Chapter 67 - A True Great Rebel
writer:
无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
Waiting was the most wearing thing.
Yet, even when people were so high in status, so high they seemed to have left behind mortality, they were still minuscule in the face of unknown fate. No matter how high they stood, they still had the sky they had to look up at. For many things, they could only wait.
As the snow melted, Changling moved from the great cold to the beginning of spring. 1
In the Zhou Family Ink Garden, some of the spring flowers had already yellowed, but many were still floating in the pond filled with withered lotus leaves.
A young girl dressed in eggplant-colored clothing walked into this small courtyard under Zhou Xieyi’s direction. This young girl was called Zhou Susang, a cadet member of the Zhou Family in Ji Commandery. 2 Because she had cultivation talent, she had started cultivation at the Nine Thought Sword Sect many years ago in the Ji Commandery. This was her first time visiting Changling and the Zhou Family. This young girl was extremely nervous and anxious at the summons from Forefather Zhou. Countless negative thoughts swirled in her head, and her hands were extremely sweaty.
Forefather Zhou sat on a soft couch covered in brocade even softer than the young girl’s skin. His silver hair was combed and shone. His large robe covered his abdomen. Before the young girl walked into this hall, his gaze had been filled with many negative emotions, hate, greed, unwillingness, viciousness …… Yet when Zhou Xieyi spoke his greeting and the young girl walked in, all these emotions disappeared, and his expression grew extremely kind once again.
"You do not need to be nervous. I summoned you here because there is a secret art in the Painting Remnant Scroll, and this secret art is only suitable for female’s to cultivate."
Looking at the extremely nervous young girl whose skin was breaking out in goosebumps, he said in a warm and slow voice, "You should be the most suitable candidate in the Zhou Family to cultivate this secret art. You will be remaining here in the Ink Garden to cultivate this."
Hearing the words, the young girl was first puzzled, and then broke into joyous tears. She knelt down in front of him.
"Stand. The Zhou Family no longer has its former glory, and I do not know when I will pass away. The burden of the Zhou Family will land on you young people," Forefather Zhou said in an even softer tone, clearly felt that this was still not enough.
The young girl was even more moved and speechless in her tears. But she did not know that this kind-looking old man’s thoughts were not on her.
Whether this was something only women could cultivate, whether the condensed
fiend energy could be expelled along with a woman’s monthlies …… that could all be tested in a month or two.
—
While the former prestigious Zhou Family had declined and Forefather Zhou was still struggling and attempting to obtain a new spring, the newly ennobled Fang Family shone like the rising sun.
In the eastern suburbs of Changling, in the remote courtyard of the Fang Marquessate Establishment, Fang Xiumu, with his long and messy hair and his tattered clothes, still sat in front of the pond.
The water that formed this pond came from a hot spring and gave off soft heat. Several red carp swam among the green grasses in the pond.
Everyone, including the Fang Family cultivators that walked into this remote courtyard, thought that Fang Xiumu was observing the carp to comprehend sword essence.
No one would ever think that Fang Xiumu was watching the process of life, old age, sickness and death.
The red carp were taken care off by the female attendants in the courtyard, but these carp were not the ones from a decade ago. Even though the spring water was clear, there were still many unknown reasons that caused the fish to grow weak and die.
Other than these fish, he also saw the minuscule bugs in this pond. The life and death of these bugs were even shorter. For example, these bugs of the summer only lived for a dozen days or so in their lifecycle. This kind of cycle naturally contained true meaning, and the principles of the birth and death of energy.
The cultivators of Changling did not know Fang Xiumu’s true cultivation. They could only guess that he was realm six first class and not yet realm seven through some clues.
At this time, only the most powerful people who were close to the monarch could deduce, through the emperor’s decree, that his cultivation was likely realm seven second class, above Ye Celeng and the others.
But the reality was that his cultivation was still just realm six first class.
The astounding truth was that, ten years ago, he had seen the path to a breakthrough.
In other words, starting a decade ago, if he was willing, he could reach realm seven at any moment. But he deliberately stopped at the doorway to realm seven for ten years.
Ten years of waiting and accumulation. Once he had his breakthrough, how would he be different than the other realm seven cultivators?
Originally, only he knew of this. Yet he received an imperial decree at this time. Emperor Yuanwu "asked" for his company to the Deer Mountain Conference.
This meant that Emperor Yuanwu also knew this.
Fang Xiumu did not know how Emperor Yuanwu knew this, but this had damaged his mental state.
This decree was said to be a "request" but was in reality an order. The Holy One wanted him to have a breakthrough.
It was demanded that he, this sword that had been refined for many years, sharpen his edges, and fight for a new world for the Qin Dynasty. Other than this, maybe this imperial decree contained even deeper meaning.
The Emperor could not be disobeyed. He could only have the breakthrough.
"Just lacking another spring." Fang Xiumu had hesitated for many days. After grasping the possible deeper meanings, he knew he could not wait. At this start of spring, he sighed softly and opened the door.
The presence of countless summers spread rapidly from his body. Countless flowers bloomed in the courtyard. Even the peonies that feared cold reached their flowering peak.
—
In the morning, Ding Ning, who was sitting together and eating noodles with Xue Wangxu, Zhang Yi and Shen Yi, was also waiting. But it seemed that nothing had happened.
Fan Zhuo, who had died in the temporary duck farmer village, seemed to disappear like any insignificant gangster of Changling. No one from the Divinity Bureau or the Astrology Bureau appeared around Falling Parasol. It appeared that no one in Changling seemed to realize this great rebel from the Cloud Water Palace had been killed.
Nothing happening was good news to Ding Ning.
Each day, his vital energy cultivation was steadily growing. The spring was here. He was a step closer to the Min Mountain Sword Trials happening at midsummer. But he still needed more time and events to confirm what that lofty female bureau chief was thinking.
In the spring cold, Su Qin carefully inspected his clothing. Then he used the cleanest white cloth to wrap around his left hand so it did not look so disgusting.
He walked out of the accommodation he had resided for a long time, and walked towards the carriage by the side of the street. The carriage was in Changling’s style, but the streets were the streets of the Chu Dynasty’s capital city.
The Chu King liked small waists. When he looked around, the countless towers of Cheng City looked like delicate women and the scene was extremely refined and delicate.
At this time, Su Qin’s gaze landed on a begonia by the side of the street. This begonia was blooming and as bright as rouge.
A hint of a smile appeared on Su Qin’s face.
He had been waiting for a long time in this beautiful and grand Chu capital, the complete opposite of Changling, for much time. Today, he finally received an audience with the most powerful woman in the Chu Dynasty.
The carriage carried him through the streets of the Chu capital with countless willow branches brushing over the cabin.
Many wary gazes filled with all kinds of emotion observed this carriage driving into a temporary imperial residence.
The main hall in this imperial residence had a grand beaded curtain at the entrance. It was possible to make out the legendary woman through the bead curtain.
"As a person from Qin, you come to the Chu to speak. You have half an hour. If you cannot persuade me during this time, it means that you and Li Lingjun are failures. I will kill you, and he does not qualify to return here." The woman’s voice was soft but the sharpness stabbed into Su Qin’s year and caused his eardrums pain.
However, his expression was still calm. He bowed his head said, "I do not need half an hour. I only need a sentence."
The person behind the beaded curtain sank into silence and waited for him to speak.
Su Qin said, "If you allow him to return, you will be empress. There are two meanings in empress. You can possess both."
"Nonsense!" A shout sounded behind the curtain.
The voice was so cold and harsh it echoed through the corridors of the hall. It sounded as though countless people were angrily scolding Su Qin.
There were two meanings to empress. One was mother-empress, the other was imperial empress.
Possessing both meant that she could possess both identities at the same time.
Yet possessing two identities at the same time, how disgraceful was this!
The woman behind the curtain naturally knew the meaning in Su Qin’s words. This was why she shouted so harshly.
But Su Qin’s expression did not change. He bowed deeply and said calmly, "But this is the greatest promise that Li Lingjun can give you. You should also understand that if you allow him to ascend to the throne, and he can give you both identities at the same time, your status here will be even more secure, and your relationship with him will be even more secure."
The woman behind the bead curtain looked at him without speaking.
Su Qin looked at the ground. He knew if he did not die at this time, he would not die today. So he said in an emotional and contented voice, "Honored One, you also know that some people have much time to wait, but other people and events cannot be waited for."
The woman behind the curtain finally spoke, "Such imprudent words. Those that heard them should die."
A sweetly fragrant but terrifying murderousness spread from the hall.
The bead curtain shattered. Many blooms of blood splashed onto the ground. The palace attendants waiting on the two sides immediately died.
The beads of various sizes fell on Su Qin’s body and around him, jumping around and giving off pleasing sounds.
But Su Qin did not die.
He bowed deeper and said as though in congratulations, "For the present and the future, you will be the noblest woman in the Chu Dynasty."
Translator Ramblings: Su Qin is a devious person ……
"Great Cold" is one of the twenty four periods of the year, covering late January to early February. Start of Spring is early February. ↩The Ji Commandery, also known as the Kuaiji Commandery is what is now close to Hangzhou Bay. ↩
Volume 2 67 - Time Waits For No Man
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
On the sacrificial altar, many officials were hurriedly putting away ceremonial items.
Standing in a corner, Huang Zhenwei was gazing at the jade door.
As the bureau chief of the Clan Law Bureau, he had been present today, dressed up grandly. But compared to the Deer Mountain Conference, he appeared very tired, and even had an indescribable fragility about him.
“What do you think of Ding Ning’s actions?”
A cool female voice sounded behind him.
Huang Zhenwei turned in slight shock, and became even more shocked when he saw the other’s appearance.
He looked at Pan Ruoye who was dressed in light purple palace attire. He directly expressed the shock he felt. “I’ve heard that Palace Master Pan is elegant and does not concern yourself with matters of the world. Why would you mention Ding Ning specially?”
“If I was not concerned with the matters of the world, I would not have gone to Deer Mountain.”
After using up the energies she had accumulated for dozens of years, Pan Ruoye was as weak and tired as Huang Zhenwei. She spoke softly without expression. “We have some karma. Bureau Chief Huang is one of the smartest people in Changling. It is ordinary to want to hear Bureau Chief Huang’s opinion.”
“I do not dare.”
Huang Zhenwei raised his folded hands in greeting and sighed softly. He said, “He is astounding, but acting like this is fighting with his back to the water. He has not much room to retreat …… he wants to be first in all things, he will have great expenditures. In the later stages of the trial, when these students fight each other, he will be at a disadvantage.”
Pan Ruoye was silent for a moment and said, “You mean that he is unlikely to win in the end?”
Huang Zhenwei nodded.
He had no advantages to start with, and he had added a chain to himself …… He thought, even if it was his teacher making a judgement, he would think that Ding Ning could not win in the end, unless a miracle occurred.
There were not so many miracles in the world.
In the eyes of Palace Attendant Rong, there were no miracles in the world.
Zhang Yi passed through the light of the jade doors.
Then he was stunned.
Behind the doors was not a new world, but a vast green jade mountain path that went up directly. But it looked completely different from the outside.
The mountain that this path was on did not look flat like it did on the outside, but unusually steep. This mountain path seemed to be embedded vertically on the steep walls. Along the green jade path were valleys, canyons, and towers.
At this time, at the end of his sight, was a copper colored palace. On the mountain path between him and this copper palace were three floating pitch black metal pillars.
At first glance, he thought these were metal pillars.In the next moment, he realized that these were three sword nuclei. These three had not been completely forged, but under the swings of the blacksmiths, they were nuclei that had a preliminary shape.
Ding Ning was standing silently under the first sword nucleus.
The sword nucleus was large, slightly taller and wider than him.
Zhang Yi was the second to enter so he could follow his “little sect brother.” So after he recovered from his daze, he moved quickly behind Ding Ning.
As it floated in front of him, the black sword nucleus seemed to be wrapped in a mysterious power. The surface of the sword nucleus was rough. It appeared to have no special patterns, just the uneven bumps formed by the forging. But these bumps and the shadow on the sword blade seemed to twist in Zhang Yi’s eyes and perfectly block this entire mountain path.
Zhang Yi’s breathing involuntarily stopped. He could sense a strange energy flow, but he was not sure what it was. But he was certain that the strange flow of energy blocked the mountain path in front of him. If he could not understand, he could not pass through this sword.
“This sword nucleus tests perception. Do not think of anything else. Just grasp the direction of flow for one of the sword energies.”
Ding Ning’s voice sounded softly at this time.
After turning slightly to speak to Zhang Yi, Ding Ning closed his eyes again.
Zhang Yi was stunned again.
He could sense the physical energies in Ding Ning’s body moving with rhythm. So, at this moment, Ding Ning was not quickly comprehending, but in a cultivation state so he could replenish vital energy.
The first green jade doors did not have any difficulty. Any person could comprehend. After the demonstration, everyone could copy and pass.
The Min Mountain Sword Sect had not wanted to eliminate any student at the first jade doors. Just like Zhang Yi had said, they were using this to warn any person who entered the Min Mountain Sword Sect to study to remember to respect their teacher and know their manners.
Many students did not feel good that they were not the first to realize the way to pass and only passed after others had demonstrated. Especially some of the prouder and exceptional talents who were even less willing and urgently followed.
It would take a long time for thousands of students to bow and pass. Especially, when some students near the front did not immediately bow. This delayed the others even more.
But when most students entered the jade doors, there were people all around the black sword. Just like previously when there was a dense crowd, no one had passed by this black sword nucleus.
Under the shadow cast by the black sword nucleus, a pale youth dressed in crimson robes turned around, and looked dazedly at Ding Ning who was nearby.
He was Jian Damei, a student of Chonghua Sword School. He ranked twentieth on the Book of Talents. But even him had expended great mental effort in his comprehension and his robes were soaked in sweat.
Only just now had he sensed there was a speedy energy moving around the sword . But he did not understand the connection between this speedy burst of energy, the sword nucleus and how to pass this test.
He was even more bewildered by why Ding Ning was still cultivating and replenishing his vital energy at this time.
A youth in pure white robes suddenly relaxed from his frown. He looked to be of similar age to Zhang Yi. He was fully grown so he looked tall and upright. He had handsome features, his long black hair tied up with a white jade ring, rendering him a clean look.
He had come in near the middle, but he could clearly sense the energy on the black sword. He had sensed the way to pass this test, so he decided to pass.
But at this time, Jian Daomei’s pupils contracted fiercely.
Gasps sounded.
This youth in pure white robes suddenly froze.
Ding Ning’s eyes were open.
Without any extra movements, Ding Ning started to walk towards the black sword floating in front of him.
When most people were guessing what he was going to do, Ding Ning pulled out his sword.
He pulled the Last Flower Remnant Sword from his waist, and then made a simple stab at a part of the sword .
There was a vibration.
This sound was not loud, but many people unconsciously shook.
The surface of the black sword suddenly lit up. Layers of heated red light appeared from the shadows of the bumps as though fire was about to erupt!
But in the next moment, nothing happened.
The black sword didn’t even sway. The red light on the sword nucleus instantly receded like the tide.
Ding Ning had put his sword away and passed by the sword .
All the students were shocked speechless.
“Little Sect Brother ……”
Zhang Yi called out.
He once again said the wrong appellation. But in his call, his joyful surprise exceeded his shock.
Even with Ding Ning’s reminder at the start, he had only just managed to learn the method to pass. Ding Ning’s performance now caused him to realize that Ding Ning had known the way to pass this black sword at the start!
In the time that he had taken to pass through the jade doors and follow behind Ding Ning, Ding Ning had comprehended the way to pass this black sword!
His little sect brother …… was really divine!
As Zhang Yi’s heart filled with joyful surprise, that youth in pure white robes who had been preparing to move frowned deeply. His eyes were cold.
Also, Ding Ning had stopped replenishing his vital energy when he was thinking of passing the black sword.
Jian Daomei looked dazedly at Ding Ning’s back behind the black sword. His body involuntarily trembled.
He did not believe that what he had seen was real. Yet, Ding Ning’s sword strike just now had resolved his last doubt and caused him to understand the connection between the flowing energy and the sword nucleus.
“So this is how it is!”
More and more people understood and felt even greater shock.
A youth in inky Daoist robes walked towards the black sword nucleus.
Many recognized him as Fan Xingling of the Tung Temple.
Fan Xingling had only just had an epiphany and unconsciously followed. He was certain that if he stopped the flow of the energy with his sword, the energies inside the sword nucleus would still for a moment. Then, he could pass by, just like Ding Ning had, without any eruption.
So he also attacked with his sword.
His sword was a pitch black sword three feet long. With a clang, his sword stabbed towards a part of the black sword nucleus.
The surface of the black sword nucleus lit up immediately. But for some unknown reason, in the next moment, the red light coming out of the uneven surface of the black sword nucleus did not disappear silently but gave off loud roars.
It was like many people were swinging burning red hammers at this sword nucleus.
Fan Xingling’s black sword seemed to be hit by these rushes of hot air.
His body shook and fell backwards. He opened his mouth and threw up a mouthful of blood.
Translator Ramblings: Being a copycat doesn’t always pay off.
Book 8: 67: Cause and Effect
The Qi palace.
When the sun was coming up, a secret message was sent to the Qi emperor’s residential palace. The person who received this secret message in front of the Qi emperor’s residential palace was an imperial censor, Zong Chao Guan. This middle-aged man was not just the leader of the younger faction of the Qi Dynasty court, and he was the best cultivator of the Qi Dynasty Yin Xu Sect in the last hundred years, one of the realm seven grandmasters of the Qi Dynasty.
Such a grandmaster and aristocrat naturally had experienced many things, and would not change his expression even if the mountains were collapsing. But when he opened the message and looked, his expression changed greatly, and his hands uncontrollably shook.
“Senior Sect Brother, what happened?”
The man next to him had skin as dark as his but looked younger. What caught the eye was the pair of eyebrows that were as black as ink, and even had black energy that kept on flowing back. This man was Cai Shi. He was the other realm seven grandmaster of Yin Xu Sect. In the past, he was not an official of the sect. But after the events of the Twelve Shamans, Zong Chao Guan worried about the safety of the Qi emperor. He feared a rebellion and invited the other out of the sect to the imperial palace. So this Cai Shi and Zong Chao Guan did not address each other by position, but as sect brothers.
Zong Chao Guan looked at his junior sect brother and wanted to hand over the secret message for him too look. But because of the trembling of his hands, he could not even hand over this thin parchment.
Cai Shi had never seen his senior sect brother so shaken. He immediately grew nervous. He took the secret message and quickly scanned it. Then he grew stiff and exclaimed, “What!”
Zong Chao Guan struggled to swallow, and the muscles on his face started to twitch. Then, he took a deep breath and let his hands hang down. Though he quickly calmed down, when he turned to look at the residential palace behind him, his gaze was full of pain and worry.
The loss of the Twelve Shamans was a great pain for many people. Not only were the twelve shamans destroyed but all of the powerful inheritances from the founder of the ghostly path was also destroyed. Even the mountain he had created was mostly gone.
Most of the cultivators and officials in the Qi Dynasty understood the Qi emperor’s effects, and knew why the Qi emperor had made a transaction with Zheng Xiu, their dissatisfaction in him had actually lessened. However, the twelve shamans were still destroyed, and because of this, many cultivators silently left the capital, no longer working for the Qi emperor. This was their attitude.
Ever since that day, the Qi Emperor was a bit dazed, his mind and cultivation very unstable. He could not concentrate and manage to govern. It was up to him and others to take care instead.
The blow of the Twelve Shamans to the Qi Emperor was so great it had destroyed this emperor who worked so heart to rule. The message carried news that the Past Saint Hall had been destroyed, and the remains of the saints had been stolen by the people of the Thousand Gravestone Mountain.
The Past Saint Hall was not the ancestral graveyard of the Qi emperor. What kinds of people weren’t buried there!
The Thousand Gravestone Mountain had many stunning methods. Even if Yan Ying’s disciple was not as good as Yan Ying in terms of vital energy, he had learned those methods. Regardless of why he had been discontent and destroyed the Past Saint Hall, he had taken the remains for cultivation, and would not bury them properly.
The Twelve Shamans were important, but they just could make a dynasty stronger. The Past Saint Hall was a symbol, a mental support. The destruction of the Past Saint Hall, from a certain point of view, was more serious than the destruction of the Twelve Shamans.
It should not take a lot of time from discovering that the Past Saint Hall was destroyed until the information reached the imperial palace. But it took many days for the information to arrive. Zong Chao Guan could understand this abnormality — the powers who had passed on the news knew that the Twelve Shamans had given the Qi Emperor a fatal blow. If such news reached the imperial palace, they knew not the consequences.
So when such a secret message arrived, there had been many fights and discussions among powerful people. At this time, he was one of the officials overseeing the court in place of the Qi Emperor. This secret message reaching his hand was the last stop. It was up to him to decide whether to tell the Qi Emperor. The weight of the country and the court was on his hands.
How could he be calm?
Tell or not tell?
If he did not tell, how could he take care of this?
At this time, countless cultivators in the Qi Dynasty were chasing Bai Shanshui. If he announced this, how many cultivators would start to chase Yan Ying’s disciple?
At this moment, Zong Chao Guan’s body felt colder. He felt very helpless.
“Enter.”
At this time, a sigh came from the palace.
Zong Chao Guan took a deep breath again, trying to make his expression look calm. He bowed his head slightly, pushed open the doors to the residential palace, and slowly entered.
The Qi Emperor was a bit dazed in these days, frequently having delusions. So he did not allow any palace attendants to enter his palace and was left alone to rest.
But could this emperor truly rest?
The sun had risen. The windows and doors in the palace were closed, so it was as dark as usual. Zong Chao Guan felt that he was walking on a quiet cemetery path.
Deep in the palace, the Qi Emperor was sitting on the bed.
The moment he saw the Qi Emperor, Zong Chao Guan’s body shook minutely.
The Qi Emperor’s eyes were sunken in, his skin dry and contracted. He seemed to have aged decades in the span of three days, and looked like a skeleton.
“What happened?” The Qi Emperor was very calm right now. He stiffly looked up at Zong Chao Guan.
Zong Chao Guan hesitated and did not answer.
“No need to hide from me. The energy vibrations from you and your junior sect brother were too violent. You have followed me for so many years, and I have never seen any matter that caused you to react so violently,” the Qi Emperor sighed and said, “What will come will come, it cannot be avoided.”
Zong Chao Guan finally looked up at his yellowed eyes. He said, “The Past Saint Hall has been destroyed by the heir to the Thousand Gravestone Mountain.”
The Qi Emperor was stunned. A long time later, he inexplicably started to laugh, a very sorrowful laugh.
“People cannot win against the heavens. There will be retribution. In terms of plotting, I cannot compare to Zheng Xiu, but I wanted to vie for the world with her. If I had known of this before, I would have just stayed back and guarded and not caused the Qi to reach such straits.”
“Help me write an edict of crimes. I will announce to the world that I will abdicate.”
Zong Chao Guan could not judge the things that the Qi Emperor said about himself, but at the last words, his breathing stopped, and he opened his mouth to speak.
The Qi Emperor waved his hand, indicating that he did not need to speak. “You and I know that this was the best for the Qi Dynasty.”
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