Chapter 127 The Zhu Family Mansion
“The Yama Sword is a family artifact passed down from the first generation of our Zhu family. Tracing its origins, it is actually the sword of our ancestor Zhu Yi,” Zhu Shi explained. “The reason why the appearance of this sword is almost identical to the Impermanence Sword used by Luoshan Impermanence is because it was the weapon used by Zhu Yi when he was an Impermanence. Even after Zhu Yi became the Great Impermanence, he did not change this sword but continued to use it.”
“But this shouldn’t be an ordinary Impermanence Sword, right?” I asked.
She nodded: "Yes, the Yama Sword is just as its name suggests; it is said to be a sword that can forge Yama."
"Yama?"
"The so-called Yama is the King of Hell who rules the underworld," she said. "Since ancient times, the human world has been ruled openly and honestly by ordinary people, while witchers confront strange beings while hiding themselves. If the world where the former lives is called the mortal realm, then the world where the latter lives is the underworld."
"The original meaning of the term 'Luoshan' is the underworld and hell, also known as the netherworld. And Yama, the King of Hell, refers to the Great Impermanence."
I was both enlightened and incredulous: "So, forging the Yama Sword is the same as forging the Great Impermanence Sword?"
Since the Great Impermanence is on par with the gods, wouldn't forging the Yama Sword be the same as creating a god? Although I know that Zhu Shi's weapon is definitely not simple, to say that it is not simple to this extent is a bit of an exaggeration.
"It is said that the power of our ancestor Zhu Yi is sealed within the Yama Sword. As long as one gains the sword's approval, that power can be released from the sword," Zhu Shi said casually. "However, this is probably just an unreliable legend. Based on countless tests in the past, although this sword does indeed contain a tremendous amount of power, it is only the accumulated power from the second generation to my generation, and it does not include the power of our ancestor Zhu Yi."
"In the end, the great power of the Great Impermanence cannot be sealed in a mere Impermanence Sword. Such false legends have been common throughout history. For example, there are golden pills that can ascend from mortals to the Great Impermanence as long as one takes them, or magical treasures that can make mortals rival the Great Impermanence as long as one holds them... Although it is not appropriate for me, a descendant of the Zhu family, to say this, this Yama Sword should only be one of them."
"Normally, it's just an inconvenient sword to carry. I can't draw out its power right now, so I haven't told you about its special features."
Perhaps the power of the Great Impermanence was truly sealed inside the Yama Sword, but everyone just misjudged it—that's what I would definitely say in the classic battle manga I used to read.
And to be honest, I think Zhu Shi and Chang An's "settings" are pretty much typical of classic battle manga. One is a female demon hunter who carries a sword and changes her appearance for every battle, hiding her true power during her university life; the other is a "half-demon" who has lost her childhood memories and has demon blood mixed in with her body.
Speaking of which, could Zhu Shi have been doing this since high school, or even middle school? This makes it even more like a classic battle manga; I'm so envious I wish I could travel through time and possess her from the past.
"Unable to draw out power?" Mazao, who was beside us, raised her doubts. "But you seemed to have solemnly shouted, 'Awaken, Forge...'"
"Stop talking about that! That was just acting, a cringeworthy line I made up on the spot! Releasing the Yama Sword doesn't require those lines!" Zhu Shi interrupted, her face flushed. "I thought the monster creator's true identity was Lu Chan, so I planned to use the Yama Sword to trick him into thinking I could use its power and then flip the table. Besides, my communication with the Yama Sword has been going smoothly lately; at least it can react a little and produce some light to scare people..."
“I see.” I nodded. “The creator of the monster probably knew that you couldn’t use the Yama Sword yet, but he was probably also frightened by the light you produced, which is why he hurriedly used black mist to suppress the Yama Sword.”
In terms of the outcome, Zhu Shi's tactical objective was achieved. She managed to extract the information from the monster creator that the black mist could seal off supernatural abilities.
As we talked, we took a taxi to the Zhu family mansion on the outskirts of the city, then got off nearby and walked. The Zhu family mansion came into view. At the same time, Zhu Shi told me about something else.
"There's something I need to apologize to you about beforehand," she said.
I asked curiously, "What is it?"
"Didn't I tell you before that I would use my family connections to help you become a heretic and impermanent person?"
"Yes, it happened." Although Lu Youxun interfered in this matter.
"Back then, in order to use my family's connections, I briefly told Grandpa about you, but because I wanted to help conceal your true skill level, I didn't tell Grandpa everything. However, the battle last night was too intense, and I also brought my father's head home, so I couldn't hide it any longer. Therefore, I had no choice but to tell Grandpa the truth." She sighed.
"That's alright, since Lu Youxun already knows my true level anyway," I said. "We can't just let Lu Youxun and the Extraordinary Sect know, but not your family, can we?"
Furthermore, I will need the Zhu family's help regarding Asao's injuries, and revealing my background and value beforehand should aid in the negotiations. I have a feeling that treating Asao will likely be a laborious and exhausting task, and if I, who bring Asao on a visit, am just an ordinary fire ability user, they will probably start to question whether it's worth helping me.
We arrived at the iron gate of the Zhu family mansion. Zhu Shi didn't lead us in directly, but instead rang the doorbell. Perhaps it was because entering without greeting us would trigger the defensive barrier. With that in mind, I focused my mind on the surrounding heat, trying to sense the presence of the mansion's barrier.
This sensation immediately alerted me to something amiss. It wasn't visible to the naked eye, but once I used my mental perception, I discovered that I couldn't seem to see clearly what was happening inside the mansion.
It wasn't that something was obstructing my view, but rather that my "vision" was out of focus. Even someone without heat perception could understand my predicament. Simply hold a finger up to your nose and focus your gaze on it, and distant scenery becomes blurry. The Zhu family mansion, as I perceive it now, is like the distant view that appears after focusing on a nearby object.
This was the first time something like this had happened. Presumably, the Zhu family mansion's protective barrier had the function of preventing outsiders from entering, and this phenomenon was a manifestation of that function. I couldn't help but feel a strong curiosity and a desire to resist, wanting to refocus my "gaze." Of course, I didn't intend to invade the Zhu family's privacy; I only needed to be able to see clearly about a meter behind the iron gate.
Soon, I felt my scattered "gaze" quickly converge, as if it was about to pierce through the ambiguous veil in front of me.
Faintly, I seemed to hear something shaking and cracking.
Just then, an unfamiliar, elderly voice came from afar.
"—Can I stop watching?"
I stopped sensing and looked in the direction of the sound. I saw a tall, elderly man slowly walking towards me from my right. Upon seeing him, Zhu Shi respectfully greeted him, "Grandpa."
This old man must be Zhu Shi and Chang'an's grandfather. He was dressed in a white, ancient-style robe, his gray hair tied back, his face serene and ancient, with a goatee on his chin. At first glance, he looked like an old scholar teaching in an ancient private school, making one instinctively straighten one's posture in his presence. I had already begun to call him "Old Master" in my mind.
Just now, my attempt to use my senses to pass through the barrier was caught red-handed by this old Mr. Zhu. It was my oversight; before realizing that my actions inside the barrier might be discovered by its owner, I was first captured by my own curiosity and desire to resist.
"Were you trying to peek behind the iron gate?"
Mr. Zhu glanced at the spot where I had been focusing my attention, then looked at me with a complicated expression, which seemed to contain surprise.
I didn't try to justify my behavior, but instead apologized sincerely: "I'm sorry, I was impolite just now."
"...It's alright, I know you meant no harm." He didn't pursue the matter further and continued, "You're interested in the barrier itself, right? But I hope you don't stand outside and try to sense the mansion's barrier, otherwise the barrier will be crushed by your gaze."
"The barrier collapsed under the weight of their gaze?"
Zhu Shi's reaction was as if she had heard a language from another world. She glanced at me, then looked at her own home.
I don't quite understand this explanation either. Although I often ignite things with my gaze, I've never considered that my gaze itself could destroy anything. Could the shaking and cracking sounds I just heard have been coming from the barrier? No wonder my sensory actions were detected.
Mr. Zhu looked at me silently for a long time before saying, "You must be Zhuang Cheng. ... Just as my granddaughter said, you have unfathomable power."
“I’m Zhuang Cheng.” I nodded, then patted Ma Zao on the shoulder next to me. “This is Ma Zao, my friend.”
“They are also my friends,” Zhu Shi added.
Ma Zao glanced at Zhu Shi, then slowly nodded, seemingly acknowledging the statement. In this situation, especially in front of the other party's parents, she couldn't very well say no.
"I am Zhu Ba, Zhu Shi's grandfather, and the current head of the Zhu family." The old man nodded. "I have already heard about your situation from my granddaughter, and I know why you are here. Please come in with me."
As he finished speaking, the iron gate of the Zhu family mansion opened automatically. He led the way inside, Zhu Shi followed, and then Ma Zao and I followed as well.
Behind the iron gate was a small garden. Passing through it, I came across the Zhu family's house. Seeing Mr. Zhu's traditional attire reminded me of the straw raincoat and hat he wore during his missions, and I wondered if the Zhu family's house was a large, traditional Chinese mansion. In reality, the house deep within the garden was quite modern—a three-story, spacious Western-style villa. Far from being out of place in the garden, it felt like a perfect filming location for a horror movie.
Zhu Shi suddenly asked, "Were you just thinking that this place must look like a haunted house from a ghost story at night?"
How did you know… I glanced at Mr. Zhu walking ahead, but swallowed my thoughts back.
What happened next made the place look even more like a haunted house.
Mr. Zhu led us into the villa and then into one of the rooms.
Inside that room, Zhu Shi's father's head was displayed conspicuously.
(End of this chapter)
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