Ch 25 – Discovered

Upon sobering up, Curtis hissed and rubbed his temples: “Did that group of bastards not get me to a medical pod?”

“What group of bastards?” An all-too-familiar voice rang out from beside him.

Curtis felt his blood freeze in an instant, and his headache seemed to vanish.

Curtis immediately jolted to his feet and stared at the man sitting at his bedside: “Father.”

The man looked at Curtis with golden eyes, and gave a mild ‘hm.’ “You’re awake, Fetus.”

Curtis: “Uh…..what?”

“You don’t seem to be very happy with your mother or I. Perhaps we should talk about it.” The man crossed his legs and leaned back, placing his arms on the armrests. “Fetus.”

Curtis was very afraid of his father, but he really couldn’t understand why he was calling him ‘fetus.’ He asked very cautiously, only to hear the Supreme Governor scoff.

“I have failed in my duty as a father. I didn’t even know my child’s real name,” said the man.

Curtis: “Real name?”

“Please have a seat, Fetus.” The man gestured for him to sit.

Curtis was at a loss, but he still sat down quietly.

Once he was seated, the man turned on his personal datapad and played a video recording.

Curtis’s emotions shifted from confusion to shock, and in the end, he stayed silent.

What else could he do? He couldn’t very well lose his temper in front of his father.

“Oh, that’s right, Fetus. Your mother has a similar recording.” The man opened the video his wife had sent to him. “You seem to have a deep obsession with the word ‘fetus.’”

Curtis noticed something: “Why did the man who greeted you in the first video disappear in the second one?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps he was embarrassed.” The man was very curious about this. “Are you not embarrassed?”

Curtis lowered his head in embarrassment.

“In the interest of respecting your choice, your name is now officially Fetus. Congratulations.” The man clapped expressionlessly.

Curtis took a deep breath: “I want revenge.”

The man: “On me and your mother?”

“Of course not. I respect you both.” Curtis deflated.

“Respect, ah….” the man drawled.

Curtis hunched his shoulders and waited in silence.

He waited for a long time, but the man didn’t say a word. Curtis felt his heart beating faster and faster.

Finally, the man let out a cold scoff. Curtis trembled and shut his eyes, but the man was already getting up to leave. “Don’t cause me any unnecessary trouble. I don’t want to see news reports of the Supreme Governor’s son bullying others.”

“Yes, Father,” Curtis replied hastily.

The man left and Curtis rolled out of bed with a hiss, clutching his head.

A nanny robot rushed in and helped Curtis into a medical pod.

Curtis thought back to what he’d experienced before passing out. He thought of Sarah, whom he met yesterday, and recalled the words he spoke to him and the comfort he offered.

Finally, he came to the conclusion that he had made a mess of things all because of that damn Sarah!

Curtis hadn’t been in his right mind. What the hell was that person trying to persuade him to do, ah?! Now look at what happened. His name had been changed.

His parents were angry at the moment, so he would have to wait a while before trying to appease them and get them to change his name back.

That was to say, he would have to live under the name “Fetus” for some time.

Lying in the medical pod, Curtis abruptly slammed his hand against the door at this thought.

A pop-up from the system warned him to cease his aggressive behavior. Curtis now had another wound, and his treatment time would be extended.

Curtis asked which planet he was on. He had gotten a bad feeling after hearing his father’s voice. Sure enough, he was now on the capital planet, and the Supreme Governor had issued an order that Curtis was to remain there for a full month.

The Supreme Governor still believed that Curtis would go out and arbitrarily cause trouble.

Curtis behaved himself and kept his mouth shut.

But the Supreme Governor was correct. Curtis would not swallow this insult. He had to go out and find out who those three people were.

Yu Xi and his group had fled, planning to leave for a while, change their starship’s paint job, and then return under different identities. Yu Xi really liked that planet, and wanted to go back for another visit.

Tau had closed himself away. He knew that the young master was stupid, but he hadn’t expected him to be that stupid.

Would he only be able to live as ‘Fetus’ from now on? He was a disgrace to his father.

Tau completed his craft project while in seclusion, but his expression was so fierce that Yu Xi couldn’t help but ask what was on his mind when he stopped by.

“I want to eliminate Curtis,” said Tau.

Yu Xi gasped: “Heavens, isn’t he your young master?”

“Illegitimates have no young masters. They only recognize one master.” Kersz approached with a glass of chocolate milk and leaned against the doorframe as he explained to Yu Xi: “Their good attitude toward their master’s family members is purely for their master’s sake. They don’t actually hold much affection for those people.”

Yu Xi understood: “So to him, Mr. Fetus is a stain on his master?”

Kersz: “You changed how you address him pretty quickly.”

“But yes, to him, that brat is just a stain he wants to erase.” Kersz nodded.

“But didn’t you want to make contact with him?” Yu Xi asked. 

After all, the probability of them randomly selecting a planet and encountering the Supreme Governor’s youngest son was extremely low.

Curtis was a member of that establishment, and Kersz must have found out.

“I wanted to make contact, but not like that.” Kersz had thought that they could go there often to have fun, so that Yu Xi could meet other humans and cheer up. He could also slowly become friends with Curtis over time.

Being too enthusiastic from the start would only arouse suspicion.

Of course, there was no need to think about it any longer. It was over.

“Do you think he’s angry with me?” Yu Xi asked.

Kersz and Tau exchanged glances.

Yu Xi blinked his eyes nervously.

Kersz: “Trust me, he absolutely wants to kill us.”

Tau: “He’s no good. He’s an impulsive bastard who’s always getting into trouble.”

Kersz: “I’ve looked into him, and this guy has been getting up to no good since childhood.”

Tau: “He is subservient to his father, but once he’s out of his father’s sight, he just does whatever he wants.”

Yu Xi understood: “So he holds a grudge against me?”

Tau and Kersz nodded.

Yi Xi was somewhat depressed: “But I didn’t do anything to him.”

“That’s just how he is…..eh?” Before Kersz could finish speaking, Yu Xi moved closer and hugged him.

Kersz hesitated for a moment, then hugged Yu Xi back: “This is a little sudden.”

“It is? But this makes me feel very safe.” This was the latest thing Yu Xi had discovered that made him happy – a nice, tight hug.

“Has anyone ever told you that your hugs are especially unique?” Yu Xi asked Kersz.

“No.” Kersz felt his face heating up. He didn’t think his hugs were anything special. His mind worked quickly, and he realized that Yu Xi might not be referring to his hugs, but to the idea that he was rather different from others.

Kersz let out a cough, somewhat bewildered.

Yu Xi listened quietly as Kersz’s heartbeat quicked, and he felt more at ease.

“It doesn’t matter if he hates me. I can just change my face and identity, and even if we meet again, he won’t be able to recognize me.” Yu Xi felt that his true self wasn’t the object of that hatred, but rather the identity he wore.

“Yes, once you change your identity, no one will recognize you.” Kersz nodded.

“But I need some time to prepare…..I’ll need a completely different face, and I’ll also need to make a minor adjustment to my height.” Yu Xi was very vigilant. He knew that Kersz would eventually seek Curtis out, so he needed to be on guard and avoid too much contact with the young master.

Just to be on the safe side, they orbited the planet a few times, and each of them chose a new appearance before re-entering Daybreak.

They once again chose the same city. It was clear that Kersz had plans for Curtis. Yu Xi didn’t inquire, but he knew that the two individuals needed to maintain a certain distance to allow each other some breathing room.

They heard a commotion upon disembarking from the starship, and when they took a closer look, they found two people fighting.

And when they looked even closer, one of the combatants happened to be Curtis.

Tau sent Kersz a wary look.

“I really had nothing to do with this.” Kersz was very helpless. “How was I supposed to know he would come to the spaceport, ah? There’s no way I could have tracked him.”

Tau started to refute him, but then he suddenly sucked in a deep breath, his eyes flaring wide.

Kersz saw his expression and had a bad premonition.

Sure enough, when he slowly turned his head, Yu Xi had already walked in between Curtis and the man he had beaten.

However, Yu Xi reacted quickly this time. Realizing that he had become too engrossed in the show, he started to back away.

“Wait a minute, you.” Curtis put a hand on Yu Xi’s shoulder.

Yu Xi immediately found an excuse: “Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going and walked right between you two. I’ll move out of the way.”

“Hold up.” Curtis didn’t let go. “You just happened to wander over here?”

Yu Xi nodded repeatedly.

Curtis: “Why do I feel like you were watching us fight? You seem really familiar to me, just like a former…..friend.” He stared intently at Yu Xi.

Yu Xi didn’t dare look him in the eye: “I-I’m not.”

“Speaking of which, it’s strange. I simply haven’t been able to find my friend’s whereabouts,” said Curtis.

“Mind letting him go?” Kersz asked, stepping forward.

Tau followed right behind him.

“Three people?!” Curtis didn’t release his grip. “None of you are allowed to leave! You must be undercover agents who infiltrated Daybreak! A thorough investigation is in order!”

He waved his hand, and guards immediately came over and restrained the three of them.

Curtis had the guards take them in to be investigated. Kersz wasn’t worried, because he knew that Yu Xi’s technology was thousands of years ahead of this world’s, and that they wouldn’t be able to find fault with them. 

Yu Xi, on the other hand, was terrified. He had never been escorted by security before.

“Could you be a little gentler with him?” Kersz asked, somewhat dissatisfied.

“Why should we be gentler with him? Because he suffered from radiation sickness as a child? Because he’s just so pitiful?” Curtis asked sarcastically.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I know who you are! You’re the Supreme Governor’s son, aren’t you? This is an abuse of power! We haven’t committed any crimes! Why are you taking us to be investigated?!” Kersz struggled violently, and the guards restrained him even tighter.

Tau put up no resistance due to being deep in his own persona. He was now a timid teacher, so he attempted to reason with the guards while calming Yu Xi and Kersz down.

They were sent for a thorough inspection, and just as Kersz expected, no problems were detected with any of them.

Kersz demanded an apology from Curtis, while Tau played a supporting role, saying “It’s fine, it’s fine.” Yu Xi still looked quite frightened.

Were there really no problems with them? How were they able to pass inspection?

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong with them?” Curtis asked the detection robot.

“There are no problems, Mr. Fetus.” The robot was very well-mannered.

Curtis turned to look at Yu Xi.

Yu Xi blinked, looking somewhat aggrieved.

Curtis: “Did you hear what it just called me?”

Yu Xi nodded.

Curtis took a step closer: “Then why aren’t you laughing, ah?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Yu Xi: “Ah?”

“Everyone! Everyone who hears my name bursts out laughing! Do you know why I punched that guy? Because he couldn’t hold back his laughter!” Curtis pushed his face closer to Yu Xi’s, and Yu Xi shrank back.

“Why aren’t you laughing?” Curtis asked in a level tone.

“Can there not be good people in this world?” Kersz appeared even more agitated.

“I don’t believe you people. Even though you look completely different and you don’t seem to be the same height.”

Curtis gritted his teeth: “It’s just too bizarre. I’ve beaten up so many people over the years, and only twice has someone stood between me and the person I beat up, striking that same ‘spectator’ pose.”

“Just passing by? I don’t think so. You were mesmerized, weren’t you?” Curtis continued to move closer to Yu Xi, who avoided his gaze.

Yu Xi’s guilty conscience was becoming increasingly difficult to conceal. Despite Kersz’s continued assertions that he was frightening Yu Xi, and that this was causing his current state, Curtis trusted his intuition.

“Too strange,” Curtis said.

Yu Xi inched away in small, quick steps, but Curtis continued to position himself in front of him.

Yu Xi turned away again, and Curtis mirrored him accordingly: “Really too strange.”

“Okay, I apologize. To express my remorse, how about I give you a tour around the city?” Curtis was certain that he had caught this person red-handed. There was definitely something wrong with him.

“Sure thing.” Kersz pulled Yu Xi in front of him and traced a finger over his back a few times. Yu Xi discovered that he was writing in the script of the ancient humans, asking if he had the ability to get them away despite the heavy guard.

Yu Xi nodded slightly. They could return to the starship.

“You think we’re the people who made you change your name to ‘Fetus?’” Kersz suddenly raised this topic again.

Curtis smiled, but halfway through his smile, Kersz punched him in the face.

This round was a wash. Time to reload and try again.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 24 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 26

Ch. 92 – A Compelling Reason

After leaving his dormitory, Feng Ye walked straight forward for some time before looking back.

He had walked so far, but that persistent shadow had not followed him like he usually did.

Hao Chen has probably realized my identity to some extent, thought Feng Ye.

After all, the excuse he gave for his sudden bout of unconsciousness the day before had absolutely no credibility.

It was just unclear exactly how much Hao Chen had discovered.

Feng Ye recalled his recent dream. Hao Chen must have realized he was trapped in a nightmare and used some means to connect with his dream realm.

However, Hao Chen hadn’t seen him in that dream. Feng Ye had seen the peng bird high above, but he himself was out of sight in the depths of the dark abyss.

Therefore, Feng Ye wasn’t entirely sure how much Hao Chen had guessed about his identity.

He would set the question aside for now, and see how Hao Chen reacted when he returned later.

His attention then turned to another issue. Come to think of it, he seemed to owe Hao Chen quite a few favors.

Although the dream was ultimately shattered by Feng Ye himself, and the peng bird that stirred up the hurricane was only able to offer minimal help.

But aside from his assistance in the dream, the expensive robes he was wearing had been a gift from Hao Chen. Feng Ye had said that he would pay him back, but hadn’t done so yet, and the debt of gratitude he owed the other party was growing.

As someone in debt, he probably shouldn’t have kicked Hao Chen off the bed like that.

Feng Ye ran the scene just now through his head again and immediately contradicted himself.

No, no, it really couldn’t be helped.

Despite the many favors he owed, if Feng Ye was given the chance again, he would still kick that fat, slanderous fish back into the water.

When he first caught sight of Hao Chen’s grim, resentful expression, Feng Ye really thought he had done something to him while unconscious.

But as it turned out, it was only a harmless kiss on the cheek. Hao Chen probably hadn’t even felt it through his thick skin.

Yet he still had the nerve to ask Feng Ye to take responsibility?

In addition, he only had Hao Chen’s word to go on regarding the kiss, and it might not even have happened.

Feng Ye came to a decision – he would definitely repay his debts, but he wouldn’t change his attitude toward Hao Chen.

One thing at a time.

With his mind made up, Feng Ye quickened his pace and made his way to Fang Yang’s dorm.

Before he could knock, the door opened.

Fang Yang was rather surprised to see Feng Ye upon opening the door, and exclaimed: “Shixiong?”

“En,” Feng Ye responded. Seeing that Fang Yang was preparing to leave, he asked, “Where are you going?”

“Oh, I’m going to have a look at the Jianmu fragment.” Fang Yang exited the room and closed the door behind him, suggesting to Feng Ye, “Shixiong, do you want to come with me?”

Have a look at the Jianmu fragment?

What was going on? Completely nonplussed, Feng Ye followed Fang Yang.

Fang Yang explained as they walked: “Just yesterday, didn’t Yinglong return the Jianmu fragment to Sect Leader Ji?”

Having said this, he suddenly remembered: “Right, you fainted yesterday, so you probably don’t know what happened.”

Thus, Fang Yang decided to explain from the beginning.

Feng Ye immediately stopped him. Fang Yang could do whatever he wanted – aside from being a storyteller. His stories lacked focus and never overlooked trivial details, which inevitably turned a short tale into a lengthy, tedious slog.

He would normally be fine with wasting time listening to information he already knew, but Feng Ye was eager to know what was going on with Jianmu, so he came up with an excuse: “Hao Chen already told me.”

“Oh, I see,” Fang Yang said knowingly.

He then continued: “After Yinglong handed the Jianmu fragment to Sect Leader Ji, the dead wood sprouted again.”

Feng Ye nodded. He knew this already. That withered fragment had absorbed his divine power, which allowed it to regain its vitality.

“Before, everyone thought Yinglong cut down Jianmu to prevent mortals from ascending to the heavens, but now, it seems that wasn’t the case. But nobody can guess why he actually did it.” Fang Yang shrugged. He had tried to think it through, but couldn’t make sense of Yinglong’s unpredictable behavior.

Feng Ye remained silent.

“But in any case, he personally handed the Jianmu fragment to Sect Leader Ji, which should mean that mortals are allowed to plant it. It has already sprouted, and while such a divine tree won’t immediately die without soil, Sect Leader Ji planted it as a precaution in the main square. There’s an array protecting the Jianmu sprout, but everyone wants to see it up close. I plan to take a look too,” Fang Yang concluded.

So that’s how it is. No wonder Fang Yang was leading him toward the main square.

Feng Ye had no more questions, but Fang Yang did.

“Shixiong?”

“En?” Feng Ye sent Fang Yang an inquiring look. Why did this silly boy look so preoccupied?

“Yesterday, I…..” Fang Yang hesitated, but quickly made up his mind and said: “Yesterday, I used the God-Summoning Token I got in North Sea City….and summoned Yinglong.”

Feng Ye could vaguely guess what Fang Yang wanted to ask, but he still feigned ignorance. He donned a wistful expression: “You really are lucky. You were able to find Ice Grass by the river before, and now you even summoned Yinglong with an unnamed God-Summoning Token.”

Fang Yang shook his head vigorously when he heard this: “That’s not true.”

He fixed his gaze on Feng Ye, observing the changes in his shixiong’s expression: “The token didn’t originally have a name on it, but when I used it yesterday, a name suddenly appeared at the end of the incantation.”

He was certain that Yinglong’s name had not been on the token when he received it, and he had been keeping it in his storage bag. Only one other person had ever touched it.

Feng Ye.

Fang Yang didn’t want to suspect his Useless Shixiong, but he couldn’t help it. Useless Shixiong was the most likely perpetrator.

But he didn’t want his suspicion to hurt the other’s feelings, so rather than bringing it up directly, he decided to sound Feng Ye out in this not-so-clever way.

Feng Ye adopted a meditative expression: “How can this be?”

He looked even more puzzled than Fang Yang.

Fang Yang stared for a moment, then breathed out a sigh of relief.

Useless Shixiong was still the same as ever. He had nothing to do with that strange and unpredictable Yinglong, nor with the Mysterious Big Brother who spoke to him through the bamboo slip.

The Mysterious Big Brother…..who was also Yinglong.

Despite how unbelievable it was that the two were the same person, Fang Yang had no choice but to believe it.

Because the truth had been made very clear. The Mysterious Big Brother’s last words to him were “Call my divine name,” and that name was Yinglong.

Fang Yang had no idea why Yinglong would talk to him through the bamboo slip and even instruct him in swordsmanship.

If he were to tell anybody, they would probably think he was crazy.

And….although the Mysterious Big Brother was quite strict at times, when Fang Yang’s life was hanging by a thread, the other party always saved him.

Saved him, an ordinary human being.

This was entirely unlike that ruthless, savage God of War in the legends.

What secrets lay beyond the Jianmu incident, and what was the purpose behind Yinglong’s actions? Fang Yang couldn’t even begin to guess.

But yesterday, when Ji Chengyue asked him how he managed to summon Yinglong, Fang Yang didn’t tell him the full truth. He only let him know that he had used the unnamed God-Summoning Token, and concealed the fact that a name had appeared on it.

He had promised that he wouldn’t reveal the existence of the Mysterious Big Brother, and if he did tell the truth, Sect Leader Ji would suspect Useless Shixiong just like Fang Yang had.

So out of worry that Sect Leader Ji would make things difficult for Feng Ye, he said nothing.

But despite saying nothing, the thought lingered in his mind and kept him from sleeping well all night.

After much deliberation, he decided to just go ahead and ask him, lest his suspicions continue to grow stronger. If his Useless Shixiong was innocent, wouldn’t he be unjustly accusing him?

But things were fine now. Judging from the expression on Useless Shixiong’s face, he probably didn’t know anything about it.

It wasn’t like no one else could have made a change on the God-Summoning Token.

Adding his name to the token wouldn’t even make the Mysterious Big Brother break a sweat.

Fang Yang’s heart settled. He had gone to Feng Ye’s dorm early this morning specifically to get to the bottom of this, but it was inconvenient to ask when he found Feng Ye and Hao Chen lying together like that.

But now he had asked, and with the question resolved, he regained his usual high spirits.

“I don’t get it either. Maybe I remembered wrong,” Fang Yang said, putting an end to the topic.

He continued forward at a faster pace than before. He wanted to see the Jianmu sprout right away, but talking as he walked had slowed him down, and he hadn’t even covered half the distance yet.

Feng Ye followed close behind him, striding forward on his long legs. Looking at Fang Yang’s back, he couldn’t help but smile.

Although this silly boy had gotten a little smarter, he was still just as easily fooled.

Such obvious probing was far too easy for Feng Ye, whose ability to fabricate lies had increased drastically ever since meeting Hao Chen.

Since they were no longer talking, they moved at a faster pace and soon arrived at the main square.

A crowd three layers deep had already gathered there, all of them craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the sprout at the very center.

Ji Chengyue had the foresight to set up a barrier array five meters in diameter around the tender Jianmu sprout, otherwise it would have been trampled to death by this crowd.

The tree that reached the heavens would die under the feet of mortals.

If that happened, it would serve as a lesson for future generations to cherish the environment, Feng Ye mused, his thoughts running wild.

Fang Yang didn’t have such a wild imagination. Seeing how dense the crowd already was, he immediately joined in, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jianmu through the gaps.

Feng Ye didn’t follow him. Instead, he headed toward a secluded corner of the square.

Because that was where he spotted Hao Chen.

For some reason, Hao Chen had ended up here too. Although he had left later than him, Feng Ye had gone to find Fang Yang first and was delayed by their conversation on the way, so Hao Chen actually beat him here.

Hao Chen was leaning against a weathered tree to cool off in the shade. He didn’t join the crowd to view the Jianmu sprout, but stared in its direction without moving, as if lost in thought.

Even as Feng Ye approached him, his focus didn’t shift.

“What are you thinking about?” asked Feng Ye. The trunk of the tree was rather thick, and Feng Ye leaned against it next to Hao Chen.

“My lost innocence,” Hao Chen replied without turning his head.

Feng Ye: “…..”

He shouldn’t have asked.

Just as Feng Ye was covering his forehead in regret, Hao Chen suddenly said: “Tell me, why did Yinglong cut down Jianmu?”

As he spoke, he continued to stare in the direction of the Jianmu sprout. He sounded as if he was simply asking Feng Ye to help him brainstorm an answer to a problem.

Feng Ye froze for a moment, then smiled with a hint of self-deprication and gave the answer that was widely accepted as the truth: “Because he hated mortals disturbing the peace of the heavens.”

Upon hearing this, Hao Chen suddenly looked toward him and said: “I don’t think that’s the case.”

He had once held the same opinion, because the infamous God of War did seem like someone who was capable of doing such a thing.

But if Feng Ye was Yinglong, then it was absolutely impossible.

Feng Ye stared at Hao Chen in surprise, asking with a hint of intrigue: “Then why do you think he did it?”

“Everyone says that Yinglong is a cruel and savage demon, who kills without hesitation or mercy. But…..” 

Hao Chen observed Feng Ye’s expression as he spoke. When he saw Feng Ye’s straight, sword-like eyebrows twitch at this description, he became even more certain of his guess.

“If he really cut down Jianmu because he didn’t want mortals to ascend to the heavens, then why did he return the Jianmu sprout to Ji Chengyue yesterday? Destroying it completely would have been the ideal option for him. Plus, I don’t believe that the dead Jianmu fragment could have sprouted again without Yinglong’s help.”

Feng Ye’s expression was mild, as if this matter had nothing to do with him at all. He waited quietly for Hao Chen to continue.

Hao Chen went on: “Such behavior is contradictory. Ruling out the unlikely answer that Yinglong has lost his mind, this can only mean…..that there is another story behind what happened one hundred years ago, and that Yinglong’s destruction of Jianmu was not as it appeared. Perhaps he had a different, compelling reason to do so?”

He kept a close eye on Feng Ye’s expression as he made his guess.

Feng Ye didn’t notice the other’s focused gaze, nor did he respond. As Hao Chen spoke, he unconsciously lowered his eyes as he was embroiled in memories.

Why had Yinglong cut down Jianmu?

It was because…..

Something was wrong with it.

Jianmu was indeed a divine tree that connected two realms, but…..this connection was not solely between earth and the heavens.

It was also connected to the Emberless Horizon.

Having spent three hundred years in that place, Feng Ye still carried a vague connection to it even so long after his escape.

He was the first and only person to realize there was a problem with Jianmu.

This lush, colossal tree, though outwardly majestic, had long been eroded and hollowed out by the resentful energy of the Emberless Horizon.

As humans climbed along the exterior of Jianmu, creatures composed of that hatred and resentment advanced through the tree’s interior.

Humanity was ascending to the heavens, and so were demons.

When Feng Ye arrived, this was the scene he was presented with.

Once the passage between the Emberless Horizon and the heavens was opened, the resentment that had been accumulating there for thousands of years would surge into the celestial realm with a vengeance. 

Not only would the heavens be plunged into catastrophe, but the mortal realm, which was being used as a passage by those demons, would also be doomed.

The heavens had already been breached, and the situation left Feng Ye no room for hesitation.

Thus, Yinglong cut down Jianmu in the Eastern Sea.

He had shattered the ambition of reaching the heavens – not for the mortals, but for the demons of the Emberless Horizon.

Yet the consequences…..

The giant tree collapsed, heavenly fire fell to earth, and the mortal world was plunged into a fiery inferno.

Due to Jianmu’s collapse, the passage between the heavens and the mortal realm also closed. 

Standing amongst the clouds, Feng Ye could do nothing but watch this tragic scene unfold.

But he was unwilling to flinch away from what he had done, and continued to stand witness.

To others, it seemed as if he was watching it all indifferently.

They only saw this side of the god, and were unaware that when the passage finally closed, that god in the clouds closed his eyes as if he had finally been freed from torment.

This god was not omnipotent, and sometimes had to make impossible choices.

He had thought that the matter was over once Jianmu was destroyed. Other things kept him occupied, and he didn’t descend to the mortal realm to investigate further.

Unexpectedly, one hundred years later, he began to have recurring dreams.

The demons that sought to reach the heavens had not given up. The raging fire had consumed everything in its path, but it was unable to burn away their undying ambition.

After one hundred years, calamity had once again descended upon the world.

And in order to investigate and stop the other party, Feng Ye had come to the mortal world in person.

It was only at that time that he learned the story of Ling Yun planting Jianmu. Before this, he had only known that humans were responsible for planting it, but was unaware of the hardships and sacrifices involved.

There was nothing wrong with attempting to reach the heavens, and there was nothing wrong with planting Jianmu.

Jianmu was originally a ladder that existed to connect to the heavenly realm, but strangely, it also connected to the Emberless Horizon.

Something had gone wrong.

Feng Ye initially suspected that it was the heart placed amongst Jianmu’s roots. Humans were easily bewitched by such resentful creatures, and the human heart was extremely fickle.

But once he got his hands on the Jianmu fragment, he realized that things were not as they seemed.

There was nothing wrong with Jianmu itself, even if it was connected to a human heart.

Since Jianmu was not responsible for connecting itself to the Emberless Horizon, Feng Ye didn’t annihilate it.

He didn’t know if the deceased Ling Yun could be brought back to life with this fragment, but he was unwilling to crush Ji Chengyue’s hope.

This may indeed leave behind many hidden dangers, because as long as Jianmu existed, the ambition of those demons to reach the heavens would never die.

But something shouldn’t be completely erased from the world just because it could pose a danger.

Even without Jianmu, those demons would eventually find another way to reach the heavens.

Ultimately, Jianmu was just a tool.

Tools could not be good or bad, right or wrong.

Therefore, Feng Ye returned the withered Jianmu fragment to Ji Chengyue and used his divine power to make it sprout again.

Feng Ye was aware that this small compensation couldn’t make up for the past, but he still wanted to do it.

Feng Ye was quiet for a long stretch of time after Hao Chen posed his question, and just as the fish was about to get his attention, Feng Ye finally gave him an answer.

He chuckled softly and said: “Perhaps he did have a compelling reason.”

This time, his smile was no longer self-deprecating, and instead contained a hint of relief at finally being understood.

Even though he had never tried to defend his actions, deep down, he had always hoped that someone would understand him, if only just a little.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 91 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 93

Chu Jiubian suddenly remembered something he had forgotten to tell Lu Yao. He didn’t re-summon him to the Divine Realm, for fear that Qin Chuan would knock him out again, but instead sent a golden dragon to deliver the message.

Therefore, as soon as Lu Yao sat up in bed, he saw a golden dragon enter through the window. Bringing with it clouds, mist, and a cool breeze, it let out a low growl before departing.

He also heard the message transmitted to him by the High Priest, which consisted of only a few words: [Be sure to get at least four hours of sleep every night.]

Qin Chuan naturally heard this too. Standing with his arms crossed, he looked at the person in front of him and said: “Did you hear that? The High Priest said that you must sleep at least four hours each night.”

If he didn’t sleep, Qin Chuan wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly either.

Lu Yao said with a nod: “I usually sleep for around four hours each day.”

“Is that enough?” Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow.

It had been almost a month, and he hadn’t seen this person sleep at all.

Lu Yao said: “I take a short rest every half shichen, and repeat the process throughout the day. It’s rather interesting.”

Qin Chuan had noticed that Lu Yao would shut his eyes for a short while every now and then.

He had initially thought that he was just resting his tired eyes, but it turned out that he was actually sleeping?

But what was so interesting about this?

Qin Chuan said: “The High Priest said that you must sleep for four hours every night.”

Lu Yao nodded: “I know. I didn’t intend to go on this way forever. I only discovered this method in the past six months, and I’m only doing it because it’s interesting. I’ll sleep every night from now on.”

He got out of bed and looked up at Qin Chuan, who was more than a head taller than him: “The medical books say that getting insufficient sleep prevents one from growing taller, and indeed, I haven’t grown much in the past six months. But if I rest enough and eat well, I should be able to grow to about the same height as you.”

At nearly 1.9 meters tall, Qin Chuan could see the top of Lu Yao’s head just by looking down.

He chuckled softly and raised a hand to a position just in front of his lips: “I bet you won’t grow any taller than this.”

Lu Yao made some careful calculations and said: “That should be correct. But as the saying goes: ‘big muscles, small brain.’ If someone is too tall, their brain will not be big enough.”

Therefore, he didn’t need to be very tall. Being around average height was fine.

Qin Chuan: “…..Is there any basis for that?”

“I read it in a random book. I don’t know if it’s true or not.”

“Then don’t say that anymore,” said Qin Chuan.

“Why not?”

“Social interaction and etiquette,” Qin Chuan said, emphasizing every word. “Isn’t that what you asked me to teach you?”

Lu Yao immediately understood: “Many thanks. I won’t say it anymore.”

Chu Jiubian, watching this scene through the card screen, directly burst into laughter.

This Lu Yao was just too fun!

But the child was eager to learn, and should be able to master the necessary skills before arriving in the capital.

Teaching him how to interact with people was going to be tough on Qin Chuan. Chu Jiubian would give him something good later to make up for it.

Turning off the screen, he took a look at what his other Believers were up to.

Late at night, other than Imperial Censor Qi Zhili, who was on his way to inspect the various branches of the waterway transportation system and was about to go to sleep, the others were all wide awake and enjoying a vibrant night life.

Situ Zhaoling was in her younger brother’s courtyard.

In the middle of said courtyard was the unfinished three-meter-long model of a ship, with only the hull completed.

Situ Zhaoyao was sawing wood along with two servants, while Situ Zhaoling and two maids were wiping down the already sawn planks with cloths, then sorting and stacking them according to their size and length.

At a glance, Chu Jiubian could tell that this ship model differed drastically from the existing Great Ning warships.

The existing ships had longer, narrower hulls. Since they were entirely human powered, these ships were lightweight in order to minimize drag. And as a result, they were only able to operate in shallow waters, were difficult to sail over long distances, and were more fragile.

However, the ship that Situ Zhaoyao was building possessed a more streamlined, spacious hull, and was clearly designed with “sturdiness” in mind.

These ships extended farther below the water line, which allowed them to travel greater distances. However, this also meant that they could not be powered solely by human effort, and required harnessing the forces of nature.

It was unclear whether Situ Zhaoyao intended to use sails to harness windpower.

Chu Jiubian’s eyes brightened slightly.

At the tail end of the previous dynasty, the common people suffered greatly. And after the founding emperor of the Great Ning Dynasty ascended the throne, he was constantly preoccupied with defending against foreign threats and maintaining internal stability, as well as reforming the bureaucracy, which left him no time to focus on improving the common people’s livelihoods.

It wasn’t until Emperor Gaozong subsequently ascended the throne that, with the manpower, financial resources, and intellectual resources of the powerful noble families, the country gradually began to restore the livelihoods of the common people.

And in order to make the common people of Great Ning focus on their work and strengthen the nation’s power, Emperor Gaozong ordered a policy of prioritizing agriculture over commerce, and also implemented a restriction on maritime trade.

This restriction didn’t prohibit people from going to sea altogether, but rather, it prevented them from going too far afield and only allowed them to fish and gather shellfish in shallow waters.

Such stringent policies were also implemented for the purpose of protecting Great Ning, which was still in the early stages of development at the time.

Nowadays, although the maritime restrictions were still in place, they were not enforced as strictly as before.

Wealthy and influential clans such as the Qiu family already had merchant fleets that dared to venture out to sea and trade with some of the smaller neighboring countries.

However, Great Ning was currently facing a situation comparable to that of Emperor Gaozong’s reign, so Chu Jiubian was, for now, not going to consider lifting the maritime trade restrictions.

He planned to wait until Great Ning was completely stable, the common people had some disposable income, and the country itself was prosperous. Then, he would personally select and train a navy and build ships capable of long voyages before lifting the ban.

This would also better protect the common people.

He just hadn’t expected that Situ Zhaoyao had already started researching variations of warships and beat him to the punch.

He was truly a good child.

Chu Jiubian observed the unfinished ship, thinking that it wouldn’t be long before he would be able to see the finished product.

But with the New Year approaching, Nanjiang-wang would be bringing his family to the capital. Presumably, this brother and sister would be leaving with their parents in a few days, and wouldn’t be able to continue their work on their inventions.

Chu Jiubian was actually quite looking forward to meeting his Believers.

He closed this card screen, and then opened Wang Qichen’s.

Rumors in the capital said that Young Master Wang had been keeping a low profile lately, but tonight, he was once again visiting the largest brothel on Splendid Plaza, and was currently drinking tea in a hall on the second floor.

The aroma of wine filled the air, but at his table, only tea was being served.

He leaned indolently against the armrest of his chair, a relaxed and carefree smile on his face as he watched the dancers performing gracefully in the center of the hall.

At another table to the side sat a tall, muscular man dressed in black, with an obstinate look in his eyes.

When a maid refilled the man’s cup with fresh wine, he reached out and softly caressed her waist – but his gaze remained fixed on Wang Qichen.

“So, Young Master Wang has actually given up drinking?” the man said with a hint of sarcasm.

“That’s right,” Wang Qichen said with a smile. “If it was anyone other than Xuanzheng-xiong who issued the invitation, this young master wouldn’t have given them face.”

Qiu Xuanzheng chuckled and pushed the woman in his arms away.

The maid then cautiously retreated to a distance.

Chu Jiubian was somewhat surprised.

It turned out that this man was the current head of the Qiu family, the younger brother of Minister of Justice Qiu Heng.

Why had he sought out Wang Qichen?

As if he already knew what the other party was going to ask, Wang Qichen said: “I wonder what important matter Xuanzheng-xiong wishes to discuss with me today?”

Qiu Xuanzheng stood, then took a step to Wang Qichen’s side and sat down casually, where he extended a long arm and went to wrap it around Wang Qichen’s shoulder.

Wang Qichen raised the folding fan in his hand and blocked him, saying: “Just say what you have to say. If people see you acting like this, they’ll think the head of the Qiu family is inclined toward men.”

“I do genuinely admire Young Master Wang’s exceptional beauty, which is unparalleled across the nation.”

Wang Qichen let out a light scoff: “Instead of wasting time with such idle chatter, Xuanzheng-xiong would be better off reading more books. Then he might have better compliments at his disposal.”

Qiu Xuanzheng’s lips curved up, even as coldness flashed through his eyes.

“Then let’s stop fooling around.” He said, feigning nonchalance, “I’ve heard that a new type of paper has appeared in the capital, and that it is as white as snow. I wonder if Young Master Wang has seen it?”

Wang Qichen had already planned to begin official sales of the new paper, so he had no compunctions about being discovered.

But it was quite clear why the head of the Qiu family had sought him out at this time.

Wang Qichen raised his cup and took a small sip of tea.

When he remained silent, Qiu Xuanzheng knew that he had found the right person.

The Qiu family had many members, but most of them were only involved in business, which led to fewer internal power struggles. At most, there would be minor disputes over profits, but those were small matters.

With his uncle, Qiu Hongkuo, supporting him behind the scenes, as well as his brother Qiu Heng serving as Minister of Justice in the Imperial Court, Qiu Xuanzheng’s position as the family head was quite secure.

But he was never content to lag behind others, and always wanted to prove his worth.

He knew that the situation in the capital was tense, and that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had already begun to target the noble families. He also knew that this sword would soon fall upon the Qiu family.

And as the family head, he couldn’t always hide behind his uncle and brother; he naturally wanted to do something himself.

He had recently happened to hear about the invention of a new type of paper, and immediately recognized it as a good business opportunity. After making numerous inquiries, he finally got his hands on a lead and learned that this matter was inextricably linked to the young master of the Wang family.

Seeing Wang Qichen’s attitude, Qiu Xuanzheng knew that the results of his investigation were correct.

“Young Master Wang must be aware of my Qiu family’s abilities in the realm of commerce.” Qin Xuanzheng got straight to the point, saying: “I wonder how much of that paper the Young Master has? Is it possible for me to take a look?”

Wang Qichen continued to remain silent.

After a pause, Qiu Xuanzheng continued: “If that paper truly is as the rumors say, then no matter how much there is, our Qiu family will be able to handle it. As for the profit-sharing arrangement, that can be negotiated.”

“I’ve also overheard a little bit about the internal affairs of the Wang family.” Qiu Xuanzheng stared at Wang Qichen, not wanting to miss a single change in his expression. “If the Young Master establishes a connection with my Qiu family, then should the need arise in the future, we will not stand idly by.”

He had spoken so much, but Wang Qichen still hadn’t said a word.

Only when it seemed that the other party had said everything he intended to say did Wang Qichen set down his teacup and straighten up.

He turned his head to regard Qiu Xuanzheng with a faint smile, saying: “Family Head Qiu should heed his uncle and elder brother more.”

“What?” Qiu Xuanzheng’s brow furrowed.

Wang Qichen stood and walked away without looking back: “Such childish words are fine to say to me, but if others were to hear them, they would surely laugh at your Qiu family.”

Qiu Xuanzheng’s face immediately darkened. Snatching a teacup from the table, he hurled it at Wang Qichen.

He was a martial artist, and even the slightest movement allowed him to send the teacup flying like a projectile toward Wang Qichen’s neck.

But Wang Qichen seemed to have anticipated this. He tilted his head slightly to the side, and the teacup grazed past his neck, leaving only a faint red mark.

The teacup, however, met no resistance and continued straight ahead, where it embedded itself directly into the wall.

The wall was dented, but the teacup remained completely intact, evidence of Qiu Xuanzheng’s immense internal strength.

Wang Qichen swept his gaze across the teacup, letting out a low chuckle.

Without stopping, he continued on his way downstairs while muttering under his breath: “Getting angry out of embarrassment is childish behavior.”

He heard a loud crash behind him, which he assumed meant that Qiu Xuanzheng had overturned the table.

Boor.

He returned home in his own family’s carriage.

No wonder the head of the Qiu family was so mysterious, keeping himself hidden from public view. It turned out that he was just a brainless brute.

Wang Qichen had his own resources and connections, and such a rare new paper would only be sold within the capital in the initial stages. What need did he have to cooperate with the Qiu family?

Qiu Xuanzheng’s reaction of immediately rushing over at the first whiff of opportunity was consistent with the Qiu family’s greedy nature, but he had not inherited even a shred of their shrewdness.

Even among siblings born of the same mother, there could be vast differences between individuals.

However, this Qiu Xuanzheng did seem to have very strong martial abilities.

It was unclear how he compared to Qin Xiao and An Wuji.

Chu Jiubian then opened Jiang Shuoye’s screen card.

Large snowflakes fell unceasingly, covering the world in a blanket of white.

Wearing a thick fur coat, the young general stood on the parade grounds inside the military camp.

On the grounds were a thousand soldiers practicing their marksmanship.

These were the most outstanding soldiers Jiang Shuoye had selected from the military camp, and since the previous month, they had been undergoing daily “special forces” training.

He had learned these training methods from the book given to him by the High Priest, and quickly realized what powerful soldiers such rigorous and disciplined training methods were capable of producing.

As expected, after one month, these one thousand soldiers had already become noticeably different from the others.

Leaving aside their high level of obedience, their overall demeanors and spirit set them apart; each of them had a look of unwavering determination in their eyes.

Jiang Shuoye wasn’t the only one to notice this – it was also clearly observed by the other soldiers.

Subtly, the status of these one thousand men within the army became somewhat special.

It wasn’t that the others shunned them, but rather, that they were envious of them.

This also caused some of the soldiers who had not been selected to feel resentful, as well as eager to find another opportunity to join this unique “special forces unit.”

Such emotions spun completely out of control when Jiang Shuoye distributed to those one thousand soldiers the first batch of spears equipped with steel spearheads.

Everyone noticed how different the Special Forces Unit was.

Although their training was more intense and demanding than that of the regular soldiers, they were also the first to receive benefits when they were available to the military.

These men already ate better than the regular soldiers on a regular basis, and now they also possessed the latest weapons. Tomorrow, there might even be new military armor, and after that, perhaps higher salaries and a smoother path to promotion.

With such temptation placed before them, few people could resist it.

Therefore, several of his subordinate officers had approached him today, saying that many of their soldiers also wished to join the Special Forces Unit, and were asking if there were any opportunities available.

Jiang Shuoye was naturally pleased to hear this, but if there were too many people recruited, the Special Forces Unit and the regular army would be indistinguishable from one another.

However, the fact that soldiers wanted to improve themselves was undeniably a good thing.

For this reason, Jiang Shuoye had intensified the training of the Special Forces Unit these past few days. The regular soldiers who wished to join were permitted to train beside them, and their meals were the same as those of the special forces soldiers.

If any of them were able to keep up with this level of intensity, they would be able to join the Special Forces Unit.

It was snowing today, and the wind was bitingly cold. This late at night, the soldiers should be resting.

But Jiang Shuoye still led the Special Forces soldiers to train in the snow, and the other soldiers who wished to join the unit were also required to participate in the training.

If they were unable to endure it and went back, they would never have another opportunity to join.

Jiang Shuoye cast his gaze toward the group of regular soldiers, which was noticeably smaller now, but didn’t comment on it.

He felt the familiar sensation of being watched, but with the knowledge that it was the High Priest observing him, he wasn’t as unsettled as he had been in the past.

If the High Priest needed him for something, he would surely summon him directly.

Chu Jiubian watched for a while, and couldn’t help but frown.

Those soldiers were only wearing soft armor with cloth garments underneath, which were far less warm than padded winter clothing.

It would be great if cotton could be grown this year.

Unfortunately, Chu Jiubian had arrived too late. By the time he instructed Situ Zhaoling to cultivate cotton, the optimal planting season had already passed, and they would have to wait until the following year.

Chu Jiubian checked his point balance, then looked at the price of the cotton being sold in the System Mall.

After doing the calculations, he realized that buying it with points was really not worthwhile.

Even if he used up all of his points, it wouldn’t be enough to equip the 80,000 Mobei Army soldiers with cotton jackets and trousers, let alone quilts and blankets.

Fine, he would wait for next year.

He had already taught Jiang Shuoye how to construct and heat a heated kang bed.

The general had since equipped all of the barracks, large and small, with kang beds, which allowed everyone to stay warm indoors.

When he left the Divine Realm, Chu Jiubian noticed an unusual silence outside.

Although it was usually quiet on a typical night, the stillness tonight seemed different.

Something occurred to him, and he got up, put on his jacket, and walked to the window.

He pushed open the window, and cool air immediately rushed inside.

Gazing out at the dazzling white landscape, Chu Jiubian reached out to catch a few snowflakes.

This was the first snowfall in the capital city.

He wondered what the situation was like in the Northwest.

Qin Xiao would eventually conquer the Sai Kingdom, but the situation there was unique. The common people there held strong religious beliefs, and trusted religious leaders far more than they trusted the Imperial Court.

Because of this, using the same prefectural and county system as the Central Plains, along with local administrative offices, would definitely not work. Their religion must be incorporated into the system.

However, it was impossible to simply adopt modern governance methods, as the national conditions and public sentiment were completely different.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but recall the practices of some of the dynasties in his previous life, and thought he might be able to draw some inspiration from them.

His identity as a “god” could be of some help as well.

“System, are there any special effects that ordinary people can see?”

The golden dragons and phoenixes, as well as the palaces and pavilions hidden in the clouds of the Divine Realm, were all special effect projections created by Chu Jiubian to fabricate the illusion of a realm of immortals.

But in the Divine Realm, all of these things could be seen and touched.

Outside of it, the golden dragon that delivered messages could not truly be interacted with; it was purely a special effect.

Chu Jiubian remembered seeing special effects that even non-believers could see in the System Mall, but at the time, the prices had seemed rather high.

[There are, Host. Special effects content and placement can be customized, but they only last for thirty seconds. 80 faith points are required. Does Host wish to proceed with the purchase?]

Chu Jiubian’s eyebrow twitched: “Lower the price.”

[This is already the discounted price, Host.]

“Then I don’t want it.”

The System paused for a moment, then said: [Is 70 Faith Points acceptable?]

“66. It’s a lucky number,” said Chu Jiubian.

The System considered this, then responded: [Deal concluded. Does Host wish to use the special effects now?]

“No, I’ll wait.”

Chu Jiubian gazed at the snowflakes swirling outside the window, his eyes darkening slightly.

Once the Sai Kingdom was successfully conquered, he would put these special effects into use. But he needed to send a message to Qin Xiao first and ask him to make some preparations so that they could cooperate effectively.

*

*

On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, heavy snow fell in the Northwest.

Several days had passed since the last message was sent to the capital, and at that time, Qin Xiao had said that he was preparing to attack the royal court.

At present, Qin Xiao had led his army to conquer the Sai Kingdom, and had beheaded Moba Zanpu.

He then issued decrees in the name of Great Ning’s Emperor —

The army would not kill civilians, nor would they seize land.

As long as the common people of the Sai Kingdom voluntarily became citizens of Great Ning, they would be able to enjoy all of the policies and benefits such a status entailed.

The Sai Kingdom had initially been formed from a conglomeration of different tribes, and did not have a very long history. Its people, therefore, had little sense of national identity.

As long as they could live decent lives, what did it matter who was in charge?

Therefore, the chieftains and officials of these various tribes quickly sent the compiled household registration records to the royal court, which handed them over to Qin Xiao.

By this point, it was late winter in the first year of Jingrui.

Ning-wang Qin Xiao had completely overthrown the rule of the Sai Kingdom’s royal family and incorporated half of the Western Regions into the territory of the Great Ning Dynasty in just three months.

His subordinate, veteran commander Hu Fang, suggested striking while the iron was hot and conquering the other half of the Western Regions that bordered the Xinjiang region, but Qin Xiao refused.

Leaving aside the fact that the army was already exhausted, the current frigid weather alone made this an unsuitable time to launch another campaign.

Furthermore, the daily consumption of provisions and supplies by the nearly 100,000 troops was incredibly high, and it was likely that the capital would not be able to sustain another protracted war.

Hu Fang was getting on in age, and this was likely his last time going to war with the head of the Qin family, so he naturally wanted to fight even more.

But Qin Xiao’s concerns were valid, so he didn’t attempt to persuade him otherwise.

He was already very satisfied to be able to help Qin Xiao and his Qin family fight one more battle before he lost the ability to do so.

But now that the Sai Kingdom had been conquered, the most important matter at hand was deciding who to leave in charge, as well as how the country should be governed.

The situation within the Sai Kingdom was different from that of Great Ning in numerous ways, the biggest difference being religion.

Buddhism was widely practiced in this region. Lamas held a high status, and the common people were particularly devout.

It was extremely difficult to implement management strategies tailored to the local conditions here.

Qin Xiao summoned several of his subordinates to his study for a meeting.

However, before they arrived, he received a reply from Chu Jiubian.

Letters from Chu Jiubian had arrived very slowly in the past, so why had this one arrived so quickly?

Qin Xiao frowned, and opened it at once.

As usual, the letter contained no unnecessary words. It began with: By the time you receive this letter, you should have already conquered the royal palace.

That confident tone……

Did he really have such faith in him?

Qin Xiao reclined back in his chair, gently stroking the page with his fingertips as he continued to read.

The young man wrote with a sharp, incisive style as he detailed methods for governing the Sai Kingdom.

He also instructed Qin Xiao to invite some respected citizens and representatives of local religious groups to the foot of their sacred mountain on the 9th day of the next month.

It must be done on the 9th day of the month! Remember! Remember! Remember!

Qin Xiao was amused by his repetition.

Although he didn’t know what Chu Jiubian was planning, he immediately summoned a subordinate and gave him instructions regarding the matter.

Once that person left, he continued reading.

The contents consisted of various events, both big and small, that had occurred in the capital recently. Chu Jiubian also mentioned that Bai Lihong had grown taller by about a finger’s width, but due to the fact that his thick winter clothes made him look like a walking dumpling, it wasn’t very noticeable.

Qin Xiao was unaware that the smile in his eyes had yet to fade.

At the end of the letter, Chu Jiubian wrote: It snowed in the capital. I reached out to catch some snowflakes, but they melted in the blink of an eye. Had you returned earlier, you could have caught some as well.

Qin Xiao remained quiet for quite some time before cutting out those last few lines.

He kept the rambling words of complaint, but burned the parts containing matters of import.

Just as he finished stowing away the piece of paper in his breast pocket, his subordinates began to arrive one after another.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 66 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 68

Ch 24 – Parental Concern

“I think you should make a video call to express your feelings,” Yu Xi said.

“I can’t, my father is very busy with work,” Curtis said with a wave of his hand.

“W-what are you teaching him?” Tau was terrified. He reached out to grab Yu Xi’s arm, but Kersz stopped him.

Tau looked up and saw that Kersz was wearing a particularly eerie smile. He was clearly excited.

“Dear cousin, our didi is teaching this young master about love, ah ~” Kersz grinned toothily in a way that made him look incredibly ferocious.

“But he is your father. Perhaps you should contact his secretary first, and then speak to him if he has time,” Yu Xi said.

“Oh~” Curtis had an epiphany. “Right, right, I can ask if he’s busy first.” 

Yu Xi nodded.

Curtis: “You’re really smart.”

Yu Xi smiled shyly: “Thank you for the compliment.”

Tau: “Wait a minute, this isn’t the proper way to do it.”

Kersz covered Tau’s mouth: “Cousin, stop your drunken babbling.”

Curtis took a couple of deep breaths and straightened his back, but he didn’t last long, and soon slumped over again.

Curtis suddenly threw himself into Yu Xi’s arms: “I don’t dare!”

Kersz reached out to pull Curtis away, but it was Tau’s turn to stop him.

“I understand~ I understand.” Yu Xi patted the child’s head with tender affection. “You’re afraid of getting a negative response, but you really want answers, don’t you?”

“Even if your working relationship isn’t entirely pleasant, you still have a parent-child relationship, and you want to know if there is still any love between you.” Yu Xi was quite a good hand at comforting others. “Muster up your courage, and then you won’t have to guess anymore. If your family still loves you, then tell them your grievances. And if they don’t, you can have a good cry right here.”

Curtis looked up at Yu Xi and felt that he was backlit by a glowing light: “You’re a really good person.”

Yu Xi was very touched: “Thank you for praising me as if I’m a human being.”

Curtis: “Huh?”

Why did Yu Xi’s response seem a little strange? Was this normal? What…..what had Yu Xi said again?

Curtis was very drunk, and his thoughts immediately veered off track: “I feel like you’re glowing.”

Yu Xi let out a sound of surprise, then turned around and pointed to a lamp behind him: “The light is coming from there. Your vision is impaired.”

Curtis: …..

So there really was a light, ah.

Curtis was in a daze for a moment, and then he sniffled: “Even the light will linger for those who have love in their hearts.”

“So cringy, ah,” Kersz said to Tau in a low voice. “Has the kid always been like this?”

Curtis began to cry, and Yu Xi was quick to comfort him with a hug.

But with someone comforting him, Curtis just sobbed even harder.

His cries were choking and desperate, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Finally, in a fit of anger, he opened the communication app. In his drunken state, he forgot his original intention to call the secretary first, and instead called the Supreme Governor directly.

Tau was so frightened that he almost stopped breathing.

The video call quickly connected, and the Supreme Governor’s voice sounded from the other end: “What is it?”

The Supreme Governor quickly noticed something amiss with his youngest son’s surroundings: “Curtis….”

“Eeeeeeeh.” A bizarre sob interrupted what he was about to say.

The Supreme Governor froze briefly. Then he saw that his youngest son was nestled in the arms of a man, and his brow furrowed even more deeply: “You’d better have something important to say, calling at a time like this. Otherwise…..”

“Eeeeh, eh, eh…..” Curtis’s sobs rang out again.

The Supreme Governor’s brow could not possibly furrow any deeper. He could only express his growing confusion by pursing his lips.

“You can do it, Curtis.” Yu Xi’s voice was strangely energetic and upbeat.

Curtis sucked in a deep breath, then shouted: “You don’t love me! You don’t love me, eeeh, eh, eh!”

“You only love my older siblings! You never take me seriously. What am I to you? Am I even your child?” When Curtis got to this point, he was so heartbroken that he tilted his head up and wailed.

“You had better sober up before talking to me again.” The Supreme Governor started to hang up on him.

“You’re going to abandon me again.” Curtis’s voice was exceptionally sorrowful. “You’ll leave. You’ll leave and never come back.”

The Supreme Governor: …..

“How can anyone be so heartless?” Curtis asked Yu Xi. “Have you ever met such a heartless person?”

Yu Xi sighed: “That’s how it is with those in positions of power. The higher they climb, the more heartless they become.”

The Supreme Governor, who held a position of power: “Who are you?”

“Oh, I was dragged over by your son to drink after I saw him fighting with someone,” said Yu Xi. “Hello~”

“Now you want to know about him?!” Curtis was suddenly furious, and pointed at Yu Xi while glaring at the Supreme Governor.

Yu Xi: “Huh?!”

“How long have you known him?! You want to know his name after only meeting him once? We’ve known each other for so many years, but do you even know my name?!” Curtis demanded.

The Supreme Governor: “I’m the one who named you.”

Curtis was in despair: “You’d rather change my name than bother to remember what I used to be called.”

The Supreme Governor: ……

The Supreme Governor: “What did you used to be called?”

Curtis was in utter disbelief: “Fetus!! I was called Fetus! Everyone knows it except you! Have you ever truly cared for me?”

Yu Xi: “Woah!” This person was inebriated to a ridiculous degree.

The Supreme Governor said “Okay,” and hung up the phone.

Curtis couldn’t believe it.

He hung up? That heartless man hung up on him just like that?

He knew that man didn’t love him!

“This is outrageous!” Curtis clutched his head, his mind collapsing in on itself.

“Why don’t you rest for a while first.” Yu Xi felt that despite his good intentions, he had done something wrong.

“No, I still need to call my mom.” Curtis wiped his tears and rallied his spirits.

“Let’s not.” Yu Xi worried that he might start babbling nonsense again.

But Curtis had already sent the video call request, and the woman on the other side was quick to pick up: “Curtis? Is there something urgent?”

Curtis was devastated. He laughed loudly, but tears started falling down his face as he smiled: “You don’t remember either!! Even you don’t remember!”

The elegant woman with her long hair styled in a bun frowned. Her expression looked remarkably similar to the Supreme Governor’s before: “What are you talking about?”

“You cold-hearted woman.” Curtis’s lips trembled.

The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly: “I am your mother. You can’t call me that.”

“But you called me ‘Curtis!’” Curtis refuted. “You don’t remember that I used to be called Fetus either, do you? Hahaha, yes, yes, when have High Lords ever cared about such things?”

“Nobody remembers. Only I remember.” Curtis covered his face and fell apart alone.

The woman on the other side remained silent.

Curtis continued his melodramatic show, but Yu Xi was no longer holding him. While Curtis made the call to his mother, Yu Xi had quietly slumped down on the sofa, pretending to be drunk himself.

The High Lord also hung up in short order.

Curtis was left alone, crying and laughing about how life was not worth living. His words became increasingly incoherent, and he eventually passed out on the sofa.

Once he was unconscious, Yu Xi secretly extricated himself and exchanged glances with Kersz and Tau, who were also pretending to be drunk. They realized that they may have to leave quickly in order to avoid the people Curtis’s parents sent over.

In fact, Curtis’s theatrics just now had already caused quite a stir. But as long as they didn’t run into the people sent by his parents, they could just adopt different identities.

A capsule-shaped, 1.3-meter-tall robot waiter noticed that they were about to leave and slowly rose to its feet, saying: “Hello, our clubhouse member just listed your expenses under his name. Your departure marks the end of the service. I will deduct the amount from the member’s balance. Are you certain you wish to leave?”

“Member?” Tau realized that something was wrong. He looked at Kersz, but directed his words toward the robot: “Does that gentleman come here often?” 

This seemed to be another one of Kersz’s deliberate setups.

Yu Xi didn’t care about any of that. He just wanted to relax and enjoy the moment, and paid no notice to Kersz’s hidden agenda.

Besides, with Kersz’s nature, he was always getting into trouble anyway.

“Yes, Mr. Curtis is a frequent customer at our establishment….oh! Wait!” The robot suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

These robots lacked an emotion module, but their communication style was designed to be playful and cute in order to make people like them.

“What is it?” Yu Xi asked.

“The member’s membership card has changed,” said the robot.

“What changed?” Kersz became more alert. Were Curtis’s parents tracking him?

“The member’s Alliance identity card has been changed and synchronized. Mr. Curtis has now officially changed his name to Fetus.” A burst of colorful ribbons suddenly exploded from the top of the robot’s head. Then it stretched out two claw-like hands and began to clap.

The service here was very warm and welcoming.

A cheerful song rang out from within the robot, and it then congratulated the drunken Curtis on his name change, chanting “Fetus, Fetus” repeatedly.

“We just noticed that after Mr. Fetus broke down in tears, the Alliance system received two name change applications from very distant regions, almost one after another. They must have come from his parents.” A group of robots then surrounded Curtis, singing and dancing around him.

“Amazing! What a coincidence!” The original dancing robot then ran up to Yu Xi and his party and asked if they wanted to charge their purchases to the account..

“Yes, what a coincidence, ah.” Yu Xi chuckled, feeling a little awkward.

“Would you like to charge your purchases?” the robot asked again.

Yu Xi nodded repeatedly: “Please be quick, I have urgent business to attend to.”

---

T/N: As much as I love translating historical and cultivation novels, sometimes I just need one that’s really freakin’ weird. This is it. This is the weird one.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 23 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 25

Ch. 91 – This and That

“You two…..”

This scene was an exact replica of Hao Chen’s first day here, more than half a month ago.

Feng Ye opened his eyes with absolutely no expression on his face.

Because he really didn’t know which expression to wear in a situation like this.

Last time, he simply lay there with Hao Chen as if nothing was wrong. But this time…..

Feng Ye tilted his head and locked gazes with Hao Chen, who was also tilting his head to look at him.

Hao Chen’s eyes were deep and unfathomable, hinting at something unspoken.

Going by his words and how disheveled his robes were, something seemed to have happened.

But Feng Ye had no idea what that might be.

He had merely fallen into a brief slumber after his soul returned to his body, and during the adjustment period, he had entered that dream again. But this time, the dream had taken an unfamiliar turn. He had almost succumbed to it, but managed to break free due to the unexpected peng bird that Hao Chen had transformed into to drive away the darkness.

And now, things were like this.

Fang Yang’s tone was somewhat hesitant: “Were you two cultivating in bed again?”

Feng Ye: “…..”

Although Fang Yang’s question didn’t mean what most people would think in this sort of situation, Feng Ye normally would have wanted to clear his name.

But this time….he did want to defend himself, but he wasn’t sure if he had actually cultivated or not. So he didn’t say anything at all.

“Then I won’t bother you, Shixiong. I’ll come find you again this afternoon.” Fang Yang was quite perceptive this time, and saw himself out.

Feng Ye didn’t stop him. He really needed some time alone with Hao Chen to figure out what was going on.

With a creak, the wooden door closed in front of him.

Feng Ye then turned onto his side and looked at Hao Chen next to him.

Their eyes met, and Hao Chen spoke before Feng Ye could. He pulled his loosened collar back up, saying in a very tactful tone: “It’s fine if you don’t want to take responsibility. I won’t insist.”

He turned away as he spoke, leaving Feng Ye with a view of his back that spoke of lonely, forlorn acceptance.

Feng Ye thought this would be the end of it, but little did he know that Hao Chen was just getting started.

With his back to Feng Ye, Hao Chen murmured in a low voice: “Don’t feel guilty. Although losing one’s innocence in our line of work can have serious consequences, and some people might even hang themselves…..”

Feng Ye couldn’t help but reach up and touch his neck.

“Or cut their wrists.”

Feng Ye touched his wrist.

“Or stab themselves through the stomach.”

Feng Ye covered his stomach.

Hao Chen spoke in a placid tone as he listed these terrible consequences. Then he took a breath and said as if he was holding back tears: “In any case, I don’t blame you.”

But you’re implying that you do blame me, ah! Feng Ye complained internally. Hao Chen’s blame was almost tangible, like a rope wrapped tightly around his neck. And under the resentment, Feng Ye could detect a hint of a threat.

Hao Chen’s attitude clearly stated, if you don’t take responsibility, I’ll kill myself.

Feng Ye was not an irresponsible person, but the thing was….he really needed to know what happened.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He was completely nonplussed, and Hao Chen had unilaterally labeled him a scumbag who ran away after eating. He forcefully turned Hao Chen back toward him and propped himself up, looking down at Hao Chen as he asked: “What happened after I passed out?”

Hao Chen’s eyes darted around before he replied: “After you fainted, I carried you back and stayed to watch over you all night. Then, you did this and that to me while you were asleep…..”

His description was absolutely brilliant, immediately sparking a person’s imagination.

But Feng Ye didn’t fall for the trap, and asked directly: “What do you mean by ‘this and that?’”

Hao Chen’s words became vague: “Well, ah, various things…..”

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes. The fox had finally revealed its tail. This hesitant and evasive speech was definitely suspicious.

He said bluntly: “If you can’t describe it, then how about demonstrating it?”

“This…..” Hao Chen hesitated briefly, but he didn’t seem to have an excuse to refuse, and could only reluctantly begin the demonstration.

“While you were asleep, you suddenly seemed to be having a nightmare and started to move around a lot. You waved your arms as if trying to grab something, so I came over to check on you, and you…..grabbed my collar with your right hand like this…..”

Hao Chen grasped Feng Ye’s collar above him and continued: “Then you wrapped your left arm around my neck.”

He wrapped his left arm around Feng Ye’s neck and drew him downward. Their lips nearly touched, but Feng Ye turned his face away at the last moment, and only their noses brushed against each other.

Hao Chen was not satisfied with the results of his demonstration, and said while their noses were touching: “Then you kissed my cheek.”

Feng Ye blinked: “That’s it?”

Hao Chen blinked back: “That’s it.”

Was this what he considered to be losing his innocence?

The moment Feng Ye realized what was going on, a big # appeared on his forehead. Then, he raised his leg and kicked this fish who had climbed into his bed uninvited and tried to slander him.

The bed was small to begin with, and Hao Chen was only a finger’s width away from the edge of the bed. With this kick, he immediately rolled onto the floor.

Then he stood up and dusted himself off, and even had the audacity to argue his point: “Customs vary from place to place. Where I’m from, a kiss on the cheek is equivalent to robbing someone of their innocence, and one must absolutely take responsibility.”

Feng Ye’s eyelid twitched: “Why have I never heard of such a custom?”

Hao Chen’s words were largely true. His unconscious struggle in his dream may have caused him to grab Hao Chen’s collar, which was why his robes were in such a state of dishevelment.

But as for the notion that he had kissed Hao Chen on the cheek, that was probably a lie. No way was there such a coincidence. And even if it had happened, Feng Ye wouldn’t believe Hao Chen’s story.

The idea that someone had to take responsibility for a kiss on the cheek sounded like a complete fabrication to entrap him.

Hao Chen shook his head with an expression that suggested that he wouldn’t argue with an ignorant person. He said helplessly: “Is Fellow Daoist Feng Ye from the south?”

Feng Ye’s eyes darted around. He had lived in the Southern Ocean for a long time, which indeed made him a southerner, so he nodded in response.

Hao Chen’s eyes flickered. Another clue. He was quick to conceal his suspicion, and maintained his expression of helplessness: “So you’re unaware of our customs in the north. That’s really how we do things there.”

“Oh….” Feng Ye drawled. Despite agreeing, his tone clearly revealed his disbelief.

That said, he couldn’t be bothered to argue with Hao Chen any further. Now that he knew nothing had happened and that he didn’t need to take responsibility for this fish, he simply got out of bed, put on his shoes, and left the room.

He planned to go find Fang Yang and see what that silly boy wanted, then figure out what had happened in Lingxiao Sword Sect while he was asleep.

Hao Chen watched Feng Ye leave right in front of him. He didn’t chase after him like he usually would, nor did he try to argue with him about his innocence.

He simply watched Feng Ye’s receding figure with a complicated expression.

Who was Feng Ye?

Yinglong, the God of War.

While he wasn’t one hundred percent certain, Hao Chen knew that he was likely correct.

Feng Ye had inexplicably vomited blood and lost consciousness. Despite pretending to be weak and on the verge of death, after one nap, he was able to jump out of bed, likely having forgotten that he was supposed to be injured.

In fact, Hao Chen had suspected that Feng Ye was Yinglong the moment the God of War actually appeared.

The timing was too coincidental. Not long after Feng Ye fainted, the God of War manifested in the body of Fang Yang, his dear shidi. No matter how he looked at it, all of these coincidences were inextricably linked to Feng Ye.

But he simply couldn’t rationalize it in his mind. How could Feng Ye be Yinglong?

How was it possible?

Their personalities were far too different. Although Feng Ye did have a decisive and ruthless side, he was usually very gentle, both to Hao Chen and others.

He didn’t take the slightest offense personally, and never really held a grudge against anyone. This was the complete opposite of the God of War who, in the eyes of the masses, had turned the mortal world into a fiery inferno just because people had the gall to climb Jianmu in an attempt to reach the heavens.

Therefore, even though Feng Ye’s sword in the Floating Island Secret Realm had been similar to Yinglong’s, he didn’t think they were one in the same.

But as it turned out….he was wrong.

Any time he guessed something about Feng Ye, he never seemed to guess correctly regarding his identity or strength.

He’d initially thought that Feng Ye couldn’t possibly be stronger than him, but who would have thought…..

Hao Chen recalled the series of stupid things he’d done and felt a sharp pain in his cheeks, a pain that even his thick skin couldn’t withstand.

Despite his stinging face, he reminded himself that he had at least guessed one thing correctly – his age.

Feng Ye was indeed younger than him. Yinglong was at most only two or three thousand years old at this point, which was significantly younger than Hao Chen.

But guessing this one thing correctly was not worthy of celebration. It simply provided definitive evidence that he was an old fish eating a young dragon.

Thinking of this, Hao Chen came to the sudden realization that this entire time, he had been taking advantage of Yinglong.

He had taken liberties with a notorious villain, whom few in the heavens even dared to approach.

Not only would others refuse to believe it if word got out, but even Hao Chen himself felt a sense of unreality.

If Hao Chen had still been ignorant of Feng Ye’s true identity when he fainted into his arms like that, he definitely would have taken further liberties with him when he carried him all the way back to bed.

Although it was a sin to take advantage of someone in a moment of vulnerability, it would be a real loss not to at least touch him a couple of times.

But now that he suspected Feng Ye of being Yinglong, he didn’t dare to let even a finger go astray.

He did indeed stand guard at Feng Ye’s bedside all night, but kept at least a meter between them. Now that he knew who Feng Ye was, he could no longer approach him as casually as before.

After spending so much time with him, he felt that he had a decent grasp on Feng Ye’s character, but he couldn’t help distancing himself once his true identity was revealed.

This distancing was solely due to his wariness of a creature who was as powerful as himself.

Feng Ye had been unconscious for a day and a night, and Hao Chen had remained there the entire time while never crossing that one-meter distance.

He didn’t know how he would face Feng Ye in the future, or if he should treat him as he would treat Yinglong, maintaining a polite yet distant relationship and not interfering with one another.

Or he could continue to tease and pester Feng Ye just like before, shamelessly taking advantage of him wherever possible.

In fact, Yinglong’s appearance matched Hao Chen’s aesthetic standards quite well, but Hao Chen’s heart would never move for such a person. Setting aside Yinglong’s fearsome reputation, based on his strength alone, Hao Chen’s wariness would prevent him from harboring any improper thoughts. 

But the order had been reversed. His heart moved for Feng Ye first, and only afterward did he discover that he was Yinglong.

This wasn’t like buying and selling goods, where one could make an exchange if a deficiency was discovered. He had already given his heart away, and it was not so easy to take it back.

Therefore, even though Hao Chen knew that avoiding further entanglement with Feng Ye was the safest option, he hesitated to take that final step.

He didn’t draw closer, but he also didn’t distance himself.

With an indescribably complex expression, he watched over that person on the bed.

Then the unexpected happened, and that peaceful sleeper was no longer peaceful. His brow furrowed, and he flung his arms around. It was unclear if he was fighting someone or trying to grab onto something.

It looked like he was having a nightmare. A normal nightmare wouldn’t be a problem, but Hao Chen suddenly felt a chill that went right to his bones.

And although Feng Ye was obviously the source of the chill, it didn’t seem to originate from him.

A vein twitched in Hao Chen’s brow. As an ancient god, he was very attuned to potential crises, and realized that Feng Ye’s current situation was not good.

Without further consideration, he stepped forward and crossed the meter of space between them he had been so hesitant to infringe upon.

He shook Feng Ye and called out his name, but even as Feng Ye struggled more and more violently, he showed no signs of waking up.

Then, Hao Chen was pulled onto the bed. Something soft seemed to touch his cheek, then pulled away just as abruptly.

But Hao Chen had no time to figure out what it was. He rolled with the force of Feng Ye’s pull, then lay down beside him and closed his eyes.

Using a unique North Sea method, Hao Chen successfully connected with Feng Ye’s dream realm, where he saw a vast darkness that blotted out the sky.

Hao Chen was very aware of his own size, and even he felt like a speck of dust in the face of this boundless darkness.

He had only entered the outer layer of Feng Ye’s dream, while Feng Ye’s consciousness had been bound to the dark depths before him.

He was briefly at a loss, unsure how to locate Feng Ye in such a vast realm of nothingness and wake him up.

Just then, he saw a light shining at the edge of the dream.

It was the same dazzling light as when Yinglong summoned Fleeting Shadow.

But even the divine sword sharp enough to sever Jianmu was helpless against the abyssal darkness of this place.

Fleeting Shadow was blocked by the surging black mist. The sword pierced continuously through the haze blocking its path, but was hindered by successive waves of black mist that prevented it from advancing.

Seeing this, Hao Chen suddenly had an idea. He might not be able to locate Feng Ye himself, but he could use Fleeting Shadow to do so.

So he transformed into a peng bird, and with a flap of his wings, unleashed a world-shattering hurricane to clear the way for Fleeting Shadow.

He then shouted into the darkness: “Feng Ye!”

Not knowing if Feng Ye could hear him, he still called out with all his might.

Fortunately, he succeeded. The black mist receded, and Fleeting Shadow shot downward. The tides had turned, and the monster that was attempting to devour Feng Ye in his dream escaped.

The darkness shattered, dissolving into the light of day.

The dream ended.

When Hao Chen opened his eyes, he saw Feng Ye lying next to him suddenly sit up, panting heavily and visibly shaken.

Due to his abrupt awakening, Feng Ye didn’t notice Hao Chen at first, and Hao Chen remained silent rather than draw attention to himself.

He had crossed that one meter distance only due to the urgency of the situation, but had yet to come to an actual decision.

But when Feng Ye returned to his senses, Hao Chen subconsciously uttered those four shameless words.

When he realized what he’d just said and wanted to take it back, it was already too late.

Although his tone was still as irreverent as before, his inner feelings were completely different.

In order to avoid arousing Feng Ye’s suspicion, Hao Chen turned his back to him to hide his expression, speaking to him as he usually would while attempting to put on a mask of indifference.

By the time Feng Ye flipped him back over, his expression had returned to normal.

The two of them followed their usual pattern of interaction and messed around for a while, and when Feng Ye left, Hao Chen was finally able to drop the pretense.

He watched Feng Ye’s departing figure with a complicated expression, a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind.

And at that moment, he came to a decision.

Whether he was Feng Ye or Yinglong, Hao Chen couldn’t leave him at this point in time.

The Yinglong in North Sea City must have been the fake, and was likely related to the boundless darkness in that dream. And that person was specifically targeting Feng Ye.

Feng Ye was indeed very strong, but even someone as powerful as the God of War nearly succumbed to his opponent in that dream.

Had Hao Chen not been here today, Feng Ye likely would have been dragged into the depths of the abyss, never to wake up again.

Clearly, Hao Chen was still very useful.

His sense of self-worth swelled, and he felt that Feng Ye wouldn’t be able to live without him.

As a responsible and dependable man, he would never leave the object of his affections to face danger alone.

Even if that person was Yinglong, he would not let him go.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 90 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 92

Ch. 90 – You Must Take Responsibility

Black. All different shades of black.

Feng Ye lifted his right foot and took a step forward.

It’s this dream again, Feng Ye thought, looking out at the vast, seemingly endless realm of darkness around him.

Although he couldn’t tell which way was which in the dark, he still walked in a certain direction as if he knew where he was going.

He walked for an unknown amount of time, for in such abject darkness, he was unable to see the sun, moon, or stars. Finally, he caught sight of the outline of a sapling.

A Jianmu sapling.

Having reached the stage of the show, Feng Ye stopped and idly waited for the dream to continue.

Next, the little figures appeared like they always did. Although he was only a dark shadow in this dream, Feng Ye had learned that this human’s name was Ling Yun when he went down to the mortal realm over a month ago to investigate the cause of these dreams.

The story told in his dreams was just a compact version of reality. At present, the small figure was busily tending to the sapling, watering and feeding it with meticulous care.

 But in reality, Ling Yun had paid a much higher price to cultivate Jianmu.

Xuanming Water, Living Soil, and the rising sun of the far east – other than the latter, these ingredients were very difficult to obtain.

Ling Yun gathered them one by one until, at last, Jianmu sprouted.

Then came the scene before Feng Ye: the sapling remained a sapling, with no noticeable growth.

Of course, the growth of Jianmu was just too slow to see. With eight hundred years equaling one spring and autumn, the human lifespan paled in comparison.

It did indeed grow, but so slightly that it was imperceptible, leading people to believe that it wasn’t growing at all.

Having exhausted every method, the little figure slumped to the ground in despair.

But he didn’t remain despondent for long. Nobody knew how he had come up with the idea, and even Feng Ye had never imagined that giving a human heart to Jianmu would promote its growth.

But this person did think of it, and he put it into action.

He offered his heart to Jianmu, burying it within its roots.

Thump, thump, thump….

The sapling grew at visible speed to the rhythm of the heartbeat. With each blink of the eye, it grew taller and taller, dwarfing the mountains and clouds, until finally….it connected heaven and earth.

The little black figure cheered for the towering tree. He called upon his friends, summoning his shidi, Ji Chengyue, along with cultivators from all over the world, so that they could ascend to the heavens together.

A dense cluster of shadows climbed the giant tree, moving in an orderly manner after a brief period of chaos.

But just when it seemed they would reach the heavens…..

Feng Ye looked up and saw himself appear amongst the clouds.

After one glance, he looked away – because unlike a certain fish, he wasn’t a narcissist. There was really not much about him that was interesting.

He then cut down Jianmu, thus severing these peoples’ ambition to reach the heavens.

He watched as the world was instantly transformed into a sea of fire, living people wailing in agony within it. His golden eyes reflected this tragic scene, seemingly unmoved.

His current expression was identical to that of his counterpart in the clouds. Feng Ye watched in silence as it all unfolded before him, listening to the crackle of flames and the wails echoing across the land.

Finally, after raging for three days and three nights, the heavenly fire burned everything to ashes.

Everything, including Jianmu and the mortals ascending it.

Only embers were left to dance before his eyes.

The dream was coming to an end, and just like before, Feng Ye tried to step forward for a closer look.

He watched as a seedling broke through the soil, exactly the same as the fragment he’d handed to Ji Chengyue, which sprouted again after absorbing his divine power.

And beneath the seedling, he also saw the whirlpool rising up from below.

Something was watching him from the depths of that abyss. He had already met it in the outside world…..that black mist that had controlled Xue Ren, and looked so similar to Feng Ye.

Although Feng Ye couldn’t quite pinpoint what the other party was, he knew where he had come from…..

The Emberless Horizon.

Only there could such filth exist.

Just like Feng Ye himself.

A black tendril crawled up Feng Ye’s ankle, but he ignored it. The other party was blocked by an invisible barrier, and could only frantically and ineffectually scrabble at his ankle.

It was always like this at the end of the dream. Just as he was about to see what lay within the abyss, the dream would conclude.

Feng Ye readied himself to open his eyes and return to reality.

However, this time…..

He didn’t wake up.

Not only did he fail to wake up, but the barrier that the other party had been unable to break through seemed to have vanished while he wasn’t paying attention. The black mist, like tentacles, began to wrap around his limbs.

Feng Ye was caught off guard, and was pulled to his knees as the black mist wrapped around his calves.

He braced himself with his arms, struggling to break free. But pressing his hands to the ground was like trying to exert force against a swamp, and he only sank deeper and deeper.

Feng Ye was swiftly pulled to the ground, but made no further moves, because he witnessed something unexpected.

Feng Ye’s eyes widened slightly as he finally caught sight of what was lurking within the abyss.

It was a very familiar face…..

A face identical to his…..

The moment he saw it, Feng Ye almost thought he was looking into a mirror.

But the expression on that face immediately told him that it wasn’t his. The other person was smiling. It was a smile that Feng Ye had never worn, exuding a strange, sinister aura.

That person called his name affectionately: “Feng Ye.”

They were separated only by a thin membrane, him on one side and that person on the other.

But now, that thing wearing his face reached through the thin membrane and broke through the barrier. It wrapped its arms intimately around his neck, and then…..forcefully pulled him down.

The tentacles around his limbs pulled at the same time, and Feng Ye realized that something wasn’t right. This dream was not simply a dream. There were countless methods in this world, and it was indeed possible for some monsters to devour the soul of their prey through dreams.

Although he didn’t know where the other party wanted to take him, he absolutely could not let them succeed!

Feng Ye exerted all of his strength, and amidst the tentacles holding him down, managed to open his right hand…..

But then, Feng Ye stared at his empty hand in shock. Fleeting Shadow, which always appeared immediately upon being summoned, was nowhere to be seen.

No light blazed from the sky to pierce the darkness. Everything before him was black. Pure, boundless black.

Whether or not it was due to the dream, his power had failed him.

A mocking laugh came from below as his mirror image mocked his powerlessness from the bottom of the abyss.

Feng Ye watched as the other party drew closer.

They were so close that their noses almost touched. Any closer, and he would be swallowed up by the other party and dragged into the depths of the abyss.

Suddenly, a sharp cry reached his ears.

Its volume was ear-piercing, cutting straight through the boundless darkness.

The man’s grip on his neck loosened slightly, and Feng Ye took the opportunity to break free, though his limbs were still bound to the ground by the tentacles. With difficulty, he turned his head to look toward the sky.

The darkness surged, then retreated.

A hurricane appeared on the horizon, its violent winds dispersing the darkness of this world.

The gale whipped across Feng Ye’s face, and very slowly, a sliver of light appeared in the receding darkness above.

That tiny glimmer shone through the gaps of what appeared to be feathers.

Those were…..wings so colossal that they defied imagination, blotting out the sky.

The darkness was swept away by the hurricane, but due to the bird’s enormous size, only a faint beam of light was able to pierce through a gap in its feathers and illuminate the person trapped in the darkness below.

In all his life, Feng Ye had never seen such an enormous bird.

Wait. He had seen something like this before. A certain person who always stuck to his side…..

“Feng Ye!” 

Hao Chen’s voice sounded from above. So it was really him who stirred up a hurricane with a flap of his wings, Feng Ye thought blankly.

How had Hao Chen come to be in his dream?

But that didn’t matter. The important thing at the moment was….

Feng Ye opened his right hand and caught the sharp sword that came from beyond the sky, piercing through layers of darkness with its bright glow.

His power had not failed him in this dream. The darkness had simply been too thick for Fleeting Shadow to penetrate.

But Hao Chen, who had suddenly appeared in his dream as a giant peng bird, had used the hurricane stirred up by his wings to dispel some of the darkness.

Fleeting Shadow finally found an opportunity, and rushed to his side.

The moment the divine sword entered his hand, he released a sword glare that severed the tentacles binding his limbs.

And as the tentacles dispersed, so did his opponent’s ambition.

The creature in the abyss clicked his tongue in disappointment, glancing at the troublesome peng bird before meeting Feng Ye’s gaze again.

He then promised Feng Ye: “We will meet again.”

“It won’t be long, Feng Ye…..” The other’s voice grew fainter and fainter, then faded into the distance.

The darkness shattered before his eyes, and the light on the horizon grew increasingly bright.

Under this radiance, the peng bird became an elongated silhouette against an incandescent background.

Bathed in white light, Feng Ye closed his eyes.

And as the dream ended, he opened them again.

He sat up abruptly, chest heaving in the wake of his perilous dream.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, he finally had a chance to take in his surroundings.

It seemed to be daytime. Sunlight streamed over Feng Ye’s body through the window beside his bed.

The furnishings were familiar. This was his dormitory in Lingxiao Sword Sect.

And he was currently sitting on his bed, which felt a bit cramped…..

Feng Ye belatedly glanced to the side, where he found Hao Chen lying next to him with his clothes all disheveled…..

Hao Chen was looking at him expressionlessly. When Feng Ye finally looked over at him, he slowly sat up and straightened his collar while speaking four words: 

“You must take responsibility.”

Feng Ye: “……”

What was going on here?

All at once, he realized that he might not have awoken from his dream.

Thus, he simply lay back down again.

This was not a good turn of events. His bed wasn’t big enough for two people. It was perfectly fine as a single bed, but squeezing two people into it made it a bit crowded.

Feng Ye bumped into Hao Chen’s shoulder as he lay back, causing Hao Chen to fall down with him.

The two lay on their backs, shoulder to shoulder.

Even though the warmth of the person beside him felt so real, Feng Ye still closed his eyes and attempted to deceive himself.

However, the sudden opening of the door and a barely audible “Shixiong….” rendered Feng Ye’s self-deception null.

Fang Yang stared at the two people who were sleeping together again and felt a sense of deja vu.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 89 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 91

T/N: Thanks so much to Saulene for the Kofi donation! Here’s the regular update and a couple bonus chapters for you! (I posted two extras since they were so short.)

---

Ch. 89 – Sprout

The God of War, Yinglong?!

This name, which was rarely spoken, seemed to have been heard repeatedly in a short period of time today. But just when everyone thought they had accepted a shocking truth, the reality turned out to be even more shocking.

The perfectly good trial ceremony had become a disaster. First, Xue Ren rebelled, then he took out Fleeting Shadow and claimed that he was acting on Yinglong’s orders to seize Jianmu, which should have long been reduced to ashes, and proceeded to fight his master.

Jianmu then reappeared in the wake of Ji Chengyue’s defeat, and Cao Zirui and a lesser-known disciple seemed to perish under the blade of Fleeting Shadow. But unexpectedly, the grand drama that everyone thought was coming to an end was not over yet.

The real climax was just beginning.

One hundred years later, a god once again descended upon the world.

His fierce appearance was just as intimidating as it was a century ago, and his power was just as great.

The sword glare that even Ji Chengyue was unable to withstand, which had destroyed even Mountain Breaker, shattered under his power, but he seemed to take this as a matter of course. With a mere flick of his fingers, the black blade was no more.

Amidst the swirling flakes of black, the god flicked his sleeves and stood with his hands behind his back, his golden eyes sweeping over the crowd before looking up at Xue Ren, and at Fleeting Shadow in his hand.

The crowd followed his gaze and came to a belated realization.

Xue Ren was acting on Yinglong’s orders, and wielded Fleeting Shadow as proof. But now, the God of War had inexplicably arrived to stop Xue Ren. What was going on?

Everyone was in complete disbelief.

Cao Zirui was equally baffled, but he knew a little more than the others.

He knew why Yinglong had suddenly appeared. It was because of…..the God-Summoning Token…..

When that deadly blade descended, he had told Fang Yang to run, but the other boy hadn’t seemed to hear him at all.

He tried to push Fang Yang’s shoulder to wake him up, but he was too injured to move, and could only sit there and helplessly watch Fang Yang die alongside him.

Before the black blade could reach them, he felt a gust of wind that almost stung his skin, and the sound of something hurtling through the air reached his ears. Fang Yang seemed to have shouted something, but Cao Zirui was unable to hear it.

He instinctively tried to raise an arm to shield himself – a futile gesture, as the sword glare would sever his arm along with the rest of him.

But several seconds passed, and the expected agony did not come. When he opened his eyes in astonishment, he saw a cloud of swirling black mist just like that of Fleeting Shadow.

Each was equally sinister and terrifying, a mere glimpse chilling him to the bone.

But for some reason, he felt that they were slightly different. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Tentatively, he reached out to touch the black mist. Although he withdrew his hand at once, he was still terrified by the chilling sensation that surged into his body at the moment of contact.

He gasped for breath, shaken as he stared at the black mist surrounding him. He dared not touch it again, but the mist was as fine as silk and as thick as fog, vast and chaotic. Although he did his best to avoid it, he was gradually enveloped by the pervasive mist.

Just as he felt that he was about to be devoured, the black mist suddenly began to deliberately avoid him.

A small pocket of clear air formed around him.

Cao Zirui was baffled by this change, and when he raised his head in confusion, he caught sight of a man standing before him.

He was graceful and proud, steady and powerful.

Cao Zirui stared blankly at the man. The person in front of him clearly should have been Fang Yang.

But this was certainly not him. Fang Yang wasn’t that tall, nor did he have such broad shoulders, and his clothing was completely different. Fang Yang wore the Lingxiao Sword Sect uniform, while the man in front of him wore unfamiliar black robes.

The style of those robes was unlike anything found in the mortal realm, but despite their unfamiliarity, Cao Zirui felt like he had seen them somewhere before.

He just couldn’t remember where. Amidst his confusion, he could vaguely hear a voice outside the black mist demanding to know who this newcomer was.

The man’s response was like a key, instantly unlocking a box of memories in Cao Zirui’s mind. He remembered where he had seen those robes before.

On that jade slip, which recorded the events of one hundred years ago, the god standing high in the clouds had worn just such a robe.

Could it be that this person was actually…..?

Cao Zirui’s gaze suddenly shifted downward. The man had caught the incoming blade with his left hand, while his right hand held…..Fang Yang’s God-Summoning Token.

The incantation on the token glowed with a faint golden light, from which the black mist surged forth.

Cao Zirui’s pupils contracted. He suddenly understood why Fang Yang had vanished, and why this man had appeared in his place.

It was because of the God-Summoning Token. This unnamed summoning token, which should have been nothing but a piece of scrap metal, had actually worked.

The sea otter brothers in North Sea City had said that if the God-Summoning Token was used successfully, a god would descend to the mortal world through this medium and imbue the owner of the token with divine power.

So the man before him was actually Yinglong, the lofty and unparalleled God of War?!

But…..how was this possible?!

Whether or not the summoning succeeded depended upon the will of the gods themselves, which meant that, even more unbelievably, Yinglong’s presence here was voluntary.

Wasn’t Yinglong on Xue Ren’s side? Why would he intervene to stop him and save Cao Zirui and Fang Yang?

Moreover….could the way the mist suddenly surged away from him be the work of the man before him?

The answer seemed obvious. Only this supreme deity was capable of controlling the eerie and terrifying black mist, but Yinglong was supposed to be cold-blooded and ruthless.

One hundred years ago, he had taken so many lives without a moment’s hesitation.

Even though it didn’t seem to take much effort, that he would protect Cao Zirui from the black mist now was incredibly hard to wrap his mind around.

Of course, among everyone present, the one most overcome by shock was not Cao Zirui. It was Hao Chen, who clutched Feng Ye’s body while staring wide-eyed at the man standing with his hands behind his back.

Under everyone’s riveted gazes, Yinglong finally moved.

He stepped across the flat ground, and with each stride, the black mist slowly gathered toward him.

The vast swell of mist continued to dwindle and condense, shrinking until it finally merged into the man’s tall, upright form.

No, it didn’t merge with him. It was he who was composed entirely of the black mist.

With a clear goal in mind, he ignored the looks of shock and fear around him and trained his eyes on Xue Ren, walking straight toward him.

Xue Ren reflexively shivered when he met those golden eyes, and snapped back to reality with a start.

Upon seeing that face, he also thought he was gazing upon the God of War himself. But then he wondered…..why would the god who had granted him his own power stand against him?

Now, he understood. Although the face was the same, the person behind it was entirely different.

The Yinglong he was familiar with always wore a faint smile on his lips, and although he was equally aloof and his eyes held a deep disdain for mortals, he was far more amiable than the man before him.

This God of War wore an indifferent expression, his eyes cold and unfeeling. Such eyes did not belong to a living creature, but to a drawn sword that only knew killing and the taste of blood.

In fact, this visage was more in line with what everyone expected from Yinglong. When he appeared amongst the clouds a century ago, he had worn the same expression.

That Yinglong with a perpetual smile on his face had always seemed a bit off, but his appearance was exactly the same, or if not identical, then so similar that the average person was unable to tell them apart.

Before today, Xue Ren had never imagined that someone so similar to Yinglong existed. So even though he found it strange that the ruthless God of War seemed so mild-mannered, he didn’t harbor any doubts.

But now, he couldn’t help but wonder, if there were two Gods of War…..then which was the real one?

Was it the one in front of him, or the one who had bestowed Fleeting Shadow upon him and also claimed to be….

Wait. Xue Ren suddenly realized that the deity had never referred to himself as Yinglong. Xue Ren’s speculation about his identity stemmed solely from his face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Yinglong.

A wave of panic immediately crashed over Xue Ren. If the Yinglong he encountered was a fake, then who exactly had he made a deal with?

Ji Chengyue’s words had caused his deeply-held beliefs to waver, but how could he be wrong when a god was on his side? Thus, he firmly believed that he was in the right, and that he was only taking back what should have belonged to him in the first place.

But if that god was fake, did that mean everything else was a lie? Did it mean….he had made a mistake?

“You did nothing wrong.”

Xue Ren turned his head toward the wisp of black mist that had climbed up his shoulder along Fleeting Shadow. It resembled a venomous snake, and flicked its tongue as it whispered in his ear: “I didn’t deceive you. What I bestowed upon you is indeed the power of the God of War.”

“But…..” But the real God of War was right before his eyes.

“Our powers originate from the same source.” The black snake suddenly chuckled, its mouth opening wide as fangs unfurled from its upper jaw. It stared at the man approaching, and hissed in Xue Ren’s ear: “Go and fight for me! So what if he’s the God of War? I am more powerful than him!”

This thing of unknown origins spoke with a boastful tone, but this time, Xue Ren didn’t believe it.

The black snake had not lied to him; it had merely misled him. When Xue Ren mistakenly came to the conclusion that he was Yinglong, the man had not refuted him.

Such a person could not be trusted, and even though he claimed to be stronger than Yinglong, Xue Ren didn’t dare to challenge the other god. That was the ruthless God of War, who killed without blinking an eye. It would be fine if he could win, but if he lost, his death was inevitable.

But at this point, whether or not he wanted to fight or dared to fight, it was no longer up to him.

Xue Ren was horrified to discover that he had lost control of his body. The black mist emanating from Fleeting Shadow had somehow wrapped around every joint in his body.

Although he struggled desperately, he was unable to move. The black mist engulfed him, and at the same time, he felt unimaginable power surge into his body.

He had already felt as if he held the world in his hands after drawing Fleeting Shadow, but at this moment, he truly felt the difference between gods and mortals.

The surging power inflated his confidence. If he had previously believed himself to be the strongest existence on earth, then he now felt that even in the heavens, there was nobody he couldn’t defeat!

He was no longer afraid. Instead, he accepted the black mist’s control with a mixture of delight and submission. The body was Xue Ren’s, but its contents were no longer the same.

Under the eyes of everyone, Xue Ren smiled faintly at the man walking toward him, and then the black mist completely concealed his figure.

It expanded into the air, condensing into a giant python hundreds of meters long. The python twisted mid-air, staring menacingly at the man on the ground, then opened its massive jaws and pounced.

Feng Ye frowned slightly as he scanned the crowd around him. Although many people had retreated out of fear, they were still within the python’s attack range.

The black mist that had already condensed into his body surged once more, and he transformed into a genuine yinglong, soaring upward. Dragon and snake collided mid-air, tangling together as they tore at each other’s flesh with their fangs.

Neither of them were physically present. Instead, they were using Xue Ren’s and Fang Yang’s bodies as vessels for their power. Therefore, the dragon and snake were conjurations of black mist, unlike their scaled counterparts. They were unable to feel pain, and the flesh they tore from one another was simply the black mist that formed their bodies.

As a result, their attacks grew even more ferocious. The snake bit into the dragon’s neck and tore off a hunk of flesh, while the dragon seized the snake with its claws and ripped into it.

They tore at each other in a frenzy, their bodies becoming increasingly mangled as the crowd below watched on in horror. They had never witnessed such a brutal fight. If this dragon and snake had been real, they would have been torn to shreds by now.

Very soon, not even their skeletons remained. Only two amorphous shapes lingered in the air, indistinguishable from one another.

The black mist obscured everyone’s line of sight, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.

The crowd gradually came to the realization that the Yinglong behind Xue Ren and the God of War who had just appeared in person were probably not the same entity. Therefore, they had different goals and were at each other’s throats.

But there had never been stories of two Yinglongs in this world, so there was only one possibility: one of them was a fake.

However, nobody could tell which one was real and which one was fake. The power of Fleeting Shadow was just as strong as they had imagined, but the man with the cold face just now didn’t seem like a fake either.

The crowd stopped speculating and held their breath, paying close attention to the changes in the black mist.

Ji Chengyue was also focused on the black mist, but in contrast to the inquisitive gazes of the others, his expression was tinged with worry.

As for which of the two Yinglongs was the genuine article, Ji Chengyue already had a guess in mind. If everything was as he suspected, then Xue Ren might not have encountered a god at all, and was merely a pawn in the hands of a monster.

And now he was caught up in a battle with the God of War. His chances of survival were slim…..

Despite Xue Ren’s numerous crimes, Ji Chengyue could not simply disregard him, just as he had been unable to run him through with his sword. After all, this was the disciple he had raised.

But there was nothing he could do. In this battle between dragon and snake, mortals could not interfere, and he was relegated to watching from the sidelines with the others.

Out of sight within the black mist, Feng Ye changed back to his human form and rapidly cast about for the enemy lurking in the darkness. 

His gaze sharpened, and he swung his head around. Striking behind him with his elbow, he sent “Xue Ren” stumbling back a few steps.

Feng Ye didn’t hold back, and his attack landed squarely. Logically, “Xue Ren” should have felt some pain.

But “Xue Ren” showed no sign of discomfort, and even wore a pleased smile as he playfully scolded: “Feng Ye, is this how you greet someone?”

Feng Ye’s pupils contracted slightly. The other party indeed knew his name.

“Who are you?” he asked sharply.

“Me?” ‘Xue Ren’ smiled faintly, tilting his head with childlike whimsy. “Why don’t you guess?”

Feng Ye frowned. He was unwilling to guess, but just as he opened his mouth to inquire again, something occurred to him.

Feng Ye gazed at the surging black mist around him. It was not under his control, nor had he conjured it. It belonged to the other party.

But as the two were talking, the black mist stealthily climbed up his ankle and attempted to engulf him.

Feng Ye immediately raised his right hand, and those outside saw a ray of light suddenly break through the overcast sky, passing through the clouds toward the vast, ever-expanding black mist below.

The light was unstoppable. The domineering black mist retreated as if it had met its nemesis, and the tendrils climbing Feng Ye’s body instantly dispersed.

Finally, when the light pierced through the black mist, the crowd caught sight of Xue Ren and a man shrouded in light.

As for who was the fake, there no longer seemed to be any doubt.

The menacing black mist immediately became docile in the man’s hand, condensing into a jet-black sword that was similar to but subtly different from Xue Ren’s.

Xue Ren’s Fleeting Shadow didn’t reflect light, but the sword in the man’s hand emitted a faint glow, making it difficult to tell if the light came from the sword itself or from the sky.

This was the true divine sword, Fleeting Shadow!

As Fleeting Shadow took shape, Feng Ye raised his eyes slightly. He regarded Xue Ren with killing intent, but didn’t immediately take action.

He was giving the other party one last chance. Confess honestly, or fight stubbornly with his back to the wall.

However, the other party chose neither of these options.

Xue Ren also raised his Fleeting Shadow as if preparing for battle, but in reality, the black mist that had been controlling his movements was making a silent retreat, giving him back control.

But rather than easing his nerves, this sent him into a panic.

That power…..that power that gave him ultimate authority over life and death was fading away…..

Having committed so many taboos, he didn’t dare to imagine what fate awaited him after losing this power, but it was out of his control. The voice that had been whispering in his ear left behind a mocking laugh as it abandoned him.

And it left with the Jianmu fragment in its grasp.

Feng Ye’s eyes narrowed. Although the other party had cunningly left a large swath of black mist on Xue Ren as a decoy and only used a small amount to ferry away the Jianmu fragment, Feng Ye noticed this immediately. Without hesitation, he slashed at the tiny wisp of black mist.

The light of his sword was as fierce and sharp as it had been one hundred years ago.

Nothing in its path could survive!

“No!” Xue Ren roared, well outside the path of the sword. He could not, would not, lose this power!

In an instant, he turned and lunged toward the fleeing black mist…..and was severed along with it.

Ji Chengyue only had time to call out once: “A-Ren!”

He wanted to stop it, but nothing could stop that blade. Just as he couldn’t stop Yinglong from cutting down Jianmu one hundred years ago, he couldn’t stop him from killing Xue Ren today.

Amidst the falling rain of blood and particles of black mist, Fleeting Shadow transformed back into mist and slowly dissipated.

“Ai, our current strength is insufficient to confront him head-on.” A man who looked exactly like Yinglong stood in a corner beyond the reach of the sun, lamenting to Ling Yun beside him.

He had only realized this when he was already in snake form and locked in combat with Yinglong. Otherwise, he would have lacked the courage to confront Feng Ye, and would have fled with Jianmu instead…..although he had ultimately failed in that endeavor.

Ling Yun’s focus, however, was on something else. For the first time, his placid, stagnant heart stirred with emotion. He gazed up into the sky where Feng Ye stood, the same place where Xue Ren and the Jianmu fragment had been severed together.

Ling Yun’s tone was filled with unconcealed solemnity: “God, Jianmu has been destroyed. We…..”

“Hehe.” The man’s sudden chuckle interrupted Ling Yun. He shook his head and denied: “He wouldn’t destroy Jianmu.”

His tone was extremely confident, and he murmured while gazing in Feng Ye’s direction: “That’s because…..”

Feng Ye stared at the black and red rain falling before his eyes.

Suddenly, he raised his head and looked directly in front of him. Rather than avoiding him like the rest, someone was actually stepping toward him.

It was Ji Chengyue.

Those watching stared blankly at their sect leader, whose face was a mask of wrath. He, a mortal, was challenging a god.

“Why?!” He roared almost at the top of his lungs.

Again and again, why did he keep destroying everything he cared about?!

His shixiong and his disciple had both perished under this man’s sword.

When he saw that familiar face, memories surged uncontrollably to the forefront of his mind.

This face might be unfamiliar to others, since it had only appeared in the world once, but it was strangely familiar to Ji Chengyue – he saw it often in his dreams.

Or rather, in his nightmares.

When Yinglong once more drew Fleeting Shadow, the dazed Ji Chengyue had seemed to see that scene from a hundred years ago before his eyes. A flash of light from that sword, the thunderous collapse of the giant tree, and the heavenly fire that ignited along its trunk and fell to the ground.

All of this combined to form a depiction of absolute hell.

People struggled and screamed within a sea of fire, all while the god remained unmoved among the clouds.

Perhaps gods should be as cold and ruthless as him, but looking back even a century later, Ji Chengyue still felt that such a god was terrifyingly cruel.

How was he any different from those savage demons in myths and legends? Was it merely his handsome appearance that set him apart?

There was no way of knowing.

How could mortals hold a god accountable?

There was nothing they could do but accept it, keep quiet, and forget.

Ji Chengyue seemed to have accomplished the first two points, but forgetting was another story. He had tried his best not to think about it, to seal it away in the darkest depths of his heart. But this scene today, which was like history repeating itself all over again, instantly laid waste to all of his efforts.

He couldn’t forget.

He couldn’t forget the raging, all-consuming fire. He couldn’t forget his shixiong being reduced to ashes. And he could not forget how his disciple Xue Ren died tragically beneath that blade.

And all of this was thanks to the supreme deity before him!

His anger consumed his rationality, but also gave him the courage to confront this god. Even if he were to die here, he wouldn’t care.

He just wanted answers.

“What exactly did my shixiong do wrong?!”

“Is it really so unforgivable for mortals to attempt to ascend to heaven?!”

“Time after time, why do you keep destroying everything?!”

Even a century later, he wouldn’t let even this lifeless piece of Jianmu wood slip through his fingers.

Ji Chengyue roared his questions with every step, until he finally stood before the god.

Feng Ye silently looked at Ji Chengyue. Faced with these questions, he neither answered nor evaded them. He simply stood there, looking back at the man across from him.

Although Ji Chengyue had not imbued his voice with spiritual power, his shouts were so loud that everyone could hear him clearly. He had completely abandoned all of the trappings of a sect leader, his eyes bloodshot due to the intense emotions surging within him.

This middle-aged man who was no longer in the prime of his youth seemed to have traveled back a hundred years, transforming into the shidi who had lost everything, yet could only stand helplessly before the ashes of his shixiong.

“Ai…..” Elder Zhou sighed as he watched this scene.

He wanted to stop Ji Chengyue from angering this god, but knew that he wouldn’t succeed. Ji Chengyue had been suppressing these questions for too long, keeping them bottled up inside for a hundred years.

In order to protect Lingxiao Sword Sect, he had pretended to be indifferent to Ling Yun in front of everyone. He was forced to join the rest in branding his revered shixiong as an eternal sinner. Bearing the responsibility of revitalizing the sect under such circumstances of widespread criticism must have been incredibly difficult.

But just as a blocked river would eventually breach its dam, suppressed emotions would always find an outlet. Today was the day that dam burst, and in his search for answers, he no longer feared death.

Cao Zirui watched his master with concern. He didn’t know much about this grudge from a century ago. Most of it was hearsay, and his master had never spoken to him about it.

Only now did he realize that his master had been keeping so many things bottled up inside. On the heels of this realization came unending worry that Yinglong would take offense and kill his master.

And his fear seemed to be close to becoming reality.

“Why, ah…..” Ji Chengyue asked again. His voice lacked its prior fierceness, and had grown hoarse from his shouting.

When he uttered this final question, Feng Ye moved.

He raised his right arm and extended his clenched fist toward Ji Chengyue.

Cao Zirui exclaimed: “Shifu!”

He tried to stand up and help him, but could only manage to lift himself an inch before falling back down due to his injuries. All he could do was watch helplessly as Yinglong raised his fist to Ji Chengyue.

Then, he flipped this wrist and spread his fingers to reveal what was hidden in his palm.

Ji Chengyue froze, completely dumbfounded.

The man with Yinglong’s face looked up and watched all of this. Feng Ye wouldn’t destroy the Jianmu fragment, because…..

He spoke his belated explanation: “He is too soft.”

His tone was a mixture of lamentation, ridicule, and delight, his feelings so complex that even he couldn’t make sense of them.

He was completely unsurprised by the scene before him, and had no need to see with his own eyes what Feng Ye was holding in his hand. He simply turned his head away, his form slowly dissolving into black mist that concealed itself on Ling Yun’s body.

Ling Yun glanced back, then turned around and left the shadows.

Ji Chengyue stared blankly, unable to comprehend what was happening. Hadn’t Yinglong destroyed the Jianmu fragment? Wasn’t that why he had come here in the first place?

But even in his confusion, he still reached out to take the Jianmu fragment from Feng Ye’s hand. The piece of wood was perfectly intact where it lay across Feng Ye’s slender fingers.

Then he looked up at the person across from him.

The god remained as indifferent as always. He had no intention of explaining his actions or arguing back.

With one last look at Ji Chengyue, he dissolved into black mist and departed from Fang Yang’s body.

The mist vanished mid-air, and the boy, now lacking divine power, immediately began to fall from the sky. Ji Chengyue quickly caught him in his arms.

Only afterward did he have time to look at his palm, where he felt a slight anomaly.

A weak force emanated from it, almost like…..

Ji Chengyue spread his fingers, and his eyes widened.

The lifeless Jianmu fragment in his hand had somehow…..

Sprouted again.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 88 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 90

Bustling with activity, Splendid Plaza was as lively as ever.

Chu Jiubian got out of the carriage on the long street outside the market and then went in.

He was still clad in the dark crimson-purple robes that only the highest-ranking officials could wear, and also wore a thick cloak with a soft, fluffy fur collar, giving him a majestic and imposing appearance.

However, his hairstyle was different from that of this era’s people, and his windblown hair softened the seriousness of his attire, lending him a lighter, more ethereal appearance.

His tall, slender figure, as well as his exquisitely handsome, almost god-like face, caused him to stand out from the crowd.

He became the center of attention from the moment he appeared.

Everyone in the capital now knew of Grand Tutor Chu, but no one truly knew what sort of personality he possessed. Seeing his cool and aloof demeanor – and keeping in mind that gods were inherently high above mortals – everyone kept their distance and didn’t dare to approach him.

Chu Jiubian took in their reactions but didn’t pay them any mind, just continuing to make his way inside.

Before long, he noticed a shop that was particularly lively, with the sounds of drums and cheers filling the air. But the most striking sight was the three large, red drums in the center of the crowd, with dancers gracefully performing atop them.

The dancers wore long dresses in the latest style, their hair adorned with glittering gold and silver ornaments and jewels.

The movements of their dance were graceful and captivating.

But what truly made them stand out were the clothes they were wearing.

The style was similar to the dresses worn by women in the capital, but the quality of the fabric was vastly different.

The light pink, soft yellow, and pale purple silk was soft and lightweight, draping beautiful as it shimmered in the sunlight.

Presenting the fabric through the use of real-life models was all Situ Zhaoling’s idea.

Their silk products would target the high-end market. The best way to achieve this was to have noble ladies from the palace wear them, but there was currently no empress, no concubines, and no princesses in the palace, so there was no one to act as a “brand ambassador.”

Therefore, they had to settle for the less ideal solution and simply have dancers wear the dresses for display.

The status of dancers and singers in Great Ning was not high. Respectable women from good families usually avoided associating with them, and even the maids from some high-ranking families had a higher social status than these singers and dancers.

Situ Zhaoling had no such concerns in the Nanjiang region, which led her to conceive of this plan, but Wang Qichen was somewhat worried.

However, he quickly reconsidered. Ultimately, the dancers wearing these silk garments were merely showcasing the fabric, and since they themselves were among the audience for such a product, there was nothing wrong with using them as models.

He would also wear the silk garments himself and act as a male model.

And since Chu Jiubian had worn the same fabric at the Mid-Autumn banquet, the ladies and wives who had been fortunate enough to attend would surely recognize it.

Since a son of a noble family and even Grand Tutor Chu, the incarnation of a god, had worn the fabric, these women would have no reservations.

Therefore, Wang Qichen had decided to go ahead with live models for the grand opening.

Rather than entering the silk shop, Chu Jiubian stood on the outskirts of the crowd and observed for some time.

Prices were high in Splendid Plaza, so those who could afford to shop and stroll around here were generally from well-to-do families. There were also many women among the crowd, although their faces were concealed by veils.

Chu Jiubian glanced around and noticed one or two slightly familiar faces, likely people he had seen at the previous palace banquet.

At the moment, these women and the onlookers around them were whispering among themselves.

“This is actually silk from Nanjiang – it looks even better than the silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”

“Indeed, and look at the texture and color. They’re unlike anything I’ve seen before. If the price isn’t too high, I’ll buy several bolts of each color and have them made into dresses at home.”

“But dancing girls are wearing these silk dresses. Won’t we invite ridicule if we wear them?”

“What ridicule? We already wear silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the same as dancing girls, so why would Nanjiang silk be unacceptable?”

“That’s right, and I also have some extra information.” The person speaking was someone Chu Jiubian had met at the palace banquet before, the very same girl who had played the pipa so beautifully.

“What information?” another girl in the group asked.

“When I returned from the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, didn’t I mention that the clothes Grand Tutor Chu was wearing looked like immortal garments?”

“I remember now, could it be that Grand Tutor Chu was wearing Nanjiang silk?”

“Exactly! And that delicate shade of pink, combined with an overlapping collar and belt, created an indescribably handsome appearance.”

“Ah, just imagining it makes me feel wonderful. If only I could meet Grand Tutor Chu in person.”

“Why are you blushing? Could it be…..?”

Embarrassed by the teasing, the girl said shyly: “Don’t talk nonsense. There are so many talented young men in the capital, but the Grand Tutor is someone we don’t even dare to dream of.”

“Yes, that person is an immortal. Let’s not mention him again.”

While everyone was talking amongst themselves, the dancers had finished their performance. But rather than coming down, they remained standing atop the drums with smiles on their faces.

The shopkeeper emerged from the silk shop, a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. Smiling warmly, she offered some auspicious greetings to everyone before saying: “Our Nanjiang silk shop sells only newly-produced silk from that region. The quality and aesthetics speak for themselves, as you can see.”

Someone asked in a heckling tone: “Shopkeeper, how much does a bolt of this silk cost?”

The shopkeeper smiled and said: “Different methods of craftsmanship come with different prices. You are welcome to come in and take a look; all of the prices are clearly displayed, so you will know at a glance.”

In this era, fixed pricing was not yet common in shops, and shop attendants were required to determine the price of each individual piece.

However, when Situ Zhaoling and Wang Qichen were discussing how to structure the shop, the High Priest offered a suggestion. For example, the shop could be divided into sections for ready-to-wear clothing, bolts of fabric, and custom tailoring, with fitting rooms available for customers to try on the ready-to-wear garments.

Also, they could clearly display the price of every garment and piece of fabric, which allowed customers to know the price of each one without needing to ask.

There was no shortage of noble ladies in the capital, nor was there a lack of lavish spenders.

But for those who were short on cash, they would be saved the embarrassment of having to ask the price.

Both Believers thought these ideas had merit, and they even brainstormed to come up with many good ideas for marketing and development.

At this moment, the onlookers didn’t know exactly what “clearly marked prices” would look like, so they all made their way into the store.

The store had two floors, with the first divided into ready-to-wear and custom-made clothes. Upon entering, everyone immediately noticed eight long tables neatly arranged on the lefthand side of the shop, with tailors sitting behind them, working busily. To the right were two long rows of clothing racks made by Situ Zhaoyao, which displayed many ready-made garments in a variety of colors, all of them dresses.

In front of the main display of clothing racks were more than thirty individual racks, each displaying a dress with superior embroidery and a more unique, eye-catching design.

Each hanging garment also had a small piece of paper attached, which showed the price.

All in all, it made for an unexpectedly impressive sight.

The shopkeeper said with a smile: “The second floor offers a display of silk fabrics of various types and colors. You ladies and gentlemen are welcome to go up and take a look.”

At once, some people began to walk upstairs.

Upon reaching the second floor, they found that the ceiling was adorned with layer upon layer of various silks arranged in a beautiful pattern. On the shelves below were neatly-stacked bolts of silk, arranged from light to dark within the same color families. The sight was breathtaking when illuminated by the sunlight streaming in through the windows.

“This isn’t just a silk shop; I’d believe it if you told me this was the immortal realm,” someone exclaimed.

Seeing that everyone had entered the shop, Chu Jiubian remained standing in place.

His gaze was not directed toward the shop itself, but rather toward the newly renovated “Yaotai Bookstore” next door.

Bookstores were very rare in Great Ning, with most of the establishments being ink shops instead.

Ink shops mainly sold ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones, and only sold books containing the Analects of Confucius and articles published by various renowned scholars and influential figures. Such content contained philosophical debates, excerpts from poetry collections, and some fictional stories written for entertainment.

Such storybooks were very rare, and many of them dealt with ancient legends, gods, and the supernatural. They had not yet expanded to the kind of light reading featuring scholars and young ladies from wealthy families.

Of course, there were not many ink shops in existence. In the entire capital city, there were only five or six, which was already considered a large number.

This was because in Great Ning, everyone who could afford an education came from families with some financial means.

For families like this, when they needed writing supplies such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, they would simply send someone to the paper mill and ink workshop to place an order. The supplies would be delivered to their homes by a dedicated delivery person, so there was no need to go to an ink shop and make their selections in person.

For this reason, ink shops generally did not bring in a lot of business, with most of them being opened by pretentious scholars who wanted to show off their cultured backgrounds and refined tastes.

Therefore, Yaotai Bookstore, located in a high-traffic area such as Splendid Plaza, was incredibly conspicuous.

Chu Jiubian shifted his gaze from the elaborately-written sign toward the second floor.

The second-floor window was open, and a young man in light pink, round-necked robes stood there toying with the fan in his hand, his slightly curly hair flowing down his back.

His slightly upturned fox-like eyes contained a smile, and when he lowered his gaze, he seemed to be regarding people with tender affection.

It was Wang Qichen. 

Chu Jiubian had forgotten what it felt like when he met the other party at the auction, but now, seeing the young man display himself like a peacock, he felt that this person was really…..

The System’s mechanical voice abruptly sounded in his mind: [Host, it has been detected that you have encountered Believer Wang Qichen in the three-dimentional world. The Divine Realm’s additional function has been activated.]

“What additional function?” Chu Jiubian asked.

[When Host and a Believer meet in the three-dimensional world, a connection will be triggered. In the presence of your Believers, you will possess the same powerful and imposing aura as the “High Priest” in the Divine Realm.]

It actually had such a function?

Chu Jiubian was delighted.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen had been watching Chu Jiubian the entire time.

He had spotted him the moment he arrived.

This was his second time seeing Grand Tutor Chu, and he looked quite different from how he had appeared at the auction the first time. The current Chu Jiubian seemed to possess a greater sense of authority and sternness, no longer merely exhibiting a detached and elegant demeanor.

With such an impressive bearing, Grand Tutor Chu was enough to draw attention even while doing nothing but standing there quietly.

But when the other party looked up, and his eyes – with those emotionless, light-hued pupils – met Wang Qichen’s, an inexplicable sense of oppression came over him.

He was genuinely frightened, just as he had been upon meeting the High Priest in the Divine Realm.

Although he seemed to be standing at the higher vantage point, looking down at Chu Jiubian below, the figure of the other man was as imposing as the most magnificent statue of a god in a temple.

However, this feeling had not been present during their initial meeting.

Was it because Chu Jiubian, this god who had descended to the mortal world, had reunited with the High Priest and was therefore beginning to regain his divine power?

Ever since meeting the High Priest, he had been reading many myths and legends and learning about various deities who had fallen to the mortal world. Gods could lose their divine power for a variety of reasons, but after regaining said power, they could return to the celestial realm at any time.

So was Chu Jiubian regaining his divine power? Otherwise, how could he carry around such a heart-stopping sense of oppression?

Wang Qichen had no clue that this was actually a chain reaction caused by his establishment as a Believer inside the Divine Realm. After dealing with this flurry of wild thoughts, he simply smiled and nodded to Chu Jiubian in a faux-casual manner.

Chu Jiubian’s lips twitched, and he looked away before turning to walk toward the bookstore.

He had intended to meet with Wang Qichen today to reveal his relationship with the High Priest, and also to subtly inform him that he was aware of Wang Qichen’s status as a Believer of the other god.

That way, when he needed things done in the capital later on, he could use his identity as Grand Tutor Chu to have Wang Qichen deal with them.

Wang Qichen hadn’t expected Chu Jiubian’s smile, and certainly hadn’t expected him to enter the store.

After a moment’s hesitation, he quickly turned and went downstairs to greet him in person.

The bookstore was almost completely set up, and would be opening in a couple of days.

Its shopkeeper had previously been in charge of a shop that belonged to Wang Qichen’s mother as part of her dowry. This bookstore was currently a more important business, so he had called this person over to manage it.

The old shopkeeper’s eyes were sharp and bright. He immediately recognized Chu Jiubian’s official robes and distinctive hairstyle, and pinpointed his identity. Stepping forward, he offered a respectful bow and said: “This humble subject greets My Lord. Does My Lord have any instructions for me?”

Chu Jiubian said softly: “I’m looking for your boss.”

“The boss, he…..” As the shopkeeper was speaking, he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him and knew that Wang Qichen himself was coming down.

As expected, the young man swiftly descended the stairs in fluttering light pink robes. He approached Chu Jiubian and bowed, saying: “This one is Wang Qichen, the young master of the Wang family. Paying my respects to the Grand Tutor.”

Chu Jiubian gave a hum of acknowledgement, then said: “Would it be convenient to speak privately for a moment?”

“Of course.” Wang Qichen gestured toward the stairs. “Please, My Lord.”

Chu Jiubian walked ahead, with Wang Qichen following half a step behind.

The shopkeeper stood in place, observing their back profiles. They were of a similar height, but their temperaments were worlds apart.

Their young master was usually a very haughty person, and wouldn’t necessarily show even the Grand Tutor or Lord Ning-wang this much respect.

The old shopkeeper knew his young master well, and could tell whether the other’s respect was genuine or merely feigned.

Ordinarily, Wang Qichen treated those powerful and influential families – and even his own father and clan elders – with merely performative respect, but this Grand Tutor Chu was different.

And when had the young master become acquainted with Grand Tutor Chu?

At present, it was the Grand Tutor who was assisting in governing the court and managing state affairs, and he was also a divine being descended from heaven. If the young master was able to befriend such a person, his future would be limitless.

Feeling a mix of relief and pride, the old shopkeeper made a great effort to control his emotions.

Upstairs, Wang Qichen invited Chu Jiubian to sit by the window and personally poured him a cup of tea.

Chu Jiubian took a small sip.

Wang Qichen observed his expression, and only when the other man set down his teacup did he tentatively ask: “My Lord, may I ask why you sought out this subordinate today? Do you have any instructions for me?”

“If I really have something for you to do, will you do it?” Chu Jiubian asked with a smile.

When this aloof, ethereal young man displayed a faint smile, it was like the breaking of dawn, sending a shiver through one’s heart. 

Wang Qichen lowered his gaze, no longer making eye contact.

“This subordinate will do his utmost to carry out My Lord’s orders,” he said.

Leaving aside the fact that Chu Jiubian now held immense power, and that he wouldn’t be able to refuse his orders if he commanded a mere young master such as himself to do something, he would still do his best out of respect for the relationship between this person and the High Priest.

Chu Jiubian was just teasing him, and upon hearing this response, he chuckled and turned to look out the window.

The weather had grown cooler these days, and one could feel a chill simply by opening a window.

Watching the bustling crowd down below, he asked casually: “When did he contact you?”

He was naturally referring to the High Priest.

Just as I expected, thought Wang Qichen.

The High Priest claimed to be keeping his existence hidden, but not only had Grand Tutor Chu uncovered the High Priest’s existence, he even knew that Wang Qichen was one of his followers.

But Wang Qichen still feigned ignorance, saying: “To whom are you referring?”

Chu Jiubian regarded him with a half-smile on his face.

Wang Qichen opened his folding fan and fanned himself gently.

“You all opened the silk shop next door at his command, didn’t you?” Chu Jiubian added.

Wang Qichen: “…..”

What a telling use of “you all.” It seemed that he knew the High Priest had more than one follower.

How exactly did this Grand Tutor’s brain function?

Chu Jiubian didn’t seem to notice the complicated expression on his face, continuing in a very familiar tone: “If he offers you a share of the profits, just take it. Don’t be shy.”

Tsk, what was with this familial tone? Wang Qichen could now be certain that the relationship between these two deities was extremely close, and definitely surpassed the boundaries of “mere friends.”

It was just that…..

He couldn’t help but think of Lord Ning-wang, who was away on his military campaign.

It was widely rumored within the capital that Qin Xiao was Chu Jiubian’s destined love interest, and that their relationship was ambiguous.

Then what about the High Priest?

Thinking of this, Wang Qichen suddenly felt that the Chu Jiubian standing before him resembled Ning-wang in both his demeanor and tone of voice.

It was as if after spending so much time together, they had unconsciously influenced one another.

The more he thought about this, the more complicated his gaze fixed on Chu Jiubian became.

Chu Jiubian had no idea of what was going through his mind. After expressing what he wanted to say, he didn’t linger. He only mentioned that he would seek Wang Qichen’s help when dealing with Family Head Wang Huanzhi and his faction in the future, and then took his leave.

News of his meeting with Wang Qichen spread like wildfire and quickly reached the ears of those influential people in the capital.

Sitting in his study with a gloomy expression on his face, Wang Huanzhi sneered: “So that’s why this rebellious son has been opposing me at every turn lately – he has been colluding with Chu Jiubian.”

Did he think that aligning himself with Imperial power would guarantee him a life of ease and security?

This son of his was truly young.

The Wang family was a powerful and influential clan, a thorn in the sides of Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao. 

He could say with confidence that if the Wang family helped the Emperor eliminate the other three families, the Emperor’s next target would be them.

“Foolish thing,” Wang Huanzhi couldn’t help but curse.

Strategist Wang Zhang’s expression turned grim, and he said in a deep voice: “Minister Wang’s current stance is unclear, and he obviously doesn’t want to get involved in the family’s internal power struggle. This is a good thing for us.”

“But with the Old Madam still alive, nearly half of the family will side with that rebellious son,” said Wang Huanzhi.

Wang Zhang said: “The Old Madam is advanced in age, and doesn’t have many days left to live. For now, we should focus on managing our businesses and maintaining our power. Once she passes away, the Young Master will lose his support and will no longer pose a threat.”

When the topic of business came up, Wang Huanzhi couldn’t help but frown.

Recently, rumors had been circulating within the capital that a certain type of paper had appeared on the market that was superior to “Langya Gold Paper.” Pure white and flawless, it was as thin as a cicada’s wing.

If such paper truly existed, then the Wang family’s paper mill would be severely impacted.

“I wonder if that so-called paper actually exists or not,” Wang Huanzhi said.

“Whether or not it exists, we must continue to keep an eye on the situation.” Wang Zhang’s cloudy eyes narrowed slightly. “If the paper is truly that good, we should acquire the papermaking method.”

In this case, “acquiring” it could mean buying it with money or seizing it through other means depending on the specific circumstances.

“I also heard that the Young Master opened a bookstore.” Wang Zhang asked, “This new papermaking method, could it be…..?”

“Impossible,” Wang Huanzhi said decisively. “If that rebellious son had such a talent, would he have waited until now?”

The opening of a bookstore was merely an attempt to gain recognition, just like smaller families with literary backgrounds sometimes did. 

Wang Zhang frowned deeply: “Let us hope that is the case.”

*

*

After washing up that night, Chu Jiubian lay down in bed.

Today was the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month, and Qin Xiao had been gone for exactly two months. The weather had also turned absolutely frigid.

The main hall and the eastern courtyard of Yangxin Hall had been fitted with underfloor heating, so that the child could sleep soundly at night without being cold in the slightest.

But due to time constraints, Chu Jiubian didn’t want to temporarily stay in another residence during the installation, so no underfloor heating was added to Yaotai Residence. Rather than a traditional heated kang bed, he simply placed down a sheetmetal stove he’d made earlier, which still provided considerable warmth.

Huddled beneath the covers, Chu Jiubian took from the System’s inventory the confidential letter from the Northwest he’d obtained the previous day.

In the letter, Qin Xiao stated that he had led his army to drive the enemy forces back to their central city.

Moba Zanpu had never imagined that Qin Xiao would be so ruthless. He attempted to surrender and negotiate several times, but Qin Xiao understood the concept of removing the root cause of a problem, and gave him no chance at all. He simply told him that hostilities would only cease once the entire Sai Kingdom royal family was dead.

The members of said royal family were stuck between a rock and a hard place. From the front, they faced the fierce assault of the Great Ning Army, while from the back, the people of the Sai Kingdom, desperate for peace, wanted to capture them and hand them over to Lord Ning-wang.

At the end of the letter, Qin Xiao wrote: I am doing well, and will return home at the end of the year so that we can celebrate the New Year together.

He didn’t specify who “we” referred to.

Chu Jiubian stowed away the letter and stared at the bed frame, lost in thought.

The second round of Imperial Examinations had concluded, and the list of candidates advancing to the third round should be sent back to the capital in the next few days.

The next round of exams would be held on the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Around the middle of the same month, the exam papers from all over the territory would be sent to the capital for Chu Jiubian to personally review.

The Lunar New Year would arrive after all of those papers were graded, and the final round of exams would be postponed until after the holiday, by which time Qin Xiao should have returned.

Chu Jiubian shut his eyes and entered the Divine Realm.

“Let’s see what Qin Chuan is up to,” he said.

[Okay.]

The System displayed the card screen belonging to Qin Chuan.

Snowflakes were falling onscreen, blanketing the entire Lu residence in a layer of white.

An ordinary-looking man was sitting cross-legged on a thick mat, with a screen painted with flowers and birds beside him. On the other side of the screen was a handsome young man dressed in light blue inner garments, holding a bamboo scroll in his hand as he sat on a bed.

These two were none other than Lu Yao, the man who never slept, and Qin Chuan, who had somehow managed to disguise himself and become Lu Yao’s servant.

This wasn’t Chu Jiubian’s first time seeing these two in the past month or so.

Qin Chuan knew that the High Priest sometimes observed them from time to time, so instead of paying attention to that prying gaze, he gave a lazy yawn.

Tilting his head, he looked past the screen toward the person on the bed.

The Lu territory was the birthplace of the great sage Confucius, as well as the ancestral home of the Langya Wang clan, which demonstrated its rich cultural heritage.

Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that this place was absolutely teeming with families known for their love of books and learning.

In a place like this, the local Lu family, who ran a small inn and restaurant, was simply insignificant.

But from this seemingly ordinary family appeared a young prodigy, Lu Yao.

At only nineteen years old, he had studied extensively, and the breadth of his knowledge was truly astonishing.

No wonder he had been chosen by the High Priest.

However, this person’s temperament was far too strange; not only did he remain awake day and night, but he also refused to interact with others.

And when he looked at people, he always stared intently, his dark eyes bright and profound, as if he could see right through them. Even someone as experienced and worldly as Qin Chuan occasionally felt a shiver run down his spine.

He averted his gaze, and suddenly heard the distant, echoing roar of a dragon.

His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively turned his head to look outside.

Almost at the same time, an enormous golden dragon swam in through the window. Its massive head lingered in front of him for a moment, its dark, vertical pupils reflecting his slightly tense face.

Then, the long dragon soared past him.

Simultaneously, Qin Chuan heard the ethereal voice of the High Priest say: “Put Lu Yao to sleep.”

Falling asleep was a required condition for entering the Divine Realm. Qin Chuan was aware of this, and supposed that the High Priest intended to summon Lu Yao there.

Thus, he got to his feet and walked around the screen.

Sitting upon his divine throne, Chu Jiubian watched on as Qin Chuan raised his hand and struck the back of Lu Yao’s neck. The youth’s eyes closed, and he slumped limply onto the bed.

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He’d actually thought that Qin Chuan would employ a gentler method, such as a sedative, but it seemed that he still didn’t know this Believer of his well enough.

Without wasting any time, he immediately said to the System: “Summon Lu Yao.”

[Believer Lu Yao has been detected to be in a comatose but summonable state. Summoning in progress.]

[Summoning successful.]

As soon as it finished speaking, a figure plummeted out of the clouds.

The golden phoenix flew over and carried him on its back, then soared unhurriedly back to the long table and set its passenger down.

Chu Jiubian observed clearly that from beginning to end, Lu Yao merely observed his surroundings with curiosity, with no signs of defensiveness, vigilance, or fear.

After landing, Lu Yao gazed up at the enormous, ethereal figure of the deity hidden in the mist.

“Welcome to my Divine Realm,” Chu Jiubian said.

Lu Yao blinked, then said in a mild tone: “I wonder, Grand Tutor, if you are seeking me out in regard to the Imperial Examinations?”

“ ? ” Chu Jiubian said, “I am the High Priest.”

“En, that too,” said Lu Yao.

Chu Jiubian’s eyebrows rose.

So this was what a Believer with a 200% intelligence level looked like?

“You think we’re the same person?” he asked with deliberate carelessness.

Lu Yao nodded: “You must have compelling reasons to utilize two identities. I surmise that you don’t trust Lord Ning-wang, so you’ve prepared a means of protecting yourself.”

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

He didn’t like talking to intelligent people anymore.

“You can rest at ease. I will keep your secret, and so will my servant,” Lu Yao said.

“Do you know the identity of your servant?”

“No, I don’t know anyone from the jianghu.”

Chu Jiubian had met a variety of people during his work as an actor, including some reclusive individuals who were considered to be “geniuses.” These people shared some characteristics: like Lu Yao, their speech and actions were very straightforward, without regard for the feelings of others.

“Although you don’t trust Lord Ning-wang, he clearly trusts you. And so do I.” Lu Yao continued, “I’ve heard about your deeds, and I know that you want to improve the lives of the common people. Therefore, I will diligently prepare for the Imperial Examinations, enter officialdom, and work on your behalf.”

Chu Jiubian felt that there was no need for him to even speak. The child had said everything he wanted to hear.

However, this person’s personality was not well–suited for a career in politics. 

But considering the fact that he was a genius, capable of learning a vast array of knowledge and culture, he was naturally capable of learning interpersonal skills as well.

Thus, Chu Jiubian said: “Interacting with others is also a learnable skill.”

Lu Yao was taken aback. But after a moment’s consideration, he said: “You are correct. If one wishes to pursue a career in government, social interaction is unavoidable. I wonder if there are any books available that offer guidance on the subject?”

There were quite a few options in the System Mall, but none that were very intuitive. It was better to learn directly by spending time around others and observing them. 

“That servant of yours is no ordinary person. You will be able to learn from him,” Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Chuan possessed extensive connections and resources, making him a genius in the realm of interpersonal relationships. Having him teach Lu Yao was the perfect choice.

Lu Yao nodded and said: “This subordinate understands.”

He had already begun to act as a subordinate.

Chu Jiubian gave a slight chuckle, then said: “Go, then. I’ll see you in the capital.”

Lu Yao performed a respectful bow.

Upon opening his eyes again, he saw Qin Chuan standing beside the bed. The first words out of his mouth were: “Please instruct me in the art of social interaction and etiquette.”

Qin Chuan: “……”

What the hell?

---

T/N: Lu Yao reminds me of Liu Xian’an from Strong Winds Return Home. I think they would be best buds!

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 65 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 67

Thank you to sarah for your support on Kofi! Here’s a double update!

---

On the battlefield.

Moba Zampu rode atop a tall, powerful horse. Holding a longsword, his already imposing figure was made even more formidable by the dark armor he wore.

His deep-set features were very different from those of the Central Plains people. Sweeping past the two opposing commanders who were locked in fierce combat, his gaze settled on the tall, striking figure at the forefront of the Great Ning Army.

That person was Ning-wang Qin Xiao, the most powerful and influential figure in Great Ning.

The two deputies were equally matched in the fight, and their battle wouldn’t end anytime soon. But when they noticed Moba Zanpu’s arrival, they knew that the situation had changed.

Therefore, although neither of them had emerged victorious, they tacitly stopped fighting and returned to their respective army formations. 

After his deputy’s safe return, Qin Xiao rode his horse toward the center of the two armies as Moba Zanpu did the same.

On one side was the Regent of Great Ning, who held a position second only to the Emperor, and on the other was the Sovereign of the Sai Kingdom. Regardless of who won or lost, the outcome would decide the reputations of their respective countries.

Under such circumstances, these two generals should not engage each other in combat on the battlefield. Moba Zanpu simply wished to talk things over again. 

If Qin Xiao agreed to give him Gansu, he would have no compunctions about revealing how Dingbei-wang had colluded with him. After all, tangible benefits were all that truly mattered.

But when Qin Xiao first arrived and sent people to “negotiate,” he only made one request, which the other party promptly refused. And the very next day, he launched an attack.

The situation had changed now, and Moba Zanpu felt it necessary to have a conversation with Qin Xiao.

And he had leverage on him.

The Great Ning Dynasty was currently plagued by dire internal conflict, and Qin Xiao was facing enemies on all sides.

However, if the two of them were to cooperate, Moba Zanpu could guarantee that he would keep an eye on the neighboring Shanxi and Sichuan regions for him, so that Dingbei-wang and Pingxi-wang couldn’t engage in any underhanded schemes.

This was an offer that Qin Xiao absolutely couldn’t refuse.

Qin Xiao, however, had no intention of wasting words on him, and upon approach, he squeezed his legs against his horse’s flanks and charged forward.

Moba Zanpu was caught unawares by the sudden attack. His face darkened, and he swiftly grabbed hold of his longsword, stepping forward to meet the blow.

This Ning-wang of the Qin family had recently killed several of his most formidable commanders, so he didn’t dare underestimate this opponent.

Qin Xiao’s spear thrust directly at Moba Zanpu’s face in a swift, powerful movement, displaying a level of skill no less impressive than that of a seasoned general who had spent years fighting on the battlefield.

Moba Zanpu felt an intense wave of pressure, and with a flick of his wrist, he swung his longsword horizontally. 

The blade of the sword struck the spearhead, and the piercing clash of metal against metal resonated through the air, causing both armies to stir and prepare for battle.

After the first exchange, the two immediately launched their second attacks.

Qin Xiao wielded his spear with effortless finesse, each strike aimed at a vital point. Moba Zanpu’s expression grew increasingly grim, and his hand throbbed dully, yet Qin Xiao remained utterly composed throughout, with no sign of tremors in his spear-wielding hand.

This Ning-wang’s arm strength was truly astonishing!

The spear thrust toward his abdomen this time, and when Moba Zanpu raised his sword to block it, the spearhead abruptly changed direction and lunged toward his throat.

He quickly shifted his defensive stance, but he was a moment too late, and could only hastily raise his arm to block. The spearhead punched straight through, splattering blood into his face.

With a roar, Moba Zanpu forcibly deflected the spearhead, his hand almost completely numb.

On the opposite side, Qin Xiao suddenly placed one hand on his horse’s back and used that momentum to leap into the air, thrusting his spear forward.

The injury slowed Moba Zanpu’s reaction time, and Qin Xiao stabbed him directly in the shoulder.

Then, without any hesitation, Qin Xiao pulled back his spear and took several steps back.

At the same time, Moba Zanpu brought his sword down with great force and unleashed a brutal attack. 

This strike was both a counterattack and a command to his troops.

A long, deep horn blast echoed from the army behind him, and those brawny men all roared and charged forward.

Rather than turning to leave, Qin Xiao instead lightly squeezed his horse’s flanks and charged toward Moba Zanpu again.

And the Great Ning Army behind him also began to move.

Qin Xiao had brought with him on this campaign the formidable commander Cheng Shuo from the capital, and when he passed through Shanxi on the way, he also recruited the local garrison leader, Hu Fang.

Hu Fang was a man in his forties, a former subordinate of the Qin family and a seasoned veteran of many battles.

With Cheng Shuo currently absent, Hu Fang was the highest-ranking military officer under Qin Xiao.

He held a military banner high, and when he waved it a few times in a strange pattern, the army instantly divided into three ranks.

The infantry on the left raised their shields and spears, forming an impenetrable “wall of steel” as they advanced at a rapid march.

The soldiers in the central ranks raised their longbows, drawing them into full moons as the arrow tips gleamed with a chilling light.

The light cavalry on the right flank were not many in number, only a bit over ten thousand-strong, but they were fast-moving and had already taken advantage of the chaos on the battlefield to encircle the enemy from behind.

“Fire the arrows!” Hu Fang shouted.

Thousands of arrows were released simultaneously.

The Sai Army raised their shields to protect themselves, but due to the short distance, the cavalry and infantry behind these shield-bearing soldiers were already being pierced through.

For a time, screams, the clash of weapons, and the cries of wounded war horses all mixed together as the entire narrow plain was painted with blood.

The battle lasted for a full three hours, from evening until late into the night.

This long, narrow stretch of land had initially given the Sai Army an advantage, but the Great Ning Army directly broke through their flanks, encircled them from behind, and formed a pincer attack.

Fearing that they would become trapped, Moba Zanpu had no choice but to turn his army around and retreat.

But the more than 10,000-strong cavalry blocking the way obstructed them relentlessly, preventing them from moving even an inch.

However, after a few hours, the entire plain was strewn with corpses, and the enemy army was able to break through the blockade behind them and flee.

Qin Xiao led his army in pursuit all the way to the enemy encampment. The prolonged marching and fighting had left the soldiers physically and mentally exhausted. The rain was also coming down heavier, and the night wind caused them to shiver in their soaked clothes.

Qin Xiao didn’t pursue them further, instead ordering his men to set up camp and rest.

They would continue their pursuit tomorrow at dawn, aiming to drive the enemy forces out of the Gansu region within a few days.

The soldiers busied themselves setting up tents and campfires.

Standing at a high vantage point, Qin Xiao could see the enemy army’s innumerable tents, as well as the scattered, disorganized formations of tens of thousands of soldiers.

Hu Fang came to a stop at his side. Looking out with squinted eyes, he said: “My Lord, Cheng Shuo will likely arrive at about noon tomorrow. Should we wait until then to take action?”

“No need,” said Qin Xiao. He turned and walked toward his tent. “The enemy has suffered at least 40,000 casualties, while we have only suffered around 20,000.”

Now that their forces were roughly equal in number, they had a very good chance of winning the battle.

Moreover, Cheng Shuo wouldn’t actually be coming to meet them; he had something else to take care of.

But this was a confidential matter, and Qin Xiao had not informed anyone else.

Hu Fang had participated in countless battles, and had learned a great deal from Grand Commandant Qin in his youth. Naturally, he could tell that Qin Xiao had other plans.

But the biggest taboo in a military camp was the leakage of military intelligence – the fewer people who knew, the better.

So rather than investigate further, Hu Fang posed a different question: “Will we pursue the enemy further after driving them out of Gansu?”

“En.”

“But —” Hu Fang glanced toward the 20,000 soldiers who had formed their own separate group within the ranks.

Those were all men from the Northwest Army, but their commander, Pang Ruizhi, was not among them.

A message previously sent from the Northwest to the capital had stated that the 70,000-strong Northwestern Army was no match for the enemy forces, and had lost Gansu within three days.

After Qin Xiao and his army arrived in Shaanxi, he had sent people to seek out Pang Ruizhi.

Commander Pang was the brother-in-law of Minister of War Lu Youwei. In his early thirties, he had a carefree and somewhat dissolute demeanor. He burst into tears upon seeing Qin Xiao, saying that he was incompetent and wished to redeem himself by accompanying Qin Xiao to Gansu.

But Qin Xiao had said: “Since you’re aware of your incompetence, take off that military uniform and go home to be a pampered young master.”

Everyone in the capital was already accustomed to Qin Xiao’s manner of speech, but this was Pang Ruizhi’s first time witnessing it.

He was only able to accept it a little easier due to his military background.

Upon hearing this, he simply said that he was indeed incompetent, but he wished to make amends if Qin Xiao would give him a chance.

He even put on a dramatic display, acting as if he was going to be unreasonable and throw a gigantic tantrum. It was unknown where he had learned such behavior.

But Qin Xiao didn’t buy into his act at all, and threatened to directly dismiss him from his position if he continued to drag his feet like this.

Only then did Pang Ruizhi quiet down.

Qin Xiao then requested another 20,000 soldiers from the Northwest Army, adding them to his forces to bring the total number up to 110,000.

In fact, throughout the journey, Qin Xiao would select soldiers and officers from city defense forces or garrison troops at each place he visited.

For military officers, the path to promotion had always been on the battlefield, so they happily followed along when this opportunity arose and brought with them their trusted subordinates. Therefore, these seemingly disorganized troops were actually quite unified.

But the 20,000 Northwest Army soldiers were different.

Perhaps because their commander hadn’t come along and there was no one among them to take the lead, or perhaps because they had been influenced and manipulated by Pang Ruizhi, they always formed their own group out of step with the main army.

It was fortunate that they still understood the importance of obeying military orders on the battlefield. Otherwise, this battle would have been impossible to fight.

What Hu Fang was worried about now was whether there were any ill-intentioned individuals among these soldiers.

Focused on driving the enemy out of Gansu, these soldiers were still obedient, but things might change once they left the Gansu region.

Qin Xiao was currently the target of assassination by every force in existence. If there were indeed any assassins hiding among these soldiers, a surprise attack during battle would be very difficult to guard against.

Therefore, if Qin Xiao wished to fight his way all the way to the Western Regions and penetrate deep into enemy territory, he would face even greater danger.

Without even glancing at those people, Qin Xiao said: “Of these nearly 100,000 soldiers, half of them belong to various factions. It is impossible to guard against them all.”

It would be better to simply place benefits right in front of them.

Recapturing Gansu would be a great achievement, but reclaiming lost territory was simply the duty of military officers, and if there were any rewards, they wouldn’t be substantial.

However, if the army were to march westward and conquer the Western Regions, that would expand Great Ning’s territory and be a tremendous achievement.

When the time came for such incredible merit to be officially recognized, everyone would receive unexpected benefits.

In addition, the border territories of the Western Regions contained much of value, all of which would be spoils of war to line the pockets of these soldiers.

What was not to like about this?

Upon hearing this explanation, Hu Fang felt enlightened, and said with a smile: “My Lord’s words are correct. This old veteran was being foolish.”

No wonder Qin Xiao hadn’t been particularly worried or cautious from the beginning. He clearly had everything under control.

These soldiers were indeed backed by powerful forces, but they were merely pawns in those people’s hands.

For them, tangible achievements were far more important than vague promises or so-called protection.

These people had already pledged their allegiance to various forces out of self-interest, so they could just as easily pledge their allegiance to Qin Xiao and be of use to him.

“Rest assured,” said Qin Xiao, “right now, everyone wants me to continue westward and conquer the Sai Kingdom. No one will attack me before then.”

Hu Fang was startled, and his expression shifted slightly.

*

*

 Meanwhile, in the distant Sai Kingdom camp, the tens of thousands of soldiers who had beaten a hasty retreat were in disarray, with many of them rushing directly into the military camp.

Inside the seemingly endless rows of tents, many small, delicate dancers screamed and rushed out, and many others were trampled to death by the speeding warhorses.

Bai Liyu sat inside his tent, listening to the commotion outside with a tranquil expression as he slowly sipped his tea.

“Master,” one of his subordinates said in a low voice, “The enemy Sai Kingdom is preparing to retreat. What should we do?”

“They haven’t retreated yet, have they?” Bai Liyu said calmly.

His collaboration with the Sai Kingdom was originally for the purpose of drawing Qin Xiao into his territory.

Everyone wanted Qin Xiao dead, but no one dared to make the first move and set the stage for his demise.

Bai Liyu was giving them an opportunity, and would wait to see how they would react.

The Wang family was currently unreliable, and it was unclear what other forces were planning. Since Ning-wang would be remaining here for some time, Bai Liyu was in no hurry to take action.

There was nothing wrong with using his own methods once everyone else had exhausted their options.

But when that time came, he would inevitably be forced to take greater risks.

Therefore, if possible, he didn’t want Qin Xiao to die by his hand.

He had previously considered using Moba Zanpu’s help to eliminate Qin Xiao, but now, it seemed that Moba Zanpu was simply no match for the man.

But having said that, the Sai Kingdom Army was indeed not going to withdraw its troops anytime soon.

Gansu was a very important strategic location; if the Sai Kingdom were to occupy this area, it would have taken the first step toward entering the Central Plains.

Therefore, unless it was absolutely necessary, Moba Zanpu would not withdraw his troops.

His decision to retreat back to the military encampment was actually the wisest choice.

This location was surrounded on both sides by steep mountain ridges, making it truly easy to defend and difficult to attack. Because the terrain was narrower than that of the battlefield, there was no need to worry about being outflanked by Qin Xiao from behind and hemmed in on both sides.

On the contrary, Qin Xiao was the one who should be more wary.

After three hours of fierce battle, both the soldiers and their horses were exhausted and in need of rest.

While the Sai Kingdom army rested and recuperated in their camp, the Great Ning soldiers would be forced to set up their tents again and restart their cooking fires. Relocating was troublesome, and there was no guarantee that they would get sufficient rest. Furthermore, with the dark nights and strong winds during this period, events capable of affecting the course of the battle were highly likely to occur.

Bai Liyu stood and walked out of his tent. Looking at the gradually calming military camp, he then raised his eyes toward the distance.

He could faintly see the flickering lights where the Great Ning Army was stationed. The terrain was higher there, and from such a vantage point, they could observe every movement in the enemy camp.

The rain seemed to be heavier than it was in the daytime, and the cold wind penetrated straight to the bone.

Bai Liyu adjusted his robes, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

By this time, the 5,000-man force sent out by Moba Zanpu should have arrived at the Ganying Post Station.

That was where Great Ning’s military provisions were stored. Bai Liyu had only mentioned it briefly, saying that they could cut off the food supply once the weather dried up, but the impatient Moba Zanpu immediately sent people over, presumably with the intention of taking a more aggressive approach.

Alternatively, they might be planning to raid and steal the grain in order to supply it to their own soldiers.

Bai Liyu was leaning toward the latter option.

*

*

Meanwhile, the 5,000 Sai Kingdom calvarymen had indeed arrived near the Ganying Post Station.

The Ganying Post Station was located in Ganying Village. Due to the small local population, the granaries were practically abandoned, so Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi had stored all of the escorted grain and supplies there.

It was far enough from the battlefield to allow for a timely retreat if something went wrong, yet not so far that supplies couldn’t be delivered readily.

On a low hill outside the village, the leading officer and his troops concealed themselves in the woods and observed the area carefully for some time. When they saw that there were only a few dozen guards, their confidence rose.

At a wave of the leader’s hand, nearly a hundred soldiers dismounted, then stealthily entered the village carrying light equipment.

They proceeded silently, and upon reaching the granary, they ventured inside to verify that there was indeed grain stored there, to avoid any deception.

Shortly afterward, a soldier spotted a fire blazing in a certain part of the village.

This was a secret signal: if there was grain in the granaries and the guards were not a threat, a fire would be set in a random location.

If the situation changed, they would burn down the granary and the remaining soldiers would then retreat. 

The fact that it wasn’t the granary that was on fire proved that the situation was safe and that the provisions were still there. 

Thus, the leading officer issued a command and led the rest of the four thousand or so soldiers to race into town. 

However, as soon as they reached the outskirts, they saw a troop of Great Ning Army soldiers rushing out of the village, numbering two or three thousand men.

The officer’s heart skipped a beat as he immediately realized that he had fallen into a trap. He swiftly ordered a retreat, but another troop of soldiers rushed them from the rear, and they were caught in the middle.

In town, Wang Pengyi arrived at the entrance of the granary and saw that Cheng Shuo had already led his troops to capture all of the soldiers who had sneaked in.

“Thank you for your hard work, Commander Cheng,” Wang Pengyi said. “You’ve been busy all day; leave the rest for this official to handle.”

Cheng Shuo replied cooly: “It was no trouble at all, Lord Wang. We shall take our leave.”

Wang Pengyi knew that the other party didn’t trust him, so he dropped the subject and simply said: “Everything that Lord Ning-wang requested has been prepared. Please take it with you, Commander.”

“Many thanks,” Cheng Shuo said in a businesslike manner, then strode off toward the edge of town.

Behind him, the hundreds of Sai Kingdom spies who had been captured were all having their throats slit by Great Ning soldiers.

Wang Pengyi looked on with a grimace. He knew they were enemy combatants, but the thought that they were merely pawns controlled by others lingered in his mind, and he felt that persuading them to surrender would be better than killing them.

But when it came to military matters, he wasn’t nearly as capable as these commanders. His ideas were also sometimes overly-benevolent and flawed, so he had no intention of speaking up.

Unable to bear the gruesome sight any longer, he turned away and instructed a servant boy: “Have them buried.”

He didn’t necessarily believe in the concept of burial for the purpose of eternal rest, but although the weather had turned cooler, he did worry that so many bodies piled together might rot and spread disease.

*

*

At the Great Ning Military Camp.

Strategist Qian Ziming sat in his tent, his mind racing as he idly toyed with a teacup.

Previously, when he had discussed with Dingbei-wang the possibility of colluding with the Sai Kingdom to lure Qin Xiao here, he and the other strategists had listed all of the possible outcomes and countermeasures and submitted them to the vassal king.

Given the current situation, Bai Liyu would certainly inform Moba Zanpu of the location of the Great Ning Army’s supply depot and try to persuade him to deploy troops to destroy the granary.

But Qin Xiao had apparently anticipated this possibility, and directed Cheng Shuo to guard it.

Although Qian Ziming didn’t know when the commander had departed, he guessed that he had taken around 10,000 soldiers with him, which was a considerable number.

Moreover, given that a formidable military officer like Cheng Shuo had split off from the main army, it was unlikely that his sole purpose was to guard the granary. He must have other tasks to carry out.

Qian Ziming considered the current location of the troops and slowly constructed a three-dimensional model in his mind.

With mountains on both sides, it would be difficult for the nearly 10,000 soldiers led by Cheng Shuo to even attempt an encirclement. Unless Qin Xiao pushed the Sai Kingdom army further into the vast plains, and Cheng Shuo also traveled there via an alternate route and arrived ahead of time, a pincer maneuver would not be possible.

If they indeed carried out such a plan, then the Sai Kingdom would surely meet defeat.

A shrewd glint flashed through Qian Ziming’s eyes.

That being the case, the Sai Kingdom would no longer have any strategic value.

Why not allow Qin Xiao to continue fighting and expand the northwestern territory even further?

At that time, whether Qin Xiao appointed his own people to govern the newly-conquered territory or entrusted it to people from another faction, Bai Liyu would have the opportunity to incorporate this territory into his own fiefdom.

In these turbulent times, the more territory and subjects he possessed, the more resources he would have at hand to establish himself firmly amidst the chaos.

And when the chaos subsided, he would be able to strengthen himself with those resources, pursue opportunities, and ultimately seek out the highest position of power.

It would take Qin Xiao at least two or three months to conquer the Western Regions territories.

By then, the soldiers would be exhausted from intense and prolonged battle, supplies would be dwindling, and Bai Liyu, as well as other factions, would have further opportunities to take Qin Xiao’s life.

This was the optimal solution.

Qian Ziming knew that as long as Qin Xiao revealed his intention to continue attacking the Western Regions, the various forces within Great Ning would not act rashly.

They were playing the same game, and hatching the same plan as he and Dingbei-wang.

Qin Jingzhao and his wife had been discarded once they’d served their purpose, and now it was Qin Xiao’s turn.

Practice makes perfect.

*

*

Back in the capital, Chu Jiubian received a war report from the Northwest even before Qin Xiao’s third confidential letter arrived.

This report was presented at the morning court session by Minister of War Lu Youwei.

It stated that Qin Xiao had driven the foreign army out of Gansu, but he didn’t stop there. Instead, he continued westward, conquering two cities and further expanding the territory of Great Ning.

These few lines of text made no mention of the difficulty and peril involved, nor did they mention the state of Qin Xiao’s health.

But Chu Jiubian could almost imagine the scenario, and he now had a clear understanding of the situation. 

With this war report in hand, no faction would dare make a move against Qin Xiao for the time being.

They were all waiting for Qin Xiao to conquer even more territory, and also waiting for him to exhaust himself.

Several censors and other officials spoke up to congratulate the emperor with words such as “Our Great Ning is fortunate,” and “Ning-wang is a valiant hero of Great Ning.”

Chu Jiubian looked down slightly to conceal the chill in his eyes.

What good is it to be a hero of Great Ning if you still die due to political infighting?

Chu Jiubian wasn’t thinking about Qin Xiao, but rather his parents – Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun.

Both the Qin and Wei families came from military backgrounds. During the founding emperor’s reign, the head of the Wei family was granted the hereditary title of ‘marquis,’ which would be passed down through generations, but since then, the Wei family had not produced any military commanders. On the contrary, they had all been scholars, which made the original Marquis Wei seem like a genetic anomaly.

That was, until Wei Lingyun was born.

From a young age, she had displayed extraordinary martial talent. A great many elders said that this was exactly the demeanor Marquis Wei possessed when he still lived, and that Wei Lingyun was destined to bring glory to the Wei family.

Not wanting to delay her progress, her family sent her to the northern frontier and entrusted her to Grand Commandant Qin.

Grand Commandant Qin took her under his wing and provided her with careful instruction.

At that time, Qin Jingzhao was also learning martial arts from his father, the current Grand Commandant, and thus grew up beside Wei Lingyun.

The two were childhood sweethearts. They later married and had their eldest daughter, Qin Feng, followed by their sons Qin Xiao and Qin Chuan.

After that, they also brought their Auntie Wu and her twin girls with them.

However, this once harmonious family found their peace shattered by the appearance of Emperor Yingzong. Unable to remain aloof from political affairs, they were forced into the vortex of the struggle for power.

Chu Jiubian had always suspected that there was something fishy about the deaths of Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun. 

He had recently come to suspect that the Sai Kingdom invasion was likely a scheme orchestrated by the Lu family and Dingbei-wang, so he set out to obtain more information.

The investigation didn’t yield evidence of their collusion with Dingbei-wang, but it did reveal traces of their past activities in the Northern Desert region.

Therefore, the deaths of Qin Jingzhao and Wei Lingyun were undoubtedly connected to the Lu family!

Chu Jiubian wasn’t sure how much Qin Xiao knew about this matter, and also didn’t have any concrete evidence, so he could only put the matter aside for now and wait until Qin Xiao returned to discuss it further.

The morning court session was still underway, with everyone in unanimous agreement to support Qin Xiao’s plan to attack the Western Regions and the Sai Kingdom.

Minister of Revenue Su Sheng stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, the treasury’s funds are insufficient to support Lord Ning-wang’s prolonged military campaign. Imploring Your Majesty to make the decision.”

Bai Lihong looked toward Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian stepped out of the ranks and said: “Lord Su, there is no need to worry. The agreement for the second batch of fine salt has already been signed, and I expect that all parties will pay their deposits within the next two days.”

He had initially planned to sell only one batch of fine salt, but the unexpected outbreak of war in the Northwest had forced him to sell another.

In order to siphon even more money from the Qiu family, he had even bought more wine from the System Mall to give them.

He didn’t buy the ridiculously expensive Maotai wine this time, but rather an ordinary variety, which still tasted much better than the current cloudy rice wine. The Qiu family certainly didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity, and signed a sales agreement at a price that was much higher than that of fine salt.

Su Sheng had previously demanded payment from these people several times, and was growing increasingly proficient at it.

So upon hearing Chu Jiubian’s explanation, he unhesitatingly agreed and went to collect the money as soon as the court session ended.

In order to support Qin Xiao’s continuing war, these families stopped dragging their feet and handed over what was agreed on, not holding any of it back.

After registering the funds, Su Sheng allocated most of the money to Cai Peng, an assistant official in the Ministry of Rites, and tasked him with escorting it.

This was the candidate chosen after Chu Jiubian went over all of the options.

Cai Peng came from a family with a scholarly background, and although they were not quite as prominent as the Wang or Yuan families, they were still quite well-off.

However, he had reached his current position due to his status as a disciple of Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan.

The escort selection process this time was different than it was for the initial batch of military supplies, because this time, whoever got the job would take it seriously.

Therefore, Chu Jiubian had decided on Cai Peng, who was known for his upright and somewhat rigid character. There was also one more reason for choosing him: the Xiao family.

The Xiao family had long been in a state of dormancy, and Chu Jiubian didn’t want to see them remain so cautious and timid. He must make them proud once more.

One’s downfall must be preceded by arrogance.

Only then would further weaknesses be revealed.

After the court session, Chu Jiubian instructed Hong Fu to take Bai Lihong back to Yangxin Hall, while he himself departed the palace.

Wang Qichen hadn’t even opened his own paper shop yet before busying himself with opening the “Nanjiang Silk Shop.”

Situ Zhaoling had received a large quantity of fabric the day before last, which she then delivered to Wang Qichen through the Divine Realm, asking him to help arrange it in the shop.

At that moment, Wang Qichen finally found his opportunity. He said to the High Priest: “This subordinate believes that Grand Tutor Chu may already be aware of your existence.”

In fact, when Chu Jiubian had previously worn Nanjiang silk to the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, Wang Qichen heard people talking about it and felt that something was amiss. He thought that perhaps the High Priest had obtained such a valuable thing and hastily sent it to Chu Jiubian.

But this was a private matter between the gods, so he couldn’t just ask about it directly. Subtlety was needed.

Chu Jiubian, sitting upon his divine throne, felt as if he was experiencing split personality disorder.

He feigned a moment of silence before chuckling softly: “I knew I couldn’t keep it from him.”

His tone of voice purposely conveyed a subtle sense of ‘helplessness’ and ‘indulgence.’ And Wang Qichen regarded him with a knowing smile and an expression that said, ‘I just knew it.’

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He dug his toes into the ground, but his tone remained steady as he said: “There is no need to mention me specifically when you see him. If he asks about me, simply say that I am in this realm.”

Situ Zhaoling was unaware of the relationship between Chu Jiubian and the High Priest, and although she was confused, she didn’t ask further questions.

She was a playful and unconventional person, but she understood that some things could be made light of, while others could not.

Wang Qichen also didn’t actively engage in gossip, and simply kept the High Priest’s words in mind.

Chu Jiubian left the palace gates and boarded a carriage bound for Splendid Plaza. Today was the opening day selected by Wang Qichen and Situ Zhaoling, and the shop was located the most prosperous location in the city.

Chu Jiubian had decided to go and take a look – and also to meet his Believers in person.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 64 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 66

Ch 23 – The Young Man Starved for Love

“What are you looking at?” the blond man asked Yu Xi.

Yu Xi looked to the left, then to the right, before finally pointing toward his own face: “Are you asking me?”

“Who else would I be asking?!” The blond man grabbed Yu Xi by the collar.

Kersz and Tau immediately rushed forward. This wasn’t a third-class planet, and communication through violence was not tolerated. If Kersz dared to pull out a gun at this moment, he would definitely find himself pinned to the ground. Plus, this blond man had a rather special identity that made him problematic.

“Sorry, sorry, my little brother doesn’t know any better.” Kersz smiled ingratiatingly as he apologized, putting an arm around Yu Xi’s waist to pull him back. “He’s never seen a fight before, and he was curious.”

Tau was also a masterclass in acting: “He contracted radiation sickness at birth and spent the first forty years of his life in a medical ward. He just recently got out, and everything is very exciting to him. I hope you won’t take it personally.”

“Radiation sickness at birth?” The blond man no longer looked as aggressive as before.

Tau was familiar with this young master. He was the youngest child of the Supreme Governor, and had six older siblings. This young master possessed average talent, performed poorly in school, and was easily angered. He would never be the heir to the Supreme Governor’s estate, nor would he inherit his mother’s territories.

Nobles were always like this. They couldn’t just raise one successor, because what if the child didn’t live up to expectations or died unexpectedly?

They always had numerous offspring, and the relationship between parents and their children was rarely close.

This young master was a complete and utter dunce, and was always very short-tempered. He wanted to handle his father’s affairs, but he didn’t understand that his identity was completely unsuitable for associating with radical individuals, and outsiders had discovered his involvement with them.

His actions amounted to exposing his father’s association with those radicals, which caused the Supreme Governor considerable trouble.

This young master had been booted from the inheritance list. Likely having perceived his father’s attitude toward him, he was even more eager to prove himself useful.

But as a result, he was shoved to the side and became increasingly irascible.

Tau, however, knew exactly how to calm this person down.

He needed to portray Yu Xi as completely harmless, even somewhat pitiful, a weakling who didn’t pose any threat whatsoever to the young master.

Sure enough, the other party loosened his grip on Yu Xi’s collar.

“You’ve gone through radiation sickness?” the young master asked him.

Tau tensed up, but Yu Xi immediately nodded in agreement and lowered his head forlornly: “I’ve only ever seen fights on TV, and I used to be so weak that I couldn’t even swing my arms. My family tells me fighting is bad, but to me, it’s so fresh and novel. It’s something I’ve never been able to experience.”

Yu Xi even shed a couple of tears: “I’m sorry.”

Why was his acting so good now? Kersz was astounded.

Yu Xi’s acting skills had not actually improved. He still couldn’t look people in the eye when he lied, but he was able to control his tears.

“Huh?! It’s fine, it’s fine.” The young master seemed alarmed at Yu Xi’s state, and waved his hands repeatedly. “I-I didn’t know about your situation.” He appeared to be somewhat at a loss.

“Were you frightened?” The young master looked down to observe Yu Xi, who stepped back in fright at his sudden movement.

“You’re really scared of me?!” The young master scratched his head, then generously wrapped an arm around Yu Xi’s shoulders and gave him a couple of pats.

Kersz: ?

Tau: ?

What was he doing? Was he not going to let them take him away?

“I apologize. I’ll pay for anything you want to buy here.” The young master gently shook Yu Xi from side to side with his arm around him. “My name is Curtis. What’s yours?”

“Sarah.” Yu Xi glanced toward Kersz and Tau. He needed to shake off this young master.

“You and your brothers should come hang out with me, I’ll show you around. I have a big group of friends here.” Curtis was quite enthusiastic.

Yu Xi tried to restrain himself, but he had already started walking with Curtis.

Kersz could only continue to put on a show of timidity, following them with a forced smile. Tau wore a look of anxiety. He had to make that expression, because he had just made up a lie that required him to be concerned about Yu Xi’s health.

Yu Xi turned his head to glance at the man who had been beaten.

As it turned out, that man was also following them. Clutching the area where he had been punched, he hunched over and approached with small, shuffling steps: “Apologies, Director Curtis. I had too much to drink and let my mouth run.”

Curtis didn’t spare him a glance.

So this person was one of Curtis’s cronies?

“Director?” Yu Xi looked at Kus. “Are you an official?”

The other man, his face bruised and swollen, appeared shocked: “You don’t know him?”

“I do know him, his name is Curtis,” Yu Xi corrected him.

“He’s…..”

Curtis sent the man a glare, and he immediately shut up.

“I’m the director of a branch of the Human Cultural Heritage Conservation Administration,” Curtis said to Yu Xi.

“Wow!!” Yu Xi felt like he could also be considered a participant in this line of work.

“You think that’s impressive?” Curtis asked him.

“It’s very impressive. I like things from ancient times,” said Yu Xi.

Kersz chimed in: “He used to focus on stuff like that when he was sick, and we have a few old-timey things at home. He’s always yearned for the human society that existed before we ventured into the galaxies.”

Curtis looked even more delighted.

Tau knew that Curtis’s position as ‘Branch Director of the Human Cultural Heritage Conservation Administration’ was proof of his marginalization. Curtis didn’t like when people talked about this, except, of course, outsiders with no knowledge of his family’s internal disputes. This outsider in particular seemed to admire his position, and Curtis liked it when others admired and idolized him.

Curtis pulled Yu Xi over to where he had been sitting, and Yu Xi gave a shy smile.

His shyness was genuine. Because of Curtis, the other humans were exceptionally enthusiastic toward Yu Xi.

Yu Xi knew that their enthusiasm wasn’t sincere, but he didn’t care. Since humans were approaching him on their own, why not enjoy it?

After drinking some alcohol, Yu Xi was certain that there were crops on this planet, because many of the beverages here were clearly made from plants.

Yu Xi smiled shyly as he drank with the humans.

The others grew more talkative the more alcohol they consumed, and he finally figured out why Curtis had fought with that man.

Because they had been talking about Kersz.

Upon hearing that name, Yu Xi subconsciously looked in Kersz’s direction.

Kersz wore a timid appearance, smiling obsequiously at the people around the table. He continuously excused his little brother’s lack of manners, as if he feared that Yu Xi would offend this gaggle of second-generation rich kids.

But the Kersz described by these second-generation rich kids was the complete opposite in disposition.

They were all aware that the mad space pirate had sent the Supreme Governor a death threat, and Curtis had punched that man after he said that Kersz had never missed a shot.

Curtis was very fretful, and even wanted to solve this problem for his father by hiring someone to kill Kersz.

There was also that new accomplice at Kersz’s side.

Nobody knew where that accomplice had come from, and the Six Alliances were unable to discover anything about his identity. Of course, it was also possible that he was a criminal who had undergone cosmetic surgery.

But the scope of cosmetic surgery utilized by criminals was too broad, and there were too many suspicious individuals out there.

Conversation then shifted to the Illegitimate who was being controlled by Kersz.

“My father says that 152 is probably still alive.” Curtis pressed a hand to his forehead. “But he’s not entirely sure, because 152’s messages are just too strange.” Although the Supreme Governor hadn’t actually shown him those messages, his expression when mentioning them was very abnormal.

“If he’s still alive, he should take that space pirate to die with him, and that new accomplice too. What is he waiting for?” Curtis was very agitated. “Doesn’t he know who Kersz’s target is?”

They were actually discussing such things right out in the open.

Yu Xi looked toward Tau with a sigh, but the man didn’t react very strongly.

Tau was accustomed to such misconceptions. Those who were inexperienced always liked to boast and bluster, and believed that everything would be better if the world operated according to their own thoughts and ideas.

But the more they thought that way, the more they proved that they were simply a group of ordinary people without any authority. Perhaps Curtis had some limited experience through his interactions with his friends, or perhaps he was just making assumptions.

In any case, Curtis’s assumptions were meaningless.

Because Curtis never could have guessed that “mad space pirate” Kersz had also become a prisoner in a sense, and that both of them were now being held hostage by an alien robot.

After monologuing for a while, Curtis clinked glasses with Yu Xi and praised him for his ability to drink.

Yu Xi was naturally a good drinker, because his body was unaffected by alcohol.

Being neglected by his parents didn’t seem to make Curtis want to run away from his family. Instead, he wanted to prove that his older siblings were a bunch of disloyal, scheming, mediocre people, and that only his feelings toward his parents were truly pure.

“Your brother and cousin are really good to you.” Curtis was now drunk, and leaned against Yu Xi’s shoulder. “They’re so…..so good to you.”

“You have older siblings too, ah.” Yu Xi didn’t understand why Kersz and Tau had set their identities as his relatives. Were they sneakily trying to gain an advantage over him?

Kersz might do something like that, but why would Tau have similar thoughts?

“It’s not the same. They’d love it if I died,” Curtis said. “It’s really…..really not the same.”

“If you and I switched places, they would never stand up for me like your brothers did,” Curtis said with a scoff. “They would enjoy watching me getting beat to death.”

“But you’re their loved one.” Yu Xi felt that making assumptions was useless, and that he could only know how his siblings would react if the situation actually occurred.

Curtis: “I’m really not.”

Yu Xi: “But you’ve never revealed your vulnerable side to them either.”

Curtis continued to sneer.

Yu Xi: “How about you tell them that you love them, but that you can’t feel their love?”

Curtis, already so drunk that he was oblivious to the world around him, muttered in a daze: “Ah….”

Yu Xi: “Will you do it?”

Curtis: “Sure.”

Kersz and Tau were astounded once more.

What was Yu Xi doing?!

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 22 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 24