Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 1: Chicken Noodle Soup

Winter night, Kushan*.

*Ku Mountain/Mount Ku.

Heavy snow had been falling all day, completely burying the mountain path. An emaciated old man struggled forward, breaking the smooth snow crust into pieces.

Regret gnawed at Ear Cutter as he thought about his current task. He had some reputation, after all, but here he was, braving the bitter cold to chase down an unknown thief—only to fail to catch even a strand of the thief’s hair, while his own legs were freezing.

The little thief didn’t look like a formidable opponent, but unexpectedly, he possessed astonishing stamina and managed to escape for three hundred li*. When he got his hands on the thief, Ear Cutter wouldn’t just settle for just his ears; he wanted to skin the kid’s face too.

*Traditional Chinese unit of distance that vary considerably over time but it’s about 1/3 of an English mile (500 meters, 0.311 miles).

But fate would always find a way*. Suddenly, the wind and snow eased up a bit, revealing a man ahead. He was dressed like a hunter, slightly stooped, with a backpack filled with mountain goods and furs and several plump pheasants that hung by his side.

*Heaven will always leave a door open. (天无绝人之路) Idiom referring to the idea that even in difficult or seemingly hopeless situations, there’s always a path out or a path forward for those who persevere and have faith.

Ear Cutter took a few steps forward, trying to get a closer look.

The hunter was young, with half of his face covered by rough cloth. His long hair was hastily combed, forming icy strands with melted snow water. Both his ears were bright red, clearly lacking inner force*.

*[Neijin] (内力) or [neigong] (內功) is commonly used in martial arts and Chinese medicine. It’s considered a source of energy, strength, and agility for combat and can be harnessed through cultivation. || In wuxia and xianxia context, it’s basically energy that gives cultivators superhuman powers.

Feeling relieved, Ear Cutter quietly positioned himself behind the hunter.

“Young man, is there an inn ahead?” he asked, his mouth speaking while his eyes continued to assess.

The shape of the young hunter’s ears was quite good.

“There’s an inn below the cliff over there.” Suddenly engaged in conversation, the young hunter remained calm and gave a lukewarm answer. “It’s the only one on the mountain.”

A smile of delight appeared on Ear Cutter’s face, making his old features look even more sinister.

It wasn’t advisable to descend the mountain during nighttime, especially with heavy snowfall. If the thief stayed outside overnight, he would turn into frozen meat. So he could simply wait for him at the inn. After all, a thief was just a thief, digging his own grave, which saved him a lot of trouble.

Why not celebrate in advance? The young hunter had such beautifully shaped ears; they were truly worth cutting.

Ear Cutter grabbed the hunter’s shoulder, preparing to pull him over and crush his throat. But before he could exert any force, the scenery in front of him suddenly changed. He glanced down and didn’t see his own chest, but instead saw his own back.

Ear Cutter’s eyes widened in shock as his decapitated head fell into the snow.

Half an hour later.

“Little brat. You finally came.” The innkeeper wiped her hands and greeted him with a gruff voice. “I’ve been waiting at the stove for you.”

The young hunter from before—Yin Ci—responded with a mischievous smile while he untied the pheasants from his waist.

On his side, the pheasants were cooked, and the innkeeper finished ordering the goods. She slapped a few bundles of money on the table and said, “As usual, the extra is considered hard-earned money. It’s freezing cold outside, and I’m counting on this bowl of soup.”

The proprietress’ surname was Li, but the mountain folks just called her Auntie Li.

Auntie Li had lost her husband early on and had been running this old inn with her two children. Her daughter had married early, and her son was working in town, so only she remained at the inn. Fortunately, the barren mountains were so poor and desolate that not even bandits could be seen. Auntie Li had a strong build and a loud voice that could be heard for miles. Over the years, she hadn’t encountered any trouble.

Yin Ci had tasted the inn’s food before and quickly understood why the two children had run away—Auntie Li’s cooking skills were extremely poor. The appearance of the food was passable, but the taste was strange. It seemed like it was fit for feeding dogs, and even dogs would gag a few times if they ate it.

The inn managed to stay open solely relying on the guests’ desperate hunger.

Naturally, Yin Ci didn’t want to eat such food. He intended to teach Auntie Li how to cook, but unexpectedly, she was willing to pay for his dishes. So every time he delivered the mountain goods, Yin Ci would stay for an extra night and enjoy two hot meals before leaving.

Now, the wind and snow were howling, and it was as dark as the bottom of a pot. Not to mention ordinary people—even the old mountain folks didn’t want to go out. Auntie Li lit a lone lamp in the front hall and didn’t even bother making the cheapest pancakes. She heated up the leftover porridge from breakfast, which would serve as the guests’ meal.

On the other side, the plump pheasants were simmering with various mountain delicacies in the clay pot. The fragrance was so enticing that it made one’s heels go soft. When the time was right, Auntie Li lifted the lid, revealing the golden fat floating on the soup and the tender pheasant meat bobbing up and down. Paired with freshly cooked noodles, even a deity wouldn’t trade it for anything on such a freezing day.

As soon as the bowl of noodles was ready, a creaking sound came from the front hall.

A figure stumbled into the room, barely making it to the light. Only then could the two people clearly see the guest’s appearance—he was dressed as a wandering healer with a chinless mask fastened to his face. His clothes were disheveled and covered in mud, and he was missing a boot.

At the moment, he was panting heavily as steam rose from his body, having traveled several lis in the snow.

Through the hole in the mask, the man pitifully looked at the two people, particularly at the bowl in Auntie Li’s hands. Then, he suddenly collapsed to the ground without making a sound.

Auntie Li: “Is he dead? Heaven forbid, don’t die in my inn. Hey, brat, help me take a look.”

Yin Ci regretfully put down the ladle and said, “Okay, bring a basin of warm water.”

When the water was brought, Yin Ci casually lifted the mask and wiped the dirt off the man’s face. After checking his complexion, he felt his pulse and said, “Exhausted, weak from hunger, which is probably why he fainted.”

However, Auntie Li didn’t respond. She stared blankly at the man’s face, almost stepping into the basin.

Unexpectedly, this uninvited guest was oddly handsome.

He appeared to be under thirty, without any feminine features, yet extraordinarily beautiful to the point where his facial features had a touch of exoticness. Even Yin Ci, who was accustomed to seeing beauties, was momentarily surprised. The impact on Auntie Li was even greater—in this barren and remote place, she had hardly seen any handsome young men. This man’s appearance was indeed excessive, and her admiration turned into shock.

“Oh, Ancestral Fox Spirit*!” Auntie Li’s voice became sharper.

*Immortal/God/Fairy/ect. (仙) It refers to a person or entity having a long life or being immortal.

Before Yin Ci could interject, she gritted her teeth and scooped a bowl of leftover porridge, gesturing for Yin Ci to feed it to the man.

“Consider it an offering. Consider it an offering,” Auntie Li muttered to herself, rubbing her palms together.

Having lived for over three hundred years, Yin Ci had only heard of “Fox Spirits” who could transform into humans in storybooks. Seeing Auntie Li getting nervous on her own, he didn’t bother to explain. He took the bowl of unappetizing porridge and, with a heart of stone, scooped a spoonful and brought it to the man’s mouth—after all, he himself had eaten it, and it didn’t kill him.

Unfortunately, the “Ancestral Fox Spirit” seemed to have good discernment. The man weakly gagged twice, turned his head away, and clenched his teeth tightly.

Seeing the offering being instantly rejected, Auntie Li suddenly became furious. “Forget it. Drag this fox out. Don’t let him die inside the inn.”

As one of the unscrupulous folks bred in these poor and dangerous mountains, Auntie Li’s respect for celestial beings was clearly limited.

Yin Ci tactfully pointed out the key point. “I saw his money pouch. He should be able to afford a few nights’ stay.”

Auntie Li may have been hard-hearted, but she also wanted to save money and accumulate virtue for her children. When she heard the potential profit, her nameless anger instantly dissipated. “Oh, Ancestral Fox Spirit’s clothes are so wet. It must be uncomfortable. I have a few old garments of my son in the back room. You can clean his body and change his clothes properly.”

Yin Ci naturally smiled and agreed.

While Auntie Li went to fetch the clothes, Yin Ci stripped the man like a white fish and wrapped him in dry animal hide. In just a few movements, he had a clear view of the man’s personal belongings—

A signboard of a wandering healer with bold and powerful characters that read “Medicine Cures Illness” and beneath it, slightly faded small characters of “potent pills” and “healing ointments”. The medicine box was somewhat worn-out. Yin Ci sniffed each bottle, only finding ordinary medicines and no poison. A bell and a mortar for grinding herbs were placed together, showing signs of extensive use.

In addition, there was only one money pouch, containing a string of five coins*, tightly wrapped in layers of broken silver. Not to mention weapons, Yin Ci didn’t even find a self-defense dagger; only a small knife used for cutting herbs.

*5 Emperor Coins. These refer to copper coins with round, square holes in them. Usually, five copper coins are strung together (like this case) to symbolize the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and are used to ward off evil spirits and attract good fortune.

How strange.

That person hurried through the snow-covered night, with thin ice forming on their clothes, yet their skin showed no signs of frostbite. It was clear they were a martial arts cultivator. Yin Ci recognized Ear Cutter that he had killed earlier—Chen Qu, one of the powerful assassins of the Chigou Sect, specialized in targeting enemies of their sect.

These two individuals, braving the snowstorm, definitely didn’t come up the mountain for leisure.

In recent months, a ghost tomb containing precious treasures had emerged, causing a great uproar in the martial world. The Chigou Sect, being one of the top demonic sects, was currently occupied with the matter of the ghost tomb and wouldn’t bother with an unknown figure like this mere wandering healer.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if one of their elders had taken a male pet, they wouldn’t resort to using Ear Cutter for such a trivial matter.

While Yin Ci pondered, the person regained their breath and slowly opened their eyes—a pair of beautifully upturned phoenix eyes, with clear amber irises that resembled a fox. However, his gaze seemed vacant, and the eerie aura around him diminished slightly.

Yin Ci, still puzzled, decided to maintain his facade as a kind person. He brought over a bowl of chicken noodle soup and offered a spoonful of hot broth. “You’ve caught a chill. Have some hot soup.”

Seemingly famished, the man took a sip of the flavorful broth, and his gaze suddenly became clear. He then eagerly focused on the bowl of noodles. Yin Ci fed him the noodle soup while observing his complexion turning rosier.

Auntie Li approached with some clothes, but once again, her eyes were dazzled by the person’s beauty, causing her to accidentally knock over a lamp. Yin Ci quickly shielded the lamp oil and pretended to sigh. “Your change of clothes is here. Can you manage on your own?”

The person nodded and glanced at the scalded back of Yin Ci’s hand.

Yin Ci pointed at Auntie Li. “Then I’ll go rest. This is the innkeeper. You can settle the bill and room fees with her.”

With the mountain pass blocked by heavy snow, that person wouldn’t be able to escape anytime soon. Yin Ci, posing as an “inexperienced hunter”, felt that it would raise suspicion if he hurriedly engaged in conversation.

Knowing his habits well, Auntie Li had already prepared a bathtub in the guest room, and steam was still rising from the hot water. Yin Ci removed his clothes and stepped into the hot water. In the next moment, the rough “skin” peeled away, revealing the cold white underneath.

The ghostskin robe, one of the rare treasures Yin Ci had discovered in an ancient tomb. It was as thin as a cicada’s wings, woven from the silk of ghost silkworms from the Western Regions and soaked in secret medicine. It perfectly adhered to the wearer’s skin, matching not only their facial features but also the complexion, moles, and calluses of their body. Even the body hair was indistinguishable from a real person’s.

Ordinary disguise techniques usually focused on altering the head, neck, hands, and feet. However, the ghostskin robe consisted of three parts, extending from the waist, abdomen, and thigh, covering a large portion of the body. Unless Yin Ci deliberately ran around naked, there was no chance of exposure.

Carefully peeling off the facial ghostskin, Yin Ci breathed a sigh of relief. He picked up a vial, mixed the liquid medicine and pigments, then placed the ghostskin robe on the edge of the tub, using a fine brush to depict the “injury” where the lamp oil splashed.

Upon contact with the liquid, the ghostskin robe obediently expanded, forming a few fake blisters. Yin Ci hummed with satisfaction, then adjusted the facial features on the ghostskin, starting with the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Amidst the misty water vapor and dim firelight, his actions alone resembled the rumored painted-skin demon*.

*Referencing “The Painted Skin” by Pu Songling from his work Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. You can read the story by going to the Wikipedia. TLDR: Demon put on human skin and try to seduce a human.

…However, the effect of this painted skin was precisely the opposite.

The fake face on the ghostskin was neither beautiful nor ugly, lacking any distinctive features. In a crowd, nine out of ten people would forget it at a glance. But if Auntie Li were to see Yin Ci without the ghostskin, she would likely exclaim, “Oh, Ancestral Fox Spirit!” again.

The person outside possessed a passionate, handsome beauty, while the one in the bathtub leaned more towards being “gentle like jade”. It was truly difficult to compare. Unfortunately, this person’s eyebrows and eyes were filled with an aura of death, turning the finest jade into a jade cicada in the mouth of a corpse, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Yin Ci’s body soaked in the hot water, but his thoughts were unusually cold.

He needed to thoroughly understand the background of that traveling healer. If that person had a connection to the ghost tomb, he could spare their life. If not, he would have no choice but to let them die in the desolate mountains. Getting involved with the Chigou Sect too early would only lead to unnecessary trouble.

The plan had just taken its first step, so it was best not to make any mistakes.

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The author has something to say:

Oh my, my traditional skills have disappeared. Demonic Lord Yin is the first protagonist who hasn’t suffered a physical crit in the first chapter!

And although it’s a beautiful person × beautiful person pairing, the characters’ appearances aren’t inflated (…). Their looks are influenced by objective factors, and most people are still of average appearance. It’s related to the worldbuilding, but I won’t reveal everything~

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[Note] This story is set in a completely fictional era [Note]. The purchasing power of silver tael references the Tang Dynasty, where 1 qian is equivalent to 5 yuan. 1 tael (liang) of silver = 10 qian of silver = 1,000 copper coins, which is roughly equivalent to 5,000 yuan.

In reality, the value of 1 wen during the Tang Dynasty seems to be around 4 yuan (some sources mention around 10 yuan), and 1 tael of silver is worth much more than I imagined…

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Kinky Thoughts:

As Nian Zhong is my favorite author, I have decided to pick up the last of her work I haven’t translated. Actually, I have been planning this project for some time, but given the setting (xianxia/wuxia/xuanhuan), much more work and research had to be done before I released it.

I am aware it is also being worked on by someone else under the title Sending the Divine, but I personally like the title Sendoff better. Regardless, I encourage you to check out their version as well.

Speaking of the title, it is [Songsheng] (送神). I won’t go into too much details about it since it is related to the plot and don’t want to give out any potential spoilers, but the title references a few things, one of which is “sending off the gods after the offering of sacrifices” (as a reminder to the gods to leave at the end of sacrificial activities). In another sense, it’s like driving away the ghosts and gods.

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Couple of things to note about this novel. It’s xuanhuan (fantasy) that draws on both wuxia and xianxia elements, though Nian Zhong has changed some things around to her own interpretation. Nevertheless, it does borrow many elements so for some clarity (for those not familiar with the genre):

When you see things mentioned of “demonic”, such as a demonic sect, it doesn’t actually mean they worship demons, but they follow the “evil/unorthodox” path vs the “righteous/orthodox” path. In cases of wuxia novels, moreso a “sect” (like the Chigou Sect) they’re really known as a cult (basing it off of this glossary). However, I’ll keep them all as sect since I don’t think the association of “cult” in terms of western definition really fits in this setting.

In a sense of the “evil” path; it means they disregard laws and ethics to achieve their purpose and pursue great power at all cost. However, even within each demonic sect, they have their own rules and integrity (as you will see later when reading). This is why I don’t really want to label them as a cult (and also to move away from the idea that they worship demons because they are a “demonic” sect).

Leaders of the sect will be translated as either Sect Master, Patriarch/Matriarch (for current leaders), and Hierarch (for founder), depending on the context and what address is being used (based on the speaker). There are ton of different titles and addresses which will be noted as they appear down the line.

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This is a first for Nian Zhong. Her protagonist didn’t end up in an unfortunate situation during the first chapter. You can also check out other works I have done by Nian Zhong, which I highly recommend: Stray, Happy Doomsday, Access Denied, and Evil As Humans.

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