Chapter 618 - Reunions Can Happen Anywhere In Life(1/2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
A clear and bright moon shone down on Dongyi, forming layers of shadows on the endless buildings. The light was not very brilliant. Combined with the slightly salty sea wind wafting across the harbor, it filled the air with an alluring scent. It was as if someone had thrown a dried salted plum into a glass of clear Wu Liangye. It floated in the clear glass, hiding the burning killing intent dangerously under the light fragrance.
The back door of a two-story private residence opened slightly. Two human shadows stacked on top of each other passed through the door. Immediately, the people behind the door shut it tightly. At the same time, a secret signal came from outside the residence to signal safety so no one followed.
This was a secret stronghold the Qing Kingdom’s Overwatch Council’s Fourth Bureau had established. The man responsible for this stronghold was the owner of a book and art store. He had been waiting all night. He didn’t expect that he would end up waiting for an injured person. After he opened the door, he nervously held the dagger in his hand. He stood without moving behind the back door. Carefully, he watched for movements around the stronghold. It was imperative that if things went wrong, he would be able to sound the alarm at the first instant.
The moonlight spilling into the courtyard suddenly dimmed. The owner raised his eyes nervously but didn’t see anything strange. He also didn’t notice a shadow floating in through the gap between the doors on the second floor of the residence.
Inside the room, Fan Xian placed Thirteenth Wang on the bed. He stared at his pale face closely for a moment. He then lifted his lip and looked at the coating of his tongue. He also turned his ear to listen to his pulse and the sounds of his breathing. His brows slowly pulled together.
It had to be a terrifying poison to be able to disperse all of the zhenqi from the powerful Thirteenth Wang and have his entire body become soft and weak. There was not enough time. Fan Xian couldn’t precisely deduce what kind of drug the first disciple of the Sword Hut, Yun Zhilan, had given Thirteenth Wang. He did have a rough idea as to the major components and effects of the drug.
He thought for a moment and then took out a little bag that never left his side from inside his clothing. Choosing a light brown pill from inside, he crushed it between two of his fingers and stuffed it between Thirteenth Wang’s lips. Bringing over half a pitcher of cold water from the table, he forcefully poured it down his throat.
The cold water splashed across the front of Thirteenth Wang’s clothes. This strong warrior, who had killed the Left Virtuous Prince of the Western Hu and had been able to kill his way out of the imperial tent, did not react. He had already fainted.
A sliver of coldness flashed across Fan Xian’s eyes. Pressing together his dried lips, he splayed his palm across Thirteenth Wang’s chest and pressed and stroked. His hands moved like water. Pushing slightly with his zhenqi, he helped Thirteenth Wang swallow the medicine.
After doing this, only then did Fan Xian relax slightly. Silently, he sat by Thirteenth Wang’s side and waited for the medicine to start having an effect.
He glanced at the shadow beside the door, silently and without words. It was as if he was thinking about an important problem.
The medicine gradually came into effect. Beads of sweat began to seep out of Thirteenth Wang’s forehead. Fan Xian knew that the time had come. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he closed his eyes and used the natural and pure Tianyi Dao zhenqi to help him counter the poison and see his injuries.
In Jiangnan, all of the meridians in Fan Xian’s body had been shattered. He had relied completely on Haitang Duoduo using Tianyi Dao’s martial methods to help him recover his meridians. Thirteenth Wang had already been deeply poisoned. His meridians were in a mess. Fan Xian could faintly feel that his meridians were perforated with thousands of tiny wounds. At least, it was much easier to treat than Fan Xian’s previous situation.
The medicine would not be able to completely remove all of the poison in Thirteenth Wang’s body. Along with Fan Xian’s healing zhenqi, it would have a result. After Fei Jie left, Xiao En died, and Dongyi’s master of poison disappeared without a trace, Fan Xian was the foremost expert in using and countering poisons. Although the poison Yun Zhilan had used was powerful, it couldn’t stump him.
Outside the room door, the Shadow silently stood guard over the countering of the poison. He coldly watched Thirteenth Wang, whose face grew redder and redder, thinking about something only he knew.
After an indeterminable amount of time, Thirteenth Wang finally opened his eyes and woke up. In the moment he woke up, he didn’t look at Fan Xian, who had labored to rescue him. Instead, he looked directly at the middle-aged man in the shadow of the door with a sharp and chilling light.
Thirteenth Wang didn’t know who the man was. He only knew that he was about 40 and he had met him once in a coincidental situation in Qingzhou. He knew he was Fan Xian’s trusted aide. Thirteenth Wang had originally thought that this unfathomable middle-aged man was a secret agent of the Overwatch Council. However, before he had fainted on Fan Xian’s back, he had clearly seen, in the moonlight, this man’s attack toward his fourth brother disciple.
Sigu Sword! The secret of the Sword Hut was never taught to outsiders. Only the 13 true disciples of the Sword Hut cold practice the Sigu Sword.
He stared at the Shadow and asked in a very raspy voice, “Who exactly are you?” Thirteenth Wang was weak, but his gaze was cautious and complicated.
Fan Xian slowly took his hands back from Thirteenth Wang’s back. He had burned through too much of his zhenqi. The sweat on his body was flowing like syrup and had covered his face. He heard Thirteenth Wang ask this question with shock and nervousness. His brows furrowed slightly. He had not thought that right after Thirteenth Wang had escaped from death’s door, he would return to the Sword Hut’s side and develop a powerful enmity and focus toward the Shadow.
The Shadow lowered his head slightly and focused his gaze on the tip of his toes, completely ignoring Thirteenth Wang’s question. It was hard to tell if he felt unamused, bored, or that it was beneath his dignity.
He was Sigu Jian’s younger brother. Naturally, he felt rather absurd to be questioned like this by Sigu Jian’s youngest disciple. In the entire world, no more than four people knew of his true identity. Before he had Fan Xian’s permission, the Shadow would not allow anyone to know his connection to the Sword Hut.
Following the Shadow’s forced action tonight, this massive secret would probably draw the guesses of many people.
Fan Xian moved from the back of the bed and sat by Thirteenth Wang’s side with his head down. Burying his head between his shoulders, he appeared particularly tired. The sweat on his body gave off waves of an unpleasant smell.
Thirteenth Wang didn’t give him his thanks. He only stared fixedly at the Shadow like a tiger. It seemed that if the Shadow did not give him an answer, even though he was weak and had just been controlled by his brothers of the Sword Hut through sinister means, he would still attack the Shadow in the name of the Sword Hut.
Fan Xian kept his head down and raised the index finger of his right hand to sniff at it gently. His fingertip carried the sweat forced from Thirteenth Wang’s body. It felt slightly oily. He immediately deduced the ingredients in this poison. His heart thudded. Murderous intent blazed in his eyes. He said, “What a powerful poison. Thirteen, your big brother truly loves you.”
Hearing these words, Thirteenth Wang fell silent. After all, two aces from the Qing Kingdom had rescued him tonight from the hands of his own brothers.
Fan Xian suddenly waved his hand and said with exhaustion, “This poison is too powerful. I don’t have the medicine I need on hand. It is impossible to clean out all the poison just by forcing it out with zhenqi. You’ll have to rest for at least a few days to recover. If you have any questions, ask them tomorrow after you’ve woken up.”
Thirteenth Wang coughed forcefully. It seemed he wasn’t satisfied, but he felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier. He then fell toward the bed.
Fan Xian flipped his hand and pulled out the thin needle in Thirteenth Wang’s neck. Shaking his head, he rose from the side of the bed. He picked up the half-pot of cold tea and drank it, which triggered another round of sweating. He felt completely exhausted.
He pushed open the door and went out. He sat in the shadows beneath the eaves of the room. The Shadow came to sit at his side.
After a moment of silence, Fan Xian said, “Earlier, it was fortunate that you came. Otherwise, I’m sure if I would have returned alive.”
Thinking about the four ninth-level aces from the Sword Hut and the seemingly relaxed but actually dangerous place, Fan Xian’s heart filled with delayed fear and coldness. The heroes of the world should indeed not be underestimated. Although he was not afraid of people, fighting alone and being surrounded by several ninth-level aces was terrifying. It was particularly so since he couldn’t bear to throw down Thirteenth Wang. If the Shadow had not suddenly appeared in that patch of moonlight, it was unclear what conclusion he would have faced.
After parting at the stall that sold Pacific saury, the order Fan Xian had given the Shadow was to contact the spies the Overwatch Council concealed in Dongyi. Alone, he had gone to the plum garden. He had not thought that the Shadow would be able to complete his task so quickly and return to his side to save his life.
“Before dealing with the affairs of the Sixth Bureau, I am first a shadow,” the Shadow said coldly at his side.
Fan Xian was silent for a moment. He knew what the Shadow’s words meant. Previously, he had been Chen Pingping’s shadow, so he never left Chen Pingping’s side. Later, Chen Pingping ordered him to protect Fan Xian, so he had become his shadow that never left his side.
Even though Fan Xian had given him greater responsibilities and had the Shadow deal with affairs of the Council, the Shadow still felt a strong sense of unease after leaving his side for a short period of time. He chose to find Fan Xian as quickly as possible. His style of doing things was secretly following by Fan Xian’s side, protecting him at all times.
The sea wind blew over, making the sweat on Fan Xian’s body even colder. It forced him to shiver. He was a powerful warrior above the ninth-level and had long become unaffected by the cold and heat. However, he shivered now, which was enough to prove the current coldness in his heart.
The coldness was because of the internal collapse of the Sword Hut. Yun Zhilan had acted against Thirteenth Wang ruthlessly. Furthermore, so many aces of the Sword Hut had stood on his side. Had the near-death Sigu Jian already lost control of the Sword Hut?
The coldness was also because of the earlier dangerous situation. His sweating was not just from forcing the poison out of Thirteenth Wang’s body. It was also because of the four terrifying swords. Fan Xian’s spirit had not yet settled.
Yet, there was still an even more terrifying matter. This matter pressed down on his heart and made it difficult for him to breathe. The terror took over his entire body.
It was clear that the Shadow knew what he was afraid of right, so he also appeared dignified in a way never seen before. Sitting by his side, he didn’t say a word.
The present scene made Fan Xian think of his first trip down Jiangnan. Under the eaves outside the Shazhou Inn, he and this best assassin in the world had sat knee to knee. Although their conversation had not been cheerful, he had scooped up a lot of benefits. Now, they sat side by side again. The two people’s moods were both heavy.
“Why didn’t you kill that Sword Hut ace earlier?” Fan Xian’s voice had become dry because of his nervousness.
“He had four ninth-level aces. For us to be able to pass through with one move relied on an extraordinary surprise and using sword intent to intimidate their state of mind,” the Shadow closed his eyes and solemnly said. “I was still only able to heavily injure one person. You didn’t really hurt the third disciple. If the they came to their senses, we might have been able to escape. We still wouldn’t have been able to kill them all.”
“I have to admit that my stupid brother is the best at teaching disciples.”
The Shadow’s words related a truth known to the world. Of the four Great Grandmasters, Ye Liuyun did not take disciples, the Qing Emperor roughly had Fan Xian, while Ku He’s Tianyi Dao had many disciples. The only one who had cultivated countless aces was Sigu Jian. Directly under the Sword Hut were 12 ninth-level disciples. This was an astonishing number.
After Fan Xian was silent for a long time, he suddenly said, “During these three years, I’ve been careful. Once I use Sigu Sword, the person dies. I have never let a living person see me use the moves of Sigu Sword.”
“My sword has never left anyone alive.” The Shadow coldly stated a fact. Once this top assassin struck, no one had ever survived.
“What about Yun Zhilan?” Fan Xian asked. Three years ago in Jiangnan, the Shadow had led the Sixth Bureau swordsmen in pursuit of the Sword Hut disciples led by Yun Zhilan all over the world. He had forced the dark power of Dongyi out of Suzhou and Hangzhou, performing a great service for Fan Xian’s ordering of Jiangnan.
“When I hunted Yun Zhilan, I wasn’t using my original sword,” the Shadow replied after a moment of silence.
Fan Xian gently nodded his head. Even when the Shadow had been by the side of the fishing boat on West Lake under the Hangzhou building and had launched a surprise attack against Yun Zhilan, he had only been able to heavily injure him. It seemed the Shadow was also worried that he wouldn’t be able to kill Yun Zhilan. He had held back so he didn’t expose his identity.
“In this entire world, only the five tonight, no six, if Thirteenth Wang is included, then seven people can possibly know of this secret.” Fan Xian lowered his head and thought for a bit. He then said, “The problem is that we are unable to silence these people. Say, when do you think Sigu Jian will guess that you are his younger brother who survived by a fluke?”
The Shadow was silent for a long time and then slowly said, “Perhaps he knew the Shadow of the Overwatch Council was me a long time ago.”
After hearing this, Fan Xian sank into a helpless calm. He knew the matter he was most afraid of might become a reality because of this visit to Dongyi.
He raised his head to look at the bright moon and then lowered it. Indistinctly, he mumbled, “If Sigu Jian could keep our secret for us, wouldn’t that be great?”
The Shadow glanced at him and didn’t say anything, but he couldn’t hold back his amusement.
Fan Xian suddenly let out a long sigh. Looking at the Shadow, he smiled slightly and asked, “How did it feel to assassinate the Emperor in the Hanging Temple?”
The Shadow thought for a moment then said, “It felt pretty good.”
Fan Xian shrugged and didn’t say anything more.
On the day of the assassination in the Hanging Temple, the Emperor exposed that the assassin was the younger brother of Dongyi’s Sigu Jian, who had left home at a young age. Everyone now knew the Qing Emperor was a Great Grandmaster, so they knew his gaze was good. If Sigu Jian guessed the Shadow was his younger brother from the reports of his disciples, this news would get back to the Qing Kingdom.
The head of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council attempted to assassinate the Emperor? Could Chen Pingping continue sitting safely in his wheelchair? This was what Fan Xian and the Shadow were most afraid of. Both of them had a love and respect for the lonely old cripple, which stemmed from the depths of their hearts. Coming to their senses, they greatly regretted the moment earlier that they revealed that one flaw, a flaw that exposed the Overwatch Council’s greatest secret.
“Perhaps matters are not as bad as we think,” Fan Xian suddenly said calmly. “By tomorrow, I will meet with Sigu Jian to discuss business. I will talk about this matter at the same time.”
As Fan Xian thought and said, the matter might not have to get back to the Qing Kingdom. However, he was carefully making preparations. He still needed to carefully handle the actual business he had come to Dongyi for. If this matter was handled well, perhaps all the problems would be gone with the wind.
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“We are friends?” Fan Xian drank a thin porridge as he looked at Thirteenth Wang sitting on the side of the bed with a deathly pale face.
Thirteenth Wang thought for a moment and then nodded.
Fan Xian put down the porridge bowl and said with great seriousness, “If you don’t want to lose me as a friend, then starting from today, don’t say anything or ask about anything that happened last night.”
Thirteenth Wang nodded again. Although Fan Xian told him not to ask, Fan Xian had to know what happened last night, as well as what happened in Dongyi in the past few days. He used the tip of his finger to tap the surface of the table, indicating for Thirteenth Wang to have some rice gruel to help his stomach. Giving his words some consideration, he said, “Last night, it’s not that I hadn’t thought of the fact that Yun Zhilan would send people to keep watch there. I still went alone to the plum garden to find out. Presumably, as you know, I have had the Overwatch Council constantly sending people to watch where you were living.”
“I always thought that given your strength, even if something tragic happened within the Sword Hut, you would be able to notify my subordinates or leave me some kind of mark.” Fan Xian stared into Thirteenth Wang’s eyes. “Last night, I was almost surrounded and killed. That was a problem you created. I don’t understand how you could be trapped in your room and have lost wretchedly?”
Hearing these words, a sliver of pain flashed through Thirteenth Wang’s eyes. It looked like the secret attack on him by his brothers in the same sect had made this very bright and cheerful young ace feel an unfathomable pain.
A moment later, Thirteenth Wang said in a raspy voice, “Three days ago, eldest brother invited me to drink and spoke of the future of Dongyi. At the banquet, he was very excited. I did not have the countenance to face him because I knew what he said and did were right.”
“But, your actions were arranged by Sigu Jian. You couldn’t oppose them.” Fan Xian spoke on his behalf.
Thirteenth was silent for a moment and then said, “Yes, if my teacher didn’t give the order, I would rather have picked up a sword to resist the Qing army than to be like what I am now, spurned by my brothers.”
“It doesn’t feel good to be a traitor [JW1]?” The corners of Fan Xian’s lips curved slightly. He spoke with a smile, but in his heart, he was thinking of himself.
Thirteenth Wang wasn’t too sure what the words meant. He shook his head and said, “I believe teacher is thinking about the future of Dongyi and the tens of thousands of people. Furthermore, no one knows what he will do.”
historical
He paused and then continued, “At the banquet, there was only me and my eldest brother disciple. Before I left, I had never met my brother disciple. But, our brotherly relationship had been very good these two years. I even saw him as my true elder brother.”
Fan Xian smiled coldly and said, “That is why you drank the poisoned wine he gave you.”
Pain flashed through Thirteenth Wang’s eyes. He said in a trembling voice, “My eldest brother is not a treacherous and mean person. I knew he was poisoning me for the sake of Dongyi. He didn’t want you Qing people to see teacher through me.”
“You are overly innocent and unaffected,” Fan Xian sighed and said. “In this world, if you don’t kill others, they will kill you. With your nature, if you want to control the Sword Hut, it is nothing but a pipe dream.”
“Eldest brother doesn’t want to kill me. He only wants to kill you to destroy the potential deal.” Thirteenth Wang suddenly became angry and stared at Fan Xian.
Fan Xian suddenly became gentle. He said, “I believe that. I checked the poison. Although it does damage your body, as long as you didn’t impetuously use your zhenqi, it won’t be fatal. Yun Zhilan and your brothers from the Sword Hut still had a glimmer of kindness toward you.”
Fan Xian’s words were actually just to comfort Thirteenth Wang. Perhaps even he didn’t wish to the see the purest of the young aces have his spirit tainted by such stains.
“The spy earlier reported that the Sword Hut is well guarded. No one is allowed to enter. It is clear that the person from Northern Qi has already entered the Sword Hut and is beginning to persuade your teacher.”
Fan Xian said, “I want to know now is the important figure from Northern Qi is.”
“I don’t know,” Thirteenth Wang said straightforwardly. “From the beginning, this matter was arranged by eldest brother. Furthermore, I’ve been poisoned these few days and shut up in the courtyard.”
“I want to see Sigu Jian. Do you have any ideas?” Fan Xian stared into his eyes.
Thirteenth Wang’s expression was slightly gloomy. He said, “I haven’t seen the teacher in 10 days. I wonder how he is doing and if he can still hold on.”
Fan Xian listened as he gave an irrelevant answer and felt angry. He also knew that he couldn’t do anything. With a cold smile, he said, “An important figure from Northern Qi... Do you really think I can’t guess? Although the Sword Hut is heavily guarded, Yun Zhilan cannot blot out the sky with his hand. If you openly walk to the Sword Hut, will your second brother, who has maintained a central position this whole time, watch as other people kill you in front of the Sword Hut?”
Thirteenth Wang looked at him as if he was looking at a ghost. “Last night, you were almost killed by my brothers. Are you going to go die again today?”
Fan Xian fell silent. He had to see this Great Grandmaster of a perverse nature before Northern Qi convinced him. Furthermore, it concerned the life of a person he cared about the most. If he didn’t go to die, many people in the world might die.
“You are the thirteenth disciple of the Sword Hut, you must have some ways within Dongyi. I’ll send some Overwatch Council to help you. If I can’t get into the Sword Hut today... I must see the person from Northern Qi.” A thought-provokingly strange emotion flashed through Fan Xian’s eyes. It was as if he was confident about how to deal with this person from Northern Qi.
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A pale-faced young man got down from the carriage with great difficulty. Looking at the Sword Hut’s rows of grass huts, countless complicated emotions rose in his eyes. He tidied his clothes and headed in the hut’s direction.
The various disciples of the Sword Hut responsible for guarding it looked at his expression and appearance. Shock appeared on their faces. Some people even unconsciously stretched their hands to their waist to hold the hilt of their swords. No one dared to be the first to attack.
Someone’s dry voice rang out, “Uncle disciple, master has orders. The Grandmaster is refining in seclusion and is not to be disturbed.”
Gradually, people came around and surrounded Thirteenth Wang in the center. All of the disciples of the Sword Hut knew there had been many problems between Master Yun Zhilan, who was handling all the affairs, and this uncle disciple, who was the favorite of the Grandmaster.
This disciple had been rescued. Everyone was wondering if it had been an ace from the Qing Kingdom. No one had thought he would walk up to the door of the Sword Hut.
Everyone was nervous. They didn’t know if they should immediately take him down or what they should do.
Thirteenth Wang took a deep breath. His expression was calm but carried a boundless determination. He walked step by step toward the Sword Hut. He then he saw someone he very much wanted to see. Lowering his body in a bow, he said, “Second brother, I want to see teacher.”
The second disciple of the Sword Hut had not participated in this matter. With a tender expression, he looked at Thirteenth Wang and said quietly, “Brother, please go back.”
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Just as things were getting messy in front of the Sword Hut, a person slipped out along the shadows beneath the mountain and headed toward a small and secluded courtyard facing the rear of the Sword Hut. The attention of the disciples of the Sword Hut had been completely drawn by the grave appearance of Thirteenth Wang. No one noticed this spot.
This small and secluded courtyard was used by the Sword Hut to house the noblest of guests. However, that guest was in the Sword Hut, so the defenses around the courtyard were not strong. The shadowed figure easily slipped inside.
Hiding along the way from the aces the Northern Qi side had brought, Fan Xian sneaked into the back garden like a leopard cat. Smelling that faint scent that was forever branded into his mind, he came to a room. Entering lightly, he watched as a girl faced the mirror and stuck flowers in her hair. She vented about the neglect of the palace serving girls. He couldn’t resist smiling.
He walked up behind the girl and lowered his body to gently blow into her air. He then quietly said, “Lili, are you missing men?”
The girl’s entire body shook. Looking at the charming and beautiful image of herself in the mirror, she also saw the face next to hers that was as lovely as her own and never to be forgotten. Shocked, she couldn’t say a single word.
Sir Fan junior!
She hadn’t seen the owner of that face for many years. Why would it suddenly appear so mysteriously in Dongyi, by the Sword Hut and her side?
Si Lili abruptly turned around and stared with shocked eyes at Fan Xian, who had appeared like a ghost by her side. Opening her mouth but forcefully suppressing herself, she didn’t make a sound. Her bright and gentle eyes were filled with astonishment.
Fan Xian was pleased with this girl’s behavior and smiled slightly. In a quiet voice, he said, “Looks like he spoils you a great deal to bring you with him on such an important matter. Is he afraid that you’ll make him wear a green hat?”
Si Lili fidgeted with the corner of her sleeve. Her entire body trembled, but her lips were pressed tightly together. Her eyes revealed a slight alarm. She and Fan Xian were old acquaintances. Back then, they had gone North together and had met in prison. She knew Fan Xian was an outwardly gently but actually ruthless person. He was now in a dangerous situation. If she made any movement, he might care nothing about their past friendship and ruthlessly kill her.
Fan Xian gently captured her chin. Where his hand touched, the skin was very fine and smooth. His thoughts floated to the past and the carriage in the North. His mind swayed. He said quietly, “Should we help your transsexual Emperor sew a green hat?”
Si Lili’s alarm disappeared, but she pressed her lips together in a smile. Back in the day, she had been the foremost beauty in Jingdou. She was now Northern Qi’s Imperial Consort, deeply loved by the Qi Emperor. Seeped in endless nobility, she had become even more beautiful. With this smile, her eyelids flowed like water and were very alluring.
Fan Xian also smiled. Interacting with such a knowledgeable girl was indeed convenient. He smiled and raised his hand in invitation. Si Lili gave a brittle smile and placed her hand within his big ones and walked behind the screen.
Si Lili was too familiar with his style of doing things. She knew that unde-->>