Chapter 555: and translation of title, then ===GLOSSARY=== list

"I need you to help me kill Yuan Yang, wake QingSongShu, and bring Yi Rong back." I knelt before Bai Qi, pleading: "I now have no other way; even a hundred of me combined couldn't match Yuan Yang. The three-year limit hasn't passed, and I can't summon my ancestral master, so I can only ask you this way."

I continued to beg Bai Qi with tears streaming down my face: "Helping me kill Yuan Yang would also be merit for you; in life you killed too much, bringing disaster upon your family, and Little Fat cannot be reborn because of the killing karma your father committed. With enough merit, Little Fat can be reborn into the cycle."

Bai Qi remained silent for a moment, then still expressionless he asked me: "Merit—just how much merit is needed?"

"Saving the masses—does that count as great merit?" I gritted my teeth and stood up. Yuan Yang has set up a formation in Returning Spirit Land, cultivating corpse soldiers with boundless resentment; once the formation is complete, those corpse soldiers will march out, and who could withstand his advance? These monsters don't fear bullets at all.

Bai Qi remained silent, but the oppressive pressure in the air gradually lessened. With a wave of his hand, Little Fat and Murong Jia Jia mysteriously disappeared.

"What are you...?" I said, standing up puzzled. I knew Bai Qi had something private to tell me, so he sent Little Fat and Murong Jia Jia away.

After a moment of silence, Bai Qi slowly spoke: "You're right; in life I created too much killing karma, burying alive four hundred thousand Zhao soldiers, and the karmic debt fell upon my family—my son became an idiot from birth. Because of me, he still retains his original appearance and cannot be reborn. If there is enough merit, it can indeed dispel my influence on him. But..."

"But what?" I clenched my fists, asking anxiously.

"But I cannot take action; I am bound by the Heavenly Dao. If I were to use my full strength in Yangjian, the patrolling star deities would notice, and heavenly tribulation would strike me down to ashes." Bai Qi said in an unchanging tone, stating the truth.

My heart suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it. That explains why Bai Qi has never truly struck in his two appearances; he merely presses people with his cultivated killing aura. It's not that he doesn't want to act—he simply can't, for acting would be equivalent to violating the laws of heaven and earth. When all debts are settled, he would only end up annihilated.

"However, there is a method we could try." Bai Qi suddenly said: "But this method will get you killed."

Hope rekindled in my heart; I looked at Bai Qi and pleaded: "Tell me any method—you can say it outright. I came here prepared to die, so death holds no fear for me."

Bai Qi's method is to have him possess my body, thereby evading the patrolling star deities' inspection; but once he leaves my body, I will instantly have my soul scattered. Because Bai Qi's power is more than my body can withstand.

I first blinked in surprise—this isn't the same as what Pangzi called the upper attendant, is it?

"Fine, I'll follow General Bai Qi's method. As long as I can save QingSongShu and bring Yi Rong back, being turned to ashes or having my soul scattered doesn't matter." Nowadays, death is the least of my fears; what terrifies me is watching the people around me die one by one while I can only helplessly weep.

"Don't get too excited just yet; before that, you must agree to my two conditions." Bai Qi leaned toward me and slowly stated the two requirements.

…………

On a night two days later, I shouldered a heavy broadsword and the Longquan Sword, taking Murong Jia Jia and Little Fat, fully prepared, and walked out of Chan Yi Hall.

As I was about to leave, I turned back and glanced at Chan Yi Hall. This place holds the same meaning for me as Tongyuan Bay does for Han Duo, carrying much of my life's joys and sorrows.

I left a note for the still-unconscious Pangzi, and as soon as I administered the drug, I gave Pangzi the "Sleep Incantation".

"The Sleep Incantation is a sorcerous art often used in warfare before the Eastern Han. When there is a need to buy time, states that support sorcerers would have them cast the Sleep Incantation on enemy commanders; though it causes no harm, it induces a deep slumber lasting several days."

Pangzi would need a few more days to wake; in the letter I explained everything and stated my final wishes. Perhaps when Pangzi awakens he will weep and curse me bitterly, but these are things I will never see again.

Little Fat refused to leave my side, even when I once held a sword to his neck. Right now, Little Fat resembles the mythical Red Boy: a red belly band tied around his stomach, he holds a red-tasseled spear. Standing there, he certainly has the air of the Red Boy—though the Red Boy wasn't this stout.

Under the cover of night, I slowly made my way to Returning Spirit Mountain, bearing the broadsword and the Longquan Sword. I brought no talismans or command flags, for I had that broadsword on my back.

Bai Qi's first demand was that I forge a broadsword weighing over a hundred jin. Since Bai Qi wielded a sword in life, when possessing me he needs a weapon that feels right in his hand; the moment I draw the blade, Bai Qi will take over my body. As for the Longquan Sword, it serves another purpose.

Looking left and right at the desolate Returning Spirit Mountain, I felt both astonished and a palpitation. I had never noticed before that the city harbored such a place heavy with resentment.

Wispy ghost fires drifted in the air, while the graves echoed with mournful wails of spirits; even the grass on the ground was somewhat corroded by yin energy, changing its color.

I lightly peeled the bark of the nearby locust tree, and bright red blood slowly seeped out—this is the prelude to its becoming a spirit. Within that blood lay thick black fluid; it has absorbed too much resentment, and when it finally takes form, it may yet swallow countless innocent souls.

Looking ahead, atop the mountain flew rows of black banners; judging from the green light on the game pieces and the skulls it cast, there is no doubt these are the banners of my Yin Mountain Slaughter God.

Yuan Yang indeed used Returning Spirit Mountain as his base, fashioning the legendary Heavenly Storehouse of the Yin Mountain sect.

The Yin Mountain Heavenly Storehouse is a long-lost secret formation; the one who sealed this great formation back then was none other than the founder of my Yin Mountain sect. The formation contains the character "heaven," which does not imply great righteousness. "Heaven" means the sovereign of heaven and earth; "storehouse" denotes a space. Simply put, once the formation is complete, when all the corpse soldiers burst forth from the Heavenly Storehouse, heaven and earth will tremble and submit.

"That madman..." I bitterly shook my head and slowly walked toward the Heavenly Storehouse.

Having climbed the mountain, I touched the edge of the Slaughter God's banner; just one more step and I would have entered the great formation.

At that moment, Little Fat stood nearby, fuming, clenching his fists, ready to charge in; I grabbed him and pulled him back.

It was time to fulfill Bai Qi's second demand.

Under Little Fat's bewildered gaze, I slowly untied the Longquan Sword from my waist, closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and brought it down upon my own shoulder.

Blood spurted; my left hand snapped off at once, and the pain of the severed arm made me cry out involuntarily.

"Clang... Hai Sheng" Little Fat yelled in panic, rushing toward me; I instantly met his oncoming body, pressed my hand to his forehead, and shouted loudly: "Go..."

Little Fat's body vanished instantly; the last image showed his eyes filled with confusion, anger, and tears. Little Fat hadn't truly disappeared—he had returned to the red coffin in Chan Yi Hall where he usually stays. Inside that coffin lies my sealing order; for him to break out in a short time is impossible. During his struggle, I had enough time to understand this grudge.

This was Bai Qi's second condition: Little Fat must not be endangered. Bai Qi loves his son dearly, but even if he hadn't said so, I would not bring Little Fat inside.

The talisman and the Daoist's spirit are linked, sharing life and death. If the Daoist dies, the talisman vanishes as well; the only way to sever it is to chop off the hand that has bled and been sealed with the order.

"Don't blame me..." I murmured toward the direction Little Fat had gone. Then I cast aside the Longquan Sword, took the dark jade, and calmly entered the "Heavenly Storehouse".

From the moment I stepped into the Heavenly Storehouse, the surroundings suddenly shifted—becoming desolate, with boundless resentment, and scattered bronze weapons littered the ground. In all four directions, the view ended in nothing but an endless abyss.

"Hehe, you've finally come. What do you feel seeing the Yin Mountain sect's Heavenly Storehouse revived, you mediocre disciple? Have you ever felt shame?" Yuan Yang's sharp voice rang out, and immediately a fleeting apparition appeared before me.

That figure resembled an image, like a legendary external incarnation. But in reality I know it's not; it's merely a phantom Yuan Yang conjured with heretical arts.