CHAPTER 17 I know you’re a flirt, but you need to be more wary.

These words had displeased Fu Changling. Just as he wanted to refute, Qin Yan said with certainty, “He could make it happen.”

Confused, Fu Changling turned to look at Qin Yan. Qin Yan had a calm expression on him and didn’t look like he was defending him.

Qin Yan appeared to be more individually reliable compared to Fu Changling. Since he had spoken, Wu Sisi didn’t say anything else and simply replied, “Then fine. Get prepared, the lot of you. I too will need some preparation. If something happens, I will let you know.”

Wu Sisi finished her last words, turned and left.

After she left, there were only three people left in the room, staring face to face. This atmosphere made Yanming a little uncomfortable, so he stood and said, “I will go practice my sword.”

And he left. Now, only Qin Yan and Fu Changling were left in the room. Fu Changling knuckled the table as he sat on its side. Qin Yan was sipping tea opposite of him. Then, came a light voice from Fu Changling, “You have quite the faith in me.”

Qin Yan was blowing his tea cold. Fu Changling couldn’t help turning his head over. “Speaking of which, what’s Su Wenji’s comment on me that you’d trust me so?”

“There shouldn’t be any problems with this array, right?”

When Qin Yan spoke, he had asked another question again. Fu Changling glanced at the array; its difficulty levels were quite high and he might need some time to figure out whether anything was wrong with it.

“Later on I will repeat what I know about this array one more time.”

“You need to remember what you promised me.”

Those words stunned Fu Changling. He recalled the only request Qin Yan had asked of him and nodded. “Rest assured. I will remember not to forcibly open the seal of the Hidden Realm of Xuanji.”

Speaking, Fu Changling smiled. “Though, you do have some guts to believe that a foundation establishment stage cultivator like me could open the Hidden Realm of Xuanji?”

“Because it’s you.”

Qin Yan took a sip from his tea. Fu Changling finally couldn’t hold it any longer. After a long moment of silence, he couldn’t help himself laughing. “Qin Yan.”

“Hm?”

“I realize that I know nothing about you.”

He originally thought that he knew a lot about Qin Yan. He knew that he was a demonic lord. He knew that his heart was cold and his person was cold. He was familiar with the ways he fought, his techniques, his manner of setting up ploys. He knew his life in every way he lived it.

He thought that he knew this person very well, but once he was reborn, staring at this young Qin Yan, he realized that this person and the one in his impression were not even a little bit similar.

He couldn’t help saying, “I want to ask you something, but can you answer me honestly?”

Hearing these words, Qin Yan lifted his gaze at him. He didn’t answer; a pair of limpid eyes like the bright moon lurking under a sheet of thin ice yet flowing with a sense of cordial gentleness that seemed unique to this very person.

Fu Changling watched this pair of eyes and suddenly he lost the courage to ask.

He originally wanted to ask: Are you a good person?

Of course, what he wanted to ask at that moment was actually: Have you allied with the Avici by now?

Even if he knew that Qin Yan wouldn’t not provide an answer to him, he was afraid of seeing a sense of guilt in whatever answer Qin Yan would say, whether it was a yes or a not. And so, he only smiled and said, “Do you think I’m handsome?”

Qin Yan studied him quietly and then nodded his head. Fu Changling boisterously laughed. “Good, good, good. You’ve got taste.”

Qin Yan lowered his head and slowly said, “There is something I should warn you about.”

“What thing?”

“I know you are a flirt.” Qin Yan held his head and slowly said, “But now that we are in peril, you should be more wary.”

Fu Changling felt a little surprised hearing this. He instinctively wanted to refute that he wasn’t someone who went about flirting, but those words reminded him of something and he couldn’t help saying, “Do you mean that something is wrong with Yanming?”

Qin Yan nodded his head. Fu Changling raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with him?”

Qin Yan remained silent and said nothing. Fu Changling couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t like him, is that it?”

Qin Yan placed his tea down and got up to his feet. He only said, “Whatever pleases you.”

“Relax,” Fu Changling called after him, who was walking out. He raised his cup of tea. “I will be wary of him.”

Qin Yan stole a glance at him from the corner of his eyes. He hadn’t said anything before walking out.

Fu Changling finished his tea. He, too, got up to his feet and walked out of the door only to see Yanming practicing his sword outside.

The young man’s skills were clean, clear cut and incredibly beautiful compared to Qin Yan’s swordsmanship. Although both of them strived for agility, Yanming’s styles were a lot more gentler, unlike Qin Yan’s, who was more precise and acute.

Fu Changling leaned against the door as he watched.

Although he couldn’t see back then, he could still feel the flow of the wind created by Yanming’s swordsmanship. Although Yanming’s skills were just techniques commonly used by sword cultivators in Yunze, he used them with a few unique habits. For example, he would slightly tip his sword upwards after he’d lashed out, or that every time he drew his sword, he would start slowly before accelerating quicker.

He fixed his gaze on Yanming’s sword, confirming every detail back in that year. After Yanming finished practicing his sword, Fu Changling too could confirm his identity. He quickly clapped his hands and shouted, “Good! Beautiful!”

“Fellow Cultivator Fu.”

After Yanming finished his sword, his mood seemed to have lightened. As he panted, the way he spoke to Fu Changling had also obviously changed.

When Fu Changling watched how Yanming still wanted to bow to him despite panting, he couldn’t help smiling and walked forwards to offer him a napkin. Yanming paused for a moment and Fu Changling said, “Take this, don’t stop.”

“Many thanks.” Yanming accepted the napkin and wiped his sweat. Fu Changling then suggested, “Let's have a meal together?”

Yanming nodded his head. He kept his sword and proceeded to a restaurant with Fu Changling. As the both of them walked, Fu Changling said, “Just now, that skill of yours, ‘Spring in the Snow’ was spectacular.”

Yanming was amazed listening to those words, “Fellow Cultivator Fu knows swordsmanship?”

“A little.”

Fu Changling nodded his head. After so many years of living, although he thought that Yanming was powerful back in those years, presently he thought he was a little tender. And so, he remarked on his skills with all the years of experience he had and gave a few suggestions. Yanming’s impression of Fu Changling improved after obtaining some advice from him. After the both of them finished eating, Yanming was entirely convinced.

The both of them returned to their rooms. Just as Fu Changling wanted to go ahead and prepare the array, Yanming sighed when he saw Fu Changling entering the room, “Yanming would have improved sooner if I’d met Brother Fu earlier.”

“It’s not too late now.”

Fu Changling smiled. “Improvement cannot be achieved within a day. In the future, after we’ve left the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, all we have is time.”

Those words surprised Yanming, and then he happily said, “What Brother Fu speaks is true. In the future, after we’ve left the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, I must come forward to meet Brother Fu!”

Fu Changling smiled hearing this. He looked at Yanming, smiled, and said nothing.

Yanming felt a little lost, “Brother Fu?”

“You said the same thing back then.”

Fu Changling lightly sighed and then said, “Leave it. As long as you have the heart.”

After he’d finished speaking, Fu Changling look towards Qin Yan who was walking towards them from afar and lifted his chin. He gestured at Qin Yan, “Let me tell you: Actually, Fellow Cultivator Qin’s swordsmanship is a lot more superior than mine. Why don’t you make use of the chance while we’re still in the hidden realm to gain advice from him?”

“Many thanks to Brother Fu for guiding the way.” At the mention of swords, Yanming let down his guard by miles. He bowed and happily said, “I’ll go now.”

After he finished speaking, Yanming turned and walked. Fu Changling leaned against the door and watched as Yanming walked towards Qin Yan. He saw Qin Yan looking at Yanming strangely, then turned his gaze to him and he couldn’t help curling the corner of his lips and feeling that he seemed to have done some good deeds. He turned and, holding the God’s Massacre Array, he entered the study.

In order to use an array, one must first understand it. Had it been the past, an array like the God’s Massacre would be a challenge to him. Presently, however, although his cultivation levels were low, his understanding of arrays had reached those of an ascension stage. It’s only a question of how many days it would take him to understand an ancient array like the God’s Massacre.

The day of the sacrificial ritual was drawing close. He daren’t be foolish and locked himself up in the study every day to study the God’s Massacre Array.

He locked himself up for a whole six days, and after six days had passed, Fu Changling finally understood the God's Massacre Array. He happily burst out of the door only to see Yanming and Qin Yan playing chess in the courtyard. Wu Sisi was watching them at the side as she munched on melon seeds. The weather was cold, clear, fair, and sunny today. The three of them didn’t look like they were getting along. Raising the God’s Massacre Array, Fu Changling happily shouted, “I succeeded! I understand it now!”

“Take a bath.”

Qin Yan dropped his piece and lightly said. Everything else that Fu Changling wanted to say was stuck in his throat. He lowered his head and looked at himself, then quickly used a cleansing spell and his entire person instantly looked a lot more clean.

Though, even though he’d used a cleansing spell, he still wasn’t at ease. He quickly ordered some people to fetch him water to take a shower. He walked back out again after that bath and saw that Qin Yan and Yanming had already finished their round of chess. The three of them were waiting for him in the room. Qin Yan remained in meditation; Wu Sisi was polishing her nails; only Yanming leapt to his feet as he watched him approach and called, “Brother Fu.”

“Sit, sit, sit.” Fu Changling smiled at the sight of Yanming standing up. He gestured for Yanming to sit and then turned to the other two, coughing lightly. “Uh.. about the array. It’s no problem. Let us plan a little and drink some wine at night. Tomorrow, we will carry out the plan.”

As Fu Changling spoke, he spread the God’s Massacre Array on the table and said, “I need two people to help me with setting up this array. Of course, it’s not necessary, but the risk will be higher. Three little arrays are required to be placed in two key locations in this array. I will entrust two of them to you.”

Speaking, Fu Changling took out two papers with arrays drawn on them. He gave one to Qin Yan and the other to Yanming. There was one small array on these two papers each. Fu Changling said, “Tomorrow, first we must lure the Venerable One out of the sacrificial altar then I will start setting up the array using the sacrificial altar as its center. The both of you must use your swords and engrave this little town on all four directions with me as the center. After that, stand there and don’t move. I will kick start the array. The array will be controlled by me and I can decide the enemy it will be taking down, so there’s no need to worry that you will be harmed. When that time comes, stall enough time for me to set up the array and after it’s kick started, the enemy will attempt to attack me. All you need to do is protect me by then.”

Qin Yan and Yanming looked at the array in their hands, and then nodded their heads.

“Then it’s decided. Tonight is the last night.” Fu Changling slapped the fan into his palm and happily said, “Let us drink to our fills tonight!”

Author’s Notes:

[Little Theatre]

Fu Changling: We are about to fight soon. Let us drink before the battle!

Wu Sisi: I am slowly feeling this team is unreliable. I want to leave this team.

Yanming: +1

Qin Yan: …

Wu Sisi: But because Qin Yan Gege is present, I’ve decided to stay behind.

Yanming: +1

Fu Changling: Can we not +1?

Qin Yan: +1