Chapter 9: The Four Noblemen of Dusk

Every person has their own fate, predestined by the heavens.

Peering into the future is far more dangerous than divining past events, consuming more spiritual energy.

The art of divination is difficult to comprehend, but Shi Jing has deduced many heavenly secrets in the past five hundred years, so his words are particularly convincing.

Sweat beaded on Yin Ruoxu’s forehead as he said, “But who is the considerable one? As long as it has not yet awakened, it is still possible to kill it and unite the hundreds of immortal sects to seal it.”

Shi Jing nodded, “Let me perform a divination .”

He moved his fingers in a series of intricate gestures before crossing them in front of his chest.

“With souls as offerings, observe the heavenly signs, manifest!”

In the next moment, a strange soft light began to emanate from the formation, like flickering fireflies, soon followed by a surge of spiritual energy.

All the light converged into the mirror.

The Nine Profound Heavenly Mirror shook violently, its brilliance so intense it was blinding.

After half an incense stick’s worth of time, the white light abruptly extinguished and was absorbed into Shi Jing’s forehead.

He waved his whisk again, restoring calm.

Yet the mirror remained empty.

“The Nether Evil Resentment Seed cannot be divined!” Yin Ruoxu exclaimed in shock.

“Better to mistakenly kill an innocent than to let one escape. Otherwise, if The Nether Evil Resentment Seed awakens, all its resentment must be extinguished, leading to a hell on earth and the destruction of all life.”

Shi Jing spoke with a calm demeanor, but his words were precise and unyielding.

As if recalling something, he performed another spell.

This time, the mirror showed a nine-tailed fox that alternated between black and white in rapid succession.

“Lord Of Fate, what does this mean?”

Shi Jing closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, saying, “The emergence of the nine-tailed fox signifies peace in the world. Although The Nether Evil Resentment Seed cannot be directly divined, reversing the method could reveal its nemesis. Our immediate task is to find the nine-tailed spirit fox.”

“Understood.”

The next day, as dawn was breaking, cheerful voices and laughter could be heard outside the bamboo courtyard, creating a lively atmosphere.

“Come quickly; Erzhu Peak is bustling with activity.”

“Today is the sect master’s son Yin Ci’s first birthday. It must be celebrated grandly!”

One person whispered, “Hey, I heard that the so-called waste is also today…”

“Why bother with him? He hasn’t celebrated his birthday since he came here two years ago. Never mind, I need to go grab that five hundred spirit stones red envelope.”

“Why the hurry? The sect master said everyone will get a share, so you won’t miss out.”

The voices gradually faded away.

Jiang Niannian got up, glanced at the sleeping little cub beside her, tucked the blanket around him, and then left the bed.

She had wanted to wish him a “happy birthday,” but since he was still asleep, she decided to let him rest a bit longer and come back after finishing her tasks.

With that thought, Jiang Niannian dressed quickly and hurried out.

Unbeknownst to her, the little Yin Li behind her had slightly fluttering eyelashes and slowly opened his eyes.

He watched Jiang Niannian’s departing figure, his gaze growing colder.

Was she going to that person’s birthday banquet too?

Had she forgotten that today was also his birthday?

Images of her smiling face flashed through his mind.

Liar…

His gaze turned dark, his small fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white.

His heart, which had just begun to heal, was now torn open again, bleeding and scarred.

He recalled what his mother used to say: “Little Li’er, remember, don’t trust women. The more beautiful they are, the less trustworthy they become.”

Yes, he would not give her the chance to hurt him again.

It was all false.

…

In the vast realm of Rimuli, with its complex array of people, the cultivators were divided into eighteen sects according to their respective mountain peaks. Apart from these eighteen peaks, the rest were wild areas, such as the back mountain where Yin Li resided.

Except for Erzhu Peak, where the sect master lived, the other peaks were led by their respective disciples. Among the many cultivators, four stood out, holding greater prestige and strength than the rest, known as the “Four Noblemen of Dusk.”

They were: True Monarch Qinghe Wen Shili, True Monarch Nanhua Ji Yufeng, Lord of Fate Shi Jing, and Lord Sage Fuhua Shen Yu.

(T/N:Title: True Monarch Qinghe, True Name: Wen Shili

         Title: True Monarch Nanhua, True Name: Ji Yufeng

          Title: Lord of Fate/Siming Daojun, True Name: Shi Jing

          Title: Lord Sage Fuhua, True Name: Shen Yu…

Before this, I mistakenly translated the Lord of Fate into Taoist master Siming..)

Each of them had unparalleled mastery in their respective fields of martial arts, weaponry, divination, and medicine.

Jiang Niannian, while reading, referred to them as “Dusk F4.”

(T/N: F4 is actually a Taiwanese boy band consisting of Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Ken Chu, and Vic Chou. The group F4 was formed in 2001 after the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden that they starred in was widely successful… Dusk/sunset in Chinese is rìmù which is same as the sect name Rimu Li )

Shen Yu, known for his superb medical skills, was notoriously eccentric.

He spent his time either rescuing people down the mountain or isolating himself in the Medicine King Pavilion.

Given the significance of today’s events, the Four Noblemen would certainly be present.

She remembered that the female lead, Tang Muruo, had only managed to help Yin Li restore his spiritual roots with the assistance of Lord Sage Fuhua.

If possible, she needed to find Lord Sage Fuhua and persuade him to help the little cub, no matter the means.

Without a sword and unable to fly, she had to travel by foot.

To reach Erzhu Peak, she had to descend from the back mountain and then climb the three thousand steps.

Jiang Niannian climbed the mountain path step by step, taking breaks along the way.

After two hours, she finally arrived.

It was noon, and the banquet was in full swing.

The venue was extravagantly decorated, with notable figures from the Immortal Sects coming to offer their congratulations.

The scene was picturesque, filled with joyful laughter.

Dancers moved gracefully to the melodious tunes, their elegance captivating. Guests exchanged glances and occasionally discussed matters, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

In front of Qilin Palace, the sect master and the saintess were seated in the main seats, with the saintess holding a baby.

The baby was dressed in soft silken robes adorned with twelve exquisite rubies, shining brilliantly in the sunlight, signifying great nobility.

The baby was Yin Ci.

A beautiful gentleman raised a wine cup in a distant salute to Yin Ruoxu, transmitting a message, “The swallows that once flew before the King Xie mansions pale in comparison to the child at Immortal Yin’s knee.””

“Excellent!” Yin Ruoxu clapped his thigh and laughed.

Jiang Niannian thought of her little cub, alone in the dilapidated bamboo courtyard, feeling a pang of sadness and her eyes growing red.

“Ah, little girl, haven’t you received your red envelope yet? Here, take it, and hold onto it. Today is a joyous day,” an old maid, mistaking Jiang Niannian’s teary eyes for disappointment at not receiving a red envelope, handed her one from a basket brimming with them.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Niannian accepted it, needing these spirit stones desperately.

She found a seat and looked around anxiously.

With so many people around, who was the Lord Sage Fuhua?