Chapter 50
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A quarter of an hour ago, at the Jindeng Pavilion of the Yanchuntai.
Meng Yunfei looked at the precarious mountain of chicken bones on the table, cautiously poking his head out to ask, “Young Master Xiang? Do you want another drunken chicken?”
Under the enormous shadow of the mountain of chicken bones, “Young Master Xiang” appeared so slender and frail. He laid back on the soft azure silk chair, looking up at the sky, his face content, with a dreamy light in his eyes, murmuring, “I haven’t had a good meal in a long time…”
Meng Yunfei felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. “Can’t you even get a meal at Cangyang Mountain? Is it because Sect Master Xu is strict with his disciples and wants you to fast immediately?”
Gong Wei wanted to say that it’s not just about fasting; in his previous life, Sect Master Xu didn’t even allow him to drink chicken soup, let alone eat a flower. It seemed like he would criticize him for the slightest deviation from others. However, before he could complain, he suddenly remembered the gaze of Xu Shuangce when he left the Penglai Hall earlier – that intense, focused look that seemed to penetrate him. His words stuck in his throat, and he could only mutter, “Not exactly. He took me to a restaurant this morning and let me order whatever I wanted.”
Meng Yunfei asked curiously, “What did you order then?”
Gong Wei replied, “Boiled vegetables with plain water.”
Meng Yunfei: “…”
“I won’t be fooled,” Gong Wei said solemnly. “Master likes it when I eat boiled vegetables with plain water. As a disciple of Cangyang Sect, how can I not know that it’s just a test from Master?”
Meng Yunfei thought that Sect Master Xu was indeed extremely strict. Although it was an opportunity that many sought after to become a disciple under a grandmaster, it was hard to predict whether it would be a blessing or a curse for someone as gentle as Young Master Xiang to stay in Cangyang Sect for a long time.
With these thoughts, he couldn’t help but feel even more worried. He asked indirectly, “Then… Young Master Xiang had a marriage contract with Yejinmen, right? When exactly…”
Gong Wei casually replied, “That engagement? Master has already helped me dissolve it.”
“When was this?! Why was it dissolved?!”
Gong Wei said, “It was dissolved a long time ago.”
Since it was dissolved, then he would be able to…
Meng Yunfei was shocked internally, and amid the shock, a barely perceptible joy emerged involuntarily. But as soon as he realized his hidden emotions, self-reproach and guilt flooded over him like a tide.
Young Master Xiang has always enjoyed playing with Yuchi Yuanju, but Yuanju didn’t appreciate his kindness. Now that the engagement is broken, Young Master Xiang must be deeply hurt. I should try my best to comfort him, how can I feel secretly delighted? Taking advantage of someone’s misfortune is not what a decent person should do!
Gong Wei looked at Meng Yunfei inexplicably, thinking why he looked so guilty, as if these two people really had some private affairs. But the matter of breaking off the engagement couldn’t be blamed on Meng Yunfei. It was obviously because Yuchi Yuanju went to Cangyang Sect to extort funeral expenses, which annoyed Xu Shuangce. So he said solemnly, “This has nothing to do with Senior Meng. Matters between fellow disciples should follow the instructions of the master. If Sect Master Xu doesn’t like the engagement with Yejinmen, then it’s fine to dissolve it.”
Meng Yunfei unexpectedly had a rare moment of being absent-minded, hesitating to speak for a while before his face slightly reddened as he said, “Young Master Xiang… en, lively and adorable, exceptionally gifted and beautiful, surely in the future, a suitable match can still be found…”
A suitable match?
Gong Wei laid there casually thinking, who else in this world could be a suitable match besides Xu Shuangce? After all, Xu Shuangce is strong and handsome, and I like him so much… Wait a minute?!
He jolted up as if struck by lightning. Startled, Meng Yunfei asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Why am I thinking about Xu Shuangce?! Have I been possessed?!
Gong Wei trembled, waving his hand to try to conceal his flushed face, “I’m fine, I…”
At that moment, there seemed to be a strange sound coming from the direction of the Penglai Palace in the distance, as if something huge had been shattered. Both of them turned their heads simultaneously to look, Meng Yunfei stood up, questioning, “Is it Master?”
***
“Brother Xu?” Liu Xuzhi was startled, “What’s wrong with you?”
The mercury mirror shattered like a waterfall, scattered all over the ground. Xu Shuangce stood with his sword drawn, his brows furrowed tightly as he slowly scanned his surroundings. Every inch of the ground and every corner of the Penglai Grand Hall was reflected in his eyes, but there was no sign of anything unusual.
The ghostly figure had disappeared.
Was it specifically hiding in the mirror to eavesdrop on their conversation?
Where did it go now?
Xu Shuangce’s heart sank, and he suddenly turned his head towards the direction of the Jindeng Pavilion outside the grand hall.
“Could Master be in a dispute with Sect Master Xu?”
Meng Yunfei frowned, quickly walking to the window and opening it to look outside. Across the brilliantly lit grand platform, the Penglai Grand Hall stood tall under the night sky, like a fairyland shrouded in mist.
While he turned, Gong Wei quickly pressed the icy back of his hand against his face, but for some reason, he felt a sense of guilt, as if his face was burning. Looking around, he suddenly saw the mercury mirror that Meng Yunfei had handed him earlier. He reached out to pick it up and held it in front of his eyes, wanting to secretly check if his face was still flushed.
The next moment, a ghostly figure appeared in the mirror, with countless crimson lights flickering under a huge hood, meeting his gaze. Meng Yunfei turned back, “Perhaps something was accidentally broken…”
A ghostly hand in the mirror shot towards Gong Wei’s right eye, but Gong Wei acted even faster, throwing the mirror against the wall with a bang, shattering it!
Meng Yunfei exclaimed, “What’s wrong?!”
Gong Wei shouted, “That ghost cultivator from Linjiang City! —Sword come!”
The Suqing Sword rang out of its sheath, flying from Meng Yunfei’s waist to Gong Wei, firmly gripped in his hand. At the same time, the ghostly figure in the mirror seemed stunned, apparently not expecting to be caught by Gong Wei. It then slowly rose from countless fragments, condensing into a figure with fluttering robes.
It still had no eyes, and its body was even fainter than before. It drew the Bai Tai Shou Sword from its hand with a clear ring.
Meng Yunfei didn’t have time to figure out the situation. He acted decisively and pressed with one hand, “Fuxi!”
The ancient zither appeared instantly, shining brightly. Meng Yunfei still couldn’t see the ghostly figure, but as he plucked the strings with his left hand, a warning sound pierced the air, while his right hand swiftly swept out powerful sound waves. Ripples of spiritual power spread in all directions, colliding with the ghostly figure in the void, outlining its shape.
The sound waves surged like a raging tide. Enraged, the ghostly figure slashed towards Meng Yunfei with a sword, already at his crown — clang!
Gong Wei rushed forward, the Suqing Sword firmly blocking the Bai Tai Shou Sword’s edge.
In the blink of an eye, the two coordinated seamlessly. Meng Yunfei’s melody shifted into the fierce “Armor Light,” while Gong Wei instantly dismantled dozens of sword strikes, forcing the ghostly figure to retreat. With a sudden burst of force, he sent the Bai Tai Shou flying into the air!
A loud clang echoed as the divine sword plunged into the wall, hilt deep.
Gong Wei swung his sword horizontally to dispel the ghostly figure, then swiftly moved to grab the Bai Tai Shou. Unexpectedly, at the next moment, the disappeared ghostly figure reappeared, this time right beside him, and a blood-red demonic sword silently stabbed towards him.
—This is bad.
Gong Wei couldn’t dodge, and his right arm felt a chill as the blood-red sword pierced through it!
But strangely, after the sword pierced through, there was no blood spatter or any pain, as if what was pierced was not flesh and blood but an illusion. Both the ghostly figure and Gong Wei were stunned.
A faint golden “Xu” character flashed on the inside of Gong Wei’s left wrist.
The ghostly figure seemed to suddenly realize something, reaching out to the Bai Tai Shou on the ground nearby. The divine sword immediately turned into smoke and disappeared, reappearing in its hand. Gong Wei didn’t have time to think. He reached out to grab the sword, but the ghostly figure completely stopped fighting, and in the blink of an eye, disappeared with a whistling sound into the air!
Meanwhile, in the Penglai Grand Hall.
A small fox drawn in cinnabar suddenly appeared on Xu Shuangce’s right hand, vivid and interesting, shimmering with a blood-red light.
Immediately after, a burst of blood light erupted from Xu Shuangce’s upper right arm, pierced through by an invisible sword in the void!
Liu Xuzhi exclaimed, “Brother Xu!”
Xu Shuangce suddenly covered his right arm with one hand, and blood gushed out from between his fingers. Liu Xuzhi hurriedly rushed over and quickly cast a hemostasis spell, hardly believing his eyes, “This talisman… is it a body-substituting talisman?”
Xu Shuangce raised his hand to stop him. “Du Kaixun may have arrived.”
“What?!”
“Immediately gather all the mercury mirrors on and around the Yanchuntai and set up the Mirror Array Formation. Cover them tightly with red cloth so no light can pass through. Strictly instruct everyone not to look into the mirrors and have Meng Yunfei play the Fuxi Qin to set up the Heaven and Earth Sound Barrier. After the formation is set up, send someone to call for me.”
Liu Xuzhi followed behind. “Brother Xu, where are you going?!”
Xu Shuangce said, “It’s looking for my disciple.”
A few drops of blood splattered on his cheek, making his already pale complexion even colder and more stern. However, he showed no hesitation, swiftly rushing out of the hall towards the Jindeng Pavilion, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Liu Xuzhi hurriedly chased after him. “Brother Xu, you can’t go! Your wound…”
—Just then, behind Liu Xuzhi, countless shattered mirror fragments on the ground suddenly emitted wisps of gray smoke.
The smoke, invisible to everyone, gradually gathered in mid-air, revealing the ghostly figure in gray robes. The invisible eye sockets under its hood stared straight at Music Saint, countless crimson dots flickering and seemingly forming a mysterious smile.
Then, without a sound, it lunged forward.
Sensing something, Liu Xuzhi suddenly turned around. “Wha—”
His words abruptly stopped as his gaze pierced through the ghostly figure’s invisible body, meeting the radiant fragment of a mirror realm in its chest cavity.
The artifact’s mirror technique was activated instantly. The ghostly figure then flew towards Liu Xuzhi and collided with him!
“…”
Liu Xuzhi seemed frozen in place, standing stiffly, eyes staring straight ahead, unmoving.
***
Clang!
The door of the Jindeng Pavilion was pushed open with force, and Xu Shuangce entered with his sword drawn, his robes fluttering, his eyes filled with solemnity. The sight of the shocking bloodstains on his right arm entered the eyes of Meng Yunfei and Gong Wei.
Meng Yunfei was astonished. “Sect Master Xu, you…”
“Where is it?”
Meng Yunfei quickly replied, “It seems to have disappeared, nowhere to be found—Quick, someone! Immediately tend to Sect Master Xu’s injury!”
But Xu Shuangce paid no attention. He quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on Gong Wei’s shoulder and quickly inspecting his entire body. Only after confirming that there were no obvious signs of blood on Gong Wei did Xu Shuangce’s tense shoulders seem to relax slightly. But then his gaze fell on Gong Wei’s ankle, and he frowned. “What’s this?”
Gong Wei had taken off his shoes earlier due to being too relaxed, and when the accident happened, he didn’t have time to put them back on. His bare feet stepped on the ground where the mercury mirror had shattered, causing cuts on his ankle from the splintered pieces.
“…”
Gong Wei stared straight at the large patch of blood on Xu Shuangce’s sleeve, his mind blank, his ears buzzing. The answer was right in front of him, but he couldn’t believe his eyes. After a while, he managed to squeeze out two words with difficulty. “Master……”
Xu Shuangce bent one knee, using his thumb to wipe away the bloodstain on Gong Wei’s ankle, his expression as cold as frost.
Then Gong Wei suddenly felt dizzy, and Xu Shuangce lifted him up horizontally, swiftly walking out.
“!”
Gong Wei was completely stiff. Meng Yunfei unable to say a word, subconsciously taking a few steps forward, then couldn’t believe his eyes as he said, “Master… Sect Master Xu?!”
Without looking back, Xu Shuangce’s voice was icy. “Go to Penglai Hall and find Liu Xuzhi. Set up the Mirror Array Formation immediately.”
Under the warning melody played by Meng Yunfei earlier, the disciples of the Music Saint School had already surrounded the Jindeng Pavilion, panic-stricken, making way on both sides. But Xu Shuangce didn’t look at anyone. He just held the stiff Gong Wei, passing through a hundred feet in one step, already far from the Penglai Grand Hall, surrounded by a vast open platform.
Spiritual energy gathered into a gale, and suddenly his wide sleeves swept up.
Then, a huge circular formation expanded in all directions around Xu Shuangce as the center. In the blink of an eye, tall buildings rose from the ground, quickly constructing a nine-story building, revealing the Baiyu Building from Cangyang Mountain.
The Five Ghosts Maneuvering Technique!
Xu Shuangce stepped into the door, and in the next moment, he appeared directly in the bedroom of the building, placing Gong Wei on the large bed.
The room had ivory-white walls, ink-jade carved beams, and azure silk curtains, elegantly furnished and extremely familiar— the entire building was directly transported from Cangyang Mountain thousands of miles away by Xu Shuangce’s spell. Pearl lights lit up one after another, illuminating the room brightly, and the haze in Xu Shuangce’s eyes was finally dispelled at this moment.
He sat on the edge of the bed, lifted Gong Wei’s ankle with one hand, and with a light touch of his icy fingers, which seemed to contain infinite energy, the bloodstains from the broken mirror shards completely healed, leaving no trace behind.
Xu Shuangce’s profile was strikingly handsome under the radiant light of the pearls, exuding a chilling aura that made people dare not approach. But Gong Wei couldn’t take his eyes off him. His heart was beating very fast, as if it would jump out of his mouth at any moment. He could only softly utter three words through his lips, “I’m sorry…”
Xu Shuangce coldly questioned, “What are you apologizing to me for?”
“…”
Gong Wei forcefully swallowed saliva, his gaze falling on the bloodstain on Xu Shuangce’s right sleeve. After a long time, he finally gathered the courage to speak, “Mas… Master, shall I treat your injury?”
The room fell silent. Xu Shuangce didn’t move, but he didn’t refuse either.
Gong Wei’s heartbeat accelerated even more, each beat pressing blood to his temples, causing even his ears to ring. Dazed and half-kneeling on the bed, he straightened his upper body and removed the ivory-white outer robe with black-gold trim from Xu Shuangce’s shoulders, then leaned in to undo his inner armor, trembling fingers taking half an eternity to undo it.
Xu Shuangce remained motionless, and Gong Wei felt his gaze descending, staring fixedly at his own face.
—What expression does he have right now? This thought suddenly flashed through Gong Wei’s mind in the chaos.
The distance between them was too close, their breaths audible to each other. Xu Shuangce’s thin lips were tightly pressed together, slightly pale due to blood loss, sharp and elegant in shape; instinctively, Gong Wei wanted to lean in and kiss them, but the strong sense of oppression emanating from Xu Shuangce made him dare not lift his head to see his expression.
His breathing trembled, unstable. He could only bury his head to remove the close-fitting inner robe, but his shoulders, pulled too straight, caught on the hem of the garment. After several futile attempts to free it, it ended up stuck, unable to move up or down. With a slight force, it suddenly pulled open, revealing the gruesome wound stained with blood beneath the fabric.
Gong Wei’s hand loosened as if struck by lightning.
A needle-like sense of grievance and fear suddenly surged from his organs, gathering into a hot stream rushing into his nostrils. Even though he didn’t know where this complex and intense emotion came from, he couldn’t help but say, “I’m so…”
Xu Shuangce finally moved.
As if showing great mercy, he lifted his injured right hand slightly.
Gong Wei, dizzy and swollen-headed, quickly reached to strip off the black inner robe, and the blood-soaked garment silently fell onto the bed, revealing Xu Shuangce’s mostly bare upper body.
Xu Shuangce’s muscle lines were extremely firm and pronounced, his body maintaining peak physical condition as if in his twenties. His shoulders were broad and straight, his abdominal muscles smooth and clear. The gruesome blood hole pierced through his right upper arm was fully displayed before Gong Wei’s eyes.
It was the injury transfer technique he had set up with his own flesh and blood, also Gong Wei’s most foolproof barrier.
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