Chapter 148 – Drinking Some Tea and Having a Conversation

Translator: Aran

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Ye Qingyu was full of questions as he followed behind Liu Zongyuan. They entered into the cabin of the airship.

As they followed the stairs down, there was another corridor.

On the two sides of the corridor there were armoured soldiers guarding this passageway.

After arriving at the cabin room, Liu Zongyuan made a motion for Ye Qingyu to go ahead.

Ye Qingyu pushed open the doors of the cabin, walking inside alone by himself.

Within the cabin, the space was extremely expansive. It was as if it was a silent room rather than a cabin in an airship. The furnishings were extremely elegant and there was a faint fragrance of tea in the air.

Mister Liu had a slight smile on his face. He was wearing green clothes and sat cross legged on a woven grass prayer mat. There was a vine table next to him and on it, was a clay tea set. Beside him was Xing’er wearing white robes. He was currently at the stove, boiling water. With his hair tied up in a bun, he sat on the left of the prayer mat and was currently peacefully preparing the tea. His movements were elegant and extremely gentle. Evidently, he had been immersed in the way of the tea for a period of time already.

In the cabin, there was the fragrance of the tea permeating the air. It gave off an extremely peaceful and leisurely atmosphere.

“Officer Ye, we meet again.” Mister Liu smiled, pointing towards the prayer mat opposite him. “These days, I’ve wanted to speak with you very much. Please sit.”

Ye Qingyu considered for a moment, then sat quietly on the mat. Evaluating his surrounding environment, he then said, “I wonder for what matter did you want to talk to me about?”

“The night is long, I just wanted to converse with someone. Therefore, I sought out officer Ye to drink some tea and have some conversation,” Mister Liu had a faint smile as he said these words.

“So it was like this. Thank you, I was namely thirsty.” Ye Qingyu knew that since Mister Liu had sought him out, there was a matter he wanted to discuss. But since he did not want to say it openly, then Ye Qingyu could only remain silent and observe and see what kind of medicine the strategist of the Pass Lord’s residence was selling in his gourd.

Xing’er had completely changed from his lively demeanour where he bounced about. He was as peaceful as a girl.

Xing’er finished boiling the water, preparing the tea. He placed a cup in front of Mister Liu, then placed another cup in front of Ye Qingyu.

The faint fragrance of tea, bringing with it a wisp of steam, rose up in front of Ye Qingyu.

“Please.” Mister Liu lifted his cup with a smile to indicate that Ye Qingyu should go ahead.

Ye Qingyu opened his mouth, then used inner yuan to suck the amber-coloured tea in the cup completely out, finishing it completely in one gulp.

“Hahaha…” Mister Liu began chuckling, sipping a bit of his own cup of tea. “Officer Ye, tea is not drank like that.”

Ye Qingyu also began laughing. “I don’t want to taste tea; I only want to solve my thirst.”

“Really the personality of a young man.” Mister Liu considered with a sigh saying, “To speak the truth, the words of officer Ye, made me suddenly think of a person. Ten years ago, he was also sitting in front of me tasting tea. Like officer Ye, he was young and handsome, with a thriving heroic spirit, a dragon among men. His battle records were outstanding, his future unlimited and boundless. Nearly the entire Youyan Pass thought that he would become the future War God, and was the future successor of the Lord of the North that drove away demons, Lord Lu. A pity, a pity…”

As he spoke of this, Mister Liu began continuously sighing.

Ye Qingyu smiled faintly. “After hearing this, should I coordinate with Mister Liu’s words and ask just what is a pity?”

Mister Liu was slightly taken aback, then smiled. “What, it seems like officer Ye is not interested in my topic.”

“That is not so,” Ye Qingyu said seriously. “I am extremely curious and want to hear the story about what happened afterwards. Please mister, could you tell me, just what happened to this person afterwards?”

“What happened to this person afterwards…” Mister Liu hesitated, tasting the tea in his cup in detail, then slowly closed his eyes, as if he had entered deep into his memories, his face occasionally displaying traces of recollection. Half a moment later, he sighed yet again. “Afterwards, that person fell into the path of the demon, transforming into a demon.”

“What? Transformed into a demon?”

Ye Qingyu was really greatly shocked by this.

Originally, he thought that Mister Liu was being deliberately mystifying. The person of his words should have died prematurely for some reason.

He had not imagined that it would be such an ending.

Mister Liu opened his eyes, handing over the tea cup in his hands to Xing’er then nodded his head. “That’s right, that incomparably heroic person, extraordinary talent, originally was a person that the Youyan army was going to heavily nourish. From a tiny little military officer to become the deputy general of the Vanguard, he did this in less than three years of time. If everything followed the original plan, he would have become the new hero of Youyan Pass. But it’s a pity that during one of the operations targeting the [Southern Incline Legion], that person was self-confident, going alone deep into enemy territory without any other reinforcements. He fell into the [Burning Snow demon general’s] scheme. Surrounded with no aid, in the end his entire army was annihilated. Because he feared for his life, he surrendered to the [Southern Incline Legion], becoming the claws and fangs of the Demon Race…”

As Ye Qingyu heard this, his heart was extremely shaken.

“There’s such a matter?” He said disbelievingly. “A human capitulated to the Demon Race? This is just… betraying your ancestors and relinquishing your descent.”

Mister Liu nodded his head, a face filled with regret. “That’s right. Originally everyone thought that person perished in battle. But we never imagined that he chose to live his life out in an ignoble existence. When the news came, it shook the entire Youyan Pass, it shook the entire Snow Country. Many people did not believe in this news, suspecting it was the crafty scheme of the Demon Race. They did not believe it was possible for that person to surrender… The army investigated, sending numerous people to discover the truth as they headed towards the Explosive Snow Glacier. But they did not manage to discover anything, until that day…”

As he said to here, a painful expression appeared on the face of Mister Liu.

Half a moment later, he continued, “Until that day, that person led the great army of the Demon Race to attack us. Breaking apart twelve lines of defense of Youyan Pass at the outer edges, killing over ten thousand of our human comrades. Youyan Pass including Lord Lu and hundreds of military officers saw with their own eyes, that person leading the personal guards of the [Burning Snow demon general]. His hand holding the heads of his previous comrades, painting the ice city fresh with blood… his previous comrades, only at that moment did they believe that the previous star of the military really fell into the path of becoming a monster…”

Ye Qingyu was silent.

At the start he had a manner of ridicule when he listened to the words of Mister Liu. But as these secrets were said, Ye Qingyu’s heart could not help but be shaken.

He had never imagined that such a matter had once occurred in Youyan Pass.

One could imagine just how much impact this had caused back then.

One could imagine just what kind of rage the Empire sank into.

A scandal like this, the Empire would absolutely completely censor and lock it down. So the fact that Ye Qingyu was unaware was very normal. Only people like Mister Liu, who saw with his own eyes just what had happened, could understand the terrifying waves like that of a storm this incident caused.

“The empire was enraged. They sent out top class assassins to head towards the Explosive Snow Glacier to kill that person. But they failed to do so. It’s been said that after that person capitulated to the Demon Race and accepted the Demon Race forbidden techniques, he inserted demon bones into his body. His strength multiplied…” Mister Liu continued to recount from his memory. “That person was a person with peerless talent, his cultivation far exceeding people of his generation. Once he lasted ten moves against Lord Lu, the Lord of the North that drove away demons, without being defeated. After transplanting a demon bone inside himself, one can imagine just how terrifying he is. The empire once targeted him and organized several operations to get rid of this thorn, but ultimately it all ended in failure!”

Transplanting a demon bone?

Ye Qingyu was slightly in a daze.

By transplanting a demon bone in the human body, would this allow their strength to multiply?

He had never heard of such a technique before.

Then he heard Mister Liu continue to speak, “For the Empire and the army of Youyan Pass, the betrayal of this person was tantamount to a nightmare. That person is extremely familiar with the function of the military of the empire, and even more familiar with the arrangements and posts of Youyan Pass. He knows the network of defense outside and inside Youyan Pass exceedingly well. In the next few years, under the leadership of that person, the personal guards of the [Burning Snow demon general] became the nightmare of Youyan Pass. Coming and going without leaving a shadow, they heavily injured the various departments of the Youyan army, causing tragic losses to the Empire. And even the Lord of the North that drove away demons, Lord Lu, nearly fell into their scheme. The intense and ferocious harm he caused was terrible. It could completely be said to be the most serious loss we suffered since the Empire was founded.”

As Ye Qingyu heard this, he sucked in a mouthful of cold air.

That’s right, he was a person that had once been carefully groomed to become the future commander. Once he chose to betray and side with the enemy, just what kind of terrifying consequences he could cause was evident. Even an idiot was able to imagine this just by using their brain slightly.

“Only until two or three years ago, under the bitter struggle and efforts of the people at Youyan Pass, could we get rid of the influence of the betrayal that this person brought, and slowly turn the tides. Youyan Pass is not in a position of absolute disadvantage anymore, but to want to once again gain the upper hand in the struggle with the [Southern Incline Legion] of the Snow Ground Demon Court needs great time. Most likely, we need another ten years to once again return to that formerly grand state in the old days.”

It was unknown whether it was sorrow or happiness in Mister Liu’s tone.

As he sighed, he once again drank the tea that Xing’er brought over.

Ye Qingyu did not know what to say.

He sat silently looking at Mister Liu, wanting to know the reason why he was invited to come and the reason he spoke such words.

Could it be simply that he was somewhat similar to that person?

Or perhaps… the story of Mister Liu, was hinting to him about something?

There was a deep silence in the cabin.

Mister Liu once again tasted two cups of tea, slowly stabilizing his emotions. Looking at Ye Qingyu, he smiled. “Officer Ye, do you know just what the purpose of the [Gale Operation] is?”

Ye Qingyu shook his head. Originally, he wanted to blurt out that he did not know anything because the military order jade piece did not specify the aim of this operation at all.

With his background, experience, position, and status, he did not have the requirements to know such a thing.

But as he lifted his head, seeing the strange smile on Mister Liu’s face, he suddenly realized something. His heart shuddering he said, “Could it… could it be to act against that person?”

Mister Liu began chuckling loudly.

“You’ve guessed correctly,” he said.

Ye Qingyu considered, then asked again, “This time… do we have any chance?”

“Of course we have a chance.” Mister Liu smiled faintly with confidence. “This time the operation seems like a routine small scale battle that is held in the winter season. But in reality, for this, the army of Youyan Pass has already prepared for a very, very long period of time. As long as this person is alive, he will always be the great humiliation of Youyan Pass. His very life is mocking the army of Youyan, the entire empire will not allow him to live on. This time, not only have we managed to obtain that person’s route and action plan, even the Lord of the North that drove away demons, Lord Lu will act personally.”

Lu Zhaoge would act personally?

Ye Qingyu heard this, then his heart began beating madly.

The War God of Youyan Pass would act personally?

This was absolutely something that would shake the entire empire if it was leaked out.

One of the ten great warriors, The War God of Youyan Pass, would finally act again after ten years?

One could imagine, just what kind of battle this would be.

Ye Qingyu suddenly realized and comprehended why Mister Liu would have such confidence.

That’s right, if War God Lu decided to act personally then everything could be said to be finished.

For this, the military of Youyan Pass had prepared for an extremely long period of time. It must be a long planned and premeditated action. Hearing the meaning in Mister Liu’s words, the Human Race must have, through some channel, obtained the military plan of that person. This was someone intentionally planning against someone who was unaware. This time, that person would absolutely die.