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Chapter 236: Fan Xian Follows

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The battle scene beneath the tree had calmed. The Brocade Guard used carriages to transport water from the Yuquan River. Tipping over the barrels, the water splashed out onto the street, cleaning away the dust and blood in an instant, leaving behind wet, clean paving stones.

Brocade Guards stood guard all around, and officials from the relevant offices all moved to quell the disturbance in the surrounding houses, so nothing unusual occurred in the T-shaped alley. The rear stone wall had been temporarily patched up. In a short space of time, the arbitrator basically had to make things the same as they were before.

The palace did not want word of this incident to get out. After all, wanting to frame Shang Shanhu for Tan Wu's heroic death was somewhat difficult. And besides, one had to consider the attitude of the military. So for the time being, they prepared to cover up the matter.

The chorus of dawn began to chirp. The Brocade Guards raised their heads. The sky was discolored, and the birds had risen early. Could it be that they knew what had happened?

Hidden beneath the tree, Fan Xian wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead, silently cursing the insomnia that had woken those birds. He carefully concealed himself in the twilight darkness as the injured ranks of Brocade Guards made their way to the north of the city.

No one was walking along the long street, and the sound of road sweepers, so common in his previous life, was absent. He vaulted across the tall buildings of a neighboring street, certain that no one would discover his tracks.

The stretcher-bearers had already moved some distance away from that small building, and had entered another courtyard, but he didn't know whether it belonged to the Provost or to the Thirteen Ministries. The injured were triaged and sent to different rooms for treatment. Covered in blood, a handful of doctors rushed in.

Fan Xian went around to the rear of the building, waiting behind some bamboo baskets.

Not long after, a number of groans came from a side room. They weren't loud, but they could be clearly heard. After focusing on his breath to calm himself, someone climbed down from the wall. His movements were somewhat sluggish, and after he landed, he carefully straightened out his clothing, presented a token to verify his identity, and then began walking westward.

Fan Xian saw that the man was wearing the uniform of the Brocade Guard. Though his cap was tightly fitted, there were still a few stray strands of white hair poking out. As he walked along, the white hair whipped formidably in the night wind.

Fan Xian's cold gaze peered out from under his cap. Watching the figure walk away, he noticed that his gait was somewhat odd. He knew that the old man's legs were still not recovered from after he had broken them.

He followed, the two men heading west through the quiet streets. Although there were guards at each crossroads, Xiao En was wearing the uniform of the Brocade Guard. Killing a man and taking his pass had allowed him to rush through checkpoints without being challenged.

And like a ghost, Fan Xian had vanished into the dark night, following him from afar, quietly moving past those same checkpoints.

On the road at a normal-looking house, Xiao En stopped to catch his breath.

Behind it, on top of another ordinary-looking house, Fan Xian also rested.

Then the two set off again, one behind the other, following in the direction of the fleeting night. Making their way through the Brocade Guards' network of checkpoints, they arrived at the western city gates.

After the city gates opened, the vegetable farmers who had been waiting outside - whose documents the guards had spent the past half hour checking - all rushed in, and Xiao En took advantage of the chaos to sneak out of the tall gate. A while later, the old man, having been given a new lease of life, made his way with some difficulty to a dense forest at the foot of the Yan Mountains, west of Shangjing.

Fan Xian followed far behind, his sharp eyes fixed on the old man in front of him. A moment later, Xiao En came out of the mountain forest, wearing a tattered robe. The corners of the robe still had black kitchen grime on them, as old village men often tend to pick up, and on his back, he carried a bundle of firewood that he had somehow picked up from somewhere.

At that moment, the sun had begun to rise in the east, and its light illuminated the silent mountain forest, immediately dispersing the mist and clearing the air.

Everyone who saw the old man presumed he was some hardworking old farmer who had been gathering firewood at dawn, and had no connection to the spymaster who had struck terror throughout the land two decades previously.

Fan Xian stood quietly in a tree, coldly watching Xiao En's crooked figure slowly walk ahead. He felt a certain ruthlessness rise up in him. Xiao En was old, after all. Not only was his health not what it was, even his mind was slower than before. Who would choose to gather firewood in the morning? A real farmer gathered firewood at dusk.

It was quiet inside the city as well as outside.

The report came back from the Brocade Guard's spies. "The Qing diplomatic mission is quiet. According to Lin Wen, last night they arranged for two dancing-girls to visit Chief Diplomat Fan, and he hasn't slept all night."

"Did you confirm that Fan Xian is in the mission compound?" Shen Zhong had already taken off his official uniform and swapped it for his opulent rich man's clothes. He brought a chunk of roasted donkey meat to his lips and chewed on it, the grease running from his mouth.

"Yes sir," replied the spy respectfully. "A brother of mine knows what Fan Xian looks like, and he is watching outside their quarters."

Shen Zhong was taken aback. He placed the donkey meat, dripping with grease, on the table. His eyes were sunken, and he seemed dispirited. He had spent the whole night tossing and turning, his health troubling him. Suddenly, he laughed. "I doubt they're telling the truth. Has Friar He already gone?"

"Yes sir." The spy had a sudden realization. "Lang Tao has also left."

Shen Zhong closed his eyes. It was unclear what he was thinking about. Some time later, he began to talk to himself quietly. "Since those southern barbarians want us to presume that Fan Xian is in the diplomatic compound, if he were killed, I suppose there would be nothing they could do about it."

He opened his eagle-like eyes, fierce and merciless. "The southern barbarians have spent the past decades learning how to scheme. Perhaps they will be too clever for their own good."

Having been awake throughout the night, Fan Xian also felt rather tired, but the zhenqi in his body was abundant, so he was still able to spur himself on. Looking at the old man as he struggled to make his way down the small road that led from the distant mountain forest, he couldn't help but feel some admiration for him. He was in his eighties, and had suffered decades of torture, and yet he was still able to break out of prison and make it this far. He didn't know where the old man got his strength from.

Fan Xian didn't move, because he had a feeling that some unknown danger lay in wait for him, and Xiao En had managed to leave the city a little too easily. He began to think of all the possibilities. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he slipped down from the tree, retreating in the opposite direction. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared.

The sun inched its way westward, and Xiao En did the same. To the west was paradise; perhaps death, perhaps bliss.

The diplomatic mission and Xinyang could not announce all of their plans to Shang Shanhu, and Xiao En also had his own backup. The mountain road led upward, and he reached the end of it; a precipice on the top of a grassy hill. To the left was a stone road that led to the Shangjing cavalry barracks. Shang Shanhu and Xiao En had arranged it as their meeting place.

The redness in Xiao En's eyes had already faded. He leaned over to one side, letting the small mountain of firewood on his back topple to the ground. He clapped his hands on his thighs and sat down. Since no one had come to meet him, the plot had been discovered by the Qi royal court. He knew that someone would be waiting here.

Just like on the meadow by the riverside at Wuduhe, Xiao En once more felt tired, and didn't want to walk any further. "Come out."

He spat the words from his dry lips.

The grass trembled in the wind. At the sound of his voice, a swordsman wearing black slowly emerged from the end of the mountain road. The swordsman had a high forehead, and his face was very pale. The weight of the world seemed to hang upon his brow. He looked about forty years old. With his right hand, he steadily gripped the hilt of the sword on his waist. His knuckles were prominent. His entire body was like a blade.

"Friar He?" Xiao En narrowed his eyes, his glance cold.

The swordsman was indeed Friar He, the ninth-level master of Northern Qi. Cheng Jushu, the eighth-level master that Fan Xian had disemboweled on Niulan Street a year and a half ago, had been his disciple.

Friar He's face was pale and his clothing was black; the two contrasted with each other like snow on charcoal. Respectfully, he cupped his fists in salute. "It is an honor, sir."

In Northern Qi, save for Ku He, anyone who met Xiao En would address him with the courtesy expected toward an elder.

"I never imagined that that young swordsman I met all those years ago would become the Brocade Guard's deadliest weapon." Xiao En coughed, then sat down on the ground, lightly massaging his knees.

"Many years have passed." Friar He looked at Xiao En with sincere respect on his face. "I'm not the Brocade Guard's running dog. I am the Empress Dowager's sworn guardsman. I have come to bring you peace."

"You know that this land belongs to His Majesty," Xiao En said quietly.

Friar He knew what the old man meant. The Emperor did not want Xiao En dead, and his blind loyalty to the Empress Dowager would no doubt offend the young Emperor. He smiled and looked around. "I thought I would see that handsome young Fan fellow today."

Xiao En coughed again. "I can't believe I spent so long striking terror into men's hearts, only to die as bait."

"There is no need to feel sorrow, sir. Since Fan has knowingly retreated, I reckon his luck is good."

Friar He's sword rang out as he unsheathed it from its scabbard. He moved swift as a bird in flight, his wrist and elbow forming a straight line, plunging his blade into Xiao En's chest.

Chapter 237: Damp Firewood and Cheap Shots

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The sword tip buried itself deep into Xiao En's left shoulder for an instant before being pulled out, trailed by a stream of blood that was anything but graceful. At his age, even the amount of blood in Xiao En's body was visibly less than that of a younger person.

Friar He, with his sword across his chest, floated back!

Xiao En sat on the ground, his withered right hand holding onto a branch as thick as one's forearm. Before Friar He's sword made contact, the old man somehow, giving up his left shoulder, struck the branch down hard at Friar He's shin from a seemingly impossible angle.

The front end of the branch had been smashed to pieces, demonstrating how powerful the blow had been.

Feeling a sharp pain, Friar He's already pale face turned even whiter. While his right hand still steadily held onto his sword, his left leg started to shake.

With his ninth-ranked might, Friar He had thought it would be easy to kill a severely-weakened old man. Even though that old man was none other than Xiao En, who had been so terrifying years ago, Friar He believed he had made adequate preparations. It was now clear, however, that the old man proved to be much more unpredictable than Friar He imagined.

Coughing, Xiao En said, "My legs were broken by that brat Fan, so I had to land a hit on your leg, even if I failed to break it—"

Before Xiao En finished, Friar He attacked again. His sword meandered like a dragon around Xiao En, who was trapped sitting on the ground. Now Friar He had completely stopped underestimating his opponent. Instead, he became careful, as if facing a grandmaster.

Friar He's swordsmanship, violent and fierce like a dragon, was completely different from the more commonly-seen sword styles. Supposedly, it was taught to him by some foreigner north of the mountains. While some parts were diluted, it matched perfectly with Ku He's teachings, which benefited him greatly.

Xiao En, on the other hand, only had a stick, and he was unable to move.

Even so, Xiao En's stick began to move like the tongue of a venomous serpent, jabbing out occasionally, forcing Friar He back. But Friar He began to arouse his zhenqi, filling the air with a buzzing sound. Ultimately, that stick in Xiao En's hand could not hold.

The sword and the stick clashed, with the latter was shaved down into a rain of slivers.

Xiao En reached out, grabbed another stick, and jabbed diagonally to the right, intercepting Friar He's deadly strike.

Xiao En had brought with him a bundle of firewood. However, he would eventually run out of those damp branches.

Some time passed, and the temperature started to rise as the sun began to cast down its merciless rays. Xiao En was bleeding, his tattered shirt covered in slashes. On his chest were some deep wounds. But the old man had lost too much blood. His wounds were turning pale.

Around Xiao En, the ground was covered by a dense layer of fly wings and legs. Those insects had been drawn by the scent of blood, only to be sucked into the torrent of sword strikes and cut to pieces.

Friar He stood about five steps away from Xiao En, his pale face slightly flushed. His right hand, holding onto his sword, finally started to tremble. He didn't have an easy time either; strikes from Xiao En's sticks turned Friar He's black shirt into rags and gave him numerous wounds. More terrifyingly, the areas around those wounds were embedded by wooden splinters.

"Come out, that Fan brat won't be coming."

Friar He gulped, not expecting the old man's desire to live to be so strong. Seeing that Xiao En was almost finished, and that the expected man from Southern Qi was still nowhere to be seen, Friar He finally called out his comrade.

Xiao En weakly gave a look at the new enemy. "Ku He keeps on sending out a bunch of young whelps. He wants this old man to lose face."

The newly-appeared foe approached. In his hands were a pair of curved knives. Terrifyingly, the knife blades were covered in many thin spines; they looked like Friar He's wounds.

He silently saluted Xiao En and said, "Mister Xiao, under His Majesty's strict order, I could not make a move when Haitang was escorting you to Shangjing. Today, with your escape, I am forced to do this. Mister Xiao, I hope you understand."

Xiao En laughed coldly, "So it turns out Ku He's disciples also learned his bluffs; I though as much. You pretend to be all honorable on the surface, but deep down you are as wicked as can be, only looking to kill me. Why pretend to be so innocent?"

This new enemy was Lang Tao, Ku He's head disciple and the emperor's martial arts teacher. Hearing Xiao En speak badly of his master, he wasted no more words and crossed his wrists. The two curved knives in his hands became two masses of black light, aiming towards Xiao En's head!

Suddenly, Xiao En let out a wild roar!

His pure inner qi, which he had trained for nearly fifty years, erupted at this instant. Utilizing impossible angles, Xiao En pushed out with both his palms flat into the path of Lang Tao's attack. If his palms were to come together, Lang Tao's wrists would be crushed immediately.

A layer of flesh on the back of Xiao En's hands was taken away by the spines on those knives, but at the same time, Xiao En's palm strikes closed in.

Lang Tao was still expressionless. He let go of his knives and pushed out with his own palms. The two pairs of palms, with an age difference of thirty years, violently met each other. There was nothing fancy about it; it was a pure contest of power.

Lang Tao, being Ku He's head disciple, was in peak condition. Xiao En, however, was not, having suffered for many years in prison. In this contest, Lang Tao had the advantage.

Having beat back Xiao En's attack, Lang Tao shook his wrists. His knives flashed again, this time aiming at Xiao En's shoulders. Lang Tao's knives were attached to his wrists by thin chains!

The two knives reflected the red sun above. They looked exceptionally terrifying.

Xiao En, who was close to death, unexpectedly gathered more strength. His eyes rolled up, he bent his middle finger slightly and raised it up towards the sky, blocking the bottom edges of Lang Tao's hands!

At this moment came the sound of a flurry of wind. A shadow rose up from the grass nearby and charged directly at the pair locked in combat!

Friar He had been waiting with his sword ready, waiting for Fan Xian's appearance!

Grasping the hilt of his sword with both hands, Friar He, without any unnecessary moves, slashed vertically down!

The sword seemed to be cleaving apart the air itself.

But Friar He did not know his target was among the most impressive in the world when it came to dodging. The incoming shadow twisted awkwardly in midair, and, without any leverage, avoided the sword like an actual flickering shadow!

As explained before, having been struck too many times by Wu Zhu in the past resulted in Fan Xian being difficult to hit.

His attack missing the mark, Friar He felt a pressure in his chest as the sounds of numerous objects flying through the air approached his face. Friar He forcibly withdrew his sword and made three horizontal slashes, knocking down most of the thrown weapons. Only after they hit the ground did he discover they were stones.

He forcibly withdrew his sword. His blood vessels pounded. Blood rushed up to his throat and he forced it down. During this slight opening, three black shadows zoomed down at his head!

Presently, the two of them were too close. Friar He flicked his wrist up and the tip of his sword knocked into those three black shadows with extreme accuracy. However, his last strike was off just so slightly, and the crossbow bolt did not change its direction too much. It brushed past Friar He's thigh and landed in the grass!

That was close! Only now did Friar He realize just how tough it was to deal with Fan Xian. He turned around, his face full of shock.

When he dodged Friar He's sword, Fan Xian also paid dearly for forcing his body to twist in midair. Although Fan Xian was fortunate in having wider meridians than the average martial artist, he still couldn't stop blood from rushing to his heart. His zhenqi collided in his meridians as if about to tear.

Fan Xian did not have a martial artist's discipline, and, while he was still in the air, blood came spraying out of his mouth. As miserable as that looked, it was able to clear his meridians.

At this moment, Lang Tao's terrifying knives had already penetrated deeply into Xiao En's shoulders!

Fan Xian let out a strange cry. Still in the air, he drew the halved saber from his back and slashed at the back of Lang Tao's head.

As if having eyes there, Lang Tao swiftly withdrew his knives, the tips of which met Fan Xian's blade about sixteen centimeters above the hilt—the blade's weakest point.

With a clang, the already-halved saber broke again. However, Fan Xian still swung down the sorry remainder of his saber with brute force and broke off all the spines from Lang Tao's knives.

In that brief instant, Fan Xian discarded his blade, redistributed his qi, and threw a punch.

Two blows of his most adept cheap shots rushed toward Lang Tao's temples like two dragons. Fan Xian wasn't at all paying attention to the fact Lang Tao's knives were directly in front of his abdomen. He knew that, when facing such a high-ranking master, he must be steady, accurate, and merciless, denying himself and his opponent any opportunity of escape.

Lang Tao abruptly turned his head around, a cold light flashing in his eyes. Crossing his palms, he caught Fan Xian's fists, their powerful qi clashing. Fan Xian's ineffable and overpowering zhenqi and the zhenqi that Lang Tao had cultivated with Ku He finally met head-on in that moment.

Chapter 238: Fan Xian Jumps off the Cliff

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On a grassy mound to the edge of the cliff, a crashing noise was heard.

Fan Xian glided through the air, as if harnessing the essence of the atmosphere itself. Upon the ground below, Lang Tao stood firm like an obelisk of stone, as if channeling the very power of the earth. In the space of a few seconds, their zhenqi met with a collision that brought utter ruin to the unkempt grass that paved their battleground.

Lang Tao groaned, before twirling around to penetrate his knife deep into Xiao En's chest.

Lang Tao's mission comprised of two objectives; the slaying of Fan Xian and the slaying of Xiao En. If he was unable to overcome Fan Xian in mortal combat, then he would have to resort to the killing of Xiao En first; this was repeated to him many times by his master, Ku He.

Fan Xian's fists bore at Lang Tao with the heat of fire, but his enemy spun like a whirlwind. Both knives lusted for Fan Xian's soul with each swipe, each making Fan Xian's chest their primary target.

As Fan Xian was unable to garner reprieve from Lang Tao's relentless assault, Xiao En lay upon the ground dying, transforming this battle into one of tremendous stakes. Grinding his teeth, Fan Xian committed to his most reckless act since the dawn of his new life. He chose to disregard Lang Tao's spinning blades, and instead take hold of Xiao En's clothes. In this moment, where death could greet either of the two at any second, Fan Xian raised his knee.

Lang Tao's knives made contact, but the sound emitted was not of the piercing of flesh, but of the ringing of a thick metal.

Fan Xian grunted, before exerting strength into a vault that lifted him above and beyond Lang Tao's head. Whilst airborne, he flicked his enemy's ear before returning to the ground; this was his little trick.

Lang Tao suddenly felt a prickling pain stem from his ear, and so he raised an eyebrow in bewilderment.

Fan Xian's left calf was overcome with pain, as if it had been struck by a lightning bolt. Unable to pause, however, he grabbed Xiao En and pushed forward towards an open clearing so that he might briefly recompose.

Then, without a second thought, he ran toward the cliffside and leapt off.

…

…

Lang Tao was baffled, and his face froze amidst the confusion. He was convinced he had managed to slice Fan Xian's lower leg, but he questioned as to why the cut emitted a sound as if he had struck steel. He was supremely confident in his abilities of swordplay, not to mention his competence with the sacred arts that made it possible for him to cut through materials composed of pure gold and iron. Even if his opponent were to have been clothed in heavy armor, he was sure that the strike he had dealt would have severed the leg clean off. How then, had Fan Xian been able to withstand such a blow?

Lang Tao and Friar He approached the cliffside and glanced over the edge. The sun shone brightly at this time, but it still wasn't enough to pierce and disperse the thick fog which cloaked the valley. All they had been able to glimpse were the faint, fleeting shadows of one young man and one old man falling out of sight. A while later, an audible thud sounded from below. Although light to their ears, the mere fact that they were both able to hear the sound of something hitting the ground from such a high, fatal drop, was a testament to the velocity of their fall.

"They must have fallen to their deaths," Friar He said.

Lang Tao shook his head remorsefully and spoke: "It will take more than that to kill Xiao En, and even more still for Fan Xian."

Lang Tao and Friar He were both of the sparse few that comprised the Rank Nine elites in Shangjing. Yet despite that, they were unable to defeat a severely wounded Xiao En and Fan Xian, the newest member to broach their rank. Their inability to complete this task made their hearts stern.

"It will be impossible for them to climb back up." Friar He frowned as he said this.

Lang Tao scanned the valley once more. The cliffs that composed the Yan Mountains were straight like razorblades. The Four Great Grandmasters of the world would be unable to ascend the cliffs of such a place, so the thought of ordinary soldiers doing so was preposterous. In agreement, Lang Tao nodded and said, "Send word to Shen Zhong and have a search party scour the mountains below to be doubly sure."

…

…

The two elites continued to peer into the mists below. With troubled minds, they reflected upon their battle with Fan Xian and Xiao En. There was something amiss, they thought.

"Why would Fan Xian go to such lengths to save Xiao En?" Friar He asked, with uncertainty.

"The strength Fan Xian displayed far exceeded the apprentice's prior evaluation," Lang Tao stated.

All of a sudden, Lang Tao opened his eyes wide and shakily drew upon his knife, severing a part of his ear off without hesitation. Friar He had always possessed unshakeable faith in what his master, Ku He taught him. He frowned and looked upon his lap, where Fan Xian's crossbow bolt had grazed him. Although it did not hurt, the slight cut appeared black. He grimaced and said, "This man that they refer to as 'Fan Xian' is wicked."

Lang Tao replied with a deep voice: "Have you forgotten that Fan Xian of the southern Qi Kingdom is renowned for his dishonorable tricks?"

Even as he said this, Lang Tao thought back to his combat with Fan Xian. He could not help but wonder how his opponent possessed such overwhelming zhenqi. It weighed upon his mind, for he had not known anyone else to possess such aggressive and cruel zhenqi. It was of greater power than any others he had ever bore witness to.

What do people normally run into when they leap from cliffs? Do they see expert martial artists? Pretty women? Secret knowledge? Infinite wealth?

When Fan Xian contemplated his leap from the cliffs, it dawned upon him that he was indeed carrying an expert martial artist with him. If he was to land slightly off-mark, he knew it would be an abrupt farewell to the beautiful woman awaiting his return home. The infinite wealth left behind by his mother would be squandered. And so would the possibility of ever learning the secrets of the legendary tome which, upon his passing, would undoubtedly be burned by his Uncle Wu Zhu on his behalf.

If he were to die there, he knew that his most wonderful mentor, Uncle Wu Zhu – unexciting, unidirectional teaching strategies aside – would never be able to overcome such a tragedy.

When he was young, Wu Zhu performed the leap-from-a-cliff trick for Fan Xian and at the time, it was the most frightening thing he had ever witnessed. Therefore, in time, he came to learn the method of this skill himself and practiced it unceasingly. Even on his honeymoon in the Cang Mountains, Fan Xian never let slip an opportunity to practice the trick some more. And now, the years of vigorous practice had at long last paid off. To do so with the weight of another man upon his shoulders, through blinding mist no less, was an incredible feat. He maintained control over his momentum and velocity by skirting, sliding, and stepping down along the smooth cliffside. This manner of control also allowed him to keep track of his pre-determined landing spot, which was to be a protruding yet flat-faced rock far below.

Fan Xian`s legs made contact with the rock. The overwhelming zhenqi within his body aided in making it an untroubled landing. That being said, his left leg had been severely wounded by Lang Tao`s blade and, with a groan, he fell to the floor.

He had no time to reel in pain, however, and so Fan Xian sprang back into action. He approached a large boulder and gave it a hefty shove further down the cliff, the sound it made was that of a heavy thud.

…

…

"Are you insane?" Behind him, Fan Xian caught sight of a cave. The terribly wounded Xiao En had already made his way inside, and thus had the time to ridicule Fan Xian for his actions by further saying, "I'd like to see how you plan on climbing back up there!"

Fan Xian`s only response was to shrug his shoulders. He was most certainly not going to divulge his secrets to the dying old man. Looking to gain an understanding of his new environment, Fan Xian peered further into the cave. The last thing he desired was for this place to harbor some affiliation with Zhang. Returning to Xiao En, he presented him with a certain pill.

Graciously, Xiao En accepted the pill and proceeded to swallow it promptly. With further ridicule, however, he told Fan Xian: "Twenty years ago, the likes of Lang Tao and Friar He could never have hoped to oppose me. What about you, eh? You are the Commissioner of the southern Qi Kingdom`s Overwatch Council, are you not? Chen Pingping and Fei Jie`s successor, yes? But you were made to leap off a cliff, only to survive the fall and now be forced to rot away in this cave, to die of starvation."

These words did not rile Fan Xian up. Instead, they made him smile and so he replied, "When an old man likes to talk about 'the good old days', it usually means he's dying."

Xiao En paid little heed to these words and said, "Nothing can be done to alleviate these wounds. I am fine with this, for I have nothing more to lose. What I do not understand, is why someone as young as you would go to such lengths to save a fellow like me." He stopped talking for a brief while, before resuming: "Furthermore, how on earth did you summon the courage to leap off that cliff, with such thick fog masking your vision?"

"Your so-called godson is a remarkable fighter, but he is not one for plans, secrets, and diplomacy." Fan Xian pulled out a needle from his hair and poked it into Xiao En's body to cease the bleeding. Following this, he said, "Even the Brocade Guard were able to uncover where you two were supposed to meet, let alone me. It takes little thought to surmise this was a set-up."

Xiao En had no quarrel with allowing Fan Xian to perform his practice of medicine upon him, but he couldn't help but roll his eyes. Xiao En called out an observation, stating, "Your needle contains a poison."

Fan Xian hadn't the motivation to explain and instead replied with, "You are dying and your body possesses a few hundred manners of toxins, anyway. What harm can one more do?"

Xiao En coughed twice, and his eyelids began to grow heavy. The behavior and temperament of a dying soul is a strange one.

Fan Xian could see that the old man was going to die due to severe blood loss. Already, his face had gone pale. But all of a sudden, Fan Xian asked, "When Shen Zhong had the courtyard surrounded, you should have known that the Brocade Guard knew full well of Shang Shanhu's plans to save you. Why do you still continue?"

"Continue what?"

"Continue to pretend that you were injured upon your flight from the capital. You knew full well that those elites were lying in wait for you and you knew that those who fought so hard to rescue you were all dead."

Xiao En looked at Fan Xian, and after a brief period of silence, he began to laugh. "Perhaps I am cooperating with the Brocade Guard, playing the helpless victim? Perhaps I am simply luring you out, so that you may die with me."

Fan Xian, tired of his jests, finally said, "Can't you be serious for once?"

Xiao En's eyesight drifted to look past Fan Xian's shoulders, and take in the deep valley. The sunlight was getting brighter and brighter and the fog that dressed the cliffs began to clear. In the distance, one could see the mountain that looked like a cracked yellow mirror. It was of another kind of beauty.

"I had been locked away for so long, I always dreaded the thought of dying in that cell," Xiao En said solemnly.

Fan Xian turned around to look in the direction that captivated Xiao En's attention so much, and noticed that up ahead was a mountain with a surface that was incredibly smooth, only marred by the occasional cracks that were not unlike the shape of lightning bolts. Upon the mountainside, a single lone tree was seen to be growing there. And whilst it looked sorrowful, standing there all alone, it's determination to do so, with profoundly green leaves, was admirable.

"This place has yellow mountains and green trees. Down below, there is water and white fog. This place would make for a fine tomb."

Fan Xian smiled and began to sort out his right leg's pants. The Overwatch Council's clothing was of tremendous worth, being fireproof, pickpocket-proof and cut-proof. It was remarkable, therefore, to see how Lang Tao's knives managed to cut through that which threaded this clothing. Fan Xian unequipped the dagger given to him by Fei Jie, but held the curved blade gently for a while and said, "Thank you. I had no desire of changing my name to Fan Pingping."

…

…

"Why would you stupidly get into such a fight and thrust yourself into this grave situation?" As he asked, Xiao En curiously examined the face of the disguise that Fan Xian still wore. He took particular notice of his dry lips. Perhaps when on the verge of death, one's curiosity heightens?

Fan Xian placed the dagger near his foot. He began massaging the clogged veins of his wounded left calf and softly spoke: "When I found out this was an ambush set by the Northerners, I was prepared to fall back. But when I saw that you were dying, I have no idea what spurred me into action."

The reason, however, was quite simple; Fan Xian desired to know Xiao En's secrets. He wanted to know where the temple was, and the relationship that existed between the temple and Ye Qingmei, and of his rebirth into this world. He wanted to know about his life, where he came from and he wanted to know about his arrogant mother. Fan Xian had always cherished his life, but for just this once, he was willing to risk it all.

Chapter 239: Traveler of this World

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The sunshine in the valley seemed to have turned into a solid substance, enshrouding everything. The clouds parted in waves as if being disturbed by an oar. Most of the fog had dispersed, and only a small amount of mist remained between the cliff walls like smoke, floating through the sparsely-grown saplings.

The area just above the small cave jutted out a bit. The opposing cliff wall was far away, as was the bottom of the valley. Even with his excellent hearing, it took Fan Xian a long time to faintly make out the sounds from the bottom. Shangjing's Brocade Guards were probably searching the bottom for the bodies of Fan Xian and Xiao En.

It should be dark and damp down there. Fan Xian believed the search party would eventually realize he and Xiao En did not fall to the bottom and would continue their search outwards. However, He dared not underestimate Shen Zhong; he didn't know when someone would cast their eyes onto this mirror-smooth cliff wall. As for Lang Tao, Fan Xian knew from their initial clash that this senior disciple of Haitang was indeed one of the strongest men in this world; with his unwavering spirit, Lang Tao wasn't someone Fan Xian could fool easily.

There was a slight mountain breeze, and Xiao En's deathly-pale face quivered. The old man had fallen unconscious; he could die at any moment. The sun outside didn't seem to deliver any warmth to this dying old man's body.

Fan Xian scratched his head. The old man's face was starting to look like the skin of a tangerine covered in white paint. He thought for a moment and carefully took out that small blue pill.

The pill gave off the faint scent of ephedra leaves. It had already been split in half before. Fan Xian crushed the remaining half and put it into Xiao En's mouth. He then took out the water tube from his sleeve and gave Xiao En some water from the water bag hidden under his clothes.

A while later, the dying Xiao En regained consciousness. The scarlet tinge in the old man's eyes, which had mostly faded away, reappeared. This old man, right before his own death, seemed to have regained some of his former power.

"What did you give me?"

"A blue pill." Fan Xian smiled. "To stimulate your spirits. But it's not going to bring back your former vigor."

Of course, old Xiao En did not understand Fan Xian's joke.

"You took it before making your move, didn't you?" There was now strength in Xiao En's breathing, and he was no longer dispirited. If terminal lucidity wasn't at work here, then it meant the blue pill was activating the remaining lifeforce in the old man's body.

Fan Xian didn't reply immediately. He checked Xiao En's pulse, and discovered that it was vigorous yet somewhat disorderly. Fan Xian knew the pill was working. However, such a primitive stimulant could only give Xiao En a momentary boost; the old man's life had already passed the point of no return.

Fan Xian took a deep breath and calmly said to Xiao En, "Against Lang Tao and Friar He, we couldn't win even if we worked together, since I broke your legs. That's why I had to take some drugs. I am curious, however, as to why only the two of them were sent to deal with us instead of a large group.

Xiao En coughed violently; the pill was releasing its intense effects. Waving his hand with great difficulty, Xiao En said, "They didn't want to make too big of a scene. If they couldn't hide it from that little emperor, there would be trouble waiting for them."

Fan Xian gave him a look. The emperor's reason to spare Xiao En was the same as Fan Xian's. However, he did not continue the topic.

"You saved me because of that secret I hold." Xiao En watched the chirping birds flying through the valley; a hint of jealousy suddenly flashed across his eyes. "But in the end, why does that secret matter? The emperor wants the temple's aid to rule the world. Why do you want to go to the temple?"

"I have my own reason, of course."

"Would you let me hear it?"

Two secret agent leaders, one young and one old, each with his own history, were now chatting calmly like a couple of villagers.

"Sure, I'll tell you a part of it." Fan Xian squinted, feeling his body becoming a bit weak. The effects of the ephedra pill were going away, making his spirit fatigued. "I don't know if you'd believe this, but I, living in this world, am like a traveler most of the time. I want to walk to every interesting corner of this world, and the temple… is no doubt the place that interests me the most."

"Traveler?" With his blood-shot eyes, Xiao En stared at Fan Xian's face, which appeared most ordinary after disguise.

Fan Xian laughed, "Is that strange? The world is just a temporary lodging place for all living things, and we are just visitors here while our time allows. Since you and I are living in this giant inn known as the world, naturally we would like to see what is inside each of its rooms."

"There might be a venomous snake in the backmost room on the second floor." With great difficulty, Xiao En shifted back, feeling the dry heat in his body. He knew he was near death, so he wanted to take a more comfortable position.

"Or, there might be a beauty bathing in a tub." Fan Xian grinned.

Xiao En looked at this young man and shook his head. "Curiosity killed the old cat. To think you saved me over such an unbelievable reason, only to seal your own fate. Do you regret doing so now?"

Fan Xian looked back at the cliffs. He sighed without saying a word.

"What a fool." Xiao En was smiling. "Paying for a worthless secret with your own life."

Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "You're right. Before death, all secrets become unimportant."

Xiao En suddenly looked at Fan Xian strangely. "Could I beg of you one request?"

Fan Xian was shocked. While this old man was long past his prime, his status and background were no less valid. In the entire journey up north, there had never been one "beg". Fan Xian asked, "What do you want?"

Xiao En's voice sounded strange, "I am not afraid of death… But after I die, with you trapped in this cave alone, you will probably start to take interest in my body when starvation leaves you no choice."

Fan Xian was dazed for an instant, then he realized what the old man feared. He said with disgust, "Just look at your old arms and legs; I don't want to break my teeth trying to take a bite out of you."

Xiao En smiled bitterly. "When you're starved to your limits, what wouldn't you do?"

Fan Xian frowned. "You're not afraid of death, but you're afraid of me eating your body?"

Xiao En watched Fan Xian steadily. "In this world, there are many who aren't afraid of death, but they are afraid of cockroaches." He paused before continuing, "I don't fear death, but I fear being eaten by you after I'm dead. It gives me a very bad feeling."

Xiao En began to speak more fluently as the blue pill gave a temporary boost to his focus. His wounds had also stopped bleeding. But the redness remained in his eyes, which was not a good sign at all.

Fan Xian gave Xiao En a look and shook his head. "Don't worry. If you die, I'd immediately toss you down to the bottom," Suddenly, Fan Xian's pupils contracted as something occurred to him. He quietly asked Xiao En, "Old man, you've eaten human flesh before, haven't you?"

The cave suddenly became silent. A long pause later, the old man spoke, devoid of emotions, "When I went to the temple, I was trapped on the mountain by snowstorms. Running out of food, I had no other choice."

Fan Xian could feel his heart skip a bit. Although he had done gravedigging since he was young, the thought of cannibalism still made his stomach churn. He purposely removed his gaze from Xiao En's dried-up lips.

Xiao En cackled, "Human flesh tastes terrible… But back then, Ku He enjoyed it much more than I did."

Fan Xian's heart skipped another beat. One of the Great Grandmasters, revered by so many people, once also engaged in cannibalism?

He immediately figured out the connections. Xiao En knew where the temple was. Ku He was an inheritor of the temple's techniques. The two of them must have gone to the temple at the same time. For two such powerful figures to resort to cannibalism, Fan Xian could only guess how perilous the journey must have been. But he still couldn't understand why Ku He was so determined to kill Xiao En. Was it merely to hide the fact that he had eaten human flesh?

"When did you and Ku He go to the temple?"

Of course, Xiao En chose this moment to shut his mouth. Fan Xian felt like a famished diner at a restaurant watching a waiter come by with a sumptuous platter, only to see the waiter swerve in the other direction and take the platter away. Fan Xian felt a ball of anger in his chest and let loose. "Seeing as how both of us are going to die soon, can't you let me die with some satisfaction?"

Xiao En rolled his eyes and jeered, "You fool."

Fan Xian sighed, "This secret isn't going to save your life anymore, so why keep it hidden?"

"The temple is to the north."

Very suddenly, very unexpectedly, Xiao En spoke.

"How far north?"

"In the northernmost tundra. After going through North Keep Pass, you still have to travel more than three months."

Outside the cave, the sky was getting dark. Fan Xian's expression was unchanged, but he felt slightly nervous. Finding out the general location of the temple meant he was already half-successful. The mountain breeze started to pick up intensely, and it was getting slightly chilly. Fan Xian looked at Xiao En, who had closed his eyes and was waiting for death, and casually spoke as if chatting to a friend, "Dying old man, what is the scenery like around the temple?"

Xiao En did not open his eyes. He sighed lightly. "What scenery? It's just a big temple. And you? Which rock did you jump out from?"

Fan Xian yawned. "I'm from Danzhou. Danzhou isn't much to look at either. But there were two trees in my backyard growing up. One was a date tree; the other was also a date tree."

Chapter 240: The Temple of Eternal Night

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"The temple has no trees, and is hidden within the snow-covered mountains. It is said that there are two days in the year when it shows its true facade, and if you are not pure of heart, then you cannot see it."

Xiao En's aged-sounding voice was calm. The temple was extremely significant to him. Because he knew of the connection between the temple and that young woman, Chen Pingping had paid a high price when kidnapping him and bringing him back to Qing. And because he knew the location of the temple, Ku He, who had benefited most from what was inside the temple, wanted him dead. And the young Emperor held the extravagant hope that he could receive the aid of Heaven from that temple.

But what was the temple? It was just a building.

Xiao En suddenly felt as if half his life had been a lie, and only the second half, spent behind bars, had been real. The old man looked at the dawn light spreading outside the cave. "Master Fan," he said, a stupefied look on his face, "do you believe that there really are gods?"

Fan Xian was silent. He thought of his own rebirth, and of that box he had been left behind, and he nodded. "I believe in the gods more than anyone else in this world."

"What are they?"

"If I knew what they were, then I would be a god myself."

Xiao En fixed him with a look of admiration. "For someone as young as you to see things so clearly is rare indeed." He paused for a moment. "But the current Emperor is still young, so he does not see clearly."

Fan Xian knew that the story had finally begun. Not was somewhat nervous and filled with anticipation.

"Do you know what this land was like thirty years ago?"

"The Kingdom of Wei was strong, and could have united all-under-Heaven at any moment."

"Correct. At that time, I was the head of the Red Riders of Wei, a trusted aide of the Emperor." There was a strange look on Xiao En's face as he remembered the past. It was not as if he were lost in his memories of his former glory, nor that he bore any sort of grudge. Perhaps his impending death had brought him a kind of serene indifference. "The whole land belonged to the Kingdom of Wei. Every man of talent and accomplishment was part of their royal court. But the ones who stirred up the court, apart from the first Emperor, were two pairs of brothers."

Fan Xian saw the old man's seemingly determined look, and felt somewhat more at ease. "One of those pairs was you and Zhuang Mohan," he said gently.

"That's right. He had greater prospects than I did." Xiao En's face softened. "And he was more sentimental than I. I was locked up by Qing for 20 years, and he still remembered me. I owe him."

"Why does no one know you are brothers?"

"The reason is very simple. My reputation was terrifying. Who knows how many men I had killed in secret? He was a scholar, and naturally he didn't care for me. I didn't feel any connection to him either," Xiao En replied in a matter-of-fact voice.

Fan Xian paused for a moment before changing the topic. "And who were the other pair of brothers?"

"Zhan Qingfeng and Ku He."

"Zhan Qingfeng? The first Emperor of Northern Qi, the one who was a famous general at the time?" Fan Xian was finally stunned. So that was the secret connection between Ku He and the Northern Qi royal family! No wonder he had once singlehandedly defended the current Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and the royal family were so reverent of Ku He.

"Ku He is the younger brother of Zhan Qingfeng. Since childhood, he was resolved to spend his life as a monk, walking the path of Heaven, doing his best so that he might one day enter the temple." There was a hint of mockery in Xiao En's voice. "Many people believe in the temple, but who has even seen it in a thousand years? But those monks preached all throughout the land, living lives more pitiful than beggars."

"But the temple really does exist," Fan Xian piped up.

"Yes." Xiao En closed his eyes. "When the first Emperor passed away, and the young Emperor ascended the throne, although that Emperor still held us ministers in high regard, for some reason, he had an unusual fear of death. All day, he would practice some kind of art that he thought could lead to immortality."

"Considering how powerful the Kingdom of Wei was at the time, he had nothing to worry about as Emperor. It was only natural that his mind would turn to such things," said Fan Xian.

"So Ku He took the opportunity to enter the palace and convinced the Emperor to dispatch a diplomatic mission to search for clues regarding the temple's location," continued Xiao En. "He said that if the immortals of the temple were to pass their teachings on to the Emperor, then he could become immortal too. The moment the Emperor heard that, there was no way he could object..." Xiao En laughed bitterly. "As the Emperor's trusted aide and captain of the Red Riders, the duty naturally fell to me."

"Ku He was the one who proposed it. He was fervant in his belief in the temple, so naturally I could not stay out of it," said Xiao En calmly. "They gathered all the power of the Kingdom of Wei and searched for who knows how long. Finally they found a lead, so Ku He and I led a thousand men north."

Although the dying old man spoke vaguely, Fan Xian knew that the process at the time was rather complex. The people worshipped the temple, but it was illusory, leaving no trace. To be able to find a genuine clue to its existence would be a shocking development indeed.

The sound of the old man's aged and apathetic voice reverberated through the cave. The dawn light was dimming outside. Fan Xian listened silently, interjecting with timely questions. His mind was racing as he tried to sketch a map of the group's expedition to the temple in his head.

Time seemed to turn back to thirty years ago, and the yellow mountains' mild air turned to endless wind and snow. In the old man's memories, Fan Xian seemed to catch sight of the thousand men of the expedition, caught beneath a sky that snowed as far as the eye could see, soldering on through the wastelands of the frozen north. They wore leather boots and thick leather clothing, showing only their eyes, but they still could not stop the cold winds from penetrating them down to the bone and filling their bodies.

At the head of the ranks were their two leaders: Xiao En, in the prime of his life, and the young pious monk Ku He.

The men moved northward, the route becoming more perilous, their numbers thinning. Some men perished from the cold, some fell down the icy ravines and disappeared without trace, some were ripped apart by birds of prey that descended lightning-fast from the skies. In short, as the men moved further ahead, their numbers shrank, and a strange mood befell them.

The whole world was an endless expanse of white snow. Because they had spent so long in this dull and freezing landscape, some men's eyes began to falter. Xiao En, ruthless, abandoned them in the wastelands. In the distance, hungry wolves, resistant to the cold, awaited the blind men's demise.

Everything happened in silence; even such bitter things as death.

The team carried on for a long time before they finally came to a great mountain range deep in the north. There was a narrow path through the mountains, and the snow was thick enough that it had already covered up the mountains' faces. It looked like a string of endless icebergs.

After the men - now numbering merely a hundred - passed through the mountains, they found that behind the mountains was another stretch of land still concealed by ice and snow, where animals rarely even appeared. Tenacious, the team set up camp, wanting to find traces of the temple there, but after many days, no one had found anything.

It was winter, the snow fell thick and hard, they were separated by mountains, sun had set, and food had run out.

The strongest men made it through to the end. In a stretch of endless night, Xiao En and Ku He sat back to back in their tent, a wall of dead bodies around them. Their fire had burned out, and the ruined tents and clothing of the dead men was all they had to grant them the slightest warmth and the slightest hope.

"This is the wrath of Heaven."

Inside the mountain cave, Xiao En struggled to open his eyes. There was a redness growing denser in his pupils, but they still betrayed his endless dread. "The temple knows that mortal men are trying to find it, so Heaven is angered. Heaven has sent this boundless darkness upon us."

Fan Xian looked the old man in the eye, saying nothing for a long time. "That was polar night." In his head, he confirmed once more the location of the temple.

Xiao En did not understand what "polar night" was. But he had sunken deep into his memories, and there was a look of frustration in his face. "At that point, Ku He was hungrily and meanly devouring human flesh while he prayed piously to Heaven. I couldn't help but despise him. To my surprise... perhaps he had finally truly aroused the feelings of the immortals of the temple... daylight suddenly came."

Fan Xian couldn't stop himself from looking at Xiao En. How could the two men have survived the long months of polar night? Even if they had flesh to eat and tents to burn, for the two of them to struggle alone like that could well send a man insane.

Xiao En suddenly laughed. "At the moment that day broke, Ku He and I had reached the end of our lives. But suddenly, we discovered hope, a strength that came from some unknown place, that allowed us to continue living."

"And then you found the temple." Fan Xian drew his dagger and put it to one side. "What was the temple like?"

Many years ago, past the snowy mountains, two men, emaciated to skin and bone, emerged with great difficulty from their tent. Their eyes were sunken and their skin was pallid. When they breathed, exposing their rotten and swollen gums, the signs were clear - these two men would soon be dead.

The dawn renounced its miserliness and its rays of light finally began to appear. A handful of animals emerged once more from their holes. The two once-hardy men had spent the last of their strength, but they were still more ferocious than these beasts, and so they managed to replenish themselves, standing to their feet once more.

That day, they narrowed their eyes, looking blankly at the mountains before them, unsure where the temple – that they had gone through hell to find – could be.

All that stood before them was a vast expanse of pure white snow.

Suddenly, a shaft of light descended from the dark-blue sky. The light that fell upon the mountains seemed to bend in some queer way, and suddenly, a beautiful temple appeared amongst the mountains.

The grand temple had been built upon the mountainside, its black stone walls and light-gray eaves standing against each other to create a vista of indescribable dignity.

Ku He stared dumbfounded at the mountains, and suddenly fell to the ground, overcome with emotion. He burst into tears at the appearance of the temple, overcome with a feeling of incomparable wretchedness. Xiao En stood stupefied. A long time later, he finally came to his senses, sitting down on the snow ground, unable to gather the strength to stand again for a long time.

This was the temple.

Chapter 241: The Little Girl Escapes the Temple

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Along the snow-brushed steps, a young Ku He and a distraught Xiao En began to ascend the frost-bitten mountain. The look upon Xiao En's face thawed somewhat, allowing him to once more express a range of differing emotions, from excitement, to anxiety, to fear.

Ku He possessed no fear; he only harbored a fervent fanaticism. He was a monk, and he had made it his life's goal to touch the temple's door and kneel upon the stone steps of that sacred place in worship of its divinity.

As they pushed on with their snowbound venture, it wasn't long before they neared their final destination. However, upon approaching its frigid steps, they would immediately be taken aback. You see, each time they neared, the temple would vanish from sight and reappear in the far distance, once more. After half a day of intense climbing towards their desired haven, this continued, and the temple's distance away from them appeared to gradually lengthen, with its black, solemn walls looking like little more than fleeting, flickering shadows.

In legends, it was said that the temple would only appear twice a year. Ku He and Xiao En were unwilling to relinquish this opportunity, however, and so they exerted every ounce of their strength in their climb. And climb they did. They climbed, crawled, and clambered until they lost track of how long they had spent doing so. Over the course of their pursuit, their bodies developed innumerable cuts and bruises from the harsh ice and lethal icicles and as they endured, two trails of blood marked their route.

…

…

Slap. Ku He's hands slapped flat stone - he had reached the footsteps of the temple. The young monk, in his relief, could not help but slap the stone twice in a presumptuous manner. He was quickly filled with boundless joy and his heart leapt in elation.

Xiao En was slightly slower to reach the top and as he peered at the door of the temple, he clutched the weapon that he had hidden within his sleeves. As he looked upon the seven-meter-high door, Xiao En became slightly unnerved, and with its presence there, it almost looked as if a god had dropped a book onto the earth. Although the door wasn't as fancy as the grand door that existed within the Great Wei Palace, it made the latter look miniscule in comparison. The place seemed otherworldly, as if it weren't built for the presence of mortals.

The walls of the temple were caked in dust, and it must have been several years since anyone else had treaded upon the grounds of this place.

Xiao En gulped, and steeled himself to find a way inside. The king had bestowed upon Xiao En the task of discovering the key to immortality. He believed that the end of his search was nigh, and so his excitement grew. Ku He, however, felt differently. His kowtow before the temple door had become quite unsettling, and he was performing the act so vigorously that his forehead began bleeding.

Xiao En approached the temple door and as he leaned forward to touch it, the temple seemed to move away from him.

The temple was so close, yet so far.

30 years later, in the cave. Xiao En's pallid eyes grew sad.

"I was unable to enter."

Fan Xian let go of Xiao En's hands and lightly told him, "It is as I thought. If this were not so, there would be five grand masters, not four."

"Ku He was stronger than me. Even if I were as lucky as he, there is no way I could become a grand master." Hearing this, Fan Xian shook his head. "But Ku He could not enter, either. That temple possessed an aura, and it was shielded by a mystic force. Back in the day, Ku He and I were the strongest warriors on the face of the earth, but even we were unable to breach that place."

Fan Xian perked his head. The tale that Fei Jie's mentor mentioned had detailed Ku He's incredible strength stemming from the time he spent kowtowing before a temple's door. It would appear that this tale was one of truth. Fan Xian frowned and asked, "What resides in that temple?"

Xiao En struggled to provide a response, for he was entirely drained of strength. "In front of the temple's door, there resides a large plaque. Over the course of the eons, its face had weathered and its message faded. If I were to hazard a guess, I would assume that what was once written on that plaque were runes, left to us mortals by the gods themselves!"

Fan Xian's heart began to pound and he fervently asked; "What sort of runes?"

Xiao En caught the excitement that was beginning to develop within Fan Xian, and his eyebrows moved in response. In his heart, he found it admirable that the young man in front of him was still filled with such wonder and curiosity regarding the mysteries of their world.

"Do not…" With difficulty, the old man raised his finger to trace the shape of the rune in the air.

Fan Xian understood immediately. "The dragon hiding in deep water?"[1] he said to himself. After he said this, he could not help but laugh.

"And there were three of the exact same runes," Xiao En said. Through strenuous effort, Xiao En managed to raise his finger and in the air, gestured the shape of two circular arcs, providing a mystic sensation.

Fan Xian began to believe that it was impossible for him to discern anything from these runes. Does my rebirth have anything to do with this temple? Does the temple possess a connection to my mother? It looks as if I'll have to find out myself. I don't believe I have the strength and luck of Ku He and Xiao En to brave and endure the cold nights of travel to such a place.

"I don't imagine this story has such a simple ending."

Xiao En coughed and said, "You are correct. When you spend so much time and effort in pursuit of your lifelong goal, to finally be within reach and fall short of it, you may not be so willing to give up."

"As Ku He continued to kowtow on the steps before the temple, I walked to the sheltering mountainside."

The onset of night had come, and without the light of a campfire, the darkness blinded them both. Xiao En, in a softened voice, began to once more describe the events that occurred decades ago. Fan Xian, after a while said, "You were looking for a sewer entry?"

Xiao En looked at the young man's silhouette framed by the mouth of the cave. "You're in the same line of business as me," he said. "That's why you know what I would have done at that time."

"You were unable to get close to the temple's walls, so how were you supposed to enter via a sewer?" Upon saying this, Fan Xian's eyebrows moved in a manner to suggest slight confusion. Then, he asked, "In a place such as this, a relic left from the gods, how could there be a sewer?"

"So I failed." Xiao En said these words in haste. "Now that I think about it, I must have had a lot of courage in my youth. In front of that temple, there I was, believing I could get inside through such a mundane point of entry."

"And then?"

"And then…" Xiao En fell into a weird mood. "Then I returned to the front of the temple. And when I did, I saw Ku He hold something in his arms. In my curiosity, I approached to ask him what he held and then…"

The old man's speech stammered and slowed, and as it did, Fan Xian's heart grew tenser and tenser.

"The door of the temple swung open."

"What!?" Fan Xian, without realizing it, inched closer towards Xiao En in a manner that seemed to suggest he wanted to protect him.

Xiao En's eyes gleamed and smiled on his behalf. With his voice beginning to break, he said, "The temple's doors opened quietly and quite naturally. It was an exciting thing to witness. On my way there to take a look inside, from beyond that massive door, a beautiful person stepped outside."

"A beautiful person?"

"Yes, it was a fairy."

Xiao En stood before the door like a fool as a little girl ran directly into his arms. Blood from his still-battered and fatigued body almost spilt from his mouth. In the pale light, Xiao En glanced at Ku He, who looked like a fierce tiger. He dashed towards the temple doors and began to make battle with a dark entity.

Ku He was the youngest Rank Nine elite, but he had no idea what came over him. He was quite visibly exerting all of the strength that he possessed to take on this entity that had emerged from the temple. The whole scene quickly descended into chaos.

A few moments later, it dawned upon Xiao En that he did indeed hold within his arms a young girl. Before he could react, however, the young girl began yelling at Ku He, "Retreat!"

It was a simple word that was uttered from the mouth of frail young girl, but it was spoken like a decree issued by an emperor. The power within her voice made Xiao En shiver. And then, all of a sudden, his face was smacked.

"You too!"

Ku He stepped backwards with grace, but Xiao En, clutching the young girl, clumsily fell backwards and rolled down the temple stairs.

The dark entity did not give chase and rather warped back inside the temple. Xiao En, in shock, returned his gaze back towards the temple doors. He hazily thought that for a brief moment, the dark entity resembled the shape of a man. Fear overcame Xiao En, and he saw Ku He was already coughing up blood after his brief clash. Even Ku He was no match for that dark entity. It was evident that whatever was inside that temple was not from this world.

Xiao En understood quite quickly that while he was off looking for his supposed sewer entrance, Ku He must have bargained with the little girl that was in his arms upon Xiao En's return. A bargain that would free her from the temple.

But who was this little girl?

"Carry me. Drag him and let's go."

The little girl appeared to be extremely cold and so she buried her head in his chest, before signaling him to move. Xiao En did not dare to relent and so he held the girl tight, grabbed a hold of Ku He and began his descent back down the mountain.

It took what seemed like an age of running, but at long last, they returned to their campsite. He was exhausted and upon sitting down in his tent, he suddenly questioned why he took flight. The Emperor had ordered him to retrieve the secrets of immortality, but he had come back without them. Why had he listened to the little girl, without a second thought? The strangest aspect, or so he thought, was that the dark entity did not go after him.

Xiao En turned around to look at the little girl, as she sat upon the floor, rubbing her nose. She took notice at the mound of human bones that had been left over in the corner of the tent.

"These poor and hateful humans." The little girl spoke and returned her gaze to Xiao En. It was only now that Xiao En was able to get a good look at her and see what she truly looked like. Her skin was pale like snow, without a single blemish. Her eyes were wide and they sparkled. Her beauty was something no mortal could possess.

In the pitch black cave, Xiao En could not make out Fan Xian's facial expression, but he could tell through the tone of his voice, that something was amiss. Fan Xian asked, "How old was the little girl?"

"Four years of age, at the most." Xiao En's eyes were wide open, as if he could see her face before him. "When I held her in my arms, she was as light as a feather."

Fan Xian, in a tone of astonishment, asked, "She was four years old as well?"

"Why 'as well'"?

"It's nothing." Fan Xian laughed, opened his eyes and asked, "Do you know who that little girl is?"

Xiao En replied assuredly, "Of course I know. She was fairy who wanted to become mortal, and thus she escaped that temple."

Fan Xian was laughing and shook his finger in disagreement, "Believe me, she was just a little girl that entered the temple to steal stuff."

[1] The character in the rune, "do not" (wu), made Fan Xian think of a Chinese idiom about a dragon hiding in deep water, which is a metaphor for not acting rashly until the time is right.

Chapter 242: Today's Chapter is Untitled

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xiao En heard Fan Xian's confident words and began coughing violently, unable to stop for a long time. It was the middle of the night, and they sat on a precipice, unsure whether the Brocade Guards searching below would hear. Fan Xian was rather worried. He took out a needle and thrust it into Xiao En's neck, helping to ease the tension in his veins.

Fan Xian's gently felt Xiao En's neck, where there was a slight sticky dampness. He sniffed, picking up a faint scent of blood. He knew that Xiao En had begun coughing up blood, and though his face remained expressionless, he felt somewhat emotional.

"It was a fairy." The dying man stubbornly confirmed the judgment he'd made 30 years before.

Fan Xian didn't want to argue with him on that point. "How could a four-year-old girl carry a chest? Who carried it then?" he asked.

"What chest?" Xiao En's was asked in a genuine tone of voice. He didn't sound like he was lying.

Fan Xian was rather taken aback. He knew that the old man didn't need to hide anything, and Wu Zhu was still yet to appear. Wu Zhu had once said that he and his mother had left home together. Where was that home? According to the letter his mother had left behind, Wu Zhu had once waged war against the powerful forces of the temple, and as a result he had lost a portion of his memories. Why had Wu Zhu wanted to fight against the people of the temple? Could it be that he was fighting for a woman's affections?

"And then what?"

This is the work that every person who listens to a story must do. Old Xiao En, the storyteller, was nearing death, and there was no way Fan Xian would forget to ask those three words.

Inside the tent, Ku He lay down on a pelt, his breathing hurried. He didn't know what that little girl had allowed him to do, making him capable of turning his back on his long-held beliefs and attack the people of the temple.

Xiao En looked out of the open tent at the little girl in the snow. The blizzard was still fierce outside, and the little girl's skin was whiter than the snow. Her tiny hands tightly gripped the thick tent material, and she looked out at the vast outside world, her frame tiny against it. There was a feeling of loneliness about her that seemed completely at odds with her tender age.

He carefully moved up next to Ku He, placing a hand into a hole in his robe.

"I gave him that," said the little girl, her head not even turning. "Don't touch it."

Xiao En looked at the little girl with a sudden ominous glint in his eye. Ku He was definitely hiding some kind of tome of divine knowledge from the temple in his breast pocket, and he couldn't stop himself from feeling tempted. But when he thought about how the girl who had snuck out of the temple was a fairy, Xiao En immediately relinquished such thoughts.

He kneeled, completely deferential, kowtowing toward the fairy. "I am the leader of the Discipline Commission of the great Kingdom of Wei, and on His Majesty's command, we have come to hear the will of Heaven, and beseech that the immortals bestow upon us the elixir of immortality."

These were Xiao En's orders. He had not forgotten them.

At the entrance to the cave, the young girl laughed merrily at his words. After a moment, she suddenly threw a pill to Xiao En. "You have aided me, and I will grant you aid in return. That monk has already received his reward, and you shall have yours."

Xiao En caught the pill and looked at it carefully. There was nothing unusual-looking about it, but since it had been given to him by a fairy, he could only treat it with the utmost care. He took out a jade box and carefully placed the pill inside.

"Return home," said the little girl, her voice sounding far older than her years. "This is no place to stay."

Xiao En was somewhat disappointed. They had expended so much effort to find the temple, yet they had not been able to enter, and they had no idea what the immortals of the temple actually looked like.

"Thank you for your gift of this medicine, fairy."

"Do not come here again," said the young girl calmly. "And do not tell anyone where the temple is.

"If I ever learn that you have revealed the temple's location, I will kill you both." The young girl turned around, her young face utterly austere. "Do you hear me?"

Xiao En kowtowed over and over in affirmation. Although her words were cold, there was something almost amusing about this tiny little girl who seemed as if she had been sculpted from ice. But the fact that a four-year-old girl could say such things clearly showed that she was no mortal being.

Even though Xiao En was captain of the Red Riders, he still did not dare disobey her orders.

The old man had no choice but to obey.

"After Ku He awoke, the fairy forced us to swear a vow, and then we headed south," said Xiao En, recounting his memories. "As the days passed, the smile on the fairy's face grew. It seemed that she was very interested in travelling through the world of mortals. It sounds strange, I know. Every time Ku He and I looked at her tiny figure, we could get a sense of just how marvelous her powers were... immortals and mortals are different indeed, and we are but fools who understand nothing.

"Later on, there was one day when the fairy turned around to look at the snowy mountains behind us, and then she suddenly said something to herself - 'he deserves our sympathy'. I remember it very clearly, because I had never seen such a look of compassion on the face of any mortal."

Of course, Fan Xian knew that his mother was not a fairy. He presumed she probably was not particularly powerful at that time, but to be able to scare two of the world's most powerful men, she definitely had brains. But he didn't understand - exactly who was she referring to when she said "he deserves our sympathy"?

And he didn't believe in this feeling of compassion either. He couldn't help but laugh.

"You and I are but rats living in the gutter," sneered Xiao En. "How can we comprehend the beauty of the red-crowned crane that takes flight in the clouds of the highest peaks of heaven? I could not describe the look on that little fairy's face, but it is something that Ku He and I will never forget."

Fan Xian was silent.

"The next day, the fairy disappeared without a trace. I didn't know where she had gone. Her sudden disappearance in that endless snow scared Ku He and me half to death." Xiao En gasped for breath as he continued to narrate his memories. "This was the most secret expedition I had ever undertaken, and to catch sight of an immortal who was not of this world, I figured our luck was pretty good."

"Then you and Ku He returned to the Kingdom of Wei?" asked Fan Xian.

"Correct. The way back was even more perilous than the way there, but we made it back safely," said Xiao En. "I gave the fairy's pill to His Majesty. The whole business ended rather favorably."

"Don't try to trick me," said Fan Xian. "Surely you swallowed the pill yourself."

Xiao En let out a hissing laugh. "I knew I couldn't trick you."

"Does the elixir of immortality really exist?" asked Fan Xian.

"It's a temptation that no normal person can resist," sighed Xiao En. "Of course I swallowed the pill. Though my health improved, immortality was absolutely impossible. That's when I realized the fairy had tricked me."

"I believe that tricking people is that fairy's favorite thing to do," said Fan Xian, seemingly in another world, "perhaps even in her death."

"Death?" asked Xiao En. "How can a fairy die?"

Fan Xian paid no attention to him. He closed his eyes, trying to look back in his own memories, then he stood up and picked up his dagger. Now darkness surrounded them, and black clouds covered up the light of the stars and the moon. It was pitch-dark, and Xiao En could not see what he was doing.

"Why does Ku He want you dead?" Fan Xian had finally voiced his suspicions. "I don't believe that your knowledge of the temple's location could cause such trouble."

Xiao En felt that Fan Xian's question was rather odd. "Everyone knows what the temple means to the world of mortals. If such important information were to get out, there would be chaos across the land. Whether it was the young son of the Zhan family of Qi, or the sinister Emperor of Qing, they would all send their men north on pilgrimage. The world's most powerful men would not cease in their efforts to find the temple."

Fan Xian rubbed his nose. "The temple? You went, and you said that it's just a big temple. What's there to worship?"

Xiao En laughed coldly. "Ku He merely kneeled before the temple, and he became the greatest of the grandmasters. Such a temptation, for practitioners of the martial arts, is stronger than you could imagine... and you think Ku He is truly a sage? He kneeled so piously before the temple, but the moment that fairy gave him that book, he overturned everything he ever believed in and attacked. When faced with his own benefit, he is simply an evil man who is skilled at hiding his true nature.

"If you had killed me, then he would be the only person in the world who knew of the temple's location," continued Xiao En. "What does the temple really hold? Perhaps Ku He will never be able to find out, but he has already benefited from it, so why would he take the risk of letting the world's strongest people have that same chance?"

Fan Xian thought for a moment. He was right. He could understand, to some extent, why Ku He had thought of nothing else but murdering Xiao En. Perhaps he had wanted to preserve his own glory as the grandmaster of the nation, and didn't want the repulsive things that had happened on their journey north exposed. Perhaps Ku He knew that the things the temple held could bring untold danger to the world.

"So what is really inside the temple?"

Fan Xian was deep in thought. Without thinking, he traced the "do not" runes on the temple's doors in the air with his finger, gradually tracing faster and faster.

"For a thousand years, mortals have all known that the temple was not of our world. Ku He and I took great risks in searching for it. We had proof of its existence, and as long as we left the temple, the people of the temple would not come to trouble the world of mortals... Ku He now protects the Kingdom of Qi. How could he dare take the risk of offending Heaven in all its might?"

Xiao En's energy had gradually faded away. His voice became weaker and weaker, but the terror in his words would not subside. "Besides, the fairy had sworn us to secrecy. Given that Ku He claims to be the closest to Heaven that one can get, how could he dare go back on his word?"

"Do not put too much weight in the things people promise," said Fan Xian. "Did you not just tell me the location of the temple?"

"That is because I am about to die." With some difficulty, Xiao En turned his head to one side. "And you will die in this cave too."

Fan Xian let out a laugh tinged with slight regret. "I don't think so."

Chapter 243: Close Your Eyes and Be at Peace

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the silent night that fell on the ravine, looking upwards, one would not see weeds, but a thick, ink-black night that stretched all the way across the precipices on both sides. Fan Xian adjusted his clothing, binding together his ripped left trouser leg.

"That fairy's name was Ye Qingmei," he said quietly.

"Ye Qingmei?" said Xiao En, shocked. "What are you talking about? Do you mean to tell me that the young lady of the Ye family was the fairy that I met?"

When the Ye family had suddenly risen to prominence, Xiao En was still the spymaster of the Kingdom of Wei, so through his spy network, he had some knowledge of her life. Fan Xian was not surprised at all. He laughed. "Who else but the 'fairy' you speak of could turn the House of Ye into a name known all across the land in such a short time?"

"So that's what happened!" Xiao En began coughing once more. "No wonder the Kingdom of Qing could rise so quickly. They had the temple behind them."

"No," said Fan Xian. "You're dying, so I'll tell you. Ye Qingmei was the 'fairy' that you speak of. She wasn't an immortal of the temple at all... She was just like you and me. Just an ordinary person; nothing more."

Xiao En still hadn't recovered from his shock. He couldn't believe what Fan Xian was saying. Instead, he asked a question in his final moments. "...Why... did the fairy want to capture me and take me to Qing?"

He had been the spymaster of Wei at the time, so naturally he knew of the connection between the Ye family and the Overwatch Council of the Kingdom of Qing.

"At the time, the Kingdom of Qing needed you dead." He paused for a moment. "I must admit, at the time, you were a truly terrifying figure... The reason Ye Qingmei dispatched Chen Pingping to capture you alive was because when you broke through into the temple, she was finally able to come to this world."

"Then... who... are you... really?" Xiao En spluttered in between violent bouts of coughing. In the dark night, his eyes, filled with dismay, were fixed on Fan Xian like arrows.

Though he was dying, the old man's gaze was still sharp. Fan Xian couldn't help but feel slightly startled. He laughed quietly. "Me?"

There was a moment of deep silence before he finally spoke."I am Ye Qingmei's son."

Ye Qingmei's son... In this world which was so familiar and so strange, so intimate and so distant, Fan Xian had never thought he'd say those words out loud. The night grew darker, reaching the darkest moment before the dawn. In a cave with just two people in it, Fan Xian had quietly said those words.

I am Ye Qingmei's son.

For some unknown reason, as the words left his lips, he felt a sudden calm, like his heart had thrown off the weight it had been bearing, overturning the creeping vines and tendrils that covered it in an instant. At least he had found some fleeting peace in the sense of freedom that filled the night air.

Daylight came slowly.

There were not many memories left. But Xiao En spoke slowly, and as midnight came and went, Fan Xian had finally achieved his most important goal in this journey north. He looked at Xiao En. "Is there anything else you want explained?" he asked quietly.

Xiao En looked at him, a strange expression on his face. A long time passed before he finally spoke, wheezing. "You're... her son?"

Fan Xian nodded and smiled. "I don't take after my mother."

Xiao En coughed violently, letting loose a few more of the last drops of blood in his veins. He looked like he wanted to laugh and cry at once. "No wonder you know so much. No wonder you're so interested in where the temple is..." Facing death, the old men finally saw everything clearly. He gasped for breath as he spoke. "It looks like you're not stuck in this cave."

"I've made a habit of not dying." Fan Xian had already prepared everything. He came in closer to Xiao En.

Xiao En suddenly fixed his gaze intensely on Fan Xian. "If you want to live a good life, don't go to the temple," he said.

Fan Xian's face didn't change. He said nothing.

Xiao En stopped looking at him. He cast his gaze at the precipice over the ravine behind Fan Xian and frowned slightly. It seemed he was thinking about something. A moment later, he spoke, gasping for breath. "I always thought I was the kind of man who didn't fear death. All I wanted was freedom. Now death stares me in the face. And now I know that everyone fears it."

"There is no one in this world who doesn't fear death." He didn't know why, but Fan Xian looked at the dying man and slowly relaxed his left hand. "But... perhaps death is not the end. Perhaps you will find yourself in a strange new world."

That was his greatest secret. His greatest sorrow.

Xiao En gazed into the distance, his bloodshot eyes fading. "Are you really the son of a fairy... no, the son of Ye Qingmei?" He didn't wait for Fan Xian's response. "But you're so unlike her."

"You only saw her when she was four years old. How can you be so sure?"

Xiao En smiled. "Because you're nowhere near as pretty as a fairy."

Fan Xian cocked his head unthinkingly. "There's not many women in the world who are better-looking than me."

"The look in your eyes is different."

"In what way?"

Xiao En looked at him, a hint of indifference in his voice. "Now I understand. In those snowy wastelands, the fairy looked out at that vast stretch of white, and her gaze was still soft, compassionate... I've never known how to describe it. Now it seems that I can feel the darkness coming. And I can understand the emotion that was behind her gaze, and what it showed."

"What did it show?" Fan Xian's heart skipped a beat.

"A burning love for life itself." Xiao En smiled. "Although you've a clear and bright smile in your eyes, it's not the same... your mother was filled with love. Underneath... you're empty."

Fan Xian laughed. "I won't deny that."

"I've killed a lot of people in my life, so I've never held out hope for a happy ending." Xiao En would say no more on the topic. He just looked out spellbound at the daylight as it filtered through the thin mist. "If I am to die in this cave, as you say, it will make a fine tomb."

Fan Xian crouched down beside him. His left hand rested on the old man's shoulder, and he found that the flesh was already soft.

The daylight coming over the precipice was still dim, but as it scattered through the fog that covered the ravine, there was a feeling of holiness to it. The light rays shone on Xiao En's wizened face. His hands were stained with the blood of countless men, and the old spymaster had spent the last part of his life in miserable loneliness. But somehow, the light made him feel as if he were leaving it all behind.

"There aren't any date trees in Danzhou, are there?"

These were Xiao En's last words.

Fan Xian withdrew the last needle from underneath the old man's ear, then checked that he had passed. He turned his head and looked at Xiao En's body. "Though there are no date trees in Danzhou... Maybe there's a better world waiting for you after your death."

Xiao En's eyes had already softly closed. His bloodshot pupils would never look out on this strange world again.

Fan Xian exhaled, and laid Xiao En's body out flat deep in the far end of the cave. As for whether the hawks who encircled the mountain might peck at his corpse, it seemed he hadn't thought about it, so he appeared a little indifferent.

He walked out of the mouth of the cave, reaching his hands out into the air over the precipice outside. The white mountain fog moved along with the movements of his fingers, but all he could grasp at was air.

The Brocade Guard were probably still searching for traces of the two of them, or their corpses, in the valley below and the roads leading away from the area. The cliff face of the Yan Mountains was as smooth as a mirror. No one imagined that anyone could jump from the cliff edge and land safely, and they certainly never thought that someone could manage to scale the slick surface.

Fan Xian's body clung tightly to the cliff face like a poster on a wall. The thick dawn fog around him effectively hid his figure. Even if someone were directly facing the cliff edge, they would have no way of seeing the person who was scaling it like a gecko.

In Danzhou, from the age of 12 to 16, he had spent four years controlling the zhenqi outside his body. It was a very silly way to practice. But Wu Zhu had not been concerned for him. He had practiced thoroughly himself and unexpectedly saved Fan Xian from a great many scrapes later on in his life.

Crawling like a gecko, pressed up against the wall like a snake against the floor, he carefully made his ascent, his face expressionless. The ephedra pill had worn off. His zhenqi was flagging, so he dared not lose focus.

The grasses trembled slightly as a hand gripped the stone of the cliff edge. Clad in his night-walking clothes, a ghost-like figure climbed up from the ravine.

His hood covering his face, Fan Xian turned around and looked. All that was there was the ravine, completely silent, as if nothing had happened. A moment later, his heart skipped a beat. Gazing through the thick fog, he looked toward the mountain forest in the distance. There was nothing there.

But it seemed like someone had been watching him; like he could feel the physical presence of their gaze on him.

Fan Xian lowered his head slightly and turned around. He didn't think - there wasn't time to think. He pierced through the fog like an arrow clad in black, running toward the capital.

And outside the diplomatic mission compound, Gao Da's hand gripped his longsword. His eyes were as ferocious as a tiger's as he glared at the people in front of the building. The young master had not been seen for a day and a night. All the visits from the officials of Qi had been turned away but today, early in the morning, men from the Brocade Guard had come to relay a decree from the palace. They said that the young Emperor wished to speak with Fan Xian at the palace.

There were few people who knew that Fan Xian was not inside the diplomatic mission compound. Shen Zhong, Provost of the Brocade Guard, hoped that Fan Xian was not in the building, but after a whole night's search, they still had not found his body, so suspicions had been raised for Northern Qi, and it was urgent that they confirmed Fan Xian's whereabouts.

They had not expected the southerners to be so rude and unreasonable, making the excuse of Fan Xian's drunkenness to prevent Northern Qi officials from entering the building. Tempers were about to flare, and at that moment, there was a rustling sound from the street.

It was not the sound of street-sweepers, but the sound of footsteps. The people of Northern Qi were overjoyed.