Chapter 296 – The origins of Bright Moon Lake
Middle Three Heavens, Mo family clan.
Mo Qing Wu’s small frame curled up while sitting by the main doorsteps. Her tiny hands were pasted on her cheeks, eyes devoid of lustre as she gazed lifelessly ahead. A shabby scabbard laid within her bosom, quietly snuggled within her embrace.
“Haaa…….” The little lady sorrowfully sighed; a tender young age, yet her sigh contained immense heaviness, as though she had seen the hardships of life.
At this phase, Mo Qing Wu felt her entire world had changed.
Whatever she knew in the past or the present, everything had transformed beyond recognition.
Those cultivation medicines has clearly declined by a dozen layers! As for those priceless purple jades to aid with cultivation, I used to get them with ease, now I can’t even find one!
In the past, clan elders would frequently visit me for no reasons, and urge me forward with my martial cultivation. Then they would always entertain me joyously before leaving with great delight. Right now, not a single person is left.
In the past, father would carry me whenever he sees me, lifting me into the air jovially; oh, his cheery laughter! But now…….months gone by without even conversing properly with Father.
Even if we met, it was just hasty encounters. Everytime Father sees me, he would sigh and leave; as though trying to avoid something.
Over time, within Mo Qing Wu’s little heart, it gradually turned icier……
Father no longer favours me! Just because my Three Yin Meridians are crippled!
But, even if the Three Yin Meridians are crippled…….am I not still his daughter? Am I not Father’s Xiao Wu? Why?!
Is the Three Yin Meridians really that important? More significant than your daughter’s life?
A clan’s might and influence……a cripple that cannot contribute martial strength to her family clan, am I really worth nothing?
Do I really hold no value?
Mo Qing Wu gently whispered to her own heart. Huge beads of tears trickled down her face.
I don’t wish for much, ah, just to have Father’s embrace, just for Father’s gentle kiss……I miss laughing in Father and Mother’s laps, no…even crying for a minute…….just to feel that same warmth embrace.
Yet, not a single person is willing to hug me anymore…….
Perhaps, I am no longer useful in this household?
Just recalling the words she eavesdropped on her parents, Mo Qing Wu felt sudden heartache.
“Xiao Wu……aren’t you going to console her? At such a young age, how can she endure this?” Mother’s guilty tone.
“Even if she can’t endure, she still must bear it.” Father’s words ended with a long sigh, “Crashing down from the pinnacle, nobody would be able to bear that. But if she cannot endure this now, the harder it will be when she grows up. We must teach her acceptance. If we pamper her with consolations, I’m afraid it would be detrimental instead…….”
“Then……Xiao Wu’s future…….is there really no hope?”
“……” Father released a long and deep sigh before replying. “Let’s wait and watch, if any other family clan proposes marriage…..”
Mother started sobbing, within her whimpers it was filled with grief over her daughter’s future……
“If any family clan initiates a marriage…..” Though Mo Qing Wu was still young, she had still grown up within the same household. How could she not understand the underlying meaning?
Have I been degraded to a mere marriage alliance tool for my clan?
From then on, Mo Qing Wu felt true chilliness gripping her heart!
Second brother no longer visits me. He only repeatedly tasks others to deliver small gifts from Cang Lan Battlefront; little toys……
These toys were already overflowing in Mo Qing Wu’s bedroom.
But what I need isn’t toys! It isn’t that at all, ah! I just want affection!
Mo Qing Wu screamed within her heart, her sorrows unparalleled.
The gifts that Mo Tian Ji had delivered were all casted into a corner, like abandoned worn out shoes.
“Maybe in this world, there is only one person that still cares for me and loves me; not caring for how low I’ve sank……” Mo Qing Wu squeezed the scabbard, pressing her delicate little face onto that shabby scabbard……
“Qiao Qiao, you know it too, don’t you?” Mo Qing Wu softly whispered, “Only brother Chu Yang really loves me, and wouldn’t forsake me……”
(TN: Qiao (鞘) means scabbard)
“When I met brother Chu Yang, my Three Yin Meridians had already been crippled. I still wasn’t even aware then, but still, brother Chu Yang accompanied and entertained me daily, reading me stories everyday. He even gave me a sabre……I can tell from its appearance that this sabre is exceptional even by the standards of the clan……”
“Hmph, that sabre was given to me by brother Chu Yang yet they raked their minds so hard to steal my sabre…..” Mo Qing Wu chortled contemptuously, yet tears emerged amidst her smile, “Do you know the sabre everyone shed all pretence of cordiality for, was merely a playtool that Brother Chu Yang gifted me?”
“Brother Chu Yang, I miss you terribly……” Mo Qing Wu gazed into emptiness apprehensively, murmuring out without strength, “I don’t wish to remain here anymore……I hate it here, even though this…..this is my home…..”
“Young mistress it is cold out here, please return to the house.” A maid quietly strolled over.
“Mm.” Mo Qing Wu wiped away her tears, standing up as she hugged her scabbard; her face turned emotionless again.
The torment she had faced recently, had triggered a massive blow to Mo Qing Wu’s mind and heart.
Since nobody cares and concerns for me, then I will not permit others to watch me cry. My grave heartache will only reside in my heart.
I will never allow any of you to laugh at me!
Only in front of brother Chu Yang, will I allow myself to cry……
These few days, the atmosphere in Mo family clan was rather gloomy. Cang Lan Battlefront had become exceedingly violent. That martial training ground of various major clans were now in turbulent times.
The seal had broken!
Cang Lan Battlefront, a vast region permeated fully with every kind of spirit beasts; where the spirit beast’s fur and cores were distributed merchandise in the Middle Three Heavens.
Moreover, Cang Lan Battlefront was akin to a savage wilderness. It was impossible for humankind to inhabit the region. Therefore, hunters would anxiously enter, acquiring whatever they needed before hastily retreating out.
The principle income of various family clans were grounded in that region. Moreover, Cang Lan Battlefront was the optimal touchstone, clans employed to temper the martial skills of their young disciples.
It was the absolute ground for young disciples to establish their prestige!
Of course, medicinal herbs sprouted innumerably inside this wilderness of thousands of years. And medicinal herbs, were what every family clan thirsted for…….
But recently, the seal had shattered! Nobody could’ve anticipated that the very first time the seal broke, it would actually be the ‘Three Stars Holy Clan’ that would emerge!
The arch-nemesis of humankind dating back to ten thousand years!
When the Three Stars Holy Clan arrived, they immediately occupied a huge region. Then utilizing their innate instincts to actuate the spirit beasts, the spirit beasts began flourishing region after region within Cang Lan Battlefront; each region would peacefully mind their own business.
Yet once a human infiltrated in, they would rise in united hostility!
Thus, the originally disorganized and wild spirit beasts were revolutionized, and metamorphosed into a disciplined army!
Furthermore, these regions were gradually expanding; until now, they faintly displayed the abhorrent momentum of expanding out of Cang Lan Battlefront! To the various powerhouse clans of the Middle Three Heavens, this was definitely not an acceptable situation!
Hence, after the eve of the new year, and the clans had held on for another period of time, the various family clans finally decided it was time to issue commands to mobilize simultaneously; a convening order commanding all external members to immediately rush back towards Cang Lan Battlefront!
Inside the Lower Three Heavens, Continent Centre Citadel of the Great Zhao
It had been a long time since Chu Yang and Gu Du Xing had budged from their nest. The two were currently digesting the profits from their recent excursion.
Two days earlier, Gu Du Xing’s cultivation had broken through to the 4th grade Sword Reverend, taking a solid step ahead.
But alas, Chu Yang wasn’t one to lose out. This time after plundering the imperial palace of the Great Zhao, the Nine Tribulations Sword had absorbed medicinal energy from the remnant meridians and unexpectedly allowed him to push ahead vigorously; breaking through to 1st grade Martial Reverend!
Even with the Sword spirit’s utmost suppression, when the Sword Edge and the Sword point gathered in unison, they synced in perfect ordinance; releasing a wild surge of violence. When the Sword spirit finally suppressed them, Chu Yang was already a 1st grade Martial Reverend.
Facing such an outcome, the Sword Spirit simply wanted to cry but found no tears.
Moreover, there were simply an excessive load of medicinal energy surplus…….
Their current residence wasn’t far from Heaven Reaching Tower, hence they could completely observe the activities within Heaven Reaching Tower. As expected, after a fruitless rummaging through the ruins of the Golden Horse Riders Department, the young masters headed straight for the Prime Minister’s Manor.
They raised the following conditions.
Mo family clan – As long as the Prime Minister would order the Golden Horse Riders Department to hand over that sword, they would then blah, blah, so and so……..
Ao family clan – As long as Prime Minister would order the Golden Horse Riders Department to hand over that sword, they would then blah, blah so, and so……..
Xie Family clan – As long as…..
Li Family clan – As long as……
Tu Family clan – As long as……
Ou Family clan – As long as……
Naturally, their individual mouths sang a harmonious tune – If Prime Minister Diwu isn’t willing to order the Golden Horse Riders Department to release that sword, then we would blah, blah, so and so?
From the day he was born, this was the first time Diwu Qing Rou had tasted the flavour of being beaten black and blue!
Ao clan, Mo clan, Xie clan and several were still manageable, speaking with a slightly gentler tone. However, the Tu clan was unreasonably outrageous. Tu Qian Hao directly stationed himself in the Prime Minister’s Manor, having a mentality of, ‘if you’re not handing it to me, I’m not leaving’!
As for Li Xiong Tu, he brazenly directed his personal King level experts to swap pointers with the Golden Horse Rider Department! Each he came, he would ‘swap pointers’!
Hmph, not handing it over right; then I’ll whack you till you do.
If it was an average Joe, Diwu Qing Rou would completely disregard him, straightforwardly expelling him out of the manor. Either that or bluntly imprison and execut him……..but these bunch of people, were all treasured darlings of the major clans of Middle Three Heavens; they simply were not ordinary folks……
This caused Prime Minister Diwu to be utterly vexed!
He repeatedly chased Jing Meng Hun multiple times, “You best find that sword without delay, and dispose it out! Let the dogs fight amongst dogs, biting and barking at whomever they like……”
But Jing Meng Hun was depressed – Where am I supposed to find that sword?!
King level master Jing was similarly panicking. He could only swallow this humiliation and summon his entire forces: Not only can’t I blame others for wrecking my headquarters, I have to go ahead and help them do it….
Yet after tossing and turning the entire mountain, flipping over every single piece of rock and grinding them into powder; the entire mountain was swept clean, and a massive excavation was even implemented! The excavation went deeper and deeper….and deeper!
But still, nothing!
From henceforth, this place transformed into a fertile land! Nowhere else had soil as delicate and fertile as this plot of land…….
Moreover, after that gigantuous pit was dug, it actually formed into a lake, nurturing the humans living around it. Thus, descendants hailed it as ‘Dark Moon Lake. Generations following, the name changed to Bright Moon Lake…….
(TN: 冥月湖 (Ming Yue Hu) which means Dark Moon Lake has the same pronunciation as 明月湖 (Ming Yue Hu) which means Bright Moon Lake.)
TN: Tell me if you guys prefer using Revered Sword/Martial artist or just Sword/Martial reverend. Also, I understand there’s confusion between Chu Yang being a Sword or Martial reverend, but the Author uses the word ‘martial’ here, so we shall see where this goes in the future.