Chapter 36
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
“Grandmaster,” Pei Yunshu’s waterdrops fell onto Venerable Wuwang’s face, “Is it alright to give it to me?”
Venerable Wuwang felt his entire body turning icy cold, as if a chilling wind was howling from within his body. His fingers had become so stiff from the cold that they were almost immobile. He teetered on the brink of life and death, as if he had transitioned from life to death, only to return to life once more.
Gradually regaining his consciousness and clarity of mind, his eyes remained indifferent. However, there was still a trace of pain buried beneath the surface.
“That tower contains many demons,” Venerable Wuwang said, “Recently, a flood dragon and a fox were sealed inside.”
The hand that Pei Yunshu had hooked around Venerable Wuwang’s neck trembled slightly. He wanted to say something more but was suddenly lifted by the Grandmaster and placed on the shore. The Grandmaster emerged from the water, his black hair disheveled and clinging to his body. His face, however, remained as cold as frost, exuding an otherworldly aura.
Water cascaded from his body, and the water on his hair was absorbed by his clothes. Despite the biting cold of the forest, Pei Yunshu’s face had an unusual blush.
With every bit of his fair skin exposed, even the slightest blush would creep from his cheeks to the corners of his eyes, tinting his pale earlobes as well.
While the Grandmaster stood in the icy water, looking at him, a trickle of fresh blood suddenly flowed from the corner of his lips.
He closed his eyes and whispered to Pei Yunshu, “If you want that tower, bring me something in exchange.”
Pei Yunshu wiped away the blood from the Grandmaster’s chin with a wet handkerchief he took from his sleeve, every motion filled with endless care and tenderness. “What does Grandmaster want?”
The Grandmaster’s icy lips quivered a few times, and he gazed deeply into Pei Yunshu’s eyes, but he simply said, “It’s up to you.”
***
Venerable Wuwang carried Pei Yunshu back to his room.
The scorching sensation had dissipated, and the wet spots on his clothes had been removed. Venerable Wuwang gently laid him down on the bed, and as he left, he held Pei Yunshu’s hand, which had been trembling earlier. Now, it was as steady as an iron grip.
Once the Grandmaster left, the room returned to silence, and Pei Yunshu got up from the bed to go to the bath.
The water in the bath was much more comfortable than the cold pool. Pei Yunshu hadn’t even taken off his clothes when he immersed himself completely in the water. He closed his eyes, lost in thought.
When Qingyue Sword couldn’t resist poking him in the water, he finally snapped out of his reverie and got out of the water.
What did the Grandmaster want?
They had received various treasures and magical items on that day, which had delighted all the inner disciples. What else could the Grandmaster possibly need in terms of rare materials?
Qingyue Sword urged him silently to go to sleep as it pushed him towards the bed. Pei Yunshu’s train of thought was interrupted. He smiled, climbed into bed, but instead of sleeping, he sat cross-legged.
However, after one night, he woke up from his dreams on the second day.
He was already lying on the bed, curled up, and covered with a thin blanket.
Some of his black hair had already fallen to the ground. Pei Yunshu got up, and the blanket slipped down.
When did he become such a lover of sleep?
But after a good night’s rest, he felt refreshed. The morning sun had risen outside, and a Junior disciple was watering the spirit plants in the courtyard. Pei Yunshu stood quietly for a moment, then walked over, took the water bucket from him, and said, “These flowers don’t need too much water.”
The Junior Brother exclaimed, “Oops, my apologies, Senior Brother.”
“It’s all right. I’ll take care of it.” Pei Yunshu scooped up a ladle of water and carefully watered the spirit plants. These flowers and plants were quite spirited; after the water droplets fell, they stretched gracefully, appearing more vibrant.
After watering these spirit plants, Pei Yunshu looked up and saw a messenger talisman flying towards him. He reached out and caught it, and it emitted his senior brother’s voice. “Junior Brother, come down the mountain for a moment. I have something to give you.”
***
Pei Yunshu flew down the mountain on his sword and saw his second senior brother waiting at the mountain’s base.
There was a golden cage beside him. Pei Yunshu landed and greeted him, “Senior Brother.”
Second senior brother raised his eyes, and his black eyes were filled with a smile. “Junior Brother.”
As they got closer, Pei Yunshu could see what was in the cage at his second senior brother’s feet—a light brown fox. This particular fox, however, didn’t seem very clever. Since it had spotted Pei Yunshu, its amber eyes had been fixed on him with a rather vacant expression, looking completely silly.
Seeing Pei Yunshu’s gaze on the caged fox, his second senior brother’s smile deepened. He spoke warmly, “I was afraid you’d get too lonely on Three Days Peak, so I caught a fox to keep you company.”
This fox bore a striking resemblance to the one he had killed earlier. He thought that Pei Yunshu might like it.
Pei Yunshu stepped closer and crouched in front of the cage. He reached out to stroke the fox’s ear, but the fox continued to stare at him with unblinking, vacant eyes. Pei Yunshu smiled and said, “It doesn’t seem very lively, but it’s rather cute.”
He looked up at his second senior brother and said, “Thank you, Second Senior Brother.”
These past few days, it was the first time he had smiled at his second senior brother. Yuncheng’s heart trembled slightly, and his eyes softened. He reached out to gently stroke Pei Yunshu’s hair.
Pei Yunshu’s black hair was soft and smooth, and he didn’t move as he gazed at the fox in the cage.
The fox, on the other hand, showed surprise. This sudden display of human emotion immediately set it apart from the other foxes.
Pei Yunshu reached out and covered the fox’s clean eyes with his hand.
Finally, he withdrew his hand and asked softly, “Senior Brother, do you know what our Grandmaster likes?”
His second senior brother was taken aback. “Grandmaster?”
“I live with Grandmaster, and he takes good care of me,” Pei Yunshu explained. “He even gave me a top-grade magical treasure last time. I feel uneasy, and I want to give something back to Grandmaster.”
Yuncheng furrowed his brow as he pondered.
Grandmaster practiced the Path of Ruthlessness, and his special treatment of Yunshu was likely due to their former “brotherly” relationship. Yuncheng didn’t know what Grandmaster liked, but he knew that Yunwang enjoyed worldly possessions.
It was amusing, really. Yunwang liked the mortal world and was steeped in worldly desires, while Grandmaster remained as pure as a white lotus, seemingly devoid of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires.
“Grandmaster has a broad range of experiences,” Yuncheng suggested. “Why don’t we go to the mortal world and see? If we find something novel, Grandmaster might like it.”
“If Junior Brother wants to go down the mountain, I’ll accompany you.”
Pei Yunshu stood up and placed the cage on his Qingyue Sword, allowing it to float back up the mountain. Then, he nodded to his second senior brother. “Let’s go down the mountain together, Senior Brother. Do you have time today?”
The fox began to howl as it was carried away, its cries becoming sharper and more piercing.
Yuncheng furrowed his brow, looking in the direction of the fox.
Before he could think further, Pei Yunshu covered his ears.
This gentle touch couldn’t block out any sound, but it did interrupt his thoughts. His gaze shifted from the fox to Pei Yunshu.
Pei Yunshu’s expression remained calm, as if he were doing something ordinary, but the hand covering his face was warm and carried a faint fragrance.
“Senior Brother,” he said softly, “Don’t let the fox bother you.”
With just this short distance between them, junior brother Yunshu had never voluntarily stood so close to him. Yuncheng raised his hand, held Yunshu’s hand that was covering his ears, and his throat moved slightly as he said in a low voice, “Whatever Junior Brother says.”
Pei Yunshu smiled and withdrew his hand. Qingyue Sword returned to him, and he stepped onto the sword, heading down the mountain.
Yuncheng followed him, and his black eyes became increasingly bright as he watched Pei Yunshu’s figure, his eyes lingering for a moment.
Pei Yunshu stood for a while, seeming tired, and then he sat cross-legged on the sword.
His back was straight, but the unseen pallor on his face was extreme.
His trembling hand, placed on his leg, shook inside his sleeve. He glanced at his trembling hand and couldn’t help but chuckle. It turned out that he wasn’t just uncomfortable; he was afraid, not only of snakes but also of his senior brother.
He had initially thought it was merely dislike, but now he realized it was fear.
Pei Yunshu took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped his hands repeatedly. By the time his palms turned red, he folded the handkerchief back up. When they reached the foot of the mountain, his palms had returned to their normal state.
Walking through the bustling streets of the market, Pei Yunshu and his second senior brother were surrounded by a sea of people. However, Pei Yunshu couldn’t help but wonder what he could exchange for the Demon-Sealing Tower from their Grandmaster.
***
As the sun set over the western mountains, Pei Yunshu returned to Three Days Peak.
A young disciple took the things from his hand and said, “Senior Brother, the fox that was sent up by Qingyue Sword earlier has been placed in your room. But it neither eats nor drinks; it has been crying continuously. What should we do?”
Pei Yunshu’s movements paused. “It’s in my room?”
Seeing the young disciple nod, Pei Yunshu picked up a roasted chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and handed it to him. “Eat this yourself.”
Then, he picked up another portion and entered his room.
As soon as he entered, the fox that had been locked up in the cage grabbed onto the bars and looked at him earnestly.
It seemed to have cried before, as the fur around its amber eyes was damp and it still had tears in its eyes. It was a fox that loved to cry.
Pei Yunshu walked over to the cage and simply sat down on the floor. He lifted the hem of his robe, placed the roasted chicken beside him, and opened the golden cage.
The moment the cage opened, the fox pounced out of it. Pei Yunshu had initially thought it was trying to escape, but to his surprise, it jumped into his arms and started sobbing again.
Pei Yunshu was surprised at first, but then he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why are you so good at crying?”
He gently stroked the fox’s fur. It seemed to find his touch comfortable, as it responded with a contented purring sound. When he touched its tail, the ordinary tail split into two.
Pei Yunshu touched the fox’s two tails in slight surprise and smiled. “You’re not an ordinary fox, are you?”
The fox, looking at his smiling face, once again had a vacant expression in its golden eyes. After a while, it lifted its paw to cover its face, while its two flexible tails lightly wound around Pei Yunshu’s wrist.
Pei Yunshu held the fox in his arms, removed the lotus leaves from the roasted chicken, and the scent of the meat filled the air. In the fragrance, the fox eagerly devoured the food. Pei Yunshu leaned against the edge of the bed, closed his eyes, and looked relaxed.
Once the fox finished eating the chicken and used its paw to tug at Pei Yunshu’s clothes, he opened his eyes.
He blinked away his weariness, wet a cloth with water, and wiped the fox’s hands and mouth. Once the fox was clean, he touched its ears and said, “Since you’re staying here, let’s give you a name.”
The fox stared at him in a daze, looking somewhat sad.
Pei Yunshu thought he might have been mistaken and picked up the fox. The sky outside was getting dark, but the bright moon had already risen.
He had an idea, “How about I call you Chongyue?”
The fox shook its head.
Pei Yunshu pondered for a moment and then smiled. “When the moon is dark and the wind is high, how about I call you Fenggao?”
As he said this, he burst into laughter himself.
Suddenly, the fox jumped out of his arms, pointed at a flower, and turned around anxiously.
Pei Yunshu looked at the fox, then at the flower.
A sense of sorrow welled up in his chest, and his eyes turned sour. For a moment, tears welled up in his eyes, but he forcefully suppressed them.
“Alright,” he said, “then I’ll call you Hua Yue.”
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Man I started crying just reading the name Huayue
Isso é muito cruel 😢