“Junior brother, watch out!”
After Jin Yunhao lectured the two of them for a while longer, he left. Having spent a month undergoing trials down the mountain, he was physically and mentally exhausted and badly needed to rest.
Once Jin Yunhao was seen off, Li Jingsheng let out a long sigh of relief.
He is finally gone. If I had to listen to any more of that, my ears would start growing calluses.
He turned his head and locked eyes with Mo Yu, who looked like he had something to say.
Tilting his head, Li Jingsheng asked, “What is it? Is there something else?”
Mo Yu hesitated for a moment before speaking, his tone tentative: “Were the things Senior Brother said just now true?”
He had only said those things earlier to brush off the Grand Disciple, having long forgotten what he had actually blurted out, so he asked, “What did I say just now?”
The corners of Mo Yu’s eyes drooped slightly, making him look like a child who had lost his piece of candy. Whether it was just Li Jingshen’s own imagination at play, he somehow felt that the other person looked a little wronged.
“Senior Brother said just now that I can come to you if I need anything.”
Li Jingshen felt as though his heart had just suffered a critical hit: Oh my god, baby, you are outrageously cute!
Yet, outwardly, he maintained a fierce expression. “Yes, I did say that, but it was just put on for the Grand Disciple’s benefit. Even if you do come to me, I won’t necessarily help you.”
Looking at Mo Yu’s slightly drooping outer eye corners, Li Jingshen shouted inwardly: Baby, you are so adorable that if you wanted the stars, I would give you the moon; I would even brave mountains of blades and seas of fire to help you!
Listening to Li Jingshen’s inner thoughts, the corners of Mo Yu’s mouth and eyes unconsciously relaxed.
Senior Brother, you really are all bark and no bite.
While bathing that evening, Li Jingshen suddenly realized that he seemed to have been wearing this exact set of clothes ever since he first arrived. Even though purification spells existed, it made him feel belatedly that he might be a bit unkempt.
So, for the first time in a long while, he dug into the noble and elegant wardrobe tucked away in the corner.
And then he discovered:
This villain’s wardrobe is seriously loaded!
Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, cyans, blues, and purples. Clothes of every imaginable color were available. While red garments were the most numerous, the other colors were hardly lacking either.
He pulled out a pale green outfit. The robes fluttered with an ethereal grace, sparsely decorated with just a few bamboo leaf patterns, yet they exuded an otherworldly elegance. For some reason, he felt this outfit would probably suit Mo Yu very well.
He then recalled that ever since he had arrived, the boy had seemingly worn nothing besides that single black robe.
Besides, a young man shouldn’t go around looking gloomy in black robes day in and day out.
It made him look like he was heading to a funeral.
Fine, I will give this outfit to him.
Continuing his rummaging through the wardrobe, he noticed what looked like a hidden compartment at the very bottom.
A surge of quiet excitement rose in his chest: Hidden so deeply. Could this be a secret manual of ultimate treasures?
He opened it with eager curiosity, only to be deeply disappointed.
Inside lay a single dark green robe of very plain style, with a crooked, clumsy star embroidered right along the hemline.
This should be a star, right?
You could not really blame Li Jingshen for failing to recognize it. The edges and corners of that star were so lopsided they were practically forming an arc, and if it had been any rounder, it would have turned into a flower.
Although the garment was ordinary, Li Jingshen felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with it, as though he had seen it somewhere before.
He wracked his brain for a long time without remembering where, so he simply gave up. Perhaps I saw it in some historical costume drama.
While Chu Wen already had plenty of clothes of his own, Li Jingshen decided to pick out a few suitable outfits for him as well, just to maintain the appearance of treating everyone equally, and planned to give them to both of them tomorrow.
Li Jingshen turned the garment over in his hands to inspect it.
The clothes look pretty new. Surely they will not despise them, right?
Whatever, even if they do despise them, it is too bad. After all, it is not like I wore them. Wear them if you want, leave them if you do not.
The very next morning, Li Jingshen handed the clothes over to the two of them, keeping up his harsh tone on the outside: “You two dress so shabbily that outsiders would think our Qize Mountain bullies its disciples.”
Mo Yu and Chu Wen looked over at him simultaneously.
Feeling a bit guilty, Li Jingshen rubbed his nose.
Alright, fine, I AM bullying you.
Yet he still had to finish what he started, so he pushed forward with a thick skin: “I am giving you a few decent sets of clothes. Throw those ragged things of yours far away.”
He thought to himself: Clothes make the man. If it were not for that face carrying them through, people would probably take you two for beggars.
Upon receiving the clothes, Chu Wen gave them a few extra suspicious looks, presumably afraid there was a trap hidden within them.
Li Jingshen was already accustomed to their distrust and alienation, so he didn’t feel like anything was amiss.
To his surprise, however, Mo Yu didn’t utter a single word and quietly accepted them.
Has this protagonist been bullied so much lately that he has gone soft? Why is he suddenly so obedient?
He initiated a mental conversation with Xiao Yu: “Say, hasn’t Mo Yu been acting a bit too obedient lately? No matter how I bully him, he doesn’t get angry.”
Xiao Yu seemed exceptionally sleepy over the past two days. Lazily waking up and letting out a yawn, it fobbed Li Jingshen off: “Maybe he’s just biding his time. Once you’ve bullied him enough, he’ll pay you back all at once.”
Hearing it put that way, Li Jingshen thought it made a lot of sense. After all, that hostility meter hadn’t budged a single point, so it would probably max out at one hundred right when it counted.
Oh well, once it maxes out, I can finally go home.
Yet for some reason, the mere thought of the hostility meter reaching one hundred brought a strange sense of loneliness to his heart.
It felt as though a little puppy he had raised since it was small had suddenly bitten him one day. Even if it didn’t hurt much, it would still sting emotionally.
This ache wasn’t physical; it was an internal, psychological weight.
He comforted himself by deciding that it must simply be his initial maladjustment to playing the bad guy as a fine young man of socialism.
That’s right, it had to be that!
During the Grain Rain season, a gentle drizzle fell over Fulu Peak.
With the continuous overcast rain, the mountain ranges were wreathed in mist. The distant mountains wore shades of deep cyan, while the trees on the peak remained deeply verdant.
Class assignments on Fulu Peak were generally arranged by age rather than cultivation level.
Primarily because, aside from those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, everyone else’s skill levels were roughly on par with one another.
Thus, even though Mo Yu possessed a discarded spiritual root, he could still advance alongside the rest of them.
Naturally, exceptions existed. Immortal cultivation levels ranged from highest to lowest as follows: Heavenly Spiritual Root, Gold Spiritual Root, Wood Spiritual Root, Water Spiritual Root, Fire Spiritual Root, Earth Spiritual Root, and finally the discarded spiritual roots of ordinary mortals.
Those blessed with Heavenly Spiritual Roots were permitted to skip grades and study directly, but they were exceptionally rare. Their very own Master Fengyuan was a once-in-a-century Heavenly Spiritual Root genius who had been appointed as an elder before reaching his twenty-fifth year, claiming an entire mountain peak for himself.
As for ordinary people with discarded spiritual roots like Mo Yu, the immortal realm typically did not recruit them at all, yet Mo Yu was the sole exception.
Back during the spiritual root testing, Mo Yu clearly possessed a discarded spiritual root, but Elder Fengyuan had stubbornly insisted on taking him in as a disciple, refusing to back down regardless of how fiercely the other elders objected.
Thus, the immortal world welcomed its very first disciple ever accepted with a discarded spiritual root.
The teaching style within the Immortal Alliance was relatively free-form, usually determined by the individual preferences of each elder.
Consequently, any elder looking to slack off would choose to have senior students demonstrate techniques to the junior classes.
Under the noble guise of displaying their senior bearing.
True to form, Li Jingshen had managed to win himself precisely this honorable privilege today.
Even he found it somewhat astonishing. With his own third-rate, amateur skills where he couldn’t even draw a basic talisman, he was supposed to demonstrate for others? Weren’t they afraid he would lead the disciples astray?
Yet there was no helping it. The elder had chosen Xifeng, and Xifeng had specifically chosen him as a partner. Coupled with Elder Fang Xiuxian’s unblinking gaze fixed upon him the entire time, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept.
Today, Elder Fang Xiuxian was leading them to instruct the junior students on how to use bursting talismans.
Bursting talismans were considered one of the introductory-level spell tags. Because of their straightforward drawing method combined with high offensive output, they were deeply favored by disciples of the immortal sects.
Whether by coincidence or due to the universal principle that protagonists and villains are bound to cross paths, they happened to be matched with Mo Yu’s class.
Awkward as it was, making a fool of oneself in public was terribly embarrassing.
If his demonstration flopped today, would his badass persona collapse completely?
Because bursting talismans packed a powerful punch over a wide radius, the demonstration was set up in an open courtyard in the back. The ground here was expansive, dotted with only a few sparse weeping willows.
The willow branches swayed in the breeze, adding a dash of poetic charm to the scenery.
Gazing at Mo Yu standing amidst the crowd, Li Jingshen couldn’t help muttering inwardly: As expected of the protagonist, he manages to be the most dazzling presence no matter where he stands.
The young man was dressed in the pale green outfit Li Jingshen had picked out for him. The hem of his robes drifted gracefully on the wind, his brows looked as though traced with ink, his nose was high-bridged, and his thin lips were pressed into a slight line, truly resembling an immortal from beyond the mortal realm.
Everyone harbored a love for beauty, and as Li Jingshen watched him, he felt as though he might start drooling.
A feast for the eyes indeed, no lies told here!
Seeming to sense this rather intense gaze, the youth lifted his eyes and looked straight back at him.
Li Jingshen made direct eye contact and felt a sudden jolt of embarrassment.
He gave a slight nod of his head and quickly averted his gaze.
How awkward, caught red-handed acting like a lovesick fanboy.
Mo Yu watched the other person hastily look away, a wave of inexplicable annoyance welling up inside him.
Does Senior Brother really hate seeing me that much? Am I truly that unpleasant to look at?
The demonstrations were conducted in pairs: one person placed the target apples while the other performed the talisman demonstration.
Good, good, I managed to snag a lazy position.
Without hesitation, Li Jingshen chose the job of placing the apples, and Xifeng seemed quite satisfied with this decision as well.
Naturally, who wouldn’t want to hog the spotlight?
Mostly because he didn’t know how to do the other part.
Operating a bursting talisman was simple, so the demonstrations moved along briskly. Before long, it was Li Jingshen and Xifeng’s group’s turn.
He swiftly placed the apples down and turned to head back.
Just as he turned around, a sudden shout rang out: “Senior Brother, watch out!” Before he even had time to react, a flash of red light entered his peripheral vision, shooting straight toward him! Immediately afterward, a bursting, agonizing pain struck his back.
The immense force of the recoil sent a mouthful of fresh blood flying straight out of his lips.
Damn it, why is being a villain so hazardous to one’s health?
It hurts so much. Am I actually going to bite the dust here?
Can I go back if the mission isn’t finished?
I am still young, I don’t want to die yet.
I haven’t even been in a relationship yet.
Right before losing consciousness, the final image in Li Jingshen’s eyes seemed to be someone rushing toward him.
An inexplicable wave of warmth stirred in his chest.
I never expected anyone to actually care about me.
Wait, why does that person look a bit like Mo Yu?
Before he could process the thought further, he felt himself fall into someone’s embrace.
When Li Jingshen opened his eyes again, he found himself lying facedown on his own bed.
That’s right, facedown!
A lingering wave of pain radiating from his back served as a sharp reminder.
He had apparently been attacked by someone!
And badly at that!
Unbelievable. Being a villain requires taking all this extra collateral damage!
No salary! Terrible benefits! And on top of that, getting beaten up!
I am resigning!
I am not doing this anymore!
Agitated by these thoughts, he felt another pull-like ache flare up across his back.
Drawing in a sharp intake of breath, he woke Xiao Yu up: “Sweet-and-sour idiot, get up, I quit!”
Though still somewhat drowsy, Xiao Yu was jolted instantly awake by those words: “What?! What did you say?!”
Irritated to begin with, Li Jingshen snapped back, his annoyance compounding: “I said I’m quitting!”
Panicking, Xiao Yu immediately wrapped itself around his wrist, crying tears for him: “No, Host, you can’t be this heartless! If you leave, what will happen to Xiao Yu?”
Li Jingshen: Wait a minute, aren’t you a system? If I leave, can’t you just go find another host?
Besides, I am the one who got beaten up. What on earth are you crying for?
He initially wanted to say it straight, but unable to bear Xiao Yu’s weeping, he opted for a more tactful approach centered on his own well-being: “I’d rather just die directly than suffer through this kind of torture.”
Meaning: Put me out of my misery!
Xiao Yu continued clinging stubbornly to his wrist, refusing to let go.
Giving off strong vibes of I am not listening, I am not listening, la la la.
Just as Li Jingshen prepared to say more, the chamber door swung open abruptly.
Xiao Yu immediately morphed back into a bracelet and settled snugly around his wrist.
Noticing that he had woken up, Mo Yu hurried over, asking with evident anxiety: “Senior Brother, how are you feeling right now? Does your back still hurt?”
Clenching his teeth through the pain, Li Jingshen forced out: “I’m fine.”
Internally, however, he was screaming bloody murder: How am I possibly fine?! It hurts like hell!
Hearing Li Jingshen’s inner monologue, Mo Yu said in a fluster, “Senior Brother, hold on just a moment longer. I’ll go fetch Elder Fang Xiuxian to take a look.”
A wave of internal relief washed over Li Jingshen: Baby, you’re the only sensible one here. Go call him quickly, or I’m genuinely going to hurt to death.
Not long after Mo Yu left, he returned accompanied by the elder.
Disciples cause trouble; masters clean up the mess.
Moreover, as Li Jingshen’s martial uncle, Fang Xiuxian indeed shouldered the responsibility of keeping watch here.
Upon entering and examining Li Jingshen’s injuries, he found that although his back was a mangled mess, the damage was largely superficial.
The internal organs had sustained only minor damage and would heal after a few days of herbal medication and rest.
Presumably, that brat Xifeng had pulled his punches out of restraint.
Hearing that he had to take medicine, Li Jingshen’s face scrunched up into a tight ball.
Without a doubt, the medicine here would be a bitter Chinese herbal decoction.
The mere thought of that bitterness made him want to cry.
Nobody mentioned anything about drinking nasty medicine when he signed up for this gig.
After verifying that Li Jingshen was out of immediate danger, Elder Fang Xiuxian hurried off to discipline Xifeng.
Mo Yu also prepared to step outside to brew his medicine.
Seeing him about to leave, Li Jingshen called out somewhat nervously, “Mo Yu!”
Mo Yu turned around with a hint of puzzlement: “What is it, Senior Brother?”
Looking somewhat sheepish and awkward, Li Jingshen stammered, “Um… thanks for earlier. Thanks for running over to catch me.”
If Mo Yu hadn’t broken his fall, he probably would have ended up with two more bruised lumps on his head.
Mo Yu froze for a fraction of a second, a deeper implication flashing through the dark depths of his eyes as he replied, “Senior Brother doesn’t need to be so polite with me. Eldest Senior Brother said it himself: fellow apprentices should help one another.”
Those words sounded suspiciously like a subtle dig at him.
Before he could retort, Mo Yu had already slipped out the door.
Fine, let him take his digs.
After all, it is not like I am actually a good person anyway.