Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter
Qi Qi beautifully lay atop the bed and snored. Unable to sleep, Qi Lin sat on a chair. Moving his thoughts, a sword of vile blood and qi floated out.
The bloody sword-light illuminated the interior of the room as if it was a sea of blood, and the vile qi it emitted could hardly be concealed. Even after months had gone by of continuous refinement, the murderous aura of the Blood Transformation Divine Blade was still sharp enough to injure. This magic treasure was much more formidable than Qi Lin had thought. Only with the Four Yins Four Yangs combined with his Divine Energy as well as Yu Yuan’s Destiny could he control it. Generally, even a God Transformation Realm could hardly bring it under control.
Changxi was injured by the Blood Transformation Divine Blade. The poison of the blade had yet to be dispelled, and she could only recover inside the Divine Womb. Although the degree of injury was under control, a complete recovery would still require some time.
Qi Lin gazed at the Blood Transformation Divine Blade for a moment. Then, he reached out and took hold of the hilt.
The Blood Transformation Divine Blade struggled, its divine-light malevolent. Qi Lin’s forehead Divine Crest flickered. The power of Yu Yuan’s Destiny flowed, finally bringing the Blood Transformation Divine Blade to a rest. Then, he lifted the blade and swung it in the living room.
Demons and ghosts, specters and monsters from hell.
The swordsmanship techniques of a Divine General were contained in the Destiny and power of the Divine Energy, all of it exceptionally powerful. But with naught but a thought, the Blood Transformation Divine Blade was like lightning, unleashed with lethality and inflicting instant death. It was a magic treasure much more formidable than the Cloud-piercing Arrow. However, it was a bit of a waste to wield such a powerful blade through thought alone. Qi Lin melded the Nine Fingers Of Hell into his swordsmanship with some success. Although not comparable to Destined Saber Techniques, there was a certain degree of threat.
After a moment of training, Qi Lin returned to cultivation. His Primordial Infant Seven Stars was already Five Star, reaching a complete Middle Stage. The last two stars were only a matter of time.
A few more hors passed like this until Yu The Great dispatched a messenger to bring them to the banquet.
The night sky above Forebears Mountain as bright, the rain abating significantly.
The banquet was held at the plaza on the summit of Forebears Mountain. Other than this, banquets were held all throughout the forest, and the entire Ji Tribe had entered a festive mood. Yu The Great, Hou Ji, and Bo Yi had already changed into formal dress, long robes with feathers, simple yet dignified, making Yu The Great appear even more elegant.
Hou Ji and Bo Yi acted as officials serving left and right of Yu The Great. In the Ji Tribe, they were considered rare and powerful Divine Generals.
Hou Ji was the ancestor of the Zhou and was the god of agriculture. In Western Zhou, she was honored as the chief of the Five Grains, and the “grain” part of the oft-heard phrase “society and grain” was derived from her name. As for Bo Yi, Qi Lin had a bit of an impression as well. It was said that he was an official who helped Yu control the waters, that he was responsible for the countryside and for breeding livestock, that he was possessed of foresight. However, what was most memorable was a mythological novel from the Xia Dynasty called the “Classic Of Mountains and Seas,” a set of four scrolls that many scholars believed were composed by the Xia’s Bo Yi.
Recalling this, Qi Lin suddenly remembered that he and his senior sister had, for the sake of a thesis on this matter, specially excavated the Xia period “Juntai Tribute” ruins.
When things are ordered into high and low, when a system of rule is established, neither gods nor men revolt, and the world is at peace.
Perhaps the Huaxia Ancient Diagram retained something from that time.
“Your Distinguished Self Qi Lin.”
Bo Yi’s voice pulled Qi Lin back to reality.
Only then did Qi Lin realize everyone was staring at him. The gazes of the surrounding men and women were complex and bewildered. As the first male friend that Yu The Great brought back to the Ji, this information had not only spread through Forebears Mountain, but the surrounding mountain tribes had already learned of this as well.
It was said that this man was related to controlling the waters, leaving everyone very curious. As far as they were aware, Divine Names dominated Primordial World. Cultivators, particularly men, who could obtain a Divine Name’s interest were few and far between.
Qi Lin cupped his hand in greeting while Qi Qi remained unmoved. The Great Sage Equal Of Heaven did not bother with elaborate customs.
Yu The Great did not mind and beckoned the two to step forward.
The Blaze Eyes’ heads had been skinned and were being barbecued in the plaza. Demon Beasts had demonic qi; generally, it was very difficult to impart flavor into their meat, but now that the floods had made food scarce, even ordinary wild fruits were delicacies.
In the banquet, Yu The Great recounted her experiences at the Eastern Sea. After mentioning that Qi Lin had helped Qi Qi obtain the Ruyi Jingu Bang, all of Primordial World was shaken. Those previous criticisms vanished like smoke, the ministers toasted them, and even Hou Ji did not dare believe this.
The lively banquet continued for a very long time, letting everyone forget about the floods. At this time, a guard hurried forward. “Reporting to the Great King, General Xian has returned.”
“Perfect timing.” Yu The Great calmly smiled.
Qi Lin noticed that Bo Yi and Hou Ji’s expressions were suddenly a bit serious. Recalling Hou Ji’s words from before, it appeared that this General Xian was not very friendly.
Yu The Great had three supporting officials, each with their own duties; Hou Ji was responsible for planting foodstuffs and for the people’s livelihood while Bo Yi oversaw foreign affairs. But regardless of a tribe or a nation, the most important was military affairs. The Ji Tribe’s military affairs were the responsibility of this General Xian.
This General Xian was reportedly very formidable, having previously studied military strategy at the number one school, the “Jixia Academy.” Her Divine Name was said to be the ancestor of military strategy and was very exceptional. While this was not particularly useful in a battle between Divine Generals, it was very valuable for a nation. Ever since she came to the Ji Tribe to assist Yu The Great, the Ji Tribe expanded rapidly, annexing several hundred tribes along the Ji and becoming the hegemon of the area.
In the Ji Tribe, General Xian’s prestige was extremely high, surpassing even Hou Ji and Bo Yi, making her influence second only to Yu The Great.
After the floods worsened, this General Xian brought the tribal army to Zhuolu.
Surrounded by the Eternal River and the Eight Desolates, this Zhuolu was the center of the Northern Primordial. Back then, the Northern Emperor of the Five Emperors had left behind a holy site, a place that not even the flood could submerge. Due to the worsening floods, which showed no signs of abating, Hou Ji and Bo Yi discussed that they should prepare to relocate the Ji Tribe’s people to Zhuolu for refuge, and General Xian went first to check the situation.
Upon hearing the sound of a bugle, the crowd reverently parted.
A woman boldly and decisively walked into the plaza. This woman wore a beast pelt and robes. She was not very tall and was even a bit shorter compared to the Northern Primordial’s Shaman Tribe, but her facial features were distinct. She stood upright and proud, imposing and majestic. Despite her clearly short stature, she had a kind of indomitable feeling about her.
“Xian Zhen greets King Yu.”
The woman knelt, her gaze staring straight ahead.
“Zhenxi, we are sisters. I have already said such pleasantries are not needed.” Yu The Great rose from her seat and helped the woman to her feet with both hands as if they were sisters, a very respectful gesture before everyone’s eyes.
“In public, proper etiquette between lord and vassal must not be breached.” The woman smiled.
Yu The Great pulled her into the banquet and introduced Qi Lin and the others to her.
It turned out that she was Xian Zhen.
Qi Lin more or less guessed who she was from the name. In the Zuo Zhuan, she was known as the number one general, the founder of the Jin Kingdom’s century-long hegemony during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Strategies to lure enemies deep into friendly lines and to encircle and annihilate originated from Xian Zhen. Such an identity was indeed worthy of respect, however, the Divine Names of Primordial World were all abnormal. The ancestor to the School Of The Military sounded grand, but there was no comparison at all with a Divine Name like Great Sage Equal Of Heaven.
That she could achieve great feats through her mortal Divine Name in the Northern Primordial and attain a position equal to Yu The Great’s was impressive to Qi Lin.
“Zhenxi, you have returned from Zhuolu, how is the situation there? Has it been flooded yet?” Bo Yi asked.
“Zhuolu is very secure. Though it rains year-round in the Northern Primordial, the Zhuolu region has weather fair enough for crops and abundant harvests. If we can seek refuge in Zhuolu, our people will be free of floods and droughts as well as the calamity of famine.” Xian Zhen answered.
Hearing her, everyone could not help but sigh in relief.
However, Xian Zhen’s next “but” immediately pulled everyone back to reality. “Many of the Northern Primordial’s tribes are preparing to relocate to Zhuolu.”
“Zhuolu is the legacy of the late Northern Heavenly Emperor. Now that the Northern Primordial is plagued by floods, even if we go seek refuge there, we cannot be blamed.” Bo Yi said.
“King Yu may not be aware, but ever since the floods, both the Jiang RIver and Yang River have also overflowed. The Jiang’s ‘Hong’ Xuanyuanshi and the Yang’s ‘Li’ Chiyou have already begun to fight in Zhuolu. Although Zhuolu will not be affected by floods now, the scourge of war will be devastating.” Xian Zhen faintly sighed, wringing her hands in lament.
“What?”
Everyone was shocked.
“Xuanyuanshi and Chiyou are fighting in Zhuolu. Are they planning to unify the Eight Desolates, to crown a queen of the Northern Primordial?” Bo Yi gasped.
“Precisely. Ever since the Register Of Deities activated, they desire to conquer Zhuolu, unify the Northern Primordial, and contend with the Divine Court, to leave a lifeline in the great tribulation of the Register Of Deities.” Xian Zhen had gathered some information.
The rowdy atmosphere of the banquet immediately fell into silence.
Xuanyuanshi’s “Hong” tribe and the Chiyou’s “Li” tribe were both powerful forces filled with Divine Names. Although the Ji tribe was also considered a contender among the three, they were too weak in comparison.
“Xuanyuanshi and Chiyou are both the strongest Divine Generals in the Northern Primordial. After they were born, they always wanted to be queen of the Northern Primordial. Battle was only a matter of time, but I never thought that even with the Northern Primordial plagued by the worst floods since ancient times, tehy would not think of governing but only of unifying Zhuolu, ai.” Bo Yi sighed.
After the Primal Chaos Heavenly Court collapsed, the Shaman Clan’s Divine Names were unable to cooperate. If there truly was someone who could unify them, that would be great, but these two women were both prideful and arrogant. This battle would absolutely weaken the Northern Primordial. Outside the Northern Primordial was also the Northern Province, and that place had the Three Doctrines eyeing them covetously. Bo Yi truly was worried they would be taken advantage of by other Divine Names.
“King Yu, what shall we do?” Hou Ji was a bit flustered.
To seek refuge at Zhuolu would necessarily embroil them in the conflict between Xuanyuanshi and Chiyou, but if they did not go, then Forebears Mountain’s flooding would be a matter of time.
“We should make for Zhuolu for now. We cannot delay refuge.” Yu The Great sighed and slowly answer: “We cannot ignore the floods in the Northern Primrodial. If we can control the waters successfully before then, we have not need to go to Zhuolu. If time runs out, I have a plan then.”
“As you command.”
Everyone grunted.
“Qi Lin, why do you look so excited?” Nezha blinked when she saw Qi Lin was a bit giddy. “Could it be you want to flirt with those queens?”
“Nope, I’m just very curious about these Divine Names.” Qi Lin’s eyes were aglow.
As expected, Xuanyuanshi was the Yellow Emperor, ancestor of ancient China. Chiyou was also famous, and to be able to see them battle in Zhuolu with his own eyes would be worth it.
The banquet continued, its atmosphere lively. Xian Zhen then suddenly rose and toasted Qi Lin: “Your Distinguished Self Qi Lin, when I returned, I heard someone criticize King Yu’s guests. When I looked, Zhenxi realized Your Distinguished Self is a dragon among men. To be able to make your acquaintance is the honor of the Ji.”
“I would not dare say so.”
“Zhenxi has always thirsted for an equal. Your Distinguished Self was able to obtain the Ruyi Jingu Bang, so could you spar with Zhenxi? Treat it as tonight’s entertainment.” The woman expressionlessly said.
Qi Lin had no choice but to put down his wine goblet.
The time had finally come.
Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter
SPARRING TIME!
I’m more concerned about the news she brought back. Overcrowding and conflict will intensify if every tribe seeks refuge in the same place, so solving the floods has only become even more important.