Chapter Nine: Deep in the Vortex

The next day.

Qi Xiu rode in a carriage once again to the Qian residence.

But this time, his destination was not Qian Yuze’s courtyard with red walls.

Instead, he was headed for Qian Yuchuan’s martial training ground.

“Mr. Qi, I must trouble you again. I’m truly sorry.”

With his usual hearty laughter, Qian Yuchuan familiarly put his arm around Qi Xiu’s shoulder.

“I’ve heard from my junior that you’ve matters to attend to back home? Don’t worry; once you finish copying the scriptures for me, I’ll personally send someone to escort you back.”

You really are quite a decent person.

Qi Xiu glanced at the beaming Qian Yuchuan and steadied his emotions.

“With Second Young Master’s request, I will give my utmost.”

“Hahaha, good! Then let’s begin at once.”

Inside the inner chamber, Qian Yuchuan produced the beast-skin scroll, laying it neatly across the table.

The finest brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone had already been prepared.

From the fragrance of the ink, Qi Xiu knew it was the best paste from Shangtai Book House, priced at one hundred fifty coins per pot.

His gaze settled on the beast-skin scroll.

Qi Xiu first scanned the content.

The scripture was short—just over three hundred characters—and appeared incomplete, a mere fragment.

The calligraphy was similar to Huai Monk’s.

Or perhaps, the writer was also a devotee of Huai Monk’s brushwork.

Translating it wouldn’t be too difficult.

Having gauged the difficulty and content, Qi Xiu glanced at the expectant Qian Yuchuan, lifted his brush, and began to copy.

“Mysterious…”

“True…”

“Meaning…”

He transcribed each character onto the white paper, one by one.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Yet only eight or nine scattered characters appeared on the sheet.

“Mr. Qi, why is your translation so slow?”

Suspecting Qi Xiu of deliberately stalling, Qian Yuchuan approached.

“Second Young Master, please understand. This person’s brushwork is wild and the ink strokes are intertwined, making it hard to discern. I must repeatedly examine and compare to confirm. If I rush, I may mistranslate.”

Qi Xiu replied confidently, hands clasped in respect.

“I see…”

Frowning, Qian Yuchuan fell silent upon hearing the risk of errors.

If you insist, you’ll only drive him mad. Keep pushing if you dare.

Qi Xiu snorted inwardly and turned back to his task.

After Qian Yuchuan’s urging, his translation method grew stranger.

Sometimes he’d extract two characters from the beginning.

Sometimes he’d puzzle out one from the end.

Half a day passed.

The paper was filled with two or three dozen characters, densely packed, yet they failed to form a single complete sentence.

Chaotic, without meaning.

Qian Yuchuan cast a deep look at Qi Xiu, the corners of his mouth curling up as he left the room.

Outside.

A whip-kick shattered a wooden stake as thick as a sea bowl, sending splinters flying. Hearing the door open, Gong Yan turned.

“Senior brother, why did you come out? Did the boy finish translating?”

“No, the little fellow is acting up.”

Bending to sit on the steps, Qian Yuchuan cracked his neck.

“As expected of a scholar, quick-witted. He’s finding ways to stall and making me wary of using force.”

Gong Yan’s delicate brows furrowed.

“Should I go ‘remind’ him…”

“No need. At his current pace, no matter how he delays, he’ll last at most seven days. If we push too hard, he might give us a translation riddled with mistakes. Our senior brother will return at the end of the month. With his knowledge, he’ll spot any deliberate errors. Then, Qi Xiu will be at your mercy…”

Qian Yuchuan glanced back, his gaze piercing the wooden boards to fix on the figure bent over the scripture inside.

Within the chamber.

Qi Xiu felt a faint sting at his back, his expression like water.

Seven days.

Time was running short…

…

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Night fell.

In the small courtyard of the Qian residence.

To ensure Qi Xiu’s “safety,” Qian Yuchuan had him housed in a side room.

Meals were delivered by dedicated staff.

Aside from trips to the latrine, his movements were restricted to this room.

Seated upright on the bed, clad in a single shirt, Qi Xiu shifted his hands through various palm formations.

His veins bulged, muscles twitched, tendons trembled.

His dark, steel-blue skin made his palms appear forged of iron, exuding an austere chill.

Without the aid of iron sand, relying solely on palm forms and internal energy, his proficiency improved at only a third of its normal rate.

Dispelling the blue-black from his hands, Qi Xiu wiped the sweat from his brow.

Confined in Qian Yuchuan’s courtyard, he had initially only practiced his techniques to pass the time.

Unexpectedly, pure palm-form exercises could also boost proficiency—though much slower than with iron sand training.

“Only two days left…”

Qi Xiu rose and stood before the door. Outside, the sky was ominous, thick clouds blocking all starlight.

If he couldn’t escape soon, he’d be drinking tea in the Underworld.

Frowning at the main house not far away, Qi Xiu was about to return to bed when the [Suppress] talisman pasted on the door suddenly reacted.

Hmm?

Quickly crouching, Qi Xiu peered through the lattice.

A stiff, wooden figure was approaching the courtyard, each step echoing with a dull thud.

Squinting, Qi Xiu tried to make out its features.

It was a man.

Long robes, bare feet, tall and imposing, his face deathly pale, devoid of blood, his exposed skin marred by dark, mottled corpse spots.

This was the “Specter” of the Qian residence?

Uncertain if this creature matched his concept of a ghost, Qi Xiu chose to call it a “Specter.”

Watching the eerie figure enter the courtyard and head straight for him, Qi Xiu’s gaze grew grave.

Again, it’s after me?

Once could be chance, twice coincidence, but the third time…

He’d already suspected that the specter’s appearance in South Guang Alley was meant for him.

Something had restrained it from acting then.

Now, seeing the specter in the courtyard coming straight toward him, Qi Xiu was even more certain.

As the cold, expressionless man drew closer, Qi Xiu slowly retreated from the door.

He picked up the thick stack of [Suppress] talismans from the table.

“Brother, coming into my courtyard so brazenly to snatch someone—isn’t that a bit disrespectful?”

A thunderous crash—the door exploded.

Like a charging bull, Qian Yuchuan burst into the courtyard, delivering a fierce right hook to the specter’s face.

Thunk!

The specter became a blur, flying across the yard.

It smashed into the courtyard wall, convulsing, unable to move.

“Ahem, your man—how come I heard he belongs to Yuze?”

Outside the gate, a man cloaked in fox fur, holding a white handkerchief, coughed lightly as he leaned on a short staff inlaid with jade and gold.

Qian Yuhai, the eldest son of the Qian family.

Seeing the middle-aged man, sickly yet exuding authority, Qi Xiu rolled his eyes and rubbed his brow.

Are these three brothers all mad?

Why are they tormenting a poor scholar like me?

Can’t they pick someone else for their troubles?

“Yuze’s man? How come I haven’t heard?”

Arms crossed, blocking Qi Xiu’s door, Qian Yuchuan wore a mischievous smile.

“Ahem, I’m not here to spar with words tonight. One thing: hand me the scholar, yes or no?” Qian Yuhai said plainly, lifting his eyelids.

“Hmm? Since you’ve spoken, I shouldn’t refuse. But I still need this scholar, hope you understand.”

With the Frostfall True Technique yet untranslated, Qian Yuchuan naturally wouldn’t hand Qi Xiu over.

“Heh, fine, fine.”

Qian Yuhai chuckled softly, slowly turning as if ready to leave.

But just as his figure was swallowed by the shadows, a drifting voice lingered:

“The day after tomorrow is Father’s birthday. Yuze has reached Clear Pool Mountain and will likely return with Daoist Wu in two days. Let’s see if you’re still so tough then.”

Qian Yuhai departed; the cold man embedded in the wall vanished as mysteriously as he came.

Qian Yuchuan’s smile faded, replaced by a brooding ferocity.

His iron fists clenched, metal ringing.

“Consumptive ghost, you think Third Brother bringing that sorcerer back will help you? Two days? Treasure your last two days well.”

…