Chapter 18#
Chapter 18#
The room was pitch black, windows tightly shut, so that even moonlight could not penetrate.
Xue Jingci disliked dark environments; to him, darkness represented danger. With a snap of his fingers, all the lamps in the room lit up.
Xiao Xun suddenly closed his eyes, shielding them with his hand as if unaccustomed to the light.
Xue Jingci sized him up from top to bottom. Finding no injuries, he spoke truthfully: “I went to find Xie Zheng.”
Xiao Xun forced a smile: “Is Master an old acquaintance of his?”
Before Xue Jingci could speak, Xiao Xun refuted himself: “Then again, it doesn’t seem like it.”
Seeing Xue Jingci offer no reaction, seemingly tacitly agreeing that he and Xie Zheng were not old acquaintances, the tension in Xiao Xun’s expression relaxed.
He asked tentatively once more: “Since you aren’t old acquaintances…”
Xue Jingci still didn’t answer. Xiao Xun asked meaningfully: “For Master to seek him out late at night, could it be that Master and he are enemies?”
The matter of Xue Jingci seeking out Xie Zheng had long since spread throughout the sect.
Although Xiao Xun had entered the sect late, he had heard more or less about it. Such a guess was not strange.
Xue Jingci didn’t find it odd either, merely shaking his head. “Not really. There is nothing to be said between him and me.”
Xiao Xun lowered his head, the gloom in his eyes overflowing and unable to be dispelled for a long time.
Whether it was love or hate, in the end, they were both emotions born from holding a person in one’s heart.
In his previous life, he had also asked Xue Jingci about Xie Zheng, and at that time, Xue Jingci had answered him in the same way.
He had originally thought that there truly was no intersection between Xie Zheng and Xue Jingci, and that the events within the sect were merely rumors embellished with more flavor.
It wasn’t until later, when Xue Jingci actually fell off a cliff to save Xie Zheng and Xie Zheng found him in a mad state, that Xiao Xun gradually learned of their past in the lower realm.
Xiao Xun looked up at Xue Jingci under the lamplight, his thoughts momentarily dazed.
He remembered that after his master died, he had never extinguished the lamps at night again.
He had practiced every evil soul-summoning technique in the world, yet he only summoned nameless lonely ghosts and wild spirits.
Later, a small ghost told him that the souls of those who fall from cliffs are bound to the ground, finding it difficult to escape for all eternity.
So he went to the bottom of the cliff, frantically searching inch by inch…
“Master.”
Xiao Xun called out softly, clutching Xue Jingci’s hand tightly in a plea: “Don’t go yet, stay with me for a bit, just a little while…”
In his previous life, he had met Xue Jingci too late and was unable to prevent many things. But this time was different.
He would completely and utterly replace Xie Zheng’s position. He would never let Xue Jingci go to save him again.
Xue Jingci sensed that Xiao Xun’s state was off, but everyone has things they cannot speak of, so he didn’t ask further. He simply withdrew his hand and began to meditate beside him.
Xiao Xun finally returned to his senses from the events of his past life.
When he looked up again, he had already hidden the emotions in his heart well.
Half an hour passed. Xue Jingci emerged from his meditative state. Noticing Xiao Xun was watching him, he asked: “Feeling better?”
Xiao Xun looked ashamed: “Master isn’t going to ask me the reason?”
Xue Jingci said: “You will speak if you want to.”
Xiao Xun looked up and said: “Actually, I was very afraid in my heart when I talked back to Senior Brother Xie yesterday. I only felt terrified when I discovered Master was gone tonight.”
“Please don’t blame me, Master. For someone of my status, it is impossible to survive without being a bit cautious.”
Seeing him so frank, Xue Jingci’s expression softened slightly, and he didn’t interrupt.
“In the past, everyone could step on me. It wasn’t until I entered the sect and met Master that I gained respect.”
Xiao Xun lowered his eyes, hiding the longing in them, and spoke as if making a promise: “I know Master is truly good to me, so even if it were the Sect Master himself slandering your innocence today, I would still stand by your side.”
Xue Jingci stared fixedly at Xiao Xun and suddenly asked: “But the first time you met me, you spoke up for me. Weren’t you afraid then?”
A trace of undetectable emotion flashed through Xiao Xun’s eyes. He looked at him and smiled, saying: “Actually, you helped me a long time ago, you just don’t remember.”
Xue Jingci couldn’t recall having ever met Xiao Xun, so he followed up: “When?”
Xiao Xun didn’t answer, only saying warmly: “It wasn’t anything big. Master was just passing through and acted casually. It’s late; this disciple will return to his room to sleep. Please rest well, Master.”
Xue Jingci was not curious about others’ pasts. Since Xiao Xun didn’t want to say, he wouldn’t ask.
He lay down on the bed. Hearing the sound of the cat jumping around, he opened his eyes and asked: “Do you have something to say?”
The System wagged its tail and asked: “Host, today Xie Zheng said you practiced evil arts. Is that true?”
Xue Jingci thought for a moment. “I don’t know.”
The techniques he practiced were self-created, merging techniques from many sects, and were different from anyone else’s.
The System asked: “If it’s an evil art, we’ve been in the Lingxu Sect for so long, why hasn’t anyone noticed?”
Xue Jingci said: “The techniques I practice are complex. I don’t even know which sect or faction they belong to myself, let alone them.”
Seeing the cat tilting its head in observation, Xue Jingci picked it up. With a light flick of his finger, a wisp of pure, dark aura emerged.
The System’s tail stood on end in fear. Its paws quickly grabbed Xue Jingci’s finger, and it blew on it forcefully several times, trying to blow out the black aura.
It said in a panic: “It truly doesn’t look like anything good. Host, you must never show this in front of outsiders, otherwise you might invite disaster.”
The System looked at Xue Jingci, knowing he was different from others and didn’t have such a strong obsession with the distinction between righteous and evil.
But people are different. Xie Zheng was someone who had always been clear about good and evil, with no room for a grain of sand in his eyes.
The System hesitated to speak. On second thought, since they had already parted ways with Xie Zheng, there was no need to worry about that man anymore. What was more important now was to take Xiao Xun as a disciple as soon as possible and continue the mission.
Xue Jingci was always open-minded. Seeing the System stop asking, he didn’t think about it further and prepared to sleep.
Just as he closed his eyes, he suddenly heard someone tapping lightly on the window and sat up instantly.
“Who is it?”
The System also slit its pupils, meowing in a show of force. Was it ever going to be allowed to sleep!
It was originally cowardly, but after throwing a mouse into that fellow Xie Zheng’s room today, it felt it was different from the past and sufficient to protect the host.
“It’s me.”
A clear voice came from outside the window, followed by an introduction: “Xu Wang.”
Hearing this, Xue Jingci opened the window. Before the person appeared, a branch of peach blossoms was sent in first. Xu Wang sat on the windowsill, not coming in, looking ready to flee at any moment.
Over the years, Xue Jingci had bought quite a bit of information from Xu Wang. Accustomed to his thief-like manner, he asked: “Is there any progress on the matter I asked you to look into?”
Xu Wang brought over a small jar of wine and said: “Can’t we have a drink and catch up first before talking business?”
Xue Jingci rarely spent effort on useless things, like catching up.
However, drinking wine was not a useless thing.
He nodded. “Alright.”
Xu Wang took out the wine. Xue Jingci drank intently while Xu Wang spoke intently.
When he was in the mortal realm previously, Xue Jingci had sensed demonic cultivators, but Zhou Zimo had not allowed him to interfere.
He had no choice but to ask Xu Wang to investigate.
Xu Wang’s expression turned a bit more serious. “There has been frequent activity in the demon realm lately. It seems they are looking for someone.”
Xue Jingci put down his wine cup. “Looking for someone?”
“It’s similar to how the righteous path sought out Xie Zheng. I heard that among demonic cultivators, there is also someone skilled in prophecy who divined that within a hundred years, a person with a special bloodline will be born among demonic cultivators who can completely break the Heaven’s Gate Array.”
Xu Wang placed his wine cup on the windowsill. “It’s just that the person probably won’t have Xie Zheng’s good fortune, to be taken back by a top sect and nurtured with everything. Demonic cultivators have always acted ruthlessly and eccentrically. If they truly find that person, they’ll likely try every means to plunder that bloodline immediately.”
Mentioning Xie Zheng, Xu Wang remembered to ask: “Coming back from the mortal realm this time, I suppose you’ve already exchanged for a tablet to see Xie Zheng?”
Xue Jingci put down his wine cup and said faintly: “He is no longer what he used to be.”
Xu Wang was silent for a moment, understanding the meaning in his words. He stopped asking and comforted: “Let’s not mention him. In the past when I came to your courtyard, you were always alone. Who was that person who just left your room?”
Xue Jingci looked up at him and finally said: “Xiao Xun, my newly taken disciple.”
Xu Wang shook his head with a “tsk”: “You really have forgotten the pain once the wound healed. Careful it’s not another ungrateful wolf that will turn around and bite you.”
Xue Jingci said nothing. Xu Wang picked up the flower branch and held it out to him. “You were so carefree and at ease alone. Why must you take a disciple? It’s a waste of both heart and effort.”
Seeing the flower branch in his hand, Xu Wang remembered something.
“Oh right. The peonies are in bloom in Luocheng. Someone asked me to bring this to you.”
As he spoke, he took out a teardrop-shaped piece of amber from his robes. The amber was about the size of an adult’s palm, and inside was sealed a magnificent peony.
Peonies were things that couldn’t be kept alive in the Upper Realm; they were extremely delicate. Xue Jingci looked up in surprise and asked: “You can actually travel to the lower realm?”
Descending to the mortal realm required a passage tablet. Xu Wang was a loose cultivator and naturally couldn’t get one, so he must have had other means.
Xu Wang made a shushing gesture and said: “Sect disciple, don’t ask too much.”
Xue Jingci pulled out many spirit stones from his storage bag and said seriously: “I’ll pay extra to buy it.”
Xu Wang looked at him and laughed: “Little friend, I don’t do just any business.”
Seeing Xue Jingci fall silent, Xu Wang took the initiative to tease him: “The person who asked me to deliver this isn’t very old. I think his name was… Pei Huang? What is your relationship with him? I asked if he wanted me to pass a message to you, but he said there was no need, only that a gift from an old friend would suffice.”
Hearing the name Pei Huang, Xue Jingci gave a light laugh.
So that was it. No wonder he insisted on leaving that wooden tablet carved with the character ‘Huang’.
Xue Jingci’s dazed, happy look was a rare sight.
Xu Wang sized him up carefully, taking a good look at the smile of the beauty under the moonlight, before teasing: “He couldn’t be your little lover, could he? Do you need me to bring him anything?”
Xue Jingci took the flower and shook his head, saying there was no need.
“Just a chance acquaintance.”
Xu Wang was still curious: “How did you meet?”
Xue Jingci knew he loved money, so he said: “Ask any more and I’ll have to charge you.”
Xu Wang wanted to say something more, but seeing patrol disciples passing by outside, his figure blurred and he instantly vanished into the night. It was unknown what kind of movement technique it was to be so elusive.
The peach blossom branch was tossed back as a farewell. Xue Jingci was long accustomed to it and closed the window without a second thought.
The System moved to Xue Jingci’s hand, tilting its head to look at the amber, and asked: “How beautiful. Was this sent by that brat?”
Xue Jingci nodded. The amber reflected the moonlight, emitting a faint glow, which made him instinctively recall the myriad lanterns of Luocheng.
The System, however, only focused on staring at the peony sealed in the amber, feeling that the petals were so delicate as if they were dripping with dew, bright and gorgeous. Set against Xue Jingci’s palm, which was as white as jade, both the person and the flower were very beautiful.
It muttered: “That brat isn’t old, but he’s quite capable. To actually be able to persuade a cultivator of the Upper Realm to deliver things for him. At least he was thoughtful.”
Xue Jingci glanced at it, for some reason remembering the boy’s emphasis on his own age.
He rubbed the kitten and said: “A-Pei has grown up a lot now. In the future when you mention him, don’t call him a ‘brat’ anymore.”
“Then what should I call him?”
The System wagged its tail, turned its head and said: “Anyway, I’m not calling him A-Pei. I still remember last time when he said I was close to death.”
Xue Jingci also remembered that incident and couldn’t help but laugh.
He pulled out that wooden tablet carved with the character ‘Huang’, looking at it seriously for a long time, then thought of his stolen disciple jade tablet and murmured softly: “Little thief.”