Nine Yang Sword Saint

Since then, be it openly or secretly, no one dared to offend Yang Dingtian anymore.

Normally, such days should be very free and unfettered while being able to enjoy great authority without any obligation. But Yang Dingtian felt that he was sitting on a pinned cushion. The most crucial thing was that time was being wasted day by day. The date for the martial contest for the Cloud Heaven City Lord’s position was getting closer and closer. However, Yang Dingtian had not obtained the Mystic Flame yet, making him truly anxious.

As such, Yang Dingtian had already proposed that he wanted to leave Qin City and continue to wander the world plenty of times, but every time, the proposal was rejected by Qin Wanchou.

Furthermore, with every rejection, Qin Wanchou would issue harsh punishments to those people who had once offended Yang Dingtian. Hence, whenever Yang Dingtian asked to leave, it would bring about a blood-dripping punishment.

As a result, Yang Dingtian was actually unable to leave Qin City and was trapped in this place because he was regarded with importance.

Moreover, unless absolutely necessary, Yang Dingtian couldn’t secretly leave without a farewell. In fact, he wasn’t able to leave at all as Qin City was filled with jealous individuals. To protect Yang Dingtian’s safety, Qin Wanchou had arranged personal guards for him, both of whom were Martial Supreme class experts.

***

On this day, Yang Dingtian met with Qin Wanchou again and expressed his intention to leave.

Qin Wanchou spoke loudly, “Military Advisor, are you that uncomfortable staying in my Qin City? What exactly am I not considerate enough that makes you unable to stay?”

Previously, Yang Dingtian would always say something like: ‘My Lord is treating me very well, but my nature and mission is to wander.’ But it had never succeeded.

At this moment, Qin Wanchou had asked this question again. Yang Dingtian sighed and said, “I have achieved nothing in Qin City. The better my Lord treats me, the more uncomfortable I’ll feel. For the past few days, each day passed like it was a year.”

Qin Wanchou replied, “You wish to do something? That is easy, do you wish to train the soldiers? Or work in internal affairs? Or do you wish to manage a piece of territory? Everything can be arranged. It doesn’t matter which position you would wish to do, I will allow you to do it.”

Yang Dingtian said, “I can’t do all those things. The only thing I am adept at is to wander the world. My Lord had also agreed to my strategy that I have proposed previously, to put the focus on the Half-Human Races, to support the alliance, to conceal power and to rise rapidly after the battle of world extinction. Therefore, I feel that the most suitable thing for me to do is to revisit the Half-Human Race’s territories to conduct an observation. To analyze the classification of the hundreds of Half-Human Races, to determine which Half-Human Races should be extinguished, which Half-Human Races to support, and which Half-Human Races to have inter-race marriages. This task is no small matter, and I am the only person suitable to do it.”

Yang Dingtian had finally spoken of this matter. He didn’t mention it previously as he was afraid he might arouse Qin Wanchou’s suspicion. But now, Yang Dingtian was at wit’s end and could only use this method to escape. Moreover, it just so happened that he wanted to search for the Mystic Flame at the East Parting Grassland.

During this time, Yang Dingtian and Dongfang Niemie had analyzed the entire Mystic Flame’s map inside his mind. They had also analyzed that poem countless times and were already certain of the rough location of the Mystic Flame. The geographical location had been shrunk down just one or two hundred miles. What Yang Dingtian had to do now was to enter the area and use any method to find the Mystic Flame.

After listening to Yang Dingtian, Qin Wanchou didn’t immediately refuse like the previous occasions. Instead, he was immersed in deep thoughts.

A few minutes later, Qin Wanchou said, “Teacher Shen, do not be in a hurry first. This isn’t a small matter. Please give me a few days to consider. I will give Teacher Shen a reply within five days.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Yang Dingtian bowed respectfully.

Afterward, Yang Dingtian returned to Qin Mengli’s residence. For the next few days, he didn’t exit the residence and had spent most of his time cultivating. A small portion of his time would be spent intimately with Qin Mengli. As for the rest of the time he was alone, he would be conversing with his Master, relying on his Master’s memory of the East Parting Grassland to be more certain of the actual location of the Mystic Flame.

But Dongfang Niemie had visited the East Parting Grasslands over ten years ago, and he had traveled across thousands of miles of the East Parting Grassland. Hence, his memories of certain locations were very limited. Therefore, after having a rough estimation of the Mystic Flame, he wasn’t able to make it more accurate. The only method was for Yang Dingtian to personally visit the Burial Land and to search through every place within the area.

But Yang Dingtian was still considered rather fortunate as the Burial Land was considered an uninhabited region in the East Parting Grassland. Since it was a neutral battlefield, none of the races were residing in that place. Otherwise, if the Wolfman Race, Tigerman Race, or the Leopardman Race had that place as their territory, Yang Dingtian would be immediately torn to pieces upon entry.

As such, Yang Dingtian was even more urgent and looking forward to visiting the East Parting Grassland.

Thus, while Yang Dingtian waited for Qin Wanchou’s reply, he couldn’t help but become increasingly anxious.

After the second day, the third day, the fourth day, until the fifth day, Qin Wanchou didn’t respond.

It was until the evening of the fifth day that Qin Wanchou finally sent someone over.

***

“Teacher Shen, do you wish to visit the East Parting Grassland?” Upon meeting Yang Dingtian, this was Qin Wanchou’s first question.

“Yes, my Lord.” Yang Dingtian replied.

“Teacher Shen, do you know why I have been stopping you from leaving Qin City?” Qin Wanchou asked again.

“I do not know.” Yang Dingtian replied.

“Because I am unwilling to let go of talent like you.” Qin Wanchou said, “There are plenty of talents in this world, in fact, there isn’t a lack of talents, but almost all of them had put their talents on cultivating martial skills, with you as the exception. I can see that your innate talents are better than my son, Qin Huaiyu, perhaps even not inferior to me. Furthermore, your Master is Saber Monarch, Xi Ying. According to your current age, your supposed cultivation should be Martial Ancestor or even Martial Supreme class. However, you are merely a 1-star Martial Mystic. It is evident that you have placed your experiences and your talents into other aspects, and those are the aspects that I require. If I miss out on you, I might not be able to find a second individual just like you.”

Yang Dingtian responded, “My Lord… Firstly, I am definitely not as outstanding as you mentioned. Secondly, I have already told you everything I know. My mind has nothing else that is valuable to you.”

“That is definitely not the case.” Qin Wanchou asked, “Teacher Shen, do you know why I insist that you stay by my side?”

“I do not.” Yang Dingtian replied.

“Teacher Shen is an expert in grand strategies and grand foresight while lacking a little in specific tasks, but this is great wisdom.” Qin Wanchou said, “I want you by my side because when I am facing important and grand decisions, I might be at a loss, and I wouldn’t know which choice is the correct choice. If I chose wrongly, the foundation of Qin City might be ruined. That is why I need you by my side during those kinds of moments, to use your great wisdom to assist me in making the most important decisions. Therefore, I might only need to consult you once every five or ten years, but each time, it would be utterly important as it might change the fate of Qin City.”

Yang Dingtian took a deep breath and said, “My Lord, I didn’t think that you value me that highly. But I can only say that I am a person that must not idle around. I need to be constantly on the move and constantly doing something. Only by doing so, will I be able to maintain my vision and mind. Once I stop to enjoy a peaceful and luxurious life, I’ll be crippled.”

“I understand.” Qin Wanchou nodded and said, “It is fine for you to visit the East Parting Grassland, but you have to agree to one condition.”

“Please say.” Yang Dingtian said.

“Get married to Ah Li and become Qin City’s son-in-law.” Qin Wanchou stated.

(NOTE: Ah Li is an intimate way for Qin Wanchou to address Qin Mengli.)

“Ah?!” Yang Dingtian instantly exclaimed.

“Why? Are you unwilling? Do you dislike Ah Li?” Qin Wanchou asked.

“Of course not.” Yang Dingtian replied, “This is something I yearn for in my dreams. But now isn’t the time to sever relationships with the White Cloud City, right?”

Qin Wanchou said coldly, “What is White Cloud City? They are just a declined faction that uses powerful connections to intimidate others. I wanted to monopolize the entire Northwest and Southwest Continents previously, and not to show my bad manners, I had no choice but to raise White Cloud City’s value. It was to avoid having the Heaven Dao Union feeling that my Northwest Qin City is trying to rule everything alone. Otherwise, what value does that White Cloud City have? They are even weaker than the Cloud Heaven City. Now that I have focused my strategies towards the outside, I do not care that I have to sever relations with the White Cloud City.”

“But doing so will offend the Mystic Heaven Sect, and the losses might be more than the gains.” Yang Dingtian said.

“What nonsense is the White Cloud City in the eyes of Zhu Qingzhu?” Qin Wanchou said, “Dongfang Niemie is no longer around. Right now, Zhu Qingzhu’s entire vision is onto the Yin Yang Sect. Excluding the Hidden Sect, there are only two and a half Grandmasters. Before consuming the Yin Yang Sect, Zhu Qingzhu would rather cooperate with me than to confront me.”

Before Yang Dingtian could say anything else, Qin Wanchou said, “Alright, there isn’t a need to say anything else. If you wish to leave Qin City and head to East Parting Grassland, you must marry Ah Li. Otherwise, you will stay here obediently and don’t even think about leaving.”

Qin Wanchou had revealed his tyrant side, and this wave of his hand was something that no one could stop.

Yang Dingtian bowed deeply and said, “Since my Lord doesn’t care about the matters of the White Cloud City, why should I refuse this fine arrangement?”

***

Although Qin Wanchou’s 50th birthday was already two weeks ago, most of the guests had not left yet. Because one month later, it would be the wedding of Qin City’s Fourth Young Lady and Ye Feng. Since the dates were so near, some of the people were simply disinclined to return and chose to stay for a month in Qin City for the wedding.

But it was very obvious that Ye Feng and Qin City’s Fourth Young Lady’s wedding wasn’t going to be as lively as Qin Wanchou’s 50th birthday. The guests that attended the wedding wouldn’t be as influential as well.

On the day of the martial contest between Ye Feng and Yang Dingtian, Ye Feng had suffered serious injuries, but in the end, Yang Dingtian had shown mercy; hence, Ye Feng’s life wasn’t in danger. But to kill Yang Dingtian, he had executed the Devil Encirclement Mystic Art. Because his weak mystic meridians were forcefully controlling powerful mystic qi energy, his mystic meridians were severely damaged. Therefore, in this lifetime, he might never be able to break through the Martial Supreme class.

But because of some reasons, Qin Wanchou didn’t break off the marriage and fulfilled the engagement. He had still betrothed his fourth daughter to Ye Feng.

On the next morning, Qin Wanchou gathered all the important guests and members of Qin City. He declared to everyone that Qin Mengli was to separate from Ye Wuzheng officially.

This news had caused such a huge shock and a drastic change of expressions, and even Qin Huaiyu was filled with surprise.