Chapter Eighty-Three: Murder
writer:
无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
This pause was for only a minuscule of time to a cultivator like her, and just less than a thousandth of the time to flick a finger for an ordinary person. In the next moment, this Jiaodong Commandery monster did not hesitate in channeling her vital energy into the bone whistle hanging in front of her chest.
The serpents in the ocean lived together in groups. While they were not as powerful as the land dragons, there were enormous numbers of serpents who lived together, and they were harder to deal with than the land dragons. This bone whistle was made from the spine of the strongest soaring snake in the group. Back then, when one wanted to kill the leading soaring snake, they needed to fight against the power of the entire group. After the strongest soaring snake died back then, it was not possible for such a leader to appear in the group again. So the whistle was something that these soaring snakes feared the most.
When she put a thread of vital energy into the bone whittle, what she activated was not just the sound that Jiaodong Commandery subconsciously made the soaring snakes follow through training, but also the energy of the king among them.
In this group, where the weak was eaten, this innate terror was more terrifying than any medicine. So Zheng An, this old Jiaodong Commandery monster, thought that even if Qing Yaoyin used some medicine to control these soaring snakes, these snakes would go back and attack Qing Yaoyin. Other than that moment of shock at the start, she did not feel any disappointment or fear.
However, things did not go as she expected.
When the bone whistle hanging from her chest started to make a shrill sound, as the presence of the soaring snake leader exploded, the dozen soaring snakes which passed through the dust mountains did not hesitate at all. The energies in their bodies surged out without anything held back. They summoned the clouds and rain from all directions, and threw it up into the sky.
Great sounds of crashes exploded into the air, like hundreds of divine ships colliding in the air. Drops of rain bigger than a fist seemed to fill the area covered by the dust mountains. Then in the next moment, these drops were crushed by violent power, and turned to fine powder. Water quickly accumulated on the ground.
At this moment, the water which came down was likely more than what had rained in many past decades. Strangely, it did not pass above everyone’s knees. After quickly rising up, it suddenly vented out.
In the sight of the cultivators outside the dust mountains, a true circle of waves appeared on the perimeter of the formation which washed out in all directions.
In the air, Zheng An moved up hundreds of feet in the air, face pale. Her body was trembling slightly, some vital energy moving uncontrollably through her meridians, creating some damage to her body, and for the first time in many years, she tasted blood in the back of her throat. But compared to her trivial injuries, the effect on her mind was even greater.
These soaring snakes were not dead, and she had lost complete control of them!
**
The people on the ground looked at the shocked Jiaodong Commandery monsters in the air. No one attacked, but the “World Holding Ball” she created with all her power was easily blocked like this. Even Qing Yaoyin’s cicada temporarily avoided the terrifying energy collisions. Everyone understood her emotions right now.
“Very good luck.” Ding Ning could not help but smile. Then he said softly to Qing Yaoyin and the others, “The Master of Fire has come as well.”
“The Master Of Fire?”
Zhangsun Qianxue, Qing Yaoyin and the others frowned. While they could not feel the presence of the Master of Fire right now, since Ding Ning said so, then it would not be wrong. They immediately felt lucky.
The Master of Fire had appeared at the last moment of the battle in Changling, and then grew famous. He cultivated a strange method. The vital energy gathered the primal energies of the universe to form a fire that seemed able to burn all energies in the world.
Other than this, he had nothing special in terms of his body or the use of sword manuals. But this one thing was enough. From a certain meaninging, other than Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu needing him back then to make sure the Nine Death Silkworm could be destroyed, before his vital energy was used up, the other cultivators were almost unable to kill him, and could only use up his vital energy.
Such an enemy was not very terrifying for a top expert in realm seven, but hard to deal with.
“Control Zheng An, kill the Master of Fire first.” Ding Ning turned to Tantai Guanjian and said slowly, “Since vital energy cannot kill him, then we need to use a real sword. I need you to take me to his side.”
Tantai Guanjian stilled and almost unconsciously thought…… Has your vital energy recovered enough? But in the next moment, he realized. Since it was by a sword and close combat, then not much vital energy was needed, and in terms of use of the sword, no one in the world could likely compare to Ding Ning. He nodded, looked at Ding Ning and said, “You just have to tell me when to act.”
“Do not save on vital energy.” Ding Ning said calmly, “One difficult trait of the Master of Fire is that he is skilled in hiding and concealment, and is even able to mimic the presence of some cultivators. One cultivator of the Zhao Sword Furnace died by his hand. So if we cannot kill him this time, he will be frightened, and I fear we will not be able to kill him any longer.”
There was an enormous bang in the sky. There was also the sounds of hard things exploding mixed with the noise from the sky, the cracking crisp like gems were colliding with each other.
A second round had started between the soaring snakes and Zheng An.
Among the wind and rain, Zheng An held a bright crystal light. It was a deep blue spear. Her face was very pale, but just like the Donghu monk, her old body contained terrifying power. Like the sea god, she pierced the heads of two soaring snakes with one thrust and picked their bodies up from the tip!
This was a shocking scene. But Ding Ning was still very calm, so calm that Tantai Guanjian felt it terrifying.
“Right now,” Ding Ning said to him.
Tantai Guanjian still did not sense where the Master of Fire was among the dust mountains, but he did not hesitate to move his sword. Because at this time, a thread of vital energy coming off Ding Ning’s body pointed out the place for him.
A blinding sword light appeared in the wind and rain. This sword light was faster than all lightning. There was a buzz. A lot of rain was pressed together into a crystal wall, and then suddenly, two figures appeared behind the wall.
The moment these two figures appeared in the eyes of the Master of Fire in red robes, the crystal wall was pierced and a terrifying sword like had reached into front of his throat.
In the previous moment, the Master of Fire had been watching. Since he and Crown Prince Yugou were responsible for the clean up, the two of them did not need to fight at this time. He thought this old monster of the Jiaodong Commandery was enough to kill these cultivators who were at their limit in the formation.
But in the next moment, he was close to true death. The instincts of his body were faster than his thoughts. His jade palace in his energy sea convulsed, pressing his vital energy out of his body.
With a puff, like a legendary fire breathing beast, he spouted red flames from his mouth!
Volume 3 83 - Person Chef
“Absolute nonsense! You think that Min Mountain Sword Sect is a gatehouse that anyone can enter and leave as they want?”
“You are also an idiot! Other people want to send in a letter, you let her send a letter in?”
Furious scolding echoed in the mountain valley.
Listening to the reprimands from the middle-aged man, the young Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator in green robes stood with his head bowed. Inwardly, he felt extremely wronged. He thought, according to the rules, he should have guided someone who brought a letter in. Also, who was the messenger? Would he have been able to refuse if he wanted to?
Also, who would’ve thought someone would choose to leave a letter behind and leave after entering Min Mountain Sword Sect?
“Sect Uncle Hu, what happened?”
A cold and uniquely authoritative voice sounded from the mountain path. Jin Liuli’s figure appeared.
“Zheng Xiu sent someone to carry a letter to Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi left the mountain leaving a letter behind.”
The middle-aged man was extremely furious. It would have been fine if this was a student that barely managed to pass in previous years. This year’s trials had been much more intense, and those chosen in the end were all people with great potential. In his view, Zhang Yi’s performance had been outstanding.
For all sects, a person like Zhang Yi was more important than someone who just knew to use this sword. He could become an unchanging foundation of the sect.
“Zheng Xiu ordered someone to bring Zhang Yi a letter, and Zhang Yi left Min Mountain Sword Sect?”
Jin Liuli narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced at the middle-aged cultivator. “What did the letter say?”
The middle-aged cultivator of Min Mountain Sword Trials put away his anger, and handed the thin letter in his hand to Jin Liuli. He said, “He only writes that he was promoted in the trials due to Xia Wan. He is embarrassed and sincerely asks us to replace him with Xia Wan.”
Jin Liuli expressionlessly opened the letter and scanned it. She said coolly, “Clearly a gentleman wanting to find an excuse, but he mentioned Xia Wan. This appears hypocritical.”
The middle-aged cultivator was of an older generation than her, but Jin Liuli had to be the one to decide sect matters like this. So when he heard Jin Liuli say such a thing, he frowned and said, “Then what should we do? I wonder what Zheng Xiu is forcing him to do that he made such a choice.”
“People like him and Ding Ning cannot be forced.”
Jin Liuli glanced at the middle-aged cultivator and said calmly, “Zhang Yi is someone who cares about the overall situation even more than Ding Ning. So this is at most a deal. To make Zhang Yi make such a sacrifice may only be possible if Zheng Xiu made a promise for Ding Ning and the future of White Goat Cave.”
She paused and looked at the middle-aged cultivator waiting for her response. “There is no difference in cultivating outside the sect or inside. He thinks he is no longer a student of Min Mountain Sword Sect after leaving, but that is his opinion. For me, this will let Min Mountain Sword Sect get another good student. You saw Xia Wan’s performance. She is much stronger than the other so-called geniuses of Changling.”
The middle-aged cultivator stilled. He looked at her youthful visage and felt great respect.
A monster like Jin Liuli was much higher than most people in Changling.
“Many people will change, but a person like Zhang Yi will not.”
Jin Liuli glanced at the middle-aged cultivator and then turned around to look at the mountain. “Everything he does is for the overall situation. He sacrifices himself for his junior sect brothers’ brighter future. So Master will be reassured in giving him a suitable sword manual.”
The middle-aged cultivator did not speak and nodded in agreement.
The thin letter fell into Ding Ning’s hands.
Ding Ning intently read each character on the letter, nodded slowly at Geng Ren and then put away the letter.
Seeing he was truly calm and not pretending to be so, Geng Ren whispered. “It appears you are not worried for your senior sect brother?”
“People like my Eldest Sect Brother, while sentimental sometimes, are far more welcome than people like me at all times.” Ding Ning looked at him and smiled. “There will always be more people who like him than dislike him. What do I have to be worried about?”
Geng Ren thought and said, “You are not concerned where Cave Master Xue is buried?”
Ding Ning said with slight scorn, “Since she has my eldest sect brother leave Min Mountain Sword Trials, no matter where Cave Master Xue is buried, it will be glorious.”
Geng Ren looked at him for a moment, and then shook his head, sighing. “In reality, your greatest shortcoming is being too mature. Sometimes, it is better to be innocent corresponding to your age in order to survive in Changling.”
Ding Ning said, “Will it not be the same in the end?”
Geng Ren did not continue with the topic, his gaze moved to the opened book by Ding Ning’s pillow. “How is it?”
Ding Ning looked at him. “If you are prepared to let me return to Changling now, it will be finished when I reach Changling.”
Geng Ren stilled and said, “Comprehension is not a problem for you, as expected.”
Ding Ning nodded and said, “This is really not a problem. The problem is, you have to help me think…… what great contribution can let me touch that vital energy cultivation method you spoke of?”
Geng Ren looked at Ding Ning and said seriously, “If you recover quickly, there are ways.”
Ding Ning stopped speaking.
Geng Ren continued. “A sect uncle will accompany you back to Changling.”
When he said these words, the half-closed door was opened, and a man with a dark complexion walked in.
This was a stoic man with a low brow, but the moment Ding Ning saw this man, he thought of a black stone. Then more and more black stones appeared in front of him, filling the entire space and stopping him from breathing.
This came from his perception.
Ding Ning had never seen this dark faced man but he knew his identity.
At this point, other than Baili Suxue, the last person among the legendary characters of Min Mountain Sword Sect finally appeared in front of him. Just like Geng Ren, Yantai Guanjian and others, this was a person who could shake the decision of the most powerful in Changling.
His surname was Shao, and his name Sharen (Murderer).
Shao Sharen was his true name, and not a nickname. His adoptive father, Shao Xin, had once been the strongest head shaver on the border of the Zhao.
The so-called head shavers were killers that would kill even children and the old as long as there was enough money.
Shao Xin had taken in a group of orphans and trained them to kill from childhood. Shao Shaxin had been the strongest. All the orphans had died, except for him.
Shao Xin and some of his strongest subordinates died at Shao Sharen’s hands. Shao Sharen had only been nineteen when he killed those people.
Compared to the other legendary people of Min Mountain Sword Sect, Shao Sharen was unknown. Even many of the older people in Changling did not know that Min Mountain Sword Sect had such a person.
“Sect Uncle Shao does not like to talk, but I think, with your personality, you will be used to it and not feel bored,” Geng Ren said gently as he looked at Ding Ning’s stillness.
Ding Ning laughed. He felt many people would be unlucky.
“So we can depart?”
He picked up the open sword manual, patted the edge of the bed, and said to Geng Ren and Shao Sharen.
Geng Ren nodded. Shao Sharen did not speak. He picked up Ding Ning on his back and then walked out of the room.
A carriage was waiting at the end of the Min Mountain Sword Sect’s green jade path for Shao Sharen and Ding Ning.
Shao Sharen walked extremely slowly as though he was worried for Ding Ning’s injuries. His back emanated a gentle layer of primal energies of the universe that wrapped around Ding Ning.
Ding Ning did not care about these things. He only cared about the vital energy flows in Shao Sharen’s body.
When Shao Sharen put him into the carriage cabin, he closed the door and rolled up the window curtain slightly so that sunlight and fresh air could enter the cabin. As the carriage started moving, Ding Ning started to read the book.
But his thoughts were not on this “Seven Booktrunks of Cultivation.”
The vigorous energis in his body started to flow along a new path. As his energies transformed in his energy sea, jade palace and celestial aperture, the vital energy in his body started to flow, and some of the withered meridians in his body grew nourished.
The method of Min Mountain Sword Sect was as useful as expected.
Just the basic vital energy cultivation method from the “Seven Booktrunks of Cultivation” and the understanding he obtained from the flow of energy in Shao Sharen’s body was enough to bring him great benefits.
In the eyes of Changling’s powers, he had successfully won the Min Mountain Sword Trials, yet only he and Zhangsun Qianxue knew…… The years that he spent in Changling, the first thing he always wanted to do was to join Min Mountain Sword Sect.
Joining Min Mountain Sword Sect was the first step in his revenge.
Translator Ramblings: Min Mountain has weird people. There’s the completely random Lin Suixin, the self-eating Geng Ren, and now Shao Sharen among others.
Volume 5 83 - Epitaph
This general faced the wind, the cold energy coming off the scripts on his scaled armor flying behind him like long tail feathers.
Tang Mei first saw this man’s scaled armor, then the person’s face. He could not help but be startled. “It is you? I did not expect it to be you.”
The fresh wildflower’s petals all withered and the branch fell from the general’s hand like frost. He and the cavalry stopped. He looked up expressionlessly at Tang Mei and said, “Over seventeen battles have occurred yesterday. The Yangshan Commandery has not moved, and all the battles are occurring in Yin Mountain in the middle and the north. The vanguard led by Xiao Yan under the command of Wei Wujiu have come the deepest. There are from three thousand to five thousand. They broke through Yutian Pass, and General Che Chi died in battle.”
“Other than this, we have lost around the stone forest. The Chen Jiazhai Granary was taken.”
“The army from Sima Cuo has already entered the borders of our dynasty, and advanced twenty miles. There are about two hundred thousand in the army.”
“Wei Wujiu himself is in the valley area near Yutian Pass. He probably wants to take the Green River Meadow, control the wild horses and the tribes in that area.”
“.…… ……”
This general ignored Tang Mei’s expression. He spoke, reporting much of the newest military news.
The news would likely take dozens of days to reach Changling and then to Yan and Qi. Transmission of news was forever separated by time. When the outside world was still waiting to see who would attack first, in reality, the Qin Dynasty and Chu Dynasty’s war had silently started.
The general did not speak after reporting the military information, just looked silently at Tang Mei.
Tang Mei was not in a hurry. He thought for a moment, then looked at the general, and said simply, “And then?”
“You are the person with the seal coming to be the commander-in-chief. I have finished reporting the information, and the seat is empty. But it depends on whether or not you can get onto the seat.” The general looked at Tang Mei and said coldly, “Many people do not believe in you.”
Upon those words, the six riders behind Tang Mei exuded coldness. But Tang Mei smiled faintly. “Xi Fenghe, many people do not believe me, but you do. Otherwise, since you knew of my whereabouts beforehand, you would not have come with these people, but set up a situation to kill us as soon as possible.”
“Xi Fenghe?”
The six riders around Tang Mei all had surprised and shocked expressions.
Xi Fenghe was one of the most important generals in the north. They had heard of this person before. But what shocked them the most was strictly speaking, this man had once been Tang Mei’s subordinate, and their superior official.
But as the six of them started to follow Tang Mei, Xi Fenghe had been demoted to the border army.
Xi Fenghe looked at the faint smile on Tang Mei’s face and did not immediately answer. After a moment of silence, he nodded. “You are right. While I was at odds with you in the past, and you demoted me to the border, I have no objections to your ability to lead.”
Tang Mei stopped smiling and looked at the other, saying, “I have no objections to your ability to lead. But my subordinates have to completely follow my orders and rules. It will be the same this time. Not just me. Even those people in higher positions than you have to follow my military orders and rules.”
“Strictly speaking, since then, I have always been General Li Mu’s subordinate. I understand General Li Mu more. I trust in his opinion. But the position of commander in chief of the entire army is too important. You dying after you sit in that position, and you dying now means completely different to the situation of the war,” Xi Fenghe faced the gaze, and said coolly. “At least, you have to display that you have the ability to live well.”
“Pity that you are a friend and not an enemy. Blood cannot be used to sharpen the blade.”
“Tang Zhefeng, since you are on the battlefield, do you fear there is no flesh and blood to sharpen the blade?”
When Xi Fenghe’s voice was still lingering in the air, the cultivator behind Tang Mei who liked to talk to himself said two things.
This time, Xi Fenghe and the cavalry behind him heard the conversation, and many a expression changed.
A powerful seal essence came from Xi Fenghe’s fingertips. Several powerful gray energies were released into the air. Numerous small pieces of debris flew along the gray seal lines, and fell on Xi Fenghe’s fingertips.
As though time flowed backwards, the withered flower that had disappeared from his fingers appeared again. The cold energy from his scale armor flowed into the flower like it was given new life.
This flower turned from a withered flower to a gray flower of ice.
Sensing the powerful presence coming from the ice flower, even Tang Zhefeng, who kept on saying that he was going to use blood to sharpen his blade, had a serious expression. The cloth bag behind him exploded.
There was nothing else in the broad bag except a blade, one that was a little too wide. This blade was not even sharpened, like a piece of door taken off a shop, and felt very old.
“I know that you have learned the Dull Blade.” Xi Fenghe glanced at Tang Zhefeng and then at Tang Mei. “I did not expect you to have such an expert under your command. But I do not want his blade to take my flower, I want you.”
“This is not fair.” A rider in front of Tang Mei said coldly. “You are wearing the Extinguishing Snake Scale Armor, a seal weapon of the previous emperor. You are borrowing its power.”
Xi Fenghe looked scornfully at him, and did not respond, but everyone understood his meaning.
On the battlefield, there was no fairness. Those people that could appear and assassinate Tang Mei would not pursue absolute fairness. They may have even more powerful and deadly seal weapons.
Tang Zhefeng sighed deeply, touched the back of the blade, but his body moved back.
Tang Mei looked up and said simply, “I will take it.”
Xi Fenghe did not waste words, and released the flower.
With a boom, a door seemed to open. The primal energies of the universe moved and gathered rapidly from all directions and flew out through the ice flower in Xi Fenghe’s hand. The flower immediately took form above Tang Mei’s head.
A grey pillar of light immediately fell down on Tang Mei like the gaze of a giant from the stars. He got off his horse. The moment his feet touched the ground, the soil on the ground started to move like they were rippling outwards.
All the horses did not have time to be terrified because the speed at this moment surpassed their reaction times.
Tang Mei’s palms turned upwards. His palms lit up.
Strangely, while ordinary people had clear palmprints, his palms only had one clear line each. The two lines seemed to fly out of his palms like lightning to collide with the grey light pillar coming down from the sky.
The air filled with a burning smell. There was no sound. The two lights and the grey pillar of light disappeared at the same time. A circle of air was compressed into all kinds of crystal patterns by a powerful force and spread through the air. Then, countless ice beads fell down from the air, reflecting the sunlight and turning the wasteland here into a variety of colors.
In this moment, there were many explosions, the ice beads releasing bursts of grey icy energy into the air.
Xi Fenghe got off his horse. He silently lowered his head, and then bowed to Tang Mei.
Many years ago, Tang Mei had been stronger than him. Many years later, he had grown stronger, but Tang Mei was still stronger. He bowed, acknowledging Tang Mei’s strength.
But just one person alone was not enough for many people.
“I want to see other than General Tang yourself and the Dull Blade, are there any others?”
A domineering voice came from the cavalry behind Xi Fenghe. “Who will receive my sword.”
When the voice sounded, a sword light was already surging.
This sword light was burning like a volcanic eruption.
Everyone felt the light was dazzling and the heat scorching. They found this terrifying, but they could not see this sword and where the murderous intent was gathering.
Novels belong to writers, we only provide reading services。