Chapter 65 - A Good Sword
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无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
The blue-black light disappeared. Zhangsun Qianxue’s figure appeared in front of Fan Zhuo.
Seeing Fan Zhuo kill himself with a secret Cloud Water Palace art after his vital energy energy was frozen, Zhangsun Qianxue showed no pride on her face, but a thread of bewilderment and sorrow.
He had been an enemy of Emperor Yuanwu. Now, there was one less.
After a moment of hesitation, she reached out to have several tendrils of energy search Fan Zhuo’s body. She found all the things inside Fan Zhuo’s clothes and put them into her sleeves without even examining them closely.
In the next moment, countless invisible paths seemed to appear in the world around her. Serene and arctic energy was pulled out through these paths, and quickly disappeared into the world.
All the blue color disappeared. The ice pillar collapsed to the ground.
Zhangsun Qianxue frowned deeply again.
She knew that the distant corner turret had sensed the abnormality here and cultivators should be hurrying to this place. But she was not skilled in many things, such as destroying corpses. She deliberated for a long time before coming to a decision.
She released a vast wave of primal energies of the universe and crushed the surrounding pieces of ice into dust. A wild wind blew over the river, and filled in all the holes in the ice. Her body then landed at the center of the destroyed carriage.
Her vital energy was extremely cold, but as her face flushed red, she turned that energy into a hot flow.
In the next moment, the burning vital energy, with her body as the center, erupted and formed fiercely burning snakes of fire. Some fire snakes kindled all the huts, while several wrapped around Fan Zhuo’s remains to turn him into dust in a flash. Then a strong wind blue and the dust scattered.
Zhangsun Qianxue’s body was covered by the burning flames and disappeared.
A short while later, several cultivators in black robes reached the site of the fire. Feeling the remaining unstable vibrations in the air, their demeanour underwent a change. The leading cultivator raised a hand and a pillar of black smoke shot into the air.
—
Changling was extremely large. While Falling Parasol was not far from the Great Floating Water Prison on the map, even using the shortest path, a carriage would need to travel for most part of the day.
Due to the delay in the Great Floating Water Prison, it was already dark when Ding Ning was making his return to Falling Parasol. His eyes were closed and he appeared extremely tired. In reality, he was pondering over the possibilities.
At this time, the temporary village built by duck farmers near the Wei River had long burned down to the ground. Several officials from the Astrology Bureau dressed in black robes stood straight as they surrounded this area.
Suddenly, the eyes of these dozens of black-robed officials shone with an odd light. Many carriages entered this site, travelling along earthen paths and stopped just outside the woods.
While there was no wind or rain at the moment, the five people who came off the carriages still opened their black umbrellas to cover their faces. A woman in white robes and an old man dressed like a servant walked in the middle of these five black umbrellas.
The white-robed woman was naturally the bureau chief of the Astrology Bureau, Ye Celeng. The servant-like old man next to her was the strongest of the six academicians of the Astrology Bureau, Han Sanshi. The other five iconic black umbrellas naturally represented the five other mysterious academicians of the Astrology Bureau.
Ye Celeng only made a hand gesture from far away, and the dozens of Astrology Bureau officials surrounding the area immediately moved outwards and expanded the perimeter they were locking down and monitoring.
Ye Celeng and Han Sanshi walked slowly along the charred ground until they finally stood where Zhangsun Qianxue’s carriage had shattered.
The five umbrellas spread apart, and using their fine senses to comb every inch of the ground for remnant energies.
This process continued for a long time. When the sky was completely dark, the five Astrology Bureau academicians under the five umbrellas finally exchanged opinions with Han sanshi. During this time, Ye Celeng only looked on, calmly, at the scorched remains. She did not even listen to their conversation. She only looked at Han Sanshi when he walked next to her.
She asked, "How is it?"
"It is her," Han Sanshi said, softly.
Ye Celeng immediately asked, "The opponent was a member of Cloud Water Palace?"
Han Sanshi nodded slightly and said, "Yes."
Ye Celeng grew silent.
Han Sanshi also grew silent.
"Erase all the traces we can detect."
Ye Celeng’s face was veiled by darkness. Although her emotions could not be seen, her tone was unusually determined. "Do not record this and do not tell the other bureaus."
Han Sanshi was the oldest academician of the Astrology Bureau, and the only person Ye Celeng had taken overseas. He knew better than anyone the meaning in Ye Celeng’s words.
His hands grew cold. He asked softly, "Not even Bureau Chief Chen?"
Ye Celeng nodded and said, "No."
—
In the night, Ding Ning walked back to the wine shop.
Before this, he had gone to Xue Wangxu’s courtyard, and spoke with Xue Wangxu, Zhang Yi, and Shen Yi about some of the events in the Great Floating Water Prison.
When he entered the wine shop and closed the door, Zhangsun Qianxue’s voice sounded in the darkness. "You were correct. I am not skilled in many things."
Ding Ning, who was extremely familiar with Zhangsun Qianxue, immediately stopped breathing and asked, "What happened?"
Zhangsun Qianxue spoke slowly. "I killed that cultivator of Cloud Water Palace. That person was extremely strong, he should be Fan Zhuo."
Hearing the word "killed," Ding Ning’s body quickly grew cold. When he heard the entire sentence, he thought of how he had been pondering over how to work together with Bai Shanshui to prison break the Great Floating Water Prison. He was so furious that he started to tremble. "You promised to wait …… why did you not wait!"
Unexpectedly, Zhangsun Qianxue was not angry instead she explained. "It is not that I have no patience, but because he wanted to kill Wang Taixu’s subordinate, and I did not want him to do so."
At this explanation, Ding Ning’s anger quickly dissipated. However, the coldness he felt caused him to still tremble. He took a deep breath, walked in front of Zhangsun Qianxue and asked, "What did you do after killing Fan Zhuo?"
Zhangsun Qianxue did not want to think back to the events. With a furrowed brow, she said, "I did my best to disguise the presence of the Nine Hell King Sword. I used a move from the Zhao True Fire Palace to burn his corpse and the surroundings."
Ding Ning thought for a moment and asked, "What were your thoughts at that moment?"
Zhangsun Qianxue said, "Even if I could not disguise my presence completely, at least I had to make sure no one could sense who I killed."
"Your thoughts are correct." Ding Ning calmed down and spoke slowly. "But Fan Zhuo is not an ordinary cultivator. If you wanted to kill him, you had to use at least realm seven second class power. This kind of power cannot be completely erased. The Astrology Bureau and the Divinity Bureau can all sense it."
Zhangsun Qianxue bowed her head slightly and spoke in a cool voice. "Thus, I admit that I am not skilled in many things."
Ding Ning thought for a moment and said, "You cannot be blamed this time. Perhaps with this incident, we can discern the true stance of a person."
Zhangsun Qianxue asked in puzzlement, "Who?"
Ding Ning looked at her and said, "Ye Celeng."
Zhangsun Qianxue’s voice immediately grew cold and she said, "You think too much."
Ding Ning did not argue and shook his head. He laughed bitterly.
If he was really thinking too much. If Ye Celeng used the power of Bai Shanshui and helped Bai Shanshui in avenging, then he would not last until the start of the Min Mountain Sword Trials.
A person like Bai Shanshui treated lives like ants and would not have any misgivings.
If he could not wait until the start of the Min Mountain Sword Trials, even if he could enter Changling once again in the future, would he still be able to enter Min Mountain Sword Sect and obtain the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art?
When Ding Ning thought of Xue Wangxu, his bitterness grew.
—
In the thick darkness, the rivershore that had been burnt looked like a region of hell. A silent flow of water appeared on the surface of the frozen river.
Bai Shanshui, dressed in white fox fur and looking like a soft young master from a rich family with pale skin and handsome features, exuded an indescribable noble presence as he rose from the center of the water flow.
This great rebel of the Cloud Water Palace, an existence whose name caused countless people to tremble at just the mention of the name, could sense many Qin cultivators nearby in the woods. But he did not care.
He only needed a moment.
A glittering teardrop fell from his eye and disappeared silently onto the ice. Numerous white beads of water appeared under the ice by his feet.
Seeing these numerous white droplets, he was sure that Fan Zhuo had caused the battle and was slain here.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
In the darkness, countless small water droplets flew upwards from the burnt ashes. In his senses, there was a fire rising from the ground, and a black stalk of bamboo growing and swaying in the night mist.
Translator Ramblings: On a completely unrelated note to this chapter, Su Qin and Zhang Yi are both historical figures, students of Guiguzi and diplomats during the Warring States Period. Fantasy history took a hard right and now they are swordsmen born a few centuries after their historical birthdate during the years of Qinshihuang. I didn’t even realize it until now ……
Volume 2 65 - Her Stance
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
While complicated and elaborate rituals could add to the enigma and profundity of the ceremony, everyone knew Emperor Yuanwu disliked such pomp and circumstance. So his recitation to the heavens and the ancestors was just a few dozen phrases that clearly described his accomplishments after his enthronement and the reason he was making Fu Su crown prince.
After sealing the gold slip in his hand underneath the mountain rocks in front of the sacrificial altar, this greatest emperor in the history of the Qin turned around. His bright yellow figure started to disappear from everyone’s sight. Once again, everyone felt a stabbing pain when they looked towards the higher parts of the mountain.
A gaze that did not carry much emotion swept across these students and the teachers.
Many people sensed this gaze and looked back. They discovered that this was a palace attendant standing behind the officials of the Clan Law Bureau.
The students and teachers who knew the identity of this palace attendant all suddenly became stiff. Even though their eyes were in pain, they didn’t dare to let tears fall from their eyes.
They feared that this palace attendant would think they were crying for Xue Wangxu’s death. Perhaps, just the clear expression of sympathy would bring them detrimental consequences in the impending Min Mountain Sword Trials.
The Min Mountain Sword Trials was held so much earlier. How would it be strange if some of the tests in the Min Mountain Sword Trials were changed?
What’s more, the tests for the annual Min Mountain Sword Trials would be different every year. Adjusting one or two of the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators responsible and some of the tests was much easier than holding the Min Mountain Sword Trials early.
The middle-aged official in black robes who had scolded Zhou Wangnian previously, slowly walked next to Zhang Yi and Shen Yi.
Xue Wangxu had passed away. Ordinarily, he could not let Xue Wangxu’s remains stay here. But he felt great sympathy towards the experiences of Ding Ning and the others. He thought, in the management of this matter, the palace attendant had gone too far. So, he worried greatly for the emotional backlash of Zhang Yi and the others.
Yet, unexpectedly, when he stopped and before he could speak, Zhang Yi turned around in front of him, and bowed deeply to him.
"Please, Official, take good care of Cave Master’s remains. After the Min Mountain Sword Trials finishes, we will bring Cave Master’s remains to White Goat Cave for burial."
This official in black robes frowned slightly. He had not known what to say, but when Zhang Yi rose, he already had spoken.
"Senior Sect Brother, why?"
Shen Yi could not understand Shen Yi’s actions. He looked in sorrow and shock at Zhang Yi and exclaimed out loud.
Zhang Yi wiped his tears. He had been crying endlessly.
This wiping motion caused him to look extremely sentimental, but his tear-streaked face flashed with an unspeakable determination.
"With Cave Master here, none of us can think. We need to think about what we need to do next," he looked at Shen Yi and answered.
The middle-aged official in black robes stopped breathing for a moment. He looked at Ding Ning who was still standing with his eyes tightly closed, as though he was separate from the world. Then he looked at Zhang Yi, and felt great respect for Xue Wangxu.
"This is why you were able to leave so calmly. No matter who possessed such students, you are worthy of being proud," he spoke softly and sincerely. This middle-aged official in black robes did not call other people to help. He carried Xue Wangxu like he was helping an old friend walk as he moved to the back.
"Senior Sect Brother, what are we going to do?"
Shen Yi had been holding his tears back. In Guanzhong, crying in front of enemies was an embarrassing display of weakness. Yet, in this moment, his tears still fell.
He had been allowed to become a student of White Goat Cave, but in reality, he had never cultivated in White Goat Cave or even entered the library cave of White Goat Cave, always keeping Xue Wangxu company. So, in actuality, he was Xue Wangxu’s last personal student, and Xue Wangxu was his teacher.
At this time, he was just thinking, Ding Ning had not opened his eyes, he had not seen his teacher from the last time. How could someone take Teacher away?
He could not think of anything else.
"Win for Teacher’s spirit in heaven." Zhang Yi turned. He cried as he looked at Ding Ning and said, "This is what Little Sect Brother needs to do."
He had once again said the wrong appellation. But everyone knew that Ding Ning was the "little sect brother" he spoke of.
Shen Yi was slightly dazed. He seemed to have an epiphany amidst his grief. If he could not help Ding Ning do something, if Ding Ning could not win at the Min Mountain Sword Trials, then everything Ding Ning was doing right now would become meaningless.
Xie Changsheng’s cold voice sounded. "Ding Ning is not as sentimental as you."
Shen Yi’s gaze landed on Xie Changsheng.
Xie Changsheng sneered at him and Zhang Yi, and continued to say "The important person in the palace won’t allow him to win, but if he does, it will be a great slap to that important person’s face…… So Ding Ning is not sacrificing to Cave Master’s soul in Heaven, but to slap the important person for Cave Master. You should know whose intentions were behind White Goat Cave merging into Green Vine Sword School. If a student of the forced White Goat Cave managed to win the Min Mountain Sword Trials, what would the cultivators of the world think?"
At Xie Changsheng’s words, even Nangong Caishu and Xu Heshan felt a cold sweat trickle down their backs.
"How can a student of a cultivation place abolished by that important person in the palace win with glory at the Min Mountain Sword Trials? Does not this prove that the cultivation place is excellent and should not have been abandoned?"
Xie Changsheng sneered at the few who appeared lonely in the crowd. His words slowed. "I do not know what you think. But at the Min Mountain Sword Trials, I just want to do one thing, help Ding Ning win."
Nangong Caishu’s hands uncontrollably trembled. When she thought closely about Xie Changsheng’s words, she felt great terror.
But she still nodded and said, "I am the same."
Shen Yi instinctively looked at Zhang Yi.
He was not afraid, he was just in the habit of listening to Eldest Sect Brother’s opinion.
Zhang Yi looked at Xie Changsheng and said, "I cannot represent your opinions, but of us three White Goat Cave sect brothers, the one with the greatest hope of winning is Ding Ning. The Min Mountain Sword Trials is full of experts. Shen Yi and I have no chance at all."
He looked very sentimental and spoke subtly, but everyone understood his meaning.
"What is the first test?"
He Zhaoxi’s voice sounded at this time.
He usually came hurriedly, busy with cultivation and seldom conversed with others. Since he had seen Xue Wangxu, Ding Ning and the others, he had maintained his silence. When he said these words, Xie Changsheng suddenly grew restless.
"How do we know what is going to happen next! Only that person who Ding Ning saved the life of knows what the next tests are." He looked up irritably at the sacrificial altar on the horizon, and spat after he spoke.
"This has nothing to do with Fu Su. He cannot decide anything happening here." Xie Rou lectured in a low voice, but her eyes were filled with an insuppressible fury and anxiety.
No matter how they discussed and how these people planned on helping Ding Ning at the cost of themselves, the final result would depend on the rules of the trial. The rules of this competition were not decided by them.
They were like a little group of ants on a hot stove.
**
Thousands of young men and women stood on the mountain path to Skyscraper Peak. The mountain wind blew at their clothing, and the morning sunlight gilded them in gold.
The ceremonial music still played, but a clear ring came from the depths of Min Mountain as though someone had lightly flicked a sword from a long distance away.
The crowd was in uproar.
Ripples seemed to twist on the empty mountain path. A swordsman in indigo robes stepped out of empty space and appeared in everyone’s sight.
This indigo-robed swordsman’s clothing was only one color, but it was pure indigo. It was not possible to have this kind of indigo anywhere else in Changling. His features were dignified and stern. His age could not be estimated, and he emanated an indescribable authority and sharpness.
The Min Mountain Sword Sect and the Spirit Void Sword Sect were the strongest sword cultivation places in the world. None of their teachers were astounding people. But the eyes of most students before the mountain path did not stay long on this indigo-robed swordsman.
After the appearance of this indigo-robed swordsman, a strange layer of light slowly faded from the mountain path. on the empty mountain path that ascended the mountain, a door suddenly rose.
A tightly shut green jade door.
This indigo-robed swordsman stood to the side of the jade door. The mountain path behind the large doors seemed to have suddenly been erased. As if there had been a part of a painting that had suddenly become blank while the other scenes still existed.
This indigo-robed swordsman was neither humble nor haughty as he looked at the people below and calmly spoke, "The trial has begun. Please enter."
Translator Ramblings: And the trials are finally starting!
Book 8: 65: Obey
Hu Hai was in a deep sleep But his expressions were very rich, sometimes snarling, sometimes terrified. His muscles would shake like he was convulsing.
Zhao Gao looked silently at him. This really was a pitiful young person. Shen Xuan had been in charge of the Great Floating Water Prison for many years. Other than cultivation, all he studied every day were methods for interrogation. Some methods could not be used on a person at the same time, to avoid that person’s mind completely breaking down and preventing them from telling him what he needed. But all these methods were used on Hu Hai at the same time because Shen Xuan did not need Hu Hai to tell the secrets hidden deep inside, just needed to make Hu Hai obey someone else completely, turning this obedience into a kind of instinct. Zhao Gao had felt that such means were inhuman back then he had been planning with Shen Xuan and hearing of such methods.
But was this young imperial son really worthy of sympathy? Why did this not occur to Fu Su but to him?
Because Hu Hai had been violent from young, and even bad people did not like other bad people. In Shen Xuan’s view, just from the things that Hu Hai had done when he was young, if he was not Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu’s son, it was enough for him to be executed. So whether a person was worthy of sympathy, and what kind of situation they would face in the future usually had to do with their own self.
Zhao Gao thought that he would not have a good ending as he had turned into a monster who would do anything for revenge. But the key was whether this ending was the result that a person wanted. If one could reunite with their family and love at the time of death, then the movement of successful revenge and death was the result he wanted.
Zhao Gao was no longer a cultivator. He did not have his sensitive perception, so he had to be more careful. He stood silently in front of Hu Hai’s bed, making certain that no one was close before he bent down, lowered his voice, and softly said the words “taowu”.
Like a secret formation was activated, Hu Hai trembled all over, and his eyes were empty as he woke up in a daze.
“Mister Han.” He looked at Zhao Gao and seemed to shout as in a dream. He did not know why he suddenly woke up. He just thought that he was having symptoms like before.
“Your illness is of the mind and not on the surface.” Zhao Gao raised a bowl of cool medicine by his side and handed it to Hu Hai. He looked into the other’s eyes as he said softly, “It is not for medicine to heal the mind.”
Hu Hai started to drink the medicine, accustomed to it, especially the scent of the medicine which caused an inexplicable desire to burn deep within his body. He could not understand this feeling. He just felt that he needed the bowl of medicine greatly, but when he started to drink, he heard Zhao Gao’s words, and did not know whether he should drink or not. His eyes grew dazed.
In the next moment, he lost control of his emotions. He threw away the bowl of medicine, jumping in front of Zhao Gao and started to sob. “Mister Han, tell me what I should do.”
“You were captured by Shen Xuan, and humiliated. But the key is not how much hardship you suffered, but because of the hardship, other people look down at you.” Zhao Gao looked calmly at Hu Hai and said, “You want to recover, so first, you want other people to look at you with new eyes, and not dare to look down at you.”
Hu Hai stopped crying and dazedly looked up. “Not dare to look down at me?”
Zhao Gao nodded and said, “To get people to look up to you, you have to possess power, your own strength, strength so other people will fear you.”
“How can I get power that make other people fear me?” Hu Hai looked in confusion at Zhao Gao. His eyes were filled with desire and terror.
“The physicians in the imperial palace are all quacks, they tried for so many days but were unable to find a solution, they stopped you from recovering, causing people to laugh at you. First change out these physicians, have them go to other cities. For the young physicians without much reputation, have them go to the border armies. The border armies need large numbers of physicians,” Zhao Gao did not directly answer but said these things.
Hu Hai was dazed for a moment and then suddenly started to cry. “These physicians and officials are not people I can order. How can I replace these physicians?”
Zhao Gao laughed. He looked scornfully at Hu Hai and said softly, “Do not forget that you are the Holy One’s blood. Right now, Fu Su is not here, you are the only imperial son in the city. Right now, the Holy One and the empress are both absent from the Changling. If you want to do something, you do not have to act with your own hands. Your identity, your words, that is power, enough to lever matters.”
Hu Hai’s face was covered with tears. Hearing these words, he seemed to be a person drowning in the water grasping at a life-saving straw. He asked in a trembling voice, “Mister Han, what should I do?”
“First talk to the Bureau of Ceremonies’s Cheng Ruobing. Have him think of a way to help you replace these physicians.” Zhao Gao said, “Promise him that you will help him become the bureau chief.At the same time, gift him some important items, saying that during the time your mother-empress is gone from the Changling for him to be more alert.”
“The bureau chief of the Bureau of Ceremonies?” Hu Hai looked in shock at Zhao Gao. Inexplicably, he did not dare to question the other and said anxiously, “The bureau chief is Official Xu, the vice bureau chief is Official Sikong Lian. This…”
“Xu Fu has long not attended to the matter of the Bureau of Ceremonies. The Nether Float fleet has taken the Chu capital. In the future, Xu Fu naturally cannot come back to take charge of the Bureau of Ceremonies. There will be more important matters.” Zhao Gao said with scorn, “After he leaves, it should be Sikong Lian who takes over, but Sikong Lian once sent gifts to Ding Ning of White Goat Cave, and has been affected to some degree. So Cheng Ruobing is the best choice for become the bureau chief.”
After a pause, Zhao Gao looked at Hu Hai and slowly said, “But you have to understand one thing, no matter who takes over as bureau chief of the Bureau of Ceremonies, the key is that Chen Ruobing thinks that he is the person most likely to take over as bureau chief. So if he thinks that, he will enter your game. As to replacing the physicians, the battlefields are lacking physicians right now, this is just taking advantage of the situation.”
Hu Hai grew excited. He wiped away his tears, and an abnormal flush appeared on his dark face. “Mister Han, when should I go see Official Cheng Ruobing?” Saying so, he suddenly remembered the initial question. “Mister, if I meet Official Cheng Ruobing, and replace all the physicians in the imperial palace, I will have my own power that other people will fear?”
“Replacing the physicians and having Cheng Ruobing working for you is only the first step.” Zhao Gao patted his shoulder, then handed him a bowl of medicine, indicating for him to slowly sip. “I will teach you the next steps but you cannot tell others. You have to make everyone feel that you are doing all this.”
Hu Hai obeyed and dipped his head to drink the medicine like it was a delicious delicacy.
Translator Ramblings: Hu Hai has all the bad traits of his parents, but Sheng Xuan made everything worse.
Volume 7 66
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