Chapter 123

Translator: 
EndlessFantasy Translation 
 Editor: 
EndlessFantasy Translation
Yun Yang was somewhat distressed but he had to settle for only reading and passively receiving the Nine Heavens Dictum’s messages for now. Severely injured, he could not even direct his mystical Qi to send out any orders.
Yun Yang estimated that he needed more than three days to be able to use a tiny amount of mystical Qi without leaving any permanent damage. As for a full recovery, he needed at least half a month more!
This was the result of an encounter with the formidable ability of a top expert.
One did not need to receive the full brunt of the attack to be affected, only the aftermath of one. One would still be fatally wounded if one fell under the targeted area, even if the expert didn’t even manage to locate his prey!
Faced with such a situation, Yun Yang could only sigh at his own inadequacy. As much as he hated to admit it, in such circumstances, he was practically helpless – even thought he was the soul of the Nine Supremes, Supreme Cloud!
To be fair, Yun Yang did blame himself for the outcome of the entire affair; his opponent had simply been too strong. Even if he did not have the identity he possessed now, he would still have been tempted to take a look at the sudden burst of energy the expert had emanated.
As long as he was a person, a martial artist, he would be attracted to that force. What more when he had come with an ulterior motive?

Being in the martial arts world, one really must not have any curiosity. Any hint of curiosity would sink even an experienced martial artist to the abyss of unrecoverable misfortune!

Yun Yang had to forcibly remind himself of this.
However, what comforted him was that the Spectral Path of the Soul, Abyss Trail of Blood had not appeared yet. At least, the elevated aura of bitterness had not yet been discovered.
Perhaps this meant that those people were still alive!
Yun Yang was slightly relieved.
Since he could not do anything, he might as well take a break instead. Recovering his initial state was of utmost importance.

Perhaps it’s only when I’m severely injured that I could be so free in this life…
Yun Yang chuckled without humor.
If so, let’s enjoy this rare moment of ease.

Yun Yang spoke about resting but he had only laid down for a moment before he picked himself up and moved around. He felt that he could freely move around now, able to make simple movements as long as he did not use mystical Qi or his life force.
He moved about and exercised for a while. Just as he wanted to speak, he seemed to have thought of something else and sat down right away to open the messages from the Nine Heavens Dictum, immediately moving on to the last message.

When this subordinate was collecting information, this subordinate has discovered someone fishing at the Thousand Feet Lake but no fish has been caught for days. The man fishing seems to be an expert but his motivations are unknown. This subordinate is not sure if this piece of information is of use…

As Yun Yang continued to read this strange missive, his thoughts began to churn.

Thousand Feet Lake… no fish caught for days and still insisting on fishing… an expert?
Yun Yang’s eyes were shining.
He ignored the fact that he still could not use mystical Qi as he called Lao Mei over and placed his right hand on his shoulder. Cultivating, Lao Mei’s mystical Qi flowed into Yun Yang’s meridians as the latter borrowed this energy to send out an immediate order.

Report in detail about the elder who fishes at the Thousand Feet Lake.

His meridians were already hurting even when it was just a short spurt of use.
Four hours later, the complete set of information, documented in great detail, were sent over.
Yun Yang took two full hours to go through them; his eyes shone brighter than ever the more he read. It was at the end of the message that he grew slightly hesitant.
There was a line that attracted his attention.

This man has a wine gourd that he carries on his back all the time.

Wine gourd?
Yun Yang clenched his jaw and murmured,
Death is still death, no matter who killed me. Let’s do this!

Early morning, the next day, orders were being issued.

Lao Mei, watch over the residence. Serve anyone who visits. If they send medicine, reject courteously but firmly.


Retrieve my well-kept wine. And…
Yun Yang continued to make arrangements as he said,
Come, Old Fang. Get a carriage, let us go fishing to relax.


Fishing to relax?

Both Lao Mei and Fang Mofei were stupefied.
They could not have ever imagined that their young master would have such a whimsical request.
What need was there for high-level cultivators like us to go fishing? We could catch the biggest fish the moment we stick our hands into the water!
Is there any need to trouble ourselves?
If they had seen the Nine Heavens Dictum’s messages, they might have broken down in despair. You ignore the many serious matters of the empire and run amuck the moment you hear people fishing? What about the nation’s guardians, the Nine Supremes? What about the justice of Supreme Cloud?
Yun Yang wore a faint smile.
It was exactly because of these that he wanted to go fishing and relax.
If that person was really an extraordinary expert, he must have his reasons for waiting there for three days.
Otherwise, was it not more convenient to catch fish with mystical Qi?
Back in the day, Supreme Earth’s hobby was to fish and at the Thousand Feet Lake as well.
That time, it had only been him fishing in the entire lake. Sometimes, he could not even get one fish.
Yun Yang was familiar with fishing; he just did not have much interest in it. Why there if you couldn’t get a fish? Isn’t the purpose of fishing to get a fish?
A smile found its way to Yun Yang’s lips just thinking about Supreme Earth.
It was not entirely a misfortune to be injured this time. At least, he had met his brothers once more…
I shall see who this fishing expert is and find out about his purpose fishing there.
A carriage made its way towards the center of Tiantang City and towards the Thousand Feet Lake.
…
The deepest part of Thousand Feet Lake was said to be a thousand feet deep. The water was crystal clear; if it was a clear sunny day, several dozen catties or even a hundred catties worth of fish could be seen swimming freely in the lake.
There was another saying about the Thousand Lake Feet. It could also be interpreted as one of the lake’s unique characteristics. The west and east lakeshore were a thousand feet apart; the west lakeshore was a thousand feet of hell while the east lakeshore was a thousand feet of heaven.
The east was radiant with bursts of color and lively with chirping birds, the fragrance of flora and fauna spread through half the city while the west was dark with dimly lit lanterns, weeds growing into wild bushes.
The situation was not entirely due to geographical differences. It was because there was an unmarked cemetery not too far away from the western lakeshore. No one would be willing to cross such a place.
The south lakeshore was connected to the main street while the north was crowded with rocks and half a cliff further behind.
Supreme Earth would turn into a fisherman at the north lakeshore when he was free, holding onto a fishing rod to fish for up to two days at a time.
He would normally fish alone at the lake.
All the locals knew that the Thousand Feet Lake was too deep. Even with very good luck, one could only find fish about the size of a palm by the shore; one would never be able to catch any sizeable fish here.
Therefore, what was the man fishing there for?
Yun Yang held an open mind – if you really have something up your sleeve, my effort to come here is not a total waste; if you’re only here to spend time, that would be fine as well. I wasn’t lying when I said that I wanted to take a break and fish to relax!
A short while later, Yun Yang and Fang Mofei arrived at the north lakeshore of the Thousand Feet Lake.
Just as Yun Yang got off the carriage, a shocking sight greeted him.
There really was someone fishing at the northern lakeshore. Furthermore, he was occupying the exact same spot Supreme Earth had usually occupied, and was holding the fishing rod in rapt attention to the fish.
The person wore a large cape made of straw and a huge straw hat that covered most of his body; a fishing rod as black as ink was in his hand as he sat still like a stable mountain…
Yun Yang had a sense of déjà vu as if Supreme Earth was smiling at him. For a moment, he thought that time had rewound itself.
This was because the person before his eyes was dressed the same way Supreme Earth would dress when he was fishing.
Was it a coincidence that this person was also occupying the same spot?
The north lakeshore was spacious, there was certainly more than one fishing spot to fish from.
However, Yun Yang made Fang Mofei send him to the centermost area, a fishing spot that sunk in.
It was here that others could only see that someone was fishing but could not see what the person looked like.
At most, they would only catch sight of a shadow.
The person was here as well.
It was not a spacious spot. There was only a big rock protruding on which the person was firmly perched on. A single glance told Yun Yang that the man did not want anyone approaching him.
Whether he was an expert or not, his body language was saying,
Don’t talk to me
– and loudly at that.
Yun Yang knew then that he would be disappointed if he did not take the initiative to talk to the man.
However, was this man that person?
Beside the man was a rock that was exposed, rising up from the water. It was about half a feet wide.
From Fang Mofei’s point of view, it would not make a comfortable seat.

I shall sit here.
Yun Yang pointed with a smile, showing the spot where he would like to rest.
Even though Fang Mofei was troubled, he could only think of a way to make a sitting spot out of nowhere.

I apologize.

Fang Mofei spoke to the man and sprung up to pick a huge boulder and drop it into the water.
Plop!
Water splashed everywhere.
Following the boulder that sank, water bubbles rose as ripples spread out across a rather large area.
The man mumbled something under his breath as if he was scolding someone.
Yun Yang stayed standing quietly with his arms behind his back. Hearing the person’s murmur, he chuckled in his heart. You don’t want anyone to talk to you? I’ll make you talk to me then.

Go on.

Fang Mofei scratched his head and continued moving the rocks.
Plop, plop, plop.
A dozen boulders were dropped into the water continuously; Fang Mofei had actually built a solid platform across the lake.
Naturally, the lake water splashed and splattered, the surface turning murky.
Whether Yun Yang could sit well and fish later was a topic for discussion afterward. The person beside him was definitely unable to fish for now!