I ask myself, the Emperor of SpiteOften thinking of Sisters once so close
He someday visits the sky supporting mountain
Certain to destroy that thousand year joke
These words were written very vividly and powerfully, appearing like the flower hairpin of a beautiful woman. This seemed to be penned by the style of a well-bred young lady.
“This sky supporting mountain must be referring to Maiden Mountain? Certain to destroy that thousand year joke…” Su Xing felt that the woman who wrote this was actually quite aggressive. Could it be that this thousand year joke referred to the nearly one thousand years of Star Duels? The signature below was “Song,”1 making others unable to help but think of a certain person.2
Wu Siyou"s eyes slightly squinted, fixing her eyes silently on this qijue.
“Dear Guests, this jade stele is specialized in verse. For only a liang of gold, do Dear Guests want to leave behind an eternal good name?” A waiter walked forward and laughed.
“Who wrote this?” Wu Siyou expressionlessly asked.
“Oh, this was written by a young lady.” The waiter said. “This happened half a year ago already.”
“What did she look like?” Su Xing also asked.
The waiter showed an awed expression: “Beautiful. Truly beautiful, as if she had walked out of a painting. Right, at that time, there was also an elegant young lord that inscribed a verse because of this…” He pointed below.
Written upon it.
Three sovereigns and five emperors seek Weiyang,
Hear of women gracefully compete against snow.
Their brows like misty green mountain scenes,
Restrained tender whispers aromatically fill the courtyard.
Heave deep sighs into the night sky,
The beauties" flowery part.i.tion in the clouds.
Wish for descended reincarnation three thousand times,
Only for the sake of a beauty"s fragrance.3
Signed, Liu Tianya.4
Su Xing thought, f.u.c.k, this Liu Tianya is a talented scholar. It seemed that girl was truly boundlessly charming. The so-called Weiyang was also called Weiyang Palace.5 In the myths of Liangshan"s palaces, legend had it that when Xuan Nü fell into the mundane world, she resided in this palace. To compare her with fallen dignitaries showed indeed that nothing more could be said.
“Who else has seen the poem upon this?” Wu Siyou inquired, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with a rare curiosity.
“Probably four or five. The most recent was a month ago when an exquisite and graceful6 girl took a look. She seemed to have also said something about it being interesting…” The waiter respectfully answered.
“Exquisite and graceful.” Wu Siyou mumbled to herself.
“She also inscribed a verse…”
“Vanity in Star Energy becomes singular, arrogance disallows injury to pride, like subdued dragons in shallow waters, dripping blood looking into the blue sky; misfortune gathers in opposite of righteousness, timely rains sow the kernels of fear, what time seemingly records pa.s.sions of then, Liangshan Little Sisters are as before. Signed, Hua.”7 (Author"s Note: Book friends, laziness clouds creativity. So dangerous…)
This jade stele was a well-known scene at Xunyang Restaurant. When the Blood Shadow Elder Devil originally fought, Emperor Liang Liang gazed at the boundless blood and wrote, “Destroy soldiers and split armor and kill with bloodthirst, a picture of the landscape of ten thousand li of slaughter.” From then on, many somewhat refined cultivators, regardless of whether or not they had the talent or ability, were willing to leave behind a few words. This jade stele was carved with Star Energy, and Star Cultivators with insufficient force often could not stay for long.
Su Xing glanced at the inscriptions of that girl named Song and Liu Tianya. The former was flexible and graceful yet did not lose the air of a phoenix dancing through the Ninth Heaven. That Liu Tianya also carved very beautifully. That Hua"s inscription had her intent permeate the stele, her skill deep and resounding, vaguely with a tyrannical conceit. This was the so-called seeing words that were like the person, where three types of entirely different personalities appeared vividly before them.
“Do you want to write one?” Su Xing said when he saw her this curious.
Wu Siyou twitched her mouth. Though appeared uninterested, she returned the invitation: “Since you can have Little Yi"s services, you should have some talent. It would be better for you to inscribe one.”
“A limerick should do.” Su Xing chuckled.
“Oh?” Wu Siyou revealed a trace of interest.
“Alright, since the beauty bears pa.s.sion, then Your Servant presents his inadequacy.” Su Xing really had some ideas. However, though he flaunted himself, he knew how serious the situation was right now. Originally, he wanted to write a few phrases, “the whole city will be clothed in golden armor,”8 “this land so rich in beauty has made countless heroes bow in homage,”9 these sorts of aggressive and awe-inspiring verses that would make Wu Siyou have a new level of respect for him. Thinking about it, it was better to forget about it. Stolen talent always gave rise to a somewhat guilty conscience.10
Looking at that far off mountain in red mist, then looking back at Song"s qijue, he had inspiration. He turned over a liang of gold, and condensing a bit of Star Energy onto his finger, he began carving. Although it was not as magnificent as the others, but for a first work, it was just right. What Su Xing wrote was also very short, a measly twenty characters.
“Blood mist has three thousand, breaking the world"s fated marriage; when I suddenly turn around, a dream buries a millennium.” Wu Siyou slowly read. Her tone had an indescribable softness.
“This Young Lord is thorough, an honest match made in heaven with that "certain to destroy that thousand year joke."” The waiter praised.
The corner of Wu Siyou"s mouth curved, showing a very shallow smile, “You actually quite understand her…”
“How poetic, how wet.”11 A voice suddenly praised.
Su Xing saw that white-clothed handsome youth had already approached. Seeing Su Xing"s literary ability, he added more praise.” This Fellow used few brushstrokes yet set an extraordinary tone. "When I suddenly turn around, a dream buries a millennium" truly says it all about Long Blood Stronghold"s bitter struggles.
“Fellow, this is undeserved praise.” Such bare praise made Su Xing feel a bit embarra.s.sed.
“Your Servant is Fang Xin"gu.12 Brother Su Xing is not only poetic, his skill also makes Your Servant thus admire.” Fang Xin"gu was like those people that acted as if he were an old friend even though they had only met. Having only seen Su Xing write, he already started to call themselves brothers.
“I wonder what Fellow"s wife is called?” Fang Xin"gu made Su Xing amused. He unexpectedly thought that Wu Siyou was Su Xing"s wife, and this could not be blamed on his misunderstanding. A man and woman coming together to a border region without adorning a sect"s robes, that result naturally had to be a husband and wife or such. In addition, at first glance, their relationship was somewhat close, so it was hard to avoid stirring the imagination of others.
Although no matter how they looked, Wu Siyou"s cool elegance and that ordinary appearance of Su Xing after a smile was a flower stuck who knows where.
Wu Siyou wrinkled her brow, disdaining to explain.
“My wife is Siyou.” Su Xing thought for a moment. Using this ident.i.ty was just enough to be able to conceal the attention of those sects.
“Do you have some business?” Wu Siyou somewhat slowly interrupted.
Fang Xingu said: “You two must be going to the Vermilion Bird Territory? Your Servant is currently seeking Fellows traveling to the Vermilion Bird Territory. We can look after each other in a party, I wonder if you two are willing?”
The Vermilion Bird Territory"s geniuses were too many to count. The Azure Dragon Territory"s cultivators often would go to the Vermilion Bird Territory to test themselves, especially for the Scattered Star Cultivators, who felt strongly about this place. However, the Vermilion Bird"s tribes were dangerous. Setting out on a journey alone would very easily make them targets, so most cultivators would form groups to go on the road.
Su Xing had also thought of finding a party to blend in with in order to fool people, so as to avoid arousing the attention of the other Great Sects. Pondering over and over, he prudently asked: “I wonder what sort of people are in the group?”
“They are Scattered Star Cultivators much like Brother Su Xing. Besides going to the Vermilion Bird Territory to seek out a few geniuses, they also wish to find some of the clans from Hundred Devils Mountain. The stronghold always offered bounties, and a tribesman could be exchanged for a pill and a hundred liang of gold. A general could be exchanged for a top-notch artifact, and a Demi King, heh, heh. You can be offered an imperial throne13 by Emperor Liang.” Fan Xin"gu slightly laughed. Although these rewards held no appeal to Su Xing, as far as Scattered Star Cultivators were concerned, these were rather enticing, particularly for a Hundred Devils Mountain tribesman. To kill one would probably be like pinching an ant to death, and as for the imperial throne, that was the Great Liang"s offering to a high ranking character. They could not do without gold, pills, artifacts and magic weapons, however, that Demi King was a mountain"s overlord. Their abilities were very powerful, and to be able to kill something the grade of a Demi King, perhaps wealth would be snubbed at. At most, that imperial throne was not bad.
Su Xing remembered details of Emperor Liang"s thrones that Wu Xinjie discussed. This Great Liang Dynasty"s “Imperial Throne” Star Cultivators numbered more than a hundred.
“Then good.” Su Xing nodded.
“Then meet at the stronghold"s eastern gate tonight.” Fang Xin"gu smiled. To be able to bring Su Xing"s husband and wife (fake) Galaxy Stage Cultivation into the group, that was even more safe.
A resounding bugle broke the restaurant"s atmosphere, cutting the mood apart raw. Everyone froze, crowding one after another towards the windowsill, looking into the distance.
On the plains outside of Long Blood Canyon, the blood mist dispersed, and a group of strange people clad in iron armor and hefting broadswords and axes walked out. Their foreheads had long and black demon horns, and their eyes were seemingly like copper bells. They sucked blood in their mouths, something extremely terrifying.
“It is the Evil Spirit Clan of the Hundred Devils Mountain"s Evil Spirit Mountain Range.”
“That d.a.m.ned tribe.”
Everyone was astonished when they saw this.
These people raised the heads of several cultivators, men and women. The leading male shouted: “Great King Devil Mask14 has spoken. It was The Great King who opened this road, the Great King who planted this tree, and if the Azure Dragon Territory"s cultivators wish to pa.s.s through this gate, use your lives to buy it!!”
The Evil Spirit clansmen threw the heads in their hands. Their strength was greatly shocking, for these seemingly slack heads that were like boulders suddenly showed malicious expressions, rushing towards the walls of the stronghold. Several guarding soldiers were bit apart by the heads the moment they touched.
This was the Evil Spirit Clan"s Fiend Magic: “Head Curse”15
The Evil Spirit Clan laughed aloud.
More than a dozen heads filled the sky, biting whatever they saw. The stronghold"s bows and arrows and magicks simply could not stop them. All the cultivators had seemingly been baffled, each attacking with riding swords. Just at this time, a sudden burst of flame shot out. This flame was extremely gorgeous, like a lotus flower ignited to the limit. Several dozen heads were burned cleanly away in the blink of an eye, and those Evil Spirit cultivators wanted to run when they saw this.
Red lotus flames blossomed in their surroundings, burning away the red mist.
The Evil Spirit cultivators screamed.
“Red Lotus Karma Fire!”16
“It is the Red Lotus Fairy!”
The cultivators shouted in shock, filled with reverence.
Flames suddenly condensed and dispersed. A woman beautiful as a G.o.ddess seemingly descended into the world, as if washed by the flames. Her cloud bun was lofty, inclined against her head. Her body was draped in red muslin, and those fingers were white as peeled scallions. Her red lips were full, the pace of her slender legs delicate. She was incomparably exquisite in this world, but what made Su Xing feel shocked was that this woman stepped barefoot onto the red lotuses. The petals of those lotus flowers burned with the color of flames, extraordinary to the extreme.
“The tiny Evil Spirits dare to be impudent.”
This Red Lotus Fairy"s voice was like something refined. Those two red pupils stared, and a lotus flower blaze rolled away the red mist. Those Evil Spirits immediately were burned to slags, and only one Evil Spirit outside of the Red Lotus Fairy"s magic was left with his life as a favor.
Looking at this woman of karmaic fire, that man shuddered and crawled on the ground.
The Vermilion Bird Territory honored the strong, and this Red Lotus Fairy"s cultivation unexpectedly was at the peak of Supercl.u.s.ter Stage. No wonder the Evil Spirit Tribe would revere her as a monster.
“Return and inform that Great King Devil Mask. This Immortal will take his life in a few days.” The Red Lotus Fairy coldly spoke.
The Evil Spirit man nodded in fright, turned around and escaped into the fog.
The Red Lotus Fairy harrumphed. She turned her head to look around, and the other cultivators promptly lowered their gazes. A Supercl.u.s.ter Peak Cultivator"s eyes were enough to make their minds entirely break down. Smiling, yet not, the Red Lotus Fairy tread onto a Red Lotus Karma Fire and escaped into Long Blood Canyon, as if the red mist along the road had been ripped apart.
“I never thought the Divine Flame Sword Sect"s Red Lotus Fairy would also come.”
“Indeed, seeing is believing. This Red Lotus Karma Fire has perhaps reached the Transforming Realm.”
“It seems the Purple Thunder Monster"s doom is truly at hand this time.” Fang Xin"gu sighed with some pity.
Supercl.u.s.ter Peak Cultivators mainly were in secluded cultivation. To show themselves, often there would be some important objective. The Red Lotus Fairy was once revered as the Divine Flame Sword Sect"s Ancestral Master. In addition, legend had it that this Red Lotus Karma Fire was even the Supreme Grade Secret Technique of the Red Lotus Immortals Sect of the ancient Great Sect, Nine Dragons Great Sect. The Purple Thunder Monster"s Purple Mansion Immortals Thunder17 could not contend against it.
Wu Siyou unenthusiastically glanced at Su Xing. “Regretting can still be done if it is right now.”
Su Xing shrugged and made fun of her: “Wife, with you by my side what does Husband have anything to regret about.” Although he said this, his eyes still flashed a dignified expression.
Wu Siyou did not care how quick this man was with his tongue, yet she profoundly smiled.
1. 宋
2. Song Jiang.
3. 三皇五帝尋未央，聞女娉婷賽雪霜。 黛眉似煙青山色，含嬌細語滿庭芳。夜裡望月空長嘆，美人如花隔雲端。願墜輪迴三千次，只為佳人一縷香。
4. 柳天涯
5. 未央宮
6. 婉約, the same one that fired the arrow that killed Extreme Clarity
7. 花
8. 滿城盡帶黃金甲, also known as Curse of the Golden Flower, a Chinese period drama. Originates from the last line of a poem.
9. 江山如此多嬌, both this and the previous are cla.s.sical phrases.
10. Like “Willow Pond Locked In Smoke?”
11. This is a pun in Chinese that makes no sense. 詩, 濕
12. 方心固
13. Seems to be a position, but could refer to an object.
14. 鬼臉大王
15. 人頭咒
16. 紅蓮業火
17. Su Xing"s new technique to be introduced in coming chapter.