Chapter 9

The spirit caves were labyrinthine and deep, hundreds of turning paths and thousands of steps turning backwards without wind or moonlight, though there was a faraway and almost unnoticeable feeling of coolness. Large and small limestone rocks emerged from the landscape, revealing many beds of natural rock. At the center, there was even a pool of clear reflective water that seemed to reveal another world.

This was only one among many caves, but Shen Qingqiu was very satisfied and didn’t plan to look for another spot.

Shen Qingqiu wanted to achieve a new understanding in his techniques. He sat on the stone bed and began to cultivate.

However, perhaps Old Man Heavens didn’t want him to cultivate honestly and well. He hadn’t meditated for long when he heard a strange noise.

It was the sound of someone wheezing painfully.

Not only did it sound strange to his keen ears, his body’s spiritual power seemed to also experience a strange and almost violent burst of energy fluctuations.

Fine. Shen Qingqiu knew something had happened. In these spiritual caves, naturally there must be other people who gained entry to cultivate in seclusion aside from him. Not only are there are other people here cultivating as well…… it seems someone has cultivated into madness. This was a critical moment.

I! Only! Want! To! Cultivate! In! Seclusion! And! Increase! Martial! Power! Can’t he do this? Can’t! He!

Shen Qingqiu opened his eyes suddenly and decided to investigate. He followed the noise and the fluctuations in spiritual power. Walking in that direction along seven turns and eight bends, the disruption grew larger and larger.

Finally, he entered another spiritual cave. Once he entered, he saw a white-clothed back facing him, a sword fallen on the ground.

The interior of the cave was filled with traces of spiritual power-filled sword slashes and fresh blood as though from a murder scene involving a sword. Even the white-clothed person’s body had bloody marks on it.

Looks like this cultivation madness is quite tragic!

Shen Qingqiu pondered whether if lending the other person some of his own high level spiritual power would be helpful or more likely to harm him to death. At that moment, he glimpsed the sword fallen on the ground.

The sword was currently slim in shape, probably because its owner’s spiritual power was running rampant. Its whole body emitted a harsh silver light, a strange dark incantation and engravings inscribed along the blade.

Seeing this sword, Shen Qingqiu knew at once what sword this was and whose it was.

Your mother’s egg!1

If he sought a good death, he shouldn’t be meeting this person!

If earlier he still thought of helping out, right now he has the thought to run for his life. But it was already too late. That white-clothed person suddenly turned around; he’d already found him out!

Shen Qingqiu was in no mood to applaud this ‘handsome man!’ This handsome man’s two eyes were blood red, his forehead bulging with blue veins, intent on making him kneel!

He flapped his sleeves and ran for it. That man hit a palm onto the stone wall, stone shards flying everywhere; the long, fallen sword on the ground flew up and just happened to block Shen Qingqiu’s route of retreat through the limestone entrance. The white-clothed man who’d lost all reason advanced like a gunshot.

Shen Qingqiu saw it was too late to run and toughened his scalp for the upcoming fight. He gathered spiritual power in his right hand, staking everything on that one hit and slapped his palm onto his opponent’s chest.

If this person was really like what was said about him in rumors, he had a vitality comparable to that of the protagonist and this hit certainly wouldn’t be of any damn use. Not only would it not be of any damn use, perhaps Shen Qingqiu would even be knocked flying three zhang2 out while coughing up blood.

However, it turned out to have an effect after all. The one who was knocked flying three chi3 out while coughing up blood wasn’t Shen Qingqiu, but his opponent!

At that instant, Shen Qingqiu raised his right hand and looked at the white-clothed person he’d personally knocked down by the palm strike. He deeply felt: how can this brother be such a ****!

Actually, though someone who had cultivated into madness was very frightening, they were also very fragile. If your luck was good, chances were that your single strike would be the one to break their last standing straw of support.

Shen Qingqiu’s expression was tangled as he watched him painfully move into a half-kneeling position on the ground. He tried to forcefully stand up but could only fall onto his knees again. Finally, Shen Qingqiu could only sigh and walk over, putting his hand on his back.

“I’ll make this clear.” Shen Qingqiu didn’t care if he was listening or not, saying it for himself: “I’m not familiar with this move; if I really make you dead, I still tried my best so you shouldn’t blame me.”

It was unknown how much time had passed. Shen Qingqiu felt the spiritual power inside the man return to a calm and natural state. Only then could he lay down his worries and retract his hand.

The white-clothed man’s head drooped down, not quite conscious yet.

To tell the truth, Shen Qingqiu had already guessed this man’s identity, but the system’s alert confirmed it for him.

【Congratulations! The system’s notice: Changed the scene ‘Liu Qingge’s death,’ the death and hatred values for the villain ‘Shen Qingqiu’ have decreased, B Points: +200! 】

Sure enough. This was his fellow sect brother, also yet another victim who wrongly died under the original Shen Qingqiu’s hands.

Cang Qiong Mountain sect, Twelve Peaks’ Bai Zhan Peak’s Peak Lord, Liu Qingge. 4

Liu Qingge was a very NB5 character.

Each one of Cang Qiong’s Twelve Peaks had their own merits and distinctive features. For instance, Qiong Ding Peak led everyone and oversaw general affairs; Shen Qingqiu’s Qing Jing Peak was the favorite of intellectual and literary youths; Wan Jian Peak since ancient times had produced famous swordmasters; what Ku Xing Peak6 did was obvious by its name, even if you whipped Shen Qingqiu he wouldn’t want to go there……

Among the Twelve Peaks, Xian Shu Peak7 is an incredibly coveted existence.

Because this Peak only accepts female disciples. Also, there were very high standards for accepted disciples, the beautiful women like clouds. WS8 readers in an endless stream wrote YY reviews and let a hundred flowers bloom freely, expressing all kinds of styles. Among them were “The Overbearing Xian Shu Fell In Love With Me,” “My Days While Possessing Xian Shu Peak”; these kinds of works were considered masterpieces of lasciviousness. Their popularity could even compare to that of the original work.

But the Peak the youths loved the most, revered most, and would like to enter most: it would definitely be the Bai Zhan Peak commanded by Liu Qingge!

This was Cang Qiong Mountain sect’s very war division, also the one with the greatest fighting strength.

The history of Bai Zhan Peak is filled innumerable outstanding figures, victorious in hundreds of battles, full of undefeated myths, positively hot-blooded and bold!

Therefore, Shen Yuan was quite fascinated by this character. Men always admired the strong. Even though the original work didn’t describe his appearance, Shen Qingqiu’s image of Liu Qingge was that of a sharp man’s face. A god of war!

Shen Qingqiu lowered his head and looked at that face like a beautiful woman’s, feeling the image he held in his mind shatter.

The invincible Bai Zhan Peak’s Lord, why did he have to grow this kind of elegant young prince’s face?

But thinking it over, Liu Qingge was the big brother of one of the female leads, the peerless beauty Liu Mingyan. The quality of the male protagonist’s wives was as strong as steel; the strength of genetics was also very great, very scientific!

Ever-victorious, his character rampantly arrogant, plus a good appearance; no wonder the author wrote him into an early death.

Aside from the protagonist, who dared be so arrogant? You’d die in minutes! Damn, he didn’t think deeply about this earlier. Would rescuing this person affect Luo Binghe’s coolness?

This flashy character doesn’t show up much. Other than being used to display a warlike prowess enough to make people piss their pants, he has one other important reason for existing: to set off the scumbag Shen Qingqiu.

Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu are brothers in the same sect but have discord between them.

This was also why Shen Qingqiu wanted to run away earlier. They never got along well to begin with. Adding cultivation madness to the equation: either he chased Shen Qingqiu and killed him or like the original Shen Qingqiu, Shen Qingqiu was the one to kill him.

Though it’s unknown what deep hatred was between them, the fact that the original Shen Qingqiu was Liu Qingge’s murderer was a hard truth. Once this event was exposed, it was also the (number one) reason pushing towards Shen Qingqiu’s loss of standing and reputation. The original Shen Qingqiu said “in his cultivation I saw a divergent path, that was the only reason I could steel my heart and kill my apprentice-brother.” Thinking on it now, he probably made his move here……

Shen Qingqiu killed the female lead’s only relative. Of course Luo Binghe would take revenge for his wife.

Come to speak of it, the hatred towards the character Shen Qingqiu was really not of an average intensity!

Shen Qingqiu was still worrying about his future when Liu Qingge finished vomiting blood and finally turned around.

Liu Qingge opened his eyes and immediately saw Shen Qingqiu sitting nearby, looking busy. Tilting his head, no matter how he looked Shen Qingqiu didn’t seem to have good intentions. His instincts ringing, he silently tried to sit up. However, he’d suffered an impact on his internal organs and was still scrambled up inside. Blood sprayed out again.

Nearby, Shen Qingqiu coolly said: “Ai, don’t be so excited. You’re still Bai Zhan Peak’s Lord, how can you come to look so terrible. Do you have the face to look like this? Come, come, wipe.” As he spoke, he passed over a handkerchief.

Liu Qingge spoke as he vomited blood: “Shen…… what kind of thing are you up to now……”

Shen Qingqiu saw how difficult it was for him and laid a palm on his back. Originally, Liu Qingge thought he wanted to harm him but was unable to dodge; only when the palm connected did he feel a stream of clear and smooth spiritual power channeling into him, straightening out his meridians and his spiritual power. At this, Liu Qingge was even more aghast at Shen Qingqiu than he had been earlier.

Shen Qingqiu had a hand on his back while speaking to him: “Apprentice-brother Liu, this senior brother has recently gained some insights while in seclusion recently. Thinking of past events, this senior brother feels a little ashamed.”

Liu Qingge seemed to vomit even more severely.

Shen Qingqiu pondered: “How about this, leave past events in the past. From now on, let’s join hands in respect and be a pair of model apprentice-brothers. What do you think, junior brother?”

Since he hadn’t killed Liu Qingge, that hatred in the plot had been avoided. Why couldn’t he be even more thorough and just establish good relations with Liu Qingge, perhaps even making him become his back-up?!

Liu Qingge: “……Are you serious?”

Shen Qingqiu: “Serious. I cannot be more serious. Look at this senior brother’s two eyes, are you moved?”

Shen Qingqiu always felt that after unfreezing the OOC function, he had no more worries and had proceeded without turning back……

Liu Qingge’s face was bad as he looked into Shen Qingqiu’s eyes for a moment, as he wished. Finally, he seemed to be driven beyond the limits of endurance and said: “You, walk farther away.”

Shen Qingqiu expressed understanding.

After all, they had been in mutual disgust for so many years. A good impression can’t be brushed up so suddenly and can only come along slowly.

He nodded his head and was as good as his word. As he walked along, he waved back without turning his head and said: “If junior brother encounters some trouble while practicing, there’s no need to be shy, you can call this senior brother to come help. All us brothers are close and have to take care of each other.”

Liu Qingge thought that if he had to listen to two more words from him, he would start vomiting blood again. His gaze was terrible.

Shen Qingqiu shut his mouth and left. Liu Qingge was left alone inside the spirit cave.

They were two people who did not get along well. When they were less familiar with each other, Shen Qingqiu was the person who Liu Qingge found the most disgusting. Both extremely abhorred each other.

This kind of hatred was not like an argument between a loving but quarrelsome couple. It was the kind of like-minded hatred that turned to violence. What’s strange is that Shen Qingqiu didn’t take the opportunity to drop stones on someone stranded in a well,9 not to mention helping him?!

However, with the truth placed in front of him, Liu Qingge’s expression twisted slightly.

He knew from memory that his cultivation had gone out of control earlier. But now his spiritual flow was smooth and he definitely could not have broken through the frenzy by himself. There must have been outside help.

Could it be that Shen Qingqiu had truly helped him?

Once he thought that there truly was this kind of possibility, Liu Qingge felt as disgusted as though he’d eaten shit.

—End Chapter 9—

1Mother’s egg (媽蛋): Literally translates this way. I’m assuming it’s like cursing ‘by my mother’s ovaries.’

2Zhang (丈): A unit of measurement equal to 3 1/3 meters.

3Chi (尺): Another unit of measurement… Equal to 1/3 of a meter and considered the Chinese version of a ‘foot’ of measurement.

4Bai Zhan Peak (百戰)… Liu Qingge (柳清歌): Literally ‘Hundred Battles/War Peak.’ Qingge’s name means ‘clear song.’

5NB: I have no idea what this means. Yet another thing to sort out in edits.

6Ku Xing Peak (苦行峰): ‘Ascetic’ Peak. LOOOL.

7Xian Shu Peak (仙姝峰): ‘Immortal Lovely Lady’ Peak. Guess who’s interested. XD

8WS: Slang again…

9Drop stones on someone stranded in a well: Meaning to hit someone when they’re down or in a bad situation.

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