Boundless – Chapter 37

Wen Qianshu: “Yes.”

Wen Qianshu was pondering how to continue, but Yan Han said: “Then I want the position of the Snake King.”

2333: “?”

Her pupils gradually dilated, then returned to their human shape. “You want to borrow my snake venom, so let’s exchange some benefits, how about it?”

Yan Han pressed her neck, half-lowering her gaze, appearing both charming and obedient. “The Snake King harmed my father and imprisoned my mother. I want revenge, and I want his position.”

Wen Qianshu: “…”

2333: “…”

Both of them had read the book and knew Yan Han’s background—the Snake King was old, and the power of the snake clan was now in the hands of the Snake Queen. Moreover, the snake clan was promiscuous, and the Snake Queen had more than just one or two illegitimate children; there were even quite a few half-demons, who were extremely rare.

Otherwise, why would Yan Han have been sent to Five Spirits Mountain as an undercover agent?

Wen Qianshu: “What should we do?”

2333: “What do you mean, what should we do?”

Wen Qianshu: “I think her lie is too obvious. Yan Chengquan can probably see through it.”

Yan Chengquan must know the situation of the snake clan. Otherwise, in the original book, how could Yan Han have first become a pawn, and then a discarded piece?

Yan Chengquan shifted her gaze, resting it on Yan Han’s cheek. “You want power?”

Yan Han: “I want revenge.”

Yan Chengquan said nothing. Her eyes held a playful look as she stared straight at Yan Han. Yan Han returned her gaze, her eyes shimmering.

From the farmstead all the way to Five Spirits Mountain, she had witnessed the power of authority.

She had seen how Yan Qingxi could easily bring her into Five Spirits Mountain; she had seen how the people around them, because of a few words from Yan Chengshuang, arranged for Yan Yan to study in the best school and treated her exceptionally well; she had seen how after Yan Chengshuang disappeared and was presumed dead, and Yan Qingxi took her as a disciple, this group of people cast Yan Yan aside and started treating her well instead.

She grew up eating from a hundred families’ pots; she knew all too well what these people were thinking.

How ridiculous—how utterly ridiculous—

Yan Yan and Yan Shenxing were fools, completely unable to see that some people were nice to them only to curry favor with others.

Yan Qingxi and Yan Chengshuang were fools too, having no idea what they held in their hands, or what others wanted to get from them.

Those reverent gazes, those bowed heads—

That flattery, that obedience—

Yan Chengshuang’s aptitude wasn’t outstanding at all, and her magical arts were mediocre. Just because she was the senior disciple of Canglan Courtyard, who wouldn’t call her “Fairy Yan”?

Even that stunning first glance, that exquisite appearance, she felt was tainted with the scent of power.

Power, power—

She had glimpsed a corner of power and desire; she had glimpsed the dreamlike mist over the abyss.

She knew how strong the foundation of Five Spirits Mountain was. Compared to that, the turbulent and ever-changing snake clan was where it would be easier to obtain everything.

She wanted to obtain everything.

She knew humans were hypocritical and would never directly reveal their greed.

It seemed that all actions, whether proper or improper, had to be cloaked in a righteous and legitimate thought.

Since she had to cooperate with humans, she naturally had to do it their way.

“Avenge my father”—how appropriate, nothing could be more suitable.

But Yan Chengquan—this human’s gaze was terrifying. No, not terrifying, but playful.

It carried a playfulness unique to those in power.

She looked at her, clear-headed and amused.

She looked at her, mocking yet appreciative.

For a moment, she felt as if she had been seen through, from the strands of her hair to the tip of her snake tail.

Yan Han tried to lower herself—a sign of submission in the snake clan.

However, Yan Chengquan did nothing. She simply opened her mouth.

She said: “Alright.”

2333 felt like it was dreaming.

Wen Qianshu felt much the same.

They had rushed in, and then succeeded by a fluke.

But they hadn’t been able to breathe a sigh of relief for long before Yan Chengquan suddenly said: “You may all leave first.”

Yan Qingxi gave Wen Qianshu and Yan Han a cold look, then was the first to stand up and leave.

Yan Han bowed and also went out on her own.

Wen Qianshu was about to follow, but Yan Chengquan said: “Yan Chengshuang, you stay.”

Yan Chengquan had always called her “Shuang’er,” this was the first time Wen Qianshu had heard her use the full name.

In an instant, Wen Qianshu felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

She asked 2333: “Do you think she’s discovered that Yan Chengshuang has been swapped out?”

2333: “Don’t scare me.”

Fortunately, no matter what Wen Qianshu was thinking, she managed to remain composed on the surface.

She turned around and said: “Master.”

Yan Chengquan said nothing. She lowered her eyes, her fingertips tapping on the desktop—“Tap, tap.”

Once, twice.

Amidst the flickering candlelight, she heard Yan Chengquan ask: “When did you find out, and how much did you discover?”

Wen Qianshu didn’t know how to answer for a moment—if she hadn’t known the plot of the original book and had decided on her own to trust Yun Cai, it would have been very difficult for her to discover Yan Chengquan’s involvement; at most, her investigation would have stopped at Yan Qingxi.

She couldn’t tell the truth, but a lie wasn’t easy to fabricate either. Yan Chengquan wasn’t 2333; she couldn’t be fooled so easily.

The two were at a stalemate for a moment.

Just as Wen Qianshu was about to say something random, Yan Chengquan sighed softly.

She leaned back against the chair back formed by water droplets, tilted her head up, her hair bun loose, looking somewhat weary. “I never wanted you to know.”

“This is a pool of muddy water,” Yan Chengquan said. “You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

“The water is already up to my mouth and nose,” Wen Qianshu replied. “How could I possibly escape?”

Yan Chengquan: “True. I was only deceiving myself.”

“Forget it, you may go,” Yan Chengquan said, pressing her temple. “Just be careful of Yan Han from now on, and be careful of Yun Cai as well.”

“The Young Miss of the Yun family may not be as innocent as she appears on the surface.”

Wen Qianshu glanced at her, then lowered her eyelids. “Yes.”

She waited a little longer, and seeing that Yan Chengquan said nothing more, she spoke: “This disciple will take her leave.”

Facing Yan Chengquan, she backed all the way to the door. Just as she was about to take the final step, she heard Yan Chengquan say: “Shuang’er, I have always thought of you as my own daughter.”

Ever since her own master died back then, from the moment she went down the mountain and swept up this little girl with river water, she had treated her as her own daughter.

She fed her, taught her martial arts, and even though her aptitude was lacking, she still kept her by her side, gave her the best weapons, and raised her bit by bit.

Bit by bit.

Such a long word.

Yan Chengquan: “I hid it from you because I didn’t want you to touch these dirty matters—I never thought of harming you.”

Time and again, she sent Yan Chengshuang away, time and again, she had her follow Yan Qingxi.

She used the flower demon to neutralize Yanyun Sky’s trap and had the flower demon teach her to improve her cultivation; when she discovered there was something wrong with Yan Han, she stopped letting Yan Chengshuang get close to Yan Qingxi and made her stay away from Yan Han.

Since her master’s death, Yan Chengquan had spent most of her life thinking about how to unify Five Spirits Mountain. She only had a small piece of her heart left, and she gave it all to Yan Chengshuang.

All to the little daughter she had picked up.

Wen Qianshu raised her eyes and looked at her.

Wen Qianshu suddenly felt a little sad, as if someone had tugged at her heart and then squeezed it tight. “Chengshuang knows. Chengshuang knows about Master.”

Yes, who could have imagined?

Chengshuang knew.

Yan Chengshuang had known for a long time.

Yan Chengshuang.

Her name came from “frost flying all over the city.”

The Fairy Yan from Canglan Courtyard in the files, with skin like the bright moon, carved from ice and snow.

In her entire life, she loved only two things—her master and Five Spirits Mountain.

When a conflict arose between them, when she discovered her master’s secret plot—no one knew how she found out—she was caught in the middle, struggling.

This became her inner demon.

She died because of this inner demon.

She died right under her master’s nose.

Wen Qianshu felt a sharp pain.

It didn’t seem to be her own feeling, but rather a lingering obsession left in the body. That obsession flowed through her entire body with her blood, causing pain everywhere.

Excruciating pain.

Wen Qianshu looked at Yan Chengquan and suddenly realized—

In this grand drama of power struggle, perhaps the one Yan Chengquan wanted to keep the most was Yan Chengshuang.

But the first person she caused the death of was also Yan Chengshuang.

After Wen Qianshu returned to her room, 2333 asked: “What are you guys going to do?”

Wen Qianshu didn’t answer. She took out the book box from her Qiankun Pouch, looked at the character “Shuang” on it, and said: “2333, do you think people really become ghosts when they die?”

2333: “Maybe in this world they do. Why?”

It watched as Wen Qianshu took out some matches from the side, struck one, and lit the book box. “What are you doing?”

Wen Qianshu: “I’m burning her favorite things for her.”

Endless Moon transformed into a line of water, encircling the flames.

A fierce flame rose, its tongues licking the book box.

Wen Qianshu smiled. She rarely smiled so gently. Reflected in the firelight, she hardly looked like herself. “Silly girl, your master doesn’t understand you at all.”

The tongues of fire surged, swaying as they devoured the book box, curling around the character “Shuang.”

“Since I’ve occupied your body, and it was with your help that I was able to protect Yan Han—”

Yan Chengquan spared Yan Han, partly because she didn’t want to kill someone in front of Yan Chengshuang.

“I will do my best to fulfill your last wish—to protect your master, and to protect Five Spirits Mountain,” Wen Qianshu said softly. “Although I don’t know if I can succeed, please bless me. Bless me so that I can protect the people we want to protect.”

She thought of Yun Cai’s brightened eyes; she thought of the moon in the sky.

The wind traveled through the sea, through the sky, through the earth.

It passed through the Canglan waters, through the vast mountains of Five Spirits Mountain, through the swaying, soft willow branches of Fuliu Boat, through the majestic Mingfeng Terrace, and headed towards the high and lofty Yanyun Sky.

Her heart beat faster and faster, and the flames crackled.

From far away, a vacant and distant voice seemed to drift over.

That voice seemed as if it no longer belonged to the mortal world, like the soft sigh of the dead.

From far, far away, it entered her ear: “Okay.”

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Author’s Notes:

OOC Skit:

Wen Qianshu and Yan Han: Mutually think the other is a fool.

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Neither Yan Han nor Wen Qianshu is stupid. They are both quite perceptive about certain things, but their minds focus on different points.

In the book, Yan Han’s journey was actually smooth sailing. Under Yan Chengquan’s promotion, she did everything very well. That’s why when she finally saw through it all and realized she was a pawn, and that the situation had reached a point where it couldn’t be reversed, she became disheartened and couldn’t help but commit suicide.

But now, because of Wen Qianshu’s meddling, every step of her plan has been interrupted. Even after entering Canglan Courtyard, she didn’t immediately stand out. Instead, because Yan Yan received Yan Chengshuang’s “favor,” everyone flocked around Yan Yan. Later, Yan Chengquan was busy fighting with Yanyun Sky and had no time to use her for a while. This led her to suddenly realize she had always been in a passive position, which sparked her interest in the power to actively manipulate others.

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