Chapter 72

The old man looked as if he were performing in a grand opera, his face painted with white forehead, red cheeks, and black makeup, holding a weapon like a funeral staff; he appeared utterly ridiculous, yet his whole body radiated an intensely intimidating presence. As he chanted his lines, he slightly raised his weapon, pointing his left index and middle fingers together at Zhou Shuò, and just then the foreigner named Baren seized a knife and lunged forward.

Breakdown: "The old man seemed to be performing in a grand opera, his face painted with white forehead, red cheeks, black face makeup, holding a knife-gun handle like a mourning stick, looking extremely comical, yet his whole body emitted an extremely intimidating aura. He recited his lines, the knife-gun handle slightly raised, his left hand's index and middle fingers together pointing at Zhou Shuo, and just as he was singing and performing, the foreigner named Balun, gripping a knife, lunged forward."

We need to keep all info. Let's produce a concise but complete translation.

Potential translation: "The old man looked as if he were acting in a grand opera, his face painted with white forehead, red cheeks, and black makeup, holding a knife‑gun handle like a mourning stick—utterly ridiculous, yet his whole body exuded an intensely intimidating aura. He spoke his lines, lifted the knife‑gun handle slightly, and with his left hand pressed his index and middle fingers together to point a false strike at Zhou Shuo; just as he sang and performed, the foreigner named Balun, knife in hand, lunged at him."

Check we included everything: old man, opera-like, face paint, knife-gun handle like mourning stick, looks comical, yet emits intimidating aura, recites lines, handle slightly raised, left hand fingers together point false strike at Zhou Shuo, while he sings and performs, Balun the foreigner grips knife and flies forward.

We need to ensure we didn't drop any clause. Let's produce final.

"Hold it!" Zhou Shuò shouted, seeing the foreigner lunging at him, he pointed his long sword at the attacker, pushing him back while feeling a muscle twitch somewhere on his back. Without looking back, he instinctively reversed his grip on the sword, bringing the blade behind him to block the twitching muscle; his wrist suddenly felt heavy, as if the blade had been struck.

Translation: "'Stop!' Zhou Shuo looked at the lunging foreigner, pointed his sword at him, forcing him back while feeling a muscle twitch somewhere on his back; without turning, he instinctively reversed his grip on the sword, bringing the blade behind his back to block that twitching muscle, and his wrist suddenly felt heavy, as if the blade had been struck."

Check: includes all.

"Hey hey, you actually managed to block my Lingxu finger—impressive, don't underestimate me, Baren, shoulder to shoulder!" The old man, seeing him not turn back, relied solely on a backward sword move to accurately block his Lingxu finger; he launched into opera tone, bent his knees sharply, leapt over three meters high, one hand gripping the weapon to strike the head, the other hand thrusting a Lingxu finger urgently.

Translation: "'Hey hey, you actually managed to block my Lingxu finger—old man, I shouldn't underestimate you,' the old man said, seeing Zhou Shuo not turn back, relying solely on a backward sword move to accurately block his Lingxu finger; his opera tone rose, he bent his knees sharply, leapt up over three meters, one hand gripping the opera stick to strike at the head, the other hand thrusting a Lingxu urgent finger."

Check: includes all.

Zhou Shuò saw the old man's opera slang burst out, his mouth twitched; he twisted his body to dodge the false finger, swung his sword to knock away the opponent's weapon, then turned and swept his blade, keeping the close‑combat foreigner Baren at bay while shouting.

Translation: "Zhou Shuo saw the old man spouting opera slang, his mouth twitched; he twisted his body to dodge the false finger, swung his sword to knock away the opera stick, then turned and swept his sword, keeping the foreigner Balun who wanted to close in at bay, shouting as he acted."

Check.

"Where do you two come from, and are you friends or foes? How dare you oppose our Quanxing!"

Translation: "'Where exactly do you two come from, and are you friend or foe? How dare you oppose our All Truth!'"

Check.

"Quanxing…." The old man held his weapon, hearing Zhou Shuò's words, his expression froze and his hands stopped; even Baren beside him halted his attack and looked at the old man questioningly.

Translation: "'All Truth's….' The old man raised his opera stick, hearing Zhou Shuo's words, his expression froze and his hands stopped moving; not only him, but Balun beside him also ceased attacking, glancing at the old man with a questioning look."

Check.

"Hey, Xia?"

Translation: "'Hey, Xia?'"

"Tell me who you are!" Zhou Shuò, hearing the foreigner Baren address the old man, confirmed his suspicion: this was indeed the Quanxing veteran Xia Liuqing, together with the foreign expert invited by Gong Qing. If they really wanted to cause trouble, they'd need the resolve to kill them outright, which is unlikely—especially Xia Liuqing, whose power is strange; I recall reading on Baidu that he can grasp the power of faith, which is essentially incense power.

Translation: "'Speak up, who are you?' Zhou Shuo, hearing Balun's address to the old man, could confirm his guess: this was indeed the All Truth elder Xia Liuqing, plus the foreign expert invited by Gong Qing. If he really wanted to provoke them, he'd need the resolve to kill them outright, which seemed unlikely—especially Xia Liuqing, whose power was strangely odd; he recalled reading on Baidu that he could wield the power of faith, which was none other than incense power!"

Check.

"Kid, I'm Xia Liuqing; don't play dumb. You claim to be one of our Quanxing people—what proof do you have? I've never heard of you." The old man Xia Liuqing, his face painted with opera makeup, stared directly at Zhou Shuò; his expression was completely different from the kindly old man before.

Translation: "'Kid, I'm Xia Liuqing—don't play dumb. You claim to be one of our All Truth people; show some proof. I've never heard of you.' Elder Xia Liuqing, his face painted with opera makeup, stared straight at Zhou Shuo; his expression was the complete opposite of the kindly old man from before."

"Gong Qing, acting sect leader, sent me to cause trouble on Longhu Mountain!" Zhou Shuò looked at the old man behind the mask, his eyes awkward; somewhat surprised, he sized him up and then blurted out.

Translation: "'Gong Qing, acting sect leader, sent me to cause trouble on Dragon Tiger Mountain!' Zhou Shuo looked at the old man behind the opera mask, his eyes awkward, slightly surprised as he sized him up, then blurted out."

"Hey, then how did you end up back here?" Upon hearing Zhou Shuò's words, Xia Liuqing believed him seventy to eighty percent; Gong Qing's acting sect leader identity is not publicly known, but causing trouble should be done on the front mountain—how did you end up here? Could you be a deserter?

Translation: "'Hey, then why did you come to the rear mountain?' Upon hearing Zhou Shuo's words, Xia Liuqing immediately believed seventy‑eight percent; Gong Qing's acting sect leader status is not publicly known, but if one wanted to cause trouble, they should go to the front mountain—how did you end up here? Could you be a deserter?"

"I naturally have important business; on the contrary, you lot—old sir, you claim to be our Quanxing elder Xia Liuqing—what evidence do you have? Know that Senior Xia Liuqing is someone I most admire; back in his day he was handsome and charming, unlike our other Quanxing senior Mei Jin…" Zhou Shuò looked at the old man and began to spout nonsense off the cuff, but the old man, perhaps having taken some drug, suddenly had his eyes blaze with light, frightening Zhou Shuò into swallowing his words and adopting a defensive stance.

Translation: "'I naturally have important business, whereas you lot—old coot, you claim to be the All Truth elder Xia Liuqing; what's your evidence? Know that Senior Xia Liuqing is someone I most admire; back in his day he was suave and handsome, and together with another All Truth senior, Mei Jin…' Zhou Shuo looked at the old man and began spouting nonsense off the cuff, but the old man, for some unknown reason, suddenly had his eyes blaze with light, frightening Zhou Shuo into swallowing his words and adopting a defensive stance."

"Speak up! Why aren't you saying anything?" The old man saw the key person suddenly fall silent and instantly became agitated—why did he suddenly stop speaking?

Translation: "'Speak! Why'd you stop?' Old Man Xia stared at the fellow who suddenly fell silent at the crucial point, instantly becoming agitated—how could he just stop talking?"

"First, tell me how you prove you're Xia Liuqing." Zhou Shuò saw the old man urgently questioning, his accent reverting to that of a normal person; he couldn't help but roll his eyes, he was just casually repeating what he'd read on Baidu to prove himself, but he didn't expect the old man to suddenly go berserk with questioning—what is he after?

Translation: "'First, tell me how you prove you're Xia Liuqing.' Zhou Shuo looked at the old man, whose urgent questioning had even reverted his accent to that of a normal person; he couldn't help but roll his eyes slightly—he was just casually repeating what he'd read on Baidu to prove himself, but he hadn't expected the old man to suddenly go berserk with questioning—what was he after?"

"Hey, you little brat, when I was young I was basically an actor too—are you really pretending to be stupid, or just messing with this old man?" Hearing this, the old man couldn't help but hop about in frustration.

Translation: "'Hey, you little brat, when I was young I was basically an actor too—are you really pretending to be stupid, or just trying to piss me off?' Old Man Xia, hearing this, couldn't help but hop about in agitation."

"Alright, alright! According to Paper Man Zhang, Elder Xia went to hire a foreign expert—must be you!" Zhou Shuò looked at the hopping old man, then turned his eyes toward the Caucasian man called Baren.

Translation: "'Alright, alright! According to Paper Man Zhang, Elder Xia went to hire a foreign expert—must be you!' Zhou Shuo looked at the hopping old man, then turned his eyes toward the Caucasian man called Balun."

"Hey hey, kid, quit beating around the bush; from the start I could tell you were here, yet you put on this act—you kid, you surely aren't holding back anything good, spit it out quickly!" Seeing Zhou Shuò look toward Baren, the old man couldn't help but urge him loudly in anger.

Translation: "'Hey hey, kid, quit beating around the bush—we saw you coming from the start, yet you put on this act; you kid, you're definitely not holding back anything good, spit it out quickly!' Seeing Zhou Shuo glance at Balun, Old Man Xia flared up and urged him loudly."

"What am I supposed to say?" Zhou Shuò looked at the old man clinging on desperately, couldn't help but roll his eyes—what's gotten into this old man?

Translation: "'What am I supposed to say?' Zhou Shuo looked at the old man who wouldn't let go, rolled his eyes, and thought, 'What's this old guy's problem?'"

"It's about me, about me, and… also… Mei Feng's." Xia Liuqing tilted his head, his expression bashful; if not for the opera makeup covering his face, his cheeks would already be red.

Translation: "'It's about me, about me, and… about Jin Feng.' Xia Liuqing tilted his head, his expression bashful; if not for the opera mask covering his face, his cheeks would already be red."

"Oh, you mean this matter!" Zhou Shuò saw the old man's expression and immediately understood: if judged by normal novel standards, this old man would be that sort of eccentric master, akin to Huang Lao Xie, acting both righteous and wicked according to his whims; his preference is a secret love for another Quanxing luminary, Mei Feng, something Baidu has mentioned.

Translation: "'Oh, you mean this?' Zhou Shuo, seeing the old man's expression, suddenly understood: if judged by ordinary novel standards, this old man should be an eccentric master akin to Huang Laoxie, acting both rightly and wrongly according to his whims, and his whim was a secret crush on the All Truth senior Mei Jin Feng—something Baidu had mentioned."

"Yes yes, hurry up and speak!" Xia Liuqing nodded repeatedly, making Zhou Shuò unable to suppress a thought: is this old man lustful or lovesick? I merely mentioned you and that Mei Feng senior, and you react like this.

Translation: "'Yes yes, hurry up and speak.' Xia Liuqing nodded repeatedly, making Zhou Shuo wonder, 'Is this old man lustful or lovesick? I only mentioned you and the All Truth senior Mei Jin Feng, and you react like this.'"

"I won't say—why should I?" Zhou Shuò looked at the old man who wouldn't stop nodding and flatly refused.

Translation: "'I'm not saying, why should I?' Zhou Shuo stared at the old man who kept nodding and flatly refused."

"Why? Kid, I tell you, I—I—I…" The old man, seeing Zhou Shuò's refusal, instantly bristled, wiping off the face paint; the paint peeled away as a warm-colored glow, like a glove settling on his hand, and not only the facial paint but also the weapon he held for opera singing slowly merged into it.

Translation: "'Why? Kid, I'll tell you—I, I, I…' Seeing Zhou Shuo refuse, Old Man Xia instantly bristled, wiping the paint from his face; the facial paint peeled off as a warm‑colored glow that clung to his hands like gloves, and not only the face paint but also the opera stick he held melted into it."

"What are you? Old Xia, I tell you, we still bear the duty of acting sect leader!" Zhou Shuò watched the old man after wiping off the paint, his face restored, bristling and hopping about, unable to draw a breath for three successive gasps; he glanced askance at the old man's magical colored-glove hand, his tone dismissive.

Translation: "'What? Old Man Xia, I'm telling you—we still have the duty of acting sect leader on our shoulders!' Zhou Shuo watched the old man, after wiping off the paint and restoring his original appearance, bristle and hop about, unable to draw a full breath three times; he glanced askance at the strange glow‑glove on the old man's hand, his tone dismissive."

"Hmph, that brat's just messing around for no reason—do I even care to manage him? Anyway, it's not me who'll die." The old man responded with equal disdain; basically no one takes the Quanxing sect leader seriously.

Translation: "'Hmph, that brat's just fooling around for no reason—do I even care to manage him? Anyway, it's not me who'll die.' Old Man Xia replied with equal scorn; basically no one takes the All Truth sect leader seriously."

"Hey hey, Xia, aren't you going to consider me at all?" Baren, who had been silent, looked at the old man's dismissive attitude and rolled his eyes; he had been invited by Gong Qing to help and to observe whether to join Quanxing, while Xia Liuqing served as his guide.

Translation: "'Hey hey, Xia, aren't you going to think about me at all?' Balun, who had been silent, looked at the scornful old man and rolled his eyes upward; he had been hired by Gong Qing to help and to observe whether to join All Truth, while Xia Liuqing was his guide."

"Oh, I had forgotten that." The old man glanced at Baren, scratched the back of his head, causing the foreign friend to involuntarily break a sweat on his forehead.

Translation: "'Oh, I'd forgotten that.' Old Man Xia looked at Balun, scratched the back of his head, causing the foreign friend to unconsciously break a sweat on his forehead."

"Well then, old sir, there's nothing to do here—let's hurry to the front mountain!" Zhou Shuò looked at the bewildered old Xia, glanced at the foreign friend Baren, and suddenly realized: because of his time‑travel, he had appeared in the back mountain; what are these two doing here in the back mountain? Perhaps they don't want to take part in Quanxing's operations either.

Translation: "'Well then, old coot, we're not getting anything done here—let's hurry to the front mountain!' Zhou Shuo looked at the bewildered Old Man Xia, glanced at the foreign friend Balun, and suddenly realized: because he had transmigrated, he had appeared in the rear mountain; what were these two doing back here? Perhaps they didn't want to take part in All Truth's operations."

"Kid, stop prying—I and Baren have a mission here; why hasn't that kid Domain Painting Toxin shown up yet?" Xia Liuqing looked at the person urging him to go to the front mountain, immediately objected, and stressed that he himself had a mission.

Translation: "'Kid, quit prying—I and Balun have a mission here; why hasn't that Yuhuadú kid shown up yet?' Xia Liuqing looked at the fellow urging him to go to the front mountain, immediately objected, and stressed that he himself had a mission."

"What about that Thousand‑Faced Person—what's he up to?" Zhou Shuò blinked his eyes, following the old man's line, and asked.

Translation: "'What's that Qianmianren up to?' Zhou Shuo blinked his eyes, then asked, following Old Man Xia's lead."

"Heh heh, it's a girl named Feng Baobao; kid, since you're already here, you might as well stay and help out!" Xia Liuqing gave a slight grin, revealing a couple of scattered old teeth.

Translation: "'Hehe, there's a girl named Feng Baobao; kid, since you're here, you might as well stay and help out!' Xia Liuqing gave a slight grin, revealing a couple of scattered old teeth."

"Here." Zhou Shuò looked at the grinning old man, tilted his ear slightly; in the distance a presence was rapidly approaching—two people, one ahead of the other, and before them lay many extremely concealed heartbeats.

Translation: "'Here.' Zhou Shuo looked at the grinning old man, lowered his ear slightly; in the distance, presences were rapidly approaching—two people, one ahead of the other, and ahead of them lay many extremely concealed heartbeats."

"What?" Xia Liuqing looked at the person who had just spoken, and was momentarily taken aback.

Translation: "'What?' Xia Liuqing looked at the fellow who had suddenly spoken, slightly stunned."

"How far away?" Baren looked at the person who had cocked his ear, and understood.

Translation: "'How far away?' Balun looked at the man who had cocked his ear, then understood."

"Two people, one in front of the other; ahead of them are several concealed presences—must be our people!" Zhou Shuò listened to the sounds and instinctively turned to the old Xia.

Translation: "'Two people, one in front of the other, and ahead of them are several concealed presences—must be ours!' Zhou Shuo, hearing the sounds, couldn't help but look toward Old Man Xia."

"It's Old Wu and Chen Man and those guys—sure enough, has that girl fallen into the trap?" Xia Liuqing narrowed his eyes, looking at Zhou Shuò with some uncertainty—was this kid real or fake? Thousand‑mile eye, wind‑following ear?

Translation: "'It's Old Wu and Chen Man and a few others—sure enough. Has that girl fallen into the trap?' Xia Liuqing narrowed his eyes, looking at Zhou Shuo with some uncertainty, wondering whether this kid was real or fake, a thousand‑mile eye, wind‑following ear?"

"No, they were all beaten down—however Feng Baobao didn't continue chasing Domain Painting Toxin because she got a phone call." Zhou Shuò raised his eyebrows; the concealed presences were swiftly swept over by a single presence, first rapid then steady; in his mind he could simulate, via sound, the scene of Feng Baobao knocking each ambusher to their knees, but as she stepped on the last ambusher, a tune played from her pocket that poisoned him.

Translation: "'No, they were all beaten down—though Feng Baobao didn't keep chasing Yuhuadú because she got a call.' Zhou Shuo raised his eyebrows; the concealed presences were swiftly swept over by a presence, first urgent then easing; in his mind he could simulate, from the sound, Feng Baobao knocking each ambusher to their knees, but as she stepped on the last ambusher, a tune that poisoned him leaked from her pocket."

"Is it really that amazing? Let's go." Seeing Zhou Shuò describe each detail, Xia Liuqing raised his eyebrows, then swiftly turned and rushed toward the scene; the foreigner Baren hurriedly sidestepped to follow, while Zhou Shuò listened on one side and pursued on the other.

Translation: "'Is it really that amazing? Let's go.' Xia Liuqing looked at Zhou Shuo's blow‑by‑blow description, his eyebrows lifted, then he swiftly turned and raced toward the scene; the foreigner Balun hurriedly slipped in to follow, while Zhou Shuo both listened and gave chase."

"The sun rises, hey yo, the world is vast, hey yo…" The ringing phone was pulled from his pocket and the answer button pressed.

Translation: "'The sun comes up, hey yo, the world's wide, hey yo…' The ringing phone was pulled from a pocket and the answer key pressed."

"Ah Wu…" A heavy Sichuan accent entered his ears; Zhou Shuò couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly—"Ah Wu" is Feng Baobao's nickname, and only someone who could call her that would be Xu San and Xu Si's father, Xu Xiang the elder, but he shouldn't have died before the Luotian Grand Ceremony?

Translation: "'Ah Wu…' A heavy Sichuan rasp entered his ear; Zhou Shuo couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly—'Ah Wu' is Feng Baobao's nickname, and only someone like Xu San and Xu Si's father, Old Master Xu Xiang, would use that term, yet he shouldn't have died before the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony."

"Dog brat?"

Translation: "'Dog brat?'"

"Ah Wu, you, you have…?" The voice on the other end was somewhat out of breath.

Translation: "'Ah Wu, you, you have…' The voice on the other end was breathless."

"No, that kid Zhang Chulan has just won the match…"

Translation: "'No, that kid Zhang Chulan has just won the match…'"

"Ah Wu… sorry." Accompanied by his strained breathing, the voice on the other end was full of reluctance and longing; faced with his sorrowful voice, Feng Baobao remained silent.

Translation: "'Ah Wu… sorry.' Accompanied by the strained breathing, the voice on the line was full of reluctance and longing; facing his sorrowful voice, Feng Baobao remained silent."

"Ah Wu… sorry, I… I can't help you, I—I don't want to die, I still want, I still want to take care of you." His strained breathing carried a sob.

Translation: "'Ah Wu… sorry, I… I can't help you, I—I don't want to die, I still want, I still want to take care of you.' The strained breathing held a hint of a sob."

"Sleep! Dog kid, yellow pole soft and smooth, oh sister brother oh Halleluiah, carrying white rice at dawn down to Youzhou oh sister oh sister……" Feng Baobao stepped on the attacker with eyes rolled up, looked up at the starry sky, and softly sang a Sichuan folk song, as if lulling the person on the other end of the phone to sleep.