Chapter 343: Belle
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan watched Yun Yang and Lei Dongtian battle and train each other, had different thoughts running through their heads.
Yue Rulan was thinking, "This Young Master Yun is intelligent and thoughtful, with great foresight. He’s a rare talent and will definitely become an influential figure in the future. Lingxi is really, really lucky to have found such a man!"
Ji Lingxi was thinking, "This man is really cunning, to be able to get along so well with his own enemy. I think he can lead this idiot along by the nose to his death! He's a manipulative b*stard... But I'll be damned if he isn't a charming one!"
On that night, Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan were exchanging whispers in their room when someone suddenly knocked on their door.
Yun Yang’s voice came drifting in, "Are you ladies asleep?"
"Lingxi, go open the door!" Yue Rulan rolled her eyes. "Your crush is here!"
Ji Lingxi wore a dark expression as she retorted, "What is this bastard doing here so late? Surely he is up to no good. Handsome men are never with good intentions; how befitting of him!"
She was still grumbling as she stood up to open the door.
"Not asleep yet?" Yun Yang entered the room with a swirl of his robes.
Ji Lingxi mocked him the instant he stepped, "Does it look like we’re asleep? If we’re asleep, would you dare enter? If we were asleep, who opened the door for you?"
Yun Yang rubbed his face tiredly. "I’ve asked a stupid question. It is good that you are still awake. I have with me here a good quality tea, let us try it together. I have heard Lingxi proclaim that Sister Lan is an expert in tea-tasting."
Yue Rulan glanced at Ji Lingxi before saying, "Lingxi really has no secrets in front of you, does she? I guess she has already sold what secrets we have left to us."
Ji Lingxi blushed and rolled her eyes at Yun Yang, feeling slightly puzzled as she thought, "Since when have I told him anything about Sister Lan? Why don’t I recall anything of the sort? This is rather strange."
As they spoke, Yun Yang had taken out a bag of tea. Just as he opened it, a rich aroma filled the room.
"Great tea!"
Yue Rulan’s eyes shone with anticipation. "That is truly a great tea. What tea is it, to have such an aroma? I have never come across tea leaves that could emit such an aroma before being brewed. It looks like my taste buds will be blessed today!"
Yun Yang smiled and replied, "The name of this tea is especially befitting of Sister Lan and Lingxi. The people and the tea are exceptionally matching and reflecting off each other."
"What is its name?" Yue Rulan and Ji Lingxi asked together. Yun Yang had obviously gotten their interest.
"The tea is called… Belle!"
Yun Yang said, "Take a whiff of its aroma; it smells even better when brewed. The color of the brewed tea is like the sapphire sea and sky, beautiful beyond description."
"To think, that there is such an amazing tea in this world; what a fantastic grade of tea this has to be!" Both the girls grew more appreciative as their interest towards the tea increased.
The tea was great, so was its name – Belle!
Merely hearing the name could almost make one feel the extraordinariness of the tea. It was indeed right for the both of them to taste it.
As the conversation went on, Yun Yang brewed the tea.
When the water boiled, not only did the tea's aroma grow stronger, the tea’s color was just like Yun Yang had said; emerald like the blue sky and crystal-clear. It was a feast for the eyes.
However, Yue Rulan and Ji Lingxi still felt that despite the pleasing sight, the tea still seemed to be unworthy to have the name, Belle. How could they utter this out loud, though?
"Great tea! Great tea indeed!" Yue Rulan complimented. "It’s deserving of the name Belle."
"Lingxi, try it too," Yun Yang said smiling.
Ji Lingxi picked her cup up to have a taste and said, "Good tea indeed."
"The tea is good and so is the company." Yun Yang said slowly, smiling, "The reason for tonight’s visit is to taste the tea, but I confess that there’s also something else that’s more important which I have to convey."
Yue Rulan asked in a soft voice, "What is it? Younger Cousin Yun can be frank with us."
Before she finished her words, Yue Rulan felt her head spinning slightly and raised her arm to hold it steady, but was surprised at her inability to find the strength to doing so.
Yue Rulan was shocked, looking at Ji Lingxi only to find her in the same state. Her guard was up in an instant. "Yun Yang, what tea did you let us drink?"
Ji Lingxi was already seeing double as she spoke dizzily, "What? Why am I so dizzy? I feel like sleeping…"
"It’s right for you to want to sleep, it’s the normal effect of this tea," Yun Yang said.
"I see," Ji Lingxi nodded innocently. She had already lost her ability to think straight and was only left with her basic motor reflexes.
Yue Rulan immediately knew that something was wrong, as she spoke harshly, "Yun Yang! Give us the antidote!"
Yun Yang's silhouette was already growing increasingly blurred. She could only hear Yun Yang as he replied gently, "This tea is not poisonous, it is to calm and aid sleep. Its strength is a little stronger, but there isn’t any antidote to speak of… the Residence of Yun is already a place for havoc and is especially dangerous during this period of time. I’ll send you both out to avoid it, and will come retrieve you two again after everything blows over."
Amidst the haze, she almost heard Yun Yang’s last words, "I don’t want to do so either but… if you two don’t leave, how can I watch over eighth brother’s…"
Eighth brother’s what?
Yue Rulan did not get anything else as she fell into a dead faint; she was not even sure if what she had heard was her own imagination. Ji Ling, who was opposite her, probably did not even hear any of it, since she had lost consciousness somewhat before Yue Rulan did.
…
"Wuyin!"
"You know their identities! You know what they mean to the both of us!"
"Their safety must be ensured! This is the highest priority of all."
"When they regain consciousness, and if news about me hasn’t reached you, tell them I’ve died. Ask them to take care and don’t act rashly. Find a chance in the future to avenge me."
"If I have really died by then, do tell the truth. However, I've also told you before I die, Supreme Wind of Yutang is currently Ji Lingfeng and have them search for Supreme Wind. Don’t mention anything about me."
"If this has passed, tell them everything honestly. Ask them to wait for me to pick them up."
"Yes, young master."
Shui Wuyin completely understood Yun Yang’s decision.
"I understand where you’re coming from."
If it had been him, he would have done exactly the same, and that was what he was going to do now.
…
Later in the night, Shui Wuyin picked up Yue Rulan and Ji Lingxi carefully.
"Young master, you’ll definitely be safe and sound!"
"If you pass on, I will make arrangements for the two ladies and follow your instructions."
"If you’re still here, I, Shui Wuyin, will continue to fight the world with you!"
…
Having sent Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan away, Yun Yang could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Recently, it had been Yun Yang’s main worry; to see to the safety of the people in the Residence of Yun. Now that Dong Tianleng and group had left and Yue Rulan and Ji Lingxi had been sent somewhere safe, Yun Yang had nothing else to worry about.
"Your father’s all prepared. I’m only waiting for the Four Seasons Tower now. Why aren’t they f*cking coming yet? Don’t they know that the best troop moves the fastest? How can they be called the most mysterious and terrifying organization of Tianxuan Continent with such terrible inefficiency?"
To be honest, Yun Yang 's patience was wearing thin.
"Let us have a brutal massacre, and soon." Yun Yang thought quietly, "I yearn for such a scene!"
The northern wind billowed.
Grey clouds accumulated in the sky, looking like ink had been splashed onto it. A while later, lone snowflakes fell and landed on the skin, the iciness prickling the heart.
Yun Yang stood in the courtyard with arms behind his back and with his head raised to observe the grey clouds in the sky. He could not help reminiscing when their oldest Supreme Earth would hold a gathering every time they were met with such weather to have a drink and chat.
"A goblet of wine to celebrate the heaven."
"A flutter of snow to fall into the icy ocean."
"Fortune, to still have you, brothers."
"To share this thin clothes."
"Gold, wood, water, flame, and earth."
"Thunder, cloud, wind, blood, they burn."
"This sentiment should always hold."
"This dream heaven shall fulfill."
"When the world is molded."
"Let us drink to the end of our years!"
This was their usual drinking game every time the brothers gathered together. Each of them would come up with a line and whoever could not continue would have to drink and continue thinking. They would go on but skip the empty line. If the particular person still could not think of anything after a round, he would have to go on drinking.
The unluckiest one would always be sixth brother Supreme Thunder. He was after fifth brother Supreme Flame and would always be tongue-tied when it came to his turn. This was because Supreme Flame would always be in charge of coming up with the former half of the line. Even if Supreme Thunder was extremely poetic and talented, it was useless; furthermore, his talent at linguistics was acceptable, at best.
Therefore, every time they played the drinking game, it was normal for both the brothers to be punished, to drink for seven or eight rounds. That time, Supreme Flame thought long and hard before he gritted his teeth and barely managed to come up with "Gold, wood, water, flame, and earth".
Supreme Thunder was relieved then, completing the line with the other four brothers.
After that particular drinking game, Supreme Thunder refused to play this game again with his reason being "Ol’fifth is too stupid! Your father suffers a great deal being after him!"
Yun Yan remembered that the line he came up with then was, "When the world is molded".
He had lived his early years wandering from place to place, being witness to too many vicissitudes of life; life and death were common themes for him. He was the youngest but he was the one among the Nine Supremes to have experienced the worst. Therefore, Yun Yang’s biggest wish was to reunite the world so that everyone in the Tianxuan Continent could live happily, without worry.
There would be no war, there would be no sacrifices.
All the children would never be abandoned again, and all the sufferings would leave this worldly realm alone!
His words represented his deepest wish.
Their eldest Supreme Earth’s closing line was "Let us drink to the end of our years!". Not only did it elevate the style of this entire drinking game, it was perfect with its implied meaning – when there was world peace, I want to gather with my brothers and drink every day; we shall be blissful and spend the rest of our lives together!
Reminiscing, Yun Yang fell into a trance.
The north wind was cutting, his robe fluttered in the strong breeze. Scattered snowflakes fell here and there, some landing on his face, his body or his hair… Yun Yang did not notice anything; he just stood there with his arms behind his back and relished the past.
Coincidentally, he stood in line with Supreme Flame and Yun Zuiyue’s cenotaphs.
His gaze was blank, each and every scene when the brothers drank together flashed across his eyes – the grins of his bothers, the indignation when they drank, the bitterly thoughtful looks they wore, the chatter and bickering, fifth brother and sixth brother complaining about each other and tumbling into the snow…
Yun Yang murmured in his heart, "A goblet of wine to celebrate the heaven, flutter of snow to fell into the icy ocean; fortune to still have you brothers, to share this thin clothes; gold, wood, water, flame, and earth, thunder, cloud, wind, blood, they burn; this sentiment should always hold, this dream heaven shall fulfill; when the world is molded, let us drink to the end of our years!"
"Fortune, to still have you brothers, to share this thin clothes – fortune, to still have you brothers, to share this thin clothes…"
Perhaps it was due to the accurate depiction of the words that Yun Yang jolted awake from his reverie once he uttered "to share this thin clothes"; he actually felt the chill rack his body and could not stop the shudder running through him. It seemed that even his heart was sealed by this enveloping snow.
Yun Yang, who just came back to his senses, lifted his head only to realize that the snow was densely falling, engulfing the world in a blur of white. He was in the center of his courtyard, but he could not even see what was going on at his doors.
"What great weather today!" Yun Yang mumbled irritably.
"When I had my brothers, the most we had to do was to drink in this God-forsaken weather. Now that my brothers aren’t here, I have the fortune to face a massacre alone."
"What a stark difference indeed…"
Yun Yang smiled bitterly and shook his head, suddenly reciting to the heavens aloud, "Snow engulfs the world, heaven is cold, so is the heart; the air of injustice in the heart, the great territory in the eyes; the remains of heroes are buried in the wild, their confidants are alone in their graves; who will defend against the sword, who is helpless to do anything? Who can overturn the situation, to share my thin clothes?"
…
The snow covered the vast expanses; it was dreary from heaven to earth.
Dong Tianleng and gang had already arrived at a junction seven hundred miles away from Tiantang City.
"What a terrible weather, the snow caught us by surprise. Let’s quickly find a place for a drink then… we’ll all return home." Dong Tianleng suggested warmly, "Be careful, don’t let your mystical beasts freeze until they have diarrhea."
"Don’t you f*cking worry about them!" The other three rolled their eyes.
In spite of this, they were rather reluctant to part.
They discussed searching for a good place to have a fulfilling parting drink, but now that snow was everywhere, and there were no developed towns around, where could there be a good alehouse?
They pitched a tent along the mountainside instead.
The four brothers wormed in and made several cold dishes, drinking some wine of dubious quality. They were mostly drinking and hissing in the cold, but it was only the atmosphere that they asked for, not for food or beverage.
"That is so f*cking gratifying…"
Dong Tianleng sucked in an icy breath. "Eating these cold dishes and drinking cold wine in this ice-cold place and chilling weather… how graceful and enjoyable!"
The other three men rolled their eyes. It was only today that they understood the logic of Dong Tianleng’s name. What a cold winter!
…
Several experts of the four noble families who were doing some chores outside the tent paused in their work.
Somewhere in front of them, concealed by the snow, an intense aura approached.
A number of silhouettes then appeared before them. There were only four people; all of them wore white from head to toe, with white turbans wrapping their head like they were in mourning.
The world seemed to turn frigid instantly.
The coldness of the snow, the chill of the frost, the iciness of ice, and the cutting sword energy filled the air.
The experts grew tense, immediately recognizing these four individuals.
The legends of the Four Seasons Tower – five Venerable Lords Saber, Sword, Snow, Frost and Ice. Other than Saber, the remaining four had appeared before them, standing in a neat row.
The menacing aura grew increasingly strong, almost buzzing in the frigid air. Although there were only four men who stood before them, their latent power held the strength of many men, all brimming with malicious intentions!