Chapter 1022: Come On!

The wind deep inside the Great Marsh possessed a delicate, almost graceful quality in every season.

It carried dampness as it stroked across the face, leaving behind a faint lingering taste.

If not for the demon-beast carcasses scattered through the bogs, together with the miasma and poisonous insects decorating the landscape, countless poets and men of letters might well have gathered here to hold poetry gatherings.

To the local people, so long as they did not live in the truly deep regions, residing within the broad territory called the Great Marsh felt perfectly ordinary.

To outsiders, however, the very words “Great Marsh” seemed to carry the original sin of rot and stench.

At that moment, in one stretch of bog... a head slowly emerged.

It was not human.

Scales covered its face. Looking closely, one could even see runes carved over the positions of its eyes.

It opened its mouth.

“Yaa... yaa... yaa...”

A string of cries sounded.

Soon, similar calls answered from somewhere in the distance.

The head slowly sank beneath the bog again.

Not long afterward, a group of riders galloped past. Hooves kicked up sheets of mud and sent snakes, insects, rats, and other small creatures scattering.

...

On the raised platform at the center of Dongming Stockade, the Emperor of Chu, his hair already half white and age beginning to show across his face, was playing Go with the yellow-robed young man.

“What is your surname?” the Emperor asked.

“Huang.”

“And your given name?”

The yellow-robed young man did not answer for a long time.

The Emperor glanced at him, placed another stone, and did not press.

At last, the young man laughed at himself.

“I thought of using Di, the ‘pedigree’ in ‘family pedigree,’ but that would make my appetite look a little too ugly. I thought of using Yi, ‘One,’ but that sounded stupid. Fortunately I rarely need a name, so I kept putting the matter off. If Your Majesty is interested, you can give me one.”

“Wouldn’t that mean We were taking advantage of you?”

“Your Majesty says that as though it wouldn’t be my honor.”

“Then Huang Lang.”

“That is... astonishingly perfunctory.”

Huang Lang considered it.

“Fine. I’ll use it for now.”

“How can a name be something you merely make do with?”

“Your Majesty’s tabooed personal name—is it used often now? Throughout Great Chu, scholars composing poems and officials writing documents all have to avoid Your Majesty’s name. Foreigners only know that Your Majesty was once Chu’s Fourth Prince, later Regent of Chu, and now Emperor of Chu. How many people can truly remember Your Majesty’s personal name?”

“Your ambition is enormous.”

Huang Lang covered his mouth and began laughing again.

“Let me say something else that Your Majesty will find irritating.”

“What?”

“I was born with it.”

“That truly is irritating.”

“I think so too.” Huang Lang pointed at his own ear. “Ever since I became old enough to remember things, it has always felt as though someone were whispering beside my ear, telling me all sorts of incoherent nonsense. Even now, I can still hear it.”

“Oh?”

“Otherwise...”

Huang Lang glanced around them.

“Why would these great adepts, who spent all this time sleeping merely to drag out their remaining years, treat me with such reverence? As for everything beyond that, I won’t bother saying it. Your Majesty probably wouldn’t enjoy hearing it anyway. It’s all mystical nonsense, one strange vision after another. I’ve also read the histories written by Lord Meng Shou. They record plenty of miraculous signs surrounding the births and childhoods of ancient sage-kings and famous ministers. All I can say is... they weren’t as good at inventing things as I am, and they certainly weren’t as good at boasting.”

“That is interesting.” A smile appeared on the Emperor of Chu’s face. “You managed to deceive them?”

Those people who hid from the world and spent their years sleeping referred to themselves as being “inside the Gate,” cut off from those outside.

They were not immortal.

They merely stored what little lifespan they had left, using deep sleep to slow its consumption.

Yet now... all of them had awakened.

For whom?

For the young man before the Emperor.

“I think it’s false. They believe it more deeply than I do. What am I supposed to do? In dreams, everything exists. The moment you wake, none of it is there. I even suspected I suffered from hysteria, that I was some idiot lunatic. Only after meeting them did I discover there really are people in this world who look even more insane than I do. Oh, right. Your Majesty... do you believe in Heaven’s will?”

The Emperor of Chu nodded, then shook his head.

“If someone had said twenty years ago that Great Yan’s unification of All Xia was Heaven’s will, who would have believed it?”

“Your Majesty did not answer my question. Do you believe?”

“We believe it exists. Whether one believes in it... depends on the man.”

“Talking with Your Majesty truly is more interesting than talking with them. In their eyes, certain things cannot tolerate the slightest profanation.”

“They cannot afford to lose.”

“Exactly. They cannot afford to lose. They have already staked everything. Not only do they refuse to allow themselves to lose, they refuse even to allow the possibility that the gambling table never existed in the first place.”

“And you?” the Emperor asked. “You don’t believe?”

“Like Your Majesty, I believe there is a Mandate of Heaven. I also believe that the vault above our heads possesses thoughts of its own. But...”

“But what?”

“‘Man can conquer Heaven’ sounds grandiose to the point of emptiness. But think of it another way. For thousands of years, from the black-headed common folk to Qi Refiners standing at the highest reaches, why has everyone always carried a reverence that seems rooted in the bones toward the sky above, toward that vast and unfathomable Heaven’s will and Mandate?”

The Emperor of Chu considered for a moment.

“Perhaps because Heaven’s will has never lost.”

Huang Lang imitated the Emperor’s earlier gesture, first nodding and then shaking his head.

Then he said meaningfully:

“Because even if Heaven’s will has lost before... no one would ever know.”

Huang Lang threw down his stones and conceded the game.

He patted his knees.

“Since ancient times... whoever wins is the one upon whom the Mandate of Heaven rests.”

At that moment, the Wine Elder appeared on the platform.

He reported:

“Master, the wind has risen.”

“Oh, right, Wine Elder. I have a name now. Huang Lang. Lang as in langjun, ‘young lord.’”

“A fine name.”

Huang Lang pointed at the Wine Elder and spread both hands toward the Emperor of Chu.

The Wine Elder, meanwhile, kept his gaze fixed on the Emperor.

Huang Lang held out a hand.

“Confirmed?”

“Someone has already gone to check. We must wait until they enter the formation before we can be completely certain.”

“Good.”

The Wine Elder descended from the platform.

Huang Lang looked at the Emperor of Chu.

“Does Your Majesty need to rest?”

“My niece has not yet reached the limit of what she can bear. Give her a little more.”

“Your Majesty truly is a wonderful uncle.”

“There is no meaning in saying that now.”

“True. Even if Your Majesty stopped immediately, the Regent Prince would never know. Unless Your Majesty and he had already reached some tacit understanding. But if such an understanding existed, he would never come at all.”

The white hair at the Emperor’s temples stirred.

He began gathering the stones from the Go board.

“That brother-in-law of mine... I never understood his temperament very well before. Now I think I finally do. Just as you said the other day, he is coming simply because he wants to swat me dead. At the same time, he wants to swat all of you dead too. He differs from other ambitious warlords. He has a fatal weakness: he looks cold-hearted, but in truth he places enormous weight on family and kinship.”

Huang Lang replied:

“At the same time, that is one of his strengths. The world has never lacked ambitious warlords. Whenever chaos comes, plenty of them always leap out and thrash around. But a man who possesses an ambitious warlord’s ability while also making up for an ambitious warlord’s weakness... that is true strength. Otherwise, why would Prince Jingnan have protected and supported him with everything he had? Why would he dare leave his own legitimate son beside this man to be raised? Otherwise, why would the present Emperor of Great Yan dare perform this little drama of exchanged glances and perfect sovereign-minister harmony with him? In the end... this man can be relied upon. He is steady. That is a gold-lettered signboard. Its light can blind a man.”

“You are right. So let us wait for the report. If he truly has come...”

“Your Majesty means that if he truly came, then he has entered too deeply into the role?”

The Emperor of Chu shook his head.

Without bothering to draw for first move, he simply placed a stone.

“No. It means he cannot even be bothered acting.”

...

“Master, once we pass the valley ahead, we’ll be within Dongming Stockade’s territory. This subordinate just scouted the front. There’s a large formation ahead.”

Xue San made his report.

A’Ming pointed toward the valley.

The sky there and the sky above them had a clearly visible difference in color.

“Did that really require scouting?”

The Blind Man said:

“Master, that formation should be the Four Directions Grand Formation.”

“Blind Man, how much secret studying have you been doing?” Xue San asked curiously.

“You’d know too if you read more books. We seized plenty of texts after destroying Back Mountain. Once we entered Shangjing, I also ordered men to collect a great many books.”

“Even without eyes, there’s no way you could have read and memorized all of them this quickly.”

“Of course not. But I deliberately skimmed the handful of strongest, highest-ranked examples in every category. The Four Directions Grand Formation is driven by national fortune. In practical terms, it is an enormous barrier. Anyone from outside who enters will be suppressed in every respect. It is an extremely advanced Qi Refiner method. Essentially, they built themselves a shameless home-field advantage.”

Zheng Fan turned toward the Blind Man.

“Can you break it?”

“This subordinate’s real skill is mostly in his mouth. With a small formation, I might be able to analyze it through mental power and try to unravel it. Something this large is beyond me for now. But the basic law of breaking formations never changes. The best and most direct method is to smash the foundation with something of the same nature. Since this formation was founded upon national fortune, then, barring an accident... the moment Master walks inside, you should more or less be enough to break it. When it comes to national fortune, Great Yan’s fortune is the strongest in the world now. Everything else is beneath consideration by comparison. Master is Great Yan’s Regent Prince. Even without princely robes or a Pixiu beneath you, Master is still Master. In terms of legitimate authority, you are qualified to receive the protection of Great Yan’s national fortune.”

“Oh.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Then ordered:

“Cook. Let’s eat.”

“Yes.”

The Demon Kings began setting up pots and preparing food.

Fan Li lowered the enormous iron pot he had carried on his back the whole way and built a grill beside it.

Xue San went hunting. There was plenty of game nearby.

The Blind Man filtered water with mental power. Siniang took out the spices they had carried with them and began frying the seasoning.

Before long, Xue San returned with two animals.

One looked like a rabbit, except much larger than an ordinary rabbit and with green eyes.

The other resembled a wild boar, but much smaller.

Both were incompletely evolved demon beasts.

Third Master skillfully skinned, cleaned, and marinated them before placing them over the grill.

The red-broth hot pot in the iron cauldron soon began bubbling as well.

A’Ming and Liang Cheng returned after gathering wild vegetables nearby.

When they placed their harvest in front of Siniang’s chopping board, Siniang suddenly laughed.

“Good grief. I was careless. I shouldn’t have sent you two.”

“What’s wrong?” A’Ming asked.

“Did you taste these?”

Siniang pointed toward the mushrooms and greens in front of her.

“We did.”

Siniang nodded.

“Of course. Poison would have a hard time killing either of you.”

“...” A’Ming.

Siniang took out a silver needle and began testing for poison.

The Great Marsh had many demon beasts and just as many strange plants. Ordinary wilderness experience could not be applied here without caution.

The meal took somewhat longer than expected to prepare.

At last, everything was ready.

The group sat around the hot pot and grill.

A’Ming took out a wineskin and poured wine for everyone.

The red stone rested beside Zheng Fan’s foot.

A’Ming did not forget it.

He poured a little red wine over the stone too.

After filling everyone’s cup, A’Ming sat down and took out another wineskin.

The liquid inside was a much deeper red.

Only he and Liang Cheng could drink that one.

The hot pot bubbled.

Fat hissed over the grill.

Everyone held a cup.

Before eating, the person of highest status had to say a few words.

This was a ritual preserved everywhere, at every time, in every place, whether among humans or ghosts.

Everyone looked toward Zheng Fan.

As Master, he raised his cup.

“I really enjoy this feeling. Everyone gathered together, eating and drinking. I remember when we used to do this constantly. Almost every night we’d sit together, eat, and talk. Over these past years, it has happened less and less. Some of us got busy and couldn’t come home. Some started families of their own. Opportunities like this became rarer. It has also been a very long time since we were all this... pure. So for this meal... everyone, eat well and drink well. And drink well and eat well too.”

“Hahahaha!”

“Woo-hoo!”

“Oh! Oh! Oh!”

Xue San, Fan Li, and several of the others obligingly made noise to heighten the atmosphere.

Then everyone began eating in earnest.

Even A’Ming received a piece of roasted meat.

He picked it up and took a bite.

“You don’t need to force yourself,” Liang Cheng said. “A token bite is enough.”

A’Ming shook his head.

“It’s fine. Compared with Mao Xue Wang blood stew, every other food in the world is delicious.”

Back when their strength had yet to recover and everyone had spent half a year as basically ordinary people, Mao Xue Wang had been the most “authentic” food A’Ming could get his hands on.

He never ate it again afterward.

But the terror of being dominated by Mao Xue Wang remained deeply rooted in his mind.

Fan Li sat there tearing into great mouthfuls of meat.

Xue San stood beside the pot fishing ingredients from the broth.

“Master, I also made some hand-pulled noodles. Shall I put them in?”

“Do it.”

Siniang dropped the noodles into the pot.

While they waited for the noodles to cook, Zheng Fan, who had already eaten and drunk through one round, leaned backward with both hands planted on the ground.

His entire posture was lazy.

He looked up at the sky.

“This really fucking feels like a team-building outing.”

...

“They’re eating and drinking? Aren’t they in a hurry?”

On a slope beside the valley, two black-robed women stood watching the scene in the distance.

A black mark sat in the center of one woman’s brow, as though scorched there by fire.

“The target is him, not his daughter. He’s already right outside. Now we’re the ones hoping he comes in. So long as he hasn’t entered yet, his daughter is safe. You don’t even understand that?”

“I understand. It’s just... they look too relaxed. Like they don’t take us seriously at all.”

“They compare us to rats in a filthy sewer. And what we’re doing—using a man’s daughter to threaten him—is as low and dirty as it gets. Why should they think highly of us?”

“You’re not angry?”

“No. I actually admire him a little. Let’s go back and report again.”

“Fine.”

...

“So he came after all.”

The Emperor of Chu and Huang Lang had just finished another game of Go.

Huang Lang had lost again.

“Your Majesty can sit firm on the Fishing Terrace no matter what happens,” Huang Lang said with a smile.

“It is only the calm of a man who has already lost until there is nothing left. Nothing worth praising. What I could give my niece, I have given her with your strength. As for what remains... whether you kill him in the end, or he kills all of you, either outcome will please me.”

“Indeed.”

Huang Lang answered perfunctorily.

Then he turned toward the woman standing beside the Wine Elder.

“How many people did he bring?”

“Replying to Master, six in total, plus... one spirit.”

“The Sword Saint of Jin is among them, I assume?”

“He is not.”

“Not?”

Huang Lang looked genuinely puzzled.

The Wine Elder spoke.

“Master, be at ease. Our people began watching them before they approached Dongming Stockade. Please look there.”

Below the platform, an old woman sat atop an abacus floating in the air.

A large water vat before her floated as well.

The old woman reached into the vat and splashed a sheet of water into the air.

An image appeared within it.

The image was blurry, but it was clear enough to make out a lively group eating and drinking.

The old woman said:

“Master, nine of our Qi Refiners have been watching them constantly. The Regent Prince truly brought no army. Only those six people accompany him, together with that red-stone spirit. The spirit has not deliberately hidden its aura either.”

“Who are they?” Huang Lang asked.

The old woman answered:

“One woman with a very heavy scent of the pleasure dust about her. One fortune-teller in a Daoist robe. One great idiot who carried an iron cauldron on his back the whole way. One dwarf who does tricks and plays with a collapsible baton. Then two sickly invalids—one thirsts for blood, the other looks poisoned by corpse qi. And finally, a resentful infant from a lonely grave that does nothing but cry.”

Huang Lang frowned.

“Speak clearly.”

The old woman laughed, utterly relaxed.

“One is the present Regent Princess. One is eastern Jin’s Grand General. The other four are probably several of the legendary gentlemen beneath the Prince Residence. Jianghu rumors say the Regent Prince Residence keeps several ‘Mr. Fan Lis.’ They should be these men. As for the resentful infant, it should be something similar to the Fire Phoenix spirit belonging to His Majesty beside Master.”

“Their strength?”

“The Regent Prince’s aura is obviously unstable. He should have only just entered Third Grade, or perhaps been forcibly piled into it through pills and tonics. The Regent Princess and those gentlemen, together with the resentful infant, would all be Fourth Grade if judged by cultivation realm.”

The old woman chuckled to herself.

“One little Third Grade. Seven Fourth Grades. Nothing but small problems.”

Huang Lang frowned even more.

“I originally assumed that even if the Regent Prince came without an army, he would at least choose some genuine experts to accompany him. It isn’t as though he lacks them. Yet among all the men he brought... the strongest is actually himself? So either the Regent Prince has something wrong with his head, or we are the ones about to have a problem. And it is rather difficult to argue that a man with something wrong in his head could win so many wars, destroy so many states, and force us into a position where we barely dare breathe in front of him. Therefore...”

Huang Lang scratched his head.

“I think we may be facing a... very large problem.”

The old woman, having accidentally begun this whole chain of “problems,” found herself somewhat dizzy.

For a moment, she had no idea how to answer.

The Wine Elder spoke.

“Master, after today, your destiny and the destiny of All Under Heaven will gradually return to their original track. After all, whether that Regent Prince is truly carefree or merely putting on airs and acting mysterious... before absolute strength, none of that will matter. That Prince is skilled at warfare. But here... this is the jianghu!”

...

The picnic was nearing its end.

Apart from Fan Li, who continued gnawing roasted meat with no sign of satisfaction, everyone else had long since put down bowls and chopsticks.

Zheng Fan accepted a damp cloth from Siniang.

As he wiped his hands, he could not help laughing.

“War after war after war... truthfully, even I’m getting a little sick of it. It really hasn’t been easy. At last... it’s our turn for a jianghu bout.”

[End of Chapter 1022]