Mortal Saint

Chapter 69: Chapter 67: Secrets of the Outer Dao in Jiangyin Prefecture, Master Duan... I’ve Killed Someone

Upstairs.

Han Ying looked at the youth in black. His bearing was extraordinary, comparable to the scions of the great masters of the Thirty-Six Professions in Jiangyin Prefecture. A strange light flashed in his eyes: ’Is this the disciple Duan Chenzhou took in Anning County?’

’What fine Golden Flesh and Jade Bones. Even a floor away, I can sense the heavy power, like a coiling python, coiled beneath his taut muscles.’

’Yang Yan was trained by his father for more than ten years, and his Bone Barrier cultivation was quite advanced. Among the younger generation in the five hundred li of Anning County, he was definitely one of the best.’

’I never thought he’d be taken down in just a few moves. It wasn’t even a real fight.’

’At his age... even in the Prefecture City, he’d be considered outstanding. He has a shot at entering the Mansion Courtyard and competing for a position.’

Just as these thoughts were running through his mind, something inside the left pocket of his robes suddenly grew warm.

His pupils contracted, and he couldn’t help but touch the Jade Talisman...

’Wait, why is this List of Immortals Jade Scroll reacting to this kid?’

His eyes flickered, his composure finally broken.

He couldn’t help but recall how he had stolen this talisman, crossed seas and mountains, and entered this five-hundred-li Mountain Dao. He had tried every trick in the book, but it was like a stone sinking into the ocean; he could never elicit the slightest reaction from this Jade Talisman.

For a moment, his heart was filled with insatiable desire and resentment.

’This shouldn’t be happening... How could a legacy item from an Outer Realm Dao resonate with a mere mortal?’

At the same time.

Ji Xiu helped Zhang Qing up, his eyes narrowing. He couldn’t gauge the man’s depth.

"And you are..."

He felt the prompt from his Primordial Daoist Talisman and began calculating inwardly:

’This man doesn’t look like a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster.’

’But he actually has a catalyst that could upgrade my Primordial Daoist Talisman...?’

For a moment, a fervent heat rose in Ji Xiu’s eyes.

This thing was the foundation of his power, the key that allowed him, a mere Groom, to win the appreciation of men like Lu Chengfeng and Duan Chenzhou.

Withdraw once to achieve entry; repay the debt to reach Perfection!

It could even allow him to comprehend its Traits, break through the Body’s Great Limit, grasp the Truth of Martial Arts, and develop them into killing moves!

The only problem was that after entry, the one-time withdrawal limit forced him to choose between Cultivation Techniques, Martial Arts, and other skills... he could only pick one at a time.

’If I could withdraw several at once and repay them together, that would be a massive, massive boost!’

In an instant, several thoughts flashed through Ji Xiu’s mind.

’This man doesn’t look very old. Even if he’s stronger than me, could he possibly be stronger than Master Duan?’

’If I could trick him into leaving, then later, a swift knockout blow...’

Han Ying, of course, had no idea what Ji Xiu was thinking.

As he slowly ambled down the stairs, he found that the closer he got to Ji Xiu, the hotter the Jade Talisman in his robes became, and his own state of mind began to shift.

’The "Outer Realms" beyond the Great Xuan are collectively known as the Outer Dao.’

’Among them, the Divine Ability Users who seek to become Immortals are the most mysterious. Those outer realms often connect with the Great Xuan, revealing "passages" that the royal court calls "Outer Dao Mirages."’

’Some of these Outer Dao Mirages are fleeting and unstable.’

’Others, however, become permanent after appearing, slowly expanding, like the Water Race of the East Canghai, east of Jiangyin Prefecture.’

’To obtain this Jade Talisman, my Master had the great lord of the Fishing Trade unite several other houses, pool their resources to build three hundred Warships, and set out upon the river. He personally led the Prefecture Guards, alongside the Water Race of the East Canghai, and charged into that tear-like Outer Dao Rift to seize this opportunity.’

’Later, he tried every method imaginable but couldn’t figure out its Profound Mystery. During that time, many wealthy households from the Thirty-Six Professions and successors from various Daoist Schools tried to acquire it, but he never sold.’

’When he heard that the "Young Lady Heir" had arrived in Jiangyin Prefecture, he even wanted to use this Jade Talisman to form a good relationship, to curry favor with the royal Noble behind her who patrols the East Canghai...’

’But it’s just one opportunity. How could people like that be short on them?’

Han Ying’s eyes lowered.

He remembered his youth as a sedan-chair bearer, a profession considered the lowest of the low even among the Thirty-Six Professions. He scraped by in Jiangyin Prefecture, wearing only mud-caked straw sandals.

Meanwhile, many of the common citizens of Jiangyin Prefecture, with their Hundred Trades and Livelihoods, could afford cloth shoes. He might not have been much nobler than the citizens of this Anning County.

He had only climbed this far because his benefactor and master had helped him, giving him the chance to enter the Mansion Courtyard and become one of the Nobles.

But he had no status, no background, relying solely on an appreciation he couldn’t even mention. The Nobles’ Sons just saw him as a mud-legged peasant who’d gotten obscenely lucky, which was the only reason he was qualified to test for Merit and Fame in the prefecture.

Even later, after he tempered his Bone Marrow, broke through to the Golden Muscle and Jade Veins, and cultivated Skin Refining... his situation didn’t change much.

As a result, he had a natural aversion to those Nobles.

He felt that he had struggled through endless hardships, while they had simply relied on Great Pill Treasure Medicines, following a set path to reach their current level. How could they possibly understand a fraction of his experience?

In a moment of temptation, beckoned by an Outer Deity, he had not only slipped away on the eve of his departure... but had also stolen this opportunity along with him. Thinking back on it now, he really had let his master down.

But some things, once done, cannot be undone.

"My name is Han Ying."

"I’m the one who taught your brother his Martial Arts."

He walked over slowly, his hands behind his back.

Han Ying pointed to the barely conscious Zhang Qing, which made Ji Xiu realize something. He remembered that Zhang the Sixth had previously mentioned a "Master Han."

But then he recalled Zhang Qing mentioning that Han Ying had recommended he go to the Tiger and Leopard Hall, and his eyes narrowed.

"Master Han, didn’t you tell my brother here to go to the Tiger and Leopard Hall?"

"Are you... going to act on behalf of their Dragon Head?"

Ji Xiu’s eyes were wary. He subtly gripped the hilt of his blade, the words ’My master is Duan Chenzhou’ already on the tip of his tongue.

But Han Ying just shook his head.

"You should go. Take him to get treated."

"This kid is too stubborn. If it weren’t for you, he would have died today. I came to save him."

After speaking, he glanced at Ji Xiu again, seeming to hesitate.

"Following Duan Chenzhou isn’t necessarily a good path."

"He has too many debts. Although he killed a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster who had broken through the Three Limits of the Power Barrier, to be blunt... if you don’t enter the Qi Barrier, it doesn’t matter how world-shaking your Dharma Gate is. It’s useless."

"We can meet again if there’s a chance."

"Perhaps... you might have other choices."

After these few hurried sentences, Han Ying urged Ji Xiu to leave.

"Alright, I’ll handle the rest. You don’t need to worry about it."

...

Riding the deer from the West Tiger and Leopard Hall Street, he was the center of attention the entire way. It was impossible not to stand out.

By the time Ji Xiu brought Zhang Qing to the Medicine Hall, Huang Xuan was shocked to see him arrive splattered with blood.

"What in the world have you been up to, kid?"

Ji Xiu let out a breath, his eyes turning grim.

"I killed someone."

Huh?

Huang Xuan froze for a second, then his brows furrowed.

"You... where did you kill someone? Who did you kill?"

Ji Xiu recounted the entire sequence of events exactly as they had happened.

At once, the color drained from Huang Xuan’s face.

"Kid, are you that loyal to your friends? Don’t you know that across the entire Wind and Cloud Association and the Three Great Gangs, Yang Daohan is the only Outer Gang expert?"

"I heard you found a good master, but you killed his son... You think his father will let you go?"

"Look, setting all else aside, if you were going to kill him, you should have done it secretly. Maybe they wouldn’t have been able to trace it back to you."

"But instead, you killed him in the middle of the street, in front of everyone..."

"His father gives so much Silver to the County Yamen on Inner Street every year. With you being so brazen, the County Yamen will have to make an appearance!"

The world belongs to the Great Xuan. Even after nearly a thousand years, its authority remains intact.

Setting aside the provinces and prefectures.

At least here in the five hundred li of Anning County, every power, no matter who they are, silently abides by the rule: no blood is shed in the busy streets.

’You cause this much of a scene the very first time you kill someone!?’

For a moment, Huang Xuan couldn’t help but feel relieved. He was glad that, because he was feeling cheap, he hadn’t invited that Instructor Wang to stand guard again.

Otherwise, if the Overlord Spear Instructor Wang—the man who drills the County Soldiers, is employed by the Government Office, and is responsible for defending Anning County—had heard...

...wouldn’t he have tied this kid up and dragged him back right away?

However, seeing the colorful expression on Huang Xuan’s face, Ji Xiu just shook his head.

"A man’s death is just his head hitting the ground. The moment I drew my blade, I knew there was no turning back, so I have no regrets."

"Mr. Huang, please treat my brother."

With that, he mounted his deer and left.

Leaving Huang Xuan grinding his teeth and stomping his foot in frustration, his eyes filled with worry.

’What kind of person teaches their disciple like this?!’

’You don’t care about your own life, kid, but at least have some consideration for this old man!’

...

And so, Ji Xiu—alone with his deer—trod across the packed yellow earth and stopped before the gates of the Duan Residence.

His first words upon entering were:

"Master Duan, I killed someone."