Chapter 223: A Warning

Ding Songyan coveted All Colors Under Heaven Gather Unto You, but he was wary of the ability too.

When he derived the Candlelit Nocturne Sutra or the Celestial Stars Scripture, even a Heaven-Man standing before him could not see through his disguise or discern his true appearance and realm without a special art. Yet a Five Saints Sect disciple at the early Great Proliferation Realm could expose him. At the very least, he would be unable to hide his strength. He had to keep his distance.

From what I’ve seen and heard, All Colors Under Heaven Gather Unto You first improves your face, figure, and bearing. These are fundamental changes, irreversible even at the Heaven-Man Realm. Second, it draws in the color and brilliance of your surroundings, effectively giving you special effects.

For the martial artists nearby, it’s a strength detector. The weaker you are, the more color and brilliance it draws away. Apart from Twelfth Madam’s method of altering name and reality to falsify the result, I don’t know of any art that can get around it... Would a Supreme Master who had suppressed all their traits still lose color and brilliance?

Until they become Supreme Masters, Five Saints Sect disciples can forget about stealth and disguise. They’re like fireflies in the night, so bright and conspicuous that anyone can spot them at a glance. Only Twelfth Madam’s method of altering name and reality could help, but with their strength suppressed to the Human Realm, they’d struggle to use stealth techniques anyway...

Hmm. I’ve never fought anyone from the Five Saints Sect, so I don’t know what All Colors Under Heaven Gather Unto You can do in combat. Could someone as beautiful as Feng Yining make a weak-willed opponent of the same realm unwilling to hurt her, or even fall into a lovestruck daze in the middle of a fight?

Was Demoness Ji so badly defeated because she too was bewitched by Feng Yining’s beauty?

Ding Songyan had an obsessive streak when it came to studying martial arts. As he guarded the southeast corner gate, he kept ruminating over All Colors Under Heaven Gather Unto You.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared within his Chaos Realm, which extended twenty meters around him.

Ding Songyan’s expression shifted slightly. Clutching his stomach, he hurried toward the southern corridor and called to Li Baima, Fan Chunlin, and Wu Mo, "I need to use the restroom!"

Only one way out: pretend I need a shit!

Before the others could react, Brother Ding had vanished around the corner.

Almost at the same moment, some instinct made them turn toward the covered walkway to the north.

A figure in splendid five-colored robes rounded the corner, less than eight meters away. The flowers, trees, carved railings, and marble steps around her instantly lost their color and luster.

"Miss Zhang..." Li Baima, Fan Chunlin, and Wu Mo’s faces lit up, then promptly lost all color.

Nearly a quarter of an hour passed before Ding Songyan strolled back.

"What terrible timing for a trip to the restroom! You missed Miss Zhang!" Fan Chunlin felt sorry for Brother Ding.

Miss Zhang might never favor men like them, but her every smile and frown was a memory to savor over and over.

"Really?" Ding Songyan asked with mild surprise.

Li Baima seemed only now to come to his senses.

"Yes. Miss Zhang chatted with us about the burial-object vendor. She was delighted that the Martial Prohibition Bureau had found him so quickly using her portrait.

"She even asked why you weren’t here."

"What brought her to this gate?" Ding Songyan asked, puzzled.

She certainly didn’t come to see me. I’m not that charming. And if she’d had something to ask, she would have waited after hearing I’d gone to the restroom...

Wu Mo pointed southeast.

"Miss Zhang said the Heart’s Delight Restaurant brews an excellent Spring Embodied Wine. She’s gone to buy some for her senior brother, Yu Chongyuan, to try."

"The look on her face when she said it, the way she sounded..." Li Baima could not hide his dejection.

Fan Chunlin sighed as well.

Ding Songyan said in amusement, "He’s talented, she’s beautiful. They’re made for each other. What are you sighing about?"

Li Baima was about to reply when he remembered something. Looking rather embarrassed, he said,

"Brother Ding, when we were talking about the burial-object vendor, we happened to tell Miss Zhang about the Moth God Scripture and the Sage-Severing Way. You... you don’t mind, do you?"

What, are you peacocks showing off your tails? You’ll tell her anything? Is this an instinctive response to All Colors Under Heaven Gather Unto You? You’re at roughly the same realm as Zhang Yingbo, and you’re all lechers. No wonder you can’t resist... Ding Songyan’s brows twitched slightly.

"You didn’t tell her what happened to me, did you?"

"No, no." Li Baima, Fan Chunlin, and Wu Mo shook their heads in unison.

Why would we help another man shine in front of Miss Zhang?

"Then it’s fine." Ding Songyan let out a breath.

With Frostshade in hand, he resumed his watch.

Then it occurred to him that Zhang Yingbo would very likely return through this gate after buying the Spring Embodied Wine. His headache returned at once.

"I’ve just remembered something important I forgot to do. Cover for me, brothers. I’ll treat you to drinks later." Ding Songyan’s eyes shifted as he smiled.

"Only if we’re drinking on the Hengbo River," Wu Mo joked.

After a little more banter, Ding Songyan returned to the side courtyard, changed into a thicker scholar’s robe, put on a square scholar’s cap, and left the estate through the north side.

......

In a study on Tongnan Lane.

Zhang Qiang set down his brush and admired his newly painted beauty in the golden sunlight spilling across his desk.

Suddenly, he turned to look across the room.

Someone was sitting in the reclining chair in full sunlight. Zhang Qiang had not noticed him arrive.

The visitor wore a cyan scholar’s robe and a square cap. He had regular features, an open expression, and a warm, guileless smile.

He lounged against the backrest with his sword across his knees, gently stroking the lynx-like Feifei with his left hand.

The Feifei lay meekly beneath his hand, not moving a muscle.

"It really does ease your worries," Ding Songyan remarked contentedly.

Master Xiaozhang, pale as though he had not seen sunlight in ages, said, "Senior Brother Shi actually told you where I’d moved."

Last time, I’d been missing for days and was going to move anyway. It made sense for Senior Brother Shi to ask someone to find me. But now he knows this man’s strength is unfathomable. Why would he reveal my whereabouts?

"Chef Shi didn’t tell me," Ding Songyan answered with a smile.

He had merely had a dream.

Not Senior Brother Shi? Then how did he find this place... Master Xiaozhang gathered his thoughts, pulled over a chair, and sank lazily into it.

"An honored guest like you must have a reason for visiting. Please, speak freely."

"I have some information I’d like you to pass to the Martial Prohibition Bureau, but you mustn’t tell them I asked you to." Ding Songyan stroked the fur on the Feifei’s head and neck.

"What information?" Master Xiaozhang was interested at once.

This was his real trade. Compiling and illustrating Peerless Beauties of the Jianghu and the Martial World’s Jade Tree Rankings was only a hobby.

"Heretic Immortal Kong Wanzhen of the Accumulated Evil Way is already in the Flame Capital. Demon Sovereign Tan Guanchan, will arrive in the coming days. They intend to work with the Returning Abyss Order and the Shamanism Order on a scheme involving the consort selection..." Ding Songyan concisely relayed the key intelligence Evil Beyond Measure Sun Feiyang had divulged. He did not dare mention that the Sage-Severing Way was also working with others and intended to exploit the selection.

Master Xiaozhang’s expression shifted. Even his pale face seemed to gain a little color.

"A storm is brewing..."

Ding Songyan continued, "Pass it to several Bureau members if you can. Preferably Grandmasters at the Director level, or even Deputy Chiefs."

"Naturally." Master Xiaozhang suddenly smiled. "The women in His Majesty’s harem may be beautiful, but not one is truly peerless. I suspect that’s not something he’s happy with."

"Since Peerless Beauties of the Jianghu was first compiled, few emperors have taken anyone listed in it as a consort," Ding Songyan said, shaking his head.

"But His Majesty has grand ambitions. He wants to accomplish deeds for the ages, so naturally he wants a beauty for the ages beside him," Master Xiaozhang said with a gossip’s relish.

"A beauty for the ages?" Ding Songyan gave it serious thought. Only two women in the past century deserved that description: Su Liudan and Feng Yining. How could a consort selection ever turn up someone like them?

The Jianwu Emperor must have other plans. His love of beauty was only part of the reason.

At the mention of beauties, Master Xiaozhang grew animated, all his drowsiness gone.

"Su Liudan is said to be seeking the Spirit Platform Realm, and she’s almost impossible to find. Feng Yining has yet to emerge from her life-or-death seclusion. These days, it’s hard to catch a glimpse of a beauty for the ages.

"I hear Su Qingli of the Celestial Maiden School grows more beautiful as she matures, already showing something of Su Liudan’s former grace. I wonder how lovely she’ll be once her cultivation advances and she officially enters the jianghu. Perhaps she’ll deserve that title too."

You’ve heard about that too? Brother Youyang also said Miss Xiao Qing might contend for the title of the world’s greatest beauty once she grew up. Come to think of it, she’s nineteen now. This time next year, she’ll be out in the jianghu... Though judging by her recent letters, she’s still a little girl at heart... Ding Songyan’s smile deepened.

"She hasn’t even officially entered the jianghu, and you already know about her?"

"We enthusiasts keep a close eye on the disciples of the Celestial Maiden School, Five Saints Sect, Luan-Feng School, Celestial Secrets Sect, Six Dragon Sect, and the like. We ask around from time to time," Master Xiaozhang said without a trace of shame.

Ding Songyan let the subject drop. Still stroking the Feifei’s fur, he said seriously, "Master Xiaozhang, for the next few months, you’d best hide yourself more carefully. Even someone like Chef Shi shouldn’t know where you’re staying. Keep in touch only through intermediaries.

"If the Demon Sovereign finds you, even selling him information about me won’t save you."

Such was the Accumulated Evil Way’s reputation.

Master Xiaozhang nodded solemnly, then changed the subject.

"As it happens, I’ve heard back about the Ghost Yu Way information you wanted. I was going to have Senior Brother pass it on to you tomorrow."

Ding Songyan perked up.

"You’ve found where a Ghost Yu Way powerhouse is hiding?"

"No." Zhang Qiang slowly shook his head. "Remember how I said several Ghost Yu Way powerhouses had appeared in the Flame Capital over the past six months, apparently searching for something? I think I’ve found a lead."

"What is it?" Ding Songyan asked evenly.

Master Xiaozhang held out his right hand with a smile.

"I’ve already investigated something for you without charging a single coin.

"This time, cash on delivery."

"Only fair." Ding Songyan nodded, then asked with a warm smile, "Have you finished the next installment of your story for Hero Ou?"

Master Xiaozhang’s smile slowly faded.

"Not yet."