Chapter 76-80 (1/2)
Chapter 76 – h.e.l.lo, I am Called Erlang Shen
In the depths of night, everything was silent as Ji Fengyan finally finished after a great deal of effort. Wiping away the beads of sweat from her forehead, she looked at the large and majestic figure standing in front of her, lips curled in a satisfied smile.
Standing in front of Ji Fengyan was a large man around eight feet tall. However, his body was covered in wood grains, his mouth formed from only a single line, and those eyes of his were dark without light.
As long as one wasn't an idiot it would have been very easy to tell that the handsome man standing there was essentially a human figure carved from wood. The difference between this human figure and other human figures was that this man's forehead had a vertical pupil on it, looking quite bizarre.
That tall human figure just stood in place without moving. Rubbing her chin, Ji Fengyan looked at the wound on her finger which had already scabbed over and frowned.
After looking around and making sure that n.o.body was in the area, she took her carving knife and gently slashed open her wrist.
As blood oozed out, Ji Fengyan quickly stretched out her b.l.o.o.d.y hand and placed it in the little hole carved out on the man's chest.
Drop after drop of blood dripped out, sinking into the place where that human figure's heart should have been. Gradually, that figure's darkened eyes began to s.h.i.+ne with a bright light.
Ji Fengyan's face became slightly pale. Seeing that everything was just about ready, she retrieved her hand and once again covered up the hole on that human figure's chest. Nimbly wrapping up the wound on her wrist with a bandage, Ji Fengyan quickly popped a Blood Replenishment Pill into her mouth.
”Old fellow, this Young Master hasn't broken the rules that you laid down. Using my own blood doesn't count,” Ji Fengyan whispered. When she once again raised her gaze, they clashed with a pair of bright and deep eyes. As her lips twitched into a smile, that human figure instantly knelt down, the armour on his body that Ji Fengyan got from an unknown location making a clanging sound with his movement.
”I greet my master,” a hoa.r.s.e and stiff voice reverberated out from the human figure. However, his mouth didn't move at all and the voice just naturally came out.
She grinned as she looked at the human figure in front of her, examining it for a rather lengthy period of time. ”Still okay. Thankfully this Ji City has enough spiritual energy to the point where even rotten wood also has quite a bit of spirit energy. This body of yours should probably be usable for the time.”
It was unknown whether she was speaking to herself or to that human figure.
The human figure didn't move or speak at all as it continued to kneel.
Ji Fengyan's eyes continued a slither of a deep smile. As her haze landed on that vertical pupil on that human figure's forehead, she grinned. ”In the future, you'll be called Yang Jian. Understood?”
”Yes.” The human figure, Yang Jian, said.
Ji Fengyan's smile became even more radiant.
Yang Jian. t.i.tled Pure Monarch Erlang, also called Erlang Shen. With an additional pupil on his forehead, he was capable of overpowering all demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters. Wielding the Triple-Bladed Double-Edged Lance and mounted on the divine hound, Howling Heaven, he was one of the most famous amongst the divine immortals.
If this was the twenty-fourth century, then it was very likely that almost everybody would have known what this name signified.
However in this world, there was no divine immortal existence like Yang Jian. Therefore, Ji Fengyan could completely play with his name as much as she wanted to.
”I have Yang Jian now and still require the Triple-Bladed Double-Edged Lance. Even better would be to find a Howling Heaven Hound.” Ji Fengyan swept her gaze over the firewood room. The Triple-Bladed Double-Edged Lance wasn't difficult; all she had to do was draw a blueprint and find a blacksmith to forge it, but the Howling Heaven Hound…
Translator’s Note
Yang Jian(杨戬) or Erlang Shen(二郎神), as he is commonly referred to, is a rather famous warrior deity in Chinese mythology. While I won’t go into to much details about it as there are several interpretations of the legends surrounding him, most of which can be researched online if anyone is interested, there are a few things I need to say about my translations of him, his mount, and his weapon.
Honestly, in my opinion, Erlang Shen sounds pretty awkward since its more like a t.i.tle than a name, but because that’s how he’s usually called in popular culture, I’ll stick with it.
About the Howling Heaven Hound(哮天犬) though, I’ve seen it translated as the Howling Celestial Dog, the Heavenly Roar Dog, etc. In the end, all of it doesn’t really quite fit in my opinion. Although they aren’t wrong, the implications of it just seems off to me. The Howling Celestial Dog one sounded as if it was a “celestial dog howling”, while the Heavenly Roar Dog sounded as if it was a “dog that had supernatural powers of causing the heavens to roar”; it seems pretty G.o.dly and all, but it just doesn’t match with that fierce and ferocious impression that Yang Jian’s mount gives. Therefore, after thinking about it, I chose Howling Heaven Hound as in its a “dog trying to howl or roar in defiance at the heavens”, and used “hound” instead of “dog” since it sounds a lot more ferocious.
As for the Triple-Bladed Double-Edged Lance, that’s a little bit simpler but also rather weird. Ye Bei used 三尖两刃刀 in the raws, however that would literally translate to Triple-Pointed Double-Edged Blade, which would sound like a pretty exotic weapon if it could actually be made at all in a combat-efficient state. Instead, in both the novel and the other research sources I used, Yang Jian’s weapon is described as a hybrid between a trident and a spear, so I’m using “lance” rather than “blade” in the translation. I also chose lance instead of spear because lances sound heavier than spears and are often a.s.sociated with mounted combat.
Chapter 77 – You'll Be the Howling Heaven Hound!
Ji Fengyan really wasn't that good at carving animals. What's more, all of the usable wood had already been used to build Yang Jian. If she wanted to carve a Howling Heaven Hound…
Tomorrow, Ji Fengyan planned on bringing Yang Jian to the mountains outside of Ji City to chop two logs of wood to bring back!
As she was thinking about which location that she went to today had the most suitable wood, the door to the firewood room was suddenly pushed open.
Unconsciously turning her head around, Ji Fengyan saw young friend Liu Huo who had disappeared for more then half the day standing in front of the door, his hands carrying a large sack.
That sack was still wriggling…
”Hey, the little kid who ran away from home finally knows to come back?” Ji Fengyan grinned as she ridiculed Liu Huo.
Liu Huo ignored Ji Fengyan's sarcasm, his gaze directly looking towards Yang Jian who was kneeling in front of her. Lightly furrowing his brows, his expression was a bit weird as he saw Yang Jian just kneeling there without movement.
Perceiving Liu Huo's gaze, Ji Fengyan smiled.
”Don't be nervous. This is Yang Jian who'll be a part of our family in the future,” she said, patting Yang Jian's shoulder.
Liu Huo twisted his lips.
Did she think that he couldn't tell that this ”Yang Jian” was a wooden carving?
Towards Ji Fengyan's bizarre behaviour, Liu Huo could only choose to ignore it. He placed the large sack that he brought back in front of her.
”For you.”
”For me?” Ji Fengyan slightly raised her brows. Seeing Liu Huo's expressionless face, she opened that sack on one hand and laughed on the other. ”Little Liu Huo, did you go out to prepare a present for me today? I really am moved…”
Before she could finish speaking, that sack had already been opened by her. Immediately, a dark figure leapt out.
With a swish sound, it immediately dashed to a corner in the firewood room.
Ji Fengyan was astonished as she looked at that black creature standing alertly in the corner.
It was a half-grown dog-like creature with l.u.s.trous black fur, those blue eyes seeming entrancingly radiant. At this moment, its vertical pupils were full of alertness and nervousness, the fur on its back standing on edge.
”That mount of yours can't be use, this…” Liu Huo looked at Ji Fengyan and had just began to speak.
”Howling Heaven!” She shouted.
”What?” Liu Huo became confused.
”Ahaha, it's you! You'll be the Howling Heaven Hound!” Ji Fengyan's eyes gleamed as she stared at that dog-like creature who had its fur puffed up. Without any hesitation, she directly gave it the Howling Heaven Hound name.
”Wait a second, it isn't a dog…” Liu Huo furrowed his brows. Just as he was preparing to explain, he suddenly… fell into a warm embrace.
Ji Fengyan hugged Liu Huo. Due to the fact that both of their heights were similar, the scene of both of them hugging really was quite delicate.
”Liu Huo, I really am too thankful towards you”
That little black puppy really satisfied the impression that she had towards the Howling Heaven Hound. Now, she completely had no need to go out and chop wood to carve one!
It simply couldn't be better!
Liu Huo felt a buzzing sound in his head as he was suddenly hugged by Ji Fengyan, the words that he had wanted to say a moment ago immediately forgotten. Stunned for quite a while, Liu Huo finally came back to reality. Clearly a bit fl.u.s.tered, he pushed her away as a suspicious redness appeared on his perfect little face.
Not waiting for Ji Fengyan to say anything, Liu Huo quickly turned around and fled out of her sight without leaving a single trace, abandoning Ji Fengyan and the ”Howling Heaven Hound” to stare at each other in the firewood room.
Chapter 78 – Dark Night Devil Wolf
Ji Fengyan couldn't resist from laughing out loud as she watched Liu Huo flee in panic.
Fine, she had to admit that she really was a bit too evil, but Liu Huo's reaction was just too interesting. She really couldn't resist at that time.
Turning her thoughts back, Ji Fengyan looked over at the ”Howling Heaven Hound” who had curled up into the corner and puffed up its fur. Smiling cheerfully as she walked over, she plucked out a dark red medicinal pill from the Spatial Soul Jade that released an intoxicating scent. When the originally anxious Howling Heaven Hound smelled it, those blue eyes slightly shone as it unconsciously wanted to step forward but once retreated in alert.
”Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you. If you're obedient, I guarantee that you'll be treated much better then you were in the wild,” Ji Fengyan patiently cajoled.
The Howling Heaven Hound vigilantly watched her. When its eyes drifted to that medicinal pill, it was unable to hide its yearning…
What happened that night, n.o.body knows. However, early the next morning when Ling He walked over to the firewood room from the back courtyard, he was completely dumbfounded. The tall and majestic Yang Jian stood outside the firewood room, a half-size dog-like creature lying next to him. It really did scare Ling He by quite a bit.