights rolled through the sky like an avalanche.

  This sword was purely strong and crushing, straightforward like the classic Qin sword forms.

  But facing this sword move that no one was able to dodge and had to face head on, Consort Zhao Xiang just crushed a small thing in her hand, the delicate cracking sound like she had crushed a teacup.

  This sound was covered up by her voice, but as indigo ribbons of light flowed through her fingertips, a sword essence and a more furious energy vibration came from her hand!

  Ahead of the dazzling white sword light, an indigo shadow appeared like the faint phantom of a mountain gate.

  But as the indigo shadow flashed, the Qin grandmaster behind the sword light made an odd scream, falling backwards like an eagle, and a burst of bloody mist came from his chest.

  Consort Zhao Xiang gave an enchanting smile.

  “Do not forget the Chu weapons are the best in the world, and I am the Empress Dowager of the Chu Dynasty. Who can possess better Chu weapons than I?”


  Volume 2 10 - Changes Over Plans

  This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.

  As Xie Lianying looked at Chen Tunyun who had collapsed slowly to the ground and died, he asked in a sympathetic tone, "The Chen Family was established in Guanzhong since the last generation. I really want to know why he is a member of the Chu?"

  The grey-robed cultivator said coolly, "The son is the own son, but the mother is not the own mother."

  Xie Lianying was surprised. "Adoption?"

  The grey-robed cultivator did not refuse to answer and coldly said, "A Chu orphan was adopted by a benevolent mother of Guanzhong, treated as one of her own, so he naturally is grateful."

  Xie Lianying said in scorn, "I think it must be your arrangement that a Chu orphan could enter the Chen Family."

  The grey-robed cultivator raised an eyebrow. To him, a matter like this did not need to be explained.

  Xie Lianying sneered. "Any person knows to repay favors, much less their mother that raised them? It is normal for Chen Tunyun to be filial to his mother. Even if you had other intentions, you could have waited until he traded the hostages. If this time you failed, the next time, you could speak of honor. You could say that you feared we would scatter and flee after he had released the hostages. However, your conspiracy will see the light, as you cannot kill all of us. You killed Chen Tunyun out of haste to accomplish your goal. A person like you is a beast and doesn’t qualify to be a grandmaster."

  The grey-robed cultivator was not angry. Nonchalantly, he said in scorn, "Our failure came from underestimating the Xie Family’s abilities."

  "You are stronger than other people’s opinions of you ……" The grey-robed cultivator raised his head slightly, glanced coldly at all the people around. Eventually, his gaze landed back on Xie Lianying. "But do not think to use lowly tactics to stir chaos among the people around me with your speech. You should understand that since I have displayed my strength, everyone around me knows; if anyone attacks me, they will immediately die."

  Xie Lianying did not speak and narrowed his eyes slightly. He was fat, but he was like a tiger that had just awoken.

  "I will not kill these people. They will stay here. I think you will not leave them and flee."

  The grey-robed cultivator turned slightly to the side and nodded towards the dozen Xie family members surrounded in the distance. Then his body moved slightly as he floated off the carriage. He started to walk slowly towards the Xie Family caravan. At the same time, he looked at Xie Lianying and Xie Rou, saying calmly, "While I killed Chen Tunyun out of helplessness, right now, the situation is simple. Either the Xie Family has enough power to kill me, or I kill you all."

  At these words, Xie Rou felt an inexplicable wave of emotion and instinctively turned to glance at the three black carriages behind her.

  Ding Ning suddenly grew nervous.

  His gaze remained on Xie Lianying and Xie Rou. Just from this small action, he realized that while the Xie Family were prepared. In order to make the Chen Family less wary, they had not brought realm sevens.

  The Xie Family probably had not expected such a powerful Chu Dynasty cultivator hiding among these horse bandits. In other words, the Xie Family might not be able to withstand this cultivator’s strength.

  Forefather Zhou should be a match for this Chu Dynasty cultivator. He also wanted to use this matter to form a relationship with the Xie Family, but he seemed to only desire to try against the Chu Dynasty cultivator.

  This showed that the Chu Dynasty cultivator likely had the ability to assassinate his enemy at an extremely long distance. If that were true, Forefather Zhou might not be in time even if he acted. Also, he was certain that Forefather Zhou would not be in a hurry to act and against such a cultivator, may not be able to come out completely unscathed.

  Even if Forefather Zhou could defeat this Chu cultivator without any harm, based on his understanding of Forefather Zhou, the other would not act before the Xie Family used all his power. He would wait until the Xie Family was in dire straits and at a dangerous time before he acted. In this battle with the Chu Dynasty cultivator, he would go so far as to feign serious injuries even if he was not injured.

  This way, naturally, the Xie Family would feel more indebted to him.

  Ding Ning was almost certain that he would only act after Xie Lianying was killed.

  Xie Lianying had showed a powerful ability to judge and respond that others could not imagine. Compared to Xie Lianying, a greenhorn like Xie Rou was easier to fool and control.

  When Xie Rou turned to look at where Ding Ning was, the grey-robed cultivator from the Chu Dynasty also glanced at the three black carriages in the distance.

  These three black carriages that had been following the Xie Family caravan all this time had long been in his sights.

  When he saw Xie Rou look back but the three black carriages remain motionless, the wariness in his gaze faded slightly. A wave of vital energy silently poured into the ground through his feet.

  In the world of cultivators, life and death were only just the difference of a moment.

  Fu Su’s breathing grew faster. He could sense the carriages that he was on, and the ones around him were not moving. He couldn’t help but open his mouth, wanting to say something.

  Ding Ning’s gaze flashed.

  He decided what he needed to do.

  Just as Fu Su opened his mouth, he shouted urgently at Fu Su. "Do not be rash!"

  Fu Su stilled. He did not understand why Ding Ning would yell like this.

  But during this moment, he suddenly felt an erupting volcano appear next to him. His eardrums rang slightly. Before he could react, vital energy exploded out of Ding Ning’s body.

  Ding Ning turned into a gust of wind that surged out of the carriage.

  Two sharp sounds of the wind tearing.

  Two black sword lights flew out of the fingers of his hands and cut through the tack on one of the carriage’s horses. Without any hesitation, his foot tapped on this horse’s back. The horse whinnied in pain, and in a frenzy, along with him sprinted forward.

  This series of movements was absolutely a smooth flow. By the time Fu Su realized that Ding Ning had only shouted for him not to move, the horse had already crossed dozens of meters with Ding Ning.

  When the carriage suddenly lost one of its two horses, the black carriage could not avoid tilting. The Zhou Family driver at the front was naturally an extraordinary cultivator. His body remained steady as a nail at the helm of the carriage. Yet even he had not been able to stop Ding Ning in time and couldn’t help but shout.

  Fu Su looked at Ding Ning who was standing on the back of the horse rushing towards the Xie Family carriage. He could not grasp Ding Ning’s intentions.

  In his view, with his level of strength, Ding Ning was charging to his death.

  In the carriage at the centre, Forefather Zhou’s expression suddenly grew dark.

  His hands rose slightly. Two terrifying presences seemed about to come out of his arms. But then his gaze flashed. He seemed to think of something, smiled coldly and then, without a word, his hands landed back on his knees.

  He did not speak, and the three black carriages naturally did not move.

  Xie Rou looked with shock at Ding Ning who was charging up the path. She could not understand what use was there in Ding Ning charging up by himself. As she saw Ding Ning’s calm but burning gaze, the hoofbeats seemed to hammer at her body.

  The grey-robed cultivator paused slightly.

  He was already attacking, yet was unable to understand the two strange black sword lights that Ding Ning had shot. So he stopped.

  Ding Ning was not an ordinary cultivator. He was certain where the hesitation of the grey-robed cultivator came from.

  So, he immediately raised his hand, with a hiss, another black sword light charged towards the sky in front of him.

  Before him were the Xie Family caravan and the grey-robed cultivator.

  The black sword light tore the air from such a long ways off. Countless possibilities flashed through the grey-robed cultivator’s mind. The names of numerous powerful cultivation methods and sword manuals appeared in his mind.

  He couldn’t help but look up and narrowed his eyes at this black sword light that seemed to melt under the sunlight. He feared this black sword light having some astounding change.

  Yet as the black sword light came closer; in his perception, the power of this sword grew weaker. It started to fly slower, and then he sensed the great coldness.

  "Star fiend condensing method."

  He could not help but murmur to himself, his brows furrowed.

  He was sure of what method this was and also certain that Ding Ning’s cultivation was very weak in comparison to him. But he was still slightly anxious ……

  Of course he did not hope that anyone would control the rhythm of the battle.

  He took a deep breath and did not hesitate; two surges of vital energy swelled under his feet. Two light blue jade pieces appeared under his shoes.

  These light blue jade pieces were completely transparent and thinner than a hair. They seemed to have been cut and sanded with an unknown method where they were so thin, but also had so many dense seal scripts on the surface.

  As his vital energy was injected in, with a pop, two rays of blue light surged under his feet.

  His body disappeared into these two pillars of blue light.

  He truly disappeared.

  In this moment, he had vanished from everybody’s sight.

  Translator Ramblings: Poor Chen Tunyun …… being a spy is not fun.

  Volume 4 11 - A Dogged Life

  The God Killing Army was the strongest army of the Qin Dynasty. Its leader, General Bai Qi, may not be the strongest general in terms of individual cultivation and strength, but when he and the army behind him were together, he was the strongest general of the Qin Dynasty.

  Sensing the puzzlement of the realm seven grandmaster in front of him, a ripple appeared in his murderous mind. He gazed in the direction of the Great Floating Water Prison with a hint of confusion.

  The empress had never had any problems in countless previous battles …… Did she have a problem now because she had not fought for so long.

  At this time, there were also many other confused people in Changling.

  Mo Shoucheng had stopped. Some strands of his hair fell but he did not notice it but the wrinkles on his forehead and the corners of his eyes deepened.

  He understood the empress better than this killing general. He knew the empress would not have problems. Since the empress would not have problems, then it could only be the Nine Death Silkworm.

  Ever since the Nine Death Silkworm officially appeared and announced his existence to Changling and even the entire world, he had always won against the empress.The empress could not find him. But the empress’ people were decreasing.

  For people like Mo Shoucheng, this was a dangerous signal. This meant …… even an heir of the Nine Death Silkworm, after seeing the empress for who she was, could win against the empress in relatively fair battles. So he did not just worry that the empress would go mad, he also worried that the empress may be defeated by the Nine Death Silkworm.

  He was one of the wisest people in Changling who knew there was no meaning in thinking about the distant future. Yet, thinking of the unpredictable fate that this dynasty that was already so powerful and peaceful would endure, he still gave a pained groan within.

  For the empress, the changes in the Great Floating Water Prison were expected, but for Changling, the changes in the Great Floating Water Prison were a sudden event.

  The Divinity Bureau did not know. The Astrology Bureau did not know.

  Ye Celeng’s carriage was heading towards Sky Falling Alley. A spy from the Yan was possibly hiding there. Bureau Chief Chen was reading files in the Astrology Bureau.

  The empress stood patiently in front of the spirit lotus pond. A faint smile appeared on her perfect face, a smile that was rare and crueler for its rarity.

  In her plan, today, Ba Mountain Sword Field …… or rather, that person’s remaining subordinates would all disappear. Through them, she could possibly trace the Nine Death Silkworm! If the Nine Death Silkworm did not die, she could not eat or drink. She knew Emperor Yuanwu also could not eat or sleep either. Otherwise, he would not go to that place where that person died every year.

  Many people in Changling confirmed that that person had died then, completely dead that he did not even leave any dust behind. Yet when she thought she had finally obtained Changling and the world, the shadow of the Nine Death Silkworm had silently appeared again.

  The most painful thing in the world was when you felt that you could completely forget something, someone constantly forced you to think of those things. When you felt you had already won, but found out that you had not.

  She knew it was the same for Yuanwu. So she had been unhappy for many years, and did not smile for many years. She knew the Nine Death Silkworm would truly disappear from the world when she learned the secrets of the Nine Death Silkworm.

  Today, she finally had such an opportunity. So she had a rare smile.

  She waited patiently.

  A long time later, her eyebrows slowly rose. Appearing in front of her was not the middle-aged man who had followed her for many years like Palace Attendant Rong, but another palace attendant.

  This palace attendant did not know her true emotions. She walked up quickly, and bowed respectfully like the yellow-robed middle-aged man who usually reported to her.

  The news from the Great Floating Water Prison reached her ears in great detail. The joy she felt disappeared at the palace attendant’s first words.

  She was silent, showing no other emotion.

  After the palace attendant finished reporting, she did not hear a response. She did not know if the empress had heard clearly but did not dare to look up. She could only maintain her respectful posture and freeze where she was.

  “Why is it like this!”


  “Have you really come back to life?”


  The empress looked up at the sky and shouted in fury.

  The palace attendant did not hear her angry shout. Before she spoke, invisible ripples appeared in this space. An energy storm stunned her and threw her out.

  “How dare you betray me, how can you betray me!” She took a deep breath and said coldly.

  She was most skilled in using such means, so she immediately understood what kind of people had the abilities to do such a thing.

  **

  Huang Zhenwei was in the pitch black underground river.

  His vital energy gathered primal energies of the universe that shone with blurry light yellow light in the river like a candle flame that would be extinguished at any moment. He could not find traces of the Nine Death Silkworm.

  To his fear, he felt an indescribable vibration.

  He was far from the Great Floating Water Prison, and could not sense the battle. But he could confirm through this vibration that it came from someone who cultivated the same method as him.

  Emperor Yuanwu. Only he could sense Emperor Yuanwu’s presence vibrating at this time.

  Emperor Yuanwu had reached realm eight under the pressure of the Deer Mountain Conference. His vibration now could not be due to another breakthrough. So Huang Zhenwei was extremely agitated. He could not imagine what could cause the calmly cultivating Emperor Yuanwu to have such powerful emotional swings.

  Even so, he had a bad feeling.

  **

  Some faint coolness appeared in the quiet clinic.

  Ding Ning, who had been sitting on the bed and looking at the door, smiled. His smile contained indescribable emotions. He saw Zhangsun Qianxue push open the door and enter. He looked hard as though he wanted to merge her into his gaze.

  Zhangsun Qianxue turned her head to look away from Ding Ning’s face. She said coldly, “When do you prepare to meet Lin Zhujiu?”


  Ding Ning looked at her and said slowly, “When I make sure everyone is safe.”


  **

  In the imperial palace.

  The empress pushed open the half-closed door of the imperial study. She walked in and saw Emperor Yuanwu in cloth robes standing in front of an enormous map. She said coldly, “This is an unfair battle. Any dissatisfaction towards the Qin Dynasty and Changling, even past dissatisfactions, will be put onto us.”


  Emperor Yuanwu looked peacefully at her and did not speak.

  The empress looked at him and said, “You said last time for me to wait. I listened to you, but now, I do not want to wait.” She paused and then added. “If we cannot eliminate all enemies, then we should be cruel to the end, and grab everything.”


  Emperor Yuanwu gave a small smile.

  “No matter what you decide,” he said gently, “I will forever stand by your side. Why else do you think I am looking at this map?”


  The empress looked at his peaceful face. For an instant, she felt moved. She knew this powerful man had done enough for her, yet her emotion only lasted for an instant. She also knew that at many times, she was only the mistress of the family. She did the evil things in the family. Most people in Changling thought that Emperor Yuanwu focused on cultivation and did not care about court matters.

  Even more importantly, she never felt true joy. Without true joy, how could she get joy from someone else?

  She looked at Emperor Yuanwu and smiled. Her smile was enchanting and perfect, so beautiful it was intoxicating.

  Then she turned to leave.

  Emperor Yuanwu looked at her beautiful back and his emotions could not be calmed.

  “Make Ghost Market disappear,” She said to the two palace attendants following her as she walked towards her study.

  Translator Ramblings: Bai Qi’s historical nickname is the “human butcher”.

  Volume 5 11 - Yin River Fire

  “Celestial Pivot! Seven Wheels!”


  A harsh military order sounded.

  Dozens of blinding blue light exploded among the army. Dozens of swordsmen seemed to become weightless in these blue rays, immediately falling down around Bai Shanshui. Dozens of sword lights, carrying sharp killing intent, illuminated the air around Bai Shanshui like it was made out of crystal.

  “They say that no dynasty can compare to the Qin army in terms of fearlessness.”


  “Supposedly, when the Ba Mountain Sword Field fought back then, they were fearless and always charged at the front, creating this style of yours.”


  “But in the end? You people destroyed the Ba Mountain Sword Field yourselves.”


  “In the past, you were the weak Qin. Everyone fought desperately so they would not be destroyed by stronger dynasties. But after the Qin destroyed three dynasties, you have become the strong Qin. You are fighting with your lives now for Emperor Yuanwu or that Jiaodong woman who stole the fruits of the Ba Mountain Sword Field?”


  Bai Shanshui ignored them as she spoke mockingly and walked forward.

  All these swords lights, that came from different directions and sealed all the space around her, landed behind her.

  She swung her sword forward. A ruler-straight green light charged forward against the ground like the tail of a shark, and cut through the entire army. A deep sword mark was left on the ground.

  In the next moment, astounding sounds of water came from this sword mark.

  Boom!

  An enormous white wave formed out of air like a white dragon. It charged forward while Bai Shanshui, hand behind her back, stood upon the wave.

  This enormous wave knocked away countless fearless Dongling soldiers as it advanced. Even the heavy seal chariots spread to the two sides like floating wood in water.

  The dozens of swordsmen behind Bai Shanshui had extremely unpleasant expressions. All of their attacks had missed, and they were even able to withstand the power of this wave. They could only watch as Bai Shanshui broke through the formation without being delayed at all.

  “Official Shen, you will still not act?”


  The commander saw his Dongling Army seemingly cut in half and turned around with an ugly expression. He knew that Bai Shanshui was more terrifying than in the rumors, and the Dongling Army would not be able to defeat her now.

  Even the most fearless subordinate would not let all his subordinates fall by Bai Shanshui’s sword. There was no meaning.

  Shen Xuan knew how this Dongling commander felt now. But facing the request, he shook his head and coldly said, “Changling does not belong to my jurisdiction. My only duty is to guarantee the safety of the Great Floating Water Prison, prevent the prisoners from being rescued, and stop them from dying before the execution order.”


  Before the Dongling commander could become angry, Shen Xuan’s cold face disappeared from his sight. The heavy gate fell down between him and Shen Xuan.

  Many gates were said to be thirty thousand catties heavy. Yet in Changling, and even in the Qin Dynasty, no gate was as secure as this Thirty Thousand Catties Gate of the Great Floating Water Prison.

  So when the gates landed, and the dust brought by the wave of air hit his face, the commander did not even have the fury to pull out his sword and slash at the door. Bone-chilling cold spread through his heart.

  Bai Shanshui was coming on the wave. He was right in front of Bai Shanshui.

  The commander took a deep breath. A blue lifebond sword appeared in his hand. He tightly gripped this sword, but then his hand and body trembled violently. Not because of terror and the arrival of death. But he was certain even if he died, the Dongling soldiers on the two sides of the wave would constantly charge towards Bai Shanshui. They would all die.

  At this moment, he hesitated about sending a military order for the army to retreat. He would use his death and the humiliation he would surely endure in exchange for the lives of his subordinates……

  Before the soaring sword essence reached him, his clothes were already soaked. This was purely a difference in strength. He could not understand how the moisture could reach his body with the energy of his lifebond sword shielding him.

  He finally decided to speak and have this already crippled army retreat before his death.

  But then the enormous sword essence did not land directly. Bai Shanshui’s voice sounded softly by his ear.

  “Just a moment, I will not kill your subordinates, you will not stop me.”


  This Dongling commander stilled. Before he could understand the meaning in the words, the terrifying sword essence arrived.

  Boom!

  His eardrums felt pain. Then his mind rang with an explosion. His body was thrown backwards without being able to resist. He hit the gates hard, and then was bounced into the air. He threw up a spray of blood.

  Even so, the commander felt he was not dead.

  The blow had been enough to kill him, but he had not died.

  **

  Shen Xuan walked slowly inside the Great Floating Water Prison. Behind the Thirty Thousand Catties Gate was another door closing behind him. As he passed on the path, water seeped out of the cracks in the rocks on the sides and covered the stone path he was walking on.

  The water from the stone on the two sides inexplicably flowed upwards, and flashed with silver light. His steps were measured.

  The cart carrying Zhang Shiwu had been sent deep into Great Floating Water Prison. When the Dongling commander hit the gates, it was like a bell had rung out inside the prison; the sound waves constantly moved, rushing into its depths.

  There were three gates to the Great Floating Water Prison. One was an invisible gate, transparent light flashed in the darkness and blocked the external sounds. Yet this light could only block the sounds that people could hear with their ears, and protect the messages passed in, but could not stop the sound from spreading elsewhere, for example …… deep underground……

  In the dim underground yin river, the surging and pressurized black water seemed to wash away everything in its path.

  But in this yin river, a figure like scorching metal stood quietly.

  When the sound of the crash reached the underground, when a burst of strange vibrations appeared in the underground river, this small body as vast as a mountain suddenly moved.

  With one movement, it was like an enormous furnace had been set up in the yin river. An enormous ball of fire stood in the pitch black yin river, expanding rapidly as though it was going to consume the yin river.

  The scorching fire and steam slapped away all water. A blinding fire charged towards the hard rock in front of the figure.

  In the black rock, there was a small vent that occasionally would give off one or two bubbles. When the fire charged into the small vent, and made contact with the bubbles, it formed a terrifying power that charged inwards at unimaginable speed.

  Countless red hot cracks appeared on the hard black stone. The cracks spread outwards and rocks started to fall! The cut surface of the falling rocks flowed with fire red liquid, magma.

  The rock layer collapsed upwards like an enormous mountain. The red-hot shadow passed through the falling rocks as it moved upwards.

  In front of her, when the rocks stopped falling, was a patch of metal. Iron pillars as thick as a child’s arm stopped her path.

  Without any hesitation, she passed straight through.

  She was like an enormous sword of fire that cut through these iron pillars.

  The pillars were broken!

  Zzt zzt zzt zzt ……

  At the same time, the water in each of the dim dark cells in the Great Floating Water Prison started to make unusual sounds and bubbled. The fiery red figure continued to advance. Blinding silver light appeared ahead of her.

  The silver light illuminated her thin and lonely figure.

  She was naturally Zhao Si of the Zhao Sword Furnace.