Heaven’s Shadow

Jokes aside, looking at Old Liu’s half-serious smiling face, Lu Chen speaks with a serious tone, “What’s the matter?”

Sentinent Liu chuckles, “I am no longer young. Three months ago, I met with an accident during the midst of a patrol. I got injured while exchanging blows with someone else. Thinking back, I have been in the Immortal Alliance from the past few decades, so I am thinking of returning back to my hometown to retire.”

Lu Chen is slightly surprised and flabbergasted. He says, “Such a matter actually occurred?”

Sentinent Liu smiles, “Isn’t that so. The Immortal Alliance and Hall Master Xue will send people to deal with the corresponding matters in the future. In the next few days, I will return back to the Immortal Alliance, finish my final bit of task remaining before retiring back to my homeland. From then on, I will rest in my sect without interfering in worldly affairs. Xiao Lu, we have known each other for ten years now. Today, I will be bidding you farewell. I hope that destiny would allow us to meet some other day.”

Lu Chen nods his head and cups his hands together, “Thank you for your care these last few years, I am grateful to you.”

Sentinent Liu laughs and chats with Lu Chen for awhile more before standing up to leave.

Lu Chen and Old Ma walk him to the entrance and gaze at him until he disappears in the distance. Lu Chen watches as Old Ma shuts the door. A heavy look appears on his plump face. Lu Chen smiles and questions, “Why do you look as though you have something you are worried about?”

Old Ma glances at him and questions back, “Aren’t you worried at all?”

Lu Chen waves his hand and replies, “Didn’t I just tell you yesterday that as a human, what is important is to maintain an open mindset. Don’t stifle everything in your heart. Only that way can you live more comfortably. Speak, what are you worried about?”

“Our superior said that he will be deducting the amount of Spiritual Stones they are giving out to you per month.”

“Peng!” A loud bang scared Old Ma. He sees Lu Chen smack the table as he stands up as he roars, “Damn it! Which bastard actually dares to cross my path?”

TL: The exact phrase he used is that ‘Who dares to anger a strong opponent!’

Old Ma sends him a sidelong glance. Lu Chen returns his glance and humphs coldly, “Why are you looking at me for?”

Old Ma celebrates at his misfortune, “The bastard you just scolded is Tianlan zhenjun.”

Lu Chen stuns for a moment before anger wells up in him once again. He roars angrily, “Is he that great just because he is a zhenjun

? Is that old fellow trying to go against his words and fall out with me?”

Old Ma coughs and says, “There are six great zhenjun and every single one of them are powerful individuals possessing incredible abilities. For you to be insulting the zhenjun like that, it is hard to say whether he would be able to sense it.”

Lu Chen scoffs and he speaks coldly, “I will scold him, what can he do? Tianlan that darned old man, the undying fogey, short legs long hands and fatter than pigs, a baldie filled with bad blood without a strand of hair!”

Old Ma stares in shock. He isn’t able to say a single word for a long moment.

Lu Chen surveys the surrounding, just to see the tavern still in a state of peace, as usual. It doesn’t seem like some lightning would suddenly strike. Thus, he says to Old Ma, “Look, that old man Tianlan isn’t able to hear it. Otherwise, he probably heard my insults but isn’t brave enough to speak up.”

Old Ma smiles bitterly as he persuades, “Xiao Lu, it isn’t good for you to always be acting like that…”

Lu Chen rolls his eyes and replies, “He wants to deduct my Spiritual Stone and you are still blaming me for turning my back on him? Back then, didn’t he say that he would allow me to live comfortably for the rest of my life?”

Old Ma replies seriously, “Back then, I was also there. I remember that the old zhenjun didn’t say such words.”

Lu Chen lashes out, “Then, who was the one who said it? I remember those words very clearly.”

Old Ma points towards Lu Chen’s chest and says, “You said it yourself.”

Lu Chen looks at Old Ma with doubt in his eyes. Then, he flicks his hand and says, “Forget it, who would remember what happened ten years ago clearly. Let’s not talk about it first. Anyway, it isn’t acceptable for my Spiritual Stones to be deducted!”

Old Ma sighs and says, “I have just asked about it. Actually, the one whose Spiritual Stones got deducted isn’t just you. All of the Shadows under ‘Fleeting Cloud Division’ are all the same.”

Lu Chen stuns, maintaining a bizarre silence all of a sudden as he stares at Old Ma with a twinkle in his gaze.

Old Ma feels uncomfortable from his staring and diverts his gaze.

After a moment later, Lu Chen’s rage seems to disappear all of a sudden. The situation turns seems exceptionally quiet. After a long time, he suddenly speaks, “That darned old man is being forced into an awkward position by others?”

Old Ma laughs as a desolate expression appears between his brows. He replies, “The old zhenjun 

also didn’t have a choice. The Immortal Alliance has been around for more than 3000 years. As a big family with great achievements, they naturally have many young talents under them. However, it is also filled with shameless flies who would do anything for fame. Thus, there is always insufficient Spiritual Stones. The Fleeting Cloud Division doesn’t produce anything and none of their members can be seen. It only claims that it will take care of the unsung heroes of the Immortal Alliance without talking about the process in all. This is equal to wasting a giant fortune every year based on empty words. There have been many people in the Immortal Alliance who are unhappy with it.”

Lu Chen went silent. It took a moment before he shakes his head lightly, still remaining silent.

Old Ma glances at him and sits down by his side. He mutters, “In the end, you and I know that the old zhenjun feels guilt towards you. If it is possible, he wouldn’t want to do you any injustice. However, if you are the only one whose portion isn’t deducted, it would make you stand out. At that point, if it attracts the attention of others…”

At this point, Old Ma stops for a moment before continuing once again, “The Fleeting Cloud Division belongs under the flag of Tianlan zhenjun in the Immortal Alliance. However, there are many people in the middle tiers such as the Hall Masters, Managers, Sentiments and Overseer. They number quite a few. Through all these years, the only ones who know your true identity and history have been me and zhenjun. Even Sentiment Liu who has been stalking you in the dark for ten years and Hall Master Xue who is in-charge of the matters of the division aren’t aware of the inside story. They only thought that you are also one of those who managed to achieve some small deed and managed to dig your way into the Fleeting Cloud Disvision so as to earn a living as you wait for your death.”

Lu Chen suddenly grins, “Old Liu has been treating me quite well these few years, though his behavior doesn’t hold too much respect towards me. How did he know my identity on that level?”

Old Ma smiles bitterly as he shakes his head sighing, “Logically, even your identity on that level shouldn’t have been exposed. However, even though the Immortal Alliance looks powerful and influential now, its internal information is leaking like a sieve filled with water. That’s why that old zhenjun is worried over it.”

Lu Chen ponders for a moment before questioning plainly, “Are those people still investigating?”

“Old Ma hesitates for a moment before nodding his head, “Yes. Back then, the battle has hurt the core of the demonic cult. Not mentioning how the secret formation of the God Descension Incantation has been destroyed, three of the five most important elders were killed. This grudge is a deep-seated one, impossible to be resolved. These few years, we have caught a few remnants of the demonic cult. Whenever we interrogate them about this affair, they have all said that many of the demonic cult has infiltrated into the Immortal Alliance and the numerous large sects and their first mission is to investigate the matter back then. They have to dig out the… culprit, shred his corpse into ten thousand pieces and extract his soul to torture it.”

Lu Chen humphs and says to Old Ma, “It is sufficient for you to just say exacting vengeance. There is no need for you to mention shredding my corpse into ten thousand pieces and extracting my soul to torture it.”

Old Ma chuckles and says, “Don’t you feel that it sounds more imposing after adding a few more words?”

“Pui!” Lu Chen spits in annoyance. Then, he says, “Hurry up and cook the noodles!”

Old Ma is dumbfounded, “After hearing that a large group of vicious killers want to shred you into ten thousand pieces and you still want to eat noodles?”

Lu Chen stares at him with a slanted eye, “Stop the nonsense. My heart is still burning angrily from it. If you don’t cook noodles for me now, I will crush your tavern.”

…

Tianlan Zhenjun (天澜真君)

Alright, a more elaborate explanation on Zhenjun. Zhenjun is a title given to daoist who are well-respected. In this case though, it is an official title and position. A founder of a certain Daoist religion has named the 12 core members under him as Zhenjun.

Tianlan -> Rippling/billowing sky (Along that line)