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Sorry for the slight delay, readers. I was a little under the weather.
Song Lin receives an offer…
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Ch. 8.1 | The House of Wanyan
Just then, Styx came hurrying in to report, ‘Second Master, Wanyan Fu is here to see you.’
Song Lin glanced at Dandan behind him and his tone deepened as he answered, ‘Coming.’
Styx also followed his master’s gaze and glanced over, then lowered his eyelids and turned round to leave.
Song Lin turned round to tell Dandan, ‘I won’t explain what should be common sense to little children. Don’t accept sweets from a stranger.’
After this cryptic utterance, he turned and left, leaving Dandan somewhat bemused. What did he mean by that? Unable to make sense of it even after some time, he gave up and lay down for a nap.
Wanyan Fu still wore his customary chilly smile as he sat waiting in the hall. His jade thumb ring sparkled with a beautiful lustre as his fingers drummed lightly on the armrest. Upon seeing Song Lin, he greeted him smilingly, ‘Second Master Song.’
Song Lin motioned to him with a slight gesture. ‘Your Highness, why the concern lately for the House of Song?’
‘Second Master Song, I’ve come today because I want to do some business with you.’
‘Oh?’ Song Lin quirked his eyebrow carelessly and played along with a suitably surprised reaction, ‘What business?’
‘Name your price, Second Master. I’m buying the rabbit you have here at your manor.’
‘Rabbit?’ Song Lin stroked his chin with his forefinger. ‘I don’t have such a thing here at my manor.’
Wanyan Fu: ‘…’ Don’t you even blink when you tell a lie?! Ah?!
‘If Your Highness wishes to buy a spirit beast, there are many rare and curious ones auctioned by the League every year. You can take your pick from there.’
‘Don’t try to change the subject, Second Master Song. The little rabbit has made a name for himself in that fight at the beast colosseum. With so many eyes on him, you can’t hope to keep him a secret any more. My offer to buy him is a reasonable one. Others would have resorted to stealing or carrying him off straight away.’
Head propped on one hand, Song Lin remarked, ‘What the Song clan doesn’t wish to part with cannot be snatched by anyone. Please go back, Your Highness.’
Wanyan Fu stared at him for an interval. His expression changed and then he said, ‘Song Lin, you’re just like your brother — you have no discernment¹.’
Song Lin replied, ‘Why, thank you for the compliment.’
¹ 不識好歹 bùshí-hǎodǎi. If you’re not reading this chapter at hiding in plain sight, it has been stolen and reproduced by novelscraping sites.
Wanyan Fu: ‘…’ It wasn’t intended as one!
Swallowing his anger, he tried a different tack. ‘Per the rules of the League, all spirit beasts in Ridge City not bonded to an owner must be sent to the League for inspection. Does a great clan like your House of Song wish to take in a spirit beast of dubious background²? Won’t this make things difficult for your older brother?’
‘None of the spirit beasts in the Song Manor have dubious backgrounds. Your Highness should not fabricate groundless stories.’
‘Dear me, Second Master Song, don’t forget what everyone saw that day at the beast colosseum. A rabbit that was able to kill a tiger-crocodile — it’s the first time anyone’s seen that happen. At the very least, he’s a Silver and if you’re hoping to keep such a rare beast all to yourselves here, I fear that you’ll be incurring a lot of unnecessary trouble.’
Song Lin seemed to think this was a joke. ‘Oh? Since when has the Song Manor been afraid of trouble?’
‘…’ A slight tic appeared on Wanyan Fu’s eyebrow. Very good, I give you full marks for acting like a pretentious p***k³. You’re every bit as annoying as your older brother.
He widened his eyes to glare for a while but found that it was useless — Song Lin was completely unfazed. Consequently, although much offended, he was left with no other choice but to finally say with a flick of his sleeves, ‘Since we can’t come to a deal, then I’ll be on my way. Farewell.’
Song Lin asked with patently insincere solicitude, ‘Shall I see you out?’
‘No need!’
² 來路不明 láilùbùmíng. Translation belongs to theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Dandan lay on the bed for a while and began looking back on his life as a rabbit.
The day Yu Huan had died, he had said to Dandan, ‘This time, I’m going somewhere very far away for a very long time. I can’t take you with me.’
He had once imagined what it would be like if they had to part forever one day and what Yu Huan would say to him then, but never had it crossed his mind that Yu Huan would have said those words.
To him, Yu Huan’s very existence was a singularity. Back then, he had always felt that if he left the latter, his life would not change that much and might even become more leisurely and carefree. But the day Yu Huan had really vanished from his side, he had been left bereft and desolate. A spirit beast could make a pact with only one Guardian in its entire life and could not change owners unless that Guardian died. If a spirit beast arbitrarily made a pact with someone else while its owner was still alive, then it would incur Heaven’s wrath and its heart would be gnawed away.
He used to complain frequently that Yu Huan didn’t treat him well enough: not bothering to name him properly and not taking him along to any showdowns. He would often threaten, ‘Think I won’t get another owner?’
Yu Huan would then fix those light green eyes of his on Dandan and point out, ‘Then you’ll have to kill me first.’
Dandan would be silenced by that.
Yu Huan would then laugh and ask, ‘Why, can’t bear to?’
‘Pfft, don’t worry. The day you’re tired of life, you can come beg me: I can guarantee you a swift end and I definitely won’t hesitate⁴.’
Yu Huan had suddenly looked at him without speaking, those green eyes appearing to brim with some emotion. After a long silence, he had answered softly, ‘All right.’
⁴ 不含糊 bù//hánhu. Please consider reading from theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com rather than from novelscraping sites.
The High Priest, Feng Chulian, had once told him that Guardians would leave behind a Soul Energy Crystal after they died but Yu Huan hadn’t. He had died in a huge inferno on Dragon Ridge, his entire skeleton reduced to ashes. Dandan had searched for three days and nights but hadn’t been able to find his Soul Energy Crystal.
Feng Chulian had even said that there was a spell to resurrect the dead where the soul would be sealed inside a crystal at the time of physical death. The soul would then reincarnate and be reborn. Only a handful of people could use this method because it would expend a colossal amount of spiritual energy which most Guardians did not have. But if it were Yu Huan, then it was hard to say.
Because Yu Huan was a legend. He was simply too powerful.
As Yu Huan’s bonded spirit beast, Dandan had Yu Huan’s blood flowing in his veins and this allowed him to sense the latter, even if it was only a thread of spiritual energy. When he had drunk Song Lin’s blood, he had been shaken to his core: Song Lin’s blood had tasted of Yu Huan.
This revelation had exploded like a bomb in his mind.
Like someone who had been wandering in a desert for eons until he couldn’t discern any way out and had all but lost hope; but while in the grip of despair, this wanderer had suddenly stumbled upon an oasis.
Yu Huan, when you were alive, you were the one who found me. After your death, let me come and look for you. This way, we’ll be even and neither of us will owe the other.
(Approx. 1288 words)
12’s notes:
³ 裝逼 zhuāngbī
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Translated and edited by 12
hiding in plain sight 
I’ve been trying to picture Wanyan Fu’s wide eyed glare. The more insight we get into Yu Huan and his relationship with Dandan the more I want to know. Did he know something about his future death? I also went back and read 6.1 since I didn’t catch on to Dandan’s odd reaction to the blood last time. “Yu Huan, when you were alive, you were the one who found me. After your death, let me come and look for you. This way, we’ll be even and neither of us will owe the other.” This line… Dandan, you don’t really think it’s about getting even, is it? Thanks for the translation!
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Haha, it was funny how annoyed he was 😆
Dandan is so attached to the memory of Yu Huan…
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