Chapter 30
“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“
“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“
The sun rose up from the east in the vast desert. Early in the morning, the light glistened on the sand, the wind brushed the thin sand, blowing for the distant city.
Bang
A man in blue was blasted to the ground. Vines emerged from the ground, they knotted the man’s limbs and sent him flying, at the apex, they yanked him down and smashed him to the sand, and so on for several times.
Tha man slumped on the ground and spat a mouthful of blood. A worn-out shoe with a hole stepped on the man’s head, trampling his head to the yellow sand.
The person who stomped on the man’s head was Qin Wanwan, and the person being stomped on was, naturally, Jian Xingzhi.
Qin Wanwan dressed miserably in rags and tatters, with her hair messy and her face covered with wind and frost[1]. Her eyes were dead to all feelings as she gazed into the distance. Her original image of a beautiful and lovely fairy was nowhere to be seen.
Jian Xingzhi was muttering something in the soil, and Qin Wanwan withdrew her gaze. She kicked Jian Xingzhi impatiently out of the soil and he gasped for air.
“We agreed not to use spells!”Jian Xingzhi choked the sand out of his throat. “Why are you now so unruly?”
“Shifu has excellent Martial Arts skills,” Qin Wanwan was indifferent. “Without spells, how can I even make a scratch on Shifu?”
“Then at least you shouldn’t fight like this!”
Jian Xingzhi looked down at his body, which was utterly immobilized after the thrashing. He groaned to Qin Wanwan, “We are about to enter the city, but now you have broken my body and I have to recover for a day. Isn’t this just delaying our time?'”
Qin Wanwan sent him a cold look and didn’t bother to reply to him. She walked forward with her sword in hand.
Jian Xingzhi got anxious when he saw her walking away, “Don’t go by yourself! Take me with you!”
“Host, you can’t leave him behind.” 38 advised Qin Wanwan, “A good deal of tasks must be discovered through him for us to advance with our progress.”
“Find Linglong Jade and open the Deng Xian Gate,” Qin Wanwan spoke numbly. “I can do it myself.”
“But…”38 did not give up, “His bone is all crushed and we left him just like that in the wild, what if he got eaten by the wolf?”
Qin Wanwan’s steps halted. She heard Jian Xingzhi’s cheery voice shouting for her from a distance, “Oi, beloved Disciple, don’t leave me behind ah. Come back and carry me!”
Qin Wanwan inhaled deeply.She resigned herself and returned. She agilely took out a wooden tow with from her Qiankun Pouch. She tied Jian Xingzhi on it. She then placed the rope at the other end of the tow on her shoulder and hauled Jian Xingzhi towards the city ahead.
Behind her, Jian Xingzhi tweeted joyously about her performance today. His tone was that of a gratifying lament,“I originally expected you to raise 3,000 points a day, and 90,000 by one month. Your progress is far beyond my expectations. We just left the desert and you can already defeat me with the help of spells. With your fighting spirit and talent, it will be no time before you catch up to me. Beicheng, my eyes didn’t judge you wrong, you are indeed a talent! However, next time, be careful and don’t break my limbs, otherwise you will need to tow me around, isn’t it such a waste of time.”
Qin Wanwan only listened. She really wanted to cry, but her tears were useless in this Cultivation Realm. Anyway, her tears had been dried up by the desert wind.
At first, she determined to beat Jian Xingzhi to let him know the pain she experienced on that fateful day.
But.
Who could expect that when she crushed his sternum, not only he didn’t show any sort of pain, but he was also elated and became more convincedthat she was an unpolished jade. Even more, he discussed in detail on how she should shatter his sternum more for practice purposes.
She thought she was still too lenient on her blows, so she picked up where she left off and kept trying harder.
She didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t bathe, and kept utilizing the Body Tempering Mind Method every day, all just to teach him a lesson.
She worked her ass off to the point that she could smash him and give him a full-body fracture and he could only lie on the ground, yet what she received was the respect dripping from his eyes.
She asked, “Shifu, does it hurt?”and he replied, “Yes, it hurts, but as your Shifu, your progress really moved me.”
She didn’t feel any joy of revenge, and instead, she despaired.
She suspected that, for the rest of her life, she might not be able to take revenge on Jian Xingzhi in the true sense.
His brain circuit worked differently from any other ordinary person, he was simply a madman.
Violence only made him more eager, and spells couldn’t knock any sense of defeat to him.
Qin Wanwan dragged Jian Xingzhi at a snail pace to the gate of the city. When she reached the gate, she looked up and saw the word “Guicheng” written on the city tower.
With a sound of [Ding], a clear sound of 666 rang on Jian Xingzhi’s mind:
【New Task: Attract the Procurer of the Fengya Pavilion; Get targeted by the Procurer and get forced to enter the Fengya Pavilion, resulting in the Female Lead making a big fuss in the Fengya Pavilion. The City Lord’s Chamberlain takes fancy to you and brings you to the City Lord’s mansion; The Female Lead is arrested by the City Lord and becomes a prisoner. Estimated Reward Points: 500】
The task was accompanied by a specific description, which appeared to have been copied from a novel.
[Jian Zhiyan saw the flourishing Guicheng for the first time and sneaked out to buy a pearl ornament for Qin Wan. However, someone in the Fengya Pavilion set their eyes on his appearance and kidnapped him to be a worker there.”]
[The gorgeous-looking Jian Zhiyan was sold at a high price, the City Lord’s Chamberlain Cuilu was attracted to Jian Zhiyan at first glance. She brought him to the City Lord’s mansion, and on the other side, Qin Wan rushed to the Fengya Building, but she was seriously injured and retreated. Before leaving, she told Jian Zhiyan to wait for her at the City Lord’s Mansion.”]
[In the mansion, Jian Zhiyan crossed paths with Hua Rong, the City Lord, and tried his best to protect his chastity and waited for Qin Wan’s rescue. Tough luck, Hua Rong was proficient in spells and took down Qin Wan. For the sake of saving Qin Wan, Jian Zhiyan mustered every effort to please Hua Rong. In the harem of the City Lord’s Mansion, he experienced numerous house fights and became the person Hua Rong loved most.”]
Jian Xingzhi’s eyebrows nearly became one as he read the task.
Fengya Pavilion, just from its name, couldn’t he see what kind of place it was?
Brought into the City Lord’s Mansion? Numerous house fights?
What was this? Was the task really treating him like a real Male Pet?
“Master,” 666 called him, “It doesn’t matter if it is a trivial plot, but when it comes to a key plot like this, you have to follow the rules ah.”
“Isn’t our objective to take the Linglong Jade?”Jian Xingzhi shut his eyes, “In the past, I begrudingly set to be Qin Wan’s Male Pet. And now, I must be brought into the City Lord’s Mansion. What Fengya Building do I have to get to? You really regard me as a Male Pet and think that I can serve anyone just for the sake of points?”
666 wisely did not persuade him again after listening to his tone and silently let Jian Xingzhi run Chunsheng to repair his body.
Anyway, his bones were thoroughly fractured, he couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to right now. Just wait until he recovers.
The system’s sounds disappeared from his mind and Jian Xingzhi wholeheartedly began to heal his body.
Qin Wanwan towed Jian Xingzhi into the Guicheng and headed for the main road to find an inn to rest.
In Guicheng, people who come and go mostly wear white or black robes with a white mask painted with expression on their faces. There were some people who wore ordinary clothes like them, the only difference may be that their clothes were more sad than theirs.
Perhaps there was something special today, the city was unusually crowded.
Shortly after entering the city, Qin Wanwan heard the surrounding gongs and drums shaking and the crowd cheering.
Qin Wanwan wearily pulled Jian Xingzhi and advanced against the crowd.
“Excuse me.”
Qin Wanwan bowed her head and kept apologizing to the person she bumped.
And, the crowd kept getting bigger.
Qin Wanwan raised her head and saw a big cart not far away. The frame was adorned with decoratoins and the wood was all black with some white flowers dotted around it. The word “Dian[2]”was written on the frame and there was a coffin in the carriage. And on the coffin, stood a man.
The man was in a pure white robe and a high hat similar to Black and White Impermanence[3]. He was holding a stick with paper money hanging from it. He wore a mask, the mask was painted with eyes flowing with bloody tears and exaggerated upturned corners of its mouth.
Qin Wanwan couldn’t see his face, but just from the eyes underneath the mask, she could reckon that this person was born beautiful.
Above the coffin on the cart, he deftly danced an enchanting but somewhat eerie dance. At the four corners of the carriage, four women in red stood, one holding a Sanqing[4] bell and the other scattering paper money.
Paper money was drifting all over the sky, but Qin Wanwan’s gaze was fixed at the dancing man.
The man seemed to notice her gaze and squinted over, with a touch of ghostly charm in his captivating movements. For some reason, Qin Wanwan vaguely sensed that he was smiling at her.
She froze in place, and when she came back to her senses, the cart had gone far away.
“Stop staring.” Jian Xingzhi reminded her, “Be careful not to get enchanted.”
“Are your bones already okay?” Qin Wanwan saw him open his mouth and urged him, “If so, walk on your own feet.”
“Give me a bit more time,” Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes again, “My bones will be fixed at night at the earliest.”
Qin Wanwan disappointedly dragged him again. She glanced around and caught a cake stall next to her. She placed Jian Xingzhi on the ground and bought a cake.
She sat down on the ground, and began to eat the cake listlessly.
Jian Xingzhi looked at the way she lowered her head and ate the cake, remembering that since their first meeting, even during her time in the Wen Xin Sect where she was all by herself and was put in the critical situation, she could muddle along like a fish in water and successfully persuaded Song Xinian to give her good food and drink. But, after worshiping him as a teacher, her life had not been good, instead, she now sat on the sideroad like a begga.
He couldn’t explain why, but he felt a bit guilty.
Qin Wanwan ate her cake in silence. Jian Xingzhi felt that she hadn’t adapted to the life quality gap and tried to comfort her.
“Don’t be sad,” Jian Xingzhi racked his brains, “It’s normal for us Cultivators to brave the wind and rain. There are far more people who live a more miserable life than us. We can be considered lucky.”
Qin Wanwan was dumbfounded, her mind blanked from Jian Xingzhi’s words.
Jian Xingzhi was about to offer some more words when an old man threw two copper coins onto Jian Xingzhi. The old man glanced at Qin Wanwan, then at Jian Xingzhi. He sighed.
“How pitiful ah.”
The old man shook his head and slowly walked away with his cane.
Qin Wanwan stared at the copper coins and then at the cake in her hands. She instantly came to a realization.
How did it become like this!
She, a Second Generation Immortal in the Immortal Realm; A sweet, lovely, delicate, and gentle fairy… How on earth did she mix up in this kind of situation?!
And, she was all like this, sitting on the ground eating cake with unkempt hair and a dirty face that even passersby felt pity for her! She didn’t even notice it herself. Jian Xingzhi was the first to notice their pitiful situation! What had she been through to fall to this point!
Sorrow surged from Qin Wanwan’s heart as she became aware of their situation. The corners of her eyes went red, and the cake in her hands lost its fragrance.
“You… don’t cry.”
Jian Xingzhis saw her tearing up and rushed to coax her, “Shifu will take you to buy new clothes tomorrow when Shifu’s bones are well connected.”
Qin Wanwan became even sadder. She raised her head and tears pattered down her cheeks.
“Do you have money? In the end, it’s my money that is being spent!”
He hit her, beat her, and turned her into the pathetic person she was now. And, he still dared to spend her money to coax her! What kind of logic did he have!
“I…” Jian Xingzhi was dazed for a moment. He hastily promised, “I don’t have any money with me right now, but don’t worry, I am going to earn it bymself, I can make money real quick.”
“How are you going to earn it?” Qin Wanwan sucked her nose, and many grievances piled up.
Before, in the desert, she didn’t feel much, but now they returned to the populated human world, looking at the cake in her hands and the copper coins in front of her… recalling her previous fulfilling life, her grievances couldn’t be blocked anymore.
She went to pick up the copper coins in tears and wiped them on her clothes. She put them in her pocket, crying as she complained about Jian Xingzhi, ‘You can’t do anything except fight. What are you going to buy me new clothes for? In the end, aren’t I the one paying for it with my money? I must have had eight lives of bad luck[5]…'”
Before she finished speaking, spirit stones dangled from above.
Qin Wanwan paused. She sniffed and looked up. She was met with a young man in a black robe and a crying mask, he comforted her, “Guniang, people can’t come back to life. Take these spirit stones, and quickly send your Ge to rest in peace.”
The young man left and waved his hand.
Qin Wanwan widened her eyes and looked at Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi braced himself and spoke hesitatingly, “Why don’t you… put me to lie down again?”
Buying clothes for Qin Wanwan using Qin Wanwan’s money to coax Qin Wanwan was for sure not very genuine.
As a Shifu, he had to find a way to earn money.
Qin Wanwan was silent. Jian Xingzhi accepted it as her acquiescent.
“Cry harder,”Jian Xingzhi sensed he had discovered a way to make easy money, “We will earn enough to cover our travelling expenses today.”
Qin Wanwan: “……”
Such disgraful action, Qin Wanwan wouldn’t cooperate.
But, if Jian Xingzhi actively tried to make money, she wouldn’t stop him.
She placed Jian Xingzhi on the roadside and put a bowl in front of him. She sat a little farther away, in the corner, eating cakes herself.
Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes and simply basked in the sun, listening to the pleasant sound of copper coins clinking in the bowl next to his ear.
In a short while, he realized that the situation was not right, he sensed there were some women eyeing from the corner, pointing towards him from afar.
“Quite handsome.”
“He must look good if his face is washed clean.”
“There is grass stuck on his head. I wonder how much he will cost?”
He panicked when he heard such words. Currently, he had a broken body and couldn’t move. He was completely a fish on a chopping board.
He started signalling to Qin Wanwan with his eyes to end the facade.
But, after finishing the cake, Qin Wanwan leaned her head on the pillar and dozed off, accompanied with soft snoring, she simply couldn’t see Jian Xingzhi’s signal.
Jian Xingzhi whispered to her, “Gu Beicheng? Beicheng!”
Qin Wanwan scratched her ear and tiwtsed her head, continuing her sleep.
“Jian Xingzhi took a deep breath and was about to shout when a feisty middle-aged man’s voice shrieked out, “Yo, this man is still alive? How much are you selling him for?”
The man squatted down as he spoke. Then, Jian Xingzhi saw him, a man in goose-yellow clothes. His appearance was considered good among ordinary people, but he couldn’t compare to Jian Xingzhi. His face was painted with thick makeup, and his appearance was somewhat off. Behind him stood several men similar to him, all whispering around Jian Xingzhi.
Jian Xingzhi narrowed his eyes at the man’s hands as the man touched his face a few times and revealed an amazed look.
“What a beautiful bone shape, he grew up nicely,” The man continued to observe him and asked, “Who is the one selling this cripple? There is no one around and he can be carried off easily.”
“I’m not for sale.”
Jian Xingzhi opened his mouth and glared at the man, who smiled and tilted his head to look over, “Not for sale? You are a cripple, where is it your turn to speak?”
“You are courting death.” Jian Xingzhi’s eyes were sharp.
The man waved his hand, “Carry him away.”
“Qin Wan!”
Jian Xingzhi shouted loudly, and Qin Wanwan was jolted awaked, almost rolling down the steps from the startle.
She wiped the corner of her lips and looked up to see a group of fancy men circling Jian Xingzhi. The tow where Jian Xingzhi was laying had been lifted by two men. A garish middle-aged man glanced at her with a smile, “Xiao Guniang, he is for sale, isn’t he?”
“What for sale?” Qin Wanwan was confused, “Who is for sale?”
“Him.”The man pointed to Jian Xingzhi, “I was notified that a oerson was lying here with grass on his head and made a special trip. I also heard that your Ge is dying and you are selling him here. So, how many spirit stones are you selling him for? Just say it,”
Qin Wanwan eventually processed this man’s words and peeked at Jian Xingzhi. She forced out a smile, “Sir, we are just resting here. I am not selling him.”
“Guniang, your Ge is crippled, right?”The man picked up Jian Xingzhi’s hand. Jian Xingzhi’s bones were all broken, so his hand was limp. The man lightly sighed, “He won’t live long in your hands. I feel pity for you two brother and sister, so why don’t you exchange him for some money? In this way, at least you can have a better life in the future.”
Qin Wanwan didn’t answer, but when she glanced at Jian Xingzhi and saw him anxiously winking at her, she froze.
This was her first time she had seen such an expression on Jian Xingzhi’s face.
He seemed to be… panicked?
Realizing this, tremendous elation welled up in her heart.
However, she didn’t dare to let Jian Xingzhi see it.
She coughed lightly and seemed to ponder, “That… Sir, what do you plan to buy my Ge for?”
“I am Qingzhu, the Procurer of the Fengya Pavilion in the city.” The man twirled his hair around his fingertip, “Fengya Pavilion is a well-known place for its beauties. Just for your Ge’s beauty, I will definitely treat him well. By then, you will be well, and so will he. Bathed in luxury and glory, isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?”
“Qin Wan!” Jian Xingzhi glared at her, “Why are you playing along with his nonsense?” Let’s go!
“It is truly killing two birds with one stone.”
Qin Wanwan nodded: “So…How many spirit stones does Sir think my Ge is worth?”
Qingzhu didn’t answer right away. He scanned Jian Xingzhi, “This person’s face is good, but his body is weak. I will spend a lot of money on his medical fee. Let’s do this. I’ll give you this amount.”
Qingzhu opened five fingers, “Fifty middle-grade spirit stones.'”
“Nonsense!” Jian Xingzhi cursed, “A shabby fifty…”
“Shut his mouth!” Qingzhu glared over, and a boy next to him immediately sealed Jian Xingzhi’s mouth with a spell.
Jian Xingzhi narrowed his eyes coldly at Qingzhu’s back.
Qingzhu is as good as dead.
Qin Wanwan judged.
“She gave a slight cough and kindly warned him, ‘Well, Sir, actually, I’m also doing this for your own good. My Ge is a bit sick, so I’m afraid that if you bring him back, he will bring disaster to you.”
“Disaster?” Qingzhu laughed out loud at her warning, “I am a Golden Core Cultivator. How can your crippled brother bring me disaster?”
“It’s good if you have this strong faith in yourself.”Qin Wanwan nodded and extended her hand, “Then, pay up.”
“Hmpphhmpph!”
Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan extend her hand and his eyes dilated. He struggled desperately.
Unfortunately, all his bones were broken and his mouth was gagged. His struggle could only be expressed by a quick blink of his eyes.
“Qin Wanwan deliberately ignored him and received the money from Qingzhu. She smiled and saluted him, “I wish Sir peace and prosperity.”
“Well saidm” Qingzhu arched his hand, “I also wish Guniang all the best.”
The two exchanged pleasantries, and Qin Wanwan was finally allowed to say goodbye to Jian Xingzhi.
She walked up to Jian Xingzhi and spoke softly, “Shifu, I am going to buy new clothes now. Thank you for the money from selling your body.”
She wiped a tear and sniffed with emotion, “Ge, go. Whether you become a small waiter or a famous courtesan, you will always be a hero in Wanwan’s heart. Hero,” Qin Wanwan couldn’t help but smile, “Farewell.”
With that, Qin Wanwan turned away with the money bag, hopping in her steps and swinging the bag around.
She had some worries before she left, “38, it’s okay if I just go away like this right?”
“The system recommends that you leave for the time being.” 38 affirmed, “According to the plot, Jian Zhiyan indeed should go to the Fengya Pavilion.”
Qin Wanwan nodded in peace when she heard this.
In Qin Wan’s memory of Jian Zhiyan, Jian Zhiyan was still alive and kicking by the end of this. He could survive well as a mortal, so there was no reason he wouldn’t survive when it was Jian Xingzhi occupying his body.
She walked away at ease, recalling Jian Xingzhi’s last look, as if hewas going to eat her clean, and giggled.
Jian Xingzhi stared at Qin Wanwan’s back, and if his eyes could kill, Qin Wanwan should have been pierced with thousands of arrows by now.
This rebellious disciple actually sold him for only fifty spirit stones. How could he only be worth fifty spirit stones?!
Jian Xingzhi fumed when he thought of that.
Close your eyes. Concentrate and calm your mind. Work on your Mind Method.
Just wait.
Wait until his bones were all fixed and he would turn this Fengya Pavilion upside down!
He would grab back those fifty spirit stones! That’s his hard-earned money!
——————–
The author has something to say:
【Mini Theater·1】
Jian Xingzhi: “Work hard on your own and don’t insist on being a Soft Rice Man!”
(Proceed to write a sad story in chalk, ask for alms, break your hands and feet, and lie down)
Jian Xingzhi: “My Sect’s Martial Arts are not only useful in battle, but also very convenient for begging. If you need to beg, just break your hands and feet. Wait until night, and you will recover and go home. Do you want to learn? If you want to learn from me, wait for my cue. I’ll start with helping you break your ribs.”
“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“
“Do not support theft: Please read the original translation at Elysian Pit WordPress (elysianpit.wordpress.com)“
Footnotes
[1] 风霜 – fēng shuāng. Lit. wind and frost — Hardships of a journey or of one’s life: Weather-beaten; Having had one’s fill of hardships. ↵
[2] 奠 – diàn. to fix / to settle / a libation to the dead. ↵
[3] Bai Wuchang and Hei Wuchang. Two Deities in charge of escorting the spirits of the dead to the underworld. ↵
[4] 三清铃 – sān qīng líng. Used in various Taoist Ceremonies. It is said the sound is a kind of pleasant music to human beings, but it is very harsh and frightening to the ears of evil spirits and ghosts. ↵
[5] 八辈子的霉 – bābèizi de méi. Eight lifetimes of bad luck. The accompanying word is usually “to meet you.” a.ka “What kind of horrendous evil have I done to be punished to meet you?”, the opposite of “Eight lifetimes of good luck”. ↵
Lei’s Corner
If you have done good deeds, you will be rewarded well. (Karma; Causality Cycle)
It’s funny because even JXZ sounds unsure why he is the Male Lead that he resorts to say that it’s likely because he may have accumulated more virtue than XGT in his life.
It is not exactly Male Lead but Emotional Line, in which, is similar to saying “I am supposed to be the canon route/the poster boy” when playing otome.
Also, Wen Xin Sword shares the same words with Wen Xin Sect. It is “Wen Xin”, asking or questioning one’s heart (self). Are you worthy of yourself?
Anw, in MSB’s novels, Wen Xin Sword is considered OP and not anyone can wield it, only the chosen one can.
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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): 4194
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