Chapter 68: A Very Pleasant Name

The woman in black’s expression seemed to have turned different. A faint light flashed through her narrowed eyes. Then, she pursed her lips and smiled as she glanced at Chen Xiaolian. “Are you anxious?”

Chen Xiaolian too, pursed the corners of his lips.

“Rookie, how many instance dungeons have you undergone?” The woman in black seemed to have an increased amount of interest in Chen Xiaolian.

“How could you be so certain that I am a rookie?”

The woman in black laughed. As she laughed, her pair of eyes turned into the shape of crescent moons, a natural pair of smiling eyes – however, the words coming off her mouth were absolutely harsh. “That is because the word rookie is practically written all over your face.”

“…” Chen Xiaolian was unable to say anything.

“Veterans who have participated in many instance dungeons will generally have a strong sense of vigilance and impending crisis. Unless they are in combat, they will never waste their stamina nilly-willy; unlike you who carries a big axe with you as you run around – do you have a lot of strength?” The woman in black smiled with a closed mouth. “Also, you were recklessly attacking everywhere you go, launching skills whenever you engage in combat. Don’t you know that the usage of skills will end up consuming a great deal of strength? Your axe skill is quite good. However, such a kind of skill is best reserved to be used against those BOSS Class monsters. Using skills to clear off weak mobs, being out of breath now is simply your just desert.”

Chen Xiaolian’s face remained calm, appearing devoid of anger as he listened attentively. After the woman finished, he nodded. “Any others?”

“Others?” The woman in black pondered before slowly saying. “When you enter an unfamiliar place, do not run around randomly. The first order of business is to familiarize yourself with the terrain. The moment you arrived, you ran towards me. If I happened to be holding any malicious intent, your corpse would have been refreshed by now. The first thing that veteran Awakened ones do when they meet someone in an instance dungeon is to take precautions. That is done to guard against any ill intents that others may have. Instead, you blatantly came to my side. If I had wanted to kill you, then…”

“Thank you for your warning!” Chen Xiaolian spoke out sincerely. “I will firmly keep your words in my mind.”

“…” The woman in black deeply regarded him. “You are quite the strange fellow. After being reproached so much by me, do you not feel angry?”

“There is nothing to be angry about,” Chen Xiaolian calmly replied. “I am indeed a rookie. To be able to have a master like you impart your teachings to me is something that one could only wish for. Besides, you are not talking nonsense. Every sentence you said is very reasonable. Those experiences are things that money cannot buy. Being able to listen to it means I am lucky. Naturally, I must appreciate it by committing it to memory.”

The woman in black tilted her head as she thought about it – this action of hers was somewhat adorable. Despite seemingly in contrast with her cold, elegant exterior, this action from her gave her a feeling of adorability.

“Who is this little girl to you?”

“Friend… something like a little sister,” Chen Xiaolian slowly replied.

“Are you aware that the struggle for survival within an instance dungeon alone is extremely hard? To have to divide your focus to protect someone else…sooner or later, this action of yours will get you killed.”

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Some things have to be done.”

“I… won’t be a burden for Xiaolian oppa,” Soo Soo who had been maintaining her silence by the side suddenly spoke out in a serious manner. Although her voice was very low, her tone showed conviction.

“Very well, chat time is over,” The woman in black waved her hand and kept the two swords back. It was likely that she had kept it back into the system. She moved to the side of the stone platform and glanced down. Frowning, she said. “It has increased by quite a bit. Back then, many of the stone monsters fell in, causing the level to rise considerably. En, we have half an hour’s time before the stone monsters are refreshed out again.”

Turning around, the woman in black looked at Chen Xiaolian. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Didn’t you condemn me as an idiot?” Chen Xiaolian stroked his nose as he gave a bitter smile.

“Even idiots will have one commendable thought out of a thousand,” The woman in black replied earnestly.

Chen Xiaolian laughed – he suddenly realized that this woman has a very special quality to her. That was… despite her cold and lofty exterior, her harsh way of speaking, there were some moments where she would show a certain naivety.

“I do have some ideas,” Chen Xiaolian walked a few steps forward and pointed towards the design map of the secret chamber drawn by the woman earlier.

“Speak.”

“The stone platforms here, they total to 81, right?”

“Correct.”

“This is the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, a place built by people of ancient times… at least, that is what the background story states. Then, if we are to look at it from a traditional culture's perspective, does the number 81 mean anything special?” Chen Xiaolian calmly and slowly continued. “The Emperor is also known as the Honoured One of Nine and Five. In the ancient Chinese philosophy of numbers, the number Nine is highly respected. Since this is the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, I believe that we can proceed to solve this troublesome puzzle by using numbers. The number Nine holds the highest position amongst all. With that, the number 81… means Nine and Nine! The multiple of Nine and Nine is 81, after all.”

“Continue!” The woman in black’s eyes flashed.

“Before I continue, I need you to give me some information,” Chen Xiaolian slowly said. “The design map that you drew has a few collapsed stone platforms. I need to know the sequence of collapse of these few stone platforms.”

“That is simple,” The woman in black immediately walked over. She knelt down with one knee to the ground and extended a slender finger, which rapidly tapped a few times on the design map. “Here, here, here… and here. That is the sequence. I have been spending my time here thinking about it, trying to find a pattern from the sequence of collapse. I also tried using numbers to proceed but have been unable to find any pattern to it.”

Chen Xiaolian pondered carefully for a moment. He arranged the stone platforms sequence of collapse that the woman in black had pointed out within his mind. Then, he suddenly laughed out.

He turned his attention to the woman in black. “The Emperor, the Honoured One of Nine and Five. The people from ancient times have a preference of separating numbers to Yin and Yang. The odd numbers as Yang, the even numbers as Yin. As for the Emperor, he is naturally of the Yang number. Amongst the Yang numbers, the one with the biggest value is Nine. Thus, Nine holds the most exalted position. As for the number Five within the title of Honoured One of Nine and Five, Five occupies the central position amongst all the numbers.

Think about it, from one to nine, Five happens to be located in the middle position.

Thus, of the numbers Nine and Five, Nine represents an exalted position while Five represents a central position. At the same time, the Emperor also represents the Yang numbers. The Yang numbers are odd numbers, which are one, three, five, seven and nine. A total of Five numbers – thus, the Emperor had been known as the Honoured One of Nine and Five throughout time.”

“Go on!” The woman in black’s eyes were glinting.

“If there really is a valve port hidden beneath one of the stone platform, then it is the central hub that controls everything within this secret chamber. It is the most critical and important of all places. Thus, it must coincide with the number Nine and Five.”

“The number Nine and Five?” The woman in black frowned. “Then, is it Nine or is it Five?”

“It would be more accurate to ask… which Fifth within the rows of Nine is it?” Chen Xiaolian laughed. “Just look, there are 81 stone platforms. Even though it seemed chaotic, a careful examination will reveal that they are evenly distributed. Due to the difference in sizes, one could easily become confused. Observe carefully, you will see that there is a pattern to their arrangement.

Nine horizontally and nine vertically!

In other words, a horizontal view would result in nine rows. Within each row are nine stone platforms.

Vertical wise, there are nine columns. Each column consisting of nine stone platforms!

Then, the question becomes very simple.

Count horizontally to the Fifth row, and count vertically until the Fifth column.

Coincidentally, this resulting horizontal row and vertical column will cross one another! The location where they cross one another is also coincidentally the Fifth stone platform of the horizontal row and the Fifth stone platform of the vertical column.

Not only that. If one is to view this place from the side, one will still see that… from the northwest angle to the southeast angle, there are also Nine stone platforms. From the northeast angle until the southwest angle, there are also Nine stone platforms.

And the resulting two lines would intersect at… coincidentally, the same place!

A horizontal line, a vertical line, another line from the northwest to the southeast and one more line from northeast to the southwest… see, this is a ‘米’ (rice) shape.

A total of Four lines, each of which contains Nine stone platforms. These Four lines would intersect together to form the ‘米’ shape! Coincidentally, they all meet at the same location! As for the location of this intersection, its position within each of the Four lines is… the Fifth stone platform!”

“The intersection of Four lines? Why must it be the intersection of Four lines?” The woman in black frowned.

“Because the number Four is very important!

Do not forget, the ones we considered earlier were all Yang numbers. However, besides Yang numbers, there are also Yin numbers. The people from ancient times regarded even numbers as Yin numbers, which are two, four, six, eight. A total sum of Four numbers! Thus, the number Four encompasses all the Yin numbers! The intersection of Four lines thus complements the importance of this ‘Four’ number.”

Chen Xiaolian calmly continued. “To conclude… I believe that the main valve port is located in the most central stone platform of this secret chamber… that is, the one currently beneath us!”

“…”

The woman in black looked on blankly. Then, she looked at Chen Xiaolian. “How did you estimate all that?”

Chen Xiaolian forced out a smile. “If I say I am a cheater, would you believe me?” [1]

“I don’t,” The woman in black solemnly shook her head.

“Very well,” Chen Xiaolian reflected on it. “I have read up on the ancient explanation for the number Nine and Five. Coincidentally, this place is the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. Considering that this is the mausoleum of the Emperor, I feel that proceeding would require examining the numbers using the principles of the numbers Nine and Five. So… it is part deduction and part speculation.”

“But it is worth trying!” The woman in black looked somewhat excited. “Then, we will knock down this stone platform beneath us!”

Chen Xiaolian pondered. “Do you have any explosives? I did not bring that type of items in.”

The woman in black glanced at him. “…Those words of yours. Those are the words that only a true rookie would say.”

…

Chen Xiaolian held Soo Soo and jumped onto the adjacent stone platform. Then, he witnessed the display of strength from the woman in black!

The woman in black stood in the middle of the central stone platform. Slowly, she knelt down on one knee, took a deep breath and raised her right hand high above her head. She closed her palm to form a fist… upon her fist, a golden sphere of light instantly appeared!

The woman’s fist descended and struck the stone platform beneath.

The golden light flashed out for a moment and instantly flowed into the stone platform.

The woman in black stood up and brushed both hands. She leisurely walked over and lightly leapt over to Chen Xiaolian’s side.

Chen Xiaolian looked at the central stone platform and frowned. “Why is there no reaction… eh?”

Just as the words left his mouth, something happened!

Cracks suddenly appeared on the area of the central stone platform that the woman in black had struck! Golden light could be seen emitting from within each cracks!

Then… without making any noise, the huge stone platform abruptly… shattered down!

It was as though someone had extracted all the liquid within a dough, leaving only the flour, which broke down into powdery bits!

The entire stone platform collapsed down, turning into powder!

Chen Xiaolian watched with wide opened eyes!

By his current estimation, amongst all the people that he had met since he stepped foot into this world of wonders, regardless if they were Players or Awakened ones, this woman in black beside him was certainly… the most powerful one of them all!

Those with great powers that he had encountered before, such as the Wind Slasher Guild’s Newton and Autumn Stone Guild’s Qiu Yun were all people of superior strength.

However, none of them brought him as much shock as this woman in black had at this moment!

As Chen Xiaolian was staring open mouthed at the woman in black, she suddenly expressed a delighted smile and clapped her hands. “This is it! This is it! You got it right! This is the one!”

After the stone platform collapsed, the bottom area revealed a huge hole! The surrounding mercury flowed over and surged into the huge hole. They flowed down without restraint, forming a gigantic whirlpool…

The level of mercury within the secret chamber rapidly decreased…

“It seems you are much smarter than I expected,” The woman in black squinted her eyes and appraised Chen Xiaolian from top to bottom. “I owe you one. If there is an opportunity, I will repay you.”

Pausing, she slapped Chen Xiaolian’s shoulder forcefully. “You are called Chen Xiaolian, right? I forgot to inform you back then… my name is Miao Yan.”

Miao Yan? [2]

A very pleasant name…

1 The word used for ‘cheater’ here is ‘蒙’, pinyin: ‘méng’, meaning: cheat / cover / ignorant.↩

2 Miao Yan = ‘妙嫣’. Miao, raw: ‘妙’, pinyin: ‘miào’, meaning: wonderful. Yan, raw: ‘嫣’, pinyin: ‘yān’, meaning: good looks. Her name can be loosely translated as Wonderful Beauty.↩

[Author’s notes: Something to address: Regarding how the density of mercury is higher and stone will not sink into mercury… I thank the readers for pointing it out.

I must admit, my own knowledge is insufficient. This is my mistake. En… however, since it has already been written. Everyone… please ignore it… err…

Thank you to the readers for pointing it out. I will be more careful in the future and avoid making such a kind of mistake.

En, I have left the school for so many years after all. Many of my knowledge have been returned back to the teacher…

Shamefully facepalming…].

[TL: Everyone, hear me out… its… magic… yup… magic… ].