Ch76 - Sudden Delusions

Translator: transcendentwings

All the color drained from Jiu Zhideng’s face suddenly: “. . . What?”

Witnessing the changes in Jiu Zhideng’s expressions, Liu Yunhe was very pleased.

He liked people who had weaknesses, because these were the ones who often ended up in sore straits, throwing away their helmets and abandoning their armor, crumbling apart.

“Does the Great Lord of the demonic sects not recall?” Liu Yunhe’s crow blue eyes were fixed on Jiu Zhideng’s face, a faux grin on his face, “ On the wedding day of Qingliang Valley’s first disciple Wen Xuechen, theLordwas drunk and disclosed to this subordinate the past between the Lord and Xu Xingzhi and then later brought up the matter regarding the Shijie Book. . .” Jiu Zhideng’s hands and feet became frozen instantly.

For a moment, he could only see Liu Yunhe’s lips and the flickering of his tongue laden with malicious intent.

. . . How could he expose that to others?

Back then, he clearly told himself hundreds, no thousands of times that he would keep this matter hidden deeply in his heart until it completely rotted away. . .

This affair was a huge secret that he accidentally overheard when he first entered Fengling.

For his bit of insignificant filial piety,Shixiongdelivered a letter to the main hall of the demonic sects and was beaten with thirty strikes from the Xuanwu stick by Guangfu-junfor nothing. He had been bedridden and soon developed a fever, mumbling nonsense in his fever dreams.

Qu Chi had been dragged back to Danyang Peak to face a wall and reflect on his actions, while Zhou Beinan was left to pull at his hair anxiously, making the two disciples who were responsible for taking care of Xu Xingzhi run around in frantic circles.

“Where’s the water? Pour some waterya.”

“You, you, and you don’t just loiter there! Boil water, there’s not enough water.”

The disciples were all youths who had only just experienced little of life and didn’t know how to take care of people. Zhou Beinan was further raised as a pampered young master and was under the delusion that people were just like the orchid under his care, all they needed was to drink more water and they’d be able to thrive just fine.

Jiu Zhideng knelt outside the hall, he didn’t dare cross the boundary without permission, but he also couldn’t bear to see Zhou Beinan tossing Xu Xingzhi around like this. He endured and persisted, then just as he was about to rise to his feet, he caught sight of Wen Xuechen approaching on his wheelchair as the wheels wentlulu, and threw himself straight back onto the ground: “. . .Qianbei.”

Wen Xuechen didn’t acknowledge him, he didn’t even bother to glance at him as he went straight past him.

When their backs were facing each other fully, he indifferently stated: “Don’t kneel here. Go busy yourself somewhere elseba.”

At that time, Jiu Zhideng wasn’t aware that Wen Xuechen hated those who weren’t cultivating the righteous path, but he still had the faint feeling of a thorn digging into back and had no choice but to turn around and back away.

Before leaving, he heard Wen Xuechen, who had arrived at the interior of the palace, ask Zhou Beinan: “Has his fever subsided?”

Zhou Beinan answered: “If he continues with this heat, he’ll be well-donela.”

Wen Xuechen mulled it over briefly: “Cut some ice and bring it over. Chop more generously, immerse him in it, maybe the temperature can be reduced faster.”

Zhou Beinan startled as if he had just woken up from a dream: “That’s right, that makes sense.”

Obviously, with Wen Xuechen’s arrival, other than increasing the number of obtuse, pampered young masters in the palace from one to two, there were no other benefits.

“. . . What bullsh*tah.” Xu Xingzhi was awakened by their chatter just in time to hear the nonsense projected from Wen Xuechen which made his face pale, “The twodage, begging you guys to be magnanimous, don’t fuss about with anything, just let me have a good rest, will that doah.”

Jiu Zhideng left Xu Xingzhi’s palace and followed along a quiet road away from people, avoiding the many gazes that studied him like some kind of exotic animal.

Fortunately, he was neither exuding demonic qi nor any immortal qi, just a perfectly clean, lonely, white sheet of paper. As long as he hurried along with his head down, he wouldn’t attract attention no matter where he drifted to.

He made up his mind to head to Qingzhu Hall and confess his guilt to hisShifu, Qingjing-jun, whom he hadn’t met yet.

He was the culprit behind this mess with Xu-shixiong, althoughShixiongdidn’t blame him, if Jiu Zhideng didn’t take the initiative to come forward and clarify, he would be first, burdened with a guilty conscience and second, wouldn’t be able to gain afootholdin Fengling Mountain in the future.

After wandering around and about, he finally came to a window at the side wing of Qingzhu Hall. Suddenly, he heard the voice of Guangfu-junfrom inside: “. . .Shixiong, you speak of this matter so lightly! Did you know that when I heard that he had ventured into the demonic sect discreetly, I hated that I couldn’t kill him immediately!”

XQU tIQBTJN mLA LYLiPTB, AUqqiTAAQJN IQA giTLdI, IT GifUGITB BfmJ LPfJN dIT pfUJN gLPgff.

“Wd’A Jfd dILd ATiQfUA. . .” r AfSd LJB AYQNIdYp JLALYYp afQGT SYfLdTB fUd SifP dIT mQJBfm, “jQpUJ, jQJNeIQ mLA PTiTYp BTYQaTiQJN L YTddTi, LJB gTAQBTA IT ILB yU VIQ, dILd GIQYB, LGGfPqLJp IQP.”

“Not pressing? What if he provoked a conflict with those at the demonic sect’s main hall? What if he breathed his last there, then the divine artifact would lose its medium and fall into the hands of the demonic sect, what would we do then?” Guangfu-junwas furious, “Shixiong, aren’t you clear on why I punished him this time? If he was actually seriously injured and couldn’t becured, we could finally retrieve the Shijie Book!”

XQU tIQBTJN’A qUqQYA gTGLPT GfJAdiQGdTB.

On the other side of the window, the gentle voice stopped trying to reason with him, leaving only Guangfu-jun’s exasperation after his bout of anger:“Shixiong,I know whatyouwant to say. The Heavens indeed preach cherishing life as virtue, but people’s hearts are chaotic and unpredictable. Even the sect ancestors and older lords are hard to figure out. Xu Xingzhi possesses a stubborn and obstreperous personality and is difficult to guide. . .”

The man he called“Shixiong”admitted with difficulty: “I didn’t protect Xingzhi because of the virtue to cherish life.”

“snwO bnj?”

The man hesitated for a moment before murmuring softly: “I’m reluctant to partya.”

Guangfu-jun: “. . .”

“KT QA Jfd L mQGsTB qTiAfJ gp JLdUiT. KT QA LJ QJdiQNUQJN LJB NTJdYT GIQYB BfmJ df IQA GfiT.” EIT PLJ APQYTB YQNIdYp, “WS W GfUYB ILaT L AfJ, gfiJ YQsT IQP, dITJ Pp ITLid mfUYB gT ALdQASQTB.”

Guangfu-junsnapped crankily: “. . . Thenyoureally would be having a disgrace in the family.”

“EIT fJT mIf mLA AdQNPLdQeTB QA jQJNeIQ.” EIT PLJ NTJdYp GIQBTB, “wLGs dITJ, IT LJB W PTd faTi dIiTT dLTYA fS PUYYTB PQYYTd mQJT QJ L APLYY dfmJ LJB Qd mLA W mIf QJdifBUGTB HTJNYQJN df IQP. nLdTi, QS W ILBJ’d LAsTB IQP df BiQJs mQdI PT LJB gifUNId IQP df EfJNdQLJ CLaQYQfJ LSdTi NTddQJN BiUJs, dITJ IT mfUYBJ’d ILaT LGGQBTJdLYYp gTTJ iTGfNJQeTB LA dIT lIQMQT wffs’A PLQJ UATi. Wd QA W, mIf QA Afiip dfmLiBA IQP, Af W AIfUYB ALSTNULiB IQP Sfi dIT iTAd fS Pp YQST QJ iTGfPqTJAT.”

The two discussed it a bit more before retreating from the side wing.

Perhaps he thought that no disciples would be passing by there in the afternoon, or maybe he thought that even if there were disciples, they would also be alerted by traces of active spiritual power, thus there was no need to worry which resulted in Guangfu-jun’s momentary carelessness where he didn’t even bother to set up an isolation barrier.

And Jiu Zhideng just happened to have not cultivated yet, while also having approached very discreetly. This mixture of coincidences facilitated the anomaly whereby this secret was allowed to slip from the only two people who knew it to the ears of a third person.

Jiu Zhideng, this blank sheet of paper, floated over without a trace, not expecting to be stained with the first ink mark here.

Jiu Zhideng, who had just uncovered this secret, was terribly alarmed. He crouched under the window for a long time before he gathered enough strength to dash back to Xu Xingzhi’s palace in one breath.

He still didn’t dare to enter the hall without permission, so he quietly clambered onto the roof ofShixiong’s sleeping quarters at night, peeled off the roof tiles, and surveyed the young man sleeping on the bed below.

As he observed, Jiu Zhideng felt an emerging sense of sympathy welling up inside, even feeling thatShixiongwas slightly more pitiful than himself.

. . . After all, Jiu Zhideng knew the reasons why he was disdained, whileShixiongwas unaware.

However, Jiu Zhideng also had a problem which he hadn’t figured out even after a long time.

—After so many years, Jiu Zhideng still didn’t understand, setting Guangfu-junaside, but how did Qingjing-junsimilarly not notice his presence beyond the window?

He was still quite young at the time and ventured that Qingjing-junmight’ve been too wholeheartedly concerned aboutShixiong,that he didn’t have the heart to mind him at allba.

However, as time went by, the suspicions Jiu Zhideng harbored only increased. In fact, at the time, Qingjing-junhad sensed that he was there.

And the reason why he didn’t expose Jiu Zhideng was quite simple.

If he opened his mouth to disclose this matter, according to Guangfu-jun’s character, Jiu Zhideng, as a descendent of demonic cultivators, would have been arranged to “die abruptly” in Fengling Mountain for some sort of special reason for being cognizant of this secret.

Qingjing-junhad always been gentle like water, his cultivation spirit like the ocean. He was unwilling to bring harm unto anyone, so he had chosen “inaction”, an equal stance for both his and forShixiong’s sake.

And now, the only person who could’ve ever cleared up his doubt, Qingjing-jun, was no longer there.

What the truth was, was there any meaning to it nowne.

Jiu Zhideng lowered his gaze at Liu Yunhe before him, his voice emptied ofall emotion: “You’ve harmedShifuas well asShixiong.”

Liu Yunhe raised his chin and grinned fearlessly: “Such a serious matter, the Great Leader of the demonic sects passed on such a secret to this subordinate, so naturally this subordinate assumed thatyouwanted me to take action.”

Jiu Zhideng sneered and didn’t critique his behavior.

Liu Yunhe saw his mocking expression and was inevitably triggered by it, bristling, his voice came out sharper: “Jiu Zhideng, what’s with that expression on your face? In the Year ofZhengshou,Shifudied at the hands of Fengling’s Yue Wuchen. This time, for the sake of the demonic path, he was murdered once again! What about you? Apart from dragging demonic cultivation step by step into an abyss, what have you done? What are you capable of doing?!”

Jiu Zhideng studied him quietly, an undercurrent in his eyes.

“Killing one is a sin, but slaughtering ten thousand is heroic!” Jiu Zhideng’s continued silence angered Liu Yunhe, but his legs were broken so he wasn’t able to struggle and could only roar loudly with reddened eyes and pale lips, “I eliminated the leader of Fengling Mountain and the head disciple of Fengling Mountain with my own strength, I am worthy of the demonic sects! Jiu Zhideng, what about you?! Who do you think you are? What right do you have to punish me?”

The more he talked, the prouder he became, yet the more sorrowful as well. He shouted: “Do you think you can go back? You are of the demonic sects! You have been part of demonic cultivation since you were born! Even if you killed me, the blood flowing in your body is still of the demonic line!”

“Why should I kill you?”

Jui Zhideng finally spoke, casting a cold gaze like a thin blade at Liu Yunhe, questioning seriously: “. . . To be alive, isn’t that ten thousand times more painful than to die?”

When Liu Yunhe was dragged away by the disciples of the demonic sect that were summoned, he struggled and laughed in a crazed manner: “What am I still being kept alive for? To watch how you destroy the demonic path?”

Jiu Zhideng didn’t respond to his inquiry.

And soon, he was the only one left in the hall.

He picked up the brass goblet and the copper ewer pitcher from the overturned table. There was still some residual wine in them, which would top up a whole cup after pouring it out.

Jiu Zhideng exited the empty hall with the full wine cup.

The night wind blurred the moonlight like a mirage. He wrapped the thin fur coat tightly around himself, but was still choked by the wind and coughed twice, spilling some of the wine on the equally empty steps.

The question that Liu Yunhe had just roared hoarsely, Jiu Zhideng had asked himself thousands of times in countless nights.

How should he treat the demonic path? In which direction is he leading demonic cultivation?

At the beginning, Jiu Zhideng admitted that he had seized the position of Lord of the demonic path and refined the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator just to satisfy his own desires, just so he would be qualified to be on par withShixiong.

Now,Shixiongwas missing, andShifuwas also gone too.

A righteous path bereft ofShixiongandShifu,was it worth his reluctance.

Liu Yunhe was right, that was a home he could never return to.

—Besides, the only ones who knew thatShixionghad a back injury were himself and Meng Chongguang. SinceShixiongwas rescued by Meng Chongguang, then the only person he could suspect was himself.

And yet what could he refutene.Wasn’t it him who blurted out all aboutShixiong’sback injury to unrelated outsiders? Wasn’t it his drunken words that caused hisShixiongto fall into such a state?

In the past, when he closed his eyes, he was thinking about the tomorrow in which he would be with hisShixiong, and that tomorrow, seems to be forever out of his grasp now.

Jiu Zhideng raised the wine goblet in his hand, but didn’t drink it. Instead, he threw the cup along with the wine into the iron torch burning in the front of the hall.

The flames suddenly ignited, like a golden snake dancing wildly, flicking out its tongue, arrogantly licking the wind chimes under the eaves.

The firelight reflected in Jiu Zhideng’s eyes which were deep pools, and the words that Xu Xingzhi had imparted to him echoed strangely in his ears along with thezhizhicackling of the flames.

“The demonic path, ghostly cultivation, and the immortal are all the same.”

“As long as you don’t do harm wantonly and focus on cultivating the self, then the difference between the three paths only exists in prejudice.”

Then following close behind, Liu Yunhe angry tirade roared in his ear with an explosion of sound: “Killing one is a sin, slaughtering ten thousand is heroic!!!”

Recalling these words again at this time, Jiu Zhideng felt a sudden sense of enlightenment.

—Yesah,Shixiong,Xiao-Deng was truly in the wrong. He attached too much importance to the difference between the two cultivation paths.

If he could guide the demonic path onto the right track, if he could have the practitioners of demonic sects cultivate themselves, concentrate on the act of cultivating itself, then how would one define the difference between the four sects and the demonic sect at that timene?

. . . Since the four sects could rule over all immortal cultivation methods and remain as orthodox, then why couldn’t the demonic path?!

The blazing flames engulfed the young man’s look of determination, easily producing scorch marks of delusion.

Ever since he cried his heart out, Xu Xingzhi’s spirit improved a lot.

Since they decided not to go to Fengling to seek revenge, the two of them headed in the opposite direction of Fengling, making frequent pit stops before arriving at a small village in the south far removed from those matters stirring up dust and smoke. Taking in the scenery surrounding them, Meng Chongguang picked out an insignificant jade ring from the treasures he had collected over the years, exchanged it for some silver, and purchased a quaint private lodging with a single door and courtyard to live in.

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of summer. The heat was ever present, but an added taste of autumn dew was in the air.

Xu Xingzhi practiced his swordsmanship in the small courtyard of their home for half the afternoon, then feeling quite bored, he dragged Meng Chongguang out to stroll along the streets for the sake of relaxing.

Xu Xingzhi and Meng Chongguang both supported excellent appearances. Walking on the street, they looked very pleasing to the eye, inevitably influencing the passing girls and women to look back frequently.

However, most of them were all sizing up Xu Xingzhi.

After all, although Meng Chongguang was taller, he looked too exquisite, as clean and beautiful as a pricey jade vase. If one were to take it home, they would definitely meticulously care for it, wiping off any dust three times a day.

While Xu Xingzhi was vastly different. He possessed a classically handsome face, as bright and refreshing as a young pine with a pair of smiling eyes that seemed to lure one in wherever that gaze landed, inevitably arousing people’s fantasies.

This was also the reason why Meng Chongguang always tagged along whenever he went out.

Xu Xingzhi only thought that he and Meng Chongguang were half and half at fault, each with their own merits and didn’t give it much thought, only focused on drifting about in the market with a fan clasped in his left hand.

Meng Chongguang trailed behind him obediently and bought a bowl ofplum juice.

The clean and perfectly sized white porcelain bowl was filled with translucent plum juice and crushed ice chips. After downing one mouthful, he felt thenumbness rush to the crown of his head. Xu Xingzhi drank sip after sip from the bowl in his hand, not forgetting to pat the top of his head in a display of praise.

The village was very small and it only took half a day to make a circuit through it. After all, Xu Xingzhi had just recovered from a serious injury, and was somewhat tired already. He randomly picked a roadside stall and sat down, ordering: “I want a bowl ofthree delicacies noodles.”

The young lady who was manning the stall was so preoccupied with secretly admiring Xu Xingzhi’s face, flowers blooming in the atmosphere around her, that her hand slipped and she made a mistake breaking the poached egg that was originally intended to lie under the noodles, causing the tender egg yolk to bleed into the noodle soup.

When the girl brought the three delicacies noodles to the table, her face was red with embarrassment as she whispered: “This. . . was prepared too hideously. I’ll, I’ll make another one for youba.”

Xu Xingzhi pulled down the finger of his left hand that was lightly touching his plump lips, slipped his fan back into a spot at his waist, then took the bowl of three delicacies noodles with the broken egg without a care, smiling naturally as he remarked: “For an admirer of a pleasing sight, justoneis enough.”

Author’s Chapter Summary: Beneath the window, respected position, rise of a delusion

The translator has something to say: multiple delusions in this chapter, LYH’s delusion that he is greater and more worthy of the demonic sects than even JZD, JZD’s delusion that he could unite all as one (based on XXZ’s words, which he is taking in a very extreme direction now, I fear what he has planned for all cultivation), and XXZ’s delusions that he could pretend that everything is okay and perhaps this quaint life had always been his (though he is still restless)