Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 99: Protection

Yin Ci didn’t really close his eyes.

Dawn had barely broken, and the morning fog hadn’t yet cleared. It was still enough to see the overall situation clearly.

With Jin Lan present, Taiheng wouldn’t focus on attacking them. But here they were in front of the Ling Sect’s main branch. The Ling Sect had all the geographical advantage—Yan Zheng and Chai Xin already had disagreements. Even if Yan Zheng successfully returned to the sect, he may not be able to control the situation, so it was unknown how many masters from the Ling Sect would come out.

Under these circumstances, buying time wasn’t an easy task. Yet Shi Jingzhi was leisurely telling him to close his eyes. As the night sky was just starting to lighten, could he make a daytime firework?

As for Taiheng, let it be. The demonic sect wouldn’t just sit by and watch them mess around. The Ling Sect people had always been unaware of the meaning of “fairness”, and there was the old grudge with Zheng Fengdao. The densely packed sect members soon split into two groups, one rushing to Taiheng’s camp to stir the waters and one directly charging towards the two people in the encirclement.

Yin Ci drew out his Hanging Shadow Sword, glancing at the few members of the Chigou Sect nearby. His identity as a “descendant of the former Patriarch” could no longer be concealed, adding a bit of chaos to the situation.

On the other side, seeing Yin Ci uncooperative, Shi Jingzhi no longer urged. He ignored the charging Ling Sect team, freed a hand, and covered Yin Ci’s eyes.

Yin Ci sighed inwardly, allowing Shi Jingzhi to cover his eyes.

Then a gentle humming sound started. A speck of bright golden light slipped through Shi Jingzhi’s fingers and into Yin Ci’s eyes. The momentum of the rushing Ling Sect followers suddenly faltered, revealing a sense of stagnation. Shi Jingzhi removed his hand, and Yin Ci finally saw the scene before him—

He had actually created “fireworks on the ground”.

The fireworks flashed and disappeared, like a wilting and withering flower. But this one seemed to be frozen in mid-air—countless golden threads radiated from the master and disciple at the center, drawing beautifully curved traces. The threads, made of yang fire, were like spider silk covered in morning dew. They were stretched thin by Shi Jingzhi, standing firm in the thin mist, occasionally flashing a streak of flowing light.

Anyone who rushed forward recklessly would be cut into several segments by the golden threads of the yang fire.

This strange “flower” flickered in the morning light. Just considering the attack power and spell strength, it was far from the battle array used against the Arcane Arts, but it clearly came from the same source, carrying a dense and rain-like killing intent. Shi Jingzhi deeply cut the palm of his other hand, and blood slowly flowed down the flagpole. Before they touched the ground, they were consumed by the spell as material.

This spell didn’t require precise control, and the fire threads were thin and sparse. Along with the slow flow of blood, everything was calculated just right.

The Ling Sect team who had just rushed in didn’t have time to stop, and many hit the golden threads head-on. The Ling Sect’s footwork was fast and fierce, and the crowd was cleanly and neatly cut into several pieces. The gaps between the golden threads could accommodate people, but considering the difficulty of fighting, only those with top-notch movement skills could move around freely.

Like Yin Ci.

The ones who rushed out first were just Ling Sect thugs. Yin Ci had already raised his sword, but no one successfully charged to his front. Yin Ci stared at the fire thread close at hand, slowly turning his head to look at Shi Jingzhi a few steps away.

Thousands of golden threads were collected in the flagpole, looking like a golden acacia bending down.

“My inner force is quite capable, but in terms of external martial arts and combat response, I’m inferior to top-notch masters. With so many enemies now, if I forcibly fight alongside you, I’ll only drag you down in the end. That’s not ‘treasure’; that’s stubbornness.”

Shi Jingzhi’s smile deepened.

“On second thought, you’ve been protecting me all along. You did it in the Ghost Tomb, in Yuanxian Village, and especially before the Arcane Arts. But to ‘treasure another’ is a two-way street. If it’s one-sided, it’s not ‘treasure’, it’s sacrifice.”

A sword qi flashed, and Shi Jingzhi’s empty hand had a wound. A few defensive fireballs of yang fire were lit around Yin Ci, and they fluttered around him affectionately, chirping like sparrows. They were more flexible than before when dealing with the Arcane Arts, soaking the surrounding air with intense heat.

“After a hundred years of habit, you’ve forgotten what ‘mutually treasure each other’ is. Let me teach you. Now it’s my turn to say this—A’Ci, I’m protecting you.”

Yin Ci’s sword-holding hand moved a bit, but he didn’t answer. This kid was really greedy, he thought. He could just close his eyes and cover his ears, depending on him, but instead, Shi Jingzhi used his own blood as material to painstakingly concoct a spell just to save him a bit of pain?

He stopped caring about those pains long ago; they wouldn’t even leave a wound.

Allowing a person covered in scars to lie on soft silk was simply a waste of good things. But looking at the golden threads that blocked thousands of people in front of him, Yin Ci couldn’t easily change the subject.

Shi Jingzhi stared at him solemnly. Yin Ci could see the affection and dependence in those eyes. But there was also a strange emotion mixed in, and Yin Ci didn’t know how to describe it—Shi Jingzhi wasn’t staring at a strong collaborator, a profitable target, or a rare treasure in the world.

Shi Jingzhi was just looking at him expectantly, like a mortal looking at another.

Yin Ci suddenly found a warm and soft swamp under his feet. It made him stuck deep in the mud, but he couldn’t bear to leave. A slight pain spread throughout his body, as if an old scab had fallen off, revealing fresh new flesh.

This feeling was quite strange. It was as if he had been living his entire life for “immortality”, “martial arts experience”, and countless big and small goals. What else could be left—

‘I am still human,’ Yin Ci thought somewhat blankly.

Over the years, he had forgotten.

Outside of the golden threads, the elders of the Ling Sect saw their followers losing ground and personally rushed in. Many small sects with courage also squeezed into the cracks of the golden threads. As a result, Taiheng had to move closer to prevent those lone rangers from being used as meat shields. The encirclement tightened, but they needed to spend time and energy to avoid the fine threads of golden fire. In Yin Ci’s view, they were just easy targets.

Compared to killing all the invaders, leaving some alive was even harder.

Anyway, the Ling Sect was at the forefront. Yin Ci originally wanted to sweep out a few bloody skeletons with his Bone Sweeping Sword technique and pile them around to deter others. But just as he started to use that familiar sword technique, Yin Ci felt a bit bored.

The pain around him was still there, and the ball of golden fire around him was incredibly warm, much like the body temperature of the person who cast it. Shi Jingzhi was still waiting for his response, and Yin Ci didn’t want to answer. He just wanted to enjoy that gaze a little longer.

In such a state of mind, he could hardly bring out much anger. Yin Ci didn’t force himself to swing his sword anymore; instead, he adopted a more comfortable posture and casually made a few sword flowers.

The golden fire was fine, and the sword qi was heavy.

Those sword qi didn’t cut anyone’s skin. They were like invisible giant hands, gently but firmly pushing people away. Yin Ci’s physical skills were extremely strong. He passed through the golden threads like a phantom. Wherever the sword wind passed, the golden threads fluttered. Under this situation, the killing intent of the spell became increasingly weaker, almost disappearing.

If they didn’t retreat after being pushed away, they would be caught in the sword wind and bumped into the nearest golden fire thread. Minor cases would result in loss of limbs, and severe cases would lead to death. The bodies of the elders of the Ling Sect were scattered outside the golden threads, and the small sects were immediately discouraged, forced to slowly retreat by that unfamiliar sword technique.

Yin Ci unknowingly hooked up the corners of his mouth. He hadn’t been this focused in a long time. After a hundred years of accumulation, his qi was already heavy. Combined with the calm and gentle swordsmanship he was using now, it exuded a different kind of majestic presence.

The sword qi returned, and the sword path formed itself. Compared with the Bone Sweeping Sword technique, which left no one under it, he didn’t even need to select which sect his opponent belonged to. His new sword style fully conveyed his intentions—the pressure of stepping forward was like a mountain about to fall, but by taking a step back, one could find a wide path to life.

At this point, he could only hope they could take care of themselves.

The trajectory of the Hanging Shadow Sword became more and more smooth and beautiful, setting up a defense comparable to an iron wall. Yin Ci moved freely within the golden net, not even scratching his oily skin. Even if someone tried to take shortcuts with hidden weapons, they were all caught by the golden fireballs around him.

By now, he might not need to give Shi Jingzhi an answer.

A never before seen sword technique appeared. People couldn’t figure out Yin Ci’s origin, and they all acted more cautiously. Shi Jingzhi was staring at Yin Ci’s back, and for the first time, he laughed so gently.

This was the first time that Shi Jingzhi didn’t smell the scent of death in Yin Ci’s swordsmanship.

…After this fight, they had to give this sword technique a good name. The morning mist was just clearing, and the light was scattered. The yang fire was wrapped around Yin Ci while golden flowers bloomed from the pools of blood, yet the atmosphere created by the sword technique was peaceful and serene, with no signs of gloominess.

Flesh decayed, sweeping bones to the font, but now the withered bones gave birth to flowers.

Near the Grand Pavilion. Yan Qing and Yan Zheng were badly injured. Their battle situation wasn’t going well. The fight had been going on for nearly three hours, and their clothes were soaked with blood, sticking tight to their bodies.

Yan Zheng’s hair was scattered. His face was much paler than Yang Qing’s. At first glance, he resembled the Human Shaped Coffin under the Ghost Tomb. Yan Qing, panting, held his great sword horizontally, protecting Yan Zheng behind the blade. He wielded the defensive stance of the “Jade Chime Swordsmanship”, repeating the move “Today is Different from Yesterday” countless times. If the enemy didn’t move, he wouldn’t move, and that was how he barely held on until now.

The fight started because of the young men’s pride, but unfortunately, the gap in strength was a gap in strength—it wasn’t something that could be made up for with just courage.

Chai Xin, the former elder, had limited ability to manage the sect, but his martial arts skills were real and undiluted. His pair of daggers were named “Dragonfly Wings”; they were almost transparent and extremely sharp. With a swipe, it would cause a deep wound.

Chai Xin was vicious by nature and specifically smeared difficult-to-ward-off anesthetics on the daggers. In this way, an opponent who was injured may not be able to judge the severity of the injury in time. By the time sensation was restored, the person was likely to have lost too much blood, and it would be too late.

Chai Xin’s most famous feat was to have flayed a whole family alive that had offended the Ling Sect. That family was said to be related to Taiheng, and the dozens of people in the family were cut into thin pieces. Their flesh was placed on banquet plates and neatly stacked at the entrance of their home.

Chai Xin obviously enjoyed dealing with Yan Qing and Yan Zheng at this moment, like a cat playing with a mouse. He didn’t even let the Corpse Retrieval Team take action.

“Are you two done playing?” Chai Xin twirled his daggers in his hands, shaking off a drop of blood. “Those wounds I’ve caused, you will have to ask me to treat them later. If you come back with me sooner, you’ll suffer less.”

Up until now, anyone with a discerning eye could see that the two descendants of the Yan Clan combined weren’t his match. It was just that Yan Qing’s strange swordsmanship was particularly hard to deal with, and Chai Xin was too lazy to dawdle, so he simply withdrew his blades temporarily.

“Your swordsmanship is a bit interesting. It’s just that the state of mind is a bit lacking, not to mention a bit of heroism—such rough skills, don’t be stubborn.”

Yan Qing wiped the blood from his face and didn’t hide the hostility on it. The great sword remained motionless.

Chai Xin laughed for a while; his pair of muddy old eyes stared at Yan Qing, as if to pierce him.

“Your swordsmanship is like this. No one has taught you with heart, right? Your eyes don’t look like you’re satisfied with the current situation. Once you become my disciple, in a few years, I guarantee you’ll break into the top ten in the martial world. Following that so-called Kushan Sect—such a good material being wasted.”

“When I picked up Yan Zheng, he was also a teenager. I taught him for less than ten years. His skills…”

“Brother, don’t listen to his nonsense,” Yan Zheng interrupted coldly. “The price of joining the Ling Sect is something you can’t afford.”

Chai Xin seemed to have heard a very ridiculous joke. The wrinkles on his old face kept trembling with laughter. “Hey, hey, hey, good disciple. Anyone can say that, but you shouldn’t. According to the standards of those on the righteous path, we are nothing more than dog eats dog, wasting people’s good intentions.”

“Yan Qing, right? Do you know whose family I flayed back then?”

The author has something to say:

Yan Qing: I don’t know √

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 98: Encircled

Before sunrise, the Taiheng Sect’s tents were tightly situated on the edge of the demonic mist. At this moment, no matter who ventured outside, they could only see a hazy gray, destroying any good mood for the new day.

Jin Lan sat inside the tent, anxiously holding a string of blood essence beads.

This string wasn’t of high value, but it was a treasure of the Taiheng Sect. When Shi Zhongyu left Taiheng, she returned this string of beads to its original owner. Jin Lan felt that the beads were too heavy and scalding hot; even if they were snow-white, they couldn’t bring him much peace of mind.

Seeing the sect leader pass away, as well as the loss of a respected senior, the Taiheng sect he had been with for over ten years felt somewhat unfamiliar.

Qu Duanyun became the new sect leader, and the internal personnel of the sect were constantly changing. Jin Lan had been following Shi Zhongyu and had some connection with the Kushan Sect. Whether it was to avoid suspicion or because he was troublesome, the rumor of “new clues on Zongwu Mountain” spread, and he was sent to Zongwu Mountain.

The accompanying members were either newcomers or ordinary people who hadn’t achieved much. Jin Lan considered himself not a top master in Taiheng, but among this ragtag team, he was one of the most skilled.

Taiheng couldn’t break the Fog Tomb Formation, but they had a vast heritage and powerful treasures to rely on. After several days, Jin Lan had a feeling that perhaps they weren’t sent here to find clues but rather to train worthless disciples. Currently, they seemed to be slowing down the progress of the Chigou and Ling sects more than finding any actual clues.

‘Reasonable enough,’ Jin Lan thought with a wry smile.

Taiheng had collected the most Buddha beads and treasure maps and had been conducting systematic searches. When they were the first to find the Shirou, losing this clue wouldn’t matter much. Even if Yan Budu locked the Shirou away in the mountains and rivers, they could use their magical artifacts to split mountains and sever rivers. No matter how powerful that demon was, he couldn’t predict the methods people would use a hundred years later.

Seeing through this, Jin Lan couldn’t muster any interest. After sunrise, he would have to watch the young disciples running around, wielding precious artifacts in the mist, searching for meaningless clues.

How utterly boring.

When the time of Yin had passed, a scout entered the tent. “There’s no movement from the Chigou sect, and there’s no news from other scattered sects. Although there’s some activity at the Grand Pavilion, it seems unrelated to the Shirou clue. We’ll discuss it later. Also, an urgent letter has arrived from Elder Feng outside the mountain. Please take a look first.”

Jin Lan immediately got up and tore open the letter in a hurry. The paper of the letter wasn’t of good quality, but the writing and red seal were undoubtedly an internal custom of the Taiheng sect. He shook the letter slightly and carefully read its contents: “…Things have changed on Zongwu Mountain. Return upon receiving this letter? Why so urgent?”

“Perhaps someone planted in the Ling Sect got wind of something,” the scout speculated solemnly. “Last night, Chai Xin suddenly left the Grand Pavilion with his confidants; there must be some action.”

“But that was last night; how did the news spread so quickly?” Jin Lan’s head started spinning as he thought about breaking camp and withdrawing the artifacts. They had put in a lot of effort to prepare the formations and magical artifacts to deal with the Fog Tomb Array, and they couldn’t just retreat in the blink of an eye.

“Maybe it’s an honorary elder traveling outside who preemptively learned about the demonic sect’s plan.” The scout used his imagination to the fullest. “Senior Brother Jin, you’re familiar with the things above; is there anything suspicious about this letter?”

Apart from the paper being a bit tattered, everything else seems fine, Jin Lan thought with a troubled expression. He couldn’t find any issues, so he could only sigh.

“First, let’s have everyone in the Fog Tomb Formation evacuate and wait by the mountainside. Don’t move the camp or withdraw the artifacts for now. The letter came too suddenly; I’ll write a letter later to confirm with the nearest Taiheng outpost.”

Even if it was a traveling honorary elder, they were still part of the Taiheng sect, and they would definitely send letters through Taiheng’s outposts in various places. In this place where people from all walks of life gathered, the sudden arrival of this letter made Jin Lan reluctant to act hastily and take everything at face value.

If the letter was true, they still had time to throw away their belongings and escape. If the letter was fake, they would only be delayed for a short half-day, and then they could proceed with their plans, not letting the forger succeed.

Jin Lan devised a profound plan and suddenly felt like a wise member of the Taiheng sect.

Unfortunately, his feeling of wisdom lasted for less than an hour before being disrupted by a sudden change. Just as the sky was barely brightening and the order to retreat from the Fog Tomb Formation had just been issued, another explosive-like piece of information was brought back by a scout. At that moment, Jin Lan was surrounded by the management personnel from various Taiheng teams, all inquiring about the reason for the “withdrawal”.

“The Kushan Sect has already found the clue? No, Sect Master Shi is here?!” Jin Lan pushed the people surrounding him away and finally caught his breath.

“Yes, many smaller sects in the vicinity are discussing this matter. They say that Shi Jingzhi took the ‘key’ left by Yan Budu and is now escaping outside Zongwu Mountain.”

“You said escaping…”

Jin Lan choked for a moment. When they last met, the two members of the Kushan Sect were still chatting amiably with Shi Zhongyu and Qu Duanyun. Even if he had heard about the tragic incident at the Jianchen Temple, he couldn’t immediately change his impression.

Now, the Kushan Sect was despised by the righteous sects and belonged to the category of “catch on sight”. If they caught the person, they could confront the Jianchen Temple, and the martial world would naturally eliminate this small cancer.

He understood the logic but thinking that they were the people who once saved him in the Ghost Tomb, Jin Lan felt a little uneasy.

“Isn’t this perfect? Since we’re withdrawing anyway, we might as well capture these villains from the Kushan Sect.” One of the “not-so-useful” disciples was excited. “Senior Brother Jin, you’ve at least followed a famous figure like Shi Zhongyu. You shouldn’t be lumped together with us. By catching these thieves, you can clear your relationship with Shi Zhongyu and maybe even earn some merits.”

Jin Lan: “Without a formal confrontation and conviction, don’t just call them villains.”

The people in the tent fell silent for a moment.

“Senior Brother Jin, you’re not the same as Shi Zhongyu… We know you went to the Ghost Tomb, but you have to distinguish between personal feelings and public matters.”

“I didn’t say I won’t go.” Jin Lan rubbed his forehead, feeling bitterness in his mouth. He had a faint feeling that he seemed to be swept up in an unstoppable torrent and couldn’t stop his steps with his own strength. The situation was right in front of him, and he had no choice.

“Very well, we’ve all heard about the ‘Kushan Sect has found the clue’ matter. The Chigou and Ling sects must know about it too.”

Jin Lan pondered hard.

“The demonic sects won’t give up so easily; there will probably be a fierce battle outside. Many small sects are still here. Follow me to maintain order. Capturing people is not a priority.”

“But…” Won’t they miss out on a chance to earn merit?

Jin Lan said solemnly, “The strength of Sect Master Shi is probably above that of Senior Sister, no, Shi Zhongyu. Anyway, I’m definitely not a match for Shi Jingzhi. I can’t defeat the strong, but helping the weak can also be a merit. It’s like wanting both the fish and the bear’s paw; you might get all smelly.”

“Yes.”

At the same time, near the Grand Pavilion.

Originally, the morning mist was dense, and everything was normal. However, as Yan Qing raised the Sword of Compassion, dozens of Ling Sect disciples suddenly appeared around him. They looked like evil spirits rising from the ground, and their aura wasn’t like that of living people.

Among the Ling Sect disciples, only a few had such capabilities—apart from the elders, there were only the elite members belonging to the “Corpse Retrieval Team” under the direct command of the Patriarch. Unfortunately, judging from their imposing manner, it didn’t seem like they were here to welcome Yan Zheng.

Yan Qing tightened his grip on the sword hilt and let out a long breath. “Patriarch Yan, do you have any idea about the current situation?”

Yan Zheng sighed even louder than him. “I don’t.”

Yan Qing reluctantly picked up the sword and looked at the leader of the group—

Chai Xin, the one-eyed old man, was standing not far away with a sly expression on his face, making people feel as if ants were crawling all over their bodies. The nearby Grand Pavilion seemed even more desolate.

“My good disciple, you’ve really grown up. I never taught you to exploit others, but you seem to have learned it quickly. The Shirou clue, huh? No wonder last night you forbade the elders from going out. I thought something might happen inside the pavilion, but now it seems I was actually giving that shitty rat-like sect time. I’ve treated you well all these years, and this is how you repay me?”

Yan Qing pondered for a moment before finally grasping the meaning of these words.

…It really was a colossal misunderstanding.

It seemed that even someone as cunning as Chai Xin couldn’t fathom that “Yan Zheng wants to destroy the Ling Sect”. The huge lie fabricated by Shi Jingzhi led him to misunderstand completely—that Yan Zheng betrayed the Ling Sect and joined forces with the Kushan Sect in an attempt to seek the Shirou for himself.

Yan Zheng chuckled lightly. “Master truly knows me well.”

His tone was filled with sarcasm, but when it reached Chai Xin’s ears, it took on a different meaning.

“What a pity, what a pity. The Kushan Sect is just a small sect after all and will ultimately fail to achieve anything. They think they can steal the clue from my Divine Sect under my nose? Not that easy. I’ve dispatched all our top masters, and they will chop the Kushan Sect into pieces.”

Chai Xin shook his head.

“Betraying anyone within the Divine Sect isn’t an issue. However, according to the rules, once discovered, they must be willing to gamble and accept defeat. You see, I’ve personally come to punish you…”

“Personally?”

Yan Zheng no longer looked at Yan Qing; his tone was indifferent.

“You simply found it bothersome to deal with the people from Taiheng and Chigou, so you dumped the dirty work onto others.”

“Haa, look at you. I’ve been helping you seek revenge all this time.” Chai Xin’s voice turned cold and greasy again. “Why do you treat my good intentions this way?”

After saying that, he sounded serious.

“Go, bring this kid back to me. Breaking his legs won’t matter; it will just make him learn his lesson. As for the kid from the Kushan Sect, kill him directly. Make sure to make it neat, so it can scare that garbage Kushan Sect later.”

Yan Zheng picked up the Death Whip, and his pupils slightly constricted. “Brother, you should leave first. Didn’t Sect Master Shi arrange something with you? The internal affairs of the Ling Sect don’t require your intervention.”

Yan Qing didn’t move.

“I’m not someone worth helping.” Yan Zheng still didn’t look at Yan Qing. “But since you could pick up that sword, you must not be a wicked person. If you get involved in this mess, it’s just a waste…”

He stopped midway in his sentence, suddenly halted his words—on the other side, Chai Xin made a curious sound, as if he had seen a once-in-a-century marvel. Yan Zheng followed his line of sight and looked at Yan Qing on the side.

The gloomy sky mixed with fog, and everything seemed covered in a layer of vague gray. Yan Qing was blindfolded when he was in the Grand Pavilion before, and when they met again, he had kept his eyes closed; at most, he only peeped a bit through his eyelids. Yan Zheng thought he had some photosensitive eye condition and was causing trouble one after another. He hadn’t had time to think deeply about these details.

Who could have thought that the person holding the Sword of Compassion would actually have a pair of ghost eyes?

“When Yan Budu committed those evil deeds in the past, Venerable Kongshi didn’t just let him go.” Yan Qing’s voice was a bit nervous but still relatively steady. “To be honest, I don’t understand Venerable Kongshi’s approach. But from what I see, you don’t seem like Yan Budu—definitely not someone ‘not worth helping’.”

He slightly lowered his body, holding the massive sword horizontally in front of him.

“If it’s like this and I still run away, then I don’t deserve to wield this sword.”

The Yan family had many descendants, most of whom were killed by Taiheng back then. The survivors were few, and those with ghost eyes were almost nonexistent. Now, two people with such eyes suddenly appeared, causing the Ling Sect’s disciples, who were about to rush out, to stagger and stop their steps.

Chai Xin was stunned for a while, then suddenly laughed at the sky. “This is the heavens telling me to take in a new disciple. People from the righteous path are great! Magnificent! After I train you, you will certainly be better to serve than my wicked disciples, who resort to killing at every turn… The heavens bless my Divine Sect!”

“Grand Elder, there were idiots before who were fooled by their techniques; it might be a trick from the Kushan Sect,” someone beside Chai Xin reminded.

“Whether it’s a trick or not, capture them alive, and we’ll find out. Very well, keep both of them alive. This is a sign of prosperity for our Divine Sect!”

Wouldn’t it be great if the living “summoning evil spirits” banner became two?

Yan Zheng looked at Yan Qing incredulously, his hand holding the whip trembling. “Who are you?”

“Yan Ziren’s son, Yan Qing.” Yan Qing smiled at him. “I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but my father may not be very capable… After this battle, we can talk in detail.”

“Yeah, in the Ling Sect’s dungeon, we can talk in detail.”

Chai Xin shook his sleeve and pulled out two daggers as thin as cicada wings.

“It’s rare to have this opportunity; let this old man join the fun too.”

Zongwu Mountain, at the foot of the mountain.

Shi Jingzhi openly displayed the “Medicine Cures Illness” flag, looking at the sea of people around him. There weren’t many masters sent by other sects, but their number was considerable. There were more people from the Ling Sect than they had anticipated. That group of unformed things occupied about a quarter of the encirclement, each of them exuding murderous intent, making them very conspicuous.

Shi Jingzhi stood beside Yin Ci; the two of them standing on the open wasteland in the center of the encirclement, adding the most vivid strokes to this “Too many monks with few porridge*” picture.

*Idiom referring to a situation where there are too many people sharing limited resources, resulting in scarcity or a shortage of supplies.

“A’Ci, look, Taiheng and the smaller sects are over there, wanting to steam us. On the other side are the Ling Sect and the Chigou Sect, wanting to roast us.” Shi Jingzhi pointed around while addressing the crowd. “You must distinguish clearly later and not kill the wrong person. Hey, isn’t that Jin Lan over there? Poor guy, after a few days of not seeing him, he’s been demoted to this dump… Isn’t it good to greet him now?”

Yin Ci: “…”

He seemed to see that brat who dared to roll in his sword wind again. Yin Ci suspected that said kid’s courage was growing excessively.

Well, it was just a group of unruly people. He specifically chose a location easy to retreat from. To intimidate the crowd with force, Yin Ci was very familiar with that. There were still risks, but the situation was still under his control.

However, just at that moment, Shi Jingzhi turned around with a grin. “Rest assured, nothing will happen.”

“What?”

“I have something to give you. Close your eyes, okay?”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 97: Rescue

Shi Jingzhi was frightened by his own speculation and shook his head to clear his mind, trying to calm himself down. It was just a guess after all. He had been injured before, but his wounds had never produced blood roots like Yin Ci.

This was a matter of life and death, and such dangerous conjectures couldn’t be taken lightly. He couldn’t just go and explain to Yin Ci, stab himself in the process, and accidentally meet his end. That way, Yin Ci would surely remember him forever—he would undoubtedly become the coldest joke in Yin Ci’s life.

Shen Zhu saw Shi Jingzhi’s ever-changing expression and knew that he had wandered off to an unreliable place again. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to immediately leave the mountain and investigate the newly acquired clues about the “Invitation to God Formation”. Just as the sect leader was lost in thought, her patience was nearly exhausted. “What do we do next? Should we…”

“Nobody move.” Yin Ci suddenly spoke up.

Finally, he moved his sword away from Yu Zikuan’s neck. The Hanging Shadow Sword swept through the night, cutting off the closest line of the formation. Yin Ci then half crouched down, his fingertips touching the wriggling gelatin.

Yin Ci frowned. “Is this formation still active?”

Yu Zikuan had been fully under their control and hadn’t made any suspicious moves. However, the formation’s qi had only paused momentarily, and in the time everyone was distracted, it once again began to stir.

Shen Zhu suddenly lost interest in speculating about the origins of the formation. She quickly ran to the edge of the formation, closed her eyes, and carefully felt it. “This is really… What’s going on?”

Things had gotten so out of hand that Yu Zikuan didn’t bother being cautious around the strange people in front of him anymore. He immediately rushed to the location where the demon corpses were buried, dragging them out one by one and attempting to extinguish the formation by breaking the materials.

It was futile.

Even when the demon corpses were removed, the formation continued to operate on its own. The flickering brilliance dimmed slightly, but there was no sign of it being extinguished. Yin Ci’s brow furrowed tighter. “This is…”

“It’s a remote control formation,” Shi Jingzhi muttered. “I read about it in Senior Chen’s records—if a battle formation is too dangerous or the casting process is too complicated, the casters will set up an auxiliary formation in a safe location and activate it from a distance. This method consumes extra materials and manpower, but it does exist.”

Given the preparations on the other side, Yu Zikuan looked more like a puppet used to draw the formation.

Not many people in the world recognized the “Invitation to God Formation”. If the people in the martial world found Yu Zikuan’s corpse, they would at most attribute the attack to “crazy revenge” and then investigate his non-existent “allies” on the mountain.

Who would have expected that such a small battle formation could kill so many people on the mountain? Once everyone was dead, the mastermind could cleanly remove themselves, leaving no trace.

As one wave subsided, another arose. The night was shrouded in demonic fog, and chaos reigned all around. Even the sound of insects couldn’t be heard. A vague sense of oppression came from all directions, and the formation under their feet emitted a subtle killing intent. The scene in front of them resembled the Yellow Springs* of hell. Even when standing still, their hearts felt as if they were being pounded by a mortar, stirring up panic.

*A river in hell that divides the living realm from the dead. Souls cross it to reach the afterlife.

People could struggle to overcome the current evil demons in front of them, but how could they contend with the might of heaven and earth?

“Let’s run.” Su Si croaked. “This thing won’t stop. Staying here will only lead to our deaths in vain.”

Yan Qing grabbed his hair. “Indeed, we should leave, but is there a way to spread the message?”

Shen Zhu shook her head. “Even if we tell the truth, no one will believe us. There are many small sects around, and they won’t easily trust our words. Besides, the Kushan Sect has a bad reputation, and Warrior Yu has been presumed dead for years. Young Patriarch Yan has little credibility. Forgive my frankness, but even if we tell the truth, it will only be considered a conspiracy.”

The fourteen Buddha bead treasure maps were already a game of competition among major sects. After finally having a chance, everyone was working day and night, enduring the demonic mist, to search for clues. If suddenly someone claimed this place was dangerous, only fools would believe it.

Kongshi’s grave wouldn’t disappear overnight; there was still time. However, if they stay longer, they might end up being buried with Venerable Kongshi and Yan Budu.

Yin Ci put away his sword and looked at the group.

Su Si and Shen Zhu were ready to pack up and escape. Yan Qing remained silent and didn’t immediately object, but knowing his character, he was probably considering how to save more people along the way.

As for Shi Jingzhi… He was lost in thought for a while, but a mysterious smile gradually appeared on his face. It was hard to figure out what he was thinking. If it had been before, he would have run faster than anyone else in this dangerous situation.

Yin Ci looked curiously at Shi Jingzhi and didn’t speak immediately.

To be honest, Yin Ci didn’t really want to leave at this point. With this whole commotion caused by the Invitation to God Formation, the situation here was bound to be chaotic in the near future, and they would waste a lot of time—despite having Lord Bai in their hands, Kongshi’s grave was still carefully hidden by Yan Budu, so it wouldn’t be easy to find.

Shi Jingzhi couldn’t afford to wait, so they couldn’t continue to be passive.

The Invitation to God Formation was a novel thing. It was like using a bull’s knife to kill a chicken*; this method might be able to deal with a large number of mortals, but for him, it couldn’t reach the level of destroying an “immortal body”. From the activation of the formation to the dissipation of its residual power, it would probably take three to five days. During this time, when no one was on the mountains, he could go ahead and find…

*(杀鸡焉用牛刀) Metaphor referring to applying excessive or disproportionate force or effort to deal with a small or simple problem (AKA using a sledgehammer to crack a nut).

As he was thinking about this, he suddenly felt warmth on his fingers. Shi Jingzhi calmly moved closer and lightly pinched Yin Ci’s finger.

“Thinking of solving this on your own again?” Shi Jingzhi asked in a low voice. “Before, you said it was ‘for me’, but now you want to separate?”

Yin Ci helplessly said, “I mentioned cooperation before, and I won’t hide it from you. I was just planning to discuss with you—I’ll take advantage of the formation’s activation and go up the mountain immediately to seize the initiative. You can continue searching for information about the grave on the outside while we communicate using the sparrow demons.”

The various sects had been searching for the grave for some time, and they hadn’t gathered a lot of information. Once they fell into chaos, relevant information would be easier to obtain. By cooperating in this way, their efficiency wouldn’t be low.

He really couldn’t hold the Sword of Compassion himself, but by confirming the location first, they could save time coming later. The only cost that Kushan Sect had to bear was himself enduring some hardship, which was a pretty good deal.

Shi Jingzhi narrowed his eyes at Yin Ci for a while, and the faint smile on his face faded away. He sighed lightly and looked a bit unhappy.

Yin Ci didn’t understand.

Using the resources at hand was the safest and most advantageous approach, and it could be considered a “fair cooperation”. He didn’t know which nerve of Shi Jingzhi he pricked, which made his whole face fall.

Weren’t they getting along just fine earlier? Moreover, Shi Jingzhi had always been clear-headed. This kind of simple advantage and disadvantage, he should be able to grasp it clearly.

Who knew that Shi Jingzhi would turn around and leave, leaving him a clearly rejected back.

Yin Ci said helplessly, “Alright, Shizun, the situation is urgent. Can we just—”

“I have my own plan.” Shi Jingzhi turned his head slightly and glanced at Yin Ci. “My beloved disciple is fearless and isn’t afraid of anything, even me. I’m sure he won’t be afraid of my plan either.”

…He’s actually angry now, and he’s even more secretive about it. Yin Ci could tell from Shi Jingzhi’s tone that he was somewhat unhappy.

Without waiting for him to come up with a way to ease the atmosphere, Shi Jingzhi walked away a few steps and stopped in front of Yu Zikuan.

When their eyes met, Yu Zikuan let out a sigh from his languid face. “It was my carelessness that led us to this disaster. I will go to Taiheng to reason with them and try to save as many people as possible. You all have awakened me under such coincidental circumstances, and it is a kind act. It’s best for everyone to leave this place as soon as possible.”

Yan Zheng remained silent, and his expression kept changing. “With such a strong formation, the people outside the Grand Pavilion probably won’t survive… Since things have come to this point, I’ll go back and stabilize them. Since the martial world will be in chaos sooner or later, having fewer members of the Ling Sect wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

In his words, it seemed like he had no intention of escaping.

After pondering for a moment, Shi Jingzhi touched the Medicine Cures Illness flag. Then he slightly released some pressure, causing the surrounding mist to disperse along with the force. For a moment, the malevolent qi of the Invitation to God Formation was suppressed.

“Shen Zhu, you understand the Invitation to God Formation. If you try your best to obstruct the activation of the formation, how long can you delay it?”

“Huh?” Shen Zhu was momentarily confused.

Whether the formation was activated sooner or later, did it make a difference? Though she had thoughts, she answered truthfully, “To fully activate the formation, they need to complete the ritual chants, which would take around three to four hours of work… If I cause some disturbances here, I can delay it for up to five hours.”

Regardless of whether it was activated earlier or later, they would only be able to delay it for half a day at most. With so few people available at the moment, what could they achieve in half a day? Moreover, Shen Zhu understood the personality of this man. Shi Jingzhi wasn’t the type to suddenly develop a sense of kindness and salvation for all living beings.

What exactly was this person planning to do?

“Since no one believes the truth when spoken, lying is also a way.”

Still with his back turned to Yin Ci, Shi Jingzhi raised his voice a little, showing a calm and compelling tone.

“Shen Zhu, you stay here and try to destroy the formation, buying us some time. Yan Qing, you go with Yan Zheng to the vicinity of the Grand Pavilion and, on the way, retrieve your sword. After taking the sword, meet up with me when you leave the mountain… Su Si, you wait near the Chigou Sect’s camp. With your abilities, you can disseminate false information, right?”

“I can do it…”

“Senior Yu is excellent at archery. Please help us by sending some false information to the Taiheng Sect. Then use your archery to spread the message to the smaller sects. Those small sects have no independent judgment. If they see that the Grand Pavilion and the Taiheng Sect are deciding to leave, they won’t stay here any longer.”

After finishing his instructions, Shi Jingzhi walked back to his disciple’s side in a slow and leisurely manner.

“Due to the mist covering the mountain, not many people will venture deep inside. Just talking about leaving, half a day should be enough. As for you, A’Ci…”

Yin Ci guessed this person’s plan and felt a mixture of emotions. “I’ll stay by your side.”

Facing Shi Jingzhi’s plan, it seemed that he only had this one choice. He could no longer enter the mountain with the Invitation to God Formation blocking everyone’s way. Shi Jingzhi finally expressed satisfaction and smiled again.

“What are you all talking about? What message are you spreading?” Su Si finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

Shi Jingzhi inserted the flag into the formation, and the sect leader’s token on the flagpole swayed gently.

“It’s simple. You and Senior Yu act quickly; try your best to tell everyone—’The Kushan Sect has found the key to the Shirou and is preparing to leave.'”

Su Si: “…”

Su Si: “Sect Master, are you trying to get yourself killed?”

At this moment, they were wanted by the major orthodox sects due to the massacre at the Jianchen Temple. The demonic sects might not care about the well-being of the orthodox sects, but they would undoubtedly covet the clue to the Shirou. By spreading this message, Shi Jingzhi was practically teasing both sides and committing suicide in a rather creative way.

To save others but lose one’s own life, was it worth it? Or were the master and disciple planning to take advantage of everyone’s inattention and quietly become monks at the Jianchen Temple?

But when it came to other motives, Su Si really couldn’t figure out any intentions beyond “saving people”.

This was the first time that Yu Zikuan took a serious look at Shi Jingzhi. “Shi Jingzhi of the Kushan Sect? …Sect Master Shi, you truly understand righteousness. I admire you. You’re truly different from the rumors.”

Not only was he different from the rumors, but the Kushan Sect was also wildly different from the rumors. However, Yan Qing saw that he could save people without saying a word and immediately nodded in agreement. Su Si thought it over and felt that there was still a chance to escape, so he reluctantly agreed as well.

Time was limited, and people didn’t continue to question. They quickly dispersed into the night. Soon, the place was empty except for Shen Zhu, who was fully focused on obstructing the formation, and the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect.

Shi Jingzhi leaned on his precious flag and walked calmly outside the formation, as if the crazy idea just now wasn’t his own. Yin Ci took two steps forward and stood by his left side.

“I can guess your purpose in ‘saving people’, but this method also carries risks.”

Yin Ci was still calculating the details of the plan.

“The major orthodox sects haven’t sent any formidable masters, but Chai Xin has already suspected Yan Zheng. Yan Zheng might not be able to control the elders of the Ling Sect. If too many people from the Ling Sect come out…”

“How does A’Ci understand the meaning of ‘treasure*’?” Shi Jingzhi interrupted Yin Ci’s words and asked a non sequitur question.

*(珍重) As in referring to something precious (to be treasured/cherished).

“What?” Yin Ci’s thoughts were almost thrown off track by this person’s erratic thinking.

By the Invitation to God Formation, the mist continued to churn restlessly. Compared to the previous oppression, the mist now appeared even more entangled and inscrutable. Shi Jingzhi stopped in his tracks and turned to face Yin Ci. In the night mist, those amber-colored eyes remained razor-sharp.

“The giver is extremely powerful and willing to give everything for someone. This kind of ‘treasure’ is indeed touching. If I were an ordinary person, I might also stop here. Accepting goodwill peacefully is much easier… However, if there are other desires, it may seem like I don’t understand the situation.”

Shi Jingzhi caught a strand of Yin Ci’s long hair, and his expression was no longer as restrained as before, but rather unusually calm.

“Unfortunately, I happen to be the greediest person in the world. One person shielding another behind them cannot be considered ‘cooperation’. Now that I have the opportunity, I will show you what my ‘treasure’ truly means.”

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