Chapter 62-Dreams of the Lost City Yundu

Translated by Snowfall77

The curtain of night still hung over the world, and Gu Peijiu’s slumbering mind weaved erratically through a foggy dreamland.  But it was better than vexatious nightmares.

Then the dream gradually made itself clearer, Gu Peijiu finding herself standing before what looked to be some ancient, forgotten city floating in the clouds.  Raising her head, Gu Peijiu eyed the imposing wall that stretched across the horizon, crowned with crenellated parapets.  While above the immense city gate, hung a huge black plaque ornamented with intricate gold lines.

The golden characters on the black plaque were like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing, glittering in the brilliant sunshine——

Yundu.

“Hey, what are you gawking down there for?  Aren’t you coming up?”

A clear, melodious voice, tinged with a smile: “I went through all this strenuous effort, so why are you still being dull-witted and foolish?  Are you refusing to be enlightened?”

Looking for the source of the sound, Gu Peijiu found a girl sitting in the hollow of one of the wall’s crenellations, dressed in a simple hemp garment, legs crossed, and a piece of wild grass dangling from her mouth.  Thin, snow-white calves were nonchalantly exposed, and straw sandals were set off to one side, so that softly arched feet with smooth nails were also left bare.

Gu Peijiu’s gaze slid from the feet to the calves, then to the slender waist, slowly trailing upward to try and distinguish the speaker’s face.  Yet the girl’s face remained indistinct, even as she spat out her piece of wild grass, braced her hands against the wall to effortlessly jump up and put her sandals on.  Posture graceful, she said: “Aiya, I guess I have to bring you up myself.  You’re too troublesome, but don’t worry, I forgive you.”

The girl abruptly disappeared into the shadows.  Pupils contracting, Gu Peijiu wanted to avoid whatever was coming, yet she suddenly found that she was immobile.

……like she was in a dead body that couldn’t move.

Lightly seized by her collar, there was a flash before Gu Peijiu’s eyes and in an instant she was standing on the city wall.

High in the clouds, Gu Peijiu saw a vast expanse of mist-covered sky unfolding far out into the distance.

From her position on the wall, Gu Peijiu also had a panoramic view of inside the ancient city.  Vendors lined the streets, and people were bustling back and forth, rubbing shoulders with each other in an endless stream.  Taoist priests were carrying yellow flags, and though it should have been impossible, there were even puppets and Yimei walking around!

……there were puppets and Yimei?!

Gu Peijiu was greatly shocked.

Seeing a stiff-limbed puppet picking up a sweet potato at a snail’s pace from the sweet potato stand was an odd sight.  Its carved wooden mouth was opening and closing, evidently talking to the vendor, who was a hemp Yimei without head or limbs.  The two appeared to be haggling with each other, the empty sleeves of the Yimei snapping against the sweet potato stand, giving the impression of urgency, while the puppet seemed to have all the time in the world.  Finally, the puppet rigidly put down two coins, then walked away, sweet potato in hand.  Not far away, a boy about 7 or 8 years old was beckoning at the puppet with a grin.  With an unhurried pace, the puppet made its way over the boy and put the sweet potato in the boy’s hand.  With shining, happy eyes, the boy held his sweet potato in one hand and the puppet’s hand in the other, leading the puppet as they gradually merged back into the streaming crowds.

After waving its sleeves excitedly at the departing puppet, the Yimei swept the two coins into its coin bag, managing to look very cheerful despite its lack of a head.

“This is the legendary city Yundu.”  The girl sat back down on the wall.  Still holding onto Gu Peijiu’s hand, pale toes cutely curling up in the straw shoes, the girl then cocked her head: “Really, it’s not that different from any city below, except for the fact that there’s no war here and people live happily.”

Gu Peijiu was speechless.

“One day……”  The girl murmured: “Sooner or later, Peijiu, I’ll make another city just like this one.”

The girl had called Gu Peijiu by name……

Gu Peijiu couldn’t see the girl’s face, yet Gu Peijiu’s heart was beating so fast, too fast——hearing her name being called.

——How do you know my name?

——Who are you?

The girl turned her head, gazing at Gu Peijiu for a long time, until finally muttering: “Those eyes of yours……”

Slowly letting go of Gu Peijiu’s hand, the girl stared down at the big, boundless city, her black hair flying, her mood seemingly turned gloomy: “Ai, too much like my younger brother’s, it’s difficult to look.”

Brother?

This girl’s little brother?

The girl appeared to be lost in memories, whispering to herself: “I wonder how Wuyin is doing now……”

Wuyin?

——Xia Wuyin?

Heart skipping a beat, the shadow of that familiar boy flashed through Gu Peijiu’s mind.  The next second, Gu Peijiu’s took the girl’s hand back into her own!

“Huh?”  The girl was more than a little scared, “Fuck, how did you move?!  You can move?  Holy shit!”

Gu Peijiu didn’t come back to her senses, too caught up in the sound of the girl’s happy voice, the depressed tone completely gone: “I can’t believe you moved!  The little puppet said so long as you move, it was 99% successful!  Wow, ahhh, I really like you, Peijiu.  You’re awesome!  Hahaha, I’m going to be a big boss in the future——”

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Before Gu Peijiu could react, the girl holding her hand lightly leapt, flying them both down towards the city! The wind blew fiercely in their ears, and although the girl’s hand was a little cold, her voice was undeniably proud and joyful: “I’m going to teach you everything  I know about everything!  I’ll show you the world!  This world is exceedingly beautiful!  For now on, you are my only leader!  I’ll give you everything I have, and I promise I’ll never abandon you—you’re so wonderful!”

“Hahahaha——”

Falling through the endless clouds, the girl’s laughter tinkled clear and brash, no matter that she’d jumped off a 100-foot high wall, harsh winds whipping around her.  The startled people down below craned their heads, peering up towards the two falling girls, someone issuing an indistinct, but sharp warning——

“Invaders——”

“Repel the invaders!”

And countless winged, pitch-black paunchy creatures, sharp horns jutting from their heads, flew up from the ground in a flurry of flapping wings, headed straight for the girl and Gu Peijiu!

“Invaders, my ass!”

Using one hand, the laughing girl pulled out a bone flute that glowed like soft jade from her sleeve, and waved it around like it were a writing brush, casually drawing a formation in the air.  Then she spun the flute around and put it to her lips, brazening saying: “Peijiu, I’m very fragile, you need to protect me—”

The notes of the flute sounded!

In an instant, Gu Peijiu’s body that had felt unbearably stiff came to life, her bones and four limbs brimming with frightening power!  Staring down one of the dragon-like creatures flying towards them, Gu Peijiu held the girl in one arm as she instinctively waved her other sleeve——

Boom——

Sudden, formidable waves of spiritual energy rippled out with just the movement of Gu Peijiu’s arm; the black flying creatures instantaneously blasted into ashes!  There was an ear-piercing rumble and heaven and earth changed their colors as Gu Peijiu sheltered the girl in her arms.  Despite being fully aware that she was being controlled, Gu Peijiu didn’t find it uncomfortable in the least, even lifting a hand to cover the girl’s ears.

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——The sounds were too loud; the girl’s ears shouldn’t be hurt.

Gu Peijiu thought it and her body followed.

——She clearly wasn’t this ‘Peijiu,’ but in a split second, thoughts and actions became astonishingly identical.

“Oh, so awesome!  666!”

The girl grabbed Gu Peijiu’s arm: “You’re truly amazing, Peijiu!  Worthy of being the leader!  Now go blow up the city elder’s house!  Quickly destroy his house, hehehe—–make it explode and Yundu will be my domain!”

“——Yes.”

Gu Peijiu’s answer was mechanical, instinctively obedient, yet possessing a touch of tenderness.

Putting her at a loss.

Was it her who’d said the ‘yes’ or had it been this body?

She didn’t know……who she was.

She only knew she’d wanted to say that word to the person in her arms.

Gu Peijiu would fight to the death, give her life on the battlefield, be an unwavering shield, a powerful army, do everything she could—for this girl.

And when Gu Peijiu did all this, it would be the greatest glory.

Everything for her deity, her faith!

Reason told her this definitely wasn’t right, she was Gu Peijiu, the senior disciple of Danfeng, she was……

No, her present feelings were as they should rightfully be.

Not true!

——Who is she?

Isn’t she being manipulated by someone, by this girl?

——Who is this girl?  Why, why was she……

Gu Peijiu’s head ached like it was about to split apart.

The surroundings shifted into a mirage, the clouds and mist dissipating, and the girl in her embrace raised her head to smile at Gu Peijiu, the unseen face suddenly becoming crystal clear!

Eyelashes fluttering over beautiful eyes, the girl’s voice was sweet-sounding: “Don’t cover my ears, did you……did you just speak?”

Gu Peijiu’s eyes were wide as the sights before them disappeared like they’d never existed, leaving not a trace.  Without thinking, she reached out a hand, but it only touched nothingness.

Her heart vacant, as if she’d lost everything.

A lingering charm left on Gu Peijiu’s fingertips by the girl’s faintly cold hand.

But as Gu Peijiu woke up, her hands were empty.  It’d been only a dream, ephemeral as fleeting clouds.

All that remained was the girl’s face, seen at the last moment, yet deeply engraved in Gu Peijiu’s heart.

Getting out of bed, Gu Peijiu opened her green curtain, gazing at the pale light in the east.

“Dawn,” Gu Peijiu murmured to herself, her head still aching.  She massaged her temples for a long while.

That girl’s voice had already faded away with the rest of the dream, only the face……

That face, that face——

It had been……Xia Wuyin’s face!

= =

To be ready for the results of Danfeng’s entry examination being made known, Xia Ge made sure to get a good night’s sleep.  Upon waking, she cleaned herself up.  When she locked her door behind herself, she glanced at the empty shack next to hers and then rubbed her face, trying to erase her sad expression.

“Ai……”

“There’s no one left to go drinking with me.”  Xia Ge felt quite disconsolate.

The system was too lazy to pay her any heed.

Xia Ge bought herself some sesame cakes at the village entrance, and leisurely made her way to the Danfeng field where the examination had been held.  Many other disciples were also on their way to find out the results, just like Xia Ge.  Some were only 8 or 9 years old, but others were as old as 20 or 30, though they all had one thing in common; apprehensive faces and hurrying steps.

By the time Xia Ge got to the field, it was already crowded.  The furnaces had been removed and at the northernmost spot the results were propped up high, the header Danfeng Entry Examination Results written in bright red, clear-cut letters.

“Ah——I got it!  I got in!  I got 46th place!

“Congratulations!”

“Why can’t I find my name……”

“……”

People closest to the list were jostling each other, shoulder to shoulder.  Xia Ge gingerly touched her abdomen with its wound that’d barely scabbed over and then took another good, long look at the bustling crowd.  For her own self-preservation, she decided waiting a little longer to try and look was probably for the best.

Anxious disciples were bunched together at the front, but those disciples who’d already seen their results were chatting with those idling at the back.

“Aiya, there were too many participants in this examination.  Based on the quality of my Bigu dan, I don’t know that I got in……”

“It was unusual how many people there were this time.”

“Alright, I just looked, and I managed to barely scrape by.  It’s a blessing.”

“Oh, I don’t dare go look!  Don’t talk about it with me, let me tell you some interesting gossip instead.”  A young man with a gourd hanging from his waist was clearly nervous, “I heard somebody demolished Jianfeng’s council hall yesterday!”

Cough, cough——

When she heard that, Xia Ge choked on the piece of sesame cake in her mouth.  Things went a little dark and she clutched at her neck, fighting to the death with the cake bite.  The young man who’d been talking saw Xia Ge’s plight and immediately handed her the water gourd from his waist: “Little brother, you must have skipped breakfast to see your results, huh?  I’m scared to see my results too!  It’s really……”

龙飞凤舞  [lóng fēi fèng wǔ]

like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing — lively and vigorous flourishes in calligraphy; beautiful penmanship

Yundu-Cloud City

666—to highly praise someone, express excellence, say something is very cool, or call them the greatest of all time (GOAT).