Ji Yunlan walked over to a small, delicate teacup and began to pour tea into it.
He held the steaming cup, his gaze landing on Xie Weiyuan’s somewhat dry, pale lips.
“Master looks thirsty; let’s feed him some tea.”
Shen Yunjin, catching the scent of the tea, frowned slightly: “Master dislikes tea; did you not know that?”
Ji Yunlan gave a surprised “Ah,” and then asked in confusion: “Master has always loved this tea in the past; why would he dislike it?”
Shen Yunjin suddenly froze. Didn’t Xie Weiyuan feel dizzy from drinking tea?
He was silent for a long moment, his eyes dark. In an instant, he recalled that he had never been close to Xie Weiyuan in the past and knew nothing of his preferences, but Ji Yunlan had always been by the Master’s side and should surely know Xie Weiyuan better than he did.
Yet, how could he not know about Xie Weiyuan’s sensitivity to tea?
At this thought, Shen Yunjin’s gaze dimmed. He stood up and took the warm teacup: “I will go change this for plain water. You stay here and look after him.”
Ji Yunlan nodded and agreed.
Shen Yunjin pushed open the door. Outside, the sky was bright, and the sunlight was beautiful.
However, the Heavenly Compassion Sword carried on his back spoke at an inopportune moment.
Having been separated from the sword body for too long, the soul seemed unaccustomed to being confined within the dull metal, so it initiated a conversation: “You three are truly boring. Each one is colder-faced than the last. What is the point of being so gloomy and resentful every day? I am bored to death.”
“Are we?” he asked with a faint smile.
Heavenly Compassion nodded vigorously, causing the sword body to rattle: “Yes, yes, truly too boring.”
Shen Yunjin walked on, indifferent. He was still pondering the previous matter and asked casually: “Tell me, did Xie Weiyuan also use… the Soul-Swapping Technique?”
Heavenly Compassion was puzzled: “Xie Weiyuan? That Master of yours?”
It remained silent for a brief moment before negating: “Impossible. The Soul-Swapping Technique is extremely damaging to the body. Shen Jianglin had only used it for half a year before decaying into that state; if your Master had also used that technique, it would be impossible for him to be so…”
Heavenly Compassion couldn’t find the right word to describe Xie Weiyuan and choked for a moment. Suddenly, struck by inspiration, it exclaimed: “So handsome! If I had to describe your Master’s appearance, he truly deserves the title of a ‘Jade-Faced Gentleman.’ He is even more alluring than the courtesans in the brothels. Although his expression is a bit fierce, heh heh, conquering such a man is the most pleasurable experience… you understand…”
Shen Yunjin’s face darkened: “Was your sword soul upright in the past?”
“How was I not? You may insult my integrity as a sword, but you cannot insult my sword soul! I am merely a few tens of thousands of years your senior and possess a bit more experience. Come to think of it, you should be calling me ‘Senior’.”
Shen Yunjin placed his hand on the cold hilt, making a show of threatening it, and smiled indifferently: “Don’t forget whose hands you are in now.”
“Hey, hey, hey, that is not right of you. Even if I am willing to submit to you, I was once the sword of the Divine Lord Lingguang. Do you juniors have no sense of reverence?”
“Divine Lord Lingguang… that Vermilion Bird God from thirty thousand years ago?”
“Yes, yes, that’s him. Thinking back to when I was under Divine Lord Lingguang, one strike could sever mountains and rivers and shatter ten thousand troops. His majestic divine power was enough to terrify the Six Realms. It is a pity… too much time has passed; even I am beginning to forget the scent of his aura.”
“Although I do not know how you obtained the Divine Seal, you are just barely worthy of my status,” the sword soul added with a sigh of regret.
Shen Yunjin snorted coldly and stopped engaging with it, fetching a pot of warm water from the kitchen.
When he returned to the Cloud-Hidden Hall, he happened to hear Ji Yunlan speaking inside.
He leaned against the door and heard Ji Yunlan say: “Master, your face is so red.”
“…”
Then, a crisp sound followed: “Ah? Is it very red? …Perhaps I have a bit of a fever.”
Shen Yunjin paused for a moment.
Has he changed? It seemed he truly had.
That man’s acting skills were truly poor from the subtle habits to the inexplicable moments of pity.
He would never admit that he had forgiven someone just because of a few meals, a warm room, and a trivial bit of care.
However, to someone like him who had never felt love, that little bit… was simply too much, too full. It made his heart palpitate, left him in a daze, and filled him with fear, fearing that all of this was merely a deception.
Shen Yunjin pushed open the door. Ji Yunlan’s hand was resting on Xie Weiyuan’s forehead, seemingly checking to see if he truly had a fever.
Seeing him arrive, Ji Yunlan withdrew his hand as if burned.
Shen Yunjin said: “Master, are you thirsty?”
Xie Weiyuan’s lips were still pale, but his face was flushed with a faint redness, a redness that had spread to his earlobes and the skin of his slender neck, to a rather bizarre degree.
“Yes.” He suppressed his emotions and took the cup from Shen Yunjin’s hands.
Xie Weiyuan took the water, laboring under the illusion that he was watching a child grow up and become sensible. He felt a sense of relief, even having the urge to pat Shen Yunjin’s head to praise him.
But remembering the OOC penalty from that broken System, he withdrew his hand and put on a cold expression. Just as he was about to speak, the door behind him was pushed open.
Several elders filed in, and the cold room instantly became bustling.
It must have been the little disciple from earlier who had reported their escape from the Huangliang Scroll.
Elder Qingya smiled: “Linghua-jun, you have finally returned. You have no idea how long we have waited for you these past few days; we haven’t even had a full meal or a good night’s sleep…”
Elder Hongzhen, standing to the side, pushed him aside: “Go away, go away. If it weren’t for you, would Linghua-jun have fallen into that Huangliang Scroll?”
“You were there at the time; why didn’t you stop him? Now you are here blaming me.”
Seeing the two about to go at it again, Lingyu pulled them apart: “Enough, can you not show some concern for the Sect Master’s health? Can’t you see how weak he is?”
She was still wearing that black feather hairpin, sighing helplessly.
Xie Weiyuan was unaccustomed to such fussing. He refused: “I have no issues; it is merely some depletion of my spiritual roots.”
“Is that so? Linghua-jun, I told you long ago not to run around before the injury from the Soul-Devouring Nail had healed. Look at you now; I fear your recovery will be even slower.”
Shen Yunjin was startled.
Soul-Devouring Nail?
How could Master have been injured by a Soul-Devouring Nail?
He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked: “Master… were you injured?”
Elder Qingya had no patience for him and snorted: “It’s all because of you! If it weren’t for you breaking the sect rules, would your Master have been injured?”
Shen Yunjin seemed struck by the question.
Was it because of him? When did Xie Weiyuan get injured because of him?
He suddenly recalled that day Xie Weiyuan had knocked over the peach blossom pastries, and the man had leaned against the bed in that same weak state.
He had fainted on the Execution Platform that day and knew nothing, never expecting that it was Xie Weiyuan who had helped him shoulder the remaining hundreds of Soul-Devouring Nails.
How could it be? How could Xie Weiyuan have done that much for him?
Shen Yunjin’s heart surged with emotions, his breathing becoming shallow: “Because of me?”
Xie Weiyuan sat in the middle, incredibly awkward. Could this situation of being found out for doing a good deed not happen right in front of him?
It felt very deliberate, very much like fishing for praise; he wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in.
He hurriedly interrupted: “Everything is in the past; why mention it?”
Elder Qingya seemed unable to stop: “Linghua-jun, we know you are anxious to advance your cultivation, but you must take care of your body. After all, a thing like a luding can be found again if lost, but if your bones are damaged because of this, the loss will outweigh the gain…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Weiyuan coughed so hard he almost spat out his internal organs. His cheeks were burning red, and he couldn’t utter a word.
Elder Lingyu, fearing that if this topic didn’t end, Xie Weiyuan would faint from rage, hurriedly said: “You should say less. Elder Mukui, hurry and take the Sect Master’s pulse to see how his injuries are.”
Elder Mukui nodded and felt Xie Weiyuan’s pulse.
For a moment, the room fell silent as everyone looked at him expectantly.
Elder Mukui pondered for a moment and said: “The Sect Master’s body is not in serious danger; his spiritual power is merely overdrawn. He will be fine after resting for a period of time.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Xie Weiyuan suddenly remembered the Divine Work Pen from the Huangliang Scroll and said: “Hongzhen, send a letter to the Cangling Palace in a few days, saying that the Jiuyou Sect needs to borrow their Mirror of Retrospection.”
Elder Hongzhen was puzzled: “The Mirror of Retrospection? What does the Sect Master need that for?”
“During this trip to the Huangliang Scroll, we obtained the Divine Work Pen and the Heavenly Compassion Sword. But Shen Jianglin was merely a mortal; I do not know where he obtained these ancient divine artifacts. There must be someone pulling the strings behind the scenes. Using the Mirror of Retrospection will allow us to learn of the past events experienced by this Divine Work Pen.”
Elder Hongzhen nodded: “Since that is the case, I will draft the letter shortly.”
Seeing that the tasks were delegated, the room returned to silence. Xie Weiyuan felt rather awkward and gave an unceremonious order for them to leave.
Soon, the crowd dispersed, and only Shen Yunjin remained standing in place, dazed.
Ji Yunlan asked with confusion: “Senior Brother, what is wrong?”
Shen Yunjin only then snapped out of it, his eyes filled with emotions that were hard to describe.
He would be lying if he said he wasn’t shocked. Xie Weiyuan had actually blocked the Soul-Devouring Nails for him; this was absolutely something Xie Weiyuan would not do. Why would that man go to such lengths for him, time and time again?
Shen Yunjin did not know what memory was stirred, but there was a lingering, unresolved feeling in his heart.
Perhaps I should test him one more time.
I do not want to owe this man anything.
After pondering for a while, Shen Yunjin seemed to have made a major decision. He raised his lowered lashes, his gaze like embers, looking at Xie Weiyuan.
Then, he spoke his thoughts aloud.
As soon as the words left his lips, the other two in the room were stunned for a full moment before they could react.
Shen Yunjin said—
“Since Master was injured for my sake, if you have need, disciple is not unwilling… to be your luding.”
A moment later, feeling he had been too abrupt, Shen Yunjin added by way of compensation: “Don’t misunderstand… disciple just doesn’t want to owe Master.”
BOOM—
Xie Weiyuan felt as if struck by lightning, hit over the head with a club. He was dazed, looking at Shen Yunjin in astonishment.
This child… how exactly did he end up so corrupted by his upbringing?