Sword Dynasty
Volume 2
Chapter 20: Cold-
“Are you sure you’re really fine?” At the entrance of Falling
Parasol Alley, Ding Ning glanced at Xue Wangxu suspiciously and asked.
“Of course, I’m fine. You come home every day after
cultivating in the White Goat Cave. You’ve been gone for a long time. Why
aren’t you coming in now even though you’re already at the door? Besides, even
if you want to accompany me, you should give me some private time,” Xue Wangxu
said gently and warmly.
Ding Ning thought about this but still did not leave immediately.
“Don’t look at me like you’ll never see me again after
tonight.” Xue Wangxu said, feeling a slight headache. “Really, I’ll be fine.”
Ding Ning nodded and calmly said, “Just remember what you
promised me.”
“Is it possible that at my age, I can still deceive a child
like you who just entered this sect?”
Annoyed, Xue Wangxu waved his hand for Ding Ning to leave.
Ding Ning bowed silently.
Xue Wangxu did not look at Ding Ning and turned to leave.
The moon was already high in the sky. Xue Wangxu did not
return to the White Goat Cave. Instead, he followed the path straight towards
the center of Changling.
The center of Changling was the imperial palace.
In the cold night, the earthy-yellow palace walls did not
appear imposing. No guards were visible on the wall towers. However, as he
stepped onto the bridge and around the perimeter of the imperial palace, a
blue-robed Daoist appeared out of thin air and landed in front of Xue Wangxu.
“Xue Wangxu of the White Goat Cave requests an audience with
Her Majesty the Empress.” As he spoke softly, Speaking softly, Xue Wangxu
calmly bowed to the blue-robed Daoist.
Requesting an audience with the Empress this late at night,
when the palace gates were closed, was highly inappropriate. However, the
blue-robed Daoist merely raised his eyebrows, nodded, and said, “Elder Xue,
please wait a moment, I will go make a report.”
His tone carried a hint of sincere respect.
Any cultivator who had surpassed realm seven was worthy of
respect by all cultivators, and had the right to make such a request.
The blue-robed priestess flew into the air. As Xue Wangxu
stood before the empty palace, he appeared lonely.
The blue-robed priestess did not keep him waiting long. Or
rather, a woman in such a cold and lonely position did not need to act
authoritative.
Within moments, the blue-robed Daoist flew back before him.
“The Empress has given permission. Follow me.”
They did not walk through one of the side gates. The heavy
main gate of the imperial palace opened slightly for the blue-robed Daoist and
Xue Wangxu to pass through.
The empress was not in the study room, the place where she usually
was. She stood on a stone path flanked on both sides by copper statues. Two
beautiful female attendants stood behind her. But as always, her radiant beauty
outshone any woman standing with her.
Wordlessly, she stared at Xue Wangxu, her beautiful eyes
devoid of any emotion.
When Xue Wangxu saw her, he could not help but narrow his
eyes slightly.
Because she was too perfect, she seemed somewhat unreal.
Because she was too enchanting, she seemed somewhat
dazzling.
Xue Wangxu stopped thirty paces away from her. Then he bowed
deeply and said, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The empress looked calmly at the white-haired Xue Wangxu.
Her flawless face remained expressionless. “You may rise.”
Xue Wangxu nodded.
He did not state the purpose of his arrival, only
maintaining a humble attitude with his head bowed. However, a strange change
was occurring within his body, as if many things that had originally been
within him were about to fly out and soar to the sky.
“Stop!”
At this moment, the empress gazed at him and spoke calmly.
Xue Wangxu stopped, the unusual energy within his body
having completely dissipated.
“Why?”
The empress's perfect eyes finally showed a hint of emotion.
“A cultivator like you places your cultivation above your life. Without your
cultivation, what will you do with your life?” she asked in confusion.
Xue Wangxu remained calm. “I want to see next year’s Min
Mountain Sword Trials… Empress, please allow this.”
“You are measured in your behavior. Changling is so large,
will I not be able to tolerate you?” The empress did not hesitate as she looked
at him and slowly said, “Of course I will agree to your request, but I don't
want you to ask in such a way. You have to do something for me.”
Xue Wangxu was slightly surprised and said, “What?”
The empress looked at him calmly and said, “Teach Liang Lian
a lesson for me.”
Xue Wangxu did not raise his head. He frowned slightly and
waited for a response.
The empress slowly said, “With the young man who has been
following you these past few days.”
Xue Wangxu flinched, and his body suddenly trembled. A chill
rose in his heart. He suddenly looked up at the empress’ perfect features and
asked, “Why?”
They exchanged simple answers, but they fully understood
each other's intentions.
In response to Xue Wangxu's question, the empress said,
“Because the young man has performed well to this day. I hold the same attitude
toward all cultivators of the Qin Dynasty. I hope all cultivators will put Qin
Dynasty first. A person's experiences in youth can determine their entire life.
Since even I feel that the young man's achievements are extraordinary, he may
become someone useful to Qin Dynasty in the future. Therefore, I don't want him
to harbor any prejudice against me, or even the entire imperial palace.”
“Simply put, I hope he doesn't hate me.”
The empress looked at the copper statues on both sides of
the stone path and continued speaking in a calm but matter-of-fact tone. “So, I
don't want him to feel that you're sacrificing your own cultivation for the
chance to live until next year's Min Mountain Sword Trials. But I also want him
to know respect and the rules, so I want you to take him with you.”
Xue Wangxu stared at her perfect and emotionless face. He
knew this matter was irreversible and took a deep breath. He nodded solemnly.
“I’ve overlooked this. The empress’ arrangements are the best for him.”
The empress said nothing more. She turned and walked towards
the study.
Xue Wangxu stared at her perfect back and could not help but
think to himself, “So you’re more cold-hearted than I imagined.”
The empress seemed to hear Xue Wangxu’s thoughts but did not
care. She knew that many people considered her cold-hearted. But ruling a
country was a cruel thing to begin with.
Only cold-hearted laws would enforce strict order.
Zhangsun Qianxue sat quietly on her bed, fully clothed.
Seeing Ding Ning, who had finished bathing and put on clean clothes, she asked,
“What did you do to Feng Qianzhuo?”
Ding Ning, who had been waiting for her to say whether they
were going to practice paired cultivation or send him back to his own bed, was
momentarily speechless. “Why do you ask this?” he asked curiously.
“Because I also dislike Feng Qianzhuo very much.” Zhangsun
Qianxue glanced at Ding Ning, motioning for him to sit on his own bed. “When
Emperor Yuanwu personally led his army to attack Ba Mountain Sword Field, Feng
Qianzhuo was among the first disciples of the Ba Mountain Sword Field to
surrender. If he had surrendered, it wouldn't have been a problem. It wouldn't
have been a problem if he had revealed some of the secrets and formations of
the Ba Mountain Sword Field. Everyone had different opinions about the internal
conflicts of the Qin Dynasty. But after he sided with the emperor and turned
against them, he said many untruths to vilify and slander the Ba Mountain Sword
Field. Those words are disgusting to the ear,” she said coldly.
“But when the dirty words spread far enough, other people
will start to believe them.” Ding Ning sneered and said, “However, this time he
finally paid the price. Xue Wangxu's sword has injured him. Even if he
recovers, his cultivation will decline drastically. With injuries to his five
internal organs, he won't be able to live long.”
Zhangsun Qianxue seemed dissatisfied with this outcome. She
thought for a moment and said, “Should I go and kill him after some time?”
Ding Ning frowned and said, “We've just been to Zhushan
District. If you suddenly go and kill him now, wouldn't that draw all
suspicions on me?”
Zhangsun Qianxue frowned. Hearing Ding Ning's words, she
felt that this was not a good idea either.
“There are so many people to kill, how can we kill them all
at once?” Ding Ning muttered. But he suddenly remembered something, and his
face became serious.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes were filled with
hesitation.
Zhangsun Qianxue did not look at him, but she could sense
his emotions. With some dissatisfaction, she said, “Speak.”
“There’s someone you can kill, and he might have something I
want,” Ding Ning said after a moment of thought.
Zhangsun Qianxue asked, “Who is he?”
Ding Ning said thoughtfully, “Nangong Shang.”
Zhangsun Qianxue thought for a long time before recalling
this name. “A disciple from sword armory of the Ba Mountain Sword Field?”
Ding Ning nodded. “You should hate him even more than Feng
Qianzhuo. Not only did he steal many of the Ba Mountain Sword Field’s famous
swords before that time, he also destroyed two of the Ba Mountain Sword Field’s
important formations and said many disgusting things.”
Ding Ning paused for a moment and then added softly. “More
importantly, he’s in Changling.”
With a hint of amusement, Zhangsun Qianxue asked, “Where is
he in Changling?”
“Just like Xue Wangxu, you’ve been hiding for a long time.
Furthermore, your sword has only just formed. If you don’t use your sword, it
will be detrimental to your future cultivation. You might have problems. That’s
why I decided to tell you about this person. Even if you did it for revenge,
killing someone isn’t something to be happy about.” Ding Ning looked at
Zhangsun Qianxue’s beautiful figure through the cloth curtain and slowly said,
“You must promise me first that you will be absolutely safe and absolutely not
let anyone know you’ve been there.”
Zhangsun Qianxue was a little impatient and said irritably,
“I’m usually too lazy to use my brain; you can arrange it.”
Ding Ning nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll go find Wang Taixu
and arrange it tomorrow.”
Only then did Zhangsun Qianxue remember something and said
coldly, “Wang Taixu came to see you a few days ago and said that he has
successfully accomplished most of what you hoped he could do.”
Ding Ning's body trembled slightly. His eyes were filled
with surprised joy.
“Nangong Shang has something you need?” Zhangsun Qianxue
glanced at him and asked, “Is it something from the Ba Mountain Sword Field?”
“It's not something from the Ba Mountain Sword Field. It's
some pill recipes from the Nangong Family.” Ding Ning explained softly. “The
Nangong Family was responsible for the medicinal food of Ba Mountain Sword
Field previously. I want their Five Goat Pill recipe.”
Notes:
This novel is not my
work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui
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