Chapter 145

In the third month of late spring,

In the third month of late spring,

A spring rain suddenly poured down, mist and clouds drifted over Mount Jiu Gong, nine newly built grand palaces stood imposingly, like celestial palaces perched atop Mount Jiu Gong.

Translation: "A spring shower suddenly fell, the clouds and mist on Jiugong Mountain were hazy, nine newly built huge palaces stood majestically, like immortal palaces towering atop the summit of Jiugong Mountain."

We need to keep each clause. Let's break: "A spring shower suddenly fell, the clouds and mist on Jiugong Mountain were hazy, nine newly built huge palaces, imposing in stature, stood like immortal palaces atop the summit of Jiugong Mountain." We'll produce a single line.

From a high aerial view, one can clearly see that these palaces are arranged in the nine‑palace directions in order: the Hunyuan Palace, the Bagua Palace, the Qinglong Palace, the Baihu Palace, the Doumu Palace, the Wuwei Palace, the Sanqing Palace, the Qizhen Palace, and the Yihua Palace.

Translation: "If viewed from high above, one can clearly see that these palaces are arranged in the nine palaces directions in order: Hunyuan Palace, Bagua Palace, Azure Dragon Palace, White Tiger Palace, Doumu Palace, Wuwei Palace, Three Purities Palace, Seven Trues Palace, Yihua Palace."

Compared with the original Nine Palaces ruins, now besides a few newly built high watchtowers, only a bluestone plaza over two hundred zhang long and wide has been constructed at the central palace site.

Translation: "Compared to the original Nine Palaces ruins, now besides a few additional high watchtowers, only a bluestone square over two hundred zhang in length and width was built at the central palace position."

We need to keep "high watchtowers" as "high watchtowers". "watchtower" is a watchtower or blockhouse. We'll translate as "watchtowers". "a bluestone square over two hundred zhang in length and width" -> "a bluestone square over two hundred zhang in length and width". Keep "zhang". We'll not translate zhang.

In the evening,

Translation: "At night,"

The fine rain fell like silk, drifting down softly.

Translation: "The fine rain was like silk, drifting down softly."

On the observatory platform of Doumu Palace, a man and a woman stood motionless, leaning on the rail to gaze at the rainy night sky, letting the night breeze brush past their temples and dishevel their hair.

Translation: "On the Observation Platform of Doumu Palace, a man and a woman stood motionless, leaning on the railing to gaze at the night curtain of rain, letting the night wind brush past their temples and dishevel their hair."

Not far behind, at the edge of the corridor, a stunningly beautiful girl stood with a blank expression.

Translation: "Not far behind them at the corridor's edge, a strikingly beautiful girl stood with a blank expression."

Compared to the purple‑clad woman ahead, her figure was full and well‑proportioned, exceptionally tall, without the slightest petite delicacy typical of southern women.

Translation: "Compared to the purple-clad woman ahead, her figure was full and well-proportioned, extremely tall, lacking any petite delicacy of southern women."

"Why hasn't he come yet?" Fen Tian stared unblinking into the distance, his face gradually turning grim.

Translation: "\"Why hasn't he come yet? \" Fen Tian stared fixedly into the distance without blinking, his face gradually turning grim."

Niu Ding Tian slightly opened his eyes, saying nothing; occasional wafts of fragrance drifted into his nostrils, stirring a strange feeling in his heart—this woman was still as alluring as last year.

Translation: "Niu Dingtian slightly opened his eyes, without speaking; occasionally a waft of fragrance blew in, entering his nostrils, stirring something in his heart—this woman was still as alluring as last year."

Two days earlier, when Fen Tian, wounded all over, dragged a girl speaking with a Shandong accent into Mount Jiu Gong, Niu Ding Tian was startled.

Translation: "Two days earlier, when Fen Tian, covered in wounds, had abducted a girl with a Shandong accent and stormed onto Jiugong Mountain, Niu Dingtian was startled."

You should know, her martial arts are not much inferior to the Four Absolutes; combined with her mysterious skill resembling the Universe Shift, only a grand master could wound her this badly in single combat!

Translation: "You must know, this woman's martial arts are not far below the Four Absolutes; combined with her mysterious skill resembling the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, only a grand master could injure her this badly in single combat!"

When Niu Ding Tian asked about the other few Dharma Kings, Fen Tian merely clenched his jaw, his face dark, and without answering, he ordered Niu Ding Tian to gather men and prepare an ambush against the enemy.

Translation: "When Niu Dingtian asked about the other few Dharma Kings, Fen Tian merely clenched his jaw, gave no reply, and through gritted teeth ordered Niu Dingtian to gather forces and prepare an ambush for the incoming enemy."

But damn it, after he brought the Xiangyang garrison's crossbow unit into the mountains and set up ambushes for two days straight, he didn't even see a bird's shadow!

Translation: "But damn it, after he dragged the archery and crossbow unit of the Xiangyang garrison into the mountains and set up consecutive ambushes for two days, he didn't even see a bird's shadow!"

"Why don't… you go rest for a while?" Niu Ding Tian, seeing the woman beside him struggling to hide her fatigue, couldn't help but show concern.

Translation: "\"Why don't… you go rest a while? \" Niu Dingtian, seeing the woman beside him struggle to hide her fatigue, couldn't help but show concern."

This elder sister, aside from a quick wash when she arrived yesterday, has been on guard ever since and hasn't rested at all.

Translation: "This elder sister, aside from a quick wash-up when she arrived yesterday, has been on guard ever since and hasn't rested at all."

"No need!" Fen Tian shook his head and refused.

Translation: "\"No need! \" Fen Tian shook his head in refusal."

After a moment of silence, her expression grew complex; she glanced at Niu Ding Tian and finally whispered, "Yang An'er's martial arts… I… I am no match for her."

Translation: "After a moment of silence, her expression grew complex; she glanced at Niu Dingtian and finally whispered, \"Yang An'er's martial arts… I… I am no match for her. \""

"Not a match?" Niu Ding Tian instinctively turned his head, his eyes widening in surprise.

Translation: "\"Not a match? \" Niu Dingtian involuntarily turned his head, his eyes inevitably showing surprise."

This historical figure is notorious—he rebelled and surrendered in Jin territory, then rebelled again, a defiant insurgent, a righteous opponent of the Jin, and yet a martial arts master? What a joke!

Translation: "This historical figure is notorious—he rebelled and surrendered in Jin State's territory, surrendered then rebelled again, a militant insurgent, an anti-Jin righteous man, and yet a martial arts master? What a joke!"

Fen Tian frowned, clearly struggling to accept it, and explained softly: "We originally thought he was just an ordinary Jin‑defector commander, never imagining he was a hidden martial arts master of the jianghu."

Translation: "Fen Tian muttered, clearly also finding it hard to accept, and explained softly: \"We originally thought he was just an ordinary Jin-surrendering commander, never expecting him to be a hidden martial arts master of the jianghu. \""

Chu Tiancheng, Li Muhe, and Yu Qingyang had already been bribed by him while in Shandong; they must have been coerced by force, otherwise they would never have readily obeyed a newcomer outsider.

Translation: "Chu Tiancheng, Li Muhe, and Yu Qingyang had already been bribed by him while in Shandong; they must have suffered coercion, otherwise they would never have readily obeyed a newly arrived outsider."

Saying this, Fen Tian glanced at Niu Ding Tian and added: "In our eyes he was originally an outsider too; who would have thought that fortunes would shift, and one day he would come here seeking refuge."

Translation: "Saying this, Fen Tian glanced at Niu Dingtian and concluded: \"Originally, to us he was also an outsider; who would have thought that fortunes would shift, and one day he would come here seeking refuge. \""

Seeing no change on Niu Ding Tian's face, Fen Tian continued: "Yang An'er wants to make Mingzun the leader of the Manichaean cult, and even… wants me to be the cult leader's wife; we naturally disagreed. Later we planned to seize control of the Red Cloak Army first, never expecting Chu Tiancheng and his two companions to defect in battle."

Translation: "Seeing no change on Niu Dingtian's face, Fen Tian continued: \"Yang An'er wanted to make Mingzun the leader of the Manichaean Church, and also… wanted me to be the Church Leader's wife; we naturally disagreed. Later we planned to seize control of the Red Jacket Army first, never expecting Chu Tiancheng and his two companions to defect in battle. \""

"After the conflict began, the four of us—I, the Holding‑Action Dharma King, the Holding‑Closed Dharma King, and Envoy Su—were no match for him; afterward those three stayed behind to cover our retreat, and I escaped by taking Yang An'er's sister hostage."

Translation: "\"After the conflict broke out, the four of us—myself, Chi Xing Dharma King, Chi Bi Dharma King, and Envoy Su—were no match for him; afterward they three stayed behind to cover the retreat, and I escaped by abducting Yang An'er's sister. \""

"You're saying the four of us together aren't even a match for him alone?" Niu Ding Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.

Translation: "\"You're saying the four of us together aren't a match for him alone? \" Niu Dingtian's eyes narrowed slightly."

He then turned back to scrutinize Yang Miaozhen closely, making the Shandong girl's cheeks flush slightly, and suddenly asked, "How old is your brother?"

Translation: "He then turned back to scrutinize Yang Miaozhen closely, making this Shandong girl's cheeks flush a little, and suddenly asked, \"How old is your brother? \""

Yang Miaozhen remained silent; as the flush on her face faded, she kept a blank expression and slightly turned her head away.

Translation: "Yang Miaozhen remained silent; when the flush on her face faded, she kept a blank expression and slightly turned her head away."

"Yang An'er looks to be… around forty," Fen Tian mused before answering.

Translation: "\"Yang An'er looks to be… around forty, \" Fen Tian mused before giving his answer."

He then glanced at Yang Miaozhen behind him and said calmly, "As for his sister, she is exactly eighteen this year, and her spear‑and‑horse skills are quite impressive."

Translation: "He then glanced at Yang Miaozhen behind him and said lightly, \"As for his sister, she is exactly eighteen this year, and her spear-and-horse skills are quite respectable. \""

Eighteen?

Translation: "Eighteen?"

"Isn't that about my age?" Niu Ding Tian, upon hearing this, couldn't help but size up Yang Miaozhen again—no wonder she trains in spear and horse; her figure is truly excellent.

Translation: "\"That's about my age, \" Niu Dingtian thought, and without thinking he looked Yang Miaozhen over again—no wonder she trained in spear-and-horse arts, her figure is excellent."

"Shameless scoundrel!" Yang Miaozhen cursed inwardly, knowing she was like fish on the chopping block, and dared not provoke him, so she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Translation: "\"Scoundrel! \" Yang Miaozhen cursed inwardly, knowing she was prey to be slaughtered, she dared not provoke him and could only shut her eyes tightly."

"Boom—!"

Translation: "\"Boom—!! \""

At that very moment, a tremendous roar suddenly burst forth in the night sky over Mount Jiu Gong.

Translation: "At that very moment, a tremendous roar suddenly exploded in the night sky over Jiugong Mountain."

Accompanied by rolling thunder, serpentine dragon‑like bolts of lightning flashed across the black sky.

Translation: "Accompanied by rolling thunder, serpentine dragon-like bolts of lightning suddenly flashed across the heavens, winding through the dark night sky."

Immediately afterward, the fine drizzle like cow's hair vanished, and a heavier nectar‑like rain poured down from the heavens.

Translation: "Immediately after, the fine drizzle like cow's hair ceased, and a heavier nectar poured down from the firmament."

"Splash—!"

Translation: "\"Whoosh—!! \""

Just as Fen Tian prepared to retreat to the corridor's edge to escape the rain, the falling drops seemed to strike an invisible membrane, instantly sweeping outward a few feet around her.

Translation: "Just as Fen Tian prepared to retreat to the corridor's edge to dodge the rain, the pattering raindrops seemed to strike an invisible membrane, instantly sweeping outward several feet around her."

As the rain intensified, the spray before their eyes quickly became distinct, beginning to form a circular water curtain that enveloped both of them.

Translation: "As the rain intensified, the spray before their eyes quickly became distinct in layers, beginning to form a circular water membrane enveloping the two of them."

"Could it be him?" Fen Tian's beautiful eyes narrowed.

Translation: "\"Could it be him? \" Fen Tian's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly."

At the same moment, Niu Ding Tian narrowed his eyes and scanned the distance, sensing a presence hidden in the rain; his gaze turned icy: "Indeed, someone has come looking for death!"

Translation: "At the same moment, Niu Dingtian narrowed his eyes and scanned the distance, sensing the presence hidden in the rain curtain; his gaze instantly turned icy: \"Sure enough, someone seeking death has come! \""

Behind them, Yang Miaozhen, whose eyes had been tightly shut, suddenly opened them.

Translation: "Hearing this, Yang Miaozhen behind them snapped her tightly shut eyes open."

When she saw the rain outside the corridor, unable to approach even a fraction of an inch, this astonishing sight caused her usually calm pretty face to faintly change color.

Translation: "When she saw the rain filling the sky outside the corridor, impossibly unable to approach the passageway even a fraction, her usually calm pretty face also subtly changed color."

"Sect Master, someone is coming."

Translation: "\"Church Leader, someone's here. \""

Then, Niu Kui, dressed in dark robes and wielding a goose‑feather long blade, flashed out from the rain beneath the observatory platform, leapt a few times, and appeared behind Niu Ding Tian.

Translation: "Then, Niu Kui, clad in dark robes and wielding a goose-feather long saber, flashed out from the rain beneath the Observation Platform, after a few leaps arrived behind Niu Dingtian."

"How are the preparations?" Niu Ding Tian asked without turning his head, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance, slowly moving as if it could pierce the darkness there.

Translation: "\"How are the preparations? \" Niu Dingtian asked without turning his head, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance, slowly moving as if it could pierce the darkness there."

"Following the Sect Master's orders without obstruction, sixty ox‑crossbows have been dispersed around the palace walls, ready; once they enter the central palace zone, they will surely be unable to escape!"

Translation: "\"Following the Church Leader's orders without obstruction, sixty eight-ox crossbows have been dispersed around the palace walls, ready; once they enter the central palace position, they'll surely be unable to flee with wings! \""

Niu Kui said: "Unless one's martial arts are as unfathomable and extraordinarily high as the Sect Master's, even if the opponent is a Five Absolutes master, there is no way they could leave the crossbow formation unharmed."

Translation: "Niu Kui said: \"Unless their martial arts are as unfathomable and extraordinarily high as the Church Leader's, even if the opponent is a Five Absolutes master, escaping unharmed from the crossbow formation is absolutely impossible! \""

Niu Ding Tian gave a slight nod and said: "Let's first test its power; if it works well, we'll spare no expense to build more, laying out the ox‑crossbow formation across Mount Jiu Gong."

Translation: "Niu Dingtian gave a slight nod, saying: \"Let's first test its power; if the effect is good, we'll spare no expense to make more, deploying the eight-ox crossbow formation across Jiugong Mountain. \""

"Yes!"

Translation: "\"Yes! \""

Niu Kui nodded and asked: "Sect Master, should we keep any prisoners later?"

Translation: "Niu Kui nodded, asking: \"Church Leader, should we keep any prisoners later? \""

"Follow my orders; if necessary, spare no one except the bandit chief."

Translation: "\"Later, follow my orders; if necessary, leave no one alive except the bandit chief. \""

Niu Ding Tian said indifferently: "Since they dare to come, they must dare to die. Although we are merely a jianghu sect, we must remember that whenever we are outnumbered and the enemy reaches our doorstep, there is no need to discuss jianghu ethics—if we can kill one, we kill one."

Translation: "Niu Dingtian said indifferently: \"Since they dare to come, they must dare to die. Although we are merely a jianghu sect now, we must remember that whenever we are outnumbered and surprised at our doorstep, there's no need to discuss jianghu ethics—kill one if you can. \""

"Yes." Niu Kui nodded slowly.

Translation: "\"Yes. \" Niu Kui slowly nodded."

……

Translation: "……"

Mid‑slope.

Translation: "Midway up the mountain."

A group of twenty‑plus people, all wearing raincoats and bamboo hats, led by a calm‑looking middle‑aged man, slowly advanced through the rain toward the light at the summit.

Translation: "A troupe of over twenty people, all wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats, led by a middle-aged man with a bland expression, slowly advanced through the rain toward the bright spot at the mountain's summit."

Among them, besides several great Dharma Kings of the Manichaean Sect and the Envoys of Light, there were also many fierce individuals whose bodies exuded a killing aura.

I can't walk anymore!

As a voice rang out among the ranks, a 'bang!' sounded next, muddy water splattered, and Su Lu Zhi, whose hands were bound, plopped straight into the mud on the ground.

Compared to Chu Tiancheng and his three companions, he, Yan Hongshou, and Jin Buhuan all had ashen faces, their hands bound, and followed at the rear of the crowd under the watch of several fierce individuals.

"Sect Master, what if…" Chu Tiancheng made a throat‑slitting gesture toward Yang Aner beside him, his eyes flashing with undisguised ferocity.

These old stubborn fools already hated him to the bone; regardless of what others thought, he had constantly been thinking about attacking those three along the way.

"Boom—!"

At that moment several bolts of lightning flashed, and a scene not far off was caught by Su Lu Zhi on the ground; he couldn't help cursing: "You beast worse than swine and dog! You betrayed the Bright Honored, slaughtered our sect brothers—how could I have been blind enough to meet such a dog as you in the first place!"

"Wuu—"

Su Lu Zhi wanted to keep scolding, but the few people beside him had already covered his mouth.

Yang Aner's indifferent gaze swept over the three behind him, and he paid them no heed; if it weren't for wanting to exchange for his little sister Miaozhen, these old things wouldn't be alive today.

The remaining few Dharma Kings, seeing this, though their expressions were complex, said nothing more; the sect's situation now seemed settled, further talk useless—who would have thought that years of hard work had all been dealing with a tiger for its skin?

"Sect Master, the situation seems off," Mu He looked into the distance at several halls, his narrow eyes suddenly filling with solemnity: "We've come this far without seeing a single person—even in the rain it's too abnormal."

"That surname Niu may act arrogantly, but he's no honest simpleton; I fear he has already set up a Hongmen banquet with… Madam, waiting for us."

Compared to Chu Tiancheng's fear of death and the three old heads' stubbornness, Mu He now harbors the idea of a wise bird choosing its perch.

In his view, the person before him, whether newcomer or veteran, is still a sect brother; since he can't resist, he might as well submit and enjoy it.

Yang Aner gazed at the summit in silence; the mountain rain showed no sign of stopping. After a moment, as if recalling something, he suddenly asked: "When you fought him back then, did he hold back?"

Mu He furrowed his brows, thought, then murmured: "Niu Dingtian must have used his full strength then; otherwise, given his style, he wouldn't have yielded to us at every turn."

Having said that, he glanced at Chu Tiancheng, his eyes flickering: "Moreover, during the fight everyone except Brother Chu held back; even if Niu Dingtian hadn't gone all out then, his full‑power strike would still be no match for the Sect Master."

Whether intentional or not, Mu He simply ignored the trio's wretched state when they faced Niu Dingtian on the deck that morning.

Hearing that, Yang Aner's lips curled slightly, he chuckled lightly: "In that case, even if this mountain hides a dragon's pool and tiger's den, I, the Sect Master, will break it single‑handedly!"

……

Mountain summit,

Doumu Palace Observatory

As Niu Dingtian peered through the layers of rain curtain and sensed the aura approaching rapidly from afar, the corners of his mouth twitched up, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Will you be able to…" Fen Tian's voice suddenly rang out in the corridor; after a moment's thought, hesitation appeared on her face.

She had naturally heard of the eight‑ox crossbow; that device is also called the three‑bow bed crossbow, a legendary military forbidden weapon.

Even a Five‑Absolutes master couldn't possibly escape unharmed? Fen Tian could hardly imagine the power of nearly a hundred bed crossbows firing simultaneously at one person—but if all the Dharma Kings were dead, would the Manichaean Sect still have any reason to exist?

Niu Dingtian shook his head and chuckled: "Traitors ought to die, shouldn't they? Leaving aside the fact of overthrowing superiors and bullying my sister, simply harboring malice and trespassing on my territory means I must, on behalf of the Bright Honored, eliminate them."

"As for Old Su and the other two, we'll just play it by ear later."

Seeing the woman beside him lost in thought, Niu Dingtian changed the subject, smiling: "Sister, your cultivation is the Universal Shift, right? Even if the opponent is stronger, few arts can break through it; do you know what art Yang Aner practices?"

Fen Tian's expression shifted slightly upon hearing that.

Niu Dingtian's eyes flickered as he said in surprise: "Sister, if it's inconvenient to say, never mind; I imagine the art that could bring you to his level wouldn't be an ordinary secret technique."

Fen Tian steadied herself, pondered a moment, then said slowly: "Have you ever seen any other art that transfers force, using force against force? It bears some resemblance to my Universal Shift, yet is not quite the same."

"There is also a technique that condenses thick inner energy into an invisible qi, unleashed from the forefinger with a void‑pointed strike; though it has its flaws in flexibility, its power is somewhat overbearing and tyrannical."

"Using force against force? Rebellion?" Niu Dingtian's mind stirred, and he immediately had a suspect: "An art that uses force against force, a void‑issued finger technique, plus a history of rebellion—could it be the Gusu Murong Family? A descendant of Murong Fu?"

Thinking this through, Niu Dingtian's suspicions grew—how could such a coincidence exist in the world?

He then turned, his gaze blazing as he slowly walked up to Yang Miaozhen; amid the little girl's slightly dodging eyes, he suddenly asked: "Has your Murong Family still not forgotten the aspirations of your ancestors?"

"You you you… you're spouting nonsense!!" Yang Miaozhen widened her eyes.

Niu Dingtian glared and said: "What do you mean 'you'? Back then Murong Huang, Murong Ke, Murong Chong, Murong De were heroes; Murong Bo even feigned death and escaped after lying on firewood and tasting gall to restore the Great Yan; Murong Fu, to restore the Great Yan, renounced his six kin and even refused women! How is it that you now plan to abandon even your ancestors?"

"Speak up! Are you descendants of the lord? After my Niu Clan waited a hundred years in vain, all we got are two wretches who betray their ancestors?" (End of chapter)