A martial arts war between the Righteous Path and the Demonic Cult, which had been on the verge of erupting, was thus dissolved by a single simple letter.
Chu Ling, who had been monitoring the situation closely, received feedback from the System on the third day after the letter was sent, indicating that the situation had been perfectly resolved.
Now, not only the System but even Chu Ling felt at ease; the plot, which had almost veered off track, was back on course.
But had it truly returned to the right track?
That question could likely only be answered by the author—(crossed out)—by the Heavens.
Afterward, Chu Ling settled into a leisurely life within the Demonic Cult, spending his days sightseeing while casually completing his missions.
The Radiant Divine Sect had four Great Halls, but currently, Chu Ling was restricted to the Azure Dragon Hall. Aside from forbidden areas guarded heavily—where none but the Cult Leader or Hall Master could enter—and regions unsuitable for his presence, he was allowed to roam anywhere that appeared harmless.
However, after one full circuit of the grounds, Chu Ling lost interest. It wasn’t nearly as fun as picnicking or fishing.
There was also the matter of “Ghost Big Brother.” He had promised to let Young Master Chu meet the Master of the Demonic Cult, yet after collecting his “repayment,” there had been no progress at all.
Was he lying?
Chu Ling naturally knew that if the body double wasn’t the one appearing, then “Ghost Big Brother” and the “Cult Leader” were essentially the same person. They were one and the same. But the naive Young Master Chu didn’t know that.
Most of the time, the “Ghost Big Brother” who stayed in the Azure Dragon Hall to handle affairs was the one wearing the ghost mask—the body double. Chu Ling guessed he was likely the actual Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall, Ghost Mask.
Seizing an opportunity when the real Ji Wuyuan was present, the young master—whose hidden secrets made him rather anxious—couldn’t help but bring it up.
“Ghost Big Brother, you said before that you’d let me meet your Cult Leader. It’s been several days now. You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”
The youth’s eyes were bright, speaking with a directness and a hint of dissatisfaction.
The two were currently in the courtyard where the youth resided. Beneath the crystal-clear pond, several gold-red carp swam about, darting into the depths as if startled by his voice.
Ji Wuyuan leaned lazily against the railing, his figure tall and slender. His scorching gaze followed the youth like a shadow, and his thin lips curled into an intriguing arc.
Looking at the youth who seemed slightly piqued, the curve of his lips deepened. In the next moment, the hem of his black robe fluttered as he closed the distance between them, approaching the boy with slightly puffed-out cheeks.
He naturally circled his arms around the youth’s waist, resting his chin on the boy’s shoulder. Despite the youth’s resistant nudges, he narrowed his long, delighted eyes.
“Does Ling-er really want to see the Cult Leader that much?”
He asked a question he already knew the answer to, lingering a bit heavily on the words “that much.”
Unaware, the youth took it for granted. “Ghost Big Brother, you already promised me. You can’t go back on your word! Besides… besides, you already…” As he spoke, the youth’s face flushed a soft pink, seemingly unable to continue.
Ji Wuyuan’s eyes twinkled as he wickedly countered, “Oh? I already what?”
The flustered youth gave him a hard shove, his voice rising uncontrollably. “I don’t care! You promised!”
Ji Wuyuan put on a regretful expression. “But Ling-er hasn’t answered my question yet.”
The youth’s face turned a darker shade of red. “You’re cheating!”
Ji Wuyuan’s gaze turned blank, intentionally misinterpreting him. “Huh? Does that mean Ling-er doesn’t want to see the Cult Leader?”
“…” Forced to say the word “Want” with a red face, the youth was so angry he almost struck him.
“Alright, alright. Your Big Brother promises you. However, the Cult Leader is currently not within the sect. I had no choice; I certainly wasn’t trying to deceive Ling-er,” Ji Wuyuan said with a sigh, neatly excusing his own failure. Naturally, the naive Young Master Chu believed him.
“Then when will the Cult Leader return?” The youth’s anger vanished instantly. His shoving stopped, and he allowed the two arms around his waist to pull him tighter.
“Likely… tomorrow?”
“Really?”
“Absolutely certain. Does Ling-er no longer trust Big Brother?”
His tone held a hint of being “pitiful.” The soft-hearted Chu Ling was no exception; he hesitated, then suddenly turned around to face Ghost Big Brother and gave him a gentle, fleeting hug.
It was a hug so pure it felt almost too beautiful.
Ji Wuyuan dazed for a moment. Feeling the youth about to pull away, he instinctively tightened his grip on the boy’s lower back, pulling him once more into his scorching embrace.
Chu Ling fell right into his chest.
The corners of the man’s mouth curled upward.
…
Ji Wuyuan himself did not always have time to visit. When he was busy, it was time for his body double to take his place.
Having received the promise that he could meet the Master of the Demonic Cult tomorrow, the young master’s mood turned from cloudy to bright.
After thinking for a moment, he took the initiative to ask Zijin and Zipei to prepare some pastries. Packing them into an exquisite wooden food box, he left his courtyard and walked toward the neighboring residence.
Here, he was granted free passage. Without needing to ask, the servants voluntarily informed him of Ghost Big Brother’s whereabouts.
Outside a certain room, the young master pushed the door straight open. Then, under the silent gazes of a group of men in black, he leisurely walked past them toward the main seat.
The air was deathly silent.
However, the man wearing the ghost mask sitting at the head of the room waved his hand. Upon receiving the signal, the men in black immediately bowed their heads and retreated.
Clearly, this wasn’t the first time this had happened. Initially, the polite Young Master Chu would knock and wait for permission, or if he saw “Ghost Big Brother” was busy, he would modestly withdraw.
That was until Ghost Big Brother stopped him and, acting like a potential “faint-hearted monarch,” told him: Ling-er can come in at any time. There is no need to worry about anything else. Here, Ling-er is the second master…
Chu Ling had felt shy, moved, and guilty all at once. Shy and moved because Ghost Big Brother truly seemed to… and guilty because it was impossible for him to return those feelings. He was even utilizing that affection to… steal intelligence.
“The falling flowers have intent, but the flowing water is heartless.” It was a pity his heart already belonged to another.
Thinking of his beloved back in the Martial Arts Alliance, Chu Ling’s heart—which had just begun to soften—hardened once more. Only when he was with Ghost Big Brother did his attitude subconsciously soften; he couldn’t bring himself to push the man away harshly.
I’ll just… make it up to him a little…
Chu Ling carried the food box to Ghost Big Brother’s side. Before he could speak, his waist was grabbed, and with a small gasp, he tumbled into the man’s lap.
“Ghost Big Brother, watch out for the food box—!”
As soon as he spoke, the box in his arms was lifted away by a hand and set carelessly on the desk. That same hand then gripped the mask on the man’s face and slowly pulled it off, revealing the handsome face of “Ji Wuyuan.”
“If Ling-er wants to come over, just come over. Why bring food? Could it be the chefs here can’t satisfy the appetite of my little glutton cat?”
The term “little glutton cat” was far too intimate. The youth’s ears turned red as he murmured, “I brought this for you. I thought it was delicious, so I wanted you to try it too.”
After saying that, his restless hands pressed against the man’s firm chest, trying to leave the embrace. However, the arm around his waist tightened slightly, turning him sideways. His bottom met a solid surface, and he found himself sitting directly across the man’s thighs.
Though it wasn’t the first time, the thin-skinned youth still felt bashful and uncomfortable. Fortunately, they were the only two in the room, otherwise, he would have been so embarrassed he’d want to bury himself in the floor.
“Ghost Big Brother, you should let me down. It’s hard for you to eat like this…”
“Who says? I think it’s perfect.”
Ghost Mask, disguised as Ji Wuyuan, chuckled softly. As he spoke, one hand stayed around the youth’s slender, soft waist, pulling him into his chest. His free hand opened the food box to prove his point.
Seeing this, the youth couldn’t say much more. He knew in his heart that if he spoke again, Ghost Big Brother would find ten excuses to brush him off. So, he sat quietly in the man’s arms, occasionally pointing out the exquisite treats from the box and urging him to taste them.
“Fine, fine, I’ll eat.”
Ghost Mask bit into a plum blossom cake the youth handed him. His lips accidentally brushed against the boy’s fingertips, causing a faint, tingling numbness to travel from his lips all the way to his spine.
A pleasant smile played on Ghost Mask’s face. His narrow eyes crinkled, leaking a sense of enjoyment.
Every smile, every movement, every subtle expression was imitated almost perfectly—a meticulous portrayal, exactly like the real Ji Wuyuan.
However, he was not.
The fake was a fake. No matter how real the imitation, it could never become the truth…