Chapter 114: The Origins Of The Deathsworn
In the 34th year of the Shu Tian Calendar, October, the Wu Family tribute team set off from Changcheng, carrying a full thirty thousand gold in goods, as well as southern oddities. Among them were a pair of live rhinoceroses, ninety-nine giant alligator hides, and all kinds of gemstones. Just the escorts for the goods numbered five hundred people.
According to Imperial Court regulations, the team could not all wear iron armor, and the crossbows they carried could not exceed a hundred. But even so, this “escort” team advanced steadily on the road, showing the momentum of a strong army. Along the way, martial world people didn’t dare to intercept this unannounced “escort team”.
This Wu Family Army team used cloth armor, but in key areas like the chest and limbs, iron pieces were added inside the fabric to block slashes. Of course, this couldn’t stop thrusts, but multiple positions could be reinforced. Pockets at the chest and abdomen held flat “hardened flatbread”, which could block arrows.
When this guard team set off, Emperor Shu already knew the intelligence. He even confirmed the number of gold cakes in every sealed box. Thus, he dispatched palace guards to guide them along the way, ensuring local government offices wouldn’t trouble them!
Emperor Shu had some knowledge of the morals of the officials below. Without people from the palace guiding, such a large sum of money would definitely be detained by officials along the way.
Thirty thousand gold wasn’t much compared to the Imperial Court’s current annual expenditure of eight hundred thousand gold, but it represented the submissive attitude of the southern border warlords. The court didn’t need to guard the south too heavily, saving over a hundred thousand gold in expenses.
After settling this major matter on his mind for a year, Emperor Shu was in the mood to leave the palace for “
admiring flowers and praising butterflies”.
…Luxury and extravagance…
In Yao Capital, Xian Daoren appeared in the Li family residence.
In the residence, Miss Li was cursing: “Cheap servant girl, using filthy hands to touch the incense!”
A terrified plea from the servant girl came from the room: “Miss, spare me, this servant girl was in a hurry and couldn’t find silk wrap, spare me!”
This Miss Li now used special incense daily to soak her body, kept in a sandalwood box. Servants had to use silver tongs to take it out, wrap it in silk, and place it on a tray.
Previously, some servants didn’t care, hastily taking it out with hands and placing it on the tray, thinking no one saw and their mistress couldn’t tell. But Miss Li immediately smelled the sweat smell and had them beaten to death. Now, this maidservant got lucky momentarily but broke the taboo.
Just as Miss Li drew her sword to chop off this maidservant’s hand, Xian Daoren’s light laugh sounded in her ear.
Miss Li sheathed her sword and coldly told the maidservant: “Get out!”
Xian Daoren pasted a “warding idle talisman” in the room and strode into Miss Li’s boudoir.
The previously fierce Miss Li now became gentle as water, bowing gracefully: “Nightmare Butterfly pays respects to Sect Leader.”
Xian Daoren looked at Miss Li, nodded and said: “It seems you’ve already met him.” — Through the state of the nightmare butterfly left on Miss Li, Xian Daoren knew her pregnancy status.
Xian Daoren originally chose Li Lihua to plant a seed in the Wu Family. He calculated her marriage was with Wu Fei, but somehow it changed, and the marriage line broke directly.
Of course, more importantly, after Li Lihua was led into the evil path by Xian Daoren, she developed some “watery nature”, scorning mounds after seeing tall mountains.
Oh, the current tall mountain is “Xian Daoren”, and when she first saw Wu Fei half a month ago, he was an ordinary person chewing “five grains”, utterly unremarkable.
…Xian Daoren attributed these changes to his junior sister Qian Cuo…
Miss Li still didn’t know she had fallen into Wu Fei’s hands. After the nightmare butterfly was eaten by the Vermilion Bird, all her related memories vanished.
So when Xian Daoren asked, “You’ve met Wu Fei?”, she acted coy, so he asked: “Report to Sect Leader, three months ago I saw him from afar once, but these days he’s been elusive, I couldn’t—”
No sooner had she spoken than he gripped her wrist, listened carefully, then input some magic power into Lihua’s body. As this power flowed, scales and wings appeared on Li Lihua’s back.
This “scaled and horned” transformation technique was left by ancient Jie Faction. When the power reached Lihua’s lower abdomen, it was snuffed out like flame, and Li Lihua’s face turned terrified: “This, it’s come again!”
Li Lihua’s “again” referred to the “hidden danger” in her body that often weakened her magic power.
Now, stimulated by the Sect Leader, she put on a pitiful look. — Regarding the fetal energy devouring “Myriad Changes Dao Power”, Xian Daoren knew because his junior sister lost all her cultivation while pregnant.
This Miss Li had only entered the Dao for a few years? Of course she couldn’t withstand Wu Fei’s essence left behind. After sensing the hegemonic Vermilion Bird Power, Xian Daoren said leisurely: “Since you haven’t met him, has the man (Jia Cha Yang) noticed the child in your womb?”
Miss Li coyly said: “My lord, he, he hasn’t noticed. (Obviously, talking about intimacy with another in front of her beloved was emotionally overwhelming for her.)”
Xian Daoren touched her fair forehead, casting a mind-clearing spell: “Speak slowly.”
Purple faded from Miss Li’s pupils, and she began reciting like a machine. She also described how the fire egg in her belly had strong vitality, breaking through layers of blue seals.
Minutes later, Xian Daoren murmured: “Dream-induced pregnancy? This supernatural power, could it be Xi Emperor descendant? No, he’s Vermilion Bird descendant, of the Red Emperor line.”
But then he instructed Miss Li: “You still need to contact your original good match.”
Li Lihua nearby was clearly confused, weakly asking: “Sect Leader, that man is just a mortal.”
Xian Daoren turned: “You’ve only entered the Dao a few years, used to judging by magic power, not knowing the true meaning of cultivation. True, strong magic can mimic reality, but the Dao Path isn’t just magic power; it needs ‘Dao Heart’ to sustain it, and accumulated insight for cultivation. The man with marriage ties to you (Wu Fei) has cultivation no less than mine; his refined external objects can split mountains and stones, perceive the minute and vast. Your little tricks might be seen through before approaching him. And do you really think he has no magic power?”
Li Lihua hurriedly argued: “I saw his steps heavy as lead; if he had magic power, how could he travel in dust?”
After cultivating, Li Lihua could defy gravity and float on wind, so she saw “transcending dust” as the standard for immortals. Even in her imagination, immortals were pure white, untainted by dust.
Xian Daoren, somewhat impatient: “Cultivation is insight into the Dao, unrelated to magic power. — Cultivators avoid dust to pass tribulations, not to please others.”
At this, Xian Daoren stopped explaining; the dust on Xuan Chong wasn’t ordinary dust. It daunted even him.
Xuan Chong’s dust had no effect on ordinary people, but on immortals, demons, and all transcendent beings, it could ignite.
This Li Shi, chosen by both blue and purple, should normally burn too, but her child let her resist this transcendent flame.
Yet Li Shi clutched her abdomen, about to ask for a method to remove it. The next line would be not wanting mortal troubles, seeking to cultivate purely with the Immortal Elder.
But facing the purple reappearing in Li Shi’s pupils, and knowing her true thoughts via mind-reading, Xian Daoren preemptively drove a butterfly to block her words.
Xian Daoren commanded: “Give birth to this child.”
Li Lihua was stunned. Xian Daoren snorted coldly: “What, unwilling?”
Li Lihua: No no, it’s just, I, I… (She felt wronged, abandoned and despised by her revered one.)
But next came behavior more devastating to her personality; Xian Daoren pinched her cheek: “You knew I’d answer this way. You deliberately brewed hatred from love. (Li Shi, chosen by both Blue Moon and Purple Moon, was no longer innocent.)”
Xian Daoren stared at her: “I might as well let you know a bit more.”
Xian Daoren’s leisurely gaze ignited blue flame in Li Lihua’s pupils; after this eye-to-eye knowledge infusion, her pupils showed fear and helplessness.
Because Xian Daoren explained all her tricks were child’s play. In this great game, she was but an insignificant chess piece. Letting go of useless emotions and adapting to changes would make her a lasting piece. But releasing harmful emotions at the player would get her crushed next second.
Xian Daoren: “Tomorrow the Da Yao Emperor will seek flowers and ask willows; I’ll recommend you to him. Use your skills to enter the palace.”
Li Lihua’s expression was dazed. — She had been with several men but always restored to virginity.
Xian Daoren leisurely announced: “My sect’s doctrine: all things change. Da Yao needs some change too.”
…Golden barrier dividing line…
In the East Market area, Wu Fei took his disciple to inspect the marketplace. Wu Juwang used Gongshu Wang’s wooden abacus to calculate passing vehicles, marking them on the silk map before him. In the sky flew wooden luan. Thus, on the sky drone and silk book monitor, this kid calculated all the goods flow of East Market’s major gangs clearly.
Pickpockets in the city needed keen wits to survive the trade. Naturally clever. And they knew being valued by Wu Fei was far better than street pickpocketing.
So they worked very diligently.
In the previous two times, after Wu Juwang handed recorded East Market goods info to Wu Fei, Wu Fei nodded, then used counting tallies to calculate. After finishing, he carved the result on a bamboo tally with a knife, the marks infused with specific killing intent to prevent spiritual energy tampering.
Wu Fei casually asked Wu Juwang: “Before returning, did you send intelligence to Flow Sky Alley?”
At this, Wu Juwang knelt with a thud. Then kowtowed to smash his head on the tiles, but just before contact, Wu Fei tossed a hemp cloth pad between his forehead and the tiles.
Wu Fei curiously asked: “Is this the rule in your gang? Get up, I don’t have that many ‘fatal’ mistakes by my side.” By Wu Juwang’s self-harming kowtow, his head would bleed.
Note: Flow Sky Alley is Da Yao Secret Guard’s intelligence drop point. The day after Wu Fei took Wu Juwang as disciple, Emperor Shu knew all about Wu Fei’s followers. After ten days living with Wu Fei, Wu Juwang was caught by Secret Guards as a spy.
After Wu Fei pointed it out, Wu Juwang was very scared; in his old trade, double-dealing meant death.
Wu Fei looked at him: “Since it’s your choice, I can tell you, with Flow Sky Alley, be bolder. When exchanging info, don’t be so nervous daily. I can see the effort in your recent tasks.”
Wu Juwang, head down trembling, asked: “My lord, you?” His observant eyes probed Wu Fei’s attitude.
Wu Fei pulled him up, then lectured: “Recite the sixty military law execution orders.”
Wu Juwang recited them one by one.
Wu Fei, amused at this awaiting-punishment adopted son: “Remember, working for me, only violating these is ‘fatal’, and then I can’t protect you.”
Wu Juwang nodded obediently: “Yes, Master, I’ll remember.” But then couldn’t help saying to Wu Fei: “Master, you’re not angry?”
Wu Fei smiled at him: “First, you reporting my info to His Majesty’s people; next, I do need a channel for His Majesty to know what I’m doing. Second, you’re a child; do I need to hold grudges against you?”
Wu Juwang opened his mouth.
Wu Fei reasoned emotionally: “For things truly fatal to me, I’ll warn you ahead and arrange for you. If you can’t even calculate dangers around you, you can’t be a general.”
Wu Juwang nodded, wanting to flatter Wu Fei’s wisdom and valor.
Wu Fei stopped his worldly flattery, not letting him off easily, but seriously said: “But remember, every ‘clever’ choice you make is paid by your future self.”
You lived day-to-day before, ignoring tomorrow, but now following me, you have next year, the year after, ten years, even your latter half-life.
When handing off to Secret Guards, your choice was likely because they had your weakness, which you couldn’t handle, so you traded. Now you know you can’t hide from me.
Of course you understand, I labeled you once; now you have that label, harmless for now. But the future?
Wu Fei stared at the child slowly: “If in future I need to do something very important, I’ll exclude you from the outside. Then, don’t blame me for no chance, or envy weaker talents faring better.”
Wu Juwang paused, then knelt: “Master, can you teach me?”
This time Wu Fei didn’t stop his kneeling, but asked: “Do you trust Master?” (Wu Fei decided to teach real things, asking this ritual guilt-free.)
Wu Juwang nodded; Wu Fei gazed sternly: “Think clearly, from your angle, am I worth trusting? This Master you call, might he one day betray you for interest on some issues!”
Wu Juwang looked carefully at Wu Fei, tentatively: “Master, you wouldn’t, right?”
Wu Fei’s gaze chilled, releasing killing intent, making him collapse to the ground.
Wu Fei: “You must figure it out yourself. Bury your head in the ground. When making big decisions, if you can’t hide your face, bury your head to keep thoughts unseen.”
Wu Juwang lowered his head, but quickly realized, lifted it, eyes sincere to Wu Fei: “Master, I’ve decided, I trust you, you won’t sell me out; I was blind-hearted, shouldn’t have hidden it.” (Wu Juwang very sharp, applied the advice on the spot.)
Wu Fei, satisfied with the kid, softly: “Master will tell you something too: before major benefit choices possibly sacrificing your interests, I’ll discuss with you first, carefully ask, jointly find solutions. If unsolvable, we part ways; before good karma ends, we can quickly separate, avoiding enmity breaking our bond.”
Wu Juwang nodded.
Wu Fei eased: “About Secret Guards, do you want to solve it with me now?”
Wu Juwang nodded, spilling everything. Including among those twenty-three children, five others controlled, all revealed. Secret Guards’ intel net around Wu Fei was sold out.
At that instant, Wu Fei grasped void, lifting a dazed parrot before him, telling him it was dazed before he entered. When parrot wakes, act ignorant, report correct info.
Wu Fei listened carefully, guiding him how to act safely. Asked if those were his “personal weakness” handles, any others.
For these weaknesses, Wu Fei said he’d resolve in half-year; meantime, keep commandments, don’t self-destruct into new troubles.
Wu Fei sternly warned: “Never let Secret Guards control you via ‘gambling’ or ‘drugs’. They do that; once trapped, eternal doom, no longer human but dog, death unworthy pity. Be vigilant.” Wu Juwang nodded like pecking chicken; Wu Fei thought, gave him a poison-repellent fire jade to keep close.
As a general, don’t demand subordinates’ absolute sacrificial loyalty, total devotion on command—that’s women’s romantic fantasies.
Wu Fei: “Prioritizing leader’s right to know is qualified loyal subordinate. For such subordinates providing info, bearing the matter is leader’s duty.”
