Volume Two: The Bandits Here Chapter Ninety-One: Abducting a Young Master

In truth, the hardships of the human world are countless and indescribable, yet no matter how many words one searches for in the vast sea of language, none can surpass the simple weight of a single word: suffering.

Lin Peiyou walked from the east side to the west, from the beginning to the end of the street.

This city held no scenic beauty worth admiring, but among its broken walls and ruins lay something he might never grasp in his lifetime.

He fell silent, his gaze cold and gray.

“How true my father’s words are. A mere youth, how could he possibly shake the deeply ingrained afflictions accumulated over a thousand years?” Lin Peiyou murmured as he sat down amidst the rubble.

The wind leaned against his shoulder, blowing ceaselessly. It seemed to nod amid the desolation, whether in agreement with the foreign visitor or the heavenly master above, no one could tell.

“The most helpless are those with innocent mouths, yet they are also the ones engulfed in flames of war. Among the world’s false scholars, countless are enlightened, a thousand spirits conjured in a hundred years of practice, easily attained. But it is only the intentions buried in dust and mud over time that are hardest to fathom. One who reaches the peak and surveys the mountains below may forget whether they stand on earth or soar in the sky.”

Lin Changtian caught hold of the wind and gestured toward the clouds, speaking arrogantly as if no figures of old or present could rival his knowledge of the refined and romantic.

“How can those things be so easily attained?” Lin Peiyou was stunned, hastily waving his hand. He dared not utter such arrogance.

The night was still young, and it was a comfortable sight.

Seeming to sense Lin Changtian’s mood, he narrowed his eyes, intending to ramble a little longer.

“When a man dies, he ceases to live — that is eternal and unchanging. As for leaving a name behind, that is beyond one’s control. Even the most brilliant among us cannot compare to the present. Not inferior, but incomparable. And those who raise ancient coffins to oppress others or wield their tomes to mock the dead are no better than flies and dogs. Curse them if you must.”

Lin Peiyou pursed his lips, and after a long pause, spoke awkwardly, “But in the Northern Domain, the figures celebrated for a thousand years have always been the scholars, while the tyrants and rulers who ravage are but fleeting. My father is one such man; even his uncles advised him to reduce his military ventures and use education to pacify the eastern grassland bandits led by Ma Hui.”

“All those years of reasoning, which of the three frontier towns have submitted? And how did those so-called bandits manage to drive the scholars of Scholar City entirely into Lin Yuan’s territory? Dressing well cannot cover the stain of abandoning the citizens of an entire city to flee!”

Scholar City was originally located in the north, behind the hundred-mile beacon tower, towering a thousand fathoms high, overlooking the entire region — long regarded as the sole cradle of culture and spirit in the Northern Domain.

But later, Ma Hui took a liking to the place, marched his troops through it once, and turned the scholars into lost dogs, renaming the city “Saddle Horse.”

“So much chatter of scholastic jargon, yet it still cannot match the glory of Lin Yuan’s victory!” Lin Changtian circled Lin Peiyou, sneering, “I see your demeanor and manners have all been shaped by those scholars? And yet, the weight of centuries of power has just hammered a blow upon your forehead — how does that taste?”

Lin Peiyou shook his head. Lin Changtian was shorter, so he had to bow his head, appearing somewhat more restrained.

The youth’s spirit was high; he curled his lips and muttered, “It was only a misstep once. That doesn’t mean the future path will be difficult. Why judge so rashly?”

Lin Changtian scratched his head. Indeed, on what grounds was he so certain? Then he asked, “How skilled are you with your hands and feet? Seeing how you split the air with a blade, you must have some foundation.”

“What kind of talk is that? So splitting the air is my skill? The blade just happens to be good! Scholars say martial arts dishonor culture; I’ve never served in the army or fought in battle, where would I get such ability?” Lin Peiyou said as suddenly the air stiffened, and a strong gust blew past his ears.

“Junior, ” Lin Changtian waved his hand, looking at the slumped Lin Peiyou who bore “no complaints.” He knew why he had been so certain.

Justice is never declared; it is proved by force. Yet the justice won by force hardly counts as justice.

Yes, justice only counts when you are the one striking. Lin Changtian secretly resolved to settle scores with Yu Baili when his cultivation was strong enough.

He thought so and kicked the half-alive Lin Peiyou again, softly saying, “You have good bones. I know a place that can transform a stubborn stone into gold. Want to come with me?”

“I won’t go. As the saying goes, while parents live, do not travel far. My mother is unwell, and I want to fulfill my filial duty,” Lin Peiyou shook his head. No matter how naive, he knew these gentry often had ulterior motives; perhaps today’s farce was their doing.

He softened his tone, fearing offending the other and receiving another beating.

Unexpectedly, Lin Changtian nodded, showing no intimidation and said carelessly, “Fine, as you wish. I only wanted to show you the true poverty of this town. Since you’re unwilling, there will be time to meet again.”

He even started to move as if to leave.

Lin Peiyou was baffled. Tentatively, he tugged Lin Changtian’s sleeve and slowly said, “After all your effort, isn’t it me you’re after?”

“I think you have some flaws. That place is a sacred place passed down by saints — if it can turn stone into gold, would it care for a few grains of dust on the desert?” Lin Changtian said coldly, pulling at his own sleeve, stifling a laugh as he turned his back. He seemed truly to embody the lonely chill of high places.

“Ah?” Lin Peiyou’s face paled as he pressed on Lin Changtian’s body, shaking him, “I... I was rude. Do I still have a chance? I am willing to report to my father and offer a hefty sum to study...”

Lin Changtian thought for a long time before feigning difficulty, “That’s not impossible, but I’m leaving today and won’t be able to look after you, so it’s better to give up for now.”

“Don’t! Since childhood, I have vowed to save all living beings with true sincerity, willing to be the clear sun in the sky, shining tomorrow so all beings may be saved! Sir, please show mercy and accept me,” Lin Peiyou said earnestly, bowing repeatedly.

Lin Changtian straightened his expression, gripping Lin Peiyou’s hand with trembling voice, “This task is hard and the journey long. If you go, will you regret it?”

“Even if I die nine times, I will not regret it!”

...

At the foot of Mount Si, a delicate youth looked at countless rough men and began to wail, “Big brother, I regret it. Will you let me go?”

Lin Changtian frowned, displeased. He had treated him well all along; how could he now refuse to repay the kindness?

“A man of the Northern Domain always keeps his word. Why the sudden change?” Lin Changtian scolded Lin Peiyou sternly, as if the latter were at fault.

Lin Peiyou wailed, wholly convinced that his father’s judgment of foolishness was apt. Who would have thought that such an inexperienced, innocent youth would be tricked by a fox his own age and taken thousands of miles away?

“Big brother, you never said you were from Mount Si! How could I fare well in Lin Changtian’s hands?”

Lin Changtian slapped Lin Peiyou on the head, silencing his cries. He pointed toward Mount Si and said, “What harm did Lin Changtian do you? Pure of heart, kind and helpful, a child who helped old ladies cross the road since childhood. Though he did collaborate in a staged accident...”

“There are rumors about a blue-faced, fanged man with a hawk’s head and a sparrow’s brain who swept through the southern Northern Domain in mere months by all manner of wicked means. Countless heroes fell victim, even Ma Hui suffered losses and lost his own daughter!” Lin Peiyou wiped his tears, his eyes dimming as if foreseeing his own fate.

He crouched on the ground, clutching his head and rolling, muttering, “I thought I was a dragon slayer, or at worst a darkened evil dragon. Who would have thought I was just a princess... Oh heavens, can you not do something human?”

“Hm, I think some of this may be one-sided...” Lin Changtian embarrassedly softened his tone to spare the boy’s feelings.

Lin Peiyou snorted with disdain, “You’re a subordinate of the Mount Si lord, of course you’d glorify your master. Without cunning, how else could he succeed? With virtue alone?”

“No, I meant the first half. Maybe Lin Changtian is a handsome young man... If you don’t believe me, look at my face,” Lin Changtian scratched his head shyly.

Lin Peiyou squinted, scrutinized him for a long time, and declared with certainty, “That man is truly hideous!”

Lin Changtian: ???

After some friendly negotiation, Lin Peiyou covered his bruised and discolored face and affirmed the appearance of the Mount Si lord, confidently vowing never to let rumors cloud the truth, and to spread the real story of Lin Changtian throughout the Northern Domain.

“If nothing else, I’ll take my leave. My mother is waiting for me to eat; it’s a crucial time for my growth, and I mustn’t delay,” Lin Peiyou said cautiously, inching backward only to bump into the broad shoulder of Qi Yong.

The rough man, recalling Lin Changtian’s instructions, grinned “friendly” at him.

Lin Peiyou sulked and obediently sat back down.

“Some things you can do yourself, others you can delegate. But when it comes to the reputation of a country, a place, or even a single person, it’s best to handle it personally. Come with me to Mount Si? You can look wherever you want; I will follow silently. If you find nothing to learn, you can leave anytime. By the way, I am Lin Changtian, the blue-faced, fanged lord of Mount Si.”

These words stirred great waves in Lin Peiyou’s heart. Disbelief painted his face, from shock to realization, but ultimately, a deep sense of confusion remained.

Lin Changtian said no more and kicked him towards the mountain.

...

Lin Peiyou curled his lips, thinking this fellow wanted to show only the surface of things. “I’ve been through the Xieli Town turmoil; you won’t fool me so easily,” he thought proudly, forgetting who had opened his eyes from the mist.

He quickened his pace and headed straight behind the mountain, certain darkness and evil lurked there.

What came into view was a cluster of houses, both disorderly and neat, as if cast from the same mold.

Lin Peiyou was stunned. He circled the settlement for a long time, seemingly recalling something, his face brightened, and he pointed to the ground, “This is farmland, right? Look, there are hardly any paths. They clearly forced the people to repair this land for the bandits to live on! This not only delays farming but cuts off their very means to live!”

Lin Changtian glanced at him mockingly, “After all, they’re savages from the Northern Domain. Look at your naive expression. Come on, walk further. No, run!”

Lin Peiyou’s face flushed as he panted and hurried onward.

After only a few steps, his legs began to tingle—not from fatigue, but because the scenery was truly... horrifying.

The deeper they went, the louder and more chaotic the crowds became.

Discarded modern objects disdained by the military were brought in; carts rolled along the streets; vendors hawked their wares; bargaining ensued, and no one took offense, smilingly debating.

Such prosperity was common in the Central Plains but, in the Northern Domain, it was as unique as Scholar City.

So, there were no small paths because everywhere was a broad avenue!

Lin Peiyou blushed, awkwardly fiddling with his sleeve, utterly at a loss for words.

“Stay here. Mount Si needs fresh blood,” Lin Changtian said calmly, as if dissatisfied with the very prosperity he had helped create.