Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Following a wave of drawn-out laughter, three people stepped out of the dense forest from three different directions. One of them spoke with a sonorous voice, which rang like colliding steel, “The Demiurge-Flawed Ten indeed. Being Raiders of All But God, your tactics are impressive and your killing decisive – you allow no hidden threats!”
Lan Ruojun squinted his eyes and said, “Who are you? You know that we’re the Demiurge-Flawed Ten, but do you think that we’re the Raiders of All But God as well?”
The leader of the trio scoffed and replied faintly, “Could I be them if the two of you aren’t?”
Lan Ruojun took in a breath and uttered, “It was you who directed, or perhaps, threatened, the Steel Castle men to find fault with us, wasn’t it?”
He was no fool.
The Steel Castle men were not opponents of their level, yet they had rushed in to seek death. There must be a reason, it was only that he had yet to figure it out.
“What difference does it make whether it’s me or not?” said the man, “They’re already dead. And you, Raiders of All But God, are responsible for the blood debt of dozens of lives!”
“We’re not Raiders of All But God!” Lan Ruojun’s expression slowly turned icy.
The trio chuckled maliciously at the same time.
Breathing in simultaneously, Lan Ruojun and Ren Qingkuang’s hands slowly went to their weapon’s grip.
Ren Qingkuang uttered coldly, “You’re right – we are Raiders of All But God. Let’s skip all the nonsense!”
As soon as he spoke, he charged like a tornado, entangling himself with the trio who had pounced as well, with a holler.
“Who are the ten people?” asked Yun Yang while the fight began.
“The ten of us…” Shi Wuchen looked worried as he answered, “Enchanting Young Master of Dark Fog, White Blade That Counts Wild Madness, Green Robe of No Dust, Yellow-Cored Orchid Summons Regality; Purple Gowned of Dreamy Nobility, Golden Hand Raises the Hawk; Vicious But Not Due to Triviality, Power of Star Stains the Great River; Nine Serenities Engulfs the Fallen Moon, Day Long It Shines Warming the Sun.”
“These are the Demiurge-Flawed Ten of the past.”
Shi Wuchen laughed depreciatingly and said, “We’re all quite famous individually, but our capability and support are lacking. It’s inevitable that we end up being the whetstone. It’s only a matter of time…”
“Winning the Demiurge-Flawed Ten title enables one to be ranked as the central or true teaching disciples of the black Celestial Luck Banner… The so-called Demiurge-Flawed Ten is nothing but whetstones pushed by the sects – how laughable…”
Flashes of a forlorn sadness stained Shi Wuchen’s gaze as he recalled his past encounters. How similar these two men, who were being attacked under a wrongful accusation, were to him! Their attackers were disciples of Celestial Luck Banner schools too.
Yun Yang then asked, “Then these two men before us must be White Blade That Counts Wild Madness, Ren Qingkuang (轻狂qīng kuáng also means mad or maniacal), and Yellow-Cored Orchid Summons Regality, Lan Ruojun (兰lán stands for orchid while 君jūn means monarch), right?”
“That’s right. It’s them. Other than sharing a similar temperament, the reason these two fellows are always together is that both are them quite particular about… cough – cleanliness…” Shi Wuchen expressed his distaste implicitly.
Chuckling, Yun Yang understood the message between the lines and replied, “Let’s just say that they’re both clean freaks. Anyone with eyes can see it. It isn’t the worst. I like being clean too, it’s just that I haven’t reached the level of being freaks.”
What else could the pair be if not intense clean freaks when they could keep their clothes clean despite being in a bloody storm-like battle?
“Who are the rest?” asked Yun Yang.
“Young Master of Dark Fog, Shi Bujia (佳jiā– good, fine),
Violet Robed Golden Needles, Wu Menghuan (梦幻mèng huàn – dreamy, fantasy),
Gold-Hand Scholar, Tie Qingcang (擎苍qíng cāng – raises or holds a hawk high up),
Vicious Physician, Ping Xiaoyi (小意xiǎo yì– petty, trivial),
Star-Souled Saber Knight, Luo Dajiang (大江dà jiāng – a big river),
Serene Soul of Nine Springs, Kong Luoyue (落月luò yuè– fallen moon), and
Day-Long Assassin, Guo Nuanyang (暖阳nuǎn yang – warm sun).”
“Plus the three of us,
Tri-Autumn Swordsman, Shi Wuchen (无尘wú chén – dust free),
Traceless White Blade, Ren Qingkuang, and
Yellow Gowned Sword of Frost, Lan Ruojun.”
Shi Wuchen was familiar with the names like he was reading from the back of his hand. His tone was dejected.
“It’s only been three years but it feels like a very long time’s passed…”
Yun Yang answered softly, “Don’t you be sentimental now. Your Demiurge-Flawed peers are actually going to be impaired soon.”
Turning to look, Shi Wuchen saw that both Lan Ruojun and Ren Qingkuang were at the losing end. The three attackers looked relaxed still, their movement and robes vaguely blinking the shadow of the green Celestial Luck Banner – they were actually disciples of a middle-class Celestial Luck Banner sect!
“I’m going to save them!” Shi Wuchen uttered gently as his hand went to the grip of his sword.
His tone was soft but it was determined. It felt more like informing Yun Yang, not asking for his opinion.
Yun Yang moved to rest his palm on Shi Wuchen’s hand, shaking his head slowly.
“Be patient, wait a little longer.”
“Wait a little longer?”
Shi Wuchen was perplexed, asking subconsciously, “The strong and weak of this battle are obvious. Intervening when Ren and Lan are still capable of countering can end this fight as fast as possible. Why must I wait for a little while more? What will happen if I were to wait until the two of them are injured and couldn’t do more?”
“Intervening now could possibly offend both parties. That two brothers of yours may very well not be grateful to us,” answered Yun Yang.
Shi Wuchen was rendered speechless. There was a pause before he said, “It’s their business, whatever they think. It’s a gentleman’s way to lend a helping hand without hoping for a reward.”
“It’s not whether we hope for a reward for helping them or not,” said Yun Yang, “Let me ask you; do you hope that your Demiurge-Flawed Ten go on like a joke or do you wish to switch to another approach in reflecting the value of your existence? Are you sincerely willing to become the whetstone for these sects and grind away your future?”
“Whatever whetstone one is, it’ll be broken and ground into pieces as time goes on.”
Shi Wuchen was silent, thoughtful.
“You have a fount now, you have a place where you belong. Your future is bright. Should you think of your brothers’ future too?”
Yun Yang continued saying, “I don’t intend to harm them by playing a ploy now, nor do I want to get on their good side. I want them to a similar sense of identity as us. Should an opportunity to work together arise in the future, we can easily work well and fight together.”
Shi Wuchen blinked and glared at Yun Yang.
“Listen to yourself. I feel like you have an ulterior motive however I listen to you. Anyone can say that I have a bright future but isn’t it too boastful for these words to come out of your mouth? You not wanting me to intervene immediately, isn’t it just to be deeper in their good books – isn’t that just being manipulative?”
Insulted, Yun Yang chided the man in his mind – how could he dare spell out the truth? Did he not know the limits of superior and subordinate? What was he yapping about?
Words left his mouth easily as he asked, “Just tell me this; do you want to go on separate ways with them after saving them now or do you want a chance at fighting and obtaining the Celestial Luck Banner together after the rescue?”
“Uh…” Shi Wuchen was speechless with wide eyes.
“I’m giving you a chance to pick freely. Choose one out of the two,” said Yun Yang, “Insist that I’m devious and hold the principle of lending a helping hand and wishing for a reward, or intervene right at this very instant. Choose – I’ll not intervene. Whatever your choice is, I’ll do it with you, for better or for worse.”
Shi Wuchen said quietly, “It’d be the best if they can stay and do things together, but…”
