Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 18: You Are The Cripple Now

Only kills enemies, not for show!

Sonorous as steel, powerful and resonating.

The boisterous banquet hall immediately went cold, greatly calming down.

The Shen Ran that was still thinking so highly of himself did not expect Qing Wan to refuse so bluntly. He was embarrassed: "Qing Wan, your words are so serious. The Princess has paid a rare visit to Azure Dragon Town. Is there anything wrong with letting the Princess comprehend our martial arts styles. What do you all say?"

The others mockingly agreed. Qing Wan's words just now implicated them as well.

A show?

A clown?

Qing Wan sneered in her heart, increasingly annoyed with Shen Ran. This was her birthday banquet. To make her parade her martial arts in front of people, such a spoiled appearance, then she, Qing Wan, would not do such a thing. It was precisely because the Qing Family showed deference to Chen Mo's family that she hated him to the bone. To make her go up now was completely impossible.

"We Sisters can make an exchange in the future when we are alone. No need to let these men watch." Ting Nanyuan's words were very clever, subtly blaming that man's extreme stupidity for not understanding the situation, using this type of method to compel Qing Wan.

"Since Sister Qing Wan has declined, then allow Me. My ‘Floating Willow Five Animals' wants to obtain pointers from everyone." The Liu Xin who was normally on good terms with Qing Wan directly smiled to smooth things over.

Qing Wan wrinkled her brow. She was about to stop her, but the girl already leapt onto the stage, displaying the Floating Willow Five Animals. Her technique was gorgeous and flexible, as if she was dancing, pleasing to the eye. But having gone through that thing earlier, everyone lost their excitement, and the atmosphere was very awkward. 

The Shen Ran that had just been so proud of himself received everyone's discontent. The youth's complexion was pale. He dryly smiled and lowered his head, drowning his sorrows in wine, very resentful of the Qing Wan who did not give him face.

Harboring ulterior motives, no wonder everything fell apart.

Chen Mo ate a melon seed,¹ very satisfied with the show he saw.

Qing Wan felt that with things the way they were, this was embarrassing, so she left the banquet early.

"Shen Ran, you idiot, to unexpectedly make Qing Wan go put on a show."

"Exactly, it's all because you caused Qing Wan trouble that we don't have good face."

"Hmph, to curry favor with the Princess is understandable, but to surprisingly exploit Qing Wan, I truly cannot bear to look at you."

When the crowd saw that Qing Wan, the Princess, and others had left, they turned against Shen Ran one after another. This had obviously just been something good for the mood, but unfortunately, this dunce was too greedy and turned this into an embarrassing situation like the clown he was. "Weren't you also very happy to put on a show for the Princess just a moment ago?" Shen Ran glowered, coldly speaking.

"It was your idea. This was clearly Sister Qing Wan's birthday banquet, yet you made the Princess out to be the center of attention, upstaging the main attraction. You're too unwise."

Shen Ran grit his teeth. These guys normally called him brother, yet that they were not pushing all the responsibility onto him was truly repulsive.

"Forget it, forget it, Qing Wan was also arrogant. We can't blame him."

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"Yeah, who knew she wasn't one to give face. The other party is a princess and a duke's son."

"Let's go drinking, don't mind this. Let's talk about the Azure Dragon Footpath."

"Maybe there actually is the Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Treasure Chest."

Their words once again turned attention back to the legendary treasure chests, but they were thinking exactly the same way Chen Mo was. They felt this was not very believable. Shen Ran found an excuse and left without accompaniment.

Stepping through the thick snow cover, Chen Mo ducked into a dark and narrow alleyway. Taking a few dozen steps, he abruptly came to a stop.

All of a sudden, a figure came flying, passing over his head and landing in front of him.

"Why don't run you, are you scared!" Shen Ran ruthlessly spat.

"Is something the matter?" Chen Mo smiled and asked.

"Drop the act. You dared to take advantage of me. Go admit your wrongdoing to Qing Wan for This Young Master, and I'll let you go." Shen Ran was no fool. Afterwards, he realized everything was because of Chen Mo. If it was not for him deliberately mentioning the Spirit Snake Fist, he honestly would never have incited Qing Wan to display her techniques. Now, he had not only become a laughingstock, he was loathed by Qing Wan, giving rise to cracks in the relationship between their families.

All because of his trickery.

As long as he dragged Chen Mo to Qing Wan to admit his wrongs, everything would be unrelated to him.

Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. Previously, whenever Qing Wan showed a bit of disgust at him, this guy in front of him would be like a mouse that caught a whiff of cheese, immediately stepping forth to hurl sharp and unkind words at him, using this childish method to earn Qing Wan's favor. 

But his behavior only increased Qing Wan's certainty that he was nothing more than a vile character beneath the surface, so when he mentioned having Qing Wan show the Spirit Snake Fist, it could be imagined what the girl was thinking. This was as if she had become Chen Mo, become that of ridicule and mockery. Receiving Qing Wan's hatred was only inevitable.

What a pity this brat still could not see this even now. He was still reassuring himself that he could exploit this humiliation to maintain his own dignity.

How pitiful.

The most pitiful person in the world was none other than someone like this who sneered at others and sowed discord.

This was too sad.

"You lost face over there with Qing Wan, and now you want to help yourself to some humiliation in front of me?" Chen Mo shook his head. "You ought to be grateful that I taught you a lesson. At least you know what you look like in the heart of the girl you always fawn over."

"Chen Mo! What qualifications does a cripple like you have to lecture me. I will ask you one last time, are you coming with me or not." Shen Ran cursed.

"Go on then. In the future when you've wiped clean your eyes, cultivate properly. Maybe you'll have a chance when your cultivation surpasses Qing Wan." Chen Mo had no interest at all in taking revenge on these people. As the saying goes, bickering with childish people will turn oneself very childish.

Shen Ran's face was blue from fury. He angrily smiled: "I've already grown sick of looking at you. You don't have your bodyguard today, so This Old Man² will teach a cripple like you, who uses your connections to intimidate people, a lesson."

Shen Ran's figure scuttled, and a tiger roar burst forth from his mouth. Several holes appeared in the snow as his hands became claws. He was just like a hungry tiger come down the mountain, slashing at Chen Mo's neck. The cold breeze on his claws was a wild torrent, like a sharp blade.

Chen Mo extended his hand and pushed it aside, cleverly dispersing it, but this did not avail Chen Mo an advantage. Shen Ran leapt high up, his body techniques changing in midair. His legs were like steel whips, kicking down instantly in midair towards Chen Mo with a series of cracks.

This move was called "Panther Climbs Tree," capable of changing body techniques midway through, making a swift exchange of kick and punch.

Shen Ran's Qi And Blood Five Turns was operating at full power. His skin, flesh, and sinew were all agitated. He truly was like a flying panther, with claws hidden in his legs, his claws bringing a kicking technique that was very exquisite.

The Tiger And Panther Boxing of Azure Dragon Town's number three noble family was honestly somewhat incredible. Chen Mo nodded, but that was it. Chen Mo's qi and blood circulated, throwing his shoulders as he advanced. Then, he threw consecutive punches that exploded like cannons, interlinked with one another.

"What boxing is this!!" Shen Ran was startled, completely in disbelief that Chen Mo the cripple was unexpectedly able to block his Tiger And Panther Metamorphosis. According to his plans, taking this cripple done should have been easy as turning his hand over.

This is bad.

This trash surprisingly cultivated qi and blood.

Shen Ran's heart was overwhelmed, and great waves of terror appeared in it.

The worst thing to do in battle was to get distracted. Once distracted, power would weaken, and with power gone, defeat was inevitable. Chen Mo ruthlessly punched. His qi and blood worked through his organs, and his punch was like a cannon. 

Swift and merciless.

Shen Ran leg bone was jolted numb, feeling on the verge of shattering. He put one leg behind him, withdrawing to the air to dispel this dangerous situation and use the "Leopard Leaves" body technique in an attempt to avoid a fatal strike.

Chen Mo stepped forward, his figure steady, his cannons unceasing.

This was a chain of ruinous fists.

In this little alley, Shen Ran was unable to utilize his figure, but even if he did, he would not be able to escape. Chen Mo's power was far too strong compared to Shen Ran's, for his qi and blood had been refined into his organs, and with the addition of the Nose Locking Art maintaining his breath, he was completely undefeatable. Shen Ran was already helpless against Chen Mo's flurry of attacks. Pounded by Chen Mo's fists, he was already ashen-faced.

Then he looked to see Chen Mo's fists burst forth one after another like cannons, smashing Shen Ran's chest.

Pow, pow, pow.

His ribs snapped.

Shen Ran vomited blood and was slammed to the ground by Chen Mo. All the qi and blood in his body dissipated, and he was already unable to display the least bit of strength.

"Im…possible…"

Gazing at Chen Mo's pitch-black expression, Shen Ran was still unable to believe that he unexpectedly lost at the hands of someone publicly acknowledged as a cripple.

"You are the cripple now."

Chen Mo stepped on Shen Ran's face. The latter screamed, unreconciled, before fainting over.

He would rather this be a nightmare.

…

Sword casting hall.

Dense white mist covered the building. Chen Mo tossed his iron hammer and took a deep breath, using the Nose Locking Art to seal off all the qi and blood flowing out of his body, circulating it all throughout his body.

Shi Cheng picked up that dagger Chen Mo had forged. Its edge was sharp, reflecting a sharp glint. The dagger's contours were elegant, yet it did not lose any of its elaborate style. But to use ordinary iron to cast and forge such a fine weapon, Shi Cheng was endlessly impressed: "Chen Mo, your progress is honestly too quick. In just a few short days, you've already grasped ‘Fine Detail' to a perfect stage. A genius, you're a genius."

Over the past couple days, Chen Mo would come over any chance he could to watch Shi Cheng cast weapons. Occasionally, he himself would cast and forge a couple weapons for his learning, and with the superb experience of the Casting Scripture, he was much more smooth compared to the normal person. He had just forged his fourth ordinary weapon and was already at a stage of Fine Detail.

Casting masters were split into "apprentice, early grade, middle grade, high grade, supreme grade, and great sect master." Each class was according to the casting master's ability and experience, with were also split into several different phases, "Fine Detail,³ Hundred Refinements,⁴ Pure Green,⁵ and Apex."⁶ Each phase had four levels of Early, Middle, Late, and Peak. It could be said that in the field of casting and forging, their divisions were even harsher than a Human Star Warrior.

However, those levels of casting masters relied on experience, inspiration and talent. Only by undergoing thousands of hammer strike, hundred of refinements, could one familiarize themselves with the craft. Diligence was necessary, and there was no room for shortcuts. But Chen Mo had reached the peak of an early grade casting master's Fine Detail in a couple days. This was simply unbelievable.

The disciples Shi Cheng accepted over the last few years did not have these qualifications.

Chen Mo was very calm towards his astonishment. He had Star Energy tempering his body, and his physical constitution was much better than other casting masters. Furthermore, with Auntie's Innate Skill Invincible, his casting was smooth and easy, even with all his effort. In addition to the experience of the Casting Scripture those Supreme Grade Casting Masters would go berserk for, this speed was not strange.

Several more days later, most of the outsider warriors that congregated in Azure Dragon Town had already left. The reason was because news that Shen Ran was heavily injured by someone had spread through the entire Azure Dragon Town. This guy surprisingly did not divulge that it was Chen Mo who had beaten him, but Chen Mo was not surprised. Even before when he was unable to practice martial arts, Azure Dragon Town's aristocratic families did not dare do anything to him. Now that he was able to train martial arts, they perhaps would only be even more cautious.

Shen Ran was a smart person. He knew that speaking out brought him no benefits. On the contrary, it would only bolster Chen Mo's authority, so he may as well keep his silence. He pushed the blame onto the outsider warriors, saying that he heard a Qi And Blood Seven or Eight Turns warrior badmouth Qing Wan. Unable to bear this, he took action, only for a very wretched result.

Chen Mo had to admit he underestimated this guy's shamelessness, to pile lie after lie to fool other people, using this type of method to warm relations with the Qing Family.

So shameless was he that Chen Mo was endlessly impressed.

Afterwards, Azure Dragon Town's major noble families joined hands to launch a strict investigation into the warriors visiting Azure Dragon Town, making Azure Dragon Town very quiet. Many warriors checked around for a very long time. Searching around Azure Dragon Mountain for awhile and not seeing the legendary Azure Dragon Footpath, in the end, they resentfully departed from Azure Dragon Town.

However, the little master of the Duke of Wei and the Wuyang Princess nevertheless had yet to leave. Chen Mo felt they were apparently waiting for some sort of opportunity.

Just like this, they reached the end of the 12th month of the lunar calendar.

A rarely seen enormous blizzard rolled through Azure Dragon Town.

This blizzard was commonly referred to as the "Ice Knife,"⁷ ice-cold to the bone. Warriors not at Qi And Blood Seven Turns would be unbearably cold, but in such poor weather, Chen Mo finally refined his qi and blood into his bones, entering Qi And Blood Seven Turns level.

1. In China, certain melon seeds can be salted and roasted much like sunflower seeds. ↩
2. Basically he's saying "I'm your Daddy," to assert dominance. ↩
3. 小巧 ↩
4. 百煉 ↩
5. 純青 ↩
6. 巔峰 ↩
7. 冰刀子 ↩