It was getting a little late. It was already getting to the point where he ought to light a torch as he entered the mountain woods ahead.
As Wei Wuxian proceeded, he remarkably didn’t encounter anymore cultivators.
He felt rather surprised: ‘Can it be possible that of the clans here, one batch stays at Fujiao and endlessly debates armchair tactics, while the other batch is the group heading back just now that was looking defeated and disappointed?’
Suddenly ahead he heard the sound of a voice calling for help.
“Someone come, ah!”
“Someone help me!”
The voices were of a male and a female. Full of fl.u.s.tered helpless feelings, they did not appear to be fake.
Voices calling for help in mountainous country. Most likely it would be evil energy behind the scenes, attracting the unsuspecting to get caught in a trap.
Wei Wuxian however was very happy.
The more evil the better, in fact he was afraid it would insufficiently evil!
He encouraged the donkey with his riding crop to rush towards where the voices were coming from. Looking in all directions he saw nothing, but after looking upwards he saw what was not an evil spirit or phantom, rather the same countryside people he had come across earlier on the edge of the footpath between paddy fields, all suspended within a golden bright and dazzling enormous net up in a tree.
That middle aged man had originally led the rest of his people into the mountain woods to patrol. They did not encounter the prey that they had been looking forward to however, but had inadvertently stepped within a trap a wealthy person had set up. Suspended above in the tree, they bitterly complained without end.
Seeing someone arrive, they were all delighted. But it seemed that this individual was a lunatic, and so they were promptly greatly disappointed.
The rope of the bind immortal net, although slender, consisted of material that was of the highest quality. St.u.r.dy, could not be broken, and once caught, no matter if it was a person, deity, demon, or phantom they will end up tormented for a time.
Only by a higher grade of immortal tool could it be broken apart.
It was useless to persuade this lunatic to release them to come down. Very likely this person wouldn’t even know how.
Just as they were about to try to call him to go find someone to come a.s.sist, a burst of light and quick footsteps approached. From within the black mountain woods came out a youth wearing soft pale garments.
This young gentleman had a dot of cinnabar between his eyebrows and came across as elegant and somewhat harsh. He was very young. Similar to Lan Zizhui more or less he was still a half grown child. His body was burdened with a quiver, the hilt of his longsword bore the l.u.s.ter of a goldenlight (1) ranked weapon, and a longbow was in his hands.
On his clothes was exquisite embroidery. On his chest was a round flower with an out of the ordinary imposing manner, a white peony (2). Gold thread in the dim light within flashed fine bits and pieces of light.
Wei Wuxian sighed to himself “He’s loaded!”
This one surely was one of Lan Ling Jin’s young masters.
Only this family used the white peony as the clan symbol. More than just an attractive appearance, by using the king of flowers, they silently advertised themselves as being the strongest immortals. Using the cinnabar dot, the intention “Demonstrate enlightened wisdom and sincere convictions. A vermillion brilliant generation”. (3)
This young gentleman at first had pulled back his bow in order to shoot, but then saw the people bound up in the bind immortal net. Disappointed after the event, he suddenly showed an impatient look: “Every time it’s idiots like you. Within this mountain there are numerous bind immortal nets. Up to now the prey still hasn't caught because you people have spoiled a dozen or more!”
Wei Wuxian thought to himself again: “He’s loaded!”
A bind immortal net was already worth considerable amount. This guy actually in one breath used so many. For a somewhat small clan, the cost would ruin a family. They deserved to be called Lan Ling Jin clan. (4)
Clearly this kind of excessive use of the bind immortal net would not discriminate in what was caught. Wherever there was night hunting, clearly people would also be caught. It would not permit other people to have opportunity to get a share of the action.
Apparently for the previously withdrawing cultivators, the blame was not due to the fact that the prey had been caught; rather it was because of not wanting to risk the disaster of provoking a prestigious family.
With several days walking along the wayside, in addition to one more day spent visiting the interesting Fujiao town, Wei Wuxian had heard a lot of gossip regarding the extent of the ups and downs of fortune these last few years in the cultivating world.
As the ultimate winner of the hundred year xianmen civil war, nowadays the Lan Ling Jin clan led the way for a mult.i.tude of families. Each successive family master was addressed deferentially as “Xiandu” (5).
The Jin family manner was originally boastful and arrogant, fond of luxury wealth and beauty. These past years they kept themselves aloof and remote as they embraced their status as a rich and powerful clan. Even more is that within the clan their juniors were raised each and every one to run amok with no scruples. The somewhat secondary clans even if humiliated on all fronts could only suffer in silence. These kinds of rural small families were still numerous and dared not provoke anyone. Therefore even if this youngster's words were harsh and the several people hanging in the net became flushed with anger, they didn't dare to curse back.
The middle aged man in a low voice said: “Please young master be accommodating and allow us to come down.”
This youth, impatient that prey was slow to appear, decided to vent his irritation at these few country hicks at hand, saying: “You are already hanging there. I'll have you avoid wandering aimlessly about everywhere and obstructing my matters! Once I finally catch the soul eating beast, at that point I’ll have you released.”
If they really ended up spending the night hung up in the tree and if by any chance they ended up meeting the thing wandering around Dafan mountain, they would be unable to move a single step. It would certainly result in having their souls entirely sucked dry.
The round faced girl that had given the apple to Wei Wuxian was afraid and cried out.
Wei Wuxian had been originally sitting cross legged on the donkey. The donkey's long hears trembled upon hearing this sound of weeping and it suddenly leapt up.
It leapt up and returned a long cry. Even allowing for the fact that the bray extremely was unpleasant to hear, this gesture still did not get in the way of its heroic imposing manner. To say that it was a one in a thousand very spirited mount also was in no way erroneous.
Wei Wuxian, caught off guard from atop of the back of the donkey, startled and almost fell off.
The flower donkey with its big head facing forwards, charged into that young man, apparently firmly believing it could use its head to cast him away.
That young man still drawing an arrow, just in time faced them and pulled back on the bow. Wei Wuxian not wanting to so quickly again attempt to try to find a new mount, repeatedly strove to drag back the reins.
That young man looking at him with both eyes, however suddenly showed a stunned look, which soon after turned to disdain. Curling his lip he said: “As it turns out, it’s you.”
This tone of voice was two parts astonished and eight parts revulsion. Hearing this, Wei Wuxian blinked.
That young man said again: “What, after fleeing back home again you’ve gone mad? Applying this ghost like appearance and also daring to let you out and appear in public!”
What kind of thing did he seem to hear?!
Could it be that — Wei Wuxian slapped his thigh.
Don’t tell me Mo Xuanyu’s father wasn't some random small school master, but rather the renowned Jin Guangshan?!
Jin Guangshan had been Lan Ling Jin's elder generation family master; he had died some time ago.
As for this person, it could be even said it was a complicated story.
He had had a ferocious wife with an ill.u.s.trious family background and was famous for being henpecked. Certainly he dreaded returning home as his wife demanded perfection. Madame Jin on top of being difficult to deal with also couldn't go a single day of twenty-four hours without hara.s.sing him. Consequently, ranging from beautiful women from prestigious houses down to countryside prost.i.tutes, in no way did he overlook a single one.
And although he loved to be a womanizer and was all over the place having secret affairs resulting in numerous illegitimate children, he also however easily exchanged the hold for the new. Once he was tired of the woman he easily put them out of his mind with no sense of responsibility.
Among the numerous illegitimate children, only one stood out. Recognized as a capable individual it was the person that occupied the post of Lan Ling Jin family master Jin Guanyao.
Moreover, Jin Guangshan had pa.s.sed away in a disgraceful manner. Feeling confident in his vigor despite his years, he decided to challenge himself with a group of aimless women. However he was sadly instantly defeated.
This really left the higher ups too embarra.s.sed for words. Thus Lan Ling Jin to external world unanimously claimed that the clan head was excessively exhausted, and thereupon the mult.i.tude of families also in a silent mutual understanding, pretended not to know otherwise.
In short, this story from a moment ago was his “famous” true origin.
At that time it had been buried in the confusion of the large encirclement and annihilation. Apart from Jiang Cheng's activities, it was of secondary importance even if Jin Guangshan had gone out in a big way.
Nowadays Wei Wuxian however had taken residence in his illegitimate child; also he did not know which account to take seriously.
That young man seeing him in a daze, feeling dislike in his heart, said: “You still haven't taken a hike! Seeing you is enough to instantly make me sick. Drop dead cut sleeve.” (6)
Calculating by seniority in the clan, Mo Xuanyu was still probably this young man’s uncle and elder generation. To unexpectedly receive a demand by the younger generation like this was humiliating. Wei Wuxian felt, even if it was not himself, because Mo Xuanyu originally possessed this body he also should demand humiliation in return and responded: “Truly you had a mother who birthed you but did not raise you.” (7)
Upon hearing those words, two furious flames within that young man’s eyes flashed and died.
He pulled out the longsword he carried, said thickly replied: “You – – said what?”
The blade of the magnificent sword was made of goldenlight, therefore it was a hard to come by sword. Most families worked hard for a lifetime just to be able to touch the edge of this grade of sword.
Wei Wuxian carefully examined it with full attention, feeling this blade seemed somewhat familiar. But he had seen many golden treasure swords in the past and so he did not give it much thought. Rather, he changed his attention to his hand where within he held a very small cloth bag.
The day before yesterday he had picked up a few sc.r.a.ps and pieces at the last moment to a.s.semble a “Spirit binding bag”.
As that young man swung his sword towards his head, from within the spirit binding bag took out a small paper doll in the shape of a person. His body evading the slash, he spun behind him and with a “pa” he slapped it on his back.
That youth’s movements already were very rapid, but Wei Wuxian’s feet spinning him around to place the talisman on his back were faster.
That youth only felt that the center of his back turned numb. He sagged down, his entire person couldn't help but to lean forward and fall to the ground. His sword also clattered as it fell to the ground at his side. No matter how hard he tried he could not climb back to his feet, it seemed as if he was being pressed down by Mt Tai.
Pressing down on his back was only a gluttonous yin spirit, this firm pressure made it difficult to breathe.
This small ghost although weak, to deal with this kind of ignorant child however was nothing difficult.
Wei Wuxian picked the sword up, weighing it in his hand and with a single wave he cut down the bind immortal net.
That entire family all cutting a sorry figure fell to the ground. Not saying a word, they hurriedly and with a wild manner fled the scene.
The round faced young lady appearing to wish to express her thanks was quickly dragged away by her elders.
The fear of this golden young gentleman saying a few things from bearing a grudge was even stronger.
The young man on the ground said with fury: “d.a.m.ned cut sleeve! You’re good, your meager cultivated spiritual strength is insufficient and so you turn to these types of evil methods. You’d better watch out! Do you know who's also here? Today my…… ”
Wei Wuxian with not a drop of sincerity held up his hands: “Ah! I’m very afraid!”
He previously had practiced a set of cultivation methods that had been denounced by others. For a long time until now anyone who cultivated it experienced damage to their physical foundations. However there was an accelerated efficiency and so for those who did not have strong spiritual strength or had limited innate skill, consequently, they would find it extremely attractive. To secretly covet shortcuts in cultivation there was no lack of offenders. This young man clearly believed Mo Xuanyu during that time that he had been driven away from Lan Ling Jin clan afterwards must have turned towards the evil path.
This suspicion was reasonable, also to save time Wei Wuxian did not bother to enlighten him.
The young man’s hand braced against the ground, trying several times also to get up but was unable to stand. Face becoming very red, he clenched his teeth: "If you do not remove this binding I will tell my uncle, you seek your death!”
Wei Wuxian was baffled: “Why do you say uncle and not father? Who is your uncle?”
Behind him suddenly echoed a voice, somewhat cold and severe, chilling the woods: “I am his uncle, furthermore what are your last words?”
Upon hearing this voice, the blood in Wei Wuxian’s whole body seemed to entirely rush to his head, and then soon after again faded completely white.
Luckily his face was already originally pale, so again some additional loss of color wasn’t exceptional.
A violet clothed young person strolled out wearing an arrow sleeved (8) light gown with his hand on top of the sword hilt at his waist. Also at his waist hung suspended a small silver bell, as he walked however, the sound of the bell couldn't be heard.
This young person had slender eyebrows, almond eyes, and an appearance that was sharp and handsome. His gaze had a heavy blaze containing a faint killing intention. Seeing this person was similar to cold electricity.
Ten paces away from Wei Wuxian, he stopped walking to stand quietly. His expression similar to a bow string pulling back an arrow with gathered energy. Even his body att.i.tude showed haughty conceit.
He frowned: “Jin Ling, what took you so long that I had to come over and ask you to come back? Finish playing with this unsightly thing and stand up!”
After the first numbness of that time had pa.s.sed, Wei Wuxian’s soul rapidly returned and located within his sleeve his fingers also retrieved that paper doll.
Jin Ling feeling the burden let up, promptly in a single move gripped his sword and climbed up. Dodging to Jiang Cheng’s side, he pointed a finger in Wei Wuxian’s direction: “I demand to break one of your legs!”
This uncle and nephew both stood together, vaguely it could be seen that their general facial appearance was both somewhat similar in expression and spirit. They were a mirror image pair of brothers.
Jiang Cheng moved a finger. That paper doll suddenly from within Wei Wuxian’s hand broke away, flying to join his hand.
He glanced at it and within his vision rose a burst of ruthless energy. Directing that strength to his fingers, the paper doll caught fire and the Yin spirit screeched out and burned to ashes.
Jiang Cheng said heavily: “Break his leg? Have I not told you, meeting this kind of crooked evil devil path, you should immediately kill it and feed it to your dog!”
Wei Wuxian’s donkey also feeling unable to deal with the situation pulled away to quickly retreat back.
He originally believed that after many years, even if Jiang Cheng towards him then had felt a deep hatred, it should with time fade away.
How could he expect something so convenient, not only had it not dissipated, instead it looked as if it had been stored and brewed for many years to become more concentrated over time. Now he unexpectedly vented his anger to all who shared the same cultivation method!
With someone to hide behind to protect him, Jin Ling became all the more vicious, Wei Wuxian's fingers explored inside the spirit binding bag. Just as he was about to move a single blue sword ray swept out like lightning and struck against Jin Ling’s sword. Immediately this high grade immortal sword of goldbright was defeated in a flash.
The failure was not due to the relative superiority of the sword, but rather due to the large disparity in strength between wielders.
Wei Wuxian originally had regarded this as good and fortunate timing. But as he moved, not wis.h.i.+ng to get in the way of this sword, he stumbled and neatly fell before a pair of show white boots.
Stiffening for a moment, he slowly raised his head.
The first thing to enter his eyes was a freezing, sparkling and translucent, pure and limpid, slender sword blade.
Throughout many sects, this sword could be said to have a grand reputation. Wei Wuxian himself in the past had fought side by side and also at times had experienced its power directed against him.
The sword hilt was, according to a secret refining method, forged of pure silver. The sword blade was extremely thin, crystal clear and transparent, and emitted ice and snow cold energy, but it could cut iron like clay. The whole sword looked light and agile, appearing to have a graceful immortal energy, but in fact had a great deal of weight. Ordinary people were even incapable of brandis.h.i.+ng it.
—— “Bi Chen”.
The sword point reversed. The sharp noise as it entered its sheath rang through Wei Wuxian's head.
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng's voice came from a distance: “I stated who I was. So it turns out it is two Lan young gentlemen.”
The two white boots leisurely detoured around Wei Wuxian and proceeded for three steps.
Wei Wuxian lifted his head as he got up.
As he brushed past, he inadvertently looked at him face to face for an instant.
The oncoming person was covered all over as if perfectly composed of moonlight. Bearing a seven string guqin, the shape of which compared to the usual was more narrow, the whole body jet black, and by its appearance seemed to be made of soft wood.
This man wore a cloud patterned band around his forehead. His skin color was fair. He was extremely handsome, extremely elegant, as if he was a cut and polished gem.
The color of his eyes was very pale, resembling colored gla.s.s. It made his gaze appear excessively cold and detached.
His expression seemed to give off an aura of frost and snow and was almost a stereotype of solemnity. Even seeing Wei Wuxian's ridiculous face did provoke any ripple or stir.
From head to foot he was untainted by even a speck of dust. Not one thread loose, no one would be able find a single trace of inappropriateness to claim discourtesy. Seeing this, Wei Wuxian's heart thumped out four words:
“He’s wearing mourning clothes!”
He really was wearing mourning clothes.
No matter the family, everyone recognized Gu Su Lan clan’s uniform to be the most beautiful and also held Lan w.a.n.gji as the most unrivaled in a hundred years, rare to encounter, beautiful man. However, regardless of these sentiments his face continuously wore the expression exactly like that of a wife bearing deeply ingrained long standing resentment. (9)
This year’s horoscope augured ill, enemies on a narrow road.
Blessings never come in pairs, it never rains but pours.
Lan w.a.n.gji didn’t say a word. Fully concentrated, still calm, he stopped directly in front of Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng was already considered to be extremely stirring and handsome. Standing face to face, unexpectedly feeling somewhat inferior, somewhat restlessly he raised one eyebrow and said: “Han Guangjun (10) you're still worthy of that 'Will meet during upheaval' (11) reputation, why would you now come to this deep mountain forest?”
The heads of immortal aristocratic families generally disdained to take notice of low level evil spirit prey. However, Lan w.a.n.gji was a rare instance outside of that.
He never chose to nitpick when selecting night hunting targets. Also he was not particular if the demons and phantoms were not violent enough, have not killed anyone, or the reputation was too small to spread.
So long as someone requested help, he soon afterwards would arrive. From the time he was a junior, to now all along he acted in this manner.
Thus, “Will meet during upheaval” was everyone's evaluation of Han Guangjin's night hunting activities and also a measurement of praise.
Being rather impolite, Jiang Cheng at this moment used this kind of tone to speak out. Behind Lan w.a.n.gji, just now having arrived was a group of his family's younger generation. Hearing all this, and feeling strangely unwell, Lan Jingyi spoke out, saying: “Jiang clan head is also here?”
Jiang Cheng coldly responded: “Tch, speaking to one’s elders, are you interrupting me? Gu Su Lan clan brags of being the immortal school with superb family courtesy. Yet here is the kind of instruction you are giving your juniors.
Lan w.a.n.gji unexpectedly seemed to not want to take part in the conversation. Glancing at Lan Sizhui, the latter understood his meaning that he already had permitted the younger generation to take part in the dialog between the younger generations. Stepping out of the ranks and facing towards Jin Ling he said: “Young master Jin, night hunting has always previously been open for every family head to compete. However young master Jin here at Dafan mountain you're throwing nets all over the place. It's making the rest of the families cultivators have a difficult time moving forward for fear that they fall into traps. Isn't this already contrary to night hunting rules?”
Jin Ling with a cold expression in the mold of his uncle immediately responded: “They themselves are stupid, stepping within the trap, I can use whichever method. If there is something they can wait until I catch the prey to discuss later.”
Lan w.a.n.gji knit his brows in a frown.
Jin Ling, still speaking, suddenly found himself unable to open his mouth. His throat also could not produce a single noise. Immediately he turned pale with fright.
Jiang Cheng saw Jin Ling's top and bottom lips unexpectedly stuck together in a way that left him unable to separate them. Face filling with cold anger, the etiquette that he had previously achieved with difficulty was no longer important: “Lan! What do you think you’re doing? Jin Ling is not your responsibility for you to discipline, undo it!”
This forbidden word technique was the Lan clan’s method used for punishment for mistakes done by clan juniors.
Luckily Wei Wuxian had seldom suffered from this small trick. Although it was not a complex or profound magic, it was not normally a solution used on non-Lan Clan people.
If forced to speak, the top and bottom lips would tear and bleed. The voice would be hoa.r.s.e for days. The solution was to be silent and to quietly examine oneself, enduring until the penalty period ended.
Lan Sizhui said: “Jiang clan head need not get angry, so long as he does not by forcibly attempt to break the technique, it will undo after the time of the burning of an incense stick.”
Jiang Cheng still had not yet opened his mouth. From within the woods rus.h.i.+ng in, wearing the Jiang clan color clothes of violet, a man was yelling: “Clan head!” After seeing Lan w.a.n.gji standing there, his face appeared to show hesitation.
Jiang Cheng ridiculed: “Speak then, what is the bad news that you are demanding to report to me?”
This visiting official in a low voice said: “Not long ago, a blue flying sword destroyed the bind immortal nets you set up.”
Jiang Cheng glanced over to Lan w.a.n.gji. The unhappy feeling within his immediately expressed on his face, saying: “How many broken?”
This visiting official solemnly replied: “… … All of them… …”
More than four hundred!
Jiang Cheng was ferociously enraged.
This series of bad luck was truly unexpected.
Originally he had come to support Jin Ling. This year Jin Ling would become fifteen. This would become his first public performance together with the rest of the clan's younger generation who were approaching their seniority.
Jiang Cheng with utmost care had filtered many possibilities and chose to go to the Dafan mountain hunting ground. Throwing nets all over the place and threatening other clan's cultivators, he forced them to be unable to move a single step and to back out of a bad situation. He would not permit others to s.n.a.t.c.h away Jin Ling's chances of receiving first place.
More than four hundred bind immortal nets, although extremely expensive, for the Yun Meng Jiang clan it was not regarded as anything much.
Although the ruined nets matter was small, losing face was a big thing.
Lan w.a.n.gji's conduct in this matter left Jiang Cheng feeling a mouthful of resentment in his heart that rose higher and taller.
He narrowed his eyes, left hand unintentionally or otherwise rested on the index finger of his right hand. That finger carefully stroked a ring.
This was a dangerous motion.
It was known to everyone that that ring was an extremely dangerous magic weapon.
In the case that Jiang family's master begin to touch it, then there was death in mind.
(1) For the life of me I could not figure out a good name for this. The characters were 金光 which means gold light/ray. After finis.h.i.+ng the chapter it seemed to be a name for a cla.s.s of weapons or materials but my naming sense is pretty bad so I left it as an almost direct translation. The alternative was something like golden everbright when seems to me to be a little over the top.
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paeonia_suffruticosa
(3) I have no idea. This appears to have some other context but I don't have any way of getting an explanation. Here's the original text: "启智明志、朱光耀世". I think it's just a way to show he's pretentious. I left it looking super awkward because I had no good way of translating it.
(4) The last character of the clan name uses the hanzi for gold.
(5) 仙督 (immortal + archaic army t.i.tle) I use the second meaning because supervisor or director sound a bit weird.
(6) Chinese phrasing for h.o.m.os.e.xual. I left it that way since I think it sounds better. h.o.m.os.e.xual sounds clunky and the more derogatory options just sounded off. You can google the background; it's been brought up in other translations.
(7) I guess he's saying he was raised in a barn or something…
(8)Something like this:
(9) It really does say wife. It could also be interpreted as old mother in law/grandmother/matron… lol
(10) Everyone seems to have multiple names
(11) No good way to translate this. Original text: 逢乱必出
So many difficulty spikes in the translation. Oh! But the boyfriend is here. Yaay! My hard work has been rewarded. Go die in a fire Jiang Cheng.
