It was the first time Edelweiss had laid eyes on Jin Qichen and naturally, she only understood half of what we were saying. Ponderously, I told her about our visitor, "He is the one behind this whole debacle. A member of the group of people who wish to lay their hands on me and the Shiyan Blade. This Jin Qichen is a son from the line of the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty and so his goal is, as anticipated, the revival of the Qing Empire."
"He came unarmed. I could have easily lopped off his head and be done with it. Why did you allow him to leave?" Edelweiss frowned and I pinched gently at her cheeks. "He's the least of our concern for now. To put it frankly, he's only cannon fodder for those so-called comrades of his, a daydreamer who fantasizes about of being emperor. But among those comrades of his that now remained hidden are our true quarries. One of them is my nemesis and the other is that strange but malevolent organization. So Jin Qichen is nothing but an inconsequ
"What happened to you, Shiyan? I heard you were injured. How are you now? Where were you hurt? Let me see it!" Lu Shengnan pelted a flurry of questions at me before I could say anything. "How did you know I was hurt?" I almost laughed out loud and she chuckled. "Humph. What makes you think you can keep secrets from us?"Smiling weakly to myself, I shook my head. A rascal that should have been born a boy instead of a girl. She must have heard from somewhere that I was injured although something told me that she was not here only for a simple visit. Lu Shengnan was never known to be fastidious about manners with me and me her as well. "So, what brings you here?" I asked directly. She plopped into the couch opposite mine and lighted herself a cigarette. "I hope I can rely on you to remember most of our classmates in university?"I shook my head and I was serious. Aside from Lu Shengnan, I had almost forgotten everyone else from my class. I was usually distant
"Come on, this is MY rate. An honest one to boot!" I glowered at Lu Shengnan with tremendous exasperation. "What makes you think the rates charged by swindlers and hustlers are the correct ones?"Only Lu Shengnan seemed to misunderstand me. She was thinking I was being too courteous. "Wow, I've known you for so long, Shiyan. This is the first time you're so soft-spoken! I'm not a complete amateur! I know the market rates for exorcising spirits! They usually charge at least tens of thousands!"Edelweiss and I broke into fits of laughter. "And were they effective?" "Urm..." Lu Shengnan stuttered, "Well, I know at least that those Huang Li went to were useless. Otherwise, she would never be forced to come to you. She had looked for more than ten of them, having spent hundreds of thousands for nothing!"Wow, so being a swindler could still be such a lucrative calling, I almost burst into another fit of guffaws. I was pondering on ways to explain to
More of the mysteries that haunted me began to unfurl as the hidden hands hiding in the shadows began to show themselves. Among them included a descendant of the Emperors of the Qing Dynasty, Jin Qichen, and the Order of Pain which Zhang Zhigui had been fighting against; and now, our latest discovery, a woman in black whom we discovered to be an heir of Tribe Nine Li, the tribe once led by the legendary tribal leader Chiyou from prehistoric China.According to what paltry information Jin Qichen was willing to divulge, the three parties were vying for the same goal: the possessorship of the Shiyan Blade. What was more, everyone seemed to be aware of the disappearance of the Dragon-slaying Blade and this clearly indicated that anyone could freely reawaken any of the dragon leys and claim them to become king without suffering any consequences and this culminated into a race for the Shiyan Blade.Right now, one of my former classmates from university, Lu Shengn
Lu Shengnan stared at me with the paper held between her fingers for seconds until she finally uttered, "You said you are neighbors?!" "Urm... Heh heh heh," I giggled sheepishly and said, "I'm staying in Unit 105." Lu Shengnan gaped with disbelief at me for another few seconds. "Oh, my God! You're hiding a huge fortune, are you!? The villas there cost millions each!"Never to miss out any chance to brag, Lin Feng placed a hand on my shoulder, quipping triumphantly, "Heh, as if that amount would matter to Shiyan! He can easily win that amount of money in a single bet! I'm sure you've heard of the children abductions that happened before around Wu Zhong? The case that involved some evil cultists? That was solved by us! One million yuan, piece of cake!"The hoiden Lu Shengnan watched as Lin Feng carried on with his histrionics with awe, rubbing her hands, her eyes dreamy and mystified. At this, I hurriedly waved my hands and said, "All right, enough there! Don
It was ten by the time we left. We limped out of the bar, clinging on to each other. Chongxi was looking as if he was suffering from a stroke. At least Lin Feng was still able to walk on his own. I was feeling tipsy myself with the dizziness that had me walking in circles and figure-eight round and round. Lu Shengnan was worst; she would have collapsed if not for me still struggling to keep her on her feet.I was the undisputed best in drinking out of all four of us. But cocktails, which were nowhere near the beers we normally gulp down like water, were really way out of our league and we were now paying the price for our ignorance and brashness. In a slurry voice, a half-drunk Lin Feng yelled, "W-wait up! Ah (I) will get the cut (car)!" I grabbed at the scruff of his shirt and shook him, "Look... at yourself... You can't even... speak... Quit driving... I want to live... a... long life..." Lin Feng stowed his keys back into the pocket and crouched on the pavement.
Unlike Huang Li earlier, Cao Xuedong had inadvertently betrayed his fear of me. Smiling wryly at the former instructor's inability to fully rein in his emotions, I said, "I'm fine, Instructor Cao. I believe you need our help to see what's wrong with your house?""Of course," Cao Xuedong chuckled and said, "Huang Li told me about your visit. I have been expecting you. Come on in." He whirled around and began walking deeper into the darkness of the house and we followed just behind.The last of us had barely entered through the threshold when the door swung with an invisible force and clicked shut, plunging all of us into pitch-black darkness that I could not see anything. Blasted hell! I cursed quietly, It's all because of the bloody liquor that I have become careless and clumsy to have fallen into such a trivial trap!"Godd*mmit!" Lin Feng was the first to burst with an expletive, "It's a trap! *hick*" His knees began to give way and with Chong
Shaking off my confusion and puzzlement, I hastily acknowledged and said, "Heh heh heh, it's been a long time, Instructor Cao.""Oh, a long time indeed, Murong Shiyan," Cao Xuedong replied, turning to face me with that unsettling smile of his. What's happening!? I gasped to myself quietly, Has Time been reversed when we were trapped in the dark? Is this even possible?!"Huang Li told me about your visit. I have been expecting you. Come on in," he said and he pivoted around just like he did earlier, once again plunging into the dark interior of the villa. Lin Feng shot me a look that seemed to say: This is completely the same as just now?! There's no way this is an enchantment! Two persons cannot have the same hallucination at the same time!"Am I mistaken in thinking that we are reliving what we experienced just now all over again?" Lin Feng stammered in a shaking, doubting what he had just seen and wondering if he was going mad. I grabbed at h
For the third time, we plunged into the darkness and Lin Feng's voice came, asking how should we go. I stood there, unmoving and thinking, until I finally decided. "Whatever direction would hardly matter now. We can take any direction and the result will be just the same." And before I waited for any response, I began walking aimlessly.Before long, we saw once again the door lighted by two lanterns again, exactly the same as before.But this time, I took out my cell. The time was three in the morning. We have been walking in the dark for more than two hours.With a deep breath, I pushed the door and it swung open, revealing the same scene outside: the cold air, the dim street lamp and the creepy and quiet road outside. But I did not stow away my cell. In fact, I had been paying attention to the time when I walked through the door. Indeed! Just when we were outside, the door swung on its hinges on its own quietly and the time showing on my cell
Along the way, Qiao Yu asked the sword bearing youth, "The youth senior just now is ......" The sword-bearing youth replied with the same color as usual: "My old man." Although Qiao Yu had already heard the previous conversation between the two, but at this time the youth personally said number, or let Qiao Yu again ate a shock.The accompanying magistrates were all confused as well, and the martial youth laughed and said, "Don't you guys always talk about gods and goddesses, but this time you've seen a real one, why don't you all recognize it?" The crowd was instantly startled and turned back to look, even though they had long since left the place of the incident by a great distance. Qiao Yu at this time sighed: "Immortals can only, heaven and earth with spring. At today's sight, it is really so!"The sword-bearing youth laughed, at which point the shorter youth asked, "Do you think that this old Uncle Hai is the same person he was three hundred years ago, or the same p
And this is the end of the southern part of a place called Chao Luowo, the county's two big rivers, return to the township, artichoke transport through this place. Because Wuling has been very close to the sea sea water rise and fall along the river, up to this, so the name Chao Luo nest.The military rations of Xingzhou Zuotunwei and the nearby guards established by the imperial court had to be transported through here via the Huixiang River. Because of the return to the countryside of the river turned a corner here, the river flows here, and then with the tide upstream of the sea water meeting, will cause the river siltation. Nine floods in ten years, often affecting the transportation of military rations. Therefore, the court ordered Yutian to dredge the river. Qiao Zhixian field survey, decided to straighten the bay some, the project involves the shore of an ancient well, already do not know how many years. It was the digging of this ancient well that brought considerable
And said no end of the three absolute and Qiao Zhixian line back to the city, not yet into the courtyard will encounter a messenger led a little girl kneeling down in front of the four people crying for help. Negative sword youth went forward to pick up the child, this is a little girl of eight or nine years old, on the fat side, long and sturdy. Round face is very cute, negative sword youth asked her: "What's wrong ah? Saving whose life ah? Who is trying to harm you?" That child was very much in tune with the negative sword youth and hugged the negative sword youth's neck, saying, "Uncle save my father!"The officer who led her said, "This is my relative's child, who traveled thirty miles to the city to look for me, saying that her father had been lost for three days. The village can't find him, so I think the three masters can calculate what's wrong with this relative of mine!"The short youth shook his head like a rattle drum and said, "How can the child say her fathe
It is said that a family in a village in the southern part of Wuling held a wedding ceremony, and the groom died violently on the wedding night. The county magistrate, Mr. Qiao, received a report of the case and took the coroner to the scene to investigate.The pallbearer examined the body and saw that the groom had no visible trauma. Face serene, slightly smiling. Asked the bride, the bride said the morning found the groom sleeping, greeted get up did not answer, lifted the brocade quilt only to find the groom is dead! In-laws rushed to find their son died violently, rushed to find someone to the county to report! Lord Qiao saw that the groom had no external injuries and no signs of poisoning, so he could only conclude the case by saying that the groom had been over-excited on his wedding night and had died violently.Not a day and the people reported that the southern part of the county, a wedding night groom died violently. Mr. Qiao, the county magistrate bu
It is said that there is a Lian Sheng Inn in this Endless City, and this day a merchant came to live in the store.After the meal, the merchant greeted the fellows to ask the shopkeeper to come to see, see the shopkeeper, the merchant took out some loose silver, said to the shopkeeper: "My name is Wang Hui, is a few hundred miles to the west of Qizhou, do the business of medicinal herbs. I have a store in the capital, and recently I've expanded my business, so I'm planning to open another pharmacy in this city. Before staying in the store in the city around, to open a pharmacy is best with the city now several pharmacies to distance themselves. I have already looked at a street frontage and negotiated with the owner there, but the shopkeeper and the doctor-in-charge must have family members to come with them, so I need to buy another mansion not far from the store. Although I have found a house, I don't know if the owner is willing to sell it. I'd like to ask the shopkeeper ab
It was said that there was a village in Wufeng called Xijiatun. There was a villager named XI Maungzhao, who was a businessman. Catch this summer to Henan for business, unexpectedly Henan flood capsized the boat, folded the capital. And encountered porcelain extortion, only to engage in penniless, then picked up the eight rope. From the market on credit some vegetables, pick to the village to sell, to make up some money. After a lot of hard work, the next year only bounced back home. After coming back, he got very sick, and used up all the family's savings before he could barely save his life, but he could not work and often vomited blood.This day, sitting on the stone in front of the door to rest cool, came three guests passed by the door. Xi Maung Zhao recognize that these three is the famous endless three great, said that they have been unlucky for years, recently met the three immortals, I heard that some people know them, then mixed with the county's errand boy. Why don'
That said, the two to the county government office two people are still tearing. Qiao Yu busy asking why the conflict, the Taoist priest said that the fortune-teller to their own insults for no reason, but also blinded his eyes.Qiao magistrate immediately asked the short young man for what reason conflicts with Taoist priests, short young man said Taoist priests involved in plotting to take people's wives, killing and harming life, he is for the yin and yang line clean up the door. The specific case only need to Wan Zidong couple of Wan Jia Zhuang in the east of the city will be summoned to the hall, a question from the clear.Less inclined Wan Zidong brought, saw the hall kneeling that Taoist priest, immediately ate a shock.Qiao magistrate immediately slapped the shocking wood: "Daring Wan Zidong, how did you plot to take a man's wife to kill and harm life, tell us the truth!" That Wan Zidong shivering, can not say a word.The short youth said, "All you ne
And that out of the endless mountains, east out of the pass, is the Luanzhou territory. In Luanzhou, there was a Huang Xiu Cai, who had failed in his repeated attempts, and became obsessed with shadow puppetry. He traveled all over the country performing on weekdays to make ends meet.This day, Huang Xiucai is a village performance of shadow puppet theater, the stage down three dressed in strange costumes, one of the visitors actually still carrying a sword. Generally, the sword is across the waist, but this person is carrying it on his back is very strange! These three people did not watch the play in the front stage, but went around to the backstage to watch Huang Xiucai operate. The audience has never seen this dress of people, have wondered if the shadow man alive, a closer look, three people dressed and shadow man is not the same, then they have been curious to watch. For a while, no one watched the play, all around the three people, do not know what the origin of the thr
And say this day, no end of the mountain slopes in front of the path came a pick eight rope. What Wuling called "picking eight ropes" was in fact a cargo man. At that time, the income of the cargo man was not as high as that of the farmers, so he had no choice but to make a living.This pick eight rope, saw the hillside in front of a tree under the three people are resting in the cool, recognized that it is the Terminal Three, then went up to chat with the cool. During this eight rope picking, asked the endless three, said: "small Pu two, three masters of the magic power is profound, can you show me, I'm tired of running around every day, when I can buy a few acres of land, when an honest farmer ah?"The short youth of the Three Jedi smiled and said, ''Your requirements are not too high. Although people's lives are predestined by heaven, but it is not like the legend of the difference. This sometimes ah, the same opportunity, people's character is different approach is d