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Chapter Thirty Nine: Die
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  Both the middle-aged man in blue robes coming from the sky and the strange and dark power surging up from the ground were clearly coming for Ding Ning. But at this time, none of them showed any killing intent towards Ding Ning.

  The direct killing intent came from the ground. As the ground rose, the killing intent was directed at the middle-aged man in blue robes about to land on the ground.

  This middle-aged man was not weak, and immediately sensed this, giving off killing intent as well.

  The two killing intents crossed in the air like they were tangible. Ding Ning and the others seemed to be outside the situation, and having nothing to do with this.

  Boom!

  The bulging ground in front of Ding Ning and the others finally cracked open with gusts of cold and dark wind. The ground within dozens of feet spun up in whirls like fallen leaves in the water. From the cracks in the soil, there were different gravestones being revealed and rising. More and more gravestones appeared, like they were endless, and about to form an enormous mountain made from gravestones.

  Before this, Tantai Guanjian did not know the identities of the two sides, and had just been on his guard without interfering. But the moment he saw the rising gravestones, his mind moved, and he instantly understood what these gravestones represented.

  The middle-aged man in blue robes had revealed a silver long sword in his hand. The seal scripts on the silver blade were like a moon palace, and the energies flowing in the scripts were like white clouds.

  When he saw these gravestones, his face turned paler than the white clouds. His respectful expression towards Ding Ning and the others turned to terror. A cry came from between his lips. The silver light between his boroughs suddenly expanded, like a silver ice was going to open.

  Six silver sword lights flashed from around his body at the same time, like a peacock spreading his tail, spreading into thousands of pieces of swords shaped like silver feathers. These silver pieces make terrifying sounds as they tore apart the air, forming an enormous flow of light that dropped to the ground. At the same time, the middle-aged man in blue robes seemed to go against the laws of the world, his body turning and bouncing up into the air at astounding speed.

  He was going to flee.

  Originally, he wanted to pretend to be on Ding Ning’s side, but this person under the ground wanted to kill him. He could not identify the person under the ground, and he could not convince Ding Ning and the others to trust him again.

  The ends of the gravestones were shrouded in black smoke as they rose. These gravestones floated above Ding Ning and the others. Then the thousands of silver sword pieces collided with these gravestones.

  Explosions that made teeth ache sounded. These gravestones wavered as they floated in the air. Countless silver sparks exploded on the surface like millions of stars were forming and dying.

  The middle-aged man in blue robes twisted in the air, creating many shadows. He found that he could not return by the path he came after leaving behind this trap of a thousand mountains that was able to trap a realm eight. But what caused him to relax slightly was that the attack he used his lifebond energy for managed to stop the attack from underground. Then, even if he was lost among these thousand mountains, at least, he would not be immediately killed.

  But he had overlooked a point.

  The person under the ground could not do anything to him right now, but there was someone unlike all other swordsmen in the world above the ground.

  Tantai Guanjian looked up. He stretched out his sword.

  This was just like an attack pose, like he had not yet done a thing. But the fleeing middle-aged man in the sky screamed in terror.

  Coldness crept from his chest and back, and at the same time, blood sprayed out. The sword disappeared from Tantai Guanjian’s hand. It was so fast, people were not able to see what color his lifebond sword was.

  “You killed him,” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at the middle-aged man in blue robes who was falling down and said to Tantai Guanjian.

  This seemed to be a waste of words. That middle-aged man’s heart was destroyed. Even if he did not immediately die, after he fell from such a great height, he would likely shatter into pieces when he hit the ground.

  But Tantai Guanjian understood her meaning. Before, when he had attacked the grandmasters, he just pierced their energy seas, removing their ability to fight, but kept them alive.

  “Peacock Tail. He is from the Dugu Marquessate Establishment.” Tantai Guanjian glanced at her and explained. “But he disguised himself as someone from the Flowing Cloud Sect. The sect master Chen Guanghe and Lin Zhujiu were old friends, and he died in battle at Changling.”


  Not killing was the pity of an expert towards someone weaker. Killing was because this person’s conduct was too despicable. If this unnamed man in blue robes had come as an enemy to assassinate Ding Ning, Tantai Guanjian may have spared his life. But the other wanted to gain trust and then seek a chance to kill Ding Ning. This was something he would not tolerate.

  Zhangsun Qianxue nodded. “The Peacock Feather is something only the most important people of the Dugu Marquessate Establishment qualify to cultivate. So the Dugu Marquessate Establishment has chosen to become our enemy?”


  Ding Ning did not answer.

  These marquessate establishments had mostly made their choices three years before Yuanwu’s ascension. After more than a decade, naturally they would not change their choices much. This was predictable. But he could not help but think of Dugu Bai from the Min Mountain Sword Trials. He did not know what that young person would choose when he learned Ding Ning’s true identity.

  The gravestones floating above his head silently disappeared, and the streams of black energy shrank back into the ground.

  His gaze followed the black energy to a youth who just appeared and seemed to be made from black energy.

  This youth was not tall. Even more importantly, he did not give off any living energy. People could not feel any energy from him. He was like a cold corpse, but no corpse could give off such a strong presence.

  “You are Yan Ying’s student,” Ding Ning said, looking at this youth.

  The youth bowed his head slightly as though embarrassed but still nodded, saying, “Yes.”


  But this youth seemed a bit tired. He did not speak, and sat down next to Ding Ning, hugging his knees, and burying his head deep.

  Ding Ning and Zhangsun Qianxue exchanged a look. Then he could not help but ask curiously, “You do not want to ask me who I am?”


  The youth softly answered, “In any case, you are the person who Yuanwu wants to kill at any price. I do not kill who you are, just as long as there is a chance in the future to kill Yuanwu.”


  Everyone could hear the emotions in this thin youth’s words.

  He had a beloved master. But his master died. Killed by Yuanwu during the Deer Mountain Conference.

  He wanted Yuanwu dead. It was this simple.

  Volume 4 39 - Kill That Cat

  Blood sprayed through the air. Li Xixing could not stop it from splashing onto his robes as he charged rapidly and hurriedly in the cramped space.

  Many Changling youths had felt Li Xixing was an odd freak after he returned to Changling because he still wore thick fur robes. Yet these youths did not know that this was an instinct formed out of blood.

  When Changling had just entered autumn, it had already entered winter outside the passes. In half a month, it will be the first snowfall. It was cold here for most of the year. Even more importantly, when blood soaked the clothes, it would be colder and more uncomfortable. Rough but thick fur sweater robe could not only withstand the cold but could also prevent the blood that was constantly sprayed on the body from seeping into the robe.

  The viscous blood slid down Li Xixing’s robe like syrup. Even though he had become accustomed to it as instinct, he could not help but feel disgust in his heart whenever he faced such a moment. He did not deliberately let himself suppress and forget this feeling, because if he was too numb in the killing, he would be numb to many things.

  Other than the first three people, everyone in this hundred man scout army had fallen off their horses. The cultivator had been killed with one blow and no one else had managed to get more than three hundred feet away.

  This was just as he had predicted.

  Yet his lips started to tremble. His cold and determined eyes filled with shock. He sensed the ground trembling! He accurately reversed his blade and stabbed into the heart of a Wuzhi soldier behind him. When the blood sprayed onto his back, he lifted his head and looked into the distance.

  Even in this dark world, a new horizon appeared! An unnatural wind blew through the grass and caused the withered grass to ripple.

  When Li Xixing raised his head, Hu Jingjing’s breathing stopped again.

  This was an army, one lined up into a line and sweeping through like a wave. She could not see the end on both sides! It was the core of that cavalry!

  Her breath had stilled but her heart contracted drastically, sending fresh blood surging into all parts of her body. Her mind rang out along with the hoofbeats in the wind.

  Theoretically, there were two more scout troops before the main part of the cavalry army. This was not just from Li Xixing’s experience and assumption, but due to his investigation. Also, at a normal speed, the cavalry would only arrive after complete darkness. There were countless possibilities concerning why the main army would arrive early, yet he knew he and Hu Jingjing had no time to ponder this.

  The Wuzhi cavalry drew out a line. They could quickly change their formation, and also meet the requirement of shooting in unison when forming two flanks. This was a demonstration of their power when they already had the advantage.

  This kind of charge could easily form a circular encirclement. Even the realm seven cultivators could not survive if they were trapped within the center of the three thousand cavalry, much less cultivators like him and Hu Jingjing.

  He must immediately make a choice. Yet to his surprise, Hu Jingjing made her choice earlier.

  Not far from him, behind the three Wuzhi cavalry, countless yellowed grass leaves shone dreamily.

  Seeing the grasses give off yellow crystal light, Li Xixing’s body grew stiff. He did not know what Hu Jingjing was going to do.

  The yellow light spread on the plains.

  Amongst the three thousand cavalry, there was one rider who appeared small and thin compared to the others. Yet he carried five curved blades on his back, the hilt of which all were red, and rippled with primal energies of the universe. There were four riders on his sides, not carrying blades on their back, but huge bronze shields.

  This rider also was wearing a mask, one made from a tiger skull. Even the fangs had not been pulled off the fiercely stunning skull.

  He also saw the yellow light on the grass. His gaze filled with confusion and he gave a simple sound from his throat. The wildly charging cavalry suddenly slowed down as his horse sped down.

  The yellow light at the tips of the grasses grew stronger and then came out in threads. A powerful and profound presence formed on this patch of glowing grass. In the senses of cultivators, it was like an enormous yet invisible light had been raised among the grass.

  Zzt!

  As the grass moved, a glowing yellow sword light crossed the limit of a flying sword’s distance and slashed towards the three Wuzhi riders.

  The three Wuzhi riders were cut at the waist and blood flew.

  “What are you doing!” Li Xixing came in front of Hu Jingjing.

  The reason he reached her so quickly was not just due to him moving quickly like a wolf through the grass, but because she was moving quickly towards him.

  The yellow crystal light on the tips of the grass had not disappeared. Hu Jingjing’s powerful sword presence also had not disappeared and caused the fragile dried leaves around her to be cut down.

  “I have two more blows.” Hu Jingjing looked at the blood covered Li Xixing and panted sharply. “I want to take a gamble.”


  Li Xixing looked at the light in her eyes, understood her meaning, and became silent. She used such a “luxurious” blow against three ordinary riders. She wanted to make the army ahead think that there were many cultivators like her here.

  “Not to mention that we may not be able to escape, if the two of us can escape the cavalry, they will still find the remnants and kill all of them.” Hu Jingjing knew he understood. She took a deep breath and said, “This is my own choice, you may leave first.”


  Li Xixing glanced at her. He looked at people like a steppe wolf. At this time, his gaze had his usual coldness but he gave no reason as he said, “I will gamble with you.”


  Saying so, he pulled out his other sword, a small one tied to his calf. This sword was pure black, and did not reflect light, like pure night.

  Hu Jingjing was inexplicably moved. With this movement, she knew what she should do now.

  She attacked. She gritted her teeth and made her vital energy flow violently inside her body.

  The wild vital energy charged through the meridians in her body, causing many splits in her meridians that were already at their limits. Blood flowed out of the corners of her mouth.

  A bloody mist came through her pores. Her yellow sword also flowed with glowing light, summoning the surrounding primal energies of the universe and pouring into the grass stems. Then the stems, like smaller swords, started to absorb primal energies of the universe through their roots which usually absorbed nutrients, and then released the energies through the tips of the grasses.

  Li Xixing attacked.

  A black sword light appeared in front of Hu Jingjing. Then like an arrow, it was bounced back by the invisible power that had formed in this area, but much faster at this instant than any arrow in the world.

  The black sword essence turned into black threads difficult to see with the naked eye as it fell like black hairs.

  Hu Jingjing sensed the essence of this sword, and her eyes filled with disbelief.

  “This is the Black Hair Wind Sword Essence of Celestial Iron Sword School.” Li Xixing did not look at her but could clearly guess her thoughts. He said coldly, “Before I was exiled out of Changling, I was the youngest student in the history of Celestial Iron Sword School.”


  A furious howl exploded in the last lights of dusk.

  Within the three thousand riders, the rider wearing the tiger skull mask stretched his hands forward like he was praying.The five curved blades on his back flew up, turning into five bloody crescent moons!

  These five crescent moons flew rapidly and managed to block most of the falling black sword threads.

  Zzt zzt zzt zzt ……

  The remaining black sword threads fell and created splashes of blood. Dozens of riders fell to the ground along with their horses.

  When those black sword threads first pierced their bodies, there were only small wounds, and even they did not feel any pain. But in the next moment, the threads created increasingly larger wounds deep in their bodies.

  “One more,” Li Xixing looked at Hu Jingjing who was dripping blood out of the corners of and said after taking a deep breath.

  Hu Jingjing coughed. With her cultivation, she needed her vital energy at her extreme to use this secret sword of Treasure Light Temple. Yet if she wanted to make the enemy believe there were numerous powerful cultivators here, she must make each blow different as Li Xixing had said.

  Each blow being different, to her at this time, was only making each blow stronger. After making the choice, one would be nervous before the action, but if one had no choice, they would become relaxed. This was her at this time.

  As she coughed, she pressed all her vital energy into her meridians. A string of explosions sounded inside her body. Her sword was so bright it was a line of light. The yellow crystal light on the grass was extremely moist as though it would drip out.

  Li Xixing put down the sword he gripped. Waves of profound sword essence furiously surged out of his body.

  Hu Jingjing’s eyes widened. She sensed an invisible wall in the sky.

  Volume 2 39 - The Secret of the Lonely Mountain

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

  Marquis Xu of Mount Heng looked at this messy-haired man dressed like a shaman. His thick brows unconsciously furrowed. He found this person slightly familiar to the eye, but could not immediately recall who he was.

  "Since you managed to flee the capital of Han, then just be a shaman-doctor, why return?" With eyes full of disdain, Emperor Yuanwu looked at this barefoot and messy-haired man.

  The object of disdain sighed emotionally. "I fled for this day."

  At once Marquis Xu reacted, he had recalled who this was.

  The peak was in chaos. With these few words, there was no one who did not recognize this barefoot and messy-haired man.

  This man had been recorded in the history books already.

  He was Emperor Chen of Han.

  Strictly speaking, he was an emperor. He was the imperial younger brother of Emperor Ai of the Han. He possessed the pure royal Han blood.

  In the past, when Emperor Ai of the Han took the bait and moved the capital, leading to the dynasty’s downfall. Moments before his death, he decreed that his younger brother would be the next emperor. That younger brother was this barefoot man with messy hair.

  However, not once had Emperor Chen of Han on the throne.

  When Emperor Ai of the Han was dying, the Qin army was already at the city gates. The new Han capital, Luoyi, had been in chaos, splitting apart even before the Qin army attacked the city.

  Besieged by the Qin Army and amidst the civil strife, Emperor Chen of the Han was said to have fled the city in a cart carrying dung and managed to escape with his life.

  For an emperor, it was indeed a tragedy to not be on the throne for even a day, much less fleeing a city in a cart carrying human waste.

  In the eyes of many Han people, it would have been better if Emperor Chen of Han had been killed when the city was seized. At least, this shameful matter wouldn’t have been recorded into history.

  For an orthodox emperor of indubitable birth and legitimacy, the greatest of pain was that his people thought it was better he was dead.

  As emperors, one was looked down upon by thousands, and the other beloved by thousands. So Emperor Yuanwu looked at Emperor Chen of Han with faint scorn.

  "You have eked survival until today. What can you do?" Emperor Yuanwu looked at Emperor Chen of Han and said dismissively.

  Pain flashed through Emperor Chen of Han’s eyes.

  This pain was not caused by his reputation or his image in the eyes of others, but due to those lives that were sacrificed to ensure his survival.

  Only he knew how many people had died for him to successfully flee the Han lands and escape the pursuit of the Qin Dynasty cultivators.

  After the thread of pain flitted past his eyes, his gaze turned absolutely calm, giving off a hint of relief and peace.

  "Please grant me instruction," he said slowly, looking at Emperor Yuanwu.

  Emperor Yuanwu’s pupils contracted slightly.

  Once again, the peak of Deer Mountain descended into utter silence, only the chaotic primal energies of the universe howled around wildly.

  Emperor Yuanwu slowly stood up.

  Emperor Chen of Han was certainly a powerful cultivator, but first, he was a true emperor. Both, due to ancient etiquette and the Qin Dynasty’s reverence of courage, Emperor Yuanwu could not refuse such a challenge.

  "How do you qualify to challenge me?" Emperor Yuanwu said slowly, with his eyes on Emperor Chen of Han.

  Standing denoted acceptance. He first accepted, and then asked if his opponent qualified to challenge him. He was likely the only realm eight in the world right now.

  Emperor Chen of Han did not speak.

  His skin slowly turned red. Threads of red energy started to emerge from every part of his body. The presence around his body started to expand.

  When his body produced the first thread of energy, he gave off a realm seven presence.

  As his presence rose, the presence broke through the limits of a realm seven.

  Uncontrollable gasps sounded.

  The faint disdain in Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes completely disappeared. He frowned slightly and said in a slightly grave voice, "So it is the Heaven Stealing Pill."

  Many among those present echoed Emperor Yuanwu’s thoughts.

  These people finally understood why Emperor Chen of Han had to survive in the past.

  The strongest sect of the former Han Dynasty had been the South Sun Pill Sect. The pills of the South Sun Pill Sect were extremely rare pills in the remaining dynasties. However, the Heaven Stealing Pill was the greatest of them all.

  The true meaning of "Heaven Stealing" meant to steal the realm of Heaven Opening. In many records, this was said to be a great pill that could have a realm seven cultivator directly reach realm eight after consuming it. A pill like this that went against the heavens would naturally require many astounding spirit ingredients that people could not imagine.

  The South Sun Pill Sect had been poor for several generations. Supposedly, at the time of Emperor Ai of Han’s death, they had just managed to gather the main medicines required for this pill, and made an embryo. After the death of the Han Dynasty, the cultivators of the other dynasties thought that this kind of pill could not exist and the South Sun Pill Sect had cooked up a tale to frighten others.

  But now, the blooming pressure coming off Emperor Chen of Han like a furious lotus reminded each of those present, that South Sun Pill Sect’s "Heaven Stealing Pill" was true.

  "The greatest difference between a pill sect and other sects is that they have the form, but not the essence."

  Emperor Yuanwu looked at Emperor Chen of Han whose medicinal energies had even turned the soil beneath him red. He shook his head and said, "You are still no match for me."

  Emperor Chen of Han looked at Emperor Yuanwu and suddenly laughed. "Just a battle, who cares about victory?"

  Emperor Yuanwu also abruptly laughed and said, "Fighting reduces the number of enemies for this Lonely One. So this Lonely One does not fear a fight."

  When he said this, everybody was under the impression the battle would immediately start. Unexpectedly though, Emperor Yuanwu’s gaze landed on the beautiful man in black robes next to the emperor of Qi.

  "When ascending the mountain previously, I saw a thread of your energy. Only the Mountain

  Sect has such means. Mister has such presence, you must be Mister Yan Ying of the Mountain

  Sect."

  Emperor Yuanwu’s voice was calm, but he called the other Mister. Since the start of the conference, no one had seen him so respectful of another person.

  The name Yan Ying of Mountain

  Sect had no fame in the world. Even though most of the people present were the top of the world, there were still many that had not heard of him.

  "Who is he?"

  A Yan general couldn’t help but look at a shocked middle-aged official in front of him.

  The shocked middle-aged official was a famed minister of the Yan Dynasty called Qiu Yuzhen.

  The one who had asked him was a famed general of the Yan Dynasty, Li Hanshan.

  "In the past, our dynasty’s General Bai Yong fought the Qi army. He was on the verge of victory but retreated in the end because someone sent him a black pot." Qiu Yuzhen turned around and whispered to Li Hanshan.

  Li Hanshan’s body shuddered, his eyes filled with shock. "Was the person who delivered the pot this Yan Ying?"

  Qiu Yuzhen grimaced slightly.

  Before the formal agreement, it was common for the dynasties to be in conflict and invade each other’s cities.

  In the past, the Yan Dynasty clashed with the Qi army due to army deserters. At the time, the strongest general of the Yan, Bai Yong, won three victories in a row, taking over three of Qi’s cities, and forcing the main Qi army to the Qi Ghost Horse River shores. Without a supply of food, the Qi army was on the verge of defeat and being forced to cede cities. But at this time, a Qi grandmaster delivered a black pot to Bai Yong.

  Bai Yong opened the pot. There was nothing inside. He felt that there was something profound inside, and pondered for half a day before finding there was no mystery inside the pot, and the true mystery was the pot itself.

  This seemingly ordinary black pot was made from pure vital energy.

  Being able to condense vital energy into a tangible item and not have it dissipate was astounding, and being able to conceal it from the senses of a realm seven expert like Bai Yong, who had to study it for a long time to learn, was a skill that ordinary realm sevens could not imagine.

  The reason that Bai Yong had been forced to retreat was when he calculated, he found that the Yan had no way of stopping this grandmaster from entering the main force and killing many of the army commanders if they engaged the Qi army.

  At the time, Bai Yong’s army had at least four realm sevens.

  , Qiu Yuzhen remembered that black pot, and remembered the name Yan Ying.

  "How was it?"

  Hearing the respect in Emperor Yuanwu’s tone, the man in black robes only nodded in greeting and spoke these scarce simple words.

  "I detected your hostility and fighting spirit long ago." Emperor Yuanwu looked at him, and said slowly with pride, "At Deer Mountain right now, you are the only person who qualifies to fight this Lonely One."

  "Since we are going to fight, no need for such trouble."

  He turned to look at the emperors of Chu, Yan and Qi. He spoke in a confident and even prouder tone. "The two of you together …… this Lonely One will give you a chance. If the two of you can win against me, not three years, this Lonely One will cede Yangshan Commandery for nine years before another meeting at Deer Mountain."

  "What!"

  The important people on top of Deer Mountain had refined their hearts into being colder than steel, but when they heard Emperor Yuanwu’s words, gasps sounded, and many instinctively rose to their feet.

  Even the emperor of Qi, who had been sitting slovenly and watching the spectacle, was among them.

  On the way here, he had said many shameless things and fulfilled all of Yan Ying’s demands, even putting himself at a low position. This was because he knew better than anyone how powerful Yuanwu was. With Emperor Yuanwu’s cultivation, he had had a small conflict with Yuanwu and must have sensed Yan Ying’s strength.

  Emperor Chen of Han possessed realm eight power through the Heaven Stealing Pill. Adding on someone like Yan Ying …… Emperor Yuanwu was extremely bold!

  The emperor of Chu also wore a shocked expression.

  He had never thought that Emperor Yuanwu would challenge a grandmaster like Yan Ying after encountering an opponent like Emperor Chen of Han.

  "Such spirit!" He took a deep breath.

  Regardless of whether Emperor Yuanwu was mad, too proud, or was truly confident, facing two opponents at once meant he had a spirit that others in the world could not possess.

  Translator Ramblings: I’m not sure how "pretty" Yan Ying was historically, but the author kept on referring to him as the "beautiful man in black robes" so I guess he is very handsome in this story.

  Volume 5 39 - Present Matters

  The flames in the middle-aged man’s eyes flickered a few times. His flying sword turned around again, and urgently sped up, pointing straight at Ding Ning who was more than sixty feet away. When his yellow sword was dozens of feet away from him, it reached a peak in speed. There was a soft pop, and a visible sound wave erupted.

  At the same time, the power inside the middle-aged man’s body was poured into the flying sword. The flying sword was completely out of his control, no longer a sword, but an arrow faster than the speed of sound.

  No one expected what Ding Ning chose to do.

  When the flying sword started to accelerate, Ding Ning took a step back. He did not make a normal retreat, but stepped forcibly on the back edge of the chariot with his right foot.

  The heavy chariot was tipped up. Before the terrifying arrow arrived, the chariot with its front edge tipped up had become an enormous shield in front of him.

  Bam!

  A hammering sound resounded again. The bottom of the heavy chariot protruded towards Ding Ning’s body and caused a dome. At the same time, a wave of energy exploded on the protruding metal.

  The heavy seal chariot vibrated countless times at this moment. On the other side, the thin yellow sword shattered into countless pieces like it had hit a thick wall, and became outwardly shooting lines of metal under the sunlight.

  “Wind!”


  “Gale!”


  Furious roars sounded from the army behind Ding Ning.

  The sound of ballistas being rewound sounded again. A metal tide appeared in the sky again.

  The middle-aged man coughed up blood. His body shone metal-grey under the shine of the metal in the sky.

  “Go!” He once again shouted, not towards the two attendants near him, but towards the two cultivators who had charged out of the ground previously.

  Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

  There was a wave of sounds of metal piercing flesh. Sprays of blood came out of the middle-aged man and his two close attendants. In the next breath, this scene disappeared from everyone’s sight. The three lost the form of their bodies, and there was only the sound of impacts and flying flesh and blood.

  The two cultivators who had come out of the ground did not listen to the middle-aged man’s last order. Like wild beasts they howled, drawing afterimages on the grass as they charged in a frenzy towards the Qin Dynasty army.

  No one sent an order. There were countless turbulent air whirlpools behind the two cultivators. Within the whirlpools were sword lights.

  These sword lights were faster than the two cultivators so they easily caught up.

  Bloody waves appeared on the two cultivators. The sword light entered their bodies which disintegrated and collided onto the ground as they ran.

  This was a bloody and cruel scene. Nangong Caishu felt she wanted to vomit but she forced herself to look. She knew that she had to adjust to such scenes. In the future, she would have to face more such scenes. Only by getting used to this would she not be affected by her emotions in future battles like this and avoid making mistakes in judgement.

  Boom!

  When the remnant limbs of the two cultivators fell to the ground, the tipped chariot finally crashed back to earth.

  Because no one was certain if other cultivators were in the grass, no one cheered. But the commanders in the army who controlled the flying swords unconsciously showed joy in their eyes.

  No one liked spilling blood, especially seeing their own people’s spilled blood. Everyone knew what kind of price an army would pay upon encountering an ambush like this. Yet now, the enemy had seven dead cultivators and their army had not even had one fatality.

  “Why?” Nangong Caishu looked at the pieces of limbs on the grass, struggled to breathe in, and turned to ask Ding Ning.

  Bringing Nangong Caishu along was to let her learn about leading armies and fighting from him. So Ding Ning glanced back at her and said, “Five hundred feet behind us is the area that our army’s cultivators cannot sense clearly. Since these cultivators decided to attack here, they would definitely have cultivators hiding behind our army to attack from behind. This will cause the most chaos.”


  “What if these cultivators were not there?” Nangong Caishu thought and asked with a frown, “Then would not our best seal weapons gathered together all fail?”


  Ding Ning glanced at her and said seriously, “You have to know, fighting a war is like a battle between cultivators. There is nothing completely certain. You have to pursue the greatest possibility. If none of these people are in the rear, then the strongest attack of our army will be wasted and useless. But the greatest possibly is …… to avoid being sensed by our cultivators, the strongest people best at hiding will detour behind the army and attack at any moment. That is also their greatest strength.”


  Nangong Caishu nodded. She pondered this and organized her thoughts. Then she asked, “In the end, in the view of most of us, that middle-aged man has no more avenues left. His assassination failed and he cannot return to report so he wanted to throw his lot in with us. In that moment, he was full of murderousness when he forced out the two hiding cultivators. I saw no flaws. Why did you order to attack them then?”


  “On the battlefield, no judgement can depend just on the momentary picture we see. What we see is often false.”


  Ding Ning said slowly and patiently, “Previously, the cultivators had some conflict after they learned we had already detected them. But in the end, these cultivators still chose to fight here, especially after I waited so long. After I told them that I knew the battle would occur here, they still did not give up. This means there is a strong leader among these people. This strong leader does not just have iron tactics and determination, but can suppress all of their cultivation. Of the cultivation these people displayed, the middle-aged man was the strongest. Thus the middle-aged man was the leader, and the one forcing all other cultivators to fight here.”


  After a pause, Ding Ning looked at Nangong Caishu whose expression was slowly stiffening. “So all his efforts, even sacrificing those two cultivators, was to see his orders through to the end, to get near me and kill me.”


  Nangong Caishu struggled to swallow. She looked deeply at Ding Ning and could not understand how this youth from a wine shop had such brains and insight.

  “How did you discover they had a conflict?” Nangong Caishu asked something that puzzled even Guo Feng and the other commanders.

  “If a cultivator’s feelings have problems, then his actions will inadvertently be different than usual.”


  “For what?”


  “For example, the vibrations coming off the body, their path of travel and the distance they maintain, or the marks they would not originally leave behind …… many similar things. Sometimes, negative emotions are vented on things along the way, like snakes and insects passing by.”


  “You noticed even such things?”


  “You remember the falcon I killed yesterday night with a flying sword?”


  “It’s related?”


  “That falcon grabbed a bamboo rat which had been decapitated.” Ding Ning looked at the disbelieving Nangong Caishu and said coolly, “Firstly, the bamboo rat is adorable, harmless, and fears people. It flees if it senses people. It is not threatening like poisonous snakes, and does not have to be killed with a sword. Bamboo rats have tasty meat, but if it was killed and not eaten, then it means that the cultivator has only swung his sword because he was not feeling right.”


  Nangong Caishu looked dazedly at Ding Ning. “How can you notice these details?”


  “Look at the people behind you.” Ding Ning did not turn his head and said softly to Nangong Caishu. “Just think of how their lives are in your hands. If you do not pay attention, these people may become corpses …… you will naturally become more careful.”


  Nangong Caishu instinctively turned around to look at the soldiers standing behind her. Her body inexplicably trembled.

  “Last question.” Nangong Caishu said after a long while of silence, “His last blow was very fast, but you clearly predicted it. So you were able to use the chariot to block. How did you predict it? Since you predicted it, why did you not just dodge, but blocked and destroyed a chariot?”


  “Because I gave him and my flying sword a chance to fight.”


  Ding Ning looked at Nangong Caishu and his expression grew serious. He said softly, “I am seriously injured and have not recovered. If he chose to fight me in the end, he would worsen my wounds, but he chose such an attack. Facing the entire army, his attack could not kill me. This meant that he wanted to see if there are powerful cultivators hiding in the army. But such a test has no meaning to him because he will die soon after. So he is testing to show others, for example, stronger assassins.”


  Nangong Caishu understood this and her expression grew unpleasant.

  “As to why destroy a chariot ……” Ding Ning turned to her and said, “This is a simple question just like the other ones. His sword is very fast, very strong. If I just dodged ……”


  When he said this, Nangong Caishu understood thoroughly — behind Ding Ning were many soldiers.

  She had no other questions now, but before Ding Ning had the army advance, he said seriously to her, “Do not spend effort on pondering these people’s origins. When leading an army and unable to leave the battle, a commander only needs to consider how to deal with everything the army will encounter along the way. There are only enemies to be encountered, and never faraway enemies.”


  “Why do you seem focused on training her into a commander?”


  When Ding Ning returned to Zhangsun Qianxue to the carriage cabin, Zhangsun Qianxue’s cool voice sounded in his ears.

  “Because she is suitable to be a commander, and her life seems to be arranged to become a commander,” Ding Ning said softly and slowly. “Also, this is what is present. There will be more battles to be fought next.”


  Volume 3 39 - Start of Calamity

  In the morning, the wind at the peak of Deer Mountain was slightly cold. The ceremonial officials of the four dynasties had prepared for the conference for multiple years and rehearsed multiple times.

  With the four dynasties existing together, it was akin to four tigers hunting a deer. They naturally were hostile towards each other. However, these ceremonial officials cooperated well, and did not even speak in raised voices.

  In the imperial camp of the Qi Dynasty, the man in black robes walked out of the black-roofed sedan. He watched, as all kinds of banners, flags, golden axes, gourds, scepters and other items appeared.

  Placed closer to the thrones were fly-whisks, golden cauldrons, incense boxes, wooden basin, spit-pots, golden vases of various colors along with other elaborate items.

  “This kind of conference only needs a battle platform, but they have to make it so complicated. Such hypocrisy.”


  He stated a cold judgement which landed in the ears of the emperor of Qi next to him.

  The emperor of Qi smiled in an almost perverse manner. “It is not hypocrisy. The more complicated the ceremonies, the more dignity and gravity it will add. At least, it will remind us that governing the world is not a game, and we will be more cautious in our words and decisions.”


  The beautiful man in black robes frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, “This is reasonable.”


  The emperor of Qi looked at the thoughtful expression of the man in black robes and was slightly happy. Then he immediately became worried and said, “There are at least two crucial people among the people of Qin who have followed Yuanwu here.”


  The man in black robes glanced at him, but did not seem very interested.

  The emperor of Qi continued. “Li Si and Hu Hai have followed Emperor Yuanwu out of Changling but they are not on Deer Mountain.”


  “You do not need to worry about anything.” The beautiful man in black robes turned to glance at the tent of the Yan Dynasty. He said coldly, “Victory and defeat is not here. Even if one has to stand up, it will not be you.”


  The emperor of Qi was shocked. He looked in incomprehension at the clear features of the man in black robes. As he saw the direction of the man in black robes, his eyes widened in disbelief, “Would it be ……”


  “Enough!” The man in black robes shouted coldly and interrupted his words.

  The flutes and drums sounded in unison and up rose a purple smoke.

  In the campsite of the Yan Dynasty, a man rose out of a steaming bath tub. The droplets of water rolled down his smooth skin, like dew from grass.

  The two female palace attendants were extremely beautiful, youthful and pale. Seeing the man walk out naked from the bathtub with his flawless and perfect figure, the two palace attendants couldn’t help but blush. However, their eyes did not hold much bashfulness, but unusual respect.

  The man was not shy at all. Helped by the two attendants, he put on a clean silk robe, and then he nodded slightly in thanks.

  “Teacher Xie.” A general dressed in golden armor had been waiting outside the tent. Seeing this man walk out, he immediately bowed, and then led the way.

  In front of a bright yellow canopy, the four emperors started seat. This man closely followed the emperor of Yan.

  Emperor Yuanwu’s gaze collided with the other three emperors.

  In the spring of Yuanwu Year Twelve, the Deer Mountain Conference formally started on the peak of Deer Mountain.

  The four emperors were the highest existences in the world and did not exchange bows. Previously, ceremonial officials had sacrificed to the heavens, earth, ghosts, and gods. Each emperor had a personal attendant next to them. Huang Zhenwei sat next to Emperor Yuanwu. However, Consort Zhao Xiang did not sit next to the emperor of Chu, but the newly established crown prince Li Lingjun.

  The person sitting next to the emperor of Yan was the man who had just bathed. Sitting next to the emperor of Qi was naturally the beautiful man in black robes.

  All the formalities were complete. The field was completely silent.

  Other than these four emperors and their four attendants, everyone present wore an extremely serious expression and were waiting for the emperor of Chu to speak.

  In that great war in the third year of Yuanwu, the emperor of Chu and his Chu Dynasty had won against the Qin, forcing the Qin Dynasty to sign an agreement with the Chu, Qi, and Yan dynasties. Regardless of how old he appeared now, he was still the host of this conference.

  The most important matter of the agreement was naturally the ownership of the Chu Dynasty’s war spoils, Yangshan Commandery.

  “I need three years.” Previously, everyone had speculated to what the emperor of Chu would start with and what he planned. But he gave no opening speech and immediately answered the question.

  He looked calmly at Emperor Yuanwu and said, “I need time to evacuate.”


  The emperor of Qi frowned slightly. But when he thought of the words the man in black robes had previously said, he pursed his lips and did not speak.

  Returning Yangshan Commandery was naturally the greatest guarantee to avoid war. However, the concession of three years of buffer, without any other conditions, seemed to be too immense.

  Emperor Yuanwu nodded slightly.

  The emperor of Yan, who Mo Shoucheng had described as the most cautious, was on the verge of speaking.

  Everybody felt that Emperor Yuanwu would immediately agree.

  “No need for three years.”


  But Emperor Yuanwu spoke in refusal.

  Before the first word fell, the emperor of Yan sensed something amiss and suddenly looked up.

  “Yangshan Commandery has returned to the Qin.” Emperor Yuanwu calmly continued to speak, his voice landing like thunder on people’s ears.

  With the gathering of the four emperors, no one else had to consider the matters. So the cultivators of the dynasties were all silent. When Emperor Yuanwu said the words, all of Deer Mountain vibrated with a warlike and murderous presence. All of the dewdrops were shaken off the grasses and were ground into fine mist by the chaotic presences.

  Li Lingjun’s face was snowy white, his hands tightly clenched as he shook.

  The ownership of the Yangshan Commandery was the most important matter of the Deer Mountain Conference. Who would have thought that Emperor Yuanwu would attack Yangshan Commandery before the Deer Mountain Conference.

  At this time, no news had reached Deer Mountain. This meant that the great battle had occurred last night.

  The emperor of Chu frowned slightly. His skin was covered in age spots and wrinkles. When he frowned, he immediately seemed much older.

  But his expression was still calm and he said calmly, “We made an agreement in the past not to wage war on each other. You have broken the agreement.”


  At the emperor of Chu’s words, clouds roiled and wind danced on Deer Mountain with more murderousness.

  Emperor Yuanwu shook his head and said, “Yangshan Commandery was borrowed, not given. This was stated in the previous agreement. The agreement only stated we could not invade the lands of other dynasties. Yangshan Commandery belongs to the Qin. The army did not cross into Chu lands. How was the agreement broken?”


  To everybody present, this was naturally chicanery and a forced argument. But everybody knew that Yangshan Commandery returning to the Qin Dynasty, was an established truth.

  What shook everybody from the Chu Dynasty from within was that the Chu Dynasty had stationed a large number of soldiers in Yangshan Commandery. How had the Qin armies been able to conquer Yangshan Commandery so quickly?

  “Spectacular!”


  A new voice sounded.

  Just one word, but everybody present was shocked.

  Only the emperor of Qi’s eyes shined.

  He knew that the man in black robe’s words had become the truth.

  The one who had spoken was the emperor of Yan, whose sitting posture was especially dignified and cautious.

  “While all experts gathered here, you sent an army to take back Yangshan Commandery. This plan is spectacular.”


  “Yet even if you managed to catch a loophole in the agreement, we have gathered here to discuss the ownership of Yangshan Commandery. You doing this beforehand is to mock all of us.”


  Everybody present was aware that the emperor of Yan was the most cautious. Even if there were any objections, he would likely be the last to speak. No one had thought he would be the first to go on the offensive. When he spoke up, many people in the Yan Dynasty were unusually surprised.

  As Emperor Yuanwu spoke, his expression remained unchanged. “I am not mocking, I have just taken care of a bother.”


  “Bother?”


  “A mere brother, how many people have died in foreign lands?”


  “I am an ordinary man, but I dare to die with my blood sprayed five paces wide. Please.”


  The emperor of Yan did not speak but the clean man next to him stood up, and tore his sleeve.

  This gesture, in the Yan Dynasty, was an invitation to a duel.

  The sky above Deer Mountain seemed to dim. The air and the light seemed to freeze. Most people had completely stopped breathing.

  While everybody knew that a scene like this would definitely occur, no one had expected it to occur so early; the first being the Yan Dynasty and their attitude so clearly declared.

  In this kind of circumstances, this clean man represented the emperor of Yan. Emperor Yuanwu naturally could not refuse an invitation to a duel. In this heavy atmosphere, everybody wondered if Emperor Yuanwu would accept the duel in person.

  Emperor Yuanwu did not pause. He only said calmly, “General Fang, accept for this Lonely One.”


  Fang Xiang, who had been sitting silently at the rear, was not surprised. He leaned slightly and said, “Yes!” Then he methodically stood up.

  A cracking sound pealed.

  The ceremonial officials of the four dynasties had prepared for this event for many years. Naturally, they had prepared for a scene like this too.

  The musical instruments quickly moved away. A clearing appeared a hundred paces next to the four emperors.”


  “It’s the Yan.”


  On the mountain where Ding Ning was, Pan Ruoye turned to look at Mo Shoucheng, saying coldly, “The Yan Madman Li Caitian.”


  Mo Shoucheng sank into deep thought.

  The first on the offensive was the Yan Dynasty and they had chosen such a direct method. There must be extraordinary meaning behind all this.

  He started to speculate of all kinds of possibilities.

  Ding Ning focused on the peak of Deer Mountain, also speculating about the possibilities.

  Unable to contain his shock, Fu Su said, “The top seal master of the Yan Dynasty, how is that possible!”


  Translator Ramblings: When one is powerful, they can be aggressive and break the spirit of the law.