Chapter Sixty-One: One’s Hear
writer:
无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
This great force that ordinary cultivators could not imagine did not just snap his spine, it kept on rampaging through his body, moving through his organs and shattering them.
Marquis Duanmu could not control such power, and even his gaze grew blurred. All of the pride in his heart turned to disbelieving shock. Even he was not a match for Baili Suxue’s one attack.
For no reason, this thought flashed through Minister Li’s mind. He sensed the sword essence which could freeze the world. He knew in terms of seal essence and sword essence, he was too far behind Baili Suxue. When Marquis Duanmu’s body was sent flying, he raised his hand and turned his palm up.
There was a little silver seal in his palm. This small seal was made from jade. But there was almost no jade stone in the world that was silver. So this little seal was very special.
This little silver seal seemed to hold an ocean. This ocean was rippling in the little seed, but it seemed to control the tide power in the world, crashing against Baili Suxue’s sword essence. The power of an ocean was so great, even more when it pulled on the tides of the world. This power could cause the world to tilt.
Minister Li could not block Baili Suxue’s sword, but this little seal could. This was a seal weapon that could be described as “divine weapon”. If the Nether dragon who charged out of the Min Mountain was enough to shock the world, then this little seal had the same power to stun as the dragon.
As this little seal appeared, Baili Suxue’s expression grew strange.His feelings became complicated on his face but there was no shock or terror! There seemed to be a kind of joy, like he finally received what he had been waiting for!
Such an emotion was so strong that even Marquis Duanmu who was seriously wounded and on the verge of unconsciousness clearly sensed it, and had a bad feeling.
Such a bad feeling was strongest in Minister Yan. His heart started to beat like a drum, hitting his chest like it was going to burst out! This was an intuition that only cultivators of his level could possess.
He targeted with his killing essence in the next moment!
But no one was able to react in time.
Baili Suxue’s attack met the small silver seal.
This was an ice sword that was pure and clean, with a sacred feeling and a presence to penetrate all. The moment it hit the small silver seal, what was expressed was a kind of leveraging power! This ice sword seemed to be like a stick levering up a mountain. It levered up this little seal towards Minister Yan!
Everybody was very shocked. At this time, such shock went up another level, and was incomparable.
This was Ye Celeng’s inheritance, the One Sky Water sword essence, called Levering A Pond of Spring Water. But at this time, Baili Suxue used it with ease, and levered the tides of the world.
The terrifying power in the silver seal was controlled by Baili Suxue and smashed onto Minister Yan. Splashes of water were released onto the stone cliffs below Minister Yan and turned to balls of mist.
A terrifying crack miles long appeared on the slopes of Min Mountain, with a silver waterfall coming down the mouth of the crack. The stones and trees within the crack had turned to dust. The air was twisted by surging energy, like an opening appeared in space.
Minister Yan’s body hit the crack on the mountain like a falling star.
No one knew how he survived such an attack, and was still standing. But there were hundreds of terrifying wounds on his body, and the blood bloomed out of his wounds.
Marquis Dugu’s body retreated through the air, and he did not know what to do.
Minister Li’s hands were trembling. He even had a hard time breathing as he gazed up into the sky.
Baili Suxue had put away his sword. He did not linger, and did not even glance back at him and Minister Yan.
The Nether dragon was like a black pillar in the sky, and still flying up. Baili Suxue stood on its head, and in his sight, turned into a small black dot.
Breaking through the wind and clouds, Baili Suxue left this mountain peak, left this small world he created by pulling in the power of Min Mountain and flew through the air. At this time, he was just flying up, but both Minister Li and Minister Yan, they all knew where Baili Suxue wanted to go and his true intentions!
He did not leave the mountain, staying there outside the city, but his heart was on Changling. Many years ago, Wang Jingmeng died in Changling. His heart was on advancing into Changling!
Zheng Xiu used the war against Chu in the spring to change the situation of the world and take complete control of Jiaodong Commandery. This little seal was the true base of the Jiaodong Zheng Family, the “Ocean King’s Seal”! With such a seal weapon, in the eyes of her and the two ministers, it was enough to kill Baili Suxue and destroy Min Mountain Sword Sect.
But now, this seal weapon was at Min Mountain, the two ministers and many marquises were at Min Mountain, and this was the time that Baili Suxue had been waiting for all these years.
Wang Jingmeng was dead. Yuanwu had ascended the throne. He closed his doors to cultivate the sword. He also raised a Nether dragon.
Wang Jingmeng had wanted to kill his way into the Changling imperial palace but had been unable to. He wanted to achieve this.
The dust under Minister Yan’s feet was soaked in his own blood. He looked at Baili Suxue who seemed to be riding in the wind, his body trembling just like Minister Li.
From the start, Baili Suxue said that he disliked people like Minister Li the most. But thinking about it now, it was like a joke……
Such intentions were so simple, but he felt that killing the other was so simple he did not think of this. He was an idiot.
**
The Nether body was enormous. When he flew through the air and into the sunlight, the cultivators surrounding Min Mountain all saw.
Everybody changed expressions.
The Nether dragon seemed like it was going to charge into the red sun in the sky. But then it quickly flew across with a terrifying presence towards Changling.
All of the cultivators loyal to Zheng Xiu quickly fell into a defeated and terrified air. It was like a joke. So many people come to kill Baili Suxue. Yet Baili Suxue was riding a dragon to Changling.
This was a height that flying swords and seal weapons could not reach. No realm seven could catch up to Baili Suxue flying in the air. No one was able to stop him from entering Changling and the imperial palace.
Right now, the two ministers were not in the imperial palace.
Yuanwu was also not in the imperial palace.
**
Beside a clear stream stood a woman with a scarred face.
Her violent presence had caused all the fish in the stream to float belly up, dead.
This scarred woman was naturally the Lady of the Chen, Ji Qingqing.
At this time, she was looking at the black shadow in the sky and Baili Suxue riding the wind to enter Changling. Her body immediately gave off a joyful presence. She even waved her arms at the Nether dragon like a young girl and cheered out loud.
Volume 5 61 - Mountain of Ancestors
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”
Volume 3 61 - A New Grave
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.
Novels belong to writers, we only provide reading services。