Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 674 - Chapter 674 Chapter 60 Ying Tianshou

Chapter 674: Chapter 60 Ying Tianshou Chapter 674: Chapter 60 Ying Tianshou Baolian Chan Temple, nestled to the right of Lotus Mountain and leaning against the Tiantan Great Buddha, is one of the most prestigious temples in Hong Kong, featuring beautiful scenery and solemn Buddhist ceremonies. Especially since the completion of the dome ceremony last year, the Tiantan Great Buddha, which claims to be the world’s tallest open-air bronze statue of Shakyamuni, has yet to be consecrated. Thus, the temple doesn’t generally welcome visitors to come and burn incense now.

“I’ve heard people say this is the best Feng Shui spot in Hong Kong. Not sure if that’s true or not.”

Se Kong gazed out at the lush greenery of the mountains, pointing with his right hand towards the temple’s archway, and twisting his face to ask the person next to him, “You are Zhao Jianzhong, right?”

Muni and Yu Shiqie both stood at the bottom of the two hundred and sixty-eight stone steps, looking up at the railing with the cold wind whistling, the unbuttoned collar of the lady’s suit jacket and the dirty yellow hem of the raincoat flapping in the wind.

“I really like your flavor. If the negotiation fails later, I’ll eat you.”

Muni glanced at Yu Shiqie, with his bright red tongue licking his lips.

Yu Shiqie pulled back her hair and smiled at Muni, “There’s a chance for that.”

…

Zhao Jianzhong sized up the bald young girl who was not even as tall as his waist, and after a while, he nodded.

“My name is Se Kong, and I’m the current leader of Sifan. We’re going to be interacting a lot in the future.”

After a pause, Se Kong continued, “I am here to negotiate peace. Last time Ai Bieli died at your hands, many among us had deep feelings for him, after all, Ai Bieli had led the Eight Sufferings for decades. We don’t want the Bitter Instrument anymore, just give us the body. I can hand over the crucial Life Fiend, so you can open the fruit core with peace of mind.”

Se Kong finished with a sly smile; she only mentioned letting the Yan Zhao Club open the fruit core with peace of mind, but she made no promises about what would happen after the core was opened–she was already planning a face-off.

“Whose body?”

Zhao Jianzhong asked.

“Are you playing dumb with me? Ai Bieli.” Se Kong raised her voice, “Ai Bieli Zai Feng’s body.”

“I can hear you.”

Zhao Jianzhong cleaned his ears: “But I can’t agree to your terms.”

“Hm, the conditions can be negotiated further.”

Se Kong said dryly.

“I don’t have Zai Feng’s body,” Zhao Jianzhong said. “Zai Feng was killed by Su Ling. After taking care of An’s funeral, I retrieved Zai Feng’s remaining head from him and buried it in a public cemetery just outside the capital. It’s somewhat returning to one’s roots.”

“Ha~”

Se Kong scratched her head, and after a lot of thinking, she found no loopholes in Zhao Jianzhong’s words.

She shrugged her shoulders, “Then there’s nothing to talk about, let’s fight. Aside from the people of the Yan Zhao Club, no one will survive! Let’s go, Muni,”

She shouted down below.

“I do have an idea,” Zhao Jianzhong said slowly.

“Let’s hear it.”

“If you can kill me, no one in the Eight Sufferings will challenge your authority.”

Se Kong’s eyes twitched, revealing a contemplative expression. It took her a while before she said, “What, you’re going to stand there and let me kill you? I still have a few seeds of Sifan’s power in my hand.”

“Of course not.”

Zhao Jianzhong stretched out his hand with a mahjong tile in the palm: Hongzhong.

Se Kong had never met Zhao Jianzhong in person, but he had learned quite a bit about Zhao from the old and ailing. Zhao Jianzhong, originally named Zhao Jianzhong, was from Sichuan; his year of birth is now untraceable within the Yan Zhao Club, just as no one today in the club knows much about his life before entering Yan Fu.

However, the second of the Eight Sufferings had been deadlocked in rivalry with Zhao Jianzhong for a lifetime, and even understood Zhao better than the other current Ten Masters of the Yan Zhao Club.

According to the second of the Eight Sufferings, Mr. Zhao, styled ‘Jianzhong,’ had scholarly honors from the Qing dynasty and had also fought in the Northern Expedition. How much he benefitted from eradicating Sifan is not to be spoken of by outsiders. However, it was said that Yan Fu granted him the opportunity to define a unique artifact entirely by himself, but Zhao Jianzhong surprisingly requested a set of mahjong tiles, named “Ying Tianshou.” At a “Ying Tianshou” gambling table, everything in this world could be wagered, and the winner would certainly take away what they won, whether it was legacy, lifespan, or soul–anything was possible. However, it was absolutely impossible to cheat at a Ying Tianshou game, and whoever lost must deliver on their bet, even Zhao Jianzhong himself.

But by then, Zhao Jianzhong was undeniably the leader of the Yan Zhao Club, the foremost among the Ten Masters. Ying Tianshou was completely useless to him, even less so than a chicken rib, and would only arouse suspicion in others unnecessarily. Many said Ying Tianshou was specifically designed by Zhao Jianzhong to target Cao Yuanchao, the sole one among the Four Emperors with martial strength in the Yan Zhao Club…

“At tonight’s auction, we’ll play cards, just three rounds, and after three rounds, whoever is down even by a single piece also loses. If I lose, my life is yours; if you lose, you get off cheaply–I’ll just ask you one question, and as long as you answer honestly, your debt will be repaid. What do you think?”

Se Kong’s eyes darted around indecisively. Zhao Jianzhong waited half a minute for her, and seeing that she was still hesitant, he shook his head in disappointment, “Then forget it.”

“What do you mean forget it, why forget it? It’s decided!”

Fearing that Zhao Jianzhong would change his mind, Se Kong hurriedly affirmed, “See you tonight, Muni! I’m off!”

With a bounce in her step, Se Kong took a few strides, then suddenly turned her head back, “Oh right, since we’re only betting lives, I’m not letting go of that secret fruit stash, okay?”

Zhao Jianzhong nodded with a smile.

“Hey old man, prepare to meet your doom,” Se Kong taunted before making a face at Zhao Jianzhong. She then hopped down the steps and walked away, pulling Muni along.

Yu Shiqie looked somewhat hesitant, and Zhao Jianzhong, without her knowing when, had also come down.

“Mr. Zhao, you…”

Yu Shiqie’s words were cut off by Zhao Jianzhong, “You’ll have to keep me company in tonight’s card game.”

“…Understood.”

Yu Shiqie could only respond as such.

…

“You seem to be in a good mood,” Muni said to Se Kong as they were halfway up the mountain.

“Of course, once I take down that old Zhao, I won’t have to worry anymore,” Se Kong replied cheerfully.

Muni was obviously not as optimistic, “But why would Zhao Jianzhong set such strict rules for himself?”

“Those old guys who have lived too long are all mad. Some are like those two elders, preferring death over losing face, while others like Zhao Jianzhong would rather die than lose their reputation. What’s so hard to understand?”

“It seems like you do have a point,” Muni conceded.

“You’ve only been in Yan Fu for a few years, stick with me and learn,” Se Kong advised confidently.

Feeling upbeat, Se Kong happened upon the Guest-Welcoming Sramana sweeping the mountain path and rushed over to pull at his robes, swinging her pale hand in front of him as she teasingly asked, “Hey, monk, who’s bigger, your Buddha or me?”

The monk was initially stunned, but quickly regained composure. Baolian Chan Temple had gained a reputation in Hong Kong and had hosted many local celebrities and gentlemen, some of whom enjoyed verbal sparring. Over time, even a simple Guest-Welcoming Sramana at Baolian Chan Temple developed a sharp mind. Despite Se Kong’s appearance as just a young girl, the monk did not dare to take her lightly, “The Great Buddha weighs over a hundred tons and is as tall as several buildings, requiring hundreds of truckloads just for the building materials. But young lady, look–such a colossal statue of the Buddha is fully seen and understood at a glance when you look up. This immense Buddha statue is, after all, just fitting into your pair of eyes; of course, you are bigger.”

Se Kong nodded with satisfaction, “You do talk well.”

After the exchange, she hummed a tune and strolled away, leaving behind a trail of bell-like laughter in the air.

The young monk didn’t mind and simply bowed his head to continue sweeping.