Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 148: Trap

The imperial court’s bandit suppression team went into battle lightly equipped. Qu Duanyun quickly arrived in Qizhou.

The weather was good, and Qizhou should have been adorned with blooming spring flowers and willows like clouds. But now, the flowers were trampled into mud, and the bark of the willows was gnawed clean by passing livestock due to neglect. Dirty stains covered the stone slabs, and most of the shops for tourists were shut, with only a few brave ones still doing business.

Tourists of the past were either gone or dispersed. Every home’s door was tightly shut, leaving the city desolate and lonely.

Even the temples in Qizhou weren’t spared from the hands of the Chigou Sect. It was unknown how brutally they acted, but a wall of the temple had collapsed considerably. Fortunately, the statue of the Imperial Celestial seemed minimally damaged and had been covered by the people of the Immortal Assembly. All the valuable gold and treasuries were stolen, and the usually lively courtyard was empty.

The temple of the Imperial Celestial had stood in many places for over a hundred years. Even those who didn’t sincerely believe in it might have grown a fondness due to familiarity. With the tragic sight of the revered temple before them, Qu Duanyun, who mixed in with the bandit suppression team, heard sighs of pity.

“Chaotic times, truly chaotic,” a soldier beside him lamented. “If all the able-bodied men hadn’t gone to war, would they dare to act so brazenly? Instead of defending their homeland, they choose to loot and fight amongst themselves. Bandits will be bandits!”

“Indeed, it’s said that even the elderly tried to stop them by kneeling. The new Patriarch of the Chigou Sect is unyielding. Even the elderly were pushed aside. Everyone says that the Chigou Sect used to deal well with the imperial court, but who knows what madness has taken them now.”

“Desperation, perhaps,” another added mysteriously. “The new Patriarch has a good relationship with the rebel Shi Jingzhi. The gold they loot supports him. But even with gold, the common people have become complacent. They can’t even escape in time, let alone join a rebellion.”

Qu Duanyun couldn’t help but smile.

After all, when it came to ruling the nation, the Emperor was diligent and had not made major mistakes, let alone inciting public outrage. Facing external enemies, although the imperial court’s reaction was slow, the people were even slower. They either ran or hid. The crisis hadn’t fully hit them, so they weren’t ready to rise up yet.

It was as hard to incite a rebellion in Great Yun as it was to grow crops between stones.

Jiang Youyue’s “treason” label was so tight on Shi Jingzhi that he had no room to wriggle out—surrounded, Shi Jingzhi was now trapped near Kushan. He no longer had the time or means to find another way out.

Of course, the reason the Chigou Sect’s Patriarch attacked the temple might have been to find out about the appearance of the “Children of Desire”. Perhaps their main aim wasn’t the gold, but to displace the people and destroy the statues. Theoretically, if the flesh idols couldn’t absorb vital qi, it would extend Shi Jingzhi’s life.

Unfortunately, he chose the wrong path.

The temples were just built in the busiest places, and the absorption range of the flesh idol wasn’t small. The Hanging Tree could naturally absorb vital qi, let alone the flesh statues imitating a Hanging Tree—whether people believed in the Imperial Celestial or not, the idol would still absorb vital qi. As long as people had desires, even if they no longer visited temples, the idol would continue to absorb, albeit slower.

And could the Hanging Tree beneath the flesh idol be easily destroyed?

This way, they cut off every escape route for Shi Jingzhi.

Only by consuming the Shirou could one be liberated from this chaos. Qu Duanyun was curious about how Shi Jingzhi, facing such a desperate situation, would counter.

Leaving everything else aside, the move at the Yueshui Pavilion was a terrible mistake.

The roots of the Hanging Tree were unseen and untouched, and only masters believed in them. The common people wouldn’t be convinced. When Shi Jingzhi ascended the throne, they would have time to deal with the leaders and informants.

The Martial Arts Conference was personal combat, so accidents could occur. Now, having both time and location advantages, they wouldn’t make mistakes again—

The Luojiu army surged forward powerfully, while their own troops were limited. The Immortal Assembly “kindly” organized many of their own and recruited some locals from Qizhou, assembling an army of thousands.

In contrast, the “rebels” were a mess. At the base of Kushan, numerous displaced people and bandits gathered. The surroundings were dirty and smelly. No organized force was visible. Everyone looked miserable, and one could only wonder where the gold from the Chigou Sect was spent.

Outside the abandoned town was a vast wasteland—hot during the day, cold at night, occasionally visited by wild dogs—a place the displaced people disliked. The soldiers, however, found it suitable for camping.

The enemy was insignificant, barely a shadow. The soldiers were relaxed, and the atmosphere lightened.

However, just as everyone let their guard down, a lone silhouette appeared on the wasteland. When they recognized the figure, a small disturbance rippled through the army.

The man’s brows and eyes were picturesque, dressed in a sharp black robe. His long hair was even darker than crow feathers by a shade. He walked alone among the wild grass with his long black hair fluttering in the wind, like an evil god descended from the heavens, or a fierce ghost bound to this land.

Across from them stood only one person, yet his aura was as overwhelming as a tempestuous wind or mighty waves crashing onshore. There was no emotion on his face, but even the youngest soldier could feel his hostility and hatred.

It was Yin Ci.

He came alone, without the shadow of Shi Jingzhi by his side. The young leading officer looked at Qu Duanyun and saw him shake his head. Immediately, the officer made a gesture, and the soldiers stood still.

Qu Duanyun rode a white horse, breaking from the formation and charging straight at Yin Ci.

Aware of Yin Ci’s reputation, he felt no fear. As the saying goes, overpowering ten with a single move. While Yin Ci was skilled in martial arts, he lacked inner force. If Shi Jingzhi had been with him, they might have complemented each other. But now, even if he ordered his troops to move in, they could easily subdue him.

But he had more pressing matters at hand.

With a light tap of his foot, Qu Duanyun leapt from his horse. Several thin streams of qi shot out. Soft explosions echoed from all directions as he spun gracefully back onto his horse.

“Evil qi from the Soft Fish Demon’s eye.” He drew out his piercing black sword, pointing it directly at Yin Ci. “Such trivial tricks, yet you want to play them a second time?”

Yin Ci halted in his tracks.

He looked up at Qu Duanyun with a chilling smirk. Without saying a word, his gaze swept over the army behind Qu Duanyun.

“Three thousand five hundred men.” Yin Ci murmured to himself. Several of the precious Soft Fish Demon eyes were damaged, but he didn’t seem to care.

Qu Duanyun frowned. “Founding General Yin Zizhu, resorting to such petty tricks, it’s really unimpressive.”

Simply reusing old tricks, trying to turn people against each other with illusions. The Immortal Assembly had been embarrassed at a martial arts conference once but wouldn’t be again.

“The Taiheng sect leader collaborating with the Immortal Assembly—isn’t that disgraceful?”

“In dealing with the rebels, it’s a matter of national importance. Not to mention Taiheng, didn’t the followers of your Alliance Leader also stay out of it?”

Qu Duanyun was full of confidence.

He was only maintaining order in the name of the Sect Master of Taiheng; officially, this army still belonged to the imperial court, and nobody could find fault. But once Shi Jingzhi obtained the Shirou, it would be hard to say which Emperor this “diluted” army would support.

Yin Ci chuckled, neither agreeing or disagreeing, his face saying, “Just as I thought.”

He quietly observed Qu Duanyun for a moment, then motioned with his left hand. The bushes behind him rustled, revealing a blood-soaked bag. Yin Ci opened the bag to reveal human limbs cut into several pieces.

Despite the blood, the limbs were elegant and beautiful, unlike those of ordinary people. But the wounds were clearly not Yin Ci’s doing. With no trace of Shi Jingzhi, could it be…

Qu Duanyun’s gaze grew colder.

Yin Ci laughed. “I wouldn’t be so foolish as to kill him. Thanks to all of you, I’ve been perfecting the art of dissecting living beings over the years.”

The blood-soaked limbs lay scattered, and Yin Ci’s eyes grew even wilder.

“Three hundred years, and the Xu Clan remains the same, as do the traitors. I thought Shi Jingzhi was insightful, but in the end, he’s just another coward. Now, even if he had the power, he can’t use it.”

“Don’t worry, even if he’s injured to half his body, the True Immortal can heal him. Even if you killed him, we could still raise the next Child of Desire.”

Qu Duanyun coldly retorted.

“Before that, we’ll seal you back in the Northwestern Great Prohibition. No one will steal mercury to save you this time… Yin Zizhu, by the time you emerge, my Great Yun will have unified the world, for generations to come.”

Yin Ci drew his Hanging Shadow Sword. “Instead of making idle boasts, better save the Child of Desire. With his limbs gone, how much longer do you think he has to live? It would be such a letdown if the main character dies during the play.”

With that, he lunged forward, aiming a killing blow directly at Qu Duanyun’s throat. His sword’s wind was chilling, more treacherous than the Bone Sweeping Sword technique.

Qu Duanyun’s scalp tingle, and he swiftly dodged. The Hanging Shadow Sword adjusted its trajectory, slashing at the horse’s neck. The white horse neighed, blood spattering, as Qu Duanyun barely escaped the sword’s edge.

Facing just one opponent, the soldiers behind hesitated, unsure whether to intervene. Qu Duanyun parried Yin Ci’s fierce strikes while his mind turned quickly—

Infighting?

Shi Jingzhi treasured his life to the extreme. Perhaps it was his overwhelming desire for life that led him to try and secretly steal the Shirou. Unfortunately, he was discovered by Yin Ci. That man had formidable inner force, but now he was weak and frail, so it wasn’t impossible for him to be controlled by Yin Ci.

If understood in this way, everything from the chaotic mess to minor resistances becomes easier to grasp.

Yin Ci dared not kill Shi Jingzhi directly, for he was a True Immortal. So he disabled him, hiding Shi Jingzhi in a secluded corner, waiting to slowly drain his life so that even the True Immortal couldn’t save him. The master and disciple of the Kushan Sect turned against each other, and outside, everyone panicked. The defenses naturally collapsed.

…Shi Jingzhi could not die yet.

Waiting for the next Child of Desire to grow would take at least ten to twenty years. Although the True Immortal could intervene and stabilize the chaos, supporting the Imperial Preceptor’s linage, this war would inevitably weaken Great Yun. If Shi Jingzhi died at this critical moment, it would be a bad deal.

“This man is also a rebel!” Qu Duanyun dodged the sword attacks and shouted. “Shi Jingzhi is hidden nearby; search quickly!”

As he spoke, he released a signal flare from his sleeve. The flare exploded in a bright red in the clear sky, drawing attention.

Now he was trying to save someone, and Taiheng had no reason to stand by.

Who could have thought that the bandit suppression team would have to search the countryside for someone? The soldiers were confused but could only obey and split into several groups. Of the more than three thousand, only a few hundred remained, looking more scattered than the wilderness bushes.

With a few hundred men, they could handle Yin Ci. All Qu Duanyun needed was to buy time until Taiheng arrived.

“If I were you, I’d have hidden away with him. Did you come out to fight because you’re afraid you won’t lose quickly enough?” Qu Duanyun defended cautiously, retreating towards where the most people were.

“I don’t want to flee like a drowning dog. It’s a pity you damaged the Soft Fish Demon Eye. I originally wanted to broadcast this scene… What does it feel like to fail at the last moment—isn’t it a pity to miss it?”

Yin Ci’s sword was like a rainstorm, but his breathing remained steady. The hostility around him grew stronger, resembling a vengeful ghost from hell. Qu Duanyun was well-prepared, but even with magical artifacts, he couldn’t withstand such violent attacks.

“There will be successors even if you kill me. We want greatness for Great Yun, yet you wish to destroy this golden age.” Qu Duanyun deliberately started a conversation.

“Greatness?” Yin Ci laughed. “In poor families, the elderly don’t live past sixty, and the young die of injuries and illnesses. In the end, your Immortal Assembly feeds human lives to the Hanging Tree. What kind of prosperity are you talking about? It’s all the same*!”

*Six of one and half a dozen of the other (半斤八两) Idiom referring to the choices being no different from each other.

Despite Qu Duanyun starting the conversation, he felt a sudden bitterness in his heart. Many faces flashed through his mind, bringing a familiar feeling of nausea.

This man had lived for over a hundred years but still couldn’t see the truth of the world.

“Why pamper and indulge those who are incredibly foolish and inherently lazy? Our relationship with the Hanging Tree is merely a mutual benefit!”

With a surge of vital qi on his Guanwu Sword, the air around Qu Duanyun distorted. He yelled, “My father once made me personally farm and trade to experience the world. If those people tried harder and thought more, they wouldn’t suffer so much. The weak are detested by the heavens. What’s wrong with survival of the fittest?”

During Qu Duanyun’s outburst, Yin Ci was caught off guard. His left shoulder was deeply cut, almost severing his arm. A mistake lost him the advantage, and Qu Duanyun seized the moment.

“To pity the commoners is a waste of national power. In the end, you’ll only be hindered and stagnate!”

“You speak of the great truth well, but you got rid of high-virtue individuals like Sect Master Qi. Among those sacrificed to Luojiu, weren’t there any ‘worthy’ people? In my opinion, it’s just personal ambition to leave a legacy.”

Yin Ci tasted the blood from his lips, the laughter in his voice growing stronger.

“We all have personal desires; why pretend to be so—”

Yin Ci’s wound sprouted countless tiny roots, healing rapidly. He was like a black wind, attacking from the most unexpected angles. But while his swordsmanship was wild, he didn’t aim for Qu Duanyun’s life, seemingly enjoying toying with him.

“—high and mighty?” His sword and words fell simultaneously, making Qu Duanyun’s palms tingle.

“Personal desire?” Qu Duanyun’s veins popped on his forehead, and he swung his sword again. “For personal desire, I would not have acted against my beloved teacher! It’s just that the Sect Master was too indecisive and lacked the heart to kill. For a great cause, even if I must die, I will accept it gladly…”

As a result, before he could finish his words, the madness on Yin Ci’s face disappeared in an instant.

“Hmm, quite tragic.” He jumped back several feet, kicking aside the severed limbs and legs near his feet. “Everyone, did you hear that? This man has just admitted to the matter of the demon tree.”

Qu Duanyun’s mind went blank for a moment.

Who was he talking to?

There were no signs of anyone nearby, and he had been specifically checking. Yin Ci’s madness didn’t seem feigned just now. Who were these people…

“Well done, Zizhu.”

A figure suddenly dashed out, rushing straight towards Yin Ci. The man was tall and slender, moving like the wind, with a bright smile on his face. By the time he reached Yin Ci, he even leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

It was Shi Jingzhi, the very person who was supposedly “maimed”!

What was even more shocking was that following him were several familiar faces—

Monk Juehui, with his hands clasped together, looked even more distressed than before. Shi Zhongyu looked either too angry or too shocked to show any emotion; her face was pale and expressionless. Hua Jingchun was hissing from the cold, and the remaining person, who looked like a member of the Yueshui Pavilion, seemed as if his eyes were about to pop out.

All these people were masters at hiding their auras. Even so, their wrists were adorned with expensive artifacts that helped them hide it.

It was a trap.

…The news about the Hanging Tree could be ignored; the stranger it seemed, the easier it would be to cover up. However, the sin of disrupting the martial world at this crucial moment couldn’t be exposed.

This was troublesome now. They needed to eliminate all witnesses.

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