Chapter 15: The Person I've Been Waiting for Hasn't Arrived

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 15: The Person I've Been Waiting for Hasn't Arrived

The autumn winds and rain chilled his heart. After extinguishing the oil lamp, Ding Ning took off his outer robe and sat cross-legged on his own bed. He took out the surprise gift from Song Shenshu. He poured out that small white pills that looked like dead fish eyes from the rough copper-colored porcelain bottle.

As he looked at the pill in the darkness, Zhangsun Qianxue's voice came from behind the cloth curtain. “That's an Energy-Gathering Pill that cultivators of realm three would use when trying to reach realm four. Don't tell me you want to absorb this pill right now?”

Since it was a question about cultivation, Ding Ning answered seriously, “Others might not be able to, but my method is different from theirs; I can handle it.”

Zhangsun Qianxue did not say anything more. She knew that tonight was important to Ding Ning, so she closed her eyes and lay there without cultivating.

Ding Ning did not say anything else. He swallowed the white pill in his hand, crushed the porcelain bottle, and then closed his eyes.

A wave of pungent medicinal power began in his throat and quickly spread throughout his entire body. The white pill, which looked like the eye of an ordinary dead fish, quickly disappeared within his body. The terrifying medicinal power seemed to transform into a giant white fish within him.

The white fish, much larger than his body, began to move freely within his body.

His meridians rapidly swelled and then split open. His flesh could not withstand such a massive amount of medicinal energy. It began to split and wither. If he were any other cultivator, he would have died in the next moment, exploding into bloody pieces. But at this moment, the sound of silkworms was heard in the darkness.

The sound grew louder, but it was not the sound of silkworms chewing on mulberry leaves, but rather a hissing sound, as if they were spitting out silk.

A faint light began to radiate from Ding Ning's body.

Countless invisible silkworms climbed onto his body and seemed to be spinning silk.

Silk threads invisible to the naked eye formed on his body. Each thread seemed to be made from the vital energy of a cultivator realm three or higher. They appeared to be made of liquid and contained immense power. Each thread was a mix of many colors, seemingly like vital energies of various colors woven together. The colorful silk hung around Ding Ning's body and gradually formed an enormous cocoon.

The inside of Ding Ning's body was silent. Even his body seemed to have cooled.

As dawn approached, the faint cries of silkworms emerged from the enormous cocoon once again. The strange cocoon threads suddenly broke into pieces, dissipating into the invisible primal energy of the world.

Ding Ning opened his eyes and woke up.

A deadly presence that even the strongest cultivators could not detect emanated from his body and flowed through the air.

The insects, deep within the ground, whose perception was far stronger than that of humans, sensed this presence. They seemed afraid that some misfortune would befall them and ran for their lives from this small courtyard.

Ding Ning slowly sat up. He felt a powerful flow of energy flowing through his body like rain seeping into his bones. He knew this was as he had imagined. A surprise gift from Song Shenshu caused him to instantly rise from realm two third class to realm two second class.

“A pill that can increase the success rate of a realm three first class cultivator's breakthrough can only partially heal your injuries and take you from realm two third class to realm two second class. Don't you feel it's a waste?”

Zhangsun Qianxue had already woken up. At this moment, she was combing her hair at the bedside table. She did not look at Ding Ning and spoke with her usual coldness.

She looked stunningly beautiful as she sat there combing her hair. The faint light of the rising sun filtered through the window, making Ding Ning fall into a trance.

Zhangsun Qianxue's eyebrows raised slightly, and her face turned cold.

Ding Ning coughed and said, “It is alright to waste some. The rule in cultivation is, if you can obtain it, don’t wait. Besides, I know a lot of things. It's a matter of whether I can obtain it, and use it.”

“If you can obtain it, don’t wait… these words are reasonable.” Zhangsun Qianxue continued combing her hair as she spoke seriously.

Hearing her rare praise, Ding Ning felt that she would be more polite. However, he helplessly heard Zhangsun Qianxue coldly say, “Don't laze around in bed, open the shop.”

 

Although on the wall there were countless things and people to remember, in a place like Changling where some cultivators of realm five or stronger could die overnight, all Ding Ning could do now was cultivate and wait.

He had to open the shop if necessary.

The drizzling rain finally stopped after six days. No important person from the Bureau of Divinity came into the wine shop, and Ding Ning knew that the case file on him had most likely been burned in the fire basin. The most dangerous moment should have passed. For a long time into the future, the officials of the Bureau of Divinity, with their noses sharper than dogs, would not waste their efforts on him.

Heavy autumn rain, piercing cold.

Although the weather remained clear for several days, the chill intensified. White frost finally appeared on the black roofs in the morning.

But the streets were dry. The number of horse-drawn carriages increased, and business in the wine shop grew even better.

Another morning, Ding Ning, who had changed into a new thin jacket, was holding the porcelain bowl he usually used for eating. He drank the rest of his noodle soup while gazing at the nearby pond.

A few yellowed parasol leaves floated in the water.

Ding Ning thought absentmindedly, the water in the water prison must have frozen as well.

But how could he enter the deepest cell of the water prison?

He had so many thoughts, like yellow leaves falling from a tree, but he had no solid plan.

At this moment, yellow-robed advisor slowly walked through the alley.

This private advisor appeared to be over forty years old. He had a short beard, a clean, rectangular face, and a friendly smile. Holding an accounting notebook under his arm, he wore a fashionable, wide-sleeved yellow brocade robe embroidered with flying fish pattern. He exuded a charming aura.

This yellow-robed advisor lowered his head to avoid stepping in the dirt. He walked until he was in front of Ding Ning, then smiled at Ding Ning, who was examining him from head to toe. He bowed and said, “Is this young owner surnamed Ding?”

Ding Ning put down his empty bowl and returned the greeting. He asked curiously, “My surname is Ding, Mister is?”

“My surname is Xu, my name is Nian.”

The yellow-robed advisor smiled, and pointed at the wine shop behind Ding Ning. He said harmoniously, “I came today to inquire about the rent.”

Ding Ning paused slightly. “Rent?”

“Peace rent that must be paid once a month,” explained the yellow-robed advisor with a smile.

Ding Ning frowned and said suspiciously, “Did you remember wrong? I already paid this month’s rent.”

The yellow-robed advisor smiled and said, “No, however, Two Level Tower was the one who received the rent before. Starting today, Jinlintang will be the one receiving it.

Ding Ning’s eyes widened in shock. He studied the yellow-robed advisor closely once more.

The yellow-robed advisor appeared patient and, with a smile, allowed Ding Ning to study him.

Ding Ning thought for a moment and then asked, “If you’re telling the truth, why didn’t you go to another shop? When you came here, why did you come straight to mine?”

The yellow-robed advisor smiled. “Who doesn’t know that Young Master's shop has the best business in Falling Parasol? It's still early now, and in an hour, the shop should be filled with customers. Our rule is to come to Young Master's shop first, so you'll be a good start.”

“That seems logical.” Ding Ning rubbed his face and smiled slightly. “But I thought Mister should come and receive the rent in a few days?”

The yellow-robed advisor looked at him curiously. “Why?”

Ding Ning said seriously, “If someone in business can delay payment, then delay it as long as possible. After all, Mister might be a swindler trying to take advantage of my youth. If Mister doesn’t break his leg in a few days and you come again, it means Mister isn’t a swindler. Then I shouldn’t give the rent to Old Ji of the of Two Level Tower, but to you.”

The yellow-robed advisor laughed.

Although Ding Ning rejected him, he was very pleased and laughed sincerely.

Looking at Ding Ning, who appeared serious and clear-eyed, he could not help but reach but pat Ding Ning on the shoulder. “Young Master is right. I’ll come to collect the rent in a few days. I’m short of disciples right now, how about you come with me?”

Ding Ning raised his eyebrows. “What’s the benefit?”

“Even if you can’t become a cultivator, at least you’ll learn a skill. It’ll be more interesting than running a shop and selling wine,” the yellow-robed advisor said seriously.

Cultivation was a very important thing in the Qin Dynastyy.

Ding Ning picked up his bowl and turned to return to the shop, saying, “I’m going to wash the bowl.”

The yellow-robed advisor paused for a moment, then understood. He felt that he would wait a few days before paying the rent; anything else was just empty talk at this point.

He felt the young man was even more interesting and had an extraordinary breadth of knowledge. His eyes brightened.

 

“Even Two Level Tower’s business has been stolen. What's going on now… who's behind this Jinlintang? Even the advisor who came to collect the rent is a realm two cultivator. The people who should have come haven't come, and instead, the ones who have come are people and things that shouldn't have come.”

However, this yellow-robed advisor did not know that Ding Ning, who walked into the wine shop, was unusually angry.

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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