Peach Blossoms Bloom in Two Branches 8
“You want it?” Ye Jinyun caught the system’s longing.
01 naturally wanted it, but this energy could only be detected by it, and it could not directly absorb it. Moreover, with Ye Jinyun’s current strength, he simply could not help it. Instead, he would only alert the enemy.
“Let’s wait until later.”
Ye Jinyun also understood 01’s silence. Wealth moves people’s hearts, but there is no such thing as a free lunch. Since Sword Sect dared to place this thing, one that even the system found immensely attractive, on this trial path, that meant no one would be able to take it away.
But since he now knew of such a treasure, there was no reason to give up so easily. When he had enough strength in the future, it would not be too late to come back for it.
What he needed to do now was first enter Sword Sect. Having just finished the trial path, he already had the qualification to enter Sword Sect.
Ye Jinyun successfully made it through the trial path. Whether Second Elder and Third Elder were feeling pleased in private or not, they both wore expressions of delight on the surface as they discussed bringing Ye Jinyun back to their respective main peaks.
“Second Martial Brother, sorry to trouble you to explain today’s matter to the sect master. I’ll take this brat Ye Jinyun back first.” Third Elder grabbed Ye Jinyun over to his side in one motion and immediately tried to run.
“Third Martial Brother, why be in such a hurry? Since Ye Jinyun has already completed the trial path, shouldn’t he choose which peak to join himself?” Second Elder stroked his beard with a smile, looking serene and unhurried, but his left hand was still resting on Ye Jinyun’s shoulder as he said, “Good child, are you willing to cultivate with me?”
In an instant, Ye Jinyun became a hot commodity, and both of them wanted to snatch him for their own main peak.
Faced with the two elders’ open invitations and covert tug-of-war, Ye Jinyun was still hesitating when he heard Shen Guhan, who had been silent all along, say, “Second Martial Uncle, Third Martial Uncle, Junior Brother Ye has formed a bond with me already. He is already part of the sect master’s line.”
“So the disciple is taking a disciple on behalf of the sect master?” Third Elder turned to look at Shen Guhan, his eyes burning with envy. Though Shen Guhan was not the chosen one, who would dare look down on him? At such a young age, he was already at Nascent Soul. Even Li Yichan, the chosen one, at the same age as him, was only at the great circle of Foundation Establishment and barely about to break through to Golden Core.
He bitterly resented that he was not the one who had taken him in as a disciple.
Shen Guhan nodded. “Master had already expected this, so he ordered me to wait here.”
“In that case, I won’t fight you for him anymore.” Third Elder released Ye Jinyun’s arm and cupped his hands toward the cave dwelling where the Sword Sect sect master resided.
Seeing Third Elder give up on Ye Jinyun, Second Elder also lost the desire to compete with the sect master for him, and let go of Ye Jinyun as well.
“Second Martial Uncle, Third Martial Uncle, excuse me.” Then Shen Guhan said to Ye Jinyun, “Come with me.”
Mo Shaoqing watched Ye Jinyun and Shen Guhan leave just like that, and hatred burned in his heart. But because of Third Elder, he did not dare to step forward. He hated Shen Guhan even more, and as a result he also hated Ye Jinyun.
……
“Senior Brother, I have something to do, so I’ll go first.” Gu Shaoxin seemed to have encountered something. His brows were tightly furrowed, his roguish air completely gone, and he hurried off.
“Will Honored Hongyun really give me the Flying Sand Grass?” Seeing that only he and Shen Guhan were left, Ye Jinyun could not help asking.
This concerned whether he could still cultivate, so he truly could not suppress himself.
The youth’s brows were tightly knit, and those peach blossom eyes that should have been smiling were rarely bright. Shen Guhan could not help reaching out to smooth away the crease between his brows. He did not like seeing Ye Jinyun look so gloomy at such a young age.
“What are you doing?” Ye Jinyun dodged Shen Guhan’s hand, his brow furrowing even deeper.
Seeing him evade, Shen Guhan did not lower his hand. Instead, he directly covered Ye Jinyun’s forehead with it. “Don’t move.”
The sun blazed overhead, and fine beads of sweat had gathered on Ye Jinyun’s forehead. Shen Guhan used his thumb to gently smooth out Ye Jinyun’s brow again and again.
A light breeze swept by. The branches beside them swayed, and several birds chirped from deep within the woods.
“You,” Ye Jinyun suddenly stepped back. “What are you doing?”
The youth’s face turned red again, even the tip of his nose pink, his light-colored pupils carrying panic mixed with anger.
Shen Guhan felt amused by Ye Jinyun’s expression and gave a faint smile. Confidently, he said, “Of course he will give it.”
Everyone thought that what Honored Hongyun treasured most was the ten-thousand-year Flying Sand Grass he had painstakingly cultivated, but Shen Guhan knew that what Honored Hongyun most wanted was to see the Ta’a Sword reappear in the world.
However, the Ta’a Sword was buried deep within Sword Sect’s Sword Mountain. The way to obtain the Ta’a Sword was for one’s cultivation to have fully mastered the Sword Sect cultivation art, along with the blood of the chosen one.
The reason he had come to Sword Sect was to obtain the Ta’a Sword. Now that he had already fully comprehended Sword Sect’s cultivation art, helping Ye Jinyun obtain the Flying Sand Grass along the way was not difficult for him.
Only…
He looked at Ye Jinyun, who had just bid farewell to the past and now wore a face full of hope. He actually felt a little reluctant. He could not bear to take Ye Jinyun’s blood.
“Th, then thank you.”
The two walked along. Ye Jinyun lowered his head and did not look at Shen Guhan, idly kicking the pebbles on the path from time to time.
“Mm.” Shen Guhan was also in a bad mood because he would have to take Ye Jinyun’s blood, and only gave a brief response.
The two fell silent again.
“You, do you like…” Ye Jinyun hesitated. The words almost came out, but he could not ask the rest no matter what. He had thought Shen Guhan liked Yiling, and that was why he had been helping him so much.
But after coming out of the illusion, one thing after another had happened. Although he was straight, he still knew something was off. Shen Guhan doing this seemed more like…
liking him?
“Senior Brother, Li Yichan has returned early from training.” Gu Shaoxin, who had just left not long ago, came rushing back again.
Li Yichan had returned. Shen Guhan was pleasantly surprised at the news. He had just been worrying about needing to take Ye Jinyun’s blood, but Li Yichan came back at this very moment. Since both were the chosen one acknowledged by the Nine Profound Pillars, whose blood he took was still blood. Shen Guhan smiled sincerely.
Ye Jinyun, standing beside him, was not so happy. Not long ago, the Li family had just broken off the engagement with him, and Li Yichan was the Li family’s young lady, his former fiancée, the person who had chosen to abandon him when he was at his most humble and downcast. In his youthful glory, he had once looked forward to their wedding with all his heart, only for that fervent hope to be doused cold. He could forgive Li Yichan.
But if he were to give her any kind of pleasant expression, Ye Jinyun felt he was not broad-minded enough for that yet.
“Senior Brother, why are you so happy?” Gu Shaoxin looked at his senior brother in confusion. In the past, Senior Brother had never shown Li Yichan any courtesy. Why would he be this happy now that Li Yichan had returned from training?
“Junior Sister Li has successfully returned from training. Shouldn’t I be happy?” Shen Guhan was in high spirits and casually found a reason for his happiness.
With Gu Shaoxin’s reminder, Ye Jinyun only then noticed that the usually indifferent Shen Guhan was smiling quite happily because of Li Yichan’s return. One man, one woman, it was hard not to think there was something going on there. Ye Jinyun instantly felt awkward. Just now he had even thought Shen Guhan liked him.
He had never expected to be slapped in the face so quickly. Fortunately, he had not asked it aloud. It was just that his heart no longer felt quite right, and he explained to himself that it might be because Li Yichan was his former fiancée.
“Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother.”
A woman in a light blue palace dress drifted over. Her brows and eyes were exquisite, and the standard curve of her lips made her seem less like a cultivator and more like a young lady from a prominent family.
“Congratulations, Junior Sister, on returning from training.” Seeing the blood source approach, Shen Guhan’s mood improved even more, and for the first time he smiled as he replied to Li Yichan.
Gu Shaoxin curled his lip and added, “Congratulations.”
He had never liked Li Yichan. She was smiling at everyone every day, and every inch of her seemed fake. With his naturally free-spirited temperament, he found her irritating at a glance.
“Many thanks, Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother.” Li Yichan was somewhat surprised by Shen Guhan’s friendliness, but she quickly returned to her smiling expression. Then she turned to look at Ye Jinyun behind Shen Guhan. “Long time no see, Jinyun gege.”
Although Ye Jinyun had not met Li Yichan many times, they had still seen each other before, and both sides knew what the other looked like.
“Congratulations.” If Gu Shaoxin’s attitude toward Li Yichan was perfunctory, then Ye Jinyun’s was outright icy.
Even so, Li Yichan was still smiling as she looked at Ye Jinyun with a smile in her eyes.
Once upon a time, Li Yichan had also been very satisfied with Ye Jinyun as this fiancé of hers who excelled in everything, with high talent and a handsome appearance. Unfortunately, he had become trash, and trash was simply not worthy of her, even if… Ye Jinyun becoming trash had been caused by her own hand.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go first.” Ye Jinyun did not want to stay with Li Yichan for even one more second and bade farewell to Shen Guhan.
The instant Ye Jinyun’s face darkened, Shen Guhan realized something. He frowned and, without thinking, grabbed Ye Jinyun’s hand, asking, “Where are you going?”
“I have something to do.” Ye Jinyun said.
Shen Guhan immediately thought of Shen Yiling, one of the women in his harem. He said, “I’ll go with you.”
Author’s note:
Thank you to reader “Ling Yuan” for the nutrient solution: +15