TY Chapter 14: Fleeting Past

Putting jokes aside, looking at Old Liu’s half-serious smiling face, Lu Chen spoke with a serious tone, “What’s the matter?”

Sentinent Liu chuckled, “I am no longer young. Three months ago, I met with an accident during the midst of a patrol. I got injured while exchanging blows with someone else. Thinking back, I have been in the Immortal Alliance from the past few decades, so I am thinking of returning back to my hometown to retire.”

Lu Chen was flabbergasted. He said, “Such a matter actually occurred?”

Sentinent Liu smiled, “Isn’t that so. The Immortal Alliance and Hall Master Xue will send people to deal with the corresponding matters in the future. In the next few days, I will return back to the Immortal Alliance, finish my final bit of task remaining before retiring back to my homeland. From then on, I will rest in my sect without interfering in worldly affairs. Xiao Lu, we have known each other for ten years now. Today, I will be bidding you farewell. I hope that destiny would allow us to meet some other day.”

Lu Chen nodded his head and cupped his hands together, “Thank you for your care these last few years, I am grateful to you.”

Sentinent Liu laughed and continued chatting with Lu Chen for a short while before standing up to leave.

Lu Chen and Old Ma walked him to the entrance and gazed at his back until he disappeared into the distance. Lu Chen watched as Old Ma shut the door. A heavy look emerged on his plump face. Lu Chen smiled and questioned, “Why do you look as though you have something you are worried about?”

Old Ma glanced at him, “Aren’t you worried at all?”

Lu Chen waved his hand and replied, “Didn’t I just tell you yesterday? That as a human, what is important is to maintain an open mindset? Don’t stifle everything in your heart. Only that way can you live more comfortably. Speak, what are you worried about?”

“Our superior said that he will be deducting the amount of Spiritual Stones they are giving out to you per month.”

“Peng!” A loud bang shocked Old Ma. He saw Lu Chen slam the table as he stood up roaring, “Damn it! Which bastard actually dares to cross my path?”
TL: The exact phrase he used is that ‘Who dares to anger a strong opponent!’

Old Ma sent him a sidelong glance. Lu Chen returned his glance and humphed coldly, “What are you looking at me for?”

Old Ma mocked at his misfortune, “The bastard you just scolded is Tianlan zhenjun.”

Lu Chen hesitated for a moment before anger welled up once again. He roared angrily, “Is he that great just because he is a zhenjun? Is that old fellow trying to go against his words and fall out with me?”

Old Ma coughed, “There are six great zhenjun and every single one of them are powerful individuals possessing incredible abilities. For you to be insulting the zhenjun like that, it is hard to say whether he would be able to sense it.”

Lu Chen scoffed and he spoke coldly, “I will scold him, what can he do? Tianlan that darned old man, the undying fogey, short legs long hands and fatter than pigs, a baldie filled with bad blood without a strand of hair!”

Old Ma stared in shock. He wasn’t able to utter a single word.

Lu Chen surveyed the surrounding, just to notice the tavern in a state of peace, as usual. It does not seem as if some lightning would suddenly strike. Thus, he said to Old Ma, “Look, that old man Tianlan isn’t able to hear it. Otherwise, he probably heard my insults but isn’t brave enough to speak up.”

Old Ma smiled bitterly as he persuaded, “Xiao Lu, it isn’t good for you to always be acting like that…”

Lu Chen rolled his eyes and replied, “He wants to deduct my Spiritual Stone and you are still blaming me for turning my back on him? Back then, didn’t he say that he would allow me to live comfortably for the rest of my life?”

Old Ma replied seriously, “I was also there. I remember that the old zhenjun didn’t say such words.”

Lu Chen lashed out, “Then, who was the one who said it? I remember those words very clearly.”

Old Ma pointed towards Lu Chen’s chest. “You said it yourself.”

Lu Chen looked at Old Ma with doubt in his eyes. Then, he flicked his hand and said, “Forget it, who would remember what happened ten years ago clearly. Let’s not talk about it first. Anyway, it isn’t acceptable for my Spiritual Stones to be deducted!”

Old Ma sighed, “I have just asked about it. Actually, it isn’t just your Spiritual Stones which got deducted. All of the Shadows under ‘Fleeting Cloud Division’ are all treated the same.”

Lu Chen paused, creating an awkward silence all of a sudden as he stared at Old Ma with a twinkle in his gaze.

Old Ma felt uncomfortable from his staring and diverted his gaze.

Lu Chen’s rage seemed to disappear all of a sudden, and the atmosphere became quiet. After a long while, he spoke up abruptly, “That darned old man is being forced into an awkward position by others?”

Old Ma laughed as a dismal expression appeared between his brows. He replied, “The old zhenjun didn’t have a choice. The Immortal Alliance has been around for more than 3000 years. As a big family with great achievements, they naturally have many young talents under them. However, it is also filled with shameless flies who would do anything for fame. Thus, there is always insufficient Spiritual Stones. The Fleeting Cloud Division doesn’t produce anything and none of their members can be seen. It only claims that it will take care of the unsung heroes of the Immortal Alliance without talking about the process in all. This is equal to wasting a giant fortune every year based on empty words. There have been many people in the Immortal Alliance who are unhappy with it.”

Lu Chen went silent. It was a moment before he shook his head softly, still remaining silent.

Old Ma glanced at him and sat down by his side. He muttered, “In the end, you and I know that the old zhenjun feels guilt towards you. If it is possible, he wouldn’t want to do you any injustice. However, if you are the only one whose portion isn’t deducted, it would make you stand out. At that point, if it attracts the attention of others…”

At this point, Old Ma stopped for a moment before continuing once again, “The Fleeting Cloud Division belongs under the flag of Tianlan zhenjun in the Immortal Alliance. However, there are many people in the middle tiers such as the Hall Masters, Managers, Sentiments and Overseer. The have quite a number. Through all these years, the only ones who know your true identity and history have been me and zhenjun. Even Sentiment Liu who has been stalking you in the dark for ten years and Hall Master Xue who is in-charge of the division matters aren’t aware of the inside story. They merely thought that you are just one of those who managed to achieve some small deed and dug your way into the Fleeting Cloud Disvision so as to earn a living as you wait for your death.”

Lu Chen suddenly grinned, “Old Liu has been treating me quite well these few years, though his behavior doesn’t show too much respect towards me. How did he know my identity on that level?”

Old Ma smiled bitterly as he shook his head sighing, “Logically, even your identity on that level shouldn’t have been exposed. However, even though the Immortal Alliance looks powerful and influential now, its internal information is leaking like water through a sieve. That’s why that old zhenjun is worried over it.”

Lu Chen pondered for a moment before questioning plainly, “Are those people still investigating?”

Old Ma hesitated for a moment before nodding his head, “Yes. Back then, the battle has hurt the core of the demonic cult. Not mentioning how the secret formation of the God Descension Incantation has been destroyed, three of the five most important elders were killed. This grudge is a deep-seated one, impossible to be resolved. These few years, we have caught a few remnants of the demonic cult. Whenever we interrogate them about this affair, they have all said that many of the demonic cult has infiltrated into the Immortal Alliance and the numerous large sects and their first mission is to investigate the matter back then. They have to dig out the… culprit, shred his corpse into ten thousand pieces and extract his soul to torture it.”

Lu Chen humphed, “It is sufficient for you to just say exact vengeance. There is no need for you to mention shredding my corpse into ten thousand pieces and extracting my soul to torture it.”

Old Ma chuckled, “Don’t you feel that it sounds more imposing after adding a few more words?”

“Pui!” Lu Chen spat in annoyance. “Hurry up and cook the noodles!”

Old Ma was dumbfounded, “Knowing that a large group of vicious killers want to shred you into ten thousand pieces and you still want to eat noodles?”

Lu Chen stared at him with slanted eyes, “Stop the nonsense. My heart is still burning angrily from it. If you don’t cook noodles for me now, I will crush your tavern.”

…

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Tianlan Zhenjun (天澜真君)
Alright, a more elaborate explanation on Zhenjun. Zhenjun is a title given to daoist who are well-respected. In this case though, it is an official title and position. A founder of a certain Daoist religion has named the 12 core members under him as Zhenjun.
Tianlan -> Rippling/billowing sky (Along that line)