TLDP C077 The Wind Thunder Fan
When I entered the room, I saw that Zhang Zixuan was wearing gloves and applying some medicine to Jiannan. I really had to admit that Zhang Zixuan was quite a good person, at least toward his own people.
In the recent days, he had always been inquiring about the Phantasm Rain Pavilion either intentionally or unintentionally.
How would Zhang Zixuan know that I had a relationship with the Phantasm Rain Pavilion? It’s very simple, it was because I had caused a ruckus in the Xu Family, and it became known amongst the 8 Prominent Families. This made the pressure on me grow bigger and bigger. And if this trend continued like this, sooner or later everything would be exposed, and I would be finished by then.
Jiannan let out humming sounds from the side and asked at the same time, “Ouba ~ ~ Can my wounds now can be considered suffered in public service? Can I get some compensation?”
“Yes, you’ll have your compensation as well as bonuses.” I expressed my sympathy to Jiannan’s a*s and offered bonuses on my own initiative to him.
“Ouba, you are very good to me.”
I then told Jiannan, that he must never call me Ouba again, or his wage would be deducted!
After having dinner, we then came outside, preparing to interrogate the Water Demon! Zhang Zixuan said, “Xu Ningrou, this village is discovered by me first, moreover Younger Brother Xiaolong is also employed by me, I hope you won’t hide any information and report it to your family.”
Xu Xiaoling was not angry and spoke, “Rest assured, I am now only an ordinary person and have nothing to do with my family. As to why I help you this time, consider it as a thank you for providing us food and shelter.”
I was quite unhappy seeing that even though he asked for Xu Xiaoling’s help, but he also questioned her, so I spoke, “Big Brother Zhang, if you’re not trusting Big Sis Xiaoling, you might as well hire another Japanese translator here.”
Xu Xiaoling knew that Zhang Zixuan had provided drugs for me, upon seeing me and Zhang Zixuan seeming to be in a fallout, she quickly said, “Zhang Zixuan don’t worry, I’ll give you my personal guarantee, that I will convey the translation fully and give you the full information.” Shen then gave me a signal, so that I didn’t let my impulse take over.
Xu Xiaoling was truly putting me into consideration, making me so touched…
There were 3 chairs in this open field as Zhang Zixuan, Jiannan, and Big Sis Xiaoling were sitting on the stools. Jiannan prepared a few charms and was ready to protect Zhang Zixuan had the Water Demon would make some suspicious movements.
Zhang Zixuan and Xu Xiaoling had also wiped those cow tears so that they could see the Water Demon.
I was also holding the Shadowbane Sword and opened the make-up case as I let out the Water Demon. Upon seeing me standing with the Shadowbane Sword, the Water Demon didn’t dare to move recklessly and blurted out big piles of Japanese words which I didn’t understand. But Jiannan then attempted to communicate with him once again, “Kunijiwa, tudou naliqua? Yi wa yi madai”[1]
I almost threw the Shadowbane Sword! Could even your idiotic words be called as Japanese?
Upon hearing Jiannan’s exotic Chinese to Japanese words, Xu Xiaoling also wiped her cold sweat, and then looked to the Water Demon, communicating in Japanese. For each communication, she translated it into Chinese for us to listen.
It turned out that this guy was amongst the Japanese invasion forces when Japan invaded China and was called Gangban Richuan. After he died by the Japanese Onmyouji expert he became ‘a tied spirit’, to guard the cave upstream. He said that there were a large number of Chinese cultural relics in the cave that was left behind by the Japan invasion forces. After they were defeated, these artifacts couldn’t be carried. Therefore, they stayed in the remote mountain, waiting for the opportunity in the future to take these things away.
How would he easily tell this? Because I threatened him through Xu Xiaoling, that if he didn’t tell the truth, I would cut him with my sword!
But I still felt that something was wrong. Was what he said true?
I pointed at the make-up case to the Water Demon, hinting him to enter it.
This Water Demon didn’t have the kind of ability Miss Daiyu had, of whom could act without traces and shadows. So, if he wanted to escape, he could only fly, but it was absolutely not faster than my sword. Due to this, he could only obediently go back into the make-up case.
We had a discussion for a while and Zhang Zixuan then decided that tomorrow we would climb the mountains!
****
At night, Xu Xiaoling and I were sitting near the door and chatted. I was a little worried and spoke to her, “Big Sis Xiaoling, tomorrow I’ll be going, but I am worried about your safety.” Since there were accidents 2 days ago, I really wished that I could keep close and protect her.
“Relax, how could there be so many dangers.” Xu Xiaoling comforted, “You have always encountered dangerous things. After we go back this time, could you leave this line work?”
“I can’t, ah, Big Sis Xiaoling, I will not do other jobs except for this one. Besides, if I’m not taking this line of work, later when I have a wife and need to buy a house…”
“You… it’s all you’ve been thinking all these days.” Xu Xiaoling pricked my forehead and said, “Don’t you have a photocopy shop? It’s a good business and it could make money well. Look at you now. 3 days opening the shop, and 2 other days close it, so you could only have a few customers.”
“Ah… Okay then, I’ll consider it. Big Sis Xiaoling, you must pay attention to your safety.”
“You too.”
****
The next day, early in the morning we had gotten ready to go! 10 bodyguards were well equipped and each one carried a variety of field survival equipment while Jiannan carried two durians. He said that this stuff had 2 purposes, one was for him to eat but also for self-defense!
I was still carrying my black backpack and brought along my lead bars on my body. And as for Zhang Zixuan, Ma Dehua, and Li Xiaomin, they were more relaxed and carried nothing and seemingly had no worries in their mind.
Our group consisted of 15 people and each one was riding a ‘basket 1258’ bicycle as we hit the pedal and went toward the stream’s direction…
According to the information from the Water Demon, after we had arrived upstream, we had to slowly look up, and after it was 4 PM we finally found a hidden cave!
This cave was completely blocked by stone blocks, and also covered by big trees. Had it not been for Jiannan that fell accidentally, we wouldn’t have known as to when we could find this cave…
Half an hour later, the entrance to the cave was blasted, leaving only 2 bodyguards outside on guarding duty. The remaining 13 people went into the cave while each man held a walkie-talkie to make it easy to communicate.
Unfortunately, the radio did not come in handy since the cave was very small. After a dozen meters of walking inside, the cave ended.
There was a huge box on the ground, and after we opened it, we found various artifacts, calligraphy and paintings, porcelain products, jade carvings, copperware, and other antiques. When the box was opened, I found a very unique silver ring in the box, and while there was none paying attention, I quietly took the silver ring away and clamped it to the lead bars on my arm. I planned to bring back this ring and gave it to Big Sis Xiaoling.
Zhang Zixuan looked at each thing in the box, and then said, “All of you, please withdraw from the cave and don’t take anything.”
When we got out of the cave, Zhang Zixuan conducted a search of our body. And thanks to my foresight, I had hidden it behind the lead bars, but Zhang Zixuan only symbolically touched my pocket.
After leaving the cave, Zhang Zixuan ordered a bodyguard to go back to the village, and call his family, so the family would send a helicopter to this place.
Although there were many cultural relics here, but whoever picked up these things first, it would belong them.
Previously I thought that there would be ghosts here, but I did not expect that it could be this smooth and stemmed greatly from my expectations.
It took the whole night before all the things here finally finished shipping away. Zhang Zixuan also followed it and said that these artifacts must be sent to his home first to be careful inspected, in case there were things that he wanted. He also asked whether I would go with him or not. I said that I couldn’t since Xu Xiaoling was still in the village waiting for me.
So Jiannan and I rode the ‘basket 1258’ and returned back to the village.
When we were leaving, there 15 bicycles, but since Zhang Zixuan and the bodyguards were gone. They abandoned their bicycles, making Jiannan find a business opportunity. He said that he must bring those bikes back because they were all the best bikes which could be sold for at least a thousand Yuan, 15 meant it was 15,000! He then spoke to me with a pitiful look, “Big Brother, you are a rich man, don’t compete with me and snatch it, okay. After I marry a wife and have to buy a house, I would rely on these bicycles!”
Upon looking at his really pathetic and pitiful look, I then agreed to his willful request!
Therefore, Jiannan himself went back and forth many times and was finally able to bring the bikes back.
In the next few days, I accompanied Xu Xiaoling everyday to collect antiques from house to house. However, the other villagers’ antiques had all been taken away by the traders. Besides, we also had found a clear conclusion that the village’s chief was also an original descendant from those Japanese forces, so it was no wonder that he was quite abnormal. As for the antiques from this village, they were picked by their last generation in the mountains.
Why didn’t the villagers say this before? Because they wanted to go up to the mountain and look for these antiques, and then sell it to earn some money, so everybody was keeping their mouth shut. And since most of the outsiders had gone, they secretly went to the mountain many times and found nothing there, so they finally told us the truth.
All the clouds had been dispersed and the fog also had been lifted. There were no antiques left in this village, and Xu Xiaoling could only find blue and white porcelain bowls from the Ming Dynasty era. And since continuing to stay here would yield no other results, we decided to go home!
****
We returned back to Qiling City, and Xu Xiaoling directly went over to my home to have a meal, but suddenly I found that there were two other ghosts at home!
They were General Long Chen and his wife.
I was extremely surprised, but also incredibly afraid. The surprise was that General Long Chen could teach me how to use the fan, as for my fear was… I had broken the fan he gave to me.
I respectfully spoke to Long Chen, “Senior, since there are guests in my home, I’ll talk to you later.”
Long Chen replied amiably, “It’s all right, you can go.”
After dinner, I escorted Xu Xiaoling back to her apartment and then rushed back.
After returning home, I chatted for awhile with my parents, went to my room, shut the door, and then spoke to General Long Chen, “I’m really sorry for the wait Senior.”
“It’s okay, I was asked by Murong girl, so I come here to teach you how to use the ‘Wind Thunder Fan’.”
I replied in a stuttering voice, “T-T-That, Senior, there are some small problems with the fan.”
“Ah? Wind Thunder Fan’s fan bones are made from special ebony, while the fan made of heavenly silk. It’s invulnerable which even fire and water cannot damage it, what can be the problem?” Long Chen asked.
“The thing is… Senior.” I then told him a brief narration from a while back when I was forging the talisman.
After listening, Long Chen seemed to have a headache and said, “The energy contained within the Wind Thunder Fan is not Yang energy, but True Primordial Qi. That fan is a precious magical tool. I’ve never thought that you unexpectedly absorbed the True Primordial Qi within it… The Wind Thunder Fan without its True Primordial Qi is not different with useless thing. Else if the fan creates wind, the counter for it is thunder, the might it could release is infinite!”
“That… Senior, are there any ways to recover it?”
TLDP C077 The Wind Thunder Fan
When I entered the room, I saw that Zhang Zixuan was wearing gloves and applying some medicine to Jiannan. I really had to admit that Zhang Zixuan was quite a good person, at least toward his own people.
In the recent days, he had always been inquiring about the Phantasm Rain Pavilion either intentionally or unintentionally.
How would Zhang Zixuan know that I had a relationship with the Phantasm Rain Pavilion? It’s very simple, it was because I had caused a ruckus in the Xu Family, and it became known amongst the 8 Prominent Families. This made the pressure on me grow bigger and bigger. And if this trend continued like this, sooner or later everything would be exposed, and I would be finished by then.
Jiannan let out humming sounds from the side and asked at the same time, “Ouba ~ ~ Can my wounds now can be considered suffered in public service? Can I get some compensation?”
“Yes, you’ll have your compensation as well as bonuses.” I expressed my sympathy to Jiannan’s a*s and offered bonuses on my own initiative to him.
“Ouba, you are very good to me.”
I then told Jiannan, that he must never call me Ouba again, or his wage would be deducted!
After having dinner, we then came outside, preparing to interrogate the Water Demon! Zhang Zixuan said, “Xu Ningrou, this village is discovered by me first, moreover Younger Brother Xiaolong is also employed by me, I hope you won’t hide any information and report it to your family.”
Xu Xiaoling was not angry and spoke, “Rest assured, I am now only an ordinary person and have nothing to do with my family. As to why I help you this time, consider it as a thank you for providing us food and shelter.”
I was quite unhappy seeing that even though he asked for Xu Xiaoling’s help, but he also questioned her, so I spoke, “Big Brother Zhang, if you’re not trusting Big Sis Xiaoling, you might as well hire another Japanese translator here.”
Xu Xiaoling knew that Zhang Zixuan had provided drugs for me, upon seeing me and Zhang Zixuan seeming to be in a fallout, she quickly said, “Zhang Zixuan don’t worry, I’ll give you my personal guarantee, that I will convey the translation fully and give you the full information.” Shen then gave me a signal, so that I didn’t let my impulse take over.
Xu Xiaoling was truly putting me into consideration, making me so touched…
There were 3 chairs in this open field as Zhang Zixuan, Jiannan, and Big Sis Xiaoling were sitting on the stools. Jiannan prepared a few charms and was ready to protect Zhang Zixuan had the Water Demon would make some suspicious movements.
Zhang Zixuan and Xu Xiaoling had also wiped those cow tears so that they could see the Water Demon.
I was also holding the Shadowbane Sword and opened the make-up case as I let out the Water Demon. Upon seeing me standing with the Shadowbane Sword, the Water Demon didn’t dare to move recklessly and blurted out big piles of Japanese words which I didn’t understand. But Jiannan then attempted to communicate with him once again, “Kunijiwa, tudou naliqua? Yi wa yi madai”[1]
I almost threw the Shadowbane Sword! Could even your idiotic words be called as Japanese?
Upon hearing Jiannan’s exotic Chinese to Japanese words, Xu Xiaoling also wiped her cold sweat, and then looked to the Water Demon, communicating in Japanese. For each communication, she translated it into Chinese for us to listen.
It turned out that this guy was amongst the Japanese invasion forces when Japan invaded China and was called Gangban Richuan. After he died by the Japanese Onmyouji expert he became ‘a tied spirit’, to guard the cave upstream. He said that there were a large number of Chinese cultural relics in the cave that was left behind by the Japan invasion forces. After they were defeated, these artifacts couldn’t be carried. Therefore, they stayed in the remote mountain, waiting for the opportunity in the future to take these things away.
How would he easily tell this? Because I threatened him through Xu Xiaoling, that if he didn’t tell the truth, I would cut him with my sword!
But I still felt that something was wrong. Was what he said true?
I pointed at the make-up case to the Water Demon, hinting him to enter it.
This Water Demon didn’t have the kind of ability Miss Daiyu had, of whom could act without traces and shadows. So, if he wanted to escape, he could only fly, but it was absolutely not faster than my sword. Due to this, he could only obediently go back into the make-up case.
We had a discussion for a while and Zhang Zixuan then decided that tomorrow we would climb the mountains!
****
At night, Xu Xiaoling and I were sitting near the door and chatted. I was a little worried and spoke to her, “Big Sis Xiaoling, tomorrow I’ll be going, but I am worried about your safety.” Since there were accidents 2 days ago, I really wished that I could keep close and protect her.
“Relax, how could there be so many dangers.” Xu Xiaoling comforted, “You have always encountered dangerous things. After we go back this time, could you leave this line work?”
“I can’t, ah, Big Sis Xiaoling, I will not do other jobs except for this one. Besides, if I’m not taking this line of work, later when I have a wife and need to buy a house…”
“You… it’s all you’ve been thinking all these days.” Xu Xiaoling pricked my forehead and said, “Don’t you have a photocopy shop? It’s a good business and it could make money well. Look at you now. 3 days opening the shop, and 2 other days close it, so you could only have a few customers.”
“Ah… Okay then, I’ll consider it. Big Sis Xiaoling, you must pay attention to your safety.”
“You too.”
****
The next day, early in the morning we had gotten ready to go! 10 bodyguards were well equipped and each one carried a variety of field survival equipment while Jiannan carried two durians. He said that this stuff had 2 purposes, one was for him to eat but also for self-defense!
I was still carrying my black backpack and brought along my lead bars on my body. And as for Zhang Zixuan, Ma Dehua, and Li Xiaomin, they were more relaxed and carried nothing and seemingly had no worries in their mind.
Our group consisted of 15 people and each one was riding a ‘basket 1258’ bicycle as we hit the pedal and went toward the stream’s direction…
According to the information from the Water Demon, after we had arrived upstream, we had to slowly look up, and after it was 4 PM we finally found a hidden cave!
This cave was completely blocked by stone blocks, and also covered by big trees. Had it not been for Jiannan that fell accidentally, we wouldn’t have known as to when we could find this cave…
Half an hour later, the entrance to the cave was blasted, leaving only 2 bodyguards outside on guarding duty. The remaining 13 people went into the cave while each man held a walkie-talkie to make it easy to communicate.
Unfortunately, the radio did not come in handy since the cave was very small. After a dozen meters of walking inside, the cave ended.
There was a huge box on the ground, and after we opened it, we found various artifacts, calligraphy and paintings, porcelain products, jade carvings, copperware, and other antiques. When the box was opened, I found a very unique silver ring in the box, and while there was none paying attention, I quietly took the silver ring away and clamped it to the lead bars on my arm. I planned to bring back this ring and gave it to Big Sis Xiaoling.
Zhang Zixuan looked at each thing in the box, and then said, “All of you, please withdraw from the cave and don’t take anything.”
When we got out of the cave, Zhang Zixuan conducted a search of our body. And thanks to my foresight, I had hidden it behind the lead bars, but Zhang Zixuan only symbolically touched my pocket.
After leaving the cave, Zhang Zixuan ordered a bodyguard to go back to the village, and call his family, so the family would send a helicopter to this place.
Although there were many cultural relics here, but whoever picked up these things first, it would belong them.
Previously I thought that there would be ghosts here, but I did not expect that it could be this smooth and stemmed greatly from my expectations.
It took the whole night before all the things here finally finished shipping away. Zhang Zixuan also followed it and said that these artifacts must be sent to his home first to be careful inspected, in case there were things that he wanted. He also asked whether I would go with him or not. I said that I couldn’t since Xu Xiaoling was still in the village waiting for me.
So Jiannan and I rode the ‘basket 1258’ and returned back to the village.
When we were leaving, there 15 bicycles, but since Zhang Zixuan and the bodyguards were gone. They abandoned their bicycles, making Jiannan find a business opportunity. He said that he must bring those bikes back because they were all the best bikes which could be sold for at least a thousand Yuan, 15 meant it was 15,000! He then spoke to me with a pitiful look, “Big Brother, you are a rich man, don’t compete with me and snatch it, okay. After I marry a wife and have to buy a house, I would rely on these bicycles!”
Upon looking at his really pathetic and pitiful look, I then agreed to his willful request!
Therefore, Jiannan himself went back and forth many times and was finally able to bring the bikes back.
In the next few days, I accompanied Xu Xiaoling everyday to collect antiques from house to house. However, the other villagers’ antiques had all been taken away by the traders. Besides, we also had found a clear conclusion that the village’s chief was also an original descendant from those Japanese forces, so it was no wonder that he was quite abnormal. As for the antiques from this village, they were picked by their last generation in the mountains.
Why didn’t the villagers say this before? Because they wanted to go up to the mountain and look for these antiques, and then sell it to earn some money, so everybody was keeping their mouth shut. And since most of the outsiders had gone, they secretly went to the mountain many times and found nothing there, so they finally told us the truth.
All the clouds had been dispersed and the fog also had been lifted. There were no antiques left in this village, and Xu Xiaoling could only find blue and white porcelain bowls from the Ming Dynasty era. And since continuing to stay here would yield no other results, we decided to go home!
****
We returned back to Qiling City, and Xu Xiaoling directly went over to my home to have a meal, but suddenly I found that there were two other ghosts at home!
They were General Long Chen and his wife.
I was extremely surprised, but also incredibly afraid. The surprise was that General Long Chen could teach me how to use the fan, as for my fear was… I had broken the fan he gave to me.
I respectfully spoke to Long Chen, “Senior, since there are guests in my home, I’ll talk to you later.”
Long Chen replied amiably, “It’s all right, you can go.”
After dinner, I escorted Xu Xiaoling back to her apartment and then rushed back.
After returning home, I chatted for awhile with my parents, went to my room, shut the door, and then spoke to General Long Chen, “I’m really sorry for the wait Senior.”
“It’s okay, I was asked by Murong girl, so I come here to teach you how to use the ‘Wind Thunder Fan’.”
I replied in a stuttering voice, “T-T-That, Senior, there are some small problems with the fan.”
“Ah? Wind Thunder Fan’s fan bones are made from special ebony, while the fan made of heavenly silk. It’s invulnerable which even fire and water cannot damage it, what can be the problem?” Long Chen asked.
“The thing is… Senior.” I then told him a brief narration from a while back when I was forging the talisman.
After listening, Long Chen seemed to have a headache and said, “The energy contained within the Wind Thunder Fan is not Yang energy, but True Primordial Qi. That fan is a precious magical tool. I’ve never thought that you unexpectedly absorbed the True Primordial Qi within it… The Wind Thunder Fan without its True Primordial Qi is not different with useless thing. Else if the fan creates wind, the counter for it is thunder, the might it could release is infinite!”
“That… Senior, are there any ways to recover it?”
