Username: Password: Remember
background color:font color:font:[12PX15PX16PX20PX28PX]
Chapter Fifty-Seven: Burning
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  These two gray sedans were ordinary, but at such an important time, no ordinary cultivator would appear here.

  These cultivators holding their lifebond swords and guarding the gates of Min Mountain Sword Sect were the academians of the Qin imperial palace. They knew that these two normal gray sedans came from the imperial palace.

  Based on the rules of the Qin Dynasty, generals leading soldiers used chariots, the officials of the bureaus used horse drawn carriages, and officials who did not lead and some of the nobility used sedans.

  Sedans from the imperial palace, and having an identity above academians like them, then the people in these two gray sedans may only be the two ministers!

  Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Yan always ranked above the bureau chiefs and the marquises. Their status came from their own strength and the power they held.

  Everyone in the world knew that the two ministers of the Qin Dynasty were strong, but because their status was so lofty, they did not seem to be on the same level as the powers and nobility, so no one expected them to come. No one had expected these two people to arrive in person and participate in the battle as cultivators.

  As the two sedans came close, seeing the tokens hanging from the sides of the sedans, these cultivators were more and more shocked. An invisible force pressed on their chests and stopped them from breathing normally.

  Marquis Li was waiting in the woods. A rider dressed in Nether armor came to his side and reported about the two sedans passing through the gates of Min Mountain Sword Sect.

  Marquis Li’s cold face did not seem to change, but his eyebrows slowly rose. A thread of the violent presence which had spread through the woods seemed to infect his face.

  **

  Baili Suxue stood atop of the icy peak, waiting for the two sedans to arrive. Even with so many soldiers, numerous hidden academians, and even the subordinates of some marquises who had returned to Changling to surround Min Mountain Sword Sect, this did not seem to affect his mood at all. His mind was still clear, he was one with the world. He stood there, but no one could sense his energy.

  The two sedans had appeared in Marquis Duanmu and Marquis Dugu’s perception, but these two powerful marquises did not relax at all. Their attention was even more gathered, and large beads of sweat trickled down their foreheads.

  No trace meant that they were unable to attack, and even more importantly, they would not know when Baili Suxue would attack.

  “You are late.”


  When the two sedans finally reached the flat area on the peak, Baili Suxue slowly turned around. He seemed to have expected the arrival of the two ministers, and spoke dismissively.

  “We encountered Master Qi of Spirit Void Sword Sect on the way. While we were unable to keep him, it took up some time.” A gentle voice came from the gray sedan on the left.

  When this voice sounded, the two large sedans stopped, and the door covering seemed to push out at the same time.

  The voice was like the person. The man who walked out of the left sedan had gentle features which caused people to feel close. His figure was intermediate, not tall or short. Even more importantly, his presence was very ordinary, and was not pressuring.

  The person who walked out of the right sedan was very different, and could even be said to be the opposite. This was a man who looked to be in his fifties. He was very tall, and had a wide skeleton. The black robe he wore hung off his body like a heavy black cloud. His features were fierce, especially his tall and pointy nose. This caused him to look like an enormous eagle preparing to hunt at any moment.

  The gentle one was Prime Minister Li. The one like a hunting hawk was Prime Minister Yan. This was how some of the books on the Changling streets described the two ministers, simple and accurate.

  “Not late. We had an easy time coming up, earlier than I expected. You are too proud, or rather, you are as stupid as Wang Jingmeng.”


  These two ministers seemed to be speaking in completely different styles. The Master Qi Prime Minister Li spoke of was Qi Jinshan of the Spirit Void Sword Sect, one of the five people in the sect with supreme status. While he said he had encountered Master Qi calmly, naturally there had been a dangerous battle in order to force the other away. But he admitted that it took time, and he had come late. But Minister Yan spoke in a harsh tone, not only not admitting they came late but also saying they came early.

  “Only people of Min Mountain Sword Sect can save Min Mountain Sword Sect. The other people are not of use.”


  His tone was not just harsh, but very rude, ringing on the peak like a blade. “However, on the way, I did not even see Qing Yaoyin and the others. You sent them all out. Who can save Min Mountain Sword Sect?”


  “I can represent the Min Mountain Sword Sect, but the Min Mountain Sword Sect is not just me,” Baili Suxue spoke to him with interest, and answered.

  “We do not care who, just eliminating more powerful people like you.” Prime Minister Yan did not hide and said coldly, “Regardless of whether these people exist in other dynasties or ours.”


  “Your thoughts are the same as mine.” Hearing this tone, Baili Suxue smiled and then said, “But when people grow old, they die. The old generation’s experts will die. The key is, after these old experts die, which of the next generation will be strong?”


  Everybody heard the meaning in Baili Suxue’s words. The mountain wind on the peak seemed to suddenly grow fierce, and made a sound like banners flapping in the wind.

  The two ministers wore serious expressions which did not change, but Marquis Duanmu and Marquis Dugu who were already sweating paled.

  Many marquises had led their troops to secretly travel to Changling, and even some of the powerful cultivators from other dynasties were bought with the promise of great rewards. This was a killing game targeted at Baili Suxue and Min Mountain Sword Sect.

  But Baili Suxue never thought about leaving. This was his killing game.

  The wind suddenly grew stronger, the air colder. Ice silently appeared in the air like glowing gems. The ice flashed with faint indigo light, like they were made from jade, and the scent of jade burning was everywhere in the world.

  All of the people surrounding the mountain, even countless important people in Changling, were thinking right now, if Min Mountain Sword Sect did not exist after today, and Baili Suxue died, what kind of change would this bring to the Qin Dynasty.

  But no one thought, now, there were two marquises and two ministers on the peak. If these two ministers died at the same time, what kind of upheaval would this bring to the Qin Dynasty?

  “As expected, you are proud enough.” Minister Yan took a deep breath. When he was looking down, he looked like a man in his fifties. But when he looked up now, his face drew more dark, but with this breath, he quickly grew young.

  He narrowed his eyes at Baili Suxue and said, “If so, what are you waiting for?”


  Volume 5 57 - The Spirit Void Sect Master

  As this emotional voice sounded, the enormous blade froze midair before disintegrating in layers. Also disintegrating was the black sandstorm.

  Before the sand caught in the wild wind fell to the ground, they danced upwards into the air.

  The Wuzhi cavalry in the middle of the sandstorm finally could see clearly. Yet, it was not just their horses that panicked, the soldiers all retreated in panic as well. They all could sense the even more terrifying presence in the clear air.

  Behind Shen Xuan, who was sitting miserably on the ground, and Ding Ning, an enormous void seemed to appear. Currents of air were sucked through into another space.

  Sensing this presence, Shen Xuan’s eyes immediately filled with disbelief.

  “Spirit Void Sword Sect …… Gu Huai?” The cultivator who had come with the sandstorm was truly shocked and said slowly and coldly.

  As his voice sounded, all the dancing blades seemed to be drawn by countless invisible threads and stopped midair.

  Unrelated to the terrifying presence in the air, the Wuzhi cavalry retreated in more fear when they heard these words. Even the most ignorant Wuzhi person of the steppes knew the strongest sword-using sects in the world were Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect. Gu Huai was the sect master of Spirit Void Sword Sect.

  The cultivator whose fingers had been severed fell to the ground weakly. Looking at the great void in space and hearing the voice through the night, he was shocked speechless. He had thought that cultivators from Spirit Void Sword Sect would appear on the battlefield, but never expected it would be its …… sect master!

  The great voice started to shrink in the air like a flower withering away. A man dressed in purple robes appeared in everyone’s sight as the void disappeared.

  This was a tall man, and gave off a middle-aged presence. But there were no wrinkles on his jade-like skin. His eyes were slightly red. His fine and long hair also glinted with purple light and danced like the strands were alive. He was the master of one of the two strongest sword-using sects in the world. Yet he gave off no presence of a sword. He seemed like he would turn to nothingness at any moment and disappear from the world.

  “I did not think I would encounter you.” The cultivator with the swords stopped in the air looked at this legendary Spirit Void Sword Sect sect master and sincerely voiced his thought. He was slightly shorter than Gu Huai, and slightly older. He wore a rough fur robe like many other Wuzhi, but he appeared indescribably clean. His face was ordinary but also clean. He wore no accessories, hair was cut short, and looked as though he had no extraneous item.

  “I also did not expect to meet you,” Gu Huai looked coolly at this cultivator and said, “Divine Blade Emperor Tang Xin …… I did not expect you to be so strong. But I cannot understand. Back when Zhongshan State was destroyed, you did not act. Why are you acting now when Wuzhi fights my Qin?”


  “There were too many Ba Mountain Sword Field people, I could not win.” The man Gu Huai called Tang Xin said directly, “Also, I did not like the monarch of Zhongshan and the others.”


  The corners of Gu Huai’s mouth curved up like he found the reply interesting.

  “But I live comfortably here, and there are several people whom I think were good who have already died in battles with your army.” Tang Xin continued.

  Hearing the man’s words, Shen Xuan said coldly to himself from where he sat on the ground,

  He felt reassured now. Gu Huai was here, at least he would not die here.

  Gu Huai looked deeply at Tang Xin and said, “Those with power can usually be wilful.”


  Tang Xin glanced coldly at Gu Huai. “If one does not act based on their preferences, then what? What is the meaning of having great cultivation?”


  Gu Huai’s lips curled slightly looking slightly proud. He clearly did not agree with Tang Xin’s conduct of going to die out of his preference.

  Tang Xin looked up. He had once been one of the strongest cultivators of Zhongshan. When the Qin army destroyed Zhongshan during their march, he had not acted. Yet now, due to a preference, he was going to fight the sect leader of Spirit Void Sword Sect. So when he lifted his face, he appeared prouder than Gu Huai.

  The conversation between truly powerful people was not out of wariness for each person. To a certain extent, it was just respect towards someone of their level. As the conversation drew to a close, what remained was only a good fight.

  The moment Tang Xin lifted his head, the calmly floating blades in the air started to disintegrate. The hard metal silently turned to pieces. Thousands of blades turned into tens of thousands of pieces, forming a new sandstorm that blew forward. Each piece carried great power and killing intent.

  Gu Huai stood in front of him yet Tang Xin knew this was not where his true body was. If he wanted to truly threaten the other and even kill this legendary Spirit Void Sword Sect master, he first had to force the other’s true body from the primal energies of the universe.

  The sky full of blade pieces started to turn into red meteorites, lines of red that pierced through space, so densely packed together that it could change the paths of primal energies of the universe.

  In everyone’s view, Gu Huai’s expression quickly grew serious. But in the next moment, he looked at the cultivator sitting on the ground who had lost his fingers on his right hand. There was a soft sound. A purple sword light appeared out of thin air in front of the cultivator and pierced his chest.

  Blood and broken bone burst forth the cultivator’s back. The cultivator used his last energy to glance at Tang Xin and Ding Ning before dying, his head hanging down.

  In this fight against a cultivator like Tang Xin, Gu Huai’s first action was to kill this cultivator who was so seriously wounded he could not release any energy.

  Tang Xin’s expression did not change. At this moment, he just shifted his thought slightly. Numerous pieces shone with jewel-like light as they furiously accelerated and sped past all the blade pieces to fly at Ding Ning’s forehead.

  Gu Huai first killed the cultivator so he would kill Ding Ning first.

  Multiple explosions.

  Ding Ning did not act. Yet these pieces that most realm sevens could not stop seemed to hit an impenetrable wall tens of feet in front of him. Balls of energy exploded, and then fine dust shattered.

  Gu Huai’s figure appeared behind these balls of energy. The previous “him” was still standing nearby, but at this time, he was slowly pulling back his stretched hand. As his hand finally came next to his body, the “Gu Huai” in the distance disappeared into space.

  Tang Xin’s gaze flashed slightly. All the blade pieces advancing forward lost power and killing intent. They flew forward like dust.

  “Is it worth it?” he asked seriously as he looked at Gu Huai’s true body.

  Gu Huai did not look any different from the previous Gu Huai, but his body felt more real. Seeing Tang Xin stop to ask this question, he gave a small smile and appeared more real. This person was a famous general of Chu and had powerful weapons of the Yan. If he was not killed and left alive, he would be a great trouble in this battle.”


  After a pause, he looked at Tang Xin and said, “Also, while you forced my true body to appear, I can still defeat you …… You should know that I was originally from Ba Mountain Sword Field.”


  Translator Ramblings: The Zhongshan state historically was taken over by Zhao, not conquered by Qin.

  Volume 3 57 - Unwelcome Guests

  The country could not go a day without a ruler, the imperial palace not a day without its monarch.

  Any imperial cavalcade would usually try to be as fast as possible when they were returning. Watching the scenery was something idle people did. A monarch was never idle.

  Yet, the imperial procession of the Chu Dynasty stopped at Wancheng.

  Wancheng originally belonged to the Han, and was a region that the Chu Dynasty acquired after the Han Dynasty was destroyed and divided. Wancheng and Deer Mountain were just several cities away, less than a hundred miles of distance. It naturally was a border city, and not an important city with soldiers and grain.

  Staying for long at a place like this was unwise. Yet, almost everybody in the imperial cavalcade knew why.

  The emperor of Chu was truly close to death. Many knew that this longest-reigning emperor had problems with his health long ago. As Deer Mountain Conference started, his energies were used up through the violent primal energies of the universe at Deer Mountain and the deaths of numerous grandmasters. His energy seemed completely used up, and the hidden wounds in his body exploded.

  The emperor of Chu was without an appealing reputation. He was lustful, mediocre, and disliked governing. Only the old officials who had accompanied him for many years knew that his low-key peace and even his muddleheadedness were just a facade. His blindness and lack of actions were only forgiveness and inaction at many times.

  So, in the Chu Dynasty, no one looked down upon him. Not many even opposed him. They could judge him, look down upon him, but they also respected him.

  The palace at Wancheng had been completed long before the emperor of Chu had arrived. On the dragon bed, the emperor of Chu was leaning against cushions. His gaze wished to focus, but was scattered. So his expression was calm, and slightly helpless and sentimental.

  Consort Zhao Xiang looked down at him and held both of his hands.

  “I thought that you could at least last until the imperial capital.” She slowly said, “I hadn’t expected this to be so quick.”


  The emperor of Chu felt the softness and warmth of her hands. He smiled slightly and said, “I also had not imagined this. Who would’ve thought I would encounter Mo Shoucheng at Goddess Peak.”


  Consort Zhao Xiang was silent but her hands started to tense, the joints lighting up.

  “Do not do this.” The emperor of Chu shook his head.

  Consort Zhao Xiang shook her head stubbornly. She looked at him and said, “It is alright if you die on a war campaign, but dying on the way back from Deer Mountain …… This is not good for your reputation. In the future, I do not wish to hear people say you were frightened out of your wits by Emperor Yuanwu’s sword, your illness recurred, and you passed away. While your reputation and mine have never been good, I do not want you to have a reputation like this when you leave.”


  “This is also fine.” The emperor of Chu shook his head, looking at her and saying, “I just want you to endure.”


  “Endure?” Consort Zhao Xiang did not understand his meaning.

  The emperor of Chu nodded. “In your governance, you just have to endure, you do not have to do anything, just endure. No matter what losses you suffer, you shall endure.”


  Consort Zhao Xiang still did not understand and asked, “Why?”


  “Because this will let the Chu exist for longer than the Yan and Qi.” The emperor of Chu smiled and said, “Maybe you will endure until the Qin is dead.”


  Consort Zhao Xiang looked at him and wanted to say something. But she sensed something, and her hands grew stiff.

  The emperor of Chu smiled tiredly and said, “Regardless of what you seem like in the eyes of the Chu and the historiographers, I am very reassured giving the Chu to you.”


  After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes and seemed to fall into an exhausted sleep.

  Consort Zhao Xiang held his hand. She looked at him for a long time and said, “Your Majesty, do not worry. I will do my best.”


  Then she stood up and walked towards the outside.

  “His Majesty has passed away.”


  Her voice echoed through the cold palace and formed into thunder in the spring.

  “HIs Majesty has passed away!”


  Orders and cries of grief rang out.

  Her figure seemed to freeze under the eaves of the palace like a statue. Her face was like jade and did not show grief from start to finish. It wasn’t that she was not grieving, but for many, there was no time to linger over grief.

  The emperor of Chu died during his travels.

  For Changling, in the spring of Yuanwu Year Twelve, as the news passed into the streets and alleys, the noblest woman of Changling returned to Changling, and the inner palace which belonged to her.

  When her figure appeared on the stone path with the statues on both sides, one could see Fu Su already waiting here.

  Looking at Fu Su who delightfully bowed, her perfect eyes showed a doting that quickly turned to absolute calm.

  “You can no longer attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials,” she looked at Fu Su and said.

  Fu Su froze slightly, his face paling. He asked, “Mother-Empress, why?”


  “I know that friendship is very important to you, and I know I promised to allow you to participate in the Min Mountain Sword Trials.” The empress looked gently at him and said, “I allowed you to participate in the Min Mountain Sword Trials, meaning you could move freely outside the palace. But your identity is now different.”


  Fu Su was dazed.

  “Because there haven’t been any accidents at the Deer Mountain Conference.”


  The empress looked up into the distance and said softly, “So you will soon become the crown prince …… It is nothing to have an imperial son moving around, but a just established crown prince is different.”


  “It is not appropriate for the crown prince to attend an event like that. Also, I cannot give you more time to play …… You have many things to learn and do.”


  “I think you understand.”


  Hearing these words, Fu Su’s head drooped. He understood these truths, but he couldn’t help but feel sad.

  “I know you are a little sad, but if that wine shop youth is outstanding enough, you will naturally have more chances to interact.”


  The empress seemed to have read his thoughts and her tone gentled greatly. “That youth performed well at Wu Mountain. I am very satisfied, and will reward him greatly.”


  Hearing her words, Fu Su’s eyes suddenly lit up. He became happy, happy for his friend’s encounters.

  “Thank you, Mother-Empress.”


  In his view, since she had said “great rewards,” then the rewards would naturally be significant. Maybe this would be enough to make sure Ding Ning successfully pass the Min Mountain Sword Trials, and enter the Min Mountain Sword Sect to cultivate.

  But he did not know that a person had many facets. The noblest woman in Changling would have many different aspects to how she treated one matter.

  The reward was just one aspect.

  “They are so extravagant and luxurious to carve so many flowers on even a window sill. But this is more suitable for firewood than the door. It saves some effort.”


  “This is iron wood. It is not so easy to cut up.”


  A man in rough clothes, holding an axe, looked at the wooden windowsill that only had a few extra marks. He looked up in disbelief at Ding Ning who had spoken in warning. “How can the wood be so hard?”


  “It will sink if thrown into water. Of course it is hard.”


  Ding Ning gave a small smile and said, “If you want to cut it into firewood, you have to find a large axe. Otherwise, I fear you will take till tomorrow morning with your axe.”


  “Bah! They take such care with a windowsill and managed to carve such patterns into such a hard wood. How much effort did this take? How much silver did they squander with their extravagances?”


  The axe-holding man spat, and shoved his axe into his belt. He no longer wanted to spend any effort on this windowsill. At the same time, he said in disdain, “No wonder the Chu Dynasty benefited so much from us, but aren’t able to win against us nine years later and gave such a large land to us.”


  Ding Ning smiled and didn’t speak. At the same time, he looked along the man’s gaze at a courtyard.

  This courtyard took up a large area, and had many buildings. It originally should have been beautiful, but at a glance, it was in ruins. The buildings inside had been torn down, the tall walls stained, and many holes had been made.

  Shen Yi was next to Ding Ning.

  Shen Yi looked at the ruined state through the large holes in the wall and sighed. “I had not expected Li Lingjun’s establishment to become like this in just a few days.”


  No one was privy to the conversation that took place in the deepest part of the Great Floating Water Prison. Yet, everything corresponded to the words of the strongest strategist in the history of Qin.

  When the celebratory air spread recklessly through the streets of Changling, many people could not avoid thinking of their enmity.

  At the start, many Changling people who had lost relatives in the battle with the Chu only threw what they had on hand at the walls of Li Lingjun’s establishment. But when more people gathered, this kind of fury could not be easily controlled and turned into a frenzy.

  The first day, the walls and gates were broken, and many valuables were stolen.

  The second day, some furniture were looted.

  The third day, even the valuable flora and usable wood were taken away.

  Starting on the night of the third day, even stone material and the beams of the buildings were pulled down by ropes and hauled away.

  At this time, the scattered objects of Li Lingjun’s establishment could be seen in many streets and alleys of Changling.

  Li Lingjun’s establishment, that had once been a legend in Changling, in just these few days, was reduced to ruins.

  Ding Ning had come to spectate on the first day of Li Lingjun’s establishment being looted. Just as he had thought, the people left to guard the establishment destroyed and took away everything valuable to cultivators or the court when they saw the situation was uncontrollable. He could only see if there was anything left of value to him, so he could obtain some clues.

  A few days was naturally not enough to search for clues from the details of the enormous establishment of Li Lingjun.

  Just like the many who were exceptionally content upon entering Li Lingjun’s establishment multiple times, Ding Ning once again entered Li Lingjun’s establishment.

  The poor man with the axe on his belt roamed the untended establishment while Ding Ning and Shen Yi, who had entered with him, walked towards one of the half-fallen towers deeper inside.

  At this moment, one could see Li Yunrui walking into Li Lingjun’s establishment from the other side.

  Translator Ramblings: I forgot to even mention the teleportation that occurred in the previous chapter. Actual teleportion, not moving quickly.

  Volume 4 57 - An Unspeakable Truth