Chapter 182
Chapter 182
Thank goodness for the computer; otherwise, Shen Lang would never have been able to recall the contents of *Journey to the West*. Shen Lang dictated without pause, and Jin Mucong transcribed tirelessly. Of course, some parts needed modification. For instance, details about Emperor Taizong of Tang had to be adjusted to fit the historical context of this world, which wasn't difficult at all. The legends of this world also included a Jade Emperor and a Buddha, both regarded as deities from an ancient era.
All the texts unearthed in this world were works that had existed on Earth before 200 B.C. Not only were there the Four Books and Five Classics, but other scriptures as well. There were even texts that had never existed on ancient Earth, leaving Shen Lang to feel a sense of unfamiliarity when he saw various books and inscriptions. In any case, the ancient civilization that existed before this world was rebuilt remained shrouded in complete mystery.
The more Jin Mucong transcribed, the more his blood boiled with excitement, and his writing speed grew faster and faster.
‘This is so good! This book is amazing. I think it’s even better than the *Boundless Wind and Moon* my brother-in-law wrote before. When I read that book, I only picked out certain parts to read, and I looked at the pictures more than the words. After a few shivers, I lost interest. But this *Journey to the West*… even I can understand the story. My blood is pumping. This is incredible!’
Jin Mucong couldn't stop his own explosive talent. He spent a full day and night transcribing *Journey to the West*, sleeping for only a few hours in between. Finally, he reached the seventh chapter: “The Great Sage Escapes the Eight Trigrams Brazier and Is Pinned Beneath the Five Elements Mountain.”
This was the part where Sun Wukong, after wreaking havoc in the Heavenly Palace, is finally pinned under the Five Elements Mountain by the Buddha. The text was over fifty thousand characters long. This marked the end of the first major climax of *Journey to the West*.
Originally, Shen Lang had wanted to stop right after the part about wreaking havoc in the Heavenly Palace. He felt that was the true peak. But he was afraid of being cursed for leaving it on a cliffhanger, so he ended it with Sun Wukong being pinned under the mountain. Even authors posting online get flamed for stopping in the middle of a story; Shen Lang was worried that if he cut the story short here, Qiu Yao'er might accidentally beat Xu Qianqian to death.
The manuscript, over fifty thousand characters long, spanned a full hundred pages. Shen Lang carefully wrapped it in oiled paper and handed it to a secret agent from the Count’s estate. He then ordered the man to board a ship at once and hurry back to Raging Tide City to deliver the manuscript to Xu Qianqian.
“You must deliver this manuscript directly into Xu Qianqian’s hands. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Rest assured, Young Master. As long as I live, the manuscript will be safe. If I die, the manuscript dies with me.”
Hearing this, Shen Lang felt somewhat reassured, but then a strange thought struck him. Since when did something written by Jin Mucong hold such precious value?
Amidst this, Jin Mucong, who had personally brought this masterpiece to life, was still reeling with excitement. He spoke to Shen Lang in a trembling voice.
“Brother-in-law, *Journey to the West* is so amazing. We’re definitely going to be a huge hit this time. I’m sure it’ll be even more popular than *Boundless Wind and Moon*.”
He couldn't be so sure about that. *Journey to the West* would become popular, but it would need time. An erotic book like *Boundless Wind and Moon* had used provocative images for promotion and included realistic illustrations, which was why it had become an instant, explosive hit.
Shen Lang said to Jin Mucong.
“This book was written entirely for one person to read, so it won’t be popular. Even if it is, it will only be popular with her.”
“Who? Is she that amazing?”
‘Yes, she is incredibly amazing!’
Shen Lang decided he had to go to Raging Tide City himself. Qiu Yao'er was also in danger. She was a woman of extremely high martial skill, but she was not subtle, possessing a domineering personality. Based on the symptoms described in Xu Qianqian’s secret letter, Qiu Yao'er had likely been poisoned for a long time, and the method used was so sophisticated it was almost undetectable. Therefore, Shen Lang had to examine her personally.
Besides, this was an excellent opportunity for Shen Lang. If he went to Raging Tide City himself, the chances of his plan to seize the city would be much higher. But he couldn't go just yet. The next few days were a critical period. The Sky Dao Society would soon deliver a staggering amount of gold coins and bullion to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, and Shen Lang had to be there to receive it personally. Moreover, the performance that would follow was the real spectacle.
Everyone expected the Count of Xuanwu's Estate to be unable to repay the seven hundred thousand gold coins. They took it as a given that Vain Love Island would be lost and the estate would be ruined. Shen Lang was even certain that the Hidden Yuan Society had already prepared the people they would send to the Count’s estate to claim Vain Love Island. The other powerful families were also sharpening their knives, waiting for the Count of Xuanwu's Estate to fall. The moment the estate collapsed, they would rush in to tear apart the remaining corpse and snatch a piece of the flesh.
Everyone was just waiting for the deadline, for the Jin Clan to be finished. But what if, at that very moment, Shen Lang personally appeared with seven hundred thousand gold coins and threw them right in the Hidden Yuan Society’s face? Could one even imagine how beautiful that scene would be? No one would ever forget that moment, and some people would be so stunned they wouldn't even be able to open their mouths. For those who had been hostile to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, it would feel like a sharp slap across the face. The mere thought of that sensation was incredibly satisfying.
Furthermore, if Shen Lang's golden island strategy succeeded, it would likely turn the world upside down. So far, everything had gone smoothly, and Shen Lang trembled all over just imagining what was to come. The days passed one by one, and the debt repayment deadline drew ever closer. The day the Sky Dao Society would deliver a million gold coins was fast approaching.
***
In Raging Tide City.
At last, the secret agent from the Count of Xuanwu's Estate arrived to see Xu Qianqian, carrying the manuscript created by Shen Lang and Jin Mucong. But wasn't it difficult for her to meet with a secret agent? Shouldn't it have been an extremely clandestine meeting? It was clandestine, but not the least bit difficult. That was because she was completely free, as were all the women within Qiu Yao'er's fortress.
After receiving the manuscript, Xu Qianqian read it herself first.
‘Shen Lang, you better not disappoint me. Absolutely no romance, and definitely nothing erotic. Ordinary women might like that sort of thing, but Qiu Yao'er hates it.’
In just over thirty minutes, Xu Qianqian read all seven chapters of *Journey to the West* that Shen Lang had written, over fifty thousand characters in total. After finishing it, she had only one thought.
‘This is so good. And what a stimulating story!’
Even a woman like Xu Qianqian, who enjoyed literature, felt her blood boil with every page she read. The she-devil Qiu Yao'er would be no different. This book was truly entertaining, thrilling, and filled with freedom and struggle. The part where the Great Sage wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, in particular, was a scene of untamed imagination, and it would surely become Qiu Yao'er's favorite part. This book seemed custom-made for her. Xu Qianqian was confident that the story of *Journey to the West* would crush the tales of all the other wenches competing with her. This story would undoubtedly conquer Qiu Yao'er.
‘You she-devil, Qiu Yao'er. Just you wait. I’m going to win you over! The position of the handmaiden who serves by your side will belong to me, Xu Qianqian! Hah! To think that something like this has become my ultimate goal… I’ve really fallen low!’
***
Days without battle were always empty and tedious for her. If she wasn't killing people, fighting, or saving someone, she felt as if she had lost her purpose. Everyone thought that since Qiu Yao'er had achieved so much and commanded so many ships and pirates, she must be ambitious enough to contend with Qiu Xiao for the position of Lord of Raging Tide City. Even Qiu Xiao thought so, but the truth was completely different. She had no interest whatsoever in the position of City Lord. The mere thought of administration or management gave her a headache. She didn't even like reading written words. The only thing that interested her was battle.
‘Enemies I must crush, and people I must save. If it’s not one of those two things, no one should bother me.’
Everyone found it strange. The Asura Qiu Yao'er spent her days at war and slaughter, and in her spare time, she would either be spacing out or listening to someone tell a story. No one had ever seen her train. If she didn't train diligently, how did her martial arts reach such a formidable level? Did she perhaps train in secret when no one was around?
That wasn’t the case. The relaxed, untrained appearance she showed to others was her reality. She didn't train; when she had free time, she would simply listen to stories. She couldn't help it. For some unknown reason, her martial skills improved by leaps and bounds just from her usual battles and slaughter, without any training. She herself was astonished by the rapid progress of her abilities.
‘I didn't even do anything.’
How powerful were her martial arts? Unfortunately, even she didn't know. At the very least, most of those who had crossed blades with her were dead. Tang Yan, for instance, would use his Heaven's Meteor Sword Style to send his opponents flying, defeating them without causing serious harm. It was only after his sword style was broken by Shen Lang that he lost the ability to send every foe flying.
In contrast, Qiu Yao'er used no special techniques in battle. She simply wielded her hundred-jin greatsaber with immense strength and vital energy. The resulting gale would slice through her enemies like a phantom’s shadow, so it couldn't really be called a technique. No enemy had ever withstood her blade; all were instantly defeated, leaving not even a complete corpse behind.
For this reason, more people were willing to challenge Tang Yan to a duel. Losing to him meant only being sent flying and losing some face. But no one dared to request a sparring match with Qiu Yao'er. The moment she raised her hand, people died.
As a result, when there was no battle, she didn't train. She didn't even particularly enjoy eating, nor was she interested in beautiful women or handsome men. She had no desire for wealth like gold or jewels. Furthermore, she didn't enjoy playing the zither, Go, practicing calligraphy, or painting. Her only pastime was listening to interesting stories. She didn't like to use her brain, so simple stories were best. This didn't mean she was foolish. She was very intelligent, but she simply disliked thinking. Thus, listening to stories was the entirety of her leisure.
Her hobby of listening to stories stemmed from a memory from her infancy. Was she four or five? Most of her childhood memories were gone, but the one that remained was of someone telling her a story by her ear. And that voice was the warmest, strongest, and most reassuring voice in the world. After growing up and becoming sensible, she had always tried to find that voice from her childhood but never succeeded. Consequently, she focused solely on listening to stories.