Chapter 47 Deception—Part Two
Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter took a while to read. My life has been pretty busy, and it also happens to be the longest GDC chapter you’ve ever read. Even though spring break is finally here, it’s been a bit difficult for me to translate as much as I’d like, since I’ll be busy traveling around the United States for university visits and all the freshman year shenanigans. The most important final exams of high school are also just around the corner. So, since I assume you’ll all want to get through these chapters as quickly as possible, here are some suggestions…
Good ways to help produce chapters: be nice in the comments, read the info and FAQ pages before asking questions, wait patiently, PM me if I’m really taking too long.
Bad ways to help generate chapters: writing spoilers in the comments, asking questions that can easily be answered by the ExR website, spamming comments
Done! Despite my busy schedule, I’ll still try my best to finish it by the end of August (and maybe even read the author’s fourth novel). Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this 9,500-word chapter!
The time for the Discussion Conference at Carp Tower arrived in the blink of an eye.
Most prominent sects’ residences are built in scenic areas, but the LanlingJin Sect’s Goldfish Tower is located in the most prosperous part of Lanling City. The main road leading to the tower is a carriage path over half a mile long. This path is only opened for important occasions such as banquets or Discussion Conferences. According to LanlingJin Sect rules, one is not allowed to walk fast here. Both sides of the path are lined with murals and reliefs, telling the stories of the Jin Clan leaders and other prominent cultivators. During the journey, LanlingJin Sect disciples will act as guides as they drive the carriages.
Of all the scenes, the four most famous pieces about the current sect leader—Jin GuangYao—were “revealing,” “assassination,” “oathing,” and “good saving.” Naturally, these scenes showed how, during the Sunshot Campaign, Jin GuangYao hid in the QishanWen Sect and reported crucial information, assassinated the Wen Sect leader, Wen RuoHan, became sworn brothers with the rest of the Honorable Triad, and rose to the position of Chief Cultivator. The painter was quite adept at depicting people’s expressions. Although nothing seemed special at first glance, a closer look would reveal that even as his figure committed murder, his cheeks dripping with blood, Jin GuangYao still had a slight smile on his face. People could feel their hairs standing on end as they watched.
Right after that were Jin ZiXuan’s murals. Typically, to demonstrate their absolute power, sect leaders would deliberately reduce the number of murals for cultivators of their generation or perhaps switch to lesser artists to avoid losing their prestige. Everyone silently approved of these actions, demonstrating their understanding. However, Jin ZiXuan also had four murals, which were surprisingly on par with Jin GuangYao’s. The handsome man in the paintings exuded both pride and vigor.
Jumping off the carriage, Wei WuXian stopped in front of the mural and stared at it for a moment. Lan WangJi also stopped, waiting for him.
From a distance, a disciple called out, “Lan Sect of Gusu, please come in here.”
Lan WangJi, “Let’s go.”
Wei WuXian didn’t answer. The two of them walked together.
After climbing the stairs to the Goldfish Tower, there was a large, bustling, brick-lined square. The LanlingJin Sect had probably been expanded and renovated over the past few years. The opulence was far greater than anything Wei WuXian had ever seen at that time. On the opposite side of the square, there was a ruyi-style marble pedestal standing on nine steps . On top of the pedestal, there was a magnificent palace complete with a gabled and hipped roof overlooking the Snow Splash Sea.
“Sparks Amidst Snow” is the symbol of the LanlingJin Clan, a type of exquisite white peony. Not only is the flower beautiful, but its name is also beautiful. It has two layers of petals, with the larger outer petals growing in tiers, forming swirling waves of snow. The smaller inner petals are thin and delicate, embracing strands of golden stamens as if they were stars. If a single flower is so exquisite, how could one possibly describe the splendor of thousands blooming at once?
Several paths stretched out in front of the square. Sects entered without interruption, but in an organized manner.
“Sect Master Su of Moling, please come in here.”
“Sect Nie of Qinghe, please come in here.”
“Jiang Sect of Yunmeng, please come in here.”
As soon as he appeared, Jiang Cheng glanced at them sharply. As he walked over, he spoke in an indifferent tone, “ZeWu-Jun. HanGuang-Jun.”
Lan XiChen nodded as well, “Sect Leader Jiang.”
The two of them seemed preoccupied. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Jiang Cheng asked, “HanGuang-Jun, I’ve never seen you at the Goldfish Tower Discussion Conference before. Why are you suddenly interested?”
Neither Lan XiChen nor Lan WangJi answered. Fortunately, Jiang Cheng hadn’t intended to make this a serious question from the start. He had already turned to Wei WuXian, speaking as if he would spit out a sword and stab him at any moment, “If I remember correctly, don’t you two ever bring unnecessary people with you when you travel? What’s the situation this time? Occasionally? Now, who is this famous cultivator? Could someone introduce him to me?”
Suddenly, a smiling voice appeared, “Big Brother, why didn’t you tell me earlier that WangJi would also come?”
The owner of Carp Tower—LianFang-Zun, Jin GuangYao—personally came to greet them.
Lan XiChen smiled back, while Lan WangJi nodded. Wei WuXian, on the other hand, carefully observed the leaders of all the sects.
Jin GuangYao was born with a rather auspicious face. His skin was fair, and there was a bright red mark on his forehead. His pupils were clearly visible in the whites of his eyes, appearing lively yet not frivolous. His face was clean, charming yet astute. The smile that always played at the corners of his lips and brows immediately revealed his intelligent character. Such a face was enough to captivate women, yet it wouldn’t arouse the wariness or hatred of men; the elderly would find him cute, while the young would find him amiable. Even if someone didn’t like him, they certainly wouldn’t hate him either, which was why his face was “auspicious.” Although his stature was somewhat small, his calm demeanor more than made up for it. Wearing a black gauze hat , he wore the official uniform of the LanlingJin Sect, the emblem of Sparks Amidst Snow blooming on the front of his round-collared robes. With a nine-ring belt around his waist, Liuhe boots on his feet, and his right hand pressing on the hilt of the sword hanging at his side, he exuded a powerful aura of toughness.
Jin Ling followed Jin GuangYao here. He still didn’t dare to meet Jiang Cheng alone. Hiding behind Jin GuangYao, he muttered, “Uncle.”
Jiang Cheng replied rudely, “So you still know that I am your uncle!”
Jin Ling quickly tugged at the back of Jin GuangYao’s robes. Jin GuangYao looked as if he was destined to resolve the conflict. “Now, Sect Leader Jiang, A-Ling has long since realized her mistake. These past few days, she’s been so afraid of you punishing her that she’s barely eating. Children are known for being troublemakers. I know you love her very much. Don’t bother her too much.”
Jin Ling hurriedly said, “Yes, yes. Uncle can attest to it. My appetite has been poor lately!”
Jiang Cheng, “You have a bad appetite? Seeing your good complexion, I guess you don’t miss meals very often!”
Just as Jin Ling was about to speak again, he glanced behind Lan WangJi and finally saw Wei WuXian. Startled for a moment, he exclaimed, “Why are you here?!”
Wei WuXian, “To get free food.”
Jin Ling was a little angry, “How dare you still come?! Didn’t I warn you…”
Jin GuangYao patted Jin Ling’s head, pushed him back, and smiled, “Why not? You’re our guest since you came. I don’t know about the others, but Carp Tower definitely has enough food.” He turned to Lan XiChen, “Brother, please sit down first. I’ll go check over there and take care of WangJi too.”
Lan XiChen nodded, “No need to bother.”
Jin GuangYao, “How is this troublesome? Brother, you don’t need to be so polite now that you’re in my house. Seriously.”
Jin GuangYao was able to memorize a person’s name, title, age, and appearance after just one meeting. Even after several years, he could still greet them without error, often even carrying on a thoughtful conversation. If he met someone more than twice, he would memorize all their likes and dislikes, thus being able to cater to their needs. This time, because Lan WangJi had come to the Goldfish Tower unannounced, Jin GuangYao hadn’t reserved a table. He was on his way to make a reservation.
After entering the Hall of Glamour, the guests walked along a soft red carpet. Beside sandalwood tables on either side of the carpet stood fair-faced court ladies, adorned with hoop earrings and jade, each with a sincere smile. With ample bosoms and slender waists, even their figures were similar, looking harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Wei WuXian could never resist taking a few extra glances when encountering beautiful women. After sitting down, he smiled at her as the court lady poured him liquor, “Thank you.”
However, as if surprised, the woman glanced at him briefly, but immediately blinked and looked away. Wei WuXian found it strange at first. However, he quickly understood when he looked around. As he suspected, this wasn’t the only pair of strange eyes. More than half of the Lanlingjin Sect disciples had strange expressions on their faces as they stared at him.
He had forgotten that this was the Goldfish Tower, the place where Mo XuanYu had molested someone from his own sect and been expelled. Who would have thought he would return so ostentatiously, seemingly shameless. He even managed to occupy a high position alongside the Two Jade Lans…
Wei WuXian bergeser ke sisi Lan WangJi, “HanGuang-Jun, HanGuang-Jun.”
Lan WangJi, “Ya?”
Wei WuXian, “Please don’t leave me. There are probably a lot of people here who know about Mo XuanYu. If anyone wants to talk about that good old time with me, I’ll just have to keep messing around and talking nonsense. Don’t mind if I lose face.”
Lan WangJi looked at him and replied in a lukewarm tone, “As long as you don’t provoke others on purpose.”
At this moment, Jin GuangYao, wearing a luxurious robe, strode into the room. Although the woman looked quite dignified, a hint of innocence emanated from her expression. Even her graceful face seemed somewhat childish. She was Jin GuangYao’s official wife, the mistress of the Goldfish Tower— Qin Su .
The two of them had become the epitome of a loving couple in the cultivation world over the years, respecting each other. Everyone knew that Qin Su was born into the LaolingQin Sect, a branch clan of the LanlingJin Sect. Qin CangYe, the leader of the LaolingQin Sect, happened to be a subordinate who had followed Jin GuangShan for many years. Although Jin GuangYao was Jin GuangShan’s son, the two were initially incompatible due to his mother’s status. However, during the Sunshot Campaign, Qin Su was rescued by Jin GuangYao. She fell in love with him and never gave up, insisting on becoming his wife. In the end, their romance finally ended. Jin GuangYao did not disappoint her either. Despite holding the important position of Chief Cultivator, his behavior was very different from his father’s. He never took a concubine, let alone engaged in a relationship with another woman. This indeed envied many of the sect leaders’ wives.
Wei WuXian silently agreed with the rumors as he stared at Jin GuangYao’s hand that was holding Qin Su’s. Jin GuangYao’s expression was full of concern and affection, as if he was even worried that Qin Su might accidentally trip on the jade steps.
After the two of them sat at the front table, the banquet officially began. Sitting at the higher-ranking table was Jin Ling. When his eyes landed on Wei WuXian, they immediately shot glares. Wei WuXian had always been accustomed to being watched. The entire time, he pretended nothing was happening, eating and drinking in between toasts and small talk in the Hall of Glamor. The atmosphere was quite lively.
Night had fallen by the time the banquet ended. The official Discussion Forum would begin the next morning. In groups of twos and threes, the crowd slowly left the hall, making their way to the guest rooms the disciples had indicated. Seeing that Lan XiChen seemed somewhat absent-minded, Jin GuangYao seemed about to ask what was wrong. However, just as he approached and called out, “Brother,” someone else dropped down and wailed, “Brother!!!”
Jin GuangYao almost backed away from the troops. He hurriedly adjusted his hat with one hand. “HuaiSang, what’s wrong? Let’s calm down first.”
Such an unworthy sect leader would have to be the Qinghe Sect’s Head Shaker Nie. And, of course, the drunk Head Shaker Nie was even more unworthy. With a flushed face, Nie HuaiSang refused to let go, “Oh, Brother!! What should I do?! Can you help me again? I promise this is the last time!!!”
Jin GuangYao, “Wasn’t the situation last time already handled by the people I found?”
Nie HuaiSang cried, “The last situation is over, but this time there’s a new one! Big Brother, what should I do?! I don’t want to live anymore!”
Seeing how difficult it was to explain, Jin GuangYao could only turn to Qin Su, “A-Su, you can go back first. HuaiSang, let’s find a place to sit. There’s no need to rush…”
She started walking out with Nie HuaiSang leaning against her. When Lan XiChen came to see what was happening, he too was dragged away by the drunk Nie HuaiSang.
Qin Su saluted Lan WangJi, “HanGuang-Jun, I suppose it’s been a long time since you came to Lanling for a Discussion Conference. I apologize if the welcome was less than satisfactory.”
Her voice was gentle, truly fitting for such a sweet beauty. Lan WangJi nodded in response. Qin Su’s gaze then fell on Wei WuXian. After a moment of hesitation, she whispered, “Then, if you’ll excuse me.” After that, she left with her maidservant.
Wei WuXian pondered, “The way everyone in the Goldfish Tower is looking at me is really strange. What exactly is Mo XuanYu doing? Showing his love in public while naked? What’s so special about that? The people of the LanlingJin Sect really didn’t see anything.”
Lan WangJi shook his head at Wei WuXian’s nonsense. Wei WuXian continued, “I’ll ask someone. HanGuang-Jun, keep an eye on Jiang Cheng for me. It’s best if he doesn’t come looking for me. If he does, help me hold him off for a while, okay?”
Lan WangJi, “Don’t go too far.”
Wei WuXian, “Okay. If I go far, we’ll meet in our room tonight.”
Her eyes scanned the entire Hall of Glamor, but she couldn’t find the person she was looking for. Raising an eyebrow, she continued her search after leaving Lan WangJi. As she passed a small pavilion, someone suddenly appeared from the rock garden beside it. “Hey!”
Wei WuXian thought to himself, Ha! Found him. He turned around and spoke weakly, “What do you mean ‘hey’? How rude. Aren’t we all affectionate when we’re apart? We meet again, and you’re still as heartless as ever. Now I’m sad.”
Jin Ling felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, “Shut up now! Who’s being all lovey-dovey with you?! Didn’t I warn you not to mess with our sect’s people? Why did you come back?!”
Wei WuXian, “To be honest, I’ve always followed HanGuang-Jun closely. I almost made him take a rope and tie me to his body. Where did you see me bothering your sect’s people? Your uncle? He’s the one who bothered me, okay?”
Jin Ling was furious, “Go away! My uncle is just suspicious of you! Stop talking nonsense. Don’t think I don’t know that you haven’t given up and still want to…”
Suddenly, several shouts rang out from around them. About half a dozen boys in LanlingJin Sect uniforms jumped out from the garden. Jin Ling immediately stopped talking.
The boys slowly approached them. Leading the group was a boy about Jin Ling’s age, but much larger. “I thought I was mistaken. It’s him.”
Wei WuXian pointed at himself, “Me?”
The boy, “Who else but you?! Mo XuanYu, do you still have the face to come back?”
Jin Ling frowned, “Jin Chan, why did you come? This is none of your business.”
Wei WuXian, I see. He’s probably one of the children from Jin Ling’s generation. And, come to think of it, they were a group of children who weren’t on good terms with Jin Ling.
Jin Chan, “It’s none of my business, but is it any of yours? Why do you care about me?”
As he spoke, three or four boys had already come over, as if to restrain Wei WuXian. With a sideways step, Jin Ling stood in front of Wei WuXian, “Don’t mess around!”
Jin Chan, “Playing around? What’s wrong with teaching a lesson to our indecent sect disciples?”
Jin Ling snorted, “Wake up! He was expelled a long time ago! He’s not a disciple of our sect, no matter how you look at it.”
Jin Chan, “Then what?”
The “so what” sounded so certain that Wei WuXian was taken aback. Jin Ling replied, “So what? Did you forget who he came with today? You want to teach him a lesson? Why don’t you ask HanGuang-Jun first?”
Hearing the name “HanGuang-Jun,” all the boys looked nervous. Even if Lan WangJi wasn’t present, no one would dare say they weren’t afraid of HanGuang-Jun at all. After a moment of silence, Jin Chan replied, “Ha, Jin Ling, didn’t you hate him back then? Why is it so different today?”
Jin Ling, “Why do you talk so much? Does it matter whether I hate him or not?”
Jin Chan, “He shamelessly abused LianFang-Zun, and you still speak in his favor?”
Wei WuXian felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
Who is he harassing? LianFang-Zun? Who is LianFang-Zun again? Jin GuangYao?
He couldn’t believe it—the person Mo XuanYu was bullying was LianFang-Zun, Jin GuangYao!
On the other hand, as he was trying to get over his shock, after Jin Chan and Jin Ling exchanged a few more words, they somehow reached the point of wanting to fight. Neither of them had viewed each other in a good light from the start. The fuse was immediately lit. Jin Ling asserted, “If you want to fight, then let’s fight. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
One of the boys shouted, “Why not? He was just going to call the dog to help him!”
Jin Ling heard this just as he was about to whistle. He gritted his teeth and roared, “I could beat you up even if I didn’t summon the Fairy!!!”
Despite his confident tone, two fists were no match for four hands. Once he started fighting, it was clear that his abilities were starting to decline. He seemed increasingly overwhelmed the closer he got to Wei WuXian.
Jin Ling seethed when he saw Wei WuXian still standing in the same spot, “Why are you still standing there?!”
Wei WuXian suddenly grabbed his hand. Before Jin Ling could scream, he felt an incredibly strong pressure pressing down on his wrist. He couldn’t stop himself from falling to the ground. Angrily, he shouted, “Do you want to die?!”
As he put down Jin Ling, who had been protecting him, Jin Chan and the others were shocked. However, Wei WuXian asked, “Did you succeed?”
Jin Ling was also surprised, “What?”
Wei WuXian turned his hand over again, “Do you understand?”
Feeling the pain that radiated from his wrist to his entire body, Jin Ling cried again. However, before his eyes, he remembered Wei WuXian’s swift and smooth movements. Wei WuXian spoke once more, “One more time. Watch carefully.”
One of the boys happened to rush over. With one hand behind his back, Wei WuXian used the other to grab the boy’s wrist. He knocked him to the ground in the blink of an eye. This time, Jin Ling saw what was happening. The pain in his wrist also told him which acupuncture point he should target to channel his spiritual energy. He jumped to his feet, looking excited, “Yes!”
The situation immediately turned around. Soon, the boys’ frustrated cries could be heard throughout the park. Finally, Jin Chan grumbled, “Jin Ling, just you wait!”
A series of curses followed as the boys fled in defeat. Jin Ling, on the other hand, burst out laughing behind them. When his laughter finally subsided, Wei WuXian spoke up, “Look how happy you are. Your first win?”
Jin Ling spat, “I always win in one-on-one fights. But Jin Chan always calls in a bunch of helpers. He has no face.”
Wei WuXian was about to say that he could also find a group of people to help him. A fight didn’t have to be one-on-one. Sometimes, the number of people in a group could be the difference between life and death. However, he realized that he always saw Jin Ling going alone, without any disciples of the same age from the sect following him. Jin Ling most likely had no other choice but to help, so he decided not to say anything.
Jin Ling, “Hey, how did you learn that move?”
Wei WuXian threw the responsibility onto Lan WangJi’s shoulders without showing a trace of shame, “HanGuang-Jun taught me.”
Jin Ling didn’t doubt it at all. After all, he had already seen Lan WangJi’s forehead ribbon tied around Wei WuXian’s hand. He simply muttered, “He even taught you these things?”
Wei WuXian, “Of course he did. But it’s just a little trick. This is your first time using it, and they haven’t seen it yet, so it’s a good thing. They’ll figure it out if you use it too often. Next time, it won’t be so easy. How about it? Do you want to learn a few more moves from me?”
Jin Ling glanced at him and couldn’t help but retort, “Why are you like this? My younger uncle always tells me not to, but you’re just provoking me.”
Wei WuXian, “Advise you? Fight against what? Don’t fight and get along well with others?”
Jin Ling, “Enough.”
Wei WuXian, “Don’t listen to him. Let me tell you—when you grow up, you’ll realize that there are more and more people you want to beat up, but you have to force yourself to get along with them well. So, since you’re still young, go beat up everyone you want. At that age, if you don’t fight properly, your life won’t be complete.”
Jin Ling’s face showed a faint longing, but his tone remained contemptuous, “What are you talking about? Uncle’s advice is for my own good.”
After speaking, he suddenly remembered that Mo XuanYu had always regarded Jin GuangYao as a god in the past. He definitely wouldn’t oppose Jin GuangYao in anything. Yet, now, he was saying, “Don’t listen to him.” Did he really no longer have any ill thoughts towards Jin GuangYao?
Seeing her expression, Wei WuXian could guess what she was thinking. He answered without hesitation, “It seems I can’t hide it from you any longer. It’s true. I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
Jin Ling, “…”
Wei WuXian’s face was as dynamic as his tone, “During the days I was gone, I thought about it seriously and finally decided that LianFang-Zun was neither my type nor someone suitable for me.”
Jin Ling stepped back.
Wei WuXian, “In the past, I couldn’t understand my own heart, but after meeting HanGuang-Jun, I was certain.” He took a deep breath, “I can’t bear to leave him anymore. I don’t want anyone but HanGuang-Jun… Wait, why did you run away? I’m not done yet! Jin Ling, Jin Ling!”
Jin Ling turned and ran in the opposite direction. Wei WuXian shouted a few times from behind him, but he didn’t even turn around. He was somewhat proud of that, thinking to himself that this time Jin Ling definitely wouldn’t continue to doubt that he was harboring inappropriate thoughts about Jin GuangYao. However, as he turned around, he saw a snow-white figure standing under the moonlight, his robes whiter than frost. About thirty feet away, Lan WangJi was staring straight at him, looking as calm as ever.
Wei WuXian, “…”
If this were the days when he had just recovered, he could have said things ten times more embarrassing than what he had just done in front of Lan WangJi. However, now, as Lan WangJi looked at him, he felt a tinge of shame, a shame he had never felt in his two lifetimes.
Wei WuXian quickly suppressed the rare embarrassment he felt. Walking over, he spoke as naturally as possible, “HanGuang-Jun, you’re here! Did you know? Mo XuanYu was kicked out of Goldfish Tower for harassing Jin GuangYao. So that’s why everyone’s looking at me so strangely!”
Lan WangJi didn’t say anything. He simply turned around and walked beside him. Wei WuXian continued, “Neither you nor ZeWu-Jun know about this. You don’t even know who Mo XuanYu is. It seems like the LanlingJin Sect is keeping everything a secret. Well, this explains why. After all, Mo XuanYu has the blood of the sect leader. If Jin GuangShan truly didn’t want such a son, he would never have accepted him back. If it were as simple as harassing someone from the same sect, he would have gotten away with a few scoldings. It wouldn’t be enough to get him expelled. But if the one he harassed was Jin GuangYao, the situation would be a bit different. This isn’t just LianFang-Zun, but also Mo XuanYu’s half-brother. Truly…”
What a scandal. This matter must be thoroughly investigated. Of course, LianFang-Zun couldn’t do anything about it, so they could only expel Mo XuanYu.
Wei WuXian remembered that earlier, when they met in the plaza, Jin GuangYao had acted as if nothing had happened. His polite manner of speaking made it seem as if he didn’t know Mo XuanYu. Wei WuXian couldn’t help but admire his skill. Jin Ling, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his disdain at all. The reason he felt disgusted with Mo XuanYu wasn’t just because he was annoying, but also likely because the person Mo XuanYu had bullied was his own uncle.
Thinking of JingYi, Wei WuXian sighed silently. Lan WangJi asked, “What’s wrong?”
Wei WuXian, “HanGuang-Jun, have you noticed that Jin Ling is always alone whenever he goes night hunting? Don’t tell me Jiang Cheng always accompanies him. His own uncle doesn’t count. He’s already around fifteen, but no one his age follows him. When we were little…” Lan WangJi’s eyebrows slightly raised. Seeing this, Wei WuXian immediately changed his words, “Okay. Me. Just me. When I was little, wasn’t I like this?”
Lan WangJi replied indifferently, “That’s you. Not everyone is like you.”
Wei WuXian, “But all children like crowded places, right? HanGuang-Jun, do you really think Jin Ling is a loner and doesn’t have any friends in his own sect? I don’t know about the YunmengJiang Sect, but I don’t think any of the Jin Sect juniors like to play with him. He just got into a fight a while ago. Don’t tell me Jin GuangYao doesn’t have a son or daughter, or anyone his age, that he’s close to.”
Lan WangJi, “Jin GuangYao once had a son. His life was taken at a young age.”
Wei WuXian wondered, “He’s the young master of the Goldfish Tower. How could his life be taken away?”
Lan WangJi, “Watchtower.”
Wei WuXian, “And why is that?”
Back then, in order to build the watchtower, Jin GuangYao not only faced numerous opponents, but also incurred the displeasure of several sects. One of the opposing sect leaders lost a debate and, enraged, killed Jin GuangYao and Qin Su’s only son. The son had always been a good child, and the couple had always doted on him. Filled with resentment, Jin GuangYao destroyed the entire sect in revenge. However, Qin Su was overcome with grief. She was unable to have any more children from then on.
After a moment of silence, he replied, “With Jin Ling’s temperament, he always offends others every time he opens his mouth, he always stirs up a hornet’s nest every time he raises his hand. JingYi from your sect calls her Young Lady—well, he’s right. Many times before, if it weren’t for how we protected her, she would have already lost her life. Jiang Cheng simply isn’t someone who knows how to teach children. Jin GuangYao, on the other hand…”
Remembering why they came to the Goldfish Tower, Wei WuXian’s head ached again. He pressed his fingers to his temples. Lan WangJi, on the other hand, looked at him calmly. Although he didn’t offer any words of comfort, he always listened, answering every question. Wei WuXian sighed, “Forget it. Let’s go back inside first.”
The two returned to the guest quarters the LanlingJin Sect had provided for them. The room was quite spacious and ornate. A set of exquisite liquor cups made of fine white porcelain had even been placed on the table. Wei WuXian sat to the side and began to admire the set. He only stopped when it was already late at night.
Rummaging through the drawers, he found a pair of scissors and a stack of paper. With just a few strokes, he created a paper human. The paper human, with a round head and incredibly long arms that resembled butterfly wings, was only as tall as an adult’s finger. Wei WuXian picked up a brush from the table and drew a few strokes. He threw the brush aside, took a swig of liquor from his glass, and then lay down on the bed. On the other side, the paper human suddenly moved. With a few shakes, its wide sleeves lifted its weightless body into the air, as if it had wings. It floated up and landed on the tip of Lan WangJi’s shoulder.
Lan WangJi turned his head to the side, to his shoulder. The paper man had flopped onto his cheek. He climbed up, reaching his forehead ribbon, and tugged at it, as if it were his favorite thing in the world. Lan WangJi let the paper man wriggle on the ribbon for a while. Just as he reached out to pull it down, the paper man slid down as fast as he could. Whether intentionally or not, his head bumped once against Lan WangJi’s lips.
Lan WangJi’s movements paused for a moment. With two fingers, he finally caught it, “Don’t mess around.”
Gently, the paper man rolled the body over his slender fingers.
Lan WangJi, “You must be careful.”
The paperboy nodded and flapped his wings. Holding on tightly to the ground, he climbed through the crack in the door and slipped out of the guest room.
The Goldfish Tower was heavily guarded. Of course, a large, living human wouldn’t be able to travel freely. Fortunately, Wei WuXian had learned a certain technique of the black arts—paper metamorphosis.
While certainly beneficial, it also has a number of limitations. Not only is its lifespan extremely limited, but the paperman must also be restored to its original state upon release. Not even a single scratch must be present. If, during its journey, the paper is torn or damaged, the soul will suffer the same level of harm—ranging from unconsciousness for a year to lifelong insanity. Therefore, one must be extremely careful.
Wei WuXian possessed the body of a paper human. Sometimes, he clung to the hem of a cultivator’s robe. Other times, he flattened himself to fit through closed doors. Sometimes, he opened his sleeves and stared at the ground, pretending to be a piece of scrap paper, a butterfly dancing in the night sky. Suddenly, still floating in the air, he heard faint cries from below. Looking up, he saw one of Jin GuangYao’s residences, Blooming Garden.
Wei WuXian flew under the eaves and saw three figures sitting in the living room. With Lan XiChen in one arm and Jin GuangYao in the other, Nie HuaiSang was crying drunkenly, complaining about unknown things. Behind the living room was a study. Seeing no one inside, Wei WuXian went in to take a look. Red-annotated design sketches covered the entire table. On the wall were four landscapes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. At first, Wei WuXian had no intention of paying attention to them. However, after glancing at them, he couldn’t help but praise the painter’s skill. Both the colors and the brushstrokes were soft, yet the landscapes seemed vast. Although only one landscape was depicted on each piece of paper, it felt like thousands of miles stretched from it. Wei WuXian thought to himself that his skills were almost on par with Lan XiChen’s, and couldn’t help but look at them a few more times. Only then did he realize that the painter of the four landscapes was indeed Lan XiChen.
Flying out of the Blossom Garden, Wei WuXian could see a magnificent five-spire palace in the distance. The roof was covered with gleaming glazed tiles. Outside the palace stood thirty-two golden pillars. The sight was truly breathtaking. This was probably one of the most heavily guarded areas in the Goldfish Tower: the bedrooms of each leader of the LanlingJin Sect, the Fragrant Palace.
Besides the cultivators in Snow Spark robes, Wei WuXian could also sense formations being solidified in the upper and lower halls of the palace. He flew to the base of a pillar also carved with peonies and rested for a moment. He only slipped through the crack in the door after a few grunts.
Compared to the Blossom Garden, the Fragrant Palace was a classic example of the Goldfish Tower. With its lavish ornamentation, it almost seemed majestic. Inside, layers of gauze curtains cascaded to the ground. Incense burners shaped like beasts sat atop their stands, wafting aromatic smoke. Amidst the opulence, there was a sweet yet languid sense of decadence.
Jin GuangYao was with Lan XiChen and Nie HuaiSang in the Blossoming Garden, which meant the Fragrant Palace was empty, allowing Wei WuXian to inspect the area. The paperman flew around the palace, searching for suspicious spots. Suddenly, Wei WuXian spotted an agate paperweight on the table. An envelope lay beneath the paperweight.
The envelope had been opened. There was no name written on it, not even a symbol. However, judging by its thickness, it was clearly not empty. Flapping his sleeves, he landed on the table, wanting to see what was inside. However, even as he tried to pull it out, with his “hand” holding the edge, the envelope remained still.
His body was now just a sheet of paper, almost weightless. He couldn’t do anything to move the heavy paperweight.
WuXian, the Paper Man, walked around the agate paperweight a few more times. He pushed, kicked, jumped, and leaped, but the paperweight remained motionless. Unable to do anything else, he could only give up and go check for any other suspicious spots. Suddenly, a side door of the palace opened slightly.
Worried, Wei WuXian stepped away from the table, remaining motionless in the corner.
It was Qin Su who entered. Wei WuXian finally realized that it wasn’t the palace that was empty, but rather Qin Su, who was silent in her room.
The presence of the mistress of the Goldfish Tower in the Fragrant Palace was nothing unusual. However, right now, she looked as abnormal as could be. Her face was as pale as snow, her blood drained. Her body was also on the verge of collapsing. She looked as if she had just received a major shock, as if she had just woken up from a faint and was about to faint again.
Wei WuXian thought to himself, What happened? His face had clearly looked great when he was in the banquet hall a while ago.
Leaning against the door, Qin Su stood frozen for a moment before finally finding her way, her hand on the wall. Staring at the letter beneath the agate paperweight, she reached out, as if wanting to grab it, but kept pulling her hand back. Under the light of the campfire, Wei WuXian could see the distinct quiver of her lips. Her graceful features could almost be described as twisted.
Suddenly, he screamed, snatched the envelope, and threw it to the ground. His other hand spasmed as it dug into the front of his robes. Wei WuXian’s eyes lit up, but he resisted the urge to run over. If only Qin Su saw him, he could handle it, but not if Qin Su screamed and brought someone else. His soul would be affected if the paper received even the slightest damage.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the palace, “A-Su, what are you doing?”
Qin Su’s head spun. A familiar figure stood a few steps behind her. No different than usual, that familiar face was smiling at her.
He immediately dove to the ground, grabbing the letter. Wei WuXian could only cling to the corner and watch as the letter moved out of his sight again. Jin GuangYao seemed to step forward, “What’s in your hand?”
His tone remained as friendly as ever, as if he were completely oblivious to the strange letter in Qin Su’s hand or the change in her expression. It sounded like he was simply asking a trivial question. Still clutching the letter, Qin Su didn’t answer. Jin GuangYao asked again, “You don’t look well. What’s wrong?”
His voice was full of concern. Qin Su picked up the letter and spoke tremblingly, “…I met someone.”
Jin GuangYao, “Siapa?”
Qin Su looked as if she didn’t hear him, “This person told me some things, and gave me this letter.”
Jin GuangYao couldn’t help but laugh, “Who did you meet? Are you just going to believe everything people say?”
Qin Su, “That can’t be a lie. Of course not.”
Wei WuXian also thought, Who is this? He didn’t even know if the person was a man or a woman.
Qin Su, “Is everything written here true?”
Jin GuangYao, “A-Su, if you don’t let me see the letter, how am I supposed to know what’s in it?”
Qin Su showed him the letter, “Okay. Read it!”
In order to get a clearer look at the letter, Jin GuangYao stepped forward. With the letter in Qin Su’s hand, he quickly scanned it. Her expression didn’t change at all. Not even a shadow obscured her face. However, Qin Su was almost screaming, “Talk to me, talk to me! Tell me that none of this is true! It’s all a lie!”
Jin GuangYao replied confidently, “None of this is true. It’s all lies. It’s utter nonsense, a false accusation.”
Qin Su burst into tears, “You’re lying! Things have gotten this bad and you’re still lying to me—ah, I don’t believe it!”
Jin GuangYao sighed, “A-Su, you were the one who told me to say it. Now that I’ve said it, you refuse to believe me. This is quite disturbing.”
Qin Su threw the letter to the ground and covered her face, “Oh my God! Oh my God, oh my God! You, you are really… You are really scary! How could you… How could you?!”
Unable to continue speaking, he retreated to the side, his hands still covering his face. Holding onto the pillar, he suddenly began to vomit.
He gasped for breath as if he wanted to vomit. Seeing such a violent reaction, Wei WuXian was shocked speechless. He might as well have vomited on the inside. What exactly was written in the letter? Jin GuangYao killed someone and dismembered them? But everyone knew that Jin GuangYao had killed many people during the Sunshot Campaign. There were many lives at the hands of his father, too. Could it be because of Mo XuanYu? No, it was impossible for Jin GuangYao to have feelings for Mo XuanYu. Most likely, Mo XuanYu being expelled from Carp Tower was his doing. In any case, his reaction wouldn’t be so extreme that he would be disgusted to the point of vomiting. Although he didn’t know Qin Su, they had met several times in the past, both being descendants of prominent clans. Qin Su was Qin CangYe’s beloved daughter. Her personality was naive, but she had lived a comfortable life and been taught good manners. She would never act in such a crazy and violent manner. It simply didn’t make sense.
Hearing the sound it made, Jin GuangYao bent down silently and picked up the pieces of paper scattered on the ground. Raising his hand, he dipped it into the nine-branched lotus candlestick, and let it burn slowly.
Watching the ashes fall to the ground bit by bit, he spoke in a somewhat sad tone, “A-Su, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. We’ve always respected each other in peaceful harmony. As a husband, I want to feel like I’m treating you well. The fact that you’re acting like this really hurts my feelings.”
Qin Su had nothing left to say. She whimpered on the ground, “You treat me well… You do treat me well… But I… I would rather never have met you! No wonder you never… since… since then… You did something like that—why don’t you just kill me?!”
Jin GuangYao, “A-Su, weren’t we living just fine before you found out? You only felt uncomfortable and started vomiting today, after you found out. We can see that this is nothing. It won’t harm you physically. Your mind is the only one doing all this.”
Qin Su shook her head, her face pale, “… Tell me the truth. A-Song… How did A-Song die?”
Who is A-Song?
Jin GuangYao was shocked, “A-Song? Why are you asking me this? Didn’t you already know about this? A-Song was killed. I already destroyed the person who killed him as revenge. Why are you suddenly mentioning this?”
Qin Su, “I did know. But now, I’m starting to think that everything I knew was a lie.”
Jin GuangYao’s face began to show fatigue, “A-Su, what are you thinking? A-Song is my son. What do you think I’ll do? You’d rather believe someone who’s been hiding all this time, a letter from an unknown person, than believe me?”
Qin Su grabbed her hair and screamed, “You’re scary precisely because he’s your son! What did I think you were going to do? You can even do something like this, so what can’t you do?! And now you still want me to believe you? Oh my God!”
Jin GuangYao, “Don’t think anything of it. Tell me—who did you meet today? Who gave you the letter?”
Qin Su held her hair, “What… What are you going to do?”
Jin GuangYao, “If that person can tell you, then he can tell others. If he can write one letter, then he can write a second, a third, and so on. What are you planning to do? Let something like that leak out? A-Su, I beg of you. Please, regardless of what feelings exist between us, tell me where the people mentioned in that letter are. Who told you to go back and read that letter?”
Who was it? Wei WuXian also wanted to hear Qin Su say who it was. Someone who could get close to the Head Cultivator’s wife and gain her trust, someone who could reveal Jin GuangYao’s secret. The letter couldn’t be as simple as murder. It could disgust or frighten Qin Su to the point of vomiting, and it remained unspoken even when they were alone. During the interrogation, they still spoke vaguely, not daring to be frank. However, if Qin Su really decided to be honest and tell who gave her the letter, then she would truly be a fool. If she did, besides dealing with whoever it was, Jin GuangYao would also silence Qin Su, whether by fair means or foul.
Fortunately, even though Qin Su had always seemed innocent and foolish since childhood, even to the point of being somewhat obtuse, she no longer trusted Jin GuangYao. She stared blankly at Jin GuangYao, who sat silently at the table. He was the Chief Cultivator above tens of thousands of people. He was her husband. Right now, under the candlelight, he looked as calm and beautiful as ever. He stood up, as if trying to help her up, but Qin Su slapped his hand away. Bending to the ground, he couldn’t help but vomit again.
The tip of Jin GuangYao’s eyebrow twitched, “Do I really disgust you that much?”
Qin Su, “You are not human… You are a lunatic!”
A warm look of sorrow filled Jin GuangYao’s eyes. “A-Su, back then, I really had no choice. I wanted to hide you for my entire life. I didn’t want you to know about this. But now, everything has been ruined by the person who told you. You think I’m dirty. You think I’m disgusting. All of this is fine, but you’re my wife. How will others see you? How will they talk about you?”
Qin Su buried her head in her arms, “Stop talking, stop talking, stop reminding me!!! I wish I never knew you, I wish I had no family ties with you at all! Why did you approach me in the first place?!”
After a moment of silence, Jin GuangYao replied, “I know you won’t believe me no matter what I say, but I was sincere at that time.”
Qin Su sobbed, “… You still say such flattery!”
Jin GuangYao, “I’m telling the truth. I always remember you never talking about my background or my mother. I’ll be grateful to you until the end of my life, and I’ll respect you, cherish you, and love you. But you have to know that even if A-Song isn’t killed, he has to die. He can only die. If we let him grow up, you and I…”
Hearing her son’s name, Qin Su couldn’t stand it any longer. She raised her hand and slapped her son across the face, “Then who did all this?! What can’t you do for this position?!”
Without avoiding it, Jin GuangYao received the slap head-on. A deep red palm print instantly appeared on his fair cheek.
Jin GuangYao, “What are you talking about? You must be feeling unwell. Your father has already gone out to cultivate. I’ll also take you there soon, and you can enjoy your father’s company. Let’s finish this quickly. There are still many guests outside. The Discussion Conference is still tomorrow.”
The situation was already like this, and he was still thinking about the guests outside and the Discussion Conference tomorrow!
Although he said he would give Qin Su time to rest, he ignored her refusal and helped her up. Wei WuXian didn’t know what he did, but Qin Su suddenly fainted, losing all her energy. And so, just like that, Jin GuangYao half-dragged his wife into the layered curtains. WuXian the paper boy slipped out from under the table and followed them. He saw Jin GuangYao, whose hands were resting on a large copper mirror. A moment later, his fingers somehow entered the mirror, as if they were breaking through the surface of a pool of water. Qin Su’s eyes were wide open, still crying. She could only watch as her husband dragged her into the mirror, unable to speak or scream. Wei WuXian knew that the mirror definitely couldn’t be opened by anyone other than Jin GuangYao himself. Such an opportunity was now or never. After calculating the time, he quickly jumped in.
Behind the copper mirror lay a secret room. After Jin GuangYao entered, the oil lamps on the walls lit up by themselves. The dim light illuminated the shelves and cabinets of various sizes that covered the walls. On the shelves were books, scrolls, stones, and weapons. There were also several torture instruments. Iron rings, sharp nails, silver hooks—everything looked strange. Just looking at them made one shiver in fear. Wei WuXian knew that all of this was most likely Jin GuangYao’s work.
The leader of the QishanWen Sect, Wen RuoHan, has a hot-tempered and violent personality. He loves blood and sometimes enjoys torturing those who offend him. Jin GuangYao can only charm Wen RuoHan by complying with his wishes, devising various cruel yet humorous tactics.
Every sect has several treasure vaults, so it’s no surprise that the Fragrant Palace has such a room.
Besides the desk, an iron table—dark to the eye, cold to the touch, long enough for a person to lie on—was also in the room. There seemed to be black, dried traces of something on the table’s surface. Wei WuXian commented to himself, ” This would be the perfect table for slicing someone up.”
Jin GuangYao gently helped Qin Su lie down on the table. Qin Su’s face was pale as Jin GuangYao smoothed out a few strands of her tangled hair. “Don’t be afraid. You shouldn’t be walking around like this. There will be a lot of people in the next few days. Why don’t you rest for a while? You can come back as soon as you tell me who it is. Nod if you’re willing to tell me. I didn’t seal all your meridians. You should still be able to nod.”
Qin Su’s eyes turned towards her husband, who was still so kind and caring towards her. Her pupils were filled with fear, pain, and despair.
Suddenly, Wei WuXian noticed that one of the shelves was blocked by a curtain. The curtain was covered in sinister blood-red runes. It was a prohibition talisman, a very powerful one.
The paper boy slowly climbed up, clinging to the wall. On the other side, Jin GuangYao was still pleading with Qin Su in a soft voice. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he turned around warily.
There was no one else in the room besides Qin Su and himself. Jin GuangYao stood up. He had only returned after finding nothing during his careful inspection of the room.
Of course, he didn’t know that, just as he turned around, Wei WuXian had already reached the bookshelf. As soon as he saw the slightest movement of Jin GuangYao’s neck, he immediately tucked his slender, paper-like body into a book, as if he were a bookmark. His eyes were fixed squarely between two pages of the manuscript. Fortunately, even though Jin GuangYao was more alert than the others, he didn’t open the book to see if there was anyone hiding inside.
Suddenly, Wei WuXian realized that the characters he saw looked somewhat familiar. After observing them for a moment, he cursed inwardly—how could he not feel familiar with them? They were indeed his characters!
Jiang FengMian’s comment on the handwriting was “sloppy, yet calm.” This was clearly his own writing. After Wei WuXian examined it more closely, he managed to discern the phrases “…different from possession…”, “…revenge…”, “…forced contract,” alongside other obscure or damaged passages. Finally, he was able to deduce that the book he had been carefully reading was his own manuscript. The contents of the manuscript were an article about body sacrifice, based on the information he had gathered.
During this time, he wrote quite a few manuscripts like this one. He wrote them while throwing them everywhere, especially into the cave on Burial Hill where he slept. Some of these manuscripts were destroyed by the siege fire. Others, like his sword, were collected by various people as war trophies.
He had been confused about where Mo XuanYu had learned this forbidden technique. Now, he knew the answer.
This was a damaged manuscript of a forbidden technique, which was why Wei WuXian clearly didn’t believe Jin GuangYao would let just anyone access it. It seemed that even though Mo XuanYu and Jin GuangYao didn’t have a relationship, they were still quite close.
As he was thinking, Jin GuangYao’s voice rang out, “A-Su, my time is up. I have to attend to the guests. I’ll come see you later.”
Wei WuXian had already wriggled out of his manuscript. Hearing the voice, he immediately went back in. This time, what he saw was not a manuscript, but… two deeds of ownership for a house and land?
Wei WuXian found this a bit odd. How could a title deed be so special that it was stored in the same place as the YiLing Patriarch’s manuscript? However, no matter how he looked at it, both were ordinary title deeds, without any tricks or codes. The papers were yellowed and even had ink stains. However, he didn’t think Jin GuangYao had placed them here randomly. Therefore, he took a moment to memorize the address: somewhere in Yunping City, Yunmeng. He thought maybe he might find something there if he had the chance.
After a long period of silence, Wei WuXian began climbing the wall again. He finally reached the shelf blocked by the forbidden talisman. However, before he could examine its contents, the scene before his eyes suddenly became clear.
Jin GuangYao walked over and lifted the curtain.
For a moment, Wei WuXian thought he had been exposed. As the dim firelight filtered through the curtains, he found himself shrouded in shadow. A circular object happened to be in front of him.
Jin GuangYao stood still, as if staring into the eyes of whatever was inside this shelf.
After a moment, he spoke, “Are you the one who saw me?”
Of course, there was no answer. He was silent for a moment, then lowered the curtain.
Wei WuXian silently pressed himself against the object. Cold and hard, it seemed to be a helmet. He then turned to face forward. As expected, he saw a pale face. The person who sealed the head wanted it to be unable to see, hear, or speak, so spells had been crammed into the wax skin. The eyes, ears, and mouth were all sealed shut.
Wei WuXian greeted him silently, It is an honor to meet you, ChiFeng-Zun.