Chapter 68 An Inexplicable Assassination
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无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
After the start of spring, all the cultivation sects in Changling had finished their vacations, but a youth, dressed in red robes edged with white fox fur, lightly scaled the tall walls of a cultivation place and sneaked out.
A soft cough sounded nearby.
This youth dressed in red robes edged in white fox fur immediately froze. He did not show the terror that ordinary sect disciples would have when they were discovered sneaking out, and only had a slightly embarrassed and irritated expression.
A soft voice sounded at this time, "Cousin, Auntie was right. You are not diligent in your cultivation."
Hearing these words, the youth’s irritation immediately disappeared and his expression filled with joy.
He turned around suddenly and looked in disbelief at the person who had spoken, "Older Cousin, how are you here?"
The youth that was standing nearby was of similar age to him. Even with his teasing smile, he appeared exceptionally kind and gentle. This was the most favoured imperial son of the Qin Dynasty empress and emperor, Fu Su.
The empress Zheng Xiu only had one female cousin, Zheng Feiye, who had married into the Meng Marquessate Establishment. This youth dressed in red robes edged with white fox fur called Fu Su ’Older Cousin’ so he naturally was the marquessate heir, Meng Qihai.
Seeing the joyfully surprised Meng Qihai, Fu Su also appeared extremely happy. He smiled and said, "Mother-Empress is allowing me to travel around. I am not familiar with the outside so I thought of you first. I heard that you are among the most unrestful students of the Fish Sun Sword School, and frequently scale the walls. I wanted to see how you look when you jump the walls. I hadn’t expected you to just jump right in front of me. Really, things come when I think about it."
Meng Qihai did not usually have many chances to meet Fu Su, but the two had played together as children. Fu Su had an easygoing personality, and would accommodate him most of the time, even when they had been children. So he and Fu Su were extremely close and he called the other "Cousin" most of the time. In his joy, he jumped in front of Fu Su and held Fu Su’s hands. He said, "Cousin, you came at the perfect time. Things come when I think of it."
Fu Su stilled slightly and said, "What do you mean?"
Meng Qihai said happily, "Cousin, you are the fastest at cultivating among the young people of Changling. You should have no problem defeating the people on the Book of Talents. You came at the perfect time. Help me give a lesson to someone."
Fu Su looked curiously at him and said, "Give who a lesson, what is going on?"
"That wine shop youth from the White Goat Cave that was so famed a few days ago."
Meng Qihai twisted his mouth and said, "A few days ago, Zeng Tingan and I heard some news detrimental to him. So out of curiosity, we went to find him. We thought if he performed well, we would tell him the information. But when Zeng Tingan challenged him, he refused and had his senior sect brother Zhang Yi fight. While his senior sect brother Zhang Yi won against Zeng Tingan, and it appears that the wine shop youth seems to be stronger, I do not like his attitude."
Fu Su stilled. His brow furrowed slightly and he urged, "If there is news detrimental to him, you should tell him first. Challenging him and watching his performance is not the actions of a gentleman."
Meng Qihai looked helplessly at Fu Su and said, "I am no gentleman. That person has no sense of shame in refusing a fair challenge so he is not a gentleman either. Cousin, you do not promise to help me, and even lecture me."
Fu Su smiled slightly and did not respond to the words. He said softly, "I am also participating in the Min Mountain Sword Trials."
Meng Qihai was stunned and exclaimed, "How is this possible?"
Fu Su smiled happily and said, "Mother-Empress has given permission."
Meng Qihai woke from his shock. He was so excited he started to shake all over. "This is great. Those people are not a match for you."
Fu Su shook his head seriously. "That may not be the case. Cultivation and victory is not the same thing."
Meng Qihai thought and then smiled slyly, "Then you have more reason to help me teach that wine shop youth a lesson. Compared to those people ranking at the top, Cousin, you lack combat experience."
"You still obsess about getting your revenge." Fu Su glanced warmly at him and said curiously, "I’ve paid some attention to the matters of that wine shop youth. You say you heard news extremely detrimental to him. What news is it?"
Meng Qihai said, "I heard the Li Family is going after him."
Fu Su frowned. "Li Marquessate Establishment? Why?"
Meng Qihai shrugged and said, "Aren’t the Li Marquessate Establishment and Si Konglian of the Bureau of Ceremonies at odds? Sikong Lian seems to have sent a valuable gift to the wine shop youth. The Li Marquessate Establishment probably feels that Sikong Lian wants to support the other to win the Min Mountain Sword Trials so they are targeting him."
Fu Su was displeased inside. He thought, no wonder Mother-Empress did not like the Li Marquessate Establishment. The Li Marquessate Establishment would fight over minor things most of the times, and their teeth and claws were too sharp.
"Isn’t this wine shop youth blameless for being pulled into this kind of conflict inexplicably?"
Fu Su thought and asked, "The Min Mountain Sword Sect will not allow anyone to interfere in the trials. Does the Li Marquessate Establishment want to deal with him beforehand?"
Meng Qihai nodded. "According to my news, Li Marquessate Establishment has ordered Li Xixing to return."
"Li Xixing is a wolf. Our group didn’t like to play with him when we were children. I remember that he broke two of Duanmi Jingzhong’s ribs for a minor matter. So the Li Marquessate Establishment had to send him to the Yuezhi Country." Meng Qihai sneered and said, "He stayed for so many years in Yuezhi, and ate so much wind and sand. I think that he will not have a good temper. Falling Parasol is not the Duanmu Marquessate Establishment. If he wants to act, it wouldn’t just be two broken ribs."
Fu Su frowned deeply.
He had grown very curious about this wine shop youth when Ding Ning had reached Profound Understanding in half a day, and had a breakthrough in a month. While he had listened to lectures from the empress and his teachers to know that he should not waste his energies on these low ranking cultivators, Ding Ning’s performance after the Book of Talents was published still attracted his attention.
He hadn’t had any ideas about Ding Ning on this trip out of the palace and he hadn’t expected to hear of such a thing.
"This does not concern that wine shop youth. Outstanding cultivators like him are the greatest treasure of the Qin Dynasty," he unconsciously copied the empress’ tone as he spoke softly.
Meng Qihai heard the meaning and twisted his mouth. He said, "Cousin, you do not help me teach him a lesson. You also want to help him on this matter?"
Fu Su glanced at him and asked in response, "If Li Xixing’s personality has not changed over the years, and grew even more extreme after going to a chaotic place like the Yuezhi, who would you dislike more between him and the wine shop youth?"
Meng Qihai stilled and said to himself, "If I compare these two, of course it is Li Xixing."
Fu Su looked at him and smiled slightly.
Meng Qihai shouted with slight gloominess, "Cousin, you are logical, I cannot win against you."
Fu Su smiled and then said with a serious expression, "If anyone else is present, remember to not call me cousin. Otherwise, people can immediately know my identity. I do not want to cause extra trouble."
Meng Qihai immediately felt that this was an urgent matter and nodded, saying, "I will remember."
Fu Su smiled slightly. "Then will you take me to the wine shop?"
Meng Qihai had a rash personality so he immediately nodded. He said, "That’s best. Otherwise, Li Xixing may coincidentally be there."
—
Falling Parasol was the same as usual. The morning when the households woke up to wash and dress was the busiest time of Falling Parasol. After this period, Falling Parasol would quickly quiet down. There were not many passerby in the alley. The shops rarely had customers, and business was just enough to get by on.
Yet Zhangsun Qianxue was the first to feel something unusual. Thinking about the possibilities that Ding Ning spoke of, her body quickly grew cold.
But feeling those people’s cultivation, she gradually relaxed. Those people should not have come for the Nine Hell King Sword because the disparity in power was so great they could not manage to capture her and Ding Ning.
She called out. When Ding Ning walked into the courtyard, she told Ding Ning what she had sensed.
Many cultivators had appeared around Falling Parasol, and they were not cultivators strong enough to capture a realm seven cultivator?
Ding Ning’s brow furrowed deeply. He could not think of a reason.
When he walked out of the wine shop again, and headed to Xue Wangxu’s small courtyard, the countless "little silkworms" in his body seemed to wake from hibernation and silently moved.
His perception immediately grew much more sensitive. He sensed the positions of some cultivators.
Then he quickly sensed that many cultivators were moving along with two cultivators. These two cultivators who were coming towards Falling Parasol were at the center of the circle made by these cultivators.
Suddenly, his gaze narrowed slightly. He could faintly make out an unusual reflective light on the eaves nearby. That was the cold light of metal wiped with large amounts of oil. That kind of light would usually appear on ballistae and crossbows.
So …… this was an assassination.
Translator Ramblings: Fu Su is aiding and abetting truancy.
Volume 2 68 - An Inexplicable Assassination
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
Almost all the students changed their expressions.
Just the overflowing energy was enough to injure Fang Xingling to the point of vomiting blood. This crude sword nucleus of the Min Mountain Sword Sect contained such terrifying power!
In this moment, within their senses, this crude black sword nucleus seemed to be surrounded by numerous giants wielding red hot hammers that would shock the terrifying power out of the sword nucleus at any moment.
Fang Xingling took multiple steps back, his black sword in hand, as his body shuddered. The blow to his mind affected him more than the injuries inside him. His face was so pale it was bloodless.
"Why?"
Looking at Fang Xingling, Nangong Caishu spoke in disbelief.
Her question represented many people at this moment.
This group of people could sense that Fang Xingling had used the same method Ding Ning had. But they did not know why Ding Ning had successfully passed, but Fang Xingling was injured by this black sword nucleus.
"Sword follows the mind. His mind was there, his sword was not." At Nangong Caishu’s exclamation, Zhang Yi turned, and softly explained to her, Xie Changsheng and the others.
His expression was grave.
Because Ding Ning had already passed the black sword nucleus, he had to follow.
Having explained, he started to walk around Fan Xingling and towards the black sword nucleus.
He took a deep breath and drew his sword.
There was a vibration.
The surface of the black sword nucleus lit up.
Burning red light rose from the bumpy surface.
In the next moment, nothing happened.
Putting his sword away, Zhang Yi walked past the black sword nucleus.
It was deathly silent again.
Zhang Yi became the second student to pass.
Nangong Caishu’s eyes shone with strange light.
Zhang Yi’s words were so simple that she hadn’t easily understood just now. But at Zhang Yi’s sword strike, she completely understood.
"You must be very fast and accurate. This sword energy is as cunning and fast as a snake. The moment our sword lands, it must accurately stab in front of its head so that it will crash itself onto the sword. You cannot be too slow or too fast," she said solemnly to Xie Changsheng and the others around her before walking towards the black sword nucleus.
Another vibration.
Nangong Caishu walked past the black sword nucleus and became the third to pass.
"What does she mean, not too fast or too slow?"
Xie Changsheng’s expression grew ugly.
He had some understanding but clearly, he did not understand as much as Nangong Caishu.
"This sword energy and the entire sword nucleus is very special. We must let our sword land at the perfect point that this sword energy will collide with our sword in order to not activate the power of the sword nucleus."
Shen Yi looked gravely at Xie Changsheng and said softly, "If we strike too early, and directly come into contact with the sword energy, or if we are too late and are too far from the sword energy, we will not be able to pass by. The mind being there and the sword follows, Sect Brother Zhang Yi spoke of means that the sword has to be where the mind is …… sensing something and attacking it is not the same thing."
After Zhang Yi, Nangong Caishu and Shen Yi’s explanation, Xie Changsheng had completely understood. However, Shen Yi felt slightly worried.
Xie Changsheng had not liked him very much all this time. If his understanding was not completely correct, and Xie Changsheng had a misunderstanding, Xie Changsheng might dislike him even more. So, he decided to try first.
He immediately walked up towards the black sword nucleus. He used three breaths to adjust himself and then drew his sword.
One vibration.
"Sect Brother!"
Then he gave a shout of joy. When the shout reached everyone’s ears, he had already passed the black sword nucleus and was chasing Ding Ning and Zhang Yi.
The field was silent again.
All three youths of the White Goat Cave had passed.
Xie Changsheng walked over with a cold expression.
He had always looked down upon Shen Yi, but Shen Yi performed much better than he did. Naturally, he was displeased.
A ray of sword energy shot out of his hand, tearing the dry air and smashing directly onto the black sword nucleus.
A drum-like clear ring sounded.
Everyone thought that Xie Changsheng would smoothly pass just like Ding Ning and the others.
Unexpectedly, the black sword nucleus gave off a similar roar.
Xie Changsheng’s body suddenly froze. He seemed to desire to stand where he was, but he could not hold. His entire body swayed backwards. At the same time he took a step back, the upper half of his back leaned backwards and he almost fell to the ground.
He also threw up a mouthful of bright red blood.
Seeing the blood, everyone realized that Xie Changsheng had failed. But unexpectedly, Xie Changsheng shouted, "I do not believe it!"
Almost without any hesitation, he stabbed his sword in embarrassment.
There was a vibration.
The black sword nucleus gave a strange vibration and overflowed with power.
Xie Changsheng took another step back and threw up blood again.
"What are you doing!"
Seeing this, Xie Rou’s face grew paler than Xie Changsheng as she shouted.
"Leave me alone!"
But Xie Changsheng looked even more humiliated, and once again stabbed towards the black sword nucleus.
The sword nucleus shook again.
Xie Changsheng spat blood again.
Many of the students frowned deeply. In their view, Xie Changsheng’s actions were akin to suicide.
But Xie Changsheng still did not stop. He seemed to not care that his injuries were growing more serious, and like he was going to vomit all the blood in his body.
He attacked again.
Xie Rou and Xu Heshan could not maintain their calm and the two of them flew forward.
But at this time, after the vibration, Xie Changsheng did not take a step back.
His body swayed violently and then he walked by the black sword nucleus.
Xie Rou and Xu Heshan stilled.
The students behind them had dazed gazes.
"Finally let me over."
Xie Changsheng did not turn around. He spat out bloody foam. Everyone heard his words.
All the students behind him were silent.
Before entering the green jade doors, many people had heard his words. They looked down upon him, this son of a wealthy family who used large sums of silver to trade for this spot in the Min Mountain Sword Trials. They categorized him as one of the wastrels. Yet, when Xie Changsheng started to attack and people saw his posture, most knew that his swordsmanship surpassed many of those present.
He had struggled to pass, but he had passed.
Many people felt they lacked the bravery to pass in such a manner.
Even more importantly, many feared they could not pass.
, was likely the phrase that Zhang Yi had read from the cultivation records of the White Goat Cave. But in the cultivation world, the more accurate description of this was the sword and essence as one.
Sword and essence arrive together. When one’s thought arrived, the sword was already falling. One’s thoughts would be faster than one’s limbs and swords. So, for the sword and the essence to arrive together, usually, the sword had to move first before the essence.
So, in the cultivation records, it was not described as essence and sword as one, but sword and essence as one.
In order to let the sword move before the essence, there were many aspects involved such as perception, foresight, the accuracy of swordsmanship, and one’s proficiency.It was difficult to understand the concepts involved. And achieving sword and essence as one, or to get close to that aspect was even more difficult.
Xie Changsheng did not have such learning in swordsmanship. He could not do it. But he wanted to pass. So he used this kind of reckless testing method.
Most of the people present did not have his skill. Maybe those people who were more skilled than him did not have his courage. Consequently, many would be stopped at this obstacle.
Starting from this black sword nucleus, the Min Mountain Sword Trials would eliminate batches of students.
When more and more people understood this, the atmosphere became even more depressive and cold.
Not long after, a tall young woman stood in front of the black sword nucleus and then drew her sword.
There was a vibration.
This young woman walked forward and past this black sword nucleus.
Almost all the students recognized that this tall young woman was Xie Changsheng’s older sister, Xie Rou.
Moments later, most of them thought that Xie Rou had relied on the wealth of the Xie Family to qualify for the Min Mountain Sword Trials.
Now, they realized they were wrong.
This eldest daughter of the Xie Family, at least in cultivation, was better than Xie Changsheng.
"I will go first."
After Xie Rou passed, He Zhaoxi nodded to Xu Heshan next to him.
Another vibration struck the hearts of all the students.
Like he was just trying to catch up to his fellow students on a stroll, He Zhaoxi easily walked past the black sword nucleus. Most people did not see him attack clearly.
Xu Heshan went forward. He was not He Zhaoxi, who had practiced the basics countless times and was extremely confident in this aspect. As a result, he was extremely wary. He stood in front of the black sword nucleus for a long time before calmly stabbing forward.
A vibration sounded and no accidents occurred.
Xu Heshan also passed.
He was part of the group of Ding Ning and the others. The other students had deliberately remained at a distance from them. So when their entire group had passed, there was a clearing in front of the black sword nucleus. It was eerie, like how someone had taken a ladle of water from a basin, but water had not rushed in from the other places.
Many breaths later, soft inhales broke the deathly silence.
One student, who felt that he had no hope of passing this obstacle, thought of the efforts he had made over the years. He felt the disparity between him and the people around him. Sorrow surged, and he couldn’t help but cover his face and cry.
Translator Ramblings: Xie Changsheng gets a turn in the spotlight!
Book 8: 68: Step on the Island
“I am willing to be exiled to the ancestral temple to reflect on my crimes.”
The Qi Emperor looked at Zong Chao Guan who was very emotional and smiled. “Give the throne to Tian Kang Jun. He has a virtuous reputation and is of the imperial bloodline. He has vast lands, and many experts among his retainers. Qi Siren and the others are acquainted with him. If you listen and assist them, it will be fine.”
“It will be fine?” Zong Chao Guan had originally been able to control himself, but when he heard these words, his hands and feet felt cold, and he trembled all over. He said in a trembling voice, “Changing the emperor is like changing the dynasty. Who knows how many problems there will be?”
The Qi Emperor shook his head and said with a grimace, “But this is the best way that I can think of.”
He looked down at the robes of an emperor he wore. He slowly said, “Other than this, what other method can bring forgiveness from Consort Zhao Xiang and Ba Mountain Sword Field?”
Zong Chao Guan could not refute this.
The transaction between the Qi Dynasty and Zheng Xiu could only be limited to the Twelve Shamans. In the future, they could not become allies. When the twelve shamans were completely destroyed, the Qi Dynasty became the enemy of everybody in the world. Only when an emperor like him abdicated, would they get some forgiveness from their former allies. Or rather, get some sympathy so that the former allies would not completely become enemies.
“Someone must be killed.” The Qi Emperor looked at the silent Zhong Chao Guan. He said slowly but clearly, “I hope that you will arrange this along with my abdication edict.”
Zong Chao Guan suddenly looked up. He looked with puzzlement at the Qi Emperor. He did not know who the Qi Emperor would be thinking of even at such a time, and would want to eliminate.
“That young person, Su Qin.” The Qi Emperor looked into his eyes and said gravely, “That person is young, but Zheng Xiu has given him important duties. For some reason, he was able to survive that day. I have a strange feeling that he will become a great threat in the future. Even if this is just my own worry, I hope that it will be the last important matter I arrange while on the throne.”
Zong Chao Guan took a deep breath. Intuition was sometimes very vague, but much of the time, they were right. He did not say anything else, neatened his clothing, and then knelt to the Qi Emperor.
“Do not pursue the heir of the Thousand Gravestones.” The Qi Emperor tiredly sighed, and closed his eyes. “Regardless of how dissatisfied, Teacher Yan’s disciple is just dissatisfied with me, and not all of Qi. Do not let the Qi cultivators die in the hands of their own people. As long as the Qi Dynasty can pass down, the history books will remark on my merits and failures.”
At noon, the sunlight on the water was blinding. On the rippling water, it was like thousands of copper coins that were flashing. One of the snail ships unique to Jiaodong Commandery’s Zheng Family was moving at astounding speed, carrying Ding Ning and Shou Chen.
The soaring snakes that Jiaodong Commandery reared were the best steeds, faster than the ship, and saved effort. However, the soaring snakes were easy to control when Qing Yaoyin was close. When they were far from Qing Yaoyin, they were hard to control. They could not compare to this dead thing. Ding Ning was not skilled in settling down the soaring snakes once they reached their destination.
Before the reformation, Ba Mountain Sword Field and the islands had a close relationship. He knew the route to the Poluo Islands.
In any book, the Poluo Islands were a strange barren land. Even realm seven cultivators who fled here may die at any time. But when Shou Chen saw with his own eyes the Blue Jade Island that Guo Dongjiang had controlled in the past, he could not help but be shocked.
The Poluo Islands in front of Shou Chen did not look like an island, but a long land mass, filling his entire sight. The islands of various sizes were staggered. From afar, they looked like they were pieced together. Some islands were very large, looking like primitive mountains of the legends, and they were even wrapped up in mists of various colors.
Some enormous trees grew on these islands, appearing through the clouds like enormous buildings. Even from afar, he could see clearly. He did not know how tall these trees were. He did not know how far the furthermost islands were from the central islands, however, these islands did not appear barren. The biggest island, Blue Jade Island, was lonely and not connected to the other islands. It was very beautiful, the surrounding waters a clear blue under the sunlight.
There were many docks made from enormous trees around the islands, where ships of various sizes were parked. They did not feel primitive at all, and conflicted against the primitive scene from afar.
The ships at the docks were very strange. There were no enormous ships. They were likely limited by the dense reefs and wind storms around Poluo Islands. Some of the ships were carved out of hard coconut wood. Some were made from bones of special sea beasts, or enormous shells. These special ships clearly belonged to the islands around this area.
Compared to these ships, the snail ships of Jiaodong Commandery did not appear special. But when they got close to one of the docks, Ding Ning and Shou Chen were stopped.
“You are from Jiaodong Commandery?”
There were several young women who stopped them. They were wearing a strange knee-length blue dress. The women were all around eighteen or so their skin tanned, and they had special tattoos over their bodies. These young women all had short bone swords hanging from their belts that gave off a cold white light and faint energy vibrations.
Shou Chen looked at the young women. He naturally was taller than them, so he could look over their heads and see that near the shore, there were structures like military barracks.
Did this mean that the island did not just have disciples who guarded it like gatekeepers, but even military?
“We are not from Jiaodong Commandery.” Ding Ning looked at the young women and smiled faintly, “We are from Ba Mountain Sword Field and Thunder Fire Temple.”
The young women were stunned, and immediately grew nervous.
“What… What do you want?” one of the young women asked. Her words were tinged with the accent around Jiaodong Commandery’s shores, but she was not skilled. She was trembling, and combined with the words themselves, it appeared comical.
“Take us to see your island master,” Ding Ning smiled and said.
The young woman who had spoken was stiff on the spot. After a long while, she said, “You are truly from Ba Mountain Sword Field?”
Ding Ning frowned slightly but did not waste words, nodding.
Suddenly, the young woman gritted her teeth and screamed several times. Sword lights flew from their waists, and stabbed at Ding Ning’s chest.
The unique short swords they had would give off a certain scent after vital energy was channeled in. They seemed to have been soaked in a kind of toxin. When the sword lights attacked, they seemed to form a sword formations and appeared to surround him.
However, the disparity between Ding Ning’s cultivation and theirs was too great. After several soft sounds, Ding Ning still seemed to be standing there, not having moved, but their short swords had hit each other. Their arms were sore, unable to hold their swords; their swords flew from their hands.
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