Ten Years Lantern on a Stormy Martial Arts World Night Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Twelve Hours of Muwei Palace 1 PM 

Cai Zhao touched her belly. The dishes at lunch were just like the previous snacks. It had looks, but no unique flavor. Cai Zhao filled her stomach with disappointment. Cai Han, on the other hand, ate with the determination of someone who knew that they would have to eat rice and lentils for the next few months. In the end, he finally fell down next to the plate of red braised pork hoc, giving a satisfied sigh. Cai Zhao had to ask a server to bring a bowl of tangerine peel soup to relieve stomach bloating.  

Cai Zhao had finished patting Cai Han’s expanded tummy until it had stopped hurting, but she still did not see her parents return. Fan Xingjia rushed over from the main area, wiping sweat from his forehead. He brought a bowl of rice to his lips and devoured it and all the leftover dishes on the table like a tornado. Cai Zhao generously placed the last pork hoc into Fan Xingjia’s bowl. Chang Ning frowned. 

“...Thank you, Cai Shimei. I haven’t had a proper meal since waking at sunrise today. This is more tiring than practicing martial arts. Luckily shifu told me to find you, so I can catch my breath. Poor da shixiong, he is still working...” Fan Xingjia’s cheeks were round with food. His dimples were completely filled. “Cai Shimei doesn’t need to wait for Valley Master Cai. You guys have stayed in the Valley for these years, now that people see him, a lot of elders wish to talk to your father. Forget about being able to be done now, I don’t know if they’ll be able to leave by nightfall.”  

Cai Zhao asked him what she and her brother should do.  

“Right now, all the different Sect’s disciples are rushing around. To prevent incidents, da shixiong said you two could stay in the guest rooms in Muwei Palace. Once the remembrance ceremony is done, I’ll move shimei into your place, the Spring Peak Bamboo Residence.” 

Cai Zhao nodded. She wanted to drag her naive brother to take a nap. So, she could recover from the past few hours of trauma. But she was suddenly stopped by Chang Ning who pulled on her sleeve.  

“What now?” Cai Zhao asked, confused. 

“If you leave, what about me?” 

“What do you mean? I agreed to protect you.” If she said she would do something, she would always do it. 

“If you go to the guest house, and I go back to the medicine house, what if they come and find me? Even if you help avenge me by breaking their bones, I would have still suffered. Was the promise you just made not to protect me but to avenge me in front of my tombstone?” 

Cai Zhao’s eyes widened. She didn’t think it was that serious. 

Chang Ning glared back, showing that it really was that serious. 

In the end Cai Zhao surrendered. “Fine, fine, let’s go together. Fan shixiong, can you let Chang Shixiong stay in the guest room beside ours?”  

Fan Xingjia met Chang Ning’s eyes and felt his heart jump. This was clearly an adolescent boy who had no martial art ability, but his aura was like a predator. Fan Xingjia agreed.  

Fan Xingjia led them to the side palace in Muwei Palace, each harboring their own thoughts. This new shimei and this poisoned shidi were not meek ones to suffer losses. Fan Xingjia led them carefully to avoid people. Finally, they arrived peacefully. 

Looking at the two clean guest rooms that were beside each other but connected by a small door, Cai Zhao thanked Fan Xingjia. “Fan shixiong has been troubled for us. Just wondering, is it hard to get two rooms that neighbor each other right now with the large number of guests we have?”  

“No,” Fan Xingjia smiled. “These few days the guest rooms in Muwei Palace are actually quiet. The people of each sect that are visiting are housed in separate courtyards, so they don’t...” 

“Don’t  have ‘misunderstandings’.” Chang Ning supplied, his smile very pretty. “The martial arts world can easily have ‘misunderstandings’. Da shixiong and Fan shixiong plan well.”  

Fan Xingjia smiled politely but sweated. He quickly ordered some servants to move their baggage over as well.  

While Fan Xingjia was busy arranging the guest room, Cai Zhao pulled Chang Ning close and whispered, “Can you stop irritating people? Peace builds prosperity, don’t you know? The ones who have a ‘misunderstanding’ with you isn’t Fan shixiong. Why are you poking him?” 

Chang Ning turned his head in surprise, his eyes showing some hurt. “You’ve only known Fan shixiong for an hour. You and I have known each other for at least one and a half. But you scold me for him?!” He angrily shook her off and strode into the room.  

Cai Zhao stood frozen in the same spot: ...  

An hour versus and hour and a half aren’t very different? 

Chang Ning walked to Fan Xingjia. He made a deep bow, which scared Fan Xingjia.  

“Chang shidi, what is this, why are you giving such a large greeting!” 

Chang Ning rose before replying, “Chang Shixiong is wise. If it was just me, then it would be fine, but since Cai shimei has arrived, and she has conflict with shijie because of me, I ask that Fan shixiong looks after the food delivered a little, to prevent them from having any ‘misunderstandings’.”  

Cai Zhao raised an eyebrow before coming forward. “Fan shixiong, do the bullies of Chang shixiong often mess with his food?” 

Fan Xingjia felt awkward. “Eh, yes, there was one or two times... but shifu immediately punished those that dared to do so! And after that, there haven’t been... uh, ‘misunderstandings’.” 

Chang Ning gave her a look, and raised an eyebrow before saying, “Also the medicine. I drink medicine every day, and they will mess with it.” 

Cai Zhao’s head snapped around to demand, “Fan shixiong, are they crazy?! They dare to tamper with medicine!”  

Fan Xingjia lifted his hands placatingly. “No, no, they didn’t poison him. It’s just they added some... unclean things, like... like...” 

“Toads or smelly bugs.” Chang Ning smiled. 

Cai Zhao frowned. “Fan shixiong, this is too much.”  

Fan Xingjia responded uncomfortably. “It was only a few times, and shifu had those who did it punished. Now Chang Ning shidi’s medicine is carefully watched by Lei shishu and delivered directly from the medicine house, so it shouldn’t happen anymore.”  

Chang Ning was getting into it. “They threw poisonous scorpions and snakes in my bed.”  

“Outrageous!” Cai Zhao slapped her hand on the table and stood. “Fan shixiong, you don’t need to keep repeating how shifu has punished those who did it... if you don’t stem an ant infestation from the root, it’ll keep coming!” 

“Shifu had been really angry, but every time, Chang shixiong would avoid it. And he never got hurt. So Madame Sulian had reason to stop shifu, saying that it was just kids being kids...” 

“Fan shixiong, someone not getting hurt is not the same as never thinking about harming someone! Does coming into Qingque sect mean everyone has lost reason?” 

“Because of this,” Fan Xingjia sighed and said slowly, “Shifu and Madame Sulian have had many arguments. Now, they are sleeping in separate rooms.” 

Cai Zhao was speechless. 

She finally understood why her mom looked down on Qi Yunke. This shifu or hers was a good person, but he was lacking in conviction and dominance. Often because he cared about face and others feelings, he would be swayed by others. This made her angry. 

“Madame Sulian says that it’s just kids being kids right?” Cai Zhao said word for word. “Good. Once I enter the sect, I will be the youngest... If I am ‘just a kid’, I surmise I won’t be punished either.” 

Fan Xingjia understood the underlying meaning. “... the comradery between fellow disciples shouldn’t be broken.” 

Cai Zhao smiled.  

“Fan shixiong, rest reassured, comradery is built through fighting.” Though she wanted to live peaceful days, the honorable duty of shielding the weak and punishing the evil was ingrained in her. 

Fan Xingjia wiped the sweat from his forehead and laughed nervously. 

He had already heard from Zeng Dalou that Cai Zhao was good at martial arts. Plus, Qi Yunke favoured her. So, if she and Qi Lingbo really got into it, it would probably be Qi Lingbo that would suffer. But if Qi Lingbo suffered, Madame Sulian wouldn’t let it go. The future of their sect was going to be exciting. 

He was born into wealth, his family was harmonious, so he developed a temperament that was harmonious and happy-go-lucky. He had been planning on spending some easy days as an outer disciple, and after a few years, he could return home and be a wealthy businessman with the ability to brag about studying at the number one martial arts sect. Who could predict that he would be discovered to have this unique talent for alchemy and medicine. Before he could blink, he had somehow found himself as an inner disciple, and then a disciple of the sect master himself. Amigdabala, heavens have mercy, he just prayed that when the gunfire started the innocent civilians (him) would not be harmed! 

The servants finally finished arranging the two guest rooms. Fan Xingjia said a few last reminders and pleasantries before leaving. 

Once there was no one else around, Cai Zhao’s face lost her smile, and she said seriously to Chang Ning, “I’ve thought of the third ground rule! In the future, don’t annoy anyone without bad intentions! Peace builds prosperity. If you continue like this, you’ll make enemies out of everyone!” 

“Then why don’t you be peaceful towards me? You’re glaring at me.” 

“Even if I was a shopkeeper, you’re not my customer. It doesn’t apply!” 

“Then what am I?” 

“A debt collector.”  

... 

Cai Zhao rolled her well-fed younger brother into soft blankets, and the taco-like, pink faced, young Cai Han fell asleep. 

Chang Ning was very satisfied as he too took his noon nap. After reaching his goal, he immediately became full of smiles. Even the pustule-filled face seemed to be a little alluring. Before leaving, he even reminded Cai Zhao to call him to go to dinner together.  

The side palace was quiet. Cai Zhao had a ‘moonlight pearl’ (this is a pearl that emits a faint light so you can see) 夜明珠 in each hand as she looked at the tall buildings outside. The ancient Chinese style roofs were engraved with faint beast-totem-like patterns. Their faces were anguished and aggressive, yet everyone said that they were auspicious. 

It was a lucky mascot or a ferocious beast depending on how a person worded it. So, in the end, the one that lived to the end was the winner, as they would tell the tale. 

The air had the faint smell of pleasant-smelling candles, the winding walls and hallways blocked out the noise in the main hall. Cai Zhao slowly returned to her room. She covered her younger brother with the blanket again, and then sat in the chair in the room, thinking.  

The six Beichen sects ranked in order of power were Qing Que Sect, Guang Tian Sect, Mount Pei Liang Manor, Siqi Sect, Tai Chu Temple, and in last place, Luoying Valley.  

Two hundred years ago, the sects were equal. Each sect had their own prodigies and rare talents. But Qingque Sect could always stay as the number one sect. What they relied on was their tactic of promoting true talent. Other sects could have their sons inherit the position of sect leader, but Qingque Sect always chose the most talented one in terms of personality, martial arts, and strategy.  

As a result, even if the previous Sect Leader Yin had selfish thoughts, once Qi Yunke demonstrated his Heavenly Fire Dragon physique, he had to take him as his personal disciple.  

But according to Ning Xiaofeng, you had to thank the Demonic Sect’s aggressive actions back then for Qi Yunke’s sudden rise from a nameless outer disciple to become Sect Leader. The crisis shows the leader. 

Other than the six Beichen sects, the Jianghu had other great ones like the Qing Xi Valley Changchun Monastery and the Yinxiu Stream Xuankong Nunnery. The former was founded a hundred sixty years ago, the same time the first female demoness of Luoying Valley rocked the martial arts world. The six Beichen Sects were going to unite to eradicate the calamity, but it was the first sect leader of Changchun Monastery who spoke out for peace. After that everyone lost a bit of their excitement, and this thing was forgotten.  

Ever since then, Luoying Valley and Changchun Monastery had a strong friendship. The oldest trees in Changchun Monastery, the eighteen towering cypress and pine trees, were planted by the Luoying Valley Master. People called them the eighteen arhat pines. 

Xuankong Nunnery was founded a few years after Changchun Monastery. Ever since its founding days the Nunnery has stayed outside of Jianghu affairs, preferring to cultivate quietly, until a hundred and twenty years ago, when the Demonic Sect somehow created a prodigy Sect Leader. This man could wipe the floor with the ten Elders of the Demonic Sect in his teens, and in his twenties, he could beat everyone in the Jianghu. 

In that time, the Demonic Sect followers were everywhere. The Nunnery had no choice, and so they also joined the Alliance of the Righteous Sects.  

“Then what happened?” The ten-year-old Cai Zhao had asked, eagerly listening to the story. “Was it like when aunt killed Nie Hengcheng? The righteous sects had someone come out and kill this evil Sect Leader?”  

Cai Pinshu had smiled bitterly: “I don’t know. It appeared that the Demonic Sect had some type of inner conflict. This gave us a chance. Aiya, who remembers what happened over a hundred years ago?”  

Cai Zhao could still remember her disappointed expression—sometimes the villains were not killed by the heroes, but by their own politics and stupidity.  

The little Cai Han burped in his blanket taco, turning, before falling back asleep. There was no sound from the neighboring room. That one slept without flipping around. 

Cai Zhao slightly opened the door that connected the two rooms. Holding the moonlight pearl up, she could see Chang Ning sleeping on his side. Under the dark blue blanket, he wore his inner robes. The soft skin of his neck was exposed, as was a jade-like well sculptured chest.  

Cai Zhao politely moved her gaze away from the sight—in the novels she read, peeking at people would result in getting beaten up.  

So, she put down her pearl, and just like how she treats Cai Han, she pulled up Chang Ning’s blanket. His breathing was steady. He slept sweetly, like he hadn’t felt so secure to sleep deeply in a long time.  

Cai Zhao sighed, picking up her pearl, and left.  

Other than the Beichen six sects, one monastery, and one nunnery, the Martial Arts world had a few sects like stars in the sky. They would rise suddenly, and like a shooting star, slowly fade. There were few that still shone brightly after a hundred years. For example, Cai Zhao’s maternal family, the Nings. The Ning family was once known in the martial arts world for their dual cultivation of medicine and swordsmanship. But once her maternal grandfather had passed away, and his son and daughters were married, the Ning family was quickly forgotten.  

“Is reputation or renown really that important?” Cai Pinshu had said, smiling at the cute girl in front of her. “What’s the motto of Luoying Valley?”  

“The flower blooms and withers in its time.” Cai Zhao replied. “Let everything come naturally, don’t force it.” 

“Yes, let it come naturally. If someone remembers you, they remember. If no one remembers you, then no one does. It’s not important.” 

“Then what’s important?” 

“It’s that we are alive in this world. When we were alive, every day we live was carefree and happy, with a clear conscience and no regrets. The Ning family will disappear, the Cai family will disappear, but ‘we’ will never disappear.”  

--Cai Zhao shook herself out of her memories, glanced at Chang Ning, then softly closed the door.  

The Chang family was like this too.  

The Wu An (this is a place name) Chang Family had shone in the Martial Arts world for about ten years. The young Chang Haosheng had been famous for his martial ability, in his twenties he travelled the Jianghu and received the name of Hero. He met other heroes like Cai Pingshu and became sworn brothers with a similar group, and then got married and had a son. 

He knew the Demonic Sect was viscous and the Chang family Changjiawu Fort had strong defences. No one would have expected that he survived the ravage of war with Nie Hengcheng, only to abruptly die seventeen years later.  

Cai Zhao lay beside her brother, snuggling closer for warmth. 

Right before falling asleep, she decided she would at least protect Chang Ning until he recovered from his injuries. Everyone in his family was dead, so it was understandable that he was hostile and eccentric. If it were herself, let alone her whole family, she had wanted to go on a killing spree when someone took the pork belly she was preparing for Chinese New Year. For three months, she was filled with anger, and everyone she saw looked like her thief. 

Therefore, it is better to treat Chang Ning in a gentler manner from now on. 

In the next room, the deeply asleep young man heard Cai Zhao’s light snoring, and his lips tilted up.  

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