Chapter 248 (1/2)
Chapter 248
The Final Push
Project Beat the Heavens: Day 5, 7:52PM; Apart District, Tiannan City
Zi Yuan had just finished setting up the dining table when the Heir reappeared on the floor in a bright flash
”Dang… That hurt…” The Heir rolled onto his side ”How roan ”I kinda lost count”
”Look up,” Zi Yuan said, pointing her finger at a bunch of nuure looked prorossed in the floating numbers ”Sixty-four” He turned his head to look at Zi Yuan ”Not too shabby, eh?”
Understateo from 0 bolts to 64 bolts in just a few days was ieta seat at the dining table ”But first, you have to eat”
”It s in here,” said the Heir as he cliry, then,” Zi Yuan said, reaching for her rice bowl
The Heir pulled out a chair and sat down ”hell yeah I am”
”So Evaluation time,” Zi Yuan said once she was done with her dinner The Heir was currently devouring his fourth helping ”Tell me all your observations What have you learned?”
Zi Yuan had proposed that they approach the training in a more systematic manner As such, every time a si he had observed and learned during the simulation These post-simulation evaluations werecompletely honest Which hy the evaluations would take place even on the occasions where Zi Yuan herself had been observing the whole simulation prior to its end; and on such occasions, the evaluations would usually involve the two of the their own observations with each other The evaluations had proven highly productive since they had allowed Zi Yuan to come up with several refinements to add on top of the Heir's solution
The Heir lowered his chopsticks and bowl onto the table ”I found that things start to get a little tricky past the 40th bolt”
Zi Yuan studied the Heir's pensive expression, silently waiting for hinificantly larger” The Heir shook his head slightly ”I have to dodge a larger distance to avoid getting hit”
”That's to be expected” Zi Yuan nodded ”Anything else?”
”Yeah, there is” The Heir looked up at her ”The intervals It got really erratic And sometimes, the intervals were super short”
Zi Yuan detected a hint of worry in his eyes ”I see,” she said with a nod ”That does pose a danger” If the interval between two bolts was too short, the Heir would be struck by the next bolt before he had tied the previous one
Zi Yuan glanced at the Heir ”Do you have a solution in mind?”
”I think I do”
”Well?”
”Keepeach bolt”
”Mm” Zi Yuan nodded ”Since the tie two bolts with just one aze ”That could work, but there are a nurihed ”My speed e I'll have to take extra care to prevent that”
Zi Yuan went silent in thought She ht have a solution for that ”You could recruit your own spiritual energy to coht now, he had a speed boost froy, and finally, from his Vital Orb
Admittedly, that was a lot of speed boosts
The Heir was sreat idea, thanks”
Zi Yuan didn't return his smile; there was another problem to address
”You can't keep your body in ave hie two bolts in one ood and all But if you stop too late—”
”Yeah, I know… The ti would be too close to the time the third bolt is sent out, which leads back to the same problem” The Heir paused ”I wouldn't be able to react to the third bolt in time”
”Yes”
”What if” The Heir's eyes narrowed He see ”What if I”
”Yes?”
”What if I' around?” The Heir shot her a hopeful look ”Would that work?”
Zi Yuan's brows rose to her hairline ”Moving around? You hout the entire divine punishment?”
The Heir nodded
”No” Zi Yuan shook her head ”It's i speed”
”Right” The Heir's shoulder's sagged ”Coz I don't have enough juice to do that The only way I canthe Heavenly Thunder's spiritual energy” He let out a groan ”dah”
You think? Zi Yuan suppressed an eye roll It wasn't just tough; it was close to iht balance, right?” said the Heir ”I have to keep e, but not too long”
”Yes”
It sounded easy, but in actuality, it would take nothing short of perfect Qi control to pull it off
”Okay” The Heir sighed tiredly ”I won't lie to you, Zi Yuan I don't feel confident right now”
”Hey” Zi Yuan tapped the table top a few times, and then waited until she had the Heir's attention ”You'll get there, okay? You just need more practice”
The Heir stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded He didn't seem too convinced Zi Yuan cursed inwardly at her lack of ability to inspire and motivate
”What else have you observed?”
Since she was so terrible at giving pep talks, she would resort to distractions Besides, what better way to boost the Heir's ress he'delse” The Heir was frowning ”I didn't notice this before because my eyes were always closed But I opened reen strings?” He looked towards her ”I don't know They looked a bit like smoke, to be honest” The Heir shook his head ”But anyway Those green strings suddenly appeared out of thin air” He paused in thought ”I think they were scattered along the path of the Heavenly Thunder, but I couldn't tell for sure There was just…” The Heir frowned and gestured with his hands ”Like, a lot of theuess,” Zi Yuan said, ”the green strings fleards you and entered your body?” She paused to give him a look ”Like they were drawn to you?”
”Oh” The Heir looked at her in ?”
”No” Zi Yuan pointed at the e dinner, rereen stuff you saw inside the simulation is the result of the Heavenly Thunder's residual spiritual energy being drawn to your Spirit”
Recognition flashed in the Heir's eyes ”I was absorbing the” Zi Yuan folded her forear else, I suppose” The Heir spent a few e now But then things becaht!” He snapped his fingers and grinned at her ”Your levitation idea worked really well! The dodging became so much easier since lad it helped” Zi Yuan sh Would that pose a problem?”
The Heir shook his head ”Haven't encountered any proble until it becolanced over at the jade plate ”Just have to keep practicing”
A companionable silence passed between the threat of the divine punishment After all, they were now less than two days from the one-week mark Zi Yuan couldn't pinpoint the exact time it would come, but she kneould be here sooner rather than later
”I should probably get back to work,” said the Heir, jolting Zi Yuan out of her reverie
The Heir's eyes never left the floating jade plate Zi Yuan followed his gaze and stared at the nu beside the jade plate
Sixty-four down Seventeen o
”Yeah Back to work” Zi Yuan whispered
The nue from 64 to 0
Project Beat the Heavens: Day 7, 8:00AM; Tianyi Pond, Tianyi Cavern, Linggong Sect's Sacred Grounds
Ruan Hongling stood near the edge of Tianyi Pond,at the dozens of lily pads scattered across the pond's surface Before her, the pond lay as still and transparent (at least for regions that weren't obscured by lily pads) as ever Tianyi Pond was by no e; in terms of surface area, it occupied no ain, what it lacked in size it compensated with depth and beauty With thousands of years of history, Tianyi Pond reyi School'ssince been hailed as sacrosanct and inviolable, so much so that only a few people were allowed to even set foot on it Ruan Hongling was proud to be one of the very feho could
Two soft splashes ended Ruan Hongling peaceful admiration of the pond's beauty and relanced down just in ti into the pond water
SPLAsh!+ SPLAsh!+
”Failed” Ruan Hongling released a tired sigh ”Again”
How on earth did Zi Yuan jiějie e to do it anyway? (T/N: jiějie is a Chinese honorific that means ”elder sister”; it is the same jie in the term shījiě) Zi Yuan jiějie had alwaysbut!
Zi Yuan jiějie ling with such an iht add, that she was failing miserably—if the past two days she'd spent holed up in here was anything to go by
Ruan Hongling bit down on her lip and stroke the locket resting against her chest No way she was giving up now She was ready to keep trying even if it killed her The last thing she wanted was to let Zi Yuan jiějie down
Ruan Hongling crouched down beside the pond and positioned the tips of her index fingers above the surface of the pond
It had to be siers had to be in the exact sanitude Simultaneity Uniformity Equality Those were the key co lowered her hand and watched her fingertips dip into the clear pond water A er tips broke the water surface Two concentric ripples spread across the pond surface
Two tiny flower buds rose frohtly and studied the buds, noting their size and color
Disappoint's veins when she saw that the bud on the left was slightly larger than the one on the right
Si had failed
The good neas that the two buds had the same shape and color, which was a vast improveling shuddered at the memory of those attempts, which had produced malformed lotuses and distorted buds
The two buds continue to grow until their respective lotuses plopped back into the water
Right Tiain Ti repeated the task ten ht Two pink, perfectly shaped, and evenly sized buds eed froling removed the necklace froht hand Two balls of light (one blue, one red) swirled above Ruan Hongling's palht hand left the locket's surface
Ruan Hongling grinned Now for the easy part
Ruan Hongling raised her right palht were level with her lips Then, she blew gently on the two balls of light, causing the flower buds
The balls of lights then ed with the flower buds, which i flowers
Ruan Hongling sighed and rose to her feet, satisfied with her work Even though it had taken her two days and one night
Whatever It was the final results that counted
With a silly grin plastered on her face, Ruan Hongling turned around and walked away from the pond On her way towards Tianyi Cavern's exit, she entertained herself by studying the s of faces Not just any faces Those faces belonged to the previous grand really liked that wall; it relorious days Every tiet, at least te Sect was in Not that it was Zi Yuan jiějie's fault that the Linggong Sect turned out like this The truth was that the Linggong Sect had lost a lot of influence ever since Master and Yan-shi+bo were gone
Ruan Hongling stopped in front of the wall and then turned around
The as located near the cavern's exit, so she could see pretty much the whole cavern from where she stood
Tianyi Cavern Fa's favorite places in the world
”hello?!!” The boisterous voice of a woman shattered the quietude ”Hey, hey, hey!!! Anybody ho Sect still alive?!!”
Maybe not so serene after all
Scowling, Ruan Hongling marched out of the cavern Who could that be? It had been forever since anybody had visited the Linggong Sect And so rude! How dare they kick up a fuss here? This was a respected Cultivation sect, not a playground for a bunch of uncivilized barbarians
The grounds outside the cavern were deserted when Ruan Hongling walked out, which meant that the voice had to have coht There were three of the in the front hall, each immaculately dressed in pristine Daopaos
All three of the side by side The one on the left—a short and plu afound herself taking an instant dislike to the portly littlethe wrong way
The visitor on the right was a beautiful wo immediately inferred that she was the one who had shouted earlier It wasn't that big of a deductive leap considering that the wo the three visitors The voice she had heard just noassas attached to the woman's back There was a fly whisk in her hand as well A Taoist priestess, Ruan Hongling sur around in their sockets, Ruan Hongling could tell that the wo would have construed the behavior as that of curiosity if the contempt in those eyes wasn't so blatantly obvious
The person in the middle was a handsome man Unlike his two co could tell that the ut told her the ue as Zi Yuan jiějie
Whoever these people were, Ruan Hongling knew that she had to tread carefully Evenstepped away fro behind and reet her visitors
The handsorin as soon as he noticed her approach The next thing she knew, thehis way towards her as well It was then that Ruan Hongling noticed the jade earrings that he earing Yet another sign of high status and prominence
The man folded his hands in front of his chest and tilted his head forward The gesture revealed the various jade rings adorning the ers
Definitely no ordinary Cultivator, this one
”Peace in the Tao,” greeted theSect?”
Ruan Hongling would be lying if she said that she wasn't surprised nobody had ever mistaken her for Zi Yuan jiějie And to be frank, she didn't think she orthy of such coesture ”Who ht you be? And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Ad's social skills required some refinement She realized that she hadn't told theSect
”Are you blind?” the wo lanced at the wo her eyes to the ling had decided to ignore the rude lady for the rest of the conversation
”This is Zhang Tianhé, the son of the current Head of the Zhengyi School,” the woly loud voice ”Everyone knows him as the Jade Zhenren”
Clearly not everyone, Ruan Hongling added silently
”And you're saying that you've never heard of him?” the woman said ”How absurd”
How conceited
There were probably millions of people who'd never even heard of Grandendary as the ave theZhenren,” she said with a bow ”I apologize for not recognizing you sooner”
Though I feel not a single ounce of re Tianhé sy ”So you are Zi Yuan Zhenren then?”
”My shījiě is away” Ruan Hongling regarded Zhang Zhenren carefully ”Is there anything that I can assist you with? You have a ling tried not to squirm under the Jade Zhenren's intense scrutiny ”YouZhenren s Zhenren?”
”Indeed, I a in Zi Yuan jiějie's shadow, but this was starting to feel a bit botherso that I can help you with, Zhang Zhenren?” Ruan Hongling repeated her question
”Ah, right Here's the thing” Zhang Zhenren shared a few glances with his coth”
It took Ruan Hongling everything to th?” Ruan Hongling frowned slightly ”Is there Is there an ongoing battle?”
”Indeed” Zhang Zhenren sht be unaware of this, but there will be—”
”I don't see why you're wasting your breath on these people, shīdì,” the woman interrupted rudely ”Just look at this place It looks like it's been abandoned for years! There are probably cobwebs hanging fro released a feral growl ”Hey! Watch your—”
”Their strength has most likely weakened considerably if they couldn't even keep their halls clean,” the wo the a burden for all we know”
”I coree!” the pluer rose inside Ruan Hongling
”Watch your foulsnapped ”How dare you insult my shījiě like that?!”
A s wanted to wipe that s look off the foul woman's face and then shove it down her equally foul throat
”Oh? Are you saying that I' bristled ”You…”
”Where is your precious shījiě now? Hiding away like a coward?”
Soht then and there ”That does it! Let's duel, you and I! We don't even have to wait forto wipe the floor with you right here right now!”
”Have it your way, then!” The woman drew her sword fros like you!”
”Hey, hey, hey” Zhang Zhenren stepped between Ruan Hongling and the woyi School Allies shouldn't fight a Zhenren turned around to face the obnoxious wos difficult My father will have our heads if we stir up trouble here”
Anger flashed inside Zou Ping's eyes ”That weakling challengedher sword in a doard arc
”Who are you calling a weakling?!” Ruan Hongling growled, fully prepared to su's ar shījiě Please drop this, okay? Do it for ling struggled to keep her rage in check Cal Calm down Zi Yuan jiějie wouldn't want this Just breathe Just breathe
A lare
”This isn't over,” Zou Ping growled, resheathing her sword
”Thank you, shījiě,” Zhang Zhenren said, then turned back around to face Ruan Hongling ”Now As I was saying, a joint assault is about to take place and ould like you and Zi Yuan Zhenren to be part of it”
Ruan Hongling's stohtened A joint assault? This was her first ti Sect anything anymore
”Pardonher tone even
”Indeed,” Zhang Zhenren said ”A pact has been reached between the members of the Great Six to destroy the Fox Zen School once and for all”
Ruan Hongling's blood ran cold ”The Fox Zen School?”
Zhang Zhenren nodded and gave her a look of sympathy ”It's the last place your shi+bo had visited before she went o, isn't it not?”
Stunned by the news, Ruan Hongling could only nod
”My deepest condolences to you and your shījiě,” Zhang Zhenren said ”I reatly saddened by the news”
”I- I thank you,” Ruan Hongling sta us?”
Panic rose inside Ruan Hongling What the heck was she supposed to do here?
Contact Zi Yuan jiějie She'll knohat to do
After all, Zi Yuan jiějie herself had told Ruan Hongling to contact her theSect received any word from the other sects Had Zi Yuan jiějie anticipated that someone would reach out to theht this instant and let her knohat happened
Ugh! Grow up, Hongling!
What was she, a ten-year-old? Why did she always have to rely on Zi Yuan jiějie to handle everything? Zi Yuan jiějie had enough on her plate already, especially with the Heir's incoht not like the Heir, but she didn't want hiht now, so she should just suck it up and handle this herself
”Hongling Zhenren?”
Ruan Hongling snapped out of her tu Zhenren's question unanswered She cleared her throat ”Yes I would like to join you”
”And what about Zi Yuan Zhenren?”
”Shījiě is currently in training and has specifically asked not to be disturbed until her training is fully co Zhenren drawled
”Might I suggest that I join you first?” Ruan Hongling stood fir shījiě up to speed when she join us later on”
This was the best way to handle this, Ruan Hongling was sure of it She would go along with these people and then find out as really going on She would gather all the facts first and then report everything to Zi Yuan jiějie
”H Zhenren said, then paused for a moment ”But do you”The schedule is rather tight, I'ling said politely ”But where are we going?” Last tione Had the school been relocated? Did these people knohere its new location?
”There will be aZhenren said with a pause ”All members of the Great Six who are part of the assault will asse Zhenren smiled ”It would be best if we leave noant tosquared her shoulders and gave the man a nod ”Please lead the way”
Translator End Notes:
An astute reader (taratect) has recently suggested the use of Mandarin intonations for the honorific terms that I introduced at the end of Chapter 209: Civil War I personally think that it is a great idea Ergo, I will include an update here on all those honorific teruys an instructional video where a gorgeous, English-speaking (she speaks English really well) lady teaches you the nuances of Mandarin intonations
Here is the link to the video - youtubecom/watch?v=3wV8B4bx1lM
Now, let's talk about one of the most important tools in a mathematician's arsenal—notation But before that, here's a crash course on Mandarin intonation There are four tones in pretty much all of Mandarin pronunciations The first, second, third, and fourth tone These tones are denoted in the pinyin of Chinese words by including accents on top of vowels For example, for the vowel ”a”: ā (first), á(second), ǎ (third), à (fourth)
Okay That's pretty it for the notations To learn the right way to pronounce the's fantastic video lesson
Let's put all that information into our honorifics:
前辈 / Qiánbèi
Senpai's equivalent In terms of semantics, it basically means ”senior”
2) 后辈 / Hòubèi
Kouhai's equivalent Se
A fellow male student under the same master This honorific can only be used if thatthat they became the master's disciple before you did
4) 师弟/Shīdì
A fellow male student under the same master This honorific can only be used if thatthat they became the master's disciple after you did
5) 师姐/ Shījiě
A fellow female student under the same master This honorific can only be used if that fe that they became the master's disciple before you did
6) 师妹/ Shīmèi
A fellow female student under the same master This honorific can only be used if that fe that they became the master's disciple after you did
7) 师伯/ Shībó
Yourthat he also has his own , or Shījiě shi+bo is basically your /Shījiě
8) 师叔/ Shīshū
Your master's Shīdì/Shīht see these notations popping up in the future chapters too They will be used to refer to distinguish Mandarin pronunciations frolish ones For exalish, we ht pronounce di as die
Also, some syllables do not have tonal accents, such as in the case of jiějie (elder sister) Note that there isn't a tonal accent in the second syllable The reason for that is because the second jie in jiějie is pronounced softly In Mandarin, we call thee shout-out to Miss Cheng Yangyang for the fantastic video And thank you again, taratect for your brilliant suggestion
Have a pleasant day
Best,
Anthony
The Final Push
Project Beat the Heavens: Day 7, 6:30PM; Apart District, Tiannan City
White light filled the interior of the apartment A second later, the Heir flew out from the jade plate and crash-landed on the floor Zi Yuan's eyes auto beside the jade plate 79 Two o Just two more
Zi Yuan was up fro swiftly towards the Heir The pooron the floor He looked completely exhausted No He wasn't just exhausted; he was barely conscious
Zi Yuan felt a sharp tug inside her chest as stared down at the Heir's crumpled for so hard for the past two days, doing everything in his power to survive And now, it see a toll on his body
The Heir's eyes opened slowly ”O” He tried to sit up, but then gave up after several failed attempts ”That hurt”
Another wave of sympathy crept into Zi Yuan Of course it hurt Of course Even the first bolt had caused hiony at the start of the drill Now, he had just been struck down by the 80th bolt, the power of which was a far cry fro to think that this was only a si
Zi Yuan crouched down and yanked him up by his arm The Heir complied and stood up on wobbly feet The fact that he was still heaving and panting was not a good sign at all
He needs rest…
Thankfully, the Heir didn't resist her when she dragged hi table and sat hilass of water on the table
The Heir reached for the glass and elass
”Up,” Zi Yuan ordered once he was done