CH 11

What kind of place is the Nine Layers of the Abyss?

Rumor has it that place is an abyss, but also a gate and a fence.

A fence that separates the Human World from the Demon World.

After the catastrophe that happened decades ago, the Nine Layers of the Abyss turned into a passage full of evil spirits, demons and monsters of all kinds.

Almost everyone agreed that it was the most perilous place in the world.

Of course, if you were strong enough or felt strong enough, you could go there looking for pleasant surprises and reap a bumper harvest.

Spiritual stones, fine weapons, and even fortunate meetings.

Zhou Keyi tilted his head slightly, and stared at her with his bloodshot eyes.

Xu Jingxian felt goosebumps on her back and forced a smile: “Clan Master, this subordinate is not trying to avoid her responsibilities, but that place… For this subordinate that place might be a bit too much to stay in even for a moment without getting in trouble. Then this subordinate… Then she will never be able to see the Clan Master again, to serve you!”

She looked delicate and touching, and any other man wouldn’t be able to ignore her frailty. Even if the other Peak Masters knew that she was hard to deal with, they couldn’t help but be a bit moved in their hearts. Someone cursed the evil beauty in secret without raising their eyes to look at her.

Zhou Keyi was observing her closely, not taking his eyes off of her for a moment.

Xu Jingxian, on the contrary, gave up and lowered her gaze.

Zhou Keyi hummed: “You can’t feel secure there, but he can. Stop talking rubbish and do as I say. When you accomplish the mission and return here, I will give you some muslin from the Donghai sea.”

Muslin: lit. “shark silk”, silk made (traditionally) by mermaids.

Not only Xu Jingxian, but everyone present had their faces lit up.

That muslin was not just a weapon, it could also be used as a fabric for making clothes. The muslin from the Donghai Sea was a special type of fabric. There were rumors about it being made from mermaid skin. It was extremely rare, and even the imperial family considered it the jewel of their treasure collection. It was also valuable clothing for cultivators that could protect one’s life at a crucial point. Many people longed for it but could never obtain it.

Mermaids: Chinese mermaids resemble ones from Western tales, but are also craftsmen; they weave waterproof fabrics, and even have their tears turn into pearls. Mermaid fat (..?) is a good fuel.

But if one went to the Nine Layers of the Abyss, they could easily lose their life. So this promise was just a pavilion in the air, flowers but no fruits.

A pavilion in the air: an illusion.

Flowers but no fruits: flashy and without substance.

Xu Jingxian weighed the advantages and disadvantages and hesitated for half a day. She still wanted to refuse, but saw black qi flash in Zhou Keyi’s palms out of the corner of her eye—if she were to refuse, he would kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. She shivered with fear in her heart and quickly started speaking.

Killing the chicken to warn the monkey: punishing one person as an example to others

“Clan Master gave his order, this subordinate can’t disobey!”

Zhou Keyi retracted his hand. His expression improved a bit, but just as he looked at Changming, his face darkened again, as if he could become possessed by his inner demons any moment now.

Xu Jingxian didn’t like the way things were going and immediately took a step forward to pull Changming closer.

“Then we will get going, Clan Master doesn’t have to see us off, this subordinate bids farewell!”

Zhou Keyi who was left behind didn’t stop her.

Xu Jingxian breathed a sigh of relief secretly.

She waved the golden bells in her hand and returned to Lingbo Peak with Changming, not stopping for a moment. When she saw familiar landscapes and servants, she felt her legs go weak. If just now Zhou Keyi flew into a rage and started killing everyone around, the consequences would be too horrible to imagine. She didn’t want to die such an indecent death.

“I’m really curious, why, even though our Clan Master’s cultivation is so high, you managed to survive facing him?”

Changming put his hand to his mouth and started coughing.

Xu Jingxian was dissatisfied: “Hey, you can’t play coy with me! If I hadn’t dragged you away right now, our Clan Master would have demonstrated his skills. Even if you have a couple of secret moves, I suppose both sides would have suffered losses!”

“I’ve already…”

Before he could finish speaking, Changming coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Red trickles ran through his fingers. He bent down, and some blood spilled on Xu Jingxian, immediately getting her new lilac dress dirty.

Xu Jingxian gasped in surprise. She was about to get angry, but got a hold of herself. Zhou Keyi ordered her to bring the man to the Nine Layers of the Abyss, not to kill him; furthermore, this person was full of secrets she was yet to discover, so she couldn’t bear to lay her hands on him.

“Are you alright?”

Changming spat out quite a few mouthfuls of blood, and his entire hand was dyed red. He got back on his feet and shook his head.

When he battled against Zhou Keyi just now, he seemed not to be inferior in any aspects, but what he actually used were not his spiritual powers, but his soul consciousness.

His spiritual powers were all gone, let alone the fact that he began practising anew—even if he had raised his powers up by three points out of ten, he still wouldn’t have been able to defeat Zhou Keyi.

But the Art of conferring spirit was an exception.

This technique relied on using the soul consciousness exclusively, turning the void into substance, intertwining them. Its effectiveness depends on the strength of the soul consciousness.

Changming had been wandering through the Yellow Springs for all these years, and was accustomed to seeing dangers that put his life on the line; his soul consciousness was profound and could be compared to the one of an outstanding master. That is why he caught Zhou Keyi off guard with the Art of conferring spirit and could battle him without obvious concessions.

That was part of the reason, and the rest could be attributed to Zhou Keyi’s deeply rooted fear of his former shizun.

Even if Zhou Keyi has become a formidable person, he still couldn’t doubt Changming’s words.

Changming only needed to stand there, and Zhou Keyi was already intimidated.

Of course, this method couldn’t be used for too long, and Zhou Keyi was also not a fool; sooner or later, he would have noticed that Changming acts tough but is brittle inside, and then his death wouldn’t have been a nice one.

That’s why he pushed the boat with the current, returning here with Xu Jingxian.

Pushed the boat with the current: seized an opportunity, went with the flow.

Xu Jingxian was uncertain about his situation and actually believed that he had a way of dealing with Zhou Keyi. She didn’t dare to attack him seeing him bleeding, and even took out a handkerchief and gave it to him, pouting.

“And yet you deceived me about the Art of controlling spirit. Those two fox puppets from the Qixian Sect were yours in truth!”

Changming’s bloody hands left [plum blossom prints] on the bright, clean-as-the-moon handkerchief, staining it through and through.

Xu Jingxian was not displeased at all, she didn’t even give her people an order to help him to his room, and did it personally.

Since he was with the Peak Master, naturally he received the best yard on Lingbo Peak, excluding the Peak Master’s one.

Surrounded by mountains, waters, and misty clouds, a cool breeze brushing against their faces—this place might as well be called a blessed spot.

People from Lingbo Peak saw their master bustling around, serving this man of dubious background with her own hands, and were all just staring in bewilderment.

“Get out, all of you!”

Xu Jingxian lost her patience with them standing still as trees at her side, so she drove everyone out.

Her interest towards Changming was growing bigger.

“What exactly is your relationship with the Clan Master, why did he order me to bring you to the Nine Layers of the Abyss?”

“Good brother, good gentleman, tell me quickly, we must go to the Nine Layers of the Abyss; if you want me to go, you have to give me some courage!”

Xu Jingxian could soften countless hearts with her attitude, but Changming was badly injured and didn’t pay attention to her. She remained by his side from the very beginning to the point when he stopped vomiting blood and gathered enough strength to speak to her.

“Are the Nine Layers of the Abyss really so frightening?”

“Quite so.”

Xu Jingxian rolled her eyes, gave him a cup of tea and began talking with assurance.

“On that day, the world’s best masters gathered on the Sacred Mountain Wan, created a Liuhe Zhutian Formation, trying to seal the passage to the Demon Realm. Have you heard about this?”

Changming: “I have, but very little. What happened next?”

Xu Jingxian: “Then, while they were supporting the formation, one person colluded with demons, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Most of those who were protecting the formation sacrificed their lives, but the passage was opened wide nevertheless; demons came out to the human world in swarms. After that, nine walls were gradually created around the Sacred Mountain Wan. Although they can’t seal the passage completely, demons can’t go in and out as they wish, so it is a barrier that slows them down.”

Changming: “Who colluded with demons?”

Xu Jingxian: “I’ve heard that the one who colluded with demons back then was the outstanding number one master in the world, Immortal Jiufang.”

Changming: …

The author has something to say:

A small theatre that is not related to the main text:

Changming: Did I do such a thing?

Zhou Keyi: Didn’t you? I don’t believe you, ha-ha.

Changming: I should have called you Zhou ‘Don’t Believe’.

Zhou ‘Can’: …

The author has something to say:

Time to answer some questions:

1. Da Yun will probably appear in the 13th chapter.

Da Yun: lit. ‘Big Cloud’, opposed to Xiao Yun; the male lead.

2. These four disciples had their own reasons to fall out with Changming, and their reasons will be slowly disclosed in the future. This text is not only a ‘master-disciple’ story, but also a story of Changming restoring his glory.

3. Rest assured, this novel has a happy ending.

4. Other answers would be spoilers ah, spoilers are no fun ah.

Tn:

I had a long argument over existence of “黑光”, “black light”, with my friend; in the end, I had to make it “black qi”, because if not this, then ultraviolet rays… Kind of too hardcore even for ZKY.