The Husband Was Once The Long Aotian

T/N: This chapter was translated by Elysian Pit. I DO NOT own the translation and all credit goes to the original translator. I’ve picked up this novel to continue from where the previous translator left. Thank you ❤️❤️

 

The sun rose up from the east in the vast desert.

Early in the morning, the light glistened on the sand, and the wind brushed the thin particles, blowing toward the distant city.

Bang!

A man in blue was blasted to the ground. Vines emerged from the ground, they knotted the man’s limbs and sent him flying, at the apex, then they yanked him down and smashed him into the sand several times.

The man slumped on the ground and spat a mouthful of blood. A worn-out shoe with a hole stepped on the man’s head, trampling his head to the yellow sand.

The person who stomped on the man’s head was Qin Wanwan, and the person being stomped on was, naturally, Jian Xingzhi.

Qin Wanwan dressed miserably in rags and tatters, with her hair messy and her face covered with wind and frost*. Her eyes were dead to all feelings as she gazed into the distance. Her original image of a beautiful and lovely fairy was nowhere to be seen.

[T/N: 风霜 – fēng shuāng. Lit. wind and frost — Hardships of a journey or of one’s life: Weather-beaten; Having had one’s fill of hardships.]

Jian Xingzhi was muttering something in the soil, and Qin Wanwan withdrew her gaze. She kicked Jian Xingzhi impatiently out of the soil and he gasped for air.

“We agreed not to use spells!”

Jian Xingzhi choked the sand out of his throat. “Why are you being so unruly?”

“Master has excellent Martial Arts,” Qin Wanwan was apathetic. “Without spells, how can I make even a little scratch on Master?”

“Then at least you shouldn’t fight like this!”

Jian Xingzhi looked down at his body, which was utterly immobilized after the thrashing. He groaned to Qin Wanwan, “We are about to enter the city, but now you have broken my body and I have to recover for a day. Isn’t this just delaying our time?”

Qin Wanwan sent him a cold look and didn’t bother to reply to him. She walked forward with her sword in hand.

Jian Xingzhi got anxious when he saw her walking away, “Don’t go by yourself! Take me with you!”

“Host, you can’t leave him behind.”

38 advised Qin Wanwan, “For us to advance with our progress, a good deal of our tasks must be discovered through him.”

“Find White Dragon Jade and open the Gate of Immortality,” Qin Wanwan spoke numbly. “I can do it by myself.”

“But…” 38 did not give up, “His bone is all crushed, if we left him just like that in the wild, what if he gets eaten by the wolf?”

Qin Wanwan’s steps halted. She heard Jian Xingzhi’s cheery voice shouting for her from a distance, “Oi, beloved Disciple, don’t leave me behind ah. Come back and carry me!”

Qin Wanwan inhaled deeply. She resigned herself to fate and returned. She agilely took out a wooden tow from her Qiankun pouch and tied Jian Xingzhi with it. Then she placed the rope from the other end of the tow to her shoulder and hauled Jian Xingzhi towards the city ahead.

Behind her, Jian Xingzhi tweeted joyously about her performance today. His tone was that of a gratifying lament, “I originally expected you to raise 3,000 points a day, and 90,000 by one month. Your progress is far beyond my expectations. We just left the desert and you can already defeat me with the help of spells. With your fighting spirit and talent, it will be no time before you catch up to me. Beicheng, my eyes didn’t judge you wrong, you are indeed a talent! However, next time, be careful and don’t break my limbs, otherwise, you will need to tow me around, isn’t it such a waste of time?”

Qin Wanwan only listened. She really wanted to cry, but there was no use for tears in this Cultivation Realm. And anyway, her tears had been long dried up by the desert wind.

At first, she was determined to beat Jian Xingzhi to let him know the pain she experienced on that fateful day.

But.

Who could expect that when she crushed his sternum, not only he didn’t show any sort of pain, but he was elated and became more convinced that she was an unpolished jade. Even more, he discussed in detail how she should shatter his sternum again for practice purposes.

She thought she was still too lenient on her blows, so she picked up where she had left off and kept trying harder.

She didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t bathe, and kept utilizing the Body Tempering Mind Method every day, all just to teach him a lesson.

She worked her ass off to the point that she could smash him and give him a full-body fracture. She beat her to the point that he could only lie on the ground, yet, what she received was acknowledgement dripping from his eyes.

She asked, “Master, does it hurt?” and he replied, “Yes, it hurts, but as your Master, your progress really moved me.”

She didn’t feel any joy of revenge, rather, she felt despair.

She suspected that, for the rest of her life, she might not be able to take revenge on Jian Xingzhi in the true sense.

His brain circuit worked differently from any other ordinary person, he was simply a madman.

Violence only made him more eager, and spells couldn’t knock any sense of defeat to him.

Qin Wanwan dragged Jian Xingzhi at a snail’s pace to the gate of the city. When she reached the gate, she looked up and saw the word ‘Guicheng’ written on the city tower.

With a sound of ‘Ding!’, a clear sound of 666 rang in Jian Xingzhi’s mind:

【New Task: Attract the Procurer of the Fengya Pavilion; Get targeted by the Procurer and get forced to enter the Fengya Pavilion, resulting in the Female Lead making a big fuss in the Fengya Pavilion. Attract the City Lord’s Chamberlain’s attention and go to the City Lord’s mansion; Make the Female Lead get arrested by the City Lord and become a prisoner.

Estimated Reward Points: 500】

The task was accompanied by a specific description, which appeared to have been copied from the original novel.

[Jian Zhiyan saw the flourishing Guicheng for the first time and sneaked out to buy a pearl ornament for Qin Wan. However, someone in the Fengya Pavilion set their eyes on his appearance and kidnapped him to be an enchantress there.]

[The gorgeous-looking Jian Zhiyan was sold at a high price, the City Lord’s Chamberlain Cuilu was attracted to Jian Zhiyan at first glance. She brought him to the City Lord’s mansion to serve the City Lord. On the other side, Qin Wan rushed to the Fengya Pavilion to save Jian Zhiyan, but she was seriously injured and had no chance but to retreat. Before leaving, she told Jian Zhiyan to wait for her at the City Lord’s Mansion.]

[In the mansion, Jian Zhiyan crossed paths with Hua Rong, the City Lord, and tried his best to protect his chastity and waited for Qin Wan’s rescue. But Hua Rong was proficient in spells and took down Qin Wan. For the sake of saving Qin Wan, Jian Zhiyan mustered every effort to please Hua Rong. In the harem of the City Lord’s Mansion, he experienced numerous house fights and became the person Hua Rong loved most.]

Jian Xingzhi’s eyebrows nearly knitted into one as he read the task.

Fengya Pavilion, just from its name, couldn’t he see what kind of place it was?

Brought into the City Lord’s Mansion?

Numerous house fights?

What was this? Was the task really treating him like a real male pet?

“Master.”

666 reminded him, “It doesn’t matter if it is a trivial plot, but when it comes to a key plot like this, you have to follow the rules ah.”

“Isn’t our objective to take the White Dragon Jade?”

Jian Xingzhi shut his eyes, “In the past, I begrudgingly set out to be Qin Wan’s male pet. And now, I must be brought into the City Lord’s Mansion. What Fengya Building do I have to get to? You really regard me as a male pet and think that I can serve anyone just for the sake of points!”

666 wisely did not persuade him again after listening to his tone and quietly let Jian Xingzhi run Chunsheng to repair his body.

All in all, his bones were thoroughly fractured. He couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to right now. Just wait until he recovers.

The System’s sounds disappeared from his mind and Jian Xingzhi wholeheartedly began to heal his body.

Qin Wanwan dragged Jian Xingzhi into the Guicheng and headed for the main road to find an inn to rest.

In Guicheng, people who come and go mostly wear white or black robes. White masks painted with expressions adorned their faces. There were some people who wore ordinary clothes like Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi, the only disparity may be that their clothes were more pathetic than other people’s.

Perhaps there was something special today, the city was unusually crowded.

Shortly after entering the city, Qin Wanwan heard the surrounding gongs and drums shaking and the crowd cheering.

Qin Wanwan wearily pulled Jian Xingzhi and advanced against the crowd.

“Excuse me.”

She bowed her head and kept apologizing to the person she bumped into.

And, the crowd kept getting bigger.

Qin Wanwan raised her head and saw a big cart not far away. The frame was adorned with decorations and the wood was all black, with some white flowers dotted around it. The word ‘Dian’* was written on the frame and there was a coffin in the cart, where a man stood.

[T/N: 奠 – diàn. to fix / to settle / a libation to the dead.]

The man was in a pure white robe and had a high hat similar to Black and White Impermanence*. He was carrying a stick with paper money dangling from it. He wore a mask, which was painted with wide eyes flowing with bloody tears and an exaggerated upturned mouth.

[T/N: Bai Wuchang and Hei Wuchang. Two Deities in charge of escorting the spirits of the dead to the underworld.]

Qin Wanwan couldn’t see his face, but just from the eyes underneath the mask, she could reckon that this person was born beautiful.

Above the coffin on the cart, he deftly danced an enchanting, but somewhat eerie, dance. At the four corners of the cart, four women in red stood, one holding a Sanqing* bell and the other scattering paper money.

[T/N: 三清铃 – sān qīng líng. Used in various Taoist Ceremonies. It is said the sound is a kind of pleasant music to human beings, but it is very harsh and frightening to the ears of evil spirits and ghosts.]

Paper money was drifting all over the sky, but Qin Wanwan’s gaze was fixed on the dancing man.

The man seemed to notice her gaze and squinted over, with a touch of ghostly charm in his captivating movements. For some reason, Qin Wanwan vaguely perceived that he was smiling at her.

She froze in place, and when she came back to her senses, the cart had gone far away.

“Stop staring.” Jian Xingzhi reminded her, “Be careful not to get enchanted.”

“Are your bones already okay?”

Qin Wanwan heard him opening his mouth and urged him, “If so, walk with your own feet.”

“Give me a bit more time.” Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes again, “My bones will be fixed at night at the earliest.”

Qin Wanwan disappointedly dragged him again. She glanced around and caught the sight of a flatbread stall next to her. She placed Jian Xingzhi on the ground and bought a flatbread.

Sitting down on the ground, she began to eat the flatbread listlessly.

Jian Xingzhi examined the way she lowered her head and ate the bread. He counted that since their first meeting, even during her time in the Wen Xin Sect where she was all by herself and was put in a critical situation, she could muddle along like a fish in water and successfully persuaded Song Xinian to give her good food and drink. But, after worshipping him as a teacher, her life had not been good, instead, she now sat on the sideroad like a beggar.

He couldn’t explain the reason, but he was a bit guilty.

Qin Wanwan ate her bread in silence. Jian Xingzhi discerned that she hadn’t adapted to the life-quality gap and tried to comfort her.

“Don’t be sad.”

Jian Xingzhi racked his brains to search for some comforting words, “It’s normal for us Cultivators to brave the wind and rain. There are far more people who live a more miserable life than us. We can be considered lucky.”

Qin Wanwan was dumbfounded, her mind blanked from Jian Xingzhi’s words.

Jian Xingzhi was about to offer some more comforting words when an old man threw two copper coins at Jian Xingzhi. The old man glanced at Qin Wanwan, then at Jian Xingzhi as he sighed.

“How pitiful ah.”

The old man shook his head and slowly walked away with his cane.

Qin Wanwan gazed at the copper coins and then at the bread in her hands.

She instantly came to a realization.

How did it become like this!

She, a Second Generation Immortal in the Immortal Realm; A sweet, lovely, delicate, and gentle fairy… How on earth did she fall in this kind of situation?!

She was all like this, sitting on the ground eating bread, with unkempt hair and a dirty face that even passersby felt pity for her!

What’s worse, she didn’t even notice it herself!

Jian Xingzhi was the first to notice their pitiful situation!

What had she been through to fall to this point!

Sorrow surged from Qin Wanwan’s heart as she became conscious of their situation. The corners of her eyes went red, and the bread in her hands lost its fragrance.

“You… don’t cry.”

Jian Xingzhis saw her tearing up and rushed to coax her, “Master will take you to buy new clothes tomorrow when Master’s bones are well connected.”

Qin Wanwan became even sadder. She raised her head and tears pattered down her cheeks.

“Do you have money? In the end, it’s my money that is being spent!”

He hit her, beat her, and turned her into the pathetic person she was now. And, he still dared to spend her money to coax her! What kind of logic did he have!

“I…”

Jian Xingzhi staggered for a moment. He hurriedly promised, “I don’t have any money with me right now, but don’t worry, I am going to earn it by myself, I can make money real quick.”

“How are you going to earn it?”

Qin Wanwan sucked her nose, and many grievances piled up.

Before, in the desert, she didn’t feel much, but now they returned to the populated human world, looking at the bread in her hands and the copper coins in front of her… recollecting her previous fulfilling life, her grievances couldn’t be blocked anymore.

She went to pick up the copper coins in tears and wiped them on her clothes. She put them in her pocket, weeping as she nitpicked about Jian Xingzhi, ‘You can’t do anything except fight. What are you going to buy me new clothes for? In the end, aren’t I the one paying for it with my money? I must have had collected eight lives of bad luck*…”

[T/N: 八辈子的霉 – bābèizi de méi. Eight lifetimes of bad luck. The accompanying word is usually “to meet you.” a.ka “What kind of horrendous evil have I done to be punished to meet you?”, the opposite of “Eight lifetimes of good luck”.]

Before she finished speaking, spirit stones jingled from above.

Qin Wanwan paused. Sniffing, she raised her head and was met with a young man in a black robe with a crying mask covering his face. He crouched in front of her and consoled her, “Miss, people can’t come back to life. Take these spirit stones, and quickly send your Brother to rest in peace.”

The young man left and waved his hand.

Qin Wanwan widened her eyes and glanced at Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi braced himself and spoke hesitatingly, “Why don’t you… let me lie down here?”

Buying clothes for Qin Wanwan using Qin Wanwan’s money to coax Qin Wanwan… was for sure not sincere in the slightest.

As a Master, he had to find a way to earn money.

Qin Wanwan was numbed, but Jian Xingzhi accepted it as her acquiescent.

“Cry harder.”

He urged as if he had discovered a way to make easy money, “We will earn enough to cover our traveling expenses today.”

Qin Wanwan: “……”

Such disgraceful action, Qin Wanwan would never cooperate.

But, if Jian Xingzhi actively tried to make money, she wouldn’t hinder him.

She placed Jian Xingzhi on the roadside and put a bowl beside him. She sat a little farther away, in the corner, eating bread by herself.

Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes and simply basked in the sun, listening to the pleasant sound of copper coins clinking in the bowl next to his ear.

In a short while, he realized that the situation was not right, he perceived there were some women eyeing him from the corner, pointing towards him from afar.

“Quite handsome.”

“He must look good if his face is washed clean.”

“There is grass stuck on his head. I wonder how much he will cost?”

He panicked when he heard such words. Currently, he has a broken body and can’t move. He was no better than a fish on a chopping board.

He began signaling to Qin Wanwan with his eyes to end the facade.

But, after finishing the bread, Qin Wanwan leaned her head on the pillar and dozed off, accompanied by soft snoring. She simply couldn’t see Jian Xingzhi’s signal.

Jian Xingzhi whispered to her, “Gu Beicheng? Beicheng!”

Qin Wanwan scratched her ear and twisted her head, resuming her sleep.

Jian Xingzhi took a deep breath and was about to shout when a feisty-looking middle-aged man’s voice reached out, “Yo, this man is still alive? How much is his price?”

The man squatted down as he spoke. Jian Xingzhi saw a man in goose-yellow clothes. His appearance was considered good among ordinary people, but he couldn’t compare to Jian Xingzhi. His face was painted with thick makeup, and looked somewhat peculiar. Behind him stood several men similar to him, all whispering around Jian Xingzhi.

Jian Xingzhi narrowed his eyes at the man’s hands as the man touched his face a few times and revealed an amazed look.

“What a beautiful bone shape, he grew up nicely,” The man continued to observe him and asked, “Who is the one selling this cripple? There is no one around. I guess we can carry him away easily.”

“I’m not for sale.”

Jian Xingzhi opened his mouth and glared at the man, who smiled and tilted his head to look over, “Not for sale? You are a cripple, where is it your turn to speak?”

“You are courting death.” Jian Xingzhi’s eyes were sharp.

The man waved his hand, “Carry him away.”

“Qin Wan!”

Jian Xingzhi shouted loudly, which made Qin Wanwan jolted awake, she almost rolled down the steps from the startle.

She wiped the corner of her lips and looked up to see a group of men in fancy clothes circling Jian Xingzhi. The tow where Jian Xingzhi was lying had been lifted by two men. A garish middle-aged man glanced at her with a smile, “Young Miss, he is for sale, isn’t he?”

“What for sale?” Qin Wanwan was confused, “Who is for sale?”

“Him.”

The man pointed to Jian Xingzhi, “I was notified that a person was lying here with grass on his head and made a special trip. I also heard that he’s your brother and is dying, so you are selling him here. So, how many spirit stones are you selling him for? Just say it,”

Qin Wanwan eventually processed this man’s words and peeked at Jian Xingzhi. She forced out a smile, “Gentleman, we are just resting here. I am not selling him.”

“Miss, your brother is crippled, right?”

The man picked up Jian Xingzhi’s hand. Since his bones were all broken, his hand was limp. The man lightly sighed, “He won’t live long in your hands. I feel pity for you two brother and sister, so why don’t you exchange him for some money? In this way, at least you can have a better life in the future.”

Qin Wanwan didn’t answer, but when she glanced at Jian Xingzhi and saw him anxiously winking at her, she froze.

This was the first time she had seen such an expression on Jian Xingzhi’s face.

He seemed to be… panicked?

Realizing this, tremendous elation welled up in her heart.

However, she didn’t dare to let Jian Xingzhi see it.

She coughed lightly and seemed to ponder, “That… Gentleman, what do you plan to buy my brother for?”

“I am Qingzhu, the Procurer of the Fengya Pavilion in this city.”

The man twirled his hair around his fingertip, “Fengya Pavilion is a well-known place for its beauties. Just for your brother’s beauty, I will definitely treat him well. By then, you will be well, and so will he. Bathed in luxury and glory, isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?”

“Qin Wan!”

Jian Xingzhi glared at her, “Why are you playing along with his nonsense?” Let’s go!

“It is truly killing two birds with one stone.”

Qin Wanwan nodded along: “So…How many spirit stones does Gentleman think my brother is worth?”

Qingzhu didn’t answer right away. He sized up Jian Xingzhi, “This person’s face is good, but his body is weak. I must spend a lot of money on his medical fee. Let’s do this. I’ll give you this amount.”

Qingzhu opened five fingers, “Fifty middle-grade spirit stones.’”

“Nonsense!” Jian Xingzhi cursed, “A shabby fifty…”

“Shut his mouth!” Qingzhu glared over, and a boy next to him immediately sealed Jian Xingzhi’s mouth with a spell.

Jian Xingzhi narrowed his eyes coldly at Qingzhu’s back.

In that instant, Qin Wanwan knocked down a hammer.

Qingzhu is as good as dead.

She gave a slight cough and kindly warned him, “Well, Gentleman, actually, I’m also doing this for your own good. My brother is a bit sick in the head, so I’m afraid that if you bring him back, he will bring disaster to you.”

“Disaster?”

Qingzhu laughed out loud at her warning, “I am a Golden Core Cultivator. How can your crippled brother bring me disaster?”

“That’s good if you have this strong faith in yourself.” Qin Wanwan nodded and extended her hand, “Then, pay up.”

“Hmpphhmpph!”

Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan extend her hand and his eyes dilated. He struggled desperately.

Unfortunately, all his bones were broken and his mouth was gagged. His struggle could only be expressed by the furious blinks of his eyes.

Qin Wanwan deliberately overlooked him and received the payment from Qingzhu. She smiled and saluted him, “I wish Gentleman peace and prosperity.”

“Well said,” Qingzhu arched his hand, “I also wish Miss all the best.”

The two exchanged pleasantries, and Qin Wanwan was finally allowed to say goodbye to Jian Xingzhi.

She walked up to Jian Xingzhi and spoke softly, “Master, I am going to buy new clothes for me. Thank you for the money from selling your body.”

She wiped a tear and sniffed with emotion, “Brother, go. Whether you become a small waiter or a famous courtesan, you will always be a hero in Wanwan’s heart. Oh, Hero,” Qin Wanwan couldn’t hide her smile, “Farewell.”

With that, Qin Wanwan turned away with the money bag, hopping on her steps and swinging the bag around.

She had some worries before she left, “38, it’s okay if I just leave like this right?”

“The system recommends that you leave for the time being.” 38 affirmed, “According to the plot, Jian Zhiyan undoubtedly should go to the Fengya Pavilion.”

Qin Wanwan nodded in peace when she heard this.

In Qin Wan’s memory of Jian Zhiyan during this event, Jian Zhiyan was still alive and kicking by the end of the event. Jian Zhiyan could survive well as a mortal, so there was no reason Jian Xingzhi wouldn’t survive when it was him occupying Jian Zhiyan’s body.

She walked away at ease and giggled when she recalled Jian Xingzhi’s last look that seemed like he was going to eat her clean.

Jian Xingzhi glared at Qin Wanwan’s back, if glare could kill, Qin Wanwan should have been pierced with thousands of arrows by now.

This rebellious disciple actually sold him for only 50 spirit stones. How could he only be worth 50 spirit stones?!

Jian Xingzhi fumed when he thought of that.

Close your eyes. Concentrate and calm your mind. Work on your Mind Method.

Just wait.

Wait until his bones were all fixed and he would turn this Fengya Pavilion upside down!

He would grab back those 50 spirit stones! That’s his hard-earned money!

 

【Mini Theater·1】

Jian Xingzhi: “Work hard on your own and don’t insist on being a soft rice man!”

(Proceed to write a sad story in chalk, ask for alms, break your hands and feet, and lie down)

Jian Xingzhi: “My Sect’s Martial Arts are not only useful in battle, but also very convenient for begging. If you need to beg, just break your hands and feet. Wait until night, and you will recover and go home. Do you want to learn? If you want to learn from me, just give me a cue. I’ll start with helping you break your ribs.”