After Becoming a High-Risk Master, I Flipped the Script Chapter 164

Gu Baiqing was a bit surprised by Mo Xuanli’s suggestion. No talk of training, no serious discussion, he actually wanted to relax and sightsee?

“Huh?” Gu Baiqing was full of question marks.

But he couldn’t resist his disciple’s sudden enthusiasm. The youth stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, wanting to take him on a sword flight. It was such a rare, childlike gesture that Gu Baiqing couldn’t bring himself to refuse, so he let Mo Xuanli have his way.

After a few hours, though, Gu Baiqing was utterly baffled. Mo Xuanli seemed to have endless energy and endless things he wanted to do. Gradually, Gu Baiqing found himself infected by that joy, settling into the mood and joining in. It really did feel like a carefree spring outing.

The western floating island offered a view of distant snowy mountains glowing under golden light. The southern one had peach blossoms blooming like in early spring. The eastern island had a waterfall plunging into the sea. The northern one showed endless layers of green mountains.

Gu Baiqing had never known that the Taixu Hall had so many beautiful sights. It truly exceeded all his expectations.

By evening, the two of them sat on a high rock at the edge of a floating island, watching the sunset. The evening light brushed softly across Gu Baiqing’s elegant face like a veil. He was quietly admiring the scenery but Mo Xuanli couldn’t take his eyes off him.

His gaze gradually turned heated, and Gu Baiqing couldn’t help but notice.

“Is there something on my face?” Gu Baiqing asked.

“No… I just think, Master, you’re really beautiful.”

Gu Baiqing raised an eyebrow. He used to get nervous when hearing such compliments, but now he calmly categorized them as “Half-Step Mad-tier flattery.” They all said he was good-looking, but in truth, the man before him was the one who looked exceptional though according to Half-Step Mad’s theory, the suppression of his demonic bloodline meant his true looks hadn’t fully emerged yet.

“Master…” Mo Xuanli murmured, taking Gu Baiqing’s hand and holding it gently between his palms.

Gu Baiqing seemed immune to such gestures by now. He knew Mo Xuanli must have something to say but why was he kneading his hand like that? His hand wasn’t a toy.

Still, Gu Baiqing didn’t pull away. He treated Mo Xuanli like a child now. In this BG world, they were master and disciple so every act of closeness, he simply saw as youthful attachment. Especially since he’d treated Mo Xuanli coldly before, guilt had been pressing on his heart, and now it seemed to rebound, making him all the more indulgent.

“Master, while I’m away, please don’t act alone. I’ll have Ao Hang stay behind to protect you,” Mo Xuanli said.

Gu Baiqing immediately replied, “How could that do? Ao Hang must go with you.”

The Constellation Island was an unexpected addition to the plot. But following usual story patterns, both protagonist and antagonist would appear there. To say the Constellation Island was perfectly safe, Gu Baiqing couldn’t believe it. Something was bound to happen. And since spirit beasts could accompany their masters while humans couldn’t cross the barrier freely, that kind of advantage couldn’t be wasted.

Mo Xuanli frowned. “There are no dangerous beasts on the Constellation Island. Everyone going with me, besides the Zong siblings, are my friends and brothers. We’ll be safe together. But outside, there are still demons under interrogation, and who knows if the Demon Realm will act after learning of this? You can’t guarantee your spiritual power will hold steady, it’s too dangerous. You… unsealed the barrier, and now you want me to just leave, uneasy?”

Gu Baiqing shook his head. “All the strongest cultivators are gathered here. If the Demon Realm attacked, it would mean open war. They won’t risk that now. Even if there’s minor friction, it won’t easily harm me. Besides, I still have Second Senior Brother and Junior Brother by my side.”

Mo Xuanli knew his master made sense, yet he couldn’t help worrying. He wanted to leave all his best protection for Gu Baiqing, only then could he feel at ease.

Seeing Mo Xuanli about to argue again, Gu Baiqing flicked his finger against his forehead. “Enough. My safety isn’t something for you to fret over. Just take care of yourself.”

Mo Xuanli didn’t like that, how could he have no right to worry? Maybe he wasn’t strong enough yet, but in terms of identity, he was the one most entitled to be concerned.

He squeezed Gu Baiqing’s hand, feeling frustrated, his master was infuriating. He really wanted to bite him.

Gu Baiqing seemed to notice Mo Xuanli’s dissatisfaction and frowned. “Did you forget? Every time you advance a level, if your mind isn’t steady or your spiritual power surges too much, it could lead to deviation. Your cultivation has been rising too fast. If you happen to break through on the Constellation Island while I’m not around, at least Ao Hang can suppress it.”

Mo Xuanli froze, sobering instantly. Right… his body still had that issue. Every time it happened, he would…

Just thinking about it made him anxious and embarrassed.

“It doesn’t usually happen during normal breakthroughs,” Mo Xuanli murmured after a long pause.

Gu Baiqing thought the same, it had always been when Mo Xuanli tried to advance too quickly and absorbed too much spiritual energy. When his spiritual root couldn’t handle it, the demonic root would surface to help absorb the excess. Once the strain passed, the demonic root would retreat and the spiritual root would regain control. That was why Mo Xuanli often lost memory of those periods.

Half-Step Mad had once said that true demon bloodlines were the embodiment of desire and obsession, which made their behavior more extreme and primal.

If Mo Xuanli were to advance on the Constellation Island without keeping his state of mind steady, he could fall into demonic deviation and judging from his usual “demonic mode,” that would be… quite awkward.

Thinking of that, Gu Baiqing froze. Wait a second, doesn’t this count as a classic plot device for deepening the CP’s relationship? The Constellation Island would have Si Chun and Zong Xuezhen… If something “happened,” wouldn’t that be a perfect setup for a romantic development?

Could it be that he had unknowingly been stealing the plot events that were supposed to develop between Mo Xuanli and his canonical partner?

D*mn! No wonder Mo Xuanli’s reactions after entering demonic mode were always so weird. If this were a normal BG (boy-girl) novel, and Gu Baiqing were replaced by a female character, everything would make perfect sense.

So the strange one wasn’t Mo Xuanli, it was him, barging in where he didn’t belong.

Remembering those few “abnormal” incidents he’d gone through, Gu Baiqing felt a mouthful of old blood clogging his chest. Utterly exasperated.

Now what should he do… Should he still let Ao Hang accompany Mo Xuanli?

If he did, wouldn’t that ruin any potential romantic developments?

But if he didn’t, what if danger arose?

After a moment of inner struggle, Gu Baiqing sighed and decided to drop it. They’d already talked this far, bringing it up again would just seem odd.

Mo Xuanli, after a moment’s own thought, finally said, “Then I’ll try not to advance outside. It’s better when I’m with Master.”

Gu Baiqing: …That’s really unnecessary. He had no desire to keep carrying someone else’s plotline.

“Master,” Mo Xuanli hesitated, “after I leave… are you going to find Half-Step Mad again? Do you really get along that well with him?”

He couldn’t help but ask. Even though he knew that previous incident was a misunderstanding, Half-Step Mad had left a deep impression on him, especially since his master seemed intent on seeking the old man out. For someone to make Gu Baiqing willingly initiate contact, it made Mo Xuanli feel uncomfortable.

“We do get along,” Gu Baiqing nodded. “It was like meeting an old friend at first sight. And his ability to predict the future is truly accurate, aside from the jokes he made about you.”

Mo Xuanli was struck silent. For the first time, he saw his master’s eyes soften when speaking about someone. The faint warmth there made his chest ache unpleasantly.

He forced himself to suppress his emotions, reminding himself, it’s just an old man, a casual acquaintance. If he questioned too much, his master would only be displeased.

“Then when I return, I’ll make sure to befriend him too,” Mo Xuanli said with a smile.

Gu Baiqing looked at him in surprise. My disciple is really magnanimous, he thought. Tricked by someone like that, yet still wanting to befriend him, must be respect for a “great figure.”

“That won’t be possible. He’ll be leaving soon.”

“He’s leaving?” Mo Xuanli’s tone immediately rose.

Gu Baiqing nodded. “Yes. By the time you return, he’ll likely be gone. He’s a wanderer, always on the move.”

Mo Xuanli let out a subtle breath of relief. “What a pity. I still wanted to ask him about some prophecies.”

Gu Baiqing chuckled. “If that old man spoke too much, he’d get struck by lightning. Besides, he can’t see through your future anymore.”

Mo Xuanli immediately caught another layer of meaning in that. “Master asked him about me?”

Gu Baiqing nodded naturally, as if it were only right.

Mo Xuanli couldn’t help but smile, the corners of his mouth curling up. See? Master thinks about me wherever he goes.

“All right,” Gu Baiqing said, standing up, “we’ve seen all the scenery. Time to go back, the Constellation Island will be opening soon.”

But when he tried to rise, he noticed Mo Xuanli was still holding his hand.

Gu Baiqing turned back, and Mo Xuanli said softly, “Master, please give me something.”

Gu Baiqing froze.

“I’ll also give you something in return,” Mo Xuanli added shyly.

Gu Baiqing blinked, puzzled. What, are we exchanging festival gifts now?

Before leaving the floating island, someone had teased Mo Xuanli, since he’d claimed to have a Dao partner, had they exchanged tokens of affection yet? Everyone wanted to see.

His master had given him many things before, but none counted as a token of love.

If they couldn’t hold the wedding yet, then exchanging keepsakes would officially make it a betrothal, right?

From just getting together to suddenly being “engaged,” Mo Xuanli’s head was spinning but since his master had agreed to a wedding, that meant it was a betrothal anyway. He wasn’t overstepping… was he?

He’d been thinking about it the whole time, wanting to bring it up but afraid it’d sound too pushy like someone insecure demanding a promise. He didn’t want to pressure his master, yet he couldn’t suppress the urge either.

“If it’s something handmade… or, well, even if it’s not handmade… when I return, will you give it to me?” Mo Xuanli asked nervously, his cheeks burning.

Gu Baiqing suddenly felt a wave of déjà vu. After a moment, he remembered, it was just like back at the Eastern Sea, when the boy had asked him for a silver bracelet. He’d ended up giving him a cheap one that later got broken by a passing incubus.

So after all this time, he’d still remembered?

Gu Baiqing found Mo Xuanli increasingly childish but it wasn’t a bad thing. It meant Mo Xuanli was no longer repressing himself in front of him.

The fact that he could ask directly showed how close their master-disciple bond had become.

And, as it happened, Gu Baiqing did have something prepared for him.

“No need to wait until you’re back,” Gu Baiqing said with a smile. “I’ve actually prepared something for you already. It’s in my room, just missing one last step. If you want it, you can have it now.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Xuanli stared at him blankly, eyes shining with emotion, his voice hoarse as he whispered, “You… already prepared it?”

Gu Baiqing thought for a moment, he had actually started making it on the flying vessel when they left the Eastern Sea. Although he had said back then that he wouldn’t make any more silver bracelets for Mo Xuanli, seeing how genuinely the other wanted one, that expression had left a deep mark on Gu Baiqing’s heart. So, without even realizing it, he had started crafting it. By the time he came to his senses, he had already finished, it was the best one he’d ever made, far more exquisite and functional than any before. He just hadn’t yet infused it with lightning spells, so it had been quietly sitting among his belongings, forgotten in the busyness of recent days.

Now that Mo Xuanli brought it up, he realized, it really was the right time to give it to him.

“I’ve had it ready for a while. What, you’re not happy?” Gu Baiqing asked, amused by Mo Xuanli’s dazed look.

But the next second, Mo Xuanli suddenly stood up and threw his arms around Gu Baiqing. Before Gu Baiqing could react, the scene shifted and they were already back inside his quarters.

“There’s no need to be that impatient,” Gu Baiqing said in surprise.

“Where is it, Master?” Mo Xuanli asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

Gu Baiqing could only turn to search, and before long, a small silver bracelet of simple yet elegant design appeared before Mo Xuanli’s eyes.

Mo Xuanli froze. He had seen his master make two silver bracelets before, one was a meeting gift for a child, exquisitely crafted and radiating good fortune; the other, a defective one, had shattered right in front of him.

But this one was completely different. At a glance, he could tell the bracelet’s lines and etching resembled the markings on the God Nine Transformations, almost like it was a matching accessory for the artifact’s wrist form. It showed just how much care his master had put into it. A few pale blue beads were set into the band, faintly emanating lightning energy.

Steadying his focus, Gu Baiqing channeled spiritual power into the bracelet, infusing it with the highest level of lightning-based spells.

Soon, the bracelet glowed softly with blue light.

“I’ve modified the part of the spell that automatically attacks when demons approach, now it will alert the wearer first, letting you choose whether to strike. But if one gets too close, it’ll still give a little shock. And… there’s one more feature specific to you.”

Mo Xuanli, already overjoyed at receiving something made especially for him, grew even more excited at hearing there was something “specific” to him.

Gu Baiqing looked at him seriously. “If you ever fall into demonic deviation, it might attack you. Not heavily, just enough to jolt you back to awareness. As long as you retain a trace of clarity, it should work.” That, in fact, had been Gu Baiqing’s original intention in making it. Even if the effect was minimal, it was still a safeguard. He worried that if something happened to Mo Xuanli while no one was around, God Nine Transformations would never harm its master but this bracelet could at least act as a small restraint, giving Mo Xuanli a chance to regain lucidity.

Mo Xuanli hadn’t expected his master’s “token of affection” to be made with such deep consideration. He immediately took it with both hands, ready to put it on but Gu Baiqing stopped him.

“Wait, you’re really planning to wear a silver bracelet on both wrists? You’re not a child,” Gu Baiqing said with a laugh. “This one can change size, it can shrink and be worn as a ring.”

Mo Xuanli willed it to shrink, and sure enough, the silver bracelet turned miniature, fitting perfectly like a ring. The small blue beads became delicate embellishments. Delighted, he lifted it toward Gu Baiqing with a smile. “Master, please put it on for me.”

“Ah—”

“Master gave it, so Master should put it on,” Mo Xuanli said, eyes full of affection.

Gu Baiqing couldn’t help but smile, taking Mo Xuanli’s hand. His hands were long and well-proportioned, with clearly defined joints, elegant and beautiful. Anything worn on them would only enhance their grace. But Mo Xuanli never adorned himself, so his hands had always been bare.

Just as Gu Baiqing was about to slide the ring onto his ring finger, he froze. Wait, this didn’t look right. The ring suddenly felt scalding hot in his hand. Whether from guilt or awkwardness, he hastily slipped it onto Mo Xuanli’s index finger instead.