Translator: pucari @ dreamwidth
Editors: elliot and luca

[Chapter 35 - Chao Ya(1)] Maze at the southern seas

"It"s merely just to follow him and find out once and for all, that"s all." Duan Bai Yue said, "We may not necessarily b.u.mp into each other."

"All just for the Fen Xing." Chu Yuan shook his head, "If you are really hung up on it, then just throw it away, we don"t want it anymore."

Duan Bai Yue: "......"

Throw it away?

"No matter what, you"re not allowed to go." Chu Yuan was resolute, "For this matter, there is absolutely no room for further discussion!"

Duan Bai Yue asked: "What if I really want to go?"

Chu Yuan looked straight at him.

......

A moment later, Duan Bai Yue said tactfully: "Alright, alright, alright, I won"t go."

Chu Yuan hmphed coldly, turned around and walked towards his inner chambers.

The night was quiet; Xi Nan King was leaning outside the rooms, looking at the moon.

Si Xi used his elbow to poke him, saying: "It"s late at night, this king should go in soon."

Duan Bai Yue was a little hesitant.

Si Xi continued in a low voice: "If this king continues to not go in, His Majesty will then become angry." He reckoned that he would be difficult to deal with for the next few days; then that would truly be a headache.

Duan Bai Yue stood up: "Many thanks to this eunuch."

Eunuch Si Xi chuckled, looking at him enter the rooms.

Chu Yuan had already went to sleep, with his back facing outside as usual, not moving at all. His black hair was spread outside the blanket, a little messy.

Duan Bai Yue laid by his side.

Chu Yuan covered his head with the blanket: "Go out."

Duan Bai Yue laughed quietly, reaching out and pulling him into his arms instead: "I have already promised you not to follow him to Jade Coffin Mountain, why are you still angry?"

Chu Yuan didn"t reply.

Duan Bai Yue pulled the blanket down a little: "In the future, all these matters of Jianghu, I won"t get involved anymore, won"t that do? Whatever you want to do tomorrow, I will accompany you under a disguise."

"Don"t want to." Chu Yuan struggled free from him, lying by himself on the bed.

"You"re really angry?" Duan Bai Yue made an expression of suffering, "Why don’t I just let you hit me twice."

Chu Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, reaching out and giving him a slap: "Tomorrow that Gao Li princess will still be choosing her husband, you are not allowed to show your face." Since she even took a liking to his scarred face, she would probably take a liking even if the face was changed.

"Still choosing?" Duan Bai Yue tsked, "How many times has it been." Without even mentioning choosing a young bachelor, enough time had pa.s.sed to even choose a father.

"Do you know what kind of requirements Jin Shu asked for?" Chu Yuan asked.

Duan Bai Yue shook his head.

“Family background and moral standing must naturally be one of the best, and there are two more points: he must either be highly skilled in martial arts, or look like Xi Nan King." Chu Yuan said.

Duan Bai Yue: "....."

He really was innocent.

Chu Yuan glanced at him, asking suddenly: "Where"s the gift?"

"What gift?" Duan Bai Yue initially didn"t understand, but after speaking then did he remember that he had said before that if Chu Yuan didn’t attend morning court tomorrow and has a good sleep instead, then he would give him a gift.

Chu Yuan turned sideways and faced him, with only his head poking out of the blanket, and repeated once more: "Where"s the gift?"

It was really on his mind. Duan Bai Yue felt it was funny, and asked: "Not attending court tomorrow?"

Chu Yuan answered: "Going."

Duan Bai Yue choked.

Chu Yuan reached out his hand.

Duan Bai Yue conveniently held his hand, moving it by his mouth and kissed the middle of his palm: "Save it first, when you are about to go to Xi Nan, then I will bring you there."

"I just knew that you spoke without thinking." Chu Yuan pouted, and withdrew his hand.

"Of course not." Duan Bai Yue asked, "When have I lied to you before?"

Chu Yuan closed his eyes, saying inside his heart whether he lied before or not is one matter, but he didn’t know which year, which month could he go to Xi Nan; what has been said was the same as saying nothing.

"Tomorrow, can I go and find Mu Chi Lao Ren?" Duan Bai Yue tried asking.

"No." Chu Yuan rejected lazily.

Duan Bai Yue: "......"

"I have already said not to interfere in that matter between Sai Pan An and Lan Yi Zhang anymore, so why is the Qian Hui Huan still needed." Chu Yuan said, "If he was really a demon or ghost, and brings calamity to the common people and wreak havoc on Jianghu, Da Li office(2) and the martial arts sects will naturally go and suppress him by force; a Xi Nan King like you, what are you joining in for."

Duan Bai Yue obediently said: "Alright."

"Learn more from Jin Tai. Go out and eat all over and enjoy the scenery when idle, and then come and ask us for some reward, that is then called a frontier king." Chu Yuan said, "You"re not to meet Mu Chi Lao Ren again, or else you will be sent for a flogging."

"Flogging?" Duan Bai Yue smirked: "And here I thought I would be sent into the Cold Palace."

"Sleep now." Before he was chased out of the bed, Duan Bai Yue tidied his hair. "I won"t tease you anymore."

"How has your body been recently?" Chu Yuan asked again.

"No matter." Duan Bai Yue said, "You"re also a martial arts pract.i.tioner, and know that it"s a frequent occurrence for failures in martial arts training."

"Nonsense." Chu Yuan frowned, "Even if it was the leader of a demonic sect, I’ve still never heard of anyone vomiting blood everyday."

"What do you mean, vomiting blood everyday." Duan Bai Yue doesn"t know whether to laugh or cry, "It was just those few times, and you happened upon it every time."

"In short, if your body isn"t well, then return to Xi Nan to recuperate, don"t force yourself." Chu Yuan said, "The capital is well fortified, and no one would be able to rebel against the emperor."

Duan Bai Yue shook his head instead: "I want to stay here, because you are here. It has nothing to do with whether the capital is in turmoil or at peace."

Chu Yuan pinched his nose: "What about Xi Nan, don"t want it anymore?"

"Don"t want it." Duan Bai Yue moved closer to him, saying in high spirits, "Why don"t we make a deal?"

"What is it?" Chu Yuan took back his hand.

"You send that Wen Liu Nian to Xi Nan as an amba.s.sador, in exchange for me coming to the capital." Duan Bai Yue said, "I"m not asking for a new residence either, the Cold Palace will do."

Chu Yuan turned his back towards him: "I can"t bear to part with beloved official Wen."

"Then you can bear to part with me?" Duan Bai Yue acted shamelessly, and hugged him from behind.

Chu Yuan said lazily: "Yes."

Duan Bai Yue parted his hair, and pressed a light kiss on his naked nape.

A hint of a smile hung on the corners of Chu Yuan"s lips.

In the later half of the night, the fingers of the two of them had intertwined; it was unknown when their hands had clasped together.

In the dreams, flourishing flowers bloomed.

On the second day, Duan Bai Yue unquestionably didn"t find Mu Chi Lao Ren, and left the palace straight away.

"How is it?" Nan Mo Ye was still strolling near that alley, eating from a bag of buns in his hand, "Did you get the Qian Hui Huan?"

"No." Duan Bai Yue shook his head.

"How much more time is needed then?" Nan Mo Ye asked.

Duan Bai Yue: "There won"t be one no matter how long has pa.s.sed."

Nan Mo Ye: "........"

Duan Bai Yue said: "Xiao Yuan isn"t letting me interfere in this matter."

Nan Mo Ye"s eyes widened: "So?"

"So this matter ends here." Duan Bai Yue turned around and walked back the way he came, "Teacher can continue to eat your buns."

A gust of wind came from behind; Duan Bai Yue nimbly dodged it.

Nan Mo Ye struck him on the head hard, saying angrily: "You didn"t even discuss it properly before letting this teacher do things?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "Actually, thinking about this closely, this matter doesn"t have much to do with us."

Nan Mo Ye: "......."

"Previously we just wanted to make clear what the motive for that Sai Pan An to find Mu Chi Lao Ren is, and now since it has been found out, it"s not impossible to give up on this plan." Duan Bai Yue said, "Unless teacher also wishes to be chivalrous for once, and help the pugilistic sects of the Central Plains eliminate a scourge."

"No way." Nan Mo Ye shook his head firmly, but was unsatisfied, "But this teacher hasn"t had enough fun.”

Duan Bai Yue"s head throbbed silently.

A moment later.

"Your beloved doesn"t let you go, but didn"t say that this teacher can"t go." Nan Mo Ye stuffed a bun into his mouth, and said decisively: "This matter is no concern of yours anymore."

Duan Bai Yue frowned: "Don"t stir up trouble."

"Of course." Nan Mo Ye patted the dust away on his clothes, picking up a worn-out stick that was cut down from the ground, and returned to the inn while humming.

Duan Bai Yue originally wanted to return to the palace, but was worried no matter how he thought about it, and so followed him.

"I have returned." Nan Mo Ye kicked open the door of the guestroom.

"What are you making such a racket for!" Sai Pan An"s servant boy was dozing off, and ended up quivering in fright.

"Found a w.a.n.g Yue, can"t I be a little happy?" Nan Mo Ye grumbled unhappily.

Hearing the conversation between the two of them, Sai Pan An put on an outer robe and came out from the inner room, his lips somewhat pale under the half-mask.

It was right that he’s pale. When Nan Mo Ye returned yesterday, he found an excuse to walk around in the room, and took the chance to throw that plump purple toad into a vase at the corner of the room. After a night, he reckoned that those gu chong would have inflicted quite some mayhem inside his body; he was lucky he could even stand up.

"Where is the w.a.n.g Yue?" Sai Pan An asked.

Nan Mo Ye quickly drew out that wooden stick.

........

"Outrageous!" The servant boy was unhappy.

"This young boy, you don"t know its true value." Nan Mo Ye waved his hand around, "This item is good grade Ling Xiao wood, and weathered the winds and rain on the streets, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon; only then can its spirituality appear when decayed, or else why do you think it"s called w.a.n.g Yue?"

The eyes of the servant boy were still full of suspicion.

"Since w.a.n.g Yue has been found, then quickly go and build the Qian Hui Huan." Sai Pan An said, "If something happens again, don"t blame me for being impolite!"

"Of course not." Nan Mo Ye stuffed that rotten wooden stick into his cloth bag, and slowly went next door. Although Sai Pan An was wearing a big robe just now, but his hands were still able to be vaguely seen during their conversation. It was not the young appearance of before, and instead covered with swollen veins.

To think he had the gall to trick people with just this level of skill. Nan Mo Ye clicked his tongue and shook his head. After drinking a pot of tea, he laid down on the bed and let out an earth shattering yawn, the very image of free and cheerful.

"Mister." That servant boy had served by Sai Pan An"s side for some years, but has never seen him like this, and thus he held him up, worried, "Should we return to the Ghost Village?"

Sai Pan An shoved him away, stumbling into the inner rooms, going to mediate to forcefully balance his qi, wanting to let the agitated gu chong in his body return to calmness.

But with the purple toad in the vase, never mind the average gu chong, even if it was the king of gu, it would undoubtedly also be frightened, only thinking of ways to escape.

It was as if countless ants were biting in his insides; blood spilled out from the corners of Sai Pan An"s mouth. He finally realized that this incident isn"t as simple as he had thought. These gu chong had hibernated in his body for many years, and had long fused with his blood vessels; to be struggling to escape like now, it was obvious that someone is creating trouble in the dark.

"Mister." The servant boy brought in warm water for him, but was grabbed by his throat instead. Thus he stared with wide eyes in fright, looking at the twisted, unfamiliar face in front of him.

The mask had already fallen to the ground; Sai Pan An"s face was covered with red veins, his eyes bulging, looking like an evil spirit from the netherworld.

"Ke ke." The servant boy coughed, his face reddened.

"Did you put something in the water?" Sai Pan An"s voice was hoa.r.s.e.

The servant boy already couldn"t speak, and only knew to shake his head furiously, his mind already turning fuzzy.

Sai Pan An raised his hand and struck towards his head, but was stopped by someone halfway.

Duan Bai Yue stood in the room, with his face covered, his tone ice cold: "Just who are you?"

Sai Pan An used his sleeve to cover his face, and leapt down from the window.

The people on the streets were chatting idly. When they saw someone suddenly drop from the sky, they all got a scare immediately.

The imperial guards keeping watch near the inn saw the scene and knew something had happened; signals whistled high into the sky in a flash, and they all gathered and gave chase.

Sai Pan An"s qing gong was very good. Even though the gu chong in his body was wreaking havoc, he still had left most of the troops chasing after him behind, ending up with one person in the end.

As they reached a forest, Duan Bai Yue took a shortcut and stopped him, unsheathing his sword and placing it at his neck.

"You, just who are you?" Sai Pan An"s voice was hoa.r.s.e.

"It"s not important who I am." Duan Bai Yue said, "Are you Qiu Ji from that time?"

"I"m not." Sai Pan An refuted without any hesitation.

"If you aren"t then you aren"t, this isn"t important to me." Duan Bai Yue said, "But since you know of the Fen Xing deadlocked layout, and are concerned with Jiu Xuan Ji, you must also know about the secrets between the Fen Xing layout and Fen Xing."

"There are no secrets." Sai Pan An"s breathing was uneven, his throat a little swollen.

"This is Lan Yan gra.s.s, it can let the gu chong stirring in your body faint for a time." Duan Bai Yue took out a bottle, "If I were you, then I would answer all questions in full detail, because this is the only way out alive."

Sai Pan An stared at the porcelain bottle avidly: "It"s really Lan Yan gra.s.s?"

Duan Bai Yue pulled out the stopper, and poured a few pills.

"Alright, what do you want to ask?" Sai Pan An was somewhat interested.

“Just what kind of an item is Fen Xing," Duan Bai Yue said. "And why would it give off light?"

"Fen Xing is in your hands?" Sai Pan An"s expression changed dramatically upon hearing this.

Duan Bai Yue said: "This has nothing to do with you."

"It"s impossible, the people in this world who could let Fen Xing shine, had already all died at Chao Ya." Sai Pan An"s eyes dimmed, "You"re lying."

"Chao Ya?" Duan Bai Yue frowned.

"It"s not possible, not possible!" Sai Pan An shoved him away with a wave of his hand, seemingly greatly affected; he didn"t even want the antidote, turning around and throwing himself towards the precipice.

Duan Bai Yue pursued closely, but could only grab onto a sleeve. And that Sai Pan An, after falling down the cliff, didn"t plunge straight down, but grabbed onto a few young vines, disappearing into the boundless fog below.

"What happened?" Nan Mo Ye caught up from behind.

"He jumped down the cliff." Duan Bai Yue said, "Has teacher heard of Chao Ya?"

"I have heard of it, it"s reportedly a mythical land in the southern seas." Nan Mo ye said, "The founder was call Chao Ya Lao Zhu, it"s said that all that stay there are not human, but immortals."

Duan Bai Yue: "........"

"That Sai Pan An said he came from Chao Ya?" Nan Mo Ye asked.

Duan Bai Yue shook his head: "He was initially still focused on wanting the antidote, but after hearing that the Fen Xing started shining, he started going crazy, saying that it"s impossible, and even said that the people who could make Fen Xing shine had already all died at Chao Ya, and then jumped down the cliff as if he went insane. But he luckily grabbed onto a vine; don"t know if he"s dead or not."

Nan Mo Ye reached out his neck and looked down the cliff.

"What about that servant boy?" Duan Bai Yue asked.

"Brought away by Duan Yao, he"s imprisoned in the inn for now." Nan Mo Ye said, "The imperial troops had also went to the inn to search, but was a step slower than us."

"Let"s go and see what"s happening first." Duan Bai Yue said, "At least it can be made clear where this inscrutable Sai Pan An came from."

In the inn, Duan Yao, with his cheeks in his hands, stared at the servant boy by the table.

"Young master, please spare my life." The servant boy wept bitterly, "I won"t dare to escape again."

"Look, you said it yourself, if you run away again don"t blame me for getting rude." Duan Yao reached out his hand, and took away the spider on his forehead.

The servant boy heaved a visible sigh of relief.

"It"s all working for a living, why didn"t you find a better master?" Duan Yao sneered. "What are you doing following these kinds of rotten people."

The servant boy continued to sob softly.

Duan Bai Yue and Nan Mo Ye pushed the door and came in.

"Where is he?" Duan Yao looked behind the two of them, "That Sai Pan An, he wasn"t brought back?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "He"s dead."

"Why is he dead again." Duan Yao was unsatisfied, "When you go out and chase someone, they end up dead every time."

The servant boy felt heat rising in his underbelly, suddenly feeling very glad that he didn"t manage to escape just now.

"Whatever that you know, speak it out." Nan Mo Ye squatted on the chair, "Or else you might be used to train gu; that would feel terrible."

The servant boy almost jumped in fright. The miserable condition that Sai Pan An was in when the gu chong entered his brain was still vivid in his mind; no one would want to try that.

Like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube, he spoke of everything he knew in detail.

That Sai Pan An had always live in the Ghost Village previously; it was called Ghost Village, but it was actually that the whole village was afflicted with an incurable disease. The neighboring villages avoided them at all costs, as if there wasn’t enough time in the world to avoid them. No one disturbed the village on a usual day, so if one was daring and liked the quiet, it was quite a suitable place to live.

The servant boy was originally a petty thief and carelessly barged into Ghost Village when chased by villagers, and was poisoned by miasma. When he woke up, he was already infected with gu chong, and could only remain by Sai Pan An"s side and attend to him; this lasted four years.

"He doesn"t have anything else to do other than practicing his martial arts or researching the chess layout?" Duan Yao frowned.

"That"s right." The servant boy said, "It seems like he has quite a few subordinates. Masked men came to the house frequently, and I don"t know where his money comes from either."

"These past four years, did he ever take off his mask?" Duan Bai Yue asked.

The servant boy shook his head: "Never, not once."

"Then has he mentioned Jade Coffin Mountain, Lan Yi Zhang or Qiu Ji"s name to you before?" Duan Bai Yue continued asking.

"He has." The servant boy said, "He has always been very concerned about the recent developments at Jade Coffin Mountain, instructing me to go out and scout out news every so often. Every few days, he even wanted me to repeat, saying that Qiu Ji was a great hero of indomitable spirit, and is the best among all of Central Plains sects. As for Lan Yi Zhang, he was instead mentioned very rarely."

Duan Yao admired him upon hearing this; if this person was really Qiu Ji, then to want to hear others praise him everyday, his mind must be seriously ill.

"He looked at that chess layout everyday, but didn"t understand it even once; after looking at it for a long time he was bewitched." The servant boy continued, "This time when he said he wanted to find someone to solve the layout, I was rather happy, feeling that if this chess layout was solved, then I wouldn"t have to be on edge and be worried everyday anymore."

"What about Fen Xing and Chao Ya?" Duan Bai Yue said, "Have they been brought up before?"

The servant shook his head, at a loss.

Duan Bai Yue frowned.

"It can"t be rushed." Nan Mo Ye patted his shoulder, "Why doesn’t this teacher go and take a look at Jade Coffin Mountain?"

Duan Bai Yue hesitated.

"Maybe that Lan Yi Zhang really came back from the dead." Nan Mo Ye said, "If it"s really like this, then quite a few secrets can be gleaned from him; no matter what, it"s better than turning around here blindly."

Duan Bai Yue said: "Let me go to the palace first."

Nan Mo Ye nodded: "Go now, this teacher and Yao-er will keep watch over here."

Duan Bai Yue turned and left the inn.

Duan Yao knocked the servant boy out and imprisoned him next door, and continued asking: "Just who is big brother"s beloved?"

Nan Mo Ye glanced at him askance: "It"s already like this, and you still can"t guess it?"

Duan Yao shook his head honestly.

Nan Mo Ye sighed, then crooked his finger, gesturing for him to come closer.

Duan Yao, extremely eager, quickly stuck his ear over.

Nan Mo Ye said it word by word: "Shen, Qian, Fan."

Duan Yao slapped the table hard, and said with a weight off his mind: "I just knew it was General Shen!"

Nan Mo Ye smiled benevolently, reaching out and rubbing his head.

Silly disciple.

In the palace, Chu Yuan was walking by the table, ill at ease; to the side, Eunuch Si Xi urged him: "There"s no need for Your Majesty to worry, maybe Xi Nan King will arrive soon."

Chu Yuan dropped onto the throne, some irritation showing on his forehead. Tao Ren De had immediately reported the incident of Sai Pan An escaping through the window, but also said that someone had already given chase; there was no need to think to know who it was.

Eunuch Si Xi poured him a cup of cooling tea.

"Go and find Xiang Lie." Chu Yuan instructed, "We want to bring men out of the capital!"

"Ah?" Eunuch Si Xi was shocked.

"What are you leaving the capital for?" Duan Bai Yue pushed the door and came in.

Seeing that he"s safe and sound, Chu Yuan"s heart finally fell back to its rightful place.

Eunuch Si Xi also really wanted to say Amitabha; he quickly bowed and withdrew outside, closing the door properly for the two of them.

"You have agreed not to interfere previously, why did you chase him outside of the capital?" Chu Yuan asked immediately.

Duan Bai Yue said fluently: "Because teacher"s orders are hard to go against."

Chu Yuan: "......."

In the inn, Nan Mo Ye sneezed.

"I know that you"re worried about me, but at least wait till I finish talking about proper matters." Duan Bai Yue pulled him over to the table, "Then whether it be a beating or a punishment, it"s all up to you."

"What proper matter?" Chu Yuan"s att.i.tude finally eased a little.

Duan Bai Yue brought up the important points of the incident with Sai Pan An, and asked: "Have you heard of Chao Ya?"

Chu Yuan paused for moment, nodding: "I have heard of it."

"Tell me." Duan Bai Yue said.

Seeing that his lips looked a bit dry, Chu Yuan first pa.s.sed over the cooling tea, before saying: "When I was seven, a few deities came to the palace, saying that they came from Chao Ya. Before you mentioned it, I too didn"t remember, but it was also after they left that the Empress Mother would bring up Fen Xing occasionally; she must have heard of it from them."

"Why were they considered deities?" Duan Bai Yue asked.

"At that time I was young, and didn"t have much of an impression; I only know they could read the stars, and could even predict the gender of the fetus in the belly of Emperor Father"s concubines." Chu Yuan said, "I have no impression after that, only remembering that just before they left, they brought quite a few treasures with them; seems like they were seen highly by Emperor Father."

"After that, were there any more people from Chao Ya who came?" Duan Bai Yue continued to ask.

Chu Yuan shook his head; "Before they left, they had agreed to come again ten years later, but ten years later Emperor Father fell critically ill, and they didn"t appear; after that there was even less of a connection."

Duan Bai Yue nodded, seemingly in deep thought.

"Where"s the Fen Xing?" Chu Yuan asked.

Duan Bai Yue came back to the present: "In the inn."

"Throw it away." Chu Yuan said, "It doesn"t seem like an auspicious omen."

Duan Bai Yue smiled, holding onto his hand and saying: "And one more thing. You may get angry after hearing it, but I still want to say it."

Chu Yuan frowned: "What is it?"

"Give me a Qian Hui Huan." Duan Bai Yue said, "There are secrets at Jade Coffin Mountain. If it"s not made clear, I"m not at ease."

Chu Yuan expectedly tried to struggle free from his hand with all his might.

"You see, I already said you will be angry." Duan Bai Yue was helpless, "It doesn"t have to be me who goes personally; my teacher seems to be even more interested in this matter."

"Why would elder Nan be interested in this?" Chu Yuan didn"t believe him, "Don"t talk nonsense."

"What would I lie to you for." Duan Bai Yue said, "Maybe it"s because that Lan Yi Zhang is like him, able to revive from the dead, so he wanted to meet his relative."

..........

"It"s really not you who wants to go?" A moment later, Chu Yuan asked again.

Duan Bai Yue nodded: "I"m not going anymore, I"ll just stay in this palace and accompany you. Is this alright?"

Chu Yuan was still hesitant.

Duan Bai Yue continued: "If not, I will go to the castration room myself, no need for you to send me."

Chu Yuan"s chest tightened.

Can"t you think of any other place?

(1) Chao Ya: 潮崖 - lit. cliff by the sea. It"s a name for a place.

(2) Da Li Temple: 大理寺 lit. justice of the peace, governmental office. Basically the highest court in the country from ancient times till the recent past.

Chapter 36