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Chapter Twenty: Fanatic
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  “In the past, gentlemen ruled the world with righteousness and benevolence, and their actions were governed by reasons. You Qin people stole the country, Zheng Xiu had two husbands, do you care about your reputations?”


  “What are you saying!” Zhao Ce raised his eyebrows, and said coolly.

  Furious curses rose from among the Qin army.

  Zhao Ce’s lips curled slightly showing mockery, but he did not deign to look at the Qin soldiers.

  “I say all this to you, not because of others, but because it concerns the Ba Mountain Sword Field, and the promise between Wang Jingmeng and your master.” The ghostly cultivator who looked like a strategist did not change. He said quietly, “Some things, no matter if you believe or not, exist.”


  Zhao Ce looked at him and said, “Who are you?”


  This cultivator nodded in greeting and said, “Shi Changluo, but many people are used to calling me the ghost teacher.”


  Zhao Ce stilled and solemnly nodded in response. “So you are the Ghost Sword who betrayed the Ba Mountain Sword Field in the past. I never thought that after you left Ba Mountain Sword Field, you really learned the methods of ghosts and darkness.”


  Their talk was very flat, but even during this battle, there were sharp inhales and gasps within and without the crowd.

  The Ba Mountain Sword Field’s meaning to the Qin people did not have to be described. Even though many records regarding the Ba Mountain Sword Field had been burned after Yuanwu’s ascension, but for the army, especially for the cultivators, many things and people could not be erased.

  During the most glorious decades of the Ba Mountain Sword Field, there had only been one traitor, that was Shi Changluo. Supposedly, his sword essence was unpredictable, so he was called the Ghost Sword. Supposedly, he became a traitor of the Ba Mountain Sword Field because he wanted to kill Wang Jingmeng. In the rumors, his talent was very close to Wang Jingmeng’s. Because he was so jealous of Wang Jingmeng’s talent, he feared that Wang Jingmeng would overtake him, so he wanted to assassinate him. After his failure, he threw himself off a cliff, and fortunately survived.

  When someone of the legends appeared, they would frequently carry the presence of an era, and even the air seemed to turn heavy. But Shi Changluo had a cool expression as he said, “There is no method that is the strongest in the world, just use the one most useful.”


  Such a cool attitude caused Zhao Ce to look very solemn. He felt like he was being stared at by a fierce beast. He looked at Shi Changluo and said seriously, “In the rumors, you were jealous of Wang Jingmeng, failed to assassinate him and so betrayed the Ba Mountain Sword Field. But you are not a narrow minded person.”


  “Without life or death, how do you know who is stronger,.” Shi Changluo’s voice suddenly grew dark. “If I lost to him, I naturally have nothing to say. If I had killed him, it would prove that he was not as strong as me.”


  Zhao Ce frowned and said, “So you are a fanatic of the sword.”


  Shi Changluo looked at this grandmaster of the Zhao Sword Furnace, and suddenly had many complicated emotions. But after an instant, his mind grew unwavering, and undisturbed.

  “Why not kill Yuanwu?” Zhao Ce could not help but ask.

  Many Qin soldiers changed their expression.

  “I did not die at the Ba Mountain Sword Field, but I was very seriously wounded, and my progression was slow. If we were both realm eight, maybe I would have tried,” Shi Changluo calmly responded.

  Everybody could hear his meaning. He thought that he could not keep up with Yuanwu. Otherwise, if only he and Yuanwu were equal in the world, then he would go fight Yuanwu and see who was stronger.

  Zhao Ce was silent for a while. He took a deep breath and looked into Shi Changluo’s eyes. He asked solemnly, “In the past, Wang Jingmeng and my master really promised a battle?”


  Shi Changluo said coldly, “One sword to cut through the Mirror Lake Moon and burn the Sulfur Pool Water. You must know of these two things.”


  The Mirror Lake was in the Wuzhou of the Zhao lands. Back then, the Qin had been invading the Zhao, and they were attacking Wuzhou. Wang Jingmeng saw the Mirror Lake, and used one slash. The water did not ripple, but the clear reflection of the moon in the water split in two and did not come back together.

  In the Quan City of the Zhao, there was a hot spring called the Sulfur Pool. The water was yellow and hot, dozens of hectares in radius. That grandmaster of the Zhao Sword Furnace had used his sword that day on the Sulfur Pool, drying up the pool, and even causing the spring to stop flowing.

  These two incidents had occurred so long ago, but represented the peak of the cultivation world in terms of swordsmanship and cultivation at this time. Just like Yuanwu using one blow to flatten a mountain at the Deer Mountain Conference, this was fated to pass down in the cultivation world.

  Especially the Zhao grandmaster drying the Sulfur Pool with one blow. In the many stories that came after, this was said to be him being discontent with the emperor of the Zhao so he had done such a thing. Not long after, the Emperor of the Zhao set up a trap and killed him.

  These were all past matters, and it was hard to explain the twists and turnings. But today, Shi Changluo and Zhao Ce met, and there was the chance of sorting this out. Especially to Zhao Ce, these things were more important than his own life and death.

  “So you mean, my master burned up the Sulfur Pool in response to Wang Jingmeng’s sword?” he looked at Shi Changluo and slowly asked.

  Shi Changluo sneered. “The time between the two incidents is about the time needed for the news to reach your Zhao Sword Furnace. You should understand your master better than me, but with his personality, would he have been so bored that he would use a sword like that to intimidate the Zhao emperor?”


  Zhao Ce was silent for a breath and then bowed. He said, “I would like to hear more.”


  “It is very simple.”


  Shi Changluo said, “In the past, the city that your Zhao Sword Furnace was in was just an ordinary city for the Qin army to destroy along the way. But no one had expected that there was a Zhao Sword Furnace there, such a grand master, and many powerful cultivators like you. Your master killed a Qin troop the first time. For the Ba Mountain Sword Field at that time, even if they sent many cultivators and armies to destroy your city, even if they killed your master, if the experts like you escaped, you would be more trouble. So Wang Jingmeng wanted to use battle as a bet. If he won against your master, the Zhao Sword Furnace would retreat out of the city, and the Qin army would keep the city, but the people of the Zhao Sword Furnace would not be able to interfere in the war between the Qin and Zhao.

  After a pause, Shi Changluo said with slight scorn, “That was the best way. If it were me, I would have done what he did.”


  Zhao Ce asked, “What does that have to do with these two incidents?”


  “Wang Jingmeng and I are different. He might have felt that a battle without life and death was better, so he used his sword first. Had your master learned of this and knew that he was not strong enough, there would have been no need for the battle. But your master used his sword to answer him.” Shi Changluo looked down.

  A complicated look appeared in Zhao Ce’s eyes. He started to speak but he was very slow, “So my master felt that he and Wang Jingmeng were well matched. Otherwise, with his personality, if Wang Jingmeng’s sword was much weaker than his, he would not have answered. If Wang Jingmeng was much better than him, he naturally would not have answered.”


  Shi Changluo coolly said, “You finally understand.”


  Inside and outside the city, many soldiers and cultivators were in great shock.

  So the strongest person of the Qin Dynasty and the grand master of the Zhao Dynasty had been well matched. They even agreed to a battle, but before they could fight, the Zhao grandmaster had died in the conspiracy of the Zhao Dynasty.

  Translator Ramblings: I don’t see how splitting a reflection is a sign of power but that is still a cool visual.

  Also, I mistranslated Zhao Ce as Zhao Cuo previously. Hopefully, they are all fixed now.

  Volume 5 20 - Back Then

  Lin Zhujiu looked at the beef soup that was already very thick in the pot. After not having eaten his favourite food for so long, the pot of beef soul was a great temptation to him. But he knew the beef soup had not reached its most delicious moment, so he waited patiently.

  “The Qin destroyed three dynasties. The Ba Mountain Sword Field was recognized as the strongest sect in the world. Everyone in the world thought that I was the advisor to those people of Ba Mountain Sword Field at the time, and that many strategies came from me.”


  Lin Zhujiu smiled and said, “But actually, most strategies came from him.”


  Zhao Si frowned deeply. She looked at Lin Zhujiu and honestly spoke what she had said, “You know that in the past, among the Qin the Sword Furnace wanted to kill the most, you were third. Everyone in the world knew that many of the Qin military’s tricks came from you. But you say that these tricks have nothing to do with you?”


  “Because this itself is a strategy.” Lin Zhujiu looked up at her and said emotionally, “Back then, everyone knew Wang Jingmeng was the strongest sword of the Ba Mountain Sword Field. They all knew that no one was a match for him one on one. If they knew that he was not just the strongest in Changling, and he was the advisor to the entire Ba Mountain Sword Field, then all the enemies would have one thought- kill him at all costs.”


  Zhao Si and Bai Shanshui exchanged glances. They could understand the meaning in Lin Zhujiu’s words but they still did not believe it. There were too many stories about Lin Zhujiu, and they had experienced many of those events.

  “You mean that this is a scheme to share the danger?” Bai Shanshui could not help but look at Lin Zhujiu and ask.

  “In the views of many people back then, an advisor who could expect all was more terrifying for war than a pure swordsman who was invincible.” Lin Zhujiu smiled. “Also, to everybody, I was a much easier kill than him so more people attempted assassinations on me and not him. Those that assassinated him did not know how to set up the situation, but to kill me, they only had to find the opportunity, and find two or three cultivators stronger than me. In a certain way, I was a cover to attract many assassins to die.”


  Zhao Si thought of the grandmasters who had died to assassinate Lin Zhujiu and felt increasingly ironic and sad.

  “Ba Mountain Sword Field is really terrifying.” Bai Shanshui laughed mockingly and said, “What does the steward mean?”


  “It means property.” Lin Zhujiu said without any intention of evading, “I have a good memory. My mind is an account ledger. I know which people are of Ba Mountain Sword Field, I know where some of Ba Mountain Sword Field’s things are.”


  Zhao Si and Bai Shanshui now understood completely and said together, “You mean, Ba Mountain Sword Field has many …… many things that Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu have not gotten control of?”


  Lin Zhujiu could not help but laugh. “Swords and sword manuals are only things on the surface. Otherwise, why do you think that Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu did not bear to kill me after so many years?”


  Zhao Si was even more confused.

  Back then, Ba Mountain Sword Field had so many famous swords and sword manuals. In the decade, you created countless Changling experts. If a sect’s swords and sword manuals are not the most important, then what is the most important?

  Lin Zhujiu knew she could not understand. He also knew that these people were trustworthy and there were not many like them.

  The pot of beef soup had reached its most appropriate time. So he indicated for Zhang Shiwu to put out the fire. Then he filled a bowl of beef soup and slowly sipped.

  “For example.” After tasting his long-awaited flavour, he groaned in pleasure. Then he said, “Zheng Xiu thinks the Chu Dynasty is hers now, but for Ba Mountain Sword Field, over a half is ours.”


  Zhao Si and Bai Shanshui shook together. A wave immediately was created off the side of the boat, being crushed into fine powder by the pair’s presence, and then sprayed outwards onto the dark water like fine flour.

  “After all this conspiring, one cannot win against one of their own.”


  Lin Zhujiu looked at the reflection of the moon in the water. His proud expression disappeared without a trace. He sighed softly. “He did not die at the hands of so many strong enemies, but in the hands of his own. If he had not died, perhaps even the two remaining dynasties would be gone now.”


  Zhao Si and Bai Shanshui were silent for a long time. They first pondered what Lin Zhujiu said about the Chu Dynasty.

  Bai Shanshui took a deep breath and she managed to calm her emotions. She asked tentatively, “Demon Consort Zhao?”


  Lin Zhujiu nodded.

  Zhao Si said coldly, “How is that possible?”


  Lin Zhujiu looked seriously at her and said, “Everyone has their own ways.”


  Zhao Si wanted to argue, but when she thought of Zheng Xiu, she could not speak and wore an ugly expression.

  Lin Zhujiu looked amusedly at her and said, “You probably would not have thought that Li Lingjun becoming the new Chu emperor, while related to Zheng Xiu’s arrangements, also is related to us because we did many things to smooth the way.”


  Zhao Si had an urge to knock away the bowl of beef soup in front of Lin Zhujiu.

  Fortunately, Lin Zhujiu spoke quickly after. “I used some of the property of Ba Mountain Sword Hoard so Lin Zhujiu grew quickly …… Anything that was sent maturing too quickly has some shortcomings. So, we successfully caused Li Lingjun to enter her sight and become her pawn. For us, we hoped that the Chu would not have too powerful a ruler.”


  “So Zheng Xiu hopes to use Li Lingjun to control the Chu, while you feel that Li Lingjun will easily be controlled by you?” Bai Shanshui laughed with admiration. “This is that person’s strategy?”


  “No.” Lin Zhujiu shook his head. “You do not understand Zheng Xiu enough. Zheng Xiu’s conduct will always have her end with cruelty and blood. She has Li Lingjun return because the Chu controlled by Li Lingjun will be easier to deal with in future wars. As to this plan ……”


  After a pause, he laughed self-deprecatingly and said, “This is my idea. After he died, we had to do something. I only hope we did nothing wrong.”


  Zhao Si could hear some other meaning and frowned deeply. “You do not know his heir, do not know his arrangements?”


  “I am not the person closest to him. Even though we are brothers, we were not so close we could sleep under the same blanket, on the same pillow.”


  Lin Zhujiu thought of that person’s last time. His smile grew bleaker than the moonlight on the water. “If I knew, then Zheng Xiu knew long ago. Back then, no one in Ba Mountain Sword Field thought he would have an heir. He was so strong yet he had not reached his peak. He was so invincible and young he did not have to rush to find an heir.”


  Thinking of the outcome of this enemy once so hard to defeat, Zhao Si felt some dark pleasure. She looked up at the pure moon. She did not disguise her emotions and said, “Maybe none of you understand him well enough?”


  Lin Zhujiu looked at her and did not speak. Zhao Si sensed something strange.

  “When someone is about to die, they can see themselves and others the most clearly.” Lin Zhujiu finished the bowl of beef soup and said slowly, “He died in battle in Changling. Who did not understand him?”


  Bai Shanshui said, “You are all sure he is dead?”


  Lin Zhujiu said coolly, “He fought until the last drop of blood, until his body turned to dust. Nothing was left. How can he still be alive?”


  Zhao Si thought of how numerous people had seen it and there were no doubts. So she thought and said, “You are all so smart, why did he fight to the death in Changling back then?”


  “Because that battle of his really saved many people out of Changling.” Lin Zhujiu sneered and said, “Just like how Ba Mountain Sword Field burned itself up, there are many things you do not know about in the background.”


  Volume 3 21 - The Lonely One

  Of the two figures, one was old, with white hair and beard that dangled like roots. This was the teacher Huang Zhenwei, the chief of the Clan Law Bureau, together with Emperor Yuanwu.

  Little was known about this old person. Almost no one even knew his name. The only certain thing was that his cultivation was strong, knew much about cultivation, and was extremely old. He had once been the teacher of the previous emperor.

  A person like this, naturally, had extraordinary wisdom.

  Sitting respectfully next to him was not Huang Zhenwei who had followed him in Changling to study, but that dignified palace attendant who frequently entered the empress’ study.

  In her hand was a bead, the size of a pigeon’s egg with multiple facets. While they were extremely far from Forefather Zhou, Ding Ning, Fu Su and the others, yet she seemed to be able to clearly see everything happening through the bead.

  “Official, this person is so vicious. Should he be killed?”


  The sight of Fu Su and Ding Ning being controlled by Forefather Zhou, turned this dignified palace attendant’s expression cold, thus she queried gravely.

  Her words were not “Official, should you kill him”, but “Should he be killed.” This meant that even without this old man acting, she had the ability to kill Forefather Zhou at this moment.

  “If he was to be killed, we could have done it when he left Changling. An old worm like Forefather Zhou will not have good intentions. But despite everything, he is a grandmaster of the Qin Dynasty. There may be some use in keeping him on this trip to Deer Mountain.”


  Hearing the palace attendant’s murderous words, the old man smiled slightly and said, “Also, I want to see what he is going to do.”


  The palace attendant reined in her anger and said slowly, “That wine shop youth is pretty good.”


  The old man nodded gently and said, “But we have to see if he can overcome this obstacle and the Min Mountain Sword Trials.”


  The palace attendant turned silent. A long while later, she asked respectfully, “Even you do not have absolute confidence in the conference this time?”


  “Our dynasty once killed four hundred thousand of the Zhao Dynasty. Everybody felt that within the next month, the Zhao Dynasty would be destroyed.” The old man looked down and said slowly, “But the sudden appearance of a Zhao Sword Furnace stopped our army from advancing. A major reason behind the loss of our dynasty in fighting the Chu Dynasty was because our dynasty lost too many good cultivators to the war with the Zhao.”


  “That was just the Zhao. There are too many capable and skilled people in the world.” The old man looked at the wrinkles on his hands and continued. “The rise and fall of a dynasty is never something that one cultivator could decide. No one can guarantee what kind of grandmasters will appear at the Deer Mountain Conference this time. The grandmaster of the Zhao Sword Furnace of the past is the best example. So, I say that the Min Mountain Sword Trials is an obstacle he has to overcome because, according to my knowledge, only some of Min Mountain Sword Sect’s methods will allow him to continue living. As to saying Deer Mountain Conference is also an obstacle he has to overcome, it is because the Deer Mountain Conference is closely related to all Qin cultivators. In times of chaos, cultivators like him cannot cultivate in peace.”


  The palace attendant took a deep breath, and did not continue the conversation.She felt that she was just worrying on her own. She hadn’t expected that even the teacher of the Holy One was deeply worried.

  But unbeknownst to her, what the old man was truly worried about was the sudden appearance of the Nine Death Silkworm.

  “The emperor is at Deer Mountain. It could be said that more than half of the Qin Dynasty’s power has left Changling. If it really is your heir, what would they do at this time?”


  The old man was undoubtedly one of the people who knew that person’s abilities the best. So in his view, if there was one person who could fatally influence the Qin Dynasty, it would be the heir to that person.

  Even so, never had this wise old man thought that the Nine Death Silkworm he was worried about, would appear right before his eyes……

  The water between the Wu Mountains was turbulent. The water raged through the mountains with hardly any merchant and fishing boats. The shores had not many inhabitants either.

  Yet, at this time, there were more than a dozen armored ships passing through one of the rivers.

  A man dressed in light yellow dragon robes was standing on the first ship. While he just looked calmly at the floating clouds in the sky and the waves in the water, his presence seemingly suppressed this raging river, even the current slowed.

  Behind him stood several generals in black combat robes and important people of Changling.

  He was naturally the most important person of the Deer Mountain Conference this time, Emperor Yuanwu of the Qin.

  While even his teacher lacked absolute confidence that the Qin Dynasty could regain face in the Deer Mountain Conference this time, everybody knew that the reason for this was that he was the common enemy of the other three dynasties.

  Cries of monkeys seemingly rang throughout the two sides of the mountains, and then disappeared as if the monkeys had fled. But this cry caused Emperor Yuanwu’s eyebrows to move slightly and brought him out of his musings.

  He beckoned behind him and said, “Bureau Chief Huang, come up.”


  Huang Zhenwei, who had been standing respectfully on the deck and observing the mountains on the two shores, immediately walked behind Emperor Yuanwu, stopping two body-widths away.

  “Stand next to me.” Emperor Yuanwu put his hand behind his back and said without looking back.

  Huang Zhenwei took a deep breath. He was shocked, but he did not say anything. He walked forward and stood together with the emperor on his right to watch the waves splash on the rocks ahead.

  “You are the person I chose. I had my teacher teach you. Strictly speaking, you are my junior sect brother,” Emperor Yuanwu said slowly. “The reason I chose you is because you are a true nationalist. You know and understand that everything I do is to make the dynasty stronger and more prosperous, so the people of the world can live better in the future. You are the most purely loyal person to me in Changling.”


  Huang Zhenwei nodded slightly in gratitude to Emperor Yuanwu for his praise, but he couldn’t help but think, if he was the most loyal in the emperor’s view, were the two prime ministers, the empress, and his teacher not loyal to him?

  “You must be wondering why I called up to stand with me.”


  Emperor Yuanwu looked at the nearing Deer Mountain and said to Huang Zhenwei, “Because even the strongest emperor is first a person and has their own emotions.”


  Huang Zhenwei couldn’t help but glance at the other and say softly, “This subject doesn’t understand.”


  “In the three years before my ascension, no one in the Qin Dynasty dared to stand side by side with me,” Emperor Yuanwu said slowly. “In a situation like this, at a conference like this, I should have many people standing with me. But because they were too stubborn, I am the only one left to stand on the ship and lead the Qin Dynasty forward. Since three years before my ascension, I have become a lonely being.”


  Huang Zhenwei’s breathing paused slightly. His gentle and scholarly expression did not change, but his heart contracted slightly.

  He knew the emperor’s emotions at this time were due to nostalgia of past events, but he didn’t know what true emotions were contained within this nostalgia.

  “This lonely one has you come forward in order to fight side by side with me at Deer Mountain Conference.”


  Emperor Yuanwu did not look at him. He seemed to sigh softly. “After this conference, this lonely one will become a true lonely one.”


  Huang Zhenwei’s eyes were filled with unprecedented shock.

  The lonely one would become a true lonely one. The phrase was awkward, but when he heard the words, and how Emperor Yuanwu had changed how he referred to himself as ‘the lonely one’, he clearly sensed the true meaning.

  The Holy One had such strong confidence towards the Deer Mountain Conference.

  A black shadow came down from the sky. It neared, it was a black goshawk.

  This goshawk landed on the arm of a black-armored general. The general took out a secret missive from the small metal tube tied to its claw and handed it to an unusually fat man next to him.

  This unusually fat man gave off a dominant presence. He was another important existence of Changling, Marquis Xu of Mountain Heng.

  Marquis Xu took a few steps forward, his footsteps sent tremors down the entire ship to trembl.

  “The first one to ascend Deer Mountain is the Chu King. He held a ceremony to the heavens at Deer Mountain and has established Li Lingjun as the crown prince,” Marquis Xu said softly, as he stood behind Emperor Yuanwu after reading the missive.

  “The first to ascend the mountain is Chu, the first to die must be Chu.”


  Emperor Yuanwu smiled proudly, not surprised. He said slowly, “This has nothing to do with the old age of the Chu King and who will take over the throne. When a dynasty over-relies on material items, their cultivators will naturally lose their spirits. The Chu can produce true craftsmen at making weapons, but not true cultivation grandmasters.”


  Marquis Xu smiled arrogantly.

  Among the dynasties at present, the Chu Dynasty was still the strongest, but in their eyes, the Chu Dynasty was their weakest opponent.

  Translator Ramblings: I’m not sure how common water travel was in the Qin for long distances. I know that southern China has “water-towns” but the Qin is more in the North. River travel probably is best if the roads aren’t good and I guess cultivators can easily make canals …… just have a realm seven walk around dragging his sword ……

  寡人 (guaren) meaning the lonely person was one of the ways monarchs used to refer to themselves, equivalent to the royal We. This showed how the monarch was unrivaled in status (but humble).

  Volume 4 21 - Forgotten Matters

  In the morning sunlight, when the mountainous Marquis Xu of Hengshan walked into the clinic where Ding Ning was, many people in Changling were looking up at the turrets of Changling.

  After the night passed, they finally discovered the strength of this old person. They finally discovered that this old man may be the strongest cultivator of Changling below Emperor Yuanwu.

  But when most of them looked at the turrets in the morning sun, the hate and anger in their eyes far surpassed their awe. Few were able to have access to this old man so few could understand this old man’s thoughts. Especially those people from cultivation places that had been forced to obey. They only remembered the number of people the old man had killed this night, and how many of the people they had known and respected had died at the hands of this old man.

  “Teacher, I am unable to find clues to the Nine Death Silkworm.”


  Under the morning light, Huang Zhenwei once again ascended the turret to the highest point. He looked with a pained gaze at the old man sitting on the rattan chair, indescribably aged after a night. “I am thinking now, did you deliberately give me hope like this so I will not stay by your side and stop you. The Nine Death Silkworm is too good at strategy. How can someone like me find it?”


  At those words, Mo Shoucheng laughed and then said softly, “Do not belittle yourself. You are my student.”


  Even the cold general standing behind him knew that these words were the greatest compliment, because all of Changling knew Mo Shoucheng only had two students, Emperor Yuanwu in his youth and then later on, Huang Zhenwei……

  “Doubting me or yourself has no meaning now.” Mo Shoucheng slowly lifted his head. As his head rose, another crack seemed to appear in the sky, and another great power fell towards a certain place in Changling.

  Huang Zhenwei caught a whiff of blood.

  Mo Shoucheng’s blow landed very far away. Even though it created a similar bloody wave like last night, Huang Zhenwei would not be able to smell the blood scent from there.

  The scent of blood now came from Mo Shoucheng’s body and the wrinkles in his face. Blood was actually flowing out of his facial wrinkles. His face seemed to have been sliced countless times like the sword essences from the grandmasters last night finally reached his body.

  Huang Zhenwei looked at this scene in the morning light. He opened his mouth wide and struggled to breathe like a dying fish, but he could not breathe or speak.

  The light in Mo Shoucheng’s eyes dimmed slightly but his expression did not change. Another powerful presence was exuded off his body and caused the blood seeping out of his face to fly in droplets.

  “Do not!” Huang Zhenwei clearly sensed something and he finally made sound.

  “This sword will have to be completed,” Mo Shoucheng said calmly and then spat a mouthful of blood.

  A ball of blood splashed on his chest.

  The sword essence in the sky finally formed and landed.

  As the sword essence fell down, his body lay softly on the rattan chair behind him. His wrinkles were bone-deep and his remaining white hair all fell off.

  He was like a candle. When he burned to the end, he turned to ash.

  Where Mo Shoucheng’s last sword essence landed, there were some officials from the Principal Martial Bureau standing behind an army. When the sword essence landed, a tall wall in front of the army was abruptly cut down. Behind the crack in the tall walls, bloody mist rose.

  These officials from the Principal Martial Bureau had slightly relaxed expressions. A military order was delivered to these officials.

  “Min Mountain Sword Sect agreed? That wineshop youth also calmly accepted?” One of the officials who just relaxed was both shocked and joyed.

  One official inexplicably started to feel sympathy for Ding Ning whom the people of Changling called the wine shop youth. He looked up and gazed towards the northwest.

  At the end of the Qin lands there was an endless and desolate plain. Even though the heat of Changling had not yet faded, over there, the grass was frosted over and turning white. In the heavy cold, large groups of cavalry shouted and moved like the wind. They hunted the beasts on the plains and did not even spare the seeds of wild grasses.

  For the Donghu people, this was their harvest. The vast plains originally had enough space for them to have repeated harvests and have enough to live on. But for some of the Qin armies, the battlefields the Donghu people travelled through meant a sweep.

  There were not many cultivators among the Donghu, but they had all kinds of strange weapons that could kill cultivators. Even more importantly, the supply lines and some chariots could not keep up with the feet of the Donghu. It was difficult for reinforcements to arrive. At least, in the past, the Qin army did not have experience fighting Donghu and no experience at winning.

  At this time, these officials of the Principal Martial Bureau were considering since the mad mistress of the imperial palace dared to make such a decision, this meant that the situation Ding Ning would face would be more dangerous than most border armies. So no one felt it was wrong for Ding Ning to take some people along.

  The mist parted slightly on Min Mountain Sword Sect.

  In a hall used for healing, Xie Changsheng opened a letter. After a quick read, his happy face turned to fury. Then he shouted. “Ding Ning, what do you mean! You let Nangong Caishu go with you to Donghu but not me! You look down upon me, you think my sister dead and you have thought about Nangong Caishu!”


  His furious voice echoed in the hall. The Min Mountain Sword Sect grandmaster who had resided all this time in the hall frowned, but in the next moment, he froze.

  “Someone come quick, I am leaving Min Mountain Sword Sect!”


  The second time Xie Changsheng shouted, this Min Mountain Sword Sect grandmaster appeared in his sight.

  “You are really leaving the Min Mountain Sword Sect?” Even though he was certain he had not heard incorrectly, this Min Mountain Sword Sect grandmaster was still stunned.

  “He does not let me go to the Donghu border so I cannot go?” Xie Changsheng sneered. “Will I be unable to go?”


  No one in Min Mountain Sword Sect stopped Xie Changsheng because he was not a student of Min Mountain Sword Sect. Everyone was just used to him freeloading here and forgot about him.

  Ding Ning asked for a few days to recover and wait for some people. He was just a “wineshop youth” in Changling and did not have anything he needed to prepare.

  A fast horse appeared in his sight. On the back was a dusty yet handsome young woman.

  This was Nangong Caishu, who Xie Changsheng was angry with.

  After the Min Mountain Sword Trials, Nangong Caishu and Ding Ning had not met. During this period of time, Ding Ning had done many stunning things. While the time was short, it seemed to have been years.

  Nangong Caishu, on the way here, had been thinking what it would be like when she met Ding Ning again. But inexplicably, when she finally saw Ding waiting for her, she suddenly thought of that time outside Min Mountain Sword Sect when Xue Wangxu died. Her nose felt sore and she could not avoid feeling proud of Ding Ning.

  Getting off her horse, she forced her tears back and squeezed out a smile. “Ding Ning, I am proud of you.”


  “I am just doing what I want to do as best as possible.” Ding Ning smiled and said, “I have burdened many people.”


  Nangong Caishu said, “That is their own choice.”


  “You were not long in Min Mountain Sword Sect but you have grown much older.” Ding Ning looked at Nangong Caishu and smiled. But then his smile quickly faded and his voice dropped to a whisper. “Do you know why I want you to come with me to Donghu?”


  Nangong Caishu shook her head.

  Ding Ning looked at her and said seriously, “I asked Marquis Xu of Hengshan some things. He told me that your father will be an important general in charge of the Donghu border army.”


  Nangong Caishu stilled.

  Ding Ning continued. “I think that the empress sent him there because you and I are friends. I thought that if you and he are together, at least you will be reassured.”


  Nangong Caishu took a deep breath and nodded. Then she gave a small smile. “No matter what, to be able to fight in Father’s army as one of his soldiers is something I will thank you for.”


  “I want to know Min Mountain Sword Sect’s arrangement for everyone else,” Ding Ning looked at her and said.

  Translator Ramblings: The nice thing about an absolute monarchy is you can move most people around like you please.

  Volume 2 21 - We Must Be Grateful

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

  The beauty in palace attire took a deep breath.

  Silently, she looked at where Forefather Zhou, Ding Ning and Fu Su had disappeared.

  Previously, she had thought all Emperor Yuanwu and the empress did for the Qin Dynasty was justified. In order to create a great empire unprecedented in history, they had to be ruthless and make sacrifices at many times. The ruthlessness and sacrifices were to make the Qin Dynasty more powerful, so the people of Qin could prosper to a greater degree.

  Yet, to stop the king of Chu today, they had to sacrifice Fu Su. When it was her turn to personally give up on a person closest to her, her belief was slightly shaken.

  Ding Ning and Fu Su were pushed into the formation door by Forefather Zhou’s force. Though the power within the formation door had weakened greatly, to Ding Ning and Fu Su, it was still extremely powerful.

  Chaotic branches filled Ding Ning’s consciousness, suffocating him, and reversing the flow of his energies. But a kind of coldness and murderousness that no one was aware of appeared in his expression.

  Controlled by his perception, the numerous little silkworms that had disappeared in his body, silently reappeared. They started to consume the cold energy blocking his meridians.

  With the feeding of the countless little silkworms, his blocked meridians quickly started to ease. But he still kept all of his vital energy in his energy sea, so his body’s presence did not change at all.

  Forefather Zhou did not know that the king of Chu and the Qin emperor’s tutor had made a decision to not act. He only knew he had to be quick. At the cost of half of his meridians being frozen, the thicket-like power around him, Ding Ning and Fu Su quickly faded in a few breaths and everything grew clear.

  They had passed the realm door.

  What Fu Su should be worried about right now would be his own safety. As the most valued child of Emperor Yuanwu and the empress, Fu Su knew that, for him, the Qin Dynasty had invested countless items that cultivators could only dream about. He knew what the consequences of his death here would be.

  Yet, when he passed through the realm door to see the scene inside, Fu Su temporarily forgot the danger he was in, he was completely absorbed by the ancient cultivator’s setup.

  The mountain valley that appeared in front of him seemed to be a dried riverbed without any weeds or trees. There were only oval crystal stones shaped like a goose egg.

  These crystals looked like crimson rubies, slightly transparent, and flowing with heat as though golden flames were burning within.

  The mist that had appeared to shroud the entire valley, kept hovering dozens of meters above the ground.

  At the center of the dry valley was an enormous structure made from blue rock.

  This structure was square, and grew smaller with increasing height like an enormous tomb. There were curved arches spaced around the base and every dozen meters or so upwards. Verdant greens and vines grew out from these arches with an ancient presence.

  The whole set up gave off the vibe of a garden built for a king.

  But even a garden built for the king would not possess such a strong structure to surround the rare flowers and trees within.

  "What is inside?"

  Fu Su took a deep breath. He turned to look at Forefather Zhou, his usually kind face showing a hint of murderousness. "This structure does not appear to be stopping cultivators from entering, but built to trap what is inside. What vicious beast is in there? What do you want to use us for?"

  There was only the final step now. Forefather Zhou had collapsed to the ground, unable to even sit up. But his face had a red flush due to his excitement and eagerness.

  "Since we have reached the last minute, there is no meaning in concealing from you."

  He looked at Ding Ning and Fu Su. When he spoke, only half of his face could move so he looked unspeakably strange and vicious.

  "There is a flesh Bodhi here, and also a blind dragon."

  At these words, even Ding Ning was shocked.

  "There is a flesh Bodhi and a blind dragon here?" he couldn’t help but take a deep breath and say to himself.

  "What is a flesh bodhi and a blind dragon?" Fu Su couldn’t help but ask. He had never heard of these terms before.

  "They are freakish things."

  Ding Ning looked at him and explained with an odd expression. "The primal and vital energies of some powerful cultivators, after they pass away, will not dissipate. Some of that energy will produce peculiar unions with surrounding items. The flesh bodhi is one of those. When some special plants combine with the remains of cultivators, it will become a spirit body; neither a plant nor meat. This kind of spirit object’s use was first discovered by cultivators of the Qi Dynasty who cultivated

  and ghosts. They found, if they refined such spirit objects, their own bodies would also display odd changes, and their bodies would become a kind of spirit body that would not age easily."

  "Would not age easily?" Fu Su could not comprehend.

  Ding Ning said calmly, "The simplest example are the zombies. A spirit body that will not die even if one part of the body is seriously damaged. Unless their bodies are hacked into pieces or their head cut off. But at the same time, these kinds of spirit bodies will heal extremely slowly. So, if some holes are created in your body, they will last for a long time."

  Fu Su finally understood why the king of Chu and Forefather Zhou came here.

  The king of Chu and Forefather Zhou were near the end of their life, but they all had powerful cultivation, especially the king of Chu. If their bodies became this kind of spirit body, he could fight more powerful opponents at the Deer Mountain Conference. The king of Chu was not an ordinary cultivator. Even if his body became a spirit body like a zombie and his cultivation could not advance any further, time and the victory at the Deer Mountain Conference would be everything.

  "The blind dragon is not a true dragon, but an enormous groundwalking insect. While it has eyes, its eyes cannot see, and it can only sense. But at the same time, it is extremely powerful, equivalent to a realm seven. As a result, past cultivators called it a dragon." Ding Ning looked at Fu Su and continued. "Thirty years ago, even if that flesh bodhi had matured, even if it hadn’t, Forefather Zhou, who had forced his way into the formation and sustained considerable wounds, would have not been a match for it. As for now, even without the king of Chu’s appearance, I think we will pay a great price in order to kill it. So from the start, he must have wanted me to lure away this blind dragon, so he could take the opportunity to take out the flesh bodhi."

  "You have read many books."

  Forefather Zhou sneered when he heard Ding Ning speak as though he did not exist. He said, "But this cannot change the result."

  Fu Su shook his head and said, "You cannot do this."

  Ding Ning immediately frowned. He knew what Fu Su wanted to do, but he did not think it would be effective.

  Fu Su’s words were simple, but there was an indescribable nobility and authority that he usually did not have. Forefather Zhou sensed a clear difference.

  His gaze landed on Fu Su.

  "I order you to not do this." Fu Su looked at him with a cold expression and said slowly, "Because I am not any ordinary Gongzi Su, but the imperial son Fu Su."

  Forefather Zhou’s heart sank.

  He suddenly understood why an existence like Mo Shoucheng would appear here at this time.

  "So you are the beloved son of Emperor Yuanwu and the empress."

  An indescribable emotion filled Forefather Zhou’s heart. He snarled inexplicably. "You order me to do this?"

  Fu Su had the aura of the imperial house as he looked authoritatively at Forefather Zhou and said, "Does the Zhou Family no longer want to stay in Changling?"

  "The Zhou Family is me, I am the Zhou Family. If I do not exist, can the Zhou Family stay in Changling?"

  Forefather Zhou said disdainfully, "Child, what is important now is my life. I need to use this wine shop youth’s life to trade for my life. You think I will listen to your orders?"

  "Also, I know that this is not urgent."

  Forefather Zhou’s body could almost not move, but slowly a presence pushed his body to turn around. He looked at the mountain valley, and spoke with some sympathy but even more scorn. "Child, you are also someone who has been abandoned."

  "You!" Fu Su’s face paled. He was furious but he didn’t know what to say. He instinctively shouted. "Insolence!"

  "Since I have learned your true identity, I cannot spare you." Forefather Zhou said seriously, "Today, I am bringing about your good friend’s death If I let you live, you will not spare me in the future. But I will not kill you quickly. I can pretend to use you, so Emperor Yuanwu and that woman will hold back in their actions out of fear."

  Such a result was something Fu Su had not anticipated. He turned around, face pale, to look at Ding Ning, his eyes filled with guilt and grief.

  "While it is a pity, he is more important than you right now."

  Forefather Zhou looked at the silent Ding Ning and slowly said, "But if you can prove you have more value than him, I will allow you to live."

  Ding Ning lifted his head to look at him and said, "You are dreaming."

  Forefather Zhou’s gaze grew harsh. He did not say anything, a black wind blew from under his clothes, thrusting Ding Ning straight into one of the arches ahead.

  Translator Ramblings: The bodhi tree is a sacred fig tree in India where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. So this flesh bodhi is technically a fig fruit/plant grown together with a corpse ……