As soon as Jian Zhu finished speaking, he saw Huai Wang’s expression darken, his knuckles slightly curling.
He looked as though his hands were itching to chop something down.
Leisurely, Jian Zhu walked past Huai Wang toward the courtyard. “Let’s go, Immortal Venerable. Let’s go take a look at your ruins.”
Huai Wang: “…”
When the two arrived in front of the courtyard, they found the low fences scattered all over the ground, the wooden cottage half-collapsed, and even the doorframe wrenched off its hinges. It was as dilapidated as could be.
In the middle of the yard, a massive spiritual crane was nestled right on top of the vegetable plot, its dark, bead-like eyes looking intelligently at the two of them as it let out a soft cluck, looking just like it was hatching an egg.
Jian Zhu let out a soft, involuntary laugh. “Heh.”
Huai Wang stared fixedly at the spiritual crane with a dark gaze for a good ten seconds before flicking his sleeve. The broken fence posts on the ground were instantly pulverized into fine dust, scattering away with the night breeze.
He turned and walked toward the edge of the cliff. “Forget it. We’ll set off for Yingzhou tomorrow at dawn.”
Judging by his demeanor, he intended to meditate for the rest of the night and hit the road first thing in the morning.
Jian Zhu spoke up. “The back mountain shouldn’t have been caught in the crossfire. Immortal Venerable can go rest in that cottage over there.”
“No need.”
Jian Zhu slowly followed after him. “What, are you afraid of getting close to people?”
“…”
“On our trip to Yingzhou, we’ll inevitably be entering and leaving places together, and there’s no guarantee we won’t share life and death.” Jian Zhu lectured him, “How are we supposed to build a spirit of teamwork if you’re like this?”
Huai Wang paused, as if pondering this, then changed direction and headed toward the parasol tree grove. Jian Zhu felt a sense of gratification: Not bad, a teachable student.
The path to the back mountain was far from unfamiliar to Huai Wang; the dwelling he used to live in was right up the stone steps.
Jian Zhu led him into the house, and the moment Huai Wang stepped across the threshold, he noticed a subtle difference.
In the past, when he lived here alone, the arrangement was exceptionally sparse and austere. Jian Zhu looked lazy and laid-back by nature, yet he kept the room neat and clean, even arranging a few clusters of flora by the couch and the table, giving it a strong sense of a lived-in home.
Seeing Huai Wang’s gaze linger on the plants, Jian Zhu remarked, “Look, ambiance.”
Huai Wang asked, “Where did these flowers come from?”
Jian Zhu half-joked, “Someone gave them to me.”
Huai Wang frowned. Before he could say anything, he watched Jian Zhu reach out to toy with the petals, layers of floral shadows casting across his fair knuckles.
“Just kidding. I plucked them from someone else’s peak.”
Hearing that, Huai Wang said nothing more.
The cottage was divided into an inner room and an outer chamber. Glancing at the sky outside, Jian Zhu estimated that it would be dawn in two or three hours at most. “We have to get up early tomorrow, so we should rest early. Which room is the Immortal Venerable taking?”
Huai Wang stayed in the outer chamber, preparing to cultivate right where he stood. “As cultivators, how can we afford such laziness?”
Jian Zhu sauntered back to the inner room on his own. “A person only lives for a mere thousand or ten thousand years in this lifetime. You’ve got to make the most of the present and treat yourself well.”
……
Early the next morning, the two set off from Cangshan.
It was right at daybreak, with glowing morning clouds filling the sky. Gazing out into the distance from the Crane-Resting Terrace, the entire Lin Yuan Sect could be taken in at a single glance.
Sensing the time was about right, Jian Zhu said to Huai Wang, “We’re leaving in quite a rush. Can we go via the front mountain? That way, I can bid farewell to my fellow disciples.”
Huai Wang glanced sideways at him. “So many troubles.”
Jian Zhu retorted, “You don’t have friends, so you wouldn’t understand this kind of bond.”
Huai Wang: “…”
In the end, they still stepped onto the path leading to the front mountain.
With morning classes about to begin, sect disciples were coming and going along the path. Seeing Huai Wang appear here, they were filled with a mix of awe and reverence. “Greetings, Immortal Venerable!”
Jian Zhu strolled forward with his hands tucked into his sleeves, swaggering along in a scene that momentarily looked like a fox exploiting the tiger’s might.
Along the way, they ran into quite a few familiar peers, including the fellow student who had pleaded on his behalf yesterday. Jian Zhu thanked them one by one, and when he turned his head, he saw Senior Brother He walking quickly toward him.
Upon seeing Huai Wang, Senior Brother He was startled at first, then carefully inquired about Jian Zhu’s condition. “Are you alright?”
Jian Zhu nodded. “I’m doing great. I’m about to set off for a distant place.”
Senior Brother He paused for a moment, then suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice. “Junior brother, tell me honestly—was pleading for you yesterday useless, and are they secretly banishing you to some desolate, barren mountain peak?”
“…” Jian Zhu reached out and patted his shoulder. “Senior brother, your talent for storytelling is lacking a stage to shine on. After I leave, you should go look for Jiang Chaoyun. I expect great things from the two of you in the future.”
Senior Brother He looked half-understanding, but still acknowledged the advice.
Having said goodbye to Senior Brother He, Jian Zhu and Huai Wang walked toward the outside of the mountain gate. Meetings and partings happen as they will; he hadn’t planned to deliberately go looking for anyone to say goodbye to, intending only to take it as it came depending on who they met along the way.
As a result, as soon as they stepped out of the central gate, they ran right into Jiang Chaoyun.
Yesterday’s events had already spread throughout the sect, and Jiang Chaoyun made no effort to hide his worry. “Are you alright? How is the sect planning to punish you?”
Jian Zhu had already given up on correcting his phrasing. “I’m fine for now.”
“As long as you’re fine… You have no idea, Jiang Yin is back to spreading bad rumors about you behind your back!” Jiang Chaoyun’s emotions flared up, and his voice rang out loud and clear. Only after he finished shouting did he remember that the immortal-like Huai Wang was still standing right beside them, and he quickly shot a stealthy glance over.
Yet he saw Huai Wang lowering his eyes, a faint, vertical frown resembling the character for “river” pinched between his brows. Jiang Chaoyun instantly zipped his lips. He figured his voice must have been too loud and disturbed the Immortal Venerable.
“Getting worked up over him is meaningless.” Jian Zhu hadn’t noticed Huai Wang’s expression and simply imparted some wisdom to Jiang Chaoyun. “You have to use shamelessness to defeat shamelessness, and use web novels to defeat rumors.”
Jiang Chaoyun experienced an epiphany. “That makes sense. Rumors are like the wind, gone without a trace after three months; web novels are written down in text, passed down through the ages as the absolute GOAT!”
“…”
Having dispensed his advice to Jiang Chaoyun, Jian Zhu felt like he’d crossed another item off his mental checklist.
With the Lin Yuan Sect’s morning classes having begun, the path was entirely deserted.
An incense stick’s worth of time slipped away just like that, and Huai Wang cast a meaningful look at Jian Zhu. “You sure have quite a few people to say goodbye to.”
Knowing he was in the wrong, Jian Zhu admitted, “No more, no more. This is the absolute end of it.”
Huai Wang withdrew his gaze and dropped the matter.
Up ahead, the outline of the mountain gate could be faintly seen. Jian Zhu quickened his pace, his hair ribbon swinging back and forth behind him, dazzling the eyes. Huai Wang took two or three strides forward, bypassing him to take the lead.
Just as they stepped past the mountain gate, a voice suddenly called out from behind them, “Junior brother!”
Huai Wang’s gaze drifted over: …
Jian Zhu felt his heart skip a beat as he turned around to look, only to see Luo Chenyang walking over briskly, reaching the two of them in just a few breaths.
“Immortal Venerable.” Luo Chenyang offered a slight bow to Huai Wang, then immediately turned his gaze to Jian Zhu. “Did you rest well yesterday? I heard from Sect Master that you’re going on a long journey—remember to take good care of yourself.”
Jian Zhu thought to himself that the guy was quite polite, knowing to start with a couple of pleasantries. “Thank you, Senior Brother. Did you make a special trip over, bringing a message from the Sect Master?”
Luo Chenyang laughed helplessly. “I was simply worried about Junior Brother, so I came to offer a word of reminder.”
Jian Zhu: “…”
He really had come out just to exchange pleasantries.
As expected of the chief disciple; he was like a gentle, lingering spring breeze blowing across every inch of soil within the sect.
To show courtesy in return, Jian Zhu offered, “In the future, during the vote for the next Sect Master, I will definitely vote for you.”
Luo Chenyang: “…”
Luo Chenyang: “No, that’s not what I meant. I…”
“It’s getting late.” A calm, cool voice cut through the conversation.
Huai Wang’s gaze had remained fixed between the two of them the entire time. Although there was no visible impatience on his face, the implication in his words spoke for itself.
Realizing it truly was getting late, Jian Zhu waved off at Luo Chenyang. “Senior Brother, let’s chat again when there’s time.”
After much hardship in finally leaving the sect, the two of them embarked on the road to Yingzhou.
An outing of this nature shouldn’t be too flashy, especially for Huai Wang—given his status as the number one cultivator in the world at the Mahayana stage, any casual movement of his would draw the eyes of all living beings.
Therefore, he changed his appearance to disguise himself as an ordinary mortal.
Jian Zhu sized up Huai Wang’s features. Presumably because that previous face had been exposed in front of him, Huai Wang had altered a few details, leaving his facial features looking thoroughly unremarkable.
Still, a true beauty shines through their bones rather than mere skin. In Jian Zhu’s view, given Huai Wang’s figure, temperament, and ethereal aura… even if he were stuffed inside a crane’s shell, he would still look exceptionally handsome.
Huai Wang glanced at Jian Zhu a few times. “You’re not going to use disguise techniques?”
Jian Zhu brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. “I’m entirely ordinary and unknown; nobody will recognize me.”
“That’s not the issue.”
“Then what is?”
“…” Huai Wang fell silent for a moment. “Never mind.”
Because it was inconvenient for the two of them to expose their true identities, they had to be cautious all along the journey, traveling for the better part of a day before finally stopping outside a city.
This place was called Jiaozhou, still three cities away from Yingzhou.
The sun hadn’t set yet, but Huai Wang proposed going into the city to rest. Jian Zhu guessed that he had probably picked up on something during his trip out a few days prior.
The towering city gates stood wide open, and a line of commoners ahead of them waited in single file to pass through the security checks at the entrance.
Jian Zhu and Huai Wang lingered at the very tail end of the line, and Jian Zhu turned half his face toward him. “Since we’re posing as mortals traveling together, how should we introduce our relationship to outsiders from now on?”
Huai Wang thought about it. “We’ll just say we’re friends.”
Jian Zhu retorted, “Impossible. You look thoroughly unfriendly.”
Huai Wang: “…”
“How about brothers?” Jian Zhu tilted his head and looked up, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his eyes. “I’ll call you elder brother.”
Huai Wang’s eyelashes lowered slightly. “Aren’t brothers even closer?”
“Brothers at war with each other.”
“…”
Huai Wang didn’t object further, tacitly accepting this dynamic.
The two followed the crowd forward, and upon entering Jiaozhou City, the bustling streets unfolded before their eyes.
Jian Zhu and Huai Wang walked into the bustling sea of people, a vendor carrying a shoulder pole weaving through the center and carefully avoiding pedestrians. Lining the street were various stalls; unlike Liguang City, the small stalls in Jiaozhou offered many decorative items like pretty stones and seashells.
The two walked very close together, their robes brushing against each other with every step. Jian Zhu softly opened his mouth, “What does my elder brother have in mind?”
“Take it one step at a time.”
That meant nothing at all. As Jian Zhu strolled, he casually glanced at the street-side stalls. A dazzling array of ornaments spread out on red cloth made these ordinary trinkets look like top-grade merchandise.
He stopped in front of a stall, bent down, and picked up a piece to play with in his hand. “This obsidian even has a fine white stripe mixed right through the middle. It’s quite pretty.”
Huai Wang stood behind him. “Just an ordinary trinket.”
Hearing that, the vendor wasn’t having it. “You two, this was salvaged directly from the Sea of Jiaoren! That fine stripe was likely scratched by a scale of the legendary merman, completely rare stuff!”
“A merman scale?” Jian Zhu paused, then smiled at Huai Wang. “Speaking of which, I actually have a crystal stone on me with a merman scale embedded inside. Who knows if it’s real or fake?”
As he spoke, he fished the crystal stone out of his cosmos pouch. The moment it caught the light, a halo shimmered across its surface, revealing a scale the size of a fingernail embedded within, sharp, cold points hidden along its edges.
The vendor’s eyes went straight. “Th-this is…”
Huai Wang’s expression shifted slightly. Meeting Jian Zhu’s gaze for just a split second, he then said, “It’s just some little knick-knacks picked up off the street. How could there be any genuine articles?”
“True.” Jian Zhu tucked the crystal stone back away and handed the obsidian piece back to the vendor. “I’m tired of walking, elder brother. I want to go back and lie flat.”
“Let’s find an inn.”
Leaving the vendor behind, Jian Zhu leisurely strolled through the passing crowd. Huai Wang followed right behind him, a flash of every word and smile from the latter crossing his mind as he suddenly realized that some people were probably born with hooks in them.
On the way to the inn, they chatted casually back and forth as they walked.
“Jiaozhou is right by the sea. Do mermen really show up around here?” Jian Zhu asked with keen interest. “I heard that mermen shed tears that turn into pearls, and they’re born with appearances that stun the world.”
Huai Wang was entirely indifferent. “Mere shells.”
Jian Zhu disagreed. “You need to have a pair of eyes adept at discovering beauty.”
“Mermen are born with monstrous strength, and their scales are sharp enough to slice through stone. If you were to cross paths with them, I’m afraid you wouldn’t have the leisure to appreciate them.”
“…Enough.” Jian Zhu said, “Stop talking, I’m begging you.”
The two found a rather large inn in the city. Guests were coming and going, and business looked quite brisk.
Jian Zhu walked up to the counter to inquire about a room. “My elder brother and I will be staying together.”
The runner lifted his head, ledger in hand. “Are you two looking for two single rooms or a double suite? Since you’re brothers, you might as well take a double suite—it’s a bit cheaper.”
Huai Wang said, “No need, I have money.”
Jian Zhu nodded. “And our bond is shallow.”
The inn runner: “…”
Amidst the runner’s complicated gaze, Jian Zhu grabbed the key and headed upstairs. The guest rooms on the second floor were mostly occupied, while the third floor only had the two of them and a scattering of other guests.
Their guest rooms were right next to each other, and the two parted ways at their respective doors to enter their rooms.
Once the door was closed, Jian Zhu first pushed open the window shutters to let in some fresh air. The outside light spilled into the room, illuminating it brightly.
Jiaozhou bordered the sea, and even the air carried a slight salty, damp tang. As Jian Zhu tilted his face up to soak in the sunlight, he pondered whether beautiful mermen also tasted rather salty and savory.
Huai Wang didn’t come to call for him, so he simply sat in the room waiting until sunset, during which time he even tried using the communication stone to contact Xue Jianxiao, though the latter remained completely out of touch.
Jian Zhu felt mentally exhausted: you can’t even blame the sect; Xue Jianxiao really acted just like a criminal fleeing from justice.
The sunset in Jiaozhou arrived earlier than in Liguang City. As night fell, the streets grew desolate with few commoners in sight. Occasional murmurs of human voices could be heard from around the inn, but as the night grew deeper, everything fell into silence.
Jian Zhu closed the carved window, cast one last look out at the pitch-black street, and shut the window with a solid clack.
By midnight, he raised a hand and flicked away the candlelight. The firelight wavered, flashing in his eyes before the entire room plunged into darkness.
Jian Zhu turned around, lay down on the bed fully clothed, and as time ticked by, his breathing gradually grew steady and even.
……
I don’t know how much time had passed when the tightly shut carved window gave a soft click. The window panels swung open soundlessly, and a squarely cut patch of moonlight fell upon the wooden floorboards.
The air was permeated with the faint, fishy saltiness of the sea breeze. Jian Zhu lay flat on his back, his slender eyelashes casting a fan of shadows against his eyelids.
In the dead of the silent night, a sudden, deafening crash rang out as a figure shattered through the window and lunged straight toward him! Jian Zhu’s tightly shut eyes snapped open instantly, his gaze crystal-clear—almost simultaneously, a sharp, murderous intent ripped through the air.
The very instant he reversed his grip to plunge his dagger into the intruder, a blade cloaked in killing intent also pressed against his heart, the sword wind slicing open his collar and stopping a mere hair’s breadth away.
“Hiss…” The figure looming above dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke and vanished before his eyes, leaving only the dagger and the longsword pointing at each other.
Guided by the moonlight pouring through the window, Jian Zhu raised his eyes and locked gazes with Huai Wang, who was standing by the bedside with his sword drawn.
The sword glow of Wenxian illuminated the latter’s eyes brightly.