Chapter 54: Moving Mountain

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 54: Moving Mountain

“The Changling gate guards seem to be conducting a routine inspection.”

“If it’s a routine inspection, this carriage belongs to the White Goat Cave and since it’s carrying me, it should be easy to pass.”

“As long as this inspection has nothing to do with those military personnel, it’s fine if they find me in your carriage. At most, people will know I’m in this carriage. I’m not a wanted criminal.”

“But if these people are under those military personnel, they might kill you immediately.”

“In that case, I can only do my best to grab a horse and escape.”

Ding Ning and Wang Taixu discussed quietly.

Although this seemed like a routine inspection by the Changling gate guards, an inspection at a time like this must have something to do with last night’s events.

 

A soldier stood silently beside more than a dozen chariots, whose cold metallic light gleamed. However, what set him apart from the other soldiers was that he had a black sword, unsheathed, hanging from his waist. The intricate seals on the sword and the glowing glaze on his face indicated that he was no ordinary soldier. He was a cultivator. He appeared to be observing the passersby and the carriages. But in truth, his furtive gaze was focused on the distant paths.

When Ding Ning's carriage appeared in his line of sight, his eyes lit up slightly.

As the carriage drew closer, he noticed the tracks left by the wheels on the ground and the rhythmic rocking of the carriage cabin. His eyes grew brighter, like a strange fire burning.

Seeing the carriage slowing down, he called out to two soldiers and spoke a few words. The dozen or so carriages in front were forced to move aside, making way for the White Goat Cave carriage.

The middle-aged driver was both surprised and delighted. He thought these soldiers had noticed the small white goat emblem on the carriage cabin and were letting them through.

Unexpectedly, however, the moment he raised his whip, and before the slowed carriage could accelerate, the dozen armored soldiers stopped inspecting the other carriages and passersby and quickly surrounded his carriage.

“Awful manners. It looks like we might die here today.”

Through a gap in the curtain, Wang Taixu sighed as he watched the soldiers’ actions. “If I need to attack later, don’t follow me,” he said, sincerely to Ding Ning.

“If these people show any signs of wanting to kill you by any means in broad daylight, I won’t side with you.” Ding Ning nodded and said sincerely. “I might not even clean up your corpse, but I will do my best to avenge you.”

Wang Taixu laughed, though it was very difficult for him to hold back his coughs.

 

“What are you doing?” The carriage driver angrily asked the approaching military cultivator. “This carriage belongs to the White Goat Cave.”

The expressionless military cultivator with a black sword stepped forward and said coldly, “Even the White Goat Cave’s carriages must be inspected.”

“That probably won’t be the case.” This driver, who was better known for his morals than his manners, sneered as he pulled out a piece of paper with a red seal tucked into his sleeve. “This is a regulation from the Bureau of Divinity to prevent such incidents. It allows for unimpeded travel.”

Ding Ning and Wang Taixu instantly stilled in the carriage. This development had completely shocked them.

The major bureaus of the Qin had special documents used in emergencies to move their people. The document the carriage driver had issued was a special travel document from the Bureau of Divinity. Because the Bureau of Divinity usually escorted prisoners or important witnesses and documents on short notice, they were armed with this special document for expedited travel through checkpoints.

One glance at the driver was proof enough that he would not think of requesting a document like this from the Bureau of Divinity. The officials at the bureau had undoubtedly taken precautions after last night’s incident.

However, despite the unexpected turn of events, the military cultivator with the black sword remained cold and indifferent. “This document is invalid.”

“Why is it invalid?” The driver's jaw dropped in disbelief, but before he could speak, a cold voice from beside him preceded him.

A bald, ordinary-looking man slightly raised his head to look at the military cultivator who was half a head taller than him. However, he exuded a level of coldness even greater than this uniformed man.

As his words fell, his right hand reached for the black jade token hanging from his waist… The jade token emitted a cold aura and had the words ‘Bureau of Divinity’ engraved on it, indicating the status of this bald man who was disguised as an ordinary merchant.

The Bureau of Divinity was undoubtedly one of the most intimidating places in Changling. Therefore, when the light hit this jade token, even passersby could not help but feel a chill.

Even when facing the ferocious and threatening gazes of this official of the Bureau of Divinity, this military cultivator remained undaunted. He simply replied coldly. “Because I am Duan Zhiqiu, commander of the Gate Guards with the privileges of a hundred households.”

The uninformed official of the Bureau of Divinity stilled immediately, his gaze growing ugly.

The Qin Dynasty's military ranks were divided into twenty-eight ranks. Those above the eighth rank possessed many special powers. Those who enjoyed the taxation of a hundred households would have the ninth rank. Coupled with being a commander of the Changling Gate Guards, he possessed enough power to be unconstrained by the Bureau of Divinity.

“The people inside, come out!”

The commander, Duan Zhiqiu, did not even look at the officials from the Bureau of Divinity, and stared coldly at the carriage cabin.

A subtle presence was emanating from his body at this moment.

Sensing this presence, Wang Taixu in the cabin turned pale.

Ding Ning's heart also sank. After all, his perception was stronger than Wang Taixu's.

The presence of vital energy that Duan Zhiqiu deliberately released confirmed that this commander was a military cultivator who had reached realm five!

With Wang Taixu's current injuries and the large number of soldiers surrounding him, he couldn't escape from such a martial expert in battle.

 

“I want to see who can make the people from my White Goat Cave come out.”

As Duan Zhiqiu shouted, the chariots parked around him began to move slowly. He knew no one could stop him from forcing Ding Ning and Wang Taixu out. However, a calm and ancient voice came from the path behind him.

Everyone instinctively turned around and saw an old man with white hair and beard walking towards him.

This old man had a jade-like face and bright red lips. His white Daoist robe had yellow edges, and a small white jade sword hung from his waist like an ornament. His figure appeared ethereal. Perhaps because he was walking too fast, he was panting slightly.

When the old man spoke, Ding Ning's eyes lit up. He lifted the curtain slightly, looked at the old man from afar, and muttered softly. “Why does he look even older than Du Qingjiao… This old, not only old, but also completely devoid of spirit. Will he be able to handle this?”

Wang Taixu’s brow was still furrowed deeply. Through the gap, he saw the old man with the small white jade sword and guessed who this person was.

Although surprised, he was still nervous.

The old man was still a distance from their carriage, so he must be able to walk, and fast enough.

Duan Zhiqiu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Don't even think about taking action before I do. You're not fast enough,” the old man said, staring at him.

Duan Zhiqiu sneered. “You must be the Sect Master of the White Goat Cave, Xue Wangxu. Even if you are the sect master of the White Goat Cave, you don't have the qualifications to interfere in my inspection.”

This white-hair old man was Xue Wangxu, who usually sat in the highest temple of the White Goat Cave.

Seeing Duan Zhiqiu's sneer, he smiled faintly and said, “Right now, I don't care about qualifications, only strength.”

Duan Zhiqiu's eyes turned cold, and his lips moved as if he was about to speak.

But Xue Wangxu spoke first. “My past contributions far outweigh your current contributions. Now that the White Goat Cave has joined the Green Vine Sword School, I don't have to worry too much. Based on my contributions, even if they are slowly eroded as punishment, I can do things like this a few times. You are in an urgent situation. Would you do something with such bad behavior?”

Although his tone was still calm just like Duan Zhiqiu's, and his words did not contain any anger, his words sounded domineering and pride was visible in his eyes, making Duan Zhiqiu's lips twitch slightly without him realizing it.

Duan Zhiqiu’s gaze flashed a few times, then he stared coldly at Xue Wangxu. “Alright, then let's see how strong you are to dare to say such things.”

Xue Wangxu smiled gently at him.

He even turned his body slightly, not looking at the military cultivator who was exuding a terrifying ferocity, but staring at the mountains further away from the North Soldier Mountain where the White Goat Cave was located.

In this sunrise, the distant peaks behind the North Soldier Mountain appeared as faint as the tiniest brushstrokes on a painting, beautiful but almost unreal.

“Watch me move the mountains.” Xue Wangxu said something that many of the people around him could not understand. But as he spoke, the mountain peaks he was gazing at suddenly became clear.

Duan Zhiqiu turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.

At that moment, with a muffled booming sound, a mountain seemed to appear in the sky above.

 

Notes:

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

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