The moment Mo Xuanli awoke, a wave of discomfort hit him. As soon as he sat up, a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips. He quickly used spiritual power to stabilize his breath, then probed his condition only to discover that his internal organs had all suffered severe damage.
It was clearly a grave injury. If not for his extraordinary regenerative ability, he probably wouldn’t even have been able to get out of bed.
Mo Xuanli was startled. He remembered coming in last night to fetch a cloak, when suddenly he’d felt a spell’s summoning pull and then everything had gone black. If he was still here now, then…
He didn’t have time to think further. He rushed to Gu Baiqing’s bedside and saw his master lying there sound asleep. With some unease, he extended his hand to check.
Confirming that his master was unharmed and only asleep, Mo Xuanli finally let out a breath of relief.
He pressed a hand to his chest, uncertain what had caused his injuries. He still had no memory at all of what had happened last night.
Another knock came from the door. Enduring the pain, Mo Xuanli went to open it.
When he saw Yun Yue standing outside, he was surprised. “Senior Sister?”
Yun Yue frowned and swept her gaze over him. “I didn’t see you among the other disciples outside. I almost thought something had happened to you, Nan Zhi was hiding something from me.”
Mo Xuanli immediately realized what she meant. “I went to rest early last night. What’s going on outside?”
Yun Yue gave him a brief explanation, then said, “If you’re all right, come help us. But… you don’t look well. Are you sure you’re fine?”
Suppressing the unease in his heart, Mo Xuanli forced a calm expression. “I’m fine, probably just tired from yesterday.”
But he couldn’t quite focus. When he noticed the worry on Yun Yue’s face, he realized that she, too, looked pale. “Senior Sister, what about you? Are you hurt?” he asked.
Just as he was about to check, Yun Yue took a step back. “I’m fine. I just got startled awake last night and didn’t sleep well, been worried about everyone. Oh, right, Elder Luofeng, is he still resting?”
As she spoke, she glanced into the room, her gaze shifting slightly as though she were sensing something.
Mo Xuanli was just about to answer when he noticed her eyes suddenly fix on something. “Hm?” she said in surprise.
Following her gaze, Mo Xuanli saw a small red seed lying on the floor in the corner of the hall.
He quickly walked over, picked it up, and said awkwardly, “Sorry, Senior Sister. I must’ve dropped it, it was in my robe.”
Yun Yue smiled faintly, not seeming to mind. “Ah, that explains it. It’s fine.”
She didn’t ask further. After exchanging a few words of farewell, she left.
Mo Xuanli promised to come help later.
As soon as Yun Yue left, Ao Hang jumped down with a dark expression, clearly ready to complain but before he could speak, Mo Xuanli asked first: “Did I… do anything last night? Were these injuries from you?” Mo Xuanli asked quickly. It was the answer he most hoped for, the safest possibility.
Ao Hang’s forehead filled with black lines. He ground his teeth. “What did you do? Don’t you know? I didn’t even see you!”
“What? I can’t remember anything after entering the room. I must’ve been affected by that formation. But I took heavy internal injuries, I just don’t know how.”
Maybe it was the formation’s effect. Or maybe his master had struck him but if that were the case, his master would’ve noticed his mixed bloodline, and wouldn’t be sleeping peacefully now. The worst possibility was that he had lost control and hurt his master, and the backlash from the spell had wounded him in turn.
Mo Xuanli didn’t even dare imagine that outcome. Judging by the extent of his injuries, if he had attacked his master, it must have been with frightening force. Just thinking about it made his heart twist painfully, his face pale.
Ao Hang, still confused, used dragon energy to check him, and was shocked. “You’re that badly hurt? Strange, nothing happened last night! You two were in here the whole time. If there’d been a fight, I would’ve heard it. After that formation activated, I came down to look. There was nothing except… some noises.”
“What noises?” Mo Xuanli asked immediately.
Ao Hang’s mouth twitched. “How should I know what kind of games you two were playing? Ask your master. Anyway, I didn’t sense any danger. Your little martial uncle even came by and talked through the door.”
Mo Xuanli’s face was full of unease. So the only one who truly knew what had happened last night… was his master.
“At least you weren’t dragged away by that formation. Be grateful,” Ao Hang said. “Is the crisis over?”
Mo Xuanli really did think he should be grateful, his identity hadn’t been exposed. Probably…
“I don’t know. Until we leave Taixu Hall, stay here and protect my master,” he said.
Ao Hang snorted impatiently and flew back up to the roof.
Mo Xuanli turned and went back inside, but his whole body throbbed with pain. After just a few steps, he had to steady himself against the table and sit down, breathing heavily. Then he heard the sound of movement from the inner room.
His heart tightened, he didn’t dare go in.
Moments later, hurried footsteps approached.
Mo Xuanli looked up in a daze, and the sight that greeted him made him freeze completely.
Gu Baiqing stood there, his hair slightly disheveled, clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them, not yet tidied. The usual aloof, dignified bearing of an immortal was nowhere to be found.
That cold, serene face was frozen in momentary panic, and when his eyes met Mo Xuanli’s, his expression stiffened. He steadied himself and finally managed to compose his emotions.
“Master?” Mo Xuanli blurted out. He had followed his master for so long, but this was the first time he had ever seen him like this as if an ice sculpture had melted into water, flowing chaotically with no direction.
“Master, were you looking for me?” he asked. Was it because his master had woken up and not seen him, and panicked?
Gu Baiqing didn’t reply. He merely pressed a hand to his forehead and sat down across from Mo Xuanli. After a pause, he said, “It’s nothing… I just had a nightmare. Right, your body…”
“Master, last night I lost consciousness, was it…” Mo Xuanli’s face was full of unease and tentative inquiry, which naturally fell into Gu Baiqing’s eyes.
Gu Baiqing recalled the previous night, how things had been dangerous but ended without incident, and a wave of lingering fear passed through him. The most difficult part of the mission was finally over; his little life was safe, his demonic value had completely returned to normal, as though nothing had ever happened.
“It was likely the formation’s influence,” Gu Baiqing said calmly. “You’ve already had several setbacks in cultivation before, nearly went astray from demonic deviation. You probably haven’t completely purged the demonic energy, so when you were affected by the Hidden Gods Clan’s array, you almost lost control again. Once I knocked you unconscious, everything settled.”
So… the injuries were from his master’s strike?
That was great. Truly great.
If it had been his master who knocked him out, it meant he hadn’t lost control on his own. When he did succumb to demonic impulses, he tended to… do strange things. No wonder Ao Hang had said what he did. His master didn’t wish to mention it further but still…
“Master, I’ve already heard about the formation incident. Zixiao Sect also caught two spies, though they were only newly initiated disciples, so it didn’t cause panic. But… you don’t suspect me? What if I wasn’t simply suffering deviation, what if I really were one of the demon race?”
Mo Xuanli couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Even though every flaw in his story could be explained away, why didn’t his master ever doubt him? Was his behavior when he lost control really that unlike a true demon’s?
“Are you?” Gu Baiqing raised his head and looked straight at him.
Mo Xuanli’s heart trembled. Instinctively, he shook his head.
He couldn’t be a demon.
If he were, how would he ever be worthy of his master?
Gu Baiqing blinked slowly. He didn’t view this as a matter of trust or suspicion, only that this child was pitiful. Even in front of someone he relied on so deeply, he couldn’t bare his heart. He only wanted to bury his secret forever, until it vanished completely and in the process, bear every pressure and danger alone.
“Then you’re not,” Gu Baiqing said softly, nodding.
Mo Xuanli exhaled heavily, as if releasing all the tension from his chest. Taking this as the end of the matter, he steadied his mind, stood up, and said, “If Master is still tired, please rest more. I’ll go help outside…”
Gu Baiqing frowned. “Help with what? You’re injured. Focus on recovery. I’ll go take a look myself.”
“Master?” Mo Xuanli hesitated, wanting to speak.
Gu Baiqing continued, “I don’t yet know the extent of your injuries. There are still two matters to handle, the interrogation of the demonic spies, and the trip to Constellation Island. You have, at most, today to rest and recover. Don’t waste the time.”
Seeing the seriousness in his master’s tone, Mo Xuanli could only nod obediently.
After speaking, Gu Baiqing gestured toward himself. Mo Xuanli immediately and habitually cast a cleansing spell for him.
Gu Baiqing flexed his shoulders, preparing to leave but then paused as if recalling something. “The matches are over. Don’t rest here anymore. Move to the next room. From now on, you don’t need to follow me.”
Mo Xuanli froze, panic flashing in his eyes as he stood up abruptly. “Master, I…”
“What is it? Do you have a problem with that?” Gu Baiqing’s brows drew together.
Mo Xuanli looked at his master’s calm, unreadable face, and for a moment, couldn’t find any words. Right, there was no reason for them to share a room anymore. No special circumstance required it. Why was he becoming increasingly greedy?
He lowered his gaze. “Yes, Master. I understand. I’ll move right away.”
Gu Baiqing nodded, face expressionless, and left.
Only after stepping out of the room did he finally let out a breath. He stood frozen for three seconds, feeling the uncomfortable flush on his face turn first crimson, then dark as iron.
The memory of him taking the initiative, leaning in to kiss Mo Xuanli, the practiced ease and shocking depth of that kiss, rose vividly in his mind. He tried to drive it out, but the dream fragments kept flashing before his eyes, making him feel as though he were being watched by the whole world. He wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and disappear into it.
After he had fainted last night, he’d had a dream. In it, he saw the moment when Mo Xuanli had crouched down, intending to… do something. But in the dream, his own hand hadn’t pressed against Mo Xuanli’s shoulder to hold him back.
Instead, his fingers had slid into that black hair, gently caressing one moment, gripping tightly the next.
It was… utterly…
Gu Baiqing wanted to slap himself.
Just because of unmet desires, how could he use his own disciple as the subject of that kind of dream?! Yes, the boy’s face was unfairly handsome, his eyes deep and smoldering with emotion but still… even if no man could resist that, it wasn’t an excuse!
At that thought, Gu Baiqing did slap himself.
What on earth was he thinking!
Something was very wrong with him. The moment his gaze met Mo Xuanli’s, his breath would tighten. If this continued, would he truly end up being bent by this world?
This world was far too terrifying.
Gu Baiqing shook himself, forcing the thoughts away. But the unease inside him only grew, as if another encounter or two would be enough to make him yield completely.
No. Even if he had any improper thoughts, they were wrong. Because Mo Xuanli’s mind was not healthy. His emotions lacked autonomy. Gu Baiqing was certain that if he so much as said he wanted him, Mo Xuanli would obediently lie down without hesitation.
That… was not right.
Enough. Stop thinking. There were more pressing matters.
Gu Baiqing straightened his robes, steadied himself, and went to find Fu Zhiyi and Chu Fei.
Soon, he had a grasp of what had happened the previous night. The remaining demon spies were few, and everyone was taking turns interrogating them. When he entered, he saw Jingcheng, consumed by fury, killing one of their sect’s own disciples who had been revealed as a spy.
The look on Jingcheng’s face: violent, hate-filled, utterly devoid of composure was almost unrecognizable. He no longer resembled the courteous young gentleman of before. Gu Baiqing could almost see the foreshadowing of what the “original story” described, how Jingcheng would look when he discovered Mo Xuanli’s mixed heritage.
Gu Baiqing stepped forward, laid a hand on his shoulder, and quietly signaled for calm.
“You don’t understand,” Jingcheng said coldly. “He was someone I once planned to train as an inner disciple. I don’t even know how much information he leaked to the demons. And he chose to become one of them because he couldn’t accept that his talent was beneath Jingzhan’s, he turned down a crooked path. How can I not be furious?”
Gu Baiqing sighed softly and turned his gaze toward the formation that held the remaining demons.
Inside it, pairs of red eyes glared out, eyes filled with malice and madness. Every one of them was loyal to the Demon Realm’s Holy Maiden, clinging fanatically to her every command.
Faced with interrogation, the captives either spouted nonsense or refused to speak at all, leaving not a single useful clue to grasp.
Seeing that no amount of torture or questioning could shake them, Gu Baiqing proposed a method: use an illusion-type spirit beast to draw them into a dream realm for questioning instead. Though it would take longer, it was almost impossible to lie under that kind of illusion.
Everyone agreed that this was a feasible approach and immediately began to prepare.
Someone asked what spirit beast Gu Baiqing would use. He only replied, “It was taken away by a dragon.” That left everyone speechless.
“Where’s your little disciple? Haven’t seen him all morning, still sleeping off a hangover?” Fu Zhiyi asked. “A cultivator shouldn’t be that drunk.”
While they spoke, Zong Lei was questioning one of the Hidden Gods Clan’s guardians.
“Could ordinary cultivators also have been affected by the array, and accidentally suffered qi deviation?” Zong Lei asked cautiously, as though even he felt his question sounded strange.
The guardian replied, “If someone happened to be cultivating when the formation activated, then yes, it could interfere with their qi and cause temporary deviation. But the effects fade quickly. As long as they didn’t enter the formation itself, there’s no risk of demonic corruption. They just need to rest and recover.”
Zong Lei visibly relaxed, clearly, someone he knew had been in that situation.
Gu Baiqing subtly gestured toward the guardian and Zong Lei.
Fu Zhiyi raised a brow. “Almost went into deviation?”
“You know we’ve run into danger many times while traveling,” Gu Baiqing said evenly. “He’s forced breakthroughs more than once, leaving hidden risks in his cultivation. Occasionally, he shows signs of demonic energy. If that happens, don’t panic, knock him unconscious, and he’ll recover soon.”
He took the opportunity to pave the way for any future “incidents” involving Mo Xuanli.
Fu Zhiyi nodded seriously. “Understood. As his master, you need to help him stabilize his cultivation properly. Progress speed isn’t everything, we don’t need geniuses at the cost of sanity. He’s a fine seedling. His future’s bright; no need to push him to breaking. I’m counting on you not to ruin him.”
Gu Baiqing nodded. “I understand.”
Fu Zhiyi then added, “Oh, and did you hear? Out of all the major sects in the cultivation world, only Wuxiang Temple had no spies. Their cultivation method must really be something. If only we could learn a bit of it…”
Gu Baiqing felt a pang of envy as well. But if everyone started cultivating the Wuxiang Temple’s techniques, even a slightly perceptive disciple might start suspecting Mo Xuanli before long especially with his unique aura.
Fu Zhiyi lowered his voice, eager to gossip. “You know what else? Their head abbot’s generation has a senior uncle, a disciple of that legendary Half-Step Immortal they call Half-Step Mad.”
Gu Baiqing immediately cut in. “Do you know where he is now?” He’d been wanting to find that old man to ask how on earth he’d predicted his misfortune so accurately.
Fu Zhiyi thought for a moment. “I just saw monks from Wuxiang Temple chasing after him. Looked like he fled to the Hidden Gods Clan’s island, but I don’t know—”
Before Fu Zhiyi could finish, Gu Baiqing was already gone.
Outside, he ran into Chu Fei, grabbed him, and used him as a flying mount straight to the Hidden Gods Clan’s floating island. Sure enough, monks from Wuxiang Temple were quietly standing guard outside, waiting.
Gu Baiqing approached and questioned them, learning that the old man had holed up inside the Hidden Gods Clan territory. The monks, being non-confrontational, could only wait patiently outside.
Gu Baiqing left Chu Fei behind and went straight to the guards. Though they treated him with respect and awe, that didn’t mean they would let him wander in freely.
“Please tell your young goddess,” he said, “that Big Brother Mo has come to see her.”
Ji Chuling was easy to talk to, if she came, getting in would be no problem.
Sure enough, moments later she came bouncing out to greet him, cheerful as ever. She was probably the only one who still treated him as she always had.
“What brings you here? To see me or to see Xiuran?”
“I’m here for Half-Step Mad. Is he here?” Gu Baiqing asked directly.
Ji Chuling nodded and led him inside. “Yes, he’s with Xiuran. Strange old man, though, when you ask him something, he never answers directly. Always looks like he has something to say but stops himself. Seems troubled.”
Gu Baiqing casually asked, “Has he made any prophecies for you?”
It was a passing question, but Ji Chuling’s face instantly turned red, and she suddenly didn’t know how to respond.
Gu Baiqing immediately understood. “If it’s something personal, forget I asked.”
“The old man’s… actually pretty accurate,” Ji Chuling murmured, blushing.
Gu Baiqing had no idea how to respond to that. Before long, they arrived at a quiet courtyard.
Li Xiuran was cultivating, while Half-Step Mad sat beside him, hugging a Ascending-Cloud Stork, staring blankly into space. Suddenly, he grew irritable, scratching his head and cursing aloud.
Li Xiuran opened his eyes, not understanding the words. Ji Chuling also looked puzzled.
But Gu Baiqing froze in place, eyes wide in shock, staring at the old man in disbelief—
Because what he’d just heard was—
“Fuck! D*mn butterfly effect!”
….
Meanwhile, back in the other room, Mo Xuanli had sat in daze for half the day. Feeling heavy-hearted, he gathered his pillow and bedding, moved them next door, and quietly began meditating to heal.
But he couldn’t focus. His mind kept circling around his master. He truly hated keeping this distance more and more.
Just now, his master had clearly seemed flustered when their eyes met so why insist on pushing him away? Was it just because they were at Zixiao Sect, and he had to maintain his masterly image?
Mo Xuanli slowly opened his eyes and took out the little seed from his chest pocket, remembering what his friend had told him. His heart began to stir again.
He had survived the Hidden Gods Clan ordeal, and so many fragments of the artifact were already within reach. His future still looked bright.
Maybe… it was time to find an opportunity to confess his feelings.
