Chapter 17 So What If You've Been Reborn?

C17 . Searching for Opportunities

If you are seeing this text, you are NOT reading it on the original site . Head on down to lovelysweetdream 959085286 dot wordpress dot com to read the original!

“E, everything I said was the truth!”

Young Master Yao rested his hands on his knees, panting heavily .

His well-tailored, high-quality brocade robes were covered in dirt . There were dried spots of mud and dust in every fold . A large black scorpion lay on his robes, its tail arching up . Any normal person might have fainted from taking just one look at it; Young Master Yao, though he had become pale-faced, managed to stand his ground .

—in his previous life, he had been an external steward in a small cultivation sect . Sometimes, he was responsible for the care of visiting cultivators’ pets . Fist-sized scorpions aside, he had even seen spiders as large as millstones[1] . The venom produced by these pets was incredibly valuable, and demon cultivators were extremely reluctant to let them bite or sting people .

Granny Poison Scorpion narrowed her eyes . Prior to abducting Young Master Yao, she had tailed him for hours . When the column of fire rose towards the sky, Granny Poison Scorpion personally heard Young Master Yao calling, panicked, for his attendants to leave quickly, making a fuss about how the entire Yunzhou City would be burned down .

The trouble was in the eastern half, but a guest of an inn in the western half was scrambling to escape .

It was normal for cultivators to know the horrors of a Stone-borne Flame, but was it not strange that a regular mortal knew about such a thing?

“Master, he’s probably tricking us . The Redwinds Desert is a perilous place; even people like us can’t expect to leave in one piece if their cultivation base isn’t that good . ” A lady in colourful clothing and silver jewellery cast a look of disdain towards Young Master Yao .

The latter balled his fists secretly, not uttering a single word .

Granny Poison Scorpion was not a famous figure in the cultivation world, of course . However, her disciple, the White Centipede Lady Baiwu[2], received an opportunity on the s.h.i.+ngle beach . Baiwu inherited the ways of an ancient demonic sect, and within a century, she managed to reach the Nascent Soul stage .

Since Young Master Yao knew this, he dared not offend her .

“I am a family friend of the Chen family . When I was young, I occasionally played by the pond in his backyard; it was then that I seemed to sense something calling from the depths of the pond . But Young Master Chen had had an accident there previously, and the servants guarded it closely, so I have never been near it,” Young Master lied calmly . “After that, I have always had premonitions about that dangerous aura . If you do not believe me, Miss Immortal, there is nothing I can do . ”

The lady in coloured clothing made a sound of derision, turning her head and ignoring him .

“This fellow can even read people’s physiques; he’s no worldly person,” Granny Poison Scorpion said hoa.r.s.ely .

“Master, don’t listen to him!” The lady became frantic . The Redwinds Desert was such a dangerous place; how could they let this slippery, silver-tongued fellow fool them with a few sentences?

“Heh heh, don’t worry, my dear disciple . ” Granny Poison Scorpion tapped the cane in her hand, a creepy smile appearing on her wrinkled face . “You’ve been full of rubbish ever since Yunzhou, do you think I know nothing? Granny heard everything your attendants said . You caught someone on the way, said he was the Chen household’s young master, and even pretended to be familiar with him so you could send him home . That Chen boy went missing in the mountains at age six; why wouldn’t you know about that?”

“The Chen family kept this fact closely guarded…”

“Your page boys and attendants said you visited the Chen family with gifts in the first lunar month!”

“I have already come of age, how could I enter the backyard; furthermore, the foolish young master of the Chen family had always been kept at home . When we met on the streets in Yunzhou, I was indeed startled; as for the matter of meeting at Autumn Leaf Temple three years ago, that was only something I said to persuade him . For that silly boy can never remember anything; he cannot remember what he ate three days ago, let alone something from three years ago . In addition, I have always been curious about the pond in the Chen family’s backyard, and I have been looking for chances to ask about it . Thus I spoke in such a manner that day . ”

(TN: It sounds like bullc.r.a.p, I know, but I swear I didn’t mis-translate anything . Young Master Yao really is spouting bullc.r.a.p . )

After being reborn, Young Master Yao felt that he had improved both in courage and wisdom . With a crease of his brows, he had churned out such a brilliant facade, and he was even pleased with himself for being able to tell a flawless lie .

“Tch!” the lady in the colourful clothes covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes full of ridicule, “and you’re saying that after more than ten years, you can recognise a child who went missing at six years old with a single glance, in the middle of a busy street?”

“…”

Granny Poison Scorpion also began to laugh ominously .

Young Master Yao sweated buckets .

“This…this is because…” He stammered, unable to speak . Chen Shu and Chen He, being cousins, did indeed have some similarities in appearance, but it was definitely not to the extent that they could be distinguished at a glance . The cultivators had loitered around the Chen household for so many days, and there was no way they had not seen what Chen Shu looked like . Even if Young Master Yao were to make a blind claim that Chen Shu and Chen He looked exactly alike, no one would believe it .

But that fool had indeed been different . He looked healthier, and he was no longer silly .

Young Master Yao could not remember the exact differences at all, since to him, Chen He’s appearance as a fool was at least a hundred years ago, and his memories had long since become blurred . What he did remember was a scene from many years ago, when he came down from the mountain to purchase items . In the town he met a man with a white feather cloak, white robes, and a black cap[3]; the man’s long, tied hair was the colour of frost, and the red moles at the corner of his left eyebrow were exposed without a care .

An indifferent gaze that held no regard for the dust below .

It was hard to believe that this young man, who appeared to be only in his twenties, was a venerated grandmaster of the demonic Dao .

Young Master Yao had cleverly hidden himself, thus saving himself from the misfortune of being burned to ashes . It was because of this that, when he crawled out of the ruins in horror, he trembled so much that he was nearly unable to stand . His feelings were mixed; he felt envy and hatred all at once .

—that had been the fool from the Chen family, that silly child whom even the servants had not taken seriously .

If not for the Stone-borne Flame, would Chen He be in such a position today?

The divine order, those opportunities; why did other people have such good luck while he was left to struggle in the dirt? Chen He still looked about twenty years old, while he was old and withered; both were cultivators with a suitable physique, so why was there such a difference?

He became plagued by hatred and was unable to raise his cultivation level . Thus a hundred years pa.s.sed, and Young Master Yao, who had not even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, pa.s.sed away silently in a small sect .

Was he to repeat that past after being reborn?

Just as Young Master Yao’s conscience was swaying, he heard an exclamation .

“Master, look at that!”

Far away, a scarlet column of fire rose up into the sky, strikingly visible in the night .

“It’s the Stone-borne Flame!” said Granny Poison Scorpion excitedly . “That boy’s cultivation level is low, and he couldn’t control the Stone-borne Flame for any longer after escaping here!”

“Master, we gave chase soon enough; we brought this burdensome fellow with us and travelled for days before we reached this s.h.i.+ngle beach, only just managing to see this column of fire . This disciple only fears that the people catching up behind…”

“Hmph! The position of this column of fire suggests it’s about a day’s journey from where we are . ” Granny Poison Scorpion also realised that she had to be fast if she wanted to take advantage of this, or it would be too late . “It’s rumoured that this boy has already completed the Foundation Establishment stage even though he’s not even twenty years old, and some also say he’s a disciple of some major sect; we must stop others who want a share of the spoils! If we don’t hurry, we might not even get anything . Wu’er, you take this fellow and find somewhere to hide, I’ll go ahead alone!”

“This—Master, you must be careful . ”

Satisfied, Granny Poison Scorpion nodded . She tossed out a magic item and conjured up winds, leaving at top speed .

Getting up from the ground, Young Master Yao pretended to be indignant .

“The place where that column of fire has risen is in the Redwinds Desert . I have not deceived your esteemed master . ”

“You seem to know a lot, sir . ” The lady in colourful clothing smiled at him . “Sir, why didn’t you escape when you had the chance?”

“You are as beautiful as the flowers, Miss Immortal; it can be seen that you have a deep cultivation base . ” Young Master Yao tossed out a random compliment . “I know the situation I am in, and there is no way I will be able to find my way out of this place that is full of wild wolves . ”

—why would he want to escape? If he followed this woman, he might even be able to obtain the opportunity she had gotten!

For those were the teachings of an ancient demonic sect; even if they could not directly increase one’s power like the Stone-borne Flame did, there were countless uses for it, and it would be enough for him to work hard and cultivate after obtaining those teachings!

“Furthermore, my humble self is still inexperienced with the ways of the world . After being brought by you and your esteemed master out to see this wide world, why would I be willing to go back where I came from?” said Young Master Yao as he cast a discreet look towards the lady in colourful clothing .

The White Centipede Lady, Baiwu, who would become renowned in future, was really rather average in looks . It was just that she hailed from a foreign tribe, and her outfit, which exposed her arms and midriff, showed her lithe figure .

Young Master Yao was self-a.s.sured that he had treated her carefully and respectfully . He had not been as despicable as Dengtuzi[4], or acted silly and insensitive, like some sort of cretin . When opportunities arose, he was generous with the flattery, and he did it well, making himself seem as if he truly longed for the cultivation world . Even Granny Poison Scorpion had not noticed that he was eyeing her disciple .

“You speak very well, sir . ” As if abashed, the lady covered her face, giving a coy smile .

Young Master Yao was about to continue when a dark blur flashed before his eyes . A sharp pain in his back caused him to stumble, falling into the sand . His forehead became marked with b.l.o.o.d.y sc.r.a.pes .

The lady held a long whip woven from silver threads, her expression full of disdain .

“All you worldly b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, you think you can fool women with just a few sweet words! Do you think that you’re too clever, or that I’m too stupid?”

In the vast desert, night was about to end .

Granny Poison Scorpion had travelled for an entire night .

On the way, that column of fire had vanished . Granny Poison Scorpion guessed that the fellow who gained the Stone-borne Flame had completely exhausted his spiritual energy, and instantly she was elated . The disappearance of the column of fire would mean the Stone-borne Flame had become exhausted as well, making this a good chance to take advantage of that fellow .

In her early years, she had been poisoned by gu poison, which was impossible to cure completely; the Stone-borne Flame would be able to remove these chronic ailments for her . Although Granny Poison Scorpion had studied the Five Poisons, she did not use cultivation methods for yin-attribute Qi, and she raised black fire-scorpions as familiars .

Granny Poison Scorpion was not worried about Chen He subduing the Stone-borne Flame .

In her thoughts, even if that fellow had completed the Foundation Establishment stage, he was young, and probably had an unsteady foundation and little spiritual energy within his dantian . There was absolutely no way he could subdue the Stone-borne Flame . Otherwise, why had he left the Stone-borne Flame with the Chen household for so long, only appearing in a hurry after people discovered it and kicked up a fuss about it?

It was not that difficult to pinpoint Chen He’s location .

All one needed was to head in the same direction and search for unnaturally large patches of flame sand .

“You’re an unlucky one, young man,” Granny Poison Scorpion cackled . She stood at the edge of a sand pit . With a wave of her hand, she released more than ten scorpions, beginning to search the sand .

But before she had finished cackling, there was a sharp pain in the back of her neck, and she was lifted off the ground . Not only did her black scorpions not attack, but they even scuttled away quickly .

“Came to look for me?”

The clear, bright voice of a youth .

Granny Poison was so startled, she cursed, “How dare you, little fellow, put your granny down—”

“Want the Stone-borne Flame?” Chen He asked .

“You’re a cruel one, you little fellow! This granny is an outer guard of the Wudu Sect, today I’ve lost in skills; release Granny at once, and the Wudu Sect won’t hold anything against you—argh!”

With a pitiful howl, Granny Poison Scorpion was hurled away, causing her to spew blood . She fell right into the large sand pit .

“You, you…” Granny Poison Scorpion spewed blood with each word, and eventually fainted due to her heavy injuries .

Dusting off his hands, Chen He shrugged .

“Wudu Sect, what’s that? Is it really powerful?”

He quickly ran back to the other side of the sand dune . s.h.i.+ Feng sat with legs crossed and brows knitted, his face turning pale every now and then .

“Senior Brother…” Chen He was quite anxious .

During the process of subduing the Stone-borne Flame, he had lost consciousness . After waking up, he found a large pit where he had been . The Stone-borne Flame was back in his dantian, slumbering peacefully, but in the distance, Senior Brother’s state seemed a little off .

Just as he was thinking about it, along came someone who called themselves Granny or something; one look and he could tell that person was a demon cultivator . Chen He had not showed any mercy, getting it over and done quickly by simply knocking them unconscious .

s.h.i.+ Feng swayed, his eyes flying open suddenly . The hand he extended grasped Chen He’s arm so much that it caused him pain; Chen He did not make any sound, only releasing spiritual energy to try and help his senior brother .

Just as he was thinking about it, along came someone who called themselves Granny or something; one look and he could tell that person was a demon cultivator . Chen He had not showed any mercy, getting it over and done quickly by simply knocking them unconscious .

s.h.i.+ Feng swayed, his eyes flying open suddenly . The hand he extended grasped Chen He’s arm so much that it caused him pain; Chen He did not make any sound, only releasing spiritual energy to try and help his senior brother .

Opening his mouth, s.h.i.+ Feng seemed to want to speak, but fresh blood poured from his mouth at once .

“Senior Brother! Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”

s.h.i.+ Feng trembled all over . After a few moments, he let out a long exhale . The gaze he cast towards Chen He was a little unfocused . This made Chen He’s heart clench even tighter, but he dared not say anything to disturb .

After a long time, s.h.i.+ Feng let go, coughing heavily with a hand on his chest .

“Senior Brother, it’s my fault, I…” Chen He was at a loss .

s.h.i.+ Feng waved a hand to stop him, then slowly wrote a few words in the sand: I saw my inner demons .

Indeed, his hatred towards his own fate and worrying about his junior brother’s situation had piled up and created such inner demons . Chen He growing up in the Chen household, himself in Black Depths Valley with a heart as still as death; Yunzhou City suddenly reduced to a sea of flames, the fire spreading to Sky-High Cliff; him travelling a long way to the Redwinds Desert; meeting Chen He .

The karma had been decided, the sins had been committed . Chen He did not have any cultivation base, and he did not have any will to live . In the end, filled with hatred towards his fate and the divine order, he ended his life in order to pa.s.s his sect’s teachings to Chen He, who shared the fate of three tribulations and nine troubles . He hoped the latter would continue living even if it meant defying the divine order, as it would do himself a little justice as well .

That last scene of the fantasy was so realistic that s.h.i.+ Feng was nearly unable to break free . He suspected that if he had really immersed himself in the delight of abandoning everything and holding no regrets, he would have truly been overpowered by his inner demons, his body dying, his soul fading .

Fortunately, he remembered that his junior brother was waiting for him .

His junior brother’s box of jade orbs . His junior brother rolling like a ball next to Black Depths Lake . His junior brother crying until his face was filled with tears when his meat buns were s.n.a.t.c.hed away . His junior brother checking his reflection in the lake waters every day and being troubled by his looks and height . His junior brother looking at him, reciting those lines of poetry in that sly, frivolous manner…

And now, the notes that are threatening to become as long as the chapter itself:

[1]: Chinese millstones, especially the type used for grinding corn, can be really big . Search “woman grinding corn with millstone” on Google Images; the picture with a woman in a purple s.h.i.+rt is a good one . (Imagine a spider that huge! :O)

[2]: (LONG EXPLANATION AHEAD) To those who know Chinese, my translation might seem redundant, but to me, 白蜈仙子 seems more like a t.i.tle than an actual name . Thus I opted to translate it as such . Meanwhile, 白蜈 means ‘white centipede’, while 仙子 xianzi denotes some kind of immortal (usually female), and is usually translated as ‘fairy’ . I didn’t think it was appropriate to call a female cultivator a ‘fairy’, so I went for something that I thought would fit better . As for why she’s still addressed as Baiwu even though there’s the White Centipede part in her full t.i.tle, it’s because there are many situations later on where she’s simply known as 白蜈, and to me, it’s kind of awkward to call her ‘White Centipede’ every single time .

[3]: (ANOTHER LONG EXPLANATION AHEAD) First off, the original description included 青鶡 something something, which I have a.s.sumed is a type of cap, because that’s all I could find when I looked it up . However, the actual description is very vague, and there are two possibilities which are very different, so I won’t be adding any further description until I’ve confirmed which type it is . What I can confirm so far is: Both types are connected to an obscure species of bird which is nowadays known as the brown-eared pheasant . The first type, which is the kind you see more often in depictions of ancient Chinese males, covers only the hair bun, and is made in the shape of the brown-eared pheasant’s head . The second type is a cap that goes around the entire head, and is decorated with two feathers from a brown-eared pheasant . The second type is given to military officials only .

[4]: (Probably the longest footnote I’ll ever write) Nowadays, dengtuzi 登徒子 is used as a synonym for a playboy/l.u.s.tful man . Sure, that’s pretty much the only usage out there, but there might have been a great misunderstanding here . Poor Dengtuzi was likely maligned by a colleague . Now…who’s this Dengtuzi, you ask?

C17 . Searching for Opportunities.

If you are seeing this text, you are NOT reading it on the original site . Head on down to lovelysweetdream 959085286 dot wordpress dot com to read the original!.

“E, everything I said was the truth!”.

Young Master Yao rested his hands on his knees, panting heavily

His well-tailored, high-quality brocade robes were covered in dirt . There were dried spots of mud and dust in every fold . A large black scorpion lay on his robes, its tail arching up . Any normal person might have fainted from taking just one look at it; Young Master Yao, though he had become pale-faced, managed to stand his ground

—in his previous life, he had been an external steward in a small cultivation sect . Sometimes, he was responsible for the care of visiting cultivators’ pets . Fist-sized scorpions aside, he had even seen spiders as large as millstones[1] . The venom produced by these pets was incredibly valuable, and demon cultivators were extremely reluctant to let them bite or sting people

Granny Poison Scorpion narrowed her eyes . Prior to abducting Young Master Yao, she had tailed him for hours . When the column of fire rose towards the sky, Granny Poison Scorpion personally heard Young Master Yao calling, panicked, for his attendants to leave quickly, making a fuss about how the entire Yunzhou City would be burned down

The trouble was in the eastern half, but a guest of an inn in the western half was scrambling to escape

It was normal for cultivators to know the horrors of a Stone-borne Flame, but was it not strange that a regular mortal knew about such a thing?.

“Master, he’s probably tricking us . The Redwinds Desert is a perilous place; even people like us can’t expect to leave in one piece if their cultivation base isn’t that good . ” A lady in colourful clothing and silver jewellery cast a look of disdain towards Young Master Yao

The latter balled his fists secretly, not uttering a single word

Granny Poison Scorpion was not a famous figure in the cultivation world, of course . However, her disciple, the White Centipede Lady Baiwu[2], received an opportunity on the s.h.i.+ngle beach . Baiwu inherited the ways of an ancient demonic sect, and within a century, she managed to reach the Nascent Soul stage

Since Young Master Yao knew this, he dared not offend her

“I am a family friend of the Chen family . When I was young, I occasionally played by the pond in his backyard; it was then that I seemed to sense something calling from the depths of the pond . But Young Master Chen had had an accident there previously, and the servants guarded it closely, so I have never been near it,” Young Master lied calmly . “After that, I have always had premonitions about that dangerous aura . If you do not believe me, Miss Immortal, there is nothing I can do . ”.

The lady in coloured clothing made a sound of derision, turning her head and ignoring him

“This fellow can even read people’s physiques; he’s no worldly person,” Granny Poison Scorpion said hoa.r.s.ely

“Master, don’t listen to him!” The lady became frantic . The Redwinds Desert was such a dangerous place; how could they let this slippery, silver-tongued fellow fool them with a few sentences?.

“Heh heh, don’t worry, my dear disciple . ” Granny Poison Scorpion tapped the cane in her hand, a creepy smile appearing on her wrinkled face . “You’ve been full of rubbish ever since Yunzhou, do you think I know nothing? Granny heard everything your attendants said . You caught someone on the way, said he was the Chen household’s young master, and even pretended to be familiar with him so you could send him home . That Chen boy went missing in the mountains at age six; why wouldn’t you know about that?”.

“The Chen family kept this fact closely guarded…”.

“Your page boys and attendants said you visited the Chen family with gifts in the first lunar month!”.

“I have already come of age, how could I enter the backyard; furthermore, the foolish young master of the Chen family had always been kept at home . When we met on the streets in Yunzhou, I was indeed startled; as for the matter of meeting at Autumn Leaf Temple three years ago, that was only something I said to persuade him . For that silly boy can never remember anything; he cannot remember what he ate three days ago, let alone something from three years ago . In addition, I have always been curious about the pond in the Chen family’s backyard, and I have been looking for chances to ask about it . Thus I spoke in such a manner that day . ”.

(TN: It sounds like bullc.r.a.p, I know, but I swear I didn’t mis-translate anything . Young Master Yao really is spouting bullc.r.a.p . ).

After being reborn, Young Master Yao felt that he had improved both in courage and wisdom . With a crease of his brows, he had churned out such a brilliant facade, and he was even pleased with himself for being able to tell a flawless lie

“Tch!” the lady in the colourful clothes covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes full of ridicule, “and you’re saying that after more than ten years, you can recognise a child who went missing at six years old with a single glance, in the middle of a busy street?”.

“…”.

Granny Poison Scorpion also began to laugh ominously

Young Master Yao sweated buckets

“This…this is because…” He stammered, unable to speak . Chen Shu and Chen He, being cousins, did indeed have some similarities in appearance, but it was definitely not to the extent that they could be distinguished at a glance . The cultivators had loitered around the Chen household for so many days, and there was no way they had not seen what Chen Shu looked like . Even if Young Master Yao were to make a blind claim that Chen Shu and Chen He looked exactly alike, no one would believe it

But that fool had indeed been different . He looked healthier, and he was no longer silly

Young Master Yao could not remember the exact differences at all, since to him, Chen He’s appearance as a fool was at least a hundred years ago, and his memories had long since become blurred . What he did remember was a scene from many years ago, when he came down from the mountain to purchase items . In the town he met a man with a white feather cloak, white robes, and a black cap[3]; the man’s long, tied hair was the colour of frost, and the red moles at the corner of his left eyebrow were exposed without a care

An indifferent gaze that held no regard for the dust below

It was hard to believe that this young man, who appeared to be only in his twenties, was a venerated grandmaster of the demonic Dao

Young Master Yao had cleverly hidden himself, thus saving himself from the misfortune of being burned to ashes . It was because of this that, when he crawled out of the ruins in horror, he trembled so much that he was nearly unable to stand . His feelings were mixed; he felt envy and hatred all at once

—that had been the fool from the Chen family, that silly child whom even the servants had not taken seriously

If not for the Stone-borne Flame, would Chen He be in such a position today?.

The divine order, those opportunities; why did other people have such good luck while he was left to struggle in the dirt? Chen He still looked about twenty years old, while he was old and withered; both were cultivators with a suitable physique, so why was there such a difference?.

He became plagued by hatred and was unable to raise his cultivation level . Thus a hundred years pa.s.sed, and Young Master Yao, who had not even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, pa.s.sed away silently in a small sect

Was he to repeat that past after being reborn?.

Just as Young Master Yao’s conscience was swaying, he heard an exclamation

“Master, look at that!”.

Far away, a scarlet column of fire rose up into the sky, strikingly visible in the night

“It’s the Stone-borne Flame!” said Granny Poison Scorpion excitedly . “That boy’s cultivation level is low, and he couldn’t control the Stone-borne Flame for any longer after escaping here!”.

“Master, we gave chase soon enough; we brought this burdensome fellow with us and travelled for days before we reached this s.h.i.+ngle beach, only just managing to see this column of fire . This disciple only fears that the people catching up behind…”.

“Hmph! The position of this column of fire suggests it’s about a day’s journey from where we are . ” Granny Poison Scorpion also realised that she had to be fast if she wanted to take advantage of this, or it would be too late . “It’s rumoured that this boy has already completed the Foundation Establishment stage even though he’s not even twenty years old, and some also say he’s a disciple of some major sect; we must stop others who want a share of the spoils! If we don’t hurry, we might not even get anything . Wu’er, you take this fellow and find somewhere to hide, I’ll go ahead alone!”.

“This—Master, you must be careful . ”.

Satisfied, Granny Poison Scorpion nodded . She tossed out a magic item and conjured up winds, leaving at top speed

Getting up from the ground, Young Master Yao pretended to be indignant

“The place where that column of fire has risen is in the Redwinds Desert . I have not deceived your esteemed master . ”.

“You seem to know a lot, sir . ” The lady in colourful clothing smiled at him . “Sir, why didn’t you escape when you had the chance?”.

“You are as beautiful as the flowers, Miss Immortal; it can be seen that you have a deep cultivation base . ” Young Master Yao tossed out a random compliment . “I know the situation I am in, and there is no way I will be able to find my way out of this place that is full of wild wolves . ”.

—why would he want to escape? If he followed this woman, he might even be able to obtain the opportunity she had gotten!.

For those were the teachings of an ancient demonic sect; even if they could not directly increase one’s power like the Stone-borne Flame did, there were countless uses for it, and it would be enough for him to work hard and cultivate after obtaining those teachings!.

“Furthermore, my humble self is still inexperienced with the ways of the world . After being brought by you and your esteemed master out to see this wide world, why would I be willing to go back where I came from?” said Young Master Yao as he cast a discreet look towards the lady in colourful clothing

The White Centipede Lady, Baiwu, who would become renowned in future, was really rather average in looks . It was just that she hailed from a foreign tribe, and her outfit, which exposed her arms and midriff, showed her lithe figure

Young Master Yao was self-a.s.sured that he had treated her carefully and respectfully . He had not been as despicable as Dengtuzi[4], or acted silly and insensitive, like some sort of cretin . When opportunities arose, he was generous with the flattery, and he did it well, making himself seem as if he truly longed for the cultivation world . Even Granny Poison Scorpion had not noticed that he was eyeing her disciple

“You speak very well, sir . ” As if abashed, the lady covered her face, giving a coy smile

Young Master Yao was about to continue when a dark blur flashed before his eyes . A sharp pain in his back caused him to stumble, falling into the sand . His forehead became marked with b.l.o.o.d.y sc.r.a.pes

The lady held a long whip woven from silver threads, her expression full of disdain

“All you worldly b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, you think you can fool women with just a few sweet words! Do you think that you’re too clever, or that I’m too stupid?”.

~~~.

In the vast desert, night was about to end

Granny Poison Scorpion had travelled for an entire night

On the way, that column of fire had vanished . Granny Poison Scorpion guessed that the fellow who gained the Stone-borne Flame had completely exhausted his spiritual energy, and instantly she was elated . The disappearance of the column of fire would mean the Stone-borne Flame had become exhausted as well, making this a good chance to take advantage of that fellow

In her early years, she had been poisoned by gu poison, which was impossible to cure completely; the Stone-borne Flame would be able to remove these chronic ailments for her . Although Granny Poison Scorpion had studied the Five Poisons, she did not use cultivation methods for yin-attribute Qi, and she raised black fire-scorpions as familiars

Granny Poison Scorpion was not worried about Chen He subduing the Stone-borne Flame

In her thoughts, even if that fellow had completed the Foundation Establishment stage, he was young, and probably had an unsteady foundation and little spiritual energy within his dantian . There was absolutely no way he could subdue the Stone-borne Flame . Otherwise, why had he left the Stone-borne Flame with the Chen household for so long, only appearing in a hurry after people discovered it and kicked up a fuss about it?.

It was not that difficult to pinpoint Chen He’s location

All one needed was to head in the same direction and search for unnaturally large patches of flame sand

“You’re an unlucky one, young man,” Granny Poison Scorpion cackled . She stood at the edge of a sand pit . With a wave of her hand, she released more than ten scorpions, beginning to search the sand

But before she had finished cackling, there was a sharp pain in the back of her neck, and she was lifted off the ground . Not only did her black scorpions not attack, but they even scuttled away quickly

“Came to look for me?”.

The clear, bright voice of a youth

Granny Poison was so startled, she cursed, “How dare you, little fellow, put your granny down—”.

“Want the Stone-borne Flame?” Chen He asked

“You’re a cruel one, you little fellow! This granny is an outer guard of the Wudu Sect, today I’ve lost in skills; release Granny at once, and the Wudu Sect won’t hold anything against you—argh!”.

With a pitiful howl, Granny Poison Scorpion was hurled away, causing her to spew blood . She fell right into the large sand pit

“You, you…” Granny Poison Scorpion spewed blood with each word, and eventually fainted due to her heavy injuries

Dusting off his hands, Chen He shrugged

“Wudu Sect, what’s that? Is it really powerful?”.

He quickly ran back to the other side of the sand dune . s.h.i.+ Feng sat with legs crossed and brows knitted, his face turning pale every now and then

“Senior Brother…” Chen He was quite anxious

During the process of subduing the Stone-borne Flame, he had lost consciousness . After waking up, he found a large pit where he had been . The Stone-borne Flame was back in his dantian, slumbering peacefully, but in the distance, Senior Brother’s state seemed a little off

Just as he was thinking about it, along came someone who called themselves Granny or something; one look and he could tell that person was a demon cultivator . Chen He had not showed any mercy, getting it over and done quickly by simply knocking them unconscious

s.h.i.+ Feng swayed, his eyes flying open suddenly . The hand he extended grasped Chen He’s arm so much that it caused him pain; Chen He did not make any sound, only releasing spiritual energy to try and help his senior brother

Opening his mouth, s.h.i.+ Feng seemed to want to speak, but fresh blood poured from his mouth at once

“Senior Brother! Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”.

s.h.i.+ Feng trembled all over . After a few moments, he let out a long exhale . The gaze he cast towards Chen He was a little unfocused . This made Chen He’s heart clench even tighter, but he dared not say anything to disturb

After a long time, s.h.i.+ Feng let go, coughing heavily with a hand on his chest

“Senior Brother, it’s my fault, I…” Chen He was at a loss

s.h.i.+ Feng waved a hand to stop him, then slowly wrote a few words in the sand: I saw my inner demons

Indeed, his hatred towards his own fate and worrying about his junior brother’s situation had piled up and created such inner demons . Chen He growing up in the Chen household, himself in Black Depths Valley with a heart as still as death; Yunzhou City suddenly reduced to a sea of flames, the fire spreading to Sky-High Cliff; him travelling a long way to the Redwinds Desert; meeting Chen He

The karma had been decided, the sins had been committed . Chen He did not have any cultivation base, and he did not have any will to live . In the end, filled with hatred towards his fate and the divine order, he ended his life in order to pa.s.s his sect’s teachings to Chen He, who shared the fate of three tribulations and nine troubles . He hoped the latter would continue living even if it meant defying the divine order, as it would do himself a little justice as well

That last scene of the fantasy was so realistic that s.h.i.+ Feng was nearly unable to break free . He suspected that if he had really immersed himself in the delight of abandoning everything and holding no regrets, he would have truly been overpowered by his inner demons, his body dying, his soul fading

Fortunately, he remembered that his junior brother was waiting for him

His junior brother’s box of jade orbs . His junior brother rolling like a ball next to Black Depths Lake . His junior brother crying until his face was filled with tears when his meat buns were s.n.a.t.c.hed away . His junior brother checking his reflection in the lake waters every day and being troubled by his looks and height . His junior brother looking at him, reciting those lines of poetry in that sly, frivolous manner….

.

And now, the notes that are threatening to become as long as the chapter itself:.

[1]: Chinese millstones, especially the type used for grinding corn, can be really big . Search “woman grinding corn with millstone” on Google Images; the picture with a woman in a purple s.h.i.+rt is a good one . (Imagine a spider that huge! :O).

[2]: (LONG EXPLANATION AHEAD) To those who know Chinese, my translation might seem redundant, but to me, 白蜈仙子 seems more like a t.i.tle than an actual name . Thus I opted to translate it as such . Meanwhile, 白蜈 means ‘white centipede’, while 仙子 xianzi denotes some kind of immortal (usually female), and is usually translated as ‘fairy’ . I didn’t think it was appropriate to call a female cultivator a ‘fairy’, so I went for something that I thought would fit better . As for why she’s still addressed as Baiwu even though there’s the White Centipede part in her full t.i.tle, it’s because there are many situations later on where she’s simply known as 白蜈, and to me, it’s kind of awkward to call her ‘White Centipede’ every single time

[3]: (ANOTHER LONG EXPLANATION AHEAD) First off, the original description included 青鶡 something something, which I have a.s.sumed is a type of cap, because that’s all I could find when I looked it up . However, the actual description is very vague, and there are two possibilities which are very different, so I won’t be adding any further description until I’ve confirmed which type it is . What I can confirm so far is: Both types are connected to an obscure species of bird which is nowadays known as the brown-eared pheasant . The first type, which is the kind you see more often in depictions of ancient Chinese males, covers only the hair bun, and is made in the shape of the brown-eared pheasant’s head . The second type is a cap that goes around the entire head, and is decorated with two feathers from a brown-eared pheasant . The second type is given to military officials only

[4]: (Probably the longest footnote I’ll ever write) Nowadays, dengtuzi 登徒子 is used as a synonym for a playboy/l.u.s.tful man . Sure, that’s pretty much the only usage out there, but there might have been a great misunderstanding here . Poor Dengtuzi was likely maligned by a colleague . Now…who’s this Dengtuzi, you ask?.