B9C8: Change of heart

“Valley master, the most recent news I received says that 25 troops managed to enter the capital. When attacking the Imperial Palace, one of them self-destructed out of desperation, killing some noble. It should be the empress or an imperial concubine of the Qin dynasty.”

Yan Xin reports respectfully. Di Nai’s eyes immediately glitter.

“Really?”

Di Nai asks again.

Yan Xin says with a nod: “Valley master, according to the news, the ladies-in-waiting in the Imperial Palace called that woman ‘Lady’. Therefore, she was either the empress or an imperial concubine.”

“Very well … what happened next?” Di Nai’s face is covered in a layer of joy.

Yan Xin is startled, but Yan Mou says: “Valley master, this is the last news. After sending this news, that squad leader was killed … but the remaining Xiuyaoists should have attacked the important officials and some royals who live outside the Imperial Palace in the capital according to the plan. Mortals are very fragile so any Xiuyaoist can kill them by casually sending out his energy. The Qin dynasty must have suffered quite a lot of damage.”

“Very good.”

Di Nai stands up while laughing: “However, judging from the fighting this time, we can see that the Qin dynasty has an extremely tight defense. After suffering such heavy losses, it will definitely raise its defense again. Perhaps it’ll be very difficult to sneak in without being spotted by the surveillance on the capital’s walls.”

Yan Xin says frowningly: “Then what should we do, valley master?”

“Yan Xin, after considering for a long time, I’ve come up with a great solution -- fighting mortals with mortals!” Di Nai smiles broadly.

Yan Xin and Yan Mou are startled.

“They are watching out for Xiuyaoists but how can they defend against mortals? If we can control and order a bunch of mortals to go attack the Qin dynasty, we’ll surely be able to catch them by surprise. This’ll probably achieve an even better result than attacking with Xiuyaoists do.” Di Nai says confidently.

Yan Xin’s and Yan Mou’s eyes immediately brighten.

“According to the intelligence gathered in the Qin dynasty, the Qian Long continent has assassin organizations as well as spy organizations.” Di Nai says smilingly. “And pearls and agates, which are worthless to us at the bottom of the ocean, are loved by mortals the most.”

“Valley master, you mean …” Yan Xin has also figured it out.

“You’re not bad. First we’ll make those assassin organizations get into action with money and jewels.” Di Nai says slowly. “However … according to intelligence, the range of assassinating missions they accept is limited. They won’t dare to assassinate the Qin dynasty’s princes. Therefore … in addition to that, we’ll have to establish an assassin organization of our own.”

“We’ll establish it ourselves?” Yan Xin asks doubtfully.

Di Nai says with a nod: “Correct. We’ll send several tens Xiuyaoists into the Ming dynasty and Han dynasty. They’ll display their power in front of some Xiantian experts to tempt these experts into joining our organization.”

“At the same time, we’ll showcase the power of Xiuyaoists to some big clans to get their support and even to control some big clans’ influence!”

Di Nai’s eyes glitter.

“Using the Ming dynasty and Han dynasty as the bases, we’re going to set up an assassin organization called Specter! Its top priority is going to be to kill the members of the Qin dynasty’s royal clan.” A note of extreme coldness surges in his eyes.

He has decided that the top goal is to kill the royal clan’s members. Never has he thought that those mortals will be able to kill Qin Yu.

“You’re so brilliant, valley master.”

Yan Xin and Yan Mou both get down on one knee and say with joy. After listening to this plan of fighting mortals with mortals, they have found it to be exceptionally feasible because while those guarding Xiuyaoists can monitor other Xiuyaoists using holy senses, mortals cannot be kept under surveillance in the same way.

“The Specter assassin organization,” Di Nai laughs coldly in his mind, “Qin Yu, I’ll let your clan know how it feels to be haunted by a specter!”

……

Inside the Ming dynasty,

Sky Raising Hand Yu Wenshang, a prominent expert of the Ming dynasty, is riding a horse on a main road. It is already dark now but he is still going slowly.

“Stop.”

A cold shout rises.

“Who?” Yu Wenshang’s face changes color. He unexpectedly cannot feel the location of the shouter.

“I’m behind you.” That ice-cold voice is heard again.

Yu Wenshang gets off the horse and turns around. His movements are very smooth. He takes no provocative action because he understands … that if someone who can appear behind him undetected wanted to kill him, he would have been dead already.

“You …”

Yu Wenshang’s face changes color greatly because the man before him is unexpectedly standing in midair.

According to legend, only Shangxian can stand in midair without the help of anyone or any tools.

“You’re a Shangxian?” He asks in disbelief.

“Yes.” This blue-clad stalwart man admits right away. In fact, this blue-clad large man is merely a Xiuyaoist. “I see that you’re pretty talented and already a Xiantian expert so I want to make you my disciple. Do you want it?”

Hearing that the Shangxian wants him to become his disciple, Yu Wenshang is dumbfounded.

“Oh, you don’t want it?” The blue-clad large man says frowningly.

“No, I want it. It is an honor to meet you, master.” Yu Wenshang immediately kneels down and says.

A Shangxian, no less! This is a supreme being. Countless martial artists can only dream about becoming Shangxian’s disciples so how can Yu Wenshang possibly decline when now a Shangxian wants to make him his disciple? After all, the attraction of a Shangxian is really too great.

……

In such a short time as 3 months, a large assassin organization is founded.

This assassin organization is based in the Ming dynasty and Han dynasty. There are several tens big clans with a history of more than 100 years working for it. These big clans have agreed to work for it only because some of their members have become Shangxian’s disciples.

In addition, a large number of Xiantian experts have also joined this assassin organization.

To become a Shangxian is a dream of every top-class martial artist.

The assassin organization is such a huge power and has so many Xiantian experts so naturally it has attracted some Houtian experts. Like a strong wind scattering the clouds, its influence has even spread into the Qin dynasty.

In 3 months, an assassin organization second only to the Heavenly Net has been established. It is called Specter.

……

In Prince Yu’s Mansion,

“Uncle Xu, your prediction at that time is really not bad. In the last several months, an assassin organization has indeed appeared.” Qin Yu says smilingly.

Xu Yuan already took a Base Building Pill and afterwards Qin Yu used his own energy to clear his channels and purify his marrow, helping him to absorb the medicines of the pill, so now he is also a Xiantian expert and looks like a man in his forties or fifties.

Base Building Pills are very precious and ordinary Xiuzhen schools cannot obtain them.

Using some materials in Treasure Storing Palace, which he stole from the Nine Demons Hall, Qin Yu made quite a few Base Building Pills. One of such pills coupled with his personal assistance certainly can turn a normal person into a Xiantian expert in no time.

“Blending in with the mortal world, handling mortals with mortals … but Di Nai is only a little smart. He’s unexpectedly using an assassin organization, which is the easiest thing for us to deal with.” Xu Yuan says while waving his feather fan, seeming totally unconcerned.

Qin Yu looks at Uncle Xu.

“Don’t worry. For the moment you don’t have to get into action. As he’s already using mortals, I can deal with him using only mortals.” Xu Yuan slightly waves the feather fan and says with confidence.

Qin Yu nods his head with a smile.

……

In the evening of the same day,

Qin Yu is reading a book under a lamp alone. Suddenly there are knocks at the door.

“So it’s you, father.” Qin Yu opens the door of the room. He is surprised and very excited to see his father Qin De outside the door. According to Xu Yuan’s ruse of using political decoys, the ones staying in Pure Forest Garden are simply not Qin De and Fengyuzi. Actually, Qin De and Fengyuzi are staying in Prince Yu’s Mansion.

Qin De nods smilingly. Seeing the book on the desk, he says with a smile: “You’re still reading books in the evening?”

“I’m just bored.”

Qin Yu immediately sits down on one side. Qin De picks the book up and takes a look: “Gain and Loss? This book was written by an authority on Taoism. It can be used as a source of reference indeed.”

Qin Yu says with a shake of his head: “Xiuzhenists respect true power, but the longer I stay in this world, the more mentally tired I am. Reading these books can help me relax a bit.” In front of his father, he unconsciously shows his own weakness.

Qin Yu is strong-willed. It is really unbelievable that a brat who entered the Xiuzhen world not long ago like him has been able to reach his current level.

“Yu’er, you should take a good break. Don’t keep fighting.” Qin De says comfortingly.

“Fighting? Father, I don’t want to fight at all, but other people have been forcing me to fight. In the overseas Xiuzhen world, people wanted to kill me, if I didn’t want to get killed, I could only kill them!” Qin Yu takes a deep breath.

Qin De of course understands this reason. He is speechless for a while.

“I’ve always believed in the saying ‘the weak let their ideals control their actions, but the strong control their ideals with their actions’!” His expression becomes resolute.

“When I’m sad and in pain, I’ll sing loudly. When I’m scared, I’ll go forwards bravely. When my ability doesn’t match my desire, I’ll remember past successes to summon the courage to try again! I definitely won’t let my ideals control my actions, or else … I’ll probably be killed very soon.”

Qin Yu’s eyes glitter.

“In the underwater Xiuyao world, I didn’t want to kill at first, but I then knew that if I was soft-hearted, I surely wouldn’t be able to keep my subordinates under control and they would turn against me. So, I had no choice but to be tenacious and frosty!”

“At that time I was being hunted. When I was running for my life alone, when I was feeling lonely, when I was feeling weak … I could only recall the happy days in the past and the times when I was with you and brothers to give myself strength again to keep running for my life. I believed there’d eventually be a day when I could free myself.”

Qin Yu clenches his fists, making their blue veins visible.

“Yu’er …” Qin De grabs Qin Yu’s shoulders.

“Do I let my actions control myself against my will? I don’t know … That day, after knowing that my master was dead and that your and Uncle Feng’s arms had been cut off, at first I only wanted to kill Dongfang Yu, but … Dongfang Nian refused to hand him over. If I had been soft-hearted, perhaps even more people would bully the Qin clan. So, I had to go against my true feelings. I had to be ruthless and massacre them.”

Qin Yu’s eyes are fierce.

“In my childhood, limit training made me suffer. I didn’t want to practice but I forced myself to practice … Every time I broke through a limit, I would feel comfortable. It was like seeing a rainbow after the rain. I knew that one day I’d eventually get your approval. Your smiles were the rainbow I looked forward to the most.”

Qin Yu gives a smile which is like that of a child.

“Father, the world of Xiuzhenists is very cruel.” He says with a sigh.

Qin De only holds his hands without saying anything.

“If not for Uncle Lan, I would’ve had to keep fighting and killing people. Otherwise … I wouldn’t be able to take revenge even if my relatives were insulted.” Qin Yu says in a low voice. He feels very grateful to Uncle Lan.

Because of Uncle Lan, he has been able to relax a bit and act in accordance with his true feelings.

This is a world of the strong. If Qin Yu is not the strongest, he can only act against his will.

“I didn’t want to kill, to act cold, to be ruthless and to be bloodthirsty, but there was nothing I could do. Every time I was alone, I would feel a pain in my heart. But even though it was hard to bear, I had to play it cool on the outside or put on a smiling face because I’m the tower master. I can’t lose my nerve, be in fear or be weak. I’ve got to appear resolute, cold and merciless!”

Qin Yu looks at his father and laughs in a low voice. But then he says as if sobbing: “Father, do you know how it feels?”

“I know, Yu’er. I know.” Qin De’s heart is also in pain.

In the past,

Even when experts of the Azure Dragon Palace and the Blue Water Mansion, 2 powers which have been in existence for several thousand years, saw Qin Yu, they all could not help admitting that he was determined and cold and that he would even be able to face a collapsing huge mountain smilingly.

The experts such as Azure Dragon, Old Freak Three-Eyed, Reverend Yan Xu and Yi Da have even been living in this kind of environment for several thousand to 10,000 years, starting from when they were little.

It is normal for them to be tough and merciless.

Qin Yu, however, is different from them. He stepped into the underwater Xiuyao world when he was already 20 years old. When he was little, he was in the company of his close relatives. At Misty Villa, he was taught by Grandpa Lian. He has a kind and passionate nature.

However, he became the victim of circumstances.

When he was a child, he pushed himself to the limit to improve his power and get his father’s approval. In the end he was successful and almost perished together with Wu Xing.

Then he went into the underwater Xiuyao world and had to act against his will once more to adapt to this world of Xiuyaoists.

“’The weak let their ideals control their actions, but the strong control their ideals with their actions.’ If not for this saying supporting my inner world like a column at the bottom of my heart, perhaps … I would have collapsed long ago due to being unable to stand acting against my will.”

Qin Yu’s eyes glisten with tears. After releasing the repressed pain in his heart, he cannot control his emotions.

“Yu’er.”

Qin De looks at his son, his emotions running high in his heart: “Yu’er, you can’t keep everything at the bottom of your heart. Do you understand? You have to tell me your feelings at home, and your friends outside. Don’t suppress all of them in your heart.”

Qin Yu takes a deep breath then gives a smile.

“Father, I’ve been lucky to be helped by Uncle Lan. If he didn’t help me, that would mean fate is fair to me. But … my life is mine so I must be my own master.”

Qin Yu stands up and opens the room’s door.

“Likewise, I must continue to act against my will because I want to become the strong!” Qin Yu’s voice is very unyielding.

He walks out of the room and raises his head to look at the bright stars in the sky. He talks to himself inwardly: “I can’t stand seeing my relatives insulted and suffering so I must become the strong, strong enough to protect them!”

“Smiling, collected, tough and bloodthirsty, this is how I should be! Weakness and soft-heartedness can only be buried in my heart! Definitely!!!” Qin Yu’s expression becomes even more resolute.

End of b9c8.