Chapter Three: Qin Shuang

Ao Bing gazed at the scene before him: Xiongba was accepting disciples, and Ao Bing, by employing the causal path’s stratagem of substitution, had transformed into Xiongba’s senior disciple—Qin Shuang.

As to why he did not replace someone else, it was naturally because Qin Shuang required the least amount of causal energy and had the earliest established master-disciple bond with Xiongba. Moreover, Qin Shuang had no role in the later stages, allowing Ao Bing free rein.

Becoming one of those nameless figures was out of the question—firstly because their whereabouts were unknown, and secondly because they were too far from what Ao Bing sought.

Ao Bing’s goal was to master Xiongba’s “Three Part Reversion Qi” in the early stages, and in the future, using his own foundation of the “Ninefold Ice Jade Heaven,” to create a unique version of the “Three Part Reversion Qi.”

Additionally, he chose the Wind and Cloud world because the two protagonists, Wind and Cloud, bore some resemblance to spiritual pearls.

Nie Feng was a righteous man who repeatedly fell into demonic possession, while Bu Jingyun was decisive and ruthless in battle, yet fiercely independent in spirit.

Nie Feng’s Snow-Drinking Mad Blade was ice-elemental, whereas Bu Jingyun’s Peerless Sword was fire-elemental. Their evolutions served as a prelude to Ao Bing’s and Nezha’s own paths.

After all, judging by their final actions, Ao Bing succumbed to the demonic path, intending to annihilate a city, while Nezha stood on the side of justice, saving a city’s people.

Qin Shuang watched as Xiongba demonstrated martial techniques to the three disciples. With a single Heavenly Frost Fist, he froze an entire building—a display of power comparable to what had been witnessed in the Demon Child world.

At most, the Demon Child world had some extraordinary magic arts, but in terms of sheer martial prowess, what had been seen so far did not necessarily surpass the Wind and Cloud world.

Next came the Cloud-Sweeping Palm and the Wind God Kick, all of which Qin Shuang had seen. Xiongba’s demonstrations were primarily to attract the three disciples and showcase the might of his ultimate techniques; explanations of internal cultivation or the essence of moves were not offered.

True martial transmission was reserved for private instruction, which was why Ao Bing needed the abilities of clairvoyance and clairaudience.

In the Demon Child world, there were many with great supernatural powers, but in this world, few understood magic.

Ao Bing, like the original Qin Shuang, was neither outstanding nor poor—reserved and taciturn, his progress in internal cultivation and techniques kept pace with Wind and Cloud, neither hastening nor lagging.

Since Xiongba had accepted disciples, the three had begun over a decade of martial training. During this time, Wind and Cloud were still young, while Qin Shuang was slightly older but still underage—a period of relative peace.

The Tianxia Sect was not eager to expand; Xiongba truly bore the qualities of a hegemon, steadily fortifying the sect’s foundations over more than ten years.

Every year, large numbers of orphans were recruited and tirelessly cultivated as the sect’s backbone. After a decade, the Tianxia Sect was brimming with talent.

Once Qin Shuang, Wind, and Cloud matured, they launched a massive expansion, and Qin Shuang finally saw combat opportunities.

Perhaps owing to the Ninefold Ice Jade Heaven, the Heavenly Frost Fist had long been perfected by Qin Shuang, and the "Three Part Reversion Qi" was nearly fully comprehended.

As a spiritual pearl and a dragon by nature, sensing all manner of undercurrents in the sea daily, his grasp of qi far exceeded ordinary people.

What might have been difficult for others posed no challenge for Ao Bing.

Thus, whether in martial exploits or as the proud leader of the Heavenly Frost Hall, Qin Shuang faced no difficulty.

He worked hard to conceal his true strength, wary that Xiongba might suspect something and more alarmed that the hidden observer—Xu Fu—might detect irregularities.

Perhaps thanks to the causal path’s stratagem masking many truths, at least neither the Mud Bodhisattva prophesied nor did Xu Fu detect anything amiss.

Qin Shuang watched silently as the Tianxia Sect evolved—the establishment of three branches granted the trio some autonomy.

Soon, Qin Shuang began cultivating his trusted aides.

Over the years, the relationship between Qin Shuang and the two, Wind and Cloud, was neither close nor distant, falling short of the original story’s bonds.

The two simply regarded Qin Shuang as aloof, a temper chilled by his training in Heavenly Frost Fist and internal energy.

With the three branches established, the Unsurpassed City arrived. Duan Lang and Nie Feng went to the Lingyun Grotto, while Bu Jingyun feigned capture, having his subordinates stage a betrayal. Duan Lang left, and Qin Shuang remained an observer, unwilling to intervene or act.

Currently, only Unsurpassed City was pressing forward, and Ao Bing had finally discerned the causal artifacts involved—the legendary “City-Toppling Love” of Unsurpassed City and Guan Yu’s blade. Were these not causal items?

Unfortunately, he had to remain with Xiongba at the Tianxia Sect, awaiting his master’s commands.

He wondered which Guan Yu-related world he could enter after taking possession of Guan Yu’s blade.

Without causal artifacts, he probably would only be able to enter worlds inhabited by dragons in the future.

Over these more than ten years, Qin Shuang gradually understood the ratio of time flow.

The Wind and Cloud world was relatively advanced; half a year in the Demon Child world equated to about fifteen years there.

Roughly a thirty-to-one ratio, meaning one day in the Demon Child world matched one month in the Wind and Cloud world.

The entire Wind and Cloud world’s progression spanned only about twenty to thirty years, allowing Qin Shuang to wait until the Wind and Cloud story concluded before returning.

Within the entire Wind and Cloud narrative, Qin Shuang’s role was dispensable, and so Ao Bing acted accordingly—until three years prior, when the causal path’s stratagem sent a message that he required causal energy to grow.

The complete absorption of causality meant others could not detect it, alleviating Qin Shuang’s concerns.

After all, the Demon Child world was no simple place; it involved the world of the Investiture of the Gods. If others could discern that his causality was off...

The acquisition of causal energy came from forming causal bonds with others. This notion brought to mind Shen Gongbao’s “Fellow Daoist, Please Wait” and the Buddhist and Taoist masters’ “Affinity with the West.”

If the causal path’s stratagem were given to those two, it felt as if they would take off instantly.

The fastest way Qin Shuang envisioned to form causal bonds was to control a faction, uniting many people’s power—either to bring harm or fortune to a region.

Yet, Qin Shuang still waited, anticipating Xiongba’s downfall, waiting for him to hasten his own demise, so that he could inherit Xiongba’s legacy and stand upon the giant’s shoulders.

And finally, Xiongba began his foolhardy journey.

“Feng’er, all spies from Unsurpassed City have gone missing. Investigate and bring back the Unsurpassed Sword and the head of Dugu Yifang!”

“Shuang’er, Yun’er, more than ten years ago, the Mud Bodhisattva once told me: ‘The golden-scaled carp is no ordinary fish; once it meets wind and cloud, it becomes a dragon!’”

“After accepting Wind and Cloud as disciples, everything has gone smoothly! But that was only my fate in the first half of my life!”

Xiongba rose, an overwhelming aura pressing down:

“The Mud Bodhisattva has been silent for years. Rumors in the martial world say that to find the Mud Bodhisattva, one must first seek the Fire Monkey. You shall start there.”

“Yes, Master!”

Qin Shuang, Bu Jingyun, and Nie Feng responded in unison, then left the Three Absolute Halls, each returning to their branches to gather belongings and prepare to depart the Tianxia Sect.

The next morning, the two set out on the road to find the Mud Bodhisattva.

Kong Ci did not appear to send off the young lord.

The two rode their horses; Qin Shuang glanced at Bu Jingyun. “I wonder if Junior Brother Yun has any suggestions?”

Bu Jingyun looked coldly at Qin Shuang—the ever silent, yet thoroughly capable senior brother.