Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 126: Come Together

Xu Jingming had just climbed out of the cellar, and upon witnessing the outside scene, he forcibly threw himself back inside.

The cellar door was shattered, and the inside remained suffocating. Flammable oil flowed into the cellar with flames following, and in places without fire, green tendrils spread everywhere, creating a scene resembling hell.

Asphyxiation coupled with intoxication made Xu Jingming feel woozy, as if needles pricked his head.

He should have been seated safely in that magical sedan chair, guarded by the masters’ guards of the Rong Palace. He should have passed through the desert with Qu Duanyun, safely returning to the scenic Yidu. However, by the firelight, he saw that he was surrounded by followers of the Chigou Sect. How had he returned to the Chigou Sect’s territory after leaving it the day before?

Given the dire circumstances outside, even if Xu Jingming were obtuse, he’d realize someone was after his life. After having a few drinks, he was groggily captured and almost buried with a bunch of rebels.

Qu Duanyun should have come to save him.

But no matter what means the bandits used, they kidnapped him right under Qu Duanyun’s watch. Touching the painful back of his head, Xu Jingming’s expression darkened.

Indeed, he had drunk happily last night because Taiheng acquired the Shirou—as if he himself had. He only needed to present this magical item to the Emperor, and this whole drama would end.

However, the Emperor was indifferent to the ways of the immortals. If he died in Chigou’s territory, the Emperor would not actively seek the Shirou. Consequently, Chigou would retreat from the competition, and the Shirou would naturally become Taiheng’s possession.

Such a great strategy—killing two birds with one stone!

Thinking about their journey so far, Qu Duanyun’s attitude towards him was neither humble nor arrogant, showing no sign of closeness or harmony. It was so standard that it seemed like he was just going through the motions of official business. Everyone says that the Qu Clan is extremely upright, but can he truly trust Qu Duanyun?

Xu Jingming’s face twitched, and after taking a deep breath, he started to claw his way out of the cellar again.

As a royal prince, even in death, he should die amidst luxury. If he were thrown underground, burned alongside filthy men, he wouldn’t rest in peace.

The Prince of Rong was proud and radical, but his courage was undeniable. Xu Jingming once again leaped to the cellar entrance, gripping his folding fan. As he emerged, he was confronted by Wu Huai, whose throat had been slit by Su Si.

The Red Scorpion Feet and Hua Jingchun were tightly wrapped by the tendrils. Yan Qing and Su Si also had some on them, but it didn’t hinder Su Si’s actions—he was ruthless, slashing half of Wu Huai’s neck without leaving room for survival.

Yet, not much blood gushed out.

Countless green tendrils instantly sealed the wound. Wu Huai coughed up blood; his eyes were bloodshot. With a raspy voice, he croaked, “…Young Patriarch? You?”

As he spoke hoarsely, the “jade man” that was originally dealing with Hua Jingchun quickly moved back in front of Wu Huai, taking a defensive stance.

Su Si licked the blood from his lips, grinning even brighter. “Indeed, it’s me. Unfortunately, I had the Bone Sweeping Sword remade; the hilt still bears the Chigou mark. Protector Hua should recognize it.”

Hua Jingchun: “……”

She didn’t know whether to be grateful to this man or to kill him along with Wu Huai.

“Rather than using these external trinkets, isn’t it faster to fight directly?”

Su Si tossed the knife directly to Xu Jingming.

“Prince of Rong, I’ve heard you dare to venture into the Ghost Tomb so you must have some martial arts skills. Take this for self-defense. If you die here, we’ll be in trouble.”

Without waiting for Xu Jingming’s reply, Su Si charged at Wu Huai with bare hands. Yan Qing, seemingly in sync with him, waved his sword to fend off the flames and tendrils, freeing Hua Jingchun and the Red Scorpion Feet.

“I taught him the ‘Red Chi Hand’ technique. Is that kid really…?”

Hua Jingchun recognized Su Si’s moves; her expression was filled with astonishment and uncertainty. It wasn’t like she had ignored Su Si; that kid had been eating and drinking as usual these days, never taking the chaos of the Chigou Sect seriously. With the appearance of Wu Huai, the “Young Patriarch”, she had assumed the real Young Patriarch had long been dead.

But that “Red Chi Hand” technique couldn’t be faked.

Hua Jingchun shook her head and immediately ordered, “Protect that young… that young warrior!”

The Red Scorpion Feet members were all assassins. Ignoring their wounds, they instantly began to deal with the bizarre “Jade Person”. Su Si seemed to have predicted this, so he concentrated all his energy, sticking close to Wu Huai.

Clean knife wounds could easily be blocked by thin threads, but what about when a large chunk of flesh was torn off? He didn’t want to run away with his back to Wu Huai. No matter why Wu Huai was stalling, he’d prefer to kill him as soon as possible.

Wu Huai wasn’t someone to be taken lightly either. With his long sword, he drew countless sword flowers, each emanating a deadly aura. However, the wound left by Yin Ci hadn’t healed, making Wu Huai’s movements slightly sluggish. When facing the ruthlessly aggressive Su Si, the scene resembled a punishment of Lingchi—if he wasn’t careful, Su Si would rip off a piece of his flesh and throw it into the fire along with its skin, giving no opportunity for the threads to “stitch” it back.

The air was filled with the lethal smell of roasting flesh.

Yan Qing’s side wasn’t going smoothly—even when he and many assassins faced the “Jade Person”, they couldn’t gain the upper hand. No matter how they tried to slash at it, more threads would wrap around it, making the green humanoid regenerate as before.

So Yan Qing could only utilize his skills to repeatedly send it flying, giving Su Si the opportunity to face Wu Huai one-on-one. Compared to when it was first spat out by Wu Huai, the entity had grown quite a bit, its size resembling that of a slender young man.

“A’Si, the thread cage is shrinking!” Yan Qing suddenly realized.

The threads forming the Jade Person kept drawing from the “separation cover”. Just moments ago, the cover was as tall as four or five people, but now it was only about two people high. If it shrank further, they’d all have to return to the underground cellar, waiting to suffocate to death.

With the resilient threads blocking the entrance of the cellar, Yan Qing wouldn’t be able to break them open quickly. Wu Huai’s arrival suggested he had no intention of letting anyone leave alive.

Su Si momentarily paused but didn’t respond.

Xu Jingming had a bigger reaction. He tightly held the butcher knife, attempting to cut an opening in the cover to escape as soon as possible. But as soon as his blade touched the isolating threads, the Jade Person charged at him like a mad dog. If not for Yan Qing’s quick action, Xu Jingming would have been fatally stabbed.

The Jade Person, stopped by many swords just in front of Xu Jingming, extended its sharp “arm” forward, stopping just an inch away from Xu Jingming’s head. Upon closer examination, the vague features of the Jade Person appeared to be fused from thin roots, giving it a jade-like texture. Its “skin” still had the intricate patterns of interconnected roots, making one dizzy. Xu Jingming couldn’t look at it for long without feeling like he might vomit.

After this turmoil, The Prince of Rong didn’t dare touch the cover anymore. He made a gloomy face, quickly cutting the threads off his body, looking like a string bean removing its own tendons. The Jade Person seemed to have neither cognition nor pain perception. Seeing Xu Jingming stop his desperate actions, it turned its attention, despite its many “wounds”, to Su Si.

Luckily, Su Si was reckless.

He allowed the threads to wound him repeatedly, ignoring the assassins falling one by one around him, biting onto Wu Huai relentlessly without any distractions. Wu Huai was covered in wounds, and his missing flesh was filled with filaments, looking terrifying.

“I’ve also studied the ‘Red Chi Hand’.” Wu Huai dodged while speaking hoarsely. “You can wound me, but you can’t kill me.”

The thread cage above everyone’s head was shrinking rapidly, now only one and a half persons tall. Su Si’s strength lay in speed, and Yan Qing’s stone sword required ample space for big swings, increasingly restraining both of them. Although the situation seemed to be at a standstill on the surface, Wu Huai was gaining the upper hand.

Su Si’s attacks gradually slowed. Before long, he was driven by Wu Huai to the corner of the cage.

“What a pity.” Wu Huai sighed, raising his sword. “You’re extremely talented. If you had joined the Immortal Assembly, you would have achieved great things.”

Su Si seemed like a butterfly trapped in a web. He had lost a lot of blood. The surrounding threads kept coming, and the undead-like Wu Huai was still standing. Yan Qing was using all his strength to block the Jade Person, and nobody could assist him.

His lips trembled for a moment before whispering something. Wu Huai didn’t hear it and moved closer. “What did you say?”

With an expression of anguish and plea, Su Si repeated it softly. Wu Huai still didn’t catch it and, seeing him look like he was on his last breath, he moved even closer. This time, he clearly heard Su Si’s words:

Su Si: “Fuck you, motherfucker.”

Immediately after, Su Si backed into the thread cage. Predictably, the Jade Person charged forward the next moment. Wu Huai, having his back to the Jade Person, instinctively turned to face it. At the same instant, Yan Qing, with his Sword of Compassion, joined the fray. With four of them gathered at the edge of the cage, Wu Huai found it difficult to adjust his movements.

This wasn’t good.

The sound of the stone sword blocking the Jade Person’s charge echoed together with the light sound of footsteps rubbing against the ground.

Before Wu Huai could dodge, someone took the opportunity to climb onto his back. Su Si, using all the remaining strength and the elasticity of the thin net, pasted himself onto Wu Huai’s back. He wrapped his arms around Wu Huai’s neck and locked his legs around Wu Huai’s waist, like a vengeful ghost coming to take a life.

“Be careful!” Protector Hua shouted urgently. “This man cannot be choked to death!”

From this angle, Su Si’s range of motion was quite limited. The most lethal move would be strangulation. However, there was already a slit on Wu Huai’s neck. As long as the filaments made a small gap, Wu Huai would still be able to breathe.

Su Si gave her a smile that could send a shiver down one’s spine.

What happened next made even the skilled assassins of the Red Scorpion Feet ashamed. Su Si didn’t twist Wu Huai’s neck. Instead, with veins bulging, he grabbed Wu Huai’s head and pulled it backwards along the throat injury.

Using his elbow as a fulcrum, his strength was immense. The fine threads finally couldn’t hold, and the wound on Wu Huai’s throat reopened.

Su Si heard the sound of flesh tearing but didn’t stop. His eyes fixed on Yan Qing as his fingers dug into the sides of Wu Huai’s skull.

A sticky sound of flesh being ripped apart echoed.

Without any hesitation, Su Si took advantage of the initial knife wound and gruesomely tore off Wu Huai’s head. The head was still attached to a part of the spine, and the green threads on it were scrambling around in confusion.

Holding the head, Su Si landed gracefully with a faint smile on his face. As Wu Huai’s breathing stopped, the jade figure dispersed into chaotic threads, quickly burrowing into the ground. The surrounding net of threads immediately shattered, and without the magic shield, flames illuminated the sky.

Seeing the beheading, Xu Jingming carefully placed a knife in front of him and then used his fan to hide his pale face. Su Si paid no attention to him; his eyes were still fixed on Yan Qing.

Using his sword to prop himself up, Yan Qing met Su Si’s gaze and comforted him with a smile. “A’Si, you’ve suffered.”

Relieved, Su Si continued to roast the head over the fire, fearing Wu Huai might revive.

Hua Jingchun, with her injured leg, knelt on the ground, catching her breath. She then said loudly, “I pay my respects to the Young Patriarch!”

“Respect to the Young Patriarch!” Half of the Red Scorpion Feet had died, but the remaining followed Hua Jingchun’s lead.

“Oh, I just wanted to tease him and cheer you guys up,” Su Si said, turning around. “Let’s talk about this later.”

With that, he winked at Yan Qing, and then, exhausted, he fainted with the head in his grasp.

When Su Si woke up, the first thing he saw was the magnified face of Sect Master Shi.

He was so startled he shook the bed, only then realizing his entire body was bandaged, he groaned in pain. Lord Bai jumped over, stepping on his fresh wound, causing Su Si to scream even louder.

Shi Jingzhi looked disgusted and said, “Awake, are you?”

It was pitch dark outside the window, and there was still a faint smell of burning in the air. He probably wasn’t unconscious for too long. Su Si took a deep breath and looked around—

Yan Qing had minor injuries and was sitting on a chair, drinking medicine. Xu Jingming had a cloth gag in his mouth and was firmly tied to another chair. Wu Huai’s head was placed on a tea table, and despite her injuries, Protector Hua stubbornly stood with a crutch.

The remaining two, the master and disciple, had a displeased look. Yin Ci looked pale, seemingly recovering from a severe illness.

Looking at everyone, Su Si thought they all seemed fine. He ignored the angry muffled noises from Xu Jingming and said, “Sect Master, I killed Wu Huai and have made a merit. Don’t I deserve some sleep?”

“Yes, you have merit,” Shi Jingzhi hummed, still looking somewhat displeased. “But you stole Chigou’s wine and revealed your identity without permission. The good and the bad cancel out. As a reward, I won’t punish you.”

Unbeknownst to Su Si, Shi Jingzhi had discovered a shocking secret. Su Si’s eyes darted between the disheveled master and disciple, and he grew genuinely aggrieved. To hell with canceling out merits and faults! This cunning fox not only didn’t reward him but also held grudges!

Su Si tried to sit up, but the pain caused him to gasp.

“I’ve called everyone here for an important discussion,” Shi Jingzhi said, exuding the aura of a sect leader. “I heard Taiheng has found the ‘Shirou’. But they don’t have the ‘key’. It won’t be easy for them… Okay, Xu Jingming, you don’t need to cover your ears. I won’t kill you to silence you.”

Only then did Xu Jingming stop struggling.

Yin Ci gave a helpless smile. Whether it was an illusion or not, Su Si felt there was a subtle change in the man’s aura.

Yin Ci turned to Protector Hua and said calmly, “The Kushan Sect is small and can’t compete with the overwhelming numbers of Taiheng. While the chaos over the ‘Shirou’ hasn’t yet subsided, we want to promote a great martial arts conference.”

Su Si and Yan Qing: “…” Can’t compete? Who are you trying to fool?

Poor Protector Hua, who was kept in the dark, responded, “What does the righteous path have to do with our Divine Sect?”

Yin Ci looked at her for a moment, his gaze briefly touching Wu Huai’s head. “Does Chigou want revenge?”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 125: Conspiracy

Su Si groggily opened his eyes and then, as if splashed with cold water, abruptly came to his senses.

A tingling numbness lingered in his limbs, clearly a reaction from being poisoned. Using all his strength, Su Si felt for the butcher knife at his waist. Perhaps due to its unappealing look, no one had taken it from him.

The place was dark and stifling. Instinctively, Su Si employed the skills he acquired during his training in the Red Scorpion Feet. He forcefully pressed several acupoints on his head to wake himself fully.

It felt as if he were waking up from a drunken stupor and his memories were slowly coming back together.

That night, Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci went to the Fallen God Tower for business. Su Si, uninterested in the affairs of Chigou, chose to stay at the Immortal Seeker’s Residence with Yan Qing.

A day had passed since Wu Huai escaped. The irrelevant merchants cleared out, and Taiheng officially set out. However, the Immortal Seeker’s Residence wasn’t empty. After taking power, Wu Huai was bloodthirsty and murderous, wreaking havoc in the village. Some followers of Chigou couldn’t bear to watch and therefore left Chigou. Once news broke out about Wu Huai’s escape, they joyfully returned.

It was rumored that Hua Jingchun spread the word that, under Wu Huai’s rule, defectors would not be punished. But defectors were still defectors. To prevent potential threats, they were placed in the remote Immortal Seeker’s Residence.

Compared to the ascension ceremony, the Immortal Seeker’s Residence was now even more lively.

With Wu Huai on the run, people were particularly delighted and didn’t miss a chance to drink and feast. Yan Qing was slightly resistant to alcohol, but Su Si took the opportunity to drink to his heart’s content. He saw the wine being brought out of storage and opened in front of everyone. His minor suspicion was blown away by the strong aroma of the wine.

Who would still work for a defeated dog like Wu Huai?

But this drink led to a total mess.

Unexpectedly, instead of drugging Wu Huai, they were the ones who got drugged. In the chaos and noise, Su Si didn’t notice anything.

Who was behind this? Was someone in the sect still supporting Wu Huai?

Su Si pressed his temples for a while, but the effects of the drug were still lingering. He cut open a small wound on his collarbone. With the combination of pain and bleeding, he finally felt better.

He was lying on top of several people, some of whom had already stopped breathing, their bodies cold and stiff. There was a smell of decaying plants in the air.

Su Si recognized the smell. They were in some underground cellar filled with a poisonous gas that could silently take lives. Combined with the sleeping drug, even the strongest martial artist could be killed without a trace.

Had it not been for Su Si’s resistance training against drugs at the Red Scorpion Feet, he wouldn’t have woken up and would’ve met his doom.

Cold sweat formed on Su Si’s back. He took out a torch, but it wouldn’t ignite. Just as he decided to escape in the dark, a faint glow caught his eye.

Drawing closer while holding his breath, he discovered a folded fan with a glowing pearl pendant. The handle of the fan was exquisite and obviously of high quality. An idea formed in Su Si’s mind, and he decided to use the fan’s owner as a potential source of money. The person had strong inner force but wasn’t a top master. Why not exchange kindness for gold?

With this lovely idea in mind, Su Si tried various ways to wake the man.

The man had a smell of alcohol on him and was terrified. His voice was hoarse as he said, “You… You—”

“You what, you? Call me your savior,” Su Si whispered. “We can’t stay here for long because of the gas. We need to escape quickly.”

The man seemed experienced and didn’t panic for long. After a brief hesitation, he got up with Su Si’s help. The luminous pearl wasn’t bright enough to light the way, so Su Si continued to grope in the dark, sometimes using the bodies around as steps. In less than half an hour, he found a door-like entrance.

As they approached the slightly ventilated door, the smell of kerosene became clearer. While Su Si tried to pry the lock with his knife, he listened carefully to the surroundings.

Near the entrance of the cellar, the man seemed to breathe more easily. With his hoarse voice, he finally said, “Who did this?”

“Who else? It’s Wu Huai’s people. To kidnap so many of us without Chigou noticing, seems like the traitors weren’t completely eradicated,” Su Si replied while working on the lock. “However, this method is too messy. It looks like we’re being held hostage.”

The man remained silent.

Su Si assumed he was scared and continued to ramble, “Don’t panic. With so many people around, we must still be near Chigou. When my brother notices I’m gone, he will surely come looking for me. He’s the naivest person in the world and would never easily compromise. You, young man, are wealthy; there will surely be many looking for you.”

“I…”

“Shh!”

Su Si broke the lock of the cellar but didn’t escape immediately. He listened closely to the outside, and indeed heard two sets of footsteps. One belonged to a young man with a limping stride, apparently severely injured. The other was a woman’s, with an uneven gait, clearly also limping.

“I came alone,” said the woman, and it was indeed Hua Jingchun. “Release my brothers and sisters, and for old times’ sake, I might spare your life.”

The other voice, weakly, responded, “Spare my life? That’s rich. Where are the beasts of the Kushan Sect?”

“The Sect Master and his disciples are resting at the Fallen God Tower, and they’re unaware of this. Wu Huai, I’m telling you again—”

“How ridiculous,” Wu Huai coughed. “You really don’t get it. If I hadn’t turned a blind eye, would that old servant have planted the trap for you? Since you survived, why come back?”

“You tarnish the name of Chigou, and I should thank you?”

“I fear that before the nest even collapses, there are cowards eager to jump ship. This time, the Chigou Sect has chosen a lively Patriarch, who surely will be more effective than you.” Hua Jingchun didn’t buy into his talk. “A sect that has lasted for more than a hundred years, and you say it’s doomed? Back then, I shouldn’t have…”

“Never supported me into the Immortal Assembly?”

“We had a deal. You would make connections and amass wealth. I stayed with Chigou, prospering the sect. Grave-digging opportunities were dwindling, so we adapted. In another hundred years, Chigou would’ve risen to prominence.”

Hua Jingchun was furious.

“After decades apart, I returned to a monster. Seeing you, the ‘Young Patriarch’, did you ever consider my—”

“Childhood promises are void. Adaptability is the key to survival.”

Wu Huai casually interrupted her.

“Plundering the villages, when Chigou is done, the followers will share some money. Why end up like the Ling Sect, achieving nothing? As for the common folk, they’d die sooner or later. I simply acted first. I thought you’d be sensible, but you’re just a fool.”

His voice grew weaker, but the mockery intensified.

“People’s lives are worthless, yet you’re here haggling over them. It’s laughable.”

Su Si’s heart sank, quickly calculating his next move. “Protector Hua, run! He never intended to negotiate!”

“I don’t need you to tell me!” Hua Jingchun snapped back.

As she roared, more footsteps approached. The sounds of those footsteps were soft, sounding like the footwork of the Red Scorpion Feet.

Feeling she had the upper hand, Hua Jingchun’s voice turned icy. “I thought you’d have a good excuse, but it’s all madness. Guards, seize him—What is this?!”

Hearing her scream, Su Si couldn’t restrain himself and tried pushing the cellar door. The door he had previously pried open was now immovable, as if a mountain lay atop it.

Screams continued outside.

Oil seeped in, and the heat intensified. Su Si, running out of air, slashed at the crevice. His blade met something resilient before being grabbed. Struggling, he retrieved the blade, covered in green liquid.

Above, fire raged; below, toxic gas. Without air, everyone would suffocate.

Desperate, Su Si slammed against the cellar door. The hilt’s Mountain Ghost coin glistened blood-red in the firelight. As the flames grew and the air thinned, his vision blurred—

Crash.

The cellar door shattered, and warm air rushed in. Su Si gasped for breath. He looked up to see a round, straw figure.

Su Si almost lashed out with his knife.

“A’Si, it’s me!” a familiar voice called out.

Yan Qing, with immense strength and a hint of the Jianchen Temple’s prowess, slashed through the green tendrils. He fended off the flames, grabbing a Chigou follower and pressing him against his Sword of Compassion. The stone sword, heavy as a mountain, instantly crushed the cellar door.

Su Si quickly grabbed Yan Qing’s hand, pulling himself out of the cellar.

Judging from the buildings alone, they obviously reflect the style of the Chigou Sect. Yet in the sky, there were numerous thin threads swaying, forming a net, blocking all the flames and thick smoke inside. Outside the threads, the starry sky twinkled, creating a scene of dim tranquility. Hua Jingchun was struggling to deal with those threads, and even the assassins of the Red Scorpion Feet were trapped in place.

Wu Huai stood on the grass-like threads with the corner of his mouth sporting a torn wound. The wound, illuminated by the firelight, resembled a sinister smile. He stood still, watching everyone, with a clear hint of pity in his eyes.

Flames licked the threads, filling the air with a rich scent of grass and wood. By the looks of things, they were meant to burn everyone here alive.

…For a minor act of revenge, Wu Huai was making quite a spectacle.

Su Si thought to himself, but his hands didn’t hesitate. He immediately wielded his blade, cutting off the threads entangling Yan Qing. As he turned around, intending to pick up the money pouch he had just found and pull it into the basement, a flash of fire caught their attention, and the three of them stood still.

Xu Jingming stood blankly at the entrance of the basement with a complicated expression.

‘So that’s how it is,’ Su Si thought, gripping the hilt of his butcher knife.

According to the Immortal Assembly’s methods, Wu Huai was here to “deal with” the Chigou Sect. Letting it decline was one way, and getting an imperial relative killed within the sect was another.

The Chigou members in the Immortal Seeker’s Residence—each one of them was a defiant “thorn”. Keeping them around would only cause endless trouble. Dealing with them and Xu Jingming and then attracting Hua Jingchun would be perfect. Once Hua Jingchun and this group died, the most fiery members of Chigou would disappear. With Xu Jingming gone, Chigou would certainly be targeted by the imperial court and face its end.

Knowing he was no match for the Kushan Sect, Wu Huai deliberately excluded them from his plans. ‘What a strategy,’ Su Si thought angrily. The sect leader of the Kushan Sect was far away at the Fallen God Tower. By the time he realized something was wrong, his two subordinates would probably be as cold as dead.

Seemingly sensing Su Si’s anger, Wu Huai glanced at him. By his expression, he clearly didn’t regard the two subordinates of the Kushan Sect highly.

“Protector Hua, considering our past relationship, I let you taste the flavor of ‘victory’ for a day.” Wu Huai sighed. “Unfortunately… among the remaining eight Protectors, most are old. With the example of Matron Wuxue, some still know what’s best for them.”

“You bastard…”

“Just remove one plank of wood, and the bucket can’t hold water anymore. Do you think the next ‘Patriarch’ will make Chigou prosperous again? Going against heaven’s will is in vain.”

Hua Jingchun collapsed amidst the threads, her chest heaving in anger. Threads drilled into her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Under the intense pain, she couldn’t speak much, only managing to spit out.

“Fuck the so-called heavenly will, and to hell with the Immortal Assembly.”

She took a deep breath, and a cluster of threads formed in front of her, resembling the “little jade figure” Wu Huai had vomited that day. It looked at her, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

This was a clear intention to kill.

With a cold laugh, Hua Jingchun seemed to activate something. A dazzling white light illuminated the area. Even though it was confined by the thread net, it still stunned the attacking threads.

“Members of the Kushan Sect, leave!” she shouted. “You don’t need to save anyone; just spread this shit out!”

Yan Qing didn’t think of escaping amidst the chaos. What surprised him was that Su Si was still there.

The anger on Su Si’s face gradually faded. He took a deep breath and shielded Yan Qing behind him. His facial features were naturally sharp and paired with a despondent expression, looking quite pitiable.

“Why involve us if you want to harm Chigou or resent Kushan?” he said mournfully. “We’re just servants. Even if we die a few times over, our sect leader won’t care. Please, let us go.”

Su Si pretended to beg, subtly moving closer. Hua Jingchun’s eyes blazed with fury. “Coward!”

“You saw those strange things. What if we can’t escape? Maybe you’re using us as bait to divert his attention!”

Su Si replied confidently. He made a few hand gestures behind his back to Yan Qing.

Wu Huai was momentarily distracted by their argument, and in that brief moment, Yan Qing swung his stone sword.

The sword’s wind tore apart countless threads. The wind directed Su Si, who, despite the pain, moved with it. Powered by the wind and his own momentum, he reached Wu Huai in an instant.

His butcher knife drew an arc in the air, cutting open Wu Huai’s throat.

“Grandpa is the true Young Patriarch,” Su Si said with a cold smile. “Now, taste the real Bone Sweeping Sword.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 124: A Difficult Problem

Shi Jingzhi clutched Yin Ci’s hand tightly, curling up on the bed.

If those terrifying speculations were true, then past oddities now made sense—like Yin Ci’s initial state of “no desire”, his “blindness” upon returning to Huilian Mountain, and that sinister lamp formed of skulls and arms.

And then there was the incident twenty-four years ago in Juyi Valley. Why did someone as powerful as Yin Ci fall into a state of possession, and why was he so sensitive to “betrayal”?

Shi Jingzhi deeply understood the pain of confinement. But at least in his prison, he had a yard of a certain size and a huge tree in the backyard that showcased the changing seasons. The emperor allowed him to read and practice internal martial arts for health. He wasn’t completely isolated or left in the dark. Still, over two decades of this soft imprisonment left a void in his heart.

The time Yin Ci was trapped under the Northwest Great Prohibition was definitely longer than just twenty years.

A book lay quietly beside them, emanating a faint scent of ink.

Shi Jingzhi wouldn’t believe everything in this old tome right from the start. However, the absurdities mentioned in this book, he had encountered their real-life answers—

The trading of military merit for individuals wasn’t straightforward. Yin Ci, as a general, would occasionally separate from Sun Wang for battles. The timing and circumstances of each campaign had to be meticulously adjusted. Such manipulation required the involvement of the imperial court, cleaning up inconsistencies year by year.

…And he had indeed seen obscure books with traces of alterations. The time before the changes coincided precisely with Yin Ci’s memories.

According to Sun Wang’s records, a ritual involved sealing a body in a stone coffin filled with fire and overflowing mercury. The Northwest Great Prohibition was placed above, constantly draining Yin Ci’s strength. Being buried this deeply, Yin Ci should’ve had no chance of escape.

…The Hua family ancestor once infiltrated the team building the seal and stole some mercury to sell during the “Awakening Ceremony”. If that mercury was extracted from the coffin, it wasn’t surprising that a gap was left in the coffin.

And it was this tiny gap that gave the person inside the coffin a glimmer of hope. The reason the Northwestern Great Prohibition still functioned might be due to Yin Ci’s remnants—the coffin was made from the hardest muyan stone. With no known earthquakes or human interference, and Yin Ci devoid of any inner force, Shi Jingzhi could only assume he used his body to resist.

Considering this, the diminishing efficacy of the Northwest Great Prohibition might be due to the loss of Yin Ci, its source of energy, with the remnants underground gradually depleting.

…Everything matched up.

Human’s plans couldn’t outsmart fate. Even after three hundred years, the shadow of a true tragedy still lingered. It was a pity that Yin Ci’s achievements were wiped out, and no one delved deeper into his disappearance.

According to the records, Sun Wang didn’t know about Yin Ci’s immortality. He believed his dear friend from the past turned against him, considered a threat based on unfounded suspicions and was sacrificed. Had he known Yin Ci was alive, General Sun wouldn’t have been so desolate and wouldn’t have retired.

The next events were hard to explain. Given Sun Wang’s personality, he wouldn’t have taken credit for Yin Ci’s achievements nor bowed to the palace in exhaustion.

The disappearance of He Cheng’an was also mysterious. How did he learn of Yin Ci’s immortality, and how did he manage to exploit it while keeping it a secret? The Northwest Great Prohibition did indeed protect the people, but what was He Cheng’an’s ultimate goal? Where did he go?

The mystery of immortality and long-term plans eventually pointed back to He Cheng’an. Shi Jingzhi felt a buzzing in his head and buried his face into Yin Ci’s long hair, inhaling its scent sorrowfully.

“A’Ci.” He turned to the sleeping Yin Ci. “It’s so hard.”

Naturally, Yin Ci didn’t respond.

Drawing closer, Shi Jingzhi felt the warmth of Yin Ci’s body. All the pain and suffering he had endured in his life turned into pity at that moment. He hugged the man in his arms, like he was grasping a lifeline in a raging river, but afraid to grip too tightly lest he drag both of them down.

Such feelings surged deep within him, indescribable in their intensity.

“From your state earlier, it seems you’ve separated delusions from memories,” Shi Jingzhi shifted, propping himself up to face Yin Ci. “The suffering A’Ci endured, just by imagining it, I can hardly bear it. If you go crazy like this, would it be a kind of relief…? Do you think I will say that?”

Yin Ci’s eyelashes quivered slightly.

“I’m the product of that old bastard He Cheng’an. I naturally don’t know how to ‘let go’.”

With a surge of emotion, Shi Jingzhi playfully bit Yin Ci’s nose tip.

“You clearly promised me we’d watch the lanterns together and even talked about proposing. Now, before anything has even started between us, you want to flee? Are the events from 300 years ago more alluring than your master?”

Sect Master Shi said this with growing grievance. After a moment, he took a deep breath and mumbled ambiguously, “No, this won’t do.”

Ignoring the mysterious He Cheng’an, his own blood carried that of Xu Li and Sun Wang. If he were to act carelessly and Yin Ci saw him as a gift-wrapped enemy, he might actually flee.

Thinking about this, Shi Jingzhi grew increasingly melancholic. He quickly tied his robe’s corner to Yin Ci’s. Then, he cleared his throat and said affectionately, “The schemes of He Cheng’an have lasted for hundreds of years. Together, we can solve the mystery… Haa, it still feels wrong. A’Ci, what should I do with you?”

Yin Ci’s eyelids twitched.

Sect Master Shi probably didn’t realize that Yin Ci had clearly heard his entire rehearsal.

Shi Jingzhi pressed several acupoints on Yin Ci, which would keep him unconscious. But today was different from the past; with this little brat around, even if he wanted to plunge into madness, there were countless ties holding him back.

[Though I may not be able to promise you much time… whatever you are, I will watch over you till the end.]

Without any clarity on Shi Jingzhi’s fate, this “end” seemed… useless.

Darkness prevailed—not more, not less. Moths might be consumed by flames, but in endless darkness, all one needed was a glimmer of light to find their way.

Yin Ci’s scattered will began to converge, the sounds from the outside world slowly returned, waiting for Shi Jingzhi to release his acupoints. Instead, that fox started rehearsing dialogues again, treating Yin Ci as if he were fragile sugar candy that would crumble upon touch.

Listening to Shi Jingzhi transition from being cute to affectionate, from righteousness to sweet talk, it was uncharacteristic of the Sect Master of the Kushan Sect to be so tongue-tied. He became increasingly incoherent, even humming in the end.

All these worries and troubles, all because of love.

Eventually, Shi Jingzhi’s voice became hoarse, and he grew tired. Flipping through some pages, he finally leaned half of his body onto Yin Ci, his voice becoming slightly dreamy.

“I don’t know what to say.” Shi Jingzhi murmured in near despair. “I’m still afraid—afraid I’ll die this year, afraid you’ll leave me. This situation is complicated. I can’t promise anything, but…”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t finish his sentence and buried his face into Yin Ci’s collar. After a long sigh, he whispered.

“Yin Zizhu*, I will never betray you.”

*Clarity: This is a title given to Yin Ci. Often times, the Emperor would award titles for their meritorious deeds.

When he heard this, Yin Ci was momentarily taken aback.

Titles were more respectable than names, and his title was given to him by Emperor Xu Li himself. Although Yin Ci was the youngest, the other three always addressed him by this title out of respect. However, given subsequent events, this “respect” was rather ironic.

Three hundred years.

For over three hundred years, this name disappeared from books and rumors. Connected to endless battles and betrayals that even Yin Ci considered it a part of his “delusions” and cast it aside.

…And yet, Shi Jingzhi bravely brought it back, placing it right back into his heart. In an instant, memories found their place, resonating silently.

Yin Ci could no longer wait for him to release the acupoints and forcefully broke free. He stretched out his arms, tightly holding the person in his embrace. Shi Jingzhi shivered, then exerted all his strength, as if wanting to merge with the person in front of him.

“Saying this is enough,” Yin Ci whispered. “It’s more than enough.”

The Fallen God Tower was eerily silent, while the Taiheng Sect was bustling with noise.

Qu Duanyun hadn’t yet returned to his sect when news from Taiheng reached the horse station. The gray pigeon delivering the message didn’t escape Shi Zhongyu’s notice. She left the bandit village early, as usual, to intercept Taiheng’s news.

The news this time surprised her so much she almost hurt the pigeon.

[The “Shirou” has appeared. Sect Master, return immediately.]

“Since Qu Duanyun is undoubtedly from the Immortal Assembly, do you still want to get involved?”

After being publicly injured by Shi Jingzhi, Shen Zhu pretended to fall out with him and returned to the village early. She quickly sold the inside story of the Chigou chaos to Shi Zhongyu and made a small profit.

With Shi Zhongyu, she could keep track of Taiheng’s movements, so she wouldn’t miss this opportunity. However, Shen Zhu was puzzled—Shi Zhongyu, a renegade, even if she knew the news, couldn’t possibly influence the mighty Taiheng.

What was she busy with? Was it really for some elusive “greater good”?

“Master Qi’s death is linked to Qu Duanyun. Initially, when Jin Lan and the others were inexplicably attacked, it was probably the Immortal Assembly pressuring me.” Shi Zhongyu folded the message back and released the trembling gray pigeon.

“Hmm—so what? Sister, you don’t seem like the kind of person who’s driven by emotions and grudges. Are you planning on seeking revenge?” Shen Zhu hummed thoughtfully, her eyes darting around.

Shi Zhongyu was taken aback for a moment, then sighed softly. “Duanyun grew up before my eyes. He’s not inherently evil. Rather than seeking revenge, I want to know the reason behind his actions. If it’s for fame and profit, he already has all his needs met and was set to be the head of Taiheng. If it was out of malicious intent, he’s not like Wu Huai, who abused his power after obtaining it.”

Seeing that Shi Zhongyu was about to start with her moral reasoning, Shen Zhu’s interest waned. Before she could show her disdain, Shi Zhongyu added calmly, “…So once I have the answer, I’ll decide whether to spare his life or not.” She looked determined, despite her disheveled bandit appearance.

Shen Zhu immediately perked up, her voice turning sweeter. “Do you have a plan, Sister?”

“Yes. If Duanyun wants to play by ‘rules’, I’ll fight him using his own methods. Miss Shen, please deliver a message for me. I need to meet with Sect Master Shi.”

“Piece of cake. What are you planning, Sister?”

“Although the martial world can’t affect the imperial court, the major sects are preoccupied with their own troubles, allowing Taiheng to monopolize power. The ‘Shirou’ chaos has not yet been resolved, and now is an excellent opportunity.”

Shi Zhongyu wiped her face and touched the Yang Reversal Token on her chest.

“The martial world despises monopolies. Given the current chaos, it’s time to choose a leader for the martial world.”

---

Kinky Thoughts:

For those confused so far, part of the conspiracy has been revealed. About 300 years ago, before the establishment of Great Yun, three leaders rose: Li Xu (the first emperor of Great Yun), He Cheng’an (the Imperial Preceptor), and Sun Wang (the great general).

Due to the war during that era, Yin Ci, an orphan, escaped into Great Yun and eventually became a great general, guiding Great Yun into battle and successfully reuniting and stabilizing the country.

However, after the country stabilized, misfortune started to fall. He Cheng’an, for reasons not yet revealed, advised that Yin Ci needed to be sacrificed in order to stop the calamities from befalling Great Yun. Yin Ci was fed immortal wine which drained him of his inner force.

Yin Ci was then sent, unknowingly, to be sacrificed, except this sacrifice came at the cost of him being beheaded thousands of times in order for them to gather his headless corpse to use as material for spells. The stronger the body, the stronger the spell.

After collecting enough of Yin Ci’s corpses, He Cheng’an buried Yin Ci under the Northwest Great Prohibition in a stone coffin made of muyan stone (the hardest known material in this world), covered by an array of mercury.

He was supposed to lie beneath the Northwest Great Prohibition in order to feed power into the seal. However, Hua Jingchun’s ancestor stole a bit of mercury from the coffin during the building process, allowing a small gap to appear in the coffin. This small gap eventually allowed Yin Ci to break out of his tomb (by breaking his arms over and over again and using his bones to carve a hole into the coffin, which took almost 80 years).

With Yin Ci’s escape, the Northwest Great Prohibition is now showing signs of weakening (as observed by Qu Duanyun). It has been powered all this time by the remnants of Yin Ci’s body parts that he used to escape, but now that power source is almost depleted.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 123: Bone Sweeping

Before the half-stick of incense burned out, they were at the Fallen God Tower. Shi Jingzhi’s mood seemed quite good.

Hua Jingchun wasn’t one to gain weight by breaking her promises. As soon as the Chigou Sect settled down, she summoned someone to fetch the clay statue. She cleverly didn’t ask about the matter of “Su Zhi” being resurrected from death. She only mentioned that Wu Huai was on the run and that the chaos in Chigou wasn’t over, asking the Kushan Sect to be more cautious.

She changed back into the attire of a Protector. The injury on her broken leg was still oozing with the smell of blood. Wu Huai had been pulled down from the position of Patriarch of Chigou, but Hua Jingchun didn’t seem too thrilled about it.

“Don’t you want to see more of Su Zhi?” Shi Jingzhi leisurely sipped tea as he waited for the clay statue to arrive.

“Patriarch Su helped us get rid of Wu Huai, which was a pleasant surprise. If it’s true, given the chaos in Chigou, we shouldn’t bother the spirit of Patriarch Su. If he’s a fake, Sect Master Shi surely has a plan… We have a family rule: if you want to live long in this tomb-robbing business, don’t be too curious.”

Hua Jingchun took a sip of tea; her expression was complex, though the initial hostility was gone.

“Even though the Shirou was what Matron Wuxue sought, Taiheng is leading by a mile now. Our Divine Sect’s momentum is gone; it’s better to focus on our foundation.”

At this moment, the servant who fetched the clay statue entered.

The clay statue was about the height of an arm and seemed to depict the Imperial Celestial. Unlike the flesh statue from Yuanxian Village, this clay figure was misshapen and incredibly crude, obviously the work of a novice. The paint on the statue was mottled and faded, looking extremely worn out without any aesthetic value.

It was placed on a dark red brocade, held up by a wooden tray, contrasting sharply with the luxurious surroundings. Judging by its appearance, it seemed more suited for a village market.

…It was too ordinary; perhaps what the Immortal Assembly was looking for wasn’t this.

Despite his thoughts, Shi Jingzhi still put down his teacup and took a closer look. The statue smelled normal, not fishy. Its surface was rough, without any mysterious patterns, and nothing special embedded. Sect Master Shi examined it thoroughly, almost putting a price tag on it.

“Just put it on the table for now.” After all the scrutiny, Sect Master Shi didn’t find anything suspicious and decided to inspect it later.

He wasn’t currently wearing his Nuo mask, so his face was indeed distracting. The clay statue wasn’t a valuable item, and the servant holding it was so captivated by Shi Jingzhi’s face that he almost dropped the statue.

A faint friction sound came from inside the statue. Shi Jingzhi immediately widened his eyes and reached out instinctively to touch the statue. The servant, already nervous, saw the elegant guest reaching out and stepped back.

If he hadn’t moved so abruptly, the statue wouldn’t have fallen and smashed on the ground.

With a crisp “crack”, the statue broke into pieces, and dozens of small stone balls rolled out. Amid the fragments, a wrinkled booklet appeared.

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Shi Jingzhi had only heard that Buddhas and clay statues usually held valuable items. However, these stone balls on the floor weren’t precious gems but seemed more like children’s toys. Just as he was about to pick up the booklet, Yin Ci walked in.

Seeing the mess, Sect Master Shi felt a little embarrassed and hurriedly tried to explain. “A’Ci, look at this clay statue…”

He stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something unusual.

Usually, when Yin Ci entered, his gaze would first fall on him. That gaze always made Shi Jingzhi feel pleasant from head to toe. However, this time, Yin Ci picked up a stone ball, and his eyes were filled with a terrifying emptiness.

Just like when they first became master and disciple.

Holding the stone ball tightly, Yin Ci murmured a name. The voice was so soft and indistinct that Shi Jingzhi couldn’t hear it clearly, but he instinctively felt something was wrong.

Sect Master Shi hastily stuffed the booklet into his chest and rushed to Yin Ci’s side. “A’Ci?”

Yin Ci seemed not to hear him and didn’t respond. He just reached out a hand and slowly grabbed Shi Jingzhi’s wrist with an overwhelming force. His hand was chillingly cold, and a suffocating pressure rose.

He was clearly not in a normal state.

Shi Jingzhi frowned. Yin Ci’s reaction wasn’t like a curse or poisoning, but more like he was possessed.

Fortunately, despite being in this state, Yin Ci showed no signs of hostility towards Shi Jingzhi. Gritting his teeth, Shi Jingzhi quickly pressed several acupoints, knocking Yin Ci unconscious. Without even looking at the broken statue, he lifted the unconscious Yin Ci. “Protector Hua, may I use one of your guest rooms?”

The Fallen God Tower was a place for guests, so there were plenty of rooms. Hua Jingchun prepared a particularly quiet one for them. “Does Sect Master Shi need any medicine?”

Without raising his head, Shi Jingzhi responded tersely, “I’ll take care of him. Ask everyone to leave.”

When the room was empty, Shi Jingzhi took off Yin Ci’s Nuo mask. Then, he dug out the stone ball from Yin Ci’s palm. The stone ball had ground through the flesh of Yin Ci’s palm, leaving it bloody.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t call the other members of the Kushan Sect, but instead sent Hua Jingchun away, cleaning the blood from Yin Ci’s hand himself.

“You were once lost in your own mind, yet never looked like this. You wanted to protect me, yet now you’re the one in danger.”

He moistened a warm cloth and gently wiped Yin Ci’s face. Yin Ci’s unconsciousness wasn’t of his own doing, and Sect Master Shi didn’t dare act rashly given Yin Ci’s abnormal state.

For ordinary people losing control, he could still keep them in check. But Yin Ci was too powerful. If he went berserk, the Chigou Sect might be destroyed before Wu Huai could do it.

Not to mention, with many outsiders present, there was no way they would easily surrender. If a fight broke out, Yin Ci’s “immortal body” would be known to all.

Sect Master Shi was both worried and anxious, almost biting into the cloth in his hand.

Only when Yin Ci’s breathing finally stabilized did he turn his attention to the stone ball. To his disappointment, he found nothing unusual about it. The stone ball, along with others, was placed into a jar by Hua Jingchun, looking colorful and appealing. They were coated with fragrant balm and were obviously well-preserved. Apart from that, they were just ordinary stones.

…The only thing left was that booklet.

Shi Jingzhi lit calming incense in the four corners of the room. He then pushed Yin Ci into the bed and half-laid down himself. Yin Ci’s state was like deep sleep; his breathing was shallow and long. His brows were tightly furrowed, and there was no expression on his face, but his eyes showed a peculiar pain.

Shi Jingzhi couldn’t help but hold Yin Ci’s right hand, kissing his palm.

Cold as ice.

Shi Jingzhi sighed, placing Yin Ci’s cold hand on his waist, trying to warm it. He closed his eyes, focusing for a moment before opening the booklet’s first page.

His initial feeling was disappointment.

Shi Jingzhi had thought that there would be neat handwriting inside, recording secrets. But the book looked as if it had been written by a child just learning to write, with handwriting so poor that it was hard to read. Some ink characters were smudged, as if water had been dripped on them constantly.

After flipping through several pages, all he saw were messy calligraphy practice pages. Random characters were written, not forming any coherent sentences.

Sun Huaijin’s raspy voice echoed in his mind.

[During the years when the founding emperor was ill, Sun Wang seemed to change—an imposing nine-chi man was curled up and was constantly weeping as he learned to write.]

Could this be Sun Wang’s calligraphy practice book? Shi Jingzhi rubbed his forehead.

Legends of Sun Wang learning to write weren’t unheard of. But if this was just a practice book, why had Lady Sun hidden it in the statue?

Shi Jingzhi patiently flipped through the pages, being careful not to damage the old paper.

Sun Wang was clearly intelligent, and his writing became clearer. The words began to form short sentences with structure. The only constant were marks that looked like either water or tear stains.

When he reached the middle of the book, his hand suddenly froze, his face a mask of shock—

[Xu Li, He Cheng’an, worse than animals.]

[I, Sun Wang, am worse than an animal.]

This page had only these two sentences, repeated over and over, filling the entire page like a malevolent curse.

Xu Li, was the name of the founding emperor. He Cheng’an, the revered Imperial Preceptor.

According to legends, Sun Wang had a brotherly relationship with these two men, and there were even rumors that they were sworn brothers. However, seeing the loyal Marquis of Lie’an leave such handwriting, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t help but shiver. He took a deep breath before flipping to the next page.

This time, Shi Jingzhi was completely shocked.

Beside him, Yin Ci was having a long dream.

In his dream, he was alone, standing in thick darkness. He was surrounded by bizarre illusions, looking like dirty catkins.

Voices came from all directions, as if countless mouths were speaking to him, making his head feel like it would explode. Yin Ci couldn’t help but kneel, seeing himself shatter like a clay statue. With the sound of rolling stone balls, many illusions burst like bubbles, leaving the darkest one—the one he tried to ignore and put behind him.

Memories scattered in the illusions began to return, stabbing his mind like knives.

Over three hundred years ago, the sky was ablaze with war, and chaos broke out everywhere. Everyone said that the world was in turmoil and only the country of Yun had a glimmer of hope.

The ruler of Yun was Xu Li, originally a vassal. In his youth, Xu Li was promising, with two trusted aides named Sun Wang and He Cheng’an. One excelled in martial arts and the other in scholarship; together, they guarded a scenic region. As long as one could flee to the country of Yun, they wouldn’t starve.

Yin Ci was originally an orphan who survived the war. His face attracted many malicious people. To protect himself, he learned martial arts and even saved many abandoned children with similar fates. Hearing about the country of Yun, he didn’t hesitate and led his group there.

With his guidance, over a hundred abandoned children successfully entered the country of Yun without any casualties. This incident caused a huge stir, and Xu Li, finding it interesting, personally met this brilliant young man.

At that time, Xu Li was only in his twenties. He wasn’t particularly handsome but was very amiable. He Cheng’an, wearing a pure white robe with an ethereal aura, stroked his long beard and spoke with a smile.

[This young man has a remarkable appearance. Given time, he will surely become a person of great merit.]

Xu Li seemed to trust He Cheng’an deeply. Based on his recommendation, Yin Ci was treated as a guest, and even had the chance to study. The children Yin Ci brought had food to eat; the clever ones became apprentices, and the simpler ones became servants.

…At that time, Yin Ci really felt lucky.

The first person he truly got to know was Sun Wang. Yin Ci showed talent in strategy, and Sun Wang was an experienced military leader. Over time, Yin Ci often visited Sun Wang’s home. They would discuss military strategies or play with the sand table late into the night.

At that time, Sun Wang’s wife was pregnant. She would always gaze at Sun Wang with affectionate eyes.

Yin Ci had heard Sun Wang boast countless times that every piece of clothing he wore was handmade by his wife. Sun Wang was very humble and didn’t have the airs of a general. He insisted on taking care of his wife in their daily lives that he would even boil sugar water himself, fearing the servants might scald his beloved wife’s hands.

[I’m a simple man. It must be my good karma from a previous life that I married the best woman in the world.] Sun Wang would often say.

Their deep love was evident. Even when they were engrossed in war games, a single sneeze from Lady Sun would make Sun Wang rush to her side. Yin Ci, who grew up without parents, enjoyed watching the couple’s harmonious relationship.

Xu Li, a close friend of Sun Wang since childhood, would often visit the Sun’s home in disguise, with He Cheng’an following closely. The four of them would chat leisurely or discuss world affairs, getting along very well.

Unfortunately, the eldest son of the Sun family would not get the chance to recognize Yin Ci as his godfather. Before the boy was born, Yin Ci went to the battlefield with Sun Wang to start the first step of quelling the chaotic world. Year after year, Yin Ci matured from a teenager to a young adult on the battlefield, surpassing Sun Wang and becoming Xu Li’s top general.

Thankfully, Sun Wang never held grudges and, despite their age difference, wholeheartedly became Yin Ci’s deputy. Xu Li didn’t show any dissatisfaction, even though his friend was overshadowed. He treated Yin Ci with genuine sincerity and respect, and held He Cheng’an, the “discoverer*”, in the highest regard.

*This is referencing Bo Le (伯乐), used to refer to someone who can recognize and appreciate talents in others (basically, He Cheng’an scouted Yin Ci). It comes from Bo Le, who was a horse tamer and was famous for his ability to judge good horses.

Yun’s territory expanded step by step, and the bond between the four grew tighter. With Xu Li’s popularity among the people, the combination of Sun Wang and Yin Ci’s military might, and He Cheng’an’s brilliant strategies, their teamwork was impeccable. They were as close as family.

Yin Ci, having lost his parents at birth and having grown up amidst war, now had benefactors and a bond as close as family. He spared no effort, risking life and limb for the country of Yun. His military tactics were unparalleled, and he had great prestige among the soldiers. He became the Chief General of Yun when he was just twenty.

After seven or eight years of concerted effort, they finally brought peace to the turbulent world. Starting with a ceremony initiated by Sun Wang, using He Cheng’an’s immortal wine as a token, the four of them became sworn brothers.

It was truly his happiest moment.

However, one imperfection remained. He Cheng’an claimed the immortal wine was beneficial, but after drinking it, Yin Ci felt a subtle drain of his inner force. Yin Ci asked Sun Wang, who drank from the same bottle, but Sun Wang seemed clueless. Yin Ci didn’t suspect anything amiss and just took some medicine prescribed by He Cheng’an, thinking that a momentary weakness after the war was no big deal.

…How naive he was back then.

Though he was now surrounded by darkness, Yin Ci still closed his eyes. The memories that followed were like webs embedded in his brain, each tug bringing immense pain and fear.

After the turbulent times ended and the four of them became sworn brothers. Not long passed before a severe drought hit the nation. The strong and vigorous Xu Li unexpectedly fell ill during these hard times when food and water were scarce. At that moment, Yin Ci quickly forgot about his own minor “inner force affliction”. He was at a complete loss, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

[It’s just after we moved the capital to Yidu, and now there’s a drought. Elder Brother Xu is gravely ill. This is really ominous. Elder Brother He told us to prepare for a ceremony… a ritual to ward off evil spirits. Did he tell you?]

Sun Wang’s tone was slightly stiff. When he said this, he didn’t look at Yin Ci.

[There’s a need for fasting and worshiping the gods. I heard the preparations alone will take a month. Elder Brother He…]

[I will go find the Imperial Preceptor.] Among the four, Yin Ci was the most resistant to the return of chaotic times. [Elder Brother Xu cannot fall. I’d even exchange my life if that’s what it takes.]

Sun Wang said nothing; his eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions. Looking back now, his eyes were full of sorrow.

[Alright,] he replied, pausing after each word. [I’ll accompany you.]

At the same time.

Beside Yin Ci, Shi Jingzhi was carefully reading the words on the pages, feeling as if his organs were encased in ice. His fingers brushed over the coarse paper, feeling numb, as if they had lost all sensation.

Shi Jingzhi stopped pondering how much the “Immortal Assembly” was involved in this matter. Every ugly word transformed into a spike, drilling directly into his brain.

The two founders of the nation were originally three.

Not long after the four swore brotherhood, He Cheng’an secretly sought out Xu Li and Sun Wang.

He claimed that “the fortune of the Yin Clan’s children was too strong, which might overshadow our Great Yun nation’s destiny.” At a time when things were going well, Xu Li and Sun Wang, out of loyalty and righteousness, immediately refused to hand over Yin Ci to He Cheng’an.

He Cheng’an didn’t press further but just shook his head and left.

Soon after, the capital of Great Yun was relocated. That same year, a great drought struck, and disasters occurred everywhere. While still in his prime, Xu Li contracted a mysterious illness. Unlike Sun Wang, who had many children, Xu Li only had a young son. Seeing that the once-prosperous nation might perish, He Cheng’an visited again.

[It’s not that I’m ungrateful, Your Majesty, but you must prioritize the wellbeing of the citizens.]

Sun Wang, angered by the statement, was about to retort but was stopped by Xu Li.

[The young man is talented and looks extraordinary, even more like an emperor than you. A nation can’t have two emperors. Fate flourishes then declines; this is nature’s wrath. The one with an overwhelming fate must sacrifice himself to appease the heavens.]

He Cheng’an was more serious than ever before.

[Your Majesty, I don’t understand martial arts, and the warriors don’t respect me. General Sun can’t read, and the scholars don’t recognize him. This man excels in both martial and literary skills. If Your Majesty…]

Xu Li, already pale from his illness, looked even worse upon hearing this. Sun Wang was extremely angered but held back due to the emperor’s presence.

He Cheng’an stared directly at Xu Li and pointedly said, [Even if you don’t consider the citizens, think about your own flesh and blood.]

[It’s all bullshit!] Sun Wang couldn’t hold back any longer and yelled. [Elder Brother He, how can you come up with such a rotten idea after knowing each other for so many years? Even if I were to rebel, General Yin would never!]

He Cheng’an didn’t reply, which only angered Sun Wang more.

[We face adversities together. To sacrifice someone to the heavens based on this ridiculous reason? We don’t need such a heaven!]

[Have my judgments ever been wrong, General Sun? I’m considering what’s best for Great Yun,] He Cheng’an said with a chilling smile. Despite Sun Wang’s vast battle experience, he was taken aback by that smile.

Sun Wang looked to Xu Li, hoping for his friend’s support. However, Xu Li, instead of responding as he usually would, let out a huge cough and remained silent for a long time.

After a while, Xu Li finally spoke. [Brother Sun, I remember your third daughter was just born… Is Cuicui well? It’s cold outside; bring your family to the palace to stay until spring.]

Despite the palace being warm, Sun Wang felt as if he were in the bitter cold. He sensed the underlying threat in Xu Li’s words.

He Cheng’an then said calmly, [I’ll prepare the ritual. General Sun, there’s no need for such anger. To ensure the ritual is successful, I too will sacrifice myself. I’ve already chosen my successor.]

Xu Li’s eyes reddened. [The Imperial Preceptor is truly noble.]

[This is madness, Elder Brother Xu! Think of another way! Every dynasty faces calamities. This is just Lao He’s… No, just the Imperial Preceptor’s own opinion!]

He Cheng’an, ignoring Sun Wang, said, [I hope His Majesty can set up two execution grounds, one in the Northwest and one in Yidu. General Yin will be the sacrifice in the Northwest to calm the disasters. I will be the sacrifice in Yidu to bless our Great Yun.]

Xu Li, not paying any attention to the pleading Sun Wang, stared at his sickly hands, [Agreed.]

The words that followed were too blurred to read.

Sun Wang was sent to notify Yin Ci about the sacrificial ceremony to heaven, but he struggled for a long time and still couldn’t tell the truth. He watched helplessly as Yin Ci was taken away by He Cheng’an. For the following month, he and his family were “guests” in the palace.

Inside the palace, Sun Wang was still informed. In a month, Xu Li acted swiftly. The nation’s achievements were all credited to Sun Wang. Various books were revised, and storytellers were investigated both openly and covertly.

Sun Wang, having been a war strategist for many years, never thought he would taste such bitterness and despair during a peaceful period.

He began to learn to write, trying to document the truth for future generations. He didn’t want to involve his beloved wife, Cuicui, into the mess. Unable to voice his anguish, he could only watch as she worried for him.

Ironically, after Yin Ci’s sacrifice, the Great Prohibition in the Northwest was established. The natural disasters miraculously ceased, and Xu Li’s health improved. Before the next sacrificial ceremony, He Cheng’an made a special visit to Sun Wang. Sun Wang refused to see him, and after the ceremony, the Imperial Preceptor vanished as if he really had “sacrificed his body for the heavens”.

Sun Wang, deeply affected by this, wished only to retire from his duties. He had even prepared his resignation letter, waiting for the right moment to submit it.

Lady Sun saw her husband’s desolation and was heartbroken. She didn’t probe further, only mentioning that He Cheng’an had given them a tonic before his sacrifice. She planned to stew it the next day, marking an end to their entanglement with the current affairs of the kingdom.

Sun Wang agreed and held his wife, sobbing uncontrollably.

However, the record abruptly ended on this page, with the rest blank.

…What really happened?

Sun Wang didn’t resign. According to recorded history, Xu Li still died young. Sun Wang became the regent, leading the young prince’s armies and stabilizing the frontier.

Yin Ci’s sacrifice was hailed as “a life for a life”. Sun Wang was right in his assessment: He Cheng’an had lied—how could someone immortal “exchange lives”? Was Yin Ci’s sacrifice beneath the Great Prohibition in the Northwest, as he had speculated?

Shi Jing clutched Yin Ci’s right hand, pressing it to his lips, trembling for the first time.

In the darkness, Yin Ci finally pieced together the fragmented memories. He understood the purpose of the “one month of preparation” before “praying to the gods”.

After entering the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence, he only remembered hearing a jarring tune. Then, he felt constantly inebriated, feeling constant pain around his neck. It seemed as though his head was decapitated repeatedly, choked by the wine until he nearly suffocated. Every time he tried to regain consciousness, a haunting melody rendered him immobile.

[Save more, once it reaches three thousand, it’ll be useful.]

…That was He Cheng’an’s voice, indifferent and without his usual jest.

[My Lord, this man has a unique talent. Our sound techniques can barely suppress him.]

[That’s why I told you to gather more materials. Once you have enough, I’ll know where to place him.]

Finally, the choking wine stopped, and the bone-deep pain ceased. At that time, Yin Ci merely thought it was a blurry nightmare. Not to mention he had been in a constant daze; how could a person have so many heads to be beheaded? This dream was genuinely ridiculous. When he woke up, he was determined to tell Sun Wang and He Cheng’an about it.

Then, he groaned a few times, struggling to open his eyes, only to see complete darkness.

His head still ached, and his thoughts seemed to have rusted. Yin Ci tried to sit up, only to find he couldn’t support himself. As soon as he lifted his head, it bumped against a hard, cold stone slab.

Below his hands was a cold stone mixed with strange, soft, cold liquid beads, resembling residual mercury. A chill ran down Yin Ci’s spine as he reached up and indeed felt another stone slab. Using his body, he determined the shape of this “stone box”, and his mind went blank in an instant.

…For some unknown reason, he was lying inside a stone coffin.

At this moment, he didn’t care whether it was a nightmare or not, and immediately started banging on the coffin lid. Unfortunately, apart from the silence, he received no response. Yin Ci tried to use the little inner force he had left but found he had none remaining; he couldn’t even chip off a bit of stone.

Was this the “exorcism ceremony” Sun Wang mentioned?

On the first day, he thought it might be a prank from his friends.

If he endured this day, they would open the lid to see the panicked expression of Great Yun’s top general.

On the second day, he thought it might be some kind of sacrifice, trading a life for another.

If it meant that Xu Li would be safe and the land stable, it was worth his death… He Cheng’an was getting old, and Sun Wang had a family to care for. He was willing to die for them. He had just a bit of resentment; having known them for nearly a decade, were those guys afraid he would run away? He could have left gracefully, with a proper farewell.

On the third day, he wondered, why was he still alive?

Without food or water and nearly suffocating, he should have been long dead. Was this reality? Or another dream he couldn’t wake up from? He screamed until his mouth tasted of blood. He pinched himself hard, even tearing a chunk of flesh from his body.

The pain had never been so real and vivid.

On the fourth day, he finally began to fear.

Yin Ci went over his not-so-long life again and again, trying to find any anomalies. Finding none, he then tried to identify his own mistakes—there must be a reason for such eerie despair.

Be it the reason he was buried here or the reason “he was still alive”.

…But he couldn’t figure it out.

A year passed, and Yin Ci could barely think coherently. Only the thought of “I must escape” lingered. Dressed in silk, he had no metal or tools. He felt around but couldn’t find anything suitable.

Bones were hard, he thought desperately, so what about human bones?

For the first time, he broke his left arm. Blood was everywhere, flesh hanging off. With great effort, he tore the flesh to expose the bone, then used that bone to grind against the stone.

‘Maybe I’ve gone mad,’ Yin Ci thought. After all, even the fact that a new left arm instantly grew didn’t startle him anymore.

Someone had apparently tried to pry open the stone coffin before, leaving a small gap. The mercury slowly disappeared, and various bugs came and went, consuming the decaying flesh and bone debris, so the coffin wasn’t filled with remains. Yin Ci never stopped, day after day, using the bone of his arm to grind at the same spot on the stone wall.

‘I must get out,’ he thought numbly.

Yin Ci tore off his left arm again and again, getting more proficient each time. After an unknown period, he could use his fingers to peel the flesh away, leaving only the useful bone.

He had to escape, to find a reason, an answer, or an end.

Except for this thought, the rest of his memories were a blur. Intense pain, accompanied by the friction sound of bone grinding against stone, never ceased. The darkness spawned countless hallucinations, and Yin Ci started to have delusions to escape the reality.

Until the first “crack” sound.

The thick stone coffin had been ground to form a hole. There was always a way out; instead of compact soil behind the hole, there was an underground cavern.

Oblivious, Yin Ci continued to grind at the opening.

With the cavern as a dumping ground for his limbs, his efficiency increased. Once there was a breach in the stone coffin, further destruction came easily. As days turned to months, the vast cavern was nearly filled with bones. Eventually, Yin Ci created a hole large enough to pass through.

Unfortunately, he was nearly mad, unable to feel joy, just continuing to dig forward. After an unknown time, his skeletal hands touched the scorching yellow sand.

Blinding sunlight poured in.

He nestled in the sand like an animal. As a snake approached, he bit it in half, swallowing it whole. Yin Ci wandered like a walking corpse in the vast desert… Later, he encountered desert bandits and then the village that took him in.

As Chen Qianfan recorded.

According to Chen Qianfan’s records, he had been in that underground coffin for at least eighty years.

The beheading was real, as was the endless darkness. Though he always regarded them as part of his “delusions”, the fear and madness always lurked deep in his mind, occasionally pushing him to the edge.

Some things were better left forgotten. Just the roll of a stone, and he was forced back to the edge.

[Minister Yin, I’ll never fail you.]

[Good brother, even in death, I won’t let you down.]

[This Old Man will not fail General Yin’s expectations.]

……

What a joke.

He was prepared to die for the world, for his loved ones. But he was never prepared to “live” like that.

In the boundless darkness, Yin Ci clenched his fist. Everything should have been cold, but for some reason, his right hand felt warm, as if next to a blazing stove. All the pain persisted, absurd as ever. However, facing the overwhelming darkness, he lost the impulse to go berserk.

Yin Ci clutched his right hand and slowly placed it over his heart. In the darkness, a golden flame danced happily on his right hand.

Don’t wake me up yet, brat.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

End of this arc.

The scene of Yin Ci’s beheading was shown in a previous chapter. This is also why he fears the darkness and tight spaces so much. This is also (probably) why Su Zhi’s sword technique is the Bone Sweeping Sword Technique.

Things are coming together.

Does Yin Ci have the most tragic past in all of Nian Zhong’s work?

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