Chapter 22: Two Level Tower, Wang Taixu

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 22: Two Level Tower, Wang Taixu

The luxurious carriage drove out of Falling Parasol.

Applause and cheers rang out.

Regardless of how extraordinary they thought Prince Li Ling was and how excited and surprised they were to see this legendary figure today, he was a person of Chu.

They were happy if a person of Chu was unhappy.

This young man from the wine shop who could make this Chu person unhappy was indeed as special as the rumors said.

Although they cheered and felt admiration, on such a fine afternoon, most people had business to attend to. They had lingered for a long time to watch this spectacle. Most of the onlookers left after watching, preparing to brag about this matter to the people around them later.

An onlooker who had arrived while Nangong Caishu and Chen Moli were fighting walked quickly into the wine shop.

This was a sickly-looking man in his thirties.

He wore a thick grey brocade robe. He was more handsome than most people in Changling, but his thick robes made him look like he was afraid of the cold and timid. He had fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and a crease between his brows. This made him appear as if he were thinking about something worrisome, even though he was not.

This kind of person must have considered and worried about many things in his daily life.

Walking into the empty wine shop was like walking into his own home. He paid no attention to Ding Ning, who was rearranging the tables and chairs into place, and walked to the counter to put down the money. Then, he sat behind Ding Ning and began to drink slowly.

“Who are you? Doesn't an important person like you have another place to stay? Why have you all come to this insignificant place?” Ding Ning slammed a chair down in front of this man and said irritably.

Although they were just onlookers, and it was hard to remember them all, when too many important people had appeared. Ding Ning could not help but feel irritated, especially when he thought about other matters.

This man in his thirties did not feel that Ding Ning's attitude was bad. He felt intrigued, smiled, and said, “I'm Wang Taixu. I haven't spoken a word to you since I came in. I'm sure you've never seen me before, so how can you be so sure I'm important?”

“Wang Taixu? Looking at your build, you're really fragile.”

Ding Ning sat opposite this handsome man in his thirties. He noticed the man's weak breathing and the gaps in his teeth as he spoke.

Then, he pointed outside the shop.

“You asked me how I knew you were important… do you think I'm blind? Those people have stopped several people from entering this shop. You've taken over here, and the people who were stopped seem afraid to complain. How do you think I knew?”

“You're very observant.” Wang Taixu was not offended by Ding Ning's insult and laughed admiringly. He did indeed look very fragile; not only was he missing one tooth, but all his other teeth seemed loose.

He looked at Ding Ning, smiled and said, “You're able to notice such small details, and also see the bigger picture. You can see what others can't. The mists that shrouds people's vision doesn't exist to you. You're a demon genius.”

Ding Ning glanced at him, “Why become a demon instead of a human?”

Wang Taixu smiled and said, “Not long ago, a yellow-robed advisor came to this alley to ask you for rent, but you didn’t give it.”

Ding Ning frowned. “He said he would come in a few days, but he didn’t show up… Are you from Two Level Tower or Jinlintang?”

Wang Taixu smiled slightly, “I’m from Two Level Tower, more accurately, I’m now in charge of Two Level Tower.”

Ding Ning looked at him doubtfully. “The master of Two Level Tower is so fragile?”

Wang Taixu dropped his smile and said seriously, “Perhaps it’s because I have too many matters to attend to, and my health has been affected.”

“If you really are the current master of Two Level Tower, you’re not here by coincidence,” Ding Ning looked at the other seriously and continued, “but this has nothing to do with me. I’m just worried about your negotiations with Jinlintang. Who should we pay the rent to?”

Wang Taixu said with a hint of pride, “I’m still alive, so this means you should pay us the rent.” He coughed, and continued, “I’m here because Prince Li Ling has come here.”

Worried that he had not explained himself clearly, Wang Taixu stared at Ding Ning and continued, “You know that Two Level Tower has both public and private businesses. Public businesses don't generate much profit, but they are related to our honor. If our public businesses are stolen by others, it means we can't maintain our private businesses. This is our territory, and our public business. We are in a fierce battle against Jinlintang, and a great dragon like Prince Li Ling has suddenly appeared here. We don't know the purpose of his visit here, and therefore came to investigate. If he displays any actions or words related to Jinlintang, then I will have to consider which river I will be lying in tomorrow.”

“Are you that afraid of him?" Ding Ning sneered.

“I'm not like you.” Thinking of what Ding Ning had said to Prince Li Ling, Wang Taixu could not help but smile. “Even if you humiliate him, he won’t do anything to you because of his status. If he acted against a mere youth like you, it wouldn’t be the actions of a gentleman. You know this, so you acted accordingly. But we’re different. If we were to conflict with him, it would be a bloody affair. You’ve seen the strength of the cultivators under his command. He has more than one cultivator like Chen Moli. I’m not afraid of him. You should know that the outcome of being prepared or not is completely different.”

Ding Ning said expressionlessly, “I think you’re wrong. I dared to do what I did for another reason: I paid the rent, and also the protection money.”

“Good words.” Wang Taixu could not help but applaud and laugh. “If you speak a few truthful words and encounter misfortune, then our business wouldn’t be trustworthy.”

Ding Ning glanced at him. “But you’re so fragile right now. Does the Two Level still have the abilities you said it would?”

Wang Taixu became serious and looked Ding Ning in the eye. “Our strength depends on whether we can eliminate Jinlintang. If we continue to conflict with Jinlintang and cannot resolve our issues, we will become weaker and weaker.”

“Then, I wish you good luck,” Ding Ning said.

“Good luck only comes to those who are prepared.” Wang Taixu coughed and wiped his mouth with a silk cloth. He said, “I watched the spectacle, and I’m sitting here because I want to receive your help.”

Ding Ning’s brow creased slightly. “What can I do for you?”

“Help me clear the mist.” Wang Taixu said slowly, seriously and sincerely, “Two Level Tower has many people who can fight, but not many who can think clearly and see the whole picture. You’re young, but in all my years in Changling, I’ve never met anyone who sees details so clearly and can organize things so neatly. You should know how important the ability to manage the overall situation amidst chaos is. I lack such an advisor, or perhaps a disciple, or a partner.”

“Although you feel I might be able to help you, this isn't an opportunity for me to elevate myself. Your situation is similar to Prince Li Ling's. If you can solidify yourself and consume the Jinlintang, your status in Changling will rise a notch. However, this is fraught with countless dangers, and the Two Level Tower is a large ship with many holes in the storm.” Ding Ning looked solemnly at the other. “You want me to help you. What benefits will I get?”

Wang Taixu asked in response, “What benefits do you want?”

“Anything I want?”

Ding Ning suddenly stretched out his hand angrily and pointed in the direction the sword school disciples had left. “Including getting me into their sword school?”

Wang Taixu smiled and looked at Ding Ning warmly. “You want to become a cultivator? If you want to become a cultivator, you might not need to enter that sword school.”

Ding Ning sneered, “But only those sword school will be allowed to try to enter the Min Mountain Sword Sect.”

Wang Taixu fell completely silent.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath before finally recovering. He stared at Ding Ning in disbelief. “You want to enter the Min Mountain Sword Sect?”

Notes:

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

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