Chapter 539

There’s a famous quartet of poets in the Central Plain, known for their work in poetry: Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Su Dongpo.

Li Bai’s nickname is “Poetry Immortal” while Du Fu is known as the “Poetic Saint.” They may not seem super strong in a martial sense, but if they were swordsmen, we would have… “Sword Immortal!” and “Sword Saint!”

With that, we get a clear picture of their status in the literary scene of the Central Plain.

Wang Wei might feel a bit miffed, though. He’s also quite the poet but got overshadowed when two monsters like Li Bai and Du Fu popped up at the same time. His nickname? “Poetry Buddha,” and truly, he deserves it. But alas, he doesn’t even make it into the quartet of famous poets; the lesser poets get called “Poetry Ghosts.”

When you compare the “Sword Immortal” and “Sword Saint” to the “Sword Ghost” and “Sword Fool,” it feels like a bit of a downgrade.

Now, Su Dongpo is a bit of a latercomer, being three hundred years junior. But hey, at least he still gets some recognition as a senior, right? His nickname? Well, he doesn’t really have one… unless you count “Dongpo Pork,” which is the dish he’s known for. The locals in Hangzhou just had to have a culinary reference for the guy.

And speaking of Hangzhou, that’s where Qing is heading, racing toward the birthplace of Dongpo Pork.

Given Qing’s gluttonous nature, if she were her usual self, she’d probably be sprinting with excitement, thinking, “Dongpo Pork, wait for me! I’ll feast on you soon, hehehe!”

But given her current mood, a cool breeze makes her shiver, reminding her of stormy times ahead. She had one too many drinks earlier…

Ah, what a treacherous road this is.

The road to Zhuo Dao is more challenging than scaling the heavens themselves.

Even the flying yellow crane fears it, and the monkeys hanging around are no comfort either.

With a sigh, she wonders when her companion from the west will return. Only the mournful cries of solitary birds echo in the ancient trees.

This difficult road to Zhuo Dao feels more challenging than getting to the heavens, and so she turns west, releasing a long sigh.

Not exactly a fitting display for Qing.

The poem “Difficult Road to Zhuo Dao” by Li Bai? Yeah, not because she likes it; it’s just that Seomun Sulin forced her disciple to memorize it since the writing was pretty remarkable.

And despite that forced memorization, parts she found uninteresting just flew right out of her mind, leaving her only with fragmented lines that barely make sense.

Interpretations of this poem are all over the place. Some say Li Bai wrote it after being absolutely livid about the rough road when he visited Sichuan, while others argue it’s really about the precarious lives of those stuck under the intense scrutiny of their superiors.

But hey, poetry has a knack for hitting people right in the feels, regardless of the original author’s intent.

Who even cares about the original author’s take on it anyway?

When Qing hears it, it’s not so much about the hardships as it is about the loneliness. The journey alone must have felt brutal.

The road isn’t hard because it’s steep; it’s hard because it’s solitary. Even a smooth path could feel tough if it’s walked alone.

Well, of course.

No matter how challenging the path, if you’ve got someone walking alongside you, it can’t be that bad. In a scenic journey, they could swap horrible remarks about the rocky path, laughing as they push and pull each other forward, making fun of how ridiculous the climb is, forcing each other onward while playfully prodding each other: “Get up already! I’m not leaving you behind—just keep moving!”

According to Buddhist teachings, the sights one sees are all reflections of their innermost feelings. So, on a bright moonlit night, it’s almost forgivable if Qing is feeling a bit down.

Ah, look at that moon! It’s pale and lonely, and that’s because it’s all by itself!

That odd star, Heaven’s Kill, all twisted and tangled? That’s due to folks leaving it all alone.

And don’t get me started on the Heavenly Demon Soul. Can you imagine it? Just waiting for hundreds of years in that lonely, clear crystal waiting for its next body? Talk about losing your mind!

If Qing’s friends heard her, they’d probably be like, “What’s up with you? Are you hungry or what?”

If Seomun Sulin saw her, she’d be shaking her head, thinking, “What in the world are you doing, sneaking out at this hour?”

But Qing doesn’t just think randomly.

From Suzhou to Hangzhou, the Great General says it’s about a 300-li journey, and it’s all flat terrain without a single mountain blocking the way.

Given Qing’s incredible martial abilities, she could easily make the trip in just about an hour and a half.

Her pact with Unyeonjeong was just to stay three nights in every city along the way and to meet at the best room of the Full Moon Pavilion.

So, all she had to do was hurry over, see her face, and turn around. Simple enough, right?

Of course, she brought along some soldiers. Unyeonjeong didn’t need to come alone; it would actually be better with some allies around.

But seriously? “I said having assistance was fine, but do you really need to drag along twelve hundred men?” What kind of nonsense is that?

And Qing isn’t totally blind to the situation either.

She’s definitely sensitive to kindness shown towards her.

There’s no way Qing could miss the endless affection pouring in from Unyeonjeong.

So, as usual, she made some use of those five Jiangshi given to her at Dongzheng Lake.

Wait a second, was it really at Dongzheng Lake?

This time she’s heading to Hangzhou, famous for West Lake.

Is this some sort of water calamity?

Might want to steer clear of any famous lakes along the way.

But really, if she was set on being a nuisance, that wouldn’t be too hard to pull off.

From the Martial Alliance, a boat ride would get her there in no time.

Locals like Wang Sang-ryong, Mo Yong, and others would’ve jumped at the chance to help.

Thinking back, Qing felt a twinge of guilt toward Wang Sang-ryong.

Huh. Even with the Official Imposition of Non-Interference, she had crossed a line.

What kind of idiot would ignore the boundaries set? Those frail soldiers would’ve never held up if someone had decided to act on that non-interference rule.

Thank goodness they were all cowards! They managed to avoid incident; what if she had gotten them hurt because of her negligence?

Anyway, for now, Unyeonjeong should be safe.

She wouldn’t dare lay any traps or bring up something like getting bloodily involved with the Blood Sect.

But therein lies the problem.

Suddenly getting all bloodthirsty? That’s not something you just let slide. One day, she could easily be all “I’m on a diet now, and I only want the lightest foods, so you’re no longer necessary!” and totally flip the script.

Imagine if she just suddenly dropped out of existence one day.

Good thought, good thought. Yeah, just thinking about Qing’s soft heart makes her feel a little gooey inside. Mmm. She really wants to see her!

Qing grits her teeth and picks up the pace.

Pushing out more energy than she should, her blood vessels throb. Her sturdy body protests, “ Hey, cut it some slack!” while her heart thunders painfully, and her stressed lungs scream, “Stop this madness!”

But hey, maybe it’s better to be sore than to be moping around.

Overexertion and exhaustion can sometimes be a person’s primal defense mechanism.

So how long has she been running?

Sweat pours down like a rainstorm, and once her tongue licks her salty lips, it feels like she’s sticking to a sticky mess.

Sweat drips into her eyes, causing her brows to sting as she winces.

The whole body writhes in pain, with her heart pounding and her lungs pleading to be freed just for a moment! It feels like there are nails scraping at her throat, choking her. Ugh, she’s suffocating!

Before she realizes it, she spots lights ahead.

If it’s the number one entertainment city in the Central Plain, they’ll obviously have the nightlife buzzing with lights, even outside the city walls.

Hangzhou used to be marshy land before development, and it’s still predominantly low-lying and moist.

She couldn’t just walk into the city looking like this, so Qing throws herself into the tall grass and flops down.

“Hoo, huff, huff, ack, ugh.”

Lying there, her back covered by the damp ground, the cool air sends a chill through her heated body.

Surprisingly, the aftermath of a long run kicks in once you come to a stop.

Feel like you’re going to die while running?

Just wait until you stop, and you’ll truly feel like biting the dust.

Qing lies there for a while before finally catching her breath.

But the ultra-human body she has? Its recovery abilities are pretty super too!

After a moment of laying there, Qing pops back up and pats her backside.

“Ugh, so damp. Must be a muddy place.”

It’s true; if someone saw her from behind, they’d probably scold her for laying in the mud like a grown-up.

But with all that sweat, who cares? The front and back are all pretty much soaked.

Well, at least there’s a little bit of warmth in front and a chill in the back.

“Phew, oh. Right.”

Qing scoops up some mud and slaps it on her face.

Yeah, it’s a bit aromatic, but hey, people pay for mud treatments!

Given her great skin thanks to her constitution, even if she slathered herself in mercury, she’d still be all right, right?

At least she hopes so!

As she edges into the nightlife…

Her clothes are completely drenched, sticking to her form, revealing her unique shape in the Central Plain.

But no matter how curvaceous she is, with a face caked in mud?

People kinda shy away from her as she walks through.

It’s not entirely due to her grotesque appearance; it’s mainly because such sights aren’t unusual in the Central Plain.

“Isn’t that a Jiankui girl?”

“Don’t go near her. Yuck. A filthy beggar.”

In all civilizations, whether East or West, lepers get treated this way.

“Excuse me?”

“Can’t you just scram? What’s a leper doing ruining this fine evening?”

The merchant flinches but soon composes himself, a wary smile forming.

When it comes to shining Qi, even the rudest folks turn courteous around lepers.

“Could I get a large hat to cover my face?”

“Ah, yes! Of course.”

As Qing picks up a coin, the merchant shakes his head frantically.

Frowning at the coin like it’s some disgusting thing, he forced a grin and replied, “Hehe, just take it.”

“Well, okay.”

Looks like he doesn’t want a beggar’s money.

Uh-oh, looks like she’s pulled a fast one on him.

Mental note: definitely remember to repay him later.

As Qing stares at the merchant, for some odd reason, he seems to turn even paler.

Putting on the large hat, she thinks, there’s no way she’s passing through the city gates with her face this muddy.

Even at this hour, the gates are wide open, and the streets are brightly lit with no dark corners.

The guards are lounging around, watching the elegantly dressed women and enjoying their night out.

A guard catches sight of Qing.

Adorned with a gigantic sword while hiding her face makes her seem all the more suspicious.

What could possibly be worse than annoying a martial artist?

Seeing a martial artist acting strangely isn’t all that rare, and as long as she’s not some filthy leper, the guards have no reason to stop her.

“Excuse me, but could I ask you a question? Where’s the famous Full Moon Pavilion?”

Even asking for directions this calmly makes her seem less suspicious.

People who are truly suspicious never ask the guards for directions.

Besides, word has it a skilled practitioner is heading to the Full Moon Pavilion lately, so it’s not uncommon for martial artists to ask where it is.

“Are you referring to the Full Moon Pavilion? That’s the one they call Manwoljang. Just follow the main road to West Lake, and you can’t miss it.”

“If I see it, I’ll know?”

“If you see it, you’ll know.”

Huh? If you see it, you’ll know?

Qing is taken aback but realizes it’s too straightforward to argue back against the guard’s curt response.

It’s an obvious fact to him.

And thus, she finds herself approaching Hangzhou, West Lake, right in front of the Full Moon Pavilion.

Qing mutters absentmindedly, “Guess you can really tell when you see it…”

Well, when you get to the front of an elaborately painted tower, how could you not recognize it?

Tons of lanterns flash around it, illuminating the structure brilliantly.

It’s unmistakably the Full Moon Pavilion.

Qing rushes forward.

“I’m coming to see you now!”

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