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Chapter Fifty-Six: Who Will Come
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  As this unusual light landed, a middle-aged man dressed in white jade colored robes silently appeared on the other end of the ice path.

  His face and figure were ordinary, but his presence felt exceptionally clean. While his body naturally could not be as transparent as crystal and gems, the feeling he gave other cultivators was that his entire body was very pure and transparent.

  The middle-aged man in bright red armor who arrived before him was Marquis Dugu. Yet when he appeared by Marquis Dugu’s side, he did not bow, and did not even speak for he was also a marquis as well. He was someone able to sit equally with Marquis Dugu, Marquis Duanmu. His son was Duanmu Jingzong, who had appeared during the Min Mountain Sword Trials, Li Xixing’s childhood enemy.

  Two great marquises of the Qin Dynasty appeared. When he stood side by side with Marquis Dugu, the odd light which was coming from the sky was still illuminating Marquis Dugu.

  An exceptionally clean presence was eager in the air, feeling joyful as it swept away the haze around Marquis Dugu.

  Marquis Dugu naturally understood what the other meant. He looked up again, straight at Baili Suxue who seemed to be standing in the clouds. The swords on his back, like a peacock’s tail, shone with blinding light. Two enormous presences surged towards the peak of the mountain.

  When these presences were heading at him, Baili Suxue only gave a small proud smile. A cold presence flowed out of the ice path below his feet and gathered in his hand.

  A snowflake appeared in his hand.

  This snowflake flew into the empty space in front of him. There seemed to be an invisible bolt of lightning in the sky. The light coming from the clouds was easily torn apart.

  In the next moment, the wind was like normal, the absolute stillness disappearing, and everything was the same as before. Nothing seemed to have happened. Marquis Dugu and Marquis Duanmu were absolutely silent, standing still.

  Their expressions were calm and undisturbed, but their faces seemed to be a bit dimmer. But inside, they were in a sea of turmoil, especially Marquis Dugu who should not have been here in the first place.

  He wanted to try Baili Suxue’s sword. Originally, in his imagination, even if he was not as good as Baili Suxue, he would not be too far. But now, he and Marquis Duanmu together were not enough to force Baili Suxue to fight.

  Baili Suxue was already so strong.

  **

  Outside Min Mountain Sword Sect, at the south side of the base, because of the rain during the spring, a small shallow lake had formed.

  This shallow lake which would disappear in the summer season originally was within the formations of the Min Mountain Sword Sect and would not be exposed at all. But as Marquis Dugu ascended the mountain, some of the energies which obscured gazes from outside disappeared. Many scenes appeared in everyone’s sight.

  At the side of the shallow lake was an army stationed. This army was under the banner of Marquis Xu’s Mount Heng Shenzang Army, led by famed grandmasters of Changling.

  At this time, these numerous grandmasters were looking beyond the shallow lake to the woods at the bottom of the mountain on the other side. Their expressions were wary as though they had sensed something was happening there.

  From the woods, a small cultivator was walking. This cultivator wore large black robes, and had a bamboo hat which covered his face so his features could not be seen.

  Just as the expressions of these generals turned serious, there was the sound of the cultivator’s soles brushing against the fallen leaves. Thousands of pieces of dried leaves gave off metallic sounds, flying outwards with a violent presence.

  Dozens of old trees were torn to pieces by these dry leaves. Then, a sword light lit up, stopping the violent presence from spreading over. Marquis Li’s figure appeared on a stone facing this cultivator.

  “So it is you?”


  Seeing Marquis Li dressed in light gold armor, this cultivator spoke in a sharp female voice.

  Marquis Li heard this voice, and could not help but sigh again inside at the strength of the mistress of the imperial palace.

  “I will not ascend the mountain, and you will not either.” He knew the other did not have patience, so he looked directly at the Lady of Chen and spoke.

  The one who had released a sword energy with such a violent presence was naturally the Lady of Chen, Ji Qingqing, who had her face disfigured.

  Hearing Marquis Li’s words, she snorted coldly.

  But before she could speak, Marquis Li continued, “I do not want to fight to the death with you. Also, your luck is very good today. Originally, the people of the Dugu Marquessate Establishment were going to wait here today with me for you.”


  Ji Qingqing’s breathing suddenly stopped.

  At this time, many fine sounds occurred behind Marquis Li in the woods. A cold gray mist silently spread.

  As the mist spread, there were nine riders dressed in black thorn armor looking like they were made from metal appearing behind Marquis Li. Behind these nine riders was a tide of metal. More armored soldiers filled the clearing in the wood.

  Looking at the nine Nether armored riders and the Nether soldiers, Ji Qingqing’s violent presence stopped spreading outwards. She knew that since the Nine Nether Riders had been transferred here, even if she fought to the death, she could not enter the Min Mountain Sword Sect.

  “Zheng Xiu expected that I will come to Min Mountain Sword Sect because Baili Suxue once spoke for me. I have a reason to come here to fight for him.” Her gaze passed through the falling leaves to look at Marquis Li. “What about you, you cannot even protect your son. What is your reason for fighting here?”


  “There is never eternal grievances, just eternal interests.”


  Marquis Li turned to glance at the riders dressed in black armor and said, “The Li Marquessate Establishment was not built by my battle merit alone, and it cannot just exist for my son alone.”


  “I really want to kill you.”


  “I will find a chance to kill you.”


  Ji Qingqing looked at Marquis Li and said two things.

  All of the falling dry leaves once again violently jumped off the ground. Ji Qingqing’s figure kept on withdrawing, and in a flash, she disappeared from the woods.

  But the terrifying killing intent she gave off still shrouded the woods, reducing all of the dried leaves to powder which slammed into Marquis Li and the Nether armored soldiers behind him in a wave.

  Sparks rows from Marquis Li’s gold armor. Sounds like waves hitting stones came from him. But he did not look at where Ji Qingqing had disappeared. He was looking high up in Min Mountain Sword Sect. At the same time, he was thinking the same thing as Marquis Dugu.

  Ahead of the official gates of Min Mountain Sword Sect, there were many shattered pieces of red armor flowing down the indigo path with the blood. There were multiple cultivators holding their lifebond swords, looking motionlessly at the flowing red blood that rows above their feet.

  Suddenly, they turned around, their breathing stopping.

  Two big gray sedan chairs appeared at the same time on the path behind them.

  Volume 5 56 - I Did Not Think It Was You

  Other than that cultivator whose fingers had fallen off, no one else in the Wuzhi cavalry could understand the meaning in Shen Xuan’s words.

  Ding Ning naturally knew the meaning behind those words. Facing Shen Xuan, who had such a powerful presence he forced an entire army to retreat, his expression still did not change greatly. He nodded with an odd meaning towards Shen Xuan and said, “Live together, or die together.”


  Shen Xuan remained silent. Another layer of the surrounding earth was inexplicably shaved off.

  The cultivator among the Wuzhi cavalry felt that he understood the meaning of Ding Ning’s words and that Ding Ning had won. He was not a realm seven expert, but just now, he had produced power that far surpassed most realm sevens. The price was that his meridians had been torn in countless places by his vital energy. The last burst of power caused his shattered vital energy to move through his seriously injured meridians and continue to invade. His organs were also injured, causing him to cough up blood this entire time.

  Yet at this moment, Shen Xuan also started to cough. Even he could hear the pain in the coughs.

  Shen Xuan coughed and looked at Ding Ning. “We are going to die soon.”


  Ding Ning smiled and said, “I do not feel you are the last piece.”


  The cultivator without his fingers on his right hand had no time to ponder the meaning of Ding Ning’s words. He sensed something and instinctively turned around. He saw a sandstorm.

  The lands of Wuzhi were rich grassland. Only the distant Donghu could have sandstorms that obscured the sky. Yet now, he saw a true sandstorm.

  The cultivator whose fingers had fallen off was able to figure out many things and had both foresight and wisdom. When he saw the sandstorm, he was more shocked. He started to realize that Ding Ning’s solution had a fatal flaw.

  This flaw was timing.

  If Ding Ning was going to force Shen Xuan to come out, then he would have come to die sooner. Yet the former’s last words to the latter made him realize that Ding Ning had deliberately erred.

  He did not understand the empress as well as Ding Ning. So he turned around in confusion. Without any shock or anger, he looked at the black wasteland behind Shen Xuan in a daze. He thought,

  Shen Xuan had arrived next to Ding Ning.

  He only had one hand, and it looked miserable hanging by his side. But a kind of thin yet cold killing intent was already shrouding Ding Ning. He would not even need to move his hand to kill Ding Ning.

  “Who knows whose hands you die at on such a battlefield?” he looked at Ding Ning and said slowly in a deep voice.

  Ding Ning gave a faint smile and shook his head. He did not look at the incoming sand storm, and turned to the night behind him. “You do not dare …… because you also need to be sure no one else is looking at you.”


  Shen Xuan grew silent.

  Ding Ning said softly, “In a sense, we have a common enemy. We need to force that person out.”


  “If not for that person, we die together?” Shen Xuan controlled his strong killing intent and sneered. “You are really perverse.”


  Ding Ning glanced at him. “It is a great honor to receive Official Shen’s praise.”


  Shen Xuan did not look at him as that black sandstorm had already arrived.

  The border of the sandstorm touched the rear of the cavalry like a gentle mist. All the well-trained horses immediately fell into chaos. In the next moment, the cavalry disappeared from Shen Xuan and Ding Ning’s sight.

  Metal rang out.

  The Wuzhi soldiers saw when the sandstorm surged past, the blades hanging from their sides and even the ones grip broke out of their control and flew forward, wrapped up in the sandstorm.

  A figure arrived with the sandstorm. The reason they could see him in the sandstorm was because this person’s presence was unimaginably strong, so strong that this person seemed taller and larger than a mountain.

  This figure passed through the disorderly cavalry, and all the Wuzhi soldiers saw him reach out his hand. In the next moment, this figure disappeared among the numerous blades.

  The numerous blades formed an enormous weapon, like a knife or a sword, that slashed towards Ding Ning.

  When the sandstorm drowned the cavalry, Shen Xuan was already standing in front of Ding Ning.

  The blade slashed towards Ding Ning, and it would touch him first.

  Shen Xuan knew what Ding Ning was doing now. When he had talked to Ding Ning, he had made his choice, so the vital energy charged without restraint out of his body, bursting from all his meridian points and along his pores. All the color faded from his bloody robe. All of the blood, and even the blood in his body seemed to have been shaken out of him.

  With a boom, an enormous mist of blood was released like an enormous flower.

  The fine blood formed special paths as they flew outwards and drew in more energy of the world. Air currents hissed in the middle of the giant roar. Countless snakes appeared to form a bloody snake and were surging to face the slashing giant blade.

  The figure among the numerous blades frowned slightly as though he had not imagined Shen Xuan was able to perform such a blow. Yet his advancing presence and momentum did not change. In the next moment, he made a fist and then attacked.

  The air suddenly shook. The flying blades sped up, gathering together until the blades lay closely together in front of him.

  The flower of blood was cut apart. Shen Xuan shouted and then flew backwards. The blades continued to steadily advance, and stab towards Ding Ning according to the person’s will. Countless snowflakes fell from the distant sky yet no one could sense it. The wind created by the blades was already blowing on Ding Ning.

  Slashing wounds started to appear on Ding Ning’s body, caused by the sharpness of the wind. Yet Ding Ning still remained unmoving. He even gave a faint smile like he was facing death with a smile.

  “Such a great Divine Blade Emperor.”


  An emotional voice sounded at this moment.

  When this voice sounded, emotion appeared in Ding Ning’s eyes. He shook his head and inwardly thought-

  Volume 3 56 - Attack of the Heart

  The first glimmer of early dawn saw a hawksbill suddenly pull its wings in and drop down like a rock from the sky. Once at a certain height, it suddenly spread its wings again, and glided at astounding speed. It seemed to brush against yellow roofs as it flew deep into the Changling imperial palace.

  There were naturally not many hawksbills that would fly in such a terrifying manner. The Qin imperial palace was a place difficult for birds to enter. The cultivators guarding the imperial palace would not allow the avians to do as they pleased above the palace.

  Yet, the feathers of this hawksbill were vermillion red, a color that would not occur naturally.

  Every cultivator of the Qin imperial palace knew that this hawksbill came from the emperor’s personal attendant.

  In the Grand Secretariat, four old members of the secretariat waited with excitement and anxiousness.

  Three days ago, the Deer Mountain Conference came to a close. These three days, news concerning the event had constantly streamed into the imperial palace. Adding on that Mo Shoucheng and Pan Ruoye had returned, the elders of the Secretariat, a position just below the two ministers, knew of the Qin Dynasty’s glorious victory at the Deer Mountain Conference.

  But the news had yet to reach most of Changling. They were still waiting for news of the Deer Mountain Conference.

  However, the ‘when to announce the news’ and ‘how to announce the news’ were awaiting decision from the Holy One.

  What would Changling be like once the news promulgated?

  They had learned that Minister Li had followed the Holy One to Deer Mountain. The empress and Minister Yan had gone to Yangshan Commandery. At this time, they should be on their way back. From a certain perspective, Changling was an empty city at this time.

  Word of the outcome had finally reached these few who had been waiting excitedly and anxiously. Not long after the hawksbill flew into the imperial palace, an official of the rites came in with a bright yellow brocade cloth.

  The four elder secretariats started to write furiously. Orders constantly left the imperial palace.

  Loud calls echoed through the deep palace.

  Waves of joyful surprise and cheers sounded. Changling started to boil over.

  As the astounding news was proclaimed, the weight pressing down on Changling was completely swept away.

  The hoe of a farmer hit his foot, the knife of a chef cut his finger, the laborer on the board fell into the river between two ships …… almost being in Changling was in chaos. Almost everybody put down what they were doing, and started to flood the streets, cheering ‘Long Live the Emperor.”


  The powerful Qin army had taken back Yangshan Commandery. Not just Yangshan Commandery, even the Wu and Deer mountains that were between the Qin and the Chu now belonged to the Qin. This was truly a cheer that the entire country turned out for.

  Even the addicted gamblers of Changling’s underground casinos left the dim secret casinos. As they saw the light of day, their eyes tearing up from the pain, they heard the news. Excited, their minds grew slightly clearer. When they thought of what they had lost recently in the casinos and what they had done, these gamblers started to cry.

  For once, these underground gambling dens were remarkably deserted and peaceful.

  In a certain quiet room, deep in one of the secret casinos, Zhao Si, still dressed like a man, listened to the cheers. Hearing the cries of the gamblers on the streets outside, she could not help but think of her master. The person who had created the Zhao Sword Furnace with his own power, and stopped the Qin from entering the city just by himself.

  At this time, she felt exceedingly helpless.

  Even during the new year, there were never loud sounds such as this cheer. Perhaps, such a thing had never occurred in the history of Qin.

  The resonating cheers shook the dust off the eaves. They passed into many quiet places, even the streets and the water of the Wei River trembled slightly.

  Inside a cell of the well-guarded Great Floating Water Prison, some black chains were locked around a person who did not look like a person. The water, up to his chest, was black but emitted a strange silver light. The black chains grew haphazardly like seagrass, passing through the water around his body, but never making contact at any point.

  Yet these black chains were powerful seal scripts, securely locking down this space. The great power could even change the substance of the water here.

  The water was so cold it pierced the bones. His hair was twisted together like rags that had not been washed for years. It was so long it covered half of his body and stretched into the water. His skin, that was occasionally exposed out of the water, was covered in all kinds of rashes. It was not possible to see any flesh and blood, as though there was only bone underneath the skin.

  This kind of appearance was not like a human. But he made people feel he was human because his presence was human.

  Some people, regardless of how they changed in looks, even if their features were blurry, their presence was enough to make people feel he was more human than most humans.

  “I do not understand. What are you waiting for?”


  Shen Xuan was standing on one of the stepping stones beside the water. He looked down at the stones by his feet, and slowly said, “Waiting for today for such a result. Are you satisfied?”


  No news could enter this cell. Shen Xuan had not mentioned any news concerning Deer Mountain Conference to this person, but he knew, just based on some sounds and vibrations, this person would know what had happened. Because this person was publicly accepted as the top strategist of the world, the smartest person in the world.

  He was Lin Zhujiu.

  “Come closer. I will tell you if I am satisfied today.”


  A teasing voice sounded from the water and entered Shen Xuan’s ears.

  Shen Xuan’s brows rose slightly. He looked up slightly at the person in the water, but did not step forward on the stepping stone.

  “You do not even dare to take a step forward. You worry about falling for a scheme of mine, but still want to use this opportunity to disturb my mind.” Lin Zhujiu, who did not appear like a person but a weed growing in the water yet felt like a person, laughed. “Do you not find this amusing?”


  Shen Xuan thought for a moment and said, “It is amusing, but I am on the stone, and you are in the water.”


  Lin Zhujiu smiled and said, “That was then, this is now. Maybe one day, you will be in the water, and I will be looking at you from above.”


  Shen Xuan narrowed his eyes and said, “Is that possible?”


  Lin Zhujiu nodded seriously and said, “It should be very soon.”


  Shen Xuan’s pupils contracted slightly and he did not make any noise.

  “I’ve only heard prisoners being frightened by their guards, and never the other way round.” Lin Zhujiu laughed again. “But today, I am in a good mood, and can tell you some things.”


  Shen Xuan looked with an ugly expression at Lin Zhujiu. He had been in Great Floating Water Prison for so many years and understood Lin Zhujiu well. Of course, he would not think that Lin Zhujiu would tell him anything useful.

  Yet, Lin Zhujiu spoke, “Li Lingjun’s establishment is finished.”


  Shen Xuan’s breathing suddenly stopped. His eyes immediately shone with unusual light.

  “If you send an army to protect Li Lingjun’s establishment, it may be in time. Otherwise, Li Lingjun’s establishment will completely disappear from Changling today.” Lin Zhujiu continued slowly. “No matter what kind of victory Yuanwu obtained at Deer Mountain, the establishment of a Chu hostage cannot be destroyed at a word. They just made the agreement. One has to give the three dynasties face.”


  Shen Xuan’s eyes narrowed into a line. He said coldly, “Who would destroy Li Lingjun’s establishment at this time?”


  Lin Zhujiu moved slightly, glancing at Shen Xuan and said, “Yangshan Commandery, for most people of Changling, is not just a humiliation, but also great hatred. You should not have forgotten that most of the Qin soldiers that died in that battle came from Changling and Guanzhong.”


  “What victory brings is venting.”


  Lin Zhujiu laughed after a brief pause continued. “When one feels they are not as strong as their opponent, their venting will be restrained. But when they feel their opponent is defeated, this kind of venting will be out of control.”


  Shen Xuan thought carefully about the words, and felt his back turn cold. But he still shook his head. “This has nothing to do with my duties.”


  “How come?”


  Lin Zhujiu’s voice was filled with amusement. “From the start, I diverted your thoughts …… you were led by me. You heard me say that Li Lingjun’s establishment will be destroyed, yet you do not think as such. I have been imprisoned here before Li Lingjun’s establishment was created. I may not even know of the Chu hostage. How could I know of Li Lingjun’s establishment?”


  Shen Xuan’s body suddenly shook, his face paling abruptly.

  In these years, no one had been able to meet Lin Zhujiu except for a rare few. He had been almost present at all those meetings with those few people. They could not have mentioned Li Lingjun.

  How could he have learned?

  “I can read minds.”


  There was a splash. Lin Zhujiu raised his head, his tangled hair creating waves. “I am able to read what people hide through their eyes. It is the same with you. So this is the secret to why I was able to always win and predict the enemy in the past.”


  Shen Xuan sank into great astonishment. But many seconds later, he became furious.

  “How can there be a mind-reading art in the world!”


  “You want to attack my heart!”


  “You think that I will be affected by your words!”


  His furious voice echoed through the water prison.

  Lin Zhujiu looked at him with a small smile and said, “Of course, mind reading does not exist, but you think you will have a good end? You really think that everything is within Yuanwu’s grasp as he thinks?”


  Just like usual, Shen Xuan’s heart filled with inexplicable terror.

  Lin Zhujiu’s words were slightly absurd, but his following words pierced one’s heart like a needle of ice. Even more importantly, in the past years, many of the things Lin Zhujiu said all became reality.

  Shen Xuan, just like usual, did not say a word as he decisively left the cell.

  Translator Ramblings: Zhujiu means “to boil wine.”


  Volume 2 56 - Misconstrue

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

  The rapeseed flowers of his home were blooming. The strong yellow color seemed to burn the sky, and the faint fragrance filled Li Yunrui’s nose.

  The fragrance made him feel as though his body was turning light, until he finally started to float.

  He saw a herd of newborn lambs running on the field, and then a young boy happily running behind the herd, drawing closer to him. He could clearly hear the happy laughter of the boy, making him inexplicably happy.

  But he was suddenly surprised. He felt this body’s features were growing more familiar.

  The boy ran past him, disturbing the rapeseed flowers on the two sides of the field. Many yellow flower petals flew up in a golden wave.

  Li Yunrui couldn’t help but go towards the village ahead, along the path the little boy had taken.

  A farm cow was tied to the old locust tree by the village entrance. Light fell on him in mottled rays.

  Li Yunrui continued to walk forward. He saw a wattle fence and then a woman in coarse robes washing clothes by the well inside the fence. There were radish dumplings being cooked on the stove in the room yonder.

  Seeing him come in, the woman suddenly looked up at him with affection and anger, telling him to go wash his hands.

  Li Yunrui looked in shock at his hands. He saw his hands were now covered in mud, and had become unusually white and small. He was even more shocked.

  He found he had become the boy who had ran past the rapeseed field just now.

  He finally realized where this was, who he was, and who this woman was.

  He opened his mouth but choked.

  The yellow color of the field grew blinding. He couldn’t help but close his eyes. Yet, he wanted to see this. So, with great effort, he tried to keep his eyes open. However, the yellow color filled his entire world.

  He cried out in pain.

  "Awake?"

  A cold voice rushed into his ears like a wave of cold water.

  This voice was unusually unfamiliar. Li Yunrui’s sight dimmed, just like the old locust tree at the village entrance that was shading him. He gradually saw that the world did not have the boundless expanse of golden rapeseed, only an endless ocean. Above him, in the sky, was a woman in white robes.

  He found he was lying on a slightly damp grass patch. As he raised his head and looked up, he discovered that this white robed woman was exceptionally tall.

  "No matter the reason, expending your vital energy and sinking to the bottom is extremely stupid," the white robed woman glanced at him and said expressionlessly.

  Li Yunrui was silent for a moment. He slowly stood up and said, "You rescued me?"

  The white robed woman looked at him and said calmly, "Yes."

  Li Yunrui said after a moment, "Thank you very much."

  The white robed woman frowned slightly.

  Li Yunrui stood up and continued to walk towards the river.

  "Ding Ning."

  The white robed woman did not stop Li Yunrui from walking back into the river, but had uttered this name.

  Li Yunrui’s body suddenly froze.

  "What did you hear when I was unconscious?" he turned and said to the white robed woman.

  The white robed woman did not answer his question and turned to look at the distant Changling "You have such cultivation, but you expended all your vital energy to sink to the bottom. I want to know why?"

  She had wandered on this river for a long time. In this period before and after the Deer Mountain Conference, she had been hesitating about entering Changling, contemplating if there was a need. But at this time, her hesitation disappeared.

  She started to walk.

  Li Yunrui’s body grew cold. He turned and saw the white robed woman heading towards Changling.

  "I will go to Changling to find the answer," the white robed woman did not look back at him, and said calmly.

  A hint of bitterness appeared on Li Yunrui’s face. He did not say anything but started to walk and follow the white robed woman.

  The palace attendant in ordinary clothing walked slowly out of Falling Parasol.

  There was a carriage parked under a willow to the side. When she neared it, the curtain was pushed open from the inside. A man with a long beard walked out, and bowed towards her with extreme awe.

  "He deserves the reward of the Zhou Gardens." This palace attendant looked at the long-bearded man and said expressionlessly, "But this does not mean he will receive special treatment at the Min Mountain Sword Trials."

  The long bearded man frowned slightly and then bowed slightly to express his understanding.

  A line of black clouds slowly drifted through the sky. Underneath the black clouds was the Qi Dynasty’s imperial cavalcade.

  The Chu procession had stopped at Wancheng, but the Qi imperial procession was not heading towards their capital, but to the base of a black mountain.

  The black mountain was not very large and did not have any thriving flora. It was covered with countless gravestones.

  The imperial procession stopped at the base of the mountain while the black sedan continued upwards.

  In a mountain valley near the peak, a youth was digging a hole with a shovel.

  This youth was similar in age to Ding Ning and wore a black robe. His expression was extremely peaceful and focused. Even when the house-sized black sedan stopped behind him, and the emperor of Qi walked out, he did not stop, and did not even turn to look at the emperor of Qi.

  The emperor of Qi waited quietly.

  His expression even held a rare hint of reverence. He would only have such an expression when facing Yan Ying.

  The black soil kept being tossed out. The hole the youth was in grew larger and deeper. He only stopped when his head was below the ground.

  "You are Prospect Teacher’s disciple?" the emperor of Qi nodded slightly and asked in a genial voice when he saw the black robed youth turn around.

  The black robed youth didn’t even look at the emperor of Qi. A gust of cool wind swept. His body disappeared from in front of the emperor of Qi and appeared inside the large black sedan.

  Without any pause, he bent down and picked up Yan Ying’s remains. Then he fell back into the deep hole he had just dug.

  "Bury."

  He put Yan Ying’s body by his side and also laid down.

  A hint of shock flashed through the emperor of Qi’s eyes. But he sensed something. Thus, without a word, he gripped the shovel the youth had just used and started to work on his own to fill the deep hole.

  Shovel over shovel of black earth fell, gradually filling the deep hole, burying the black robed youth and Yan Ying’s body.

  By the time he was done, the setting sun was as red as blood.

  After a moment’s thought, The emperor of Qi took down the black jade coronet he wore, and inserted it like a tombstone for this new grave.

  Translator Ramblings: I think I get why this story is strange to translate. We get less of Ding Ning’s thoughts compared to every other character. He’s the protagonist and the focus but the author doesn’t let us "connect" with him through his thoughts and motivations.

  Volume 4 56 - Curiosity

  Hu Jingjing missed many things when she was unconscious. For example, the Sword Mountain Sword falling down with starfire.

  The Wuzhi land behind Yin Mountain did not have many tall mountains. When the enormous Sword Mountain Sword fell, people from the far horizon could see it. Everyone could feel the power of this sword. Especially when almost all Qin people were familiar with the pale and cold starfire.

  The place where such an attack occurred, for the Qin fleeing for life on the plains now, was a place of life. Yet for those people who knew it was safe but could not reach it, they were in more despair.

  “No time.”


  A middle-aged man in heavy wolf-skin robes, face half-shrouded under a fur hat sighed as he gazed in the direction of Sword Mountain Sword. “We will not be able to stop the remnants of the Qin army at Guyu Pass. Even if our army defeats Guyu Pass, the Qin reinforcements, especially some powerful cultivators, will arrive, and our armies will be the ones being pursued then.”


  Standing with his head respectfully bow beside this middle-aged man was the fifth prince of Wuzhi, Wu Lianzi. At the middle-aged man’s words, Wu Lianzi said in a trembling voice, “Great Shaman, can we only retreat?”


  In the last few days, the Wuzhi cavalry had chased the Qin army all over the steppes yet he knew the price that Wuzhi had paid.

  “This is reality. This is not that we are willing or not, but we have to do so. As a general, especially as the ruler of a country, we must abandon all individual factors, including your own feelings. You must look down at your country like a god. In terms of this, I admire Zheng Xiu the most. She does it well,”


  The middle-aged man slowly spoke. His deep and wise gaze never left the direction where Sword Mountain Sword had fallen. “Unluckily, that Changling wine shop youth has also coincidentally reached Guyu Pass, and the key to our great battle is there. Fortunately, this “Fang” you are chasing now is his friend. Fortunately, this Changling wine shop youth is supposedly the best in the world at comprehension.”


  Wu Lianzi finally understood his meaning. A thread of hope lit up his eyes. “Great Shaman, you had considered it when you drove Li Xixing towards the Mountain of Ancestors …… You want to lure that wineshop youth into the Mountain of Ancestors.”


  “You have also seen how powerful the Changling cultivators are. Before this, in the last stages of the Qin extermination of the three dynasties, what influenced the outcome was the battles between the strongest cultivators. Only by opening the Mountain of Ancestors will we be able to contend with the powerful Changling cultivators that arrive.”


  “The blood of the youth who killed the grey wolf will be used as tribute for the Mountain of Ancestors. If the wine shop youth’s comprehension is best in the world, he is the key to opening the Mountain of Ancestors. As to this expert who is able to join with Zheng Xiu’s sword essence, he is the last sacrifice.” The middle-aged man smiled coldly, and looked up, his gaze seeming to penetrate the night clouds.

  Above the night clouds several black eagles hovered.

  Li Xixing, who was fleeing through the steppes with his strong resolve, was also looking up now. He stopped slightly, glanced at the unconscious Hu Jingjing and felt slightly relieved. Then he glanced at the clouds behind him. He could not see those eagles, but he heard the eagles’ cries from the sky.

  Wuzhi, Donghu’s, Yuezhi …… and some past countries that once existed on the steppes, and other mysterious tribes actually had a common ancestor a long time ago. Back then, the country that ruled the vast area outside the passes was called Tianliang. The present Wuzhi, Donghu, and the ruling clan of Yuezhi, all thought themselves the bloodline of the former Tianliang kings.

  Raising eagles was a tradition of these royals. The eagles could see thousands of miles away from high up in the sky so he knew that he could not escape the sight of his pursuers completely.

  Even Hu Jingjing, so severely injured, was holding on to life …… She had heeded to his choices many times to end up in this state. So unless it was the last moment, he did not want to give up.

  **

  On the slope outside Guyu Pass, a black dot fell down from the high clouds.

  A cultivator resting not far away in a tent suddenly opened his eyes. A crimson sword light penetrated the tent roof, giving a sharp howl as it flew towards the black dot. Many sleeping soldiers were startled awake, screams rang out on the slopes.

  The landing point of the black dot was clearly the carriage where Ding Ning was resting. From the light of the stars and the crimson flying sword, many people could see the falling black dot was a giant black eagle.

  The giant eagle clearly did not belong to the Qin military. Otherwise, this flying sword would not have flown up like it was facing a great enemy. But the black eagle did not change its direction as it faced this flying sword. With a hiss, the stomach and neck of the giant eagle were penetrated by this sword light. Then half of its wing was cut off. With a bam, it fell on the slope outside the group of carriages.

  Ding Ning had already walked out of his carriage. He did not inspect the giant eagle corpse. Before it even fell, he had seen there was a patch of bloodied fur tied to the giant eagle’s claw.

  Nangong Caishu warily stood next to him. She could also see the bloodied fur and sensed that Ding Ning’s expression had turned unusually serious.

  “What does this mean?” She felt that this giant black eagle had come to die and pass on a kind of message.

  Due to her understanding of Ding Ning, she felt that he had changed expression before he even looked closely. This meant that he already knew what the giant eagle was saying.

  “Of all our friends, only one person likes wearing thick fur robes like this,” Ding Ning glanced at her and said.

  Nangong Caishu’s body suddenly froze. “Li Xixing?”


  “Giant eagles of the steppes are harder to raise than some beasts. Only royals of the steppes can control such large eagles. Those that are able to judge I am here so quickly …… will not be so dull. So this must be Li Xixing’s fur robe,” Ding Ning nodded and said.

  Nangong Caishu felt even colder. “He tells you Li Xixing is in his hands. What does he want to do?”


  Ding Ning did not answer. This was a question that did not need an answer.

  Nangong Caishu paused for a breath of time and then looked at Ding Ning. “I’m coming with you.”


  Ding Ning did not refuse. He walked down the slope towards the grass until Shen Xuan appeared in front of him like a shadow.

  “The other used such a method to tell me Li Xixing is in his hands. He made it so complicated so he likely just wants to meet me or tell me something, not kill me instantly.”


  Ding Ning looked at Shen Xuan plainly. “Someone who knows Sword Mountain Sword is here and dares to plan like this would not be an ordinary person. I just told you we were waiting for a chance to tell Gu Huai. Now this chance has arrived.”


  Shen Xuan said coldly, “Go to your death again?”


  “At least I will die for a friend but she will not. So you can choose to work with me, or work with her.” Ding Ning looked calmly at Shen Xuan and said, “Since that person can use the black king eagle to send a message, he will quickly point out the path …… I just want to tell you whether or not you come, I will go.”


  “Gu Huai? He cannot stop you?” Shen Xuan’s expression did not change as he asked Ding Ning coldly.

  “He cannot stop me …… His only means to stop me is to threaten me with the deaths of my friends. But what is at stake here is the death of my friends.” Ding Ning shook his head scornfully. “And he will not have healed so quickly.”


  Translator Ramblings: For some reason, “Mountain of Ancestors” has more weight than “Ancestor Mountain”