Chapter 206 (5): The Moon Is Round, The Moon Is Crescent

Chapter 206 (5): The Moon Is Round, The Moon Is Crescent

Emerald waves gently rolled across tens of thousands of kilometers in Bamboo Scroll Lake[1], a place renowned for its abundant spiritual energy. The scenery was pleasant, and there were a thousand or so islands scattered around the lake like stars in the sky. Approximately half of these islands were owned or rented by Qi refiners of varying cultivation levels, and the largest Cyan Gorge Island was where River Severing True Lord Liu Zhimao's residence was located.

Liu Zhimao was practicing a heretical cultivation technique, and his title of True Lord hadn't been officially bestowed by a mortal empire either. Instead, this was a title given to him by his friends. With that said, he had proven the profound nature of his Dao power through numerous life-and-death battles.

However, because Liu Zhimao had such a terrible reputation, his relationship with his many friends was quite shallow and fragile. Moreover, his disciples were also a mix of talented and untalented people, and there wasn't any young prodigy who could become a pillar support for him in the future.

Even so, Liu Zhimao was still able to maintain control over Bamboo Scroll Lake's Cyan Gorge Island. This was proof enough of his talent and abilities. Despite being surrounded by ill-intentioned tigers and wolves, he was still able to defend his territory and maintain his position.

After his trip to Jewel Small World in the north, Liu Zhimao was feeling even more smug and carefree than before.

This was because he had returned with a little boy whom he announced as his final disciple. In the beginning, everyone had viewed the simple-looking little boy as nothing more than a country bumpkin who had struck immense fortune. The little boy had also been cheerful and always smiling, as if he hadn't noticed the disdainful and malicious looks of everyone else. This was especially the case with Liu Zhimao's first disciple, who sincerely detested his master's final disciple.

After interacting with the little boy for a while, the cultivators in Cyan Gorge Island finally realized that he was actually an evil little boy filled with schemes and ill intentions. Not only was he skilled at pretending to be stupid and naive at such a young age, but he was also someone who held grudges better than anyone else. He was very much like his master, Liu Zhimao. As the old saying went, a crooked stick would have a crooked shadow.

Late last year, a huge calamity had descended upon Cyan Gorge Island and stunned the entire Bamboo Scroll Lake. Moreover, the little boy had been one of the main culprits.

Liu Zhimao was the most powerful cultivator on Cyan Gorge Island, but there were also several subordinate forces on the island. In addition to this, the River Severing True Lord had also invited several equally degenerate guest elders to the island. These guest elders would enjoy themselves every day, but once they became serious and targeted someone, they would be extremely vicious and resolute.

The island masters of the neighboring islands were also resolute and merciless people who wavered between good and evil. In fact, they were all vagrant cultivators or itinerant cultivators who had killed many people to forge bloody paths to their positions.

The little boy, Gu Can, was also accompanied by his mother, an ordinary mortal who was unable to cultivate. However, she was truly beautiful and alluring, so one of Liu Zhimao's guest elders had become interested in her and wanted to take her as a mistress. This was an old guest elder with a beak-like mouth and monkey-like cheeks.

His combat power was extremely impressive, and after a hundred or so years of networking and hard work, he was showing subtle signs of being able to control his own force. In fact, even Liu Zhimao had to show restraint toward him.The source of this content is N0veII_bIn

This old guest elder's biggest hobby was to use the breasts of beautiful women as hand warmers, so all of his maidservants were dressed differently from other ordinary women. Their collars were extremely low and open, and this was so that he could easily reach inside their clothes. Because of this, his beautiful maidservants were jokingly referred to as "open-collar ladies".

Liu Zhimao's attitude toward this was very peculiar, and he neither rejected nor approved of the guest elder's desire to take Gu Can's mother as a mistress. Instead, he pretended to not know about this matter.

After drinking one day, the guest elder had borrowed the alcohol to summon his courage and charge into the woman's residence. He had then kicked her door open and slung the woman over his shoulder, planning to bring her back for a night of fun. He had laughed wantonly, and no one had dared to stop him.

At the same time, Liu Zhimao's senior disciple had used an excuse to keep Gu Can, the woman's only child, occupied. After tricking Gu Can to some mountain in Cyan Gorge Island, he had said that he would teach the little boy some cultivation skills under the waterfall in the place of their master. This was a secret and profound Daoist mantra.

The old guest elder had carried the beautiful woman to the large courtyard in his mansion, and he had just been about to throw her onto his bed and devour her soft and voluptuous body.

At this moment, not only had he noticed something peculiar, but all of the powerful Qi refiners in Cyan Gorge Island and Bamboo Scroll Lake had noticed something amiss.

Only his second senior sister had felt a deep sense of terror.

Soon, the colossal flood dragon that Gu Can referred to as little catfish ate his senior brother who had pitifully begged for forgiveness. Its gigantic body had left deep ravines on the island, and the flood dragon also devoured some fearless onlookers who had been standing nearby and some servants and maidservants who hadn't been able to flee on time.

Perhaps the flood dragon hadn't liked the taste of ordinary humans, so it had torn their bodies to shreds before tossing them to the side. In the end, it had swished its tail and returned to Bamboo Scroll Lake in satisfaction. While doing so, blood had dripped from its maws and painted the ground a crimson color.

That night, the little boy had accompanied his frightened mother to admire the moon in the courtyard.

As he ate a mooncake, Gu Can said in a muffled voice, "Don't be scared, Mom. No one will dare to bully you in the future."

The woman looked around before lowering her gaze and pulling the little boy into her arms. She lowered her voice and said, "Cancan, don't be so fierce when you talk to the little catfish in the future."

Resting in his mother's warm and gentle embrace, the little boy finally appeared less sinister and malicious than before. He had finally regained the aura of a normal child his age. Cracking a grin, he replied, "Don't worry, the little catfish has a mental connection with me, so it understands that I'm treating it well. Our relationship is very good. Even if it's that person with the surname Liu..."

The woman hurriedly covered Gu Can's mouth and grabbed another mooncake, saying in a gentle voice, "Here, have another mooncake. Don't say too much."

Gu Can patted his belly and replied, "Mom, I genuinely can't eat anymore. I'm not the little catfish, so I can't eat all day long like a big glutton."

The woman smiled gently and lightly stroked the little boy's head. Gazing up at the moon, tears brimmed in her eyes. "Cancan has grown up now, and he can even protect his mom."

The little boy had suddenly become upset, and the corners of his lips had curled downward as he muttered, "Chen Ping'an, what did I say? Apart from you, everyone else inside and outside the small town is a bad person. Yet, you didn't believe me!"

Gu Can broke free from his mother's embrace and jumped onto the ground. After crossing his arms, he said in a feigned demeanor of maturity, "Mom! I promised Chen Ping'an that I would find him 17 or 18 young girls who are as beautiful as Zhi Gui. The next time he comes to Cyan Gorge Island, I'll give all of these girls to him. What do you say, Mom?"

Upon thinking of that young boy from Clay Vase Alley, the woman felt a sense of guilt and also warmth from the bottom of her heart. She covered her mouth and laughed in an alluring manner before saying, "Yes, sure thing. As long as you're happy."

However, Gu Can suddenly became deflated and sickly, and he asked, "Mom, what if Chen Ping'an doesn't appreciate my gift and even becomes angry instead? What should I do then?"

Gu Can's mother smiled and replied in amusement, "Oh? There are still people that my Cancan is afraid of?"

Gu Can flushed red, and he humphed, "I'm not afraid of Chen Ping'an. It's just that..."

However, Gu Can was only a little child, after all, so the rims of his eyes had immediately become red. He lowered his head and vigorously wiped his eyes before sobbing, "I feel like if Chen Ping'an were here, he definitely wouldn't allow other people to bully us... I miss Chen Ping'an. He always helps me no matter what, and he's the only good person in the world..."

The woman didn’t know how to console her son because she had also started to sob with him.

The crescent moon illuminated the nine continents, shining upon the joyous families and also shining upon the downcast families.

1. Previously translated as Lake Shujian. ☜