by Fang Xiang
What they were doing right now, was it not what they liked? The deepest impression he had after learning how to command was that he had wasted his days before.
He suddenly thought of an urgent matter. “Shixiong, where do you think this yao army came from?”
“Came from?” Zuo Mo was stilled, struck silent by Gongsun Cha’s question. He thought and said, “Probably Sky Water Jie, Little Mountain Jie only has two jie rivers, they could only have come from Sky Water Jie.”
Gongsun Cha’s handsome face was full of worry. “But if they came from Sky Water Jie, would the yao army have let go of Clear Sky Sect? When we were at Desolate Wood Reef, they didn’t even say a thing before attacking.”
That was right. If the yao army really came into Little Mountain Jie from Sky Water Jie, any power that would have been guarding the jie river would have been destroyed. Zuo Mo didn’t believe that the yao army would make an exception for Clear Sky Sect.
“Maybe Clear Sky Sect had captured the jie river entrance after the yao army passed?” Zuo Mo thought of a possibility.
“I had asked Xie Shan and the others, but the Clear Sky Sect has always guarded that place,” Gongsun Cha said.
Zuo Mo felt a wave of cold seep up from the bottom of his feet. “Is there another entrance to Little Mountain Jie?”
“I don’t know.” Gongsun Cha shook his head.
———
This question was extremely important. Zuo Mo immediately went to find Pu Yao.
Pu Yao said in a deep voice, “The yao army should have entered from a chaos rift.”
“Chaos rift? What is that?”
“Each jie would have several entrances. The most frequently seen are the jie rivers. But other than those passageways, there usually would be some very small rifts, these are chaos rifts. However, most jie masters, after they have taken control of the jie, would find these chaos rifts and seal them to prevent others from taking advantage of them.” Pu Yao was very familiar with this kind of knowledge.
“Are there many chaos rifts?” Zuo Mo ‘s expression was slightly ugly. If it really was a chaos rift, then that meant the yao army could appear at any time.
“I don’t know,” Pu Yao said, “each jie is different. However, there is one point. The reason that chaos rifts have the appellation of chaos is that the laws inside the rifts are chaotic and non-existent. The higher the level of cultivator, the greater the effect it has on them. Little Mountain jie is one of the smallest kinds of jie. If it really has a chaos rift, it probably could only allow ningmai xiuzhe to pass through. Yaomo will be similarity constrained.”
Hearing this Zuo Mo was completely certain the yao army had entered Little Mountain Jie from a chaos rift. He had found it strange before that the yao army’s average cultivation had not been high despite the organization it showed. The individual strength had been comparable to ningmai. So it was not that they did not want to send experts, but they could not send them.
“How do you find a chaos rift? Can we block it off?” Zuo Mo asked with fear in his voice. A danger that was known but could not be seen was the easiest ones to cause terror.
“The surroundings of a chaos rift will usually have some attributes. Due to chaos, chaos which is not divided into yin and yang, not into the five elements. There would not be any earth energy, nor ling power. Xiu, yao, and mo will all be suppressed under chaos. Oh, it would also be empty and barren. No beast can survive in the area around a chaos rift, there will be no plants or animals, nothing living,” Pu Yao streamed on. At the end, he added, “There are also some secret methods that can detect them, but I don’t know them.”
———
Zuo Mo left the sea of consciousness. He narrated what Pu Yao had said.
Gongsun Cha was very calm. This answer was not far from his own speculations. He only asked a question, “Is the area around the chaos rift suitable for ambush?”
“Theoretically, it is very suitable.” Pu Yao responded of his own initiative. However, he could only speak to Zuo Mo, “But tell him to end the thought. Even the most exhausted lion is not one sheep can defeat. What he commands are the sheep of the sheep.”
Zuo Mo was speechless. However, he still tactfully passed on Pu Yao’s words.
Gongsun Cha’s expression was slightly ugly, but he also knew this was the truth. He was very clear about what the people under his command were like. Even though they had formed the beginnings of an army under his training, but it was far from being able to compete with a fully mature army like the yao army.
Zuo Mo also had no solutions for this problem.
However, this also increased the determination of the two people to quickly defeat Clear Sky Sect’s blockade. That was the only ray of hope for survival.
“Is there any news of yin fiend grounds?” Zuo Mo asked. The power of the yin fire bead was greater than he had imagined. Such a big monster as the Bloody Horn Serpent had been turned to dust upon impact. It really was out of Zuo Mo’s expectations, and increased his desire to find yin fiend lands.
The strength of fifth-grade ling beasts were on the same level as jindan. Even though the bloody horn serpent was only semi-fifth-level, but a power that could kill it would have some effect on a jindan.
Gongsun Cha was also clear about the power of the yin fire bead, and had been extremely attentive to this matter. He said, “Nothing yet, but I will focus on it. Right, after getting rid of Venerable Chi’s bunch, we got something good.”
“What something good?” Zuo Mo’s mind became alert as he asked.
“A maturing fourth-grade Sonic Lightning Walnut tree. The fruit is almost mature. Venerable Chi had been guarding it all this time, but it landed in our hands,” Gongsun Cha smiled shyly.
“Sonic Lightning Walnut! Fourth-grade!” Zuo Mo’s eyes widened as he gasped.
Seeing Shixiong drooling, Gongsun Cha giggled, “Yes.”
Shixiong’s expression was so vivid now! Gongsun Cha wanted to laugh.
Zuo Mo rushed into Venerable Chi’s mountain cave. The place was heavily guarded at the moment. Gongsun Cha was also clear about the value of a fourth-grade Sonic Lightning Walnut. It was a treasure beyond any price.
A stalk of a non-descript walnut tree twice the height of a person. The crown was filled with green fruits, the skin of which was covered in silver dots.
There was no thick ling energy, no blinding light. This tree looked extremely normal. It was hard for people to relate this tree to a fourth-grade Sonic Lightning Walnut tree.
“This Venerable Chi has some good eyesight! Normal people won’t have recognized it.” Zuo Mo greedily stared at the sparkling green fruits on the tree.
“Now, it is all ours.” Gongsun Cha did not have a good understanding of the value of the Sonic Lightning Walnut. He only knew that this tree was somewhat rare and very expensive.
Zuo Shixiong always was bursting with interest towards anything that was rare and could be sold for a good price. He himself was also very happy. He knew better than anyone else the expenses that was spent on the training he had ordered. He felt it was a good beginning that he could create revenue for Shixiong.
Having had a sweet taste, Gongsun Cha wondered if it was time to speed up the steps to create revenue?
Pia, a mature fruit fell off the branch.
Zuo Mo hurriedly put out a hand, the fruit flying into his grasp. He gently brushed with his hand and the skin and flesh was taken off, revealing the silvery sparkling walnut on the inside.
This was the famed Sonic Lightning Walnut!
Zuo Mo’s eyes was intoxicated as he pulled the Sonic Lightning Walnut in front of him.
This Sonic Lightning Walnut was slightly smaller than a normal walnut, appearing to have been made of pure silver. It was extremely heavy, the abundant creasing on the surface released the occasional spark of lightning. Zuo Mo’s hand was covered in a thin layer of ling power. Otherwise, he would be injured by the lightning of the Sonic Lightning Walnut.
“So this i
s the Sonic Lightning Walnut? It’s pretty beautiful.” Gongsun Cha crowded over. “This can probably sell for a good price!”
“Sell?” In a reversal of his usual attitude, Zuo Mo furiously shook his head. “We aren’t going to sell even one! This is something that you can’t even buy if you had the jingshi.”
His consciousness scanned the sparkling silvery Sonic Lightning Walnut in his hand as he sighed inside. The Sonic Lightning Walnut naturally contained abundant amounts of hard lightning. It was a natural talisman that could be used immediately. At present, Zuo Mo was lacking high attack power moves. These Sonic Lightning Walnuts had come at the perfect time!
With his thrifty and prudent personality, he naturally was not so stupid as to use the Sonic Lightning Walnuts directly. He also quickly discovered that, while the Sonic Lightning Walnut contained abundant hard lightning, but the kernel inside the hard husk could contain even more hard lightning.
If hard lightning was used to continuously temper it, the power of the Sonic Lightning Walnut would continuously increase.
For other people, it would not be easy to find hard lightning, but it was as simple for Zuo Mo as raising his hand.
[Yang Fiend Hard lightning], a fourth-grade hard lightning, was perfect for tempering the Sonic Lightning Walnuts.
Zuo Mo looked at the branches drooping with green fruits, and the strong feeling of happiness made him dizzy.
“Mine! All mine!”
The cave echoed with the balderdash of a miser.
* * *
Translator Ramblings: Gongsun Cha and Zuo Mo are the blind leading the blind in this particular matter. A reason why no powerful great yao have come is given as well as why going to Sky Water Jie is actually a safe choice. Gongsun Cha is stuck very firmly in the mindset of a strategist. Anything that can be used should be used for his advantage.
I’m a little surprised that there were not more of you that commented on Gongsun Cha’s order to massacre Venerable Chi’s group. Is it because he seemed like a person who could do such a thing, the situation made it acceptable, or just that everyone is used to killing in fantasy novels? I’m super curious because I was really surprised when I read that part because slaughter on a mass scale hasn’t been brought into focus in the novel before, and killing was always limited to just a few people with Zuo Mo.
Chapter 239: Yao Visiting Wu Kong
Compared to the past Wu Kong Mountain, if one went there now, weeds grew all over the mountain, the ling fields were barren. Occasionally, little wild animals poked their heads out from the weeds.
“It is in this area.”
Listening to the report from her subordinate, Mu Xi stepped on the overgrown path as she walked up the mountain.
“Which sect used to possess this site?” She asked.
“It is a sword practicing sect called Wu Kong Sword Sect.” The middle aged man had clearly done large amounts of work, introducing in great detail. “Wu Kong Sword Sect is one of the most accomplished sects of Sky Moon Jie. They became extremely famous in the last two years. At the beginning, they had four jindan of unordinary power.”
“Oh, such a little place, it is really abnormal to have four jindan,” Mu Xi said in surprise.
Yan Feng sneered unconcernedly.
Mu Xi ignored him, and said to the middle aged man, “Continue.”
“These two years, they have expanded extremely quickly. Presently, they have almost ten jindan in the sect.”
Surprise flashed through Mu Xi’s eyes. “Almost ten jindan?”
This time, surprise was also on Yan Feng’s face. They were only the forward guard. Almost ten jindan would be enough to be of threat to them. He was arrogant, but having successfully came out of a yao art house, he naturally was not stupid.
“Other than this, their second generation disciples are extremely outstanding, dominating Sky Moon Jie. The Eldest disciple Wei Sheng entered ningmai at twenty, and his talent at the sword is even more astounding. Having already reached the step of sword essence manifestation. Second disciple Zuo Mo is extremely skilled in formations. Third disciple Luo Li has also reached ningmai, and created his own sword scripture [Self Separation].”
“A very strong sect!” Mu Xi’s expression changed.
In the past years, the yao had increased their understanding of the xiuzhe. It would not be surprising for this information contained in the report to be referring to an intermediate sized sect. But it really was astounding for it to be reported from a little sect in such a little and backwater jie.
Yan Feng also had a shocked expression. He had always been proud of his genius. He had been deal a great blow by the news that someone had reached ningmai when they were twenty years old, and had reached the level of sword essence manifestation!
They walked to a lonely little wooden house. This little wooden house was extremely eye-catching. As they had walked up, weeds had covered everything. But the empty ground around this little wooden house was bare and had no weeds.
Such an eye-catching and strange place naturally could not escape their eyes. Mu Xi stared at the little wooden house for a while, standing motionlessly at her spot. The other people saw that Mu Xi did not move, and did not dare to more either. Seeing the situation, Yan Feng snorted coldly, and did not hesitate to walk towards the wooden house.
The middle aged man couldn’t help but look at Mu Xi with a questioning expression.
Mu Xi waved her hand with a faint smile.
When Yan Feng’s right foot stepped onto the empty ground, his head rang, all the hairs on his body standing up on end!
The scene in front of him suddenly changed. That normal looking wooden house suddenly broke, everything in the surrounding space seemed to collapse, an invisible force seemed to pull him downwards, countless sharp and intimidating sword essences pushing at him from all directions!
He paled, then his eyes turned bright red, flames erupting all over his body!
He gathered all the energy in his body, and pulled his body out to retreat!
As he left the empty ground, the frightening scene disappeared. The invisible force, the sword essences, they were like illusions. Yan Feng swallowed in terror, not daring to put away the flames on his body as he looked with fear at the lonely little wooden house.
“This is the site of cultivation for a very powerful sword xiu.” Mu Xi slowly walked beside him, and opened, “Every bit of the ground here has been permeated with sword essence for a long time. It is vicious and sharp, nothing can grow here. Each step that you take forward, the sword essence grows stronger. At the end, there is only two endings. One is that you are torn to pieces by the sword essences, the other is all the sword essences have been destroyed by you.”
Yan Feng’s complexion was pale. Since they had entered Little Mountain Jie from the chaos rift, it had been smooth sailing, and he had not encountered any proper resistance, causing him to have a low opinion of xiuzhe, assuming that the xiuzhe were just so. Only now did he suddenly realize, to his shock, that the strong masters of the xiuzhe were so terrifying!
Yan Feng’s unusual silence greatly satisfied Mu Xi. She did not do this just because of Yan Feng. She had discovered a mood of underestimating the enemy invading the ranks earlier. This was fatal to a vanguard that had entered the deep of the enemy.
Her subordinates looked with shock at the barren ground and the wooden house.
She turned, and saw the pride in her subordinates’ eyes had faded greatly before she asked the middle aged man expressionlessly, “Are there any potential targets?”
The middle aged man said respectfully, “From the time of the Stars in Daytime, the time that Daren had came to Wu Kong Sword Sect should have been before Wu Kong Sword Sect’s expansion. Before their expansion, there were not many people in Wu Kong Sword Sect. Since Daren had caused the Stars in Daytime, this daren probably was seriously wounded. With that, it is unlikely that Daren had taken over a jindan’s body. What is more likely are the second generation disciples.”
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Mu Xi did not interrupt. After he finished, she thought and then asked, “Who do you feel is most suspicious?”
“Wei Sheng!” The middle aged man did not hesitate.
“Why?”
“Wei Sheng is the most talented, and can give Daren the greatest aid!”
Mu Xi shook her head. “I do not think so. If you are wounded and have to hide in someone’s body, what would you consider?”
Hearing this, the middle aged man became silent for a moment before saying, “In this subordinate’s view, the first is safety, the second is to speedily recover.”
“You are not wrong,” Mu Xi said then continued, “Wei Sheng’s talent is the greatest, and the primary target of the sect’s attention. It is easy to slip up if one is not careful. Therefore, residing in his body is not a wise choice. If it was me, I would chose Zuo Mo or Luo Li. They are not as attention-catching as Wei Sheng yet they also received good support. It is also certain that the attention they receive is less than Wei Sheng. No matter if the goal is either to control or to tempt, it is much easier.”
The middle aged man was full of admiration. “Daren is wise!”
“Where is Wu Kong Sword Sect now?”
“Supposedly, they have already moved to Bright Wave Jie,” the middle aged man answered. He had an expression of difficulty while he spoke, “With our strength, it is unlikely that we can take down Bright Wave Jie.”
Mu Xi was not angry, smiling and saying, “Bright Wave Jie is a intermediate jie. Of course, we cannot conquer it. Our mission has almost been completed. Take the information you have gathered, and our speculations to make a report. Just send it back. There will be people who will naturally take care of the rest.”
“Yes!” The middle aged person said respectfully.
Yan Feng’s expression had recovered. When he heard Mu Xi’s words, he was still somewhat discontent. “Then what are we doing here?”
“Us?” Mu Xi smiled, “After working for so long, it’s time for a vacation.”
Yan Feng was speechless.
———
Zuo Mo’s body was filled with strength. This new body gave him too many unfamiliar surprises and feelings. It progressed extremely rapidly in body cultivation. Without too much effort, he had entered the stage of three mountains. As he moved, he felt his entire body was filled by a bountiful power. It was an extremely pleasurable feeling.