Side Story Chapter 12 - Strategy Advisor, Wang Jiuling! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Li Taiyi loathed the comet. If not for this comet, how could he have been separated from Qing Luo?
But at the same time, it had given him a new life, allowing him the chance to save the Great Tang and correct this injustice from centuries before!
Li Taiyi now understood. His sense was right. Some mysterious power really had been working on his body!
As that scene of the comet smashing into Li Taiyi played out, that giant star rapidly began to shrink, all of the light condensing into it.
A few moments later, that brilliant star was no more.
In its place was a fist-sized jewel, simple and unadorned, pulsing with spacetime power. It quietly floated in front of Li Taiyi, exuding considerable power.
Li Taiyi inexplicably knew that this was the ‘Stone of Destiny’.
“Congratulations to user for rewriting the Thunderclap Event and ensuring the dragon veins persist! User is rewarded with 10,000 points of Destiny Energy!” the Stone of Destiny said.
“User? Thunderclap? Dragon veins?”
Li Taiyi was baffled by these words, but his mind quickly came around.
‘User’ referred to him, ‘Thunderclap’ referred to the Spring Rain Banquet and how destiny had not followed the course of the ‘thunderclap coup’, and the dragon veins were the fortune of the Great Tang. But what was Destiny Energy?
“Destiny is like a giant boulder pressed on the body, unable to be moved. Only those with formidable wills can change destiny and obliterate this heavy stone. Destiny Energy allows the user to more quickly alter destiny and more swiftly seize opportunities!” the Stone of Destiny explained, as if it knew about the questions on Li Taiyi’s mind.
The Stone of Destiny’s answer made Li Taiyi raise an eyebrow in surprise.
To more swiftly seize opportunities… Li Taiyi’s eyes flashed as he thoughtfully looked at the Stone of Destiny.
At present, he had already raised his reputation and was gaining favor with his father. Everything was smoothly advancing toward his goal. The only thing that he was currently impatient to reach was…
“Stone of Destiny, can these Destiny Energy points let me get stronger, to have the strength to contend against the entire world?” Li Taiyi said.
What he lacked the most was cultivation and the corresponding martial arts.
Li Taiyi had asked despite not really expecting that the so-called Stone of Destiny would actually answer.
“Searching for a solution for user. Please wait…
“User resides in the prosperous lands of the Central Plains, and the Imperial Palace is full of countless treasures and various martial arts manuals!” the Stone of Destiny said.
“!!!”
Li Taiyi was shaken, and his eyes instantly began to burn with passion.
“How can I find martial arts that can increase my power?”
“…User does not have enough Destiny Energy for this question to be answered,” the Stone of Destiny said.
“……”
“……”
The dimension became deathly still.
Li Taiyi raised an eyebrow at the Stone of Destiny. Just when he was thinking about smashing it, the Stone of Destiny spoke again.
“If user finds a treasure location, there will be a corresponding reaction.”
After saying this, the Stone of Destiny fell silent.
Very quickly, the void faded away like it was an illusion, and Jade Dragon Palace returned as if nothing had happened.
Li Taiyi sat on his sandalwood bed, unable to calm down.
He knew that all of this had been real, and that dazzling jewel was quietly floating in his mind!
This matter had given him too much of a shock. He needed time to think things over and understand what was going on.
At the end, the Stone of Destiny had mentioned that there was a powerful art in the northwestern part of the Imperial Palace, and he could set aside some time to look for it.
Taptaptap!
A rapid tapping came at his door.
Li Taiyi focused and called out, “Enter!”
The door opened, and the bowed form of Gao Lishi entered.
“Your Highness, the arrangements are done. Your Highness may go and see Lord Wang Jiuling in the jail of the Bureau of Punishments today.”
Li Taiyi nodded.
“Let’s go!”
……
A carriage swiftly made its way toward the jail run by the Bureau of Punishments.
Within the imposing carriage, Li Taiyi closed his eyes and rested.
After some time, Gao Lishi’s voice came from outside. “Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
Li Taiyi slowly opened his eyes.
As he raised the curtain, he saw a pitch-black building.
This building lurked there like a giant beast. Seemingly to prevent criminals from escaping, arrows glinting with cold light peeked out from the four corners of the building, and the edifice naturally exuded a somber and intimidating aura.
A large black stele taller than an adult man had been set up in front of the black building, with several words chiseled into it.
Bureau of Punishments Jail!
Besides this, a tiger head had been carved over the gate, appearing rather old. Whenever anyone got close, this tiger would appear to savagely bare its fangs at them. This was the legendary Bi’an that represented justice, and its awesome appearance instilled respect and solemnity in those who looked upon it.
(TN: The Bi’an is one of the nine sons of the dragon, like the Bixi mentioned earlier. While the Bixi was a turtle dragon, the Bi’an is a tiger dragon, and its image was usually placed over prison gates.)
An aloof prison guard stood in front of the steel gate, fiercely and warily looking around.
Upon seeing Li Taiyi’s carriage, the guard immediately became respectful and called out in Li Taiyi’s direction.
“Third Prince!”
Li Taiyi slowly stepped off the carriage, assisted by Gao Lishi, and got straight to the point. “Where is Wang Jiuling being held?”
“Your Highness, please follow me.”
The prison guard immediately led Li Taiyi into the jail.
As soon as the prison gates opened, a cold and sinister odor assailed Li Taiyi’s nostrils and made him shiver.
It was dark and gloomy past the gates, the two sides lit by dim lanterns. As soon as the gates opened, two of the lanterns were blown out by the wind, making the place even darker.
This was a dark and humid place that usually did not see the light of the sun. The air was foul and turbid, wet as if it had just rained, and it was mixed with the scent of dried blood.
The farther they went in, the more oppressive the air became. The cries for mercy from the prisoners added an additional hint of despair.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
The prison guard stopped in front of a cell and opened it to the tune of swishing chains.
Li Taiyi’s eyes flashed as he nodded and said, “Withdraw.”
Once the guard was gone, Li Taiyi turned his eyes to the figure in the cell.
This man’s eyes were closed as he leaned against the bed in the cell. Though his clothes were ragged and situation dire, he exuded a tenacity like the winter plum blossoms that would bloom in frost, exuding their special aromas.
As Li Taiyi inspected him, a calm and steady voice came from the resting Wang Jiuling.
“Third Prince? The prison is a dark and filthy place. For what reason has the Third Prince come? Wang Jiuling is an ordinary man and does not believe that he ever had any interactions with the Third Prince.”
He had not even seen Li Taiyi. In truth, his eyes had never even opened, and his face was unperturbed.
But it appeared as if he knew everything going on around him.
Li Taiyi was rather surprised. It appeared that Wang Jiuling knew who he was.
But with a grin, Li Taiyi shook it off.