Ghosts Know What I Experienced

This chapter contains English in the original raws. It has been bolded for easy differentiation.

Chapter 46 Part 2

Underneath Mt. Li, a towering and magnificent palace slowly emerged in midair. The gigantic apparition heavily pressed down on everyone’s minds. The First Emperor raised his head to look at his grand mausoleum. He waved his large sleeve. Not feeling like giving this group of Celestial Masters another glance, he raised his legs and walked towards the palace entrance.

The First Emperor walked into the air step by step as if he was stepping on invisible stairs. The view of his back was powerful and tall with black dragon robes dancing in the night wind. With each step forward, the great masters of the Xuanxue world nervously gulped a mouthful of saliva, fearing that this founding emperor would suddenly back out.

Xi Jia looked up at the majestic large bronze gate.

Four months ago, he had seen Ziying walk up the invisible steps to those large gate. At that time, Ziying had used all his strength and couldn’t open the door no matter what. He also knocked 99 times, and the gate also didn’t open. Ziying had stood in front of the doors like he was an insignificant and lowly mortal. However now, the First Emperor stood before those gate and was clearly shorter than the large bronze gate. The powerful aura of a monarch made him taller than the gate, and the large bronze gate that had went through great changes of time respectfully faced him, serving underneath him.

Xi Jia looked down at Ziying sitting on the relic. Ziying was watching his father return home. Gradually, Xi Jia suddenly had some understanding as to why Ziying would worship the First Emperor so much.

If he was also the First Emperor’s son and personally witnessed this founding emperor galloping underneath the heavens and unifying the Six States two thousand years ago, perhaps he would also be unable to help but worship this father and faithfully brag about his dad.

Eyes watched as the First Emperor walked up to the large bronze gate, with only less than three steps away from the gate. The Celestial Masters of the Xuanxue world emotionally clenched their fists and strongly wished for the First Emperor to hurry and go back home right now and never come back out to scare people again. Who would’ve anticipated that in the next moment, they helplessly saw the First Emperor raise his right foot and was about to step on the invisible steps at the top, but after a moment, the First Emperor placed his foot down and slowly turn around.

The Celestial Masters widened their eyes and nervously raised their magic weapons.

They were no match, but they must fight. Just in case the First Emperor really backed out……they could at least still run ah!

Xi Jia also didn’t expect that the First Emperor would suddenly turn around. He wrinkled his brows and looked at the First Emperor in confusion, only to see the First Emperor looking down and sweeping his gaze at the Celestial Masters on the ground. His gaze quickly moved through the crowd when it suddenly came into contact with Xi Jia’s.

Xi Jia froze.

The First Emperor lightly humphed and said, “That child, come over for Us.”

Xi Jia looked left and right. Ultimately, he decided to stay in his original spot.

The First Emperor became angry, “The child who looks somewhat similar to Huhai, come over for Us!”

Xi Jia, “……” Can you not say Huhai?!!!

Suddenly being called by the First Emperor like this, it was hard for Xi Jia to act like he didn’t hear. Anyway, he was carrying Ziying in his hand. The First Emperor didn’t kill him a moment ago, and it should be unlikely for him to kill him now.

Xi Jia calmly walked forward and was not afraid. However, he had only taken one step when Ye Jingzhi followed him by walking and shielding in front, safely placing him behind his body to protect.

Xi Jia was slightly startled, “Master Ye……”

In front of the large bronze doors, the First Emperor raised an eyebrow, “We only called for this child, what are you coming for?”

Ye Jingzhi didn’t answer the First Emperor. He turned to look at Xi Jia with a resolute gaze, “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”

Xi Jia’s heart trembled. He fixed his gaze at the man before him, and the hand holding the relic slowly tightened. A warm feeling flowed through his entire body. He couldn’t clearly tell what it felt like, but his body suddenly relaxed a lot. He slightly curved his lips. He nodded hard and started to gently smile.

“En!”

He never needed someone else to protect him, but if that person was Ye Jingzhi……Everything felt so wonderful. He actually didn’t want to refuse at all.

Ye Jingzhi was seriously looking at Xi Jia and saw the smile on his lips. The tips of his ears suddenly became red, and he hurriedly turned his head away. Right when he turned his head, Xi Jia suddenly noticed, “Eh, Master Ye, the mole in your eye……”

“Alright alright. We called you forward, not to watch you flirt.”

Xi Jia’s face became flushed, “!”

There’s something wrong with you, ah! Who’s flirting with Master Ye? There are so many Celestial Masters of the Xuanxue world in the back. Saying these kind of words, are you not afraid of others misunderstanding?!!!

The Celestial Masters behind Xi Jia simultaneously nodded: Oh~ So it’s like this ah……

The First Emperor usually didn’t even bother with his own son. He definitely wouldn’t care about Xi Jia and Ye Jingzhi’s matters now. Looking down with an imposing expression, he emphasized each word, “We want a reading machine.”

For a moment, Xi Jia didn’t hear it clearly, “……What?”

The First Emperor was calm and not rushed, “We said, We want a reading machine.”

Xi Jia, “……”

The great masters of the Xuanxue world didn’t know about Xi Jia burning things for Ziying so they didn’t understand the First Emperor’s meaning. Each and every one of them whispered to each other, discussing just what was the thing Qin Shi Huang wanted.

Listening to their talk, the First Emperor sneered, “Ignorant children, don’t even know what a reading machine is. We……cough, We broke a reading machine a couple days ago. It is somewhat troublesome to learn English now. The child who looks somewhat similar to Huhai……”

Xi Jia, “Can you forget about Huhai?!”

The First Emperor froze before continuing to say, “You child, We have heard that you have been burning those things for Ziying. We now want a reading machine. You send Us one over, do you hear?”

Qin Shi Huang was accustomed to ordering people. Xi Jia also didn’t feel like arguing with him. However, he recalled, “I remember burning one to Ziying last month. Ziying said that you broke the first reading machine with a slap. Later, I burned a second one.”

The First Emperor’s expression changed. He averted his gaze and no longer spoke.

Xi Jia said again in confusion, “I think I burned the reading machine two weeks ago. Could it be that you didn’t receive it?”

On the relic, Ziying lightly laughed, “Received, and Father Emperor also saw the reading machine. But Xi Jia, that reading machine was also broken by Father Emperor by pressing on it. I did not have time to tell you. If it is convenient for you, can you burn another one? Thank you very much, I will be very careful this time. Asking Father Emperor to not break the reading machine again.”

Xi Jia, “……”

Xi Jia never imagined that the First Emperor was actually a wastrel. A reading machine was such a tangible thing. Dropping it on the ground wouldn’t even break. The First Emperor actually lightly pressed on it, and it broke?

In his heart, he cursed the First Emperor for being such a spendthrift. Xi Jia nevertheless promised Ziying that he would burn a reading machine when he went back.

Until now, the Xuanxue world Celestial Masters were still discussing what kind of chicken was a “dotted poison chicken,” and why the First Emperor would want something like that.¹ Could it be that it was related to the First Emperor coming out of the Mausoleum next time? All of their discussions entered the First Emperor’s ears. The First Emperor scoffed and waved his sleeve.

“You do not even know what a reading machine is? How idiotic! Tap anything you do not know, so easy, you do not know? It appears that the reading machine is a tool that the nobility uses. Inferior people like you are not worthy to possess it.”

The inferior people of the Xuanxue world, “……”

After a moment, Master Buxing stroked his smooth chin and quietly said, “Amitabha. That reading machine, could it be the one where this monk had bought for Muyu over ten years ago for him to learn English? So, reading machines are still being sold now?”

Qishan-daoren also finally remembered, “That thing that this old man’s grandson used to use? That old antique? No way, the reading machine still hasn’t been phased out by society nowadays? When this old man’s grandson was eight, he disliked that thing for being too laggy and switched to the latest Subor’s learning tablet.”²

At first, the First Emperor still felt very proud as he listened. However, as he listened, the First Emperor’s expression fell. He glared at Xi Jia, “Could it be that the reading machine is not a tool that the nobility uses? What is it! Why say that it is an old antique? We want the best reading machine, the best!”

Xi Jia, “……”

Even if you buy a premium diamond-encrusted reading machine, it is still a reading machine!

Brother Jia especially wanted to protest the unfairness for reading machines.

Twenty years ago, the reading machine was definitely a device that the nobility would use. The reading machine cost a few hundred yuan. If whichever family’s child had that thing, they would all walk with their chins up at school. After class, all their classmates would surround and watch. Everyone would take a look, only look and not touch. They had more face than the top of the class.

Besides, how were reading machines not good? Were learning tablets really that good?

Many children switched from reading machines to learning tablets. And the result? They would play games all day and simply didn’t learn properly!

Reading machines were so great. Tap anywhere you didn’t know, and it was great for learning English. There were no games inside. You couldn’t do anything else besides properly learning.

That was what Xi Jia thought inside. Ziying had long known that there were many learning tools that were much better than learning tablets. However, a reading machine was enough for him. On one hand, he felt bad for always troubling Xi Jia to buy more expensive things. Second, Ziying was steady and not frivolous. He didn’t want to compare with others. Buying a reading machine was purely for learning.

However, this was unacceptable for the First Emperor.

Cengxiu-zhenjun said, “This poor daoist also knows this reading machine. It’s just that when Nan Yi was ten, he started using a tablet to learn.”

Master Buxing, “Muyu likes to listen to online courses. This poor daoist didn’t even know how to buy this kind of class at first. For him, this poor daoist had bought an entire year’s worth of courses.”

Qishan-daoren burst into loud laughter, “My great-grandson uses a cell phone to learn every day now. You don’t have to buy courses. There are a lot of free online classes. In this era, who would still use a reading machine.”

Listening to these words, the First Emperor was angry to the point that his face was the color of a pig’s liver.

Xi Jia distantly saw the First Emperor seething in anger and was worried that this thin-skinned First Emperor would exterminate these Celestial Masters, who had mocked him for still using a reading machine and treated it like it was a treasure, once he flew into a rage. An idea flashed through his mind, and he quickly asked, “Master Ye, have you ever used a reading machine before? What do you think of it?”

Xi Jia remembered that when he had talked to Master Ye about the reading machine, Master Ye had never heard of it.

Just as expected, Ye Jingzhi lowered his head in shame, “I……When I was little, my grades weren’t very good, and I have never used these things. The reading machine is quite good.”

The First Emperor’s expression gradually eased at last.

Our reading machine is very great indeed!

The great masters of the Xuanxue world didn’t know about the First Emperor being tsundere. They also didn’t know how thin the First Emperor’s face was. Hearing that Ye Jingzhi actually never used a reading machine or other tools before, Qishan-daoren said with guilt, “Fellow Daoist Yi Lingzi passed away early. It is this old man who did not take good care of you. Young Daoist Ye, when you get married, this old man will act as your parental proxy at your wedding. So what if you never used a reading machine, there’s no point in using that kind of thing. Now, it’s better to play with cell phones more. This old man can introduce you to this one game……”

Xi Jia watched as Qin Shi Huang’s expression suddenly turned dark again. He quickly said, “Your Majesty the First Emperor, I will burn you a cell phone when I return. No……burn two. One for you, one for Ziying.”

The First Emperor humphed through his nose, “Cell phone……Are cell phones that great?”

Xi Jia turned his head to look at the great masters behind him, “Everyone in the world are all playing with cell phones as if they are obsessed.”

There was truly no way to refute these words. Among the Celestial Masters present, even Cengxiu-zhenjun loved to read “Ghosts Know.” Only Ye Jingzhi didn’t like to play on the phone. However, Ye Jingzhi wouldn’t refute Xi Jia’s words. He obediently nodded his head: Wife is right.

Seeing these people’s reactions, the First Emperor finally had a way out. The old man humphed heavily. With this humph, it was like a roll of thunder as it hit the ground, shaking the entire Chang’an area and causing a small earthquake.

The residents of Chang’an hiding in the outskirts: There’s actually an earthquake aftershock? Thank you government and Earthquake Administration, long live!

After he also asked for a cell phone, the First Emperor officially turned around, walked up the last three steps, and stood before the large bronze gate. He majestically and imposingly stood before the gate with his body straight like a rod. He neither reached out to push it open nor knocked on it. His Mausoleum naturally opened wide for him and immediately welcomed him home.

When the bronze gate opened, Xi Jia saw the thing inside the gate clearly and exclaimed in shock, soundless “Ziying!”

As his voice fell, the tiny Ziying he was holding in his hand turned into a ray of light and quickly flew inside the apparition of the Mausoleum, entering Ziying’s real body.

Ziying stood inside the bronze gate and respectfully waited for his father to return home. Seeing Xi Jia, he smiled as he bowed his head, giving a nod to Xi Jia. He mouthed a soundless “Many thanks.” Then, he saw the First Emperor with his hands behind him raising his legs to step over the threshold.

The moment the First Emperor had stepped past the entrance, the last ten something enchantments on his body suddenly shattered and were left outside of the Mausoleum. At the same time these enchantments shattered, heavy dark clouds suddenly condensed in the sky. Lightning crackled and flashed within the clouds. Then, a thick lightning bolt ferociously struck down at the First Emperor.

The First Emperor entered the Mausoleum with quick steps. The entrance closed with a rumble, and the Mausoleum’s illusionary reflection faded away.

Bang!

The thunderbolt hit the ground, and the thunder clouds in the sky also finally dissipated.

Seeing this scene, Xi Jia softly let out a sigh of relief. In the end, he was certain: The First Emperor really couldn’t beat Daddy Ling Xiao.

However, seeing the same scene, the great masters of the Xuanxue world all widened their eyes in shock.

Cengxiu-zhenjun, “Ling Xiao still doesn’t tolerate Qin Shi Huang! Then why, why could Qin Shi Huang leave the Mausoleum unscathed this time and stay in the outside world for ten days? Also, just now, those ten something rays of light on the First Emperor’s body, what are they? Could it be that it’s something related to how the First Emperor could evade from Ling Xiao’s perception?”

Master Buxing, “Amitabha, there is something odd about this. If we do not find the cause, perhaps Qin Shi Huang could go in and out of the Mausoleum without restraint in the future. He currently doesn’t have the thought of reestablish Da Qin. If he really does have this thought, everything is done for.”

The great masters fretfully started to discuss.

Ye Jingzhi said in a low voice, “Those are enchantments.”

Everyone uniformly turned their heads to look at him.

Xi Jia went to Ye Jingzhi’s side and heard Master Ye calmly explaining, “Ten days ago, the First Emperor broke the formation crux of the one hundred enchantments outside of the Mausoleum with a palm. He noticed that the one hundred enchantments could be spread over his body to evade Ling Xiao’s perception so he went out of the Mausoleum to take a look. Later, he had only stayed in the outside world like this because he could not find the way back.”

Everyone was dumbfounded.

After quite a while, Cengxiu-zhenjun suddenly wrinkled his brows, “One hundred enchantments? Formation crux? Hide Ling Xiao’s perception?”

Master Buxing, “That one hundred enchantments, isn’t it Fellow Daoist Qishan……”

Everyone turned their heads once again to look at Qishan-daoren.

“Fellow! Daoist! Qi! Shan!!!”

Qishan-daoren, “……”

Isn’t this old man quite wronged!? This old man had been caught to do bitter labor, and this old man designed a perfect large array with great difficulty! This old man is even getting beaten by you!!!

After the great masters of the Xuanxue world ruthlessly beat up Qishan-daoren for a round, they didn’t hesitate to dragged Qishan-daoren to do bitter hard labor as before. This time, the thing that Qishan-daoren needed to do was very simple. He only needed to tear down the one hundred enchantments outside of the Mausoleum, just in case Qin Shi Huang would find the formation crux again and utilize it to walk out of the Mausoleum.

Qishan-daoren’s heart was bitter, but he raised his head to take a look.

Cengxiu-zhenjun was expressionless, “Fellow Daoist Qishan?”

Master Buxing, “Amitabha, Fellow Daoist Qishan?”

Jiqin-zhenren laughed, “Fellow Daoist Qishan? Haha, you Qishan-daoren!”

Qishan-daoren, “……”

This old man is wrong. This old man is wrong, okay? You don’t have to bully this old man, wuwuwuwu……

Translator’s Addition:

The unreliable (and now also inferior) Celestial Masters: 【being fed dog food by C+/Mirror combo】Oh~ So it’s like this ah…… (´艸｀〃)

The unreliable (and now also inferior) Celestial Masters: 【after knowing the truth about the First Emperor getting out】Oh? So it’s like this ah!!! (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ )

Translator’s Notes:

¹ Lost in translation since it’s a homophone in Chinese. Reading machine is 点读机 diǎn dú jī. “Dotted poison chicken” sounds the same and is translated literally, 点毒鸡 diǎn dú jī. ↵

² Subor (no English wiki page) is a Chinese company that specializes in educational products. Their Chinese name is 小霸王 or literally Little Hegemon. I have their product translated as learning tablet when it is literally called learning machine 学习机 in Chinese. The product they’re probably talking about is like an ipad with learning apps. ↵