Chapter 276 - Dubhe
Chapter 276: Dubhe
Dubhe finally lowered his hands. He looked at Jiang Shuxuan as he let his hands fall to the side, his eyes darkening. “You have to remember that you’re a member of the Jiang family.”
“Aren’t you more aware than I of how members of the Jiang family are?” Jiang Shuxuan had his feet on the ground once more, returning the flute in his hand to the owner. “Of course, our ancestors had once washed the entire world with blood. I don’t think anyone knows what happened better than you, Master Dubhe.”
“Even if you don’t destroy the world, she will eventually do it.” Dubhe took the flute, pointing it at Gu Xiqiao. “An outsider of this world will destroy the balance of it!”
“You should be more clear on the situation than me, how do you know that her existence will destroy the world, and not be the only lifeline it has?” Jiang Shuxuan lowered his eyes, his finger coming up to stroke Gu Xiqiao’s pale face. The chill in his eyes was still present.
Dubhe looked at Jiang Shuxuan as his hands went to his back, not replying him.
The two were silent for a few minutes before Jiang Shuxuan waved his hand, collapsing the isolated space immediately.
Baili Bin and everyone outside who were still trying to find a way to break in, finally stopped their attacks when it collapsed. Seeing Gu Xiqiao in Jiang Shuxuan’s arms, and her face unnaturally pale, Shu Chen’s face broke. “Shuxuan, what happened? Is Qiao Qiao alright?”
Baili Bin and the others also gathered around him, all trying to talk over each other.
They were all concerned about Gu Xiqiao’s condition, and none of them realized the man in green robes opposite Jiang Shuxuan.
“It’s nothing, she just advanced again, and her chi is out of whack right now.” Jiang Shuxuan glanced at Baili Bin. “Baili, careful where you step. Xixi is at your feet.”
If he were to step and break Xixi, Gu Xiqiao would definitely rage once she woke up.
Hearing that Gu Xiqiao was fine, Baili Bin finally felt a relief course through him. He then picked Xixi up carefully, and seeing the wound on its chest, he froze. “Why is Xixi hurt so badly?” And it was a burnt wound? Wasn’t it a phoenix? What kind of fire had managed to injure a bird of fire?
“Isn’t that the Vermillion Bird?” The great elder had also come over. Before he could say anything else, he suddenly stiffened. “M-Master Dubhe…”
The words finally snapped everyone around out of their daze, and their eyes fell on the old man that uttered those words.
Most of them were puzzled, who was this man? Why was the Great Elder calling him Master Dubhe?
Only the elders were all looking at him with awe and disbelief in their eyes. Jiang Shuxuan glanced at Dubhe, then left with Gu Xiqiao still in his arms. Shu Chen followed her son, she knew that for the Great Elder to call someone ‘Master’, it definitely was someone that was way out of her league. Looking at Jiang Shuxuan’s cold eyes, she knew that Gu Xiqiao was in this state because of this Master Dubhe.
So she turned her head to level a fierce glare at Dubhe.
Apart from her, Baili Bin, Cecily, Murong Feiye, and the others also gave Dubhe dark looks.
As the leader of a powerful world, Wanqi Jue was aware of Dubhe’s existence. He stepped forward, and bowed. “Master Dubhe.” Although he called him ‘Master’, his tone obviously lacked the respect in it, and it was half-hearted at best.
The group of people hurried to leave after Jiang Shuxuan, leaving Dubhe behind. This was the first time he had been ignored and tossed in the corner like this. “…” Well, this was quite embarrassing.
A few elders and clan heads immediately came forward. “Master Dubhe, please forgive them. These juniors… they didn’t do it intentionally.”
They had obviously done it on purpose! On one side, it was Dubhe, a person they had never met before, and the other was Gu Xiqiao, who had helped them countless times. For them to not have raised a hand against Dubhe was already considered to be good!
“It’s fine.” Dubhe waved his hand dismissively, then followed the seven elders back into the ancient martial arts world.
***
On the other side, Jiang Shuxuan had already returned to the community area beside A University. He placed Gu Xiqiao on the bed, and then lay Xixi beside her pillow.
After doing that, he straightened up, standing by the bed. After a while, Shu Chen opened the door, walking in. “I’ll take care of Qiao Qiao. Go on down, they’re all waiting for you.”
Jiang Shuxuan remained silent for a while more, before finally opening the door to leave the room.
Everyone was sitting on the sofa downstairs. Baili Bin, Yin Shaoyuan, Murong Feiye, Tang Qinghong, Cecily, Wanqi Jue, Yin Aoxue, and a few more sat in a circle. When they saw Jiang Shuxuan coming down, they all stood up, their eyes on him.
“How is Qiao Qiao?” Baili Bin opened his mouth to ask first.
Jiang Shuxuan sat down on the coffee table beside the sofa. “She’s fine. She’ll probably wake up before morning.”
Saying that, he suddenly turned to ask, “Auntie Zhang, where is Jiji?”
Mrs. Zhang had stuck her head out of the kitchen when she heard him calling for her. “Mr. Jiang, Jiji has been in your study the entire day, not coming out at all.”
“I see.” Jiang Shuxuan’s eyes showed that he was deep in thought, and he was silent for a long while. He raised his head, seeing that everyone was still looking at him, waiting.
“Wanqi Jue, why don’t you come and tell them.” Jiang Shuxuan glanced at said person.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to Wanqi Jue, and he nodded. “I don’t actually know much, just that when I was succeeding the position of being the leader of the power world, the great elder told me about a legend in the ancient martial arts world. The star of The Greedy Wolf[1], who you call ‘Dubhe’ in the ancient martial arts world, would only make an appearance to save the world. There is also a legend that he is the founder of the ancient martial arts world. I always thought that it was just a myth, and I didn’t expect to see it with my own eyes tonight.”
Wanqi Jun’s words caused a ripple among the group, and Baili Bin muttered, “Dubhe represents the skies, Merak for ground, Phecda for humans, Megrez for sound, Mizar for order, Alkaid for stars. The taoist has once said that the Lord of The Greedy Wolf Star would appear to save the world and everyone in it, I can’t believe that it’s real.” (T/N: Names of the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper)
“That Dubhe is an immortal?” Murong Feiye jumped up. “Oh my god, I glared at him just now, will he just turn me to dust with a wave of his hand?”
Cecily listened to them prattled on, a look of understanding yet not understanding on her face.
Jiang Shuxuan shook his head. “Not an immortal. He’s not the real Dubhe, but a descendant of him. Thousands of years ago, when the first person of The Greedy Wolf star fell, there was a large number of great abilities in the ancient martial arts world that fell with him. Now the ancient martial arts world has deteriorated, many of those knowledge and exercises have disappeared from the world. Because of that, the ancient martial arts world is as you see now, countless familiar gradually declining, leaving just a small group of people struggling to survive.”
“Then what about that descendant of Dubhe? How come we’ve never heard of him?” Baili Bin asked suddenly.
Jiang Shuxuan raised his head slightly to look at them. “Because he’s the same as our Jiang family, controlled by heaven’s will. If he takes a step out of his residence, he’ll be blasted to death by it. He’s lived so many years, and his powers have far surpassed us, but he’s still unable to fight against heaven’s will.”
“Then why did he come out now?” Cecily finally understood a little of what they were talking about.
“Because.” An unfamiliar voice spoke. “Heaven’s will needs me now.”
The man in green robe suddenly appeared by the window, sitting on the chair that Gu Xiqiao used when she was painting. Turning his head slightly, he glanced at the people in front of him. Under the incandescent light, his eyes were deep, coal, and endless.
“Heaven’s will needs you, so you aim to kill her once you come out?” Jiang Shuxuan narrowed his eyes dangerously at the sight of Dubhe.
Dubhe stood slowly. “She’s a calamity.”
Although the others didn’t know the code the two were speaking in, they understood the ‘she’ that Dubhe mentioned referred to Gu Xiqiao. When they heard that Dubhe wanted to kill her, Baili Bin stood up with a loud bang. “She’s not a calamity!”
“That’s right.” Wanqi Jue stood too. “Master Dubhe, I think you should first figure out what Miss Gu will do to cause the calamity, before you pass judgment.”
Curing diseases, saving people, exorcising all kinds of malicious aura and spirits, and also disasters, you calling her a calamity? Have you heard of one that does all those things?!
Tang Qinghong also got up slowly. “I don’t know what calamity you’re talking about, all I know is if Miss Gu really dies, the Peace Squad will definitely not let it go. At that time, disaster really will befall the ancient martial arts world.”
Tang Qinghong was the only person here that knew how terrifying the Peace Squad was. Just a peacekeeper at Beginner level was able to cause chaos among the elders, if the entire team showed up, what could the ancient martial arts world do?
Dubhe didn’t expect the threats that would surface from just a sentence, and adding on Jiang Shuxuan’s words, he was completely confused. What did this ‘outsider’ do to have such support from these people?
Dubhe was silent for a long while, before he opened his mouth suddenly. “Who made the formation for this house? It’s… quite magical.” It had even managed to block him for a second when he arrived.
Jiang Shuxuan spared him a glance, before turning to head upstairs without another word.
He was used to ignoring Dubhe, and the man himself was not bothered by it. He looked towards Baili Bin. “It seems that you’re the only one here who knows about formations and arrays, could it be your work?” Not bad of a talent at all.
Baili Bin raised a hand. “It’s late, Master Dubhe. I’m heading back to sleep. As for the formation, your so-called ‘calamity’ is the one who arranged it.”
Saying that, Baili Bin turned and left.
“I have to rush back to my country to participate in the selections. Can’t stay!” Cecily exclaimed.
The others also followed Baili Bin’s lead in leaving after.
Only Dubhe was left in the room, once again ignored and kicked to the corner.
Upstairs, Jiang Shuxuan was sitting in the study, looking at the robot lying on the ground, motionless. It looked like it had lost the thing that made it move, and he rubbed his temples, feeling slightly distressed.
Mrs. Zhang knocked on the door, opening it as she stepped in. “Mr. Jiang, what do I do about the Mr. Dubhe downstairs?”
Jiang Shuxuan didn’t bother raising his head. “Ignore him.”
Mrs. Zhang closed the door once she heard that. Since Mr. Jiang had said to ignore him, she would do that.
And so, after Baili Bin and everyone else left, Dubhe was left with a housekeeper who was only bothered with cleaning the place, completely ignoring him. Well, almost completely.
“Mr. Dubhe, please raise your feet. I need to clean the carpet under it.”
Dubhe: “…”
***
The sky lit up gradually as the sun rose from the east, and Gu Xiqiao, who was lying on the bed, opened her eyes slowly. After sleeping close to ten hours, she was awake and her eyes were clear. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jiang Shuxuan, who was holding her in his arms.
“Brother Jiang?”
Jiang Shuxuan’s eyes snapped open when he heard her voice, staring at her.
Gu Xiqiao could feel his anxiousness, and she reached out to hold his hands. After he had calmed down, she asked softly, “Brother Jiang, what’s wrong with the ancient martial arts world?”
“That was Dubhe…” Jiang Shuxuan tightened his arms around her when he said the name. “Every generation of our Jiang family will be restrained by heaven’s will. Because of that, the Lisu Tribe will come to the ancient martial arts world once every five years to offer a sacrifice to the heavens for the sake of the heirs. After this year’s sacrifice, Dubhe suddenly fell through, and I broke through at the same time.”
He related all the matters between Dubhe and the Jiang family to her, and it took almost an hour.
“By the way, Jiji seems to be broken. I’ve contacted Zhu Yuan, asking him to come over in the afternoon to bring Jiji to A University to see if it can be fixed.” Jiang Shuxuan suddenly remembered about it after he was done talking about Dubhe. “Xixi is already awake, and it has gone back to the training grounds during the night to look for Haha.”
“I know about Xixi.” Gu Xiqiao sat up. “But Jiji isn’t broken, it’s just upgrading.”
“Upgrading?” Jiang Shuxuan squinted slightly, trying to understand what she meant by that.
Gu Xiqiao nodded her head. “That’s right, this is the first time it’s going through a mandatory upgrade. Didn’t you want to know about the text message that I sent you, Brother Jiang? I’ll tell you now…”
“No.” Jiang Shuxuan got up suddenly when he heard her words. He pulled back the covers as he got down from the bed. “I don’t want to know, I’m going to find Dubhe.”
He left the room immediately after saying that.
***
Shu Chen had just woken up when she came out to find Jiang Shuxuan leaning against Gu Xiqiao’s door, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Shuxuan, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Shuxuan’s head was lowered, and his voice was flatter than usual. He quickly left, heading downstairs and out the door.
Shu Chen watched him leave with a strange look on her face, but she brushed it off, going into the kitchen to find Mrs. Zhang.
***
The qualifying competition has already begun, and Gu Xiqiao had stopped by training grounds right before it started.
Hearing Gu Xiqiao’s intentions, Yao Jiamu smiled and got up, his eyes curving up. “Miss Gu, the Peace Squad has been wanting to go to the ancient martial arts world for a very long time.”
[1] T/N: The Greedy Wolf is one of the major stars in one of the form of fortune telling in Chinese culture