Martial Universe (Wu Dong Qian Kun)

Creak.

The door was gently pushed opened as a ray of moonlight reached in. A slender and beautiful figure slowly entered under the moonlight. There was a slight tremor in her clear eyes.

Her head was slightly lowered as she walked into the room with both of her tiny hands tightly clasped together. Her eyes darted around and did not dare to look at the man on the bed.

Seated on the bed, Lin Dong looked at this young lady who had walked in this manner. A long while later, he finally shook his head helplessly when he saw that the latter still showed no signs of speaking. “Xin Qing, what is it?”

Xin Qing’s teeth bit into her small lips. Her small hands which were entangled together had become a little green because of the strength she used. She seemed to be struggling in her heart.

Lin Dong silently watched her quietly without speaking to urge her.

The silence in the room lasted for a couple of minutes. Tears finally flickered within Xin Qing’s eyes as she suddenly knelt down.

“Sir Lin Dong…”

Lin Dong stared at Xin Qing and smiled. “Your mother asked you to come, am I right?”

“Yes.”

“If I am not wrong, your mother wishes for you to remain here tonight right? Why? Does your Nine-tail tribe hope to obtain my protection?” Lin Dong softly asked.

“I’m sorry…” Xin Qing’s eyes were red as tears continuously flowed down. “I know I am letting elder sister Xinlian down by doing this. However, I am willing to give up everything for my tribe, even if it is my life or… my body.”

“The Nine-tail tribe was extremely powerful in the past. However, I do not have the lofty ambition of restoring our tribe to its past glory. All I wish for, is for my tribe to live well and not have to worry daily about being captured and becoming a female servant that others can ravage at whim.”

Lin Dong sighed softly as he looked at the young lady who was kneeling on the ground and crying sadly. Aunt Xin wanted to place the entire tribe’s honour and disgrace on the shoulders of such a delicate young lady. That was indeed too heavy for her to bear…

“I am aware of sir Lin Dong’s character. Mother’s method will not work… however, please allow me to sit here tonight. I will explain to mother tomorrow.”

Lin Dong sighed. He came stood up from the bed and sat down beside Xin Qing. As he gazed upon the tear stained face of the beautiful young lady, he smiled, “Do you know that I come from an extremely small family in a tiny empire of the Eastern Xuan Region? I have an enemy since I was very young who possessed the strength that could easily wipe out my entire family…”

“My father was seriously injured by that person until he became a cripple… at that time, there was an immeasurable gap between him and I. He was a brilliant genius of that empire, while I was an unknown person from a small family.”

Xin Qing ceased sobbing as her red eyes looked at the brilliantly smiling young man. It was difficult for her to imagine that this man, who was valued by peak level experts like Mo Luo and Qing Zhi, would actually have such a past…

“The subsequent story is very simple. I learned to endure and gradually became strong through many experiences. In the end, I killed him…”

Lin Dong extended his hand and gently rubbed the young lady’s little head as he softly said, “I am aware that your tribe is having a difficult time. However, if you truly wish to protect those you care about, you can only rely on your own strength.”

“Your starting point is much better than mine. You have already reached the Profound Life stage at such a young age, an achievement akin to a super genius from the empire I come from… Hence, believe in yourself. There will come a day where you will be able to let your Nine-tail tribe once again stand tall in this Demonic Beast World.”

“At that time, you will believe that everything that happened today is unnecessary. Of course, if that day really comes, please do not hate me. I do not wish to offend a furious Nine-tail fox…”

“Pfft.”

The young lady involuntarily laughed. Soon after, she sniffed gently. Her eyes were gleaming as she looked at Lin Dong, “Sir Lin Dong, do you really think that I can do it?”

“Of course, you have the potential.” Lin Dong smilingly replied.

The young lady gently clenched her teeth as her small hands suddenly clenched tightly. In that moment, Lin Dong could see flames rising from deep within those pairs of eyes.

“Thank you. Sir Lin Dong, I know what I should do now.”

Xin Qing gave Lin Dong a charming smile. “I now know why even elder sister Xinlian, who has high standards, would fancy you…”

“Cough, I am only friends with her.” Lin Dong awkwardly replied.

Xin Qing glanced at Lin Dong’s face. Suddenly, she leaned her body forward as a pair of long slender arms gently hugged Lin Dong. She said in a low voice, “Sir Lin Dong, you are right. We can only rely on ourselves if we wish to change the Nine-tail tribe. If we lose that courage, we cannot blame others for having to struggle to survive…”

Lin Dong was slightly startled. He was about to speak when the softness in his embrace withdrew. The young lady stood up and winked at Lin Dong. “Sir Lin Dong, please have an early rest. Forgive Xin Qing for disturbing you.”

The young lady had already left the room after leaving those words behind. Only a lingering fragrance remained.

Lin Dong looked at the back of the young lady who had exited the room. Something about her seemed to have changed. He could sense that the faint timidness that was originally present in her eyes had completely disappeared at this moment.

Lin Dong hoped that Xin Qing would continue to mature. He regarded her as a friend and would naturally help her if he could. However, he did not wish for her to become reliant on his help. After all, it was just as he had said. One must ultimately rely on oneself if one wished to change.

　　……

The young lady ran within the Nine-tail village under the night sky. After which, she panted slightly as she charged into the ancestral hall of the village where she saw Aunt Xin and a couple of elders.

“Xin Qing?” Aunt Xin was a little taken aback when she saw the young lady who had charged in.

The few elders exchanged glances with each other but did not speak. It was likely that they were aware of what Xin Qing was going to do tonight…

“Mother, I have already said that this method is useless against Sir Lin Dong.” Xin Qing spoke with a faint smile.

Aunt Xin’s eyes dimmed slightly. After which, she bitterly smiled and shook her head. She lifted her head and muttered in a somewhat sorrowful manner, “Is this the fate of my Nine-tail tribe…”

“I wish to go to the Ancestral Soul Hall!”

The young lady’s determined voice suddenly sounded within the ancestral hall. Aunt Xin and the others were startled upon hearing this. They lifted their heads in surprise into the eyes of the figure whose hands were tightly clenched. There was no uncertainty or fear present in her eyes.

“Allow me to try. I will not regret it even if I fail and die!”

Xin Qing’s eyes stared intently at Aunt Xin. “I know that the Ancestral Soul Hall can only be opened one last time. However, our Nine-tail tribe will continue to decline if we continue to be cowards.”

“Mother, rather than living in fear everyday, why don’t we stake everything on this. If we still end up failing, it means that the heavens have decided that our Nine-tail tribe can no longer regain our past glory. If that is the case…”

The young lady’s eyes became extremely determined and sad after speaking until this point. “It is best to allow our Nine-tail tribe to vanish from this world. That way, we will at least be able to maintain a little of our pride.”

The entire ancestral hall became completely silent at this moment. The faces of Aunt Xin and the rest turned pale and shock was present in their eyes. None of them expected that this usually extremely timid young lady would actually become so shockingly determined at this moment…

“Tribe chief…”

This silence lasted for a long time, before a lady suddenly tightly clenched her hand. “Xin Qing is right. Although we only have one last chance, but… rather than simply waiting in this muddleheaded fashion and place our hopes on the protection of others, we might as well stake everything!”

“If the ancestors bless us, our Nine-tail tribe will once again regain its past glory. If we fail… it is really pointless to live struggling day by day.

The others were quiet. However, it seemed as though a flame, which had been suppressed for a long time, had risen again from the depths of their eyes.

Aunt Xin’s body trembled. Finally, she could not help but cry as she said, “I know that all of us are very tired, but we only wish to protect our tribe. Our tribe has already suffered far too much.”

“Mother, therefore… allow us to try one final time.” Xin Qing stepped forward and knelt beside Aunt Xin. She clenched her small ice-cold fists and gently smiled.

Aunt Xin looked at the girl in front of her as tears continued to flow. “You will die. Those tribe members who entered the Ancestral Soul Hall during the last thousand years have all died. It is a cursed place of death…”

“It is ultimately better than catching the eye of some great person and being captured to become his concubine or slave, right?” Xin Qing softly said.

Aunt Xin looked at her daughter, who had suddenly become even more mature than herself, as the final stubbornness in her heart was completely shattered. She stroked Xin Qing’s long and smooth hair, gritted her teeth and nodded. “In that case, let’s open the Ancestral Soul Hall!”

Joy finally surfaced on Xin Qing’s face. “Thank you mother!”

Aunt Xin rubbed away the tears on her face, “If you fail, there will no longer be a Nine-tail tribe in this world.”

“I will gather the tribe members and announce this tomorrow. After which, we will send you to the Ancestral Soul Hall!”

“Aye!”

The tensed atmosphere in the ancestral hall had scattered. Perhaps, it was because they had made their ultimate decision. The faces of Aunt Xin’s group no longer appeared as depressing as before. Instead, there were smiles on their faces.

“Looks like this Ancestral Soul Hall is quite a dangerous place…”

The laughter that had suddenly intruded caused everyone in the ancestral hall to be startled. They turned their heads and saw a figure leaning against the door who had suddenly appeared.

“Sir Lin Dong?!” Xin Qing was immediately stunned when she saw the figure. She hurriedly wiped away the tears on her face.

Aunt Xin looked at Lin Dong and quickly stood up to greet him. “Young brother Lin Dong, I was rude with regards to the earlier matter. Please do not be offended.”

Lin Dong shrugged his shoulders. He glanced at Xin Qing and asked, “Is it possible for an outsider to enter the Ancestral Soul Hall?”

Aunt Xin was startled as she replied, “It is possible, but that place is very dangerous.”

The expression on Xin Qing’s small face was changed at this moment as she hurriedly said, “Sir Lin Dong, you cannot…”

“I will accompany her to the Ancestral Soul Hall.”

Lin Dong completely ignored the objection of the young lady. He stretched his waist and left.

Muttering was emitted from his mouth as he left.

“Really… I was just comforting her… Why did such a dire situation have to occur… I am such a failure…”

Xin Qing’s small hand involuntarily covered her small mouth as she heard the faint mumbling. Tears gathered as many large droplets tumbled down one after another.