On this day, Qi Guanrui unlocked Gu Bai’s……ankle shackles.\n
That’s right, just the ankle shackles.\n
——Everyone all knows that in order to control his own older brother so that he wouldn’t abandon him, Qiguan Rui had used four lengths of thin chains forged from Spiritual Restriction Black Iron to bind Gu Bai’s four limbs, and thus, all the meridians over his body were practically imprisoned, to the extent that even the spiritual energy in his dantian had no way to flow, he was worthy of being called a “Little Kidnapping Expert”.\n
But, this kind of chain still had a small advantage, which was that just as long as one was unlocked, the dantian<sup>1</sup> would be unsealed. \n
And at the same time as the dantian unsealed, spiritual energy could be circulated through the limb that had been unlocked from the shackle. \n
Therefore, with the Python Slaughtering Conference about to commence, and martial practitioners from all over the realm gathering together, Haoyang City was about to become the vegetable market of the present, in order to ensure Gu Bai’s safety, even though he was quite reluctant, Qiguan Rui still made this decision.\n
But why the ankle shackles?\n
—— One needs to know that with the profound learning Gu Bai inherited from his family, obviously the martial arts of his palm were more powerful. \n
Answer: Cannot defeat, but can run away. \n
That’s right, Qiguan Rui’s thinking is very deep. \n
He felt that if he unlocked everything completely, he would definitely feel uneasy; if he only unlocked the wrist shackles, what if they encounter someone with powerful martial art techniques they cannot defeat by only attacking obstinately? But if he unlocked the ankle shackles, then Gu Bai only needed to flee in the direction where he, Qiguan Rui, was, and everything would be just fine. \n
Of course, perhaps some people would feel that Qiguan Rui’s intelligence is very worrying, what about if Gu Bai’s direction of fleeing is incorrect?\n
Qiguan Rui: Hehe, if Gege wants to escape from my side……other martial practitioners wouldn’t be as good-natured as me～\n
Gu Bai didn’t care about exactly how deep Qiguan Rui’s thoughts were, nor how much he had on his mind, he only felt that his spiritual energy finally unblocked…… oh yeah!\n
The inside of his dantian was no longer very hard, and was instead heavy, he truly couldn’t have too much of a sense of security!\n
So he just moved his feet a little, feeling that as long as he had some luck, he could run extremely far away. \n
At this time, Qiguan Rui picked up a pitch-dark thing, and swayed it before Gu Bai’s eyes. \n
……what? \n
Once he could see it clearly, Gu Bai (⊙_⊙)\n
It’s the psychos’s snake gu. \n
In a soft voice, Qiguan Rui said, “I always can’t rest assured about Gege, I hope Gege can accept this little kid, it can also protect Gege for me.”\n
…..Speaking like you wouldn’t be accompanying Laozi during the conference. That being said, are you, this psychopath, truly not going to accompany Laozi in going?\n
Then that is truly too good ╮(╯▽╰)╭\n
But obviously the psychopath was not thinking like that, he only wanted to put on a double layer of security. \n
Gu Bai, “How do I accept it?”\n
If you dare say to put it inside Laozi’s head……\n
The gentleness in Qiguan Rui’s eyes practically overflowed, “However it’s still a wild beast, of course it isn’t worthy of touching Gege’s body……I know Gege doesn’t like clinginess, but all Gege needs to do is to give consent, and then it will crawl alongside Gege’s feet.”\n
Gu Bai just nodded his head. \n
Although it was still monitoring Laozi, but on behalf of seeing that you psychopath doesn’t truly want to control Laozi, Laozi will excessively benevolently agree to you.\n
Qiguan Rui smiled even more gently.\n
Then the two people followed Chen Yuanhao and Qiu Tu, who were long already waiting outside the door, and together they set out towards the academy.\n
Of course those two also had a placement each. \n
Gu Bai: ……Mingled in really well.\n
Along the way they came across many people, all with a smile on their face, most likely they had all obtained a placement. \n
In the academy quite a few of this kind of person could actually be seen, the coercive pressure from each one’s body were all not weak, but that was about it for their strength, the highest was only Martial King Rank. If they could actually reach the level of Martial Emperor……who would still muddle along in the academy all day? Even if they wanted to intensively study martial art techniques or level up in the library or whatever at the academy, with the strength of Martial Emperor, there was no need to take the placements provided by the academy at all.\n
The group’s destination was the large meeting place in the city centre, allegedly it’s a huge newly constructed house that can accommodate the movement of all kinds of cultivators. \n
It looked pretty luxurious, and even the details were done quite well. \n
Haoyang City had decisively poured in their hard-earned capital. \n
Gu Bai raised his head, he looked at the huge stone tablet erected in front of the majestic meeting place, on it wrote the three<sup>2</sup> big words “Python Slaughtering Conference”, painted with vigorous brushstrokes, it was extremely good-looking. \n
As a matter of fact, it wasn’t limited to this stallion text of Gu Bai’s, in any Qidian-style<sup>3</sup> text involving martial arts, as long as there was that kind of scoundrel who was guilty of unpardonable evil, there must always be an emergence of a XX Conference. \n
For example Lion Slaughtering/Fish Culling/Demon Suppression/Bull Fighting<sup>4</sup> (Wait, there’s something wrong with this one!) Conference, there were frankly average, with a clear-cut objective. \n
Moreover the rules of these kind of conferences were usually not stated clearly, everybody would hulala<sup>5</sup> gather together, hulala elect a leader of the alliance, then hulala dispatch troops together, hulala do an all-out fight with the bad guys……and over<sup>6</sup>.\n
Of course, there were usually two types of outcomes:\n
One, the leader is a hypocrite, the Demon Realm is misunderstood, ultimately the protagonist succeeds in revealing the true face of the bad guy, then goes into seclusion/obtains the biggest benefit; two, the leader is a good person but not long-lived, the Demon Realm are bad guys, but they ultimately all become stepping stones for the protagonist.\n
There are slight changes in this text of Gu Bai’s, but ultimately, it’s still the protagonist who reaps ample benefits.\n
However, now……attend the conference first.\n
Let’s come back to it once the complete mess of the first stage is settled. \n
Outside the meeting place, several pretty young women showed the way, leading the four people into the venue. \n
The inside was extremely spacious, besides having a tall platform, many round tables and long tables were also set up, with many chairs placed around them all. \n
Meals cooked in a large pot, a banquet where guests are served food as they come, reuse, save money and save labour, you deserve it.<sup>7</sup>\n
Gu Bai, Chen Yuanhao, Qiu Tu were all students of Qingtian Academy, Qiguan Rui, under Chen Yuanhao’s operation, also appeared with the same student identity under the name of a “Late-comer New Student”.\n
But students are just students, all four people displayed themselves as having the strength of Martial Lord, naturally they could only sit in a fairly low rank seating area. \n
Qiguan Rui: Just right for reaping benefits from this crisis.<sup>8</sup>\n
Gu Bai: To behave with integrity, one must keep a low profile, do not get involved while watching over the excitement.\n
Little by little, countless big fish and big meat dishes were placed onto the banquet, in short, they were all meat dishes —— vegetarian dishes were simply not enough to satisfy cultivators at all, serving them would be sheer humiliation okay.\n
Some cultivators who had arrived early didn’t restrain themselves, already gorging themselves eating big bowls of meat and chugging wine, also indulging in loud and empty talk in passing.\n
Gu Bai frowned.\n
Qiguan Rui neared him, “Gege, is it too noisy?”\n
Gu Bai shook his head.\n
Qiguan Rui understood, “Then it must be too dirty.”\n
With a glance at the surrounding tables, among cultivators of the same rank, those with noble birth were few, the majority were all those who sought a living outside by themselves, and their hygiene habits were correspondingly……rough. While eating, naturally spit would splatter out, virtually spraying out, contaminating countless dishes. \n
The more Gu Bai watched, the more he felt his stomach cramp.\n
Laozi truly isn’t too obsessed with cleanliness, in fact it’s simply just that he has good hygiene habits. \n
Then he silently contorted his face, never moving his chopsticks. \n
Naturally Qiguan Rui was also not willing to offer these things contaminated with other people’s saliva to Gu Bai, he didn’t need to think too much, and gave a meaningful glance towards Chen Yuanhao.\n
Chen Yuanhao: ……Why is it me again?\n
It was still a while before the conference would start, he could only bitterly leave the venue at a quick pace, and then bitterly run back quickly. \n
At this time, he handed a space tool into Qiguan Rui’s hand, mission completed. \n
Qiguan Rui looked towards Gu Bai, and laughed in a soft voice, “I got a portion of all the clean dishes in the city, whatever Gege likes, Xiao Shan will give it all to you, okay?”\n
Gu Bai turned his head.\n
Your name has long already been on the genealogical record, yet you still have the face to call yourself Xiao Shan to act like a spoiled child, are you ashamed or not?\n
Qiguan Rui was obviously not ashamed.\n
Although he didn’t personally feed Gu Bai anything to eat in public, he still showed an intimate attitude.\n
It wasn’t until Gu Bai made use of the plate of exquisite pastries he held up with both his hands<sup>9</sup> did he smile tenderly, eyes full of affection. \n
The corner of Gu Bai’s eye twitched, feeling that if it continued like this, his facial paralysis would be cured. \n
The lower limit is being brushed<sup>10</sup> everyday, right!\n
Little by little, there were more and more people, and the seats were getting more and more full, soon the people in these kind of seats were almost all there, while the front row seats still remained empty. \n
At this time the host appeared, he jumped onto the high platform with just a leap!\n
Gu Bai somehow felt as if he had returned to school and in the next moment he would have to listen to the principal speak……\n
But the host was not at all speaking for himself, he was welcoming guests.\n
The basic format went like this:\n
“Next, welcoming XX Sect’s XX Sect Leader, bringing along numerous inner disciples of the sect to come participate in the conference!”\n
“Next, walking towards us, is the famous all over the world, XX Wandering Hero, his figure is full of power and grandeur, his strength is extraordinarily powerful and fierce!”\n
“Once there was a XX Martial Emperor whose sword swept across the land, whereabouts erratic, but today he is fated to be here, we should drink a big glass of wine!”\n
Et cetera official stage dialogue, welcoming all legitimate and underworld gallant big shots and every public figure for participating in the conference. \n
Generally speaking, everyone was joining in on the fun, with purposes each onto their own, but authority really is authority, and that certainly must not be taken lightly, so they must be specially picked out to be given an introduction, only then did it count as regarding them with respect.\n
After these cultivators, basically all at Martial King level or even Martial Emperor level, appeared, the coercive pressure from their bodies inadvertently leaked out, making the little shrimps at Martial Lord level keep quiet out of fear<sup>11</sup>. Eating, drinking, and all that, obviously couldn’t be done now. \n
—— If it’s a school holding a meeting and you don’t respect the guests, at most the class teacher would make you write a self-criticism, but if you offended a powerful person here……people wouldn’t bat an eye if you were slapped dead with the palm of the hand. \n
Gu Bai continued to keep a low profile, he looked at the very last piece of the snack in his hand, stuffed it into his mouth, then pretended nothing happened. \n
Then he took a glance at Qiguan Rui —— ah! This pervert’s eyes are shining!\n
Following Qiguan Rui’s line of sight……Gu Bai saw a group of Martial Kings.\n
Fuck! Is this him being hungry!\n
Although Qiguan Rui acted very normal, in Gu Bai’s eyes he was a huge python drooling with saliva, ah too frightening!\n
Perhaps Gu Bai’s gaze was too obvious, Qiguan Rui turned his head over, and smiled softly.\n
Damn! The eyes of you damned pervert are emitting a red glow!\n
The Python Slaughtering Conference is a group of people discussing killing you ah, do you really not understand?\n
Please take it seriously ah!\n
But perhaps Qiguan Rui had already noticed something was wrong with himself from Gu Bai’s black pupils, he blinked, and his eyes returned to normal.\n
Because he had imprisoned Ziche Shubai, his desires had been satisfied, and he hadn’t hunted for some time. \n
But now this Python Slaughtering Conference is his chance……anyway, they want to kill him, don’t they?\n
In that case, being killed in turn is also nothing worth feeling strange about, right. \n
Once he swallows that group of Martial Kings down, he can go one step further, when that time comes……he can do even more.\n
At this time, the host on the platform revealed a mysterious smile.\n
He said in a loud clear voice, “This time, there is still an honoured guest coming to the Python Slaughtering Conference.”\n
\nJust as the host’s voice fell, a burst of distant sounds of Sanskrit<sup>12</sup> came from the horizon.\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" id="block-0723682a-bc94-4aaa-9df9-9d46df22cb6d">\nFOOTNOTES\n1. Dantian: core energy centres of the body\n2. Raw says four big words, but well now it’s three big words. \n3. 点式文: Qidian (起点) is a web novel publishing company consisting of mostly Xianxia/Wuxia fighting OP hero protagonist stories. Also apparently quite a shitty company, but that’s another story.\n4. 斗牛： (literally fight the cows) also means bullfighting, like the contest, I feel like this may also be a sexual innuendo but I’m not very sure, and can’t find anything with an online search. It may just be bullfighting. \n5. 呼啦啦: hulala, sound of flapping, used to indicate like just bumbling along\n6. Over: originally in English\n7. I feel like this may have been written in the tone of an advertisement.\n大锅饭，流水席，重复利用，省钱省力，你值得拥有。It lists how the food is cooked and served, I haven’t been to school in USA or China, places where they serve food communally like the lunch staff cooks everything and you get what’s there and I’ve heard about students having different lunch breaks so also that too (I think?) but I imagine Gu Bai is sort of describing the conference like school lunch. Then he goes onto describe benefits, and ends with 你值得拥有 which apparently is a line ads use to say that the consumer is worthy or deserves to use their products. \n8. 浑水摸鱼: fish in troubled waters, take advantage of a crisis for personal gain\n9. Offering something with two hands is respectful, same with receiving. \n10. 刷: “brush” doing something repetitively with the aim of improvement, I tried to avoid using the literal term but oh well. People brush maths worksheets for exams, video games to level up etc. Ooh something like grinding lol. \n11. 噤若寒蝉: ‘as silent as a cicada in cold weather’ which I thought was quite a fun idiom to mean being quiet because of fear. \n12. 梵音 Sanskrit (or Buddhist) : an ancient Indo-European language of India, in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written and from which many northern Indian (Indic) languages are derived. I think maybe the sounds of poem chanting came through.\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" id="block-0723682a-bc94-4aaa-9df9-9d46df22cb6d">\nTRANSLATOR’S NOTE\nQi Guanrui has been changed to Qiguan Rui, turns out his family name is Qiguan, thanks to m1sosazai for pointing it out. (Comment section of Chapter 56)\n