The Rise of Phoenixes Novel Translation #138

“Kelie– you good for nothing beast– you will die a horrible death!” Her hair wild and eyes shot with blood, Nata struggles against Zong Chen’s grip, trying to launch herself at Kelie. Her screams were so piercing that it seemed like the whole grassland would be stabbed through by them.   

 “I think so too.” Zhi Wei smiles, “Not only him, but you…”

She abruptly turns and points at Saint Da Ma!

“You are mad, Grand Queen!”

“You can’t be rude to Saint Da Ma!”

Angry yells promptly came. Everyone’s reaction was immediate. The tribe leaders whose expression had just softened moments before had promptly turned furious as they yelled “Grand Queen, don’t utter nonsense!” 

Letting out a jeering laugh, Zhi Wei’s attitude is no longer one of leisurely apathy but points her finger right at Da Ma, “I trust everyone can tell by now that someone had set up an elaborate trap. First, get rid of the king then frame me and exile me. They will then control the royal power and take over the throne. It will push a grassland that has not settled yet into another round of conflict and war.”

“What has that to do with the Saint?”

“If someone had not wanted to support Kelie and made up those prophecies targeted at me, why would everyone so easily believe that I would harm the king?” Zhi Wei sneers “Your god high in the clouds, enjoys your incense and worship but is unwilling to shed his light on all his people. Instead, the light is only shining on top of your Fire Fox’s clan leader!” 

Not waiting for the crowd to respond, Zhi Wei abruptly stepped forward, dragged a young monk to her and took the religious instrument he was holding from him. Snatching up a dagger on a roasted lamb that was sitting close by, Zhi Wei scraped the dagger across the golden colored instrument and promptly revealed the black within. The black was dark and dazzling, different from the ordinary black iron. The crowd lets out a collective “Eh?” as their eyes darted over to the black iron Kelie had previously offered up as his gift to the king. The two were obviously the same. 

Black iron is quite rare and could only be found in Firefox Clan’s land. Who else other than Clan leader Kelie could offer up such a big piece to be used for an instrument? 

• Zhi Wei then showed everyone that the instrument also had the same white poisonous powder that was found in her belt. If Helian had managed to avoid the first poison attempt, he would still be poisoned when he was officially crowned by the Saint by a “kiss of the instrument” on the forehead. 

The tower of their faith collapsed in an instant as if the impenetrable wall of faith deep in their heart abruptly cracked. All of them feeling confused and lost, they do not dare to believe nor do they want to believe, they turn their hopeful eyes to Saint Da Ma- If he is willing to defend himself, then they will believe!

But he didn’t. 

All Saint Da Ma did this whole time was to tremble, emitting low whimpering sounds from his throat, his cloudy eyes rolling weakly, unable to rebuke any of Feng Zhi Wei’s accusations.  

• Kelie would’ve loved to say something but one look at Gu Nan Yi who was slowly rolling the walnuts in his hand menacingly, Kelie knew those same walnuts would end up in his throat the moment he tried to say something. 
• Things looked even worse for the Saint when Zhi Wei ripped a piece of his sleeve and exposed the black golden thread that was used in the inner layer. The saint was well respected for being extremely frugal and known for refusing to change out his old tattered robe for a new one so it was especially shocking to find out underneath the tattered look, the robe was actually made of the finest gold thread. 

Da Ma raised his bloodshot ancient eyes to look at Feng Zhi Wei. What was reflected in those eyes is not the regal woman in a black dress but a she-wolf walking towards the grassland in a blood cloak. He is no longer attempting to move his lips- ever since Feng Zhi Wei had stepped in, the blood in his whole body had seemingly been trapped by something, becoming thick and heavy, binding all of his words and movements. 

In a daze, he suddenly remembers Feng Zhi Wei’s visit last night…..she had gone to stoke the oil lamp….she sat across from him in the shadows… the two men who stood by the door where the wind draft was coming… vaguely, something like thunder flashed across his muddled consciousness. 

She really came prepared. Even though he still can’t figure out how she did it but obviously, while she had occupied his full attention, she had her men switch out the instrument and his robe. She even poisoned him while she was at it.  

The key issue being, she must have someone who is superb at poisons to somehow be able to completely pinpoint the exact moment he would succumb to the poison so he would be incapable of making any sound. Thus, in front of all these people, he would look completely normal yet “speechless”, looking as if his silence is an admission to the accusations. 

In one sweep, she not only saved herself from danger but had pushed him off the holy throne at the same time. This she-wolf had long suspected Kelie, suspected Nata’s baby, laid an elaborate trap, lured the enemies, dragged him in and in one swoop, trapped all of her enemies. 

The Saint taking bribes, colluding with the Firefox clan leader, framing the grand queen for attempting to assassinate the king… it truly is ruthless beyond imagination. 

Lowering his eyes, Saint Da Ma breathed out heavily…is the grassland’s future, really is going to be at the mercy and will of this woman…no…no…

• Some people question why Saint Da Ma would go this far for Kelie especially since a lot of things could go wrong if they were betting on Nata’s baby. Zhi Wei had a ready answer for this. She reminds everyone of Helian’s cousin Jiade, the one who was the first to discover that Helian has been poisoned and also the one who suggested to Peony to find Helian’s killer. Jiade had already disappeared by this point but Zhi Wei assured everyone that she had already made sure that his escape route would be blocked. By the way, this Jiade is also the one who wasn’t willing to give up his power over the royal army that Peony had mentioned before, so Zhi Wei took care of that little matter here as well. 
• Turns out, Jiade’s plan was to become king himself and had promised Kelie the necessary benefits for his help. What Jiade doesn’t know is that Kelie of course is also planning on getting rid of him later. Once Nata’s baby is born, then Kelie would gain the support of Nata’s father and get rid of Jiade to become king himself. 
• The crowd is amazed at Kelie’s devious plan but is also that much more wowed by our heroine’s ability to see through the whole thing. 

“Then what was going on with the poison in the grand queen’s belt?” One of the clan leaders asked. 

“For what? To frame her that’s what.” 

The voice came from the ground, and it sounded somewhat familiar. Everyone turned around to see Helian, who a while ago was still at death’s door from being poisoned, had somehow sat up, lazily resting his elbow on his knee and gazing laughingly at Feng Zhi Wei. 

“King!”  

• Mei Duo was the one who had put the poison in Zhi Wei’s belt. Nata frankly admitted that she was the one who convinced Mei Duo to frame Feng Zhi Wei. Nata’s only request is that Kelie be killed. Before anything more could be done, the air suddenly darkened and the room was filled with a foul smell. Once everyone came, Kelie was gone along with Nata. The author didn’t explain how exactly Kelie was able to make his escape other than blaming it on some great mysterious witchery Kelie was able to pull off. 

“Saint Da Ma!”

A sudden holler alerted the still somewhat dazed crowd. Everyone turned around to see Saint Da Ma’s head had somehow fallen limply to the side. 

“Saint!”

A gold light flashed in the sky, everyone looked up to see an eagle soaring across. 

A sweet strange fragrance suddenly permeated in the air. Saint Da Ma’s body abruptly moved before raising a hand slowly towards a direction. 

Their faces turning pale, everyone falls to their knees, they all know, the Saint is about to pass away.

Before every saint dies, there will be signs and the saint will use his body to signal where the next saint will be.  

According to the grassland’s religion, there are two types of succession of the saint. One is the reincarnation of a previous saint and the other is the soul of the previous saint being entrusted to a new body. No matter which type it is, they both need the dying saint to give a sign. 

The fragrance in the air has become thicker and thicker. All the clan leaders are kneeling as well. In the past, all the saints have passed away in the temple. Saint Da Ma would be the first one to pass away in front of a crowd. Instead of feeling privileged or reverent, most people by this time are actually just secretly glad that the saint is passing away at this moment since it will save the difficulty of having to deal with the grand queen’s accusations. 

As for why the Saint is passing away now, no one really thought to question that. The Saint was already doing badly and no one was certain that he would make it to the next spring. With what happened today, it seemed completely normal that the stress of it would cause death to come. 

The crowd knelt in front of the Saint with their forehead to the ground. The young monks are chanting and someone has lighted the incense. Amidst the thick white smoke, Feng Zhi Wei stared at Saint Da Ma with a half smile, like a bizarre statue. …. Your whole life, you have used god’s name to stand high above on the cloud of this grassland. I will let you know today, the one who controls will eventually be controlled. My life and death are in my hand, not according to your heaven. 

In the white smoke, Saint Da Ma, for the last time, raised his eyes with great effort to stare at Feng Zhi Wei. 

The one who had always been the son of heaven, the one who was born to teach and lead. At the last junction of life, fury has finally appeared in his eyes. 

A hatred that cannot be controlled…

He tried with all his might to move his finger, he wants to change the direction of his body and finger…this is the direction he wants. His reincarnation or body possession…is not there…. 

In front of him, everyone is kneeling with their head bowed deeply, not daring to disturb the holiest passing on the grassland. Only that woman has her head raised high, her lips curved, staring at him with amusement. As if she was staring at a caged monkey that is simply someone’s toy. 

She even wants to use someone’s death….

Saint Da Ma tries to curl his finger, bit by bit, he wants to pull back the finger that is pointing at a certain direction….then he hears a slight sound of *crack*. 

The soft sound was like someone high in the heavens had jokingly tossed a pair of dice, tossed what was his last fate. Or perhaps it was his god, silently breaking the last string of fate…

Something is collapsing, something is breaking, something is sinking, there is something, full of bitterness, turning into ashes. Da Ma’s finger, froze in motion. Head, silently falls forward. The fragrance deepens and permeates the air. 

“Saint!”

Cries and yells flooded the afternoon wild grassland. In the dazzling golden sunlight, countless people on their knees, staring with a stunned expression at the direction Saint Da Ma was leaning towards before he died, the direction his finger was pointing at. 

Royal court, back palace. 

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