Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 150
Inside the tent, Long Shen sat cross-legged, facing He Yu and Yu Buhui. “I can hardly control the demonic qi inside me anymore.”
He Yu trembled slightly, unable to believe it. “Has it come to this?”
In his mind, no—in the minds of almost everyone, Long Shen was invincible. He never needed others to worry about him. He knew Long Shen’s true identity, knew that he possessed a semi-immortal body. He knew that in the Special Administration Bureau, even though Che Bai was older and had a great background, and everyone respectfully called him Director Che, when it came to a real fight, Long Shen might not necessarily be inferior. It was because this man was so powerful that he was always the solid and strong support for everyone in Team 2. They admired and loved Long Shen and were willing to give everything for him. However, intentionally or unintentionally, they forgot that Long Shen wasn’t actually a god. Even Zong Ling had fallen. How could Long Shen not have weaknesses or be injured?
Long Shen nodded, looking at He Yu and Yu Buhui with a worried expression.
“The demonic qi here is very dense. Perhaps you haven’t felt it much because you have protective qi, but I already had residual demonic qi inside me, and the two are mutually attracted, causing the demonic qi’s influence on me to be greater than at any other time or place.”
Yu Buhui: “What if we leave this place?”
Long Shen shook his head. “Zong Lao and Director Che sacrificed themselves. Now you have seen the seal they created. It’s impossible to completely suppress the demonic qi. Once the demonic qi breaks through the seal, whether I’m here or outside, what difference does it make? Besides me, there is no one who can replace the Phoenix that originally guarded the eye of the array. Even the method He Yu proposed is just a gamble.”
Yu Buhui couldn’t refute.
Long Shen said, “If we win the gamble, everything will be fine. But if we lose, Dong Zhi, you, the people outside, and many more will have to make sacrifices. I don’t want to see that happen. I want Dong Zhi to live well. I don’t want him to come here and accompany me in a reckless gamble. Artifacts have long lifespans, but they are not more precious than the short lives of mortals. Because I, myself, am a creation of mortals.”
“Boss…”
Long Shen looked at He Yu and said gently, “I would rather see you thinking of ways to slack off and play games, spreading boring information everywhere, than seeing you sacrifice yourself to block the demonic qi. Although you, Kan Chaosheng, and Zhong Yu are my subordinates, I have never treated you as underlings. Do you understand?”
He Yu, a sturdy man with a burly figure, was already in tears.
He used to think that crying was a behavior reserved for weak women, but now he felt that even if he howled and cried, he couldn’t vent the pain and powerlessness in his heart.
Long Shen continued, “Your abilities are already sufficient to stand on your own. It’s just that I thought you were too playful and never let you go out. This time the Special Administration Bureau suffered heavy losses, and Boss Wu will probably need a long rest. If I’m not here in the future, you will be the team leader of Team 2. The future of Kan Chaosheng and the others will depend on you.”
At this point, he suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly.
“I don’t know if it’s because of the influence of the demonic qi, but now I find that my selfishness is growing. I speak of guarding the mortal world, but in reality, the one I want to protect the most is only him.”
He Yu choked. “Boss, please don’t say that. I know that you want peace more than anyone else, otherwise, you wouldn’t have made this decision. I will take care of Xiao Dong Zhi, but sooner or later, he will know what you’re doing. If you want to protect him, you shouldn’t deceive him!”
Long Shen calmly replied, “I didn’t deceive him. After he reads my notes, he will naturally know the solution. This is something that only he can do.”
Yu Buhui didn’t cry like He Yu because he had been with Long Shen for a longer time and knew that Long Shen’s decision was final. Instead of being sentimental here, it was more practical to think about how he could help.
“Senior Brother, if you have made up your mind, then go ahead and do it. I will protect you, hoping you won’t forget that Dong Zhi is waiting for you.”
Long Shen smiled deeply. “Thank you, I will do my best.”
Outside, Sect Master Zhang had already sent someone to immediately retrieve the jade token, but round trips would still take a considerable amount of time. Surprisingly, Tibet was closer to this location. The Living Buddha made a decisive decision and personally went back to retrieve the treasure of the town temple, which was said to be a palm-sized golden pagoda enshrined with relics.
To replace the role of the array eye’s spiritual artifact, even temporarily, it couldn’t be done by an ordinary human body. Although Long Shen hadn’t revealed his true form just now, everyone present were well-known figures in the practitioner world and could understand the implications. No one pursued the matter further, and when they saw him coming out, Sect Master Zhang and Song Zhicun went to greet him.
“Boss Long, since you want to simulate the layout of a small Eight-Diagram Array, besides the array’s eye, you definitely need seven other stone tablets. It’s impossible to get them in such a short time. We are willing to take the place of the tablets with our bodies,” Sect Master Zhang said.
Song Zhicun added, “That’s right. We discussed it just now. Sect Master Zhang and I will each take one position. The leaders of Longhu, Maoshan, and Hezao have also expressed their willingness. That leaves two positions for the two Living Buddhas.”
No one would refuse or shrink back in the face of such a crisis. Even though there were often conflicts and disputes among the various sects, everyone knew that if the passage was completely opened, connecting the abyss of hell with the mortal world, it wouldn’t just be the end of the Dharma era; it would be a complete purgatory.
However, Long Shen said, “Others can do it, but not you.”
Song Zhicun was taken aback.
Long Shen: “Wu Bingtian is already injured, and both of us are here. If something happens to you, the Special Administration Bureau will be without a leader.”
Song Zhicun’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He didn’t know what to say.
He was worried about Long Shen’s life and the current situation, but from beginning to end, Long Shen only thought about the bigger picture.
“I’ll do it!”
Yu Buhui stepped forward.
“I’ll take Boss Song’s position!”
He Yu, with red eyes, turned to his master Xin and said, “Master, let me take your place too.”
Sect Master Xin pulled him aside and gave him a hard tap on the back of his head. “Do you think this is child’s play? Your cultivation level isn’t there yet. Stop talking nonsense. It’s not about making a concession like Kong Rong giving up a pear*. And don’t think you have nothing to do, just following me from behind. If I can’t hold on, indeed, you will have to step in!”
*This is an idiom from Chinese history and literature referring to a famous figure, Kong Rong, in the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. The story goes when Kong Rong was a child, he and his siblings were offered a plate of pears, to which he gave his brothers the bigger pears while he took the smallest, displaying selflessness and generosity at a young age. Thus, the idiom symbolizes the act of giving up personal interest for benefits for the sake of others (and, in a sense, refers to prioritizing the greater good and showing humility and generosity).
He Yu rubbed his sore head and grumbled, “Can’t you be gentler?”
“Before coming out, I had already discussed it with your senior brother. If I can’t go back, the Hezao Sect will be carried on by him. However…” Sect Master Xin gave him a stern look and paused. “I hope you can go back.”
He Yu looked at his master, feeling the sadness of wanting to cry but not being able to for the first time.
“Don’t show that expression!” Sect Master Xin laughed and didn’t have the fear and worry of doing something that could potentially endanger his life. “A true man stands tall and upright, only seeking a clear conscience. Practitioners should be even more so. If I don’t act now, I will also develop inner demons*. Not to mention cultivation, I won’t even be able to live properly. Go and prepare. We still have some talismans to draw, and I want you to help.”
*In terms of cultivation setting, these are negative emotions of a practitioner and other mental barriers that hinder their cultivation. In some cases, they can even attack the practitioner from the inside, which could result in qi deviation (causing the practitioner to go mad).
He Yu lowly agreed, “I can help right now!”
Sect Master Xin frowned. “Before drawing the talismans, you need to bathe and change clothes while burning incense. Only with a sincere heart can the talismans be effective. In this critical moment, we don’t require you to do so much. Having clean hands and a pure heart is the most basic!”
He Yu glanced at his master’s hands and retorted, “Your hands aren’t much cleaner than mine!”
Before Sect Master Xin could hit him, he quickly jumped back and ran away in three strides.
……
What was placed in front of Dong Zhi was definitely not a children’s fairy tale book, but a notebook disguised as one.
Dong Zhi had seen this notebook before on the train and had even dared to flip through it. He Yu had called it a notebook filled with ghostly symbols, but now Dong Zhi knew that it wasn’t ghostly symbols inside but rather the Waste Text.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the cover deliberately had an aged appearance, like those nostalgic notebooks sold in stores.
The big yellow cat and the octopus were lying on the table, watching Dong Zhi and Cheng Hui study the notebook.
“This notebook was bought by He Yu to write down game strategies, but the boss confiscated it when he found out,” Kan Chaosheng wagged his tail and said.
Dong Zhi chuckled. He didn’t think Long Shen would be the type to enjoy such childlike styles.
No, it should be said that Long Shen wouldn’t intentionally choose a particular style. For him, as long as a notebook could be used to jot down things, it was enough.
“You guys can go about your business,” he said to Kan Chaosheng and Octopus Meika.
Kan Chaosheng was a bit worried. “Is everything okay with the boss on Kunlun Mountain? I heard that Zong Lao sacrificed herself?”
Dong Zhi reassured him, “Everything is fine. We still have Boss Song and the others. You have to trust my master’s abilities.”
Seeing that Kan Chaosheng’s power was still weak and wouldn’t be of any help in this matter, Dong Zhi didn’t want him to worry too much.
“Meika just arrived in China, and he doesn’t speak fluent Chinese yet. I don’t have time to take him to meet Senior Wuzhiqi, so I’ll trouble you to take care of him for now.”
“I’ve been taking care of him for the past few days!” Kan Chaosheng jumped off the table and had an expression that said, “Do you really need to speak so much for such a small matter?”
The octopus also jumped off and waved its tentacle politely at Dong Zhi, then left along with the white cat, following Kan Chaosheng.
After two seconds, a tentacle reappeared at the door and closed the door that had been left open.
Cheng Hui was stunned. “The octopus is so intelligent!”
Dong Zhi thought to himself that Cheng Hui would be even more amazed when he saw Meika speaking fluent English.
“Sorry for having you come right after getting off the plane without resting!” Dong Zhi apologized.
Cheng Hui waved his hand. “I’ve already heard from Martial Uncle. We can’t delay. Let’s start right away!”
Dong Zhi nodded.
Cheng Hui opened the notebook and began translating it word by word for Dong Zhi. Dong Zhi focused intently, listening and taking notes. After some time, he might be able to attempt interpreting it himself without having to burden Cheng Hui with reading the thick volume in its entirety. Long Shen’s handwriting was artistic, but the font size was small, and almost the entire book was filled. Only two or three pages remained. Dong Zhi knew that if he wanted to quickly find the solution related to the stone tablets, he would have to start from the back and slowly flip through.
[March 16th. I am preparing to go to Kunlun Mountain, hoping that there is still a chance to salvage the situation.]
Dong Zhi rarely heard Long Shen express “hope” or “anticipation” because saying those words already placed the hope of achieving something on someone else, and Long Shen never did that. If he wanted to do something, he would do it himself.
This might be the first time his thoughts were conveyed in written form. It indicated that he had realized the situation on Kunlun Mountain was far more challenging than anyone had imagined.
[March 11th. Otowa Yasuhiko died, and Ding Lan’s remnant soul was also brought back. However, the situation is still unresolved. Che Bai has already sacrificed himself. I remembered the conversation with Zong Ling before our trip to Japan. If it comes to that, this might be the only solution.]
A solution?
A huge question arose in Dong Zhi’s mind. He exchanged a glance with Cheng Hui, who then turned to the next page.
[March 1st. Zong Ling gave me the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp. For me, even though it contained the divine souls of the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Azure Dragon, it was merely an unusable object. However, with the infusion of Zong Ling’s divine soul, the lamp came to life. But I told Zong Ling that Otowa Yasuhiko had the assistance of the ancient stone box, and his power was much stronger than that of an Archfiend or Heavenly Demon. The Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp, at best, was only a complete “wick”, and it still needed a “spark” to ignite it fully.]
[Zong Ling knew I was right, but she was also helpless. After much contemplation, I finally came up with an effective solution.]
[The solution is for me to act as the “spark”, by absorbing demonic qi into my body and activating the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp, trapping Otowa within it. Then I can take the opportunity to eliminate him completely. Zong Ling strongly opposes this, but I have already made up my mind. I know this method may pose a risk, as the demonic qi that enters my body may lose control and even dominate my will, ultimately assimilating me into a demon. If it comes to that, my only retreat will be Dong Zhi.]
As Dong Zhi read up to this point, his heart pounded faster, and his breathing became rapid.
“Why am I his only retreat?”
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Cheng Hui’s nose as he continued reading.
[I once injected half of my divine soul into the Changshou Sword, which took away some of my power. I didn’t want Dong Zhi to think too much about it, so I didn’t tell him.]
[He is gradually becoming more compatible with the Changshou Sword, and one day he will reach the state of unity between man and sword, with our divine souls connected. At that time, the Changshou Sword will bestow upon him more power and vitality. Perhaps his lifespan will be longer than others, fulfilling his desire to accompany me for a longer time.]
[However, I know not everyone likes eternal life. At least, I don’t. In the past, I didn’t feel much about it, thinking that people come and go like the cycles of nature, but after knowing Dong Zhi, I gradually understood that it is frustrating to watch the people you care about grow old and die while you continue to live. Perhaps this is why I haven’t been able to break through my half-immortal state. In fact, I am no longer just a pure sword; I have humanity, but I had limited understanding before and never delved deep into it.]
[Although I want him to accompany me, I can’t impose this wish on him. I don’t know how humans love someone, but I think it should be what he wants. I will do my best to help him achieve it and will not force him into something he doesn’t want.]
[I haven’t mentioned this matter to Dong Zhi because I also worry that his feelings for me are too deep. If he hears that he can spend more time with me, he might agree without hesitation. But any decision made without careful consideration is not a true decision, and it’s not good for him.]
[Initially, I wanted to wait until everything settled down and find an opportunity to talk to him. I didn’t expect this setup to become my retreat. If I am assimilated into a demon, there will be no one in the world who can stop me. The Changshou Sword will be the only thing that can either eliminate me or save me.]
[I hope things haven’t reached that point yet because I want to spend more time with Dong Zhi.]
[Unfortunately, I met him too late.]
[Before this notebook, I wrote many others, but I burned them. I wrote these records isn’t because I have a poor memory, but because I wanted to leave some traces with my words. Words also have life. Even if they are burned, they once existed.]
[And now, I’m reluctant to destroy this particular notebook.]
Cheng Hui looked at Dong Zhi, tears welling up in his eyes, and softly asked, “Should I continue reading?”
Dong Zhi closed his eyes. “Cheng Hui, I already know how to help Master. Now I need to go to Kunlun immediately. I want to leave the front part of this notebook for the journey, but there may be some words inside that I will need your help in translating.”
Cheng Hui: “Let me accompany you!”
Dong Zhi shook his head. “It’s dangerous there right now. Your master and senior brother are already there. If they can’t resolve the situation, you going there won’t help. It’s safer for you to stay at headquarters.”
Cheng Hui nodded, not insisting. After all, he was well aware of his own abilities. In the past, he fell into a trap set by the Archfiend in Guangzhou, and it was up to his senior brother and Dong Zhi to save him.
“Please be careful. I’ll keep my phone on for twenty-four hours, so you can contact me anytime if you have any questions!”
Liu Qingbo and the others have already set off for Kunlun ahead of them. Besides Cheng Hui and Dong Zhi, the only one present was Liu Si.
Liu was a reliable companion. While he didn’t talk much, he always played a crucial role in critical moments.
As soon as he heard the words, he immediately stood up and said, “There may not be available seats on last-minute flights, and flights to Tibet are limited. I’ll contact Boss Wu and ask him to arrange a special plane. You go pack your things!”
Without waiting for Dong Zhi to thank him, he had already left.
……
Two hours later, Dong Zhi and Liu Si were already seated on the plane heading to Kunlun Mountain. Since it was a charter plane, it would land at the nearest military airport to where Long Shen and the others were located. From there, they would take a car to reach their destination. However, even so, it would take at least a day before they could arrive, not counting the time it would take to enter the Lengele Gorge.
Fastening his seatbelt and listening to the announcement of the imminent departure, Dong Zhi lowered his head and once again opened the two notebooks resting on his lap.
One was Long Shen’s notebook, and the other was the translation notes from Cheng Hui. However, even with these notes, he had to fill in the missing words and phrases, then connect them to read comprehensively. For someone like him who was new to the study of Waste Text, it would take a considerable amount of time. But Dong Zhi didn’t mind because he already knew the method Long Shen had mentioned. So this time, he chose to start from the beginning.
The beginning of this notebook recorded events that happened three weeks before Dong Zhi met Long Shen.
At that time, the Special Administration Bureau had just discovered abnormal activities of demonic creatures. Based on the clues provided by the Northeast Branch, they learned that a group of Japanese people had disappeared after entering the country, changing their names and identities. According to intelligence, these Japanese individuals had been seen near Changbai Mountain. So Long Shen, accompanied by He Yu and Kan Chaosheng, embarked on a train journey to Changchun.
[February 15, 2017. A large-scale Sneaky Yasha appeared on the train, resulting in one person missing and one person dead. This was a failure of Team 2 and my misjudgment. There was a passenger named Dong Zhi on the train, which was a rather coincidental name. He also emitted a faint demonic aura, raising suspicions of his possible connection to demons and needs to be verified.]
This was the first record in this notebook that was related to Dong Zhi, starting from the beginning.
Before this, there were only brief work records without much personal sentiment, which was in line with Long Shen’s usual character. Looking back now, even Dong Zhi himself felt that the timing of his appearance was indeed too coincidental, making it impossible not to suspect.
After he entered the world of cultivation, Dong Zhi learned that the Winter Solstice was the solar term marking the intersection of yin and yang. Scientifically, it was the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, indicating the decline of yang. From a perspective of cultivation, the first nine days were when the yang qi was blocked, and commercial travels weren’t auspicious. His own birthday was already inclined toward yin, and using the name Dong Zhi, which was based off of the Winter Solstice, at that time, made him a perfect target for the Archfiend on the train.
Now he naturally understood how dangerous his situation was at that time. If it weren’t for meeting He Yu and Long Shen, the grass over his grave would probably be three meters high by now. However, after that series of extraordinary experiences on the train, he didn’t have much fear. On the contrary, his curiosity took over, and he continued his journey to Changbai Mountain.
But who could have expected that his life would take a sharp turn?
Even looking back over a year ago, he had never regretted it. Dong Zhi sighed lightly and continued reading.
[February 23. It turned out that the true target of the Japanese was the stone tablet, not the bone dragon. The origin of the inscriptions on the stone tablet? Haven’t seen them before. Needs to be verified.]
Underneath this sentence, Long Shen drew the inscriptions on the stone tablet. He probably drew it based on his memory, and perhaps to prevent leakage, he only drew half of it.
When the bone dragon was annihilated, Dong Zhi was also present, but he didn’t witness the scene of the tablet shattering with his own eyes. It wasn’t until later, when he himself participated, that he saw the stone tablet that should have been guarded by Wuzhiqi. The inscriptions on it were indeed very similar to what Long Shen had drawn.
Subsequently, there were several consecutive entries related to official matters. Rather than a diary, it resembled a work-related memorandum. Written in Waste Text, hardly anyone could understand it. Cheng Hui mentioned that Long Shen used an ancient form of Waste Text, which was significantly different from the few texts of the dead that still circulated in modern times. Moreover, Dong Zhi could sense that there must be some kind of restriction placed on the notebook, perhaps self-destruction after a certain time, or even if it fell into the wrong hands, Long Shen would still be aware of it.
To compare and search for translations, Dong Zhi read slowly. He knew that Long Shen’s notebook wouldn’t be filled with mundane descriptions of personal emotions like an ordinary person would write. But he still didn’t want to miss any of the records because they were every footprint Long Shen left in the world.
In Long Shen’s mind at that time, investigating the Japanese’s purpose and the subsequent events related to the stone tablet were the most important things. Dong Zhi, as a passing traveler, naturally wouldn’t be worth the other party’s attention once it was verified that he had no connection to the demons.
Upon reaching this point, Dong Zhi couldn’t help but smile silently.
He was curious about how Long Shen would write about him in the subsequent entries.
Would Long Shen describe him as a mortal full of curiosity, lacking self-awareness, or a persistent and admirable apprentice?
Outside the window, layers of clouds undulated, radiating a colorful light. And he, following the path that person had once walked, was retracing his steps, step by step.
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