Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 407: Qilin Cub

Ending a fleeting gallop, gracefully leave conscription. Yet by the Son of Heaven's fury, return to the general's mighty disposition.

Qilin Star Kingdom, main Star Field, Qilin Star Field.

Dragonhead Plains, Weiyang Palace. As it was one of Star World's "Nine Palaces," the Weiyang Palace used the precious and fragrant lily magnolia for its rafters and finely leafed apricot wood for its pillars. Gold leaf was spread over roof beams, gates had golden embellishments, signs had jade ornamentation; the place was decorated with gilded doorknockers and embedded with precious gems.

Delicate patterns were engraved on the guardrails of winding corridors. Windows had a green tint and were etched with intriguing designs.

Occupying ten thousand mu, the palace halls numbered in the thousands. Row upon row, they were innumerable.

At the center of the palace was a garden, a stream, and a grove.

Rumor had it that when the Qilin Martial Emperor constructed the Weiyang Palace back in the day, her fame of "behead the dragon to encamp, yet glory is from power" shook Star World. Even the Central Star Field had once issued her an admonishment for mustering large forces, but Qilin Martial Emperor Liu Che completely ignored them and proceeded her own way.

Weiyang Palace, main hall.

A woman wearing a wide moon-white long skirt and delicate gemstones was currently laying down lazily in the main hall. Her brows were dark as lush hills, and her cheeks were a light pink. She had long jadeite hair, translucent skin, a kind of uncommon beauty.

She had an immense build, her entire body like snow and frost. Rouge dotted her brow, and her unusually large eyes were like red pearls. A gorgeous fox or wolf-like Spirit Beast served as her backrest, its supple fur more comfortable than a pillow as it let the woman recline atop itself. This beast was known as the "Crimson Eyed Snow Walker."¹ It was quite intelligent and was hard to tame for even a top-notch Star General.

However, the woman currently treated it as a pillow to relax on.

"Jin Midi,² how are the preparations for the ‘Yuanshou?'" The woman propped up her cheek and stroked the Crimson Eyed Snow Walker's soft fur. Her expression was completely lethargic, yet her every word and gesture had a kind of irresistible might.

"Answering the Martial Emperor. At the present time, only Ladies Huo Guang, Zhang Anshi, Zhao Chongguo's Star Fields have yet to finish, Your Highness." A female general lowered her head and deferentially replied.

"Are they not finished?" The woman was none other than the ruler of the Qilin Star Field, one of the Sixteen Star Marquis, Qilin Martial Emperor Liu Che.

"The Ladies learned that the ‘White Tiger' is at the end of its life, so this time, they are specially preparing and selecting Qilin Cubs to complete the Yuanshou." Jin Midi said.

Liu Hongyu faintly smiled.

"That is truly considerate. However, the I won the previous Yuanshou. I am very eager to see whether or not the other officials can produce a pleasant surprise."

"What is the current status of the ‘qilin?'" Liu Che asked.

"…Still very savage. The guards dare not approach it."

"It seems that I must properly teach it then." Liu Hongyu spoke softly as she pet the Snow Walker's fur. The beast behind her issued a grimacing growl in response to her decision.

"How are the other Star Marquis? For this Yuanshou, has one of their people come to cause trouble." Liu Hongyu then asked. Although the White Tiger was not like a qilin, it was also one of the Four Symbols Holy Beasts. They were rare in Star World, and in past Yuanshou, the other Star Marquis often wanted to seize the chance to hunt it.

Due to the Qilin Martial Emperor's prestige, these Star Marquis mostly made a fuss about qilin cubs and dispatched Star Generals. Her own Eleven Officials of the Qilin Pavilion kept watch and often kept a lid on things, contrarily killing many Star Generals. These Star Marquis could only swallow their anger. From Liu Hongyu's perspective, this honestly was the great pleasure of hunting.

She was very eager to see who would bring her pleasure this time.

"Subordinate already dispatched people to monitor the Star Marquis of the other Star Kingdoms. Cloud Terrace, Lingyan Pavilion, and the Eight Pillars Kingdom apparently show no signs of activity." Jin Midi said.

"That is so dull. Hmph, I truly hope that all of the Cloud Terrace's people will come to die." The Qilin Martial Emperor said unhappily.

"Subordinate will do her utmost to spread information."

Liu Hongyu looked at Jin Midi's docile appearance and chuckled: "Jin Midi, you have been at My side loyally for centuries. Even ‘Nameless Sword' Huo Guang is not as good as you."

"Subordinate does not dare compare herself to Lady Huo Guang." Jin Midi remained reverent.

Liu Che smiled at her obedience. "You have exhausted yourself this time. How should I reward you?"

"To be able to serve the Martial Emperor is Subordinate's best reward." Jin Midi remained ever humble. Her loyal attitude made Qilin Martial Emperor Liu Hongyu very comfortable. Compared to that brutish and arrogant Huo Guang, she was a vast improvement.

Dragon Tail Star Field, one of the Qilin Star Kingdom's Star Fields.

Heavenly Green City, people's voices clamored over each other.

Chen Mo was a bit stupefied to see the densely packed crowd of cultivators. Formidable cultivators from all over Star World had come to Pingyang City. This formation was much greater than he had thought.

After he learned about the "Yuanshou" from Xiao Mohe, Chen Mo spent several consecutive days to traverse Star World's passageways to arrive at the Dragon Tail Star Field in the Qilin Star Kingdom. In order to participate in the Yuan Carat, one must first obtain the "Qilin Cub" qualification.

The Qilin Cub was the most exceptional talent that the Qilin Pavilion's Eleven Officials selected from the various Star Fields to participate in the Yuanshou. The Qilin Martial Emperor would hold a competition. When the time came, if the Qilin Cub that the subordinate Qilin Pavilion chose was able to succeed in a hunt, then the Martial Emperor would enfeoff them, and they would be able to obtain a noble rank in the Qilin Star Kingdom.

Of course the Yuanshou hunt was very cruel. There were too many defeated Qilin Cubs too count, and rumor said that they were all completely annihilated during several Yuanshou.

Chen Mo originally believed there should not be many cultivators willing to participate in such a terrible hunting game, but upon seeing Heavenly Green City's bustling crowd, he knew that he was completely wrong.

"These people don't honestly think they can kill the Four Symbols White Tiger, right?" Chen Mo was speechless. Many of the rushing cultivators were Earthly Immortal. With a Realm like this, they would not be able to even touch a strand of the White Tiger's fur.

"Don't tell me you think you can kill the Holy Beast?" A disdainful voice came from the side.

Chen Mo turned to look and saw two or three people coldly staring at the crowd. Evidently, they had heard his assessment. These three cultivators all wore green Daoist robes and carried long swords on their backs. Their sashes fluttered in the wind, making them appear very easygoing, but their cultivations were all at Earthly Immortal Primordial Spirit Five or Six Divisions. 

"A cultivator who is merely Primordial Spirit One Division thinks he's a Qilin Cub. Truly making a fool of yourself."

These cultivators appeared unusually similar, whether it be their speech or mannerisms. They seemed to have all come from a common mold. One jeered, but it seemed there were 3 echoes.

"Your Servant is Mo Chen.³ How should Your Servant address you brothers?" Chen Mo chuckled.

"Hmph. He is a nameless youngster ignorant of even us, the ‘Three Sons of Red Truth.' Speaking to you any further would be a waste of breath." The man in the middle sneered.

"Big Brother is right."

"Let's forget about him. He can't be a Qilin Cub anyways."

The three of them echoed one another, leaving Chen Mo between laughter and tears.

They could not be blamed for thinking this way. Chen Mo had only just entered Earthly Immortal now, and his Primordial Spirit was merely One Division. As far as cultivators attending the Yuanshou were concerned, such a Realm was honestly too insignificant. Even describing him as cannon fodder was a bit too generous.

"Presumably, Brother has come from some other Star Field? These Three Sons of Red Truth are but famous cultivators in the Dragon Tail Star Field." A well-dressed man waving an autumn breeze fan walked over, faintly smiling.

"So that's how it is. Many thanks for the warning, Your Servant nearly offended them." Chen Mo smiled.

"These Three Sons of Red Truth trained in a single cultivation method. Every time they fight, the three of them do so together. Oftentimes, even Greater Immortal cultivators are helpless against them." The man pursed his lips.

"Are they so powerful?" Chen Mo's eyes lit up. Greater Immortal cultivators were at the first level of Universe Origin Three Boundaries, the Realm above Earthly Immortal.

To contend against Greater Immortal Realm while Earthly Immortal, this indeed was very outstanding if not using Star Energy.

"Your Servant is Yan Yu."⁴ The man stowed his fan and cupped his fists together.

"Mo Chen." Chen Mo replied with his alias. To participate in this Yuanshou, he had come under a false identity, so as to avoid implicating Mount Hua should he cause too great a commotion.

"Mo Chen, a good name. Is Brother of the Mo Clan?"⁵ Yan Yu smiled.

"No, I have not earned the mechanism arts of the Mo Clan."

"Is that so."

That bit of disappointment in Yan Yu's eyes did not escape Chen Mo's gaze. The Mo Clan's mechanism arts were renowned in Star World. The Realms of some mechanical puppets could be compared to Lords Of Heaven. The most famous of the Mo Clan's were the twelve Golden Men they once forged for the Ancestral Dragon. It was said those could fight against top-notch Star Generals and possessed power stronger than True Phoenix Realm.

Yan Yu had thought Chen Mo was a disciple of the Mo Clan when he heard the surname Mo. Although his cultivation was very low, if he relied on mechanism arts, perhaps there could have been some unexpected results.

"So many cultivators came to participate in the Qilin Cub selection this time? Is there some kind of secret?" Chen Mo curiously asked.

"Of course. The Western Plains is but an ancient place. There are countless treasures there, and other than the cultivators who came to hunt qilin, there are more who participate in the Qilin Cub just to go treasure hunting in the Western Plains. There are many Heavenly Spirit and Earthly Fiend treasure chests left over from a thousand years ago." Sensing that Chen Mo was unable to be exploited, Yan Yu's tone was a bit high and mighty.

"So this is the case." Chen Mo suddenly understood.

"A place capable of allowing a Holy Beast to dwell in it naturally cannot be ordinary. You came to participate in the Qilin Cub not knowing this, I think Little Brother had better wait another ten years." Yan Yu twitched his mouth.

"There is no time like the present. Since Your Servant is here, might as well try." Chen Mo rubbed his palms.

Yan Yu cursed to himself, looking at Chen Mo as if he was a fool.

An Earthly Immortal wanting to make a name for himself in the Qilin Cub without any backing was completely delusional. Yan Yu faintly smiled: "Then good luck to you, Brother."

Chen Mo shook his head, leisurely walking away, unoffended. However, even though Chen Mo was vigilant, he nevertheless was oblivious to the fact his every word and action had been caught by a young girl.

"Princess, is there something peculiar about that man?"

Two women were at a nearby tea stand. One woman was beautiful of countenance. She wore rhinoceros armor, and her eyes were aglow, very bright. Her appearance seemed to be very plain, but locking eyes with her would leave a person scared witless. This reserved air was simply unimaginable. And the young lady sitting beside her was even more reserved.

She wore a white old-style skirt and had a lithe build. The girl was plain, as if her every feature was unremarkable to the point of being forgettable, but if one looked closely, every detail of hers, from her black brow and red lips, to her black eyes and hair, to her snow-white skin, they were all perfect to the point of utter flawlessness, as if she was sculpted by the Heavens themselves.

"While we are outside, do not call me ‘princess,' have you forgotten." The girl whispered. Each of her words was as light as a feather, gently entering the heart.

"Yes, Sister Houxiu.⁶ That man is merely Earthly Immortal, yet Sister Houxiu seems awfully interested in him." The rhinoceros-armored woman deferentially inquired.

The young woman's sight settled on Chen Mo. Her gaze was like the care of the Heavens. Even Chen Mo's vigilant vision from the Deva Eyes was totally unaware of her.

"He has the breath of the Four Symbols."

Houxiu's voice was ethereal, contemplative.

1. 赤睛踏雪 ↩
2. 金日磾 ↩
3. 墨塵 ↩
4. 嚴喻 ↩
5. 墨家, lit. Mohists, but I think the context here is actually the same Mo Clan as from 108 Maidens. ↩
6. 後繡 ↩

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