First Immortal of the Sword

The Goldstone Pavilion.

After selling off the treasures she’d brought with her, Cha Jin was just about to leave when the elegant and mature Hua Yan asked, “Miss, might I be so bold as to enquire your young lord’s honorable name?”

“I’m afraid I cannot comment.” Cha Jin bluntly refused, then turned and left without another word.

Meeting the little fox, Zheng Muyao, that morning had put her on high alert. Hearing the beautiful proprietor of the Goldstone Pavilion ask about Su Yi too only made her feel worse.

She certainly hadn’t forgotten: it was just yesterday that Hua Yan, “Flowery Beauty”, told Su Yi that she had a younger sister called “Qiao Yu”, or “sweet words”..... She sounded flirtatious when she said it, too.

Hua Yan was stunned. Did I somehow offend this stunning servant girl?

She shook her head. Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll find out his name sooner or later.

Three of the third prince’s Grandmaster-level refiners had perished in the wilderness beyond the city, and there was no doubt that the youth in blue was involved somehow.

This naturally piqued Hua Yan’s interest.

……

Mount Autumnleaf.

The mountain was vast and beautiful, with winding peaks, mighty waterfalls, and flowing streams. The rock formations were craggy and ancient, and the vegetation was lush and green.

This was the home of Heaven’s Origin Academy.

The foot of the mountain.

Su Yi glanced and saw swathes of cloud enshrouding the entire mountain in mist. It was beautiful, but more than that, it filled the entire area with dense wisps of spirituality.

There’s got to be a spirit vein underground. Su Yi made this judgment on the spot.

“Follow me, Uncle Su.” Zheng Muyao led the way ahead, up a set of bluestone stairs built into the mountainside.

Su Yi put his hands behind his back and followed her, while Uncle Liao remained behind to look after the carriage.

The mountains were clear, crisp, and shrouded in mist. There were cliffs on all sides, upon which grew all manner of strange vegetation. From time to time, flocks of cranes flew overhead. This was like a pure land, a place distinctly separate from the outside world.

On their way, they frequently saw young men and women. The men were handsome, the girls beautiful, and all of them were lavishly dressed. They were young, and as they talked and laughed amongst themselves, they emanated youthful vigor.

However, when they saw Zheng Muyao, most of them showed signs of dread. A few were bold enough to approach and greet her, but their expressions were fearful and awed too.

As they walked, Zheng Muyao seemed reserved. Her black dress swayed as she moved, and from time to time, she glanced at Su Yi.

Unless he was blind, he should have realized by now that she was extremely well-known in Heaven’s Origin Academy.

But soon, Zheng Muyao was disappointed.

It seemed Su Yi didn’t notice in the least, or rather, that he wasn’t paying attention. He still hadn’t realized how much everyone they encountered held her in awe….

As a result, the pride and satisfaction that welled up in her heart earlier soon disappeared without a trace.

“Who is that guy? What’s he doing with the Zheng Family’s ‘little witch’?”

“Shhh! Not so loud! Last time, a few people talked about her behind her back, saying they didn’t know who in Heaven’s Origin Academy could subdue Zheng Muyao. In the end, all three of them were dangled from trees, and they each got thirty lashes, which left their backs completely mangled and their reputations in shambles.

“Of our Heaven’s Origin Academy’s Four Great Beauties, Zheng Muyao is the quirkiest, as well as the most arrogant and intractable. Who knows how many men have suffered at her hands? But even so, quite a few people laud her as a goddess. They’re infatuated; they worship her to the extreme! It really is strange.”

“She’s such a spicy beauty, and she’s the precious daughter of the Zheng Family to boot. Who wouldn’t want to claim her for themselves? You know what they say: if you die beneath a peony, you’ll be happy even as a ghost.”

“But who is that blue-robed youth she has with her? It seems he isn’t the least bit scared of her….”

……

Throughout their journey, the sight of Su Yi and Zheng Muyao walking side-by-side attracted enormous amounts of attention and provoked numerous hushed whispers and much controversy.

They stopped about halfway up the mountain. Off in the distance, they saw one raised pavilion after another mired in mist, built close together. There were so many that there was no end in sight.

“Uncle Su, Heaven’s Origin Academy has seventy-two palaces, thirty-six courts, and one hundred and eight guest lodges, plus numerous cultivation grounds. One day won’t be enough to see it all,” said Zheng Muyao crisply. “So can you tell me who you’re looking for? I’ll take you straight there.”

Su Yi immediately gave her a name. “Wei Zhengyang.”

Mu Zhengyao was stunned, and a bit confused too.

Heaven’s Origin Academy had over a thousand outer sect disciples, plus at least three hundred inner-sect disciples.

Zheng Muyao knew everyone of note, as well as those from notable backgrounds, but their ranks didn’t include anyone called “Wei Zhengyang.”

Zheng Muyao thought for a moment, then beckoned over a youth in silver robes. “Hey, you! Come here.”

The young man went rigid, then pointed at his nose. “Me?”

“That’s right. You.”

The young man in silver hurried over, then clasped his fists nervously. “Senior Apprentice Sister Zheng, how can I help you?”

“Do you know Wei Zhengyang?”

“Of course I do,” the youth explained at top speeds. “He only enrolled about a month ago. He’s an outer sect disciple, and he’s currently cultivating in the North Martial Courtyard.”

“No wonder I don’t know him. So, it’s only been a month since he enrolled….” Zheng Muyao muttered, then waved. “That’s all I wanted to ask.”

The youth in silver instantly felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders, and he hurried off.

“Let’s go to the North Martial Courtyard,” said Su Yi.

Zheng Muyao instantly got her wanton pride back under control, then smiled sweetly. “Mmhm.”

…..

The North Martial Courtyard.

Whap!

A fiery, ruthless slap struck Wei Zhengyang right in the face. He knelt on the ground, blood pouring from his mouth and nose, his face red and swollen. He didn’t even dare wipe the blood off; all he could do was let his resentment build up in his heart.

“I’ll say it one last time: in three days, if you don’t give me one hundred spirit stones, I’ll beat you every time I see you,” said a youth in ornate robes, pointing right at Wei Zhengyang’s nose. “Did you hear me?”

Wei Zhengyang lowered his head and said in a quavering voice, “Senior Apprentice Brother, I really can’t produce that kind of wealth. I asked my family for more spirit stones, but I already gave them all to you just a few days ago. I….”

Whap!

The youth in ornate robes slapped him right across the face and said coldly, “I said, ‘Did you hear me?’”

Off to the sides, the onlookers burst into uncontrollable cold laughter.

“I… I heard you loud and clear….” Wei Zhengyang silently clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth, but he dared not argue any further.

“Feh! Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror? How dare you compete with Senior Apprentice Brother Xiang over a woman! You deserved this beating.” The youth in ornate robes spat on Wei Zhengyang, then turned and led the group away.

But Wei Zhengyang just knelt there, incomparably desolate.

Su Yi watched this play out from a distance. He couldn’t help but shake his head.

He thought back to when Wen Lingzhao left home the very day of their marriage, only to return a year later with Wei Zhengyang. At the time, Wei Zhengyang had been full of spirit, and he enjoyed a warm welcome from the entire Wen Family.

Su Yi still vividly remembered what Wei Zhengyang had said: he wanted to help Wen Lingzhao annul her marriage. He’d even pointed and shouted at Su Yi, brazenly saying that if Su Yi couldn’t manage to feed himself, he didn’t mind taking him on as a servant….

How proud and domineering was Wei Zhengyang back then?

But time had changed everything. It hadn’t been long since they last met, but look at him now!

Forced to kneel, slapped yet too scared to fight back. He was like a pathetic little worm, just laying there as others trampled and humiliated him at their leisure.

His situation was far, far inferior to Wen Lingzhao’s.

Su Yi had originally planned to use this trip to Heaven’s Origin Academy to deal with the man intending to make him wear a green hat. Now, it seemed there was already no need for that at all.

“Hey! Stop where you are!” shouted Zheng Muyao, calling the group pummeling Wei Zhengyang to a halt.

“Se-... Senior Apprentice Sister Zheng?”

The youth in ornate robes jumped, then hurriedly plastered a toadyish grin across his face and walked up to greet her.

The others’ expressions shifted dramatically too. All of them hurriedly drew near, looking unsettled. All of them were well aware of how terrifying Heaven’s Origin Academy’s infamous Little Witch was.

“What did Wei Zhengyang do to make you bully him like that?” asked Zheng Muyao.

“This…” The youth in ornate robes shook; he assumed that she was here to help Wei Zhengyang out in the name of righteousness.

“Out with it,” said Zheng Muyao impatiently.

The youth dared not keep it a secret, so he steeled himself and said, “Ever since entering Heaven’s Origin Academy, this guy has brazenly attempted to approach Senior Apprentice Sister Wen Lingzhao, and the moment he sees an opportunity, he refuses to leave her alone. This has made Senior Apprentice Brother Xiang very displeased, so he sent us to teach this guy a lesson.”

Zheng Muyao’s brow furrowed, and she glanced at Su Yi.

He waved them away. “You can leave.”

But the youths looked at Zheng Muyao instead. They didn’t recognize Su Yi, so unless the Little Witch gave the word, they dared not leave.

“He said you can leave. Didn’t you hear him?” said Zheng Muyao irritably.

The youths reacted as if they’d obtained an imperial pardon. All of them scampered off.

“You…. Are you Su Yi?” Not far away, the kneeling Wei Zhengyang noticed Zheng Muyao, as well as the blue-robed youth beside her. Despite himself, he was stunned; he almost dared not believe his eyes.

“Take me to see Wen Lingzhao,” said Su Yi, his expression indifferent. He turned and left.

Zheng Muyao was stunned. You were looking for Wei Zhengyang, and we found him! So why do you want to leave so soon already?

Still, she hurried after Su Yi.

Soon, Wei Zhengyang’s shout echoed from afar, “Su Yi, you’re in no way worthy of Lingzhao. You’re not worthy!”

His voice revealed resentment, bitterness, and indignation, but Su Yi didn’t so much as turn around to look. Inside, he mocked himself.

Small fries like Wei Zhengyang and Li Moyun had long since ceased to live in the same world as Wen Lingzhao; how could they possibly make Su Yi wear a green hat?

If he acted against them now, it’d be like going out of his way to step in dog poop. It wouldn’t just he disgusting; he’d get his feet dirty, too.

“Wen Lingzhao…..”

Zhang Muyao was stunned. Don’t tell me this guy has some kind of special relationship with Wen Lingzhao?

It’s important to note that although it hadn’t been long since Wen Lingzhao enrolled in Heaven’s Origin Academy, of late, she’d become its most dazzling figure, the center of attention.

She was a peerless beauty of her generation, cold and pure as ice, and shockingly talented. Shortly after enrolling, she easily stood out amongst outer sect disciples and left their ranks!

In just two short weeks, Heaven’s Origin Academy elder Zhu Guqing broke precedent and accepted her as a closed-door disciple. Wen Lingzhao had effectively ascended into the heavens in a single night, reaching heights so lofty, others could only gaze upon her from afar!

She’d also gathered a large group of admirers, including no shortage of leading figures of the younger generation.

By now, the name “Wen Lingzhao” had already spread throughout the Imperatorial Province. Countless factions big and small had all heard about the shockingly beautiful and talented disciple who’d recently appeared in Heaven’s Origin Academy.

Even Zheng Muyao had once exclaimed over how rapid Wen Lingzhao’s rise to prominence was. Even she had no choice but to admit that Wen Lingzhao really was incredible. She was an ice queen like an immortal beauty, with abilities worthy of pride.

Hm? Now that I think about it, there’ve been people saying that Wen Lingzhao is already married for a long time, and it seems her husband is called Su Yi too. Except, the man in the rumors has no cultivation, and he’s just a low-status live-in son-in-law….

Zheng Muyao glanced at the nearby Su Yi, her eyes filled with confusion.

Seth's Thoughts

牡丹花下死，做鬼也风流

“If you die beneath a peony, you’ll be happy even as a ghost.”

The “peony” here is a stand-in for beautiful women, so the most basic interpretation of that line is “beautiful women are worth dying for”.

I think the original source was a ghost story? You get a lot of lady ghost x human man romances in old-timey Chinese literature. No, I’m not kidding. It’s a recurring theme in ancient literature. Lonely scholars seemed to like that stuff. Unlike modern supernatural romances, which mostly seem marketed at women, these were written by men, for men. Su Yi’s interest in Qing Wan is actually… not at all unusual, all things considered.

Back on topic, “风流” is a word I generally translate as like… I dunno, “amorous” or something? So you could also maybe interpret the Chinese line as “die for a woman, and you’ll have a great love life even after death”?

That hypothesis is supported by the fact that, when I googled for more information, I got some Chinese/Chinese-related results, but I found a lot more for the Japanese ghost story the original Chinese tale inspired, “a Passional Karma”. You can find a shorter summary here, or I’ll summarize it below:

After some cursory research, it seems the basic plot is that a guy falls in love with a woman, finds out she’s dead, and against his better judgment, decides to just go with it; he can’t resist her. He dies with a radiant smile on his face because he knows he’s going to a blissful love life in the next world, and that he’ll spend all of eternity with his beloved lady ghost.

What do you think? Would YOU go for it?