Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 133: Nuo Mask

“Don’t chase,” Shi Jingzhi whispered.

He no longer tightly gripped Yin Ci’s wrist but slid his palm down, covering the back of Yin Ci’s hand. The two of them stood close, and just a few movements brought back a strong smell of blood.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t say much. He lifted his head, grinning broadly at Yin Ci—probably the only person in the world who could be so cheerful after being injured.

Yin Ci calmed down, quickly realizing the issue.

When dealing with this man, he couldn’t maintain the same composure as before. The calmness and rationality that he had cultivated over many years suddenly crumbled in the face of the overpowering scent of blood. Any tiny variable involving this person could make him lose his bearings—

For a moment, he undoubtedly activated the disaster-warding talisman.

Due to its modification from a cursed artifact, the design of the talisman was simple. Even without inner force, a mere poke with a twig would activate it. Although Yin Ci claimed to have no inner force, his control over sword qi was impeccable; a mistake was impossible.

However, during the operation of the talisman, the injuries of the person being “shielded” would be transferred. At this moment, the bright red wound still remained on Shi Jingzhi’s neck, continuously oozing blood.

“…You knew.”

He didn’t make a mistake, and Chen Qianfan’s talisman couldn’t be of poor quality. The only remaining possibility was that Shi Jingzhi had detected the talisman on his body and had tampered with it beforehand.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t directly respond. He grimaced and touched the wound on his neck. “This will probably leave a scar. I’ll need to adjust my wedding robe.”

Yin Ci: “…”

Shi Jingzhi: “My clothes are dirty. Zizhu, fetch me a silver needle and silk thread. I need to stitch this wound.”

Yin Ci finally sighed. “Jingzhi, I shouldn’t have hidden this from you.”

Shi Jingzhi abruptly looked up, inadvertently pulling his wound, and winced in pain. Yet, the joy on his face was evident. “Say that again.”

“I shouldn’t have hidden it from you. I’m sorry.”

“Not that.” Shi Jingzhi covered his neck. “I know what you think, and I don’t blame you. Come, call me by my name again.”

Yin Ci’s emotions were thrown into turmoil by this man. On one hand, he was angry at Shi Jingzhi for treating himself poorly, and on the other, he felt like he was begrudgingly admitting his own mistakes. The feeling was truly a mix of sweet and sour, bitter and spicy, extremely complex and incredibly subtle.

Looking back, this young man hinted at him many times. Yet, he had always maintained some seniority and never candidly admitted it.

“Call me again,” Shi Jingzhi pressed on.

Yin Ci knew this young man loved to seize opportunities. He pulled out a silver needle and silk from the medicine box. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

Shi Jingzhi pretended not to hear.

“Jingzhi*.” Yin Ci, a bit helpless, started to thread the needle.

*Clarity: In Chinese culture, calling someone by just their first name often times shows extreme closeness, and among other cases, if you’re a romantic couple. This is why Shi Jingzhi is so enthusiastic about wanting to hear it from Yin Ci again.

Shi Jingzhi, satisfied, responded, “Mm, you stitch. When you gave me that brocade pouch, you still saw me as a junior, right? It’s hard to bring up such matters; if done wrongly, it seems like I’m taking advantage of gratitude.”

He gradually turned his cheek and rubbed Yin Ci’s hand, not holding the needle.

“Whenever I see you, I don’t know how to speak. It’s hard to explain, and I didn’t want you to get annoyed.”

Yin Ci found it both amusing and pitiable. “So you baited me to act first?”

“Yes. But I didn’t want to risk my life. It just so happened that the Changle Sect was there, so I used the opportunity. This way, my ‘serious illness’ seemed more believable. It’s a win-win.”

Yin Ci stitched the wound, which was numbed by a drug. Shi Jingzhi took the opportunity to lean in and kiss Yin Ci’s forehead.

“I indeed didn’t expect to see such a panicked look on your face, Zizhu… That was my fault.”

Regrettably, the satisfaction in Sect Master Shi’s tone overshadowed his apology, and the smugness in his eyes was impossible to hide. Yin Ci wanted to say, “Why not just say it?” but it got stuck in his throat, only to be swallowed back down. The scene of “being 100 steps angry but retreating 50 steps” replayed. He suspected that this kid had premeditated everything, precisely targeting every bit of his inner fury.

…However, if he wanted to completely grasp and manipulate him, this kid was still too naive.

Yin Ci resisted the urge to pull his ear, and his sewing movements became even gentler. Just when Shi Jingzhi relaxed completely, Demonic Lord Yin looked sideways and cleared his throat—

“Next time, I’ll definitely discuss it with you.”

Shi Jingzhi momentarily froze. “Next time?”

“Yes, next time.” Yin Ci washed the blood off his hands. “When I first gave you that charm, I did see you as a junior with a fragile life. Either way, I won’t die, so blocking a bit for you was no big deal.”

Shi Jingzhi touched the wound on his neck and stared silently at Yin Ci. Yin Ci took the safety brocade pouch off his body and solemnly placed it in front of Shi Jingzhi.

“Now I give it back to you, not out of an elder’s heart,” Yin Ci said solemnly, without a hint of embarrassment in his words.

“Shi Jingzhi, you are the person I cherish the most. I don’t want to lose you. Please keep this disaster-warding talisman with you.”

Shi Jingzhi was taken aback by these words, his eyes reddening slightly. “You…”

“Moreover, this item is rare. If used properly, it can strike unexpectedly.” Yin Ci continued with a straight face. “It would be a pity to give up on it.”

“…Can’t you let me be moved a bit longer?” Shi Jingzhi lamented.

But the disaster-warding talisman on his chest suddenly felt lighter. From now on, it wasn’t an armor of “self-sacrifice”, but a secret weapon they both understood.

Shi Jingzhi stared at the person in front of him for a while, then kissed his forehead.

“I’ll try not to use it. If I have to, it will only be for matters concerning both of us.” He rested his forehead against Yin Ci’s. “Zizhu, I’m very happy that you revealed everything today. As a return, I’ll tell you a secret—”

Shi Jingzhi moved his lips, whispering something.

Listening, Yin Ci’s face stiffened, and his fleeting guilt vanished instantly. At the end, Yin Ci leaned back and, without hesitation, pressed Shi Jingzhi’s hand against the wooden chair’s backrest.

“Good, very good.” Yin Ci’s face was clouded with shadows. “Shizun really is full of schemes.”

“This is the best plan I could think of,” Shi Jingzhi said sincerely. “I don’t want to hide it from you. Let’s discuss it.”

Thinking of the plan he just heard, Yin Ci felt a bit restless. However, with Shi Jingzhi’s sincere expression, looking up at his disciple, his face read, “I know you care about me.”

Poor Immortal Yin Ci; if his body had to go through more stress, he might internally injure himself. With Shi Jingzhi’s plan in place, he really didn’t have a better solution.

“Forget it, it really is the best strategy.” After struggling for a while, Yin Ci finally conceded. “You’re injured, so only vegetable porridge for you tonight.”

Shi Jingzhi froze in the chair, almost whimpering.

“Zizhu—”

Unfortunately, only the hard-hearted Demonic Lord Yin heard Sect Master Shi’s sobs.

The next day, the Sect Master of the Changle Sect had already vanished without a trace, and Yin Ci won without a fight. Qu Duanyun didn’t disappoint the audience, swiftly defeating Lin Zhen. The matches between Shi Zhongyu and Lin Xun, and Yan Qing against Elder Zhou of Taiheng, were unexpectedly fierce.

The battle between Shi Zhongyu and Lin Xun was set for noon. Though Shi Zhongyu lost her good sword, she still retained the Green Maiden Sword technique, which had been famous for a long time. Lin Xun, a member of the Jiu Tianhui Sect, was unknown to many. Even if he was a unique sword genius, he wouldn’t be a match for Shi Zhongyu.

Today, Shi Zhongyu finally changed her attire. She took off her coarse bandit clothes and wore her regular fabric outfit. Her long hair was neatly tied, even adorned with an elegant pearl hairpin.

The crowd saw a glimpse of the old Green Maiden Shi Zhongyu and couldn’t help but exclaim. Without a sideways glance, she gracefully stepped onto the stone platform and greeted Lin Xun.

With an expressionless face, Lin Xun returned the gesture. He looked ordinary, carrying a long sword, his eyes slightly vacant.

“Honor in heart, stop at the touch.” The leader of the Jinyu Group shouted. “Begin!”

Shi Zhongyu made the first move, her sword instantly ignited with a green flame. Unfortunately, her sword was of average quality, showing weakness under the flame’s burn. She swiftly aimed the green flame at Lin Xun’s face. Compared to the Green Maiden Sword technique that everyone had seen, her current sword style was more measured but several times more stable.

Shi Zhongyu, being a woman, was light and agile. She danced around Lin Xun, her sword alternating between close and distant. The green light, like a giant snake, kept moving around Lin Xun while the crowd burst into exclamations—

This move was tricky, and if one misjudged the distance, they would be at a disadvantage. Shi Zhongyu’s style had always been gentle, progressing step by step. But now, she went straight to the point with a vicious move.

People looked at each other, wondering what had upset the “Great Senior Sister of Taiheng”.

Lin Xun didn’t shrink back. He stood still for a moment and suddenly brandished his sword, producing layers of sword flowers around him. As the sword flowers tumbled, with continuous chimes, he managed to defend against Shi Zhongyu’s “Green Snake Stance”.

Shi Zhongyu showed no surprise, dodging Lin Xun’s intricate sword flowers. She twisted her body and aimed at Lin Xun’s wrist that was holding his sword.

Her sword was heated by the green flames, and this move raised a lot of hot steel slag. The slag scattered with her sword intent, becoming an excellent distracting weapon. Lin Xin immediately had dozens of minor injuries on his arm. As his attention was diverted, his swordplay was disrupted and became chaotic, and he quickly disengaged.

However, there was still no expression on Lin Xin’s face. He simply gave up his defense and engaged in close combat with Shi Zhongyu. For a moment, the glow of flames and the shadows of swords flew together, and countless sword qi lashed towards the stone platform, making a crisp cracking sound.

Lin Xin was tall and thin, yet he seemed weightless. He and Shi Zhongyu seemed like two intertwined gusts of wind, their figures blurring. The audience below erupted in cheers. But only Yin Ci slightly frowned, looking contemplative.

The two gusts swirled around the large arena several times, slowing down enough for their movements to be discernible. Shi Zhongyu was slightly panting, with numerous notches on her sword. Fortunately, the green flame was still blazing. Lin Xin continued with a calm expression, but his moves were more aggressive, exuding a self-sacrificing aura.

He seemed inexhaustible, growing stronger as the fight continued. Shi Zhongyu fought defensively, conserving her energy amidst the rapid attacks. Unfortunately, the opponent had no sense of rhythm in combat and attacked relentlessly. She was forced into a corner where her vision was obscured. Seeing that there was no way to retreat, the battle intensified.

The location was further from the spectators, and their positions were relatively fixed. Shi Zhongyu had more opportunities to observe her opponent.

It’s a trap.

Lin Xin’s movements were peculiar, unlike the common styles in the martial world. Despite their rapid pace, his breathing was steady, as solid as wood or stone. In the right light, she could see a hint of jade green in his pupils.

She realized that the Immortal Assembly wouldn’t just stand by and watch. This so-called Jiu Tianhui Sect was merely a stepping stone to interfere with the main event.

As if sensing her thoughts, an expression finally appeared on Lin Xin’s face—a stiff smile that was slightly unsettling.

The smile vanished quickly. Just as Shi Zhongyu’s sword broke a bit and she was about to switch positions, Lin Xin lunged directly at her, colliding with her flaming broken sword.

“Ah!!!”

A loud scream came from below.

In the arena, Lin Xin’s movements completely stopped, as if he had been paralyzed. A dark red stain slowly spread across his back, eventually soaking it completely.

The next moment, Lin Xin fell like a sack with his dull eyes still open. His sword clattered to the ground, sliding a few steps away.

After Lin Xin fell, the slightly shorter figure of Shi Zhongyu became visible. This time, she was the expressionless one—holding a half-burned sword with no signs of shock or regret.

Monk Zhixing, sitting in a prominent position, began to recite Buddhist scriptures in a low voice upon seeing this. The two monks beside him remained silent. Nearby, two doctors wanted to approach, but Shi Zhongyu signaled them to stay back.

“He’s dead,” she said calmly.

Whispers and discussions broke out among the martial artists below. Jin Lan, who was familiar with Shi Zhongyu, was utterly shocked. Shi Zhongyu’s demeanor, without even a hint of remorse, was unprecedented.

In Jin Lan’s heart, Shi Zhongyu was almost considered the soul of Taiheng. She would definitely not behave in such a manner. Could it be that she was possessed by something or affected by some technique?

Unexpectedly, Shi Zhongyu didn’t even glance at him; her eyes were sharply fixed on Qu Duanyun seated above.

“Taking a life means disqualification!” The leader of Jinyu Gang wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, his voice trembling slightly. “She must be strictly guarded and handed over to the authorities after the conference!”

Shi Zhongyu didn’t defend herself. She looked around as if imprinting everything in her memory, then nodded to Lin Zhen below, showing no intention of fleeing.

It wasn’t until Shi Zhongyu was taken away and the blood was cleaned up that the murmurs from the crowd began to die down. Yin Ci looked at Shi Jingzhi—Shi Jingzhi had his head lowered and his face remained calm.

However, there were many observing the Kushan Sect.

“It happened so suddenly, and only your sect remained calm. No wonder she spoke up for you. Kushan, you heretics, have you deceived her with your wicked ways?”

Elder Zhou of Taiheng, the next to go on stage, didn’t even wait for the fat leader’s signal before accusing Yan Qing.

Yan Qing, wearing a Nuo mask, remained silent.

“Even the servants are wearing masks, always using these mysterious tricks. Covering your face is useless; the aggrieved party is right here, and you can’t escape this time.”

Elder Zhou, with his white beard, looked furious, but his tone seemed genuinely concerned for Shi Zhongyu. Yan Qing didn’t drop his sword this time; he stood upright with his sword, still maintaining his silence.

The fat leader of the Jinyu Group soaked through a handkerchief with sweat before finding an opportunity to interject, “Begin!”

Given the situation, rallying shouts probably wouldn’t be of much use.

As expected, Elder Zhou shouted and instantly lunged at Yan Qing. Elder Zhou was highly respected in Taiheng, and his Feng Hui palm technique was masterful and intimidating to all. If not for his old age and declining strength, he might even stand a chance against Qu Duanyun.

Facing such a senior figure, Yan Qing didn’t act arrogantly. If he were to lose his sword, he might not be able to counter. Without his weapon, the situation would be irreparable.

Yan Qing cautiously adjusted his position, but against a master like Elder Zhou, the Nuo mask was a hindrance. To cover his ghost eyes, the mask’s holes were small, limiting his field of vision.

Elder Zhou, with his vast experience, immediately recognized the limitations of the mask. He targeted Yan Qing’s blind spots, his Feng Hui palm strikes producing sharp sounds of breaking the air. Yan Qing barely managed to defend using his Sword of Compassion. Despite this, Elder Zhou’s techniques were still overwhelmingly powerful.

The Sword of Compassion couldn’t block inner force like the Hanging Shadow Sword. The surging inner force passed through the blade, making it hard for Yan Qing to even hold onto the hilt.

Few cheered from below the stage.

The audience was still immersed in the shock of Shi Zhongyu’s public killing. Moreover, this match seemed to have a foregone conclusion. Although the turmoil in the martial world had shaken its foundations, the members of the Kushan Sect could still make it among the top eight. The righteous sects had lost face.

The situation was clear. Elder Zhou’s inner force could injure Yan Qing even if he hid behind a turtle shell. Unless Yan Qing could change the tide, breaking the deadlock—but how could someone who had thrown his sword this entire time have the power to do so?

“Thief, take this palm strike!” Seeing Yan Qing’s desperate defense, Elder Zhou, feeling unsatisfied, intensified his palm technique.

Using all his strength in this strike, even the surrounding air rippled. Yan Qing stabbed his sword into the stone platform to steady himself, preventing himself from being blown away by the palm’s wind.

Yan Qing tightly gripped the hilt, spitting out a bit of blood.

Elder Zhou was no ordinary master. His momentum was like a landslide, with each palm strike stronger than the last, leaving little time to counter. His strength was comparable to Chai Xin of the Ling Sect, but when he fought Chai Xin, Yan Zheng was by his side to help. Chai Xin had the upper hand then but became overconfident.

However, Elder Zhou was far from being complacent. The old man was furious, as if he wished to crush Yan Qing in a mortar.

“Why aren’t you throwing your sword now?” Seeing Yan Qing still not making a move, Elder Zhou said angrily. “Can’t you even face me head-on? Are you a coward or not?”

“Forget it.”

Yan Qing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and finally spoke.

“Senior’s skills are profound. If I don’t face you with all my strength, it would be disrespectful.”

“Just as I thought…” Elder Zhou started to say, but then froze on stage.

With a “snap” sound, Yan Qing’s wooden mask fell to the ground. Under the bright midday sun, Yan Qing’s ghost eyes shone like blazing charcoal, glaringly red.

The audience below fell into complete silence.

Jin Lan was greatly shocked. Instinctively, he cried out “Yan Qing”, but then realized his mistake and quickly covered his mouth. Unfortunately, it was too late—while others may not understand, Elder Zhou was crystal clear.

“In my sect, there was a blind servant who died in the Ghost Tomb named Yan Qing,” Elder Zhou said in a very low voice, pausing between words. “I thought it was just a coincidence of names, but to think… the Yan Clan’s bloodline has been hiding in my Taiheng!”

He then withdrew his hands and announced loudly. “You are lucky today. Leader of Jinyu, this man is not qualified to stand here. Take him down immediately!”

Yan Qing stood with his sword, his ghost eyes fixed on Elder Zhou, showing calm acceptance. Hearing Elder Zhou’s words, he didn’t move an inch, but instead showed a hint of a smile.

Could the situation get any more bizarre? The fat leader of the Jinyu Group was sweating profusely, and it took him a while to come to his senses.

“This… This…”

Elder Zhou: “What?”

“As for qualifications, the Martial Arts Conference only has two conditions: belonging to the ‘righteous sects’ and ‘passing the Mirror of Judgment’. The Kushan Sect has not been convicted and is still considered a righteous sect. This man also passed the Mirror of Judgement… even if he carries the bloodline of a demon, by the rules…”

The Jinyu Group leader swallowed hard.

“By the rules, he is indeed qualified.”

The situation was so outlandish that there was an uproar from the audience below.

The Martial Arts Conference wasn’t held annually, but in its century-long history, no descendant of the Yan Clan had ever set foot on the stone platform. This conference, especially, was about “winning over the audience”. Just by seeing those ghost eyes, one would not say “winning over” but rather “inciting anger”. With Taiheng at the forefront of this year’s conference, publicly revealing his identity like this, was he tired of living?

Despite being the center of attention, Yan Qing remained calm.

He didn’t glance at the audience below, nor did he listen to the exclamations or curses.

“Senior, can we continue now?”

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