After leaving the borders of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, plains, lakes, and other features gradually became more frequent, forming a rich and varied landscape.
According to the “Geographical Records of Jiuzhou”, the Southern Marches could generally be divided into two major regions, namely the “Hundred Thousand Mountains” and the “Abyss”, with the two names representing the two great powers dominating the Southern Marches.
The Wanyao Kingdom and the shaman clans.
“Why doesn’t the ‘Geographical Records of Jiuzhou’ mention the cuisine of the Southern Marches?”
Mu Nanzhi was sitting cross-legged on a rock by the stream, holding a blue-covered book and reading it with great focus.
Miao Youfang and Protector Hongying were in charge of preparing the food.
“You would have to ask the Confucian Sage about that.”
Xu Qi’an sat down beside her and smiled, “Perhaps the Confucian Sage was not a fan of local delicacies.”
The “Geographical Records of Jiuzhou” had been written by the Confucian Sage, who travelled across Jiuzhou over three years, recording in simple terms the mountains and lakes, and river basins of each region.
Later, the “Geographical Records of the Great Feng” was written by later Confucians in imitation of the sage.
Mu Nanzhi believed him and said,
“Even so, the mountains, rivers and various scattered tribes are recorded in great detail…”
As she read on, the corners of her mouth twitched suddenly:
“What kind of barbarians are these?”
There were countless tribes in the Southern Marches, from some with just a few hundred, to some with thousands of people, spread across the land like stars scattered throughout the sky.
Their customs were very strange. In Mu Nanzhi’s eyes, it was simply barbaric and uncivilised.
Xu Qi’an took the “Geographical Records of Jiuzhou” and looked carefully. It noted that there was a tribe three hundred and twenty li west of the Southern Marches called the “Dog God” tribe. This tribe had a custom that, upon coming of age, both men and women must marry a creature called a “horned dog”, becoming companions.
From then on, they lived together, hunted together, and depended on each other for life and death.
Xu Qi’an continued reading and discovered that this creature known as the “horned dog” was social, intelligent, and fierce.
It lived around the region inhabited by the “Dog God” tribe.
“This is the result of natural selection.”
Xu Qi’an stood up, holding the book in one hand, the other behind his back, striking a schoolmaster’s pose as he lectured Mu Nanzhi:
“The birth of any custom or culture is linked to the surrounding environment. You could say that the environment determines culture. For example, our farming in the Central Plains and the nomadism of the Yao and barbarians to the north are both determined by their environments.”
Mu Nanzhi half-understood, frowning as she asked:
“So, their marrying the horned dogs is also due to the environment? Why is that?”
“The book explains that the ‘horned dog’ is combative and understands humans, making them excellent partners. Think of it as forming a household together.”
“Then how do they reproduce the next generation?”
Mu Nanzhi blinked, putting on a deliberately innocent expression.
Unwittingly, the conversation had become a little suggestive… Xu Qi’an chuckled, “I knew you’d be most curious about that.”
Mu Nanzhi immediately broke character, blushed, and cried “Pfft,” unable to keep up the act.
“I think it’s more of a respectful form of taming. The horned dogs are intelligent and not like ordinary canines, so they can’t be tamed in the usual way. After coming into contact with our Central Plains culture, the Dog God tribe found that ‘marriage’ was a grand ceremony, so they imitated it to show respect to the horned dogs. The horned dogs also accepted the practice.”
That was Xu Qi’an’s judgement.
“Then turn back three pages,” Mu Nanzhi said.
Xu Qi’an did as told, and found a record of a tribe called ‘Pan’. In this tribe, the chief had the right to lay the bride on the first night when young men and women married.
“That can’t be down to the environment, can it?” She planted her hands on her hips.
Xu Qi’an stroked his chin and asked, “Do you know how a pride of lions works?”
Mu Nanzhi shook her head.
“A lion pride is composed of a single male ruling over a group of females. When a new male takes over, he kills all the cubs sired by previous males. The matter of the first night is very similar.” Xu Qi’an spoke with conviction, “If the bride ends up bearing the chief’s child, then his bloodline continues. This is less about environment, and more about the instinct of creatures to reproduce. Proliferation is the instinct of all living things.”
He wasn’t just making things up, customs were indeed shaped by environment. It was why people say one region nurtures its own people.
Within simple proverbs, the essence of biological evolution lay hidden.
Mu Nanzhi thought for a while, reluctantly accepting his explanation, then added:
“Now turn back eight more pages.”
Xu Qi’an did as told and found a tribe whose custom was that, when a son turned eighteen, he must challenge his father. If he lost, he would be driven out; if he won, he inherited everything, including his father’s daughters and his own younger siblings.
I really can’t make up anything more, I’ve never even encountered these tribes, how could I know the origin of their customs… Xu Qi’an thought to himself in exasperation.
“Wait, why are all the tribes you remember so weird?”
Xu Qi’an looked at her suspiciously.
Mu Nanzhi felt she had been caught out, her small mouth working as she awkwardly turned her face away to pretend to admire the scenery.
“It’s, it’s just because they’re strange that I remembered them…”
No, you just reminded me of a phrase I once heard: “Even goddesses like to watch educational romance films”… Xu Qi’an grumbled to himself, tossing the “Geographical Records of Jiuzhou” aside and taking out an Earth Book fragment.
【THREE: Lina, are you and Lingyin still on the boat? When will you arrive in Qingzhou?】
Travelling with Protector Hongying, it should take no more than five days to reach the shaman clans. Since the shaman clans were also considered barbarians and unlikely to be welcoming, bringing a local would help reduce conflicts.
【FIVE: I’m in Yuuzhou, I arrived yesterday.】
Lina replied.
So quick? Xu Qi’an was surprised: 【THREE: Who brought you to Yuuzhou?】
It wasn’t possible to get there so quickly by canal, and Lina, as a coarse Strength Gu tribeswoman, couldn’t use sword flight.
【FIVE: We met Erlang’s teacher on the boat and went with them to Qingzhou. The day before yesterday, Erlang drove me and Lingyin out of Qingzhou.】
Did you two eat his food or something… Xu Qi’an replied:
【You know the way, right?】
【FIVE: Xu Ningyan, you underestimate me. Erlang taught me a rhyme: Up is north, down is south, left is west and right is east. Just head south as hard as you can.】
Not bad! Xu Qi’an saw Li Miaozhen jump in:
【TWO: If you get lost, just ask someone for directions. South from Yuuzhou is the Southern Marches, you went through Yuuzhou when you travelled north to the capital, you can’t have forgotten.】
【FIVE: I shouldn’t.】
Said Lina.
The Heaven and Earth Society members were all dubious.
【THREE: How long will it take you to get from Yuuzhou to the Southern Marches?】
【FIVE: If I don’t get lost, don’t get tricked, and carry Lingyin on my back, it will take seven days and seven nights.】
Phew… Xu Qi’an let out a resigned sigh and sent a message:
【Don’t talk to strangers. If you run into any trouble, contact me at once. How is my Lingyin doing?】
【FIVE: She eats well, sleeps well, and drinks well. No real problems.】
Hmm, Daoist Jinlian said before that Lingyin’s fortune was very tough… As Xu Qi’an was about to put away the Earth Book fragment, he suddenly saw a message from Li Lingsu:
【Everyone, how does one lead a group of three hundred people?】
Xu Qi’an knew at a glance something was wrong, and asked: 【What have you done?】
The members of the Heaven and Earth Society silently waited for Li Lingsu’s reply.
【SEVEN: I haven’t done anything, just forbidden them from robbing poor people, forbidden them from assaulting women, forbidden them from plundering merchants and all bad deeds. I also don’t allow them to leave the village, and I give them rice and grain at regular intervals.】
After gathering the refugees, Li Lingsu holed up in an abandoned village.
【SEVEN: At first, they were fine, but after a few days, they started thinking about assassinating me.】
【TWO: You fool, you are imprisoning them. How do you manage these people on a daily basis?】
【SEVEN: I don’t manage them…】
【TWO: You fool, you have to drill them. If you don’t manage them but also restrict their freedom, who else are they going to try to assassinate but you? Enough, send me a message later and I’ll teach you how to govern a group.】
Once the Heaven Sect’s crouching dragon and fledgling phoenix finished speaking up, Chu Yuanzhen chimed in:
【I’ve gathered a thousand refugees here. The training is starting to show results, and in a few more days I plan to take them to Qingzhou to join the fighting. There’s one more thing, according to a group of refugees who fled from Jiangzhou, there are Jianghu people gathering refugees in that area as well, plundering merchants and gentry.】
【TWO: Didn’t the young emperor refuse to take Xu Ningyan’s advice? Is this all just a coincidence?】
【FOUR: Your Highness, what do you think?】
Chu Yuanzhen directly addressed Huaiqing.
【ONE: We sent people to do it.】
Huaiqing admitted it openly.
【ONE: Ningyan’s plan is very effective. We appointed twenty trusted subordinates to gather refugees, robbing wealthy gentry households. Every day the imperial court receives memorials about banditry and unrest caused by roving bandits, but according to confidential reports we have received, things have actually stabilized a great deal in many places.】
This stability was only relative to before. With only Huaiqing’s subordinates and the effort of the Heaven and Earth Society members, it was impossible to suppress all the refugees throughout the central plains.
But it had to be said, Xu Ningyan’s plan produced immediate results.
By robbing the rich merchants and gentry to support the refugees, plundering one household could support a hundred. The local situation would stabilise quickly.
The price was, this method undermined the entire ruling class of each county and province.
If the bandit leaders were outlaw heroes, then the Great Feng court’s rule would stand on the edge of a knife.
But if the bandit chiefs were their own people, then only the low and middle strata of the gentry and local powers would be sacrificed.
Huaiqing continued messaging:
【Chu Yuanzhen, if your group has basic discipline, stockpile food and prepare to set out west. The rest of you as well, especially Li Miaozhen. We know commanding troops comes naturally to you.
【It’s best to start heading west right now, gathering refugees and building your own forces as you go.】
【TWO: Why? Why should we listen to you?】
Lady Flying Swallow retorted without hesitation.
Chu Yuanzhen replied: 【We understand Your Highness’s meaning. Now that war is raging in Qingzhou, how could the Buddhist sects supporting Yunzhou’s rebellious clique not make a move? Sooner or later, they’ll send forces to Leizhou.】
Huaiqing went on:【At that time, the court will be fighting on two fronts, and with turmoil at home as well, we’ll be forced to shrink the front lines. The Yunzhou-Buddhist coalition will then push the front all the way to the capital.】
Li Miaozhen suddenly understood and was alarmed.
She was adept at commanding troops but lacked strategic awareness. She had always thought Qingzhou was the focus of the war and had overlooked the Buddhist sects.
【SIX: When that happens, who knows how many innocent civilians will die because of the fighting?】
Master Hengyuan messaged resignedly.
Xu Qi’an replied: 【The Buddhist sects won’t be sending large armies east. At most, it’ll be small-scale harassment.】
【ONE: What makes you think so?】
Huaiqing questioned him.
【THREE: I’ve done a minor little thing here in the Southern Marches, I fought a second rank Arhat, al-Asura, unsealed Shenshu, and formed an alliance with the Wanyao Kingdom. In the coming days, the Yao will attack the Buddhist forces in the Hundred Thousand Mountains and reclaim their lost lands. Just wait for the news.】
For a moment, the Heaven and Earth Society was silent, the mood was so quiet it felt eerie.
【SEVEN: You fought a second rank Arhat, and successfully unsealed some Shenshu’s seal?】
Li Lingsu’s mentality collapsed, isn’t this Xu Qi’an kid still sealed? When had he become strong enough to fight with a second rank Arhat?
Last time in Jianzhou, he’d nearly died at the hands of a second rank Master of Rain, he had always been far behind at that level.
【ONE: Is this really true? You actually allied with the Wanyao Kingdom? The Yao are about to declare war on the Buddhist sects and recover their old territory?】
Huaiqing fired off three questions at once, for that chilly, proud princess, it was a clear sign of considerable emotional turbulence.
This Xu Ningyan guy, he truly never lets anyone down… Li Miaozhen couldn’t help but be moved.
【FOUR: Excellent. In that case, I can safely head south to reinforce Qingzhou. Using the Yao to pin down the Buddhist sects is the best move for now. Quite a few people might have come up with it, but only you, Xu Ningyan, are able to actually make contact with the Yao nation.】
【SIX: Amitabha, Sir Xu has saved countless souls this time.】
With the group chat finished, Xu Qi’an put away his Earth Book fragment and noticed Mu Nanzhi had removed her embroidered shoes. Her exquisite, delicate white feet were soaking in the stream, happily splashing water about.
These feet were only a little larger than Xu Qi’an’s palm.
Her skin was delicate and soft, without a single callus. Slender and shapely, her toes were round and her soles a healthy pink. These weren’t just feet, they were a masterpiece in a grandmaster’s hands.
The Flower God’s charm is that she’s practically flawless. Whether temperament, face, figure, every trait is perfect… speaking of which, the National Teacher ought to visit me for dual cultivation soon, so why hasn’t she contacted me… oh no, maybe the connection’s down, she can’t find me…
Xu Qi’an stiffened and snapped back to reality.
…
The Capital, Sitianjian.
Luo Yuheng rode golden light down onto the Bagua Platform.
The Jianzheng sat at his desk, eyes shut, as still as a sculpture.
Luo Yuheng gazed intently for a moment and realised this was just a physical shell, his soul was long elsewhere.
She walked down the steps, closed her eyes to sense the area for a moment, and went straight to the seventh floor alchemy room.
In the grand pill room, a group of white-robed arcanists were bustling about, grumbling as they worked:
“Another war, fuck!”
“Yes, yes, another round of mass-produced magic artefacts. These have no soul, it’s an insult to us alchemists.”
“Only biological alchemy is worthy of our pursuit.”
“Senior Brother Song, why don’t you lead us away from Sitianjian and set up our own school of alchemy?”
Song Qing scolded, “Are you looking to be chucked in the furnace for firewood by the Jianzheng?”
He paused, then said, “Unless I become the Jianzheng myself one day.”
Luo Yuheng entered the pill room, her voice cold and melodious:
“Is there no one left in Sitianjian?”
Song Qing was taken aback at seeing Luo Yuheng and thought, Who are you, and when did you show up?
Luo Yuheng frowned slightly, “Luo Yuheng.”
“Ah, ah, National Teacher…” Song Qing suddenly realised.
Looking at the man with heavy eye circles before her, Luo Yuheng almost suspected this was a deliberate ploy, could it be the Jianzheng had a disciple who didn’t know her?
She, however, recognised Song Qing, she’d seen his portrait.
“Where’s Xu Qi’an? My sound-transmitting jade talisman can’t find him,” Luo Yuheng said with a frown.
“Young Master Su hasn’t been to the Sitianjian for ages. Since going out into the Jianghu, I’ve barely seen him.”
Song Qing gave Luo Yuheng’s stunning face a glance and then quickly lost interest, finding his current experiments far more engaging. Without looking up, he fiddled with his apparatus and said:
“I can’t get in touch with him either, but Senior Brother Sun has a sound-transmitting conch that pairs with the one Xu has. If you can find Senior Brother Sun, you’ll find Young Master Su.
“Hmm, Senior Brother Sun should be in Qingzhou right now.”
As soon as he’d finished speaking, he looked up and found the National Teacher had vanished.
“Senior Brother Sun, that’s the National Teacher, you know.”
Beside him, an alchemist was breathlessly impressed. “Absolutely stunning. A true peerless beauty.”
Song Qing scolded, “Don’t even think about it. A woman like that is out of your league.”
The alchemist replied indignantly, “Senior Brother Sun, are you questioning my devotion to alchemy? I dedicated my life to the craft and will never marry. What I mean is, why don’t we make a female puppet for Young Master Xu, modelled after the National Teacher herself.”
At these words, the surrounding alchemists chimed in:
“Great idea! A lecher like Young Master Xu would be over the moon, hugging her night and day and never coming out of bed.”
“Brilliant, then he might give us the rest of that blue book.”
“But wouldn’t that enrage the National Teacher?”
“What’s there to fear, the Jianzheng will cover for us.”
Comments for this chapter. You will need a GitHub account. Please follow all terms and conditions of GitHub issues and maintain etiquette in the comments. Cookies are required for this functionality.
If you want to talk with other readers about Nightwatchers (or other cultivation type books) you can join our cultivation groupreading discord server!
I also have a Kofi, which for legal reasons is definitely for supporting my digital art only (promise!): ko-fi.com/yanxin ... plus I guess server space isn't free, and I don't want to put ads/trackers... ever, so thank you if you do!