KSM V4C4

This is unedited, and something I translated on a whim a few hours ago because I’ve had V4C5 lying around translated forever and got tired of it just rotting in my google drive. I’m not sure how clear it was from GiraffeCorps, but the main reason the translations stopped was because there are no complete online raws available for the series. This is still true. I happen to have the physical book of V4, but that’s pretty much it. Moreover, Chen Yue Zhi Yao is a Taiwanese novel that uses traditional Chinese, which I’m not as proficient in as simplified Chinese, so it is more difficult for me to translate from a physical book (I often have to write out the words on my phone into Google Translate to convert into simplified—it’s a slow process).

Note that I said there are no complete online raws. There are, however, sources that can be found online that have a few incomplete chapters here and there, and I strongly encourage for people to try reading those if they enjoy the series. In fact, I read the entire first season using these kinds of raws and still thoroughly enjoyed the series. It’s fine for reading, since most of the missing content is from the earlier volumes and any missing information ends up being explained again in more detail in the later volumes (which are mostly complete). However, it isn’t really a feasible source for translation, which is why this series has been abandoned. Hopefully someone that owns the physical books will pick it up in the future.

I will complete V4, as I do have this specific book. But sadly, I cannot commit to picking up this series. I wholeheartedly hope that someone that has access to the physical books does one day, because it is truly an amazing and beautiful work.

In case anyone is interested, there is a very detailed spoiler thread on Novel Updates Forums that covers both seasons of this series.

Tl;dr. I translated this on a whim. Unfortunately, I am not officially picking up the series, as it is not something I can commit to with my current time and resources, though I will finish V4 to the best of my ability. I would be willing to share the Glossary I have to anyone that would like to pick up the series.

You can read all the older chapters on GiraffeCorps (linked below).

Disclaimer: I do not own 沉月之鑰 nor do I make profit off of it. All rights for this novel belong to the original author, 水泉. The only thing that I own are my translations. Please do not re-post this content anywhere, and if possible, support the author by buying her books!

Translated by: TaffyGirl13

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Chapter 4 – Notes

“I want to quickly learn how to write Eastern City’s language so that I can actually take notes in class.” – Yue Tui

“I hope that you can quickly learn how to write Eastern City’s language as well, so that I can pass notes during class.” – Fan Tong

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On their way back to the dorm, Zhu Sha decided to go and get some of the public food rations and told both Fan Tong and Yue Tui to head back first. Because the two of them realized they didn’t particularly want to eat any of the public rations while walking, they opened their Fuzhou communication devices to tell Zhu Sha not to bring back their portions. However, they also ended up being attacked upon opening the group conversation and overhearing Yin Shi and Bi Rou talking:

“Yin Shi! Does it hurt? I’m so worried about you!”

“Ah, Xiao Rou, I really miss you. Whenever I think about how it’s already been three hours since we last saw each other, my wound starts to hurt a bit…”

“His injury is already completely recovered without a visible trace.” Fortunately, Ling Shi’s blunt words broke the lovey-dovey air in the middle of the conversation.

“Huh? It’s already healed?”

“Yes, Ying brought him back to her room to heal it.”

Bi Rou fell silent for a while after hearing this.

“Ah! Xiao Rou! Why aren’t you speaking anymore? Don’t listen to that damn old man’s words, it was just a healing!”

“Oh~Just a healing~” Ling Shi repeated with a very strange inflection.

“Shut your mouth, you stupid old man!”

“Xiao Rou, do you really like a man retarded enough to get himself injured while fooling around with others?”

“Ah, Yin Shi’s stupidity is just one of his charms.”

“You definitely wouldn’t say that if he wasn’t handsome.”

Rather than overlooking Yin Shi’s shortcomings due to being blinded by love, the fact that Bi Rou admitted that Yin Shi was retarded instead was something that Fan Tong had a hard time wrapping his head around.

That’s right, it’s just because of his face! That face is all he has!

“Ah, that’s…”

You’re hesitating! You’re hesitating even while your lover is listening!

“Ah! Xiao Rou! I felt familiarity with you at first sight, weren’t you the same? We’re destined to be together! It was fate that brought you before me!”

Even fate has been brought up…isn’t it clearly just a beautiful mistake?

“It’s ‘love with you at first sight’, Yin. Your linguistic ability still needs further refinement.”

“As if! It’s ‘familiarity at first sight’!”

Ling Shi seemed to give up on trying to argue with him. Fan Tong and Yue Tui couldn’t bear listening any further as well, and simply dropped the connection on the Fuzhou communication device.

The quiet gives such a beautiful feeling. There might be many things that life cannot be done without, but others’ dazzling PDA definitely wouldn’t be missed.

With this somewhat relaxed atmosphere, they passed through the first day of classes.

The next thing he would need to consider would be how to deal with his schoolwork from now on, as well as the martial arts competition that was about to begin. He would not simply be watching others fight this time; he would have to go up himself.

While contemplating the future, Fan Tong seemed to completely forget about the recent discovery of Hui Shi’s notes. Perhaps it was also because it had nothing to do with him, but it escaped his mind entirely. Only when Luo Shi arranged to meet up with them to discuss this matter did he suddenly remember.

“Oh, right! I completely remembered this.”

When he blurted out these words in abrupt realization, Luo Shi shot him an irritated glare.

“Are you saying you completely forgot?”

Huh, you’ve gotten pretty used to translating. But what is up with that rebuking look…I know Hui Shi is very important to you, but he’s not essential to me.

“Whatever, just meet this evening at the old place. Bring Yue Tui too.”

“Not OK.”

Luo Shi knew he was saying ‘ok’, but still gave him another glare before leaving.

The ‘old place’ he said referred to that restaurant where Luo Shi had first treated them to a meal. Luo Shi seemed to really like that restaurant’s environment and palate, frequently choosing this place to meet with them.

In reality, Fan Tong also preferred meeting there instead of going to Shen Wang Dian. There were food a drink, and there was no need to stay on edge. Moreover, there wasn’t any Yin Shi that specialized in stirring up trouble to join in. How great it is.

Afterwards, when he wanted to pass the message onto Yue Tui, he recalled the problem with it.

“Yue Tui, Luo Shi didn’t come see me just now.”

“Hm…?”

Yue Tui looked up, not understanding.

Damn you! Luo Shi, you did this on purpose! You clearly know there’s something wrong with my mouth, why ask me to pass on the message?!

“Luo Shi arranged for us to meet this morning at a new place.”

“Eh?”

Yue Tui was getting more and more lost.

“Anyways, just don’t follow me after school ends!”

After Fan Tong said the wrong words once again, Yue Tui clearly felt a bit scared and began to panic.

“Fan Tong…did I do something wrong?”

…Don’t look at me with such a panicked expression, my conscience is hurting right now. You didn’t do anything wrong. If I really had to say something you did a bit wrong, it would probably be that you still haven’t gotten fluent in reading Eastern City’s language, making it impossible for me to explain my speech problem to you…

Ah! Right! I still haven’t asked you why you know about the mechanism in Hui Shi’s room! It’s so easy to forget everything when things get busy, what the hell!

“Fan Tong?”

Yue Tui’s expression really made Fan Tong feel helpless, even making him want to go ram his head into a wall.

Luo Shi, you’d better not forget that you were the one that made me face a crisis with my friendship!

“In summary…”

Fan Tong still hadn’t figured out how to summarize things before their eccentric teacher for Wushu Xuan began to speak.

“That student over there, return to your seat. We’re about to start class.”

Instead of starting earlier or later, you just had to choose this kind of time to start class—

Although the misunderstanding had not yet been cleared, Fan Tong wasn’t suicidal enough to ignore the teacher’s words by continuing to chat at Yue Tui’s seat. He could only obediently return to his seat and open his textbook.

“Students, turn to page 267. We will start from the third line…”

Fan Tong started when he heard the eccentric teacher open his mouth to prepare the lesson.

I didn’t mishear, did I…it’s not page 74! It’s actually not page 74!

Since new people were constantly entering Eastern City, this class was always welcoming new students, and their eccentric teacher would constantly repeat the class starting from page 74. At this point, they had long since memorized the contents of this page by heart and could even smoothly recite it backwards: Lunar Crescent Blade Skies Skies Blade Crescent Lunar Four Stringed Sword Heaven Gathering Flame Flame Gathering Heaven Sword Stringed Four…This class just constantly cycled between these names. No matter how rotten one’s memory was, it was impossible to mix up the Eastern City Empress’s Aegis with Aifroa. Of course, all of them had abandoned hope for the class to ever break free of this content. Who would have imagined that they would suddenly jump to page 267 today?

Even though the eccentric teacher disliked the students chatting below, the entire class couldn’t help but erupt in whispers.

“How is that possible? It’s not page 74 this time!”

“What’s page 267? Hurry up and check if there’s anything special about it…”

“Why the sudden change? Did the teacher change his character?”

Fan Tong quickly flipped to page 267 as well. It should be noted that Yue Tui had finally purchased a new textbook, so he no longer needed to read it with Fan Tong. However, Fan Tong also doubted how much the other person could actually read.

When he reached the page, he heard more gossip float over from another corner.

“I heard that the last time there was a different class, it was when Lord Ling Shi was sitting in class and told the teacher afterwards not to repeat that page again and to do something else instead. That was the only reason the teacher had changed it.”

“Really? Lord Ling Shi really did a great deed. As expected, even Lord Ling Shi can’t continue listening to something to dull…”

Actually, at the time, Ling Shi had clearly stated, “Don’t ever let me hear the contents of this page again, especially bullshit like Aegis is inferior to Aifroa.” However, only the students that had been present knew of this. Perhaps it was a type of nationalistic temperament.

“Students, quiet down. Don’t chatter.”

The eccentric teacher relentlessly continued the class regardless of how intense the gossip below was getting.

“If you want to properly use a weapon, the most important thing is to understand it, sharing one mind with your weapon. As your spiritual pact depends, the weapon will become easier to use…”

Huh? This seems really similar to what I talked to Yue Tui about last time. So Yue Tui actually did see it while preparing for the lesson? But I thought Yue Tui couldn’t really read. How bizarre.

“The spiritual pact with a weapon emphasizes synchronicity. Being able to telepathically communicate is only the initial foundation. The next step is to let yourself grow accustomed to the weapon’s existence and reach the realm where you do not need to speak to have a tacit understanding…”

Listening to this makes me angry. Rather than me getting accustomed to Puhahaha’s existence, it’s better if I could get used to it not existing. Actually, it’s pretty much impossible for one to feel its existence, since it’s always sleeping…

“And the final stage is ‘weapon transformation’. Weapon transformation is the fusion of your body with their weapon so that it becomes almost a part of your body. This allows you to fully utilize the weapon’s abilities and strength. However, there are few people that have reached this stage, and the higher grade the weapon, the more difficult it is to train up to weapon transformation. There are even some occasions where the process of weapon transformation has harmed the owner. So even though this is the only one to allow a weapon to reach its final form, it is rare for people to willingly attempt it…”

That’s actually my first time hearing such a thing, how fresh. It’s pretty understandable that most people would be willing. Sounds like training to weapon transformation is quite arduous and hard to succeed. If the subject of weapon transformation is a broken weapon, it doesn’t really seem worth it. And if it’s a good weapon, the chances of success are lower and you could hurt yourself. What’s the point?

I definitely won’t consider it. Letting that mop become a part of my body? What a joke. What would I turn into then?

An expert janitor? As if I’d want to fuse with Puhahaha! Never! Would anyone even be able to look at that kind of image?

In short, the teacher’s lesson on cultivating one’s relationship with their weapon per the textbook’s instructions was not of any use to Fan Tong.

What do you mean by wipe the blade more to maintain the sword’s sharpness…if you look at it from the angle of a mop, does that mean I’d have to wash its hair and maintain its spotless, white luster?

What do you mean by praise it more, admire its beauty more, and entrust all your confidence and love to it…Screw that. How could I possibly do something that disgusting? Besides, Puhahaha really doesn’t have anything worthy of praise for me to commend!

As for communicating with it more…then it will know I’m always cursing it. As expected, the future looks bleak.

Fan Tong just barely survived through the class. When it ended, he walked over to Yue Tui, who seemed to be surrounded by a dark and gloomy air. However, no matter how much Fan Tong thought about it, he could not figure out how to start clearing the misunderstanding.

In the end, it was Yue Tui that turned to look at him, gathering the courage to speak first.

“Fan Tong, if I did anything to make you unhappy, please tell me…I’ve never had a friend before, so there are many things I don’t know how to deal with that might have made you unhappy without me noticing…”

That’s not it! I’ve already told you, that’s not it!

I’ve never had a friend before either…No, that’s not the point. Um, Yue Tui, does that mean I’m your first friend? You’re such a good person, how have you never had a friend before? As expected, were you a rich young master that was locked up at home all day while you were still alive, making it impossible for you to make friends?

“Just now, it was only a misunderstanding caused by my speaking issues. I’m not unhappy!”

“Huh?”

Yue Tui still hadn’t wrapped his head around it. If he asked for Fan Tong to repeat himself, it would really be an impossible request.

“Luo Shi is waiting for us, let’s go slowly!”

Fan Tong could not be bothered to explain any further, so he just directly grabbed Yue Tui by the hand to drag him out from the classroom.

***

Meeting in front of the restaurant was much better than meeting at the school entrance, especially when school was letting out. There were people walking in and out of the school gates and too many gazes. In comparison, the restaurant front was less conspicuous, making it easier for them to keep a low-profile.

“So slow.”

Luo Shi grumbled about the timing of their arrival, but in reality, they had only been a few minutes late. Is this complaining or is it throwing a tantrum?

“Sorry for the late arrival.”

Yue Tui was the type of person that would sincerely apologize for even the tiniest, trivial matter. To Fan Tong, this was only several minutes, and it hadn’t been intentional either. It truly could not count as their fault. But to Yue Tui, even the smallest mistake was wrong, and although he could dismiss others’ minor mistakes with a smile, he always judged himself strictly when he was in the wrong.

“It’s fine…let’s just go in.”

As usual, their discussion was taking place in a room. Considering their conversation topic, booking a room was indeed more appropriate. The matter of Hui Shi’s disappearance was not suitable for outsiders to overhear. As for why Luo Shi did not treat them as outsiders…that was probably because they were rare companions he could open his heart too. Moreover, he also needed some people to help him share his burdens, didn’t he?

“I’ve finished reading through Hui Shi’s notes. Although they weren’t very detailed, I can make some guesses from several of the sections.” Luo Shi looked worried as he spoke about the notebook. He had not brought it with him, seemingly planning to just directly tell them the conclusions from his investigation.

“Hui Shi…might have done something dangerous. I don’t know his current status, and I really want to go to a location that might reveal his whereabouts. However, that place isn’t somewhere that one can easily enter…”

“Where is this place?”

Luo Shi’s roundabout and hesitant manner was really not clear at all. Fan Tong’s question simply cut straight to the point.

“…Chen Yue Altar.”

After a brief moment of [internal] struggle, Luo Shi still blurted out the location. After revealing it, he looked quite a bit more depressed.

“Huh?”

Fan Tong had not expected this place to be Luo Shi’s response. It wouldn’t have been anything big if it had been a dangerous area filled with fierce beasts, but it was actually Chen Yue Altar instead? What exactly did that mean?

“From the records in the notebook, Hui Shi was investigating a matter related to Chen Yue, including some secrets about Chen Yue, such as…how to stop Chen Yue’s operations.”

The cogs in Fan Tong’s brain were turning as he listened, but when he heard the final sentence, his entire mind blanked out.

How to stop Chen Yue’s operations?

Why stop Chen Yue’s operations? If Chen Yue ceased to function…wouldn’t that mean there would be no more New Residents coming to this world? And wouldn’t the New Residents already in this world die, never to be revived again?

Does this have any benefit? Could it be that Hui Shi is like Lord Wei Shi, and also detests New Residents?

“Why?”

When one couldn’t find an answer alone, one must ask others. Fan Tong tossed this question at Luo Shi. He figured that everything he could think of, Luo Shi must have come up with as well.

“According to the notes left by Hui Shu, he believed that Chen Yue was turning demonic. He described Chen Yue as evil because…Chen Yue was not as we had all originally believed, sucking in deceased souls that still carried regret. Hui Shi said that Chen Yue could draw in even living souls. He thought that such a situation should not continue on…”

Luo Shi chewed on his lower lip. Chen Yue was practically Eastern City’s belief after all, the highest and most respected existence of Eastern City. For him to suddenly shatter this belief to trust another theory, to demonize this “God” that they had believed in since they were young, was an extremely difficult thing to accept.

Moreover, this matter was related to their information.

“Luo Shi…what do you want to do?”

Yue Tui, who had been silently listening up until this point, opened his mouth to quietly ask this question.

“…Hui Shi’s notes aren’t complete. There should still be many holes that require further verification. I want to continue his investigation and understand whether his theory is really true or not. And the investigation might also lead to clues about him, or the reason for his disappearance…”

After Luo Shi replied to this question, Yue Tui continued with another question.

“What about after the investigation? If Chen Yue really is evil…what will you do?”

While he could still confidently answer the previous question, Luo Shi honestly could not respond to this one.

“I want to seal it so that it no longer harms innocent people” seemed to be the most correct answer, an obvious conclusion. But how could he easily say these words?

Putting aside whether he could carry it out or not, voicing this sentence would also be like declaring a death penalty to all the New Residents, including the two friends currently sitting in front of him.

With Chen Yue ceasing its operations, the pool that relied on Chen Yue’s powers would naturally lose its ability as well. The New Residents would not be able to revive again after death—and furthermore, the New Residents’ bodies could only last for ten years. Even without any accidental deaths, without Chen Yue’s powers, everyone would face destruction after a decade.

Sealing Chen Yue was ending the lives of all the New Residents. And if this proved to be reality, leaving it alone would continue leading to innocent living people to be dragged into this world…

It was truly too difficult for him to make this decision. He could not cold-heartedly believe that the life or death of others had nothing to do with him. He knew that the conclusion from this decision was, in fact, not as simple as a number or a word on a piece of paper, but clearly a series of countless tragedies. This made it even harder to decide.

No matter what he chose, there would be victims. Were the repercussions and the end result burdens that he could carry?

“I don’t know…”

In the end, Luo Shi was still unable to answer. Seeing his conflicted expression, Fan Tong wasn’t sure how to support him either,

Honestly speaking, he obviously did not want to die. But should he sit and watch others being dragged in just because he sought for his own life?

Humans were always selfish, yet possessed an innate sense of right and wrong. When personal desire clashed with the conscience, it would lead to contradictions and blind spots. He had no way of taking everything into consideration.

“If you choose to seal Chen Yue…I will support you.”

Yue Tui’s sudden words shocked both Luo Shi and Fan Tong.

“Yue Tui, you…”

“Why? Is it fine to die? This is a new life you were finally able to gain after much difficulty!”

Compared to Fan Tong, Luo Shi’s reaction was much more emotional. While Yue Tui’s expression stiffened slightly at Luo Shi’s question, he maintained his calm.

“It’s possible to do a lot of things in ten years’ time, really. One can go to all the places they have never been to, complete their previously unfulfilled wishes…I think it’s enough time. A New Resident with limited time – although short, it still doesn’t change its splendor. Isn’t it fine this way too?”

They could not see his true thoughts. Perhaps because his appearance was excessively calm, making it impossible to detect his emotions.

Regardless, his words had silenced them. No matter whether they personally agreed or disagreed, they found it difficult to say anything to refute him or try to persuade him to change his thoughts.

“Luo Shi, no matter what, you should just continue investigating first. It will be too late to decide after confirming.”

I meant it will not be too late to decide after confirming!

“Mm…After all, sealing Chen Yue isn’t a simple matter either…Even if we obtained the half of the array being protected by Eastern City, there’s still the other half on Luo Yue’s side.”

If they really wanted to do it, they would undoubtedly run into multiple obstructions, since there would definitely be people unhappy to see this kind of situation occur. Unless they were able to hide the secret extremely well, they would definitely end up having to settle a ton of troubles before they could actually do it.

And after doing it, they might have to face the anger of the New Residents. This was truly something that needed to be considered prudently, a very troublesome and massive process.

With such an atmosphere, it was hard for them to have much appetite for dinner.

After finishing their meal, each of them headed back to their own places. Luo Shi was in a different direction, so he bid farewell first. The pair walked down Eastern City’s main street; the lights along the street lit up the road yet were unable to disperse the heaviness in their hearts. Fan Tong glanced at Yue Tui walking shoulder to shoulder with him. The outline of the side of his face seemed so gentle and young. For a youth as beautiful as jade like this to have died so early…every time Fan Tong thought of this, he would feel sadness or heartache.

Fan Tong could not describe the emotion he had felt upon hearing Yue Tui’s willingness to give up his own life. His mind flashed back to when Yue Tui had been enshrouded in shadows because of the reappearance of his wounds leading to his death as he looked at the frail smile that had agreed to go back with him. In the end, it seemed that he still could not do anything for Yue Tui’s sake. Perhaps it was him that had always presumptuously believed Yue Tui would never need him to do anything.

“Yue Tui.”

“Hm?”

When Yue Tui heard his name, his face turned towards Fan Tong.

“Are you happy right now? This life…”

Seemingly not quite understanding the sudden question, Yue Tui blinked, but showed a warm smile as he replied.

“I’m very happy. This life is amazing…I like it, I like it very much.”

As he spoke, his gentle voice grew quieter, turning into something more like a murmur to himself. And his sincere smile slowly faded with his words.

As if something was gradually being buried.

As if it were truly just pure happiness, truly just pure enjoyment.

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Fan Tong’s Afterword

Sealing Chen Yue, perfect. Finally, I’ve found a connection to the strange words from when my memories were released before. Although I still can’t find the relationship between the two people, it shouldn’t be a mere coincidence, right?

No, maybe it really is a coincidence. My life has always been filled with all kinds of coincidences, such as coincidentally calling a young miss “auntie”, and then coincidentally getting cursed. Yeah, that was the turning point of my life, though I didn’t want it at all.

Honestly speaking, Luo Shi’s desire to go investigate something like this alone is still a bit worrying. I’m not saying that he isn’t reliable enough to do big things like this, just that his stature is on the smaller side and his personality is easy to see through, making him seem like someone that needs another’s protection. I know he must hate these kinds of words, but his young age is a fact. He really shouldn’t need to try so hard.

I think that if he openly asked the Empress for an investigation, there’s a very high chance that he would be confined. If he told Lord Ling Shi, Lord Ling Shi would go tell the Empress, and he would still be confined. If he told Lord Yin Shi, Lord Yin Shi might be willing to help, thinking that it’s interesting, but Lord Yin Shi can’t keep anything from Lord Lin Shi so Lord Lin Shi would still go tell the Empress, and he would end up confined in the end.

No matter how much I think about it, asking for help would end up with being confined?

As for Lord Wei Shi, that’s not even within consideration. I don’t think anyone in this world would ask him for help.

Sigh, Yue Tui, Yue Tui…

A person’s eyes can actually reveal many things. Although you wanted to hide it, even hoping for it to disappear, it still affects you regardless of whether you willingly admit it or not.

You said you were happy, you said you really liked your life now…

I can’t describe this feeling.

There are so many people here that are hostile towards you simply because of your looks. Our residence’s simple rations and snacks are not enough to satisfy people’s appetites…

But you still smile and say you like the life here, you say you’re very happy.

I have no way of doubting your smile.

I also have no way of imagining your past.

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