Chapter 23
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After soaking in the warm water for just a quarter of an hour, Pei Yunshu fell asleep under the influence of the alcohol.
He slept through the night and only woke up when the sun was high in the sky the next day.
Inside the cave was quiet and still. Pei Yunshu rubbed his forehead and was about to sit up when he suddenly noticed something in his hand. He lowered his head and saw that it was a heavily worn key.
Beneath the key, there was also a piece of paper stuffed. Pei Yunshu unfolded the paper, and bold and graceful characters caught his eye.
“Madam, as you have just entered my secret realm, I have nothing much to offer you. After some thought, I decided to present this secret realm to you. It’s a small token, and I hope you won’t be modest.”
Every word was courteous, contrasting with the extravagant handwriting.
Pei Yunshu furrowed his brow.
Why did he recognize every word, yet couldn’t understand these sentences?
Madam, secret realm, key.
He got up and walked outside. As he emerged from the cave, he saw Zhuyou and Huayue standing under the shade of a tree. The fox was sneakily taking a book out of his sleeve and handing it to Zhuyou, looking somewhat guilty.
What were they doing?
As Pei Yunshu walked towards them, Huayue caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye. With a flick of his wrist, the book hadn’t even reached Zhuyou’s hand before it fell to the ground.
Zhuyou glanced at Pei Yunshu and summoned the book to his hand, unruffled.
“Beauty, you’ve finally awakened,” Huayue turned his gaze towards Pei Yunshu, inspecting him from head to toe with a smile. “How strong was the aftereffect of the alcohol? Luckily, you didn’t drink too much; otherwise, you might not have woken up for the whole day!”
Pei Yunshu smiled and then asked, “Has anyone been found nearby since I fell asleep?”
Huayue shook his head. “No.”
If no one had entered, then what was the deal with the key and the note?
Pei Yunshu frowned and showed them what he had found. The fox curiously blinked his amorous peach blossom eyes and was about to touch the note, but before he could, the note suddenly floated up and disintegrated in the air.
Only an ancient and heavily worn key remained in Pei Yunshu’s hand, as if it had experienced many years of wear and tear.
Zhuyou stared at the key with a displeased expression. “What was written on the note?”
“….”
“Madam,” this word was inexplicably difficult to say.
Pei Yunshu bypassed this word and said, “The person said they wanted to give me this secret realm.”
Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind, and he turned to Huayue. “Huayue, did you receive anything?”
Huayue’s fair fingertips twirled around a strand of black hair beside him, a look of confusion in his eyes. “No, I didn’t.”
Another mention of a secret realm, another reference to a madam. Pei Yunshu could only think of the ridiculous ceremony on the stone wall with the stone fox. But if Huayue hadn’t received these things, why did he alone have them?
He contemplated deeply, and Zhuyou had already taken the key from his hand. Judging by his expression, if Pei Yunshu wasn’t present, he might have crushed the key into dust with a single hand.
Zhuyou asked, “Do you want this secret realm?”
Pei Yunshu shook his head. “I don’t want it.”
The words on the note, along with this enormous secret realm, were not something to be taken lightly.
Zhuyou’s eyes and lips curled up in satisfaction. He raised his hand and casually tossed the key to Huayue, who caught it in disbelief. “For me?”
“Don’t want it?”
Huayue was taken aback by the sudden glance from Zhuyou. He promptly swallowed his polite words, clutched the key, and appeared delighted. A rosy blush spread across his face, and he said, “In that case, I’ll gladly accept it and consider it a return gift from you, Beauty, in exchange for the Four Month Snow Tree’s inner core. However, this gift is quite substantial. Beauty Yunshu, you wait a moment. After I’ve found all the good things in the secret realm, I’ll give you half.”
Pei Yunshu was about to refuse, but Huayue quickly added, “If Yunshu doesn’t want it, then I won’t take it either.”
Pei Yunshu didn’t know what to say.
Seeing that he wasn’t responding, Huayue smiled mischievously and walked away to explore the key further.
***
It took Huayue an entire day to retrieve items that almost filled Pei Yunshu’s storage bag.
When he suddenly acquired so many valuable items, Pei Yunshu felt like he was walking on air. Once he regained his senses, he took the bag from Huayue, preventing him from filling it with more items.
In the evening, Pei Yunshu sat by the cold pool, lost in thought as he looked at the sky. He began to examine the items he had taken from the secret realm one by one. These items would serve as gifts for his master and fellow senior brothers.
He had no intention of returning to Wuzhi Peak.
He didn’t know when he would return, and if possible, he never wanted to return. He wanted to distance himself from his sect, his fellow disciples, and Yunwang a bit more.
Pei Yunshu organized the selected items and planned to send them out once they left the secret realm. Perhaps it would be enough to repay the things his sect had given him. If he could do that, he would have no more attachments.
In addition to these priceless spiritual plants, Pei Yunshu also took out writing materials to pen a letter to his master.
He asked his master and fellow senior brothers not to come looking for him. This way, it would be unlikely that anyone would bring him back up the mountain.
He finished his tasks and then asked Huayue, “When can we leave the secret realm?”
“Anytime you like,” Huayue replied, sitting on a lush green fruit-laden bed. “If Beauty wishes to leave, we can go tomorrow morning.”
Pei Yunshu hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“Beauty, are you going to look for your fellow senior brothers?”
Pei Yunshu shook his head. “After we leave, I’ll send them a message telling them where the exit is.”
He looked down at the silver chain in his hand.
The Qingyue Sword couldn’t sever this chain, so he would have to rely on Zhuyou tomorrow. If Zhuyou couldn’t cut it either, it seemed that no one in the world could.
Thinking of Zhuyou, Pei Yunshu glanced in his direction.
The flood dragon was hiding in the cold pool, keeping his distance from the shore, and engrossed in a book Huayue had given him, as if afraid of being secretly observed by others.
It seemed that he also had times when he was fond of reading.
Pei Yunshu couldn’t help but feel curious. He asked Huayue, “What book is Zhuyou reading?”
Huayue’s gaze shifted uncomfortably, and he avoided looking at Pei Yunshu directly as he replied vaguely, “It’s a book about rural stories, something Beauty wouldn’t enjoy reading.”
Rural stories? Pei Yunshu looked puzzled. He had never heard of such a book. Was it about farming?
***
It wasn’t until the sun set that Zhuyou emerged from the cold pool, clutching the book in his hand. Steam billowed around him, and the demonic patterns on his face spread from his cheeks to his neck.
He was so hot that others could feel the scorching heat.
That night, Zhuyou didn’t soak in the cold pool but instead entered the cave and slept in the same bedding as Pei Yunshu.
Pei Yunshu was extremely tired, and his eyes were heavy. He didn’t want to argue with Zhuyou, so he acquiesced to him crawling under the covers and sleeping together.
After just a moment, Pei Yunshu was already half asleep when he sensed Zhuyou fidgeting behind him.
Pei Yunshu turned over to urge him to go to sleep, but before he could say a word, he couldn’t resist the overwhelming drowsiness and fell into a deep slumber.
***
Early the next morning, Pei Yunshu woke up feeling his lips swollen and sore.
He tried to touch his lips, but lifting his arm, he realized that the area around his chest was also swollen and painful. Perplexed, he carefully opened his shirt and saw that it had also swelled overnight.
Every part of him seemed to be swollen and painful, and he didn’t dare to move his lips. Could it be that he had ingested something toxic or been bitten by some creature?
But why was it in this particular area… It was truly strange.
Unable to figure out the cause, Pei Yunshu furrowed his brows, got up, and turned away from the cave entrance. While changing his clothes, he cautiously tried to use the milky white spiritual energy to reduce the swelling on his lips and chest. However, after a while, the spiritual energy seemed to have no effect at all.
He had no choice but to put on his clothes and go outside to find Huayue and Zhuyou.
***
At first, Pei Yunshu felt self-conscious because he thought his swollen lips looked frightening. However, Huayue and Zhuyou remained unperturbed, just as they had been the previous day, showing no signs of change.
Seeing their nonchalant reactions, Pei Yunshu began to doubt himself.
They flew up from the cliff, and Huayue opened the entrance of the secret realm at this location. Suddenly, a rift appeared in the sky, and the scenery beyond the rift was the same as the hidden path outside the Spring Breeze Pavillion.
Pei Yunshu, along with the other two, flew towards the exit using his sword. When they were about to leave the secret realm, he stopped his Qingyue Sword.
The two demons beside him also stopped, watching as he quickly sent a transmission talisman and, already prepared, used a boundary to package the valuable spiritual plants. With the transmission talisman, the plants were sent flying together.
Pei Yunshu watched as they grew smaller and smaller in the distance. He raised his right hand and pulled back his sleeve, revealing the silver chain on his wrist. Under the sunlight, it sparkled brightly.
“Zhuyou,” Pei Yunshu extended his hand in front of him, “Can you break this?”
Zhuyou responded, “Kiss.”
Pei Yunshu looked at him silently. Zhuyou gazed back without any change in expression but extended his sharp claws and lightly tugged. The bracelet, crafted by Second Senior Brother, fell from the sky and landed in the jungle.
As soon as the bracelet was broken, Pei Yunshu’s wrist stung. He looked at the tiny needle-sized wound. Under the influence of the Fourth Month Snow Tree, the wound began to heal slowly. In the blink of an eye, the needle-like wound vanished completely.
Pei Yunshu withdrew his hand, lowered his head, and looked at the vanished bracelet. Suddenly, he smiled, his eyes clear. He gazed at the exit above and without hesitation, flew out of the secret realm.
***
Yuncheng, who was meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. He took out an exquisite wooden box from his sleeve, and when he opened it, the finely carved bracelet inside had turned into white powder.
Yuncheng’s gaze darkened. “Fourth Junior Brother…”
Beside him, Third Senior Brother opened his eyes. “What happened to Fourth Junior Brother?”
Yuncheng didn’t reply. He used his fingertip to scrape the sharp edge of the wooden box, causing his finger to be cut. Holding his injured finger, he let the crimson droplet fall onto the powder.
The crushed bracelet absorbed his blood. From the bottom, the powdered bracelet began to move and wiggle. Finally, a tiny, crystal-colored bug, no bigger than a grain of rice, crawled out. It sniffed Yuncheng’s blood and then burrowed into his wound.
Third Senior Brother’s face darkened. “Gu insects. Yuncheng, why do you have gu insects in your bracelet? Did you use them on Fourth Junior Brother?”
“Just some little creatures that are quite beneficial for the body,” Yuncheng said, wiping away the bloodstains from his fingers with a handkerchief and smiling. “Although they have a few other minor effects, they certainly won’t harm Fourth Junior Brother.”
Yunman’s expression wasn’t pleasant, but he reluctantly believed Yuncheng’s explanation. However, before he could ask anything further, a message talisman flew into the cave.
Following the message talisman were numerous spirit plants, all of which seemed to be valuable treasures.
As Yunwang looked at these items, an uneasy feeling suddenly welled up within him. He stood up, almost stumbling, and crushed the message talisman.
Pei Yunshu’s voice came through it.
“Senior Brother,” there was a pause in the voice before it continued, “Junior Brother.”
“Yunshu has found the exit of the secret realm. You can now follow the guidance to come over.”
Third Senior Brother smashed his folding fan into his hand and exclaimed, “Indeed, Fourth Junior Brother, you truly deserve your reputation. You found the exit of this secret realm before the four of us.”
Yuncheng raised his eyes from the powdered bracelet and looked towards the several spiritual plants in the air.
Pei Yunshu’s voice continued through the transmission, “I exited the secret realm first and have successfully formed my core. I plan to leave the mountain for some travels.”
“Don’t worry.”
The cave fell into silence. The joyful expression on Third Senior Brother’s face froze, as if he hadn’t quite heard the final words of the transmission talisman.
“Senior Brother, did you hear what Junior Brother Yunshu said clearly?” he turned to ask Eldest Senior Brother.
Eldest Senior Brother nodded, “Junior Brother Yunshu said he wants to leave the mountain for some adventures.”
For a moment, the cave fell silent again. Yunwang released the talisman and looked down at the shattered pieces in his hand.
He unfastened the warm jade pendant from his waist and held it tightly in his hand. The smooth white jade pressed against his bones, causing discomfort. A frosty coldness filled his dazzling eyes.
He hadn’t even had a chance to explain to his Senior Brother, but they were already planning to leave his side.
Pressing the white jade pendant firmly, Yunwang turned around, facing his Senior Brothers with a sweet smile. However, the emotions swirling within him were like a turbulent tide, casting a shadow over his expression. “Senior Brothers.”
He smiled gently, “Yunwang has grown up and has never been to other places. Now that I hear Fourth Senior Brother wishes to go on an adventure, I can’t help but feel a bit envious.”
“Yunwang knows that his cultivation is not enough to leave the mountain for adventures,” he chuckled softly, “but Senior Brothers can accompany Yunwang and travel the world together. Perhaps we’ll even encounter Junior Brother Yunshu. If we do, we can return to our sect together.”
“I believe Master would agree.”
***
On Wuzhi Peak.
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master opened his eyes and caught a storage bag filled with treasures. Along with it came a thin letter.
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master looked at Pei Yunshu’s letter. After reading the words “Don’t worry,” he waved his sleeve, sending the storage bag to Yunwang’s room.
He placed the letter aside and closed his eyes to meditate. After a while, he couldn’t enter a state of concentration.
Ling Qing opened his eyes again and glanced around the room.
When he had brought the young Yunshu to the mountain all those years ago, Yunshu had been particularly attached to him. He would often visit his room, leaving traces of Yunshu everywhere.
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master stood up, walked to the table, and picked up a porcelain cup.
More than twenty years had passed, and the porcelain cup now bore a few cracks. Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master suddenly felt a sense of dizziness. He tried to concentrate, but after a while, he put the cup down.
***
On both sides of the bustling street market, crowds of people flowed like a river, and the cries of vendors were never-ending.
Pei Yunshu walked leisurely through the crowd. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to walk faster, but if he did, that area would rub against his clothes and cause pain.
Zhuyou walked by his side. If Pei Yunshu moved slowly, he moved slowly too, his black eyes fixed on Pei Yunshu, as if he couldn’t take his eyes off him.
If it weren’t for Zhuyou staring, Pei Yunshu could have loosened his waistband a little. He was wearing newly bought clothes, and he had chosen the better materials from the ready-made clothing store. However, it still couldn’t compare to the comfort and looseness of Daoist robes. With every step, the discomfort grew.
Huayue was ahead of them and waved them over. When they both reached him, he pointed to a piece of amber-colored stone on a vendor’s stall, unable to hide his amazement. “They say this thing is called Dragon Saliva Incense.”
The three uninformed individuals all looked at the stone.
Dragon Saliva \?
The vendor warmly said, “Exactly, it’s Dragon Saliva Incense. This thing is extremely precious. If the esteemed guests are interested, this is the price.”
He extended his palm, but when the three of them showed no reaction, he smiled mysteriously and covered his mouth with one hand, whispering, “This Dragon Saliva Incense not only enhances your health and stamina but also has some aphrodisiac effects. If you were to light one in your bedroom at night, the fragrant aroma will bring nightly delights. Isn’t that enticing?”
Pei Yunshu understood. He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze away from the Dragon Saliva Incense. He thought that dragons were quite… Even their saliva had such effects.
Huayue seemed envious. He praised Zhuyou next to him and performed a deep bow. “My lord, you are truly extraordinary. Even your saliva has such remarkable effects. There is no other creature in the world that can compare to you.”
Zhuyou, upon hearing this, nodded in agreement with Huayue’s words.
The vendor, who had been speaking cryptically, was at a loss. Then, he extended one hand and closed his thumb, “If the three esteemed guests are truly interested, I can give you a special price, but it can’t go any lower than this.”
Suddenly, Zhuyou reached out and took the amber-colored stone from the vendor’s stall. In the blink of an eye, the stone disappeared from his hand.
The vendor stared with wide eyes, “You—”
Zhuyou looked at him expressionlessly, then turned to Pei Yunshu. Realizing what he had forgotten, he took out a spiritual fruit from his sleeve and casually tossed it to the vendor.
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