The Root of Trouble (Part 2)

"No one has done something so disgusting since the establishment of this dynasty. Explain yourself properly, or else I'll punish you."

I could sense his jealousy, hate and desire to take out his anger on me in the name of carrying out his official duty from his tone. I’ve got proof. He never took his eyes off my junior shiyi as he spoke to me. Besides him, the two inspectors on the side both wore the same expression…

Fuck you and your “no same surname marriage”! The current emperor has eight wives, two of them share the same surname, Li, with him. Why don’t you go punish him!?

I can't believe being a loud-mouth would have such repercussions.

We share the same name because I was adopted, we’re not blood related. But there is the issue of seniority…

Deciding that that was enough, she stepped in to explain: “Sir, he’s joking. We’re relatives, I’m his… gugu*." I’m not sure what she was thinking, but she looked a bit uncomfortable after saying that.

Gugu? Guo'er is here!**

Yeah right.

“Relatives! Ah, nephew, I mean, Fei Zhen, do your best, don’t let me down.”

After he heard that I was her nephew and realised I wasn’t a threat, he smiled gently and brightly at me. I got goose bumps when he called my name.

“Alright, the first round of the examination is martial arts. Relax, and show us your best moves. Miss, please be careful not to let yourself get hurt.”

Hey, hey, hey! I heard you were looking for skilled martial artists.

Now you’re worried about her getting a little hurt?

"You two can start once you're ready."

She pulled a cheeky face at me as if she were trying to say: “Are you going to go easy on me?”

Yes. Yes, I will! I would gladly die for you even!

We stood apart on two sides and put our guard up using our sect's style. She lives up to her title as the most senior female member of our sect. Her pose is both dignified and well-thought. None of my fellow disciples could compare.

She was trained by the grandmaster. She’s not like me; she’s one of those born with martial talent people. Although there’s an age gap, based on what I’ve seen, she is pretty much on shifu’s level. I’ll suffer if I’m not careful. But since we’re from the same sect, I know her moves like the back of my hand, so I shouldn’t be at too much of a disadvantage even if I go easy on her.

She flipped her wrist over and slowly struck with her palm. That’s our sect’s Xing Luo Palm.

Ahem, I got a little too excited there…, I was taught to honour my teachers and respect their teachings.

I began by defending with Tai Chi. It’s not that I want to use the martial arts of other sects and schools, but that I can only use the martial arts of other sects and schools! Shifu only threw secret manuals from other sects and schools at me when I started training. He never taught me our sect's techniques.

Even ’til today, I’m only able to recognise the techniques of our sect at best.

After I left the mountain, I went to great lengths to convince people that I was a disciple of Mount Daluo, but nobody would believe me, because I don’t even know their basics…

She saw me defend and giggled, before changing her move quickly, and unleashed thirteen palm strikes at varying speeds and intensities.

The examiners exclaimed: “Whoa~”; I could virtually see their perverted smiles and stares as junior shi yi’s clothes fluttered as she moved…

I was so enraged, I swear I was ready to murder them! Those son of a guns don’t understand the beauty behind her palm strikes. They were just ogling at her coveted beauty.

My anger came from deep down in my heart. I absorbed the power of each of her strikes with my hands using my Tai Chi skills, and directed the blows behind me, splashing those perverts with tornado-like winds, until they started crying from the wind hurting their eyes.

Hahahahaha, well deserved.

Shiyi looked at me strangely, and awkwardly asked: “What are you doing? If they can’t see properly, how are we supposed to pass?”

Like I care! No one is allowed to steal looks at you.

After that, we exchanged thirty moves each, thirty of her Xing Luo Palms, thirty of my Tai Chi techniques. The three examiners still couldn’t open their eyes after we were done. When they finally recovered, they looked at each other awkwardly, because they didn’t see our performance, the group next to ours or the one next to that group's either.

One examiner for our group cleared their throats, spoke to his two colleagues and said to us: “The two of you weren’t bad, But, uhh… You didn't manage to meet our expectations this time around.”

Holy shit, I just witnessed Liu Shan Men's corruption here first hand!

Tell me, just what the hell did you see?!

Suddenly, a servant came rushing over and whispered to the examiner. The examiner's facial expression changed drastically after he heard it. Then he stood up and said: “I have something to attend to, please wait a moment.” And then he left in a hurry.

Everybody present started looking at each other, wondering what had happened.

I tried to use Yi Jin Jing to enhance my listening and sight to try and hear what was happening at the back, but since it was too far away, I could only hear some faint sounds.

It sounded like someone was cussing at someone, some slapping sounds, and painful cries like someone was getting skewered.

What were they doing back there? Interrogating a criminal?

I got my answer a few seconds later.

The examiner came back miserably with his hands on his face as he tried to cover the big hand marks on his face, and said to us: “You six have passed the first round of the examination, please head over to the venue for the second round and await further instructions.”

Justice has been served!

But I want to know who beat him up so badly.

Glossary

Gugu = aunt

**A reference to Legend of the Condor Heroes from Jin Yong, where Guo'er and his Gugu (Xiao Long Nv) have a romantic relationship.

Translator Comments:

First of all, sorry for the previous mix-up, here is another chapter as I promised. In other news, our main character in this series is so strong he could give Saitama a run for his money, serious. You’ll love it if you like OP characters when we get there.