Diao Xiyu floated on the cold lake and stared at the ceiling. It was blessedly quiet when the water covered her ears. The light in the cave was dim and spirit energy thrummed through the meridians beneath the cave. She closed her eyes and stretched out her arms, enjoying the weightlessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cXiyu Jiejie*,\u201d came a voice.<\/p>\n
*jiejie = older sister<\/em><\/p>\n Seeing the familiar face, she quickly swam to shore.<\/p>\n \u201cJiejie swims like a fish in the water,\u201d said Xilian, smiling as she set down a basket and lay a mat on the cold stone floor to sit on.<\/p>\n Xiyu crawled up to her and sat near her, flapping and clapping her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I brought some fruit,\u201d said Xilian, taking some peaches out.<\/p>\n \u201cAh\u2026ahh,\u201d uttered Xiyu, trying to take a peach from Xilian.<\/p>\n \u201cWait patiently, I\u2019ll cut them up for you,\u201d said Xilian, chuckling.<\/p>\n Xilian had never once heard her older sister speak a single intelligible word. She behaved like she didn\u2019t really understand anything. Her parents told her that their first-born daughter was a dull-witted mute and had her sent away as a child.<\/p>\n When she found out they had imprisoned Xiyu in this cave as a sacrifice, she had been furious but powerless. So she schemed her way into a marriage with the son of the Di family\u2014nobles of equal standing in the demon world.<\/p>\n She smiled to herself thinking about how her parents were flabbergasted when the marriage they thought they had planned turned out to be the opposite\u2014the man their precious daughter married was actually the \u2018black sheep\u2019 of the family, so to say. He came to Night Vigil City to be its guardian, which required him to give up his family connections. Without the prospect of climbing up the social ladder with this marriage, Xilian\u2019s parents gave up on her as well.<\/p>\n She too, following her husband\u2019s example, preferred the simpler tradition of most common folk here and ditched her surname, becoming just \u2018Lady Xilian\u2019.<\/p>\n Now that her parents couldn\u2019t control her anymore, she had the freedom to visit and take care of Xiyu.<\/p>\n Initially, Xiyu didn\u2019t respond and would stare blankly or wander off, but as Xilian persisted with her regular visits, she began to see Xiyu brighten up when she came by.<\/p>\n Petite from her stunted growth, Xiyu looked like a young girl no older than twelve. She chomped on the peach and stare longingly at the lake, as if ready to plunge back in any moment.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should\u2019ve been born a fish, free to swim in the sea than be born to our family. What good is being worshipped as an immortal god if you’re trapped in a cave?\u201d sighed Xilian.<\/p>\n She took out a book from the basket and opened it to a bookmarked page. Xiyu never got the education that Xilian had, so she would read to her older sister whenever she visited. She didn’t think that Xiyu would be able to speak, but she would not deny Xiyu the chance to listen to the poets of old.<\/p>\n Years have passed. Today seemed like any other visit. Xiyu would flap her hands or clap when she was excited and give her a silly smile as she crawled over and lay down by Xilian to listen.<\/p>\n \u201cThe guests filled the seats of the palace in two neat rows\u2014\u201d began Xilian.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, ahh,\u201d uttered Xiyu, clapping and poking at Xilian\u2019s book.<\/p>\n \u201cCareful,\u201d said Xilian. \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t want to get the book wet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMmm,\u201d said Xiyu, pointing at the page Xilian was reading.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes Jiejie like this poem?\u201d smiled Xilian. \u201cShall I\u2019ll read it again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d said Xiyu, snatching the book out of her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cJiejie!\u201d said Xilian, alarmed. Xiyu had never done something like this before.<\/p>\n Xiyu flipped the book and poked at it until Xilian took the book away.<\/p>\n \u201cOh dear, you got the pages wet,\u201d said Xilian, taking out a handkerchief to dab the moisture away. She blinked when she saw on the page where the spots of water had landed.<\/p>\n Con. Gratulate. You.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d said Xilian as she put the words together. They weren’t the right words, but if she read it out aloud, it was clearly congratulating her.<\/p>\n \u201cJiejie, looks like you pointed out something interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAhh,\u201d said Xiyu, clapping her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, you can point at whichever word you want and I\u2019ll read it aloud for you,\u201d said Xilian, setting the book down and carefully wiping Xiyu\u2019s hands dry.<\/p>\n Xiyu took the book from her eagerly and flipped through the pages, painstakingly finding and pointing out each word.<\/p>\n \u201cMe. Going. To. Have. Nephew,\u201d said Xilian, reading them out.<\/p>\n \u201cEh?\u201d blinked Xilian.<\/p>\n Xiyu smiled, stood up, and went back to the water to play.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Xiyu watched the light of the crystal stars embedded in the ceiling of the cave fade over the years, eventually turning dark. She went into the water, sealing the northern domain away from the corruption coming from the south.<\/p>\n As she slept, she had a long dream of her own.<\/p>\n When she woke, it was too late.<\/p>\n She left the lake and took the road to Night Vigil City. The place was covered in a fog. The spirit meridians beneath her were sealed shut. The city was lifeless and silent. Wisps of darkness swirled about. Voices of the dead whispered in her ear.<\/p>\n With a wave of her hand, she sent every bit of lingering dead aura back to oblivion.<\/p>\n The guardian of Night Vigil City must have fulfilled his duty in stopping the dead aura from invading the northern domain. She recalled vestiges of her dream as she made her way through the streets and into the castle. She took out a book and cast a spell on it, using it to dowse for a familiar aura.<\/p>\n She followed it into a room filled with the same fragrance of the incense that used to linger on Xilian\u2019s cape.<\/p>\n Seeing the room for the first time with her own eyes, she stumbled around, running her hands over the items left behind and feeling for familiar memories\u2014the dresses Xilian wore, the basket, books and toys she would bring. There were also many other things in the room she hadn’t seen before. Hand-sewn children\u2019s garments. Tea leaves from the southern lands.<\/p>\n Memories of others.<\/p>\n Memories to<\/em> others.<\/p>\n There were things dear to Xilian out there in the world.<\/p>\n To her parents, she was a dimwitted child. To Xilian, she was an inept older sister. To everything else, she was Hei Xuan, Keeper of the Black Lake. Xiyu had been given to the gods as a child and became Hei Xuan, God of the northern domain. Awakened after a long sleep, she was curious to see what the world had become.<\/p>\n She was going to see what Xilian left behind.<\/p>\n Hei Xuan strolled down the empty street as the sun rose upon Night Vigil City. She raised a hand to her brow to shade her sensitive crimson eyes from the first rays. As she left the city behind, the book vanished from her hand. A crow flew to perch upon her shoulder and began to recite aloud the poems as her sister did all those years ago.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n It took a few years but Hei Xuan found herself looking at her nephew. He wore a disguise but she could recognise him from his distinct aura signature.<\/p>\n \u201cLong. Time. No. See,\u201d said the crow on her shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201c…you,\u201d hissed Di Mie. \u201cWhy are you here, Auntie?\u201d<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Di Mie stormed into Juxian Inn and kicked the door to Qing Lingfeng\u2019s room open. He threw a large heavy sack onto the floor. The sack split open and an assortment of spirit swords and weapons fell out.<\/p>\n Gouzi followed close behind, carrying an equally heavy sack. He closed the door behind them quietly and greeted his Shizun.<\/p>\n \u201cValley Lord Di. Did something happen? You seem to be in a bad mood,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cMy Big Auntie* is here,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n *also slang for \u2018period\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…pardon?\u201d blinked Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n Gouzi looked completely confused and started muttering to himself.<\/p>\n \u201cDo something about your disciple,\u201d said Di Mie, rolling his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be fine. That aside, I don\u2019t remember you mentioning you having a big auntie,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s Hei Xuan of the Black Lake. You know, Keeper of the Northern Spirit Domain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c…\u201d went Qing Lingfeng, closing his eyes to think and pinching his brow. \u201cWhy was I hoping to expect anything less? Weren\u2019t the domain spirit-gods all dead or sealed away?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeats me. All I know is she\u2019s somehow working with the fox-faced gigolo who amassed spirit weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFox-faced gi\u2014who?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHong Lian, owner of the popular gambling den in the west quarter of the city. They’re known for selling ‘pawned’ cultivator tools and weapons on the side.”<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard about this character from the Cloudrest disciples that he\u2019s a freelance cultivator who enjoys dressing up as a fox demon. So, was he a real demon?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah, no way he\u2019s a real demon,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cThe way he wielded spirit aura would put most cultivators to shame. I\u2019m also pretty sure he\u2019s actually Zhu Yinghe in disguise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t the steward of the Rong Clan die in a fire during the dead aura outbreak?\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if he\u2019s a steward or a gambling den owner,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cThe only thing we need to find out is what he\u2019s planning. It seemed he\u2019s been collecting stolen spirit weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat explains the sacks,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng, looking at the mess on the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cI spent two gold coins on these,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cI\u2019ll return them back to their owners for a \u2018fee\u2019 to get my money back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you need a location and paperwork to approve this,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks in advance, big bro Lingfeng,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cGouzi, you\u2019re in charge of assisting Valley Lord Di for as long as you are here,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Shizun,\u201d said Gouzi, pursing his lips.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a good learning experience for you,\u201d chuckled Qing Lingfeng. \u201cDidn\u2019t you always say you want to learn how to do business?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be paid double wages as long as you\u2019re working for me,\u201d dangled Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir,\u201d said Gouzi, perking up at the mention of money.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes, Uncle Niu and Auntie Ma want your permission to visit Brother Xie,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cIf people keep going there, I may as well put a big banner over Zhuiyue Cave as a tourist destination,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cTell that to them yourself,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng. \u201cI\u2019d rather they all go back to Mountainside Town where it\u2019s safer. Also, I want to go home to see my wife and son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, that\u2019s right,\u201d said Gouzi. \u201cShiniang* always comes back to spend winter at Crystal Peak.\u201d<\/p>\n *Shizun\u2019s wife<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh, that reminds me,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cShizun suggested sending Jianjin to Lady Nitya to have her open his third eye.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Just Jianjin? Did he mention Jianshi too?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, he didn\u2019t say anything else,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right. I\u2019ll let my wife and head disciple Diao know,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n \u201cThird eye\u2026?\u201d said Gouzi, closely following Di Mie as he got to work. \u201cDoes head disciple Diao\u2019s disciple want to learn our Crystal Peak\u2019s spirit techniques?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho knows what my Shizun\u2019s thinking?\u201d laughed Di Mie. \u201cI put those two brats with him for a few days and he\u2019s already teaching them advanced techniques. I bet after this they\u2019ll appreciate what a sheltered life Suiyu has given them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh\u2026rest in peace, my fellow disciples,\u201d said Gouzi, sending a silent prayer for them and also for himself now that he was tethered to their Shibo.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, we\u2019ve got letters to deliver, a stall to set up, and elite clans to rip off,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Rong Zhong shakily filled two cups to the brim with wine. His whole body hurt and he was missing an arm, but this pain was nothing compared to what he felt when he saw the spirit bow on the table.<\/p>\n He looked out the window but there was no sky to be seen in here. Instead, there was the reflection of the moon in the pond below.<\/p>\n The wine was the Dream-Wandering Immortal, sweet and tangy. He hadn\u2019t expected such wine to be available. Zhuiyue Cave didn\u2019t seem that different from a human town. In fact, he\u2019d venture to say this was a far better place than most human towns, given how the people, ah, no, demons here showed curiosity rather than hostility to a stranger like him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all so interesting that I wish you were here with me to see this, Yinghe,\u201d said Rong Zhong, raising a cup as he gazed upon the spirit bow.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should be patrolling\u2014\u201d came a voice outside his door.<\/p>\n \u201cCaptain Heigou said today\u2019s not our turn, and Senior Xie\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMie\u2019er said you two have to be with me or I cannot enter this room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah, that\u2019s what Di Shibo said, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n Rong Zhong raised a brow at the commotion outside and opened his door to take a look.<\/p>\n Three men stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201c…yes?\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cHu Xun, give me the Jiutian sword,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201c…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, Senior Xie,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cPerhaps this might be too direct\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease give me the Jiutian sword, Mister Hu,\u201d said Xie Li, correcting himself.<\/p>\n Jianjin facepalmed. Even he could tell this was terribly awkward.<\/p>\n \u201c…\u201d<\/p>\n After a while, Rong Zhong opened the door wider and invited them in.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Xie, it\u2019s good to see you again,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cWho may these two gentlemen be?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChen Jianshi,\u201d said Jianshi, standing straight and holding out his hands in greeting as if they were soldiers.<\/p>\n \u201cChen Jianjin,\u201d Jianjin followed up.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re disciples of the Mad Tiger Peak,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong noticed how these Mad Tiger Peak disciples\u2019 style in greeting alone differed from the more chivalric style of the Crystal Peak disciples he\u2019d met.<\/p>\n It was definitely more intimidating as well\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Hu Xun of Bainiao Lake City,\u201d said Rong Zhong, his reflexes of decorum kicking in. \u201cI would offer you tea, but as you can see\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo not trouble yourself, um, Mister Hu,\u201d said Jianshi.<\/p>\n Xie Li looked around the room.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sword is in the chest over there,\u201d volunteered Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n Xie Li made a beeline to the chest and took out the sword.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous,\u201d said Rong Zhong, alarmed at how Xie Li was handling it casually.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Take a few steps away from me,\u201d said Xie Li, checking the seals on the sword case.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong watched as the two disciples obeyed Xie Li without question and gave him a wide berth.<\/p>\n Xie Li carefully carried the sword in his arms and walked over to Rong Zhong, staring at the bandaged stump of his right arm.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I apologise for my state of undress, Mister Xie,\u201d said Rong Zhong, feeling conscious about missing a tunic and an arm.<\/p>\n \u201cHu Xun,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cAre you Di Mie’s friend?”<\/p>\n “I guess…?”<\/p>\n “Do you promise to be good to him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI swear it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t trust me so easily, seeing it\u2019s only the second time we\u2019ve met,\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cMie\u2019er wouldn\u2019t bring you here to Zhuiyue Cave if he thought he couldn\u2019t trust you,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cI never knew Brother Di had such an interesting nickname.\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li shrugged. It was easy to slip up.<\/p>\n \u201cWow, he calls our Shibo \u2018Brother Di\u2019,\u201d whispered Jianjin. The room was small, so everyone heard him.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, you two must be the \u2018troublesome junior nephews\u2019 that Brother Di mentioned,\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll, uh, go fetch some snacks!\u201d said Jianjin, scooting out of the room before he blurted something else out.<\/p>\n Taking the cue, Rong Zhong gestured at the other chair at the small tea table. There were only two chairs.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine, I\u2019ll stand,\u201d said Jianshi, assuming a guard\u2019s stance behind Xie Li.<\/p>\n Xie Li sat down, putting the Jiutian sword across his lap. He looked at the setup on the table and then at Rong Zhong\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n \u201cApologies,\u201d said Rong Zhong, as he grabbed a robe and draped it over his bandaged chest.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t cover it up,\u201d said Xie Li, his fingers twitching as if measuring something.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong blinked and froze. He\u2019d met his fair share of eccentrics but this Xie Li was one of the harder ones to keep up with.<\/p>\n \u201cMight Senior Xie be thinking about a prosthetic arm?\u201d said Jianshi. He had seen once how Xie Li stared at Old Niu\u2019s leg, muttered calculations and then offered to improve the design.<\/p>\n \u201cMn,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cSo many people have lost their limbs to dead aura and yet there aren\u2019t any good prosthetics on the market. The twenty broken wooden guards at Huahu Island alone can provide eighty functional limbs with the right adjustments.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh? You\u2019ve been to Huahu Island?\u201d said Rong Zhong, surprised.<\/p>\n Xie Li nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cBroken wooden guards… Might I assume you broke them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you the one rebuilding the temple?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d admitted Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Rong Clan destroyed the island, so why are you trying to restore it?\u201d said Xie Li, looking away, as if disinterested.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong took a sip of tea and sighed.<\/p>\n Jianjin quietly took his place next to his brother after serving the seniors a pot of fresh tea and some snacks.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you already know, I\u2019m Rong Zhong, the second son of the Rong Clan. Huahu Island is the Rong Clan’s territory,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cMy good friend told me how beautiful Huahu Island used to be so I took over the island, hoping to restore it, but I don\u2019t think I can continue with the project.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not here with me anymore,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cI don\u2019t know if there\u2019s still a point to my efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably not,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong winced at his frank reply.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to restore a major domain of that size, more so if its Keeper is missing,\u201d continued Xie Li.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong raised a brow, surprised at Xie Li\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly a handful of people in the top clans know the fact that Huahu Island was a major spirit domain,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cDid the Spirit Emperor, your sect leader Qing, tell you this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s taught in our classes, though I think we don’t call the masters of those domains ‘gods’, not ‘keepers’,\u201d said Jianjin. Realised he might\u2019ve spoken out of turn, he quickly apologised. \u201cAh, sorry for interrupting!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, join us, Second Mister Chen. I would like to hear your opinion as well,\u201d said Rong Zhong, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cNo need for formalities! Just call me Jianjin,\u201d said Jianjin, looking more relaxed. \u201cI think it\u2019s said there used to be spirit gods who resided and watched over the four major spirit domains. There\u2019s, um, \u2018Southern Fox\u2019 and \u2018Northern Mystic\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEastern Hermit, Southern Fox, Western Aegis, Northern Mystic,\u201d prompted Jianshi. \u201cThose were the gods of the major domains discovered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnyway, that\u2019s why we could probably guess that Huahu Island was once a major spirit domain,\u201d explained Jianshi.<\/p>\n \u201cThere aren\u2019t other islands with \u2018hu (fox)\u2019 in its name in the south,\u201d added Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cNot only is the Border Mountain Sect\u2019s information network impressive, but the way they give away such secrets as common knowledge to their disciples is something no other clan will match. The previous and current sect leaders have such foresight indeed,\u201d said Rong Zhong, deeply impressed.<\/p>\n \u201cHu Xun, ask me a question. You should ask a difficult one,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy the sudden offer?\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d realised Jianjin. \u201cCould it be that Senior Xie wants a favour from Mister Hu?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI owe him two-thousand silvers. Mie\u2019er says I can buy a whole tea store with that,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy do you speak of debt?\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty wooden guards.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c…ah. I see,\u201d said Rong Zhong, amused. Brother Di always seemed to be surrounded by the most intriguing friends. \u201cSo. I need to ask you a question worth two-thousand silvers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d thought to offset the debt by a little, but do you have a question worth that much?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n To Rong Zhong, it sounded like a challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven the current exchange rate, that would be around twenty-five gold bits, meaning around twelve gold coins,\u201d said Rong Zhong, stroking his chin in thought. \u201cIndeed, you could buy over a decent tea shop in the suburbs or have an intermediate-level spirit sword smithed and customised.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou seem knowledgeable about prices. Can you appraise this?\u201d said Xie Li, putting Twig on the table.<\/p>\n Rong Zhong took one look at it and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Brother Di\u2019s Jade Flute sword, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi and Jianjin nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cBrother Di once showed me this sword. It is a sword that specialises in aura retaining and channelling. It is worth a fortune, but it is also worth nothing,\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cHow can it be worth a fortune and nothing at the same time?\u201d asked Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it because few people are capable of using this sword?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Few\u2019 is a generous estimate. Perhaps only Brother Di was able to bring out its full power because he possessed both power and precision,\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we saw Senior Xie use Twig without any problem,\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s imbued with a strong enchantment to store spirit aura,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cI don\u2019t need spirit aura to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, that changes the game,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cThe value of this sword will depend on how easy or difficult it is to utilise the spirit aura within. It might be easier to use Brother Di\u2019s name to market this as a collector\u2019s item if you want a better price for it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re saying the value of this sword depends on its user,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cI suppose it\u2019s hard to know how much money I owe Mie\u2019er.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, Brother Di\u2019s Ashfire sword is the complete opposite,\u201d said Rong Zhong. \u201cIt\u2019s a sword that amplifies one\u2019s power with an added fire element. Anyone with a spirit core can use it so that sword can start its bid at a hundred gold coins at an auction and probably get five times the amount.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDi Shibo really lucked out, inheriting a sword worth a fortune,\u201d whispered Jianjin to his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cNow then, I think I have a question for you,\u201d said Rong Zhong.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there a way to summon a spirit from the dead?\u201d<\/p>\n There was silence in the room for a while.<\/p>\n Xie Li seemed unfazed, tapping the table as he thought about the answer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt depends on which part of the dead person\u2019s spirit you wish to summon and whether it still lingers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it possible to summon a spirit, whole and intact?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are too many variables that make this feat very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about dead aura? It killed my brother Rong Jing, and then brought his spirit back into his dead body, didn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat dead aura does is give manifestation to the lingering desires the spirit leaves behind,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cI see,\u201d said Rong Zhong, going uncharacteristically quiet for a moment.<\/p>\n Jianjin took the opportunity to coax Xie Li to eat more of the snacks he brought in. Jianshi chuckled at how his brother was getting along well with their senior.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have more questions?\u201d asked Xie Li, absently chewing on some lotus seeds. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel like I completely answered your previous question. You can ask about the technicalities.\u201d<\/p>\n Rong Zhong, scratching his chin, wondering if he really wanted to go into that. He shook his head and decided to change the topic instead.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough about that,\u201d smiled Rong Zhong, looking weary but glad for the company. \u201cWhy don\u2019t I ask you about your relationship with brother Di? I overheard him calling Mister Xie ‘Shizun’. Please, tell me more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy is everyone so interested in this?\u201d said Xie Li. He looked at Jianshi, who averted his gaze, and Jianjin, who gave him a sheepish grin.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Translator\u2019s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n Eastern Hermit, Southern Fox, Western Aegis, Northern Mystic are written as Dongqiu, Nanhu, Xijia, Beixuan \u4e1c\u9690\uff0c\u5357\u72d0\uff0c\u897f\u7532\uff0c\u5317\u7384. The cardinal directions in Chinese are usually referred to in an anti-clockwise manner starting from East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Diao Xiyu floated on the cold lake and stared at the ceiling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-my-hermit-master"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\nThe literal translations would be: East Hidden, South Fox, West Armour\/Plate, North Mystery<\/p>\n