Chapter 39.1 Fleeting Life Wisdom

Xiao Lin came with his personal guards. Besides them, there was also a shabbily dressed old man.

The old man mischievously laughed at Tantai Jin and said, “Boy, you’ve done all these terrible things and still wanted to pollute an immortal spirit to transform it into a demon flood dragon. Aren’t you afraid of being entangled by your sins and dying a violent death ¹ 死于非命 (sǐyú-fēimìng) – violent death (idiom); to die in a disaster/an unnatural death !”

Su Su saw the corners of Tantai Jin’s mouth coldly twitch.

She felt like if Ye Bing Shang wasn’t here, Tantai Jin would definitely sneer. Ye Bing Shang just delicately stood there and he restrained his brashness and didn’t retort.

“Martial Uncle Ji, why do you keep talking with that madman? The Zhou Kingdom began to keep demonic creatures a few years ago. It’d be strange if he’d be willing to give up on the demon flood dragon. He even killed those demonic Daoists. Now we should go over and beat him up till he shouts for his dad and……” Yu Qing said.

The old man slapped Yu Qing on the head, “You only know how to fight all day. Why don’t you use your brain? How you even became a protege I don’t know ² In case you forget, Yu Qing is Xiao Lin’s junior brother and he is a protege of King Zhao (Xiao Lin’s royal brother) .”

The Daoist priests that Tantai Jin had brought were dead, but were his Night Shadow Guards and the soldiers on the riverbank vegetarians ³ To describe someone easy to handle ? Now that Mohe was Tantai Jin’s territory, they were already at a disadvantage when they snuck in here, so they were already lucky to not get killed, not to mention going over to fight.

Naturally, Xiao Lin wasn’t Yu Qing and understood the current situation.

Xiao Lin said to Tantai Jin, “The resentment sacrifice wasn’t enough, so you can’t yet awaken the demon flood dragon. If you aren’t willing to give up, the resentment will grow strong and uncontrollable, and everyone will die.”

Resentment was invisible, and once it gained consciousness, it would no longer covet the flood dragon’s body and would run outside to kill people recklessly. When that time came, no one would be able to control it.

Pang Yi Zhi added, “Tantai Jin, ambition is not the same as killing. If you lead your troops to fight with Great Xia in an upright manner, I will still respect you as a man. What kind of skill is relying on demonic creatures!”

Tantai Jin glanced at Su Su and coldly looked towards Pang Yi Zhi, “Have you finished speaking? If you’re done, then all of you can go die.”

He didn’t go after these people, they walked right into his trap ⁴ 自投罗网 (zìtóu-luówǎng) – cast oneself into the net; bite the hook; leap at the bait instead.

As soon as Tantai Jin raised his hand, the dozens of soldiers behind him drew their swords and actually slit their own throats ⁵ 自刎 (zìwěn) – commit suicide by cutting one’s throat .

Martial Uncle Ji’s expression greatly changed, “This is bad. He’s going to forcibly awaken the demon flood dragon.”

Sure enough, the resentment excitedly travelled through the soldiers’ bodies and turned a bright red ⁶ It was black previously. blood-like colour. It let out a cruel laugh and wanted to get into the flood dragon’s body. 

Tantai Jin took out a mirror, it was exactly the same as the jade mirror that Zhao Yun’er had been holding just now.

The mirror shone on the flood dragon, and seemed about to collect the flood dragon and the pearl clam into it.

Martial Uncle Ji shouted, “Shang dear ⁷ 丫头 (yātou) – girl (used as a term of endearment) !”

Ye Bing Shang hesitated for a while, then bit her lip and threw out the Heart Protecting Scale in her hand. The Heart Protecting Scale protected the flood dragon and resisted the power of blood sacrifice in the mirror. Tantai Jin frowned impatiently. The flood dragon was different from demon beasts. If it was really awakened, within three days, it could be ridden and wipe out Great Xia.

Under the light, unexpectedly, the dormant flood dragon slowly opened its eyes.

The flood dragon had cultivated for an unknown number of years, it had one black eye and one red, and in its black eye, immortal patterns vaguely appeared.

Curved Jade nervously said, “Little Master, it’s about to wake up. It might be an immortal flood dragon or a demon flood dragon. If both its eyes turn red, it’ll belong to Tantai Jin.”

Then the world would fall into chaos and the three realms would be in turmoil.

Su Su asked, “How should I stop it?”

Curved Jade said, “Something unbearable must’ve happened in the past for the flood dragon to willingly lay dormant at the bottom of the ice-cold Mo River. Enter its memories, tell it it mustn’t become a demon and ask it to wake up. However, this method is very dangerous……”

Curved Jade glanced at the flood dragon’s other bloodshot eye, “If you go in, you’ll no longer have your own memories, perhaps you might become a stone or a bird in its distant memory.”

Once memory was gone, what would happen couldn’t be predicted.

Su Su sighed, “There aren’t any better ideas.”

She took a step forward and Pang Yi Zhi pulled her, “Third Ye, what are you doing?”

Su Su smiled ⁸ 莞尔一笑 (wǎn’ěryīxiào) – (literary) to smile and purposefully said, “I’m courting death.”

Looking at her bright and beautiful smile, Pang Yi Zhi stammered, “U-unreasonable.”

“Why did his face turn red?” Su Su asked Curved Jade.

“……I don’t know,” Curved Jade replied.

Su Su no longer looked at the confusing Lord Pang and following Curved Jade’s instructions, she walked into the light of Ye Bing Shang’s Heart Protecting Scale.

In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the white light.

Martial Uncle Ji was stupefied ⁹ 瞠目结舌 (chēngmù-jiéshé) – stare tongue-tied/stare dumbfounded by Su Su’s swift actions. He furiously ¹⁰ 吹胡子瞪眼 (chuī húzi dèng yǎn) – foam at the mouth and glare with rage (idiom); fume with anger said, “This reckless lass!”

Although he said so, Tantai Jin had killed so many people as sacrifices, so this was currently the only way to stop the flood dragon from turning demonic.

Tantai Jin’s face darkened, obviously thinking of something as well, “Nian Baiyu.”

Nian Baiyu took the jade mirror from him and Tantai Jin walked into the red light of the jade mirror without a word.

His purpose was the opposite of Su Su’s, to turn the flood dragon into a demon.

Ye Bing Shang’s face paled when she looked at the Heart Protecting Scale in the air. She subconsciously wanted to retrieve it back, but she realised that it was no longer under her control. Her breathing stagnated and she thought of Ye Xi Wu who was inside……

Ye Bing Shang gritted her teeth and stepped into the white light as well.

A hand quickly held her, “Bing Shang……”

Ye Bing Shang couldn’t explain and glanced back at Xiao Lin sadly, “I-I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Xiao Lin softly sighed, but his hand didn’t let go and the white light engulfed them both.

Martial Uncle Ji expressionlessly asked Yu Qing, “Are you going in or not?”

Yu Qing shook his head like a rattle-drum ¹¹ 拨浪鼓 (bōlanggǔ) – drum-shaped rattle (used by pedlars, or as a toy) , “I’m not going!”

Before the martial uncle and nephew could finish their words, they saw a figure beside them run in as well.

“What’s wrong with this Pang Yi Zhi again? What’s he going in and making trouble for?” Martial Uncle Ji asked.

Yu Qing raised a brow, “Maybe it’s because his beloved went in and he’s afraid something will happen to her.”

Martial Uncle Ji was so angry that he pulled his own beard, “What a group of reckless fellows!”

The flood dragon’s past is also called the Fleeting Life of Wisdom ¹² 般若 (bōrě) – a Buddhism Sanskrit term which means prajñā/highest/great wisdom/wondrous knowledge; 浮生 (fúshēng) – momentary life; When combined together, it means wisdom in a short life ! Do they think that place is so easy to get into? If they all forget their current lives, they should be careful not to become dull-witted!

Yu Qing counted and said, “Third Ye counts as our person right? Then four of our people went in, with just one on Tantai Jin’s side, we have a great chance of winning!”

When he said this, Nian Baiyu, who was on the other side, frowned.

Yu Qing laughed evilly, “Old man Ji, quickly, quickly, set up a barrier, we can’t let anymore of Tantai Jin’s people enter!”

Martial Uncle Ji understood and hurriedly threw out the treasures he had, covering the resentment-filled jade mirror and the Heart Protecting Scale that were opposing each other.

Nian Baiyu was so angry that his face darkened, “Your Majesty…… you!”

Yu Qing: “Hahaha!”

Martial Uncle Ji: “Hehe!”

Nian Baiyu only hated that he didn’t have the Daoist priests and demon slayers left on his side, so he couldn’t deal with those two scoundrels.

The two items were fighting each other in the air, and everyone was staring at them nervously. Even Martial Uncle Ji felt uncertainty in his heart. What exactly will happen in the Fleeting Life Wisdom that only exists in legends?

Edited by: Gaze