Xie Weiyuan’s eyes darted away: “What are you talking about?”
Shen Yunjin’s heart missed a beat. He asked in confusion: “Hasn’t Master always wanted this? Why now…”
“Shut up. Do you know what you are saying?” Xie Weiyuan furrowed his brows, his face reddening at a visible speed. He turned his face away, avoiding Shen Yunjin’s scorching gaze.
Shen Yunjin said: “Disciple has no other thoughts; it is just that Master is severely injured, and as a disciple, I cannot sit by and watch.”
Xie Weiyuan rubbed his temples in frustration: “Do you even know how a luding heals wounds?”
Shen Yunjin’s face turned scarlet in an instant. He stammered: “Disciple… I have never seen it, but I roughly guessed it involves transmitting spiritual power through physical contact…”
He had never read any cultivation manuals growing up; the only cultivation method he had ever seen was the Jiuyou Heart Method given to him by the man in black. Naturally, he didn’t understand how a luding cultivated through dual cultivation, but he didn’t want Xie Weiyuan to look down on him. He paused, then added: “If Master is worried that I won’t do it right, Disciple can learn.”
Learn? Learn what?!
Xie Weiyuan raged: “In the future, listen less to this nonsense! Stop talking about luding and dual cultivation every single day!”
“But Master… weren’t you the one who said you only saw this disciple as a luding?”
“Times have changed! Anyway, you are forbidden from saying those two words again!” Xie Weiyuan turned over in frustration, burying himself in the bedcovers and ignoring Shen Yunjin.
“Master…”
Shen Yunjin wanted to continue, but Ji Yunlan pulled him by the wrist.
“Senior Brother, perhaps Master needs to rest. Let us leave first.” He gestured to Shen Yunjin, trying to avoid making the atmosphere in the room even more awkward.
Shen Yunjin lowered his head, a flash of darkness crossing his eyes. Although he only wanted to avoid being indebted to Xie Weiyuan, he hadn’t expected Xie Weiyuan to refuse so decisively.
It was clearly just healing, yet Xie Weiyuan wouldn’t even agree.
However, his suspicions grew heavier. He had only asked that sentence to test Xie Weiyuan’s feelings.
Now that he had proactively brought it up, Xie Weiyuan had actually refused.
Could it be that he really had changed?
“Senior Brother, luding dual cultivation isn’t as simple as you think…” Ji Yunlan spoke, feeling a bit ashamed to utter the words, and could only offer a hint.
“Isn’t it just physical contact?” Shen Yunjin blinked in confusion.
“…Senior Brother, perhaps you could ask someone else. I have matters to attend to; I am leaving.” It was the first time Ji Yunlan had avoided Shen Yunjin like this, and he hurried away, looking somewhat flustered.
Shen Yunjin was puzzled, still standing in place.
Behind him, Heavenly Compassion finally knew when to speak up. It fought to hold back laughter: “Young man, I retract what I said earlier. The three of you are quite interesting truly, too interesting.”
Shen Yunjin’s eyes flashed with a dangerous glint: “What are you laughing at?”
“My nature is just to laugh…”
Shen Yunjin raised an eyebrow: “Is that so? Why don’t you tell me, how does one perform dual cultivation as a luding?”
Heavenly Compassion suddenly became interested and said, sounding somewhat excited: “I know all about that! You have truly asked the right person. Come, come, find a private place, and I will explain it to you slowly.”
Shen Yunjin brought Heavenly Compassion into a side hall of the Cloud-Hidden Hall, placed it neatly before him, and asked: “Alright, you may speak now.”
…
A few sticks of incense later, Shen Yunjin’s heart was beating faster and faster. He swallowed hard: “Must I go inside?”
Heavenly Compassion shook its sword body: “Yes, you must! The essence of a man lies within. If you do not… do that, there is no way to replenish the other person’s body.”
“This way… will it hurt?”
“That depends on your technique. Come, head down the mountain tomorrow. This sword soul will help broaden your horizons.”
“What horizons?”
Heavenly Compassion chuckled: “Naturally, the kind that will allow you to grow into a real man.”
Shen Yunjin’s face turned even redder: “Actually, I have experienced it before.”
“You are so innocent; when could you have experienced it? Are you hiding your true self?”
“It is not that… it happened in a dream within the Huangliang Scroll; a man helped me.”
“A man??? How could you dream of a man during an erotic dream? You aren’t a homosexual, are you? Speaking of which, the last time I saw a homosexual…”
“Wait, who said I was a homosexual?”
“Not a homosexual, yet you dreamt of a man?”
“It was just a coincidence… Forget it, why am I explaining this to a sword soul without a physical form?”
“What does it matter if I don’t have a physical form? Sword souls like us are better suited for traveling the vast landscape; there isn’t a single place in the Nine Provinces I haven’t been to.”
Just as it finished speaking, Shen Yunjin’s stomach let out a loud “gurgle.”
Shen Yunjin smiled awkwardly: “Let us first consider today’s meal.”
“The Jiuyou Sect is so large; don’t you even have a dining hall?”
When Shen Yunjin mentioned this, his gaze sank: “It is not that we don’t have one; it is that they do not allow me to enter.”
“Aren’t you a disciple of the Sect Master? Why would they treat you this way?”
Shen Yunjin’s eyes held a trace of coldness: “It is he who does not permit it.”
“I thought he was treating you quite well today. Why would he forbid you from eating?”
He shook his head helplessly: “It was indeed so in the past.”
“Sigh, you are quite miserable. In that case, this Divine Sword of mine will reluctantly take you to find something to eat.”
…
Shen Yunjin rode the sword. Heavenly Compassion was a decent and conscientious sword; considering this was Shen Yunjin’s first time flying, it enlarged its blade by several times, making the flight much less difficult.
They flew to the back mountain. It was currently the season for Fusang fruit to ripen, so he picked a few purple-red fruits and tasted them they were sour, sweet, and delicious.
But that was clearly not enough. Heavenly Compassion took him hunting for wild rabbits and pheasants. Shen Yunjin had never eaten so much meat, and he and the sword stayed in the back mountain roasting meat until late at night before returning to the Cloud-Hidden Hall.
The night was deep in the Cloud-Hidden Hall, and a faint light was still burning in Xie Weiyuan’s room. Shen Yunjin thought Xie Weiyuan had fallen asleep without extinguishing the lamp and was just about to enter to extinguish the light.
Unexpectedly, the faint candlelight flickered and died out.
“…”
Shen Yunjin felt he was intruding, so he returned directly to the side hall. Just as he pushed open the door, he saw two meat buns and several spell manuals wrapped in blue covers sitting on the windowsill.
Excitement flashed in his eyes as he ran over to look at the buns, which had already gone cold in the night wind.
The man in black had come again…
It seemed he had found him. If he came again tomorrow, perhaps he could finally expose his true identity.
His thoughts surged, and his expression deepened: “Heavenly Compassion, let us return to the back mountain.”
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Heavenly Compassion carried him back to the back mountain. The night was quiet; Shen Yunjin rolled up his sleeves, used Heavenly Compassion to cut some branches and grass, chopped off a few thick branches, and bundled them with long grass, fashioning them into the shape of a scarecrow.
Heavenly Compassion asked in confusion: “Are you planning to farm? Why are you making a scarecrow?”
“You will know tomorrow.”
In the blink of an eye, he was busy until dawn before returning to the Cloud-Hidden Hall, where he happened to run into Xie Weiyuan, who had just risen.
The man was still wearing his white robes. Because he had just gotten out of bed, he hadn’t had time to bind his hair, and it hung loosely over his shoulders. His eyes were still filled with a trace of moisture.
Shen Yunjin’s expression darkened. He performed a disciple’s bow: “Good morning, Master.”
Seeing him looking travel-worn, Xie Weiyuan asked in surprise: “What have you been doing? You are only just returning now.”
Shen Yunjin avoided his gaze and made an excuse: “Disciple went to practice sword skills early.”
Xie Weiyuan believed him and turned away: “Very well, but there is no need to be so diligent.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than an uninvited guest entered the Cloud-Hidden Hall it was Elder Qingya.
The old man said gruffly: “Linghua-jun, we truly need you this time.”
Xie Weiyuan placed one hand behind his back, cleared his throat, and feigned profundity: “What matter requires me?”
Elder Qingya looked rather sheepish: “It is nothing major, but it has troubled me for too long…”
“Speak up, then.”
“It is that bun-stealing monster that has been spreading through the sect for so long it has returned!”
Xie Weiyuan’s face darkened, and he coughed twice: “What bun-stealing monster? Didn’t we say last time that those disciples in the sect were killed by Shen Jianglin? What does that have to do with a bun-stealing monster?”
“It is not the same thing. Some time ago, a bun-stealing monster suddenly appeared in the dining hall. It steals two buns every day, without fail. I am primarily focused on barrier and instrument arts, yet I couldn’t even trap it. Come to think of it, it did not appear during the time the Sect Master was away…”
Xie Weiyuan, fearing that Elder Qingya might guess something, hurriedly interrupted: “A mere few buns; perhaps it is just some gluttonous disciple in the sect. Let them steal them if they want.”
“That will not do. This person comes without a shadow and goes without a trace, and their cultivation is even above mine. If it is also above the Sect Master’s, then it is a major hidden threat. The Jiuyou Sect cannot afford another incident like Shen Jianglin’s.”
Xie Weiyuan had no choice. He sent Shen Yunjin away and followed Elder Qingya to the dining hall, feigning ignorance, and placed a protective barrier over the dining hall.
“Linghua-jun, you usually excel at using the Weak Water barrier; why have you suddenly used a regular Water Spirit barrier?” Elder Qingya touched the barrier with his fingertip, and it shattered effortlessly.
Xie Weiyuan gave an awkward smile: “Perhaps it is because I have just returned from the illusion and have not fully recovered. I shall try again.”
“Very well.” Elder Qingya stared fixedly at Xie Weiyuan, fearing he might make a mistake.
Xie Weiyuan could only honestly add a Weak Water barrier.
He truly felt that he was no different from a thief crying “stop thief.”
Now, it seemed he would have to expend a great deal of effort to deliver buns to Shen Yunjin tonight.
Elder Qingya, seeing that everything was ready, gave a cold laugh: “Let us see how you escape this time…”
Xie Weiyuan felt a chill run down his spine, made some perfunctory excuses to Elder Qingya, and returned to the Cloud-Hidden Hall alone.
Just as he walked into the Cloud-Hidden Hall, he saw Shen Yunjin’s figure.
The youth was practicing swordsmanship in the hall. His physique looked much sturdier than it had a month ago.
Boys at this age grew rapidly, and since he had been well-fed lately, he was growing even faster; perhaps it wouldn’t be long before he was taller than Xie Weiyuan.
Xie Weiyuan’s “fatherly” nature surfaced, and he couldn’t help but want to reach out and pat Shen Yunjin’s head, though he ultimately restrained the impulse.
In the courtyard, pear blossoms drifted down, mixed with a light fragrance that fell onto the shoulders of Shen Yunjin’s black robes.
The black robes were still too heavy, not really matching the youth’s dashing years.
But Xie Weiyuan had not forgotten to maintain his persona, so he approached coldly: “Stop practicing your sword, come here.”