Chapter 8: An old tale of the Dragon Deity and White Snake
Shao Zi felt the most grievous matter wasn’t when she woke up and did not see the expert’s face, but when the eyes opened and already saw Scholar speaking to her, “Quickly wake up to collect debt!”. She angrily woke up and held onto the blanket while secretly remembering past before. It was when she was completely taken care of with gentleness and softness. It’s unlike Scholar who only took care of exploiting her labor.
“If thirsty, go drink tea.”
Water plants, water plants, again water plants. Shao Zi choked with emotions. She forgot to ask where does expert live! Sniffing the smell of the bowl of water, Shao Zi suspiciously glanced at Scholar and pushed it away, “Won’t drink.”. After putting on the shoes, she stood with arms akimbo and fiercely glared at him, “I don’t care who you are, but if you dare touch the inn of the old innkeeper then I’ll go heel to heel with you.”
Scholar looked at the ferocious, unnatural face of hers and smiled, “I am a good person.”
“Best be.”
Shao Zi ran to lead the horse out from the stable. At that time she remembered that this morning when she woke up, she was not in the plant pot, but was well lying on the bed. It seemed that expert has placed her on the bed, but she should still have dirt sticking onto her.
After touching the body, she did not find anything different in particular.
Shao Zi smoothly went all the way to Donglin town to collect debt. On the way back, she heard people discussed. It’s heard that a prominent Bodhisattva has appeared and captured the bandits, sending them to the governmental office entrance to be dealt with by law. Hearing this, Shao Zi really felt self-accomplished.
Returning to the inn, she immediately met the owners of the rice and powder stalls. She quickly greeted them and chatted a bit. When Shao Zi went to the gate, right away she smelled a strange scent. She quickly followed that scent to the rear court and immediately saw a bunch of demons rubbing mahjong tiles to the point of drawing fire. Not waiting for her to roar, Xin niang, who was guarding, immediately bend over and shouted, “Boss has returned lah!”. The noisy atmosphere instantly disappeared and the mahjong place vanished. The money tree and the chrysanthemum, who were holding chopsticks with their mouths, saw Shao Zi a moment ago.
Shao Zi moved her mouth and entered, “Want to play then go to the mountain to play. Like this is not careful. What to do if others see?”
The money tree shook legs and immediately a dazzling, golden object fell down. Others hurriedly spring forward to capture it. He said, “We are all demons ah. It’s not your turn to managed our matters. Furthermore, if it really did happen, then I will immediately take the memory of that person and erase it completely…Why are you holding that shovel for? Hey, if you have the ability then let’s battle one round so don’t make a move ah.”
Shao Zi glared at him, “We obviously are not afraid of mortals, but if an enlightened Daoist priest or a wandering immortal appeared, then what?”
The chrysanthemum spoke while trying to repress [herself], “Aren’t you relying on your high power to suppress us? You try to ask others if they wanted to live a dull, mundane life. Demons need to have an appearance of a demon and not be like you, who on the other hand want to protect this shabby inn.”
After finished speaking, Xin niang jumped down at once, “The inn of the old innkeeper is not a shabby inn! Also, isn’t protecting something showing the appearance of a demon?”
The plump gourd nodded, &ldquo
;Correct, we lived in the yard of the Tongfu inn; thus, this place is our home.”
The money tree and the chrysanthemum glanced at one another. They snorted coldly once and immediately threw away the pair of chopsticks as they returned back to their original forms.
Shao Zi looked at the demons with arms akimbo, “Everyone will clean the bathrooms tomorrow as punishment.”
Miserable cries momentarily resounded throughout the inn. The mountain wind blew by and carried the rowdy, echoing sounds all over the place.
Shao Zi turned around to return to the room. She then remembered the matter before, “Can you guys feel a strange energy?”
Pa Pa swung body up to vine and responded loudly, “No.”
Everyone immediately side-eyed him.
Shao Zi rubbed chin, “Maybe I have thought wrong. Sense of smell has been getting worse. Perhaps I have to take a bath at the thermae in the mountain to cleanse away the muddy energies of the mortal realm.” shame on people stealing this translations
Returning to the room, Shao Zi went to the left side of Scholar’s room. She bent down and secretly touched the door of his room. She raised the finger to circle here and there, drawing a spell. Such type of trailing spell cannot be easily destroyed. If he went outside then it can determine his powers. If it cannot then at least it can determine his location. After much reconsideration, it’s still her who has a profitable trade ah.
The next day, when she woke up, she saw Scholar went in from outside. Shao Zi lowered eyes to look at his feet, but her trailing spell was not there. Shao Zi blinked several times. It cannot be ah. There was no reason for not one bit to stick on.
Scholar tilted head to look at her, “Lady Shao Zi, it’s early morning and already you’ve been staring intently at me. It has caused me to become scared ah.”
Shao Zi did not intend to stop looking at him and glanced to see the flower basin placed by the window. He does not have the ability to go out from the window. Don’t tell me…from the roof?
Translations belong to Chocolate Cosmos and is posted originally at bananachocolatecosmos[dot]wordpress[dot]com.
When night came, Scholar has made a warm-water basin to soak. The steam puffing up was extremely relaxing. After washing the towel cleanly and wanting to put it on his face, he suddenly heard sounds reverberated. He lifted up head to look and only saw Shao Zi squatting on the roof while fumbling to create a large, cage-like spell. He thought for a while, perhaps it’s time to reveal identity. After thinking, he placed the warm towel on face and covered the eyes. fudge you aggregator sites go rot in hell
The next day, Shao Zi was about to run and open the door. She still saw Scholar walking in from outside. She was really angered. Perchance this person is burrowing to escape!
At midnight, Scholar was preparing to go out, and immediately felt vibrations under feet. He lowered his head to look and this time saw Shao Zi forming a net spell for the entire downstairs…Cannot help but sighed heavily. Lady Shao Zi, [she] truly has extraordinary perseverance that is worthy of praise.
When the spell was chanted half-way, Shao Zi faintly heard movement in the kitchen. She couldn’t help but grow angry. Those bunch has come to steal tomorrow’s cooking ingredients from the kitchen again! She broke into a run toward the kitchen’s direction. She drew up the curtains and shouted loudly once, “Does not allow eating stolen food!”
Inside, the energy abruptly halted and Shao Zi blinked several times. She saw the other person, who was holding a steamed pork bun, was completely white. Hair was white, eyebrows were white, face was transparently white, and even the color on the lips was not even a lot. Also [the person] wore white clothes and was basically a snowman. Shao Zi swallowed saliva. It’s no wonder that for the past two days, she has felt that something was not right. It turned out to be a demonic sneaking in the inn. She can hazily sense the sinister energy, but how come it’s intermixed with immortal energy. It was not light and was like the demon on the mountain.
Little White, who was holding the steamed pork bun, retreated. When she saw that she [Shao Zi] was approaching, she showed teeth, “If continued to move closer, I will eat you.”
Shao Zi raised hand, gestured hands and feet for a bit. That person was not only shorter than her, demonic energy was also the same as her [Shao Zi]. Saying like this could be considered amusing, “Give steamed pork bun to you, but cannot stay here anymore. If dared to come back, I will toss you out.” #translatedbychocolatecosmos
Little White hesitated for a bit and shook head, “I will not leave.”
Shao Zi patiently said, “This place is a mortal territory. You coming to steal here will create many troubles. You need to return to your mountain.”
Little White still shook her head, “Cannot.”
Shao Zi also bared teeth and wanted to throw her out with ten part of her energy. How can there be someone who’s illogical like this? She has already been given a steamed pork bun and yet, has purposely refused to leave. As Shao Zi lifted the leg, she immediately saw a sharp, white blade slashing forward that blocked her way. Afterwards, appeared Little Hei (Little Black) next to Little White…. no, has to be called Big Hei (Big Black). That person was completely clothed in black. If the face didn’t have a bit of white then one definitely will not see the eyes. The two people stood at the same spot and could even be considered White and Black Impermanent at first glance[1].
[1] 黑白無常hēi bái wú cháng; Okay so this is a bit of a wordplay. 黑Hēi is part of the named Shao Zi called the blacked clothed person while 白bái means white and is part of the Little White’s name. So you combined white and black to get a reference to the two ghostly figures who work for the God of the Underworld and guides the souls to the underworld.
Little White stuffed the steamed pork bun in hand and stood in front, “We do not have any evil intent and only wanted to borrow this place as a hideout for a certain amount of time.”
Shao Zi looked at Big Hei a bit. With just a little bit more, her legs could have buckled, “Dragon Deity!”
Dragons are truly ancient celestial beings and are naturally born with tremendous strength. By chance, Shao Zi has seen dragons in the sky several times, but those were only dragons that regulate the rain and wind. As for the black dragon, he’s clearly a ninth rank dragon falling under the highest dragon category of the dragons in heavenly realm. One only needs to look at the dragon energy radiating out from him to know that. But how come he appeared to be gravely injured and also has a demonic creature Little White Snake besides him?
Dragon Deity spoke in a cold tone, “If you have already recognized, then cannot leave you [here] anymore.”
Shao Zi’s body froze. It was not fear that caused the body to freeze, but the last note emitted that caused her to be held tightly. Basically cannot move. Saw that life was being threatened, she shouted, “You are a celestial being, yet dare to arbitrarily kill a living being?”
Dragon Deity slightly closed eyes, “Due to forced circumstances. Wait for several days and I will release you.”
Dragon energy suddenly attacked forward. Her heart felt like exploding, and Shao Zi was short of vomiting a scoop of blood. When [she] seemed to be consumed into the dragon opponent, the sound of wind breezing by was suddenly heard. The dragon energy abruptly dissipated. Heart vessels immediately circulated as if they were never wounded.
The corner of Dragon Deity’s mouth suddenly dripped with blood. Little White Snake was terrified and raised hands to support him while screaming, “Who here is pretending to be a God and play the devil?!”
Dragon Deity shook his head, suggesting she should calm down, “Even though we’re disobliging, but we do not have any malicious intent and only want to stay for ten days then leave.”
From before to now, Shao Zi has never heard others say that Dragon Deity is a courteous person. Before had wanted to one-hit kill her. Despite being injured he can also use one finger to completely hold her to death. A person like that is not easy to concede, that wind…it’s expert! Shao Zi was about to move and dash toward Scholar’s room, but dragon energy was suppressive and congregated. Fundamentally, cannot move.
From behind came the voice of a male, “Can stay or not, has to ask Lady Shao Zi.”
“Expert?” Shao Zi immediately felt safe.
“Yes.”
Shao Zi wanted to ask where does he lived; yet before her mouth opened, she saw Little White Snake leaped forward. She hugged Shao Zi’s waist and cried like a little blossom, “Jiejie don’t kill to the last one*. We were chased and only wanted to stay here for wound recuperation. You offer us shelter. We definitely will not cause trouble and will be absolutely well-behaved.”
T/N: Jiejie = older sister.
* idiom; don’t go making quick decision that can lead to death (something like this)
Shao Zi hesitated. Being able to chase and kill Dragon Deity must be an extraordinary person. If [the person] came and destroyed the inn then what to do now?”
Little White Snake saw that she was hesitating, and immediately hastily asked, “Jiejie, isn’t this place an inn? We cannot stay here?”
“…”, Shao Zi was startled and saw her responsibility. She stood up and nodded, “This place is an inn! Of course, people can stay! I will go clean/arrange a room for you guys!”
Scholar saw Little White Snake and within eyes appeared a ray of shrewd. He looked again at Dragon Deity – one immortal and one demon, how did they come wandering together to this extent? And was chased by others?
Dragon Deity also peered up at him, and mind was filled with doubt.
That person from Jiu Chong Tian*…Went down to the mortal realm to do what? How come [he] protects that little flower demon?
*T/N: 九jiǔ = 9 , 重chóng = repeating again/ attaching importance to, 天tiān = Heaven. The Nine Heavens… Sounds familiar…
#chocolatecosmostranslations #bananachocolatecosmos
Previous Chapter ✿ Table of Contents ✿ Next ChapterT/N: Been editing this chapter for clarity and so forth. Is it better? Editing made me a bit behind. Nevertheless, I wanted to talk a bit about the translating process. Yi Mei Tong Qian’s style of writing, in my opinion, has been less smooth and flow less in comparison to Jiu Lu Fei Xiang’s writing style. That doesn’t mean she is less of a competent author, but more like, her writing style when translating over to English poses a bit of difficulty. She likes to bundle a bunch of actions from one character into a long, continuous sentence that looks like a short paragraph. Often this requires having to separate the actions into separate sentences, especially if one action led to another.
Tldr: Author writes choppy sentences. Sometimes I have to debate whether I want to keep it like that or not. This chapter I sliced a lot of her sentences down. I also tried to clarify who is doing what. Although I admit, my grammar is rubbish sometimes.
Feel free to point out any mistakes ( ^▽^)/
Since some folks have made it all the way at the bottom so here’s a bit of information (SPOILER…somewhat, not really)
Jiu Chong Tian is at least referenced in many novels of Yi Mei Tong Qian from “”joyous escape style and an arrival of budding warmth” type of writing and are mostly her fantasy, mystery-like novels.
Examples (including FDI): 南风 (Southern Wind) 镜中妖 (Mirror demon) 我的熊猫大人 (My panda da ren) 男主是只鬼 (Mister is a ghost) 主，你又变身了(Sir, you have changed again) 相公是把剑 (Lord is a double-edged sword) 重生你妹啊！(Rebirthed young sister ah!) 萌主驾到 (“Meng” Master is driving) 七尾狐 (Seven-Tailed Fox). Either the main or side characters come from Jiu Chong Tian. Note, this is all loose translations of the titles so please don’t take this as official titles (^▽^;)