Torsten Hewson
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V2c93.1: Change Part 1
🕑 Added 2022-01-27 09:02:34 +0000 UTCWhat started the change?
“Your characters are amazing!” the mortal, Guizhong, exclaimed in praise to Chen Yang. He stared in wonder at the signpost, proudly proclaiming “Guizhong Bakery”. Chen Yang grinned. He had practiced for years to refine his writing, dabbling in poetry in the hopes of one day penning a work as enlightened as his ancestor’s. The Ballad of the Framed Sun was something he read at least once a month, internalizing its lessons and practicing the brush strokes. It was amusing to think after all the years of practice, his first true work was a signpost for a bakery. Still, it looked quite good, if he did say so himself!
The sun was getting lower in the sky, the sky reflecting the colors of dusk. Chen Yang rose, looking around at the streets. They were certainly less messy now. A lot of the debris had been cleaned up though the roads were still in pretty bad shape. They looked ripped up with piles of stone beside them.
He grimaced at the amount of work that still needed to be done. Last night, in the heat of the moment. It hadn't seemed too bad. But in the light of day after it was all over…he had seen how fast the mortals could work. It would have taken them months to clean everything up.
He turned away from the road, and looked back at his sign. Yes, the mortal was right. His calligraphy was great. Ai had cut the piece of wood he had written on for him, and now, all who looked upon this sign would surely be drawn into the bakery!
The man could boast for generations that The Young Master of the Framed Sun Sect had painted the sign above his door! Maybe he would do more. The Framed Sun Sect’s main compound was perhaps a day’s journey away, on another hill, so that they could see the entirety of the mountain. There was a little village quite close, and he did enjoy eating at the one noodle shop. Madame Fang’s was delicious. Maybe he’d do a sign there too, just to show his appreciation—
“So, this is what you all have been up to. Hmm. Acceptable characters, disciple. You’ve been practising.”
Yang flinched, as his father’s voice echoed from behind him. He’d been so engrossed in his work that he hadn’t noticed the Elders once more stalking the streets, their faces severe.
Yang swallowed as his father gazed at him. His fellow disciples shuffled their feet, pausing in their sawing and hammering. One carefully put down a mortal he had been holding up. His father examined the house they had rebuilt. Yang clearly remembered his father once telling him to never lower himself to a mortal’s level. That they were weak enough as it was, without the ridicule from other sects. Yang glanced anywhere but his father’s eyes. He could see others waiting for the rebuke.
Instead, there was a simple command.
“Continue.” His father decreed.
“Wha—?” Chen Yang asked, mouth open in shock.
“You have been given a task, continue it.” His father repeated himself, walking closer to their building material. “In fact, what wood is this?”
His father picked up one of the planks, flipping it over in his hands like it was something he had never seen before. He looked to the startled mortal who had been stacking the planks.
“It's… uh, well, what we used before, Master Cultivator.” the mortal trailed off.
Yang’s father pushed his Qi into it and looked at it from all sides. “It's warped. There are defects and it wasn’t dried properly.” His father said after he finished examining it. The man winced.
“Good wood is expensive, Master Cultivator.” the mortal ventured.
“Expensive, you say?” the Master of the Framed Sun Sect asked. He pondered the wood, then smiled brilliantly. “Well, that's fine. Son! Get only the best for this mortal! Price is of no object!”
His command echoed through the streets. Yang saw several other Elders stroking their beards, more than a few nodding heads in agreement.
Guizhong’s jaw dropped.
“Yes, indeed. We shall rebuild it better, not merely as it was. And we shall repair the most, out of any sect in the city. The tournament was lost to us, but now, we have another prize!” his father declared.
“Thank you, Master Cultivator!” The mortal shouted, immediately bowing. “You’re too kind, Master Cultivator!”
Orders were given, and in surprise, several more mortals stopped what they were doing to watch.
But they started it. They pulled down some of the other pieces of wood and set about examining the stone while his father looked on.
Yang, confused, leaned in. “Father… why?” he asked.
The man’s smile widened a bit and he winked at Yang. “We aren’t paying for it. The Shrouded Mountain Sect is. It's a bit petty to demand recompense in such a way, but mortal building material isn’t that expensive.”
Yang’s eyes widened at his father’s wink. The man looked back down at the street, where Master Rou was accepting a drink of water from a mortal girl. She was tiny, with brown hair and eyes. The most average mortal one could see, really. Master Rou accepted the drink with a grin, thanking her for her generosity.
The Master of the Framed Sun Sect considered Master Rou, then turned to the pile of logs.
He picked up one of the hammers and tested its weight before turning his gaze to the house consideringly, almost like he was about to join them… before he put down the hammer again, and instead went to check on what his other disciples were doing.
The day passed, dusk turning to night as they toiled.
On Yang’s last trip of the day to get some wood, he passed by Master Rou. Yang stopped and watched the strange Expert. He was crouched beside a little girl, holding up a single nail. The girl had a hammer in her hands, though with how small she was it looked like she was trying to wield one of the Hermitic Iron Sect’s warhammers.
“The last one, and then I’ve kept my promise. A shop in a day.” He said to her with a grin.
The little girl smiled up at him. “And I can hammer the last nail in!?” she said eagerly.
“‘Course you can, kiddo. Remember what I showed you!”
The little girl climbed a ladder. Her father watched, a bit worried, while Master Rou held on to one end.
Yang watched a slight smile on his face as she carefully worked her way into position. She took up her hammer and aimed carefully, tongue stuck out from between her teeth. She swung and missed. She dropped the nail. Master Rou just handed her up another. It took twenty strikes. Twenty, tiny strikes to hammer it in while Master Rou waited patiently.
When she had finally succeeded at her task and climbed down. Master Rou raised the girl upon his shoulders, and praised her. She giggled before running with abandon to her waiting mother. Her mortal father grinned and bowed to Master Jin.
“Good practice. My own is going to be soon” he confided in the mortal with a little smile.
The man, who Yang recalled had been so lost and despondent in the morning, laughed and offered congratulations.
Yang took it all in before he shook himself, darting off to finish his own project. If a man like Master Rou was doing that… well. Was it really lowering yourself?
And so the first day passed.
They returned, bright and early, the next day.
===================================
How much did it change you?
The sun had set. Lanterns twinkled with light, shining like Flamebeetles. The smell of food and drink were fading, a supper freshly finished. Voices carried on the wind. The day was finally winding down, a gasp of tension released after the terror of the night and the sudden labours of the day.
Cai Xi Kong sat upon the roof of his manor, observing the stars. It was a habit of his, to climb up on something tall whenever he needed to find peace. A habit his daughter shared. He took a sip of tea, a fine blend from Yellow Rock Plateau, and glanced down at the guest house. He heard laughter and bright noise rising up from within. Master Rou had joined Xiulan and the other students in the guest house. A great honour, but one he didn’t know how to approach. Xi Kong had, of course, welcomed the man, making available for him the finest rooms as the most honoured guest he had ever received. If Master Rou had demanded Xi Kong’s own bed, it would have been given over without hesitation.
Instead, the man had simply said he would sleep in the guest room on the floor.
Who was Xi Kong to deny the man? He had no clue what to make of Master Rou. Peerless expert one moment, and mortal man the next. Stern commander one instant…
Xi Kong glanced down at the sound of a loud joyous laugh from the guest house. He looked in through the open window.
A bright happy smile adorned Master Rou’s face, howling with laughter at something the man known as Rags and Yun Ren were doing.
Master Rou clapped Loud Boy on the back, nodding encouragingly at the unfortunate and whispering something in his ear.
He observed Liu Xianghua, daughter of the Misty Lake Sect, approaching him with her brother at her side. Both made to bow.
Master Rou placed his hand on Liu Xianghua’s shoulder mid bow and pushed her upright, shaking his head. Gou Ren waggled his finger at her, and Xi Kong heard him say “I told you he’d say that!”
The woman appeared stunned… and then tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as she this time completed the bow. “This Liu Xianghua will repay Master Jin and Senior Sister a hundred—no, a thousandfold!” she thundered, her eyes blazing as she brought her fist up to the sky.
The man just smiled at her, as Tigu draped herself over his shoulders.
Xi Kong carefully kept his gaze away from the Profound Level chicken— no, Spirit Beast. He had nearly spat blood when the creature had introduced itself as Master Rou’s disciple. The fact that his daughter called him Senior Brother had required a stiff drink.
Xi Kong shook his head. He would have to talk to the Spirit Beast soon, and take its measure.
His thoughts tonight returned to focus not on the cultivator below or his strange family but on his daughter’s smile.
He had no idea his daughter could smile like that.
How she could smile after what had happened to her.
Xiulan sat in front of him, a look of serenity on her face. She sipped her tea even as Xi Kong paced throughout the room, agitation pouring off him.
The third stage of the Initiate’s Realm. He felt his heart ache to know she was reduced so far. He wanted to rage. To scream. But he did not. He could not. Not when his daughter stared up it him with that look.
She looked at peace. Like her mother before she went on her journey. Before Liusei left and never returned.
That soft little smile.
“It was a worthy sacrifice,” she said simply.
There was another shout, and Xi Kong came back to the present.
Master Rou slung an arm around Xiulan’s shoulder and pulled her into a half hug as she laughed, looking more at peace than he had seen her in years.
Pride warred with shame. Xi Kong’s shoulders slumped slightly. How fast she grew without him and the sect. How fast she had grown, listening to the teachings of another. He wished he had been of more help to her. And right now… he didn’t think she needed his aid.
A cultivator faced the Heavens alone. The mantra that had been pounded into his head by his father.
He looked down again at the laughter of the younger generation and pondered the wisdom of those words, before he sighed, and downed the rest of his tea.
It was cold.
===================================
How can I use this?
“Thank you for taking the time to meet with us, Master Jin.” Shan Daiyu, the Mistress of the Azure Jade Trading Company said with a graceful bow, hiding her face behind a fan with bowing willows on it, signifying, to the language of the courts, peace and contentment.
Two things she was certainly not feeling right now, but the game had to be played.
The cultivator smiled at them and nodded. “Sorry about the circumstances, and for postponing the meeting,” the man said, sounding completely apologetic.
The thing that struck her the most as she walked into the meeting was how young Rou Jin looked. With his freckled face and tanned skin he looked like one of the boys who did the heavy lifting on caravans. His smile reminded her not so much of the cultivators she knew but of her grandson, boyish and embarrassed after making a mess she would have to clean up.
This boy was taking responsibility for everything that had happened.
It was hard to reconcile that with the man who could bring to heel every elder in the province. A man who could bring to heel the Shrouded Mountain Sect. To have a disciple of that very Sect, who could walk the breadth of the Azure Hills with impunity, bowing his head and acting like a loyal dog at his command. He should be nothing less than a cunning power, yet he stared back at her with honest sincerity in his eyes.
“Think nothing of it, Master Jin.” her husband said. “We are at your disposal.”
Any other man, even a cultivator would have at least gotten some small manner of rebuke for wasting their time.
The cultivator nodded and sipped his tea. “Still, it was rude of me.” He said, giving them face.
“How is the reconstruction going, Master Jin?” her husband asked. “We’ve had some reports, but I would be honored to hear your opinion on it.”
Her husband easily distracted him, smiling attentively and nodding along as Master Rou spoke eagerly of a shop he was repairing.
Shan Daiyu studied carefully the new variable in front of her.
For fifty years, she and her husband toiled building the power and influence of the Azure Jade Trading Company.
She had braved Wreckerballs, like the legendary Road Emperor, Blaze Bears that torched entire caravans, and had once survived two venom serpents spewing their toxic mist into the air. Hail, landslides, and scorching heat. Cantankerous cultivators, greedy nobles, the corrupt and the banal. She had risen above it all.
She was the one who began the great auction. Drawing from every corner of the Azure Hills those who could afford the rare goods she braved danger to bring them. For fifty years she had hosted those auctions and events, carefully and politely managing to navigate the twists and turns of being a beautiful morsel in a den full of tigers. She had learned to read the currents and shifts in the powers that walked the Azure Hills. To walk with nobles, cultivators and mortals alike.
She had built an empire. A small one perhaps, but it was hers.
But she was getting old. Both she and her husband were getting old and weak. She would not go without leaving a legacy that would last for generations beyond her. Shan Daiyu sought out something to put a stamp on the world. One last hurrah. One last chance to forge a legacy was sitting on her shoulders. One last chance to provide for her family, to boost the Azure Jade Trading Company to heights unseen before the inevitable end to a mortal's life.
And then finally, a gift from the heavens, little Bo had come down from the north with that syrup of his. A passing novelty at first. Until the man who sold him the syrup came down to Pale Moon Lake City with three hundred bags of Gold Grade rice.
Master Jin was the answer. The answer to the Company's biggest hurdle, breaking out of the Azure Hills and into the wider world. A goal Daiyu had worked for decades to accomplish. They had needed enormous capital and a suge of new connections to accomplish such a feat. They had already done price analysis, and it would have taken at least eight more years to get the capital they needed to embark on the plan Daiyu had wanted to pursue. Eight years that could be collapsed into less than eight months with the bounty of rice.
Offering him their flower Chyou had been admittedly a bit of a long shot. But her granddaughter was intelligent, and men were men, even if they cultivated. The marriage would have borne fruit quickly. Her granddaughter would have taken over all that pesky mortal business for the man and left him to cultivate in peace. He would have all he needed and her empire would have been secure for generations.
But he had rejected Chyou’s advances, instead he leveraged her actual skills. To the point where her dear granddaughter was singing the man’s praises, and eager to help him, especially on that expedition to the south he had put in her head.
Which is why she was cautious.
Sitting with him today and listening to him talk. He sounded more like a nervous farm boy. But she could not forget. For this man to immediately realize her Chyou’s worth… it spoke of great insight. Even now he vacillated between agitation and absolute calm. It was nearly impossible to get a read on him.
“—This Guan Ping is honoured that our Azure Jade Trading company was so helpful to you. We strive for our members to be the best,” her husband said. The cultivator nodded appreciatively.
Daiyu frowned behind her fan. This was going nowhere.
She closed her fan and glanced at her husband, tapping her finger twice on her knee. Her husband didn’t nod but she did see the two taps he made back.
Daiyu interjected herself smoothly. “Speaking of assistance. My dear granddaughter spoke at length about some manner of expedition to the south…?” she asked pleasantly. Foolish, in her opinion. Such an expedition would take years. But if Master Rou wanted specific, mortal plants… then the payoff had the potential to be legendary.
“Ah, yes. I’m sorry about that. I got a bit ahead of myself when I was talking to Chyou,” the man apologized. “I’m uncertain if it’s even feasible. If it doesn’t work, please, don’t worry about it. I’d rather have accurate bad news than a pleasant lie.”
Daiyu hummed, considering his words. At the very least, the man seemed impossibly reasonable. That was how he had acted with little Bo and Chyou, so she felt certain that she could conclude that he wasn’t the mercurial sort. It wouldn’t do any good to see if she could push that reasonable nature. He had, after all, reportedly destroyed Zang Li of the Shrouded Mountain in a single punch.
“We’ll endeavor to keep you informed, Master Jin.” she said, smiling vacuously at him.
Their talk started to meander again. Small talk was the basis for relationships after all. Master Jin was quite the boisterous and chatty fellow. It had been nice chatting with him. Enthusiastic driven men were a treat, rather than the humourless bores she had to deal with regularly. As they finished their tea, Master Jin announced he had to go.
“Thank you, Master Rou. If there's anything we can do to aid the reconstruction, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”
The cultivator nodded.
“Thank you. And it was good to meet you both. I only wish it was under better circumstances.”
“We are ever at your service, Master Jin,” she said. “AThough…there is one more minor matter. There appear to be dolls, in the likeness of Mistress Tigu being sold in markets by a merchant house. We wished to make sure that you were aware of this. Of course as a favour to you, we could put a stop to it…” She ventured. At once, the man’s gaze sharpened.
He considered her words, before he sighed. “I’ll ask Tigu what she thinks about it… but if she agrees, she’ll be getting royalties, yes?” Master Rou said casually.
Daiyu almost lost a grip on her expression in shock
Royalties. A cultivator who knows about that sort of thing, instead of deriding mortal merchant work beneath them. “But of course, Master Rou. You are an honored customer of our Azure Jade Trading Company. We always have our due and as our generous friend, so shall you.”
The cultivator grinned at them, a bright and toothy thing.
They waved him off with a smile as he went back to work. Leaving her and her husband in the sitting room. Daiyu waved her hand, and the servants left, drawing the shutters, and leaving the elderly pair in privacy.
“What do you think?” her husband asked after a moment.
Daiyu considered the meeting.
“In all honesty, I do not believe our original assessments have changed,” she said finally. “It's just that our new customer is an order of magnitude more powerful than anticipated.”
“....we shall be the most loyal of servants, then. And feast upon the scraps falling off his plate?” Guan Ping mused.
“Yes.” Daiyu agreed. “My dear, could you start on cost analysis for an expedition to the southlands? It should be feasible… I’ll speak with Chyou and get the numbers she thinks will work. The damn fool girl was giddy about it when I heard her on the transmission crystal..”
================================
Fenxian glanced backwards at his brother's disciples. Five cultivators from the Shrouded Mountain Sect stared at the section of collapsed rock. Their faces were lined with stress, and their eyes baggy from three days of searching without rest.
They stood on the side of Mount Tianliyu, about half way up it, in the heart of Yellow Rock Plateau. Their yoked spirits, pulling the carriage, had carried them a thousand Li in a day, up the side of the massive plateau, and high into the air. They had stopped for not even an hour to resupply and gather information, when they chanced upon the lead of something impacting the mountain.
And so a grand search had been conducted, scouring the mountain.
“This is the place the mortals said?” One of them asked. “Will there even be a body?”
“The hell if I know,” another answered. “I’m just glad we found it.”
Fenxian grimaced at the mound of rocks, covered in dead plants. If their mortal guide hadn’t been adamant the rocks had fallen recently, they would have missed it, because they already looked like they had been there for years.
The hairs on the back of Fenxian’s neck rose up at the proximity. His stomach felt like it was going to drop through his knees.
Because he could feel the ominous wind that came from the rocks.
They started digging.
The rocks fell away as they tore into the collapsed earth. Their fists shattered it easily, tearing into tons of stone. And then the stench hit them.
One of their number gagged, doubling over, as Fenxian grimaced. He looked down into the crater.
A corpse with its chest caved it. It looked like it had been rotting for weeks, rather than days. The skin was drooping and it looked like the body had been consumed from the inside, decomposing for months instead of days. A disgusting slurry of oil and blood pooled in the crater, swirling and stinking.
Fenxin turned away from the body of Zang Li, the cadaver’s face twisted in horror.
Deep enough shit to cover the Shrouded Mountain indeed.
“Come on. Let's get this over with.” he commanded.
They ended up using a spiked pole to retrieve the body, none of them were willing to touch the foul concoction that filled the hollow. Packing the body into a barrel, the weary Disciples of the Shrouded Mountain Sect sealed it tight with a preservation talisman.
“The illusion repelled. The truth laid bare.” Fenxian spoke into the transmission stone. “It was, in the end, the Enemy.”
His brother disciples bowed their heads, shame shrouding their auras.
Fenxian turned to the pool of filth, rage pooling in his gut. This bastard.. He had spat on the heroes of the Shrouded Mountain Sect. He had made mockeries of their power, and dragged all of them to hell with him. Lighting crackled across his fingers.
There was a thunderous boom as he vented his rage, lightning arcing into the pool sending it recoiling, burning, and twisting.
The disgusting liquid could not stand against the light of the righteous.
Fenxian fired again, and again, and again, until there was nothing left of the blood and oil.
“Rot in the hells, you bastard.” he snarled, spitting on the ground.
======================================
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Sorry to leave it on a part 1. Again, taking friday off to go through stuff from thebeta readers, and hopefully theres no more editing after that!
Thank you all for your patience.
Comments
Jan Alexander
Damn, Jin's punch is OP.
ericksond
Isn’t it obvious that Xiulan will be Bi De’s first wife?
David Eddy
When you say you "loathed every minute of writing" a chapter is that due to it being particularly difficult to convey what you want to say properly or is it due to you not enjoying writing this story? (I really hope it's the former!!)....p.s. in fact, I would definitely not want to know that you don't enjoy writing this story even if that is the case so just ignore this if you have bad news for me :)
Heidao
If it is the fire flower, I feel that the moment it blooms and he cultivates near it, his power will spread and encompass the world as it rides the qi currents with the pollen
Tzeneth
That actually makes perfect sense and may play into his theory on the story involving those who consider the flower versus those who snort the magic drug juice! :P
Jason Morse
In retrospect I kind of read it as almost the body of Tianlan, that rather than making a pill out of it (taking), he replanted it and has been nurturing it back to health. At least symbolically if not in actuality.
Limbus
I liked the itallics at the beginning of each section. Not sur if they're surface thoughts of the POV character or mini titles. But I like that they could be either or both.
brandon sharky
No he never figured out what it was but I think it's the fire herb from that legend that spends its whole life getting ready to breed
Tzeneth
Was rereading the story and my brain focused on the random herb he found at the beginning of the story. I’m trying to remember if he’s ever figured out what it was. My memory is only that it ended up in one of his pots and he didn’t take it out because it caused Mei to sneeze a lot.
I was hoping that Jin's strike only killed Lu Ban and let the spirit of Zang Li resume control of his body. Just wanted to see if the og younger master was also an asshole.
Travis Whitaker
I think the Magistrate got him tomatoes a while back.
Oni
I amuse myself by believing Lu Ban's actual form was the oil/blood leaking from the body, thus he was the pool at the bottom of the crater. Unfortunately he was denied the chance to possess anyone by them not being willing to touch it and the lightening storm dashed any last chances he had at revival.
Stylemys
Whoa, let’s not forget about <b>tomatoes</b> either. They’re native to Central/South America too.
Never say never!
I was thinking more in line with sugar cane, chocolate and coffee. They are a good cash crop that typically grows best in tropical environments i.e. the south.
BlueMage_VT
I had actually expected a significantly injured Lu Ban to kill and consume the search party from the Shrouded Mountain to regain his power and remain a lurking threat to Jin's expanding entourage. I feel fairly convinced now that he is actually dead lol
Gabriel F
The legendary result for the south expedition will be pizza. Maybe it will became the export good from Azure Jade Company that will became it's legacy and put the company in the mind of other provinces.
Merki
"A cultivator faced the Heavens alone." Jin: "Always? I dont think so."
Heidao
Xianghua's mother is the favored concubine out of many to her father, we've only seen mostly married couples so far cause they're either peasantry or those wealthy enough to have more, are preferential to their first partner. If there is ever a chance for Xiulan, it might actually be fine, seeing how even Meimei has built a high degree of closeness with her. Though that's totally up to the author if this is to be
Alex A
While the chapter was pretty great, the segment where Jin talks with the Azure Jade Trading Company felt a bit weak compared to the rest of the story. The parts defining Daiyu's personality and ambitions were fine, but I felt the rest spent too long oscillating between unnecessary (for the reader, not for the characters) small talk and Daiyu sucking Jin's metaphorical dick. Maybe it would have been better if you leaned further into the "how do I use this" on Daiyu's part and had her thinking of how to further benefit the Azure Jade company rather than the "oh wow Jin is awesome" she's got on loop.
Alex A
Also I don't think we've actually seen any polygamy in this setting yet. There's been at least one instance of a guy having a wife and concubines, but I don't think anyone was said to have multiple wives at the same time.
Alex A
I'd hope he has the sense to ask what Xiulan wants instead of guessing what would make her happy and pushing for that.
SuperiorFreak
This isn’t our world. A Cultivator getting married is seen as a suggestion rather than a law. The Jade trading company certainly didn’t think much of jins marriage.
Mathieu Deg
I don't think so because in Cai's mind Jin is a hidden master. So he probably thinks he is old and above such things. Plus they sent gifts to his wedding so they know he is married.
Carl Mason
Except he wasn't a prodigy, he was a drop out. He left the sect because he was weak and not progressing, and died because of it. Yes, because of who Gramps is they are keeping watch to make sure he is okay and the Shrouded Mountain would definitely see some fallout. They just wouldn't see it because of messing with a prodigy.
Cameron S. Moore
No, Loud Boy is Loud Boy, and Rags is Rags.
Quentin Long
Nope; Loud Boy's name is Zang Wei. And Rags' name is Dong Chou. Check it out in <i>v2c65.3: The Tournament part 3</i>.
jj
Loud Boy is the guy in Tigu's tournament. Zhang Fei is the guy Big D mentored.
Completely different fellow.
Arturo
Boooooooooy do i have bad news for you.
John Pratt
no
Michael Ox
Quick question: is loud boy the boy big d apprenticed
SuperiorFreak
I am curious if Cai is going to be pushing for a marriage between his daughter and Jin. From his POV it certainly seems like an "Obvious" choice, with how Lanlan seems to be so happy near Jin. And on top of that its strategically smart since Jin would be tied to the Verdant Grass Sect through marriage.
Robin
I’m honestly glad demon guy is dead. Enemies who deus ex out of things that appear to have killed them are a cheap way out of having to write new ones.
Seth Thyme
I think he's saying his chest was caved in not his chest caved the tunnel. You know. From Rou's punch?
Cory C.
A corpse with its chest caved it. It looked like it had been rotting for weeks, rather than days. The skin was drooping and it looked like the body had been consumed from the inside, decomposing for months instead of days. A disgusting slurry of oil and blood pooled in the crater, swirling and stinking. ================================ Minor typo in first sentence, caved it instead of caved in. Might flow better without the second sentence as well since the second and third mention the advanced state of decay with the third giving more details.
Jeff Gault
Hoping all the elders end up sending their best disciples to learn vocational skills at Summercamp Fa Ram.
Cory C.
Maybe meant to be lifting her off his shoulders? It sounded like he had her up there to help with the last nail.
Jon
Great chapter!
Quintuscus
Don't cheer too early. The shell was definitely dead. The 'bag of flesh' looked empty.
IG884HIRE
Chen Yang being all super proud of his calligraphy, and planning to go around and pretty up the signs of his favorite shops, is some of the best character building for a random side character I've ever read. Hope he pops up again.
BelligerentGnu
Phenomenal, and Zang Li is truly dead. I can't wait for Monday!
Ichypa
Isn’t he dead? I think in one of Lu Ban’s POVs it said he told Lu Ban to go to the Azure Hills because they were a safe place where he could stabilize his technique, and died shortly after.
Connor
This may be intentional and it’s very small, but a little action seems to be missing here. Goes from being lifted to running. “Master Rou raised the girl upon his shoulders, and praised her. She giggled before running with abandon to her waiting mother. Her mortal father grinned and bowed to Master Jin.”
Josh
Wow, this was fantastic. I love seeing the change in cultivator behavior and it’s always great seeing Jin through other eyes. Top notch work.
Matt DiMeo
I love the elder boasting that his sect is going to repair the most. “And we shall repair the most, out of any sect in the city. The tournament was lost to us, but now, we have another prize!”
BZD
I love seeing cultivators being so introspective. And “mortals” being so shocked.
taukid
I'm kinda surprised there's a corpse left. I figured his body was literally annihilated, as in the chapter he punched him, it just said he was gone.
taukid
If there is one author I trust not to do stuff like that, it's CasualFarmer. There only time I have strongly disagreed with a story choice he made was the original Yun Ren interlude where the fox died because he broke down the illusion barrier. But he listened to the patrons feedback about how it didn't fit the story, he consulted with other authors and he came back with the perfect ending to the Yun Ren interlude. I think that was the moment he became my favorite author and is why I'm never disappointed when he's later with a chapter or needs time off because I know the end product will be all the better for it.
Enochi
Oh you are 100% on the ball here. Jin and the Magistrate are exactly like Caiphas Cain.
Björn
I'd say it's probably just the effect of piloting and hiding inside what I only can assume is a dead cultivator. We got no hint of the original's personality or will, so the corpse looks so old because it IS that old.
BaguaBrady
I'm so impressed with the PoVs chosen for this chapter. Cai Xi Kong getting a personable moment from the roof while still highlighting the merriment of Jin's growing crew is an ingenious choice. The Azure Jade lady being shrewd but less set in her ways than the elders seems like a very challenging sweet spot to hit with a small PoV but was captured so well with so little
Undead Writer
Thanks for the chapter!! Love the story!! Your doing great!
Imspinnennetz
A part of me is hoping that Liu Xianghua also requests her royalties are given to her little brother after talking to Tigger.
Brogatar
My favorite part is when Jin mentions Royalties.
taukid
Just wait until he hears that it wasn't Jin who slew Sun Ken as he probably assumes, but Bi De.
Adam Albright
Thank you, thank you!
Imspinnennetz
I hope you are directing your anger at Zhang Li or you have been infected by a heart demon.
taukid
I love the elders kinda just rolling with it. I hope someone points out to them that the ancient cultivators built during peaks themselves, so how could they ever hope to even attempt to match their works without ever getting their hands dirty?
ConradVernerN7
Ah yes. The Dao of spending others money is still strong in the Azure Hills. Truly the elders are peerless in their wisdom. Great chapter, I enjoyed the different perspectives and how you character managed to convey 'MC' story from an outside perspective.
Heidao
Ah, a chapter in the perspective of others after the wake of Jin's arrival. A foreign variable that shook the established status quo of the Azure Hills, from the Sects, the mortals and merchants alike. All cannot help but see profound wisdom and terrible strength that could move all in his favor, while deep inside he's screaming on how much a sham he is like Caiphas Cain in 40K. Good, confirmation of the body and the eradication of the demonic qi blood pool for added measure, there's gonna be a lot of chaos in the Shrouded Mountain for the coming days. Most likely harsh inquisitions to check if no one else was compromised, Zhang Li's dad is gonna lose a lot of political strength possibly a purge of his line, and a mad dash to investigate everywhere Zhang Li went before Jin beat him to find the source of the corruption. A potential connection of Sun Ken and his possession of his demonic sword. Someone must've planned this, and the hints might be drawn to when Chow Ji and Vajra both were driven from their homes
Jarrik32
Well someone is in a bad mood. To be fair it's with good reason. As while the shrouded mountain is merely getting a slapped wrist this mess could easily have ended with sect being hunted down to the last by every other sect for harbouring such a creature. Or just squished by the cloudy sword for interfering with the affairs of one of their prodigies.
georppy
Rot in hell
Torbjørn Nilsen
Thanks for the amazing chapter. Hope you get to have a breather, just letting the mind relax and take in the world does wonders. I can't wait for them to return to the farm. Jin needs to give all his people a big hug, and especially a little girl that has done lots of work. And some good long scratches to certain pigs too.
Corwin Amber
thanks for the chapter 'AThough' -> 'Although'
I’m concerned. The corpse’s decomposition/age kind of implies that it’s just Zang Li’s body, not the bodysnatcher. I think that demonic guy is still out there.
Even_Odds
The Elder of the Framed Sun sect almost stumbled upon enlightenment, if he hadn't put down the hammer.
Aaron Gordon
So not only do we see the body, we got to see the double-tap. If there is a round three, it'll be with the demon's master. I wonder if he will be a cuckoo as well.
Nim
There are some amazing beats in this chapter. In most stories, so many PoVs would be a drag, but they're used very effectively here to show the impact he's having on the people around him, in ways that might ripple out even further.
Michigo
Well, even our real world elders tend to be rather petty. For every kind granny, there is at least one that is wicked smart and petty to the extreme. And then there are the grandpas... they are usually stoic instead of wicked smart, but petty nonetheless.
John Koor
Mead. Jin now has lots of bees and a spirit beest leads them. He could teach the queen to make mead, and then just have the bees make it all themselves.
WonderBread459
The best thing about dramatic irony is the characters catch up with the audience eventually. Xi Kong just needs to get past his perception of Jin being a hidden expert and connect with him. That’ll probably show him Xiulan got more than just her eyes from him.
Juli Freixi
Thanks a lot for this amazing chapter Casualfarmer!! 🧡
Joshua
He calls him an imposter because I think original fang li was using his position to rape and Jin thought it was a weak cultivator pretending to be shrouded mountain
Lord Felidae
Glad to see a corpse. And I’m sure that both mountains are going to be relieved at the confirmation of such an insidious demon. One because it means that they are less likely to be seen as deliberate in letting such into their sect, the other cause that means such a disgusting insult is properly disposed of, and nothing more needs to be killed to make reparations.
BaguaBrady
that part is at the end of fear not this night pt3 and not the retconned chapter I think
JohnJohn2195
Funny part is when the elders are like the shrouded mountain will pay for it and with it being mortal stuff their paying for they cant really complain without looking like a bunch of cheapskates who think mortal good are expensive. Its like oh we could push our luck with cultivation material but we could also just send them the bill and make them pay out the nose in the most passive aggressive ways. Its petty as hell and i love it.
Tyrell Facey
Also very important is the fact That Jhin Called Zang Li an imposter because he was weaker than him not because he knew about the possession. OF course most people are going to assume otherwise which is kinda funny 'cause they actually got what he meant the first time.
Hamed Al-Ghamdi
My dude, I'm waiting for the return of farming, the finding of coffee and the making of vodka and all kind of stuff.
AnonyGuy
Hmm, i guess the shrouded mountain sect is not necessarily 'evil' just a typical cultivator sect.
Another good chapter.
ericksond
Damn, Jin needs more houses. Another round of lovable home building chapters.
ericksond
I agree. Sometimes we forget that because we are patreons we read decommissioned chapters but the content already seeps in to our subconscious.
ericksond
Xiulan is finally coming Home.
Elias A Rosado
Good, I thought the temptation to bow to the "Returning Enemy" trope would have been too strong. I'm glad to be proven wrong. Also, lmao getting some real "Imperium of Man" vibes in that last scene.
STORRM
good chapter, got me right in the feels
Midjji
The now non-canon chapter should not be forgotten it was very flawed in many ways, but also important to the story, and needs to be partly replaced, not just skipped, it introduced fexian leaving for starters, and jins accusation that Zhang li was an impostor, etc. But perhaps more importantly it foreshadowed several coming arcs. E.g. introduced fexian not quite trusting his eyes when meeting with Jin. This had the potential for a facinating arc where he suspects a more powerful fox than the one he saw, perhaps still messing with him even now, or if not one clever enough to play a very long game, perhaps even helping zhang hide his nature, all with the goal of causing conflict with jin. Beeing around and trying to trick shrouded mountain into conflict with the cloudy sword, or jin. Would have been a facinating arc with a conflict between fexian and the one who cooperates eith jin. The father of the lost boy refusing to believe it, then sending a well meaning emmisary to inform jin that yun is a fox or atleast allied with one. Them perhaps hunting yun, even thinking they are helping jin, or trying to clear their name with him. Especially as yun is likely to join choyu on her journey south, probably along with some as yet unnamed undercover plum blossom cultivator.
reji
I would like empire building arc. We didn't hear about secret force who was set to help Azure Trading Company. We didn't know yet how this impact Azure Hills development. We didn't know what elders will do with Dueling Peaks secrets. So many possibilities!
Eb
Fantastic as always I think you retconned the chapter where Fenxian and Yingwen had the exchange that leads to "Deep enough shit to cover the Shrouded Mountain"! I think it works really well with your original draft for that chapter where we see Jin and Yingwen interacting, but maybe it'll be confusing without that?
Just a dude from Australia but just wanted to leave a comment. I've read alot of stories, but this one is just so different and wholesome that I get excited to read a new chapter. So thank you for the journey and so do take it easy to not overwork yourself.
Caithdean SValerient
Kudos!
John Brady Anderson
Poor dad Cai, that his decades of teaching his daughter and providing for her has been overshadowed by half a year with a Hidden Master, not just in cultivation but in attitude and happiness. He does not see how much of the basis for all of that was built by him. I think he would be fine with just one of those aspects, as he does respect Experts, but he really feels a bit of a failure of a father seeing a stranger do so much for his daughter.
Dopplerdee
They can be angry all they want but they still did terrible things with to good people. They can blame non-other than themselves.
Killer Pickle
What are Loud boy and Rags's names, are they actually ever mentioned and why is everyone calling them that when they wouldn't get the reference or reason behind it
Sassy
Oh my god. Remember when Jin said the Young Master was an imposter when first beat him up? The Young Master's older brother/uncle/relative that released him was told the YM was an imposter but dismissed it. Know that the shrouded mountain knows Jin is gonna look prescient
Ichypa
Bi De has officially driven and Elder to drink lol
Kasinki
Thanks for the chapter!! Enjoy the break~
Ichypa
…The narration never did say that Lu Ban was human. It is merely assumed. Damn, that would be a fucking twist.
Chad Hagner
Thanks for the chapter!!!
Alessandro Piva
Thanks you for this Amazing new chapter!!! Take care!!!
Hellmo
Thanks for the chapter! Finally, an end to that impostor arc. Hopefully that thing gets no plot armor and return since like I said previously, it would be too redundant for a villain to be defeated, had powerup, defeated again but gets powerup again? Too tiring. New enemy would be better.
Imspinnennetz
The enemy that the shrouded mountain sect wants to fight are demons who use illusions and lies to fool people into performing immoral acts. However, it seems that their sect has deviated from the original teachings with their inability to distinguish between mischievous but harmless illusions (fox spirit) and malevolent illusions (demonic cultivators).
CentaureHeart
Awesome chapter ! Enjoy your small break :)
Gavriel
The 'enemy' isn't the foxes? The enemy is skinwalkers? Or what? I'm afraid to look up what fits because I don't want nightmares, it's too late at night.
Imspinnennetz
I think that Shrouded Mountain Sect is going to reform internally to understand why they of all sects missed an imposter in their mist.
GameJunkie999
Well this is gonna make the Shrouded Mountain Sect look incompetent, especially with their own history with Illusionist. When Jin's relation to the Cloudy Sword Sect gets out the SMS is gonna get a lot of shade thrown in their face. Since to them it looks like a member of the Cloudy Sword Sect warned them about him being a fake, and they chose to do nothing about it.
Jack Trowell
Thanks for the chapter
Draugluir
I came to post this! 😁 This was the best one since the last best one 😛
Sebastian Rubin
An excellent chapter, even by your lofty standards. May your weekend be as restful as a month on Fa Ram!
Ktoffel Genshin
Thanks for the chapter!
Imspinnennetz
I presume that Loud Boy and Liu Xianghua's brother are returning to Fa Ram to be healed. Her emotional reaction must be related to her brother in some way.
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter. Enjoy your break.
emphes
Thanks for the chapter! It didn't feel like a partial chapter so far, good as usual.
Xodarap4
I will laugh if the actual Cuckoo is a spirit beast that turned human then used Zang Li as a body hell it would make sense that he had a hard life with training from a old demonic cultivator that picked him up due to his special body.
Archit Goel
Great chapter, very satisfying to read.
Logan Williams
It was super good today! (Like usual)
The Dapper Lemon
Make sure you take some time on your day off to actually relax a bit! We can wait, and happily so, as long as it means you're taking care of yourself my friend. :)
Elliote Elanor
Thank you for the chapter. Have a good rest.
Thank You :)
Imspinnennetz
Thank you for staying up late for the chapter. I hope you enjoy your break.
Ask-if-I-like-lemons
Long chapter! Awesome!
Teo
🎶It's been a long A long time coming But I know a change gonna come Oh, yes it will🎶
Kiera
Thank you for the chapter!! :)
