Nightwatcher

# 313. Xu Cijiu can Write Poetry? Pah!

“His matters are not my concern.”

Luo Yuheng frowned slightly and said unhappily, “There’s no need to provoke me with him so often. Who I choose to dual cultivate with is my own decision. You don’t need to worry about it, Senior Brother.”

*She looks like someone unhappy with an arranged marriage forced by her elders…* The orange cat chuckled to himself, lifting a paw naturally… glanced at it, then put it back down.

“So, it seems you don’t truly disdain Xu Qi’an, Junior Sister. Or at the very least, he doesn’t disgust you? In any case, I know you despise Emperor Yuanjing.”

“No woman would like a man who constantly demands to dual cultivate with her,” Luo Yuheng replied calmly.

*Well, that’s bad news. Xu Qi’an is also that kind of person…* the orange cat grumbled internally, but outwardly maintained his composure, smiling like an old cat and saying:

“No one can decide for you whom to dual cultivate with, Junior Sister. But dual cultivation is no small matter and cannot be decided lightly. It’s best to observe carefully. I have some critical information about Xu Qi’an that might be of use to you.”

As expected, Luo Yuheng’s attitude improved, and she nodded. “Please, Senior Brother.”

“This information not only concerns Xu Qi’an, but also involves a secret of the ancient Human Sect,” Daoist Jinlian said, choosing his words carefully before continuing:

“Number Five is a young girl from the Shaman clans; you should be aware of this. Recently, she left the Southern Marches to train in the Great Feng…”

The orange cat’s paw twitched slightly, and he suppressed his instinct with great effort, continuing, “However, we lost contact with her near Xiangcheng.

“Two nights ago, I gathered Number Three, Number Four, and Number Six to search for her. After much exploration, we found her in an ancient tomb at the foot of South Mountain outside Xiangcheng.

“The tomb belonged to an elder of the Human Sect. Judging by the information on the murals, he lived in an era when the descendants of gods and demons roamed the earth. To use their fortune in cultivation, he killed the reigning monarch and usurped the throne.”

“Usurped the throne…” Luo Yuheng frowned. “Was he second rank as well?”

The orange cat shook his head. “That’s what I thought at first. But later, it turned out he failed his tribulation and perished, leaving behind a tomb in the depths of the earth.”

“It must’ve been built by later generations in his honour,” Luo Yuheng suggested as she poured a cup of water and pushed it toward the orange cat.

The cat lowered his head, sticking out a pink tongue, licking the tea with a gentle “slurp, slurp,” and sighed, “A cat’s tongue is different from a human’s; tea tastes bland and flavorless. What a waste, what a waste.”

Returning to the topic, he continued solemnly, “The problem lies here. That Daoist failed his tribulation, but his physical body wasn’t destroyed. He has remained in eternal slumber in the underground palace. When we entered the main chamber, he awoke.”

The signs that Xu Qi’an noticed, how could a seasoned person like Daoist Jinlian miss them? The burn marks on the corpse, its physical durability…

Daoist Jinlian had immediately realized that the dried corpse was the Daoist himself; this LYB was just pretending to be unaware.

“That’s impossible!” Luo Yuheng’s face turned serious.

A heavenly tribulation destroys everything. If a Daoist of the Second rank fails their tribulation, both their primordial spirit and physical body are completely obliterated, leaving nothing behind.

That’s what happened to the previous Human Sect Leader.

“I was surprised too, but those are the facts,” said the orange cat.

In truth, he had concealed something from the members of the Heaven and Earth Society: the Earth Sect Leader didn’t fail his tribulation and hence turn to evil. Instead, to survive it, he took a dangerous path and unwittingly fell into the demonic path.

Had he failed the tribulation, the Earth Sect Leader would’ve long since turned to dust.

“After the dried corpse appeared, it mistook Xu Qi’an for its lord and offered him the imperial jade seal it had protected for centuries…”

“Wait!” Luo Yuheng held up her hand, her delicate brow furrowing. “Did you say it called Xu Qi’an ‘Lord’?”

Daoist Jinlian nodded affirmatively.

The voluptuous, enchanting, yet ethereal Luo Yuheng fell silent, taking several seconds to process the immense information embedded in that statement. Then, she spoke slowly:

“You said that dried corpse is that Daoist, yet it called Xu Qi’an ‘Lord.’ Who was its lord or master, and why did it mistake Xu Qi’an as such?”

The National Teacher’s beautiful eyes focused intently, staring at Daoist Jinlian without blinking, her calm demeanour giving way to profound concentration.

Clearly, she cared deeply about these events, or perhaps she had caught onto some hidden clues within them.

Daoist Jinlian analysed, “My guess is that the dried corpse is a residual shell, and the true Daoist separated from it, forging a new body.”

This tied into the Daoist cultivation system.

Rank Three: Yang Spirit!

In Daoism, the Yang Spirit is also called the “Dharma Body,” the initial form of a “Dharma” aspect.[^1]

Although the Heaven, Earth, and Human Sects each follow distinct paths, their core principles were the same. To summarise, the stages of cultivation were:

First, cultivate the Yin Spirit, then refine the Golden Core. When the Yin Spirit and Golden Core merge, a Nascent Soul is born. As the Nascent Soul matures, it becomes the Yang Spirit. When the Yang Spirit is perfected, it transforms into a Dharma Aspect.

Thus, the Yang Spirit is considered the embryonic form of the Dharma Aspect, also known as the Dharma Body.

When a Daoist reaches the Third rank Yang Spirit stage, they can begin to transcend the limitations of the physical body. The Yang Spirit can roam the heavens and earth, free and unfettered.

Even if the physical body is destroyed, they can reconstruct it at a certain cost.

However, this doesn’t mean the physical body is unimportant. Quite the contrary, the physical body is the key to achieving First rank, the Earthly Immortal.

The Yang Spirit, upon further transformation, becomes the Dharma Aspect. At this stage, the Dharma Aspect and the physical body must merge, returning to unity. Then, upon enduring the heavenly tribulation, they undergo a qualitative transformation.

Thus, the Earthly Immortal is born.

“Since he could leave behind a husk, that means the Daoist isn’t a First Rank Earthly Immortal. If so, how did he escape after failing the tribulation?” Luo Yuheng asked with a furrowed brow.

“That’s why it’s just a hypothesis. It seems even Junior Sister doesn’t know the reason,” the orange cat remarked with a regretful shake of its head.

“If I knew the reason, my father wouldn’t have perished in his tribulation.” Luo Yuheng pursed her lips.

“Fair point.” The orange cat nodded, a knowing smile crossing its face.

“Let’s set this matter aside for now and move on to the next piece of information. After failing the tribulation, the Daoist built a grand tomb for himself and ordered his shed body to guard an imperial jade seal, which he had infused with gathered fortune.

“The Daoist told the shed body that he would one day return to reclaim the jade seal. That shed body mistook Xu Qi’an for the Daoist and offered the jade seal with both hands. Guess what happened next?”

Luo Yuheng’s heart raced, her beautiful eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Xu Qi’an obtained the imperial jade seal? That’s fantastic news. Senior Brother, this information is priceless.”

If she could obtain the jade seal from Xu Qi’an, using its stored fortune to cultivate, reaching First Rank would be within her grasp. She’d no longer have to worry about dual cultivation with a loathsome man.

Upon achieving First Rank, she’d be free to roam heaven and earth, her lifespan boundless. She’d no longer need to serve as the National Teacher, deal with Emperor Yuanjing, or be confined to the capital.

The thought of this made her heart beat even faster, her breath slightly quickening.

“The jade seal is gone,” Daoist Jinlian said with a sigh.

Luo Yuheng’s expression froze, her breath hitching. “The jade seal is gone? Where is it? Did he leave it in the tomb, without bringing it out?

“In the mountain range outside Xiangcheng, right? Give me the exact location…”

She shot to her feet, summoning her flying sword and whisk, which hovered behind her. As she headed out, she extended her palm toward the orange cat, who obediently floated into her grasp.

“Junior Sister.”

Daoist Jinlian, limp in her grip, dangled his limbs and adopted an expression that said, *Do whatever you want; I can’t be bothered to resist.* He said, “The jade seal is no longer in the tomb. You won’t find it even if you go.”

Luo Yuheng halted, her wide eyes narrowed. “You old Daoist, can’t you just say everything at once? Tell me, where is the jade seal?”

With a wave of her sleeve, she swatted the orange cat, sending it tumbling.

“The jade seal was destroyed…”

Before she could get angry, the orange cat quickly added, “All its stored fortune was absorbed by Xu Qi’an.”

At this, Luo Yuheng was momentarily stunned.

After a long silence, she returned to her seat, sitting cross-legged, and murmured, “He absorbed all the fortune…”

“If you ever thought his fortune wasn’t sufficient before, now it should be enough to help you reach First Rank. Of course, whether or not to dual cultivate, and with whom, is entirely your choice, Junior Sister.”

The orange cat said softly.

After squatting in silence for a moment, it coughed to catch her attention. “I wonder if this information is worth two Blood Embryo Pills?”

As it finished, two porcelain bottles shot out of her sleeve, milky white and translucent.

The orange cat opened its mouth, swallowed both bottles, and smiled. “Thank you, Junior Sister.”

With a light leap off the table, it raised its tail and pranced into the flower garden, leaving the Lingbao Temple.

Luo Yuheng sat, motionless, like a statue. After a long while, her delicate eyelashes quivered, and she seemed to come alive.

She lifted her arm, her sleeve falling away to reveal her fair, delicate hand as she reached for her Daoist hairpin, giving it a gentle tug.

Her lotus crown rolled off, allowing her soft, black hair to cascade down like a waterfall.

She was as lovely as a goddess descended to earth.

“National Teacher, National Teacher…”

Just then, a woman entered, lifting her skirts and wearing a veiled face. She stopped upon seeing Luo Yuheng’s waterfall of black hair and peerless beauty, momentarily stunned.

After a moment, the veiled woman pointed at Luo Yuheng, exclaiming, “Oh! Oh! Oh! You’ve finally come around! You’re ready to dual cultivate with Emperor Yuanjing?”

She winked with a mischievous grin, looking every bit the experienced matron.

Luo Yuheng’s fair face flushed slightly as she twisted the hairpin in her fingers, and with a deft motion, her hair was once again fastened into a neat bun.

She paid no attention to the lotus crown on the ground.

“What do you want?” Luo Yuheng said coolly.

The veiled woman didn’t answer but went over to the table, lifted an overturned teacup, poured herself some warm tea, downed it, and let out a satisfied burp.

“A letter arrived at our royal manor from the border. It says that the Zhenbei King has nearly completed the Third Rank. By early next year, or possibly even by the end of this year, he will reach the peak of Third Rank.”

The veiled woman paced back and forth in the quiet room, muttering, “This is bad. This is very bad.”

Luo Yuheng frowned. “So quickly?”

After a moment’s reflection, she laughed. “What’s so bad about it? If he advances to Second Rank, as the Zhenbei King's consort, your position will be second only to the Empress. Even the royal concubines and consorts would have to bow before you.”

“Who cares about that stuff?” the veiled woman muttered, then frowned. “Oh, right, it was his deputy who delivered the message. That crude martial deputy even asked me about the recent contest with the Buddhist sect.”

…

The Imperial City.

Xu Qi'an had just finished lunch at Lin'an manor before bidding her farewell and mounting his beloved mare. He was mulling over what he had gained from his visit.

*Just as I thought, chess is still too challenging for her. She doesn’t seem to enjoy it, though she does cherish the board and pieces we made together.*

*She also likes the ‘Long Aotian and Zixia’ storybook, though she seemed a bit disappointed by the latest volume. I asked what she didn’t like, but she wouldn’t say and just kept hesitating…*

*Today, I held her hand twice—once to teach her chess, and once while pulling her into the boat at the lake. This experiment proves that as long as I’m not too obvious, she’ll tolerate a bit of physical contact. A good sign! Friends just shy of romance.*

*Keep calm, keep calm. For now, love is like a carriage: Lin'an inside, me outside. Soon, love will be like a bed: Lin'an beneath me, and me inside her."*

The Nightwatchers’ constabulary soon came into view.

“Dalang, Dalang…!”

Just then, a familiar voice called from the gate.

Xu Qi'an’s expression stiffened as he looked over and saw it was the son of the gatekeeper, Old Zhang.

“How many times have I told you, call me ‘young master’ outside,” Xu Qi’an scolded irritably, before asking, “What brings you to the constabulary?”

The servants his aunt brought from the outer city still kept their old habits, calling him "Dalang" and Xu Xinnian "Erlang." It reminded him of his past life when his parents insisted on using his childhood name even though he was well into adulthood. Especially embarrassing when others were around.

“A young lady came to the manor asking for you, sir. When I asked her what relation she was to you, she wouldn’t say, just insisted on seeing you. The madam sent me to call you back.” Old Zhang’s son explained, “But the constabulary guards wouldn’t let me in, saying you hadn’t called in today. So, I waited here at the gate.”

*A young lady?*

Xu Qi'an mentally reviewed the “fish” in his pond. First, he ruled out Chu Caiwei; she was a regular visitor to the Xu residence, stopping by every so often.

It couldn't be Fuxiang either; she wouldn’t come without reason, and Auntie already knew her. At that time, love was like a coffin: Xu the Freeloader inside, and Fuxiang the creditor outside.

*Could it be Zhong Li…?* Xu Qi’an pondered and asked, “What does the young lady look like?”

…

In an inner-city tavern, Cloud Deer Academy student Zhu Tuizhi was drinking with his classmates.

Aside from Cloud Deer Academy scholars, there were several from the Imperial Academy.

Though there was indeed animosity between students from the two schools due to their doctrinal rivalry, it usually didn’t escalate beyond disdain. Neither side held any deep-seated grudges. After all, conflicts of doctrine were a distant concern for most students, many of whom would never have the chance to become officials or would only reach low-ranking positions.

Thus, if one side extended a friendly gesture, it wasn’t hard to sit down and share drinks.

Recently, Zhu Tuizhi had been in a terrible mood—he had failed the Spring Imperial Exam.

For someone as proud as Zhu Tuizhi, this was a severe blow, especially since his longstanding rival Xu Cijiu had passed with highest honours as _Huiyuan_, the top scorer.

This defeat only highlighted the gulf between them.

Since the exam results were posted, Zhu Tuizhi had been frequenting brothels, Jiaofangsi, and taverns with his peers, drowning his sorrows in drink.

*Since when was he so talented at poetry?*

This question had gnawed at Zhu Tuizhi. As a classmate and rival, he believed he knew Xu Cijiu’s abilities well.

In the classics and Confucian principles, Xu Cijiu was undoubtedly excellent, but his poetry had always been mediocre. Zhu Tuizhi was confident that in the realm of poetry, ten Xu Cijius couldn’t match him.

“To think, this year’s Huiyuan was claimed by Xu Cijiu from your Cloud Deer Academy,” one of the Imperial Academy students remarked with a sigh. “It’s an utter disgrace for our Academy. In the past, such news would’ve stirred up a ruckus.

“But everyone respects Xu Cijiu’s achievement.”

Another student from the Imperial Academy shook his head and recited, “Oh, travelling is hard! Travelling is hard! So many crossroads; which to choose? When the winds are high and the waves are tall, I’ll hoist my sails over the ocean blue.

“Whenever I revisit this poem, I feel a surge of passion. Any hardship or danger seems trivial. Haha! Let’s drink to that!”

The Cloud Deer Academy students smiled proudly; Xu Cijiu’s Huiyuan victory filled them with pride as fellow students.

Only Zhu Tuizhi remained silent, head down as he drank.

A young Imperial Academy scholar, who had yet to speak, glanced at Zhu Tuizhi and smirked, “Brother Zhu, you don’t seem too pleased?”

Zhu Tuizhi glanced at him—his name was Liu Jue, known for his socialising skills. Despite being an Imperial Academy student, he never spoke ill of Cloud Deer Academy students and had a wide circle of friends among the young scholars in the capital. Like Zhu Tuizhi, he had failed the Spring Imperial Exam.

Without replying, Zhu Tuizhi waved his hand and kept drinking.

Liu Jue didn’t mind and was determined to pull Zhu Tuizhi into the conversation. “Why is it, Brother Zhu, that for someone with Xu Huiyuan’s talent in poetry, we never heard of him before?

“Even if one occasionally stumbles upon a masterpiece, anyone capable of composing such verses must have a fair grounding in poetry. Yet, I’d never heard of anyone named Xu Cijiu in the capital’s poetry circles.”

Zhu Tuizhi snorted, downed his drink, and sneered, “Not only you; I, as a Cloud Deer Academy student, hadn’t heard of him either.”

Hearing this, the Imperial Academy students grew intrigued and turned to look at him.

Liu Jue narrowed his eyes but kept his tone light as he asked casually, “Why do you say that, Brother Zhu?”

---

[^1]: Daoist and buddhist terminology overlap somewhat, as buddhist sanskrit terms were translated into Chinese