Chapter 25 - Wow! It’s the live old version of the small loyal dog! Even if it’s only one side, I’m still going to take it in! Take it in1 !
In the middle of the small projection of real-time monitoring, Ye Tan kissed me softly, then quickly got up and went out.
He was quite brief this time.
Ignoring him, I cleared the haze from my mind and excitedly went to change the “0” displayed as my cultivation base, so now I will no longer be a handicapped person, and I can say good-bye to being a salted fish.
Considering cultivation base values, Ze Que’s is 5000, and he can still be considered a top-class expert, while Ye Tan, who had just started re-learning martial arts, was just now reaching 1000. I though about it, and I wanted to keep a low profile, so I lightly entered the number 5500.
After the last time I caused a system retraction, I decided I would keep my feet firmly planted on the ground and not try to cheat, and that I would never again try to change things according with my whims.
Having settled this matter, I glanced upwards with joy, when suddenly the sky went dark, and I couldn’t believe it as my sight went black.
My HP column.
It suddenly turned grey!!!!!!!!
In it there was a pathetic “10/10”, with the highest possible value being 10, and a current best value of 10. Now that the HP was greyed-out, I would need admin privileges to be able to change it.
I used to worry that completely depleting my cultivation base would cause a bug, and I wouldn’t be able to change it any more, but I didn’t expect that the energy transfer technique wouldn’t harm my internal energy, but rather my body itself.....
I can, no longer, be a person with regular physical strength, can I......
I recalled with fear the time Ze Que lowered my HP by 70 points with a single light kick. Poor me has an upper limit of 10 now, doesn’t that mean that one day if I slip and fall, I’ll just die.....
Thinking about this, I let out some fearful tears.
Shaking, I grabbed the cursor and moved it back to the cultivation base input.
This 5500 cultivation base, I’m going to turn it into ten thousand.
.....No, I’m still not confident.
It’s better if its twenty thousand.... or else, maybe even thirty thousand?
I imagined it for a bit. I, soft as a willow swaying in the wind, too weak to bear the weight of my clothes, with my eyes closed and my flowing sleeves, having killed all the top experts under the heavens.
At this point, I would ascend the throne of the Lord of martial arts.
As I make my way up the stairs, I trip and fall.
Death.
.....It’s just very weird.
Whatever, thirty thousand is thirty thousand. If I really trip and fall to my death, then that is also my fate, decreed by destiny.
I accepted this cruel reality with difficulties, and hurriedly went to check Ye Tan’s file. As I went over to see, I saw that I could not alter any of his values, so I would also need admin privileges. It’s a great pity that I can’t help restore him to his former strength.
Sure enough, there really was a video archive inside his file. Overjoyed at this unexpected good news, I went in to check it out, searching all over before quickly finding that scene from three years ago.
Qin Kezou’s day of greatest happiness.
The Qin Residence was located inside a mountain range, with towering courtyard walls and a lofty interior. Right now its adorned with lanterns and coloured banners, red candles filling every hall, making the place festive and peaceful. Dowry boxes came and went, and I travelled back and forth, passing between them. No one could see me.
Yaksha should be nearby, I looked for him left and right but didn’t see him.
After circling around and passing through a moon gate2 , I accidentally bumped into a man who looked a lot like Qin Chenyuan, only he was taller and his voice was also deeper. He was wearing wedding clothes, but there was a dark cloud hanging over his brows. During such a special day he played the most important role, yet he was out here in the courtyard, drinking alone, very out of place.
I sat cross legged on a table as someone emerged from the corridor. He wore a cloud patterned brocade, and had the disposition of a crane.
“Xiao Yun.” Qin Kezou’s eyes shone.
Yun Pizhi nodded, calmly taking a seat by his side.
Qin Kezou saw that he didn’t say anything, and suddenly turned his head: “Yaksha.”
There was a rustling beside him and another person appeared.
He knelt respectfully on the corridor, still within the shadows, with no trace of breath, like a drawn bow getting ready to strike, the corner of his eyes and brows full of dense sword aura.
This is.....Yaksha at his peak?
I was just thinking about getting up and watching him more closely, when suddenly he raised his head and I accidentally met his gaze. I was so used to always seeing him as my gentle kitty, having never seen him with such a viscous, sinister appearance, that I couldn’t help but pull back in fear.
“Young Master Yun and I will go sword training again, you can go back to the lobby and wait for the time being.”
Yaksha nodded, acknowledging the command, and suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Yun Pizhi seemed to let out a breath of relief as he lifted his hand and put it over Qin Kezou’s right hand, slowly tightening his grip.
Qin Kezou bowed his head and looked at that hand of his, slowly intertwining their ten fingers together.
They just held each other like that, without saying a word, for a long time, then began looking at each other face to face.
Huh? Weren’t they going to go sword training? I don’t understand what’s going on.
I got a little bored waiting, and couldn’t help but want to fast-forward.
“I can’t marry Qu’er.” Qin Kezou finally opened his mouth, “I can’t turn my back on you, and I shouldn’t waste her life.”
Yun Pizhi pulled back his hand, his gentle expression gradually fading, and said in annoyance: “You’re being childish again.”
“How much blood and tears have been shed, how many innocent people have been harmed due to the hatred between Qinling and Taihangjian, shouldn’t you know this better that than I? Now you want to deny Taihangjian’s honour for your own selfish desires, if the two families go to war, have you thought about how many people will die?!” After finishing his lecture, Yun Pizhi softened his voice and spoke again close to his ear, “A-Qi, you.... as long as you have me in your heart, you won’t be turning your back on me.”
Qin Kezou wanted to argue again, but Yun Pizhi grit his teeth and said: “Don’t worry, I have a way that will both allow you to preserve the Young Lady’s family reputation, and also allow you to get what you want, but today you first need to complete this marriage..... After today, just leave it to me.”
Qin Kezou frowned: “How could there be such a way? Xiao Yun, let me know what it is so I can also be at ease....”
“If I say there is a way, then there naturally is a way. Do you think I would lie to you?” Yun Pizhi suddenly stood up and straddled him, saying, “But this method, it won’t work if I tell it to you in advance, tomorrow..... you will know how hard I’ve worked.”
Qin Kezou was still sceptical, but Yun Pizhi lowered his head, kissing him for a long time and blocking away all of the doubts he was filled with.
I pressed fast-forward.
What a mess.
Skipping over a bit, Yun Pizhi had disappeared, and Qin Kezou sat alone, sulking for a while, until he suddenly got up.
I hurriedly went back to normal speed.
Qin Kezou called over a servant girl and asked her where Gu Ciqu was, the girl told him, and he went to look for her.
He walked very slowly, his expression full of suffering.
Gu Ciqu was wearing her red wedding clothes, covered from head to toe, her face shinning like a peach blossom. Her wedding dress was light, without the complicated phoenix crown of commoner marriages, her hair was combed into a tall side ponytail, held together by a scarlet ribbon tied into a delicate knot, with a few fine black strands hanging gently over her shoulders.
When she saw Qin Kezou, she excitedly got up, but hadn’t even gone two steps when she saw his strange expression: “Qi-ge, what’s wrong?”
“I have something to tell you.” Qin Kezou said in a muffled voice.
“You, you just say it.” Gu Ciqu hurriedly said.
“It is irresponsible of me to say this now..... I blame my indecisiveness for having to burden you with this until today. I though about it..... I can’t make you happy, I can’t ask you to entrust yourself to a vow other people have made, that I’m not sure if I believe in myself.” Qin Kezou couldn’t make heads or tails of what he was saying, not really caring how much she understood, and said word by word, “Qu’er, I can’t marry you.”
Gu Ciqu listened quietly, biting her lip.
After a while, she asked: “Is it Young Master Yun?”
Qin Kezou was shocked: “How did you.....”
Gu Ciqu twisted the corner of her mouth: “Ever since we were kids, as long as you were there, I never took my eyes off you even for a moment. I naturally guessed there was something.....” Her voice gradually became smaller, and she sighed, “It’s really a pity.”
“Qu’er.... I’m so sorry.” Qin Kezou spoke softly.
“Young Master Yun is better than me in many ways, I’ve been outdone by him, there’s nothing I can do..... Young Master Yun is a very interesting person, his swordsmanship is good, and he also has a lot of knowledge, Qi-ge will definitely be happier going with him than with me.” Gu Ciqu unexpectedly patted him on the shoulder to comfort him, “Don’t you worry, Qi-ge, this marriage..... I will think of a way to turn it down.”
Qin Kezou was still in a daze when Yun Pizhi kicked open the door and came in, letting out a long sigh: “You two, are you trying to piss me off?!!”
Gu Ciqu sweetly replied: “Hello, brother Yun.”
He dragged Qin Kezou and pushed him out the door, shouting: “Go to the lobby and wait for me, Young Lady Gu and I need to have a conversation.”
Qin Kezou always listened to what he said, so he obediently left.
These two groups parted ways, and I didn’t know which one to follow, so I just stood at the doorway and looked back and forth, Yun Pizhi saw that Qin Kezou had really walked away, so he turned back and said: “Sister Gu, this marriage, it really needs to happen.”
Gu Ciqu was surprised: “You and Qi-ge are a couple, shouldn’t you be the person most opposed to it?”
Yun Pizhi said: “Yes, I like him, and I wish the Qin family be well, and that the many years of hatred between the Qin family and Taihangjian would be resolved, so if the two of you back down from the marriage today.....”
“Brother Yun is really taking Qi-ge into consideration.” Gu Ciqu smiled, and consoled him by saying, “Don’t worry brother Yun, it won’t be difficult, I naturally have a way to settle this.....”
Yun Pizhi couldn’t make sense of this, and said: “You have also liked A-Qi for many years, and have worked so hard to be able to have this opportunity, what’s the harm in marrying him? He’s a man, so he still needs a wife, not to mention that he doesn’t entirely dislike you.....”
“.....You’re willing to share your lover with other people, but I would hate to do that.” Gu Ciqu’s smiling expression had vanished just then, her fine black hair contrasted against the red silk, standing proud like plum blossoms against the snow, “I will not value a person that doesn’t like me, and is just giving me charity out of pity.”
Yun Pizhi was indifferent for a while, then said: “Fine. However, I have a way to guarantee you both get what you want, I just need your help.”
Gu Ciqu asked: “Brother Yun, what is it?”
“It’s a secret, lend me your ear.” Yun Pizhi beckoned her with his hand, and Gu Ciqu moved closer.
His voice got smaller and smaller, and I was unable to hear, so I moved closer.
However, I was startled when I saw him cover Gu Ciqu’s mouth and nose with one hand, while the other held a sword that had already sunk into her abdomen.
Gu Ciqu had taken some serious damage, but she was still able to strike back, her dagger already flying through the air. Yun Pizhi hadn’t expected her to react so fast and couldn’t move out of the way in time, his left forearm caught the blade, which left a cut deep enough to expose white bone.
“....You.....are lying to Qi-ge.....” As Gu Ciqu used up the last of her strength, her heart was still only worried about Qin Qi, she leaned on the bedside as she slowly slid down, her expression also gradually becoming slack, “Dusk Snow sword....Dusk Snow on the River3 , Taibai’s Yun family..... You are from Taibailou.....”
Yun Pizhi exclaimed in admiration: “Unexpectedly, you have such keen eyesight, I underestimated you.....” He tore her wedding clothes and used the fabric to bandage his forearm, then leisurely said, “Fortunately, it’s not too late to get rid of you, it is also fortunate that Qin Qi doesn’t have such good eyesight.”
“Don’t touch Qi-ge!!” Gu Ciqu struggled as she crawled towards him, “Qi-ge really likes you, you..... you can’t let him know you’ve been lying to him, you can’t....can’t.....”
“Don’t you worry about that for now.” Yun Pizhi smiled coldly, “Qin Kezou’s killer won’t be Taibailou’s Yun Pizhi, but rather Taihangjian’s Gu Ciqu.”
This should be such a hurtful statement.
But she couldn’t hear these words any more.
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1 吸溜 lit. suck in, it’s 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 江天暮雪the sword name comes from the title of a short poem. Poem in english.Top.