Chapter 58.2 Azure fire, azure bird
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Pei Jing’s letter to Feng Jin was concise.
Two sentences explained the situation, followed by the final sentence: “Little Brother, come to Yunxiao.”
As evening approached, Wuya Pavilion became neither too hot nor too cold. The entire Tianqian Peak was enveloped in such a temperature.
Moonlight shone through the mist, casting a jade-colored radiance reminiscent of freshly cleared snow. As Pei Jing stepped into Wuya Pavilion, he saw Chu Junyu sitting on the floor behind the desk. His silver hair flowed, and in an instant, it was as white as snow.
Pei Jing, who had been pondering the matter of the azure bird moments ago, was not in the best mood. Confusion and unease filled his mind. However, upon seeing Chu Junyu, those emotions inexplicably dissipated, and his heart became unusually calm.
He couldn’t help but scratch his head in bewilderment.
Walking over and taking a seat, Pei Jing felt his head explode when he noticed something placed within Chu Junyu’s reach.
Damn.
It was his diary!
The scribbles he made when he first arrived as a child!
Pei Jing felt both embarrassed and annoyed. He hastily grabbed those papers, but tried to maintain a composed demeanor. “Where did you find these things?”
Unfazed by Pei Jing’s arrival, Chu Junyu calmly closed the book. “A hidden compartment under the table.”
Pei Jing lowered his head and, to his relief, realized that as a child, he probably had been afraid of being discovered. He had used simplified Chinese characters resembling modern ones but different enough. Moreover, his handwriting was even worse back then since he couldn’t hold the pen steady. Besides himself, few people would be able to decipher the characters.
Clearing his throat, Pei Jing said, “These were practice writings from my early days studying talismans under my master.”
Chu Junyu laughed with a hint of teasing upon hearing that. “So they’re talisman inscriptions. You truly seem to have talent.”
“…” Well, yes, he was indeed a genius.
Pei Jing’s visit was not without a reason. After all, during their initial investigation into his identity, Chu Junyu had casually avoided the topic. Out of consideration for Pei Jing’s serious injuries at the time, he hadn’t pressed further. But now, with his arrival at Yunxiao and, specifically, Tianqian Peak, it was only natural that he would delve into this matter.
“Shouldn’t you also be honest with me and tell me why you came to Yunxiao?”
Chu Junyu glanced at him with his blood-red eyes. “Didn’t you ask this question before?”
“Huh? When was that?”
“Yinghui Peak. Xuyia Courtyard. The first night.”
Pei Jing: “???”
During their year on Yinghui Peak, Pei Jing’s thoughts were mostly focused on Chu Junyu. They lived together, so he shamelessly bombarded him with a barrage of questions. Despite Chu Junyu’s cold temperament, he would answer nine out of ten questions at that time.
Chu Junyu gazed at him, reminding him, “To be the best in the world, remember?”
The best in the world.
The upper-middle-class residence on Yinghui Peak, the Xuyia Courtyard adorned with overlapping emerald bamboo, and the first night.
The youth on the bed, waking up with light-colored eyes, and the youth on the floor, casually leaning against it, vibrant and enthusiastic.
“Come on, share with me. I’ll start with mine. I came here because I wanted to become stronger. They said Yunxiao is the top immortal sect, with the most powerful techniques and elders. If you want to become stronger, this is the best choice.”
“How strong do you want to become?”
“I no longer aspire to be the best in the world. Second place will do. Being strong enough to protect myself and the things I cherish would be sufficient. Of course, it would be even better if I could gain recognition in the world of cultivation.”
The youth with light-colored eyes in Xuyia Courtyard, now a mysterious figure with black attire and silver hair inside the Wuya Pavilion.
He stared at Pei Jing’s face, repeating his previous response, “Not enough.”
Even being the best in the world can’t protect yourself.
“I remember now,” Pei Jing recalled. “You said back then that you also came to Yunxiao to become stronger, and you wanted… you wanted to trample the Heavenly Dao beneath your feet.”
Chu Junyu: “Yes.”
Pei Jing: “……”
From being a naive young calf unafraid of tigers, what had he become now?
The young man in white clothes gazed at him, sitting with an elegant posture, his robe as white as snow, his expression on the verge of shattering.
Chu Junyu caught his gaze and, after a long while, spoke, “I lied to you.”
“You lied to me?!” In the beginning, he had approached Chu Junyu under the identity of Zhang Yiming, thinking that they shared mutual trust and determination. He couldn’t believe that Chu Junyu had deceived him.
“You lied to me too, tough-skinned and fond of sleeping on the ground. Did Yunxiao mistreat you when you were young?”
Pei Jing: “……”
Chu Junyu smiled briefly, though his eyes didn’t reflect the smile. It was his usual demeanor. No longer looking at Pei Jing, he lowered his head and reopened the sword technique he had taken from his desk. His voice was low as he said, “I came for someone.”
As he spoke in a hushed tone, even the moonlight seemed to soften.
Pei Jing: “???”
With silver hair cascading at his side, the youth’s brows and eyes hid in the shadows of moonlight and starshine. The slight curve of his lips carried a different kind of tenderness.
Suddenly, Pei Jing had a rush of thoughts, recalling Yu Qinglian’s meticulous analysis from before.
The girl shook flowers in her hands, walking through the fields, her wrist adorned with jingling bells accompanying the fragrance of flowers—a beautiful and refreshing sight.
“To pledge a lifetime of protection under the witness of the stars and moon? I don’t believe such a deep bond exists in this world. And I don’t believe someone with that kind of temperament would say such words out of mere friendship. There must be more important relationships involved.”
Then came his probing of Chu Junyu that night.
“Big Brother, have you forgotten so quickly how we opened up our hearts to each other in Changtian Realm, swearing brotherhood under the heavens? Truly heartless.”
“That wasn’t a brotherhood oath.”
“No matter what, our relationship has changed. Just tell me, am I the most important person to you in Yunxiao?”
“Not particularly important.”
“At least different from others, right?”
“Even if it is, so what?”
Different from everyone else. A more significant connection. I came for someone.
Pei Jing felt his ears grow warm, a mix of awkwardness and embarrassment. He tried to remain composed, not wanting to delve into the answer behind this question and no longer inquiring about the identity of that person. He wasn’t fully prepared for it yet!
Keep calm, keep calm.
Quickly change the subject, quickly change the subject.
“And what about you? Who are you, after all?” He scratched his head, realizing that this question lacked the previous assertiveness.
Chu Junyu was still waiting for him to ask who he came for when suddenly another question reached his ears. He was slightly taken aback and looked up. He saw Pei Jing lowering his head, seemingly organizing the diary entries he referred to as “talisman inscriptions.” However, did his ears turn a bit red?
Red ears. Chu Junyu understood every small movement and even knew all the sensitive spots—red ears, caused by nervousness or shyness. Chu Junyu quietly gazed at him, pondering, what is he nervous about? What is he shy about?
It must be nervousness. Perhaps he guessed the malicious intent he had towards Ji Wuyou, so he deliberately changed the topic.
Ji Wuyou again. Transmigrating into a book really scrambled his brain, both his eyes and heart filled with the protagonist.
Chu Junyu felt a surge of hostility rising inside him. His lips curled into a mocking smile. “What if I don’t want to tell you?”
Pei Jing: “…” What could he do? Kick him out if he didn’t want to answer? But Chu Junyu had saved him, it would be highly unethical to do so.
Honestly, if Chu Junyu didn’t want to say anything, he couldn’t force him. The cultivation world was vast, and the origins of a reclusive master were elusive, with no way to trace them back.
If it were someone else saying these words, Pei Jing would have gritted his teeth and walked away.
But this person was his admirer, despite the embarrassment. He hadn’t figured out how to reject him yet, but he was genuine! After protecting him so many times, he should be a bit more gentle.
Well then.
“In that case, I’ll ask you questions, and you can simply nod or shake your head, alright?”
Step back, step back, take another step back.
Chu Junyu met Pei Jing’s gaze. The young Sect Master on the other side had already composed himself. His skin was like jade, dressed in black with white robes. His tone of speech seemed normal, discussing matters, but Chu Junyu could discern a faint hint of goodwill.
This didn’t align with his expectations. The young Pei Yuzhi of the past, brash and arrogant, should have left in a huff, laughing disdainfully. Instead, here he was, sitting and extending goodwill towards him.
The surge of hostility in Chu Junyu’s heart subsided. He stood up straight, but his gaze remained glued on Pei Jing’s earlobes, the skin fair and radiant, displaying a slight blush like red plum blossoms beneath a blanket of snow.
Pei Jing: “You’re not from the Canghua Continent, are you?”
Surprisingly, Chu Junyu cooperated and replied, “No, I’m not.”
“Do you harbor any ill intentions towards Yunxiao?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Are you from Tianyan City?”
With the final question, Pei Jing’s finger pressed against the old pages, his clear eyes displaying an unexpectedly earnest gaze.
Tianyan City. The incidents involving Thousand-Faced Woman and Shu Yan all pointed to Tianyan City. Bit by bit, every thread was unraveling, exposing the dark underbelly of the cultivation world’s capital, a haven for villains and their revelries.
Chu Junyu gazed at him for a long while, then calmly said, “Very astute.”
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