Chapter Fifty-One: Intentions
Under the noon sun, inside an alley in Changling, a door was slowly opening outside.
This door was very large and heavy, giving people the feeling it was like a mountain. It was more than half as big as the gates of other courtyards. The reason for this was that this was the gate for a marquessate establishment in Changling, and also because the master of the place was very large.
The figure of Hengshan Marquis Xu appeared behind the opening door. His body was like a moving mountain, and when he walked, each piece of meat seemed to be shaking.
But no one would find this funny. One was because his identity naturally gave him a dignified presence. Second, many cultivators knew that the “fat” of Marquis Xu was actually related to his cultivation method.
The amount of vital energy and primal energies of the universe stored in a cultivator’s body came from how much their energy sea and meridian points could hold. Any cultivation method had the effect of nourishing the body, strengthening life, and changing the cultivator’s body. The greater the cultivation, the more vital energy and primal energy a cultivator could hold. The more vital energy and primal energy a cultivator can hold, the longer a cultivator could fight, and endure more expenditure, using more powerful moves.
The vital energy cultivation method of Marquis Xu was simple and brutal. Such a method was not like the Donghu monk who made his body even more concentrated and stronger. Instead, he made his body bigger.
When the meridians and blood vessels were larger, they could naturally hold more vital energy. So his body was large as it was related to his cultivation.
Compared to many years ago, his body was many times larger. As his cultivation grew, his body would keep on growing. More importantly, for some unknown reason, his body was suddenly much larger than usual as he came out of his home.
So this door that had been changed last year appeared a bit small to his figure right now. Maybe because he felt it was inconvenient to enter and exit, and other than this door, there were many other things that had to be changed, this person had some worry on his face.
In the alley here were the homes of the soldiers who had followed him and fought for many years. Among the thirteen marquises of the Qin Dynasty, the soldiers who followed him were blessed. Most had become high ranking officials of the Warden’s Office. Some were stationed in the nearby cities, and their families were in Changling.
So this door that had been changed last year appeared a bit small to his figure right now. With years of peaceful life, he had the patience to take care of some plants. So to Changling, this alley was full of flowers and trees. Many courtyards had plants that had been transplanted from nearby mountains, some brought plants from their homeland, and some others were hundreds of years old.
When Marquis Xu put a foot outside his door threshold, under the shade of an old tree in the alley, there was a woman waiting for him. No one had noticed when she had arrived, like when the marquis appeared, she appeared.
She was petite, and looked very unbalanced compared to Marquis Xu’s figure. But there was a similar presence from the two of them. Everyone in the alley knew the identity of this woman. Because she usually wore white robes, she always did not fit with the main black and grey colors of the city.
She was Ye Celeng, the bureau chief of the Astrology Bureau.
When Marquis Xu stepped out of the courtyard, sunlight came down on his head. His figure was very straight, but he was still an enormous ball. In the mountainous shadow, he saw many ants crawling about. He could not help but shake his head.
His figure was large, but compared to the enormous turrets, it was still too small. So he felt that in such a city, no matter if it was him or Ye Celeng, they were as small as ants.
“You suffered so many years in Changling, and now you will state your intentions?”
As he shook his head with feeling, he said to Ye Celeng who was blocking his way, “Your sword, after enduring for so many years, will finally be used?”
Before Ye Celeng responded, he looked up straight at her and said seriously with a strange expression, “It is not too early?”
Ye Celeng sneered. Her smile looked about the same as when she came back to Changling and saw Zhao Zhan. “You feel it is early. Then how long did you think I will wait?”
“At least until Ba Mountain Sword Field formally rises and rebels. Then, you would still hold a high position in Changling, and can work with them from the inside. Then you will be of the greatest effect.” Marquis Xu did not smile and said seriously, “At least, that is what the art of war says… No strategy will have people seek death.”
“They are going to take down Min Mountain Sword Sect, they are overturning the world, and I will still not move?” Ye Celeng looked at him with disdain and said, “But I admire Zheng Xiu. Do nothing, or do something great. She forced everyone’s intentions out. This is not attacking the Chu but people’s hearts.”
“What are you saying? Min Mountain….” Marquis Xu was shocked, and his flesh seemed to jump.
Ye Celeng sneered in mockery and said, “Otherwise, why do you think you are coming out? For you to taste the food of the sword schools? Is it not for you to suppress those sword schools, and also deal with the Chen Country Lady Ji Qingqing?”
Marquis Xu frowned slightly. His expression turned slightly frosty, and he was silent.
“These years, everyone was guessing about my intentions, but I was curious about yours.”
Ye Celeng said in scorn, “I want to ask, back then, among all of us, you were the one who admired and respected the Ba Mountain Sword Field people the most, but how did you make Yuanwu and Zheng Xiu trust you so much? Also, other than you tolerating everyone, you did not do anything. If you like to fight for power like the other marquises, then it is fine. But I understand you very much. Back then, you were one who liked to eat and wait for death.”
Marquis Xu exhaled slowly, looked at her, and then at the sky. “I am unambitious, but respect and favor are different things. You know, back then, Yuanwu blocked an attack for me. Also, back then, if he did not lead an army for three days and nights without rest, our city would have been taken a long time ago, and my family would have died there.”
“Yuanwu and Zheng Xiu trusted me not because I have no goals, not because I have sympathy for the Ba Mountain Sword Field,” Marquis Xu slowly said, “but because they know I remember this favor, and will repay them.”
Ye Celeng stopped talking. Looking at the fat man, she knew that both were clear about their intentions and there was nothing to talk about.
“Time to decide life and death?” Marquis Xu looked at her and asked.
At this time, he had recovered his usual majestic presence, and gave off a fierce presence. In the past, his presence even suppressed Ye Celeng.
But today, it did not.
Ye Celeng calmly shook her head, and said with some pride, “No need. Back then, you slashed me. Today, I will return the blow, and just stop you from going out the door.”
