《Life Going Wild With Plug-ins》 CH extra 1 [TanGua1] ?Clear Stream2? 01 - Novice driver Ye Tans first time on the road >.< ?????? 1 TanGua, ̷, is the ship name for Ye Tan x Jun Xuanheng. A-Gua is JXHs nickname, coming form the title of the novel. Top. 2 Can also be a metaphor for a noble and virtuous scholar, or a chaste and virtuous woman. Top. 3 Idk if this comes across properly in english but basically Zhongli Zixu has many dream swordsmen and Ye Tan is one of them lol. Top. 4 Slang for male prostitute. Top. 5 He used a bunch of idioms in a row, I just kept the general meaning: ˮ lit. where water flows, a canal will form; ľѳ lit. the wood has already become a boat; lit. the coarse rice has been cooked. Top. 6 Its a type of cutesy? crying sound. Top. 7 Basically a brothel with male prostitutes. Top. CH extra 2 [TanGua] ?Clear Stream? 02 - Novice driver Ye Tans first time on the road. Ye Tan returned to the Sword Pavilion. The next day at noon, Ye Tan and Jun Xuanheng knelt on the bed after carefully bathing and burning incense. The two of them wore unlined garments since, according to the Eldest Young Masters suggestion, their clothes shouldnt be too hard to take off, because it would break the rhythm when doing things, but they also shouldnt be too easy to take off, because it would leave less opportunities for flirting. Ye Tan was more serious than usual, and Jun Xuanheng didnt even dare to breathe. They sat for the length of half a cup of tea, and Jun Xuanheng couldnt help but ask: A-Tan, what are you waiting for? Ye Tan said: The time. Jun Xuanheng: What time? Ye Tan: The time to sleep together. Jun Xuanheng: How do you determine the time? Ye Tan: You just know. Jun Xuanheng couldnt help but praising him in his heart: Turns out this matter was so complex and elaborate, he really deserves to be my Ye Tan, luckily he has thought of everything. Within a short time of kneeling, Jun Xuanhengs legs were already sore, and it was hard for him to maintain a proper kneeling position. Ye Tan naturally knew his health had never been good, so he let him do whatever he wanted. Jun Xuanheng hurriedly shook his head: No no, how could just I do whatever for such a serious matter? Ye Tan said: Then we can discuss it another day. Thats fine too. Jun Xuanheng already deeply felt like this matter might be no fun at all, and he massaged his knees as he said: A-Tan, therell be coloured lanterns at Qinhuai tonight, come to see them with me. Moling was located in the rainy Jiangnan, and Jun Xuanheng had always been fond of water, so the Sword Pavilion had countless decorated boats ready. Today, they picked a small boat, and drifted along from the lake behind the Sword Pavilion all the way towards the river inside the city. Jun Xuanheng sat barefoot at the bow of the boat, the little bells between his ankles ringing out with the current. He didnt know how to swim, and it was only because Ye Tan was by his side that he dared to be this unrestrained. Normally, he wouldnt even dare to get on a boat alone. 1 A combination of two poems: The first part is from Pipa Xing by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi about a pipa player, and the second part is from Meeting Li Guinian South of the River by Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu about a musician at the court of the emperor. Note that, for the second poem, the author used 㡯 instead of the original ֡, so I changed the translation to be meet [him] soon instead of meet [him] again. CH extra 3 Every Night1 With Juns Heart 01 - Double the small loyal dog, double the taking in (being beaten) Ye Tan could often see a gentle and indulgent expression on Jun Xuanhengs face, but unexpectedly this time the one his Master was facing was not himself. It was almost summer, and Moling was just warming up. Coincidentally, Ye Lan had brought freshly-plucked tea leaves from Meijiawu, so Jun Xuanheng had taken advantage of the bright and sunny weather to pull Ye Tan into the pavilion at the heart of the lake to boil some. Ye Tan stopped his movement, putting the tender tea and honeysuckle back into the jar, and followed his Masters line of sight, after which that trace of displeasure turned into shock. There were two people standing at the moon gate, one wearing a hat and beautiful clothes, and the other black clothes made of coarse cloth, looking exactly the same as his Master and himself. If it werent for their expressions being truly unfamiliar, Ye Tan would have almost thought he was having an out-of-body experience. That young man who bore a striking resemblance to Jun Xuanheng had a face full of impatience: This is my house, Ill go wherever I want to, why do I still need to report it. That guard that bore a striking resemblance to himself helplessly said: This is not your house. Although the young man wearing embroidered clothes looked very similar, he could still differentiate him at a glance, his expression was seven parts arrogance and three parts harshness, he was a different person from his Master. On the contrary, the clothes and attire of that guard by his side were no different from his own, even the Pine Wind at his waist was the same as his. Ye Tan couldnt help but stop and look a few more times, and that persons gaze inadvertently swept past him. Ye Tan felt cold, as if meeting a great enemy, but that persons gaze calmly slid away again. That person was like a gentle breeze, making him seem like a startled bird in contrast, and Ye Tan started feeling a sense of frustration for no reason at all. Jun Xuanheng looked happy, and he jumped up to greet them, grabbing Jun Wuwangs hand and gladly saying: Hey why are you Jun Wuwang flatly interrupted him: Dont talk nonsense, be careful of something happening. Jun Xuanheng pursed his lips, controlling himself for a small period of time, and carefully asking again: What can be said, and what cant be said? 1 The word for every night is the character Ye repeated twice, ҹҹ. Top. 2 Hupao literally means tiger running. JXH would be pretty good at charades right? lol. Top. CH extra 4 Every Night With Juns Heart 02 - Triple the small loyal dog, ah, heaven! Ye Fengjun exited the hall, and walked along the veranda with his arms crossed for a while, finding Jun Wuwang lost in thought in front of a square latticework window. The patterned window depicted a pool of flowing water, and there was a small cluster of jade green bamboo planted on the open space to the west. Due to this cluster of bamboo, the Hanshan Temple beyond the layers of mist outside was covered up and could not be seen. Garden landscapes in the Jiangnan region were very carefully selected, so the vegetation in this open area had been changed many times. In one life, it was loquat trees, in another life, it was peach blossoms, he had also tried yellow poplars, camellias, and osmanthus flowers. During those endless ordeals where he couldnt catch Ye Tans sight, the idle Jun Wuwang could only waste the endless time he had on these insignificant trifles. After so many reincarnations, Jun Wuwang looked back to find that jade green bamboo was still the most suitable choice. Ye Fengjun looked at that expression that seemed to be drowning in a deep, cold pool, and couldnt stop himself from calling out: Master. Jun Wuwang turned his head back and looked at his appearance, momentarily absent-minded, and couldnt help but ask: Who are you? He replied: I am yours. Jun Wuwang suddenly understood: Ye Fengjun. Ye Fengjun lowered his head and stood next to him, intently fixing his eyes on him. This was the Sword Pavilion, after all, and Jun Wuwang had his own share of uncontrollable restlessness. Jun Wuwang quietly called out: A-Tan. Ye Fengjun steadily answered: Im here. The events of the past sobered him up and intoxicated him again, the blue sea scattered the sand and gathered it together. This feeling was truly wonderful. Ye Tan was not Ye Fengjun, but Ye Fengjun was Ye Tan. He stood upright under the veranda, his smile didnt have a single hint of joking, instead it pulled at his heartstrings even more. Jun Wuwang couldnt bear it and pressed his head down, demanding a prolonged kiss. Ye Fengjun had looked at the records of every reincarnation, hed watched with his own eyes as his past self refused Jun Wuwangs kindness time after time, how hed cruelly extinguished that blazing, tender heart, and was totally oblivious as he lived safely under his wings while forcing him into a bottomless abyss. He had warned himself countless times: This time, I will take the initiative. After Ye Fengjun had experienced everything, the hot blood in his chest and his possessive desire surged to the extreme, making him wish he could make up for all his cold and lonely years within a single day, with so much urgency it was almost insulting. However, although his feelings were so, the deference and meekness carved deep into his bones had not yet had the time to completely leave himHe wavered back and forth between the two extremes, the fervent and coquettish Ye Fengjun, and the indifferent but gentle Ye Tan, until he felt his mind would soon be split apart. 1 From the poem A Farewell to Secretary Uncle Yun At the Xietiao Villa in Xuanzhou by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, where he expresses frustrations with life and a desire to seek his aspirations as he bids farewell. Top. 2 ҹ The Feng in his name means to meet/encounter, or to try to please sb. The Jun (meaning lord) comes from the MCs name, so literally translated his name means Ye meets/pleases Jun. Top. 3 Combination of two idioms: ؽ haggle over every cent, and ر seek revenge over the smallest glare. Both are basically used to refer to people that get hung up on the small stuff. Top. CH extra 5 Every Night With Juns Heart 03 - Jun Wuwang, were leaving! (Not) Didnt you say, everything.. was all going to be made up to me? He brought up these words once again in the afterglow of the setting sun in the Sword Pavilion, and Ye Fengjun, who had changed back into his former gentle and obedient appearance from recalling old emotions, lay down his weapons, surrendering and submitting just as he had in the past. Jun Wuwang couldnt help but want to tease him, circling his arms around him and moving back, holding him as he sat on the other end of the curved railing, saying: You do it yourself. Ye Fengjun wasnt sure what he meant, he lowered his head and looked at his half-naked body, asking: Do you mean.. the front or the back? Jun Wuwang: Both. Ye Fengjun frowned in embarrassment. Jun Wuwang coldly stared at him without saying a word. After a brief moment of hesitation, he put his own fingers in his mouth, wetting them, and pushed aside his clothes, reaching into his body and taking a deep breath as he slowly penetrated himself. He met Jun Wuwangs cool gaze as he slowly moved in a circle, getting used to it, and stretched a second finger inside. It was Ye Fengjuns first time doing this kind of thing, and naturally he wasnt without shame. He lowered his face, turning to the side and tightly closing his eyes, with his back stretched taught as he held on tightly with his other hand, making his unwillingness clear. CH extra 6 Every Night With Juns Heart 04 - Small loyal dog: too flirty, too troublesome.jpg1 ?????? 1 Meme chastising people for being flirty/troublesome (second line of the meme says smth like youre the most flirty one). Top. 2 Third watch is the time between 23:00 and 1:00. Top. 3 Also called white nephrite, a type of white jade known for its translucent, creamy colouring. Top. 4 fك|횏ك|£ǧǧ lit. Buddha says ten million Sumerus, ten million seasons, make up the cosmos (three thousand worlds). Comes from the Buddhist concept of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, which refers to the infinite potential every life has. Top. CH extra 7 Every Night With Juns Heart 05 - Yes! Right there! Hit him with a MUA1! (watching the show with popcorn.jpg) ?? The author has something to say: Afterwards, the four of them lived happily ever after.jpg ?????? 1 The onomatopoeia for a kiss (also written mwah or muah in english). Top. 2 A person who puts on an act pretending to be something theyre not. Top. CH extra 8 01] Everyone knew that Ye Juns hearing was quite good, but very few people knew just how good it is. He had keen ears and, needles to say, he paid particular attention to how peoples external and internal breathing, heart rate, and pulse1 influenced each other, and how they reflected a persons mood and frame of mind. These subtle sounds, which were invisible in the eyes of others, could create impressions in his mind, some people were resolute and brave, like the bright sun on the Gobi desert, and others were sinister and disagreeable, like thorny bushes in the jungle. Because of this special trait, he could easily judge which people were good to approach, and which people he should guard against; which actions would make people happy, and which actions theyd find repulsive. When he was young, and Ye Jun had not yet obtained the title of Ye Jun, he had no family or friends since he could remember, and wondered about destitute on the streets. Fortunately, his skill of observing peoples words and gestures was first-rate, and he was born with a neat and cute appearance, so hed actually lived pretty well. While others had to beg for spoiled leftover flour buns and fight against dogs, he could get boxes of exquisite pastries from the beautiful sisters of the magnificent pavilions, and every street urchin within a ten li radius regarded him as their leader. In the 10th year of Tao Guang2, Ye Jun, who had just turned twelve years old, was captured by the Nightrunner without warning. When he was captured, he was very surprised, because he didnt sense any hostility or desire to attack from the person that caught him. He spent a lot of effort, but could not curry favour with them to get his freedom. It was only later that he found out these people were genuinely heartless and numb, like a stagnant pool of water. Just like stagnant water, they had no joy or anger to speak of. The Nightrunner was the place where he, alongside the other young children caught together with him, would ultimately have the hot blood in their chests extinguished, and be ground down until they became just like lifeless stagnant water. Among the young children caught with him there were beggars as well as kids from ordinary families. Shock, darkness, the fear of losing loved ones, and the dread of the unknown.. the children took all those negative emotions they couldnt vent and turned them into hoarse wails and cries. The confinement of the prison infinitely amplified the clamour of the noise. For Ye Jun, whose hearing was exceptionally sensitive, this was already the cruellest form of torture. After being locked up for a few days, no one had the strength to cry anymore. In the eyes of others, the atmosphere in the hidden room was stifled and oppressive, but not for Ye Jun. Their fear and dread was endless, and their heartbeats were still ear-piercing, relentlessly torturing Ye Jun. It was the first time hed begun to resent his special trait. After all, aside from some nice-looking sweet cakes, this special trait had not brought him too many other benefits. Hed not had a single moment of peaceful sleep these past few days. CH extra 9 [Zhongli] ?Different Paths? 01 - Peddling Orthopaedic Shares1 Twenty years ago, the world didnt have Zong or Heng2, it also didnt have the Zhongli Court. The seven Schools and twelve Sects of the world all listened to the orders of the Wangsheng3 Palace, located at the side of the Wushui River. The Wangsheng Palace had the Ten Halls of the Yama4 under its command, each with its own specialisation, skilled in voodoo and sorcery, who swept away everything before them and won every fight. Underneath the Master of the Wangsheng Palace, there were six black-armoured horsemen with no regard for the law, and no way to go against them. The Wangsheng Palace was ruthless and extreme, offending the publics anger for a long time. In order to solidify its foundation, each Sect was required to send out a person of importance to the sect into the Wangsheng Palace as a hostage. Although Zhongli Court was located at a major road in the Central plains, it was, after all, a family of low status which had been overlooked in the past few years. When the order to send a hostage fell on the Master of Zhongli Court, Zhongli Qian, his second son Zhongli Zixi was crouching by the riverbank watching his older brother teach him how to catch fish. That year, the eldest son Zixu was nine years old, and the second son Zixi was seven. Before he could catch a fish, older brother Zixu, with his pockets filled with small shrimp, was carried ashore by a guard and shoved all the way until he was facing the head of the house. Zixi trotted after him, and when he reached the doorway of the hall, he heard his father say to his brother: Pack up, youre going on a trip somewhere far tomorrow. Zixi poked his head inside, and saw his mother secretly wiping away her tears in a corner. When Zixu came outside of the hall, he stuffed the small shrimp into his younger brothers arms: Xiaoxi, help me raise them, they should be grown by the time I come back, so well eat them together then. Zixi put the shrimp in his pockets and turned around to face his father, asking: Where is brother going? His father shook his head: Hes going where he has to, this is his duty. Zixi asked: Can I go with him? His mother tearfully spoke: You dont know what youre talking about! How could your mother live if you both went? Their mother was a gentle and tenacious person, and hed never seen her cry in public. Zixi saw his mothers expression was bitter and knew something was being hidden, but his repeated inquiries were fruitless, so he had no choice but to angrily return. 1 Oh boy here we go lmao. Peddling __ shares refers to promoting a ship (wanting the reader to invest in the couple by buying shares of the ship). Orthopaedic comes from German orthopaedics which is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a story of a brother and sister being incestuously involved and getting caught in the act, the brothers leg is broken and he is sent away to Germany to recuperate, so orthopaedic stories are basically incest stories. The term orthopaedic can also be used to mock a siblings controlling/overprotective behaviour towards another sibling. Just to clarify, the author is joking (the next chap continues the story and peddles a different ship). Top. 2 Same words from Zonglian and Henglian, the main storys major power alliances. Top. 3 lit. crooked/wasted life, an ironic play on words on its homophone which means life after death/life in paradise. Top. 4 _ a Yama is a King of Hell in Buddhist mythology. Top. CH extra 10 [Zhongli] ?Different Paths? 02 - Peddling JunEr1 Shares ?????? 1 Ye Jun x Second Young Master (second = er). Top. 2 ˲˹ lit. people arent people, ghosts arent ghosts. Used to describe something miserable, wretched, ghastly. Top. 3 텒 lit. gods detest demons(ghosts) loathe. Used to describe something that is hated by everyone. I tried to keep the original imagery in the sentence by keeping the translation a little more on the literal side. Top. 4 D݆ lit. Wheel-Turning King, a Chakravati raja or King of Kings from Hindu mythology. Top. 5 From ʮѪ lit. ten years drinking ice, hard to cool the hot blood. Used to mean someone whose ambitions (hot blood) are hard to extinguish, regardless of how many setbacks they suffer. Top. 6 Meaning disappearing with no hope of returning. Top. 7 Basically a metaphor saying that once you have seen the best life has to offer, the rest is not worth it. Been there, done that. Top. 8 I tried to make it rhyme bc it rhymes in chinese lol. A more accurate translation would be there is true goodness in the world, paying back five hundred and making a profit of three hundred. Top. CH extra 11 [Zixu] ?Pure Serenade1? 01 - The Eldest Young Master was once also controlled by a younger brother. The Eldest Young Master of Zhongli Court felt that his life had been turned upside down, and it all began on the day when a seriously injured, bloodied man broke into his room in the middle of the night. Before that, he was just a nobody, a small Young Master from an unknown place. He wasnt a core figure by any means, but he also didnt have to worry about food or clothing. During their childhood, his Second Brother had been sent far away for some reason, and at that point it had already been six or seven years since hed returned home. The first year his Second Brother came back, his father had gone to the mountain alone for some reason, saying he was retiring from the world. At first he visited often, but his father always spoke vaguely, later, he suddenly got angry, saying he was disturbing his peace until he closed the door and wouldnt see him. The Eldest Young Master ate a few closed doors2, until he gradually stopped going. It was only during New Years and other festivities that he would send a few seasonal delicacies but, without exception, it was like throwing a stone into the sea and watching it disappear, he never received a reply. As for his Second Brother Zhongli Zixi, his temper had greatly changed since he came back, becoming gloomy and depressed, locking himself inside his room and refusing to see him. The Eldest Young Master anxiously waited outside of the door, hoping to see him, trying to talk to him, but the person inside was too miserly to even give him a response, so over time his heart also gradually became cold. That tightly closed door never opened, but the air was always filled with the vague smell of medicine and blood, which could even be smelled from very far away. Rumours spread amongst the servants that the Second Young Master was possessed, that he tinkered with demonic methods from the crooked sects, and that one could hear shrill wails and howls from the rear court in the middle of the night. Every time the Eldest Young Master bumped into this, he always firmly reprimanded the servants. But one night when he couldnt sleep, he wandered unconsciously outside the courtyard where his younger brother Zixi resided, and really heard groans of pain. He was about to approach to confirm what it was, but he was seized by the collar by a young man wearing black clothes and carried away. The young man in black clothes was wearing a mask which covered half of his face, so he couldnt clearly see his appearance, he could only make out that his looks seemed gentle, like a just-tender peach. He admonished him in a soft voice, saying he must not come too close to the courtyard, then turned around and left. Before when Zhongli Zixu often wanted to see his younger brother, hed been stopped by him, so he knew he was the only person who was allowed to go into the secluded room. Zixu blankly watched as he alone went back inside his brothers room, somewhat envious and unable to conceal his dejection. Second Young Master Zhongli Zixi shut himself away for half a year, and finally stepped foot outside that confined, secluded room. When the Eldest Young Master learned of this, he was exceptionally happy. He had not seen his younger brother for over ten years, he had endless things he wanted to tell him, and he also had countless questions he wanted him to answer, so he went bouncing happily to see him. ?????? 1 ƽ֡lit. pure peaceful joy/music. Could also be translated as Clear Peaceful Music or Serenade of Peaceful Joy. Its same name as a Tang Dynasty poem structure, and its the name of a historical period drama also called Held in the Lonely Castle but I havent watched it so idk if its a reference or not. Top. 2 lit. eat closed door soup, when sb. closes the door on your face and refuses to see you. Top. 3 Euphemism for going to brothels. Top. 4 To take advantage of a crisis for personal gain. Top. 5 PBA real guqin piece, better translated as A parting tune with a thrice repeated refrain but I felt that was too long lol. Top. CH extra 12 [Zixu] ?Pure Serenade? 02 - Every ancient record has standards for exceptional beauties. ?????? 1 h a guqin made by legendary Master Lei in the Tang Dynasty, there are only 5 of them in existence nowadays. Top. 2 The Langyuan paradise is the mythological home of the immortals. Top. 3 Metaphor for something that is mighty, swift, and powerful. Top. 4 ÷ŪThe title translates to something more along the lines of The plum blossom melody plays three times but thats also too long imho. Listen to the song here. Top. 5 An idiom that means a kid with outstanding future prospects. Top. 6 Something extremely daring, bold, or audacious. Top. 7 The text calls him a o lit. three not haves, which is either a buddhist thing or (most likely) refers to a character with the three not haves: oڡoġo lit. no mouth, no heart, no expressions, i.e. speaks very little, hides their feelings, and shows few facial expressions. Top. CH extra 13 [Zixu] ?Pure Serenade? 03 - Eldest Young Master: My turn to get on stage and perform ~ ?????? 1 ŭ lit. anger anxiety psychological attack, used when someone experiences extreme emotions. Top. 2 lit. you really, an interjection of frustration used when you want to scold someone, it can stand for a variety of things like youre so/such a/really (with the end intentionally left unsaid) or something more like youre too much i cant believe you seriously? etc. Top. CH 1 When I woke up, I felt rather confused, unable to recall who I was, where I was, or what I was doing. CH 2 I motioned to the shopkeeper to help me pack him up and leave, and when I looked back, I found that person staring at me with open eyes, clear and full of contrast. So it turns out he wasnt sleeping. Nightrunner had a set of registration procedures, which were rather annoying and had to be confirmed with me numerous times. After handling this process, I waved to the man. Lets go. The expressions of everyone around me were rather shocked, and someone muttered: He is injured so heavily, and has been lying there for so many days. How can he just go when told to go? Hes really met a master just as heartless as the previous one The man staggered to the wall and got up, shifting his steps closer to me, having an even harder time walking than I was. As he took a break every two steps, I waited very patiently while holding my sleeves. It took one incense sticks time to get out of the inn. It took another one cup of teas time to walk past the Shaxian snack shop. And it took yet another quarter of an hour to walk to the city entrance. Even my very slow-tempered self felt slightly bothered. Cant you walk faster? I asked. The Shadow Guards body shook, and he trembled as he knelt down: This servant is incompetent Master, please punish me as you wish. His voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to be uttered with difficulty. Could it be?! An idea suddenly flashed through my brain. I felt very smart as I asked, Are you in pain? I wouldnt dare to be. The Shadow Guard took a deep breath. Then lets go. I guess I was wrong I embarrassedly rubbed my nose, then watched him take a long, long time to get up and continue walking. After moving two more steps like a snail, I stopped. I actually had no idea where I should go or which way was better. The letter only wrote about the task of buying a Shadow Guard, and since I had already bought one, I felt that my life goals had been accomplished, and that I had no more concerns. While meditating on this, I also rubbed my stomach, and the wave of pain made me frown. Master Are you feeling unwell? The Shadow Guard keenly perceived that something was wrong. Ive been conspired against, and I dont have long left to live. I sighed in frustration. The Shadow Guard was shocked, and said in a low voice, This servant has committed an offense. Then, he took up my hand. Hey, why is a grown man feeling up my hand? The Shadow Guard held my wrist and was silent for a while, then bowed his head and said, This servant is incompetent I cannot detect Masters sickness. I dont blame you, this place is really too sinister. I gave the Shadow Guard a look full of expectation, waiting for him to guide the direction of my life. The Shadow Guard was baffled by my stare and did not speak for a long time. Sigh. What are you useful for? What am I supposed to do now? I asked complacently. The Shadow Guard was suddenly a little nervous, considering it for quite a while, then cautiously said, I can only rely on Masters command. I only asked you because I have no idea I thought about it, and put it another way: Ordinary people, what would they do around this time? The Shadow Guard went through another internal struggle: The common people, they would have supper at this time. Oh right right right, exactly this. I recalled that the physical body indeed needs a daily meal, and feeling reassured, I said, Ill leave it to you. Yes, the Shadow Guard answered, but he didnt do anything. The Shadow Guard waited for a while, then raised his head and looked at me. I also looked at him. He looked back at me. The Shadow Guards complexion became a bit complicated, and he hesitantly started to speak. This servantthis servant has just come out of Nightrunner, and with me???? I donthave any I know. Didnt we come out together? Do I look like I have amnesia? The Shadow Guard looked at me complicatedly for a while, and then said, Yes. This servant understands. Then he slowly moved away. Was it an illusion, or did he walk slower than even the ordinary people? He should also have taken physical body operation lessons. I crouched by the river, silently waiting for the sun to go down behind the mountains, and gradually felt that the poisonous attacks in my body were becoming worse So painful, oh my god, ??Im gonna die, gonna die gonna die gonna die gonna die gonna die. Master. Finally hearing the call, I turned my head and saw a staggering figure, walking towards me with a cloth bag. Getting near, he slowly spread the bag on the floor. I looked at him in the afterglow of the setting sun. Hey, why was there so much water on his face, and also so much mysterious red liquid emerging through his clothes? I reached out my finger and poked the small fountain. The Shadow Guard took a breath of air, his face twisted, looking extremely in pain. I didnt understand what he was in pain for. It hurts? I looked at him with a good-natured smile. The Shadow Guard clenched his teeth and said, No. Alas, I guessed wrong again. Ive lost. This loss was momentary, because I was immediately distracted by the aroma in the bag, and the smell was magical, making me feel tickly. I smelled this flavor in the experience class!! Thisit couldnt be the legendary food!!! Im very sorry I only got a pheasant and a few wild fruits, and roughly cooked it, you In our civilization, it is said that food will be addictive. It is similar to drugs, very dangerous, and once you start you cannot stop. This is because you can only eat with a physical body, and maintaining the physical body is a very luxurious activity, let alone controlling the body to eat. Yet my hands, not even being controlled, reached out as if bewitched. The Shadow Guard who just turned back with two newly broken branches looked in amazement at the sight of me eating, whispering, Master, chopsticks Chopsticks, hehe, dont play with me, how would I know such a difficult operation? Like a strong wind scattering the last clouds, I cleared the roasted pheasant and wild fruits and shed tears out of excitement. Ancestors are awesome! The physical body is awesome! Wuwuwu.* *wuwuwu = cute crying noises After finishing everything, I saw the Shadow Guard mutely staring at me, and coughed in embarrassment. Oh no, I forgot to leave some for him, he is also a human, and also needs to eat Are you hungry? I asked. The Shadow Guard painfully shook his head. Oh, not hungry why do I keep guessing wrong, so depressing. So it turns out the Shadow Guard doesnt need to eat, so impressive, really very awesome. At this time I just realized that the on and off pain in my abdomen had disappeared, and was replaced with a kind of comfortable satisfaction. It dawned on me that the Shadow Guard must have secretly put medicine in the food. I looked at him sincerely. The Shadow Guard fell on his knees, Master, forgive me! This servant could only find this much! Sigh am I that scary? I helped him up, then returned to a reality where I didnt know what to do with myself. So I could only wonder, Let me ask you, what do ordinary people do at this time? Master, forgive me! He fell on his knees again. It is time for Master to sleep; this servant should die. Why does me sleeping mean you have to die? I frowned in confusion. Where to sleep? This servant is ignorant, I didnt know, Master He hesitated for a while. I dont know which familys residence the Master is from and how to go back. I thought about it. Im not from any family, and dont have anywhere to go back. Sorry, this servant has overstepped his boundaries. The Shadow Guards complexion looked blue, bewilderedly asking, Then tonight rest at the inn? Then lets go. The Shadow Guard wore a complicated expression and walked ahead with difficulty, and I leisurely followed while humming a little tune. It was just that oil kept dripping from the side of my mouth. Feeling a little helpless, I reached out my sleeve and wiped it. It was still sticky, not very comfortable, but much better than before. The Shadow Guards expression while looking at me became even more strange for some reason. There were groups of two or three people eating in the hall of the inn. I looked at them, then thought about the other people I met today, and looked at the Shadow Guard again. Hm I keep thinking The Shadow Guard is not quite the same as everyone else. Other peoples clothes are pieces on pieces of cloth, and even if the style is simple, they are neat. Why are the Shadow Guards clothes full of streaks with ragged edges, blackened and dirtied? I remember that in my previous fashion history classes, in some eras people would specially make cuts in their jeans to make them look old, which was a trend of the time. The Shadow Guard is probably keeping up with the fashion trend of this era. No wonder people keep looking at him and pointing him out. Although I dont like this tattered postmodern style of clothing, it is clearly a difference between other people and me. I have no right to interfere with other peoples preferences. This God of Creation is really very democratic. The owner of the inn came up and looked up and down at my clothes, his gaze stopping at the jade pendant on my waist several times. He smiled until his eyes became narrow, and when he saw my face, the corners of his mouth seemed to twitch. Uh, honored guest, are you staying at the inn? What room do you want, how many? I felt a little complicated, not knowing how to answer. I could only look at the Shadow Guard. One room. The Shadow Guards tone was a bit hesitant, How about a principal room. Wait a minute, it couldnt be that he had never stayed at an inn before either? Okay. The boss agreed and looked at the Shadow Guard, full of smiles. The Shadow Guard looked at me. Hm? Why are you looking at me? After waiting for a while, the boss quietly reminded me: Honored guest, first pay a deposit? Oh! I understand! Asking for money! But thats fucking useless, I dont have money. After the Shadow Guard regarded me with another complicated expression, he took a deep breath, as if making a determination. Then he turned back and said, Boss, bring a pen and paper. On hearing this, the boss arranged it for him. When the Shadow Guard finished writing, the boss glanced it over and his whole body shook, his expression becoming extremely respectful. So it is that lords Waiter! Quickly send these two noble guests upstairs! Eh! Writing can be spent as money! My Shadow Guard is so great! I glanced at the Shadow Guard with admiration, intending to wait until we arrived in the room to praise him, but his complexion suddenly became very unsightly. The boss finished arranging the room and looked at the Shadow Guard while whispering, Young master, your followers wounds are not light, should I call a doctor? I frowned and looked at the Shadow Guard: Who told you he was hurt? Unexpectedly, when I just finished speaking, the boss knelt down in fear. My humble self has spoken too much! I should die! Young master, please spare my life! ..Why are each and every one of you like this? Why are you all forcibly acting like Im a serial killer I went into the room, depressed, and saw the bed I had once seen in a museum. In our civilization, the source files of consciousness are stored in network databases while we rest, so the idea that such a simple wooden board in front of me could restore physical strength is seriously amazing. Do I just lie down on it? I deeply apologize for my incompetence. With this unwise decision, you can only stay for two or three daysMaster, please punish me. I frowned: You did pretty well, I was even going to praise you. The Shadow Guards face was deathly pale. I sat on the bed and shook it a few times, finding that the bedding was actually soft, when I saw the Shadow Guard conscientiously crouching in the corner. What are you doing over there? I apologize for my incompetence. This servant is a Shadow Guard, who should be guarding the Master in an unseen place, not obstructing the owners eyes. But my lowly body is very unsuitable, without the strength to jump on the roof beams Oh, was my Shadow Guard born with a disability? Being disabled and still engaging in a high risk occupation as a bodyguard, he must really have a strong will in a body with disabilities. I smiled at him approvingly. The Shadow Guard fell in fear. Wont you come up? I patted the quilt. I wont. The corners of the Shadow Guards mouth twitched. It seems that he likes crouching in the corner and doesnt like sleeping in bed. I would never force anyone to do anything, so I let him be, pulling the covers over me and lying down. The jewelry I wore jingled together, wearing both gold and jade. It was really pressing into my skin quite uncomfortably and unbearably. I recalled todays unfavorable situation, and did not feel very good. I am the God of Creation of this world, coming here with a plug-in, thinking I would be a big plug-in user who could cover the sky with one hand. Instead, unable to find the golden finger switch, I am just a little defeated thing who is not even as good as the common people. I dont know what can support me to survive in this sinister Jianghu.* I dont have a friend in the world, not even two sticks to rub together, whats left is only my good looks sigh. *Jianghu = land of rivers and lakes, the martial world After reaching this place, I cant help but feel depressed. CH 3 Waking up, I felt extremely helpless. My long hair was wrapped in circles upon circles around my neck. I had no option other than to lean on the side of the bed and try to straighten it out, but it became increasingly more tangled, so I could only give up. The life of the ancestors, so full of hardships. There were porridge and side dishes placed on the table with a top class sense of service, and I silently praised it in my heart. After eating half a bowl of porridge, I put down the spoon and commented: Not as good as what you made yesterday. The Shadow Guard looked at me uncertainly. This servant will assist Master in getting ready. The Shadow Guard brought a basin of water over and wrung out a towel. I parted my messy hair in complete cooperation to reveal my face, leaning to him. The warm water flowed across my face very pleasantly. All the sticky things from the sides of my mouth were completely washed away, and I felt a lot more comfortable. It turns out that the physical body needs to be cleaned daily, I secretly noted in my heart. When I lowered my head, I noticed that there was also something dark around the Shadow Guards wrists, which mottled his hands and covered them in smears, but the part that touched the water had dissolved, turning red and faintly disappearing into the water. I touched his hand with curiosity, and the Shadow Guard cooperatively stood still. Dipping it with water and wiping it away little by little, the solid pieces of red were gradually washed off, revealing a pair of pale and capable hands with slender knuckles. Arent these very good looking? I was puzzled. The Shadow Guard did not answer. When I let go, the Shadow Guard took the towel back. I guessed that he had finished washing up and asked: Ordinary people, what should they do at this time? To do business in the market, or work in the field. Oh, going to the market! That sounds interesting. I stood up, cheerfully saying: Then lets go! Just, going out like this? the Shadow Guard said hesitantly. Is that not good? I asked modestly. The Shadow Guard shook his head firmly. Master is naturally very good. I smiled with satisfaction, then went out with a head of hair like a chickens nest. On the road to the market, there were many people heading there, and the street was crowded with traffic. Donkeys, horses, and camels also crowded on the road along with people. I felt that if you were just a little careless and made a wrong step, you would get trampled on the face. It was rather scary. As I was walking, a horse on the side of the road got spooked, standing upright and neighing loudly. The girl selling flowers next to it was frightened and stumbled backwards, knocking over a stall selling rouge and stepping on the butcher who sold meat. Immediately, the sounds of yelling and scolding arose, causing a small ripple of disturbance. The Shadow Guard calmly moved me two steps away, and only then did I not get dragged in. I almost ran into There are too many people. I became even more panicked. This servant is here, Master can be at ease, the Shadow Guard steadily replied. The Shadow Guard is really a good person. He guarded my surroundings very gently and cautiously, and although the road was crowded, the journey was quite safe, and even the corners of my clothes were untouched. My heart indeed felt more at ease, and my courage became greater, even daring to go look around when I saw interesting shops, touching and holding things here and there. After wandering around for a while, I saw a blacksmiths shop, with the sound of metal clanking accompanied by a billowing wave of heat. My mind was shaken. Originally, in the ancient stories I read, the heroes who travel the country must be equipped with a few magical weapons and swords. Where the sword is, the person is, and if the sword is gone, the person is also gone. The moment the name of the weapon is read is awesome, and when making big moves, movie lines are shouted. Thinking about it again, Im empty-handed right now, a bit of a failure, not the style that the God of Creation should have. Joyfully walking into the store, I saw a lot of ironware arranged in display. I didnt see any cool weapons, only a few short and square knives. After looking back and forth in front of the table, I was eager to try one out and picked up a knife. I looked back and the Shadow Guard didnt stop me, so I assumed there wasnt any danger. Stroking it with my finger, the heavy metal blade was cold and very comfortable. The blade was polished until it shined, the sharp edges glowing like a mirror, and when I wiped my finger across, I could feel the lines in my fingerprints. I smoothly moved my finger across, habitually pulling back. Slash. Ahhh oh my god oh my goddd it hurts hurts hurts hurts hurts A piercing pain made my eyesight go black, a long cut was made on my finger, and bright red liquid came gushing out. The nearby shop assistant forging ironware was frightened by my wailing voice, throwing down the weapon in his hand, and the Shadow Guard was also dumbstruck for a moment before he finally reacted and grabbed my hand. I was already so in pain that my teeth were clenched and I couldnt speak, and I looked at him with reddened eyes. The Shadow Guard tapped the acupuncture points on my wrist and the blood flow stopped a little. He quickly tore a strip of cloth from his body, hesitated for a moment and then threw it away, tearing a piece from my clothes instead to tie around my finger. The physical body is really too terrible wuwuwu it hurts it hurts it hurts. He finished treating it, but I still couldnt recover. It took me a long time before I sniffled and asked, Didnt you say you would protect me?!!! The Shadow Guard stared blankly at me for quite a while, then cautiously said: You did this yourself this servant also this He paused for a moment and sighed, This servant is incompetent, please punish me. It hurts it hurts wuwuwuwuwu. Its okay, its okayLets not cry? The Shadow Guard sounded helpless. Under the gaze of a bunch of idiot-watching people, I was coaxed out of the door by the Shadow Guard, and sat on the side of the road sniffling. After breathing for a while, it didnt feel as painful, so I thoughtfully studied the bandaged wound. In the places outside of where the finger was bandaged, the traces of bright red blood that had just flowed through had now turned into a very familiar muddled black. I looked at the Shadow Guards arm, and then at my own fingers, and then pulled it over for a while to compare. Isnt this the same? I was incredibly shocked. Is this your blood?! The Shadow Guards expression was difficult to describe. Is it?! All these on your body and these these blackened marks, is it all your blood?! Yes, he whispered. No wonder the innkeeper saw that he was seriously injured at a glance! Thinking about how painful only my shallow cut was, and how he had so many large and small wounds on his back and still served me to eat, drink and wash, I was suddenly furious. You still say it doesnt hurt?! Do you think Im stupid?! I am really starting to suspect so. The Shadow Guard frowned. This guy, not even using honorifics with me anymore. Its obvious hes looking down on me. Hmph! Im just inexperienced. Im not stupid, you just came into contact with the physical body a few days earlier than me, so what are you showing off for! I hate this kind of superior scoundrel the most! Then what should we do now? Can you still walk? Does it hurt Pah, it must be very painful. What should I do? I anxiously spun in circles in place. The Shadow Guard looked at me coldly, not making a sound. In our times, if the physical body ??is damaged, you can contact the maintenance staff to find after-sales service. It seems to be the same in this era. I remember its called a doctor. I composed myself and said to him: Lets go find a doctor. The Shadow Guard only squinted his eyes. Its so painful that you cant move, right? You wait here. Ill find a doctor to bring here. I stroked his head, then turned and walked two steps, but he staggered after me. I halted and said, Be good. The Shadow Guard stopped. CH 4 Before sunset, at the doctors place, I finally learned how to eat sunflower seeds with the little medicine boy who lacked front teeth. When the doctor wiped his hands and came out of the building, the children around me disappeared. The night wind was very cold. I shook off the sunflower seed shells from my body and eagerly looked towards the doctor. The injury is very serious. Fortunately, as long as he carefully recuperates for three to five years, he wont be disabled. The doctor spoke a bunch of jargon solemnly, and then concluded while shaking his head, But for him to do martial arts again I am afraid it is not very likely. I couldnt really understand what he was saying, so I picked a question that I was more concerned about: When will it stop hurting? The doctor was at a loss when he looked at me. The wounds on his body, when will they stop hurting? Thiswill heal in less than a month. Such a long time, having to lie down for a month. I felt that he was a bit miserable. I nodded to the doctor and slipped inside to visit him. The Shadow Guard lay quietly on the bed, breathing so softly that it was hard to perceive. The tattered clothes on his body that had mixed with blood and adhered to his wounds had all been removed, and had been replaced with layers of bandages. Probably due to the serious injuries, there was no rosy color anywhere on his body. His hair had also finally been tidied up, and it fell softly over the edge of the bed, making his complexion look even paler in comparison. Hey, this face is so good-looking, and I havent seen it on Taobao before. Could it be that I, the God of Creation, customized it myself? Im kind of awesome. I sat next to him, looking down at him silently, using my gaze to soothe the trauma. Master. He spoke first. Where are your clothes? I exchanged them for money to buy medicine. The night was very cold. Us two naked men were mutually silent. You havent eaten anything; arent you hungry? I took out a handful of sunflower seeds from the only remaining underwear on my body, passing it over to him. The Shadow Guard glanced at them, and painfully shook his head. So he doesnt like sunflower seeds. Feeling disappointed, I tucked the seeds back into my underwear. The doctor said that he needed peace and quiet to recover from his injuries, so I quickly took my leave. There was nowhere to go, so I squatted back outside the building to eat sunflower seeds. Yet, it was not filling. Hungry and cold. It felt a bit miserable to be alive. After squatting for a long time, I heard the sound of people walking and talking in the hall. The male voice was low so I couldnt hear clearly, but there was a woman whose pitch was higher, and a few words floated to my ears: I already heard of robbers and bandits being rude and unreasonable, but they actually tricked their way into our Changluo! I already thought that the materials of those clothes were by no means ordinary peoples No problem, no problem, dont thank me, this little bit of help is not a problem Its not peaceful over there either, you guys take care when you leave After talking inside for a while, the womans voice sounded farther as she walked away. There was the sound of footsteps coming towards me, and someone put a piece of clothing on me, blocking most of the cold wind. Feelings of unspeakable gratitude flooded my heart. I turned around and saw it was the Shadow Guard hey, why did this guy get up? Master, the wind is strong here, lets go inside first. Alright. After a while, seeing that I didnt move, the Shadow Guard asked in confusion: Master? My legs are numb, I cant stand up. The human physical body is truly hard to control. The Shadow Guard sighed lightly, leaning over and holding my hand. Probably because I was sitting in the cold wind for a long time, his temperature seemed particularly hot. The Shadow Guard checked my hand temperature. It was like cold stone. Suddenly, he picked me up. I was curled up in a strange posture. Wait, what about your injuries that havent healed? Its already fine. The Shadow Guard carried me back into the room without any explanation, and put me down on the bed. After putting me down, the Shadow Guard sat up and found my hands firmly placed under his armpits. Master, what are you doing? Its warm here. The Shadow Guard resolutely forced my hands out of his armpits. Oh!! Cold! Heartless! The Shadow Guard expressionlessly helped me put on layers upon layers of clothes. The plain cotton and linen, without the former mess of jade ornaments, was actually comfortable to wear. It was only then that I realized he had also changed into plain robes, his hair tied low. The bloody smell on his body was long gone, and the scent of herbs hung about faintly. Hm? Where did you get clothes? This servant told the mistress that Master was a wealthy merchant who was robbed on the road to Changluo, so all his belongings and servants are gone. Masters clothes and accessories were all very valuable, so the mistress trusted the story and agreed to help for a few days. After reporting this, he repented as usual. This servant is incompetent, and has even made Master spend so much money and show such shamefulness. After putting on my clothes, the Shadow Guard tucked me back into the bed and then reached out to hold my ice-pack hands. His hands were large and broad, just enough to cover my ice-pack, no, I mean my hands. When my temperature recovered a little, he conscientiously let go and took a step back, kneeling at the side of the bed. A woman lifted the curtain and came in with a smile. Based on the voice, it was the same woman who had just talked to the Shadow Guard. She put a large plate on the table and said, Come here, come here, I just made a few small dishes, eat it while its hot! I dont know your taste, but if its too salty or too mild, make sure you let this big sister know. I cheerfully sat down, and the woman put down the food and left. The Shadow Guard refused to dine at the same table with me, which made me spend some time convincing him before he moved his chopsticks. I didnt know how to use chopsticks, so I grabbed the food with my bare hands. After a few bites, I couldnt help saying, This is better than what you make. This servant is incompetent. Youre incompetent again? Why are you always incompetent? How old are you* incompetent? * How old are you is written in English in the original text Does being a Shadow Guard require cooking skills? Are other Shadow Guards very good at cooking? No. Most of them only know how to make a few dishes needed to maintain the body, the Shadow Guard said. Then since cooking is not in the Shadow Guards skill range, why do you blame your own incompetence? I frowned. Right now, I dont understand a lot of things, and your wrong wording is very misleading. I hope you pay attention to it in the future. The Shadow Guard was mute. Not sure if he understood, I added: I find that you always like to blame things on yourself. This is your own problem. Regardless of what your mentality is, I hope that when we talk, you can convey more intuitive and effective information to me, rather than ambiguous self-loathing. Is that difficult? Can it be done? This servantwill do as you say. I nodded in satisfaction. He doesnt look stupid, so he should be able to understand. I continued to eat after speaking. The temperature of the stir fried dishes was not low, so it hurt to grab the food with bare hands, and the temperature of the soup was even more scorching But those floating meatballs were truly really tempting, and I thought about it over and over again, making up my resolve to grab them. It burned so much that I wailed out miserably. Fortunately, the Shadow Guards eyes and hands were quick, immediately wrapping a towel soaked in cold water around my burned hand, and the temperature dropped and eased the pain by a lot. Huh? When did you prepare the cold towel? Master The Shadow Guard hesitated many times before asking, Is it that you think the chopsticks here are not clean? How about, I go down and find new chopsticks I shook my head in pain. I dont know how to use chopsticks. The Shadow Guard looked lifeless, unable to continue. Can you get me a meatball? I had suffered a serious injury, but I still could not forget, it could be said that my appetite was like a drug addiction. Shadow Guard hurriedly took up a new pair of chopsticks, then hesitated after picking up a meatball, looking at my face and then looking at my bowl, then finally deciding to put it in the bowl. I used my uninjured hand to dump the contents of the bowl into my mouth, chewing and carelessly saying thank you at the same time. I dont dare His tone was awkward. The Shadow Guard removed the towel, held my hand and inspected it carefully, and noted with relief that there were no burn wounds. Then he found several spoons of different sizes so I could avoid suffering a burn again. A true friend. I shed tears of gratitude. After peacefully finishing the meal with no more incidents, the mistress of the doctors place came to clean up with a smile. While chatting with her, I asked about the Shadow Guards injury and heard that he needed to lie down for more than a month before getting out of bed. Hey, he just said that he was already fine and started going everywhere; it turned out that this guy lied to me again. I angrily shoved the Shadow Guard back into bed, reprimanding him for a long while. The Shadow Guards small, pale face was hidden in the covers, and he listened quietly to my criticism, very pitifully. Before I left, the Shadow Guard opened his mouth, seeming to have misgivings. This servant Although I am overstepping my boundaries, I have some questions I would like to ask Master. Did you not hear anything I said just now? The doctor wants you to rest, so rest first. I blew out the candle for him and moved out of the room step by step, feeling my way along in the dark. There will be ample time for it, we are in no hurry. The inner room was extremely quiet, and there was a long pause before a barely audible thank you was heard. CH 5 I got up in the middle of the night to clear up my thoughts, not knowing what time it was only that it wasnt bright outside yet. On the way back to the room, I saw a figure standing in the courtyard, and getting a very familiar feeling, I couldnt help but take a closer look. The Shadow Guards eyes were expressionless; he was standing blankly with his head hanging. A long sword was thrown on the ground, the blade covered in cracks. I called a few times, but he didnt seem to hear. I could only step forward and pat his shoulder. He was very slow to react, practically shaming his identity as a martial artist as he blankly turned his head back, but I was shocked: his eyes were red, and he looked like he was about to cry. At this time of day, why arent you sleeping well, instead of enduring the cold wind? The Shadow Guard replied, This servant has been trained since childhood, practicing the sword at this time every day, and has never slackened. Yup, the conversation last night had all been in vain, and I became somewhat annoyed. The doctor ordered you to rest, you shouldnt mess around. Dont train anymore. Indeed, I dont need to train anymore. He trembled as he bent down, touching the sword, and his tone was full of pain. In this lifeIll never be able to pick up a sword again His surging mood made me too scared to speak. The people I had known didnt really have any emotional ups and downs, and I had never seen others being so emotional. I didnt know how to comfort him at the moment, so I dumbly squatted next to him and waited for him to finish crying. After he had calmed down a little, he looked up, though his eyes were still intimidating to me, dim and dark. This servant is already useless, unable to protect Master. I beg Master to grant me death. Hey, I cant, I cant!! If you have any injuries, then just take care of them well. If you dont have the skills, then practice again from the start. Why are you saying this nonsense? I know that even if people in this era are free from illness and disaster, they still inevitably grow old and die, but they actually treat life and death as more ordinary things than we do. Yet this word I never even dared to touch: the longer we live, the more cowardly we become. This servant does not understand. Keeping a useless person like me, what is the point He started voicing his grievances again. When did you ever become useless!! You can use chopsticks, cook food, wash your face I spoke sincerely, praising all of these things one by one, then put my hand on his back and said, My knowledge level is pretty much that of a newborn, and there are so many things I need to learn. You can think of all this as being my companion. I comforted him for a long time, coaxing him, and stuffed him back into bed and tucked him in, and it wasnt until then that his expression became a bit more normal. I sighed softly, thinking about his heavily injured body when I first met him, not knowing what calamity he had suffered, while I, a little flower in a greenhouse, still needed him to take care of me. I couldnt help but feel guilty. Right, whats your name? I finally remembered this problem. Other people always call you that follower. Very disrespectful. After all, in front of this God of Creation, everyone is equal. The light that had just appeared in his eyes vanished again. People from Nightrunner never have names Although I was given a name by my former master, I have already been expelled, and have no right to mention it. He looked depressed again, and I regretted it, feeling like I had dropped a stone on my own foot, and hurried to say: Then I can give you a new name? He became a bit happier. Naturally. It is an honor. It was nice to say, but coming up with a name was another thing entirely. How the hell would I come up with a name when I didnt even have one myself? But my face remained undisturbed, pretending to be calm. When coming up with your names, are there any rules? People from Nightrunner are usually given the surname Ye.* The name itself can be given as the master pleases. *Ye = ҹ, meaning night Okay, I got it. I need to carefully think about this for a while. Allow me to consider it for a few days. I felt I had replied to the topic successfully, and even wanted to applaud myself in my heart. The Shadow Guard, now obviously in a much better mood, then asked, May I know Masters name? I dont have a name I said this half-sentence normally, but the Shadow Guards face changed, and he returned to his previous deferential stance. Im sorry, this servant has overstepped his boundaries No no no no no no no slow down. I quickly moved to stop him from returning to despair. I really dont have a name, so let me explain it like this. The place I came from is very special; names had no legal effects, so they were gradually abandoned. We all only had serial numbers, no names But this is truly not very convenient. I rubbed my chin, but couldnt think up any pleasant-sounding names. How about this? You can give me one. The Shadow Guard was stunned. Where is there such a rule? Just think of it as saving me from misery. I prudently patted his shoulder. The Shadow Guard was stunned for a long time, but seeing that I looked solemn, he grew serious. He turned his head to think for a while. This servant doesnt know anything about Master, and doesnt know where to start. Let me ask, Master, what ambitions do you have? I was at a loss. I only know that I wont end up being mediocre. Master, are you interested in politics? Or I didnt have any ideas, so I hastily replied, Being above ten thousand people, that will do. He looked bewildered and uncertain, but stabilized his thoughts after a little while. Because Master intends to have power over the country, he can take the surname Jun.* Xuanji Yuheng is an instrument of the Emperor to measure the heavens. Master has great ambitions, so this servant dares to choose the name Xuanheng. *Jun = , meaning noble Jun Xuanheng I absolutely liked this name. Feeling extremely pleased, I jumped up and hugged him in satisfaction. The Shadow Guard was caught off guard by my attack. In embarrassment, he added, Its just a servant naming his master. Its really an absurd fantasy,* and if it is talked about in the future, I fear it will insult the masters reputation *absurd fantasy = 췽ҹ̷ (tian fang ye tan), refers to the classic story The Arabian Nights but is used as a metaphor My eyes lit up. Thats it! Huh?? Ye TanYe Tan. I repeated it over, thinking it was both beautiful and memorable, and even followed the Nightrunner naming rules. You will be called Ye Tan. When he finally reacted, he too seemed a little excited. Ye Tan thanks Master for granting this name. If this is the case, you actually thought of both names by yourself. After pushing the boat with the current* and getting an easy ride, I couldnt help but start to feel guilty. *pushing the boat with the current = ˳ˮ, idiom, to take advantage of the situation for ones own benefit This work is a natural success. It is a case of being accidentally created by a skilled hand, he quietly said. Master is really a fascinating person. I told him that since we both had names now, we could begin calling each other by name, but he was incredibly stubborn and refused to agree with this in any way. I decided I could slowly guide him in the future, so I let him go to sleep first. After closing the door and going out, I found that it was already bright daytime. I heard that you shouldnt sleep after dawn? Can I still sleep? CH 6 Just as I was hesitating, I saw the drowsy-eyed doctors apprentices getting up to work. I wrung my hands and lamented: Jun Xuanheng-ah, Jun Xuanheng, the common people are ordinary, yet are diligent and hardworking. You call yourself the God of Creation, but you only think of sleeping. How can this be endured? Im already not even as good as an ordinary person, and there is a poor, fragile little guard who needs to be fed. I absolutely cant just do nothing like this anymore. It is important to find the method of turning on plug-ins as early as possible. I exchanged a few words with the hostess and asked her to take care of Ye Tan on my behalf. This youngster is really worrisome. Ill go back to the inn to get the codebook*, and I should be back in time to eat lunch. *codebook = book of plug-in codes from the first chapter, MC left it at the inn they were staying at As I was on the way there, I thought of something. The boss at Nightrunner had mentioned that once a Shadow Guard takes a master, he is employed for life. But Ye Tan had said last night that hed had other masters before. I wondered what went wrong in the middle. Or was one of the two lying? It was a pity that I had too little information, and I couldnt figure it out no matter how much I thought about it. I saw the signboard of the inn from a distance, but also saw the entrance was surrounded by numerous servants dressed in uniform, like the servants of some famous family. Everyone was gathered around the entrance, obstructing my way, and I could only push them aside one by one to get in. There were no other diners in the hall since earlier aside from a sturdily dressed swordsman sitting in the middle, slamming his sword hilt impatiently with an unfriendly expression. The shopkeeper next to him kept trying to soothe him with tea, and was profusely apologizing. I finally parted the crowd, stepped into the store, and went straight towards the stairs. After not even taking two steps, I felt that I had attracted all the eyes around me, as if they were piercing me from behind. I heard the swordsman snort out, Youve got some guts. The shopkeeper came back to his senses, pointing at me. He came back, it was this young master. He is not Yue Changsheng, the swordsman said intimidatingly, and stood up. Ridiculous. Someone even dares to fool the Zhongli Court. How could this be?! When he stayed here the day before, the attendant personally wrote the pledge How would anyone dare to pretend to be the guest of the master of Zhongli Court The shopkeeper was losing his head out of fear, hurriedly trying to explain himself. I considered a few of these words. Perhaps they were talking about me? So I glanced back. With just this glance, it was as if my facial features charmed the crowd. Not only was the swordsman lost for a moment, but there was even more commotion at the entrance. I know, they are intimidated by the special effects surrounding me. They definitely think that I am so beautiful, as if glowing. Actually, Im literally fucking glowing. Interesting. Although its not Yue Changsheng, this will probably not disappoint the Noble Young Master. He turned around and stopped looking at me, and briefly ordered, Take him away. The surrounding guards with knives obeyed in unison, and they carried me away in a well-trained manner. I was held above the heads of the crowd, and took the time to ask: Where are you going? I have an appointment to go back for lunch, will I be back in time by noon? Oh thats not right, I came to get something My book Dont worry, you are indispensable. Without looking back, the swordsman got on his horse. The crowd of servants who were watching at the entrance of the store conscientiously cleared a path. They might have seen that I was sincere and not struggling, and allowed me to finally be put back on the ground. I couldnt really understand the situation and could only follow them, but after just taking a few steps, I saw Ye Tan break in. He had already changed into light-colored clothes, and his wounds seemed to have opened up again, spots of blood seeping out. When I saw him, I was simply so angry that I saw stars. How many times had I told him to nicely lie down and recuperate? Was it that hard?? Was it hard?!! Was it?!!! Ye Tans forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was trembling slightly. I wanted to go support him, but I was blocked. Only then did I start feeling a bit angry. The swordsman looked at him condescendingly, but also seemed a bit pleased. Oh it turns out to be you. Ze Que. Ye Tan closed his eyes, his expression painful. These two knew each other? Then shouldnt it be much easier to communicate now? And this swordsman also seemed to look very happy Ive been waiting for this day for a long time. Ze Que jumped off his horse and steadily gripped the hilt of his sword. Come on, let me see it, the Second Young Master of Zhongli Courts strongest trump card, the ten year Yakshas military prestige He paused and suddenly asked, Where is your sword? Ye Tan said, Its broken. Its broken? You actually said its broken? Ze Ques trace of joy turned into a murderous aura, flooded with rage, in an instant, and he spoke bitterly. Even your sword is broken, so why dont you go and die? Such nonsense!!! Mentioning the pot that doesnt boil!!!!* *Mention the pot that doesnt boil = idiom, to touch a sore spot I! With great difficulty! Painstakingly! Swindled and deceived! And only then could I comfort him!! You guys! Are seriously! Just making trouble!! Im so pissed! I still cant die. Ye Tans voice was very soft. I still have to protect my master. I looked back at him, and just happened to catch his steady gaze. My heart was in high spirits: I have been persuading and talking sense into him for days; has it finally become effective? Ze Que approached him step by step and sneered. Master? What a joke. The Second Young Master has already banished you. Youre just a stray dog; who would want to keep a piece of rubbish like you? Pah, youre the one whos rubbish. My Shadow Guard is quite fine. This God of Creation couldnt even bear to scold him, but how dare the little noob be so arrogant. There was a sudden sound of wind, my vision went dark for a second, and I was already pushed away. Ze Ques movement was too fast. I fell on the ground and rolled two laps before I felt the pain. Compared with the small cut from before, it was more severe by an innumerable amount of times, and I could only desperately hold back my tears. The physical body is surely full of suffering wuwawuwa. Ye Tan anxiously guarded me, but the truth was that he had no sword and lost all his martial arts skills, so he really couldnt put up much of a struggle. So its like this Your new master is this rubbish? Ze Que was amused by him. Although he suits the current you very well. Ye Tan ignored him, carefully supporting me up, and wiped the sticky blood from around my mouth. Ze Que finished laughing, his voice becoming sinister again. Yaksha, youre so ridiculous, yet you are also truly hateful The noble Young Master treated you with the courtesy of being the best warrior in the country, but you were conceited and forceful, and never looked up to him directly. And now, you cant even return one move from me. What kind of person is the Second Young Master, that the one succeeding him as your master is this kind of flower vase* rubbish? *flower vase = idiom, just a pretty face with no brains Sigh sigh, Im not your match, so I concede defeat. Ill die an honorable death. After I mocked him, I conveniently laid down my neck. It was actually quite clear to me that I was about to be chopped, and this save file would be doomed. Its all my fault for forgetting to write the method for turning on plug-ins in the manual. Hmph, wait until I load the file next time. Ill change the value of my Shadow Guard to a hundred times higher than yours, and beat you while hanging you on an electric fan. Ill turn it up to the max, the kind that revolves at lightning speed. I rolled my eyes and slandered him a while, but when I recovered my spirit and saw Ye Tans eyes, my heart suddenly tightened. I have let you down, Master. IIf I were still at my prime, I would never have let Master suffer this humiliation. He sighed quietly. If only it was you that I met in the beginning then it would be good Ah, thats right. For him, this is goodbye forever. Next time, even if I load the file and start over again, will he still be this crumpled Shadow Guard? I was suddenly a bit unwilling. I didnt know what kind of warm liquid dripped on my face, unable to tell if it was blood or tears. The last thing I saw was the Shadow Guard approaching me. He slowly closed his eyes, and my vision went dark. My breathing and heartbeat stopped. CH 7 As my bodys functions ceased, a familiar system notification popped up by my ears. Dingdong~ Fuck, I entered the modifier interface!!!! Everyone celebrate yooooooooooo!!! Before my eyes were densely packed numbers and charts, with new notifications popping up from time to time. After thinking about it day and night, I had finally accessed this familiar interface again, and I truly wanted to fill the screen with 30 ecstatic dancing frog memes to express my feelings of revelry. I roughly scanned through it, finding that the screen was full of various pieces of data from this world, but many options were grayed out. I knew that this meant I would need to go to the local server to obtain system permissions, which could be in the form of a secret key, or a physical server. In any case, in the middle were a few basic options for the main character, and the file had already been named Jun Xuanheng. It seemed that this row of data contained my ability stats. [Jun Xuanheng]-[Edit][Save] HP: 30/100 Cultivation: 5 Agility: 5 Defense: 5 Experience: 5 Wisdom: 5- System permissions Martial Arts: None Money: 0 Prestige: None C System permissions Position: None C System permissions There were many categories listed under my file name, but I scanned only the beginning in a hurry. Looking at the introduction, the average persons full HP would be a maximum of 100, and the 70 that I was missing had just been emptied out by that Ze Que guy. I actually didnt know the specific meaning and effects of this data, but by visual estimation it seemed similar to playing games. After thinking about which ones I should prioritize, I conveniently added a few more 0s in the HP box, allowing me to take more hits, since you can never be too prepared. Then I clicked to the cultivation level box, and as I was changing it I saw a very eye-catching option next to it. >>>Open the real-time monitoring window? [Off] Real time? Oh right, I dont know whats going on with Ye Tan I clicked it easily, and a small projection window popped up next to it. Ye Tan was holding my corpsewhen my consciousness cut to the modifier window, there was no sign of life, and he genuinely thought that I was already deadresigning himself to death in the oncoming rain of arrows. I was so scared that I gave a start, knocking the ESC button before I realized what I was doing, and exited the window. I threw myself onto Ye Tan and hugged him, rolling aside. He was in a daze, as if frightened into stupidity by the sudden movement of my corpse, and my brain was even more blank: Fuck, did I save it just now???!!! This ultimate cosmic problem that has occurred with every living being in the world, quickly got an answer. The position we landed in after rolling aside was still not very good, and much of the rain of arrows landed on us. I braced myself over Ye Tan and tried my best to shield him, feeling a burst of bone-piercing pain in my back. Even though it hurt a lot, I could feel that it didnt result in any major injuries. If I were still the little slag with only 30 HP, I would definitely have already breathed my last. I was moved to tears: I saved it!! The good habit of saving that I developed over the years rescued my life once over!! Wuwuwuwuwu, I love myself!! Hugging myself and crying!! In just an instant, Ye Tan experienced an unknowable amount of grief and joy, so his brain was evidently not very quick. He held my face and said, You are crying? Pah, Im not crying, these are tears of joy. This Creator God has been useless for so many days, bullied and humiliated by bad guys, and now he is finally turning over his fate to be a big boss!! I was going to get up and immediately exert some tyrannical abuse, but Ye Tan held me down in fear and pulled me back into his arms. Master, your back has been severely injured. You absolutely must not be hurt any further He tried his best to hold me down, but strange to say, I felt that as long as I used some force, I could definitely push him away. Just a few days ago, he could easily lift me up while I was curled up, so he surely has a lot of strength. I was suspicious, and remembered that before I had exited the modifier, my cursor was still in the cultivation box. I dont know, when my mind was in a state of turmoil in the cultivation box how many 0s did I end up putting?? Ze Que also saw the sudden movement of my corpse from a distance and came over with his sword, ready to land another few strikes. Ye Tan probably thought that I was going to send over my head* and blocked my path, refusing to let go, so I could only hold his hand affectionately. *send over my head = ͷ, basically asking to be killed His face was flushed at first, and I dont know what brilliant thoughts crossed his mind, but when he finally realized, his complexion changed again. Master, why is your internal strength suddenly so He didnt know how to continue, as he had probably never seen such a sudden surge of abundant and profound cultivation. I myself didnt even know how many 0s I had typed, so I could only assume that it was definitely universally shocking. After giving him some internal strength to protect his spiritual vein, I patted Ye Tan on the shoulder to comfort him, and he finally let go. I got up and adjusted my clothes, then looked around to see if there were any available props for me to use. Seeing the steamed buns scattered on the ground, I picked one up and weighed it in my hand for a bit. A lot of rubble and bricks had fallen in the previous struggle, but I didnt want to put peoples lives in danger, so I definitely couldnt use those. And this steamed bun is soft and mild, yet elastic, with a thin skin and a big filling, leaving a delicious taste in the mouthWait, how did I start eating it? After composing myself, I hurriedly took the steamed bun out of my mouth. I felt an abundance of inner strength wandering through my whole body, and suddenly feeling not quite reassured, I spoke solemnly to Ze Que, who was close at hand: Dont come here. Once this steamed bun goes down, you might die. When these words floated to his ears, they became an arrogant provocation to him. Ze Ques sword energy became appallingly sinister, and I could see he was trying his best to control his rage as he unsheathed his cold sword inch by inch. My current advantage was only my blood bank and internal strength. Although I was resistant to beating, it would still be over for me if my head went flying. Ze Que was a legitimate martial artist, and I couldnt compete with him in terms of speed, and if we really started fighting Id be nothing more than an ATM But if I didnt kill him, hed also kill Ye Tan. Sigh, Ill just treat it as fighting monsters to upgrade my level I squeezed the soft steamed bun, half bitten, injected a bit of internal force, and gently tossed it out. The moment I let go, the soft object was transformed into steel, roaring and rushing away with the momentum of thunder, bringing a sudden burst of strong wind through the sky and earth, and the only sound that could be heard was a booming through the heavens. In its path it knocked down several houses, causing smoke and dust to obscure the sight, and it was so startling that everyone forgot to even cry out in alarm. The only remaining sound was that of the last house crumbling to pieces, lingering in the ear. I think, Im super awesome. When the dust was half cleared, the people standing around were choked up and couldnt stop coughing. Ze Que gradually emerged from the dust, still maintaining the posture of drawing his sword. It was only that the sword and sheath had been cut in half, blood was seeping from his arms, and it even seemed that the bone was visible. He was so terrified that he couldnt feel the pain at all, and he didnt even notice the sword falling to the ground. II threw crooked?? I was also stunned for a minute, but after recovering from the failure of pretending to be awesome, I hid my embarrassment by shaking out my clothes. It seemed that the effects were pretty good, so I stopped caring about this trivial deviation. Just as I was about to ask Ye Tan to take credit, I saw a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating something was off. I assumed that it was because he stood too close to me just now and had been injured by the force of my sword energy. It was all because I got addicted to being awesome and forgot to worry about others, causing him to suffer again sigh. This whole body of injuries I dont know how he could move. When I turned around, I just happened to see the precious horses and magnificent carriage that Ze Que brought, and cheerfully requisitioned it. As I had just shown my earth-shaking hand, each of the attendants treated me with great respect. My first ever act of robbery had unexpectedly very pleasant results. Lets go. I brought the carriage over and called for Ye Tan to get on. Ye Tan still hadnt recovered his spirit, and asked me blankly, Where to? I carried him back into the carriage and held his wrist to transfer over my internal force, saying, I hope we can still make it to lunch. CH 8 The scenery was bright and beautiful at noon, and a bird call outside the window pulled me back to my senses. I found that the porcelain cup in my hand had been crushed into dust. Ye Tan, who was wearing a single layer of clothing, leaning at the bedside and flipping through a book, glanced at me indifferently, no longer surprised at these strange occurrences. At the beginning, he would anxiously check if I had been scratched by the porcelain, but the hearts of the people have been degenerated.* *hearts of the people = idiom, meaning men are not how they used to be I cant stay in this medicine hall any longer. I sighed, shaking the dust off my sleeves. From when I came back yesterday at noon until now, Ive already crushed 37 cups from the doctors place. Doctor Ren is really going to curse at me. Last time I changed the data too much, and now I was unable to control the absurdly great power in my body. During this period, I was in a tense mental state to preserve my strength, but as long as I was a little bit distracted, my hands would create a dilapidated scene. My willpower was quickly dwindling, on the edge of falling apart at any moment. What had caused the falling-apart the most was that I seriously didnt remember how I entered the modifier last time, and now I couldnt change it back no matter how much I tried. Ah Tan*, do you remember yesterday in the moment just before my faked death, what exactly did we do? I was unable to figure out the critical points in the situation, and feeling a little irritable, I knocked on the table gently. *adding Ah in front of names is a form of endearment The entire rosewood table immediately collapsed, covering the ground with broken pieces. Fuck. Master, you could lie down and talk, Ye Tan suggested cautiously. But I have already collapsed two beds, I painfully refused. Cups and tables could perhaps be overlooked, but with things like beds, a broken one is a missing one. But I really do have to think about this matter. Ill go lie down in the courtyard. I softly and quietly opened the door and went out, and Ye Tan also put down his book and got up. That is also good, this servant will accompany you to sunbathe for a while. I nodded, concentrated my attention, struck up one hundred thousand points of consciousness, and with fear and trepidation, like I was walking on thin ice, I carried the reclining chair from the inner room to the courtyard. Putting it on the ground gently, I cautiously backed away several steps before finally letting out a breath. You cant stand for a long time, lie and rest for a while. Master, I cant. How could this servant be so disrespectful? I was familiar with his hard to coax temperament, but I really didnt have the energy to appease him. Ah Tan, Im really very tired, please spare me. He pursed his lips, and unexpectedly followed my advice and sat down immediately. So effortless. I was astonished. It turns out that, towards the Shadow Guard, acting miserable is much more effective than appeasing him. I firmly noted this in my heart. I removed the weeds and lay down in the middle of the courtyard. The stone and bricks were not very level, and they pressed on me very uncomfortably, but it could still be considered finally being able to relax for a moment. Ah Tan. Hm? Being alive is really so hard. The condition for opening the plug-ins, what was it exactly? Object? Action? Ritual? Words? I closed my eyes and recalled the situation carefully. I was beaten and thrown by Ze Que, rolled around a few times, and then was supported by Ye Tan. It didnt seem that I encountered anything special, so the trigger condition shouldnt be an object. Ah Tan, what did you say at the time? Can you say it again? After thinking so hard to no avail, I had to ask for outside help. Ye Tan kept silent, so I urged him again, and only then did he respond with a faint mosquito noise. This servant said If I were still at my prime, I would never have let Master suffer this humiliation. What was the other sentence? Ye Tan refused to say it in any way. I turned over and got up, saying earnestly: Ah Tan, can you still move? Is it possible for you to bear it and repeat your actions back then? I knew that this was not favorable for his injuries, but it probably wouldnt change much. Without asking for further opinion, I carried him to the ground, arranging us into the posture from that time, and leaned into his arms. Ye Tans movements were stiff, and his expression was even more amazing. I thought about my own lines, and took the lead in the play: Im not your match, so I concede defeat. Okay, Ah Tan, its your turn. My expression was eager, but Ye Tan seemed a bit overwhelmed, turning his head away and speaking in a small voice: If only it was you that I met in the beginning, then it would be good The sound of the birds was sweet, the warm wind blew by our ears, the quiet world was peaceful and good, and nothing at all changed. No one spoke for a while, and all I saw was the tips of Ye Tans ears turning bright red in the sunlight. I was greatly disappointed. It seemed that launching the program wasnt using words either. Whats missing? Action? This situation seemed to be just the same as it was then, with nothing missing I was suddenly blessed with knowledge: Ye Tan! Back then, did you kiss me?! Ye Tan was scared into shock, absolutely denying it. There was no such thing!! But there was, right?! Although afterwards I passed out and lost consciousness, I remember seeing your eyelashes extremely close to me, I rejoiced. Ah Tan, quick, kiss me again!! Ye Tan was in a panic, trying to push me away, but I naturally refused to let go, hugging him and grabbing him over. Seeing him with a flustered expression, I suddenly had a guilty feeling as if I was harassing a young maiden, so I quickly tried to calm him down, saying, Dont be afraid, I Sigh, I have No other alternative. My expression became sour, and after I started acting miserable, Ye Tan finally calmed down a bit. Seeing the opportunity, I aimed at that place and pecked him. Hit! Yes!! He was struggling desperately just before, but after I actually kissed him he instead stopped moving, probably scared into stupidity. But the kiss was kissed, and yet I was still unable to launch the modifier. I wondered if the position was wrong, so I pressed against his lips again and tried a few different angles, but there was still no improvement. Greatly disappointed 2 I had already tried all the methods I could think of, and was finally at my wits end. Sad and heartbroken, I was like an eggplant beaten with frost* as I let go slowly, moving away from Ye Tans lips. * eggplant beaten with frost = proverb, meaning someone with a wilted mentality I didnt even move a few inches before I could no longer move any further. I didnt realize Ye Tan had moved his hand to support the back of my neck, his fingers slipping into my hair, caressing upwards inch by inch. Im sorry, Master. I This servant didnt mean to refuse you. He apologized in a low voice, closing his eyes and pressing up again. His thin lips were boiling hot and his breathing was soft. Please dont show such an expression. ????? No?? Brother, have you misunderstood something???? CH 9 I couldnt figure out how to put an end to all this embarrassment, so I shoved Ye Tan back into the room, probably because my mind was too muddled. But before closing the door, I saw that the Shadow Guards eyes were bright, so I assumed it wasnt a bad thing. In order to save the fragile beds of the doctors place, I lay down again in the middle of the courtyard and continued to get caught up in my misgivings. It wasnt until the sun moved westward and stars covered the curtain of night that I fell into a deep sleep. I didnt realize when, unable to make heads or tails of it, I had somehow clipped into the modifier interface again. Coming directly from the land of dreams, I didnt immediately realize what had happened, but as I was contemplating, I saw the projection from the real-time monitor. At this time, the sky was already gradually getting brighter, and Ye Tan was leaning over and half-kneeling beside my sleeping body, his hair hanging down and covering my face. Isnt he really kissing me?!! I didnt guess wrong!! Launching the program was really the result of Ye Tan kissing me?! This is alarming. What was I thinking when I set this activating condition?! What happened during the 75 years of preparation?! Was there something wrong with my brain??? Though I was shocked, I also diligently tried to figure it out: it was the same action during the day, but it had failed to activate the panel successfully. Could the difference be that I took the initiative during the day? Maybe its that Ye Tan has to take the initiative, while I cant know it myself, so I have to be kissed secretly?? With this conclusion, I felt more and more that I was really toxic. On the other side, Ye Tan was already satisfied, standing up. He was holding a square plate in his hand, along with a few sets of bowls and chopsticks. It seemed that he had just gone to get breakfast and returned. I composed myself and hurriedly went to change the data. In the cultivation box, there were no less than 7 extra zeroes, making the number 50000000. It seemed that I had been truly very startled at the time I deleted a few zeroes shamefully, but I didnt know what number would be the standard. Was there anything I could use as a reference? The data of the people I had met recently happened to show up on the side. Ye Tans martial arts were completely gone, and all the values ??were so extremely low that they were useless as a reference. The other statistics were of ordinary people, which were also all very low, so I searched some moreAh. Here it was Ze Que. His stats were truly very impressive, and copying it wouldnt have been excessive, but there was something strange that caught my attention. The column indicating his life energy HP unexpectedly showed: HP: 40/3000 What happened? The upper limit of 3000 is natural for a good warrior, but now only 40 points were left. Didnt this mean that he was on the verge of dying? I was a bit curious, but I couldnt turn on real-time monitoring on his side. The option was grayed out, requiring me to first obtain administrator rights. I had to give up, so I went to change other things first. I copied Ze Ques data almost exactly, but added 500 more for each item. This way, even if I had to fight him in the future, I could at least easily protect Ye Tan and retreat. After saving my ability stats, I felt much more relieved. Next was what excited me the most, thoughmoney! How much should I change it to? I need at least enough to pay the inn Pah, I cant be that poor. I want to buy ten big mansions, hire a hundred chefs, open up gourmet restaurants, and collect many, many beds. I never want to sleep on limestone again in my life, truly! Hmph, lets make it one hundred million taels first. If its not enough, Ill add more! I smugly entered a series of 0s, cheerfully hitting Enter. A prompt popped up: [By default, excess gold coins are placed in the main characters surroundings. Confirm?] Confirm. A golden light flashed, and swoosh swoosh swoosh, there was an enormous amount of gold in the yard, piled layer after layer even higher than the ceilings. The entire courtyard was bursting full of gold in an instant, and not being able to fit inside, it could only continue to spread out, persistently manifesting on the streets outside. The gold bars made branches bend and made ceilings collapse, flowing everywhere like a mountainous flash flood. For a moment, the medical hall was bright and bejeweled, dazzling inside and out. Ye Tan was scared into shock by this magnificent scene, and his hands trembled, making the porcelain plates he was holding shatter all over the ground. Immediately afterwards, the interface suddenly turned red, and with a beep, I was forced to exit the modifier. When I opened my eyes, Ye Tan was looking back at me. The plates in his hands were steady, and the porcelain dishes and bowls were properly placed inside. The surroundings contained only a cool breeze blowing gently, without a trace of gold. This beep, Im familiar with. This is. System. Fucking. Retraction. Just then, as the modifier encountered an error and I was kicked out, it was accompanied by a few lines: [Error Prompt: Previous operation triggered the suspicion of too many people in this world. System has retracted the file.] [Remaining system retractions: 1/3] [If the number of retractions exceeds the limit, this world will shut down permanently.] Ive played too much. CH 10 In these few days I had experienced great joy and also great grief, and it had made me very exhausted. After I finished digging through my lunch, it was as if I was lost in a state of disappointment, and I only wanted to go to sleep again. Ye Tan raised his eyebrows and said: Masters physical condition seems to have suddenly improved. Thats right, I could now sit on a chair at the table to eat a meal like a normal person, which was remarkable progress. Rubbing between his eyebrows, Ye Tan asked again, Is there anything troubling Master? I have some questions to ask you. After this meal, I had been able to rest my thoughts for a while, so I carefully sorted out the events of the past few days. I dont know if these things have anything to do with me. If youre unwilling to mention it, I wont force you. Ye Tan respectfully said, Master, please continue. I nodded. First, I went back to the inn yesterday to pick up a book. Why would someone want to capture me? Who is Ze Que and what is his objective? In his speech, he mentioned Yue Changsheng, so who is Yue Changsheng? Second, Ze Que said that you were banished by the Second Young Master, so who is the Second Young Master? Was he also your former master? But a few days ago at Nightrunner, the shopkeeper clearly said that Shadow Guards were employed for life, so why did you change masters? Also I paused, not wanting to touch on his past, but I was truly curious. Ze Que seems to be very interested in your swordsmanship, so what is the actual reason you lost all your martial arts? The questions were asked, yet no answer could be heard. Ye Tan seemed to have completely forgotten the etiquette of avoiding my eyes and was silently staring at me. Im sorry. It might involve hurtful past events for you I hurriedly waved my hands around. Its fine if you dont want to talk about it. I just asked without thinking. Master has misunderstood. This servant is just a bit surprised, Ye Tan said meaningfully. It turns out that Master has been thinking so carefully, this servant did not realize it. I apprehensively thought: is he praising or insulting me? The first thing is indeed this servants fault. This servant wrote down Zhongli Court Yue Changsheng. Yue Changsheng is the most favored guest of Zhongli Courts Eldest Young Master, Zhongli Zixu. For living expenses in and out of the city, as long as this name is given, Zhongli Court will take care of it. It was this servant who dared to assume Master was him, because except for Yue Changsheng this servant cannot find a second person with such an appearance as Master. Ye Tan lowered his head, apologetic. Unfortunately, this servant is dumb, and guessed wrong. It even caused Master to put himself in danger; the blame is all on me. So where is Zhongli Court? Zhongli Court is east of Changluo by a hundred li,* a centuries-old prestigious family well-known in both the light and dark paths. Nowadays, the Eldest Young Master has a prodigal temperament, indulging and playing around everywhere, while everything in and out is organized by the Second Young Master. The Second Young Master is uniquely intelligent and successful in business, not only winning the support of many Jianghu sects, but also making connections with influential officials in Chaozhong, and has been like the sun at noon* these past two years. Ze Que is one of the best swordsmen under the command of the Eldest Young Master, and his name is famous in the present age. *li = traditional Chinese unit of measurement, equivalent to half a kilometer *like the sun at noon = idiom, referring to things at their prime Thats weird. I rubbed my chin. Dont you think something is wrong? This servant does not dare to guess Masters thoughts. I sighed. Can we just have a nice conversation? Ye Tan said, with great respect, It is Nightrunners orders that we only take care of killing people, not ask what is right or wrong. I suddenly felt the road ahead was long and endless, covering my face with a sigh. Ye Tan hurriedly said: If Master orders it this servant will try his best. At this, I finally nodded with satisfaction. You young ones are worth teaching. Ye Tan lowered his head and thought about it, then said: This servant dares to guess that, since Yue Changsheng is a favored guest, Ze Que would have known that Master was faking his identity before he arrived if he was still at their residence. Yes, not only is Yue Changsheng not at Zhongli Court, but his whereabouts are unknown to anyone. I nodded in agreement, then continued, But that doesnt really have anything to do with us. Ye Tan anxiously said, But Master beat Ze Que, which could also be considered an insult to the reputation of Zhongli Court. They have been going smoothly with the current* for many years; Im afraid they wont swallow their anger. *going smoothly with the current = idiom, being successful without any obstacles He was willing to speak normally, so I became happy and asked, That Second Young Master, was he your former master? Ye Tan was flustered for quite a while, before replying: Yes. I waited quietly for a long time, until he spoke again: Second Young Master, heZhongli Zixi is one of the most talented and outstanding heroes of the present day. Whether it be literary skill or martial arts, nothing is difficult for him. Unfortunately, my skills were not proficient or strong enough to protect my master, and my martial arts were destroyed. The Second Young Master was capable with noble aspirations, and keeping me was useless, so he returned me to Nightrunner. I thought it was strange and said: Then why did the boss at Nightrunner say it was employment for life? Actually, those words are not exactly wrong. Ye Tan sighed. The Shadow Guards of Nightrunner can be returned. Its just that since the establishment of Nightrunner, no one has ever been returned This servant can be considered the first case in history. So why is that? Because Ye Tan gazed out the window, and there seemed to be emotions surging in his eyes, The procedure of sending someone back to Nightrunner, is a thousand times more troublesome than killing the Shadow Guard directly. I frowned. For us Shadow Guards who arent even fit to have a name, death and injuries are trivial and common. But to return a Shadow Guard, the master must take the Shadow Guard back and forth between the branch office and the headquarters, consuming a lot of resources and effort to fill out all kinds of certifications, and establish contact with people high and low at Nightrunner, getting them to agree to take back such a disgraceful degenerate. People who buy Shadow Guards are all wealthy and respectable, so who would be willing to waste their energy running about for a worthless untouchable? It would be better to kill them simply and easily. I couldnt help but sit speechless. This Second Young Master did not hesitate to save your life at all costs; he probably really liked you. My mouth twitched as I spoke. Ye Tan seemed shocked. What nonsense are you talking about? I cocked my head to the side. Ye Tan, tell me honestly, if I didnt buy you that day, what would have become of you? Ye Tan calmly replied, This servant definitely could not last two nights. Isnt that really weird? I shrugged. Zhongli Zixi insisted on saving your life, but then didnt heal your wounds. Whats going on in that mind of his? The Second Young Master is a dragon and phoenix among people*, and his thoughts this servant has never understood. *dragon and phoenix among people = idiom, a genius / great person I squinted at him and thought over it several times, and felt increasingly that there was something more to Ye Tans words. So as not to interrupt his reminiscing, I unhurriedly got up and went out. As I was just about to leave the courtyard, Ye Tan finally reacted. Master is going out? I curled up the corners of my mouth. To drink tea and pick up girls. CH 11 I was going to find Ze Que. In all honesty, I really wasnt talking about him when Id said to drink tea and pick up girls. It was just that my codebook wasnt at the inn, and the shopkeeper said my things had already been confiscated by the Zhongli Courts people long before. After thinking about it, Ze Que would probably know the most about it, but it seems that his life was hanging by a thread at the moment and I didnt know what the situation was.* *Refers to Chapter 9 when MC was able to access the plug-in interface, where he saw that Ze Ques HP was only 40/3000 After arriving at the city gates, my throat was parched. I truly wanted to drink some tea, but I truly had no money. I just so happened to not know the current level of my Qinggong,* so I locked onto a target in the crowd, intending to borrow some spending money. *Qinggong = martial arts technique of making the body extremely swift and light in weight An idle-looking, wealthy young master caught my eye, dressed lavishly in embroidery and furs, his words and actions impetuous, in the middle of teasing a girl from a brothel at the side of the road. I moved swiftly behind him and easily took hold of a purse. Hiding and opening it in an alley corner, I found that it was indeed so plump that it seemed to overflow with oil.* Thinking that the price of tea shouldnt be too high, I took only a few coins and then put the rest back as they were. *overflow with oil = oil is golden, so it refers to something very rich, or in this case, overflowing with money When I walked back out and looked, the loitering man was still flirting in the same place, so I proudly strolled over and tucked the purse back to his waist. A true master is daring, these words are not false. Now that I had funds, I entered the teahouse with my head raised and chest puffed. This little shop was worn and tattered and the tea was cheap, but the business was bustling and lively. After situating myself momentarily, I found that the town was full of life, with different people entering my sight one by one. The strong men gathered raucously and punched their friends, the married women whispered gossip such as the Dong familys is long and Li familys is short, and the street peddlers argued with red eyes. I was seeing everything with my own eyes for the first time, and it was truly fascinating. A few tables away, there were a few strong men who just so happened to mention the words Zhongli Court. So I picked up my teacup, calmly and quietly moving to a closer table. Yet, when I had just seated myself, a very familiar-looking person came smiling and laughing into the store. Yo, its a small world; it indeed happens to be that young master who I borrowed money from without permission. There were not many seats left in the store at this time, so he asked around at a few other tables, but none of them were willing to share a table with him. Turning his head and seeing the empty space near me, he smilingly came over and started talking. This little brother looks benevolent; is it possible for you to let this young master stay and rest here for a while? I was focused on eavesdropping on the people next to me, and only nodded in response. Both of us didnt speak, and after listening for a moment, I understood a bit more. Ye Tans words, The Eldest Young Master has a prodigal temperament, actually had another version here: Zhongli Zixu was addicted to beauty, not distinguishing between male and female, excessively licentious, and had slept with everyone in Zhongli Court. I picked up my teacup and respectfully offered a cup to the emptiness. Eldest Young Master, I respect you as a man. Cheers! Gulp gulp gulp gulp gulp. After sighing, I couldnt help but start worrying over this. Ye Tan was also once a member of Zhongli Court. I dont feel so good. Little brother, what are you doing? Seeing my inexplicable behavior, the rich young master couldnt help but ask. Respecting a strong man. I shook my head and stood up. I still have things to do. I will be leaving first. Youre leaving? Little brother and I were brought together by fate. Today, this young master will treat you to tea. The rich young master enthusiastically took my wrist and moved it to his waist. Just as I was about to decline, he started to exclaim, My purse is gone! When did I fall under the hands of a thief? So it turns out Im not the only thief who took a fancy to you. The rich young masters eyes spun around: I think little brothers bearing isnt ordinary, and must also be from an important family; would you please treat this young master to a cup of tea? I was in a hurry to leave, so after shoving a few coins back into his hand, I turned around and left. Would little brother tell me his name? So I can remember it later. The rich young master unforgivingly pulled on my sleeve and said, This young masters family name is Ye, I have no name, and I live just outside the city And what does that have to do with me? But I considered myself a thoroughly polite person, so I still replied: Jun Xuanheng. Nodding, I left swiftly. Once I left the city, I took a deep breath and started running wildly, but it ended in suffering because I didnt have directions. I went around and around, only finding the place by sunset. It turns out that Zhongli Court was not only a manor residence, but due to prosperous trade, a small town had actually formed around it. After asking around, I found that most of the shops in town were owned by subordinates of Zhongli Court, each one well-managed and prosperous. Thus, with those bold, visionary words about how the Eldest Young Master has done it with everyone in Zhongli Court stamped in my heart, I looked at the city full of old and young, feeling very uncomfortable. Zhongli Courts city walls were lofty and towering, sinking into the lush, dense forest. Avoiding the guards, I stealthily moved around the outside, finding that there was a long stretch on the north side with no one guarding it, and no lights or activity inside either. It looked very insecure, so I assumed it wasnt any important place, and I quieted my steps and sneakily entered. After randomly walking around for a bit, I started to notice the smell of blood filling the air. Under the bright and clear moonlight, I saw that the courtyard was covered in torture devices and shackles; this area was probably where corporal punishment was given. There was an area within eyesight that was lit up, and although no conversation could be heard, there was the sound of lashing. I held my breath and stealthily moved over, and sure enough, I saw a person bound to a torture frame, with only one guard beside him, who seemed bored to death as he hit him and counted the strikes at the same time. Seeing the man looking bloody and mangled, in an incomparably miserable state, my sense of justice naturally flared up. I lightly and quietly circled behind the guard and gave him a good blow in the back of the head, and he fell to the ground with a muffled sound. I found a few keys on the guards body, tried them out, and carefully carried the person down from the torture frame. He had already fallen into a partial coma; his pulse was weak and he was completely unconscious. It really was Ze Que. After going through several days of practice, my experience in caring for the wounded and the sick had reached great heights. I easily took him back to the town to find a medicinal hall and borrowed some money to stay there. I didnt send word the whole night. The next day I was afraid Ye Tan would get worried, so I went outside to buy some snacks, attached a note, and sent an errand runner to deliver it to Changluo. Of course, I didnt mention that I had already arrived at the doorstep of Zhongli Court; otherwise, that little brat Ye Tan would definitely come cause trouble again. When I went back to the medicinal hall in the afternoon, the doctor announced a bunch of things to me, none of which I understood except for that he hadnt woken up. I returned to Ze Ques bed and sat down next to it, and only then took a good look at Ze Ques appearance. With sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, a phoenix- and dragon-like beauty, he was a handsome young man. He has definitely been done by the Eldest Young Master. Thinking that waiting around would just be a waste of time, I transferred some of my internal force to him. Sure enough, after just a moment, he woke up a little bit and turned around, finally saw clearly that it was me, then immediately jumped up ready to fight for his life. Noble warrior, dont be too excited. I only wanted to ask you where my booklet went? I shook out the quilt, wrapped him tightly in a bundle and put my foot on him, and he finally became a bit more obedient. But the severity of these wounds were from the torture in your own household It couldnt be that you failed to capture me and were condemned by your master? Even if you were responsible, this is too cruel I received the punishment myself; it has nothing to do with you. Ze Que sniffed disdainfully. If its not because of me, could there be any other reasons? I thought about it, and felt that I wasnt just making stuff up in my head. Because I touched someone I shouldnt touch. Ze Que was probably injured too badly and his voice was very hoarse. The Second Young Master said that I shouldnt have touched Yaksha. Great. I was totally making stuff up in my head. CH 12 I asked straightforwardly about gossip involving the Second Young Master and Ye Tan, but Ze Que humphed and ignored me as expected. I thought for a while, then asked again, I heard on my way here, the Zhongli Eldest Young Master has slept with everyone in the entire Zhongli Court Nonsense! Ze Que punched the bed in anger. Even I dont have this honor! Me: ??? Isnt your thinking a little bit weird? So it turns out the rumors on the street about the Zhongli Eldest Young Master having a prodigal temperament are all just rumors The Eldest Young Master is unrestrained and magnanimous, having countless admirers; its understandable if he has some quick relationships. Ze Que spoke proudly, counting off a whole list of the Eldest Young Masters love affairs, seven working girls who served tea, the most well known names of eight brothels, nine leaders of martial arts sects, ten leaders of demonic sects Truly many different kinds, sure enough a strong man! I muttered to myself over and over, finally asking the question I cared about most: My familys little Shadow Guard used to be someone from Zhongli Court. I dont know if the Eldest Young Master has done cough, honored him? Even I have never! How would he get a turn! Ze Que was furious. Yes yes yes, noble warrior, you are a romantic and capable man. It is only that the Eldest Young Master forgets his blessings and has a shallow fate. I cheerfully comforted him. After Ze Que finished his spiel, he instead said honestly: The Eldest Young Master indeed fancied Yaksha; its just that Yaksha was the Second Young Masters person after all. I contemplated this again and again. Then, has the Second Young Master slept with Yaksha? Ze Que burst out: The Second Young Master has a noble and unsullied character; how would he do something so dirty! No? Wait a minute? Who are you saying is dirty?? The Eldest Young Master was interested in Yaksha only because he didnt have eyes for anyone, thats all. Ze Que tried his best to regain his honor. The Eldest Young Master said that the ones you cant get are the quality goods, while the ones that you already took possession of become dull. But hasnt the Eldest Young Master always been quite pleased with Yue Changsheng? I wondered. Ze Que: If he already had what he desired, he wouldnt still be anxiously looking for him everywhere. I summed it up. The Eldest Young Master has slept with innumerable people. But the one he really wants to be with, he cant. Hahahahahaha, he really seems pitiful. Whats so funny now? Ze Que scowled. Its unfortunate that luck was on your side. Since Yaksha lost all his martial arts, he cant harm you. I noticed what he was implying and said suspiciously, I am Yakshas master, so why would he harm me? Ze Que thought this was extremely funny, asking coldly, It cant be that you actually think Yaksha is something good? For a guard, do you still have to separate between good and bad? Ze Que laughed coldly. Yaksha is bloodthirsty and cruel, unfaithful and unrighteous, and killed his first master Qin Kezou with his own hands, crushing his bones into ashes and leaving no corpse. The Second Young Master kindly took him in, but had to expel him from Zhongli Court for betrayal and collaborating with the enemy Everyone knows of these deeds; what are you feigning ignorance for? He snorted coldly. But it is also not his fault. No Yaksha in Nightrunner for hundreds and thousands of years has ever had a good ending. There was too much information in this sentence. Let me take it in slowly. It took me a while and a bit of effort to straighten out these past events, abandoning Ze Ques personal views through his eyeglasses stained with disdain. If what he said was true, it appeared to be like this: Yaksha was not a name, but a title that Nightrunner evaluated every ten years. In each assessment, the top three contestants would receive these titles: Ye Yin the Mist Maven, Ye Jun the Imperial Protector, or Yaksha the Blood Devil. These three titles had different evaluation standards. Ye Yin specializes in concealment, Ye Jun specializes in protecting his master, and Yaksha specializes in killing. When the title holder is defeated, the title is inherited by the winner. But if a Shadow Guard recognizes a master, they can no longer compete. Ten years ago, when Ye Tan was chosen as Yaksha, he was only seventeen years old. Yaksha was the person with the strongest combat ability in all of Nightrunner, but this title was ominous, as every Yaksha suffered a violent death. So Yaksha was left hanging like this, no one daring to hire him. After hanging for four full years, Yaksha beat down countless fellow disciples at Nightrunner who wanted to plunder the title. It was only at the age of 21 that he was finally taken away by the seventh son of the Qin family. He was a conceited genius, egotistical and cruelly untamed, repeatedly offending and contradicting his master, and after being disciplined many times, he gradually gathered resentment in his heart. Finally, there was a day he lost his conscience and cut off his masters head in front of many guests. The Qin family wanted to take away the body for burial, but still couldnt get close after battling for half a month. Yaksha said that he hated him to the bone and he had to crush his bones into ashes. The poor Qin Kezous beloved daughter was still in infancy, while his lighthearted wife was pushed into insanity. The Qin family offered sacrifices to their ancestors during the Qingming Festival every year, but there was nowhere for them to place even a single stick of incense. Yaksha henceforth had a notorious reputation, becoming the target of public criticism. The Second Young Master of Zhongli Court was tolerant and kind, receiving this hot potato and allowing Yaksha to receive the protection of Zhongli Court from then on. It could even be said that he could finally sleep peacefully, living a life of luxury. Yaksha ran rampant in Zhongli Court for three years, quelling innumerable scholarly people, and the Second Young Master never argued with him about it, but it was unfortunate that even his gentle and sincere heart couldnt warm up a heart of stone. The hateful Yaksha was obsessed with riches, selling out his master for his own glory, committing an irrevocable mistake. The Second Young Master finally became disillusioned, waking up to see the truth. It was fortunate that the Second Young Master was a sage nobleman who took the pain to think things through in light of old affections, leaving him with his life and only expelling him. Me: I have something I would like to ask. Ze Que: Speak. Me: Ye Tan I mean, Yaksha. Other than me, he really only had two former masters, right? There wont appear any third, fourth and fifth predecessors, right? Ze Que: Are you sure you got the main point correctly? CH 13 Ze Que said that he had already handed over everything he brought back, so I didnt know if my booklet was with the Eldest Young Master or the Second Young Master. It seemed that I wouldnt be able to get it back soon. I sighed in dejection. After speaking, Ze Que then began struggling to return to the residence to continue being tortured, and was also very angry that I interrupted his atonement for his sins. I very much could not understand the logic behind the actions of Zhongli Court, so I helped him find someone to send back a letter. Upon returning to Changluo, I went back to the teahouse to sit for a cup of tea, inquiring about Yaksha along the way. The information I got was not much different from what Ze Que had said; he had indeed violently slaughtered his first master, only missing the part about running rampant in Zhongli Court. According to the words of the teahouse guests, ever since Yaksha swore allegiance to the Second Young Master, he had vanished without a trace. Every day I had to completely refresh my three outlooks. This God of Creation felt more and more that this world was so complicated. I was full of doubts as I returned to the Ren familys medicinal hall. There I saw Ye Tan holding a needle and thread, working on some embroidery. My mind was still replaying the bloody scene of a violent devil cruelly slaughtering his master, and seeing this situation made me very startled. Ye Tan, seeing my return, hurriedly got up and greeted me. I shivered as I said, You, you are Although the owner of the medicinal hall is willing to give us material help, this servant felt guilty eating free meals every day. I asked the owner if there was anything I could do to help the lady of the house gave this to me. There was a pile of stitched up clothes on the table, half of which was yet to be mended. You you even know how to do this. I havent done this in a long time, so my hands are indeed not quite used to it. Ye Tan put down the work in his hands and rummaged through the neatly folded clothes. Because my former master was rich, there was no opportunity for anything to need mending Ah, found it. He pulled out a simple garment made of cotton linen. Masters previous clothes were slightly damaged, so this servant mended them. Would you like to take a bath and change your clothes now? I looked at the clothes on my body, which were indeed stained with quite a lot of filth, and agreed to change out of them. Upon seeing this, Ye Tan came over to help. Just after untying my belt, I heard a plop as an object fell from my inner garments. When I saw it clearly, my head was filled with even more doubts and suspicions. It was a black and gold purse, embroidered with a cloud pattern. Shockingly, it was the same one that I stole from the rich young master yesterday. What was his name Ye Wuyou? Or something like that. I picked it up and looked at it over and over again for quite a while, but remained perplexed even after much thought. I had definitely personally stuffed it back onto him and compared to yesterday, this purse had an extra piece of white jade, along with a small piece of cloth tied to it. This cloth was also quite familiar, which was even more startling: I was missing a strip of cloth at the edge of my clothes, and I didnt know when it was torn off. Opening it and taking a cursory look, I then found that there was even more money in it than yesterday. I immediately felt a chill in my bones and my hair stood on end. Ye Tan saw that my expression wasnt quite right, and quietly asked me what was wrong. Ah Tan, you dont have to do this needlework anymore. I weighed the purse in my hand, Someone gave me money. But this servant already agreed with Madam Ren Ye Tan hesitated. Ah Tan, arent you angry? I suddenly asked. You used to be able to reach great heights with your martial skills, living a life of luxury, but nowadays you dont even have the strength to truss a chicken and suffer from hunger and cold. You have to do all these trivial tasks that are shameful to a martial warrior Ye Tan earnestly thought about it for a while, but said, This servant is a Shadow Guard, so such words may be inappropriate, but after losing all my cultivation, my luck instead became very good. Ah? Ye Tan looked at me with a pair of starry eyes, but did not speak any more. I thought about it and felt that I shouldnt keep anything from Ye Tan, then spoke again. Ive heard a lot of rumors about Yaksha in the past few days, and no matter whether they are true or false I think that if I was you, I would feel a lot of resentment now. You heard those words. Ye Tans voice suddenly became very small. I nodded. I heard a few different statements, but Im not sure which is true. Ye Tan seemed to struggle painfully for a bit, then said: I this servant cannot say. If I say it, I would be unfaithful. But because Master asked, if this servant evades the question and keeps this from you, I would also be unfaithful I Ye Tan was crumpled into a ball again. I hurriedly tried to calm him down. Its okay, its okay, if you cant say it, then dont say it. How can that be Ye Tan instead tried to disagree. Then you can talk about something else that I dont know about. I was really exerting my utmost effort. Ye Tan was quiet for a while, then mindlessly said, Nightrunners teachings were that the winner is king. My teacher said that the strong can protect anyone who they want to protect for a lifetime, so I used all my effort to practice martial arts. When someone came to steal the title of Yaksha, I used all my strength to beat them down. I was the Blood Devil, but still no one cared about me, and I didnt dare to think about how if I lost this title, it would be even more certain that no one would want me But later when I finally ascended the peak that no one in the martial world could reach, I instead felt more and more that in this life and in this world, no matter how skilled I am in martial arts I still cannot save anyone. He lowered his head and weakly squeezed his hands into fists, saying softly, I think that now, being a useless person is truly much easier I didnt know what I was feeling in my heart. I just thought that even if someone stabbed me right now, I wouldnt be able to feel the pain anymore. Ah Tan, what do you fear most? Ye Tan blankly said, Everything I fear most has already happened. No matter what happens next, it doesnt matter anymore. I am most afraid of seeing beauties past their prime and heroes at the end of their time; even more afraid of lovers being separated, close friends meeting calamity, kind hearts suffering over and over again, steadfast bones returning to dust. I knelt by his side and held his hand tightly, speaking each word slowly. Ah Tan, you didnt do anything wrong, you shouldnt be the one to carry such consequences. Dont worry, I will definitely find a way to cure you. Ye Tan was stunned. Master, you have already heard those rumors; why are you still The Eldest Young Master of Zhongli Court is licentious to no limit, but you only lightly said that he has a prodigal temperament. Ze Que kept on saying that the Second Young Master is kind-hearted and generous, but he was punished to the point of his flesh splitting open for just a small mistake. Comparing both sides, I would be crazy if I believed him. I humphed and pulled Ye Tan up. Come, go with me to meet a friend. After just a moment, I was able to inquire as to the whereabouts of the Ye residence outside the city. Unexpectedly, it was a rather quiet and elegant little courtyard. The rich young master wearing gold and jade was gracelessly lying on a swing at the entrance, jumping up happily upon seeing me. This young master has already waited here for several hours, and this beautiful little brother has finally arrived. After all, someone treated me to tea, so I came to thank them for the sake of courtesy. I tugged at the dumbfounded Ye Tan, motioning for him to act more relaxed and natural. What nonsense is this beauty talking about? You stole it with your own ability, so naturally it is yours. Why would you need to pay it back? Ye Wuyou rubbed his hands together like a fly, trying to curry favor. I sighed. Exactly what is the meaning behind this? Is it a lesson, or just to show off? Is it not obvious? How can we attach our feelings but with beautiful jade tied with ribbon?* The rich young master was full of smiles as he said, When this young master likes someone, I want to spend money on them. Is there anything wrong with that? *A line from the love poem ʫ by Po Qin I touched my forehead: So straightforward, you truly deserve the title of Eldest Young Master Zhongli Zixu, who has slept with everyone in the whole city. Zixu Wuyou,* I have never seen such a thoughtless fake name. *the (xu) in Zixu and (wuyou) both mean nothing CH 14 You flatter me, you flatter me. The Eldest Young Master was very pleased with himself, This young master saw that little brother had an extraordinary bearing and knew how to make decisions, but had to surrender his status just for the nuisance of money, and I couldnt bear it in my heart. The blessings of the Qi people,* joyful happenings for all ones life. The Eldest Young Master spoke in a vulgar manner. *blessings of the Qi people = idiom, referring to harmonious marriage I looked towards the sky. Its a pity that Eldest Young Master has not done things right, and cannot enjoy the blessings of the Qi people. The Eldest Young Master questioned, What is the meaning of your words? What I lack now is not money. Then what does this beauty want? A doctor. After I jabbed squarely at these hurtful past events, Zhongli Zixu didnt know whether to laugh or cry. He shook his head and said with a smile, No matter, it is actually not impossible. Yakshas internal power was forcibly taken from him, his dantian* was damaged and he was unable to gather qi, thus making him unable to practice. There is no absolute cure for him, but this young master happens to know a gentleman who specializes in making wedding clothes,** he is able to draw the internal force of another person into ones sea of qi, creating a foundation from this, and after recuperating, one will be no different from an ordinary person. *dantian = place in the body where ones qi resides **making wedding clothes = idiom, meaning doing good deeds for no cost I joyfully said, Very good, youve worked hard. You havent gone stupid, have you? Zhongli Zixu rolled his eyes at me as he spoke. Master, it absolutely cannot be done. Ye Tan also urged. My internal strength was all randomly changed out of thin air, so I naturally did not cherish it at all. As far as I was concerned, this was a joyous event like a meat pie falling out of the sky. But Ye Tan clearly didnt think so. I knew he had misgivings, so I earnestly tried to persuade him the entire way back. Ye Tan still pressed down his sword-like brows and knelt before my bed, resolutely saying, Please allow this servant to refuse. I finally got what I wanted, tricking Ye Tan to sleep on the same bed with me. It was just that every time I pressed an inch closer, he moved away an inch. I spoke silently in my heart: Hurry! Take the opportunity before the doctor arrives to give me a kiss! Once Im able to enter the modifier interface, I can adjust the values to be a bit higher. Along the way, Ill add a little money, and this time I definitely wont be stupid and get a retraction. As I repeated this, I fell asleep. I had a very complete and peaceful sleep. No one disturbed my lovely dreams. Damn, he didnt kiss me. The next night, I hugged his arm tightly. We slept like this. Again, he didnt kiss me. Again, there was no modifier. On the third night, I wrapped my hands and feet around his body. We spent the night like this. Yet he still didnt kiss me. Today, there was no modifier. The day after that, Ye Tan looked at my face very cautiously: Master, did something happen? In the past two days, your expression has become increasingly distressed. I looked at him bitterly, with unspeakable difficulty. You still dare ask. Why wont you kiss me. Im so angry! CH 15 Upon meeting the Eldest Young Master again, he looked back and forth between me and Ye Tan for a long time, and said with bewilderment, Its only been three days since we last meant, why have both of your complexions become so bad? Without chatting any further, the Eldest Young Master immediately introduced the doctor. Mr. Wedding Clothes seemed quite anxious, as if he was in a hurry to reincarnate, pushing me and Ye Tan into the back room. The Eldest Young Master followed along, wanting to stick his head in and see what was going on, but was scolded to get the hell out, and backed out again in an embarrassed manner. As the doctor started the treatment, he also was quite stunned, Back then when my master wanted to pass on this technique of transferring energy, I felt that it was crazy, wondering what kind of idiot would use the soundness of his entire life to save another crippled person, but my master hung me up in the yard and beat me thoroughly. Later, during the Qingming festival,* my master took me tomb sweeping, and it was only then that I realized my masters own life was saved using this technique. From then on, I felt deep veneration for that person. Although I was able to learn this technique, I have never had the opportunity to use it, after all, public morals have degenerated and peoples hearts are not like they used to be. I didnt think I would still be able to meet two such sincere people. I deeply respect this young master, but it is always good to plan ahead, I am very familiar with the Xu family who makes coffins, and also close with the Liu family who sells joss sticks, if the time comes where you need to buy these things, please make sure to let me know *Qingming festival = traditional Chinese festival, tomb sweeping day As I listened to Mr. Wedding Clothes chattering, his voice seemed to drift farther and farther away, making me feel very drowsy. It just so happened that I was sitting quite close to Ye Tan, so I leaned on his shoulder and prepared to go meet the Duke of Zhou.* *Duke of Zhou = known as the God of Dreams, meaning falling asleep Perhaps because Ye Tan had just listened to the doctors spiel about selling joss sticks, he was somewhat panicked, nervously asking, Master? I vaguely said, Im a little sleepy, nothing is wrong, you guys can continue. Ye Tan had a distinct bone structure, with many sharp edges, and was truly not qualified to be a pillow. I moved around for a long time before I found a comfortable position, peacefully falling asleep. While dreaming, I felt that I was drowning at sea. It was difficult to breathe, and it was as if my insides were churning ceaselessly. My left foot felt like it was stepping in cotton, while my right foot was filled with iron and lead. I tried to open my eyes, but my vision was still blurred, so much that I was unable to tell whether I was sitting or lying down. I wasnt sure whether I was asleep or awake, and guessing it was because my sleeping posture wasnt right, I tried my best to get up, but I couldnt figure out whether I ended up succeeding or not. I didnt expect that such a slight movement would cause my qi and blood to surge up, filling the back of my throat. I seemed to hear Ye Tans voice in a haze, and tried my best to distinguish what he was saying, but I couldnt hear it clearly. I only felt that there was blood between my lips and teeth, which was truly quite uncomfortable. After enduring for a while, I could just manage to figure out that I was currently being held in someones arms, and this person was currently feeding me medicine. This pair of hands was trembling uncontrollably, and I suddenly felt that this wasnt quite reassuring. Ye Tan. If you still have a conscience, please remember to kiss me secretly. Thank you. [Puts hands together] In this way, I didnt know how many times I awoke in a half dizzy and half awake state, and I gradually got used to this floating state. The next time I was able to open my eyes and see the sun and moon again, I was truly ecstatic. Ye Tan was sitting cross legged in front of the bed, training his breath with his eyes closed. Upon hearing the sound, he jumped up like a rabbit to help me up. His eyes had become bloodshot, making me extremely alarmed upon seeing him. Ah Tan, you should eat some more meat. I said. Ye Tan blankly said, What? You are too skinny, its uncomfortable to hug you. I said with dislike. He sniffed a little, This servant will do as you command. I tried to move my arm, but I couldnt feel any strength at all. I wasnt sure when the next time I could sit and eat normally again would be, I was truly going through even more ups and downs every day, and the future seemed bleak. To be honest, I didnt expect that destroying my cultivation would be so serious. I was a little frightened. Ye Tan was probably even more frightened than me. When I thought about how I would have to pay special attention to and comfort him again, I almost didnt dare look at him anymore. I stammered as I tried to find another topic to stall for time, Is there any water? Ye Tan gently put me down, disappearing within the blink of an eye. Like the wind, he poured out a cup and returned, with an astonishing speed. Wow. I quite enjoyed this, Shadow Guards are truly very fast. Yes, I have already recovered two levels of strength. Ye Tan handed me the porcelain cup, and I picked it up with both hands as if facing an enemy, fearing that I wouldnt be able to hold the cup and he would discover how weak I was. With a noise, the porcelain cup slipped away from my fingers. Damn, I couldnt hold it at all. In the next instant, the porcelain cup fell steadily into Ye Tans hand, and not a drop was spilled. I didnt give up and wanted to try again, and was finally able to use all my strength to hold onto the cup, but was unfortunately only able to move half a foot before it slipped again. Ye Tan still had quick eyesight and swift hands, catching it safely one more time. He lowered his head, a touch of gloominess appearing between his brows, Master, how could you have become this weak Hahahahahaha, this is so fun! On the contrary, I was very happy. Its like training a puppy to retrieve a stick that is thrown, hahaha thats so cute! Ye Tan was silent, and it seemed that he was about to laugh out of anger because of me. *salted fish = someone who is idle and doesnt do anything Master is truly a very interesting person. Ye Tan fed me soup as he said, If someone else were in this situation, they would feel extremely humiliated. I originally couldnt pick up the meatballs anyways, so wouldnt I still have to rely on Ah Tan to feed me? I accepted my uselessness setting very calmly, not ashamed but proud instead. Ye Tan didnt pay attention to me, instead talking to himself, This servant will definitely find a way to restore Masters strength. Martial arts and stuff dont matter that much to me. I am just so envious of Ah Tan for being able to use chopsticks so well. I turned the topic back to chopsticks again. No, Ye Tan said firmly, You must learn how to use chopsticks, and you must also learn to practice swordsmanship. Okay okay. Then I will depend on Lord Shadow Guard to teach me. After Ye Tan finished feeding me, he cleaned me and then stuffed me back into bed, then going to collect and wash the dishes. I looked at him after he busied himself here and there, thinking to myself, a live-in nanny, these words are not false. After getting everything in order, he came back to check on me, and was a little surprised to see that I was still awake. I did in fact still have something to ask him. Ah Tan. At that time when your martial arts were destroyed, were you like how I am now? I asked. I had no injuries or pain, and I had him at my side attending to me with great care, but I still felt that I was suffering greatly. I dont know about that time, when Yakshas martial arts were destroyed, his whole body was seriously injured, and was banished from home by the master he respected, sent back to a forlorn corner in Nightrunner, waiting for death without water or rice to eat I didnt dare think about it anymore. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Ye Tan was cautiously kneeling in front of the bed, and seeing my complexion turn unwell, he suddenly became alert. I reached out my hand strenuously, dangling it on top of his head, and stroked his soft hair. Im sorry. I should have picked you up sooner Ye Tan looked absolutely dumbfounded. Upon saying dizzy, I felt dizzy. Before I passed out, there was one question I didnt have time to ask about. I thought, Ye Tans martial arts were so easy to recover. Since he could be cured so easily, why did the Second Young Master so quickly give up on this trump card, the strongest in Nightrunner? CH 16 Chapter 16 - I finally know how to open the modifier tool and alter money. In my dream, I had somewhat gotten accustomed to the feeling of drifting weightlessly in a vast ocean, then suddenly felt as though my world was being jostled about. I waited to wake up, but the feeling of being jostled did not lessen. Turns out it wasn''t actually a dream. Ye Tan was carrying me on his back along a small path. I could see pairs of houses in between the forest trees, with smoke drifting upwards from their chimneys, casting sparse, slanting shadows. It was almost nightfall. Is this going out for a walk...? "A-Tan?" My voice sounded hoarse and low, almost as if I was talking to myself, but Ye Tan''s sharp senses were able to catch it. He asked: "Is Master awake? How are you feeling?" "Where are we going....." Ye Tan''s feet did not stop moving, he answered as he walked: "Your subordinate also doesn''t know where we are headed, the Eldest Young Master instructed us to go." "Huh?" "The Eldest Young master said, there will soon be war near the Zhongli Court, and he is afraid the conflict might reach us1 . Ultimately, this subordinate.... can''t guarantee my ability to help Master for the time being, so if we can avoid it we will avoid it." He stopped, then humbly apologised, "This subordinate made a decision without your authority, I request Master to punish me in the future." "War?" I leaned forward on Ye Tan''s back and rubbed against it as I changed position, "Zhongli Court is at the peak of its power, is there a strong enough enemy?" "In recent years, the Second Young master has persuaded many small factions in the Jianhu to surrender, so it''s possible some people could be resentful of his rigid methods." Ye Tan thought for a moment and added, "This subordinate spent many years residing within the walls, and is really not sure of the opinions outside." I sighed. A few days ago I heard Ze Que praising Zhongli Zixi, saying how generous and benevolent he is, how he always repays grievances with virtue. It''s just, don''t tell me we have go on foot like this...? Thinking about leaving Changluo now, the distance between me and my code book keeps getting farther and farther away. Forget it, I don''t even know where to even enter the codes, I only remember that the code for altering money is 23333, and even having that is useless. I can only leave it up to chance and wait until I can open up the modifier tool... Oh, hold on! If the launch of the modifier tool can be triggered by an action, the codes must also be triggered by actions, right....? If you use your body when saying a number, then isn''t that just the same as making a gesture? With this idea, I lifted up my hand and silently gestured the numbers two, three, three, three, three, three. As a result, a familiar little cursor popped up in front of my eyes, the same one as last time I played around with my file, and a system icon asked me to put in the amount of money. This time I had learnt from experience. I moved the cursor with the palm of my left hand and, very carefully, entered in a single 1, then, waiting for my fortune to arrive, made an OK sign. As my hand dropped down, a small piece of gold instantly appeared in it. I was practically moved to tears. My dignity as a Creator God had finally been restored a little bit. A-Tan, A-Tan. I could barely contain my excitement as I patted his shoulder, Look for the nearest village so we can take a break. Is Master uncomfortable? Is this subordinates walking too hurried?.... Ye Tan asked vigilantly. I already had a plan: No, I want to go to a bank2 to take out a small amount of money. I had thought about it thoroughly. Last time the I was kicked out by the system retraction, it wasnt because the amount of money was too much, rather it was because passers-by saw it appear out of nowhere. Thats why, from now on, I have to control the amount as much as possible. If the situation comes where I must alter a large amount of money, it needs to be done completely watertight and seamlessly, I cant allow people to just watch on as gold falls from the sky... No, for the sake of being safe, I cant even allow people to investigate where the money is coming from. Im just afraid that if my business goes smoothly and becomes big, it will attract peoples suspicions and experts will come to investigate me. If the time comes that the system retracts again, my hard work of all these years will end up being wasted. Honestly speaking, Im going to launder money. Im eager to give this a try. Taking advantage of dusk, we got into a town. There were a few banks along the road that hadnt closed up shop yet. Ye Tan chose a neat-looking store-front for us to stop at. I can go in by myself. I said. No, this subordinate will accompany you. Ye Tans expression was firm. How will I succeed then? Youre the number one hidden danger that will cause the system to retract. A-Tan, I dont want to have to come up with random excuses to deceive you. I said calmly, Its just that I have to hide this matter from you. I know you are an expert in concealment, so as long as you want to come with me I have no means of stopping you. Its just a pity that all my hard work would then be ruined sooner or later. Ye Tan said: Master speaks seriously, but... with your current condition, this subordinate cant be at ease. Thats right, I struggle to even stand up. Its nothing, Ill be fine for a little while. If you have nothing to do... I briefly thought about it and said, Go buy me a midnight snack, alright? Im hungry. Ye Tan was silent for a moment, then agreed: Alright, this subordinate will go and come back. He gently placed me at the entrance, waited until I could support myself standing, then left quite worriedly. I used a great amount of energy to get inside the shop. Inside sat a slender middle-aged man eating melon seeds, behind the counter there was a young shop assistant with fair skin working on the accounting books. When he saw a guest come in, the middle-aged man called out enthusiastically, but went back to eating melon seeds. Did Mister come to deposit money? The young shop assistant asked. To exchange some bank notes... but it wouldnt hurt to deposit some as well. I answered, then went back to focusing on my feet. Seeing me struggling to stand, the young man got out from the counter and helped me sit down. Luckily there were several seats in the lobby, so I was saved for a moment. I took a sigh of relief, then handed over the gold pieces I had just made. Sir, how much money is this? 10 taels. I said without thinking. After I finished speaking, I remembered, originally it should have been a round number of 10 taels, but adding the 1 tael from my previous experiment, then the correct number must be 11. Forget it, I dont feel like correcting these minor details. Ill have to weigh it myself, may I trouble Sir to wait for a moment. The young shop assistant grabbed a weight from the back and put the gold on it, and after a while of hesitating he asked: Sir, is this... 10 taels? The sound of that man eating melon seeds behind the door suddenly got louder. I smiled: Isnt it? The young shop assistant hurriedly said: IIll go get the banknotes. He ran off in an instant, and returned a short time later holding a thick stack of banknotes. Sir, are you seriously ill? He asked with a worried expression while stuffing the banknotes into my hands. Yeah. I answered while stroking my chin, My condition is very severe and I could die from it soon. His expression was grim and he looked on the verge of panic. I couldnt bear to tease him any longer, so I smiled and said: No matter, it could always make a turn for the better. Im sorry for worrying you, little brother. I said my goodbyes and walked out of the shop with difficulty. I looked around, searching for a bit, only to find Ye Tan sitting on the rooftop of a faraway house, gazing at the sunset through the mist, the side of his face looking sharp and resolute. Usually, when he looks at me, the expression in his eyes is always gentle. But now I find that when hes by himself he looks lonely and guarded, like the pine and cypress3 covered by thick layers of ice during winter. A-Tan. I waved at him, What are you doing over there? He turned his head to look at me, the cold pine then turned into clear autumn waters4 , as if all the world had sunset clouds and spring trees5 , and all ended perfectly well6 . Ye Tan jumped down gracefully and landed in front of me. As he took me by the arm to support me, he spoke: If I had come any closer, Im afraid I would have been able to hear what was going on inside. Youre surprisingly not angry at all, I was a bit worried. I stuffed all the banknotes into his arms, got back onto his back and circled my arms around him. Why would I be angry? Ye Tan carried me as we went to look for an inn to stay at, he seemed to be at a loss. I could be keeping something from you. Isnt that how it should be? Ye Tan answered. This person is not properly educated, and his three outlooks7 have a lot of problems, I sighed and said: Is there room in your brain for anything other than your concepts of social class? Ye Tan argued: Its loyalty. You dont seem to be able to recognise the facts, or distinguish right from wrong, how would you know whether youre promoting righteousness or taking the side of the evildoer8 ? I diligently said. Ye Tan seemed unable to imagine it: Listening to Masters orders, while also distinguishing between right and wrong, good and evil? ... This unlucky child, it really doesnt make sense. Sigh, well sleep first, then discuss this again tomorrow. ?????? 1 from the idiom: Tʧ꼰~ lit. Fire at the city gate, bringing disaster to the pond fish. There was a fire at the city gate, and everyone went to the moat to fetch water. The water ran out and the fish died. Its a metaphor about suffering loss or calamity due to being involved. Top. 2 lit. money shop. Basically the equivalent of a bank back in the Ming and Qing dynasty. Top. 3 from the idiom: ɰ lit. Pine and cypress wither. Only in the winter of the twelfth lunar month does one realise that the pines and cypresses are evergreen, but the winter is so cold even they start to wither. It is a metaphor for people with lofty ideals who struggle until the end in a difficult and dangerous environment. Top. 4 A traditional way of describing a girl''s beautiful eyes. Top. 5 from the idiom: ĺ녴 lit. Sunset clouds spring trees. From Tandoori Fu''s poem "Recalling Li Bai in Spring": "Spring trees in Weibei, sunset clouds in Jiangdong. Represents longing for distant friends. Top. 6 from the idiom: ʼƽK lit. Good start and good end. When something has a good beginning, it will also have a good ending. Used to describe serious work. From "Zhuangzi: The Great Master": "Be kind to demons, be kind to old people, be good at beginning and end. Top. 7 outlook on the world, on life, and on values. Top. 8 from the idiom: qŰ lit. Helping Zhou in his oppression. A metaphor meaning to help bad people do bad things. Top. CH 17 Chapter 17 - We have a house! The next morning, by the time I woke up, Ye Tan had already come back from practising swordsmanship, and had finished taking a bath and cleaning up. Since he started practising martial arts again he was increasingly in glowing spirits, and one would be practically unable to tell he had ever been sickly. My heart was very pleased. The course of our journey was still unclear, so I suggested we should remain one more day to buy a cart and horses. Ye Tan agreed with me as he helped me have my meal. I looked at the small, shabby, damaged sword at his waist, thinking it was really unpleasant to look at. What the hell is this? I bought it a few days ago using the copper I got for helping the doctor with embroidery. Ye Tan spoke calmly, It was very cheap. I pondered this for a moment, and asked: A-Tan, does the Jianhu have any famous swords scattered about? Ye Tan answered: Naturally there are a lot. Anyway, we have nothing to do, so itd be better to go find a famous sword for you next. I said cheerfully, in my heart I was going over various books featuring famous swordsmen and beauties, and I was absolutely looking forward to it. Theres no need to? This subordinate doesnt really like swords. Ye Tans enthusiasm was lacking. I questioned: I cant see you really disliking swords..... Actually, its not disliking them. This subordinate just doesnt really understand them. Ye Tan shook his head as he spoke, To kill someone, using concealed weapons or poisons is more effective than a sword. This subordinate still doesnt understand why people admire the sword so much... Could it be because wielding one looks good? He recalled something and spoke again: This subordinate had once raised this matter with Ze Que, for some reason soon after this Ze Que became indignant, saying I insulted the ways of the sword, and came looking for me every few days to compete. I am a Shadow Guard, and often hide without a trace. Ze Que had to cut down many rock gardens and flower trees in order to find me. .....Oh, so this the truth behind Yaksha ran wild1 inside Zhongli Court for three years.2 If Ye Tan had a title in the Jianhu, he would surely be called the Scapegoat3 Hero. The sword is the ruler of a hundred weapons, since he doesnt even have a concept of good and evil, then naturally he doesnt understand this. Even after a while I didnt know how to explain it, so I just dropped the subject. After we finished tidying up, Ye Tan wanted to go buy travelling supplies, but I really wanted to go out to the streets and listen to some stories. As a way to compromise, I went looking for two seasonal workers who didnt know wuggong to accompany me. It just so happened that these two workers didnt know me, which was actually very convenient. Since the payment for these two was generous, they must have thought there was some tough work involved, it would never have occurred to them that just sitting around and drinking tea was enough. They had toiled for half their lifetimes and were not used to wasting time like this, so they just stared at each others faces while holding on to their porcelain cups. I sat facing the street, watching the endless stream of horses and carriages and pedestrians hurrying by, thinking about how, although everyone seemed busy, they all had something to strive for and somewhere to return to. Only I am like a weed without roots, without a home, and without a destination... floating about like a gull under the heavens. Perhaps when one is ill, one will inevitably become a bit pretentious. Just as I was about to sigh, a small figure suddenly stumbled into my arms and said with a sob: Sir, I have finally found you. Nowadays, my shoulders and hands cant support any weight, so I fell down as soon as he lightly bumped into me. My surroundings were very noisy, and I was a little dizzy from falling. I was helped up and saw that it was the fair-skinned young shop assistant from the bank yesterday. Sir, Ive let you down, I missed counting one of your gold pieces yesterday. He stuffed some banknotes into my arms and began bawling. I was startled and hurriedly handed him a piece of cloth to stop him: What are you crying for? Youre the one that knocked me over, but now it looks like Im the one bullying you. He cried for a moment, and said between sobs: Our boss forces us to short-change people every time we exchange catties and taels for banknotes, so yesterday I told you there was one less tael, when in truth you actually had eleven tales, not ten. I thought about it last night, your illness is so severe that it must have been money to save your life. My boss forces me to be greedy for money, but Im not a murderer. I weighted the banknotes in my hands and asked: You stole this from the bank? The youth was choked with sobs: This should have originally been Misters money, so I dont consider it stealing. I laughed in spite of myself and said: Im afraid your boss wont believe so. After I spoke, the youth once again began crying loudly, I became flustered again and wiped at his eyes, trying to comfort him, and stuffed a pastry into his mouth. He didnt make a sound while he ate and ate, but with the tears still constantly falling down his face he looked extremely pitiful. What is your name? Are you from around here? I changed the subject to get his attention. My name is Luo Shu, Im originally from Moling. My father brought us to the Rong Province a few years ago to live with some relatives, but he died of an illness when we got to Jincheng and I didnt know where to go to find them. Fortunately, I studied for a few years and know a few words, so I stayed in Jincheng to help out with the banks bookkeeping. I asked: Do you have relatives in Moling? Not any more. Luo Shu shook his head, becoming sad again and crying. What kind of place is Moling? I asked again. Its a..... en, a place with a lot of water. He stuffed an osmanthus cake into his mouth, his tone improving a slight bit, There are river tributaries weaved throughout the place with weeping willows wound around their banks, and there are lanterns every night and many beautiful boats in the river, and the rainfall is more gentle than in the Central Plains. After listening to his words, I felt somewhat eager, and asked: If I sent you back to Moling, would you be able to help me with a few things? Luo Shu looked like he was choking for a moment and finally asked: You, what did you say? You need a job to make a living, right? You have an upright temper and know how to read, so its perfect. I cheerfully said, As soon as I return you to Moling, help me buy a big residence, furniture and hire some servants. Im going to be away for a while, so you can help me manage the internal affairs of the residence. Sounds good? Luo Shu was astonished. I fished out a small pouch with gold bars that I made appear and stuffed it into his hands: These are a welcome gift. You just have to leave me an address and I will regularly send the money you need for supplies. This, how is this possible...... Luo Shu stammered, Weve only met twice, how are you handing over such a valuable matter to an ignorant4 kid like me? Youll be the manger of my house in the future. I said as i wiped the tears from his face, Ill have to trouble you a lot. Luo Shu stared blankly and asked: I still dont know Sir.... what is your name? Jun Xuanheng. Luo Shu responded: Then, it will be called the Jun Residence. So quick to think of a name for the place, he really is meticulous. No thanks, I narrowed my eyes and thought for a moment, then softly replied, Call it the Sword Pavillion. Luo Shu nodded, then carefully asked: Young Master Jun, then I... would I be considered your familys official servant? Can I take on your last name? Just as he finished speaking, he hurriedly explained, I, I dont have any other family, if its okay.... Thats a great idea. It just so happens that I also dont have a family. I smiled and agreed. He looked like a startled, fat little bird, so I wanted to rub his head, but halfway through raising my hand I realised it might be inappropriate, so I changed it to a pat on the shoulder instead, Jun Luoshu, it has a nice ring to it. Jun Luoshu blushed and nodded, and borrowed a pen and paper to leave the address with me. I had only been sitting for a short moment, and already felt my energy is barely enough, so I took my leave of him and returned to the inn. I slept from midday until nightfall, only waking up for a moment. Ye Tan was rubbing my back and, seeing that I was awake, asked: Master, why is your shoulder bruised? I had a fall today. ....Those two people couldnt catch you? Ye Tan was annoyed. Naturally, rough outsiders cant be as good as my Shadow Guard. Ye Tans movements stopped, and he sighed softly. I remembered the opportunity presented to me during the day, and excitedly said: A-Tan, we have a house. Ye Tan looked at me, unconvinced. I thought about that rainy, river-filled place that I had never stepped foot in, as well as the name of the residence I was about to buy, and as I went over it in my mind I felt calm and soft. I buried my face in the palm of his hand and rubbed against it: In this world there are a lot more things other than killing..... Ill slowly teach you in the future. ?????? 1 from the idiom uw lit. chickens flying and dogs jumping.Top. 2 See chapter 12.Top. 3 lit. the one who carries the pot. Same as a scapegoat.Top. 4 Së lit. yellow hair. Implies youth and ignorance.Top. CH 18 [Extra] 18 - Zhongli Zixi has a small, tattered wooden box. [Parallel Lines - Abandoned Thing - end] CH 19 Chapter 19 - The small loyal dog is really honest. After hearing many legends about famous swords1 , I decided to go take a look at the Qiu Manor, an influential sword-casting family in Suyang that offers good quality at a good price. Ye Tan drove the carriage while I hid away inside, dozing off while we wandered towards the south-east. It had not been more than two days when we arrived at a new place, I stepped outside of the carriage for some fresh air, and in passing stuffed two glutinous rice cakes in Ye Tans mouth. Unexpectedly, we were stopped at the city gates. It was not soldiers blocking our path, dressed with plain clothes, holding knives and swords, they seemed rather like men of the Jianghu. Which sect and group are you from? Where do you come from? Where are you going? I, not understanding the situation, naively answered: We dont have a sect or a group, we come from Jincheng, and are going to Suyang. A swordsman wearing a bamboo hat rudely said: What nonsense is this? If you are going from Jincheng to Suyang, how did you end up coming to Helan?! This is the complete opposite direction. The opposite direction? I was astounded. Hearing this, the guests inside the teahouse next to the relay station all tuned their ears to watch the joke unfold. I asked doubtfully: Huh? How can that be? For as long as weve been on the road, every time we came across a fork in the road we asked someone, and every time they pointed to this direction, it never changed. The bamboo hat-wearing swordsman turned towards the men beside him and laughed: This can also be the opposite direction, these two are stupid, ha ha ha ha. Brother He, dont be careless. Amongst the group there was a youth wearing robes and a belt2 , having heard what happened, he came over and took a look at the situation, To be mistaken in such a strange way, I see youve been deceived. ?????? ?1 lit. name sword or famous sword. Top. 2 ¾ lit. loose clothes loose belt. Refers to the clothes of ancient Confucian scholars.Top. CH 20 Chapter 20 - The small loyal dogs old friend. On the inside of this city the fish and dragons mix toghether4 , as if there was something in the wind5 . Thinking back to the Eldest Young Masters warning, it actually seems like something is being planned out. Before leaving Changluo, I had only heard about Zhongli Court, it was only after arriving at this place that I realised my knowledge was superficial. During dinner, I asked about the situation in the Jianghu. The waiter threw out more than twenty different names, each one having different grievances with the others. I was so confused listening to this that I couldnt actually remember any of it. Afterwards, I was forced to borrow some pen and paper to write notes as I listened. I annotated and wrote comments for a long time, but it all became increasingly more muddled. Pausing his dinner, Ye Tan greeted me as I returned and asked: Master, how was your inquiry? Too hard to remember. I dont want to look into it. I answered honestly. Ye Tan nodded: Thats fine. When we went back to the guest room, Ye Tan rolled out the bedding and set up the bed, then went back out to feed the horses. After I ended up in this half-crippled state, he has never been more than half a step away from me during the day, we also have only one guest room. I refuse to give up on my evil designs6 and am looking forward to having him help me open up the Modifier Tool, so we always sleep in the same bed every night. Just like every time, he put me down in the middle of the room, and I lay down like a salted fish with my limbs splayed open7 . I felt like it was inappropriate, so I arched towards the side to leave some space for Ye Tan. I hadnt finished changing position when someone pushed the door open and came inside. Their footsteps were unfamiliar. I had never seen this person before. He moved forward into the room while practically shouting: Who are you? What are you doing in my room?! Taking a few steps, he stomped in front of my bed, grabbed my by the wrists, and dragged me out. Looking like a floppy bedsheet as the person held me up, I spoke in bewilderment: This is my room? The man was a strong swordsman, he looked me up and down as he held me up and after a long time said, Oh, my apologies, I have the wrong room. He stuck me back in place and strode out of the room again. ?????? 1 from ֮£Ī֮Ī Meaning: All the land under heaven belongs to the king, all the people are the king''s servants.Top. 2 Chinese: ߻ʵh idiom that refers to a place that is far out of the reach of central government.Top. 3 lit. heaven son. Refers to the rightful emperor.Top. 4 Chinese: ~s idiom that means the mixing of good, honest people with evil or bad people.Top. 5 from ɽLM lit. rain coming down the mountain, wind filling the buildings. Refers to the feeling of anticipation that a major event is about to occur. Like the English saying theres something in the wind.Top. 6 \IJ lit. evil intentions dont die / thiefs heart doesnt die. Means to not give up on bad thoughts and keep pursuing them instead.Top. 7 text says like the character, which looks like a little person opening their arms and legs lol.Top. 8 lit. fire pleat. Its like a candle made out of coarse paper. Image.Top. 9 In Chinese folklore, the SȪ Huangquan or Yellow Springs refers to the Underworld.Top. CH 21 Chapter 21 - The small loyal dog is unhappy, but is unwilling to say anything_ Qin Chenyuan still could not see clearly, but he recognised this voice, and with a trembling voice he said: Big brother Yun? Yun Jiangli answered him as he helped him sit up, but he only managed to lift him up half-way when Qin Chenyuan threw himself into his arms and cried: I knew Big brother Yun would come to save me!! Yun Jiangli comforted him, then pushed him away and scolded him: How could you be so careless as to get caught by Helan Terrace? Hearing this, my eyes flashed: Here it is, the new plot line. ?????? 1 ʲؓ lit. god lives up to people with aspirations. A metaphor to mean that god will not disappoint those people who have ambitions for something, and that things will come to pass for those who persevere.Top. CH 22 Chapter 22 - Rumours about the small loyal dogs past. ?????? 1 The Chinese name is spelled ҹx, Ye Cha, which follows the naming pattern for the Nightrunners (Ye + name). However, previous translations used the equivalent name Yaksha and I feel like that one is more recognisable so Im sticking with it even if it breaks the name pattern.Top. 2 ߸ lit. Older Brother Seven. Qin Quezou is the Seventh Young Master.Top. 3 chi, measurement unit about 1/3 of a metre.Top. CH 23 Chapter 23 - This story is long and depressing. I dont like it. ?????? 1 Underworld, same as the Yellow Springs just a different name.Top. 2 Ѫ , not literally weeping blood, its a metaphor for deep sadness.Top. 3 ^Yʮ꣬һصǰ Refers to a situation where you take a gamble and end up losing everything. Its a historical reference regarding founding of the PRC in 1949 and the policies that came with it (the liberation) and some land reforms in the 1970s that screwed people over (veeery generally speaking, i''m no historian).Top. CH 24 Chapter 24 - The small loyal dog has become closed in on himself. ?????? 1 Updated Ch 19s Qiu Zhuang to Qiu Manor for better place name clarity.Top. 2 M“ lit. horizontal alliance.Top. 3 v lit. vertical (north-south) union.Top. 4 idiom that refers to the changing of the seasons. The name of the sword comes from a poem by Qu Yuan: Without delay the sun and moon sped fast, / In swift succession spring and autumn passed Full translated poem here.Top. CH 25 Chapter 25 - Wow! Its the live old version of the small loyal dog! Even if its only one side, Im still going to take it in! Take it in1 ! ?????? 1 lit. suck in, its an onomatopoeia for a sucking in or breathing in sound (think of the sound you make when drinking from a straw).Top. 2 Round garden wall opening. See Image. Top. 3 ĺѩthe sword name comes from the title of a short poem. Poem in english.Top. CH 26 Chapter 26 - ?How the small loyal dog became a scapegoat.? 1 The poison name comes from the fact that people in ancient China would wait until after the autumn equinox to execute prisoners, the time in which the executions took place was called , or After Autumn Beheadings, which is what Yaksha refers to when he hears the poisons name. Top. 2 A sichen is a 2-hour period, a day is made out of 12 sichen. Top. Tags: FLAT | TOP-LEVEL COMMENTS ONLY Depth: 1 Date: 2/4/22 05:54 (UTC)From: (Anonymous) Gu Ciqu is dead pq I was hoping it''d just be a "down for the count but not dead" moment (ini) ugghhh QAQ Though I''m relieved that Ye Tan has in fact not been treated like shit for years and just unfortunately became a scapegoat to prevent a huge conflict. Qin Kezou seemed nice pwq That last sentence of his though does make me wonder. Did he actually know it was Yun Pizhi but still loved him and would''ve liked to spend his life with him (which, wtf XD) or did he think it was someone else and if so, who? Much confuse CH 27 Chapter 27 - The small loyal dog becomes even more closed off...... ?????? 1 Thats roughly 5cm (2in).Top. CH 28 Chapter 28 - The small loyal dog doesnt want a brain (No, he cant, I will not allow it). CH 29 Chapter 29 - The small loyal dogs pride, strange and foolish. ?????? 1 Tǰoϱ·x lit. if there were no north-south roads in front of the door, this life could be free from the hardships of separation and reunion. I tried to make it sound like a poem because the author is using a line from the poemٛe, Farewell, and altering the second part slightly. The original line is Toϱ·gex lit. if there were no north-south roads outside the door, people would be spared the sorrow of separation. I couldnt find this stanza in english anywhere though.Top. 2 Yes literally. Its like a joking expression, meaning they werent quiet before and now theyve been frightened into silence.Top. CH 30 Chapter 30 - The small loyal dogs sword broke when I used it as a can opener, I feel guilty. ?????? 1 Updated Ch 17s Jiange to the literal Sword Pavilion for better place name clarity.Top. 2 ôښ lit. big mouthful of air. Used to mock people who boast about themselves, kind of like the english expression being full of hot air.Top. 3 The Broom God, or Hahakigami, is a character from the mobile turn-based MMO Onmyoji. The Broom God is an N rarity character (lowest rarity), though some players started upgrading their Broom God characters to max and showcasing their unexpectedly powerful teams.Top. 4 The actual text Ҋ] is from a chinese meme but I have no idea how to translate it lol.Top. CH 31 Chapter 31 - I dont understand what the small loyal dog is saying. ?????? 1 zϧ lit. sympathise with the joss stick and cherish the jade. Its an idiom used to refer to having tender and protective feelings towards someone, usually refers to men being protective towards women.Top. 2 Author is using the word , south, as a homonym for the word , man (both pronounced nn), in the phrase L֮ which means homosexual hobby. Hibiscus soup guy is calling them out for lookin gay as hell together.Top. 3 ֻb lit. slippery hands hero, but I thought butterfingers fit better lol. Also, Im using hero in these titles as a catch-all term for the word b xi, which is basically used to refer to a righteous person, so like a knight, a hero, a paladin, or someone who is brave and does chivalrous deeds.Top. CH 32 Chapter 32 - There? Taking a look at the great sword? ?????? 1 قb lit. young hero/knight. Title and polite form of address.Top. 2 b lit. swordsman/noble warrior/great hero. Also a title and polite form of address.Top. 3 ë lit. stupid hair. Yes the anime hair antennae thing. Pretty sure its a reference to FGOs Saber.Top. 4 The confusion works a little better in chinese, going from ļs shyu, oath, to s yush, constraint.Top. CH 33 Chapter 33 - See this small loyal dog? Give me a compliment! Really go for it! [Shocked sound ?????? 1 A type of sword whose blade has a squished hexagonal shape, picture. There are also four-sided and eight-sided swords with corresponding blade shapes.Top. CH 34 Chapter 34 - I learnt how to eat by myself! losingface.jpg ?????? 1 Specifically a cheongsham.Top. 2 used as a way to refer to oneself arrogantly.Top. 3 A type of breakfast food typically made with rice, meat, egg, and mushrooms, and cut into small squares.Top. 4 b type of clothes referring to the typical wuxia martial artists outfit, like this.Top. CH 35 Chapter 35 - The number of fans of the small loyal dog has increased! Congratulations! [Applause ?????? 1 Just for reference, this guy refers to Jun Xuanheng as boss with the word lobn, while he uses the word ϴ lod to refer to Ye Tan. Laoda is also boss but more in the sense of the person who is the leader of a group/gang, rather than laoban which is more used for the boss of a business, etc.Top. 2 ҹ lit. midnight snack, or night night.Top. 3 ҹС lit. Midnight little fat tune (roughly, it''s nonsense).Top. CH 36 Chapter 36 - Hard life days with the small loyal dog. ?????? 1 ҹ@ lit. late night, or the dead of night.Top. 2 M & Q their names are literally Horizontal and Vertical.Top. 3 The Zhegui part of his name can also mean to pass an imperial examination.Top. 4 Its a leafy green plant, also known as sheperds purse.Top. CH 37 Chapter 37 - A small loyal dog with a dream. CH 38 Chapter 38 - Your caretaker1 joins the team. ?????? 1 lit. the one in charge of feeding/raising. Could also be translated as owner, it refers to someone who owns and cares for an animal, e.g. a pet owner.Top. 2 From what I could find, in ancient times straw was used to mark things that were for sale since not everyone could read, so when people wanted to sell themselves into servitude they would hold or even stick straw on their head.Top. 3 lit. tooth-woman. Generally speaking, these kinds of women specialised in the trade of people, not just servants but also concubines and performers, for example.Top. CH 39 [Extra] 39 - The small loyal dog is hardworking and studious. [Daily Life - Golden Letters - end] CH 40 Chapter 40 - Taking a bite out of someone elses loyal dog. ?????? 1 ^Ѫ a metaphor for something that is very dangerous. Top. 2 î this name probably comes from their cycle at the Nightrunner, the Gui-mao year is the 40th year of a cycle in the traditional chinese calendar, with being the 10th Heavenly Stem and î being the 4th Earthly Branch. Info for those interested. Top. CH 41 Chapter 41 - Except for the small loyal dog, everyone is stressing me out. At midnight, Doctor Lu knocked on the door, I was still half awake but Ye Tan had already gotten up to answer. I heard the Doctor say that the life of that seriously injured man was hanging on by a thread and he needed a few precious medicinal ingredients to extend his life, they werent some sort of panacea and could be obtained with some money, but Yangxi was not a large city and he feared there usually werent many medicine shops in town, and he couldnt afford to waste time travelling to the surrounding large region. I was a bit worried, and Doctor Lu spoke again: Perhaps some of Yangxis rich families have some stocked. Of the rich families here I only know Yang Qingzhou, and I believed our friendship could maybe probably be considered pretty good, so I should be able to borrow some medicinal ingredients from him and make up for it in the future. I hurriedly got Doctor Lu to write out the prescription and dragged Ye Tan to go to Yang Lake. Before we left, I stole a quick glance at Ye Lans room. The lights were on but nobody was speaking, so I didnt know if they had been up all night or not. We stole a boat to cross to the island in the centre of the lake, but the main doors of the Yang Lake Residence were locked. We knocked on the door and asked the young servants on night duty to report that we wanted to go in, and a short time later we were welcomed inside the manor. As we came in, Yang Qingzhou had hurriedly gotten up, he was wearing a broad gown tied by a loose belt, and there was still some drowsiness in his eyes, but he wasnt angry for having been disturbed in the middle of the night and he still smiled and apologised for his lack of manners, his self-cultivation was indeed excellent. However, a few discontented mutters came from Yang Su inside his room, perhaps complaining that we were being too noisy. Yang Qingzhou lowered his voice and said: My younger brother is irritable when woken up, let us talk in another place. We had just gone out into the courtyard when I told him in full detail how other people came to steal the sword, how we accidentally injured a man and now he was in imminent danger, and how we needed his help. Yang Qingzhou bowed his head and looked at the prescription, but he didnt reply how I expected, and instead asked: Must you save him? I was confused: Why do you say such a thing? Yang Qingzhou smoothed out the fabric on his lapel, and slowly said: These scoundrels have repeatedly invaded your territory, putting Young Master Jun in danger with their sinister motives, it could be said that his death would not be worth caring about. This inside information is unknown, and the thugs that came were not good, so why would Young Master Jun personally come pay me a visit this late at night and offer to owe me a favour? His words confused me, and I didnt understand what he said, so I asked: You dont want to? Since Young Master Jun opened his mouth, Ive had no reason to refuse. He turned the conversation around, Its just that I cant understand why Young Master Jun must do this. ?????? 1 Means trash, since it sounds like lj which is literally trash/garbage. Top. CH 42 Chapter 42 - Bringing the small loyal dog to celebrate >u< ?????? 1 lit. Winter three ninth days and ļ lit. Summer three hot days. The first refers to the third ninth day after winter solstice (starting from the solstice, every nine days are counted as one ninth) which is believed to be the coldest time of the year, and the second refers to the hottest days of the year which are divided into beginning, з middle, and ĩ end, they last around 10-20 days with a few days in between each one. Top. 2 һһ lit. one time one meeting. The term comes from Japanese tea ceremonies. Top. CH 43 Chapter 43 - The small loyal dogs Fan Club has gained another member. ?????? 1 A guan originally refers to a string with coins with a hole in the middle threaded through. Reference picture. Top. 2 Shes described as wearing a ȹ Ruqun, which is traditional chinese attire made up of a short jacket usually worn under a long skirt. Reference pic. Top. CH 44 Chapter 44 - Bringing the small loyal dog for a stroll! ?????? 1 a person who makes figurines and shapes with melted sugar by blowing and sculpting them. Example pic. Top. 2 lit. large painted boat. Like the name suggests, its a type of large boat with one or two stories that is often elaborately decorated. Example pic. Top. 3 qqн lit. every year have now. Part of the full phrase н՚qqн񳯡 which translates to roughly the same thing repeated twice. Its usually said to people on their birthday, and can also be taken to mean something like May you have todays glory/happiness forever in the sense that youre wishing someone to always be as happy as they are now. Top. CH 45 Chapter 45 - No rowing boats today either. ?????? 1 Updated Yang River to Yang Lake. I mixed up the characters the first time I translated it and then I just didnt catch it until now? Lmao my bad. Top. 2 This is the same as the Zongmeng Union of Ch 24, but this time the author is using the same word for alliance/union for both of the perpendicular powers. Seems like the important part to remember is the prefixes: Heng- for horizontal, and Zong- for north-south vertical. Top. 3 ۲R̩ɽ idiom that means to fail to recognise someone who is important or who has great talent. Taishan, or Mount Tai, is one of the five Sacred Mountains of china (some would say the most important one) and is considered a UNESCO world heritage site, so its a pretty big deal. Top. CH 46 Chapter 46 - Damn it, I dont want to screw up QAQ ?????? 1 From a series of novels by Gu Long, starting with Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword published in 1968. The character Bai Xiaosheng keeps a document known as the Weapons Spectrum, where he records the rankings of the most powerful weapons in the Jianghu. Top. 2 A famous horse from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. Top. 3 A li is around half a kilometre or 0.3 miles. Top. CH 47 Chapter 47 - I am certainly not stupid! ?????? 1 Not the same Qiu as Qiu Manor. Qiu Manors name, , means autumn, while this guys Qiu, , if read as chu, means hatred/animosity. His whole name is actually kind of ominous, with the jiu meaning blame/punishment/misfortune and the whole thing literally translating to something like hatred lacking punishment. Top. 2 The sword name comes from a mixture of the idioms 溣һ lit. one grain in the vast sea, which is like the english metaphor a drop in the ocean, and 溣z lit. lost pearls in the vast sea, which is a metaphor for undiscovered talents. Top. 3 Around 10~15 mins. Refers to the time it takes to drink a cup of tea from the moment it is served, including the time it takes to cool down. Top. 4 Around 30 mins. How long it takes for a stick of incense to burn. Top. CH 48 Chapter 48 - ? ?????? 1 In chinese acupuncture, the philtrum (the vertical groove atop the upper lip) is also known as the renzhong or human centre, and it is considered an important acupuncture point for first aid since apparently it can be used to restore consciousness, calm someone down, stop seizures, etc. Top. 2 L, a poetic way to refer to wind blowing through a pine forest, also the name of a music piece played in the guqin (traditional chinese string instrument). Also a type of tea I think. Top. CH 49 Chapter 49 - Why does the loyal dog smell so good. ?????? 1 From the idiom Ҹxđ lit. loyal liver righteous gallbladder. Used to describe someone who is loyal and brave. Top. 2 Salted fish is actually a slang way to refer to someone without aspirations, who live mostly bland, mediocre lives and dont really do anything to improve. Its usually said in a self-deprecating manner. Top. CH 50 Chapter 50 - Im just a little sad, thats all. ?????? 1 Apparently in ancient times people used to break willow branches and give them to others as farewell gifts, which is where the name of the song comes from. Listen to the song here. Top. 2 This metaphor is from the poem High Balcony by Wu Wenying. It is also a poem about separation. The original line is y lit. repairing bamboo condensing makeup (or cultivate/cut bamboo makeup). From what I found it is comparing the bamboo to a lady wearing makeup, hence my translation, but classical chinese poetry is hard so idk. Translation of the poem collection (scroll to (226) High balcony 265). Top. 3 lit. crouching dragon. The nickname given to Zhuge Liang, the most recognised military strategist of the Three Kingdoms period. Top. 4 Little white face, СĘ, derogatory term for an attractive young man (think pretty boy but condescending). Rabbit lord, Ã, slang for male prostitute. Top. 5 ֪֪ lit. top know astronomy bottom know geography. Meaning to have a broad range of knowledge. Top. 6 Another slang for male prostitute. Top. 7 Heroic liver righteous gallbladder, bxđ, someone who is brave and acts to help the weak and fight injustices. Iron bones tender feelings, F, someone who is physically strong but gentle on the inside. Top. 8 The last two lines are from the poem Washing Creek Sands by Manchu poet Nalan Xingde. He writes about the loneliness of heartbreak, and most of his poems are sorrowful. Top. CH 51 Chapter 51 - Without my small loyal dog, Im like a salted fish without dreams. ?????? 1 If Im not mistaken, in this case ancestor is like a nickname that guys call their girlfriends/partners when theyre being hard to please. Top. CH 52 Chapter 52 - The villain is online! Im dead! After spending another leisurely and carefree month, Yang Qingzhous letters suddenly stopped. Previously, he had mentioned that Zhongli Court was like rats leaving a sinking ship, with their forces spent, and every branch already eliminated. The Zongheng Double Alliance1 was preparing to encircle and annihilate Zhongli Court, and at last it was time for the final stage. I guessed that the war might possibly come to an end soon, so I went to the island to find Yang Su and ask about the situation. Ye Xiao had been paralysed for the past two days, and couldnt even get up and crawl, so Ye Lan remained by his side, taking care of him. Recently, no one remained of the hidden guards that were following us, sure enough, the war was in a dire situation and they couldnt attend to my insignificant corner. I confidently went to the island on the heart of the lake, and it was very thrilling and exciting to get on the boat by myself. It would be nice if A-Tan was by my side. The attendant that had come to the door last time had already withdrawn, and there was no one to directly report to. I knocked on the door but no one answered, so I listened for a moment, and felt like the quiet on the island was a little bit strange. Mist seemed to be rising from the heart of the lake, saturating the island with dense water vapour. The lacquer door was closed, but it wasnt locked, so I pushed it open and went inside. I had taken a few steps and was looking around when I smelled a strange perfume, but I didnt have time to identify it before my sight suddenly went black. I didnt know how long I had lost consciousness for as I gradually came back to my senses. After my awareness returned I could feel myself shivering, cold all over. Winter had left the slab floor ice-cold, and I had already lost all feeling on my arms and legs as I was stuck to the bone-chilling floor, I didnt even have the strength to lift my head. Cant be tortured? What a joke. A voice objected as someone calmly flipped through the pages of a book. Young Master, this persons constitution is too poor, he would die within half a day. Someone to the side respectfully answered him. He cant die, I still have things to ask him. The person got up and strolled in front of me, roughly clamping down on my lower jaw and stuffing a pill inside my mouth, then pressing me back against the floor. I could already feel a sharp pain from the pill sliding through my oesophagus. He covered the inner side of my wrist and felt my pulse, saying: His cultivation is indeed pretty good, there is danger concealed within. He stopped after this brief statement, and indifferently said, Destroy it. As the pill reached my stomach, I felt my organs burning as though they had been set on fire, and the bone-piercing ice-cold I had felt just then instantly turned into a scorching furnace. I arched my body, unable to bear the pain, but was immediately suppressed. How? The person lowered his voice, holding my chin between his fingers and forcing me to face him, and smiled dully, My Zhongli Court has the best medicine to preserve life, it is said that if you give it to a dead person, theyll be able to crawl upon a horse and go to into battle. I treat my guests generously, do you like it? My eyes burned, and my sight was fuzzy, so I wasnt able to clearly make out the person. I forced myself to suppress the acute pain in my organs for a short time so I could see clearly. His appearance seemed familiar, he had somewhat a hint of the Eldest Young Master Zhongli Zixu, but his pupils were suffused with a sickly silver colour, and there was a teardrop mole in the outer corner of his left eye. His face was clearly that of a young man of about twenty, but his hair was a mixture of blotchy ash-coloured and white strands, like an old man in his twilight years, giving him a strange, sinister appearance. This person seemed so vicious an cruel it made me tremble. Second Young Master? How did I fall into his hands? My endurance had always been bad, and I couldnt stop myself from moaning in pain. Fortunately, the Second Young Master didnt really need me to answer, so he loosened his hand and threw me back down on the ground: Did you leave Yaksha behind in order to save this broken, sick body of yours? .....Hmph, you almost had me fooled, thinking he had the genuine luck of coming a cross a sincere person. Then I heard him gnashing his teeth as he said: You brought Yaksha with you to go to One Sword Tomb, but you came back alone. Didnt you also sacrifice Yakshas life? Whats the difference between you and me? I couldnt make heads or tails of what he was saying. Rather than interrogating me, it seemed like he was talking to himself. I was delirious from the pain, but I still cursed him silently: The one who harmed Yaksha the most was you, how can you still look like you want to get justice for Yaksha. Someone came up beside me holding a bowl with a boiling decoction, pried open my jaw, and forcefully poured it down. For a short time after, all I could feel was an endless stabbing pain in my meridians, my inner breath was like an uncontrollable storm, disorderly crashing in every direction, feeling like a giant wave of crushed stones, and it felt as though someone had taken a knife to my skin and was splitting it open until it bled, then getting rid of all the arteries and veins in my whole body, peeling them off one by one. The original burning pain had doubled, and I could only see bursts of black in front of my eyes. I was already in extreme pain, but I didnt faint, instead I began to feel everything with increasing clarity, probably due to the efficacy of that nuisance life-saving medicine. I really wished I could just hit my head and die and be done with it. A clear, cold voice said: The medicine has taken effect, let me disperse his cultivation. The Second Young Master gave a grim laugh: Why, Ye Jun, do you feel sorry for him? 1 The Zonglian and Henglian alliance. Top. 2 The life gate, or T mingmen, is located in the back along the spine at the same height as the navel. Said to be the root of vitality and the gateway to life. Top. 3 Chinese instrument of torture made up of small sticks tied by string. A persons fingers are placed between the sticks and, when the strings are pulled, the fingers are slowly crushed. Top. 4 A zhang is about 3.5 metres. Top. CH 53 Chapter 53 - Why am I a dead duck. Jun Xuanheng died. His chest was already empty, his heart had been completely and precisely scooped out. Ye Lan was quite accustomed to this technique and, as usual, he easily crushed that still-beating heart between his fingers. His face was covered in blood, eerie and terrifying, but he turned to Ye Xiao and smiled with extreme gentleness: Gui Mao, you dont need to protect others anymore, just run away with me. He stepped forward to grab Ye Xiaos hand, but instead received a slap to the face as a response. Ye Xiao had used one-tenth of his force, so hot, fishy sweet blood started flowing out of his mouth, nose, and ears. Ye Lan didnt hesitate, seeming as though he couldnt sense Ye Xiaos hostility, and leaned over towards him, Dont make trouble, well go back first..... Get lost. Ye Xiao raged, his voice trembling with suppressed emotions. His brain had still not accepted what had happened, and he couldnt weave together the words to scold him. He only thought about getting far away from the eyes of this devil, and only felt that the hand that had touched him was incomparably filthy. The Second Young Master had set his heart on interrogating Jun Xuanheng for his origins, and had persistently endured for several months, so now that Ye Lan had ruined his plans he was also extremely angry. The surrounding guards werent apprehensive anymore and moved forward, only thinking about taking their lives. Ye Xiao also had no intention of leaving and, as Ye Lan approached, he raised his hand again. Ye Lans speed surpassed Ye Xiaos by who knew how much. However, Ye Lan obediently waited to receive his second slap, then knocked him out and carried him over his shoulder. CH 54 [Extra] 54 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 01 Gui Mao had originally planned to go to sleep early today, taking off his bloody clothes and carelessly rushing into the waterfall, being the first to walk back to the bunks. But when the others returned to the room after the trials had finished, the continuous stream of moans, cries, and insults created endless noise, making even he, who had the best temperament in the cycle, feel moody just by hearing it. They were all wounded, each one was also simply a youth of eleven or twelve years, and it could be said they had almost no endurance, so every day there was someone who yelled and cried bitterly, unable to bear the torment. Compared to the ruthless Killing Arena during the day, this revealed the weakness and unwillingness of a habitat that seemed more like purgatory instead. It wasnt that he looked down on them. It was only that, these youths that wailed and caused trouble due to their injuries generally didnt last several days before meeting their Maker, and were replaced with new people to fill the vacancies when the moment came. Gui Mao was one of the sixty youths that made up this cycle, and, of the people that came in at the same time as him and were able to survive until this day, there remained only ten. Gui Mao considered himself a heartless person, he had long gotten used to smiling while helping his brothers collect corpses, but after hearing these sounds of weeping for a long time, his heart was also at a loss. Every single one of these youths were risking their lives to survive, but he didnt have any hopes, so much so that he didnt cling to surviving in the world, and he didnt know what on earth he was trying to achieve every day. Gui Mao couldnt stop himself from fidgeting in irritation, he still hadnt put on a garment, so he got up and walked out the door with a bare upper-body. As usual, there was a person sitting by the doorway in a daze, Gui Mao greeted him with the usual wave of his hand. As he walked towards the courtyard, he leapt into the air and jumped towards courtyard''s Eastern Head Pavilion, climbed up layer upon layer until he reached the roof in the topmost layer, and sat down on the ivory eaves with one leg slung over the other. He gazed into the distance, towards the East, and caught sight of a familiar figure. The sun was setting on the sky, and the clouds reflected the glow of the sun, that person was sitting upright, cross-legged on some stone steps under a veranda, polishing a sword. The neighbouring courtyard was for the Seniors one cycle older than Gui Mao, he had asked about this persons ranking, and found out he was Geng Chen. Geng Chens actions were extremely regular, he would come here practically every day after training, and would either meditate or polish his sword. He sat there like a boulder, unmoving, and spoke very little, his movements were calm and steady, not fitting for someone his age. At the Nightrunner, very few people used swords, and even fewer practised internal breathing. The daily trials were all life-threatening, surviving today did not necessarily mean one would survive tomorrow, and internal cultivation2 was extremely time-consuming, seeing its effects was also very slow, and people were unable to bear practising asceticism. Its always easy to avoid clear shots, but hard to guard against hidden arrows, so everyone wished they could meticulously study all kinds of shady means and ruthless methods, to catch others by surprise and gain victory to continue living. That was why, the first time Gui Mao looked down into the neighbouring courtyard from the high building and saw there was someone using a sword, he viciously thought about when this person would die. However, as his own colleagues were replaced in wave after wave, that neighbouring youth holding a sword seemed as though he would never fade away. It was only after he asked around that he found out that Geng Chens skills in concealed weapons and poisons were also the most outstanding in his cycle. That person was truly strange, both tenacious and fearsome but also open and candid, simply incompatible with the Nightrunner. Gui Mao gradually discovered that that steady figure had the power to captivate and pacify him, so whenever he felt irritated, he only had to climb to the top of the building and look down for a short time, then his heart would be able to settle down. Geng Chen meticulously finished polishing his sword and began to meditate, Gui Mao watched him, accidentally falling asleep. After a brief and boring dream, he woke up and wiped away some drool. That person was still meditating in his original spot, not having moved a single bit, and it seemed as though no time had passed for him. A sense of guilt arose involuntarily. 6 A phenomenon in which a person with severe mental deterioration suddenly regains their clarity of mind just before dying. Top. CH 55 [Extra] 55 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 02 ?????? 1 According to the rankings, out of the sixty people at the beginning of a cycle, the strongest six are given the name Jia, and so on and so forth, until the weakest six are named Gui. All the name rankings are: Jia (1), Yi (2), Bing (3), Ding (4), Wu (5), Ji (6), Geng (7), Xin (8), Ren (9), Gui (10). Top. 2 Comes from a Confucian teaching. In ancient times, it was believed that your body was given to you by your parents, so in order to honour your parents you had to take care of your body. This included things like not cutting your hair, which was considered a way of damaging the body and therefore unfilial. Top. 3 lit ice muscle jade bone. Used to describe clear and smooth skin by comparing it to clear cold jade, also gives allusions to something pure and unsullied. Top. CH 56 [Extra] 56 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 03 ?????? 1 Between 3:00 and 5:00. Top. 2 lit. thigh meat reborn. An idiom used to refer to a comfortable and easy period of life where one doesnt do anything, it comes from the idea that, for those who ride horses (esp. to go to war and the like), not riding for a long time can feel like the flesh on their thighs is growing back. Top. 3 Refers to something that is intrinsically true, right, and unalterable. Something that can be taken for granted and not be doubted. Top. CH 57 [Extra] 57 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 04 ?????? 1 Lmao so the author often used the word (edge of a blade) to refer to Ye Lans fingers, but also proceeded to describe his heart-gouging actions as being done with his ͽ (empty/bare hands) so I could never figure out if the was meant as a metaphor for his hands being deadly weapons or if he literally had knives on his fingers. Now we know he does literally have knives on his fingers, mystery solved! Top. CH 58 [Extra] 58 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 05 ?????? 1 The three hot days (of summer) and three ninth days (of winter) from Ch 42. Top. CH 59 [Extra] 59 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - ?Daytime Sleep? 06 ?????? 1 tͬtͬѨ lit. living in the same quilt, dying in the same hole. Refers to the commitment of a couple who live together and die together. Top. CH 60 [Extra] 60 - Ye Lan x Ye Xiao - Get on the car1 !! Dont say more! Go!! (I certainly cant become a locked chapter.) Recently, Ye Lan had been less and less well-behaved when going to sleep, in addition, the frequency of this bad behaviour had also increased more and more. Ye Xiao was very irritable when he didnt get enough sleep, so every time Ye Lan stuck to him and rubbed against him and hugged him and woke him up, his mood was not too good. Ye Xiao smacked Ye Lan far away with the palm of his hand: If you dont sleep what are you disturbing me for? Obviously when they were at the Nightrunner, the two of them often woke up and went to sleep together, but it was rarely like this. Ever since they started living comfortably with their new Master, Ye Lan had begun to make trouble frequently. Ye Xiao thought it boiled down to having a belly full of food and a mind full of lust2 . Its uncomfortable here, Gui Mao. Ye Lan looked wilted and dejected, he rubbed against him and asked, Have I been poisoned? Pretending he didnt know what he was feeling, Gui Mao took in a deep breath and suggested, Go swim in the lake for a bit, or run ten laps around Yang Lake and come back. Oh. Ye Lan got up and put his clothes on, obediently listening to him and going out. Half a sichen later, Ye Lan returned, dripping wet: I swam for a bit, also ran ten laps, it was enough. Ye Xiao blushed with shame. ..you really went for a swim.. uh, are you still feeling uncomfortable now? Ye Lan nodded sincerely: Im fine now, thank you. ..No, dont mention it, youre welcome. Ye Xiao had shame in his heart, so he reluctantly got up, Hey, sit up, Ill wipe you down, its winter after all. Grabbing him and pushing him onto a chair, Ye Xiao pulled out a cloth and wrapped it around his head, rubbing it determinedly. Ye Lans short hair had always been personally cut by him, the first few times he cut it it was a jagged, tragic sight, but now he has practised enough to nimbly make it very fitting. Ye Lan was still as he was roughly wiped clean by him, he caught sight of Ye Xiaos unclothed waist through a gap between his messy hair and the cloth, and he couldnt help but reach out to embrace it. Ye Xiao was originally standing in front of him, so when he was pulled into his embrace and stood between his legs, he immediately became aware of something pressing against him from in between his legs, and his heart thumped. Ye Xiao still hadnt figured out what to say to dodge when Ye Lan had already pushed him away and stood up, saying: Im uncomfortable again, Ill go swim in the lake for a bit. Go to sleep first, dont wait for me. Ye Lan didnt wait for a reply and pushed the door open, going out and leaving Ye Xiao standing stiffly in place as the wintry cold air from the twelfth lunar month made its way inside the room from the crack in the door, making him shiver. 1 Internet slang, they''re getting on the car because they''re going for a long, bumpy ride~ ( ? ?? ?). Top. 2 From ů˼ lit. eat till full be warm think about lust. Like the saying When the belly is full, the mind is among the maids, meaning that when one is not thinking about things like food or shelter, they can start to indulge in other desires. Top. 3 Actual word is ϻ which refers to a traditional Chinese medicine term known as en excess of internal heat which can cause all sorts of symptoms including congestion, sore throat, swelling, discomfort, etc. Top. 4 On jjwxc, nutrient solution is the name of a points system you can award to works you like. By giving works nutrient solution, fans can fertilise their favourite works so they can grow and become more popular, and the more fans cultivate the works they like the better they do. Top. 5 A saying that means writing something off as being hopeless and acting recklessly. Top. CH 61 [Extra] 61 - Drunken Hometown (First Part) - Mid-Autumn Festival Congratulations 01 When Ye Lan came up and stuck to him, Ye Xiao was abruptly awakened from a dream, feeling a sense of danger like prey being caught by a ferocious beast. However, it was already too late, there was no warning signs for this surprise attack as Ye Lan pressed against his back, held his body in place and, without any preparation, immediately pierced him through from top to bottom. Ye Xiao felt so much pain he saw black, and his grogginess immediately vanished like smoke in the air as he cursed under his breath: Fuck, how are you in heat again?! During the day Ye Lan was very obedient, if he drew a circle and told him to not go out, he would obediently crouch inside and wait for orders. But going into the night, he was the complete opposite, and his excitement made him almost entirely self-centred and unable to regard the needs of others. As usual, Ye Xiao took out a short knife and slashed downwards, wanting to force him back. This was originally an empty show of force, but Ye Lan didnt dodge at all and allowed the sharp blade to pierce into his arm. At this moment, all that was left of him was lust and animal nature, and he wanted to follow those instincts, but it was also in his nature to never be guarded against Ye Xiao. Ye Xiao was startled, he cursed under his breath as he withdrew the hand with the short knife, and the sharp blade left behind a trail of blood in the air as it was pulled out. Ye Xiao didnt want to really hurt him, so he didnt dare make another move, and he just used all his strength to turn over and jump to the side to avoid him. Ye Lan seized the opportunity to grab his wrists and pin them against the wall, pushing onto his back and forcing him to press up against the wall, making it difficult for him to make even a fraction of a movement. Ye Xiaos wuggong methods excelled at long range and concealed weapons, so trying to compete against Ye Lan with brute force was simply wishful thinking. He was wedged between the wall and Ye Lan, with no room to move out of the way. The movements of the person behind him were rough and savage, at first Ye Xiao involuntarily whimpered a few times due to the sharp pain, but he gradually lost the strength to resist and his moaning also quieted down. In order to force Ye Xiao to make a sound, Ye Lan continuously increased his strength. Ye Xiao already didnt know if what hurt more was the force with which he was rammed against the wall or the sharp blade wreaking havoc on his lower body, and his consciousness was almost broken. When Ye Xiao woke up once again, it felt more like he was dragged back into consciousness by an intense sense of pain. His knees and chest were covered in blue-green bruises, and his wrists were red and swollen from being gripped, without moving he could feel a thick liquid slowly gushing out from between his legs, some of it already cold, and some still warm. It wasnt dawn yet, and probably only a sichen or two had passed. Ye Lan was lying on top of him, already asleep, and hadnt forgotten to hug him tightly. The lewd scent of essence and the light smell of blood lingered in the air. Ye Lan looked at him, sleeping soundly, and was incredibly angry. His lower body was sticky, and he didnt need to think about it to know how much of a mess it was, he endured the discomfort as he lay down for a while, and once he had recovered a little of his physical strength, he slapped Ye Lan on the head: Shameful! He didnt have any strength, so his hand was as light as a feather and Ye Lan didnt wake at all. Fuck you~ Wake up~ Ye Xiao used the little strength he had left to slap him on the cheek and reprimand him, but unfortunately his scolding was also light as a feather and didnt affect the other at all. Ye Lan slightly opened his eyes into a thin line, looking out blankly, and in a daze shifted towards the side of his body, hugging his leg and rubbing against it, and continued sleeping peacefully. Ye Xiao felt depressed. Martial arts practitioners, for the most part, were very vigilant towards the movements of those around them, and would only become unguarded around those people they trusted with their heart and soul, to the point where they wouldnt be woken by the smallest movement. Ye Xiao knew he was that kind of special existence for Ye Lan, and he used to think that was something to be proud of, but in the current circumstances, he hated he couldnt just smash him into the wall. Ye Xiao trembled as he pushed Ye Lan away, then ruthlessly kicked him down from the bed, and supported himself on the railing to sit up. With this light movement, he suddenly felt as though a spring gushed down from his secret place, flowing down his legs and immediately wetting a large area of his lower body. Ye Xiao cursed in his mind. Afterwards, he took a deep breath and exerted all of his power to get down on the ground, then he carelessly draped a garment over his shoulders and made his way to the back of the mountain, supporting himself on the walls and the trees the whole journey there. There was a dense forest behind the mountain, and a clear spring flowed down through it, converging into a stream. When he had just come to the Sword Pavilion, Ye Xiao took a liking to this place and talked about how convenient it would be to bathe here, and Pavilion Master Jun Xuanheng teased him: We are wealthy big-shots, you should naturally call for a maid to help you bathe, why would you wash out in the wilderness? Ye Xiao spoke without thinking: Just in case its an inconvenient time. 1 Like the saying casting pearls before swine, meaning to try and reason with/do something for someone who wont understand/appreciate it. Basically saying its a waste of words. Top. 2 Old time-y wine jars were sealed with clay around the mouth like so to guarantee the freshness of the liquor. Top. CH 62 [Extra] 62 - Drunken Hometown (Second Part) - Almost got deleted, Ill certainly make it through While the two Pavilion Masters were being lovey-dovey, Ye Xiao had returned to his seat with two cups, and carelessly used his elbow to push one to Ye Lan. Previously, Ye Xiao had stolen and drank A-Heng and A-Shus Shaochun and Huadiao wines1 , which were biting in taste and pungent in smell in a way that made drinking them no different from self-abuse. At this moment, he cautiously sniffed at it, feeling like the plum wine seemed very mild, and tried drinking a small sip, angrily saying: Shit! Tastes bad! Then he slammed it on the table and backed away, disdainfully saying, How could anyone like drinking this disgusting thing.. While he swore, he turned his head back and saw that Ye Lan had already completely drained his. Ye Xiao was speechless: ..Why did you drink the whole thing? Ye Lan was at a loss: Werent you letting me drink? You dont think it tastes bad? I wouldnt have been able to tell you could actually drink. Ye Xiao was still speechless, and he gasped in surprise, Sigh, pouring it out would be a waste, Ill give this cup to you too. Ye Lan obediently took the cup he was handed, and fully drained the cup as though he were drinking plain water. Ye Xiao was speechless: What are you drinking so fast for, wont you feel bad..? Ye Lan said: I feel bad. Ye Xiao considerately said: Eh, if you feel dizzy, you dont need to force yourself, tell me and Ill send you back first Ye Xiao hadnt finished speaking when he saw Ye Lan slump away from his chair and land face down on the floor with a loud thud. Ye Xiao: Jun Xuanheng heard the movement and turned his head, seeing Ye Lan had already fallen to the ground, and angrily said: How did he get drunk so quickly? Youre bullying Ye Lan again! Ye Xiao was unable to give a convincing explanation: Thats unfair, I didnt know he was so weak. Jun Xuanheng hurriedly said: Quickly carry him back to rest, its really windy here, be careful of the cold weather. Ye Xiao wailed in aguish: How the hell am I going to carry him I can barely walk on my own.. Once Jun Xuanheng heard this, he anxiously said: Are you unwell anywhere? Doctor Lu isnt here today, let A-Tan look at you. Ye Xiao held his scattered and smashed backside and waist, and spoke with a trembling voice: Dont look at it, I didnt say anything, Im fine everywhere. Ill take him Ill just take him.. Ye Lan returned to consciousness as he was being jolted up and down. He could feel his head hurting a little, and his line of sight wasnt too clear, furthermore, the constant up and down movement of his insides made him want to vomit. He was muddleheaded for a long time, and gradually discovered he was being carried on someones back as they ambled forward through a corridor. They were surrounded by a vast lake on both sides, its clear and crystalline water rippled with the afterglow of the setting sun. The light sunset glow wound around the mountain as twilight approached, gradually dying the layers of the forest. The mountain rivers gathered into a thin line in the horizon, and Ye Lan could only marvel at the vastness of the earth, losing himself in its beauty. Ye Lan thought that he must be dreaming, because his life only had high walls and chains, and he had never seen such a wide, magnificent landscape. And the person carrying him had the same familiar scent of a cherished memory. He involuntarily blurted out that name that was always in his heart: Gui Mao.. Aiyo, ancestor, youre finally awake. Ye Xiao could finally look forward to freeing himself, so he stopped walking and turned his head back to speak to him, Get down and walk on your own, spare my life. Ye Lan caught sight of his face and was stunned for a moment. 1 ͻ lit. Burning Spring and Flower Carving. Both are names of wines. Top. 2 The word theyre using is , which is used to describe an action that involves using both arms to surround sb./sth. so depending on the context, it can mean hold/carry/hug/embrace/etc. Top. 3 The phrase he uses can be read as both take off pants and just do (something) or take off pants and just fuck, since he specifies he''s using it as an "adjective" I went with the less direct translation. Top. 4 צ Idiom used to describe someones mood as being complicated, restless and/or anxious. Top. 5 lit. bed and sleeping mat. Used when referring to a bed as the place where intimate activities take place. Top. 6 Like the expression to throw cold water on, meaning to discourage someone from an idea with their words. Top. CH 63 Chapter 63 - No one wants to let the small loyal dog become cold T^T ?????? 1 ߻ħ lit. catch fire and become a demon. Term used when one suffers an accident during cultivation and goes mad, usually results in grievous bodily harm. Top. 2 Used to describe someone as perfect and without faults. Carries connotations of unrealistic idealisation. Top. 3 His name literally means hopeless. Top. 4 Actual term is Fđ lit. household/census register of this life. This household registration, also known as huji or hukou, is a system used in china to officially register individuals and their details. Top. CH 64 Chapter 64 - A warm celebration for the return of the small loyal dog Q3Q ?????? 1 Also known as imperial tutor chair, a type of carved wood chair that is a symbol of power and status. Example Pics. Top. CH 65 Chapter 65 - The small loyal dog grew up! I can be a salted fish in peace! Yeah! ?????? 1 An idiom used to describe someone who frightens easily, especially due to past experiences. Top. 2 Its an evil laugh. (ء) Top. 3 An idiom meaning that if you let the enemy go, it will bring trouble in the future. Top. 4 I think these are their nicknames? They dont sound like ranks or titles lol. Top. CH 66 Chapter 66 - Long time no see, let me take it in for a little longer =3= ?????? 1 Referring to war. Top. 2 Just to clarify, Boss with capital B is Jun Xuanheng, boss with lowercase b is Ye Tan. I try to make the distinction by just writing out boss Ye Tan when it would otherwise be ambiguous, but since hes speaking directly to them here adding the name would be a little awkward. Top. 3 A metaphor for something outstanding. Top. CH 67 Chapter 67 - Stop struggling! Big Villain! Youve already been surrounded by my small loyal dog! ?????? 1 Idiom that means to lure someone away from their territory to take advantage of their absence. Top. CH 68 Chapter 68 - The small loyal dog reasons things out o((ݨo) ?????? 1 He used the word q which can mean both strange/weird but also surprising/wonderful. I went with the more neutral translation of unusual because I have a feeling that JY meant the former and JXH understood the latter. Top. 2 Glutinous rice dumplings wrapped with leaves. Pic. Top. 3 He used the word ƿ lit. flower vase. It can also be used to mean something that is just for show, or someone who is employed only for their appearance and not their skills. Top. 4 To be jealous. I kept the literal translation as a play on the chopstick thing. Top. 5 If youre not familiar with this concept, a gu is a type magical poisonous/venomous bug made by putting a bunch of poisonous bugs in a jar and having them fight until only one remains. In cultivation novels, different kinds of gu do different kinds of things, and can even be used to control people. Top. 6 Idiom that means difficulties that are complicated and deeply-rooted. Top. 7 ƶ lit. break and then stand. Means to learn from failures before being able to succeed, to start over after having failed and learning from experience. Top. CH 69 Chapter 69 - Drinking congee with the other small pitiful one. ?????? T/N: The main story is winding down, only one chapter left to go. There are still *plenty* of extras left, tho. CH 70 Chapter 70 - Its coming to an end, goodbye. ?????? 1 _ lit. Asura/Shura field. From the Buddhist demigod Asura, originally used to refer to literal battlefields or scenes of carnage, but was later adapted to mean a figurative battlefield, including those caused by love triangles. Top. 2 From װع lit. clad in silver adornments. Refers to the scenery after snowfall, when the landscape is covered in snow. Top. 3 Fromѩйٹ龩A song of white snow in farewell to magistrate Wu going back to the Capital from the Tang Dynasty poet Cen Shen. A very popular farewell poem that evokes the winter scenery. I found a lot of different translations for this one but the one I used is here: Snapping the pallid grass,the northern wind whirls low; In the eighth moon the Tartar sky is filled with snow As if the vernal breeze had come back overnight, Adorning thousands of pear trees with blossoms white, Flakes enter pearled blinds and wet the silken screen; No furs of fox can warm us nor brocade quilts green. The general cannot draw his rigid bow with ease; Even the commissioner in coat of mail would freeze. A thousand feet over cracked wilderness ice piles, And gloomy clouds hang sad and drear for miles and miles. We drink in headquarters to our guest homeward bound; With Tartar lutes, pipas and flutes the camps resound. Snow in large flakes at dusk falls heavy on camp gate; The frozen red flag in the wind won''t undulate. At eastern gate of Wheel Tower we bid goodbye, On the snow-covered road to Heaven''s Mountain high. I watch his horse go past a bend and, lost to sight, His track will soon be buried up by snow in flight. ?????? T/N: The main story ends here, but their story isn''t over! Next up: Jun Xuanheng and Ye Tan finally get together.