He and It Chapter 174: Inquire Here (2)

Chapter 174: Inquire Here (2)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: GaeaTiamat

Meng Xiaotang, being a cultivator and hailing from a prestigious sect, had seen all sorts of strange artifacts and rare spiritual treasures under the guidance of their Master. However, today, looking at the youth who lay in the coffin, unsure whether he was dead or sleeping, it sent a shiver down Meng Xiaotang’s spine. She couldn’t help but exclaim softly, “Oh my!”

It was said that beauty lay in the bones rather than the flesh, and that the eyes were the windows to one’s soul. Though she hadn’t seen him open his eyes yet, she was already deeply disturbed. What would it be like when he did? Logically, upon entering the path of cultivation, one should discard concerns about appearance and focus on spiritual cultivation. However, being young, Meng Xiaotang couldn’t help but indulge in idle thoughts after that one glance.

Sun Yinian, being more experienced, could discern beyond the youth’s appearance. Setting aside his youthful looks, Sun Yinian could tell that the white jade coffin was no ordinary item. Judging from the condition of the stone stele earlier, the tomb had likely been standing for over a thousand years. To maintain a body without decay and a face as pristine as the day of burial for so long…Sun Yinian pondered over a few celestial treasures like Seven-Leaf Sandalwood or Taiye Frigid Ice, which possessed such effects, but no one would use them for a coffin.

What kind of country had been in the Eastern Swamp to use such treasures to house the body of a mere mortal?

As he pondered that, Meng Xiaotang, illuminated by the light of the night pearls embedded at the corners of the coffin, examined the youth and muttered to herself, “Hmm. Actually, his lips aren’t thin and shapely enough. He’s lacking a bit of masculine charm. His cheeks are too gaunt, and lack color, but since he’s a corpse, it’s understandable if he doesn’t look good. Ah, there’s even a beauty mark at the corner of his mouth! Well…that’s not good, having a mole on the face, it’s not good for one’s fortune when it comes to physiognomy…”

As she babbled on, Sun Yinian scrutinized the youth more closely. Suddenly, he noticed a change—a slight movement of the veins in the youth’s neck as they approached.

Had it not been for his long practice of the Eye-Cleansing Technique, even a cultivator like Sun Yinian wouldn’t have noticed the change in the person inside the coffin. He whispered, “Xiao Tang, step back!”

Though puzzled, Meng Xiaotang complied and retreated to stand beside her senior brother. In the next moment, as they stood shoulder to shoulder, the youth suddenly gasped for breath and actually opened his eyes!

Sun Yinian was shocked, and Meng Xiaotang equally astonished. Instead of feeling horror, Meng Xiaotang found that the moment the youth opened his eyes, all the flaws she had laboriously picked out turned into distinctive features that enhanced his beauty. His eyes sparkled like stars, and the beauty mark at the corner of his lips added a touch of charm to his already handsome face.

The youth reached out his arm as he struggled to prop himself up against the coffin wall. He seemed to be fighting to breathe in the spare air. His coughing fit aggravated the wound on his abdomen, which caused him to tremble in pain, a sight that filled the onlookers with unbearable sympathy.

“We must help him, senior brother!” Meng Xiaotang exclaimed anxiously, as she bounced on her tiptoes.

Despite Sun Yinian’s long experience wandering in the mortal realm, which had hardened his heart like iron, he couldn’t help but feel compassion. He moved forward again to help push aside the heavy coffin lid.

As the coffin opened, fresh air rushed in and gave the youth a chance to breathe. He leaned against the edge of the coffin, and instinctively clutched his abdomen, which revealed a strip of skin on his arm.

Sun Yinian glanced over and noticed numerous gruesome scars that resembled animal bites, extended from the back of the youth’s hand all the way up his arm and beyond.

Odd, Sun Yinian pondered. It had been six millennia since the Last Dragon Day. All creatures born in the mortal world possessed physical defects, with partial organs and limbs. Judging by the youth’s wounds, his dantian should have been destroyed by external forces, so exactly where was his physical defect located?

While he contemplated that, Meng Xiaotang cautiously asked, “Are you…are you still alive? Are you okay?”

The youth sat in the coffin, dazed and gasping for air. Meng Xiaotang, usually the favorite in the Artifact Refining Division, was met with indifference. Though she didn’t get a response immediately, she remained patient.

After a while, the youth laboriously turned his head. His gaze lingered on the two of them for a long time before he hoarsely asked, “What year is it?”

Despite his peculiar and ancient accent, his words were still understandable.

“Three hundred and sixteenth year of the Xia Dynasty,” Sun Yinian replied truthfully, as he recalled the mortal realm’s era.

The youth paused, seemingly lost in thought about the Xia Dynasty’s year. Meng Xiaotang, unable to contain herself, jumped in, “You’ve been asleep for who knows how many years, so what’s the point of asking the year now? Why not tell us your name instead? I’m Meng Xiaotang, and this is my senior brother, Sun Yinian. And you? What’s your surname?”

Interrupted by her questions, the youth, unaware that both of them had already read his epitaph, simply answered, “My surname is Liu. I’m Liu Fuguang.”

“Your name sounds nice. So, Brother Fuguang,” Meng Xiaotang said warmly. “How old are you this year, and why were you sleeping in this jade coffin? We thought you were dead.”

Though blunt and straightforward in her speech, there was an underlying innocence in Meng Xiaotang’s tone, like a child who would say whatever came to mind. Liu Fuguang didn’t find it offensive, instead, he smiled gently at Meng Xiaotang. His smile was warm and agreeable,  and left both of them in a daze.

My goodness, thought Meng Xiaotang as she blushed, looking at him, all those titles in the cultivation world like “Master of the Purple Firmament,” “Boundless Sky Inquiry,” “Sword Immortal of the White Snow”…no matter how renowned they are, I’m afraid they can’t compare to his smile alone!

However, Sun Yinian had a more far-sighted perspective. Cultivators seeking immortality and longevity were going against the will of heaven, but the cultivation required to absorb and refine spiritual energy, circulate it through the meridians, and to comprehend the rules…that had to conform to another aspect of the heavenly will. With just one glance, Sun Yinian could assert that Liu Fuguang’s affable demeanor meant he’d reached an almost terrifying level. From that perspective, he was precisely the best example of someone who was “going along with the will of heaven while going against it.” If his dantian were intact and he embarked on the path of cultivation, his future would be exceptionally bright.

“I’ve been asleep for so long that I’ve forgotten how old I am,” Liu Fuguang said softly. He glanced around, recognized the tomb’s decor, then asked, “Where are you from, and how did you end up here?”

Meng Xiaotang chuckled, remembering the jade tablets, and hastily pulled them out, placing them before Liu Fuguang as if presenting a treasure. “We…we climbed down from the mountain! As we passed by, we saw several groups of bandits fighting over this treasure. They looked really fierce, so we killed the last two and let this treasure lead us here. Here, we’re returning it to you!”

He saw Meng Xiaotang’s adorable enthusiasm. The way she spoke of killing seemed as casual as drinking water. Liu Fuguang was secretly surprised as he looked at the jade tablets, holding them in his hand and slowly caressing them.

Unfortunately, times change, and even if relics remain, how many loved ones could one remember?

“Thank you for your trouble, young lady,” Liu Fuguang said warmly. “Seeing that you are a cultivator, how is the world outside now? You’re so young, yet you’ve already established your cultivation base. That’s truly remarkable.”

Meng Xiaotang, feeling both surprised and touched, experienced a strange warmth spreading from her heart, as if Liu Fuguang’s caring praise was more comforting than taking a miraculous elixir. Normally, probing someone’s cultivation base level without permission was considered taboo in the cultivation world. However, when Liu Fuguang accurately guessed her current strength, Meng Xiaotang didn’t feel offended. Instead, she felt a strong urge to cry, remembering all the hardships she had endured on her path to cultivation.

Feeling overwhelmed, Meng Xiaotang quickly grabbed her senior brother’s sleeve, afraid of losing her composure. She couldn’t help but wonder, why did she feel like bursting into tears and seeking comfort in Liu Fuguang’s arms? Was he perhaps her deceased mother? Why did she feel such an intense desire to confide in him?

Sensing his junior sister’s emotional fluctuations, Sun Yinian was also taken aback. However, he couldn’t empathize with her feelings like Meng Xiaotang. Instead, he assumed that Liu Fuguang had malicious intentions, and thought that he was trying to manipulate the young girl with tricks as soon as he woke up from the coffin. Despite some initial favorable impressions, Sun Yinian believed that was all meaningless now. He stepped forward, and his tone turned cold as he warned, “Master Liu, please choose your words carefully. My junior sister is young and naive. As her senior brother, I must protect her.”

His intention in saying that was originally to imply a threat, to warn Liu Fuguang to be cautious, because if he tried any tricks, Sun Yinian wouldn’t hesitate to turn against him.

However, after being in a deep slumber in his coffin for so many years, Liu Fuguang’s mind was still foggy, and many things were difficult for him to grasp immediately. He only took Sun Yinian’s words at face value. Encouragingly, he smiled and said, “Indeed, from what you’ve just said, I can tell how risky it is to venture outside. Seeing the lively nature of this young girl, you must take good care of her, right? Being an elder brother is like being a father, it must be hard on you.”

Sun Yinian’s heart trembled, and he struggled to speak for a moment, as he was left speechless. He had to clear his throat several times before managing to let out a few awkward “ah” and “um” sounds.

To hear such comforting words first hand was like drinking a warm cup of tea on a bitterly cold day, it soothed all the tension and unease in his heart. Even someone as composed as Sun Yinian couldn’t help but blush and involuntarily smile.

I misjudged him!, Sun Yinian thought. Such an extraordinary person naturally has mystical qualities. His behavior is genuine, so how could I slander him with baseless accusations?

When he reflected on that, Sun Yinian felt grateful that Liu Fuguang hadn’t sensed any ill intentions in his words. He cleared his throat and tried to remedy the situation. He said, “Hm. I wonder what Master Liu plans to do next?”

His tone was much softer now, while Meng Xiaotang peeked out from her senior brother’s embrace, and looked at Liu Fuguang timidly.

Liu Fuguang was taken aback, and shook his head. “I don’t know…I…” He touched his wounded abdomen and continued in a low voice, “Look at me like this. With my dantian destroyed, I’m already a complete waste. Wherever I go, I’ll just be a burden. What’s the use of waking up?”

Seeing him lamenting over his fate, Meng Xiaotang couldn’t help but feel a surge of protective instincts. She spoke up, as she clutched her senior brother’s sleeve. “Brother Fuguang, you’re mistaken! Although our abilities may not be outstanding, my master is a Golden Core cultivator, half a step away from Nascent Soul. He dotes on me, you know? Who do you think harmed you like this? I’ll go and ask Master to seek justice for you!”

“Golden Core cultivator, half a step away from Nascent Soul?” Liu Fuguang couldn’t help but be surprised. With such a cultivation base, it would be impossible for the person who harmed him to stand a chance against them.

However, feeling grateful for Meng Xiaotang’s kindness, he didn’t say much. Instead, he smiled and said, “You’re a kind-hearted girl, but it’s been many years. The person who harmed me is probably long gone. It’s useless for anyone to seek revenge for me.”

“Oh, well…” Meng Xiaotang bit her lip, pondered for a moment, then cheerfully suggested, “Then, why don’t you come with us, Brother Fuguang? Actually, we’re disciples of the Artifact Refining Division in the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect of the Twin Grottos. Look at my hand!”

With that, she proudly displayed her prosthetic arm before Liu Fuguang, to showcase its material and flexibility.

Sun Yinian marveled inwardly. His junior sister had always been proud and aloof, reluctant to reveal her vulnerability to anyone outside their close-knit sect. Yet, just after meeting this fallen prince in a tomb, she poured out her heart, and revealed all her secrets.

“I was born without a right hand, but my master took pity on me and gave me this prosthetic arm, which functions just like a real one. Isn’t it almost indistinguishable from the real thing?” Meng Xiaotang enthusiastically explained. “Come with us. After we complete our sect’s mission, I’ll take you to meet Master. I’m sure he can provide you with a supportive artifact, and you’ll surely recover like a normal person!”

Liu Fuguang looked at her prosthetic arm, feeling both astonished and sympathetic. “You were born without a hand? That must have been incredibly difficult. You must have suffered a lot.”

Seeing him looking at her with such eyes and asking such questions, Meng Xiaotang couldn’t hold back any longer. She fought back tears and choked up, as she said, “Yes, I really have suffered a lot. If it weren’t for Master taking me in and giving me a family, I don’t know where I would be now!”

Sun Yinian cleared his throat again, as he blinked at Liu Fuguang and said, “It seems, Master Liu, that the concept of ‘Impure Heart and Heaven’s Defect’ hadn’t emerged in your time.”

Liu Fuguang looked at him and saw a faint silver light shimmering in his eyes. Subconsciously, he exclaimed, “Ah!” Then said with regret, “Your eyes…Are they also…?”

Sun Yinian quickly lowered his head. He had thought that he was already one of the most steadfast individuals among his peers. However, at that moment, his eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears. He suppressed his emotions and shook his head, as he said, “It’s nothing. Let’s not dwell on the past. Master Liu, would you like to accompany us?”

He thought it over for a moment. Liu Fuguang, who had just abruptly awakened, didn’t have much to do. However, Sun Yinian’s earlier words had piqued his interest.

“You mentioned ‘Impure Heart and Heaven’s Defect.’ What does that mean?”

With his curious inquiry, Sun Yinian showed him a somewhat cunning expression. “We’ve been talking for so long inside the tomb. Continuing further would be impolite. It’s not the way to make friends,” he said. “Instead of that, why don’t you follow us out of the tomb, and Xiao Tang and I will tell you about our experiences over these years?”

Liu Fuguang couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He understood that they were trying to find a way to take him with them. Looking at the jade coffin beneath him, he began, “I am grateful to you for saving me, but unfortunately, I am no longer the person I used to be. I have nothing left to offer except for this jade–”

“That’s nothing we need, really!” Meng Xiaotang interrupted, having caught his implication. “We have plenty of treasures in the Twin Grottos. You’ve been sleeping in that jade coffin for so long, it’s like your bed. We don’t need it!”

Liu Fuguang’s original intention was to offer them the coffin as a token of gratitude, despite its ominous implications. However, Meng Xiaotang’s concern for his well-being made him rethink. If they took away his last sentimental possession, he would truly be alone in the world. Thus, he quickly broke off the topic, expressing that he didn’t want it.

Normally, Sun Yinian would have reprimanded Meng Xiaotang for her lack of understanding. As a disciple of the Artifact Refining Division, their main duty was to collect rare materials from all over the world for the sect’s use. However, considering the circumstances, he silently agreed with his junior sister’s decision and pretended not to know about the existence of the large jade coffin.

“Apologies, Master Liu.” he said as he helped Liu Fuguang slowly stand up. As he supported him, Sun Yinian felt like Liu Fuguang was as light as a feather, lighter even than female cultivators who specialized in body techniques.

The three of them walked out of the passage slowly, leaving behind the tomb that had sheltered Liu Fuguang for thousands of years, and the doors closed, enveloping it in silence once more.