TXW Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Thank you, Ry, for the emotional damage and ko-fi!

“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“

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“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“

Bai Suiyou!

It’s Bai Suiyou again!

Why did Bai Suiyou always be the Villain!?

Qin Wanwan was suffering from PTSD with the name of ‘Bai Suiyou’. She subconsciously used her divine sense to check on Bai Suiyou’s cultivation level and she got retaliated with sharp pain. Qin Wanwan sucked her breath, listening to Bai Suiyou reprimanding her with worry like she was a naughty child, “Fellow Daoist Qin, although your divine sense is quite powerful, your output power is not. You shouldn’t try to enter the place you shouldn’t enter.”

Qin Wanwan was speechless. Her divine sense had been refined for two hundred years in the Immortal Realm. She may not be considered strong in the Immortal Realm, but compared to the cultivators from the Lower realm that had ascended, she was a lot better. Yet, this person caught her spying on him right away, indicating that his divine sense was much higher than hers. 

With his ability, if he wanted to rob the Linglong Jade, it would be like child’s play. Why did he follow her all the way?

She was in contemplation. She opened her lips cautiously, “Fellow Daoist Bai, you have a high level of cultivation. You can just snatch the Linglong Jade if you wish. Why bother with me, an insignificant person? Could it be that you have another plan for me?”

“Clever.” Bai Suiyou’s gentle voice streamed in her ears, “You ate the Dragon Neidan that my Qinglong has cultivated for so long, don’t you think you should compensate me?”

“Oi!”

Jian Xingzhi scowled at Bai Suiyou with “25” Favorability Points on his head when he leaned down to whisper in Qin Wanwan’s ears. He warned him, “You perverted ghost! Stay away from my daughter!”

“Who is your daughter!”

Qin Wanwan tried to divert Bai Suiyou’s attention from her and yelled at Jian Xingzhi, “Stop spouting nonsense from your mouth!”

“Stop flirting in front of me,” Bai Suiyou pressed the blade against Qin Wanwan tighter and blood seeped out, “Your woman or the Linglong Jade. You choose.”

The abacus in Qin Wanwan’s brain was clacking fast. 

Bai Suiyou raised the Qinglong and he wanted the Linglong Jade. He must have planned to use the Deng Xian Gate to ascend, however, his plan was ruined because of her. The Dragon Neidan was now in her body.  There was no way Bai Suiyou would let her go. 

And, since she got the Dragon Neidan, the System would never let go of this kind of opportunity in vain. Linglong Jade was bound to be a part of her task, it’s just, the task hadn’t been issued yet.

Thus, the Linglong Jade couldn’t fall into Bai Suiyou’s hands. Once Linglong Jade was in his hands, Bai Suiyou would took both her and the Linglong Jade away. 

She calculated the situation and blinked at Jian Xingzhi, hoping that Jian Xingzhi could get her hints and not hand over the Linglong Jade.

Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan blinking madly. Poor her. She must have been so scared that she lost her mind. He tossed the Linglong Jade up and down in his hand and comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, worst case scenario is you die, but fear not, I will avenge you.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

She was not comforted at all, thank you.

From above the mountain, Jian Xingzhi was studying Bai Suiyou. 

This person was the first person in the Lower Realm that their cultivation level he couldn’t see through. For Bai Suiyou to be able to hide his level from him, he must be a prominent figure in this world.

From time to time, there would be people who defy the Heavenly Dao in the Lower Realm. They had advanced cultivation, but they couldn’t ascend. For Jian Xingzhi to encounter one in this Lower Realm, he was not surprised at all. 

Just, these kinds of people were typically ruthless, treacherous, and vicious. When it came to such people, a mere “25” Favorability Point wouldn’t weigh much in the face of the Linglong Jade. 

They were the type who wouldn’t give mercy to children and women. 

In due course, he would lose both the Linglong Jade and his daughter. There would be nothing in his pocket.  

He dangled the Linglong Jade, and the eyes of the people around him went up and down along with the Linglong Jade in his hand.

With every move of Jian Xingzhi, Xie Gutang’s heart also dangled like the Linglong Jade. He was unable to retain his calm, “Qianbei, the future of tens of thousands of cultivators in this world rests on the Linglong Jade. It should never be handed to a person with unknown intention.”

“Look who dares to talk now?!”

Jian XIngzhi sprayed Xie Gutang once he spoke up, “I told you to protect her well, look where she is now?!”

He had fifty points at his fingertips, but it went to waste right in front of his eyes because of Xie Gutang!

Xie Gutang was struck still and Bai Suiyou chuckled. 

“Xie-xiao daojun^[1] has tens of thousands of cultivators in his mind, worthy to be said as a man full of righteousness, but in the end, you still choose to sacrifice this little girl over a dead object. You Righteous Cultivators are always like this ah. You can’t even live up to this little girl’s kindness, she fought to death alongside you, rescued you, and accompanied you all the way. As a result, you treated her like this?”

Xie Gutang paled. His knuckles turn white from his grips, “Let Fellow Daoist Qin go, I can give you anything you want. Anything but the Linglong Jade.”

“What could I use from a loathsome Daoist like you?” Bai Suiyou mocked and focused back on Jian Xingzhi, “Daoist Long, have you made up your mind? Don’t try to delay This Venerable One’s time.”

The scale in Jian Xingzhi’s heart tilted. He decided, “Alright. I will give you the Jade.”

He leaped down from the sword mountain. Jun Shu and the others coursed to snatch it. However, countless flowers and vines emerged from the ground, separating Jun Shu and the others from him.

Jian Xingzhi saw Bai Suiyou make a move and threw the Linglong Jade in the opposite direction with a force. He flashed in front of them and stretched his hand to Qin Wanwan. 

Bai Suiyou seemed to have expected it and flower vines broke from the ground, catching the Linglong Jade in the air. He tugged Qin Wanwan to the side and chained Jian Xingzhi with the vines. 

Jian Xingzhi’s reaction was swift and dozens of sharp swords from the sword mountain whizzed, tearing apart all the vines. Between the offense and defense, Qin Wanwan sensed the flow of Bai Suiyou’s Spiritual Power. 

She held her breath.

This couldn’t be!

His Spiritual Power was not that of a living person!

Qin Wanwan’s mind was quick to process that the person behind her may not be a real human at all, but a puppet. As long as the array on the puppet was broken, the puppet would lose its ability to act.

It’s just, she had no space to move in his arms. And taking their great disparity in strengthin mind, she found only one way. 

When Jian Xingzhi approached them once again with his sword, Qin Wanwan mustered her courage and acted without hesitation, she lifted her sword. At the tip of the blade was a spell unique to Ji Shan, she plunged the sword into her body, and along the way, penetrated Bai Suiyou’s body. The spell swam through all his meridians to hound the eye of the array that controlled the puppet and smashed it!

Bai Suiyou was unable to move. Not letting go of the opportunity, Jian Xingzhi cleaved Bai Suiyou’s arm that was holding the mourning stick and Jian Xingzhi clasped Qin Wanwan’s wrist with his free hand. 

Just in a second of Bai Suiyou’s stillness and Jian Xingzhi clasping Qin Wanwan’s hand, myriad light butterflies swarmed towards Jian Xingzhi from Bai Suiyou’s chopped off arm. The butterflies with the majestic power of Tribulation Crossing Realm cornered Jian Xingzhi to take a step back.

Jian Xingzhi failed to catch Qin Wanwan and Bai Suiyou dragged her back, opening a vortex and jumping into the vortex gate. 

Jian Xingzhi did not give up and sliced open a way from the light butterflies, leaping inside the vortex gate. 

Amidst the gale, Bai Suiyou spun lightly like a butterfly to face Qin Wanwan. He cut a sorry figure with his severed arm. His silken hair was twirling with the gale; his bloodied clothes were like butterfly wings. 

His pair of deep and tranquil eyes like the sea was incompatible with this scholarly face. He stroked Qin Wanwan’s face with his remaining hand. 

There was a tinge of tenderness in his voice.

“Good girl, is Qin Wanwan your real name?”

Qin Wanwan held back the cry in her throat and bit her lips, “It’s none of your business.”

Bai Suiyou smiled faintly, “So be it then.”

As he spoke, he placed his index finger between her eyebrows. 

Jian Xingzhi was not far behind. When he noticed the “40” points above Bai Suiyou’s head, he perceived a crisis. He pitched a diagonal slash with his sword and effectively loppes off Bai Suiyou’s remaining arm and neck. Before the blood could splash on Qin Wanwan, he booted Bai Suiyou’s body away and racked out his sword from Bai Suiyou’s head. While at the same time wrapping his arm around Qin Wanwan’s waist and drooping her steadily to the ground. 

Numerous butterflies materialized in the air, carrying a wisp of Bai Suiyou’s divine sense. His voice echoed in the air, “High as mountains and long as rivers^[2]. Qin-guniang, there will be time for us to meet again.”

Bai Suiyou’s voice faded, and at the same time, in the palace far away, a handsome youth unhurriedly opened his eyes and raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.

A boy knelt on the ground and respectfully presented a handkerchief, “Patriarch^[3], do you wish for them to be killed?”

“Kill them?”

The handsome youth tilted his head, “Even I can’t kill them, let alone you?”

The boy was aghast and quickly kowtowed, shaking, “Patriarch, please have mercy.”

“The Dragon Neidan is with her. She will be the sole person to knows the location of the Linglong Jade’s fragments. Just leave them be.”

The youth wiped his hands clean and stood up. And at that exact moment, the boy’s head burst open.

The young man stood up and strolled leisurely from the blood all over the ground, softly lamenting, “How dirty.”

The butterflies vanished, and Qin Wanwan could no longer hold on. She covered the wound on her stomach and her legs lost their strength.

She tumbled into Jian Xingzhi’s arms. 

Jian Xingzhi lifted his hand and covered Qin Wanwan’s wound, casting a healing spell. He leaned her head on his shoulder and chided with anxiousness clear in his voice, “Before, you didn’t even dare to stab yourself, and now you stabbed yourself without the least hesitation? Can’t you just wait for me for a few more moments?” 

“Before… Before… I have no reason to stab myself… but, now.., it’s… to help you ah…” Qin Wanwan’s blood gushed out and trickled on Jian Xingzhi’s lapel. Jian Xingzhi was a bit flustered, but his face remained stern. He frantically superimposed all the healing spells he knew to heal her.

He was clear that ‘Qin Wan’ was not the same as him. This girl claimed she practiced the Phoenix’s Sword^[4], but in actuality, she was just a lazy glutton. A delicate and squeamish eldest lady. A pampered little princess that had never tasted any pain. 

Totally the opposite of him. 

From a young age to now, he always tasted pain so he could fight back and resist. Even if he got a stab, he would bounce back to his feet right away and fight back. Unlike this little girl, if she got even only a stab, she may die. 

She was like a kitten he had raised as a child. A heavy rain or a scare could kill her at any time.

Qin Wanwan’s wound gradually clotted and her breath stabilized. She inclined on his shoulder and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

Noticing that Qin Wanwan’s condition had improved, Jian Xingzhi let out a sigh of relief.

He surveyed around and found that they seemed to be in the middle of a desert. 

The surrounding area was empty, only sand spanning miles away.

Bai Suiyou’s body fell not far away, and after some time, his body had been buried under a thin layer of sand. 

Jian Xingzhi picked up Qin Wanwan and walked to the side of Bai Suiyou. Upon a cursory glance, he could discern that the corpse had decayed, meaning he had been dead for a long time, not just a few hours ago.

“You perverted ghost…”

Jian Xingzhi tightened his jaw and had an impulse to kick Bai Suiyou, but considering the owner of this body was innocent, he retracted his feet. His anger unvented. 

He hugged Qin Wanwan and walked in a random direction. 

He had just taken a step when 666 spoke in his mind with restrained joy. 

【Congratulations on the successful completion of “Task 5: Assist the Female Lead to obtain her Natal Sword” Reward Points: 1,000. Current Points: 650. The Exchange Mall is now open. Master, please keep up the good work. Continue to work hard, earn points, and strive to return to the Immortal Realm as soon as possible~】

【Congratulations on the successful completion of the branch task “Hero Save the Beauty”, Reward Points: 25. Current Points: 675】

【Task 6: Train the Female Lead and reach 100,000 Martial Arts Proficiency within one month. Current Proficiency: 30,000】

Jian Xingzhi was handed a new task, he scanned it briefly and confirmed that the Martial Arts Proficiency was just some basic training. He put down his hanging heart. He planned to think about the training materials when he realized something was amiss.

“Wait, wait!” Jian Xingzhi was baffled, “Why is the Task “Hero Save Beauty” considered complete? Is it an error?”

“Master,” 666 reminded him, “You are also a male with a face value of over 90 points. It’s just, this kind of task violates your character setting, so following the general rules, some points are deducted and, in this case, half of your points. “

So he was also eligible for the Affection Task?!

In a flash, Jian Xingzhi felt as if he had discovered a cheat code to be rich.

He could push others to complete the Affection Task and if they couldn’t complete it, he could complete it on his own! No matter what, it still points ah!

“Do you have any other Affection Tasks?!”

Jian Xingzhi inquired with enthusiasm. 666 swept the task list and replied, “Yes, Master. Here is the list.”

Jian Xingzhi received a list of tasks.

【Take Care of the Female Lead. Points; 5】

【Feed Water to the Female Lead. Point: 1. Daily Limit: 2. Extra: Feed by Mouth. Points: 10. No Upper Limit.】

【Feed the Female Lead. Point: 2. Daily Limit: 4】

【Dress Up the Female Lead. Point: 5. Extra: Dress Up the Female Lead from Nothing On. Point: 15 】

【Call the Female Lead with a Pet Name. Point: 1. Daily Limit: 2】

and so on.

“Master, these are all tasks that fit your persona. Full marks will be given for completing them.”

What kind of messy tasks these were!

Jian Xingzhi’s expression twisted when he read the task, but after careful thinking, for the sake of points, he assented. 

“That’s it! I will work hard!

He wouldn’t do anything beyond the line like feeding her with his mouth, but he could feed her water and wrap her a cloak!

But, reflecting on it again, Jian Xingzhi suddenly had a worry, “What if she falls in love with me because I treat her so well?”

666 was silent. She did not dare to speak. From her perspective as a female System, she just wanted to tell him not to have excessive imagination in broad daylight, but then again, there was no harm in him imagining nonsense, so she let him be. 

Jian Xingzhi pondered all the way and came to a decision. 

Points were points. Love was love. 

He must not be a scumbag. 

He had to give himself a valid reason for these actions and block ‘Qin Wan’ from falling for him!

Originally, he had an eye for her temperament and wanted her to be his disciple, and it all depend on whether Qin Wan was willing or not.

But now, no matter what Qin Wan’s opinion was, if they were going to trek on this path, there must be a status between them. 

He carried Qin Wanwan in his arms for a whole day as he walked in the desert.

Qin Wanwan was drowsy from her injury. 

When she woke up again, it was already night and she found herself sleeping on a pile of hay with a fire burning nearby. Jian Xingzhi was sitting on a dead tree, drinking water. He slanted his head at her when he noticed her awake, “Awake?”

He went and squatted in front of Qin Wanwan, offering her a water sack, “Thirsty?”

Qin Wanwan weakly braced herself, just as she was about to hold the sack, Jian Xingzhi blocked her hand, “I will feed you.”

Qin Wanwan was too weak to respond, so Jian Xingzhi opened the sack and fed her some mouthfuls. 

After feeding her water, he looked at her with stars in his eyes, “Hungry?”

“No,” Qin Wanwan responded and shook her head, “I’m not hungry.”

With that, she looked around and discovered that they seemed to be in an oasis in the desert. Everywhere she could see was sand with a sparse of grass and water. 

The bright moon was hanging in the sky, and the stars were shining brightly, and, Qin Wanwan’s mind was ringing from the System’s prompts. 

【Congratulations on the successful completion of “Task 2: Search for a sword at the Sword Mound and display your talent. Obtain the Natal Sword, Yuanning.” Reward Points: 2,000. Current Points: 2,535. The Exchange Mall is now open. Please continue to work hard and make an effort so I can return to see my wife soon!】

【Additional Task: Accumulate 100,000 Martial Arts Proficiency within a month and head to Guicheng. Estimated Reward Points: 1,000. Do you wish to accept the task? Yes/Yes】

【Task 3: Old Tale of Guicheng: Obtain the Linglong Jade. Estimated Reward Points: 2,000. Do you wish to accept the task? Yes/Yes】

The System asked if she wished to accept the task, but like before, there wasn’t even a “No” option. Qin Wanwan accepted her fate and resigned herself to press the “Yes”.

She slowly came back to her senses, “Where are we now?”

“I don’t know.”

Jian Xingzhi draped a coat over Qin Wanwan and sat back by the fire, roasting the freshly caught fish.

Qin Wanwan felt a lot better and began to sort out the things that happened before she passed out, “Where’s Bai Suiyou?”

“Fled,” Jian Xingzhi answered, “Oh, right. The real Bai Suiyou had long died. That person most likely used his primordial spirit^[5] to possess Bai Suiyou’s body when we entered Qianliu’s lair.”

Qin Wanwan nodded, “That sounds right.”

“But what is he after?”

Jian Xingzhi glanced at Qin Wanwan, who sported a pensive expression as she put her hand on her belly. 

Jian Xingzhi’s movement paused. Qin Wanwan raised her gaze to meet his, “This.”

“You…” Jian Xingzhi was thunderstruck, “You are pregnant with his child?!”

“I mean the Dragon Neidan!!!”

Qin Wanwan was flabbergasted.  Jian Xingzhi breathed a sigh of relief, “Oh. I see, I remember. You indeed have a Dragon Neidan in your stomach.”

Previously, Qin Wan encountered Qinglong in the secret realm, which was raised in captive by Bai Suiyou. Somehow, the Qinglong escaped. The Qinglong was heavily injured, and with its wounded state, its choice was either it ate Qin Wan, or it was eaten by Qin Wan. In the end, the Qinglong was defeated and Qin Wan gained the Dragon Neidan. 

The information dump overwhelmed Jian Xingzhi and he took his time to comb it out, “I have a few questions.'”

“Ask.”

“First and foremost, why did he raise a Qinglong? What’s the benefit of the Dragon Neidan for him?”

Qin Wanwan had heard of the Deng Xian Gate’s matter, but Jian Xingzhi had not. He was occupied with leveling the mountain before, so Qin Wanwan recounted what Xie Gutang had told her. Jian Xingzhi eventually understood the crux of the matter and speculated, “So, Bai Suiyou might be a Yao who has lived for a long time but couldn’t ascend, and the Deng Xian Gate is his only chance.  To avoid his ascension, the Heavenly Dao might have given a prophecy to the Tian Jian Sect and the others. After all, if the Heavenly Dao has banned him but he was still able to ascend, the Heavenly Dao would, without a doubt, be enraged and break all the paths to ascension in this Lower Realm as punishment. Therefore, the Tian Jian Sect and the other sects must make a joint effort to secure the Linglong Jade, and in the same way, destroy the Deng Xian Gate.”

“That should be the case,” Qin Wanwan agreed, “As for Jun Shu and the others, they may have heard about the reappearance of the Deng Xian Gate and wanted to seize this opportunity.”

“The first requirement to use the Deng Xian Gate is the Dragon Neidan which can turn one’s physique to that of the Dragon Clan. It is for this reason that Bai Suiyou captured a Qinglong, but the Dragon Neidan is on you now, he will not let you go. The second requirement is the Linglong Jade. These two are the key to ascending through the Deng Xian Gate. The Linglong Jade must not be given to him and we can’t let him get his hands on it.” Jian Xingzhi bobbed his head, “I see, I see…”

“He is out of our league and we can’t kill him as we are now,” Qin Wanwan called him back to reality, fearing that he would come up with bizarre suggestions such as directly going straight to the Boss Dungeon to kill Bai Suiyou when they were merely a newbie.

Jian Xingzhi glanced at Qin Wanwan as if she was a fool.

“Do you think I am not aware of what level I am at? As I am now, how could I possibly kill him? You don’t need to spell it to me, I am not stupid.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

“What I want to say is,” Jian Xingzhi was serious, “His Affection Branch is now out of the question.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

Sorry, it’s me who couldn’t understand your groundbreaking though.

“Ahem,” Qin Wanwan lightly coughed, a bit embarrassed by his words. She shifted the topic, “What is it again that you want to ask me earlier?”

“Oh, that. I just want to ask, why do you know so many heavenly spells?”

“This…” Qin Wanwan arched her brow, motioning to him, “I thought you said you knew my situation?”

“I know, yes,” Jian Xingzhi had a frown on his face, “But, since the kitten knew so many heavenly spells, how could the kitten fall to this level?”

“What level?” Qin Wanwan was perplexed. Jian Xingzhi gestured with his hand, “Like, a freshly baked beginner.”

Listening to Jian Xingzhi’s words, Qin Wanwan froze. Then, she expressed, “Have you ever thought that the kitten is…” She paused for a while before finding the suitable words, “not the original kitten of this world?”

“The kitten isn’t?”

Jian Xingzhi was startled. Qin Wanwan affirmed, “She and the puppy may be from the same world.”

Upon hearing this, Jian Xingzhi inhaled a cold breath, “The kitten is in that world but still at this level? What kind of waste is this kitten?!”

Qin Wanwan’s finger curled on her palms and she restrained her emotions. She told herself that people should use their brains and not be impulsive, otherwise, wouldn’t she fall to Jian Xingzhi’s level?

“I understand,” Now Jian Xingzhi had another thing to put into consideration. If this kitten happened to be from the same world as him, wouldn’t that mean they will be reunited in the Immortal Realm in the future? If he made an emotional debt, he wouldn’t be able to pay it back. 

“There is a long road ahead of you, and I will help you on your journey. First, I think you have a good talent and a good disposition. Second, in order to prevent you from overthinking my actions, I will ask for your answer to my previous question. Have you thought about it?”

“Which question?” Qin Wanwan was puzzled.

Jian Xingzhi stood up. He had one hand folded in front of him and the other behind him, showing a lofty demeanor, “Either acknowledge me as your Father or your Shifu. Choose one”

“Do… Do I have to?”

Qin Wanwan looked at him in a daze. Jian Xingzhi nodded, “In order to help you advance, I will pass you the Martial Arts taught in my sect, but I am not allowed to teach this method to outsiders unless they are my disciple or my relative. Moreover, I am a man and you are a woman. We stayed together all day long, without any status between us, I fear that your reputation will be ruined.”

As long as one had a clear conscience, what did one’s reputation matter? Qin Wawnan did not put much importance on it. However, this Long Aotian raised this matter on his own initiative. It appeared that he attached great importance to the rules.

Plus, even though this person seemed unreliable and always caused trouble, it was undeniable he had helped her a lot along the way. And, there was no reason for her to continue relying on a System that always took advantage of her. 

“Alright,” Qin Wanwan made up her mind, “The kitten’s identity is considered high among its kind, but the kitten is not someone ungrateful who detests someone below it. I acknowledge you as a Shifu, and I may inconvenience you a bit. However, from now on, whether it is in this Cultivation Realm or Immortal Realm, the kitten will be properly filial to you.”

“You have a good heart as a disciple. You will not regret being my disciple,” Jian Xingzhi grinned, “Shifu will ensure you can step on everyone in the Immortal Realm.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

Even after hinting at her real identity, he could still boast so much. She really began to admire Long Aotian’s psychological quality.

Jian Xingzhi watched the incredulity on Qin Wanwan’s face and snickered in his heart.

Wait until he told her his identity, she would surely pass out from the shock. 

“Then let’s start the formal acknowledgment first.”

Jian Xingzhi sat upright on the dead tree and motioned to Qin Wanwan.

At the same time, he asked 666 in his mind, “After today’s ceremony of her acknowledging me as her Shifu, can I tell her the truth?”

“100 points,” 666 sighed, “and I will apply for the permit, anyway… what should be said, what shouldn’t be said, almost everything has been said by you.”

Jian Xingzhi spent 100 points to obtain the right to tell her the truth and he was sated. 

He raised his head and looked kindly at Qin Wanwan, waiting for Qin Wanwan to come forward.

Qin Wanwan still had her doubts, but after a moment of delay, she walked forward and knelt down in front of Jian Xingzhi in a dignified manner. She kowtowed three times and conveyed in a crystal clear voice, “Shifu, please accept This Disciple’s worship.”

“Accepted,” Jian Xingzhi nodded, but currently there was nothing on him to bestow on Qin Wanwan. He grabbed the grilled fish from the side and handed it to Qin Wanwan. “There is nothing for Shifu to bestow you as a gift for your worship right now. Shifu will make up a worthy gift for you in the future.”

Qin Wanwan was nonchalant, she had no big expectations for this ceremony in the first place. She expressionlessly received the fish in her kneeling position, “This Disciple thanks Shifu.”

“My Sect originated from the Lower Realm, named ‘Shang Ji Sect’.^[6]” Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan kneeling on the ground and introduced his sect. “There are few disciples in the Sect. Few people know about it. The Sect’s method is extremely strong and powerful. To cultivate the Dao through battle; To kill to end killing.”

Qin Wanwan’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the method. 

Why does it sound familiar…….

“There are several things you must keep in mind when you join our Shang Ji Sect.”

“This Disciple will obey.”

Qin Wanwan respectfully saluted.

Jian Xingzhi felt the pleasure of having a filial disciple and was very pleased.

“First, the heart is upright and so is the sword. To be upright is to be just. You have done a good job on that. You said before that the strong protect the weak, which is the primary motto of our sect. Therefore,” Jian Xingzhi emphasized, “in future fights, if there is no Cause and Effect^[7], do not kill.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

This three views^[8] doens’t sound quite right…

“Second, dedicate your heart to the Sword, less you are dyed with the red dust^[9]. However, the kitten is supposed to be the Great Female Lead and peach blossom debts are inevitable. Hence, just regard them as one of your Tribulation and break it all off after you ascend.”

“If it can’t be broken?” Qin Wanwan wondered.

Jian Xingzhi pondered and answered, “Then, get married.”

Seems like this sect still has morals…

Qin Wanwan was somewhat relieved. Jian Xingzhi remembered one more thing after his answer, “That’s not the most important point of this.”

“Then, what is it?”

“I’m giving you a caution,” Jian XIngzhi was serious, “Don’t fall in love with me. I only have Sword in my heart.”

“I understand.”

Qin Wanwan resisted the whim to beat this imaginative Shifu of her and gnashed her teeth, “Shifu can rest assured that I have no interest in Shifu at all. Shifu shouldn’t be worried for me.”

“That’s great,” The knife suspended above his heart disappeared and Jian Xingzhi sighed with relief, “In the past, a lot of female Cultivators in our Sect didn’t practice their swords well. All day long, they only focused on blocking my way and delivering all kinds of presents to me. They were so dead set on marrying me that I had to beat them to a pulp before they stopped. It was quite a terrifying experience.”

Jian Xingzhi thought of something and added again, “One more thing, as my disciple, there is one important thing to remember. That is, my mortal enemy. If you encounter them in the Immortal Realm,” Jian Xingzhi lifted his hand and gestured a slash on his neck, “Show no mercy,”

“Who?”

Qin Wanwan held the melon seed^[10] in her mind and straightened her posture, “Shifu’s enemy is my enemy.”

Her words were particularly melodic to Jian Xingzhi’s ears and he took out a portrait from his sleeve.

The portrait was convoluted and vaguely discernible. Though, the face in the portrait may be a woman. Qin Wanwan knitted her brows and contemplated who this person was, appearing so strange with one eye big and one small, plus a crooked nose. She looked up at Jian Xingzhi, expecting other clues. Jian Xingzhi spoke from between his teeth, “This portrait is painted by me according to my memory. This Vixen^[11] is the one who put me in this situation.”

“Shifu, this…” Qin Wanwan politely pointed out, “This portrait is a bit, um, unrecognizable…”

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t tell who this is. Anyway, you are bound to have heard of her name.”

Jian Xingzhi turned to look at Qin Wanwan, “She is the owner of your current face.”

The puzzle pieces made a loud “click” in Qin Wanwan’s mind, “May I ask her name?”

“The First Beauty of the Immortal Realm, ranked 21st in the Battle Power Ranking List, the Lady of Ji Shan,” Jian Xingzhi spelled out with gravity, “Qin Wanwan.”

Qin Wanwan was left with no words.

She gazed deeply at the portrait in front of her and struggled to maintain her smile, “May I ask… what has this Xianjun^[12] done to Shifu? I only have heard that she is beautiful, gentle, and kind. I have never heard bad things about her. So, she shouldn’t be a bad person, right?”

“You must not stand up for her!” Jian Xingzhi reacted loudly, “She is a Vixen! If it weren’t for her, how could I be in this situation? I was just going to have a fair match with her but she went as far as to plot against me and sent me down here. Such a vicious heart! Qin Wan,” Jian Xingzhi was bubbling with anger and stared seriously at Qin Wanwan, unable to hide his agitation, “In the future, when you ascend, you will become one of the strongest Immortal in the Immortal Realm. When the time comes, we, teacher and disciple, will team up to ambush her in Ji Shan! This time, I must level her mountain and smash her palace. I will trash her Ji Shan thoroughly, not even leaving a chicken or dog behind!”

Qin Wanwan knelt on the ground with a flat face. 

Jian Xingzhi frowned, “Why don’t you talk?”

“Shifu,” Qin Wanwan voiced coldly, “Is Long Aotian really your real name? What exactly is your name in the Immortal Realm? What did you do in the Immortal Realm?”

Jian Xingzhi stiffened upon hearing her question. But then he thought, since they were already in a Master-Disciple relationship, they would meet again in the Immortal Realm. He also didn’t plan to hide it, after all, the 100 points he spent, wasn’t it exactly for this moment?

“My name, I’m sure you have heard of it. So, don’t be too excited when you hear it.”

He patted the dust from his sleeves and stood up straight, facing the moon. 

He imitated his own Shifu from years ago, acting in a manner befitting an Immortal.

“My Daoist name is Suiheng. My given name is Jian Xingzhi. My heart and soul are dedicated to cultivating the way of the Sword. I have no interest in worldly affairs. Jianghu people call me Long Aotian.”

Hearing his name, Qin Wanwan laughed madly in her heart.

She dugs her fingernails to her palms, completely unable to restrain her eager heart and trembling hands.

Good. Very good.

She knew.

She knew by heart who this stupid asshole was.

The author has something to say:

【Mini Theater · 1】

Jian Xingzhi: “Dare you to have “40” Favorability Points for my wife? I will knock your head off!”

【Mini Theater · 2】

Jian Xingzhi: “My lifelong dream is to level my wife’s mountain, smash my wife’s palace, and trash my wife’s Ji Shan thoroughly, not even leaving a chicken or dog behind. From then on, I will be a person in solitary splendor, devoting my heart to cultivating the Sword. Ay~ \ (^o^)”

Qin Wanwan: Don’t bother to do all that, you will never enter my eyes.

Jian Xingzhi: If I can enter your eyes without saying that, would I still say all that! I would willingly be the chicken and dog of Ji Shan!

“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“

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“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“

Footnotes

[1] 小道君 – xiǎo dàojūn. Lit. Little Daojun. In this context, it is, “Young(Inexperienced/Rookie) Daojun”. Xie-daojun is still too young. ↵

[2] There is 2 meaning for 山高水长 – shān gāo shuǐ cháng. It is typically used for the latter tho. ↵

1. Excerpted from 望赋 – 刘禹锡《Wang Fu – Liu Yuxi of Tang Dynasty》
   “龙门不见兮，云雾苍苍，乔木何许兮，山高水长.” 
   Roughly translated to “The Dragon Gate is gone; The sky is gray. Where is the tree (my hometown), there are only high mountains and long rivers”. 
   The 山高水长 refers to the long distance and many barriers/obstacles. A sense of separation as this was made during his way to exile.
   
2. Excerpted from 严先生祠堂记 – 范仲淹 《Yang Xiansheng Citang Ji – Fan Zhongyan of Song Dynasty》
   “云山苍茫，江水泱泱，先生之分，山高水长”
   Roughly translated to “The vast cloud and mountain; The grand river and lake. The gentlemen are towering like mountain, flowing like water.” 
   Everlasting. High as mountains and long as rivers, one’s nobility lasts forever. Figuratively used for a noble character and long-standing model. Later, it is also used to describe kindness, deep affection, or even beautiful scenery.

I personally think in this context, it means both? A farewell and also Bai Suiyou’s praise of Qin Wanwan’s character. But, it’s all up to you. ↵

[3] 老祖 – lǎozǔ. Lit. Ancestor/Forefather. Honorific title for the Daoist (Patriach). In Tianjin Dialect, 老祖 is used to express respect for someone or appreciation for something.↵

[4] 凤凰刀 – Fènghuáng Dāo. I don’t remember if there are instances where this is mentioned? But high chance it’s QWW’s excuse to say that it’s not that she didn’t want to fight, but her sword was not meant to be used to fight others but to save others. Phoenix itself is the embodiment of Rebirth. So, it’s to heal/save; Not to kill.  ↵

[5] 元神 – yuán shén. primordial spirit. Soul (core).  元神 is the equivalent of the human soul in the cultivation world. ↵

[6] 上极 –  shàng jí. Upper Extreme (Limit). The supremum of a certain set. ↵

[7] 因果 – yīn guǒ. Cause and Effect; Karma; Causality Cycle. Preordained Fate. Don’t kill without reason, but if there is a reason, kill as you please lmao. ↵

[8] 三观 – sān guān. Lit. Three Views. Moral Values/Life Values/Social Values. Referring to views on the world, life, and values. ↵

[9] 红尘 – hóngchén. Lit. Red Dust. Wordly affairs.↵

[10]Melon seed is associated with gossip, Where there is melon seed; Where gossip is. Equivalent to tea and spill the tea. ↵

[11] 妖女 – yāo nǚ, lit. Female Yao. Alluding to a Fox Spirit or an Enchantress.↵

[12] 仙君 – xiān jūn, Lord/Lady Immortal.↵

Lei’s Corner

[TL’s Note: All addresses of “Ben(abc)” have been changed to “This (abc)”.]

Conclusion: I shouldn’t have been granted the authority to edit chapters as my preferences change with my current mood.

I think I should put it here that the Mini Theater is not to be taken seriously, just take it as crack humor and a grain of salt. It has no direct relation to the Main Story.

Bai Susyou.

Nothing unusual here, just Jian Xingzhi’s daily attempt at digging a deeper pit for himself.

I like poems; I dislike translating poems.

Butterfly is a symbol of fate/destiny. 

Sheesh, the shipping price is nearly the physical book price, but what I won’t do for that fanwai, right. (and the pretty bookmark, andt the standee, and-). Now, I should rein myself back and save for it with my broke ass uni student wallet. *sigh*. Please wait for me, physical book, I will surely get my hands on you QAQ.

Out of topic, but Zhou Shen is the one who sings the CN Version of “Suzume” and I just— thank you for blessing my ears.

————·————·————

Likes and comments are very much appreciated because the notifications remind me that I still have ongoing translations in hands (and someone does read my translations). ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Other Romance Novels available in Elysian Pit
The Memory Lost in Space by Tong Hua [Interstellar]
A man with no future and a woman with no past, what will their end be?
The Villains I Raised All Died by Mo Shu Bai [QT]
Dying for others sucks.
Low IQ Supporting Female, Waiting for Death Online by Wei Ke [QT]
Dying for others sucks (2)
The Husband was the Long Aotian by Mo Shu Bai [Transmigration]
I just want to be a Salted Fish… – the FL, most likely.
The Sword Immortal was My Ex-Boyfriend by Mo Shu Bai [Transmigration]
Ai? Why is this Sword Immortal similar to my Ex from the 21st Century? – the FL, most likely.

Words count (excluding title, footnotes, TL’s corner): 5946

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