Shen Gurong attended morning classes with the disciples of Changying Mountain for several days in a row. The disciples, who were initially trembling with fear, had become somewhat accustomed to his presence; at least they no longer broke out in a cold sweat after each class.
A light rain began to fall.
Shen Gurong arrived at Zhibai Hall, holding a bamboo-ribbed umbrella. The morning bell had already tolled four times.
Normally, the hall would be packed by this time, but for some reason, not a single disciple had come.
Shen Gurong closed his umbrella and sat on a futon, waiting for a long time, but still no one appeared.
Shen Gurong clicked his tongue. Were these disciples all trying to fly to the heavens? They dared to skip class en masse.
The drizzle continued. Shen Gurong leaned against the desk by the window and read for a while, feeling drowsy.
Shen Feng Xue's body was too weak, and Shen Gurong had been taking the spiritual pills Xi Guxing gave him every day. After several days, his spiritual energy had circulated slightly, but he still couldn't get enough sleep.
Shen Gurong yawned, forced himself to stay awake, and went to find Xi Guxing, clutching the jade marrow.
"Senior brother."
Xi Guxing replied quickly, his tone inexplicably irritable: "What is it? Speak!"
Shen Gurong: "What's wrong with you now? Who offended you again?"
"It's all because of you!" Xi Guxing said impatiently.
Shen Gurong felt innocent: "What did I do? I haven't done anything these past few days."
"Master heard about your injury from somewhere and sent a message to your fifth senior brother a few days ago, asking him to concoct a healing elixir for you within three days."
Shen Gurong: "Huh?"
"He dared not speak out against you, so he came to me instead," Xi Guxing said. "He's been cursing you all night, and just now he took a break to drink his medicine—tsk, he's back, and he's started again."
"Shen Feng Xue, be careful, your fifth junior brother will poison you one day."
Shen Gurong: "..."
In Shen Feng Xue's memory, his fifth senior brother was a sickly healer, unable to heal himself, coughing up blood every time he walked a few steps, and so fragile, with such a volatile temper.
While listening to his sickly fifth junior brother's cursing, Xi Guxing asked Shen Gurong, "What is it? Speak quickly—I'm so annoyed by you all. I shouldn't have agreed to become the sect leader in the first place."
Shen Gurong said dryly, "Senior brother, you've worked hard."
Xi Guxing: "Speak."
Shen Gurong asked, "Is today a special day? Why hasn't anyone from Zhibai Hall come yet?"
Xi Guxing was silent for a moment, then said in a strange tone, "They probably cultivated too late last night and overslept. Just wait there a little longer, they'll probably be here soon."
Shen Gurong didn't suspect him and continued to sit and wait.
Waiting, waiting, waiting... Shen Gurong almost turned into a statue waiting for her husband.
Shen Gurong sat there listlessly, finally taking a short nap for an hour. Then, belatedly realizing that Xi Guxing might be playing a trick on him, he flicked away the jade marrow again.
"Xi Guxing, why haven't they come yet?"
Xi Guxing's tone was strange: "You're still waiting?"
Shen Gurong: "What do you think?"
Xi Guxing couldn't help but scoff: "Shen Feng Xue, you've actually met your match?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Can't you speak like a human?!
Xi Guxing mocked him for a while before saying, "Do you know whose morning class is today?"
Shen Gurong, face blank: "Who?"
As soon as he asked, he suddenly paused, his lips twitching slightly: "Lou... Bugui?"
"That's right," Xi Guxing said, "He always arrives much later for morning class. Over the years, the disciples have gotten used to it, and they all arrive two hours late for his class without prior arrangement."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong was now somewhat angry: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Xi Guxing: "Of course, it was to play a trick on you."
Shen Gurong: "You..."
Shen Gurong took a deep breath. Fortunately, he had a good temper, so he asked a second-best option: "Then why didn't any other disciples tell me about this?"
Xi Guxing seemed quite pleased to see him get the short end of the stick: "You, Shen Feng Xue, are practically hated by everyone on Liren Peak. Who would willingly tell you?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
He shut up, not wanting to speak.
Xi Guxing mocked him again, and Shen Gurong, looking pale, wiped away the jade marrow.
Shen Gurong slumped onto his desk, groaning listlessly, and muttered under his breath, "Sect Leader, Sect Leader, you're just a Sect Leader, a Sect Leader."
When Mu Zhe ran to the corridor outside Zhibai Hall with his umbrella, he heard his master muttering something about "Sect Leader." He unconsciously stopped and turned his head slightly to look.
His usually upright and dignified master seemed to have lost all his bones, slumped listlessly on the desk, his hand hanging limply at the edge, his long, slender, white fingers tapping rhythmically in time with his voice.
"Master, Sect Leader." Two taps.
"Master, Sect Leader Xi." Three taps.
Like a child throwing a tantrum.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe reluctantly closed his umbrella, shook off the raindrops, and strode into Zhibai Hall.
Upon hearing footsteps, Shen Gurong, who had been muttering curses at Xi Guxing, immediately sat up straight.
Mu Zhe entered, bowing respectfully: "Master."
Shen Gurong had waited for over an hour, estimating that Lou Bugui should arrive in another half hour.
Shen Gurong asked, "Why are you here so early?"
Mu Zhe had thought someone had told Shen Gurong that the morning lessons would be delayed, and he was hoping to come early to avoid coming to Zhibai Hall with Shen Gurong.
But he hadn't expected to avoid him on the way, only to bump into him right there in Zhibai Hall.
Mu Zhe, carrying his small cloth bag, walked to his seat and knelt on the prayer mat. "I haven't finished the homework the elder assigned yesterday, so I came early to catch up."
Shen Gurong seemed oblivious to Mu Zhe's coldness. He got up and sat down at the desk next to Mu Zhe, lazily propping his chin on his hand, and started a conversation: "Hmm? Is there any homework you don't understand that you'd like me to explain to you?"
Mu Zhe gave him a strange look, and then, as if thinking of something, slightly twitched the corner of his lips.
He took out the scrolls and placed them on the table one by one, saying, "No need to trouble Master."
Shen Gurong's fingers, which were supporting his cheek, twitched slightly. He thought to himself, 'Sigh, rejected again. This little brat has quite the temper.'
Feeling bored, Shen Gurong glanced at the small wooden box peeking out of Mu Zhe's cloth bag and started a conversation.
"What's this?"
Mu Zhe looked in the direction Shen Gurong was pointing, took out the small box, and said, "This is a wooden box for holding spiritual herbs..."
He paused, pursed his lips, and gently opened the small wooden box, revealing candied fruits inside.
Mu Zhe whispered, "I was afraid of wasting them, so I used them to store the candied fruits that Senior Brother Li Suo gave me."
Shen Gurong stared at the candied fruits in the box, thinking: I want to eat them.
Shen Feng Xue had already abstained from food, and Shen Gurong hadn't eaten or drunk anything for several days since arriving here, yet he felt no discomfort. Seeing ordinary mortal food made his mouth water.
Shen Gurong forced himself to remain silent, uttering only an "Oh," before turning away without another word.
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Mu Zhe seemed... different from before.
Previously, Mu Zhe had always been resistant and disgusted with Shen Gurong. Even after Shen Gurong saved him, and his resentment lessened considerably, he still couldn't feel close to Shen Gurong.
Now, perhaps he had come to a realization, he seemed less resistant to Shen Gurong's advances.
Normally, if Shen Gurong suddenly approached him, Mu Zhe would instinctively tense up, almost ready to jump up.
But today, Mu Zhe not only didn't want to escape, but he could even exchange a few words with Shen Gurong normally, appearing quite relaxed.
Shen Gurong thought, 'Has he finally realized he won't harm him anymore? Tsk, it seems shamelessly trying to build a master-disciple relationship with the young protagonist does work.'
The master and disciple sat quite close, one propping his head up in thought, the other sitting upright practicing calligraphy.
Half an hour later, the disciples of Zhibai Hall leisurely arrived, quickly taking their seats upon seeing the already-arrived Holy Lord.
Soon, Lou Bugui, who was two hours late, finally arrived for "morning lessons" carrying a small basket.
The disciples had all eaten lunch before arriving, and upon Lou Bugui's arrival, they rose and bowed.
"Good afternoon, Martial Uncle"
Lou Bugui placed the small basket on the desk used for lecturing and mumbled, "Good morning."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Lou Bugui remained immersed in his own little world, entering Zhibai Hall without even glancing at anyone else. He carefully took out the herbs from the small basket and placed them on the desk, slowly saying, "Today we will learn about Soul-Capturing Herbs."
Li Suo, sitting in the front row, softly reminded him, "Martial Uncle, the Sect Leader forbids you from teaching us poisonous herbs."
Lou Bugui seemed not to hear, continuing his explanation: "The Soul-Capturing Grass has emerald green stems and ten branches on the main stem. A single drop can instantly kill a cultivator below the Foundation Establishment stage."
As he spoke, he plucked a branch from the Soul-Capturing Grass, his eyes lowered, about to put it in his mouth.
Li Suo, clearly as adept at this as his master, swiftly snatched the herb away, saying gently, "Martial Uncle, you can just explain; there's no need to test it yourself."
Lou Bugui exclaimed "Ah!" and said blankly, "I'm already a Golden Core cultivator. Even if I tested it, I wouldn't die; I'd only lose my soul for a moment."
Li Suo's smile almost faltered. Cultivators are most vulnerable when their soul leaves their body; even a momentary loss of soul can cause serious trouble, let alone just a short while.
Li Suo sighed and said, "Martial Uncle, please explain first."
Lou Bugui probably knew it was inappropriate; his bad habit of wanting to put medicine in his mouth as soon as he saw it was something he couldn't break anytime soon, and someone had to stop him.
He nodded, put away the Soul-Capturing Grass, and continued explaining the second poisonous herb.
After explaining all the poisons, he realized, "Ah, then don't tell your senior brother I taught you about poisonous herbs."
Li Suo: "..."
Li Suo said, "Okay."
The disciples greatly admired this martial uncle who didn't have to get up early for morning lessons, and were exceptionally obedient to him, doing their best to cover for him: "Yes, Martial Uncle."
The poisonous herb lesson ended in the afternoon.
Shen Gurong was somewhat interested in Lou Bugui's Soul-Capturing Grass, and went over to tidy up the herbs after morning lessons.
Lou Bugui looked up at him, tilting his head left and right, and it took him a while to recognize him.
"Ah, Shidi."
Shen Gurong silently stole a Soul-Capturing Grass from him: "Senior Brother's lecture was excellent, Shidi has learned a lot."
If the Soul-Capturing Grass could make a Golden Core cultivator's soul leave their body for a moment, then it should be able to transfer their soul as well.
Shen Gurong really wanted to know, now that his soul was in this body, where had Shen Feng Xue gone?
And what would happen to this body when his soul left?
Lou Bugui, perhaps not understanding the praise, lowered his head and continued tidying the herbs. After glancing at them, he suddenly said, "One is missing."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Is his eye really that good?
Shen Gurong was about to find an excuse to slip away when suddenly a deafening sound came from outside.
"Xue Manzhuang of the Demon Clan! Has come to Liren Peak to propose marriage!"
The disciples who hadn't completely left exchanged glances, whispering amongst themselves in small groups.
Liren Peak had a boundary marker, preventing outsiders from entering without permission. The sounds echoing through the mountains must have been transmitted using a secret technique, the sounds reverberating like ripples throughout the entire peak.
Shen Gurong pondered, "Who is this Xue Manzhuang? She seems quite arrogant."
He asked Lou Bugui, "Are there any female cultivators on Liren Peak?"
Lou Bugui continued, "My medicine is missing, Shidi. Did you see who stole my medicine? —Where's my sword?"
Shen Gurong felt a little guilty. He wanted to return it but dared not act under Lou Bugui's watchful eye, lest he be attacked.
He coughed lightly, stood up, and followed the other disciples out to watch the spectacle.
Against a backdrop of azure sky, a white crane spread its wings and slowly landed halfway up Yuxu Mountain.
Xi Guxing was practicing his sword when he saw the crane approaching. He frowned slightly. "What's wrong with Shen-shidi now?"
Before he finished speaking, Xue Manzhuang's voice echoed across Yuxu Mountain.
"Xue Manzhuang of the Demon Clan! He's come to Liren Peak to propose marriage!"
Xi Guxing's face immediately turned green.
He coldly asked, "Has the injury he sustained from being beaten by Shen-shidi a few years ago healed?"
The white crane replied, "He seems to be fine. He's waiting at the Boundary Spirit Tablet now."
Xi Guxing scoffed. "Go tell him that Shen Feng Xue is in seclusion and has no time to spar with him, much less agree to merge with him. Tell him to get lost."
The white crane hesitated.
Xi Guxing: "What?"
Bai He stammered, "But the Holy Lord has already gone to the Boundary Spirit Tablet."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Shen Feng Xue... has he finally agreed to marry that little red bird?!
Comments
Post a Comment