Star Gate

“Are you hard of hearing?!” The inspector general’s anger was almost palpable. “What’s with the act, your ears are keener than mine! You’re around one hundred years old, but slipped out to have a good time with prostitutes a few days ago. Do you really think I didn’t see you?”

“You think too much, how would I ever do that?” the old man burst out laughing.

“I thought that being neutral was a good idea since I’m not afraid of anything.” The inspector general ignored the old man; he focused on his confusion around his decision. “I fear neither Silver Moon nor other people. They’re all inconsequential! But… Yao Si is a bit off today. This Li Hao… also seems highly assured of himself! Old man, where do you think his confidence comes from? Will those of Silver Moon really pit themselves against the world for his sake?”

The old man paged through some books and smiled. “I don’t know, I’ve stayed out of these matters for many years. How would I know? But I’ve come to a few new revelations over the past years of perusing ancient tomes.”

“What?”

“To embrace Buddha’s feet in one’s hour of need—to seek help in the last possible moment!”

The inspector general had thought that the old man was about to impart some words of wisdom. He blinked. Was that it?

“As for where the Buddha’s feet is, I don’t know. But… we’ll see in three days. I don’t demand deeds of merit, but I do ask for no faults. See to things yourself after three days.”

The inspector general thought for a bit before he nodded. “Fair enough, so the old man has the benefit of some experience after all. I more or less understand what you mean. Very well then!”

He said no more and turned to leave, but mentioned after further thought, “Do you think Hou Xiaochen’s made it to that step or not? Can he fully stabilize his cultivation?”

“I don’t know, you can try him yourself or ask him.”

“Ridiculous!” cursed the inspector general. The old man liked to be mysterious in his old age! This was how he spoke all the time now, quite an irritating experience for anyone on the receiving end.

Another thought occurred to the inspector general in the midst of his annoyance and he suddenly smiled. “It’s fine, I know what to do now! Ah, right, don’t go anywhere for the next couple of days. Something might happen in Skystar City and I’ll need you to show your face and calm the situation in critical moments!”

“You make it sound like your father is only good as a tool…” the old man started laughing.

“I would be more polite if you didn’t keep making younger siblings for me,” sneered the inspector general. “You should take it easy at your age. My youngest brother is younger than my grandson! This is highly embarrassing!”

“You don’t understand,” sighed the old man. “This is called listening to the heart. What is the true heart of martial dao? I have grasped some of it these years as well. It is to be carefree and unfettered. When I am free and unrestrained, I find heaven on earth. That is martial dao!”

“Heh!” The inspector general quit the conversation and left. Whatever you say. I won’t deny anything you say.

The old man looked into the distance when he left and chuckled. “A carp leaping over the dragon’s gate has appeared in what was a quiet, noiseless place. We were in a pool of stagnant water. There will be fun times ahead!”

He looked outside with a slight furrow. Yao Si… something was off about you today!

The Yao Si of twenty years ago was clearly emblazoned on the minds of the older generation. That wasn’t a man who spent his days hugging a tea mug. Yao Si back then had been an extremely domineering, cruel individual.

Had he stabilized his cultivation level? He’d become inscrutable to some after these five years.

……

Skystar City, the slums.

A group of children was engaged in heated discussion.

“That demon’s going to chop off noble heads after three days! Are you guys going to watch?” exclaimed a kid with excitement.

“What should we watch for? Aren’t you afraid of dying too? I’ve also heard that the demon will be done for after three days because he dares chop off noble heads! They have a lot of strong guys and the demon is a northern savage. There’s no one helping him here…”

“Didn’t he just wipe out the Four Seas Company and Colosseum?”

“What good does that do?!” A child that was noticeably more fragile than the rest shook his head. “You guys don’t get it. The books say that this is an encroachment on fundamental interests. He’ll be taking the first step in class warfare! In the ancient times, this was the first step to political reform! Since the ancient times, those who initiate political reform die without being able to be buried. It’s a horrible death!”

“Political reform? What’s that?” asked a group of curious children. The fragile youngster smiled.

“I told you guys to read books, but you don’t want to. Political reform is… it’s… um… well, it’s making it so that nobles aren’t always nobles and gives hope to the rest of us. There is hope, there is light. It means that our generation and the one after ours have a chance to climb to the top or become solidly middle class. They won’t live like us—picking up trash, skulking through tiny alleyways, running small cons, trying to get a bite to eat…”

“Hahaha, you’ve lost your brains after all that reading!”

“That’s right, your brains are gone! They have money, power, so many powerhouses, and generations of accumulation. They’re more noble than us from birth, how can we possibly catch up to them!”

“That’s right!”

“Big sis Yu Qi, your brother’s lost his brains from all that reading. Hit him!”

“……” A group of kids laughed raucously and called out to Yu Qi not too far in the distance. She was staring off into space.

“You’re the ones who lost your brains from too much reading…” huffed the little girl with an upward jerk of her head. “No, none of you guys know that many words, so what do you know! I don’t understand some of what Yu Ming says either, but I know that if that strong guy really kills the nobles… then there’s hope for us!”

“Is that so?”

“Should we go watch then?”

“But it might be really dangerous!”

“……”

The children chattered loudly among themselves before quickly changing the topic. They didn’t have the same patience as adults might to continuously discuss the same subject. Their thoughts quickly turned to daydreams of flying through earth and sky as supernaturals and martial masters.

The thin and weak Yu Ming walked over to his sister and sat down. “Sis…” he whispered. “This Demon Sword from the north is so ferocious!

“What a pity…” he then sighed. “I took a spin around today and found that most people don’t think too highly of his chances. He’s so impulsive! The books say that matters must be pursued in an unhurried manner, that they can’t be accomplished in one go!

“This Demon Sword must not like to read. He doesn’t know what the books say or that reading confers wisdom!”

Yu Qi smacked his head. “Don’t talk in such an unlucky way! Not to mention, I heard people say that he was a student before, that he attended a university. He was apparently the student of an ancient academy…”

“Then it must be an ancient academy of the north, one without much cultural foundation to it.”

Yu Qi glared at him, but felt that her younger brother made sense upon further thought. The young man had been like a fool before and didn’t even know how to take a taxi. Perhaps he didn’t recognize that many characters, maybe the ancient halls of knowledge in the north really weren’t worth much.

“That’s right… I’ve heard people say that his background is ordinary. What kind of decent education could he have received since he’s not a noble? A lot of ancient academies have closed up shop around the dynasty. We used to have some chances before, but now even that has been snuffed out…” Yu Qi grumbled and finished in an inaudible voice, “I hope he succeeds. It’s been so many years and no one like him.”

“Me too, but… sis… we shouldn’t hold out hope,” Yu Qi answered just as quietly.

“I can’t be bothered talking about it with you!” Yu Qi decided to ignore her brother and left the house.

“Sis, where are you going?”

“To earn money! What are we going to eat tomorrow if I don’t earn more money? You spent 180 coins out of 200 to buy a bunch of paper scraps. I’m so pissed! I’m not giving you the money next time!”

“Sis, that’s knowledge!”

“Bullshit!” Yu Qi cursed, already out the door. Yu Ming remained in a merry mood since he knew that his sister would still give him money next time she earned some.

However, he sighed as he looked at the books behind him. He couldn’t be so wasteful next time. He’d been gripped by impulse yesterday and was familiar with the teacher who sold the books. The teacher was almost out on the streets and his family had nothing to eat. That was why Yu Ming had spent 180 coins to buy these books that’d almost become waste paper.

“Demon Sword… does Demon Sword know what political reform is?” murmured the little boy. Perhaps he didn’t and just wanted to kill people. Oh big sis, don’t hold out too much hope.

……

Skystar City agitated with a fury; so did the rest of the central region as news spread. Word even reached the four cardinal continents.

Beheading nobles, one hundred of them! The story shocked every corner it reached. Everyone’s eyes were gathered on the central region, on Skystar City.

……

Silver Moon, White Moon City.

Director General Zhao’s expression shifted rapidly; Huang Yu sank into deep thought.

Kong Jie’s forehead was furrowed tightly and he said after a long moment, “I was thinking he’d be quiet for a few days, but now… Ole Zhao, do you think Ole Hou can protect him? Why doesn’t he advise the lad? He’ll easily get himself into trouble with how he’s proceeding…”

The director general remained silent, focusing on the pen in his hand. He wrote and drew certain things—no one knew what. Kong Jie began to fidget impatiently. It was so much effort talking to educated people sometimes!

“Do you have any ideas, Ole Huang?”

“What?” Huang Yu lifted his head with bafflement.

“I said that Li Hao must be in a lot of danger! He was already a public enemy to begin with, but people gave him chances because they were wary of certain things or rules. Not to mention, they were also on guard against each other. He can still find his footing if he withdraws now. Why must he create such an uproar?”

etvolare’s Thoughts

I wonder if Yu Qi will be a recurring character. Political reform eh? That’s bold.

Chapter reading on WW Discord now!