Chapter 60: A Farce

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 60: A Farce

The Green Vine Sword School prepared a sumptuous banquet beneficial to cultivation for the disciples who came to watch. The wine was made from the local Green Bodhisattva Fruit, which can replenish energy and increase longevity. Rare herbs were added to the grains, which were extremely beneficial for cultivation. One of the main dishes was Cold Serpent meat.

Cold Serpents were serpents found in cold ponds. These serpents were extremely rare. It required several cultivators realm six and above must to work together to kill one. The most valuable parts were the serpent’s horns and core, followed by the bones and skin. because it contains energy that was beneficial to the cultivator, was a priceless product. Ordinary sects can only obtain it through luck.

 

Dinner at Falling Parasol Alley was very simple. When Ding Ning pushed open the slightly open door of the wine shop, what greeted him was a bowl of rice topped with pieces of preserved meat and lettuce.

The rice in the bowl was clearly freshly made, as steam was still rising from it.

Ding Ning looked at Zhangsun Qianxue, who was sitting by the table, and smiled warmly.

He sat down and began eating.

“You came home earlier than usual today,” Zhangsun Qianxue said, looking at him.

Ding Ning made a sound of agreement. He ate as he said, “Because tomorrow is the Green Vine Sword School’s sword trial festival.”

“Don’t you find it troublesome to go back and forth?” Zhangsun Qianxue seemed to be thinking about something. Her gentle face turned cold. “You don’t need to go home every day.”

“But if I’m not here, I can’t sleep well.” Ding Ning looked at her and said seriously, “I don’t find it troublesome, but Li Daoji and the others do. Today, when I came home, they sent three carriages to follow me… so I decided that after securing the top spot in the sword trial festival, I’ll suggest that I spend more time cultivating outside in the future. This way, I will have more freedom to ask about various matters.”

Zhangsun Qianxue said with a cold smile, “Although it’s a trial from a small sect, with your current strength… you shouldn't be thinking about the top spot, but rather how to survive.”

Ding Ning said, after draining his entire bowl, “The reason I want to get the top spot is because the White Goat Cave is good, I really need that spirit vein for cultivation, and also because of you.”

Zhangsun Qianxue frowned slightly. “Because of me?”

Ding Ning looked at her and said, “Because the most important prize from the Green Vine Sword School is the green jade amber.”

“You should know that green jade amber can allow cultivators to better receive some lifebond items. Furthermore, this green jade amber can also influence realm three cultivators in reaching realm four.” After a slight pause, Ding Ning said in a slightly heavier tone, “This is especially important for you.”

Zhangsun Qianxue was silent for a moment. Then she said, almost emotionless, “You and your master aren't the same kind of person. He only knew how to think about himself.”

Ding Ning was surprised.

Over the years of interacting with Zhangsun Qianxue, he had become very familiar with her. Except on very special occasions, Zhangsun Qianxue would never mention that person of her own accord.

Although he could not see any obvious emotions on Zhangsun Qianxue's face, he sensed that Zhangsun Qianxue had a different emotion in her eyes.

In these few short breaths, his body trembled uncontrollably.

He recalled what this day meant to Zhangsun Qianxue.

There were many special days in a person's life. For example, when they first met, when they parted for the last time and never saw each other again… But those days were special to him. Others would not know or remember them.

Ding Ning's body stiffened slightly. He looked at Zhangsun Qianxue and said quietly, “Did that person ever only think about himself?”

“At least that's how it looks in the eyes of others.” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at the flickering candle flame and said, “At least, in the eyes of others, he would do anything for his own thoughts.”

 

It was truly a late autumn, only moments away from the first snowfall.

Most of the tall trees in the gorge had only a few yellow leaves on their branches. Looking down on the forest from above, there were far fewer obstructions.

People could admire the wild chrysanthemums in the forest, as well as the swordsmanship.

It was the perfect time to watch.

In the morning, the disciples of the Green Vine Sword School and the disciples from over twenty schools who had come to watch the ceremony had finished washing up and were awaiting the arrival of the disciples of the White Goat Cave.

But what disturbed the silence on the streets of the Green Vine Sword School was not the White Goat Cave carriages, but a galloping horse.

The short-haired, dusty man on the horse was wearing a dark purple military officer's uniform, with a colorful image of a ferocious tiger embroidered on his chest.

Although this rider was only dozens of feet from the gate of the Green Vine Sword School, the rider seemed to think the galloping horse was still too slow, so he jumped off and landed in front of the stone stele at the gate of the Green Vine Sword School in a few bounds.

Facing the many The disciples of the Green Vine Sword School who had been waiting for the disciples of the White Goat Cave, this cold, weathered-face man politely said. “I need to see Nangong Caishu for some business.”

“A general from the military wishes to see me?” Nangong Caishu, who was waiting among a group of The disciples of the Green Vine Sword School, thought of a possibility upon hearing the news. Her heart began to beat faster. She almost ran to the gate of the Green Vine Sword School.

“Uncle Hua Qingfeng?”

Seeing the short-haired man standing at the gate, Nangong Caishu exclaimed loudly, “Why did you come here?”

“That's because your letters are pressing me even more urgently than the military orders from Changling!”

Seeing Nangong Caishu's shocked expression, the short-haired general smiled faintly and took out a jade box. He handed it to her. “It's also because this pill is extremely potent. Your father was very worried that you wouldn't pay enough attention if he only conveyed it through writing. Coincidentally, I'm on military duty in Changling, so he had me deliver this and tell you in person.”

Nangong Caishu's breathing stopped. As she took the jade box, her palms were sweating. “What kind of pill medicine is this that you need to make the trip yourself?”

“The Yellow Court Gold Pill from Yellow Court Pill Sect of the former Han Dynasty.” Hua Qingfeng put away his smile and said seriously, “The Yellow Court Pill Sect was not very famous before the Han Dynasty was destroyed. Most of the pills they concocted were unconventional and extremely potent. This Yellow Court Gold Pill is remarkable for its effectiveness in increasing cultivation. A cultivator who has just entered realm two can reach the late stages of class two, Bone Washing. However, the medicinal power in this kind of pill is heterogeneous and becomes deeply rooted in the body. So when one reaches the Vital Energy Realm, their vital energy is not so pure.”

Nangong Caishu hesitated slightly.

If a cultivator had many impurities in the body that could not be expelled, this would cause many problems. If one’s vital energy was not pure enough, it would affect production of vital energy, and decrease the power of any cultivation method in an imperceptible way.

“For ordinary cultivators, the disadvantages of this pill medicine outweigh the advantages. So your father sent me here to see if you’ve truly had a breakthrough, or if this pill medicine is just for trade and not for your own use. He’s worried that you’ve become restless and stuck at this point.” Hua Qingfeng saw Nangong Caishu’s flushed face, and his expression eased slightly. “When I saw you, I felt reassured.”

“Ordinary cultivators…” Nangong Caishu had been hesitating, but when she heard Hua Qingfeng's words, her emotions suddenly calmed.

She thought about Ding Ning's health and how little time he had. He thought about how Ding Ning seemed to only care about the immediate matters in front of him, and not the matters in the future.

She did not say much. She nodded, and then opened the jade box in her hand.

She saw that there was a piece of white wax sealed inside the jade box. At the center of the wax piece was a yellow pill medicine the size of a cherry. The pill looked chewy but also felt heavy.

This was a pill medicine that had arrived much later than she had expected, but it was remarkably timely.

Nangong Caishu and this general who had witnessed her growth in the military chatted for a while longer. She asked about her parents' recent situation and talked about her cultivation.

The general, completely reassured, left without worry.

Nangong Caishu returned to the gathering place of the disciples of the Green Vine Sword School and the other onlookers. She held the jade box in her hand. As time passed, she grew increasingly excited and nervous.

Several carriages slowly passed through the misty mountains and appeared at the gate of the Green Vine Sword School.

The people of the White Goat Cave finally arrived.

 

Leading the way was Li Daoji.

Behind him was Zhang Yi and Su Qin.

Xue Wangxu and a dozen the masters of the White Goat Cave were at the end.

Ding Ning, who did not have a particularly impressive figure, was in the middle of a large group of disciples of the White Goat Cave. However, countless eyes were fixed on him.

That thin, frail-looking young man was Ding Ning, who had achieved Energy Refinement in a month?

He looked so ordinary, unlike those freaks born with a radiant aura… How could someone like this achieve Energy Refinement in a month?

The buzz of whispers grew louder.

Duanmu Lian, who was in charge of this place and carried two swords on his back, began to show an ugly expression.

This was the first time the disciples of the White Goat Cave had entered the Green Vine Sword School after the White Goat Cave merged with the Green Vine Sword School. In his original imagination, the White Goat Cave, as the loser, would be subjected to submission.

But right now, because of the cultivation that Xue Wangxu had displayed, because of this disciple who reached Energy Refinement in a month, the disciples of the White Goat Cave came with presence as if they were the hosts.

Di Qingmei had clearly predicted this. He had minimized the pomp and ceremony of the sword trial festival, allowing them to simply wait at the back of the mountain.

 

The people of the White Goat Cave approached.

Xu Heshan could not help but stare at Xie Rou. He did not know if the events of last night had reached the White Goat Cave, and he did not know how Xie Rou would react now.

However, to his surprise, Xie Rou displayed a calm expression. Xie Changsheng suddenly took a few steps forward and bowed to Ding Ning in the crowd. He said, “Greetings, Brother-in-law.”

This was already a moment with a very strange atmosphere.

Xie Changsheng's sudden action even surprised Li Daoji.

Ding Ning naturally recognized Xie Changsheng.

However, he truly had no idea what had happened at the banquet last night. This left him completely confused. He looked left and right. Then, he looked at Xie Changsheng, whose face was solemn. Pointing to himself, he said, “Are you talking to me?”

Of course Xie Changsheng appeared extremely polite and respectful.

The crowd erupted into an uproar.

Xu Heshan, Nangong Caishu, and the others looked at each other in surprise, then could not help but stare at Xie Rou. They thought, had the brother and sister reached an agreement and were actually going to seriously discuss marriage today?

However, they saw that Xie Rou's face was flushed, and it seemed she had not made an agreement yet.

Ding Ning was shocked. He spotted Nangong Caishu among the crowd and looked for her help, wanting to understand what was happening.

“Yesterday, my older sister swore that if you reached Energy Refinement by then, she wouldn't marry anyone but you. So, you're naturally my older brother-in-law.” Xie Changsheng said.

“Are you joking?”

Ding Ning stilled. He wanted to laugh but could not. “This joke is a bit too much.”

“This is not a joke.”

A clear female voice rang out.

All the noise disappeared. This was the person in question speaking.

Everyone's gazes were fixed on Xie Rou. Even most of the people present at the Green Vine Sword School had temporarily forgotten about the sword trial festival and wanted to see how this matter would end.

Ding Ning stared at Xie Rou in a daze. He began to understand that this was the older sister Xie Changsheng had spoken of, the eldest miss of the Guanzhong Xie Family.

The blush on Xie Rou's face had faded. Her face was now extremely pale, and glistening like porcelain.

Xie Changsheng took a step back and moved closer to Xu Heshan and Nangong Caishu.

“What are you doing?”

Xu Heshan and Nangong Caishu whispered in his ear, puzzled. They even felt that Xie Changsheng's eyes were filled with a sense of gloating over his sister misfortune.

“On purpose…”

Xie Changsheng lowered his voice. The gloating he felt at the suffering of his sister radiated from his eyes to his face. “This marriage matter is no small matter. Ding Ning doesn’t know her. Even if Ding Ning agrees, she’s not the one who has the right to decide the marriage. This is a farce. Father won’t approve of her actions… if this matter escalates, she might be called back and beaten. Father feels that she has been reliable for so many years, and he has let her take care of me. Now, I’m going to tell Father that she’s even worse, and that she shouldn’t be the one taking care of me, but perhaps she needs to get her money from me.”

“…”

Xu Heshan and Nangong Caishu immediately became speechless.

After a few breaths, Nangong Caishu finally said, “So because you waste money thoughtlessly, you pushed your older sister into trouble… is she your blood sister?”

“When she beat me and forbade me from spending money, I don’t know if she considered me her younger brother. For every ten times I was beaten, at least nine were because she complained to my father.” Xie Changsheng pursed his lips. “This time, I didn’t do anything wrong; she did it herself. Otherwise, I would have gotten at least fifteen hundred gold. This way, she would remember.”

“You are younger than us, and more childish as well.” Nangong Caishu took a deep breath. She looked at him serious and said, “It’s a good thing I don’t have a younger brother like you. Otherwise, I would beat you every day.”

 

Notes:

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

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