CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: EAST KING SWORD

It was just a few days ago that I last came, everything in the White Bone Cave remains as before.

As I walked into the cave, I caught sight of the Shi Ji Empress from afar, and all the fearless courage Nezha had earlier seemed to dissipate.

Sticking to the cave walls, I wondered whether I should retreat or advance, and what I should say or speak if I did approach. Yet before I could make any additional moves, it was Shi Ji who spoke first.

Her tone was chilly and full of mockery as she said, "Well, well, aren’t you the bold little monkey, daring to deceive my disciple at the entrance of the cave, but now you’ve lost your spine in front of me?"

"Greetings to the Shi Ji Empress," Nezha bowed respectfully, thinking to himself that one shouldn’t hit a smiling face, especially since he was still a child, so he foolishly grinned and said, "I really have no idea why Cai Yun Daoist brother has a problem with me. If I didn’t fight back, he would have slashed me with his sword, so I had no choice but to bind him."

"The Daoist brother, I understand now; it’s not your fault. Come here, shouting from such a distance is tiring—aren’t you tired? I am."

Nezha thought to himself that he didn’t understand yet what she realized, but obediently took steps towards her, and bowed once again when he came near.

Seeing that Nezha, though a disciple of the Chan Sect, did not lack any junior’s etiquette, Shi Ji couldn’t find a reason to get angry. Moreover, for some reason, she naturally felt close to him, seemingly closer than with her own two disciples. It was as if he had a better affinity with the Dao. Thus she asked, "You just left and came back again, what matter brings you here?"

"Nezha left that day... to the East Sea... Yaksha... Great Witch..."

Nezha related the subsequent events honestly, and before he could play the pity card to seek help, he heard Shi Ji let out three big laughs, saying, "Hahaha, well killed! These few old mud eels, with little power, relying on their duties from the Heavenly Court, now they dare to disregard my Jie Sect."

Seeing this, Nezha was delighted and quickly said, "Only... having killed Li Gen, the Dragon Palace will not rest; Nezha is but a seventeen-year-old child, how can I handle them?"

But Shi Ji was unexpectedly unorthodox. A sentence ago she praised Nezha for doing well, then the next she changed her tone and coldly said, "What has it got to do with me if you can’t handle it? People from Golden Light Cave kill an emissary of the Heavenly Court, and you think you can pin this on me at White Bone Cave? Are you implying that no one in the Jie Sect can handle this?"

Nezha had already experienced Shi Ji’s unpredictability before. He pulled out a small box from his chest. Inside was a bead the size of a lychee he had found with great difficulty in the treasury of the General’s Mansion. It was perfectly round and a dark shade of gold.

He said, "Not only did the empress forgive my disrespectful probing, but you also overlooked my previous actions and taught me Daoist Skills. Nezha is only grateful, without any disrespect. Seeing that there are countless treasures in the empress’s cave, as numerous as the stars, Nezha did not know how else to express his thanks, so I picked the largest pearl from my family’s treasury, hoping you won’t find it too shabby."

Upon hearing this, Shi Ji flicked her right index finger, and the precious bead steadily floated into the palm of her hand. After examining it for a moment and turning her anger into laughter, she said, "You little rascal understand some manners after all. Fine, this isn’t something particularly valuable, but since you are but a child, speak your mind about what you want, don’t be shy and annoying with roundabout talk."

Now that the conversation had reached this point, Nezha also liked Shi Ji’s straightforward nature, so he simply said, "To be honest with the empress, Li Gen was a cultivator in the Golden Core Realm. Nezha could only kill Li Gen with the help of two Magic Treasures. But I’ve been thinking, while Magic Treasures are indeed powerful, if they’re counteracted, then I’m left defenseless, like a sitting duck waiting to be slaughtered. Therefore, I’d like to ask the empress to teach me some other Daoist Skills."

"What, Magic Treasures can be countered, and you think Daoist Skills cannot? Don’t tell me you think that learning just three or five spells, you can single-handedly resist the overwhelming forces of the Dragon Palace’s shrimp soldiers and crab generals?"

Shi Ji’s words were filled with derision. With her cultivation level, she naturally did not fear the Dragon Palace, but she certainly wouldn’t take matters into her own hands.

"Nezha does not understand, please enlighten me, empress."

"Hahahaha, forget about it, you little rascal, it’s better for you to cause a ruckus. Since that’s the case, I will teach you."

Shi Ji chuckled, "If you’re going to fight the Dragon Palace, with the enemy being strong and us being weak, it’s natural to seize the initiative. If you just sit on the shore and wait to die, your defeat is only a matter of time."

Nezha understood this talk, as Mr. Fan had said, waiting to die was a sure path to destruction, but hearing these words from Shi Ji, he understood what she meant.

Nezha said, "Does Your Majesty mean, I need to master a spell that allows one to move through water as if on land?"

Madame Shi Ji replied, "There are countless Daoist skills in the world, and your grandma here doesn’t know them all. However, even without the spell, possessing the corresponding Magic Treasure serves the same purpose. I have a Water-Repelling Pearl here, which I will lend to you for the time being."

With a flick of her sleeve, the Water-Repelling Pearl materialized out of thin air within the stone cave. It was exquisitely small and round, its smooth surface causing ripples to undulate through the air, like fine raindrops entering a clear spring.

Nezha carefully stored it away, his heart overflowing with joy. To exchange a mundane pearl for an Immortal Magical Treasure was a great deal, even if it was only on loan; he was certainly the one who benefited.

Madame Shi Ji did not think much of it. First, because the Water-Repelling Pearl was not particularly precious to her, and second, she was keen to see the chaos unfold between the Dragon Palace and the Chan Sect.

Having attained enlightenment thousands of years ago, she was, in the end, still originally a stubborn rock, hiding away in the mountains to cultivate. She had not developed a particularly cunning mind.

Not wanting to be killed, Nezha naturally sought help from various quarters, but Madame Shi Ji herself was not willing to get too deeply involved, and she couldn’t teach him any Daoist Skills that might lead the Dragon Palace to suspect her involvement.

In her view, since Nezha had killed Li Gen, the Dragon Palace was bound to seek revenge. To seek revenge meant to kill; an endless cycle of killing each other, just as she was accustomed to and relished - the natural order of the world, simple and direct.

She said, "I shall be a Good Samaritan to the end and teach you a set of Swordsmanship, named East King Sword. Although it is a martial art from the mortal world, it has been improved by seniors from the Jie Sect and is not to be underestimated. As you mentioned, if your Magic Treasures are bound and your Primordial Qi is depleted, you can still defend yourself with this swordplay."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, this is precisely what I need."

Ever since Nezha had seen Li Jing practicing martial arts in the front courtyard, he knew that in this Fengshen World, the strength of military generals couldn’t be measured by ordinary standards. If one did not master Martial Arts, facing a true expert would always lead to a disadvantage.

Madame Shi Ji glanced at him and grabbed the Taia Treasure Sword that hung at her side, saying indifferently, "Now watch me!"

Madame Shi Ji danced with the sword, her face as lovely as peach blossoms, the sword like falling snow. Her wide Daoist robe billowed like dark clouds, with flashes of sword light appearing and disappearing within them, like flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. A chilling intent emanated from her moves; although they were two yards apart, Nezha felt as if the sword’s tip was already piercing his skin.

As he observed the secrets of the swordsmanship, he wondered whether to master this form he must also wear a wide Daoist robe to conceal the sword’s momentum, or else the sinister and venomous strength within the technique would be blatantly obvious before he even struck a blow.

Within less than a quarter hour, Madame Shi Ji finished her sword dance and tossed the Taia Treasure Sword to Nezha, speaking dispassionately, "Your turn to show me."

Nezha took the sword technique, pondering over how Madame Shi Ji’s series of sword moves were dense and continuous, impossible to remember all at once. After a moment’s recollection, he braced himself to start practicing. Perhaps it was due to a child’s good memory, or an innate high comprehension, but as he executed one move, the next came naturally to mind. With occasional pauses, Madame Shi Ji’s pointers were enlightening; thus, a complex Swordsmanship became increasingly fluid with practice.

Madame Shi Ji, watching, was also astonished. Although only practicing Swordsmanship, the extent of Nezha’s talent was clearly displayed. Amongst his peers in the Jie Sect, she had seen none who could surpass him.

Not far away, at the mountain’s flank, Bi Yun was also wielding a small sword, fluidly practicing his moves.

Unlike Nezha, Bi Yun had already practiced the East King Sword hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

His comprehension was not as sharp as Cai Yun’s, and he would need ten practices to match one of hers. Seeing Nezha learn Swordsmanship today, his heart was inexplicably shaken, feeling that Nezha’s aptitude surpassed even Cai Yun’s by quite a bit.

However, Bi Yun did not mind. He believed the mortal words he read, which said that even if a bird is slow, it can fly early, and that newcomers can surpass the old. Even if one is not as good as others, it’s fine. If the Swordsmanship is not mastered after ten or a hundred times, then practice a thousand times until it is.

Meanwhile, under Madame Shi Ji’s guidance, Nezha mastered the Swordsmanship after just three rounds.

After giving his thanks, Nezha unintentionally asked, "Your Majesty, why do I feel like there has been a recent drizzle of spring rain inside this mountain belly? There’s added dampness."