First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 15 - I Dislike Abusing My Position

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The heavy, forceful sound of kowtowing echoed repeatedly throughout the private dining room.

Fu Shan and Nie Beihu were experts long accustomed to bloodshed, but seeing this, they couldn’t help but shudder.

Huang Yunchong’s brow knit with flashes of agony. Hidden within his sleeves, his hands clenched, the nails digging into his flesh.

How could any father bear watching his son forced to kowtow repeatedly? How could he not feel hatred? How could his heart not ache?

But he could only endure!

Today, he’d have no opportunity to lose his temper or get revenge. If he tried, he’d only bring unforeseeable disaster onto the entire Huang Family!

“Let’s end this here.” Shortly after, Su Yi suddenly spoke up. He sounded somewhat dispirited.

Yesterday, he predicted that Huang Qianjun would come back for revenge, but he would never have guessed that in the end, he’d just sit there doing nothing while others resolved his problems for him.

This meant that Su Yi had no sense of accomplishment to speak of.

Fu Shan sighed in relief, and his taut nerves finally relaxed. He’d been worried that Huang Yunchong would lose control of his emotions and act up.

Fortunately, his concerns didn’t become a reality.

“Thank you…. Young Lord Su, for your mercy!” Huang Yunchong bowed, head held low. His voice was hoarse.

“I said it earlier: I don’t like others fighting my battles for me. That said…. You ought to consider yourselves fortunate. You got lucky today.” Su Yu shot Huang Yunchong a deep look. Then, he got up and stepped through the door.

Had he taken action personally, heads would have rolled!

Unfortunately, Huang Yunchong and the others most likely hadn’t realized this. Otherwise, they’d be celebrating the fact that they were still alive.

“Ol’ Huang, I advise you to give up on any thoughts of revenge. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll risk the lives of the entire Huang Family!” As he watched Su Yi’s departure, Fu Shan gave Huang Yunchong a cold warning before hurrying after Su Yi.

“Choose your next steps carefully.” Nie Beihu had no interest in sticking around to watch the show, so he followed the city lord out the door.

Soon, only Huang Yunchong, Huang Qianjun, and Huang Yi remained.

Huang Yunchong tottered, as if he’d lost all the power in his body, and slumped into his chair. His eyes were lifeless, and in an instant, he seemed to grow much older.

“Father…..” Huang Qianjun wailed and clutched his bloodied forehead. His face was smeared with blood and tears, making him look strange, bloody, and altogether horrifying.

Meanwhile, Huang Yin clutched the stump of his severed hand. His face was pale and translucent from blood loss.

“One wrong step, and we almost caused a lifetime of regret…..” A long time passed before Huang Yunchong returned to his senses. His voice was raspy as he said, “Child, remember this: before becoming a Grandmaster and a member of the nobility, you must not… you must not seek revenge….”

By the time he finished giving this command, his voice carried dense exhaustion and bitterness.

“Family Head, are you really just going to let this go?” Huang Yin’s eyes were full of unwillingness.

Huang Yunchong suddenly straightened his back, and his expression was chillingly cold. “If you dare cause trouble,” he said, pausing for emphasis between each word, “Don’t blame me for killing a relative in the name of the greater good!”

Huang Yin froze, then sank into silence.

At that moment, Huang Qianjun, the young silkpants, finally understood the cruelty of reality.

Sometimes, even their Huang Family had no choice but to endure their anger in silence!

And all of this was because of the Wen Family’s live-in son-in-law….

When he recalled this, Huang Qianjun felt bewilderment wash over him. Su Yi was the live-in son-in-law everyone in Guangling City mocked, the cripple who’d lost his entire cultivation. How could he possibly have such a terrifying position?

The first floor of the Immortal Gathering House.

As soon as Su Yi appeared in the stairwell, he saw a middle-aged man in brocade robes waiting for him. The man lowered his head and bent at the waist, a toadyish smile on his face. “I just knew you’d avert disaster and return safely, Young Lord Su!”

This was none other than the owner of the Immortal Gathering House, Yue Tianhe, an esteemed and powerful figure within Guangling City.

When Su Yi first arrived, Yue Tianhe had gloated over his imminent misfortune, eager to watch the spectacle. Yet now, he was nothing but warm smiles.

“The Immortal Gathering House’s signboard really is hard as can be. It actually didn’t suffer much damage at all.” Su Yi jeered coldly.

Yue Tianhe smiled awkwardly, but he was thick-skinned. He said abashedly, “Young Lord Su, your exaggeration puts me to shame. As an expression of my remorse, I welcome you to dine at our establishment free of charge from now on!”

Su Yi responded with a simple “Oh”, but he said no more. He just walked out of the building.

City Lord Fu Shan and Nie Beihu hurried after him.

“City Lord Fu, Commander Nie.” Yue Tianhe hurriedly bowed in greeting.

“Consider yourself lucky that nothing untoward happened to Young Lord Su. Or else, I’d have torn down the entire Immortal Gathering House!” Fu Shan snorted coldly, then turned and left without a second look.

It was only after Su Yi, Fu Shan, and Nie Beihu disappeared from beyond the gates that Yue Tianhe straightened his back and wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Even now, his heat pounded with lingering terror, and struggled to calm down.

Had I known that Su Yi was so capable, I wouldn’t have been so negligent…. Yue Tianhe thought to himself.

But he suddenly felt rather confused. How could a waste like Su Yi get involved with Fu Shan and Nie Beihu?

This completely overturned his imagination!

…..

Outside the Immortal Gathering House.

“Commander Fu, Young Lord Su, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way,” said Nie Beihu in a low voice.

Fu Shan nodded, then commanded, “Do not spread word of today’s incident.”

Just as Nie Beihu turned to leave, Su Yi seemed to recall something. He said suddenly, “Commander Nie, you’ve got yourself a good son.”

Nie Beihu paused midstep. Then, he continued without a second look, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.

In this father’s heart, his son, Nie Teng, had a strong sense of gratitude and knew how to repay a kind turn. He was naturally pleased with him!

Guangling City is completely mistaken about Su Yi. Who would have guessed he was friends with the Spiritjade Marchioness?

Fortunately, Nie’er has already made a good impression on him. Perhaps, in the future, we can build an even firmer relationship…..

Nie Beihu was already starting to consider the possibilities.

“By now, I imagine you’ve guessed who the Spiritjade Marchioness is?” asked Fu Shan, his smile amiable and his words polite.

Su Yi nodded. “I just didn’t anticipate that she’d arrange for people to tail me. Otherwise, I’m afraid you couldn’t possibly have made it to the Immortal Gathering House so quickly.”

Fu Shan’s smile froze, and he hurriedly explained, “Young Lord Su, Please don’t misunderstand. The Young Marchioness….”

“You needn’t explain, City Lord Fu. Regardless, you did me a good turn today, and I’ve never liked owing others’ favors. If you ever run into a problem you can’t resolve, pay me a visit.” With that, Su Yi turned and left.

A figure clad in blue disappeared into the flow of pedestrian traffic, solitary and detached from mortal affairs.

“I’m afraid that Su Yi has quite a few secrets….” Only after Su Yi disappeared did Fu Shan retract his gaze. He, too, had many doubts, but he was keenly aware that he couldn’t recklessly investigate.

What mattered now was reporting back to the Spiritjade Marchioness.

…..

The City Lord’s estate, a detached residence.

Beneath the lush foliage of a parasol tree, Zi Jin listened quietly to Fu Shan’s report.

She had a pair of long, smooth jade legs, which offset her tall and slender figure. Her dark hair was up in a casual bun, fully displaying her peerlessly beautiful, egg-shaped face, thin and curved eyebrows, full red lips, and eyes bright as limpid pools. Although she’d intentionally put on a loose-sleeved, plain white dress, it wasn’t enough to disguise her noble air.

After hearing Fu Shan’s full account, her star-like eyes were thoughtful. “You’re saying that Master Su went there on his own, and that he seemed calm and composed the entire time?”

“That’s right. Oh, yes, just before he left, he said something strange,” pondered Fu Shan.

“Let’s hear it,” said Zi Jin with great interest.

“He said he’s never liked relying on others’ power, and that Huang Yunchong and the others got lucky today.”

“Lucky…?” Zi Jin’s eyes flashed with unusual light. “It seems that even if you hadn’t gone to his aid, Master Su already had plans for how to handle this. He’s guessed who I am by now, right?

Fu Shan nodded.

“How did he react?”

“That….” Fu Shan hesitated, but in the end, he said, “Marchioness, he already guessed that I had my people observing him in secret over the past few days.”

Zi Jin’s heart clenched. “Is he angry?”

Fu Shan hurriedly shook his head. “Actually, no. He just said that I’d done him a favor, and that if I ran into any thorny problems down the line, I could go to him for aid.”

Zi Jin nodded. “Uncle Fu, you can leave.”

“Yes.” Fu Shan turned and left, while Zi Jin entered one of the stand-alone residence’s other rooms.

Inside, she saw Xiao Tianque’s gaunt figure brewing tea. He seemed leisurely, and his complexion was far rosier than before.

When he saw Zi Jin enter, he said casually, “I already heard your conversation now. All I can say is, in sending Fu Shan to the Immortal Gathering House, we inadvertently helped Huang Yunchong. Otherwise, with Master Su’s abilities, I’m afraid the Huangs wouldn’t have left the restaurant alive.”

Zi Jin seemed to want to say something, but she hesitated.

“If you want to say something, just say it. It’s not like there’s anyone else here.” Xiao Tianque smiled and shook his head.

Zi Jin took a deep breath, then said seriously, “Grandpa, the results of our investigations prove that Su Yi…. Master Su isn’t some otherworldly expert or lofty, inscrutable immortal. He’s just the Wen Family’s live-in son-in-law. Why do you still value him so highly?”

Xiao Tianque smiled, then sighed, “Once you reach my age, you’ll discover that so-called ‘status’, ‘position’, and ‘authority’ aren’t the least bit important. What matters is your state of mind, your wisdom, and your cultivation!

“With the methods and keen eyesight Master Su displayed that day, I wouldn’t have been surprised to discover that he was a reclusive expert. Yet he turned out to be the ousted disciple of the Blueriver Sword Manor and the disdained live-in son-in-law of the Wen Family. That’s far stranger!

His gaze suddenly deepened. “I can guarantee that Su Yi has secrets we can’t possibly uncover. That’s the scariest thing about him!”

Xiao Tianque looked up. He could see that Zi Jin was still doubtful, so he laughed, “No need to overthink it, lass. Don’t forget; since I started taking the concoction he prescribed me, my wounds have healed almost completely. He brought me back from the brink of death. This alone is enough to prove his capabilities!”

Zi Jin nodded repeatedly. “The medicinal recipe he gave us really is mysterious.”

Xiao Tianque suddenly recalled something, and he said gravely, “Tomorrow morning, we’ll be meeting with Master Su. You must remember to mind your manners; you mustn’t be the slightest bit negligent.”

Zi Jin couldn’t help but feel irritated. “Grandpa, how many times have you told me that over the past few days? Do you really think I don’t know how to behave myself?”

Xiao Tianque burst into laughter, and he said casually, “Forgive my nagging. When we returned from the mountains that day, I thought I was sure to die. I never would have guessed a chance encounter with Master Su would give me a new lease on life. I…. I’m happy!”

Jaspaaar's Thoughts

If it's not clear, a shop's signboard is like... a symbol of its reputation. Same goes for sects, clans, etc. If the sign breaks, it's an affront to the establishment's dignity. If someone breaks it, they're effectively slapping said establishment in the face.

In this case, no literal signs are being targeted, but you do sometimes see that in this genre of novel. (And sometimes in other east Asian media. Take shounen manga. You ever seen someone attack a dojo? They'll often burn, destroy, or otherwise remove the sign as a show of dominance/superiority/victory.)

___

I took some liberties with the honorics here, and I tentatively plan to keep doing it. By itself, I tend to translate 大人 as "Your Excellency", but when you add a name to that, it gets a bit clunky, wordy, and over the top, so I substituted appropriate, respectful English titles. As always, if I reconsider my approach, I'll mention it in the TL notes. Still figuring this out. ;) Thanks for bearing with me!