“Nonsense! Immortal Qingyan ascended a hundred years ago. Do you think you can just claim to be his disciple?”
Qin Wei was left speechless. He gripped his scabbard tightly and stood frozen in place. Yan Jue took a bite of his steamed bun, thinking the boy was truly foolish. He was neither willing to part with his belongings nor willing to run out on the bill, yet he stood there waiting for someone to bring him money.
After a few moments, Yan Jue’s heart softened. He leaned toward Lu Wu and said, “Lend me another feather.”
“What feather? This is my divine golden wing,” Lu Wu corrected.
“Fine, your golden wing,” Yan Jue agreed. As he reached out, Lu Wu dodged him repeatedly. “Wait, I will do it myself. Do not pluck me bald.”
“Thanks. May a good person like you have a safe life,” Yan Jue teased. He took the golden scale to the shopkeeper and said, “That young man’s bill and ours will be settled together.”
When Yan Jue returned, he saw the boy staring at him. “Thank you, brother, for being willing to believe me. May I ask your name? I will surely repay you tenfold in the future.”
“Wen Fuchen. Do not worry about it. It was just a small favor. No need to repay me,” Yan Jue replied. Just for the fact that Qin Wei had called him Grandmaster, Yan Jue felt obligated to help him out of this bind.
Qin Wei looked serious. “It must be repaid. My Master taught me that a drop of kindness should be returned with a surging spring.”
Yan Jue grew curious. “Who is your Master?”
Pride filled Qin Wei’s eyes as he spoke. “My Master is Elder Changxing, a disciple of Immortal Qingyan.”
“It is him?” Yan Jue was struck by a sense of familiarity and felt a sudden warmth toward the boy.
Wei Changxing was Yan Jue’s eldest disciple and Qi Yelan’s senior brother. Yan Jue was surprised that someone as eccentric as Wei Changxing could produce a disciple as innocent as Qin Wei. The two were complete opposites in both style and personality.
Fifty years ago, the martial arts world was full of Wei Changxing’s glorious deeds. He acted entirely on his own whims. Had he been in Qin Wei’s situation, he would have run out on the bill first and returned to pay tenfold later. He was a man who dared to do and say anything. He had snatched a bride from the Crown Prince and destroyed dens of bandits and thugs single-handedly. Even Yan Jue had found him difficult to control.
It was only by comparison to Wei Changxing that Qi Yelan had ever seemed steady. Yan Jue remained curious about him; such a character was a legendary figure even in his memory.
Yan Jue asked, “How is your Master now? Is he well?”
Although a hundred years had passed, it was normal for cultivators to live long lives. Master Yanxiu was an exception; he was already nearly a hundred years old in Yan Jue’s previous life, so his survival now was either a miracle or something more sinister.
Qin Wei’s expression fell instantly. “I do not know. Master returned to the Moshan Sect ten years ago. He only taught me for half a year before I never saw him again. I have written many letters over the years, but I have never received a reply. I fear Master thinks I am too dull and has abandoned me.”
“So you do not study at the Moshan Sect?” Yan Jue asked. He invited the boy to sit at their table.
Qin Wei bowed politely to the other two, his movements slightly stiff. He answered Yan Jue, “I have been practicing at home and have never entered the mountains.”
“At home?” Yan Jue was puzzled.
Qin Wei lowered his voice. “I live in the palace. It is spacious, and my father found many teachers for me, but I felt none of them treated me as kindly as my Master. Now that I have reached the age of maturity, I decided to come here to practice and to find him.”
Yan Jue was shocked. He knew the boy’s background was not simple, but he had not expected this. No wonder he looked like a pampered, tender vegetable. “You are from the palace? A prince? What is your father’s name and your rank?”
The young prince was blunt and introduced himself. “My father is Emperor Deming, the former legitimate heir. My mother is the current Empress, known in the martial world as Fairy Yushang.”
“It is really him?” Yan Jue’s mind was in a whirl. This was far too melodramatic. Did this silly boy know that his Master had almost snatched his mother away years ago? The Emperor was certainly bold to entrust his son to someone like Wei Changxing.
Yan Jue asked, “Since your status is special, why are you here alone? Where are your attendants? You said you made this decision yourself. Did you run away?”
Qin Wei scratched his head and smiled like a foolish boy, despite being twenty years old. “Not exactly. My mother knows I am here, but my father was unwilling. Brother Wen, are you also going to the Moshan Sect for the assembly? Why don’t we go together? Once I enter the mountains, I will repay the money for the meal.”
He really had run away. Yan Jue realized that while this “white cabbage” was not as clever as Wei Changxing, he shared his master’s impulsive streak. He felt uneasy letting the boy wander alone. He turned to Lu Wu and said, “Let’s bring him with us.”
Lu Wu, enjoying his wine, was in a great mood. “I have no objection. The kid is a bit slow, so he should be fun to have around.”
Now that they had more money, Yan Jue wanted to book another two rooms for Qin Wei, but he was told only one room remained. Two people would still have to share. Just as Yan Jue was about to speak to Lu Wu, A-Ye interrupted. “We will share a room.”
“No need,” Yan Jue said. “Your injury has not healed, and you are tired. I am a restless sleeper, so I will stay with Brother Lu. What do you say, Brother Lu?”
Lu Wu looked up and met two intense gazes: one cold and piercing, the other warm and hopeful. He ignored Qi Yelan and put an arm around Yan Jue’s shoulder. “Of course. What is wrong with sleeping on the same bed between us?”
As a god, Lu Wu did not fear a youth, even if that youth was not truly a youth. Yan Jue’s smile was stiff as he whispered a warning to Lu Wu. “You are overacting.”
The night grew deep, but the city remained bright with lanterns and bustling with activity. Cultivators practiced swordplay at the city gates while silent killings occurred in the shadows. Yan Jue had not intended to drink, but he lost track of his limit while celebrating with his grand-disciple. After half a cup, his head felt heavy, and he collapsed onto the bed in his room.
Lu Wu, a divine beast who rarely visited the human world, felt itchy after days of traveling. He ordered several buckets of water and began to bathe in a screened area.
“Bathing and changing clothes, getting all clean,” he hummed. Inside the bath, a golden beast appeared briefly beneath the water before shifting back into a human form. His skin was smooth, and his muscles were well-defined. Just as Lu Wu surfaced, he heard the door open.
“Little Yan, bring me a towel,” he called out. There was no reply, only the sound of approaching footsteps. Lu Wu reached out his hand to take the towel, but he froze when he saw who had entered. “Why is it you? Where is Fuchen?”
Qi Yelan looked coldly at the naked Lu Wu in the tub. The man still had that irritating, smug look. Lu Wu felt his skin crawl under the gaze and instinctively covered his chest. “What are you doing here?”