Re-translating from the beginning to practice my Chinese. The first two chapters by Spearpoint Translations (edited by Attica) are actually pretty good, and I recommend you check them out. The next few… aren't, unfortunately.

“It's already been this long, and there's still no news from the Sect Master?”

“No news, and no idea where he went either… Ah…”

Qingshui County's Xiaoqing Mountain[1] was just like its name, the color of jade as far as the eye can see, with mountain springs winding down, echoes ringing all the way. Although it didn't have the fame of great mountains and rivers, it's still able to be called “beautiful”. However, not many people from the nearby village dared to come to this mountain.

Because Jianghu[2]'s most outstanding and famous demonic sect resided right here on this land.

This demonic sect has already been here for five to six whole years. At the very beginning, it was chaos[3]. Murderous-looking Jianghu cultivators wielding staffs and swords rushed up the mountain, and immediately rushed back down the mountain after being scared shitless[4]. With this noisy disturbance, the common people knew then that on Xiaoqing Mountain lived a fearsome sect.

After asking around, they learned that this was a foreign sect, and that their followers looked different from the Central Plains[5] martial artists. They were ferocious-looking and frightening, and maybe even liked eating human flesh. Everyone was scared out of their wits[6] and was on edge for several days and nights. It was only when it looked like they didn't have any intentions of bothering the villagers did the villagers finally regain a little peace of mind.

The villagers still did not dare to get close, but there were playful children who ran up the mountain and, coming back, said they had met a young sir full of smiles, who was not just good-looking but also had a lot of delicious snacks. Some children instead said that the person was a young lady, beautiful like a butterfly.

The adults were shocked, scared that their children had fallen prey to a demonic technique, and for a time beseeched various deities for help. In the end, they spanked their children and warned them never to go back to the mountain.

As the years passed, less and less Jianghu cultivators dared come to Xiaoqing Mountain to fight, even bandits knew to detour around this piece of land. Little by little, the common people started thinking that it wasn't such a bad thing to have a demonic sect around. Of course, they were aware that this sect was frightening precisely because it was a demonic sect, thus they gained a bit more awe towards these strange demonic characters on Xiaoqing Mountain.

Even now, these people labeled as a demonic sect by the outside world neither murdered nor ate any humans, rather they leisurely lived out their lives.

Some went out to do business and handle affairs and did not return, leaving behind some important followers. Others planted flowers, read books, changed into three different sets of clothes every day, researched poisonous insects, or occasionally went on strolls to see if there were any gifted children with good spiritual bones.

But as the days grew long, they all realized one thing.

“The Sect Master still hasn't returned?”

“No.”

“He didn't say where he was going? And he hasn't sent back any news?”

“No, he didn't, and no, he hasn't.”

“Oh…”

At first, it was simply some idle conversation, but as the days passed, the inquiries steadily increased and they started getting a bit anxious. Their suspicions and unrest were like rain clouds before a storm, continuously increasing in weight, heavily pressing down on their hearts and minds, just waiting for the right time to burst.

Finally, one day, someone managed to ask, “I say… is it possible that something happened to the Sect Master?”

“Impossible,” another replied, “The Sect Master is so clever. How could he possibly suffer any losses?”

“That's true…”

“He left with Elder Bai. Is there any news from Elder Bai?”

“Already asked. Elder Bai said in his letter that he and the Sect Master separated early on. He's also not sure where the Sect Master is. But the Sect Master has always liked to have a good time, maybe he happened upon something fun. If it's at a far enough place, then he'll need a month or two to return.”

“Yes, the most important thing is that if we end up disturbing his fun, we'll be the unlucky ones. He definitely left to go see something entertaining. Let's just wait.”

“You're right!”

So after comforting each other, everyone steadfastly waited for the return of their Sect Master.

They waited and waited.

Waited and waited.

Waited and waited… Waited until the rain came and went, came and went, washing Xiaoqing Mountain more than ten times, and yet there was still not a glimpse of the Sect Master's silhouette.

One elder flipped a table. “My potted flowers are all about to wither! Why hasn't he returned yet?”

Everyone else also started becoming concerned.

Dragging her gorgeous skirt behind her, Elder Mei paced back and forth in the study, full of worry. “Yes, the Sect Master is clever, but regarding his martial arts, in Jianghu, it's only around middle-rank. If he happened to meet a high-ranking master… No, meeting a master still wouldn't be that serious. I fear that he met a pervert. That face of his brings too much disaster.”

Another elder said, “No matter how good-looking, he's still a man. I'm more afraid that he caught the eyes of Righteous cultivators. If he's been captured…”

“That won't happen. He usually has on a mask. How could the Righteous cultivators know it's him? And he frequently disguises himself when he goes out.”

“What if he accidentally dropped his mask?”

Elder Mei, “I still think that it's more likely that he met a pervert and was locked up.”

“Oh…” In the same unhurried manner he used when examining poisonous insects, Elder Miao said, “Speaking of perverts, my hometown had one. He really liked to snatch the pretty ones home, cut off their tongues and noses, and break both their legs. He then tied them with a collar and leash and made them crawl as he led them around, giving people a show.”

The others, “…”

Elder Miao, “That's right, I heard that the inner palace's eunuchs must be good-looking. What if our Sect Master suffered at the hands of a villain and was sold to the inner palace.”

The others, “…”

Many of their minds flooded with images of their own Sect Master suffering abuses upon abuses, their countenances gradually becoming more and more grave. Just as they were about to take action, the Elder Bai who had left to handle some affairs finally returned. They all moved to grab onto this life-saving herb, surrounding him as they scrambled to be the first to speak.

Elder Bai's disposition always looked as if he wasn't quite awake yet, even his movements were slow as molasses. Except when fighting, everything Elder Bai did was one step behind everyone else.

People hastily asked, “What about the Sect Master? Did he not say where he went?”

Elder Bai shook his head and asked, “He still hasn't returned?”

“No, and there's no news whatsoever either.” Many now thought that the Sect Master probably did have an accident, and quickly ran out, having decided to look for their master.

In a blink, Elder Bai was ruthlessly abandoned. Silently, he put the main threads together and said, “When the Sect Master left, he did say one thing.”

The people who had rushed ahead to the courtyard all skidded to a stop at once, almost knocking each other over like a pack of dominoes[7]. Even before they had the time to put themselves back in order, they once again returned together. “What did he say?”

Elder Bai said, “The Sect Master said he needed to do something world-shakingly important. And not to make a fuss.”

Everyone immediately gasped in awe. Angrily, they said, “Since it's such an important thing, why didn't you just say so earlier?”

Elder Bai slowly answered, “I thought he was just joking around.”

That also wasn't impossible. For a moment, these people descended into silence.

Elder Bai looked here and there, from one person to another, and asked, “So what should we do now?”

They looked at each other. One mused, “Sect Master is from the Central Plains. What if he has enemies here?”

They also had a few others amongst them who were Han[8], but having grown up with a foreign peoples from a young age, they were typically completely removed from the Central Plains martial arts circles. But the Sect Master was different. He grew up in the Central Plains, only later going outside.

One person said, “I've never heard him say anything like that.”

“How could you possibly guess the Sect Master's inner thoughts?”

“This… I still don't think it sounds right. We've already moved here for a few years. If he really had enemies, we would have already helped him take revenge long before this.”

“Or maybe he has some grievances that we haven't realized.”

“Or perhaps he really had been joking[9], but then actually ran into some problems?”

Elder Mei suddenly stood up. “No matter what it is, we must go find him!”

These people discussed for a bit, and then picked lots to determine who leaves and who stays. Those who were leaving quickly packed their valuables and madly dashed off.

Left behind to watch the home, Elder Bai leisurely returned to his house. Only while unpacking, did he remember something and ran to the doorway, shouting, “Sect Master left behind a silk brocade bag[10]!”

He used a bit of inner force so those running down the mountain were naturally able to hear it. Once again, they skidded to a stop, hurried back in a rush, and, without a word, pushed down Elder Bai and beat him up.

They opened up the slip of paper and quickly skimmed through it, only to be completely baffled. They thoroughly ransacked all of Elder Bai's luggage and clothes to make sure he didn't forget yet another thing. Only then did they once again thunder back down the mountain.

The breeze flowed gently, the mist-covered water extended far into the distance.

It was monsoon season, and heaven and earth were covered in a layer of white mist.

Ye You faintly heard the pitter-patter of the drizzling rain.

His thoughts had been immersed in dense fog, as if in a dream, drifting aimlessly without destination, and this rain was like a pair of hands, reaching out to wipe away the fog, clearing the path ahead. He found himself standing on the hillside, with limestone slabs laid out in neat rows under his feet[11]. The dewdrops atop the branched leaves were able to reflect an entire world, the cotton rain like gentle murmurs, softly ringing in the ear.

He felt a burst of joy, lifting his feet and moving to walk forwards.

At the end of the small road sat a pavilion with a stone table, atop which sat brush and ink. Fine writing paper had already been spread out. He took the brush and dabbed some ink, holding it in midair for some time as he remained lost in thought. Once his wrist started moving, he drew a tortoise in one go.

Suddenly, a person said, “Young sir.”

This sound seemed as if it was coming from the horizon. Ye You saw his own work instantly disappear together with the surrounding landscape. That light, untouchable, and indistinct vagueness was receding like the tide. The sound of the rain gradually increased in clarity, and on his face too a sharp, needle-like pain started.

He struggled free from the dream and opened his eyes.

The servant called out once more, standing outside the door. When he waited for a while and saw no movement within, he made to leave, but then heard a small creaking sound. He turned around in time to see Ye You, with his head wrapped in bandages, stepping out of the room. He immediately bowed and said, “Young sir, our Manor Lord[12] has returned.”

Ye You was just then contemplating the color of the sky, wondering if he had slept until dinner. Upon hearing those words, his eyes brightened and he quickly went to the front courtyard.

A fortnight ago, he had woken up from a stupor and suddenly discovered that he had somehow wound up in this Xunliu[13] Manor.

At that time, his body had suffered from many burns, with his internal energy useless, and even more disastrous was that his mind was a complete blank — he didn't even remember his own name.

According to the servant, he had been rescued by the Manor Lord, but the Lord had an important matter to attend to outside and could return only after several days. Thereupon, he lived in the manor, eating and drinking well until the present day. Finally, he had waited long enough for the man to return.

The drizzling rain had not yet stopped. And like gauze, the moist atmosphere mixed with the plants and soil, the scent welling up in his chest, slowly spreading out.

Ye You let out a breath, completely satisfied. The loss of his memories didn't leave him feeling helpless at all. In fact, he thought it felt very refreshing, as if he was on the first leg of a journey to find some precious treasure, filling his heart with expectation.

The parents of Xunliu Manor's Lord had already passed away. This was the Manor Lord's third year having taken over the duties of the manor, and it was said that he was very accomplished. Right now, he was drinking tea in the lounge[14] with a similar-aged young sir next to him.

In these past few days, Ye You had already pieced together a rough picture of the Manor Lord's general appearance, so he was able to distinguish between these two people very well. When he entered, Ye You noticed that the Manor Lord first shot a look in the direction of the young sir, and so he also snuck a look, and ended up meeting eyes with the young sir.

This person was extraordinarily handsome, with a demeanor that could easily make a young girl blush red with embarrassment with just a look. Although on the surface he appeared tranquil, he never made any excess movements. And just by sitting, he gave the impression that this seat was the master's seat and that the Manor Lord was just a misplaced decoration.

Remaining calm and collected, Ye You moved his line of sight, thinking, This person is probably hard to handle.

Since he awoke, he had taken care not to reveal that he had lost his memories, and had planned to slowly prevaricate with the Lord. Who knew that such a person would suddenly appear. If the other party didn't like to pry, it wouldn't be so bad, but if they liked to meddle in other people's business, then he feared that his plans won't go smoothly.

“How is the young sir's injury?” the Manor Lord asked in welcome. “Ah, at that time, it really was terribly dangerous. Good thing I and the young sir were coincidentally staying at the same inn. Young sir's room suddenly caught on fire that night, and by the time I rushed in, young sir had already suffered those injuries and lost consciousness. If I had been slightly later, I shudder to think of what the consequences would've been.”

Ye You, “…”

Truly, he really didn't have to expend any effort at all.

Having found out how he obtained his burns, Ye You was feeling very pleased towards the Manor Lord.

The Manor Lord continued speaking, “The young sir did not have any personal possessions on his body except for Sect Master Wenren's jade pendant. Thinking that you were his close friend, I hurriedly returned that very night and left again after I had made sure the young sir was settled down properly.”

As he spoke, the Manor Lord again snuck a look at his companion, making Ye You suspicious about why they weren't directly conversely. Ye You couldn't help but also sneak another glance and, upon seeing that the man was holding a jade pendant in his hand, guessed that this man was actually Sect Master Wenren.

In other words, he had to confront this person directly.

Tsk, his luck sure was bad.

[1] 小青山: Small Verdant (blue-green) Mountain. Still debating whether I want to translate geological locations or just keep it pinyin.

[2] In case you don't know, 江湖 is a wuxia/xianxia term. It essentially refers to the cultivation world (as opposed to the world of ordinary people).

[3] 雞飛狗跳 idiom, lit. chickens flying and dogs jumping. Not sure if people care about idioms, since I'm just going to translate the meaning of them.

[4] 屁滾尿流 idiom, lit. they peed their pants.

[5] Ancient China, essentially. Probably referring to the fact that this demonic sect's followers aren't 漢 (Han) or something.

[6] 魂不附體 idiom, lit. so scared their soul left their body. I'm deciding now (yes, in these footnotes) that I'm no longer doing idioms unless they're super funny.

[7] Super liberal translation, so here's a note. Original: 差點撞成一團, Lit: “almost knocking together into a giant ball/falling over into a heap”.

[8] Vaguely alluded to in an earlier footnote. The Han Chinese are the dominant ethnic group in China. There's hundreds of other ethnic groups in China, but chances are, if you've been reading CN webnovels, most of their protagonists have probably been Han Chinese.

[9] Not sure how to convey this properly. They're referring to the fact that, according to Elder Bai, the Sect Master had something “world-shakingly important” to do. They posited that he was either serious or joking around (as apparently he's wont to do). And this person is saying that, maybe he really was joking (and hence had just been playing around without returning home), but actually ran into some difficulties on the way.

[10] From the dictionary I used: “silk brocade bag, used in ancient times to hold poetry manuscripts and other precious items”.

[11] Pretty sure they're just referring to the fact that he's standing on a paved road.

[12] 莊主 Master of a villa. Can also mean suzerain, apparently.

[13] 尋柳 lit. searching willow

[14] 大廳 Uh, like a grand living room/family room/reception area? Not sure if lounge is the right word.

Sorry for all the footnotes. Still getting the hang of translating for fun. Some of these footnotes are actually reminders to myself to find better word choices, so I might come back and clean them up later. This novel isn't very hard to translate (the dialogue, specifically, is pretty easy), but I'm actually not used to translating in general and descriptions in particular. Also English is really hard.

I'm also not very used to seeing wuxia/xianxia terms, so if there's a more accepted way of translating certain terms, please tell me!