Chapter 121

By the banks of the Wei River.

After Jiang Ziya was placed under house arrest, unable to leave, his face was filled with worry all day.

Finally, with nothing else to do and feeling bored, he went fishing by the banks of the Wei River.

He found a quiet spot, sat on the ground, and held a simple fishing rod with a straight hook, baitless and without lure.

The river beside him flowed gently, a breeze brushed past, and Jiang Ziya stared silently at the water, his thoughts myriad.

"I never expected Senior Brother Guangchengzi to forcibly bring me to Western Qi and place me under house arrest here; this place is quiet, so I can only wait for an opportunity, to see if there's a chance to escape."

At that moment, a fish suddenly took the hook, and Jiang Ziya wondered.

His hook was straight and had no bait—how could a foolish fish bite?

He gently applied force with his hand, controlling the fishing rod, and lifted the fish.

Translation: He exerted slight force with his hand, controlling the fishing rod, and pulled the fish up.

But need to keep gender? The subject is Jiang Ziya? Actually line 9 is after line 8? The context: Jiang Ziya is fishing. So we can use "He". Since Jiang Ziya male. So "He exerted slight force with his hand, controlling the fishing rod, and pulled the fish up." Keep as one line.

As a result, he saw that what was hooked was not a fish, but a golden slip flashing with golden light.

Translation: As a result, he saw that what was hooked was not a fish, but a piece of golden paper flashing with golden light.

As a result, he saw that what was hooked was not a fish, but a golden slip flashing with golden light.

Jiang Ziya saw this and was slightly stunned.

Translation: Seeing this, Jiang Ziya was slightly startled.

"He took it over, looked at it, and flipped through it."

Translation: He took it over, looked at it, and flipped it over.

His doubts grew stronger.

Translation: His doubts grew stronger.

"This golden slip wasn't originally from Kunlun Mountain? I remember I put it in my bundle."

Translation: "This golden slip wasn't originally appearing on Kunlun Mountain? I remember I put it in my bundle."

"I thought that Senior Brother Guang Chengzi forcibly brought me here, leaving all my belongings behind at Jiang's mansion in Chaoge."

Translation: "I thought Senior Brother Guang Chengzi forcibly brought me here, and everything I originally carried was left at the Jiang residence in Chaoge."

"Yet this golden slip was fished out of the river—what on earth is going on?"

Translation: "Yet this golden slip was fished out of the river—what on earth is going on?"

Jiang Ziya flipped to the latest part and discovered that the golden slip had been updated with an account of his arrival at Xiqí.

Translation: Jiang Ziya flipped to the latest part and discovered that the golden slip had been updated with an account of his coming to Xiqí.

After reading the content, Jiang Ziya slightly furrowed his brow.

Translation: After reading the content, Jiang Ziya slightly furrowed his brow.

"It says that the Sect of the Cutting Edge will create an opportunity for King Wen and me to meet, and shortly before King Wen goes out hunting, he will perform a divination."

Translation: "It says that the Chan Sect will create an opportunity for King Wen and me to meet, and shortly before King Wen goes out hunting, he will perform divination."

"And the Sect of the Cutting Edge tampers with the divination signs, which indicate that the game obtained this time is 'neither dragon nor chilus, neither tiger nor bear, but rather the aide who will accomplish the hegemonic enterprise,' and will point them to find me?"

Translation: "And the Chan Sect tampers with the divination; the omen indicates that the game obtained this time is 'neither dragon nor chilus, neither tiger nor bear, but the aide who will accomplish the hegemonic undertaking,' and will point to me?"

Jiang Ziya's face showed doubt,

Translation: Jiang Ziya showed a look of doubt,

"King Wen will sincerely invite me to assist him, appointing me as Chancellor of Xiqí? If I agree, the house arrest will be lifted, but I will also fall into an abyss of eternal calamity..."

Translation: "King Wen will sincerely invite me to assist him, appointing me as Chancellor of Xiqí? If I agree, the house arrest will be lifted, but I will also fall into an abyss of eternal calamity..."

Looking at the golden slip in his hand, Jiang Ziya pondered for a moment.

Translation: Looking at the golden slip in his hand, Jiang Ziya pondered for a moment.

"This golden slip could travel from Chaoge to Xiqí, and after I fished it up, it is clearly an extraordinary object."

Translation: "This golden slip could travel from Chaoge to Xiqí, and after I fished it up, one glance shows it is extraordinary."

"Everything previously recorded has come true; I can now only move around the thatched hut, idling away, waiting here to see if King Wen really comes looking for me."

Translation: "Everything previously recorded has come true; I can now only move around the thatched hut, idling away, waiting here to see if King Wen really comes looking for me."

……

Translation:... (ellipsis). We need to output the ellipsis as is? Probably just "……". Keep as is.

On the Three Immortals Island.

Translation: On Three Immortals Island.

After Gu Xiu finished fabricating the story for Jiang Ziya, the system chimed.

Translation: After Gu Xiu finished fabricating a story for Jiang Ziya, the system sounded.

"Ding!"

Translation: "Ding!"

"The mission to delude Jiang Ziya is complete; congratulations, host, you have obtained a bottle of Rui Ling Ascension Elixir!"

Translation: "Mission to delude Jiang Ziya completed; congratulations, host, you have obtained a bottle of Auspicious Spirit Ascension Immortal Pill!"

Gu Xiu put away the Grand Dao storybook.

Translation: Gu Xiu put away the Great Dao storybook.

He finally obtained the elixir to enhance his spirit beasts, and he intends to test it on the two qilin.

Translation: He finally obtained the pill for enhancing spirit beasts, and needed to give it to the two qilin for a trial.

Thinking of taking out the water‑fire gourd, he summoned the water‑fire qilin.

Translation: Thinking of taking out the water-fire gourd, he summoned the water-fire qilin.

Relying on the water‑fire qilin to cultivate itself within the gourd, who knows when—perhaps in the year of the monkey and month of the horse—it will break through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal level.

Translation: Relying on the water-fire qilin to cultivate itself in the gourd, who knows when it will break through to Taiyi Golden Immortal in the year of the monkey and month of the horse.

If it cannot break through, once his strength advances further the two qilin will be useless; therefore Gu Xiu now wants to borrow some external aid to raise the cultivation of the water‑fire qilin.

Translation: If it cannot break through, once his strength advances further, the two qilin will be useless; therefore Gu Xiu now wants to borrow some external objects to raise the cultivation of the water-fire qilin.

After the two qilin appeared, they stared fixedly at Gu Xiu.

After the two qilin appeared, they stared fixedly at Gu Xiu.

Gu Xiu took out a Rui Ling Ascension Elixir.

Translation: Gu Xiu took out an Auspicious Spirit Ascension Immortal Pill.

"This is the Rui Ling Ascension Elixir; it can increase your cultivation. There are thirty pills total—fifteen each—so take them quickly."

Translation: "This is the Auspicious Spirit Ascension Immortal Pill; it can raise your cultivation. There are thirty in total, you each take fifteen—quickly consume them."

Gu Xiu opened the bottle, used his divine sense to divide fifteen pills each, and sent them toward the water‑fire qilin.

Translation: Gu Xiu opened the bottle, used his divine sense to separate fifteen pills each, and sent them toward the water-fire qilin.

Seeing the pills fly toward them, emitting a medicinal fragrance and feeling the energy contained within, the water‑fire qilin's eyes blazed, it opened its mouth wide and swallowed them, instantly filling its body with tremendous energy.

Translation: Seeing the flying pills, exuding medicinal fragrance, feeling the energy contained within, the water-fire qilin's eyes blazed, it opened its mouth wide and swallowed them, instantly a massive surge of energy filled its body.

The water‑fire qilin let out a sky‑ward roar, and the surroundings burst with terrifying sound waves.

Translation: The water-fire qilin let out a skyward roar, and terrifying sound waves erupted around it.

The Rui Ling aura coiled around its body; as time passed, the water‑fire qilin's aura grew ever stronger, celestial light showered down from the heavens, and after the light faded, both qilin successfully broke through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal level.

Translation: Auspicious Spirit energy coiled around its body; as time passed, the water-fire qilin's aura grew ever stronger, celestial light showered from the heavens, and after the light faded, the two qilin successfully broke through to Taiyi Golden Immortal.

Seeing the water‑fire qilin raise its head and let out a long cry, its voice filled with joy.

Translation: Seeing the water-fire qilin howling toward the sky, its voice filled with joy.

Gu Xiu was very pleased; the water‑fire qilin had been stuck at the peak of the Golden Immortal stage for a long time, and the system‑rewarded Rui Ling Ascension Elixir was just what they needed to break through the bottleneck.

Translation: Gu Xiu was very pleased; the water-fire qilin had been stuck at the peak of Golden Immortal for a long time, and the system-rewarded Auspicious Spirit Ascension Immortal Pill was just right to help them break through the bottleneck.

Now he has two Taiyi Golden Immortal followers, and he alone can function as three people,

Translation: Now he has two Taiyi Golden Immortal underlings; he alone can serve as three people.

and Jiang Ziya has already been duped by him into developing resentment toward the Sect of the Cutting Edge.

Translation: And Jiang Ziya has already been coaxed by him to develop resentment toward the Chan Sect.

Henceforth, even under the oppression of the Sect of the Cutting Edge, when he goes to assist Xiqí in attacking Shang, he will no longer be as willingly laborious and uncomplaining as before.

Translation: Henceforth, even under the Chan Sect's oppression, when going to assist Xiqí in attacking Shang, he will no longer be as willingly laborious and uncomplaining as before.

At present, everything is developing in a favorable direction.

Translation: Currently everything is developing in a good direction.

As long as they survive the Fengshen catastrophe, they will thereafter be able to live a carefree, leisurely life; thinking of this, Gu Xiu's fighting spirit is full.

Translation: As long as they survive the Great Calamity of the Gods' Enthronement, afterward they can live a carefree, leisurely life; thinking of this, Gu Xiu's fighting spirit is full.

His grudge against the Sect of the Cutting Edge has grown a bit stronger.

Translation: His resentment toward the Chan Sect grew a bit more.

Of course, the ultimate culprit is Hongjun, but he currently cannot reach that level.

Translation: Of course the chief culprit is Hongjun, but he currently cannot reach that level.

At that moment, three graceful figures approached.

Translation: At that moment, three graceful figures arrived, gliding in.

Gu Xiu looked up, saw that it was the Three Xias coming together, stood up, and walked over to them.

Translation: Gu Xiu looked up, saw that the Three Xiao had come together, stood up, and walked over.

"Master, two uncles, why have you come?"

Translation: "Master, two martial uncles, how did you come here?"

Yun Xiao moved her lotus steps lightly, her expression slightly solemn.

Translation: Yun Xiao moved her lotus steps lightly, her expression slightly solemn.

"Gu Xiu, just now a message came from the Bi You Palace: Ma Yuan was killed by Taiyi Zhenren together with Dao Xing Tianzun and Qing Xu Dao Zhenjun."

Translation: "Gu Xiu, just now the Bi You Palace sent word that Ma Yuan was killed by Taiyi True Person together with Dao Xing Tianzun and Qingxu Daoist True Lord."

Gu Xiu had long known that the Sect of the Cutting Edge was targeting Ma Yuan, yet he still pretended to be very surprised.

Translation: Gu Xiu had long known that the Chan Sect was targeting Ma Yuan, but he still pretended to be very surprised.

"Although I knew the Sect of the Cutting Edge would certainly move against my Sect of the Severing to fill the list on the Fengshen roll, I didn't expect the first victim of their foul play to be Master Ma Yuan."

Translation: "Although I knew the Chan Sect would definitely move against my Jie Sect to fill the list on the Gods' Enthronement, I didn't expect the first to suffer a vicious blow to be Martial Uncle Ma Yuan."

Yun Xiao gazed at Gu Xiu and said slowly: "Our Sect of the Severing has many disciples; Ma Yuan entered our sect and has been cultivating abroad all along. Many of our disciples do not know him, and even the sect leader, upon hearing of Ma Yuan's death, did not react strongly. That is why we have come to ask for your opinion."

Translation: Yun Xiao looked at Gu Xiu and said slowly, "Our Jie Sect has many disciples; after Ma Yuan joined the Jie Sect he has been cultivating outside, many sect members don't know him, and the sect chief, upon learning of Ma Yuan's death, didn't have a big reaction, so we came to ask your opinion."

Bi Xiao, indignant and resentful: "The Chan Sect is too hateful; they failed to kill the Stone Nymph junior sister child, and then switched the target to other disciples of our Jie Sect."

Gu Xiu thought briefly: "Tong Tian, there are many things to consider, but as disciples we need not think too much. Killing my Jie Sect disciple, we must retaliate."

Yun Xiao thought: "Do you have any good plan?"

Gu Xiu said calmly: "We will first use this incident as a story, widely publicize it across the Three Realms, portray us as the victims. When we later retaliate against the Chan Sect, we can do so legitimately, putting them at a moral disadvantage, leaving them unable to argue."

Yun Xiao paced back and forth, lightly nodded: "Before we strike back at the Chan Sect, this plan is feasible, but how exactly should we carry it out?"

Thinking of the previous incident where Yu Ding Zhenren and Dao Xing Tianzun were embarrassed, someone deliberately spread it throughout the Three Realms.

The only thing Gu Xiu could think of was the Heavenly Court.

He smiled calmly: "Yun Xiao, we only need to release the news, and someone will spread it for us."

Yun Xiao's beautiful eyes were puzzled: "Someone spreading it for us—where does that idea come from?"

Seeing Yun Xiao's gaze, Gu Xiu gave a slight smile: "Yun Xiao, you may not know this, but after we disciplined Yu Ding Zhenren and Dao Xing Tianzun, someone fanned the flames behind the scenes, spreading the matter throughout the Three Realms. It seems to be the work of the Heavenly Court, which alone wishes us both to be weakened. Yet the Heavenly Court's move also helps us, saving us much time, so we need not act personally on this matter."