Brother.
This form of address lingered within Su Yunyu’s consciousness. Even after he impulsively agreed to Xiao Shuying’s request, a lingering sense of unreality still washed over him.
It wasn’t as though the title held any monumental significance for him.
It was simply the sight of Xiao Shuying covered in dust, obediently calling him “brother,” that made them momentarily resemble the most ordinary pair of human brothers.
Deals free from vendettas and animosities, completely detached from ninety-nine lifetimes of tangled enmities.
As though they had suddenly reverted to their most pristine, unvarnished state.
Thus, Su Yunyu yielded to Xiao Shuying’s notion of tagging along with this merchant caravan into the city.
As night descended and a campfire flickered to life, Su Yunyu sat beside the flames, poking at the burning embers with a dry twig as he turned to question Xiao Shuying:
“Why did you choose to travel with these people?”
Xiao Shuying was holding a water skin provided by the caravan, holding it over the fire to simulate heating it, as he feigned a bashful, sheepish expression in response:
“Because these people belong to the Xiao family.”
The vanguard who had ridden up to question them earlier wore garments bearing the Xiao family’s distinctive insignia, specifically, a hibiscus pattern embroidered around the collar.
Though the hibiscus blossom falls with the morning dew, its vitality persists through endless regeneration.
Endless cycles, eternal and unchanging.
That was the foundational creed of the Xiao family.
An internal sneer curled the corners of Xiao Shuying’s lips. Eternal? Then I shall ensure that eternity is shattered completely by my own hands.
“The Xiao family.” Su Yunyu murmured thoughtfully, still harboring confusion. Could it be that the Dragon-Heaven protagonist still harbored lingering attachments to the Xiao family, making him unable to resist traveling with them upon crossing paths?
That hardly seemed likely. The Xiao family had proven utterly ruthless toward Xiao Shuying; if the Tianxuan Sect represented the peak of suffering for the Dragon-Heaven protagonist, the Xiao family was the origin of all his tribulations.
Su Yunyu nudged a stray spark back into the fire and probed further:
“Could it be that you still hold a sense of nostalgia for the Xiao family?”
“Yes.” Xiao Shuying lowered his head, his expression veiled and indistinct within the murky shadows of the night.
Only the shifting, flickering firelight danced across the depths of his chilling, frigid pupils.
Before the water skin finished heating, a guard from the Xiao family stepped forward to urge them onward.
It was the same vanguard from before:
“Our master has urgent matters to attend to, so we cannot afford to linger along the road. Extinguish the campfire and move back to the very last carriage.”
Though spoken as a polite directive, his tone lacked any trace of warmth.
The Xiao family’s household ethos had always been precisely this: petty acts of charity they might perform, yet monumental evils they never hesitated to commit.
Su Yunyu naturally raised no objections. He smothered the campfire with dirt and accompanied Xiao Shuying back to the rear-most carriage.
This caravan possessed considerable scale, boasting no fewer than ten large horse-drawn carriages, to say nothing of the armed guards patrolling the flanks.
However, the rearmost carriage served merely for transporting cargo, and now it had picked up two fellow travelers along the way.
Hopping up into the carriage, Su Yunyu found the interior piled moderately with crates and cargo, leaving just enough space to sit down.
This happened to be his very first time riding inside a horse-drawn carriage. Having just tumbled off his flying sword and feeling as though every bone in his body was rattling apart, resting inside the carriage offered a welcome reprieve.
Due to the limited space, Xiao Shuying had no choice but to sit right beside Su Yunyu. As the carriage jolted and bumped along the uneven, rugged forest paths under the cover of night, it bounced and swayed incessantly.
Nor was the carriage frame particularly sturdy; every single encounter with a depression or a rock sent the entire vehicle lurching left and right, or pitching up and down.
The persistent, creaking creak-creak sounds made it genuinely difficult not to suspect the carriage was about to rattle itself entirely to pieces. Relying on his cultivation, Su Yunyu remained motionless as a statue, sitting in serene composure—unlike Xiao Shuying…
When the carriage pitched violently due to an uneven patch of ground for the umpteenth time, Xiao Shuying lost his balance and pitched sideways straight into Su Yunyu—
Damn it, I’ve lost my composure.
Catching himself immediately, he scrambled back upright, feigning absolute indifference as though nothing had happened. Glancing over at Su Yunyu, whose eyes remained closed, he assumed the man was deep in meditation, which provided a minor balm to his lingering awkwardness.
Thankfully, Su Yunyu didn’t notice.
Yet, trapped beneath the relentless cycle of momentum and inertia, Xiao Shuying had barely settled himself before another violent lurch threw off his center of gravity, sending him pitching sideways once more. This time, however, a steady hand reached out and caught his arm.
Opening his eyes, the man he thought was deep in meditation was now looking down at him with a faint, amused smile. Though Su Yunyu assumed his sparrow-patterned mask concealed any visible amusement, Xiao Shuying instantly read the playful undertone glittering in his pupils.
Glancing down, he noticed that Su Yunyu’s hand was still firmly clasping his arm. Under the pale wash of moonlight, Xiao Shuying’s face darkened immensely, particularly when Su Yunyu casually remarked:
“If your lower stance is that unstable, you’re welcome to sit on my lap instead.”
As he spoke, he couldn’t resist a mental gloat directed at the system:
“I reckon those master-disciple romance novels you gave me got the dynamic entirely backward.”
System 111 inquired: [How so?]
“Every book you handed me featured the disciple taking the upper position, but based on actual experience, I’d say that’s profoundly inaccurate.”
Speechless, the system fell into absolute silence. Su Yunyu gave it no further thought, while Xiao Shuying wrenched his arm free, gritting out every single word through clenched teeth:
“Many thanks for Master’s kind offer, but I’d rather step down and find another carriage.”
The interior of the carriage was shrouded in gloom, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through a small window. No one could discern the pitch-black darkness shrouding Xiao Shuying’s eyes right now, nor catch the flash of murderous intent that flickered across his gaze whenever he looked forward.
The leading carriage, if my guess is correct.
“Er” Su Yunyu opened his mouth to say something, but Xiao Shuying had already ducked out of the carriage. Left with little choice, Su Yunyu dropped his hand and turned his attention back to debating the nuances of master-disciple dynamics with the system.
While that debate was proceeding in full swing outside, Xiao Shuying had already reached the foremost carriage. Stopping before the guards stationed at the flanks, he stated clearly:
“Might I ask if Grand Elder Situ is residing within this carriage?”
The guard, clad in full body armor and clutching a longsword, cast a look of profound skepticism down at Xiao Shuying, scrutinizing him up and down:
“Who are you?”
The posture suggested that if Xiao Shuying uttered a single wrong syllable, he would be terminated on the spot.
With Su Yunyu safely out of earshot, Xiao Shuying discarded any lingering need to maintain a persona. Lowering his gaze, he spoke with an unyielding, steady composure:
“I am Xiao Xiaobai of the Xiao estate.”
The name was hardly fabricated; the real Xiao Xiaobai was precisely the individual who, on the day of his rebirth, had falsely accused him of thievery and laid violent hands upon him.
Hearing the name, the guard paused to reflect for a moment. Knowing full well that anyone inside the carriage would have overheard the exchange, he cupped his fists in a formal bow and turned to address the interior:
“Elder, how would you like to handle this?”
Moments later, a raspy voice drifted from inside the carriage:
“Xiao Xiaobai?”
“Indeed,” Xiao Shuying replied. Following his response, the individual within lifted the carriage curtain, leaving no further words spoken as a heavy silence settled over the surroundings.
Xiao Shuying knew that at this very moment, Situ Kou was undoubtedly scanning him with those watery, clouded eyes.
Even without looking, the visceral waves of revulsion washing over him were intense enough. Before long, the man delivered his verdict:
“Since you are a member of the Xiao estate, step inside the carriage and speak with me.”
Relieved of their guard, the sentries relaxed their posture, and Xiao Shuying smoothly stepped inside Situ Kou’s carriage. Unlike the cargo carriage at the rear, reserved exclusively for hauling freight, Grand Elder Situ Kou’s personal carriage was luxuriously appointed and dripping with opulent wealth.
The seating area was lined with the finest white fox fur, and a rosewood table held golden goblets filled with fine wine accompanied by fresh sea perch delicacies.
Situ Kou was currently self-isolating with a golden wine cup in hand. Seeing Xiao Shuying step inside, he bathed the boy in the warm glow of the carriage lamps, inspecting him thoroughly:
“You claim your name is Xiao Xiaobai?”
“Yes.”
The boy standing before him resembled a freshly trimmed, elegant willow branch—neither ostentatious nor dim. His facial features were well-defined, carrying an air of subtle, introverted containment, while his lowered gaze hinted at a sharp blade concealed deep within its scabbard.
Though Situ Kou vaguely felt that the name and the striking appearance didn’t quite match, his attention was thoroughly captured. Twirling the golden goblet between his fingers, he pressed further:
“What is your purpose in seeking me out?”
Sensing that the conversation had finally steered onto the intended track, a dark, thin curve touched the corners of Xiao Shuying’s lips. Lifting his chin slightly to lock his gaze directly onto Situ Kou, he spoke in a hazy, mesmerizing cadence:
“I heard that Grand Elder Situ frequently takes in talented strategists and retainers, which is why I’ve come to offer my humble services.”
In truth, the role of a retainer here carried connotations far removed from official governance; Situ Kou possessed a notoriously voracious appetite for beauty, welcoming attractive women unconditionally while harboring an even more intense fascination for comely young men. Hearing Xiao Shuying phrase it in such a manner instantly ignited a flash of dark, meaningful intent deep within the elder’s bleary eyes:
“Oh? And just what kind of retainers do you imagine I take in?”
“Naturally, I am aware,” Xiao Shuying stepped forward, feigning an approach. Yet, the moment his sleeve dipped downward, he tipped a colorless, odorless, highly concentrated poison straight into the decanter of wine before returning to his unperturbed stance:
“I’ve never received proper regard within the Xiao estate. Seeing how magnificently grand the Elder’s entourage is today, I naturally felt an overwhelming urge to offer my allegiance.”
No discernible emotion registered upon Xiao Shuying’s face; his lowered gaze merely fostered the illusion of sheepish timidity, convincing Situ Kou that the boy was simply acting out of adolescent shyness. Laughing heartily while stroking his chin, the elder replied:
“Splendid! Though, I recall encountering someone with a striking resemblance to your appearance back in the Xiao estate some years ago, only, that fellow lacked your acute sense of survival and timeliness.”
“Oh?” Xiao Shuying vaguely guessed the identity of the person referenced, yet feigned complete ignorance:
“I wonder who the Elder is referring to?”
“Merely a jinx who cursed his own mother to death, not worth mentioning further.”
Xiao Shuying’s fingers curled into a fist so tight his knuckles popped, a surging tide of hatred violently roiling within his chest. He knew that individual all too well, for that person was none other than himself.
When he had been roughly ten years old, Situ Kou had visited the Xiao estate on official business, crossing paths with him and instantly harboring malicious intentions upon mistaking him for a servant’s child.
Fortunately, it remained nothing more than an intention; before Situ Kou could execute his designs, a furious ten-year-old Xiao Shuying had slammed a heavy stone straight into the man’s head and fled for his life.
A quirk of fate had brought them face to face once more today. It was said that people reap what they sow; after all these years, Situ Kou had failed to shed his predatory penchant for beauty, inadvertently presenting Xiao Shuying with an unobstructed path for retaliation.
Suppressing the churning malice boiling in his gut, Xiao Shuying forced a smile to his lips:
“A jinx, you say? Truly a blight upon the world. Now that such fine golden nectar rests within your grasp, Elder, there is no need to dirty your thoughts recalling such unpleasantness.”
The remark reminded Situ Kou of the wine he had been neglecting. Pouring himself another generous measure from the decanter, he drained the golden goblet in a single, unhesitating draught.
Xiao Shuying watched as the man swallowed the poisoned wine down to the last drop. The smile curling the corners of his lips instantly deepened into something chilling and dark. Taking advantage of the brief window before the poison began wreaking havoc to effect his escape, he heard a familiar voice echo from outside the carriage:
“Pardon me, has anyone seen my younger brother?”
A fleeting jolt shot through Xiao Shuying’s heart, though he recovered with lightning speed:
“It seems my older brother has come looking for me. It is getting late, Elder; I shall return tomorrow evening to attend to your instructions.”
Without waiting for Situ Kou’s acknowledgment, Xiao Shuying bolted out of the carriage with fluid grace, catching hold of a visibly anxious Su Yunyu who was searching the area, and immediately pulled him along as he declared:
“Brother, you really are the most exasperating person alive! I merely stepped out for a brief moment, and you’re already wandering off.”
Though Su Yunyu remained entirely bewildered by the sudden narrative shift, Xiao Shuying had already dragged him all the way back to the rearmost cargo carriage. Satisfied that Situ Kou hadn’t raised an alarm behind them, Xiao Shuying finally exhaled a breath of relief, lifted his face toward Su Yunyu, and flashed a brilliant smile:
“Master, let’s continue on our way.”
Blinking rapidly, Su Yunyu felt as though the Dragon-Heaven protagonist was acting increasingly unhinged:
“Would you care to offer a brief explanation for what just transpired?”
“Just now.” Xiao Shuying calculated the exact incubation period of the poison with clinical precision, maintaining a calm, steady cadence:
“I went over to exchange pleasantries, and accidentally overheard that they intended to use us as disposable shields in the event of danger, discarding us the moment trouble arises. That’s why I hurried back to drag you away from them.”
“Is that so?” Doubt still lingered within Su Yunyu’s eyes, yet Xiao Shuying’s performance carried such absolute, unshakeable conviction that he ultimately nodded:
“Very well, let us be off.”
With that, as they strode away into the night, Xiao Shuying glanced back one final time at the grand, imposing caravan of the Xiao family. A genuine, unrestrained smile bloomed across his features:
Just wait to rot in hell.