Is Everyone Else's Eldest Disciple Like This? | Chapter 30 | The Order of Extermination | Novela.app

Nan Qinghe looked up timidly and asked, "I am... do you know me?" Shen Hongchuan nodded and smiled. "The name of the young master is naturally known to anyone who belongs to Shuoyu City." Nan Qinghe blinked and glanced at the onlookers nearby. The surrounding crowd exchanged looks of confusion. "I’ve heard of Nan Yue from Yueyue Pavilion, but does he actually have a young son?" "Nan Qinghe? Never heard of him." "Looking at his weak and useless appearance, he doesn't seem like Nan Yue's son, does he? Tsk tsk." "..." Shen Hongchuan: "..." Nan Qinghe: "..." The tears he had just managed to stop threatened to fall again. Shen Hongchuan had finally tried to be sociable for once, only to have his claims immediately debunked by the bystanders. Fortunately, his skin was thick enough that he didn't feel embarrassed. With a pleasant smile, he lied through his teeth: "See? They all know you." Nan Qinghe: "..." *Are you blind or deaf?* Ming Zhu had spent many years at Rizhao Mountain, raising his junior brothers himself. Perhaps because he spent his days flirting and acting shamelessly, his junior brothers continued to despise him no matter how good-looking he was. Over time, even he had forgotten just how useful this face of his could be. However, in the few days since leaving Rizhao, Ming Zhu had adapted with extreme speed, reclaiming the confidence in his appearance that he had long forgotten. He practically wanted to grab every person he met and wait for them to praise him. Of all the people he had encountered on the road, the one who most inflated his vanity was undoubtedly Nan Qinghe. It seemed as though as long as Ming Zhu blinked, the boy would agree to anything. Nan Qinghe had been driven to a headache by this pair of Rizhao Mountain disciples. If Ming Zhu hadn't been coaxing him the entire time, he might have started a third round of crying. Finally, as an apology, Ming Zhu had no choice but to hook his pinky with the youth's hand and go with him to buy the jade token the boy had broken. The jade tokens sold at Wenfeng Pavilion were filled with intelligence and information sealed within using special secret methods. A single small jade token could store the contents of hundreds of books, making them extremely convenient to carry. Holding the thousand crystal jades, Nan Qinghe ran back to the wooden counter where he had originally bought the token and said to the person sitting inside, "Sister, I want another jade token like the one from before." The attendant was a woman who exuded an ethereal air. Her eyes were cast down, buried in a pile of scrolls, and she didn't even look up as she said, "I don't remember. Just say what information you want." Nan Qinghe looked at Ming Zhu beside him, appearing somewhat hesitant. It was unclear whether Ming Zhu failed to notice his hesitation or was intentionally playing dumb, but he simply flashed a radiant smile at the boy. Nan Qinghe’s face instantly turned bright red. He hurriedly counted out the crystal jades, pushed them onto the table, and whispered, "Information regarding the Demons and Wraiths... oh, and add some about the Sunken City." "Oh, alright. Two hundred crystal jades." Nan Qinghe froze. "Huh? Wasn't it a hundred just now?" The attendant said with extreme impatience, "Buy it or don't. If not, get lost." Nan Qinghe was startled, and tears began to well up again. Seeing this, Ming Zhu immediately stepped forward. He leaned against the table, resting his chin on his hand, and gazed at the attendant with a face full of charm. He said softly, "Sister, don't be so fierce. He's just a child." The attendant looked up from her scrolls, swept a casual glance over Ming Zhu, and said flatly, "Little brother, the 'beauty trap' won't work. I have no interest in stinking men. I'm in a bad mood right now, so the price is whatever I say it is. If you want to buy, pay up. If not, get out. Don't make me say it a second time." Ming Zhu: "..." The beauty trap... didn't work? Ming Zhu was like a flamboyant, dancing peacock that had just fanned out its feathers, only to be struck through the heart by a merciless arrow, leaving chicken feathers scattered all over the ground. Ming Zhu clutched his chest, feeling as though he couldn't breathe. Seeing Ming Zhu looking so devastated, Nan Qinghe quickly counted out two hundred crystal jades and bought the token as fast as he could. Ming Zhu stood to the side, his head slightly tilted, his eyes hollow. He was still muttering, "She's not interested in me, not interested... she's actually not interested..." Nan Qinghe: "..." Nan Qinghe tentatively tugged at Ming Zhu’s sleeve and asked cautiously, "Brother Ming, are you alright?" Ming Zhu seemed to snap out of it. He tugged at the sash around his waist and said in horror, "Could it be because I've actually gotten fat? Ah, my peerless beauty!" *Seriously, how long are you going to obsess over that 'fat' comment?* After buying the jade token, Nan Qinghe seemed to want to stay with Ming Zhu a bit longer, but the guards at his side kept urging him in low voices. They seemed truly afraid of that legendary "Lord." Nan Qinghe reluctantly tugged at Ming Zhu’s sleeve, looking up slightly. "Then... Brother Ming, if you have the chance, please come to Yueyue Pavilion to find Qinghe." Ming Zhu narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Sure. When the time comes, Qinghe must treat me to something delicious." Nan Qinghe nodded vigorously. "Mhm!" The two exchanged a few more words until the guards urged him twice more. Only then did Nan Qinghe follow them away with lingering glances. As soon as he left, the three people who had been sitting on a nearby bench strolled over. Zhou Fuxue said sourly, "Senior Brother is truly getting better and better at coaxing children." Ming Zhu said nonchalantly, "I was quite good at coaxing you when you were little, too." Though he said this casually, for some reason, Zhou Fuxue’s face suddenly turned red. Lu Qingkong said with a half-smile, "Who in all of Rizhao doesn't know that Eldest Senior Brother is best at raising children? Every single one he raises ends up falling into the demonic path." Ming Zhu: "Uh..." "Enough." Shen Hongchuan "accidentally" stepped on Lu Qingkong’s foot and smiled gently. "Xiao Jiu is just joking with Senior Brother. Don't take it to heart. Come, noon has passed. Let's go get something to eat first." Ming Zhu was always lighthearted and immediately nodded. "Eat, eat, eat." Since their Eldest Senior Brother had been led away by Shen Hongchuan, the two junior brothers naturally had to follow along. The four of them wandered out of Wenfeng Pavilion. Before they had walked very far, a sudden commotion broke out on the wide street. A group of people on horseback came galloping from a distance. They wore uniform purple-blue cloaks. They dismounted in unison and "slap-slap" pasted two yellowed papers onto a nearby wall before whistling away as quickly as they had come, acting with thunderous efficiency. The people on the street were curious and crowded around the wall where the papers were posted. It seemed that while the character of the people in Shuoyu City varied, their love for watching a spectacle was quite consistent. Shen Hongchuan looked at the yellowed paper, which seemed to have a gold border. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he spotted something. Seeing so many people squeezing in, Ming Zhu stood on his tiptoes to look inside with curiosity. He tugged at Shen Hongchuan and said, "Hongchuan, Hongchuan, what's going on over there? Why are there so many people? Should we go join the fun?" Shen Hongchuan held him back and said in a low voice, "Don't go. I feel like something is wrong." Ming Zhu: "What?" Sure enough, it didn't take long for the crowd by the wall to start whispering. Shen Hongchuan had excellent hearing and caught most of the noisy chatter. "A red mark under the eye, a man of peerless beauty... hmm, I think I have some impression of this." "It says this person commits rape and robbery, doing every evil imaginable. Heavens, how can someone so good-looking do such subhuman things? Sigh, what a waste of such a beautiful face." "Hey! The reward is a thousand crystal jades! And it's 'dead or alive.' As long as we find this person... Hey, don't push me! Let me see the name... Ming... uh..." "...Ming Zhu!" In an instant, the crowd erupted. "As long as we find the man on this Order of Extermination, we can get a thousand crystal jades directly! This person hasn't even reached the Nascent Soul stage. Hahaha, as long as we spot him, the bounty is as good as ours!" Shen Hongchuan: "..." Ming Zhu: "..." Hearing everyone shouting his name and talking about catching him, killing him, and "dead or alive," Ming Zhu froze for a moment before stammering, "Hong-Hong-Hongchuan, am I... being wanted?" Shen Hongchuan’s face was as dark as deep water. He pulled Ming Zhu into his embrace, shielding his face, and whispered, "I'm afraid Master knows the news of your escape from Rizhao. That Order of Extermination must have just been issued." Ming Zhu hid his face in Shen Hongchuan’s chest, his pupils trembling. "What did I hear? Dead or alive? Master wants to kill me?" Shen Hongchuan said, "No, you misheard." "But..." Shen Hongchuan repeated, "You misheard." Shen Hongchuan didn't give Ming Zhu another chance to speak. He turned to the two stunned people behind him and ordered, "You two go back to the inn and wait. I'll take Senior Brother to buy a 'Skin.' We'll be back soon." Lu Qingkong had also seen the Order of Extermination, his face pale. "Wait, Senior Brother hasn't even reached Nascent Soul. An ordinary 'Skin' can be seen through immediately by anyone with a higher cultivation. It's useless." the "Skin" they spoke of referred to a rare type of mask that was often unavailable regardless of price. On the surface, such a "Skin" looked like an ordinary wooden mask, but if spiritual power was infused into it, the mask would meld onto the face, completely transforming the wearer into the likeness of another living person. Because the resemblance was so perfect, it was called a "Skin." Shen Hongchuan was getting impatient. "Then what do you suggest? Once an Order of Extermination is issued, people across all Five Continents will find every way possible to look for him... A thousand crystal jades. Tch, isn't Little Martial Uncle usually the most stingy and miserly? How is he willing to bring out so many crystal jades to issue an Order of Extermination this time?" A thousand crystal jades might be a drop in the bucket for Shen Hongchuan, but for ordinary people, it was an amount that might take decades to accumulate. There were certainly many people in the Five Continents troubled by poverty. To find a junior who was only at the Foundation Establishment stage for that much jade would surely make many people flock to the task. Lu Qingkong was worried. His peripheral vision suddenly caught a nearby clothing shop. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "Eldest Senior Brother." Ming Zhu revealed half his face and asked blankly, "Huh?" Lu Qingkong pointed at the clothing shop and said, "Haven't you always wanted to seduce men? Now the opportunity has come. Do you want to give it a try... Eldest Senior Sister?" Ming Zhu: "..." "Huh?" A moment later, "Eldest Senior Sister" emerged from the clothing shop, dressed in an alluring red robe. "Her" figure was graceful as "she" walked with a swaying gait. A semi-transparent veil covered half of "her" face, appearing both inviting and elusive. Those eyes were casting lazy yet seductive glances at people—a top-tier beauty indeed. The three of them: "..." Ming Zhu reached out a hand with an enchanting posture. His red lips moved slightly, captivating the heart. He pointed at Lu Qingkong and said coquettishly, "Come, you there, little trash. Hurry and come support your Sister. There will be a reward~" Lu Qingkong: "..." Lu Qingkong turned his head and said to Shen Hongchuan with extreme seriousness, "Seventh Senior Brother, I'll have to trouble you. Please... go buy a 'Skin' after all." Shen Hongchuan: "..." *** | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 诛伐令 | Order of Extermination | A high-level bounty or execution order, often issued by major sects. | | 闻风楼 | Wenfeng Pavilion | Lit. "Hear the Wind Tower"; an intelligence-gathering organization. | | 掠月楼 | Yueyue Pavilion | Lit. "Moon-Seizing Tower"; the organization Nan Yue belongs to. | | 南清河 | Nan Qinghe | The young master Ming Zhu comforted. | | 南越 | Nan Yue | Nan Qinghe's father, associated with Yueyue Pavilion. | | 奚楚 | Xi Chu | A name mentioned by Nan Qinghe. | | 成妖魅魉 | Demons and Wraiths | Specific categories of supernatural entities/monsters. | | 陷落城 | Sunken City | A specific location Nan Qinghe is researching. | | 皮 | Skin | A high-grade magical mask used for perfect disguises. | | 五洲 | Five Continents | The broader world/setting of the novel. | | 筑基 | Foundation Establishment | A cultivation stage below Nascent Soul. |