Chapter 10#
If You See SnowCh10 - Do We Have a Deal, Little Brother?#
“Jiang Xueya” stood waiting at the end of the path. The person in the restroom took an unusually long time to come out. She glanced in that direction and began walking over. Just then, a dark shadow fell down from above, crashing heavily onto her back. Su Ruhui drove his knee into the back of her neck, and she slammed into the mud with tremendous force.
Having been idle for so long, Su Ruhui’s movements were a bit out of practice. He’d intended to press down on her upper back, but instead landed squarely on the back of her neck. A human’s cervical vertebrae were fragile. The weight of Su Ruhui’s body crashing down could easily have shattered them, yet the person beneath him showed no sign of injury. The upturned eyes rolled around in their sockets like marbles before settling in the direction of Su Ruhui.
She said: “Didi, you took so long to use the restroom.”
This was truly a strange sight to behold, sending tremors through Su Ruhui’s heart. He swiftly bound her arms behind her back and dragged her to the tree.
“Who exactly are you?” Su Ruhui questioned.
“I’m your jiejie, Jiang Xueya.” She said with a grin.
“Stop pretending,” Su Ruhui drew his dagger and traced it between her chest and abdomen. “Don’t push me to get serious. I won’t be kind just because you’re a woman.”
The curvature of her smile remained unchanged, as if she wore a fine mask over her face, giving her full marks in creepiness.
Her answer changed, “Child, you are no match for us. Do not attempt to defy us, much less try to kill us. Your strength is meaningless before us. We have waited for you a long time. Please proceed to the main hall to pay your respects to Jiang Huicang—your father.”
That answer was practically no answer at all. Su Ruhui had no time to argue with her, asking: “Where is the real Jiang Xueya?”
“Jiang Xueya” maintained this smile, not responding.
Ok, refusing to cooperate. Then I can only use torture. Su Ruhui plunged the dagger into her shoulder. Blood gushed from the wound, yet her smile remained unchanged, as if she felt no pain in her shoulder. Su Ruhui realized torture would be useless on her.
If only he had some secret arts that could force her to tell the truth, then he could actually get some words out of this person.
【Reminder: The Jiang estate is enveloped by the “Pure Land” secret arts of the Dongxuan level. All unpermitted secret arts within this area are rendered ineffective.】
Su Ruhui: “…”
Sure enough, these monsters shouldn’t be underestimated. Su Ruhui resorted to knocking her unconscious with a single punch.
Better make a run for it first. Su Ruhui returned to the small building, where Bai Caiping’s puppet was still sitting there. Its exquisite smile was identical to “Jiang Xueya’s,” a look that gave you goosebumps all over. Su Ruhui tore off the skin of her face and pasted it onto his own. He changed into Bai Caiping’s dress and strapped the dagger to his thigh. The disguise was crude; a single glance in the daytime would reveal that something was not quite right. Plus, the skirt was far too short for him, its hem only reaching his calves. Thankfully, it was nightime right now. No one would notice the discrepancy unless they were up close.
He recalled the path he had taken earlier in the day. To exit, he had to pass through two courtyards and a winding corridor. Following the side walkway outward, he stepped through the circular gate. Outside, shadowy figures with indistinct features drifted like ghosts among the shadows of the trees. He quickly turned around and headed down another winding corridor. The red light of the lanterns cast an ominous, blood-red glow on his face. The entire compound was bathed in a deep red light, as if blood was flowing everywhere.
Descending the corridor, he saw a hoard of shadowy figures stirring within the dark rock garden grove ahead. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He turned to run, only to find the corridor already packed with people. They moved without a sound, like ghostly apparitions. His movements had long been detected, and they watched him like he was a mouse trapped in a cage, scuttling around in vain.
Su Ruhui panted heavily, dropped his belongings, and sat his butt on the railing. He waved his hands, “I’m done running. Kill me, skin me, the choice is yours.”
A hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned his head to meet the smiling face of an old man. This smile was so unsettling that Su Ruhui nearly fainted over. He brushed away the hand covered in age spots and forced a dry laugh: “Forgive my bluntness, but your imitations are way too clumsy. How about we just meet each other with no disguises?” With that, he tore off the skin covering his face. Wearing this thing was unbearably stuffy, and he figured these freaks wouldn’t be much better off.
Jiang Huicang shook his head, “Our appearance is far too hideous for you to behold. You would surely be terrified if you saw it. It is best not to remove our masks. Child, stop thinking about trying to escape. Among us is a companion who possesses the secret arts ‘Heaven’s Eye.’ The Jiang residence is under his constant surveillance. No matter where you flee to, he will see you.”
“Jiang Xueya” emerged from behind him, her eyes still crinkling with that familiar smile.
The more you see the more you’ll get used to it. Su Ruhui put on a flippant and carefree grin, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and said: “You should’ve told me sooner, now I’m tired to death. Come on old man, let’s have a nice and friendly chat.”
Jiang Huaicang smiled with narrowed eyes, “Chat? What is there to chat about? You should be begging us to spare your life.”
“Nonono,” Su Ruhui waved his hand, “You guys should be begging me, not the other way around. You people need me.”
“Oh?” Jiang Huaicang put on a fake smile, “You’re so insignificant. What gives you the confidence to say so? Seek our help, we won’t harm you.”
Su Ruhui imitated his fake smile. “I don’t know who you people are, but you infiltrated the Jiang family and replaced its members, which shows great power. Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen, your acting and disguise skills are garbage. When it comes to mimicry, you guys don’t even compare to monkeys. You can’t appear in public like this; you’ll be easily discovered. Sure you guys are strong. Strong enough to annihilate the Jiang family without a sound. But the main reason for your success lies in the element of surprise and your ‘Pure Land’ secret arts suppressing the users’ secret arts. If you fight other secret arts users head-on, I fear the situation would likely shift dramatically. I imagine you must be highly wary of the Kunlun Secret Sect. After all, there are as many masters as clouds there.
Jiang Huaicang maintained his smile.
“So you need someone, a genuine member of the Jiang family who doesn’t need to pretend, someone who’ll work for you.” Su Ruhui stroked his chin, “If I haven’t guessed wrong, you all have chosen me from very early on.”
“Tell us, why would we have chosen you?”
“Those who are not of our kind are bound to harbor different intentions. You guys are unable to fully trust me, so you took control of the Jiang family’s lives. I believe your original plan wasn’t to kill, but to replace. You were very careful in your replacement, even continuing the Jiang family’s eldest young master’s sleeping habits— sleeping with my mom. But I’m afraid my mother discovered your schemes, and perhaps even put up a fierce fight. Thus, you had no choice but to kill her.”
Su Ruhui mortifyingly realized that this was the true meaning of the system’s proclaimed “arduous 300 round battle.” This trash system, never speaking properly and always misleading him.
He continued: “Plus, there should still be a significant number of Jiang family members alive. You can use their lives to blackmail me.”
Jiang Huaicang sighed: “You’re a smart child.”
“But that isn’t the most important reason why you chose me,” Su Ruhui mused, “I truly can’t think of what exactly makes me so special.”
“Becuase you do not have secret arts.” Jiang Huicang told him, “We need someone to infiltrate the Secret Sect and investigate a place inaccessible to ordinary cultivators. As a descendant of the Jiang family, your entry threshold into the Secret Sect is lower than that of commoners. As Sang Chiyu’s wife, you can obtain the complete map of the Secret Sect from him. Note, I said the complete map. A significant portion of the Secret Sect remains uncharted on maps, under the highest level of martial security. Sang Chiyu was once the sect’s head disciple. Only he knows the locations of these areas. Among them lies a place hiding the sect’s deepest secret. To our knowledge, this location is protected by a maze array. The array is mysteriously constructed and we can’t fully grasp it. However, it possesses one peculiar trait: it allows ordinary people to pass through.”
“Deepest secret?”
“Indeed,” Jiang Huicang’s gaze grew profound, “Over thirty years ago, a woman from the Secret Sect stole one of our ultimate weapons and hid it away within their sect. Our tribe has wandered for years, traversing thousands of miles through wind and snow, all for the sake of reclaiming our weapon.”
“Ultimate weapon? What does it look like?” Su Ruhui said, “Draw me a picture.”
Jiang Huaicang smiled mysteriously. “Once you enter the maze array, we will naturally provide you with further instructions.”
It was just finding something, it shouldn’t be too hard. What was worth investigating was the identity of this bunch. Su Ruhui observed these peculiar individuals without betraying any emotion. There was an inexplicable sense of awkwardness about them. This awkwardness was hard to describe, like a dog speaking human language or a human acting like a dog, completely out of place.
They claim to be a tribe opposed to the Secret Sect, which was quite possible. Over the years, the Secret Sect has expanded its territory, eradicating many ancient mountain tribes such as the Old Miao of the Southern Marshes and the Qiang of the Desert Sea, wiping them out completely. Now their lands are cultivated with crops and filled with houses, incorporated into the Forty-Nine Provinces. But to which lineage does this branch belong?
“Do we have a deal, didi?” “Jiang Xueya” asked gently.
“Deal, of course we have a deal.” Su Ruhui agreed refreshingly, “This is a good deed to help others, it’s my moral obligation. Rest assured, I love seeing joyful reunions. If I see a lonely cat and a dog on the road, I’ll make sure they become a pair.”
“Jiang Xueya” tilted her head to look at him. “But we killed your mother, don’t you hate us? I know you people are often two-faced. There are bound to be lies whenever you open your mouths. Perhaps you’re merely biding your time, waiting for the day to turn against us. Tell us the truth, don’t hold back. My secret art is ‘True Speech ‘. You cannot lie before us.”
Su Ruhui blinked innocently, “I really don’t want revenge. I don’t hate you guys at all.”
“Jiang Xueya” and Jiang Huaicang looked at each other.
Jiang Xueya said: “He’s telling the truth. My arts has already been in use.”
Jiang Huaicang sighed with a grin, “What a cold-hearted child.”
Su Ruhui showed a fake smile. These weirdos would never imagine that just as they could replace the Jiang family, others could replace Jiang Quexie. Bai Caiping was no blood relative to him. He may feel regret, but it wouldn’t go as far as hatred.
“Compared to the deceased, I care more about those still alive.” Su Ruhui spoke slowly and deliberately, “How many members of the Jiang family are still alive?”
“Your father, older brother, and older sister are all still alive.”
Having gotten the information he wanted, Su Ruhui nodded readily, “Alright, I’ll take this business deal. You want me to investigate the Kunlun Secret Sect, right? Leave it to me.”
Jiang Huaicang smiled and nodded. “Very good. From this day forward, you are our proxy. Your mission is to uncover the secrets of the Kunlun Secret Sect, every detail they’ve put their heart’s work to conceal, and hand them over to us completely and intact. To erase your concerns, we promise that handing over this secret will pose no threat to you or your family.”
Su Ruhui also solemnly declared: “From this day forward, I shall serve as your proxy. Quexie swears to the Heavens that should I ever betray this oath, may I be struck down by thunder!”
Under the true speech arts, he was naturally unable to lie. The strange people nodded happily.
Su Ruhui was also pleased. It wasn’t Jiang Quexie who lied, but Su Ruhui himself. Of course it didn’t matter.
There was a large disparity in their strengths, and they intended to manipulate him. Jiang Xueya’s life was not in immediate danger, so he agreed to these strange people’s terms for the time being, biding his time until he could rescue Jiang Xueya. But to help them with such a dangerous task, how could he not demand some benefits in return?
Su Ruhui rubbed his hands together and chuckled: “Esteemed seniors, you all know that I’m just a poor little guy without any secret arts. To go alone into the dragon’s pool and tiger’s lair of the Kunlun Secret Sect, I possess nothing but sheer courage. Seniors are each masters of the secrets arts, surely you all could spare me a few talismans drawn with your energy and blood for protection. Might I ask for a few? Preferably ones of ‘True Speech’ and ‘Pure Land’.”
Jiang Huicang agreed. The shadows lurking on the side flickered with golden light between their fingers, blood seeping from their fingertips as they inscribed countless talismans. The talismans drifted toward Su Ruhui, who hurriedly caught them. He casually counted them: five “True Speech” talismans, two “Pure Land” talismans, seven “Shadow Walking,” one “Formless Gate,” one “Divine Concealment” for temporary invisibility, and one “Divine Eye” for seeing through objects, sixteen in total. Secret arts cultivators drew talismans with their vital energy, a process that drained them severely. It would take seven or eight days of rest to recover. These freaks handed over sixteen talismans at once, quite the honest bunch.
Su Ruhui was a scheming fellow who would not stop shearing a sheep until it was bald. He plastered on a beaming smile and added, “Truth be told, I’m a bit strapped for cash lately. As you all know, social obligations among us commoners are quite costly. When the time comes to build connections, expenses are unavoidable. Not to mention I have a frail husband at home who can’t care for himself. So…”
Jiang Huaicang said: “The Jiang residence is originally your home. You may freely take whatever you need from your family’s possessions.”
“Fantastic.” Su Ruhui boldly patted his chest, “Seniors may fully rest assured and leave everything to me! Quexie will tread through water and fire with no hesitation!
Wait a minute. Su Ruhui suddenly remembered something. After their conversation, he could confirm that these monsters truly had no intention of killing Jiang Quexie. The fake Jiang Xueya had infiltrated his room that day merely to observe and monitor him. After all, he was their chosen proxy, and they had no desire to kill him.
Jiang Quexie’s killer is someone else.
His mind was internally heavy with worry, but on the other side, Jiang Xueya handed him a communication compass. “This is a compass specifically for contacting us. The contact seals have already been engraved. We’ve learned that the Secret Sect’s Scout Guard has returned and will be posting recruitment notices across the land. This is your best chance to infiltrate the Secret Sect. Our impersonations are lacking in effective deception. I’ll change to another suitable identity and wait for your arrival inside Kunlun.”
Su Ruhui received the compass and took off content, with bulging pockets. “Jiang Xueya” and Jiang Huaicang watched him disappear around the corner of the wooden corridor. Jiang Huaicang smiled wryly and remarked: “You’ve learned to lie.”
“Yes, my secret arts is not ‘True Speech,’ but ‘Mind Reading.’ When I concentrate, I can read the thoughts of those before me.” “Jiang Xueya” said, “To survive in the human world, lying is the first essential.”
“So can he be trusted?”
“Does it matter whether he can be trusted or not?” What matters is whether he can be useful to us. After all, he is Su Ruhui.” “Jiang Xueya” gazed toward the northern sky. “The Underworld betrayed him, and the Secret Sect imprisoned him. Both are his enemies. The one he truly cares about is Jiang Xueya. As long as he believes she is in our hands, he can be used for our purposes. Request Lord Shentu to search for Jiang Xueya’s whereabouts. We must find her before Su Ruhui does.”
Jiang Huicang nodded in agreement, his peripheral vision catching sight of Su Ruhui’s fallen floral-patterned cloth bundle. Several small spiders were crawling across the fabric. Jiang Huicang brushed them away and ordered someone to return the bundle to Su Ruhui.
TL corner:
Phew a lot of information at once! Here’s a summary of all the types of secret arts mentioned so far for anyone to keep track: 6cAQ9J
Black Fire: Han Ye’s secret arts. He can control things related to fire and be immune to it.
Devour: Sang Chiyu’s secret arts. He can devour and plunder the secret arts of those he kills.
Shadow Walking: Basically teleportation. This is the one Sang Chiyu devoured from Li Meng and then used to fool Han Ye into thinking this was his secret arts.
Formless Gate: Doraemon’s anywhere door. Open a gate to travel to anywhere in the world. This was the arts used to transport Sang Chiyu to the Underworld to meet with Hei Guanyin.
Pure Land: A domain that can restrict other secret arts users and null the usage of secret arts under your domain.
Heaven’s Eye: Surveillance state, CCTV powers.
True Speech: Lie detector. “Jiang Xueya’s” fake secret arts.
Divine Concealment: Invisibility.
Divine Eye: X-ray vision.
Mind Reading: As the name suggests. “Jiang Xueya’s” true secret arts.