Originally posted on RBKTR Translations.
Author: The One Who Tells Stories Under the Bridge (天桥底下说书的).
Translated by: Yujuan
Without Ye Mingjun by his side, Ji Mo instantly returned to the old patterns of his life, sitting in solitude in the middle of the patio, head lifted as he observed the rain-like petals of the wisteria swaying to the winds. Suddenly, he felt that it was all too quiet.
In the past, when there were no tasks for him to complete, he would always spend his time in solitude, reading books, analyzing his surroundings, sorting out the Celestials’ information in his memories – the day would pass very quickly just like that. Occasionally, he would spend an entire day sitting mindlessly to Brilliant Moon’s accompanying music. Three years had passed, and he had gradually adapted to the days of not having the slightest entertainment in his life, but for some reason, he felt a little bored today.
Had he gotten used to the days of having someone to converse with? But this wasn’t a good thing; he needed to keep his chin up and quickly return to his former state of mind.
Aware of the dangerous mentality he was in, Ji Mo hurriedly straightened his body and tossed all those unnecessary thoughts to the back of his mind. He started seriously contemplating the plight he was presently in.
Ji Mo had been extremely discreet during his mission, and had even paid close attention to each and every movement of the divine attendants who had followed him on his mission. He was fairly sure no one had managed to escape Wuyan’s perception and come into contact with the Demonic Continent whilst in the line of duty. Besides, these divine attendants were all orphans trained by the Shrine since they were little, and the ones Ji Mo picked were all the more so people who had gone through countless trials before coming under his command. There shouldn’t be the possibility of a spy slipping into their ranks. Then, the problem must have manifested in the Shrine’s upper management.
Su Ge did not care for anything other than his god, and besides, the High Priest did not need the help of others to get rid of him. There was a low possibility of it being Brilliant Moon, as his intelligence stats weren’t enough for him to conspire with the Demonic Continent without being noticed. Then, was it the Rising Sun Priest?
But Chang Hui was a career-oriented protagonist. His only goal in life was to achieve the highest rank of an emperor’s subject, as well as forge a glorious dynasty. At present, only Su Ge of the five continents’ rulers would allow him free rein, and Ji Mo had long since been bound to the Shrine; there was no reason for him to dispose of him.
Or was this something done by another Celestial who harbored a grudge against him? Perhaps the Demonic Continent possessed a Celestial with special abilities who had infiltrated the Shrine?
This wasn’t any good, he had too little information to work with, he was completely unable to determine the identity of his enemy. At any rate, apart from Su Ge, who lacked the intent, and Ye Mingjun, who had arrived after it had occurred, he needed to take precautions against all the other Celestials. He definitely wouldn’t let his guard down against anyone else.
Just as Ji Mo was troubled by his current outlook, the sound of light and hurried footsteps travelled over, and Wuyan’s field of vision immediately expanded. However, the emerging figure was a little unexpected, “Why are you here?”
He couldn’t be blamed for his surprise, for the one who had arrived was none other than the divine attendant Qing Ye— this patio sat near the White Tower, and was the place Brilliant Moon visited often to practice his zither. Most divine attendants would not approach this area easily, much less Qing Ye, who should be receiving his punishment for leading the others into guarding the city unauthorized. How could he possibly have the time to saunter around?
“Good afternoon, Morning Star Priest!”
Although Ji Mo was quite doubtful, Qing Ye was delighted by the sight of him, and promptly stepped forward to greet him respectfully. He then related the actual situation in full detail, “Shifu[1] has said I performed well for the previous mission, and the greenery here is the most adequate for my cultivation technique, so the White Robed Priests have given me special permission to cultivate here every afternoon.”
He had not issued such an order, was it the Rising Sun Priest? What, exactly, was the purpose of doing such a thing?
The circumstances were much too uncanny, and Ji Mo did not think a failure in defending a city would be enough to gain recognition from Chang Hui. He maintained his composure, kept some distance from Qing Ye, and at the same time, extended Wuyan’s range of perception to its limits. Not only did he gain the view of the boy’s most miniscule changes in expression, he even made a careful scan of every detail in his surroundings.
The reason why he had been able to survive in this world was all due to cautious disposition, which distrusted everyone around him. As he had anticipated, he made a new discovery the moment he investigated,
No, not just Qing Ye, there was a footprint in the grass about twenty meters away, located in a place he and Ye Mingjun had yet to stroll through. The size of the footprint did not match Qing Ye’s; there was someone else in their midst.
Someone actually did dare to strike out against him within the Shrine. What did you call this, getting instantaneously face-slapped the moment he raised a flag?
Coming to a hopeless realization that there wasn’t a moment he wasn’t being face-slapped every time he and Ye Mingjun conversed, Ji Mo was not in the mood to discover who it was – in any case, as long as it was someone who harbored ill intentions toward him, he would rather mistakenly kill than let slip.
“Qing Ye, come over, I have something to tell you.”
Dully waving the boy over, there was nothing unusual with Ji Mo’s expression, but on the instant Qing Ye approached him, three Divine Scrolls unfolded simultaneously, and the world was given a complete transformation.
Level 8 Divine Spell: Raging Flames of Wildfire
Level 10 Divine Spell: Whirlwind Scattering Wisps of Clouds
Level 10 Divine Spell: Earth Trembles As Mountains Sway
Three high-level Divine Spells personally crafted by the High Priest exploded at the same time; the spiritual power required for each Divine Spell was different, but these were all large-scale techniques indiscriminate in their attacks.
And so, within just a second, flames engulfed the patio, and a massive tornado accompanied the flames in rising straight from the ground, leveling every building in sight. The skies changed drastically, following which the soil crumbled.
There was absolutely nowhere to hide, and only the place Ji Mo and Qing Ye stood in was completely intact; looking at the young divine attendant, who was so startled by everything his mouth hung open, the next scroll sat in the palm of Ji Mo’s hand, prepared to mercilessly slap onto his body the moment he did anything unusual.
It was fortunate that with his level of cultivation, the boy was not good enough to be sent to assassinate a well-established and famous White Robed Priest, and very quickly, a figure broke through the flames. As if he didn’t think there’d be someone in this world who would level their own courtyard, he had suffered every one of these spells, and, looking at his own tattered clothes, couldn’t help but curse, “Holy crap, are you that scared of death? Do those Divine Scrolls of yours grow from trees?”
If you do not know where he has concealed himself, let him have no place to hide.
This was exactly Ji Mo’s method of countering him, and the scroll in his hand had already unfolded the moment that person revealed himself, a Level 10 Divine Spell: World of Ice and Snow causing the man to instantly freeze into an ice sculpture, before smiling lightly, “My apologies, but I cherish my life greatly.”
And yet, the fact that only a Celestial could cope with another Celestial was common knowledge in this world, and every single protagonist was a tough nut to crack – although that person had been frozen after being taken by surprise, a dark blue figure agglomerated behind Ji Mo in the blink of an eye. Qing Ye jumped, immediately fishing out his Magic Tool to block the attack, and could only cry in time, “Morning Star Priest, be careful!”
With Wuyan’s all-round coverage sensing capabilities, naturally Ji Mo had noticed the irregularity much earlier, and seeing the boy who wasn’t good at fighting close combat coming forth to protect him, his expression instantly relaxed a little. It was also at this time that he finally verified the intruder’s identity.
Only the protagonist of Supreme Assassin God, Shui Wuhen, had the ability to morph his body into water. While it did not seem like much difference from a normal human, as his body was aggregated from water, he would actually transform into water vapor after he died and be reborn as long as he came into contact with a water source – this was a formidable assassin who possessed an immortal body. However, each time his Spiritual Core was attacked, the time of his rebirth would be delayed by an hour.
There was only one opportunity; he had to strike his vital point.
The intruder’s data rapidly flashing across his mind, Ji Mo’s hand brushed into his Storage Bracelet, the sensation of the silver perfume sachet transferring onto his fingertips. However, he ultimately chose to grip the Plum Sleeve Arrow he had prepared, not calling out the immortal’s name.
He had to get used to living by his own efforts – he couldn’t entrust his life in the hands of others, no matter how good the person was.
Staunchly holding on to his consistent beliefs, Wuyan delayed the person’s movements to its limits, locking on with such precision he couldn’t possibly miss his shot. However, just as that person came close and before Ji Mo could shoot his sleeve arrow, several pillars of cool light pierced through the air, countless silver threads enveloping him under an airtight container.
The silver perfume sachet that had been quietly lying in the Interspatial Storage just moments ago floated before him, the silver thread that was originally twisted around the luminous pearl spreading out, layer after layer like the petals of a flower, its resplendent brilliance soundlessly dispersing all the shadows. In the instant he was illuminated by the pillars of light, the assassin evaporated into vapour as he gave a blood-curdling shriek, leaving behind the stupefied words, “This wasn’t what I was told!”
As expected of Ye Mingjun’s imitation, its mischievousness could be traced back to its origins.
Never expecting this pearl to jump out by itself, such a thought subconsciously flashed across Ji Mo’s mind. As if it had determined the lack of danger in its surroundings, the luminous pearl returned to its previous state of being locked by the silver moire, quietly falling into his palm.
As the brilliance faded away, Ji Mo realized that ever since the pearl started shining, every Divine Spell that he unleashed had been dispersed by force, and even the Magic Tool in Qing Ye’s hands was reduced into scrap. While its outer appearance exuded a warm and soft radiance, it did not allow anything before it to bare their aggressiveness, truly overbearing in nature.
“This… is what you call a little spell?”
As he recalled what a certain Xianjun had told him before he left, then took a look at the immense power that could easily disperse even a high-level Divine Spell, Ji Mo seemed to understand why the immortal was that confident of himself – for his imitation to be that powerful, he would undoubtedly be a treasure everyone would covet once his seal was removed.
A pity that this was a treasure that wouldn’t stay by anyone’s side for long; instead, it was the imitation which had a complete lack of awareness that put his mind at ease.
“That was a Celestial who possesses an indestructible body, send people to watch over all sources of water in the Shrine, he’ll be reborn from water in less than half a shichen[2].”
“Yes, sir! Don’t worry, Morning Star Priest, I’ll definitely catch the assassin!”
As he cooly gave an order and watched Qing Ye leave, Ji Mo lifted his head, and this was when he realized the once-beautiful patio had turned into a heap of rubble. Reaching out a hand to touch the dilapidated lilac petals, while he had been the one to ruin the place he had loved the most, he was slightly dismayed,
The wisteria must have taken a long time to grow. He didn’t think that had been his last opportunity to remain in the sea of flowers. If he had known earlier, he would have given it a few more glances.
Had the Rising Sun Priest deliberately sent Ye Mingjun away? If that was the case, do not blame him for being merciless. There were plenty of Celestials good at management in this world, and as long as he was willing, he could always find another replacement. No matter how fond of a place he was in the past, he had to destroy it without a trace of hesitation, as long as the risk of danger was there. This was the rule of survival this world had taught him.
The damaged wisteria flower petals drifted onto the luminous pearl just then, and became all the more frail under the splendorous illumination. Looking silently as it all happened, Ji Mo couldn’t help but close his palms, letting the flower petals press up against the luminous pearl.
There were many powerful protective talismans stored in his Interspatial Storage, and yet, only this perfume sachet had arrived in his hands without paying a price. While he knew that what the other man truly desired was much more important than anything he had ever paid for in the past, at this very instant, he couldn’t resist from slowly sliding his fingertips over the grooves of the luminous pearl, seemingly as if he could still sense the benevolence of this world by doing so.
But he also knew that he couldn’t fall, come what may, because there was no one behind to catch him – it hurt, the feeling of falling to the ground.
Su Ge: That child, Ji Mo, is just a little timid. Once frightened, he will respond greatly.
Ye Mingjun: Is he? I tease him everyday, but he’s never bitten me?
Patio: Boom— instantaneous explosion.
Su Ge: See? It’ll turn into this the moment he senses danger.
Ye Mingjun *falls silent*: Perhaps he likes me quite a lot.
The above is the mysterious discussion between two big shots in the White Tower
TL Notes
[1]
‘Shifu’ – Master, someone you are apprenticed under.[2]
‘Shichen’ – Also known as ‘Double hour/Chinese hour’, 1 Shichen = 2 hours.
Originally posted on RBKTR Translations.
Author: The One Who Tells Stories Under the Bridge (天桥底下说书的).
Translated by: Yujuan
Without Ye Mingjun by his side, Ji Mo instantly returned to the old patterns of his life, sitting in solitude in the middle of the patio, head lifted as he observed the rain-like petals of the wisteria swaying to the winds. Suddenly, he felt that it was all too quiet.
In the past, when there were no tasks for him to complete, he would always spend his time in solitude, reading books, analyzing his surroundings, sorting out the Celestials’ information in his memories – the day would pass very quickly just like that. Occasionally, he would spend an entire day sitting mindlessly to Brilliant Moon’s accompanying music. Three years had passed, and he had gradually adapted to the days of not having the slightest entertainment in his life, but for some reason, he felt a little bored today.
Had he gotten used to the days of having someone to converse with? But this wasn’t a good thing; he needed to keep his chin up and quickly return to his former state of mind.
Aware of the dangerous mentality he was in, Ji Mo hurriedly straightened his body and tossed all those unnecessary thoughts to the back of his mind. He started seriously contemplating the plight he was presently in.
Ji Mo had been extremely discreet during his mission, and had even paid close attention to each and every movement of the divine attendants who had followed him on his mission. He was fairly sure no one had managed to escape Wuyan’s perception and come into contact with the Demonic Continent whilst in the line of duty. Besides, these divine attendants were all orphans trained by the Shrine since they were little, and the ones Ji Mo picked were all the more so people who had gone through countless trials before coming under his command. There shouldn’t be the possibility of a spy slipping into their ranks. Then, the problem must have manifested in the Shrine’s upper management.
Su Ge did not care for anything other than his god, and besides, the High Priest did not need the help of others to get rid of him. There was a low possibility of it being Brilliant Moon, as his intelligence stats weren’t enough for him to conspire with the Demonic Continent without being noticed. Then, was it the Rising Sun Priest?
But Chang Hui was a career-oriented protagonist. His only goal in life was to achieve the highest rank of an emperor’s subject, as well as forge a glorious dynasty. At present, only Su Ge of the five continents’ rulers would allow him free rein, and Ji Mo had long since been bound to the Shrine; there was no reason for him to dispose of him.
Or was this something done by another Celestial who harbored a grudge against him? Perhaps the Demonic Continent possessed a Celestial with special abilities who had infiltrated the Shrine?
This wasn’t any good, he had too little information to work with, he was completely unable to determine the identity of his enemy. At any rate, apart from Su Ge, who lacked the intent, and Ye Mingjun, who had arrived after it had occurred, he needed to take precautions against all the other Celestials. He definitely wouldn’t let his guard down against anyone else.
Just as Ji Mo was troubled by his current outlook, the sound of light and hurried footsteps travelled over, and Wuyan’s field of vision immediately expanded. However, the emerging figure was a little unexpected, “Why are you here?”
He couldn’t be blamed for his surprise, for the one who had arrived was none other than the divine attendant Qing Ye— this patio sat near the White Tower, and was the place Brilliant Moon visited often to practice his zither. Most divine attendants would not approach this area easily, much less Qing Ye, who should be receiving his punishment for leading the others into guarding the city unauthorized. How could he possibly have the time to saunter around?
“Good afternoon, Morning Star Priest!”
Although Ji Mo was quite doubtful, Qing Ye was delighted by the sight of him, and promptly stepped forward to greet him respectfully. He then related the actual situation in full detail, “Shifu[1] has said I performed well for the previous mission, and the greenery here is the most adequate for my cultivation technique, so the White Robed Priests have given me special permission to cultivate here every afternoon.”
He had not issued such an order, was it the Rising Sun Priest? What, exactly, was the purpose of doing such a thing?
The circumstances were much too uncanny, and Ji Mo did not think a failure in defending a city would be enough to gain recognition from Chang Hui. He maintained his composure, kept some distance from Qing Ye, and at the same time, extended Wuyan’s range of perception to its limits. Not only did he gain the view of the boy’s most miniscule changes in expression, he even made a careful scan of every detail in his surroundings.
The reason why he had been able to survive in this world was all due to cautious disposition, which distrusted everyone around him. As he had anticipated, he made a new discovery the moment he investigated,
No, not just Qing Ye, there was a footprint in the grass about twenty meters away, located in a place he and Ye Mingjun had yet to stroll through. The size of the footprint did not match Qing Ye’s; there was someone else in their midst.
Someone actually did dare to strike out against him within the Shrine. What did you call this, getting instantaneously face-slapped the moment he raised a flag?
Coming to a hopeless realization that there wasn’t a moment he wasn’t being face-slapped every time he and Ye Mingjun conversed, Ji Mo was not in the mood to discover who it was – in any case, as long as it was someone who harbored ill intentions toward him, he would rather mistakenly kill than let slip.
“Qing Ye, come over, I have something to tell you.”
Dully waving the boy over, there was nothing unusual with Ji Mo’s expression, but on the instant Qing Ye approached him, three Divine Scrolls unfolded simultaneously, and the world was given a complete transformation.
Level 8 Divine Spell: Raging Flames of Wildfire
Level 10 Divine Spell: Whirlwind Scattering Wisps of Clouds
Level 10 Divine Spell: Earth Trembles As Mountains Sway
Three high-level Divine Spells personally crafted by the High Priest exploded at the same time; the spiritual power required for each Divine Spell was different, but these were all large-scale techniques indiscriminate in their attacks.
And so, within just a second, flames engulfed the patio, and a massive tornado accompanied the flames in rising straight from the ground, leveling every building in sight. The skies changed drastically, following which the soil crumbled.
There was absolutely nowhere to hide, and only the place Ji Mo and Qing Ye stood in was completely intact; looking at the young divine attendant, who was so startled by everything his mouth hung open, the next scroll sat in the palm of Ji Mo’s hand, prepared to mercilessly slap onto his body the moment he did anything unusual.
It was fortunate that with his level of cultivation, the boy was not good enough to be sent to assassinate a well-established and famous White Robed Priest, and very quickly, a figure broke through the flames. As if he didn’t think there’d be someone in this world who would level their own courtyard, he had suffered every one of these spells, and, looking at his own tattered clothes, couldn’t help but curse, “Holy crap, are you that scared of death? Do those Divine Scrolls of yours grow from trees?”
If you do not know where he has concealed himself, let him have no place to hide.
This was exactly Ji Mo’s method of countering him, and the scroll in his hand had already unfolded the moment that person revealed himself, a Level 10 Divine Spell: World of Ice and Snow causing the man to instantly freeze into an ice sculpture, before smiling lightly, “My apologies, but I cherish my life greatly.”
And yet, the fact that only a Celestial could cope with another Celestial was common knowledge in this world, and every single protagonist was a tough nut to crack – although that person had been frozen after being taken by surprise, a dark blue figure agglomerated behind Ji Mo in the blink of an eye. Qing Ye jumped, immediately fishing out his Magic Tool to block the attack, and could only cry in time, “Morning Star Priest, be careful!”
With Wuyan’s all-round coverage sensing capabilities, naturally Ji Mo had noticed the irregularity much earlier, and seeing the boy who wasn’t good at fighting close combat coming forth to protect him, his expression instantly relaxed a little. It was also at this time that he finally verified the intruder’s identity.
Only the protagonist of Supreme Assassin God, Shui Wuhen, had the ability to morph his body into water. While it did not seem like much difference from a normal human, as his body was aggregated from water, he would actually transform into water vapor after he died and be reborn as long as he came into contact with a water source – this was a formidable assassin who possessed an immortal body. However, each time his Spiritual Core was attacked, the time of his rebirth would be delayed by an hour.
There was only one opportunity; he had to strike his vital point.
The intruder’s data rapidly flashing across his mind, Ji Mo’s hand brushed into his Storage Bracelet, the sensation of the silver perfume sachet transferring onto his fingertips. However, he ultimately chose to grip the Plum Sleeve Arrow he had prepared, not calling out the immortal’s name.
He had to get used to living by his own efforts – he couldn’t entrust his life in the hands of others, no matter how good the person was.
Staunchly holding on to his consistent beliefs, Wuyan delayed the person’s movements to its limits, locking on with such precision he couldn’t possibly miss his shot. However, just as that person came close and before Ji Mo could shoot his sleeve arrow, several pillars of cool light pierced through the air, countless silver threads enveloping him under an airtight container.
The silver perfume sachet that had been quietly lying in the Interspatial Storage just moments ago floated before him, the silver thread that was originally twisted around the luminous pearl spreading out, layer after layer like the petals of a flower, its resplendent brilliance soundlessly dispersing all the shadows. In the instant he was illuminated by the pillars of light, the assassin evaporated into vapour as he gave a blood-curdling shriek, leaving behind the stupefied words, “This wasn’t what I was told!”
As expected of Ye Mingjun’s imitation, its mischievousness could be traced back to its origins.
Never expecting this pearl to jump out by itself, such a thought subconsciously flashed across Ji Mo’s mind. As if it had determined the lack of danger in its surroundings, the luminous pearl returned to its previous state of being locked by the silver moire, quietly falling into his palm.
As the brilliance faded away, Ji Mo realized that ever since the pearl started shining, every Divine Spell that he unleashed had been dispersed by force, and even the Magic Tool in Qing Ye’s hands was reduced into scrap. While its outer appearance exuded a warm and soft radiance, it did not allow anything before it to bare their aggressiveness, truly overbearing in nature.
“This… is what you call a little spell?”
As he recalled what a certain Xianjun had told him before he left, then took a look at the immense power that could easily disperse even a high-level Divine Spell, Ji Mo seemed to understand why the immortal was that confident of himself – for his imitation to be that powerful, he would undoubtedly be a treasure everyone would covet once his seal was removed.
A pity that this was a treasure that wouldn’t stay by anyone’s side for long; instead, it was the imitation which had a complete lack of awareness that put his mind at ease.
“That was a Celestial who possesses an indestructible body, send people to watch over all sources of water in the Shrine, he’ll be reborn from water in less than half a shichen[2].”
“Yes, sir! Don’t worry, Morning Star Priest, I’ll definitely catch the assassin!”
As he cooly gave an order and watched Qing Ye leave, Ji Mo lifted his head, and this was when he realized the once-beautiful patio had turned into a heap of rubble. Reaching out a hand to touch the dilapidated lilac petals, while he had been the one to ruin the place he had loved the most, he was slightly dismayed,
The wisteria must have taken a long time to grow. He didn’t think that had been his last opportunity to remain in the sea of flowers. If he had known earlier, he would have given it a few more glances.
Had the Rising Sun Priest deliberately sent Ye Mingjun away? If that was the case, do not blame him for being merciless. There were plenty of Celestials good at management in this world, and as long as he was willing, he could always find another replacement. No matter how fond of a place he was in the past, he had to destroy it without a trace of hesitation, as long as the risk of danger was there. This was the rule of survival this world had taught him.
The damaged wisteria flower petals drifted onto the luminous pearl just then, and became all the more frail under the splendorous illumination. Looking silently as it all happened, Ji Mo couldn’t help but close his palms, letting the flower petals press up against the luminous pearl.
There were many powerful protective talismans stored in his Interspatial Storage, and yet, only this perfume sachet had arrived in his hands without paying a price. While he knew that what the other man truly desired was much more important than anything he had ever paid for in the past, at this very instant, he couldn’t resist from slowly sliding his fingertips over the grooves of the luminous pearl, seemingly as if he could still sense the benevolence of this world by doing so.
But he also knew that he couldn’t fall, come what may, because there was no one behind to catch him – it hurt, the feeling of falling to the ground.
Su Ge: That child, Ji Mo, is just a little timid. Once frightened, he will respond greatly.
Ye Mingjun: Is he? I tease him everyday, but he’s never bitten me?
Patio: Boom— instantaneous explosion.
Su Ge: See? It’ll turn into this the moment he senses danger.
Ye Mingjun *falls silent*: Perhaps he likes me quite a lot.
The above is the mysterious discussion between two big shots in the White Tower
TL Notes
[1]
‘Shifu’ – Master, someone you are apprenticed under.[2]
‘Shichen’ – Also known as ‘Double hour/Chinese hour’, 1 Shichen = 2 hours.