Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 4: The Kushan Sect

Yin Ci’s heart skipped a beat.

His sect attire was free of blood, and he had changed the blood-stained inner garments as well. Just to be safe, he deliberately took a few extra rounds in the streets—crowded with people shoulder to shoulder, there was no shortage of smells of rotten fish and vegetables, which blended into a myriad of scents that filtered him from head to toe.

But he didn’t believe that Shi Jingzhi really had an aversion to the smell of chicken blood.

As he raised his knife, the chicken on the chopping board jolted and split into several pieces.

Qizhou was filled with picturesque streets and beauties, as numerous as carp crossing a river. Shi Jingzhi, with his plain face, wasn’t as eye-catching as those heavily made-up and flashy ones. He could deceive Auntie Li, but he couldn’t fool the grannies of Qizhou—they had been living in this treacherous place for a long time and had seen all sorts of monsters and demons, making them quite cautious.

But Shi Jingzhi was still able to get along with them immediately, so his facade wasn’t simply shallow.

Once Yin Ci finished cooking the ginger chicken and crispy vinegar fish, he added two vegetarian dishes and a pot of turbid wine, completing the ceremonial meal. This time, Shi Jingzhi didn’t have the leisure to chatter on with his mouth full. He ate everything clean and soundly, and in the end, he weakly slumped onto the bed, clearly having eaten too much.

In the spare room of Auntie Zhang’s house, there was an empty space used for storage. Inside, there was only an old bed with a straw mat laid on it, relatively clean. Shi Jingzhi sprawled himself on the bed, matching the desolate surroundings, looking like someone on their deathbed.

“A’Ci*…” Shi Jingzhi weakly spoke, as if giving his final instructions. “Go and help me… buy some hawthorn to aid digestion…”

*(阿) When used as an address, it signifies a close relationship.

Yin Ci took a deep breath, unable to discern if this person was extremely wise or just genuinely lacking in intelligence. “Shizun, can’t you prescribe the medicine yourself?”

Shi Jingzhi: “Good medicine has a bitter taste, so I don’t want to take it.”

Yin Ci: “…”

Sensing the disdain in his disciple’s eyes, Shi Jingzhi climbed up abruptly. “Master isn’t a lazy and idle person. It’s just that I haven’t had a decent meal for a while, and I got carried away for a moment—”

“Why couldn’t you eat enough?”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t lie. When they first met on Kushan, his weakness was indeed not purely due to temporary hunger. But the money he carried, while not abundant, was certainly not so little that he couldn’t afford a meal.

Shi Jingzhi replied, “It tasted bad, and I couldn’t eat it.”

Yin Ci: “…I’m leaving now. Goodbye.”

“Hold on, hold on.” Shi Jingzhi fished out a money pouch and put on a fatherly expression. “You just arrived in the city. Take your time to explore along the way. I’m not in a hurry.”

Yin Ci grabbed the money pouch and walked away without looking back—he had just finished playing the role of a filial grandson and didn’t want to seamlessly transition into the role of a dutiful son.

After Yin Ci left the courtyard, Shi Jingzhi leisurely ignited some powdered medicine. Not long after, a chubby sparrow fluttered to the window.

He glanced at it, reached out his hand, and took off the thin silk from its foot. After reading the contents, Shi Jingzhi took out a small cutting knife, smeared white narcissus cinnabar on the knife handle, and drew fine lines on the back of the silk.

The chubby sparrow seemed to understand, patiently waiting for him to tie the silk back before fluttering away. After completing all this, Shi Jingzhi lay back on the bed, rubbing his stomach, lost in thought.

Outside the door, Yin Ci had already walked far away. He bought a veil to partially cover his face and stopped outside a luxurious courtyard.

“Tell Master Sun that a person from the Su family has come to see him.”

Qizhou was bustling, especially near the Yueshui Pavilion, where many powerful figures resided. He happened to have an old acquaintance living in this area.

Sun Huaijin was over a hundred years old. When he was young, he had been saved by Su Zhi—who was now Yin Ci, and became a member of the Chigou Sect. This person had a sharp mind and great luck, knowing when to advance and retreat. After becoming wealthy, he turned to legitimate business. Now, Sun Huaijin had a large family and was a prominent figure, with a good relationship with the government.

Having received a prior favor and being raised by Yin Ci, Sun Huaijin had been extremely discreet for decades and had only been exposed to a small portion of Yin Ci’s secrets.

Before long, the mansion’s servants guided Yin Ci to a hidden door and invited him into the courtyard.

Sun Huaijin sat quietly in the courtyard; his whole person withered like a peach pit. He was wrapped in thick silk and fur clothes, and his eyelid folds almost covered his eyes. When he saw Yin Ci, two gleams of light shone through the wrinkles.

The old man dismissed his servants and approached the brazier himself, coming closer. “Brother Su.”

“Huaijin.” Yin Ci nodded.

“The last time I saw you was five years ago.” The old man coughed twice. “I didn’t expect to still be alive and meet you again.”

Yin Ci was never one for pleasantries. “Hmm, you must be around 105 years old now. Quite resilient.”

The old man burst into laughter that was more grating than a crow’s. “Indeed, just a bundle of old bones. Brother Su, what brings you to find me?”

“I’m inquiring about someone,” Yin Ci said. “Shi Jingzhi, from Yidu, involved in the medicinal business.”

Sun Huaijin closed his eyes, and his expression changed several times. “Indeed, there is a Shi family selling medicine in Yidu. They used to have some dealings with this side. Their business isn’t significant. If Brother Su is looking for medicinal materials, it might be better to let this old man…”

Yin Ci shook his head.

Sun Huaijin: “The Shi family is truly inconspicuous, and I have no impression of the younger generation. Brother Su, please have a cup of hot tea first. I will have someone investigate in detail.”

After speaking, he forcefully struck the floor with his cane. A deaf servant leaned over, palms open, allowing Lord Sun to convey his message by writing on his palm.

“Huaijin, are you not interested in the Ghost Tomb?” Yin Ci took a sip of tea and suddenly spoke up.

Sun Huaijin’s peach pit-like face twitched twice. “Even if you were to give me the best sword in the world, I wouldn’t be able to wield it. I’m old, useless, and can’t even swing a firewood stick.”

After saying that, he gazed into the air with a tinge of sorrow in his eyes. “Riding horses and brandishing swords with Elder Brother* in the past was truly enjoyable, so enjoyable…”

*Clarity: Sun Huaijin is using [da ge] (大哥) here vs [xiong] (兄) previously. The former carries a sense of authority, respect, and seniority, which can be used to address someone who is older or more experienced, while the latter is a friendlier/neutral term to address someone you’re close to who’s older.

“Don’t you desire the elixir of immortality?” Yin Ci responded coldly.

“Given my current state, I’ve already lived long enough. I’m just waiting for the heavens to take me.” Sun Huaijin laughed. “Could it be that Elder Brother wants to use the elixir to brew poison?”

After many years of seeking death in vain, Sun Huaijin was well aware of Yin Ci’s intentions.

There was a particularly enticing rumor about the Ghost Tomb—the leader of the Ling Sect had discovered the method of immortality and left behind clues in the empty tomb. There were even witnesses who swore that they had heard the leader mention something about “finding the Shirou*”.

*An edible monster resembling a two-eyed lump of meat and magically grows back after it is eaten. Early Chinese text refers to the legendary food as [Shirou] which means “looks like meat”.

Eating the Shirou granted immortality. However, not only did it give eternal life, it also produced the deadliest poison in the world.

“I’m not lacking in time, so I’ll take a look along the way.” Yin Ci didn’t deny it. “…But in all these years, I haven’t found a single immortal, so it’s hard to say whether that thing is real or fake.”

Sun Huaijin let out a long sigh. “So, the reason you’re an immortal—”

Yin Ci replied concisely, “I don’t know. It’s a dead end everywhere I go, and I’m tired of searching.”

Just as the conversation reached this point, the deaf servant handed over a piece of paper and refilled Yin Ci’s tea. Sun Huaijin scanned the paper and tossed it into the brazier. “Shi Jingzhi, the fifth son of the Shi family, and a younger brother. He never liked studying and only wanted to roam the martial world. He hasn’t caused any trouble so far and is a good kid.”

Yin Ci remained silent for a long time. “Is the information correct?”

Sun Huaijin smiled again. “Brother, you even doubt me?”

Yin Ci didn’t answer. “Forget it. If he doesn’t betray me, it’s no harm to me.”

After leaving the Sun’s residence, Yin Ci casually bought a string of candied hawthorns and returned to appease the “good kid”. Shi Jingzhi also didn’t mind the shape of the hawthorn and happily ate them.

“We will establish our sect tonight. Ah… they say the night scenery in Qizhou is beautiful. We might as well enjoy it.” Before he could continue, Shi Jingzhi vomited blood.

Yin Ci: “You really don’t have to force yourself like this.”

“A’Ci, you don’t understand. Time is money.” Shi Jingzhi shook his head. “Come here, let me apply some ointment to your burn. It has been exposed all day. Be careful not to get sick.”

Before long, Yin Ci set off, emanating a strong medicinal scent. The burn ointment had a strong odor, and he even tasted it secretly but couldn’t discern anything improper, so he gave up.

The sky was dim, and the lights were dazzling. The number of pedestrians on the street didn’t decrease compared to daytime. The scent of alcohol mixed with the fragrance of cosmetics created an intoxicating atmosphere.

The Yueshui Pavilion had a shop in the center of the city, and the green lanterns were particularly eye-catching.

Upon entering, there was a white skin hanging in the center of the main hall. On the skin, there was a waterfall mechanism pouring down medicinal water continuously, keeping it moist. Transparent glass panels were placed around the mechanism, clearly indicating that they shouldn’t be touched.

The skin slowly flickered, with different ink characters displayed from time to time, occasionally showing a few portraits. Disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion stood in a circle near the skin, each holding a pen, recording the contents without stopping.

“A’Ci, do you see that? That’s called the ‘word cloth’. It’s the skin of a soft fish demon. The Yidu Court writes on the word cloth and synchronizes the information across various locations. It’s quite magical. Only the Yueshui Pavilion knows how to raise the skin. It is said that even the palace relies on their disciples to maintain the word cloth…”

Yin Ci cooperated, looking amazed.

“The branch pavilions can also send messages to the main pavilion through the word cloth. The registration of sect members’ names is done through it.” Shi Jingzhi’s voice lowered, and he reluctantly took out his money pouch, slowly extracting fragmented silver coins. “It costs ten taels of silver to register.”

The disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion across from them provided excellent service and patiently waited as he extracted the coins. Shi Jingzhi picked a little from his pouch, a little from his medicine box, barely scraping together ten taels of silver, then hesitantly pushed it forward.

“The name of the sect?” After counting the silver coins, the disciple of the Yueshui Pavilion finally picked up the pen.

Shi Jingzhi: “Kushan Sect, with two members, a master and disciple. I am the sect master, Shi Jingzhi, and this is Yin Ci, my final disciple.”

Yin Ci turned his face away, expressionless. It was quite obvious that Shi Jingzhi closed the door* right after accepting his first disciple.

*Clarity: The term Shi Jingzhi used is (关门) which means “close the door”. Metaphorically it refers to no room for negotiation/shutdown. In this context, it means his last disciple. Usually, if the master has more than one disciple, the “closed-door disciple” is generally the most beloved.

The disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion also noticed. “So that’s the case. You’re qualified to explore the Ghost Tomb.”

Shi Jingzhi smiled, but unfortunately, his face was covered by the mask, and his smile lacked impact.

“You should wash your hands first, then sign and leave your handprint.” The disciple of the pavilion presented a small basin of medicinal soup. “Don’t worry. This medicinal water is for cleaning fingers. It prevents evildoers from impersonating law-abiding citizens or individuals joining multiple sects… Haa, with the opening of the Ghost Tomb, there are more and more people trying to take advantage of loopholes.”

Ordinary medicinal water couldn’t wash away the ghostskin robe. Yin Ci readily extended his hand and followed the instructions.

“It’s done. The Kushan Sect is officially established. Regardless of whether both of you engage in business or receive donations, it can be recorded under the name of the Kushan Sect. To maintain the sect, you need to pay ten taels of silver before New Year’s Eve each year and submit a personnel roster…”

The disciple of the Yueshui Pavilion kept on babbling while writing at a rapid pace.

“Do you have any properties under your names? If not, the ‘sect location’ can remain empty for now.”

After some hesitation, Shi Jingzhi turned to Yin Ci and asked, “Where do you live?”

Yin Ci’s expression turned stiff, and he replied, “Let’s just assume I don’t have property.”

The disciple from Yueshui Pavilion looked convinced and handed them a delicate pendant. “This is the jade pendant of Yueshui Pavilion. It can be hung on the token of the sect master. Please accept it, Sect Master.”

Once they were out of the door, Shi Jingzhi hung the pendant on the banner that read “Medicine Cures Illness” and began trembling. Yin Ci didn’t bother paying attention to him and transformed himself into a portable luggage, following Shi Jingzhi as they wandered around. Shi Jingzhi would pause here and there, turning around in different directions, until they returned to their room late at night.

Once inside, Shi Jingzhi turned the pendant and hung it around his wrist, wearing a satisfied expression. Yin Ci, on the other hand, spread out the straw on the floor, preparing to sleep on the ground.

“A’Ci, come up here and sleep with me.” Shi Jingzhi squeezed against the wall, making room for him. “I’m not someone who’s particular about these things.”

Yin Ci: “I’m afraid you’ll cough up blood on me in the middle of the night.”

Shi Jingzhi: “Don’t be shy… Oh, you meant that. I’ll remember to turn away.”

Yin Ci sighed and rolled up his bedding, lying down on the bed feeling a bit tired. Shi Jingzhi, this kid, didn’t give him a moment of peace. Whether he was simply naive or had ulterior motives, Yin Ci couldn’t quite figure it out.

With that in mind, Yin Ci had an idea. “Shizun, can I take a look at that jade pendant?”

Rarely having such close proximity, he couldn’t miss this opportunity. He would examine the pulse once again and see what was going on with this kid.

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The author has something to say:

In the following text, I will reference certain legends from the <Classic of Mountains and Seas>*, but I will be building my own world based on them and not adhering strictly to the original work.  _(:з」∠)_

*Chinese classic text and a compilation of mythic geography and beasts.

For example, regarding the “Shirou” mentioned earlier, there are different interpretations. Some say it refers to Tai Sui*, while others believe it is a reference to a certain type of mythical creature. In this story… Well, it can probably be considered an out-of-context interpretation, with its only similarity being the ability to grant longevity when consumed. It doesn’t have much connection to the original entity described in the <Classics of Mountains and Seas>.

*Referring to a mold/fungus (Ganoderma lucidum) that looks like a slime. Similar to the “Shirou” it kind of looks like meat. In ancient China, it was believed to be able to grant immortality.

The main reason is that its name sounds cool. √

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