Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 121: Resurrection

Seeing the remnants of the cup, Hua Jingchun realized that the plot had been exposed. Wu Huai indeed was a beast, but based solely on this, her actions couldn’t be justified—even though Chigou was seemingly friendly to the people, it was fundamentally a demonic sect. Attacking solely because the “Young Patriarch” was morally corrupt would be quite absurd.

Before Wu Huai could drink the drugged tea, even the always-disciplined Taiheng disciples weren’t affected. The courtyard was full of Chigou members, and the other eight Great Protectors and Protectors were all awake, making the situation as bad as it could be. This operation was a gamble, and facing imminent failure, Hua Jingchun responded calmly.

If Shi Jingzhi took advantage of the situation to demand a high price, she would have reason to suspect him of tampering with the drug. But when he asked for a painting instead, she couldn’t help but be both amused and puzzled.

“Taken a liking? Don’t joke.” The Chigou sect was open-minded, so she didn’t take his words as an offense. “You see those people? A single spit from them is enough for us to suffer. And those eight on stage, they’re all fierce individuals who have tasted blood. You’re so young; better not get involved in this mess.”

Shi Jingzhi, still smiling, became more affectionate. “Sister, don’t worry. Just tell me if you’re willing or not.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to if you’re willing to die for me?”

Wu Huai was in no rush, standing back and watching them whisper below, his intentions unclear.

The eight Great Protectors and Protectors on the stage saw that their Young Patriarch was still, so they looked at each other, confused. Just now, when Hua Jingchun addressed the Young Patriarch in his twenties as ‘ge’, they weren’t sure if she was stating a fact or smearing him. Despite the hesitation, all of them gripped their weapons. The atmosphere was so tense that one could hear a pin drop.

Sect Master Shi remained relaxed and continued softly, “Dear sister, let me ask two questions. Do you recognize the face of the former Patriarch? If you see him again, can you recognize him?”

This chilling question made Hua Jingchun uncertain. “Only the Patriarch of past generations could see the portrait, but the previous Patriarch had an extraordinary presence. Even if he was masked, we wouldn’t mistake him.”

Wu Huai was still calm, but Qu Duanyun didn’t want to watch this farce. He tapped the table, still speaking logically. “Regarding Chigou, Taiheng does not intend to intervene. But betraying one’s sect for selfish desires is the most despicable act in the martial world. If Patriarch Wu needs help, just ask.”

Protector Hua spat and sneered, “So Taiheng is also a coward, pretending to be blind and deaf. Did Sect Master Qu not see the misdeeds of this man? Claiming to maintain righteousness, but now he’s become indecisive.”

Qu Duanyun earnestly replied, “For centuries, Chigou has been digging graves, stealing relics, raising assassins, and trading lives. Within this demonic sect, Protector Hua, what righteousness do you want me to defend? When you commit evil, you don’t want us to interfere. Now, when it’s infighting, you hope we uphold justice?”

Xu Jingming, sitting not far from him, nodded in agreement. He was more curious and excited than nervous about this unexpected turn.

Hua Jingchun was taken aback and replied sharply, “Since Sect Master Qu hates evil so much, why have any relations with Chigou? Wouldn’t it be easier to just fight to the death?”

“Whether in the northwest or in the martial world, Chigou must continue,” Qu Duanyun said with a hint of pity in his eyes. “Protector Hua, stop your nonsense. It’s better to quit early.”

Yin Ci, sidetracking the topic, observed Qu Duanyun.

If this man wasn’t pretending to be a genius, he genuinely believed in what he said. In his words, Protector Hua became a “traitor out of selfish desires”; a lunatic spewing “nonsense”.

Yin Ci touched his Hanging Shadow Sword, deeply influenced by his own Sect Master. For a moment, he wanted to take Qu Duanyun for questioning.

Seeing the conversation coming to an end, Yin Ci looked at Shi Jingzhi. Just as he was about to speak, Shi Jingzhi playfully scratched his palm.

“A’Ci, let’s play something fun,” he said gleefully. “I know what you’re thinking, but instead of kidnapping Qu Duanyun, I have a more entertaining idea.”

Shi Jingzhi pointed at the mask Wu Huai placed next to the ancient tripod. The Young Patriarch’s removal of the mask was routine. That mask was a replica of the former Patriarch’s, identical to the one in the painting.

“Yin Ci, want to try ‘resurrecting from the dead’?”

Meanwhile, Wu Huai’s calm before the storm reached its end. Seeing Hua Jingchun showing no sign of surrender, he pinched his brow and brandished his Bone Sweeping Sword. “Kill them all. No need to interrogate.”

“Remove the mask to show the true face, offer past commitments for peace. Respectfully announce to the world, a cup of wine disrupts the Yellow Springs.”

Unknowingly, Shi Jingzhi had jumped to the roof on the side of the courtyard, right above the portrait of the Old Patriarch. His Nuo mask was slightly tilted, revealing a bewitchingly beautiful face. After several days, the Medicine Cures Illness flag was finally lifted by the wind, and the sect leader’s jade pendant on the flag swayed with it. Shi Jingzhi’s long hair floated with the wind, accompanied by the swirling mist of the corpse incense, adding a more eerie atmosphere.

“Wu Huai, you haven’t drunk the ‘wine that disrupts the Yellow Springs’. Can you really be considered the Patriarch of Chigou? Isn’t it a bit excessive to order death directly like this?”

Seeing Shi Jingzhi’s face, Wu Huai was momentarily stunned but didn’t show much surprise, obviously recognizing him. Qu Duanyun stood up from his seat, drawing his sword. His brows furrowed slightly, and a ripple appeared on his calm face.

Xu Jingming couldn’t contain his shock and exclaimed, “It’s you—”

Shi Jingzhi crouched on the eaves, overlooking the scene, ignoring the commotion below. His eyes swept over all the faces looking up at him.

Wu Huai pointed at him with his Bone Sweeping Sword. “Come down. I don’t like looking up when I speak. What does my Chigou matter have to do with your Kushan Sect?”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t hide the eerie aura around him. Locking his eyes with Wu Huai, he laughed. “So what if it’s unrelated? I came here for two reasons: One is for a treasure from Chigou, and the other is to test the magic artifact I got from Zongwu Mountain.”

He casually took out a jade eyeball and played with it in his hand.

Seeing the jade eyeball, the reactions of the people in the courtyard made it easy for him to judge who knew its significance and who didn’t. Most reacted with surprise, caution, and incomprehension, with a few showing greed.

This helped him rule out any potential spies from the Immortal Assembly.

The jade eyeball moved up and down in Shi Jingzhi’s hand, captivating the crowd. “This is a great artifact. If used correctly, it can bring the dead back to life.”

His voice, infused with inner force, rang loud and clear.

“I’ve thought about it for a long time. Yan Budu is cunning and dangerous, and Venerable Kongshi probably won’t let me, a lunatic, go. To summon a soul, Su Zhi seems appropriate. With this setup, it’s intriguing.”

The courtyard suddenly burst into chaos. The guests seemed relatively unaffected, but the members of Chigou instantly descended into turmoil. The still waters turned turbulent, and the buzzing discussions drowned out the continuous jingling of bone bells.

“Can Patriarch Su actually be resurrected?!”

“People have been saying that the Kushan Sect obtained a treasure from Zongwu Mountain, and it seems to be true…”

“There are countless bizarre and mysterious things in the Ghost Tomb. If that truly is a cursed object left by Yan Budu, it could very well be possible—”

“What cursed object? When Yan Budu obtained the ‘Shirou’, he must’ve also taken other celestial artifacts!”

Even Hua Jingchun, who personally brought them here, was taken aback; her eyes were fixated on that jade eyeball. The people from the Yueshui Pavilion seemed to have gone mad as the sound of hastily scribbling notes was incessant, accompanied by the tearing of paper. What started as a minor disturbance quickly escalated into utter chaos. The members of Chigou forgot about the corpses on the ground and eagerly pushed towards the direction of Shi Jingzhi.

Only Wu Huai and Qu Duanyun reacted differently. Wu Huai remained indifferent, while a fleeting look of “What nonsense are you talking about?” appeared on Qu Duanyun’s face. He hid it well, but not from Shi Jingzhi’s sharp eyes.

These two seemed to know something about the jade eyeball.

Shi Jingzhi smiled subtly without exposing them. He activated the artifact, creating a spectacle. The ritual commenced, and when the smoke cleared, a figure stood in front of the portrait.

Bone bells in the sky all vibrated in unison, creating a humming sound. The smoke was swept away by the wind, and in front of the scroll, a figure truly appeared.

The figure had long, disheveled hair, dressed in the ceremonial robe of the Chigou Sect, and wore a mask on his face. Without uttering a word, he exuded an immense aura that weighed heavily on the crowd, making them unable to lift their heads.

Even without seeing the face, just by that demeanor and aura…

“Patriarch… Patriarch Su!” Protector Hua stuttered, a rare occurrence. Her eyes widened, not even concerned about Shi Jingzhi’s identity anymore.

She stared at the figure in front of the scroll, tears streaming down her face. A century had passed, and the admiration of the Chigou members for Patriarch Su had never reached the point of madness. But now, with the legend standing before them, the overwhelming emotions couldn’t be suppressed. Some bolder young members even tried to touch the legend from a century ago.

Yin Ci didn’t really want to speak at this moment. He just stood silently in place, feeling like a sieve under the scrutinizing gaze of the crowd.

He had imagined countless scenarios of returning to Chigou, but this wasn’t one of them. God knows what was going on in Shi Jingzhi’s head, to come up with such a trick so quickly. The advantage of this method was evident—with Shi Jingzhi and the jade eyeball descending from the sky, if there were anyone from the Immortal Assembly, their reaction would be genuine.

The downside was, as a “resurrected” spirit, Yin Ci couldn’t bleed nor be touched by others.

‘…Difficult to achieve,’ Yin Ci thought. But as Shi Jingzhi said, it was indeed interesting.

“Charlatan tricks!” Wu Huai took the initiative, thrusting his Bone Sweeping Sword straight forward.

Summoning the dead was absurd. This was probably something prearranged by Shi Jingzhi and Hua Jingchun.

The choice of the person was apt. He had learned the demeanor and aura of Patriarch Su for a long time, but none were as accurate as this imitation. But these charlatan tricks were just that. Once he made a move, the farce would collapse.

Wu Huai’s sword was fast, filled with killing intent. But that “Su Zhi” caught the blade between his fingers with a twist.

“I see, imitating the Bone Sweeping Sword technique.” Yin Ci sighed. He kept his habit of “Su Zhi” and lowered his voice slightly. “A good imitation, but I’m not a fan.”

The true-or-false Old Patriarch faced off against the Young Patriarch, leaving the members of Chigou paralyzed. Everyone looked at each other, unsure whether to intervene.

Seeing his sword was ineffective, Wu Huai caught a glimpse of Yin Ci’s details. He frowned and said with a shaken tone, “You… have no inner force?”

He exerted all his strength to retrieve his sword, adopting a completely defensive stance. It wasn’t unusual for someone to lack inner force, and young masters were also not very rare. However, a young master without inner force was indeed a rarity.

Yin Ci snorted coldly, casually drawing a sword from a corpse at the side of the platform, without giving a reply.

He had no intention of engaging in a conversation with Wu Huai. Instead, he immediately advanced with his sword. As soon as his sword technique was displayed, it instantly caused a gasp of astonishment from the crowd.

“The Bone Sweeping Sword technique! It’s the Bone Sweeping Sword technique!”

“It truly is Patriarch Su!”

Now, even those who were previously skeptical became fervent believers. It had been a long time since the founding of Great Yun, but no one had heard of any sect leader being resurrected.

Hua Jingchun quickly recovered and shouted at the remaining Protectors. “Patriarch Su has revealed himself! Are you still going to protect that imposter?”

The aura, the intricate Bone Sweeping Sword technique—none of these could be faked. The eight elders were dumbfounded, none daring to assist Wu Huai.

Taking advantage of the situation, Protector Hua turned to the fervent followers. “Wu Huai betrayed his people, forged his lineage, and even the evidence is counterfeit! Today I am here by the rules, only for the everlasting Divine Chigou Sect!”

“It is a blessing for me to see Patriarch Su appear today!”

Wu Huai was completely overpowered by Yin Ci. His sword style was derived from the Bone Sweeping Sword technique. How could he anticipate facing the original moves? Every move he made was countered by Yin Ci.

Recognizing the situation, Wu Huai shouted, “This is all that woman’s trickery! Sect Master Qu, Taiheng aims to uphold justice. How long will you stand by?!”

Clearly, this was a plea for help.

After a brief exchange of glances between Wu Huai and Hua Jingchun, their eyes quickly shifted away.

Qu Duanyun acted decisively. Upholding the principle of capturing the leader first to defeat the group, he charged directly towards Shi Jingzhi. Shi Jingzhi pretended to chant while holding a jade orb, unfazed and unhurried. As Qu Duanyun’s sword approached, it was simultaneously blocked by a stone sword and a short dagger.

“This is technically our Sect Master,” Su Si, wearing a mask, said with a grin. “If he gets a scratch, my monthly stipend will decrease.”

Yan Qing turned in astonishment. “A’Si, you don’t have a monthly stipend.”

“…Are you dense? It’s just a figure of speech!” Su Si sneered.

No matter how exceptional Qu Duanyun was as a young warrior, he couldn’t handle two formidable opponents simultaneously. Their weapons, one short and one long, one light and one heavy, were contrasting in style. The butcher knife was indeed treacherous, while the Sword of Compassion was upright and heavy. The clash of these contrasting styles gave Qu Duanyun a splitting headache.

Xu Jingming shouted and stepped forward to aid his childhood friend. His martial arts might not be top tier, but his presence was undeniably distracting.

“As expected from a nation’s calamity, you really cause chaos wherever you go. With the soul-summoning artifact in hand, I bet you want to turn the world upside down!” Xu Jingming said assertively, folding his fan.

While Shi Jingzhi continued his faux chanting, it didn’t stop him from rolling his eyes and deftly dodging Qu Duanyun’s attacks.

Suddenly, a painful cry was heard below.

Wu Huai’s arm was sliced by Yin Ci, making his once ethereal face contort in pain. He issued orders with all his might, but no one heeded them—

Upon witnessing Su Zhi’s signature swordsmanship, the followers had no doubts left. They chose the most prudent approach, kneeling and paying respects to the platform. The chaotic ascension ceremony now finally resembled a “grand ceremony”.

Wu Huai claimed to have Su bloodline and wielded Su Zhi’s sword. But with the true Su Zhi present and him not acknowledging this successor, the authenticity of the bloodline and the sword became less important.

Shouts of “Greetings, Patriarch Su” echoed, gradually merging into one, causing the tiles beneath Shi Jingzhi to tremble.

‘But your Patriarch is mine,’ Shi Jingzhi thought smugly.

Only the members of Taiheng were still trying to approach Yin Ci, but they were outnumbered. They were confronted by a group led by Protector Hua, unable to advance.

Yin Ci pinned Wu Huai to the ancient cauldron with his sword before speaking again. He turned to the eight stunned Protectors. “Can’t you tell that the Bone Sweeping Sword is fake?”

He then added dismissively, “I designed this sword myself, and Hua Yi personally forged it. Back then, seeing the sword meant seeing the person. Now all I see is a group of fools who mistake fisheyes for pearls.”

“Patr… Patriarch…”

Shi Jingzhi, noting the commotion, finally stopped his chants. With Yan Qing and Su Si guarding him, he smiled at Qu Duanyun. “Sect Master Qu, this is our second meeting. This troublesome little brother of mine, I have to trouble you to take care of him along the way. Once you return to Yidu…”

His smile became a little twisted.

“…Please send my regards to the Imperial Preceptor.”

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