Chapter 55

As Cheng Qian opens his eyes, he is startled by a head that looks like a feathery broom. Under his dazed gaze, that feathery broom turns to him and greets in a lively tone. “Third Brother!”

The night before is like a dream that Cheng Qian hasn’t completely woken up from. He confusedly asks, “What’s on your head?”

Puddle cheerfully says, “Feathers from seven-coloured sparrows. Aren’t they pretty?”

“...” Cheng Qian maintains his tact with some difficulty. After a moment of silence, he answers honestly, “A bit hard on the eyes.”

Puddle’s hackles are raised, but looking at his shabby white robe, she cheers up again and says with a reluctant magnanimity. “Well, you wouldn’t know if it’s pretty or not anyway. Come, we’re returning to the Estate today.”

Cheng Qian really wants to protest the ‘wouldn’t know’. However, after the separation of many years, she feels a bit like a stranger to him, so he doesn’t say anything. Hanging his head a little so that his gaze is on another point, he asks, “What is the Estate?”

Puddle replies. “Our new home!”

Cheng Qian puts away the ‘travel expense’ sword Lord Nian gifted him, and carries Shuang Ren again. He follows Puddle and crosses the forest next to the clearing. As he looks up, he can see that Yan Zhengming is waiting for them in the air. Although Cheng Qian has never cared about how other people dress, he can’t help feeling startled.

Whatever strange technique his most senior brother has cultivated, he has easily changed his outfits right in the wilderness, creating a stunning look. The ensemble is completed with a fan that seemingly came from nowhere, which he taps on his palm from time to time. Compared to what he was like the night before, he seems to be a totally different person.

Next to Puddle, who is the human form of a preening pheasant, his exquisite appearance, like a heavenly beauty descending to the mortal realm, comes across even more strongly.

Cheng Qian glances at Puddle with a complicated feeling, thinking to himself that this child has been led astray by their most senior brother. She has learnt his vain habits, but not his taste.

Puddle glances around and asks in a surprised tone, “Oh, where is Second Brother?”

“He wanted to look up the array Han Yuan made, so he returned to the village from last night already,” Seeing that Puddle has stuck chicken feathers all over her head again, Yan Zhengming is itching to yell at her. However, for various reasons, he tries to suppress the impulse. Feigning a neutral expression, he says, “I have an errand for you too. Zhe Shi wants to send us something. Go, quickly.”

Puddle seems surprised. Then she says with some disappointment, “Oh, I want to stay with Third Brother for a while longer.”

Yan Zhengming thinks annoyedly, You’re this old already but you aren’t observant at all.

Of course these words are too ridiculous to be said out loud. He has to feign a serious face. “He is already back, so he won’t leave again. You can talk to him anytime after this errand. It’s important to do what has to be done first.”

Puddle has big wings but a simple mind. She immediately believes her most senior brother’s bullshit ‘what has to be done’. Only after Cheng Qian nods to her in response to her questioning glance, promising that he won’t leave again, that she turns into a small bird and flies way.

Having chased the last third-wheel away, Yan Zhengming suddenly gets nervous even before he can be gleeful. Internally railing on himself, he thinks with a touch of delusion, “This brat grew up under my watch. Why the heck should I be nervous?”

The guilty feeling in Cheng Qian’s heart still hasn’t completely dissipated. Seeing that Yan Zhengming seems to want to discuss something, he dutifully waits. However, after a long while, no word comes forth, making him a bit lost.

As Yan Zhengming glances at Cheng Qian, their gazes meet each other. Yan Zhengming hastily averts his eyes, thinking impatiently, “Oh no, I’m still nervous. I must be possessed.”

Thus, he dons his ‘sect leader’ face and says succinctly, “Let’s go.”

Then, he leads the way and rides his sword into the sky. His sleeves fluttering as he waits for Cheng Qian, he makes a startling view with the elegant calmness of a master of the sect. As Cheng Qian hastily follows him, he can’t help comparing the figure in front of him with his most senior brother’s spoiled manners in the past. It doesn’t make him feel any more comfortable.

Yan Zhengming has questions about several issues at the same time. In the end, he chooses something that is most relevant for the present. “Who gave you that sword?”

That thing looks like a giant golden teeth when held in the hand. Cheng Qian definitely wouldn’t pick it up on his own. Maybe someone shady gave it to him.

Cheng Qian replies. “Gift from Lord Nian of Mingming Valley.”

Remembering what Puddle said earlier, Yan Zhengming can guess the “Elder of the Dark Lake” Nian Mingming mentioned was Cheng Qian. An unreasonable anger erupts in his heart as he thinks. “Mingming Valley? Why didn’t that geezer say anything when I was there? Did he want to steal Cheng Qian from us? Hphm, he doesn’t know his place.”

At this moment, the innocent Lord Nian must be sneezing.

Yan Zhengming continues his inquiry. “What did you go to Mingming Valley for?”

Cheng Qian replies, “I borrowed his ice lake to recreate my body.”

Yan Zhengming frowns. Pushing aside all other nonsensical thoughts, he says seriously, “From what I know, except for the reincarnation of primordial spirit, there is no way to recreate a body. Otherwise, back then our Master wouldn’t…”

Thinking a little, Cheng Qian replies succinctly, “Maybe it’s because I formed my primordial spirit in the Spirit Collection Jade?”

“What is a Spirit Collection Jade?” Yan Zhengming can’t resist asking, “Can’t you tell everything from the beginning?”

This story would take forever to be told. Pausing a little, Cheng Qian pulls out the start of everything from his memory with some difficulty, from when he and Han Yuan first met Tang Zhen, to when Wen Ya gifted him the Spirit Collection Jade, and finally how he recreated his body in Mingming Valley. He keeps quiet about the soul-rending pains in the Spirit Collection Jade, and the seven rounds of heavenly tribulations in Mingming Valley.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as if Yan Zhengming is still a sheltered child. How can he not know what primordial spirit business is like?

To form the primordial spirit in one’s own body already requires a great effort to cultivate one’s soul, during which one can’t make any mistake. What would it take to do so in an external artifact? Furthermore, it’s unprecedented in history that an external artifact is forged into a body. If it’s as easy as Cheng Qian acts, the yao and spirits would all become human already, without having to spend so much effort on cultivation.

Forget an ice lake, if a jade is soaked in the lava for decades, all it would become is probably just a cooked jade.

Yan Zhengming presses. “Even if that jade is a divine artifact, can it become a human body just from soaking in an ice lake? That can’t be. Tell the truth.”

Cheng Qian really has to look at him with a different eye. Back then, he was a spoiled rich young master, who would yell ‘bald donkeys’ at monks without understanding why that would make them angry. Yet now he has become someone who can think things through. Seeing that he can’t hide it anymore, Cheng Qian has to tell the truth. “It was against the heavenly order, of course there would be heavenly tribulation.”

The sword under Yan Zhengming suddenly comes to a halt in the air. “What?”

His throat immediately goes dry. “Was it… major or minor heavenly tribulation?”

Some cultivators who progress too fast will have to undergo heavenly tribulations. Normally there are only a couple of lightning rays, at most nine. It’s a light punishment from the Path of Heaven, as a warning for the mortal to humble themselves and respect the divine. This is a ‘minor heavenly tribulation’.

Major heavenly tribulations only happen when someone powerful ascends to immortality. Even if the one that undergoes the tribulation can level the mountains and raise the seas, their chance of survival at this level is only one out of ten. It’s already a great disrespect when an insect struggles to live more than what it is granted. To think of living forever alongside the heavens is way beyond that.

According to the legends, when a major heavenly tribulation happens, thunder and lightning will strike non-stop. There is no way to resist it, nor is there anywhere to hide from it on earth.

Cheng Qian can’t find the answer immediately. “Oh…”

Yan Zhengming immediately says, “Major heavenly tribulation, then.”

Cheng Qian casually says, “Oh, not really. I was in seclusion the entire time, so there are many things I don’t know. I’ve never heard that heavenly tribulations are categorised like that.”

When it comes to pretending, unlike Puddle, Cheng Qian has been very good at it from a young age. Having said that, he feigns a just right amount of curiosity and asks, “What is a major heavenly tribulation?”

Yan Zhengming stares wordlessly at him.

Cheng Qian nonchalantly adds, “I passed it already anyway. It was nothing serious. Maybe it was just a minor heavenly tribulation?”

Yan Zhengming’s gaze begins to get chilly, like when his incense burner was toppled when he was young. He doesn’t say anything, and just stares at the other person. It’s written on each of his eyelashes that I’m mad. Apologize, quick.

If it was like before, Cheng Qian would annoyedly think ‘you’re so spoiled’, then depending on how serious it was, he would decide whether to smooth things over. However, after a long separation, his heart has softened. When he was stuck in the Spirit Collection Jade, in the space between life and death, the annoying personality of his most senior brother, the toads of his second senior brother, the troubles caused by his fourth junior brother, even the diapers of his little disciple sister, were all memories of his that couldn’t be lost.

Cheng Qian suddenly smiles, his eyes crinkling adorably. He avoids the topic of heavenly tribulations, and soothes Yan Zhengming. “Senior brother, I missed everyone a lot.”

Yan Zhengming: “…”

His heart suddenly beating like mad, he hastily throws back ‘hurry up’. Then leaving Cheng Qian behind, he dives into the clouds below on his sword and runs away.

Losing all of his courage, Sect Leader Yan thinks, Don’t hope that I won’t investigate this. Once I’m home, I’ll write to that geezer in Mingming Valley to ask about everything.

Cheng Qian thought that the so-called ‘Estate’ would be in the middle of the wilderness. Unexpectedly, it is an actual estate on a mountain outside a town. Below it are fertile fields cultivated by the tenants. The place is busy without being disorderly.

They land on top of the mountain. On that vantage point, one can see the busy streets and markets of the nearby town.

A random observer would think that this is the residence of a mortal wealthy landowner.

Once he gets in the village however, Cheng Qian understands why Yan Zhengming wanted to acquire this place.

The previous owner of the estate was probably someone special. The place is supported by the mountain, and situated at a point where the water gathers. The terrain is really exquisite, such that the natural spiritual energy from around all concentrates here. On closer look, it isn’t much inferior from Azure Dragon Island in the Eastern Sea.

“I’ve reinforced the surrounding walls,” Yan Zhengming says, “There’re spells on the bricks to prevent spiritual energy from leaking outside. This is no match for Fuyao Mountain, but certainly better than Mingming Valley.”

Why did you sulk then… Not knowing what to say, Cheng Qian can only nod in agreement.

In the outer area, there are towers and pavillions. From time to time, a young servant can be seen sweeping the yard, without making a noise. Crossing a flower garden, they reach the inner area. The shades of the trees here are thick and there is a huge bamboo grove, which keep the heat away. One can’t help but walk lightly when entering here, in order to avoid disturbing the serenity of this place.

“Outsiders aren’t allowed here. We won’t be disturbed when in seclusion,” Yan Zhengming says, “Follow me.”

He leads Cheng Qian into the bamboo grove. There is a small building in the middle of the grove. A wooden plate with the name “Qing An” is hung on the door. As the bamboo leaves rustle in the soft breeze, Cheng Qian stands dazedly at the door, feeling as if he has returned to Fuyao Mountain after a long time away.

The door to the chamber is half-opened. The stationery is all on the desk, together with a half-finished copy of the Scripture of Serenity, as if the owner has never left the place.

Taking the opportunity when Cheng Qian is still looking around, Yan Zhengming hastily folds up the half-finished Scripture of Serenity and hides it in his sleeve. Then he casually says, “I.. well, I remember your Qing An Abode was like this. Have a look, is there any detail that is not right?”

Looking at the window full of life-like flower carvings, the tea service with spells on it, chairs with cushions so soft that they entice one to sink in, as well as the soft scent of ink for the seal, Cheng Qian can immediately guess whose territory it is. He thinks, Not similar at all.

However, seeing that Yan Zhengming is trying hard to maintain his composure, Cheng Qian lies without blinking. “There is no difference at all. It can even replace the real place.”

Yan Zhengming breathes out in relief. Then, he keeps a straight face with some difficulty, and says like a proper ‘sect leader’, “Good, it’s meant for you. You can live here.”

Having said that, he warns Cheng Qian with a serious face and threatening tone. “Have you remembered what I said? If you dare leave home without a good reason again, I will execute you on behalf of our sect.”

Both amused and annoyed, Cheng Qian can’t resist talking back. “Drop it, won’t you?”

On the way, he didn’t fight back when needled, and instead obediently listened to Yan Zhengming’s every word. That made Yan Zhengming anxious, as if the person next to him wasn’t real. Now that he finally hears Cheng Qian’s familiar tone and attitude, his heart finally settles down like a hanging boulder that falls onto the ground.

Sect Leader Yan mournfully asks himself, Can’t you leave it when he is happy with you, asshole?

The asshole takes a step forward and hugs Cheng Qian from behind. Squeezing his arms in a split second, Yan Zhengming closes his eyes and holds his breath, as if to calm a strange sentiment. Just as quickly, he lets go. Cordially patting Cheng Qian’s shoulder, he says, “Well, you should rest.”

Then, he takes the half-finished page of the Scripture of Serenity with him as he leaves. It isn’t until he is well out of the bamboo grove that he lets out a suppressed sigh. In a mixture of contentment and disquiet, he goes to the chamber on the other side of the wall. There he focuses and sends his primordial spirit into the sect leader seal, in order to carefully investigate the mountain seal that his Master left behind.

Although Cheng Qian only answers vaguely, and only when he is pressed, Yan Zhengming can intuit that Cheng Qian’s death to life journey seem to match ‘heaven, earth, and humanity’, and the tribulations of the three realms correspond to the three layers of locks in the mountain seal. Is it just a coincidence?

He tries to use his primordial spirit to wrestle a little with the awareness in the sect leader seal. The seal is very generous to him, like dealing with an ignorant young disciple. It doesn’t hurt him, only blocks him off, for him to see that he is just an ant that tries to shake a giant tree, that he still needs to improve a lot and should stop reaching beyond his capability.

Walking around the ‘humanity’ layer, which he has seen, Yan Zhengming goes to the ‘earth’ layer behind it. He sends his awareness inside to investigate. There are four squares in four colours: blue, white, red, and black. They are arranged in four cardinal directions, each of them has a lock. Three of the locks are still closed, only the lock of Azure Dragon has been opened.

What is going on?