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Chapter 67




Cheng Qian frowns the entire time he watches Yan Zhengming and the others leave, until they can’t be seen any more.
His habit is that he only talks about the good things and keeps quiet about the bad. Only when the other person turns away does he let the trouble show on his face.
When Cheng Qian suggested that he remain and accompany Tang Zhen, he indeed wished to help, but he also arrived at the same thought as Yan Zhengming: he felt he should leave his sect for a while.
Although his most senior brother was belligerently uncooperative and refused to answer no matter which track Cheng Qian took, Cheng Qian can still guess that Yan Zhengming’s demon of the heart has a lot to do with him. Otherwise, he can’t think of any reason why his most senior brother can’t confide in him.
However, Cheng Qian is innocent, and isn’t really good at dealing with other people. He can guess the cause, but he doesn’t know which step he should take next. He doesn’t know how to take the roundabout approach and tactfully bring the topic up. He worries that he would just do it the wrong way and make his most senior brother even more upset. Therefore, he plans to leave for a while, and puts his hope in his Second Brother Li Yun, who has cleverness to spare.
Cheng Qian isn’t sure Li Yun is that reliable either. His senior brothers haven’t left for long, but he is already impatient.
It’s as if the Heavens create such a person to trouble him, so that he gets to learn the feeling of “It’s hard to meet you, even harder to part with you.”1
Watching from the outside, Tang Zhen comments. “The bond between fellow disciples in your esteemed sect is really admirable.”
That gets Cheng Qian to collect himself and withdraw his gaze. He says, “Sorry to delay you, Tang-xiong.”
Tang Zhen doesn’t seem to mind. “It’s no problem. I’m slow too.”
Nian Dada, who has been nearby, barges in the conversation. “What’s the problem, Senior Tang? Was there conflict in your home sect?”
“The problem isn’t conflict or not,” Tang Zhen squints his eyes a little, like he is recalling something. A shadow of loneliness passing over his face, he says, “For Fuyao Sect, it’s quality over quantity. My Mulan Mountain was the opposite. The sect was too big. There were many elders under the sect leader, each of whom occupied their own mountain peak and trained the disciples separately. I was there for several centuries, but didn’t even know all of the elders. The only occasion to meet most other disciples was something like a grand tournament. We didn’t even know each other, so having a bond was out of question. Everyone in the sect was treated solely on the basis of their talent and ability. The hierarchy was strict, so the atmosphere was frosty.”
Glancing at Cheng Qian, Tang Zhen says, “To treat each other so warmly, you don’t seem like a sect. More like a family.”
Nian Dada says, “A big sect will have many members, so the hierarchy will be stricter. The disciples will naturally drift apart from each other. There is no other way about it. However, among the disciples, there should be one or two that are close to you?”
Tang Zhen says, “Indeed. I had a junior sister who grew up with me. She
 was rather hard to live with as an adult, but when we were young, she was pretty close to me.”
This is the second time Cheng Qian hears him mention a junior sister. He asks, “Is your junior sister’s name Tang Wanqiu?”
“Yes, that’s her,” Tang Zhen says without looking back, “But the so-called ‘senior brother and junior sister’ between us was just the positions in the hierarchy. We were close as children, but when we grew up, we went our own ways. On Mulan Mountain, everyone was just a passer-by. In the present, even if she stood right in front of me, I’m not sure I’d recognise her. I know your sect has a history with her. Now that she is no longer in this world, no need to repay what she did via me.”
Tang Zhen is both tactful in a chilly way and straightforward. It’s unclear if that’s his personality from birth or something he gets from years of walking between life and death. He takes no disciple. Nor does he return to his home sect. He doesn’t even mention Mulan Mountain. All he does is wander the world. Everyone he meets is just a fellow traveller of the moment to him.
Pretending to be rogue cultivators who drift to Nanjiang, the group hire a horse carriage, then walk across mountains and rivers like mortals to the South.
Neither Cheng Qian nor Tang Zhen likes to gossip. Feeling uncomfortable, Nian Dada has no other choice than to poke at Liu Lang, who is the easiest to pick on. When Cheng Qian was in danger, Liu Lang was willing to risk everything for him. However, when it’s quiet, he dares not say anything to Cheng Qian. He only follows from a distance and hides in the darkness, hanging his head like he doesn’t want to meet anyone.
Nian Dada runs to Liu Lang and whispers. “Hey, buddy, I want to join Fuyao Sect, to become a disciple of Elder Cheng. Do you want to join me?”
Liu Lang glances at Cheng Qian’s back in front of him. Then he quickly looks away and shakes his head silently.
Mistaking that Liu Lang is ignorant, Nian Dada hastens to explain noisily. “Oh, you may not know about things like this. Let me tell you, those who have formed their primordial spirits like them have the ability to move the world. Forget mortals, even cultivators of smaller sects may go through their lives without meeting a cultivator who has formed their primordial spirit.”
Liu Lang just quietly listens without saying anything.
Nian Dada likes to act superior. Seeing that Liu Lang is paying attention to him, he becomes even more enthusiastic. “Furthermore, cultivators who have formed primordial spirits aren’t the same. You see, among the seniors from Fuyao Sect, our Elder Cheng
 Well, no need to explain about him. Their sect leader is a sword cultivator! That was the first time I met a sword cultivator in the flesh. Although he wasn’t very nice, that’s no problem, because just having talked to a sword cultivator who has gone further than forming his primordial spirit one time is enough for me to show off for years.”
Liu Lang shakes his head and says, hoarsely and with difficulty. “Tang Zhenren saved my life, so I have to serve him properly. Also, my ability is poor, so I’ll just be a burden to Cheng Zhenren. All I can do is to remember the debt, in order to repay it later.”
Hearing that, Nian Dada is at a loss. He says to Liu Lang, “H-hey, maybe Elder Cheng will be willing to accept you as his disciple.”
Hanging his head, Liu Lang doesn’t say anything else.
On this trip, their group gets attacked by demonic cultivators of all levels a dozen times within just a short distance.
As he takes down with just one strike two demonic cultivators who break in at night with the intention of murder and robbery, Cheng Qian feels he can claim to have killed people like crushing ants. A bloody layer of frost forms on Shuang Ren, while, unintentionally, a killing aura appears on Cheng Qian, making him seem even harder to approach.
In Nanjiang, ever since a demonic dragon appeared, the demonic cultivators have become very active, as if they are planning a rebellion. They gather from various corners and form a faction, then follow a very simple but brutal tactics: killing every resident of a city and occupying the place. A bloody aura covers the city, the towers of which are covered with human heads, as the pure energy of the city is corrupted. Thus, a demonic city has been created.
The thing is, the Ice-hearted Fire is right inside the demonic city.
The “Ice-hearted Fire” isn’t a real fire but a special stone. This artifact is said to have an outer layer that is cold like thousand-year permafrost, while inside it is a divine jade full of sacred energy. The stone can preserve a body for thousands of years, but it doesn’t freeze the body, but keep it as new, like the person has just stopped breathing. It is the sacred stone that was placed in the foundation of the great Zhaoyang City in Nanjiang.
Between the heat and the unfavourable energy, Nanjiang has an extremely unpleasant climate. However, thanks to the Ice-hearted Fire, Zhaoyang City has a spring-like climate for the whole year. That attracts merchants from everywhere, which helped it become the greatest city of Nanjiang. Now, that quality is a boon for those demonic cultivators.
Nian Dada innocently comments, “I’ve been thinking that the ‘Ice-hearted Fire’ is the founding treasure of this city, so no way they would hand it over to us. We can’t commit fraud or robbery either. But it’s easy now. As Zhaoyang City is taken over by demonic cultivators, we can use any tactics we want without stepping out of line. Indeed being early isn’t as useful as coming at the right time.”
There is no way Cheng Qian believes that this is a coincidence. He gives Tang Zhen a meaningful look.
Unexpectedly, Tang Zhen casually places his cards on the table. “The right time? I predicted early on that there would be unrest in the South, so I came here specifically to take advantage of the situation. The so-called ‘to know Heaven’s Will’ is no other than to observe events everywhere, in combination of some basic divination skill. Recently, demonic energy has been gathering in Nanjiang. All of the big sects have been having unusual activities. The Celestial Divination Bureau have sent many powerful fighters here. So, I thought it was the right time. Still, I couldn’t predict that a demonic dragon would appear and cause such upheavals.”
Cheng Qian is startled. Why would Han Yuan specifically choose to transform into a dragon? Furthermore, he flew northward. Can it be that his target was the imperial capital?
Can it be
 He still holds the grudge over falling victim to Zhou Hanzheng’s ‘drawing on soul’ spell back then, and wants to pick a fight with the imperial court?
Even if Cheng Qian and Tang Zhen have been acquainted for a long time, they aren’t really close because of their personalities. There is always some distance between them. However, they can be more frank with each other than to other people. Cheng Qian asks directly, “Tang-xiong, there is something I’d like to ask you
”
Tang Zhen understands his unspoken question. “About your Fourth Brother?”
“Indeed,” Cheng Qian asks, “In your opinion, is it true that my Fourth Brother has two souls in the same body?”
Under Fuyao Mountain, not recognising Puddle, who had grown up, there was one Han Yuan who did everything to release the stranger, but there was another who was prepared to kill her without hesitation.
Under the heavenly tribulation, there was one Han Yuan who coldly planned to pull out Puddle’s yao skeleton while she was still alive, but there was another who risked everything and withdrew the demonic energy to save her.
“From what I can see, you still don’t understand what ‘guided by the demon of the heart’ is like,” Tang Zhen says, “The other one within him isn’t a separate entity, but his own demon of the heart that he has cultivated. At his level, that demon of the heart has no longer been under his control for a long time. On the contrary, it attacks the original self. So, in your opinion, how should we think about that? The demon of the heart is both him and not him. His deepest hatred is no different from that demon of the heart. But, if your most senior brother insists that he has been possessed by a demonic being, there are arguments for that view too.”
Cheng Qian asks, “Why did he end up like this?”
“I don’t know. It’s all guesswork,” Tang Zhen thinks for a moment, then says without holding back, “Take me as an example. I’m currently a wandering ghost, who yearns to have a body again even when I sleep. Possessing another person’s body is of course the best solution. That body wouldn’t rot, while I would gain the cultivation of the original owner. Possession is an immoral art, but I do know how to do it. I just don’t want to. Yet, it’d be really convenient if I had a demon of the heart. If I were unwilling to do something that I wished to, that demon could do the deed in place of me. I would have what I want, while being able to argue that it isn’t my own will. I would stay innocent while still reaping the benefits, isn’t it?”
Although Tang Zhen claims to ‘not know’, his tone is sharp as a knife. Cheng Qian is momentarily at a loss for words.
Tang Zhen raises his voice again. “Did you get along with the junior brother who follows the demonic path?”
Squeezing Shuang Ren, Cheng Qian replies quietly, his voice stuck in his throat. “Closer than with my blood siblings.”
Tang Zhen smiles gently. “That makes sense. He had low cultivation. When his sect was in danger, he couldn’t help with dealing with the enemy. Even worse, he got used by the enemy to kill you. How could he meet his fellow sect members again? How could he look at himself? So, mustering his determination, he took advantage of the remaining influence of the mind control, then went with the flow and let his demon of the heart take him to the wrong path. To be guided by the demon of the heart, one has to be both strong and weak to become successful. Looks like your Fourth Brother is a rare talent too.”
“Let’s stop talking,” Cheng Qian suddenly stands up. Rueing that he can’t immediately return to Yan Zhengming and the others, he says quickly, “Tang-xiong, tonight I’ll get the Ice-hearted Fire for you. Please tell me the plan.”
Demonic cultivators like to indulge their vices, so the demonic city doesn’t sleep.
That night, Cheng Qian sneaks into the city alone.
He hides his living aura and crosses the layers of blood stench mixed with demonic energy. Then he takes out the map of the city that Tang Zhen gave him, and carefully compares with the real site. He hesitates a little. The inner city has three towers for the bells and drums. The Ice-hearted Fire is located in an empty yard in the middle, so that it can protect everything around from the local unfavourable climate. Cheng Qian’s original plan was to sneak in and dig the stone up, then escape without being noticed. Unfortunately, the spot where the Ice-hearted Fire is located is already used by these unwashed demonic cultivators to build an absurd pavilion.
Staring at the pavilion full of an infernal aura in front of him, Cheng Qian faces a dilemma. As he hides by the corner of the street, he doesn’t know if he should charge in directly, kill everyone, and rob the stone, or if he should quietly sneak in and go with the flow.
At that moment, uneven footsteps can be heard from the corner of the street.
A demonic cultivator, who is nearly stark naked, drunkenly walks in Cheng Qian’s direction.
In the beginning, Cheng Qian doesn’t pay much attention to him. After he hides his living energy, the demonic cultivators all consider him to be a human-shaped doll and ignores him.
However, the newcomer is rather unusual. As soon as he sees Cheng Qian from afar, he curiously approaches and walks around Cheng Qian. Seeing that Cheng Qian’s face is unmoving and his body has no sign of a living being, the demonic cultivator giggles and touches his face. Sniffing, he says, “Who forgot a doll here? Such high quality goods, I must take advantage of this.”
As soon as he says that, this lecherous demonic cultivator sticks his hands inside Cheng Qian’s robe.
Cheng Qian: “
”
He immediately has a full-body cringe.
That demonic cultivator seems to be really drunk. Swaying a little, he says, “Oh, why does this thing look like it can move? Your owner must have a lot of fun, haha.”
Unable to stand it anymore, Cheng Qian lets loose his sharp, frosty aura. The demonic cultivator is startled. As he becomes awake again, he meets a pair of eyes full of killing intent. Right after that, a chilly blade pierces his throat before he can make a sound.
After this incident, Cheng Qian immediately shelves the plan of ‘carefully mixing with those inside’. He turns into an illusion and flies to the wall of the pavilion.
There are several bodies along the wall. Some of them likely died not so long ago, as the spiritual energy still lingers. It can be seen that they’re cultivators. Looking at them, Cheng Qian discovers that none of the bodies are whole. They either miss limbs or only the head remains, with the body missing.
In a corner there is a female cultivator, who looks a bit like Puddle. Cheng Qian is so startled that he can’t help looking more closely. She has fine features, and her forehead even has a cinnabar-coloured beauty mark. The lady is much prettier than his skinny little sister, who runs around with chicken feathers on her hair. Unfortunately, the remaining part of her body from the chest is nowhere to be seen.
Seeing a beauty meeting such a terrible end, even someone with a heart of iron like Cheng Qian wouldn’t want a second look. He clutches Shuang Ren, then using the wall to hide himself, he jumps on the roof of the pavilion.
At that moment, Cheng Qian realises that this pavilion isn’t constructed the normal way. It is actually an artifact. From the outside, it seems to be as big as an ordinary tavern, but on the inside it is enormous, with many floors.
He looks inside and sees that there are hundreds of demonic cultivators, who are revelling in a craze. There is a strange odour that flies up to the roof. It is a mixture of sweetness and a bloody tang, which makes Cheng Qian queasy.
In the bottom floor of the pavilion, there is a hidden chamber, in which many people are held. It’s too far, so Cheng Qian can’t tell if they’re cultivators or mortals. All he can see is that some demonic cultivators open the door, then use huge chains to drag out a young man.
The man’s robe is originally white, the front of which is full of blood which has dried up and blackened. In a half-dead state, he is dragged out and hung up on the high platform in the middle of the yard.
A short demonic cultivator with a bare torso enters the platform. His hand holding a steel whip, in the presence of the crowd, he walks around and whips the man so hard that blood flies everywhere. The crowd gets excited and shouts loudly, as if they were at a festival.
Cheng Qian gets curious, so he stops and looks. He senses that the way that short demonic cultivator hits the man looks brutal, but he doesn’t seem to wish his victim to die. Cheng Qian asks himself, “Does he want to keep his victim alive to torture him slowly? Or does he have some mercy left and want to spare that person’s life?”
Before Cheng Qian finishes his line of thought, some demonic cultivators of all genders climb on the platform. To borrow his most senior brother’s words, they are an eyesore, but heedless of that fact, they take forever to walk a few steps, as they twist and turn every part of their bodies on the way like a bunch of two-legged snakes.
Cheng Qian is astonished, thinking, “What on earth are they doing?”
Right after that, he gapes, as those demonic cultivators gathers by the man who is being hung up, and begins to violate that half-dead person. Acting shy while shedding their clothes, they start an orgy around the poor sod.
Cheng Qian: “
”
What the hell is this place?!
*******
1. This is the first line in the poem Untitled by Li Shang Yin. The full text (copied from this site) is as follows:
ç›žèŠ‹æ™‚é›Łćˆ„äșŠé›ŁïŒŒ
æ±éąšç„ĄćŠ›ç™ŸèŠ±æź˜ă€‚
æ˜„è ¶ćˆ°æ­»ç”Čæ–čç›ĄïŒŒ
è Ÿç‚Źæˆç°æ·šć§‹ćčč。
æ›‰éĄäœ†æ„é›Č鏹æ”č
ć€œćŸæ‡‰èŠșæœˆć…‰ćŻ’ă€‚
è“ŹèŠæ­€ćŽ»ç„Ąć€šè·ŻïŒŒ
é’éł„æź·ć‹€ç‚șæŽąçœ‹ă€‚
My rough attempt at translating the meaning (based on Vietnamese translation):
It's hard to meet you, harder to part with you
The zephyr is weak, so all flowers wither
The silk worm of spring gives out its thread until death
The candle sheds its tears until it is no more
Looking at my image in the mirror at dawn, I realise with sorrow that my hair has turned gray
Reading poems alone at night, I suddenly feel how cold the moonlight is
The Divine Realm isn't far from here
So, Blue Bird, please bring her news to me