Radiant Blade of the Wilderness

Chapter 187: The Nine Canons

Ding Songyan gazed at Luo Mingyin, who was seated on a stone stool in the courtyard, and asked after some thought, "Twelfth Madam, do you cultivate the Thearch Scripture?"

Twelfth Madam Luo had regained her calm composure. She nodded slightly.

"Two Chapters of the Nine Canons."

A smile appeared on her face as she looked at Ding Songyan.

"If you do not believe me, I can demonstrate..."

Before she finished speaking, she pulled a heavy hatchet from the log, rose with the motion, stepped forward twice, and chopped at Ding Songyan from across the courtyard.

In an instant, the strike sealed every possible transformation in Ding Songyan’s eyes. Heaven and earth froze around it, as though they too had become his enemies.

Mountains seemed to collapse and the earth to split apart, leaving him nowhere to flee or evade.

Ding Songyan’s hand visibly tightened around his sword hilt, yet he did not draw. The sword seemed as heavy as a pillar pinning the sea in place.

He took one step backward.

The heavy hatchet pursued him with the force of carrying Mount Tai across the Northern Sea.

It possessed no intricate variations, yet drove changes through heaven and earth, drawing every current of qi into itself and swallowing every possible response.

Ding Songyan still did not draw his sword.

As candleflames wavered in his eyes, he retreated another step.

The hatchet chopped down heavily without slowing, but the momentum of heaven and earth underwent a subtle change.

Clang!

Cold light flashed as Ding Songyan’s sword finally left its sheath.

It passed through the accumulating layers of qi and struck the hatchet precisely along its side.

In an instant, the qi and force dispersed. The terrifying sensation of heaven collapsing and earth sinking swiftly vanished, leaving only the crystalline Frostshade locked against the heavy, sharpened hatchet in midair.

Twelfth Madam Luo looked at Ding Songyan with mild surprise.

"Excellent swordsmanship, and even better judgment."

Ding Songyan sheathed his sword and looked around, discovering that his retreat had placed him just outside the side door.

Those two steps were the ultimate crystallization of his Chaos Realm, martial experience, and knowledge of cultivation arts.

In that split second, they were the only path to survival he had found, the sole possibility of blocking the attack, countering, and winning.

"As expected of a Celestial Thearch inheritor," he said with genuine admiration.

"I cannot claim that yet." Twelfth Madam Luo casually tossed the hatchet back at the log beside the stone table. It embedded itself precisely in the previous cleft without deviating in the slightest.

The voluptuous woman in her thirties spoke unhurriedly, "This is my courtyard. I am the host, and you are the guest, so the names and the reality are perfectly aligned. Yet the moment you saw this technique for the first time, you immediately retreated beyond the gate, changing the very roles that governed this place. That alone shows just how extraordinary you are."

"I possess a modest amount of martial talent," Ding Songyan said humbly.

He glanced at the hatchet and found Twelfth Madam Luo’s choice of weapon rather inauspicious.

Fortunately, it has nothing to do with me.

Twelfth Madam Luo clicked her tongue and laughed self-deprecatingly.

"If that’s your talent, then my talent is gaining weight whenever I eat too much."

Ding Songyan considered for a moment, recalling Twelfth Madam Luo’s earlier wording, then asked carefully, "Twelfth Madam, did you discover my perfected Dharma Realm strength through a method involving name and reality?"

That was why she said she could tell I was in the Dharma Realm.

That was the reality.

"Correct," Twelfth Madam Luo sat on the stone stool again and answered without concealment.

Must one cultivate the Celestial Thearch’s Nine Canons to master this method? No wonder she said few people understood it... Ding Songyan relaxed slightly and stepped back into the courtyard, speaking jokingly, "Twelfth Madam, were you not afraid that the watchtower would see that sudden strike and send the night patrol constables?"

"Anyone outside the courtyard cannot perceive the strike’s subtleties. At most, they would think I was driving away a lecher." Twelfth Madam Luo rubbed her wrist.

After swinging that hatchet, you invited me into your courtyard. What would outsiders think? That we were flirting? My spotless reputation cannot be damaged... Ding Songyan looked at Luo Mingyin and asked curiously, "Twelfth Madam, did you not say you cared little whether anyone discovered your strength and would simply leave the Flame Capital prematurely? Why tell me your origins and explain so much?"

"The Orchid Grace Examination begins in two months, and the consort selection follows next spring. I hoped to remain until then and leave after watching all the excitement." Twelfth Madam Luo grew increasingly enthusiastic as she spoke.

She glanced up at Ding Songyan.

"You called me ’you’ without ceremony before, yet now every sentence begins with ’Twelfth Madam.’ Why this sudden change from arrogance to courtesy? What do you want?"

Ding Songyan laughed without answering and changed the subject.

"Secretly pelting lechers with stones will not stop their harassment, and doing it repeatedly will make my position difficult. Why not let me devise a permanent solution for you?"

Twelfth Madam Luo immediately straightened from her languid posture.

Her phoenix eyes studied Ding Songyan for several moments before she spoke with a half-smile, "Unsolicited kindness conceals either lust or theft. Why are you being so helpful?"

"Am I not currying favor in hopes of asking your guidance on the Celestial Thearch’s Nine Canons over the coming months?" Ding Songyan smiled slightly and answered with complete candor.

"Pretty candid..." Luo Mingyin was taken aback.

She could guess his objective but had not expected Ding Songyan to state it openly.

Ding Songyan spoke with a faint sigh, "My senior sister often teaches me to treat others sincerely."

Twelfth Madam Luo looked him up and down for a while, then smiled brightly.

"Your senior sister taught you correctly, but the way you act... Hmm, the greatest treachery resembles loyalty."

"No, no. I never commit acts of great treachery or evil." Ding Songyan naturally refused to admit it and returned to the subject. "Twelfth Madam, you have run this wine shop for a year and a half. At first, you had few customers and relative peace. As your reputation spread, more people began teasing you verbally. In recent months, some even tried touching you, forcing you to vent your anger by secretly throwing stones. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Confusion appeared on Twelfth Madam Luo’s face. "Elsewhere, acting fiercer and having the servers and cooks demonstrate a few moves usually prevents trouble. Why are people in the Flame Capital so shameless? The more I curse them, the more excited they become!"

"Did gangs never harass you elsewhere?" Ding Songyan asked.

Twelfth Madam Luo shook her head.

"I always choose locations near a yamen or businesses owned by reputable righteous sects. The rent is considerably higher, but it avoids much trouble. Perhaps I usually remain elsewhere for only a little over a year, so those people never have time to grow bolder?"

Ding Songyan smiled and said, "Your previous response was not wrong, Twelfth Madam, but it was not fierce, ruthless, or vicious enough."

"I am not fierce enough?" Luo Mingyin’s eyes widened.

"Cursing alone won’t do." Ding Songyan pointed at the hatchet. "Take that with you. Pick two or three of the men most prone to getting handsy, and make a show of chopping them. Don’t worry, the people around you will stop you before you can actually hurt anyone. But you have to make it convincing. Make a complete break with them. Humiliate them so thoroughly that they won’t be able to back down."

"Repeat this several times, and anyone else considering harassment must first decide whether they fear humiliation or a visit to the yamen. It should bring considerable peace, though business will worsen."

Twelfth Madam Luo nodded slightly.

"I do not rely on this wine shop for money."

"Those you humiliate may seek revenge, but with your strength, they probably cannot pass your door if they come secretly." Ding Songyan continued, "If they come openly, I will stop them. Uh, Twelfth Madam, do you care about your reputation?"

"Do I still have a reputation worth protecting in these streets?" Twelfth Madam Luo responded with amusement.

"Then I will say you are my sister-in-law, my elder brother’s woman. That will give me a proper justification," Ding Songyan suggested.

"Who is your elder brother?" Twelfth Madam Luo asked with puzzlement and caution.

"His identity does not matter. He died more than two years ago." Ding Songyan laughed.

Twelfth Madam Luo frowned slightly.

"Can you not simply say you intervened because of the injustice you encountered?"

"I fear people will spread rumors of an affair between us." Ding Songyan pointed at himself. "My reputation within the sect has always been excellent."

Twelfth Madam Luo’s face plainly said, I do not believe you.

After considering it for a while, she said, "Then I will act more ruthlessly first. Perhaps nobody will seek revenge. This is the imperial capital, beneath the emperor’s feet, and agents of the Martial Prohibition Bureau are everywhere. Those scoundrels should not go too far."

Ding Songyan knew when to stop. He had not expected to study two of the Nine Canons tonight. He cupped his hands.

"The night is late. I will take my leave.

"Twelfth Madam, please inform me promptly if anything strange occurs in the surrounding streets."

"You fear someone will use the Orchid Grace Examination and the Jianwu Emperor’s consort selection to target Prince Kang?" Twelfth Madam Luo asked thoughtfully.

Ding Songyan nodded, left the courtyard, and politely closed the side door.

As he walked out of the alley, he admired the distant night market in an excellent mood.

The Flame Capital truly is interesting. I have been here only two days and already met a Celestial Thearch inheritor...

Mm, I cannot trust her completely yet. I cannot accept everything Twelfth Madam Luo says at face value. I had never witnessed the Nine Canons before. How would I know whether that was genuine?

The third watch is nearly over. Returning to the estate now could invite gossip. I will find an inn and report for duty tomorrow morning...

As his thoughts drifted, Ding Songyan passed a night market occupying half the street. It lacked noisy businesses involving drums, opera, or public performances, but contained nearly everything else. There were even storytellers, though none used clappers, at most accompanied by young women singing softly while playing instruments.

Clear water in the gutters on both sides reflected rows of lanterns, shimmering with flowing color.

Strolling leisurely, Ding Songyan passed a stall selling various wooden instruments.

He casually picked up a bamboo flute and examined it beneath a nearby red lantern.

The workmanship is reasonably fine...

Traveling the jianghu with an instrument would make me even more dashing. A sword’s courage and a musician’s heart, mastery of both flute and sword...

Dijiang excels at song and dance, so I possess some musical talent. Senior Sister and I even studied music together for a time...

Ding Songyan collected his thoughts and asked the stallholder, "How much is this flute?"

"You have a fine eye, sir. It was made by the Yu Family Workshop. Fifteen copper coins." The stallholder smiled broadly.

Ding Songyan did not bargain and paid with three five-valued coins.

Then he found an unoccupied spot, sat beside the street, and studied the bamboo flute.

Back then, Ji Hanyi accompanied The Legend of the White Snake with music for the zither and pipa, but I remember that Bai Suzhen at the Foot of Qingcheng Mountain sounds better and more fitting on a bamboo flute... Ding Songyan raised the flute to his lips, covered its holes, and tried playing.

Soft notes sounded, growing increasingly ethereal and serene.

The longer Ding Songyan played, the more skillful and melodious he became. Before long, several people stopped nearby.

Two copper coins were tossed before him.

Uh... Ding Songyan nearly froze.