The Shaman's Poison
Chapter 4
Li Wuzhang is extremely well-versed in fortune telling.
He has foretold many things, but there was one in which he never could have predicted.
He could never have predicted that Wu Yanfu would die by the hands of his weakest and youngest disciple. It was even more so when it came to the prediction that one day, the shidi he cared for, would enter the mandala[1]as the sect leader.
Gazing at the person who got off the carriage and was stepping onto the bronze bridge leading into the mandala, which was casted as a pair of gigantic hands, Li Wuzhang pulled the metal chain in his hand, pulling the shaman who was sprawled on the horse down and followed the person.
The pair of bronze hands gradually opened, like the Buddha guiding people to ascend into Ji Le mandala[2]. However, the stairs were laid with skulls and either side of the bridge was filled with densely packed skeleton arms reaching up, like stalks of snow lotuses. It was eerie and pitiful. The hands that were trying to grab hold of the life filled with resentment and anger were sticking up in all forms and manners.
Bai Tan had crossed the bridge many times before, but it was the first time that he has crossed it in this manner and with this identity.
On the mandala, there were hundreds of people waiting. The five remaining leaders[3] of the original ten were all present, too.
He walked slowly, with arrogance and leisure; he glanced at the hands and felt that they were as creepy as ever.
Wu Yanfu warned him before, that if fear and hatred were to persist in one's heart for some time, it would become a burden. Once a burden is formed, the skeletal hands, which belonged to vengeful spirits, would grab onto the person's ankle and the person would end up becoming one of them.
A gust of cool wind blew past and Bai Tan shivered. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his robe as though he actually got caught.
He turned his head and saw the free end of his silk belt[4] hooked on one of the hands. With so many pairs of eyes looking, he felt embarrassed. Yet, it was the shaman who knelt on the floor and used his mouth to untangle the silk belt.
"Master needs to be wary, calamity-ridden." The shaman lifted his head, his eyes clear.
"I don't need your reminder." Bai Tan sneered softly and without sparing the shaman another glance, crossed the bridge. He jumped towards the large altar in the middle of the hall, passing through raging flames and landing on the lotus throne at the highest point without a scratch. It was his first time ascending the throne officially after he appeared in this hall with Wu Yanfu's body, announcing that he would take over the position and defeated the two other bodyguards.
The five leaders saw him pass through the flame from purgatory and they all understood. Bai Tan has succeeded in attaining a higher level of skill and to their dismay, would probably no longer be weaker than Wu Yanfu. With the realization, they all bowed in silent agreement and praised him loudly and in unity.
"The sect leader is mighty[5]; he is able to consume the sun and the moon[6]!"
Hearing the praises, Bai Tan felt irritated and with a wave, swept a wine cup on to the floor.
A huge clang echoed through the hall and the praises immediately ended.
He leaned backward and reclined on the throne.
"Rise. Do not try this set of formalities on me*. Do you all know the purpose of this summon?"
"Your subordinate is ill-informed. May the sect leader please enlighten us." Two people quickly responded in unity and moved towards the throne.
One of the two held on to a pipa[7] made of human bones and the other had a bili[8], also made of human bones, in his hand. A male and a female with almost identical looking faces. They had luscious bodies, a keyūra[9] hung around their necks and it was hard to tell if they were male or female. They were the leaders of the music department and the dance department, Na Luo and Qian Da. They were Wu Yanfu's most capable lackey, and yet, in the blink of an eye, they started buttering up to the new sect leader.
"Fools, can't even guess such a simple thing." Another person moved forward and after he squeezed between the two, knelt down.
The person is a pretty looking boy, his plaited hair wrapped around his neck, very much like the people from Tian Zhu. He inched forward, and shot a dazzling smile at Bai Tan, "Congratulations to the Sect Leader for coming out of seclusion. By my guess, Sect Leader must have already reached the fifth level of the Sky of Six Desires and the purpose of summoning us would be to choose a suitable 'Concubine Ming', for the final level."
"Ye Cha…news sure does get to you fast[10]." Bai Tan recognized the person and coldness seeped from his eyes.
Ye Cha was also a disciple of Wu Yanfu, but he was no longer under the guidance[11] of Wu Yanfu and they used to have an ambiguous relationship. When Wu Yanfu was still alive, this person would discreetly cause all sorts of trouble for him. Especially in the three years when Wu Yanfu went into seclusion, the troubles he created escalated. Once, he even caused him to fall into an ice hole which led him to fall into a coma for half a month, almost losing his life.
He had originally thought of finding a reason to finish this person, but who would have expected that he would send himself over?
He sat upright, crossed his legs and smiled without any warmth to it, "Do you, by any chance, have a suitable choice?"
Ye Cha moved closer and bowed down, "It would be this subordinate's utmost honor to be able to be 'Concubine Ming'."
"Oh? Others would do anything to avoid it, yet you volunteer yourself?" Bai Tan raised his eyebrow and pinched the youth's chin. Looking at the pair of clear eyes, he blew at him, "You are currently a leader and could make it big. To use you as a tool for cultivation… would that not be a waste?"
"Your subordinate is willing to serve the sect leader with his utmost abilities and loyalty, till my death." Ye Cha lifted his head and cradled his foot before he lowered his head again to kiss Bai Tan’s foot as proof of his loyalty.
Bai Tan grabbed his wrist with force and while helping him up, checked his pulse. The pulse was burning like a lit charcoal. It was chaotic, almost worse than his own pulse when he had gone awry during cultivation and he understood. The skill that Ye Cha learned was the sect's Hei Shui Jing[12] from the Di Chang Shi Lun Jing[13]. If he was to practice double cultivation with this person, it is almost definite that he would be harmed instead. He must be aiming for the blood relic and is up to no good. Hmph, is he treating him like a naïve child?
With his utmost abilities? More like with ulterior motives.
Bai Tan did not mention it but killing intent grew from his heart and he formed a hand seal. He was fast but not fast enough.
A column of smoke poured out from Ye Cha's body. He was prepared, and, with a tap of his foot, avoided the attack with a backwards leap, his arms stretched out on either side.
The moment Ye Cha realized that his first strike was not successful, he immediately stopped pretending and all his murderous intent was revealed. With a turn of his head, the long plait attacked like a venomous python. He was acting like he would bring him down with him.
Li Wuzhang saw the situation and immediately stepped up to help, but Bai Tan was faster. He caught the plaited hair with one hand and his other curled into a claw, striking down on the top of Ye Cha's head.
Ye Cha let out a high-pitched scream and fell to the floor. His head was covered in blood and his skull was shattered.
There was uproar under the altar. Everyone was shocked from the bottom of their hearts. Ye Cha was a leader and yet, it only took Bai Tan one strike to take him out. The extent of Bai Tan's abilities after taking the blood relic was clear.
Bai Tan returned to the throne and looked down, "I* just came out of seclusion and there are people who couldn't wait to test my strength. This is the best." He leaned forward again, the pair of blood red lips parted like two pieces of thin blades, "Despite knowing that there was no chance of defeating me, you still chose to attack me, courting death. Why would you do that?"
Ye Cha was on the brink of death, his arms curled up and his long hair splayed out messily as he crawled towards Bai Tan like a ghost, "Shizun… Shizun…You killed Shizun, naturally… this is to avenge him!"
Bai Tan's pupils contracted a little. He knew that the person was dying soon, so without fear and not hiding, he stood up from the throne. He gently channeled his inner energy out and the strands of hair which crept up the lotus throne curled and turned into ash as though burnt by fire.
Ye Cha fought the scorching heat and raised his head with all his strength. His face was dripping with blood and he was shedding tears of blood. He glared at Bai Tan with the last of his strength 'till the point where it looked liked his eyes were about to split[14].
"Shizun doted on you so much. Why would you repay his kindness with malice? As for me, for me to even beg him to spare me a glance was…"
"Dote?" as though pricked by an invisible needle, Bai Tan kicked Ye Cha, sending him flying. However, it was insufficient to vent the anger he felt for the shame inflicted on him. He felt his blood boil and surge. He quickly shut his eyes to regulate the flow of blood and energy in his body.
He was unable to suppress the memories that surfaced one by one.
Wu Yanfu leisurely raised his eyes to look at the youth on the throne.
Due to his short stature, his feet dangled from the edge of the seat, not touching the floor and were exposed, not covered by the robes. Had he not worn the deer skin shoes; the scars made by the shackles, which were cuffed to his slender ankles for many years, would be in plain sight.
By killing him and becoming the leader, did he think that he would be able to do anything that he liked with no regard for the law?
His eyes narrowed mockingly, covering part of his pale pupils.
Ha! The shackles are no longer there, but the marks remain.
For his entire life… they could never be erased, even in death. He is his little kid and he will always be his little kid[15].
Xiao’s Comments: I kinda feel sorry for Ye Cha…he was so loyal to Wu Yanfu…
Notes
[1] A mandala(坛城) is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the universe. It is usually in the form of paintings or something more 2-D but the author used a counter for a building or a city, so it probably means the place, city or building, had its plans based on a mandala? So maybe a mandalbased city maybe more accurate but sounds a little iffy? City specifically because the second character of the term literally means city, but it could be just. I tried to find an exact term for it but couldn't. Found examples of mandala in architecture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandala
[2] Ji Le(极乐) means ultimate bliss. The term mandala was put behind it and I am not sure how to incorporate it, so I was thinking Paradise or Heaven.
[3] Tan Zhu(坛主) means the owner of the altar but in the novel, the author seemed to have used it as leaders of factions/divisions in sect.
[4] Not really sure if this translation is right. It could be belt or ribbon. Maybe even the rope like thing they use to tie over the belt.
[5] The actual term (神武) is used more to mean that the person has an impressive or strong aura.
[6] (吞赦日月) I really don't know what that's supposed to mean so it's just the direct translation. If I were to separate it into 4 characters, it goes "swallow, pardon, sun, moon". There's no meaning to combining the first two characters other than the name of a yaoi couple.
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipa
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hichiriki
[9] Originally, it was an accessory worn around the neck of Buddha in ancient India, made of jade beads.
[10] More accurately, it means that the spies he has around Bai Tan was quick to pass the news or that he just has a lot of spies.
[11] The term is used to describe someone or a disciple who had successfully learnt the skills and stopped learning.
[12] Hei Shui Jing(黑水经) literally, Black Water Mantra.
[13] Di Chang Shi Lun Jing(地藏十轮经) literally, The Ground Hides Ten Rounds (of) Mantra.
[14](目呲欲裂)is an idiom which describes extreme anger till the eyes look like they are about to crack.
[15] This literally says little doll but could mean baby or a very young kid. *The “I” or "me" makes a reference to his position or suggests a high rank
Chapter 5