Roi céleste

Chapitre 13

...

Although I really didn't want to see someone, I was always forced by Old Lady Dan to apply medicine to the wounded, so on the third day after I was murdered by Qing Jiu, I had to devote myself to the cause of saving him.

I don't know what stupid thing I did, but I managed to bring him back to life and even helped fix his leg. No wonder good people don't live long; they're just so stubborn that once they save someone, they have to see them through to the end, as if it proves something.

I didn't say another word to Qingjiu. When applying the medicine and re-bandaging the wound, I was rather rough, but Qingjiu didn't even flinch. He remained silent, his lips slightly pursed, the fake smile finally gone, his expression indifferent. He only occasionally glanced at me, his phoenix eyes flashing with a clear light; no one knew what he was thinking. Whenever this happened, I would finish quickly and leave.

Danqiu Sheng had praised Qingjiu for his amazing physique and incredibly fast recovery speed, estimating that he would recover in less than half a year, perhaps in three months. Although he said this with a stiff old face, he tried hard to hide his admiration.

This admiration became increasingly apparent after Qingjiu recovered somewhat, stemming from her rudimentary knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. So whenever I stood to the side with a basin of water, watching the old woman, who had a sinister expression towards me, reveal a terrifying yet benevolent look towards Qingjiu as she applied medicine to his leg and explained the principles of pharmacology in detail, I suspected that after this whole ordeal, no matter how severe Qingjiu's injuries, as long as he was alive, he would be able to heal himself.

The so-called chosen ones are indeed lucky to encounter any danger. I even suspect that even if I hadn't saved him, he would have rolled here on his own while unconscious.

I'd rather leave.

It was only later that I remembered I had promised to risk my life for him for two months. Could it be that I subconsciously saved him for that reason? Since I've already saved him, I might as well go all the way and fulfill my promise. Anyway, it's just changing his medication and such, and a month will pass easily.

After I finally took the initiative to express this idea, the Grand Palace Master Qing simply nodded, her face expressionless, and remained silent.

I snorted and left.

Aside from the unpleasantness of having to serve Qingjiu, I've gained quite a bit this past month. My swordsmanship, under Grandpa Cen's guidance, has deepened my understanding of the way of the sword. When Danqiu Sheng discovered me picking medicinal herbs, I casually mentioned their properties and uses, and I remembered them all. She looked at me with new respect, her attitude towards me improved, and she taught me more. After a while, although I felt there were still serious problems with my prescriptions, I could certainly go out and pretend to be a miracle doctor to swindle money. Of course, I didn't dare say this out loud, otherwise, I might have been poisoned to death by Old Lady Dan after just one sip of water.

...

Time flies in the mountains; a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Several days of clear skies and cloudless skies made it seem like an unlucky day. I had fulfilled my promise and should now head to Qishan to reunite with my master, Li Yiyao, and the others. My two-year-long miserable existence would finally end. If I were to encounter the Qing Sha Xing or Yin Sha Xing again, my sect would be there to protect me, so I wouldn't have to worry about them. It all sounded wonderful.

I said goodbye to Master Cen and Danqiu Sheng. Master Cen was a little reluctant to part with me and kept saying that he would come to see me at Qiansui Gate in the future. I gladly agreed. Danqiu Sheng still snorted twice. Finally, when I left, she stuffed two bottles of pills into my hand, saying that they were for surviving in times of crisis. I was a little touched and understood that she was just a cute old woman who was a bit awkward and proud.

Finally, there's Qing Jiu. This freakish character was able to get out of bed after only a month of treatment. I told him that the two-month agreement had expired, and took advantage of his injury and illness to demand my face back.

Qing Jiu was quite pragmatic and returned the noodles to me. As I stuffed the noodles into my pocket, he said softly, "I've heard before that a prized disciple of the Thousand Years Sect was sent down the mountain for two years of trials because she stole the demon's martial arts. She was a female disciple... named Qing Guyi."

My eyelids twitched, and then I sneered, "It seems that Qing Guyi won't live for more than half a month."

I patted the hem of my clothes and said lazily, "Fine, it's up to you whether you want to kill me or her, Grand Palace Master. I won't play along now, and I'll never see you again."

He waved his sleeves, intending to leave gracefully.

"...I owe you one thing, and one life." A clear, melodious male voice suddenly came from behind, like a wisp of delicate zither music spreading across the water.

"You still have a pair of legs, right?" I subconsciously started doing the math, and regretted it so much that I wanted to slap myself on the back as soon as the words left my mouth.

The man behind her chuckled softly, and a moment later, his voice, still tinged with laughter, drifted over, like water splashing in her ear, "Yes... and a pair of legs."

I still didn't turn around, but just waved my hand angrily and said, "I dare not ask for anything in return, just spare my life."

Although I knew we would meet again in Qishan a month later, I, a tough woman, still did my best to leave that old scoundrel Qingjiu with a dashing and unrestrained silhouette.

Sixteen cups of Tusu wine

Tusu wine – a collection of literary works, each with its own unique charm; the wine itself, named Tusu, has an even more refined flavor. Too lazy to inscribe Yulei's name on the door, I prefer to drink Tusu wine with others.

...

Summer weather is always unpredictable, sometimes cloudy, sometimes sunny, sometimes dry, sometimes rainy. Although it hasn't rained yet, the sky is already overcast with low-hanging clouds, like a light splash of ink on raw Xuan paper.

Dusk had passed and darkness had fallen. An oil lamp was hung on the bow of the boat, illuminating the water where the wind swirled and the fallen flowers gathered.

"Looks like there's going to be a downpour soon..." the old boatman said, puffing on his pipe and slowly pushing the oars.

I stepped out of the cabin, looked up at the sky, and said, "In that case, let's dock and rest as soon as possible. It should clear up tomorrow, and then we can set off again."

The old boatman chuckled and said, "As you command, young master." He then steered the boat toward the ferry dock.

Yellow reeds line the bank, white duckweed graces the ferry crossing; green willows line the embankment, red smartweed carpets the beach. On the ferry crossing bank, twilight envelops an abandoned ancient shrine, creating a somewhat desolate atmosphere.

The boat was moored at the ferry dock, and the old boatman started a fire to cook. While he was cooking, I caught two fish to make soup. The fish soup, along with the simple rice and vegetables, made for a very satisfying meal.

I lay back on the bow of the boat, a blade of grass dangling from my mouth, my hands behind my head, legs crossed, looking every bit the carefree young man. The old boatman looked at me, smiled, shook his head, and went into the cabin to pack his things.

To be honest, ever since I survived a natural disaster and escaped the clutches of the tyrant, I suddenly feel that life is truly wonderful, even though my dog eyes were completely oblivious to it before.

I spent three days getting out of the mountains and then started heading southwest towards Qishan. I've been traveling by water for nearly ten days now. Two days later, I'll get off the boat and take any horse I can find. I'll definitely be able to reach Qishan before the martial arts tournament on June 6th.

Just as I was pondering this, a sudden downpour began. The howling wind carried the drizzling rain across the river, and the water level visibly rose rapidly below the boat. Clouds billowed over the green cliffs, the river roared over the white sand, and the tide from upstream roared and howled.

Looking at this magnificent river view, my mind suddenly went blank, and I abruptly stood up.

The general principle of the third move of the Swordplay of the Emperor is a line of ancient poetry: "Mooring a lone boat at dusk beneath an ancient temple, watching the tide rise amidst the wind and rain across the river."

The lone boat, battered by the raging wind and rain, swayed precariously in the high tide. The old boatman, clinging fearfully to the cabin door, said, "Young master, the storm is too fierce. Why don't we take shelter in that ancient shrine and spend the night there..."

I stared wide-eyed at the storm raging before me, and in the twilight rain, I seemed to see countless sharp sword shadows. Each strike unleashed a raging torrent of wind and rain, enveloping me. I trembled with excitement, my hands clenching and unclenching repeatedly, murmuring, "Sword, sword, give me a sword..."

"A sword? Where are we going to find a sword now? Young master, we should—"

I grabbed the wooden oar that was placed by the side of the boat and decided to use it as a substitute for my sword. I turned around and shouted, "Old man, you should go to that ancient temple now. I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt you!" Then I flew to the ferry and began to practice my swordsmanship according to the sword technique that appeared in my mind.

All I could see was the endless rain and the surging tide; the downpour was so violent it seemed to be pounding the river into the earth, and the river was so fierce it seemed to be pushing the tidal wave to the heavens. I don't know how long I was immersed in this domineering atmosphere, repeatedly verifying what I saw with the sword techniques in my mind, and constantly wielding the wooden oar in my hand as if it were a long sword.

As the rain finally stopped and the tide receded, I unknowingly and successfully used the third move. The entire ferry collapsed with a series of loud noises, the wooden oar in my hand broke into pieces due to the weight, and my tiger's mouth was also injured by the shock.

Back on the boat, I laughed triumphantly, only stopping after a while because I couldn't catch my breath. My only thought was to find a master to fight. Just as I was about to straighten up, a sharp pain in my stomach suddenly struck. I clutched my stomach and squatted down in agony. I realized that I had practiced martial arts right after eating, which caused indigestion...

Thinking of how the spirited and tough woman from a moment ago was now curled up in stomach pain, I felt a pang of embarrassment. However, it wasn't exactly a glorious thing for me to have mastered the third move of the Sword Technique using a broken piece of wood... Luckily, only the old boatman saw it...

I turned around and saw the old boatman's sorrowful face. "My oars are worth a lot of money..."

My lips twitched slightly. Thinking about how much the paddle had helped me, I silently handed over a gold ingot.

...

On June 3rd, I finally arrived at Fengming Town at the foot of Qishan Mountain.

This was my first time participating in the Qishan Martial Arts Tournament, so I wandered around curiously. The streets were bustling with people, most of whom were holding various weapons. Their internal strength varied, and it was hard to tell who was a master at the time. The town had more inns, weapon shops, and clinics than most large cities, like red flowers blooming all over the mountain.

As I wandered around, I came to the busiest teahouse. Although I had a bit of a psychological aversion to it, I figured no sect would dare to kill indiscriminately during the martial arts tournament, so I strode inside.

Sure enough, there was a storyteller in the lobby on the first floor. I found a small corner at random. Because there were too many people, I had to share a table with others. I ordered a plate of peanuts and started eating while listening.

"Now, the young master of Tian Shu Palace is highly skilled and daring. After making wild remarks in the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, he led three protectors down to Shandong to wipe out their lair..." The storyteller's voice drifted over slowly.

Tch, as expected, storytelling always revolves around the three giants of the martial arts world. Tell me something I don't know...

The teahouse erupted in a cacophony of chatter, and my table and the others were quite engrossed in the discussion.

"As expected of the Tian Shu Palace, which controls three-thirds of the martial arts world, four people went to wipe out a gang..."

"I think it's because Qingjiu is ignorant of his own limitations and too arrogant—"

"Shh! How do you know there aren't any people from the Dragon Palace here!"

"Let's hear the storyteller continue. What happened next? Were the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun really wiped out so easily?"

The storyteller coughed a few times, and after things quieted down, he slowly continued, "I know some people will think that the Palace Master of Tian Shu Palace is audacious and overconfident, but just last night, news came that... the leaders, all the elders, and some of the top disciples of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were killed by the three great protectors of Tian Shu Palace. Palace Master Qing didn't even lift a finger, and 60% of the disciples surrendered to Tian Shu Palace. The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, which had stood for a hundred years, vanished into thin air..."

These words caused an uproar. People exclaimed, "How is this possible?", "This news is too shocking!", "Unbelievable!", and so on.

It seems that Qingjiu finally reunited with the three protectors. The news of the destruction of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun was within my expectations. It seems that the three protectors were all safe and sound, but Qingjiu was the one who suffered. It's really illogical.

I lost interest in listening attentively and started popping peanuts into my mouth one by one, tapping the table lightly as I drifted off into thought.

"There's also a rumor that the Palace Master Qing subdued a young prodigy on her journey. The person was a woman named Tongqian, who was incredibly skilled at using copper coin darts..."

Well, in the end I still got a nickname. Anyway, it's not my real name or the name of my sect, so even if those old fogies know it's me, there's nothing they can do.

"I've heard that this woman is incredibly beautiful, a beauty that could topple kingdoms, and that she has developed feelings for the Palace Mistress. Although they are not legally married, they are deeply in love and inseparable..."

"Cough, cough cough cough—cough cough..." I choked on the peanuts and drank several cups of tea to stop coughing, my face turning red.

Even with my face being so stunningly beautiful, that city wall must be made of thatched roofs. And they're acting like glue, like sworn enemies? Storytelling truly is a magical art that can turn the mundane into the extraordinary.

Aside from me, the stunningly beautiful person involved, I doubt anyone else in the entire place knew the truth. At least, when I heard the men at the table expressing their envy of the Grand Palace Master for possessing both martial arts skills and a beautiful woman, and asking for my opinion, I could only nod reluctantly, expressing my envy, jealousy, and resentment.

Then the storyteller, whose skills were unparalleled, said that it was a pity that the group of five encountered the Dragon-Slaying Mountain, and I perished in this natural disaster. From then on, the Grand Palace Master was heartbroken and rarely smiled. When he was annihilating the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, someone saw him sitting in a wheelchair, his face pale, his brows furrowed, and his figure much thinner. It was thought that he was deeply in love, but his beloved was no longer there, so he fell seriously ill and missed his beloved.

Ah, what a beautiful yet tragic love story! It moved me to tears, and my heart shattered into pieces...

I smoothed the prominent veins on my forehead, my lips twitched as I turned my head to the side, just in time to see a group of people walking by outside the teahouse.

This was clearly a large sect. The seniors walking in front were as graceful as dragons and tigers, and the disciples behind them also had upright postures. All of them had swastika patterns embroidered on half of their sleeves.

I suddenly stood up, startling my deskmate.

I tossed down a few copper coins, grabbed a handful of peanuts, and headed outside.

Along the way, I popped several peanuts into my mouth, leaving one behind, which I then flicked out between my fingers.

Among the group of people passing by outside the teahouse, a woman suddenly turned around. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with skin as smooth as jade, a neck as delicate as a cicada's, teeth as white as melon seeds, a beautiful forehead and eyebrows, and a celestial beauty like a painting of the moon and smoke.

Unfortunately, the moment the beauty opened her mouth, it spoiled the mood. With her eyebrows furrowed and her tongue flying, she cursed, "Which bastard dares to ambush me, his lady?!"

Before she could finish speaking, a figure suddenly landed in front of her, and before she could even see clearly, her chin was already being lifted up by that person.

I raised an eyebrow at Li Yiyao and laughed, "You scoundrel, what does the beauty intend to do with this?"

Seventeen Cups of Xinfeng Wine

Xinfeng Wine - A clear song played on ancient strings, fine wine sold in Xinfeng. Xinfeng has wine for me to drink, to soothe the sorrow of parting from my hometown. My heart is broken by Xinfeng wine, a cup worth thousands to dispel my sorrow. Xinfeng wine, ten thousand coins a cup, how many years have the chivalrous men of Xianyang roamed?

...

The elders and disciples of the Thousand Years Sect all stopped and looked at me.

Li Yiyao stared at me blankly for a while, then suddenly screamed, jumped up and hugged me: "Qing Guyi, you wretched woman, you're finally back! Ahhh, I missed you so much!"

All the pedestrians on the street stopped and looked at me and Li Yiyao.

Before I could even utter a single word of disapproval, "Hey, you guys on the street, don't embarrass yourselves yet," I was struck hard on the head. I screamed and turned around to find that it was Zhou Bapi who had hit me with his unsheathed sword. He frowned, forced a chrysanthemum-like face, and snorted, "Hey, you guys on the street, don't embarrass yourselves yet."

I"……"

He patted her shoulder reassuringly, but the old man still turned his face away and said awkwardly, "It's good that you're back safe and sound...you've suffered, girl."

I rubbed my eyes and let out a pig-like scream, "Mission accomplished, safe return!" Before I could even swarm around like an octopus, I was surrounded by a group of senior and junior students patting my head, shoulder, and hugging me. Everyone was laughing and having a wonderful time.

But at this moment, without someone to spoil the mood, the atmosphere wouldn't be complete.