Mo Xuanli stood frozen, looking up at Gu Baiqing, his fingers trembling slightly at his sides. An impulse surged in his chest — he wanted to reach out and hold his master. The way his master had spoken just now, so calm and serious, was… unbearably attractive.
What was Master doing?
He didn’t like other men getting too close to him… Was that…jealousy?
Yu Chun’s eyes narrowed slightly. His gaze lingered on Gu Baiqing’s face for a moment before he smiled again, his tone smooth. “I was only thinking that since my Third Grandfather caused the injury, we should take responsibility. But if that’s the case, then very well.”
After the two chose their courtyard, Yu Chun didn’t stay. He left hurriedly, saying that servants would tidy up and that he’d come later to escort them to meet the manor lord.
Yu Chun’s own courtyard wasn’t far away. It was staffed entirely by young, handsome male attendants.
When he returned, the attendants knelt and greeted him, trembling, perfectly disciplined.
Yu Chun strode past them, his pace quick. Spotting a particularly handsome man who resembled that person a little, he seized him by the arm and dragged him into the room.
The others barely glanced up — they were used to it. Before long, sounds unfit for the ear came from within.
Meanwhile, after the servants finished arranging their things, only master and disciple remained.
Mo Xuanli couldn’t hold back any longer. “Master, just now you…” His heart was pounding like a drum.
Gu Baiqing, intent on protecting his disciple, hadn’t thought too deeply about his own actions. “That man gives me a very bad feeling,” he said immediately. “Keep your distance from him.”
In the original text, the demonized Mo Xuanli would never have suffered a loss — but the current Mo Xuanli was different. Gu Baiqing couldn’t rest easy unless he watched over him himself.
Mo Xuanli hummed softly in reply, secretly delighted. Honestly, aside from being overly familiar, Yu Chun hadn’t done anything outrageous. Master’s dislike for him seemed almost unreasonable — but it was… kind of adorable.
“Go tend to your wound,” Gu Baiqing said, his voice heavy with thought.
Mo Xuanli turned to find a mirror, removed his upper robe, and examined the wound before retrieving some medicinal herbs. The gash wasn’t deep; without poison it would heal quickly given his constitution. But the toxin had a numbing effect, which made treatment trickier.
He twisted his body before the mirror, preparing to apply the medicine himself, carefully controlling the force and angle as usual — when suddenly, in the reflection, he saw Gu Baiqing’s figure behind him.
Gu Baiqing froze for a moment, then, looking slightly uneasy, stepped forward and said, “Let me do it.”
“There’s no need to trouble Master…” Mo Xuanli said with a smile. “I can handle it myself.”
But Gu Baiqing had already taken the medicine bottle from him. Having said he would take care of it, he couldn’t just let his words fall back onto his disciple — it was only applying medicine, not some elaborate ploy.
Gu Baiqing glanced at Mo Xuanli’s wound. “Lie down.”
Mo Xuanli had been sitting on the couch. Hearing his master’s instruction, he turned over and lay down obediently. Having his master apply the medicine made him happy — except that, to his surprise, that happiness quickly turned into torment.
His master’s cool fingertips, dipped in ointment, brushed gently across his wound. Though his touch was careful, afraid of hurting him, the faint, unintentional pressure carried a tingling pain that felt like lightning shooting from the wound through his body. The constant, prickling sensation spread, leaving him shuddering from the stimulation — itchy, burning, unbearable. He would almost rather his master hurt him a little more directly.
From a faint smile on his lips to his expression stiffening, in the end, Mo Xuanli could only bury his face in his arm and bite down hard on it.
His body tensed uncontrollably.
Then—smack! His back was suddenly patted. The sharp sound made Mo Xuanli jolt violently, a muffled sound escaping his throat — and, to his horror, his body reacted.
His ears and neck flushed red instantly. It was just medicine being applied — how could he…
Thank goodness he was lying face down.
“What are you doing?” Gu Baiqing, unaware of the repressed tension in his voice, scolded lightly. “Your body’s so stiff — aren’t you afraid the wound will tear open? Relax a little.”
Mo Xuanli nearly wanted to cry. He really couldn’t relax.
Gu Baiqing didn’t know whether Mo Xuanli was simply unaccustomed to others tending his wounds. Thinking that he hadn’t treated him very well in the past and seldom did such things, he didn’t dwell on it. Anyway, the wound had been properly dealt with.
“Sit up. I’ll bandage it for you,” Gu Baiqing said.
How could Mo Xuanli dare to get up? “It’s fine, Master. It’s better to leave the wound exposed for a bit; it’ll heal faster. I’ll just stay like this for now.”
Gu Baiqing wasn’t as knowledgeable in medicine as he was, so he took him at his word.
“Alright then.” He packed up the medicine and stood, looking around the room.
The chamber was filled with spiritual energy. There were many suitable places for meditation — no need to worry about where the two of them would rest.
He recalled that in the original version of events, though the place wasn’t as abundant in spiritual energy as this, it was still ideal for cultivation — and for that wicked disciple, it had become the perfect excuse to pull his master into endless dual cultivation. That was why their residence back then was chosen in the most remote area — precisely what the scoundrel preferred.
Thinking of that, he was suddenly glad he had insisted on choosing another place. Otherwise, Gu Baiqing truly would have rather died than share a room with Mo Xuanli.
About an hour later, Mo Xuanli’s wound had already healed. After rising, he followed Gu Baiqing’s guidance in meditation, using the spiritual energy here to complete his daily cultivation routine quickly. They then discussed his shortcomings during the battle with the Third Elder.
Before long, Yu Chun’s voice came from outside the door — he was calling them to meet the manor lord.
Yu Chun was as hospitable as ever, inquiring warmly about Mo Xuanli’s wound and whether they were comfortable with their lodgings — a model of friendly reception.
Even though Gu Baiqing deliberately walked between them, preventing Yu Chun from getting too close to Mo Xuanli, he didn’t show the slightest irritation, smiling at him just as pleasantly.
Only the occasional frightened look from passing servants slightly marred the perfection of his demeanor.
When they arrived at the main hall, an oppressive wave of spiritual pressure immediately descended.
A glance around revealed quite a few people present — judging from their bearing, most of the manor’s powerholders were gathered. No wonder the atmosphere was so heavy; it was meant to put Mo Xuanli in his place, to warn him not to act too arrogantly on another’s territory, or perhaps to test whether the one who had defeated the Third Elder was truly as formidable as rumored.
As soon as Mo Xuanli stepped forward, he felt as though he were walking against a fierce wind. For someone of his current level, the most dangerous presence in the room was clearly the manor lord.
Immortalization Stage… Only one step away from his master’s realm. After the Golden Core came the Nascent Soul, then Soul Transformation, then Immortalization, and finally Tribulation Crossing.
Sweat broke out on Mo Xuanli’s forehead, but he still forced himself to move forward. Step by step, he adapted to the crushing aura.
Only Mo Xuanli could have done so — his unique constitution allowed him to quickly acclimate, rendering the oppressive spiritual force harmless.
Gu Baiqing followed behind him. With everyone’s attention focused on Mo Xuanli, no one noticed how effortlessly he moved within that pressure.
All eyes in the hall watched Mo Xuanli’s reaction — some doubtful, some wary, others satisfied.
Then the manor lord burst into hearty laughter. “As expected of Elder Luofeng of the Zixiao Sect’s personal disciple — truly outstanding.”
At once, the hall filled with approving murmurs.
Only then did Gu Baiqing step out from behind Mo Xuanli, a small creature named Three Bean perched on his shoulder. As he appeared, the two wolf-like spirit beasts crouched by the manor lord’s feet slowly rose, baring their teeth at Three Bean with malicious glares.
Three Bean bristled immediately, fur puffing up, until Gu Baiqing scooped it into his arms and stroked it soothingly.
“Haha, a Tricolored Illusion Cat! My two little beasts once suffered at the claws of one before — no wonder they got excited. Please don’t take it to heart.” The manor lord chuckled and barked a command, and the two spirit wolves grudgingly lay back down.
Gu Baiqing offered polite words in return, then joined Mo Xuanli in bowing in greeting.
Yu Chun stepped forward like the manor’s young master, introducing the two guests, while the true young lady, Yu Yingwan, sat to the side with cold indifference.
After the introductions, the elder generation excused themselves, leaving only the key figures behind.
“Since you’ve come such a long way,” the manor lord said with a genial smile, “you must stay for several days. Explore the manor as you please — stay as long as you like, think of it as your own home.”
Yu Chun smiled as well. “Manor Lord, I was just about to mention — in a few days, our Beast-Taming Manor will be holding the annual Beast-Taming Ceremony. I’d like to invite our honored guests to attend.”
“I was thinking the same,” said Manor Lord Yu with a smile. “I wonder if the two young brothers would be willing to stay and attend the ceremony?”
“What is the Beast-Taming Ceremony?” Mo Xuanli asked.
Yu Chun explained, “It’s actually an annual competition among the younger generation. But this time is a little different — the position of Young Manor Lord will also be up for contention. It’s bound to be spectacular.”
At that, Yu Yingwan’s expression grew noticeably colder.
Mo Xuanli turned to Gu Baiqing. “Brother, what do you think?”
Gu Baiqing nodded. “It sounds lively. It’d be a shame not to take a look.”
Hearing that, the little cat Three Bean showed clear displeasure — it had thought they’d leave soon, and it had absolutely no desire to stay here any longer. It wriggled restlessly in Gu Baiqing’s arms, almost slipping out, until Mo Xuanli reached over, pressing gently on it and stroking its fur.
Gu Baiqing glanced down — seeing Three Bean quiet again, he let Mo Xuanli continue petting it.
“Older Brother Mo, to have subdued a Tricolored Illusion Cat, your beast-taming skill must be extraordinary,” Yu Chun said with a smile toward Gu Baiqing. “I must ask for your guidance sometime. After all, I intend to take first place at the ceremony.”
Laughter rippled around the room. Gu Baiqing noticed even the manor lord seemed to tacitly approve, which was amusing — though he probably wouldn’t be laughing for long.
“But it’s a pity…” Yu Chun added suddenly. “If the Black Dragon were still around, you could have witnessed Beast-Taming Manor’s great dragon-hunt firsthand.”
At that, the room fell silent for a moment.
Then a soft, derisive laugh came from Yu Yingwan.
Yu Chun’s expression darkened slightly. “What, Sister Wan, are you not interested?”
“I am interested,” Yu Yingwan said coolly, “but I don’t make arrogant boasts. With our manor’s current ability, even if the Ancestor himself took the field and went all out, we still wouldn’t be able to capture the Black Dragon.”
The manor lord shot a warning glance at Yu Chun, frowning. “The Black Dragon isn’t something you juniors should be meddling with.”
Clearly, the manor lord was displeased by Yu Chun’s barely contained arrogance.
So his polite, modest demeanor really could only last so long.
“Black Dragon?” Mo Xuanli asked, puzzled. “Is it a true dragon?”
The manor lord nodded. “Indeed. The only true dragon lineage in this world — they are born with the ability to speak, carrying a thousand years of cultivation from birth. They are ancient remnants from the primordial era. With innate divinity, they can no longer be called spirit beasts but divine beasts. It’s said that once, someone managed to tame one and form a contract. A single dragon’s strength equals that of a cultivator in the Tribulation stage. That is the ultimate dream of any beast tamer.”
“The name ‘Longan Port’ actually comes from the legend that a true dragon slumbers somewhere in the nearby sea.”
“The Black Dragon is nearby? You’ve seen it?” Mo Xuanli asked quickly.
Yu Chun smiled. “Why, Brother Xuanli is interested too?”
“Of course,” Mo Xuanli said without hesitation. “It’s a divine beast — even catching a glimpse of one would be great fortune.”
A true dragon — an ancient divine creature. Surely it would know more about the God-Slaying Sword. If he could find a way to meet the dragon, he might uncover something important.
Gu Baiqing glanced at Mo Xuanli, who was unusually eager, and easily guessed what he was thinking.
But both master and disciple were so deep in thought that neither noticed the little cat in their arms had gone completely rigid.
“If Brother Xuanli stays here for a while, you might indeed have the chance to see it,” Yu Chun continued. “We’ve all seen it before — just a few years ago, a black true dragon circled high above the sea, the sky and earth changing color, all beasts roaring in response. Then it flew off in one direction, and about a year later, it returned again. It’s come and gone several times like that. Every time we just catch a glimpse, it vanishes back into the ocean. If only I could grasp the exact timing of its comings and goings…” Yu Chun’s eyes gleamed with ambition.
“That Black Dragon must have its lair somewhere in this sea,” the manor lord said gravely. “That’s why it returns often. But its power is overwhelming — it’s fine to look from afar, but to face it alone would be suicide. Even Elder Luofeng himself would likely struggle to subdue it.”
If even Elder Luofeng couldn’t handle it, who else in the cultivation world could dare face one alone?
The dragon clan was proud by nature — unless you could defeat one in single combat and earn its respect enough for it to submit willingly, it would rather die than become a contract beast. That was why few powerful cultivators ever sought to capture dragons — too risky, too little gain.
But for a beast tamer, successfully subduing a dragon carried incomparable prestige.
“The dragon left not long ago,” the manor lord added. “It likely won’t return for at least a year.”
Mo Xuanli sighed in disappointment, and Three Bean’s stiff body finally relaxed.
Gu Baiqing, however, curved his lips faintly. “Still… we might get lucky.”
After that, it was time for the evening banquet — another round of enthusiastic hospitality. At the table, Gu Baiqing noticed that the Second Elder’s family was particularly warm toward Mo Xuanli, especially Yu Qing, who appeared tonight dressed exquisitely — a familiar scene indeed.
Gu Baiqing only smiled faintly, saying nothing. Mo Xuanli, long used to such attention, remained calm and indifferent.
Yu Yingwan, on the other hand, stayed as icy as ever. Even when the manor lord asked her to toast the guests, she did it perfunctorily and left right after.
Before long, Mo Xuanli feigned drunkenness, saying he’d retire to rest.
A madam called out, “Qing’er, you’re familiar with Young Master Mo — go escort him back.”
Yu Qing blushed, embarrassed but ready to rise — only for Gu Baiqing to step in, already holding up Mo Xuanli. “No need. My younger brother has a low tolerance for wine, and I’m tired as well. We’ll take our leave now — thank you for your hospitality.”
Some tried to persuade them to stay, but Gu Baiqing politely declined. Since one of the “brothers” was already drunk, it would have been impolite to insist further, so everyone let them go with courteous words.
“I’ll walk with you,” Yu Chun said cheerfully, following after. “I’ve had a few drinks myself.”
“Then I’ll help Brother too,” Yu Qing added quickly, rushing forward as though afraid of being left behind.
Gu Baiqing frowned slightly but had no real reason to refuse.
All the way back, Yu Chun kept talking endlessly — if he hadn’t known the original story, Gu Baiqing might almost have believed his charming words and thought him genuinely kind-hearted. Adding to that, Yu Qing occasionally asking after Mo Xuanli with concern…
By the end, Gu Baiqing’s head was pounding.
If he’d known it would be like this, he should have pretended to be the one drunk instead.
“Big Brother Mo, once you’ve rested tomorrow, allow me to take you around Longan Port,” Yu Chun said with a bright smile, glancing toward Gu Baiqing. “There are plenty of fun places here—if you come all this way and don’t see them, that would be quite a pity.”
Yu Qing quickly chimed in, “Yes! Let’s go out together.”
By now, the four of them had reached the gate of Azure Flame Courtyard. Gu Baiqing’s face was about to freeze from smiling—were these siblings ever going to stop? They clearly just wanted to keep Mo Xuanli talking for a bit longer, not even giving him a chance to interrupt.
Just as Gu Baiqing was about to open his mouth, Yu Chun suddenly laughed and asked, “You two brothers are both so outstanding—have either of you been betrothed yet?”
The moment he said that, Yu Qing’s face flushed red.
I knew it, Gu Baiqing thought to himself.
There was no way Yu Chun didn’t notice his family’s attitude back at the banquet, nor Yu Qing’s behavior just now. Even so, he was still unwilling to give up—this must be his way of testing whether Mo Xuanli liked men or women. Sorry, Gu Baiqing thought wryly, but no matter what world we’re in, the male lead is never yours.
“Yes,” Gu Baiqing said flatly.
Surprisingly, Yu Chun didn’t look shocked at all—but Yu Qing’s face turned pale.
The “drunk” Mo Xuanli, leaning on Gu Baiqing, also seemed startled. After all, his master hadn’t consulted him before saying that.
Even if it might hurt his reputation, Gu Baiqing thought it better than letting these people entangle his disciple.
“I suppose she must be an extraordinary immortal lady,” Yu Qing murmured in a daze.
“Whether she’s extraordinary or not is hard to say,” Gu Baiqing said mildly. “After all, one doesn’t seek a Dao partner for their excellence, but for the one their heart desires. My brother is the sort who, once he loves someone, it’s for life—unchanging. No matter how many exceptional people he meets afterward, he won’t see them at all.”
Yu Qing froze for a moment, eyes reddening.
Gu Baiqing pretended not to notice—but the arm draped around his shoulder seemed to tighten.
“And what about you, Brother Mo?” Yu Chun asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Gu Baiqing was caught off guard but replied naturally, “My heart is the same.”
