Seeing that Chi Changye was about to leave, Geng Xinghe grew anxious and hurriedly reached out to grab the hem of his robe. “Master, I don’t want to rest. I want to start learning immortal arts from Master right now.”
“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. If you practice cultivation now, not only will it fail to advance your progress, but it will also put your life in danger.”
Chi Changye frowned, yet ultimately did not shake off Geng Xinghe’s hand, explaining himself with patient forbearance.
Besides, his current state of mind was restless and filled with mounting grievances.
To cultivate in such a state whether one could ever become an immortal was uncertain, but descending into demonic deviation was guaranteed.
“But surely, entering Master’s sect doesn’t mean I will learn nothing at all?”
Geng Xinghe knelt before Chi Changye, his voice mournful. “Master, I do not want to be useless.”
Chi Changye sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. “Get up. Your body is unwell; there is no need to kneel.”
It was rare for him to speak this much to anyone; all the words he was supposed to use for the entire year had already been spent, leaving him feeling incomparably exhausted.
“Since I have taken you as my disciple, I will naturally teach you. How could a disciple of mine, Chi Changye, ever be useless?”
Geng Xinghe remained kneeling on the bed. “But…”
“Since you have taken me as your master, you should trust me.”
Chi Changye’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. “Geng Chen, if you feel that I am incapable of teaching you, you are entirely free to leave right now. Otherwise, do not try to tell me how to do my job.”
His patience was truly reaching its absolute limit; if things dragged on for a moment longer, he was going to start hitting people.
“Disciple wouldn’t dare.” Geng Xinghe was startled and immediately acknowledged his mistake.
He had been too impatient.
His master was an immortal; how could he possibly condone or indulge him in seeking revenge?
Geng Xinghe lowered his eyes, wondering what thoughts were swirling in his mind.
Chi Changye suddenly felt as though he had brought a troublesome burden back with him.
“Geng Chen…” Chi Changye wanted to say something, yet felt he had no words left to say.
This youth had just lived through a catastrophic ordeal with both parents dead; expecting him to harbor zero hatred was simply impossible.
The Yaoguang Immortal Lord, who had always been devoid of sorrow, joy, hatred, or attachment, was trying for the very first time to understand the feelings of another.
He did not understand this kind of emotion, but he understood the principle.
Do not preach benevolence to others before experiencing their suffering.
The suffering this child had endured was hardly a minor matter.
After a moment, Chi Changye summoned his courage, gave Geng Xinghe a brief embrace, and patted his back. “I am here, so you have someone to lean on.”
He didn’t know how to comfort people, so he could only offer his own promise.
As long as the Demon God did not reappear in the world, he could keep protecting this pitiful child.
Geng Xinghe’s eyes suddenly grew damp.
The youth buried his face in Chi Changye’s chest and began to sob quietly.
Chi Changye was at his wit’s end.
Goodness gracious, why did children start crying out of nowhere?
How was he supposed to comfort him? He had no idea how!
Geng Xinghe cried for a long time.
So long that Chi Changye felt like he was losing the will to live, the youth finally stopped crying and lifted his head, his pretty peach-blossom eyes already red and swollen.
“I’m sorry, Master, I…”
The youth apologized with soft whimpers.
“It’s fine.”
Feeling utterly resigned to his fate, Chi Changye cast a cleansing spell to purify his robes, released Geng Xinghe, and stood up. “Since you don’t want to rest, let’s go. I will take you to meet the Sect Master and the others.”
“Yes.” Geng Xinghe rubbed his eyes and obediently agreed.
Chi Changye glanced at Geng Xinghe, thought for a moment, and retrieved a set of clothes from his mustard seed pouch. “I didn’t make any clothes for you yet, so make do with mine for now.”
Their builds weren’t vastly different; Geng Xinghe wearing his clothes would be acceptable.
“Thank you, Master.” Every movement of the youth was courteous and refined, showing clearly that he had been exceptionally well-raised.
Chi Changye sighed inwardly. What a wonderful child, yet he had to be cursed with such an abominable destiny that even gods and ghosts abhorred.
“Go change your clothes, I’ll wait outside.” Chi Changye strolled out of the room, looking steady and composed on the surface, but actually walking with hurried strides as if fleeing for his life.
He truly was fleeing for his life.
In the three hundred years since Chi Changye entered the mortal world, he had never spoken so many words to anyone with such patience.
He simply couldn’t endure it anymore.
Chi Changye stood outside the door, casting a cold gaze toward the distance.
He
His past three hundred years had been lived with strict clarity between good and evil, stark black and white.
Yet now, this youth seemed to have dragged him into a blurred world, one without such sharp boundaries, without such distinct lines of good and evil…
This little disciple of his…
With a soft creak, Geng Xinghe opened the door and stepped outside.
Chi Changye turned his head; the youth’s figure was tall and well-proportioned, and his own clothes fit the boy decently, save for the hem of the robe being slightly too long and trailing on the ground.
Chi Changye smiled. “Not bad, it looks good. Let’s go, I’ll take you to meet the Sect Master.”
“Yes, Master.”
Geng Xinghe answered submissively, keeping his head lowered as he followed Chi Changye out.
The moment Chi Changye led Geng Xinghe out of Chiyue Peak, the entire Yuxu Mountain was thrown into an uproar.
Good grief!
The Yaoguang Immortal Lord actually had someone following behind him!
A living person!
And they were wearing the exact same style of clothing as the Yaoguang Immortal Lord!
Who on earth was this person?
Whispers buzzed across the entire Yuxu Mountain.
Chi Changye acted as though none of them existed.
As the young man walked, he introduced the layout of the Xiaoyao Sect to Geng Xinghe, pointing out which area served what purpose the Pill Peak, the Medicine Peak, the Artifact Peak…
The more Geng Xinghe listened, the stranger he felt. “Master, why don’t the other peaks have proper names?”
Chi Changye rolled his eyes. “Because your Sect Master is an illiterate who doesn’t know how to name things.”
“Ah?” Geng Xinghe froze.
“Chiyue Peak used to be called ‘Peak Number Two’.”
Chi Changye stated coldly.
“Eh?” Geng Xinghe muttered under his breath, “Isn’t that a bit too perfunctory?”
“Hah, what did you expect?” Chi Changye’s disdain for Yue Qianfan was practically overflowing.
After all, the name Chiyue Peak was one he had chosen himself.
Arriving all the way at the main peak of Yuxu Mountain, Geng Xinghe noticed that Chi Changye had been frowning ever since they reached the foot of the mountain.
The youth felt a flutter of nervous apprehension.
Could it be that Master and the Sect Master were on bad terms?
If so, how was he supposed to protect Master in the future?
Chi Changye glanced at him, realizing the boy’s imagination was running wild. “Don’t let your mind wander; nobody is bullying me. I just find him annoying.”
With a disdainful tone, he added, “Your Sect Master is an absolute chatterbox.”
Geng Xinghe was bewildered.
Just how much of a chatterbox could the Sect Master possibly be to make Master despise him this much? Could a single person grow eight hundred mouths?
After a brief hesitation, Chi Changye summoned a flying sword, stepped onto the blade, and extended a hand toward Geng Xinghe. “Get on.”
Geng Xinghe grabbed Chi Changye’s hand and stepped onto the sword.
The flying sword abruptly soared into the air, shooting toward the summit.
Geng Xinghe was startled, stumbled forward into Chi Changye’s arms, and turned pale with fright. “Master…”
He he was afraid of heights!
Besides, that sword that sword was so narrow…
H-h-he couldn’t stand steadily on it at all!
Chi Changye’s face turned ashen.
Will someone please save him why was the creature known as a “disciple” so aggravating?!
Was it too late for him to regret this now?
Stiff all over, Chi Changye steadied Geng Xinghe and offered a rigid word of comfort. “It’s fine. Your master is here, you aren’t going to fall to your death.”
Geng Xinghe: ……
Not falling to death doesn’t mean I won’t be scared to death.
Geng Xinghe tightly grabbed onto Chi Changye’s sleeve, trembling in the wind.
Chi Changye paused, flicked his finger, and the flying sword instantly expanded, transforming from a narrow blade three fingers wide into a broad flying boat.
The young man gently patted Geng Xinghe’s shoulder. “There, you won’t be scared now.”
Geng Xinghe froze.
Wait, this thing could get bigger all along?!
Then why on earth did Master make him stand on a tightrope just a moment ago?!