Ch82 - Knife in the Back

Translator: transcendentwings

From the steps ofXuangongtemple, one could vaguely make out the solemn statue ofQingdiinside. Opposite was theFanzisengpagoda. In the early spring the cross-shaped pavilion was filled with smoke and the sound of the evening bells.

Xu Xingzhi sat in front of the steps, one leg propped up, the other leg stretched out over several steps before placing it flat on the final step. Next to his left hand was a winnowing basket filled with various dried fruits and nuts such as walnuts and melon seeds. Two clean handkerchiefs were spread out on the side. One handkerchief was full of melon seeds that looked like the tiny tongues of sparrows, white and fat, squeezed into a pile. The other handkerchief was covered in intact walnut kernels that weren’t the slightest bit damaged, like a group of bare little heads.

He palmed a thin-skinned walnut in his left hand, his fingertips shifting slightly, and with akacha, the walnut cracked into just the right amount of dozens of fine lines. Xu Xingzhi turned the walnut over with one hand and used the tip of his thumb to flexibly pick up the broken walnut shell, swiftly peeling out the complete yellow walnut kernel.

Xu Xingzhi clicked his tongue, picked out the walnut kernels from the broken shells, and distributed them to the children sitting in front of him one by one: “Take it.”

These children who always crowded around Xu Xingzhi, stared at him in a trance, hoping that more interesting stories would fall from his mouth, or that the broken pieces of walnut would fall through the gaps between his fingers.

One child chewed on the walnut kernel and pleaded; “Xu-dage, tell us about some more strange thingsba. I went back to tell my playmates the story of the nine-tailed serpent last time and they were all very entertained by it.”

Xu Xingzhi threw a crumbled piece of walnut into his mouth: “Sureah. But you should bring fewer walnuts next time, it’s tedious to peel them.”

He stretched out his slender and strong fingers and pondered for a while: “Shall I tell you a story about the savage wasteland?”

“Savage wasteland?” Faces graced with adorable and tender cheeks were turned to him like sunflowers to the sun.

In ancient times, when the universe was just beginning, it was in chaos, with all kinds of phenomena scattered, immortal and demonic cultivation was split into two. The demonic ancestorLuo Houwas flamboyant and promiscuous, unrestrained his entire life. He captured dragons and controlled phoenixes, using slaughter as the basis for his path of cultivation. However, he just so happened to run intoHong Jun-laozu, who was under the protection of heavenly will and whose Jade Disc of Creation, that was bestowed upon him by the heavens, contained the three thousand cosmos, supporting infinite changes.

Luo Hou and Hong Jun overturned the mountains, shattering the sun and moon. Ultimately, Luo Hou was defeated and imprisoned by the immortal sects.

Luo Hou had more than tens of thousands of followers and the immortal path didn’t allow mindless slaughter. Hong Jun-laozudivided the six realms intothirty-six layers, setting up prisons in each level to confine the demons and evil spirits that were causing chaos, such as detaining evil dragons, imprisoning true phoenixes, sealing giants, and trapping strange beasts. Such prisons were collectively called “wastelands” because of their brutality and desolation. Those incarcerated in these planes varied just as the fate present in each differed, none interfered nor overlapped with another.

The one Xu Xingzhi was in was theXuanming Gonghualayer which was one of the eighteen in the second major realm. Laozu created a prison called the “Savage Wasteland” here, and the main prisoner was an origin giant who had been rampant since the prehistoric period. He handed a key to open the door to this wasteland to a cultivator namedXuanfei–junand asked him to keep it safe.

Xuanfei-junspent thousands of years in order to establish the four sects, one of which was inherited by his favorite disciple,Chihong–jun. As for the key to the wasteland, because it couldn’t be split, it was guarded by his other favorite disciple Zhou Xu.

The disciple Chihong-junwas most proud of was Qingjing-jun, Yue Wuchen, and Zhou Xu’s son was Zhou Yunlie, the father of Zhou Beinan and Zhou Xian.

As for Hong Jun-laozu, he lived in the highest layer which wasDaluoand had locked up the demonic sects’ founder Luo Hou by his side, the lines of the earth as the borders of the cell, unable to leave day or night.

These past events were tedious and boring to talk about, yet Xu Xingzhi was hoping to keep these children hooked so that they would bring some other fresh dried fruits in exchange for stories next timene.

Xu Xingzhi explained: “That was a prison, used to imprison various strange beasts and monsters that had committed crimes. Among them, there was a giant that appeared every five years and fed on human flesh.Nuo, one with a slightly bigger physique that could step into Xuangong temple, and with ahong, the pagoda over there would crumblela.”

Xu Xingzhi narrated vividly and the children’s hair stood on end along their napes as they listened, but they were reluctant to miss any details. As soon as Xu Xingzhi stopped talking, they launched questions at him in a flurry:

“Xu-dage, have you seen the giant?”

“Noah.” Xu Xingzhi admitted openly, “I have never been to the wasteland.”

A child asked admiringly: “Xu-dage, can you beat a giant?”

Xu Xingzhi mulled it over before commenting impartially and objectively: “If I’m fighting alone, I can defeat any that are undertwentychino problem.”

Immediately someone started to cause a scene: “You’re lying!”

Before Xu Xingzhi could refute, his little admirer started to defend him: “How could Xu-dagebe tricking othersne! Don’t speak blindly.”

“Xu-dagedoesn’t even have a right hand, how can he defeat a giantya.” The child naturally wouldn’t realize his innocent cruelty, “. . . Braggart.”

The little admirer rummaged around to find a way to get back at the other’s words, trying hard to find one that had evidence to back it up: “Xu-dagehas a strong left hand and can crack walnutsne. What about you? Are you able to crack it open? The shell of this walnut is so thick that my father can’t even break it open by clamping it in the door hinge.”

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After all, the giant was a distant figure while Xu-dage, who could crush walnuts with his bare hands, was right before their eyes.

Just as Xu Xingzhi was about to interject, he saw a door opposite to the Xuangong Temple open with Meng Chongguang poking his head out of the door: “Shixiong, the vegetables and fruits are all washed, come back and eatba.”

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Xu Xingzhi followed local customs and drawled in a heavy local accent: “Xu-dage’s wife invited Xu-dageto return for dinnerla.”

Xu Xingzhi and Meng Chongguang have settled here for half a month and the children all knew that this “Xu-dage’s wife” possessed tight control over Xu-dage, so they reluctantly could only set up another appointment with him for their next meeting.

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Ever since half a month ago, when Guangfu-junwent to the inn to hunt down the two, but came up empty-handed, they selected another elegant town as their temporary residence.

It was unknown whether Guangfu-junhad lost their tracks or something happened in the mountains, but they had been loitering around town for three days already and yet no pursers had been seen chasing them.

According to Xu Xingzhi, after some time, they would try to find a place to live more permanently after they’ve confirmed that Guangfu-junand the others wouldn’t come after them again. However, on a certain day that Meng Chongguang went out to gather information, when he returned, he brushed aside Xu Xingzhi’s attempts to stop him and bought a quaint courtyard in the town with money, intending to settle down here.

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As soon as he crossed over the threshold, his eyes were attracted to the freshly washed yellow apricots on the stone table. Xu Xingzhi smiled and leaned the winnowing basket against the door, picking up the melon seeds and walnut kernels wrapped in a handkerchief and placed them on the table as well: “Yo, I like this type. Is it sourah?”

Meng Chongguang answered: “I tried it, it’s very sour.”

Xu Xingzhi picked one at random and took a bite. He shivered at the sourness and saliva instantly pooled around his tongue, but his eyes narrowed into a happy arc: “Pass, it’s flavor is acceptable.”

Immediately, he pushed the dried fruit towards Meng Chongguang with his wooden hand: “I peeled it for you, eatba.”

Meng Chongguang didn’t take it: “Shixiong, why do you like to hang out with those children all the time and not come home.”

Xu Xingzhi laughed at him: “Can you notah? They’re just a gaggle of kids.”

Meng-cuganggrumbled: “I was also a kid before.”

Xu Xingzhi: “. . .”

“Shixionghas treated me so well since I was young, causing me to be unable to leave him for even a moment.” Meng-cugang’s ability to place the blame on others was getting stronger and stronger now, “Chongguang has to keep an eye onShixiong, lest he becomes coveted by someone else again.”

Xu Xingzhi laughed: “Nonsense.”

Observing that Xu Xingzhi’s countenance seemed normal, Meng Chongguang breathed a silent and nearly undetectable sigh of relief.

After relaxing, Meng Chongguang probed with ambiguous intentions: “Shixiong, what do you chatter at them all day long aboutya.”

“There is a child whose family runs a small dried fruit shop.” Xu Xingzhi revealed frankly: “Shixiongonly needs to flap my gums and I’ll be able to earn some snacks for you.”

Meng Chongguang sat on his lap, looped his arms around the other’s neck and slowly stroked Xu Xingzhi’s cheek with his fingertips, affectionately purring: “IfShixiongmoves his lips somewhere else, Chongguang will be even happier.”

“Ai,ai.” Xu Xingzhi jabbed the other’s waist with fingers sticky with apricot juice, “Let me finish eating first. . .”

Yet Meng Chongguang didn’t give him a chance. This little brat was best at playing theintimacygame, he either leaned into his arms blowing out large breaths of air while taking shallow breaths in a teasing manner or murmured some naïve and obscene sweet words into his ears all of which could easily make Xu Xingzhi weak all over, unable to sit properly on the stone bench, his legs and waist unable to support him, only sliding down uncontrollably.

Meng Chongguang simply pulled him to sit on the ground and continued to kiss him.

Clothes were strewn on the ground, scattering camellia white all over.

Because it was getting close to night, Meng Chongguang was afraid that Xu Xingzhi’s body would be invaded by the frosty air, thus he restrained himself a lot. When the atmospheric temperature just turned low, he stopped his ministrations and carried Xu Xingzhi into the room to tuck him into bed. Laying down beside him, he softly wheedled the other to pet his hair and rub his ears, feeling so content that he didn’t want to open his eyes.

Xu Xingzhi didn’t know why, but after rolling in the sheets one time, he abruptly wanted to eat fermented glutinous rice.

He was about to support his sore waist and get up when Meng Chongguang swiftly pressed him back down: “Shixiong, what do you want? Chongguang will help you get it.”

When Xu Xingzhi told him his whimsy, Meng Chongguang smiled lightly and kissed him gently on his thick hair: “Shixiong, I’ll go buy it. You just go lie down.”

Because of his sudden impulse, Meng Chongguang pulled on his clothes obediently and ran out with his purse.

Xu Xingzhi lay in bed for a while when he heard the gusts picking up outside, billowing the curtains of the small shop next door until they flapped with azaza, and soon, raindrops the size of soybeans fell, without the precocious softness of spring rain.

Xu Xingzhi looked up inadvertently and found that the storage ring that Meng Chongguang usually carried by his side had been slipped off and placed on a small table at the head of the bed.

. . . When the two of them were doing the deed earlier, Meng Chongguang was afraid of scratching him by accident, thus he had removed it.

This meant that when Meng Chongguang heads back later, he may not have an umbrella to shelter him from the rain.

Thinking of this, Xu Xingzhi quickly rolled over and got to his feet. He cleaned himself up simply, took out an umbrella, and walked out.

The wind picked up quickly, the rain fell suddenly. The pedestrians on the street were like ants, either swiftly gathered under the eaves where they could take shelter temporarily, touching their antennae and discussing this strange weather, or were fleeing along the streets in a panic, hoping to return to their nests in one go.

Xu Xingzhi recalled that there were two shops selling fermented glutinous rice in the town, one of which was at the eastern entrance of the town and was a shop that had been around for a long time, so he headed to this shop first.

Xu Xingzhi’s collar and sleeves were filled with rain and wind, making his body feel cold. The fact that he didn’t feel uncomfortable was unexpectedly quite amusing.

He was already so old, yet he still had the problem of food cravings in the middle of the night.

Speaking of which, there were more absurd things that happened to him, coincidentally, it was Wen Xuechen’s natal day a few days ago. Xu Xingzhi wanted to send some gifts, but Meng Chongguang, the little b*stard, didn’t knowwhat medicine he tookthe night before he was supposed to leave and kept pestering and sticking to him, unwilling to let go. He was also aroused to the extent that he couldn’t resist for a while, couldn’t help asking for it again and again such that he wasn’t even able to touch the ground the next day. As a result, he could only ask Meng Chongguang to make the trip to Qingliang Valley for him.

. . . It seems that he was really spoiled by that little brat.

Xu Xingzhi smiled to himself as he was distracted by his own thoughts and just happened to pass a young man wearing a straw hat and a raincoat.

He didn’t use his spiritual power to defend himself, and the other party similarly didn’t react. Both parties just continued to advance, however, at the exact moment they brushed shoulders, Xu Xingzhi felt a slight tremor in his chest and unconsciously glanced over, the other party also seemed to have felt something and also turned their head towards him.

When their eyes met, Xu Xingzhi was startled and blurted out the other’s name: “. . . Sa Si?”

Meeting an old friend on the streets of a foreign town, Xu Xingzhi’s eyebrows curved unconsciously: “What a coincidenceah. You. . .”

“Not by chance.” Sa Si, who always wanted to spar with him, had a rare serious expression on his face as he adjusted his dripping hat to reveal a pair of dark crow blue eyes, “ I heard that the last place where you and Meng Chongguang were spotted was nearby. . . . In truth, I came here specifically to find you.”

After saying that, he grabbed Xu Xingzhi’s “right hand” hanging by his side, the texture of the wood when he made contact caused his expression to stiffen as his gaze shot downwards in disbelief.

Xu Xingzhi was already used to such scrutiny and just informed him: “I’m on my way to pick up Chongguang, we’ll talk on the way.”

Sa Si didn’t move, only squeezing his fingers tightly before whispering: “. . . Apologies.”

Xu Xingzhi frowned slightly, feeling puzzled by Sa Si’s “sorry”.

He had meticulously sorted out the cause and effect ofShifu’s death in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep.

In fact, it’s not difficult to identify the real culprit behind the scenes. A being who could seizeShifu’s body and be equal toShifuin strength must at least be in the Nascent Soul stage. The only two people who broke through the Nascent Soul stage in the past hundred years of the demonic sects were Jiu Zhideng and the one who lost toShifuduring theZhengshouWar, exposingShifu’s amazing talent to the world from then on, the demon god Sa Luo, Sa Si’suncle.

Xiao-Deng is a self-disciplined and gentle person, he would never do such an unprincipled thing. From beginning to end, Xu Xingzhi never doubted him at all.

At that time, Xu Xingzhi did harbor a sliver of suspicion, but the object of his suspicion wasn’t Jiu Zhideng, but Sa Si.

He wondered if Sa Si had accidentally seen his back during a competition with him and therefore conspired with Sa Luo, who was related to him, to scheme this incident?

However, Xu Xingzhi swiftly dismissed his doubt.

First, Sa Si’s temperament was unlike his uncle’s, he had no interest in slaughter and seizing power; Second, he was just a simple sword fanatic and didn’t have the brain power to plan such a conspiracy.

In fact, what puzzled Xu Xingzhi even more was that at that time on the arena, his back was engineered via a simple sleight of hand. After Sa Luo’s death, the so–called “ghost cultivation mark” on his body returned to normal. With just a bit of digging afterwards, he could easily prove his innocence.

Yet why did Guangfu-junrefuse to investigate and was determined to put him to death?

Recalling Guangfu-jun’s words and Xu Pingsheng’s actions that day, Xu Xingzhi couldn’t help but feel depressed, but he wouldn’t vent his anger on Sa Si as a result.

Moreover, Sa Si took the initiative to look for him now. Xu Xingzhi hadn’t seen his friend for a long time, so how could he remain preoccupied with his suspicions?

He cheerfully chirped: “What are you apologizing for?”

A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, as bright as phosphorus. Then, in the dull thunder, Xu Xingzhi heard Sa Si’s hoarse voice: “Forgive me, Xingzhi. You asked me to take care of Jiu Zhideng, and I. . . couldn’t accomplish that.”

Xu Xingzhi’s throat tightened: “. . . What happened toXiao-Deng!?”

In an instant, countless terrifying conjectures surged in his mind, forcing a fierce edge to color his eyes: “Someone bullied him? Did those of the demonic sect branches make things difficult for him?”

. . . Xu Xingzhi was regretful.

Shifudied at the hands of the demonic cultivators. Even though he never suspected that Jiu Zhideng was the culprit, Xu Xingzhi still suffered a traumatic injury, other than Meng Chongguang, he didn’t want to see anyone else anymore, let alone those of the demonic sects.

. . . He couldn’t guarantee that he could control his wholehearted desire to avengeShifuwhen he ran into any demonic practitioners.

. . . He shouldn’t cause trouble for Jiu Zhideng, who was the new lord of the demonic path.

If he had known this earlier, he would have gone to findXiao-Deng after his mood stabilized and reported his safety to him, even if he were to just send a letter to reassure the other was better than nothing.

But before he could wallow in his self-recrimination, he heard Sa Si’s hoarse voice: “I couldn’t stop him. . . He has already gone to Yingtianchun. . .”

. . . Yingtianchuan?

Xu Xingzhi didn’t understand. He was clearly talking aboutXiao-Deng just now, why did he suddenly mention Yingtianchuan out of the blue?

Sa Si’s voice began to shake slightly: “At first, he planned to go to Fengling Mountain first. However, when Zhou Beinan of Yingtianchuan learned that his sister, Zhou Xian was captured, he rallied more than a thousand brave disciples from the island to charge into the fray. The two sides fought bitterly, originally. . . Originally, he was about to succeed, but who would have thought. . .”

At this point, Sa Si, who had always been indifferent to everything showed a rare look of indignation, gnashing his teeth as he bit out: “Who would have thought that Zhou Yunlie of Yingtianchuan would surrender! He forfeited! He only asked Jiu Zhideng to spare his two children, his grandson who was still in his mother’s womb, and the lives of his disciples! . . . He surrendered Yingtianchuan to the demonic sects!”

Xu Xingzhi found that he was unable to understand what Sa Si was telling him at all, He could only widen his eyes in the dense white curtain of rain. He could barely make anything out as the heavy rain was as thick as arrow shafts, on the other side, Sa Si’s lips opened and closed, constantly spilling these cruel words.

“With all escape routes severed, everything was over. Zhou Beinan was captured alive by Jiu Zhideng, but similarly to many disciples of Qingliang Valley and Yingtianchuan, he refused to surrender and was detained with his sister and banished to the wasteland—”

The author has something to say: Beinan’s demise was as a result of his dear father’s betrayal. . .

Author’s Chapter Summary: legend, founder, meeting in the rain

The translator has something to say: can’t believe that ZBN’s father was such a coward and this chapter overall was a hard blow to XXZ. The band-aid was ripped off viciously or rather the stitches were torn out from the life he had slowly started to piece back together the glass house MCG built around him has completely shattered. I pity XXZ and at the same time find his naïveté somewhat as a strike against him, he would do with more cunning to protect himself and those he cares about as well as more caution in who to trust. By the way, translating those names and titles were getting me confused, if I differentiated surname, name, and title incorrectly, please let me know