Chapter 123: Weal and Woe
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
During the journey from Iron Mountain, Gu Shenwei prepared many questions for Zhang Ji. He was the first one Gu Shenwei wished to consult.
He was now considered as a wealthy man thanks to all the gold and silver he received. He had talked to a black-market businessman in East Castle, and had bought several bottles of expensive wine, sending them directly to Zhang Ji.
A few days later, with the excuse of paying respect to the Miss, Gu Shenwei went to the school and coincidentally bumped into Zhang Ji.
Zhang Ji had dismissed the pupils early and when he tasted the excellent wine, willingly answered every question Gu Shenwei asked. Zhang Ji was familiar with the history of the fort, except for the top secret information which exceeded his clearance level, but he presu to know any information. Rather, he strove to preserve the image of the fort.
Zhang Ji corrected the many mistakes in Shangguan Ru’s mory. It had not been the Barren Sect who had wrestled with Golden Roc Fort and made the deal in the Four Truths Temple, but the another “Golden Roc Fort.”
“The New Moon Hall was originally the subsection of the fort, which specialised in training female killers. But later they beca too ambitious and dared to usurp Lord’s power. This is what I want to tell you, never trust a woman. They seem weak and fragile, helpless without the n but they are actually cruel and rciless. Once they have a chance, they’ll seize your power, and everything you own.”
Zhang Ji wet on and on about won. He was even full of indignation, and could not calm down even after several cups of wine.
The New Moon Hall called itself Golden Roc Fort, too, for they wished to claim supremacy for themselves. But their female killers’ ways were deviant, focusing the rcy powder and other herbs and potions. Zhang Ji said, “The fort chose to never use the rcy Powder, which was an absolutely correct decision. Teal killers never need to rely on powder.”
Though there was no one else in the school, Zhang Ji still hesitated before he telling Gu Shenwei the secret, “The killers in the fort love a naless powder, which was actually a less effective variation of the rcy Powder, which can be easily neutralized.”
The way to neutralize it was straightforward. Add traces of the powder to one’s food every day, and slowly increase the quantity. After three months, the knockout-powder would no longer be ineffective.
Gu Shenwei told Maid Lotus afterward, and they both began to use this powder. By winterti, they were both immune to it.
The female killers were not only good at the powder arts but also other unspeakable sorcery. Zhang Ji knew a little about them but despised them, thinking they were just ant to scare, and entirely not sothing a real kille should use. “If they only use killers, they will be dood. Moreover, their thods are entirely not alighned with others. If they try to take down the fort, defeat is inevitable.”
The war between these two forces was so dreadful that even the troops in the Western Region felt the shockwaves. Thus the other families interfered and forced them to sign the agreent in the Four Truths Temple. “At that ti, Golden Roc Fort, was not strong as we are today. We had to sign. But if we were given just one or two years more, those won would not exist anymore. Such a pity.”
The content of the agreent was not classified, and Zhang Ji rembered it well. By authority and fairness, the Lord possessed the fort, but he had to promise that he would never use sorcery thods in assassination. The New Moon Hall reserved the right to use these thods, but they had to live in the desert and never co out.
They drew a line between them and agreed not to cross it.
From then on, the Golden Roc Fort stopped differentiating male and female killers. Maid Lotus, for example, learned whatever any male killer learned.
After several years, the Barren Sect appeared once again in Jianghu.
The New Moon Hall had taken advantage of a loophole in the agreent to form another school, which only recruited female apprentices. They also created so new kung fu, using iron knuckles and claws as weapons. The war with Golden Roc Fort continued.
Yet, this school did not inherit the sorcery thods, which was unfortunate. The Barren Sect was defeated quickly. Though they ceased activites and appeared to give up, never showing their face publicly again, they would attempt an assassination every few years. Of course, they failed every ti.
“The Tenth Young Master was lured into the desert, aning that the won from New Moon Hall are planning sothing in Jianghu. They will surely bla this on Golden Roc Fort. If you ask , these won were too foolish. Maybe it co from being in the desert too long, their minds are no longer as sharp. Golden Roc Fort is at its peak condition, challenging us is suicide!”
Gu Shenwei now truly understood. The dark robe woman belonged to the Barren Sect, and the red-robed woman must be the apprentice of the New Moon Hall. Only, he was still confused about why New Moon Hall wanted everyone to bla Golden Roc Fort for restarting the war. Since treachery was the habit of both sides, why did it matter?
“No one is free, not even the Supre King. Their agreent was made in Four Truths Temple and is sacred.” Zhang Ji felt that he had said enough, and raising up his cup, drank deeply.
After their gathering, Gu Shenwei commissioned a man in the black market to send the best wine to Zhang Ji every ten days. Zhang Ji did not refuse. More importantly, he liked that Gu Shenwei had consulted him. The best tasting wine for him was passing on his 10-year cultivated understanding of history to a good student.
Gu Shenwei was disturbed by the information. The mysterious woman in his dreams must be part of so conspiracy. So part of New Moon Hall’s sorcery. Gu Shenwei was afraid he might beco an unknowing sacrifice.
Ten days are returning to the fort, he obtained the proof he sought. But, it was not him who was “possessed”. It was Shangguan Ru and so other youth.
The incident happened in bright daylight, which only made it more unbelievable and terrifying.
Shangguan Ru had been staying with her mother and talking about about the family affairs. It would be the Tenth Young Master’s birthday in less than a month, and she was making demands one after the other, when suddenly, she beca quiet, turned and left the room.
The won there were dumfounded, wondering what kind of trick she was playing.
Shangguan Yushi stood up almost simultaneously, following her. People thought she wanted to stop Tenth Young Master. Instead, they fell down together at the doorstep, convulsing violently.
Everyone was scared speechless.
Seeing her daughter convulsing, Lady ng beca frantic. She imdiately sent for the doctor, the Taoist, and monk. The Inner Residence was thrown into an uproar.
At the sa ti, the sa thing was happening in the “Little Flag Battalion.”
While Wildhorse was silently exchanging views with his mute followers, his expression abruptly changed, and pushing out of the crowd, seed to see sothing strange. After taking ten steps, he fell down and began convulsing, just the like the two Young Masters.
Liuhua, who was good at hiding his tracks, fell from a tree and lay on the ground, until he was finally discovered.
News of this incident dwarfed the rumor that Slave Huan once passed out.
This four events of “being possessed” were not connected until close to midnight. The strange news had finally been circulated and soone had realised that those two killers in Little Flag Battalion had once followed the Tenth Master to the desert.
Doctor Sun of the Jade City ca uphill specially to see the two masters. Four brown-belt assassins, however, were taken into custody and investigated. Several rounds of investigators ca and asked almost the sa questions. It seed like they had seldom co into contact.
The forces surrounding the fort were nurous and complicated. Each of them tried to take advantage in the chaos and got hold of the information so that they could profit from it.
The Eighth Young Master, Shangguan Nu, was not in the fort, thus his uncle, Blademaster Shen Liang of Heart Cleansing Yard, took the four killers, and imprisoned each of them in different rooms, telling Slave Huan and Maid Lotus to keep quiet about it.
Slave Huan and Maid Lotus were suspicious because they were not “possessed”. Gu Shenwei told Shen Liang about the mysterious woman and described in detail about how she looked. He knew that he could only survive the crisis by Eight Young Master’s protection.
However, the four brown-belt assassins escapade was more complicated than Gu Shenwei could imagine.
After Doctor Sun’s diagnosis, he confird this had co from the New Moon Hall. The doctor was extrely knowledgable, but still have to consult with the public, who did not even recall the na until the doctor introduct it alonside the Barren Sect.
Doctor Sun also found sothing strange with the Internal Strength in the bodies of Wildhorse and Liuhua, whereas in the bodies of Slave Huan and Maid Lotus, he could only detect Peripheral Force. “Both of these n’s Internal Strength are similar but also different. These two youths are fine, but they won’t live long.” The doctor explained. He still rembered Slave Huan, and tried to persuade him to get a diagnosis. “You don’t much ti now.”
Doctor’s explanation proved Wildhorse and Liuhua’s innocence. However, Slave Huan and Maid Lotus had to stay until they could explain how the Peripheral Force had co to be in their Xuanji acupoints.
Shangguan Nu ca to the fort imdiately when he heard the news. He guaranteed the innocence of his subordinates, claiming that the one who planted the force had already died.
But things were still not finished though it was confird that Slave Huan and Maid Lotus were not involved. Other Young Masters also ca ho to visit their sisters, at least that was their explanation. However, this beca a hidden reason for feuds to start. They argued about the two killers, the Barren Sect and the New Moon Hall. They even poked holes in Tenth Young Master’s journey in the desert. They claid this journey ant that the fort had broken the treaty. Not to ntion the daughter of the Supre King now was possessed by New Moon Hall. She could be a hidden danger.
People began to spread rumours which only existed in the ancient stories, like how the New Moon Hall used sorcery to control people’s mind. They claid the controlled person might even kill his or her parents without any consciousness.
The battlefield was not ideal either. Golden Roc Fort and Iron Mountain were in the midst of ammassing stocks and provisions and could only send small forces into the desert, with little result and much loss. Shangguan Nu’s capability was under suspicion again.
The fierce argunts actually saved the life of Slave Huan and Maid Lotus.
When Lady ng realised that her daughter had beco a re tool and the target of criticism, she flew into a rage. She tore into the White Robe Academy and rebuked the Young Masters for their heaertlessness. Seeing her great anger and ceaseless tears, these masters stopped arguing and dared not even defend themselves.
The eighth day after the incident, the two masters and four brown-belt assassins went to the Four Truths Temple and seek the help of the Buddha. As Tie Hanfeng said, “My apprentice, you profit in adversity.”
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