Chapter 41
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
After the disciple recruitment ceremony began, Pei Yunshu paid little attention to the people in front of him. His peripheral vision occasionally swept over Zhuyou before he restrained himself, and when he occasionally looked at others, he just passed by without much interest.
It wasn’t until one of the wandering cultivator disciples loudly asked, “I wonder if Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master is still accepting disciples?”
Pei Yunshu snapped back to reality and looked in the direction of the speaker.
The man was unremarkable in appearance, except for his deep-set eyes, which had a hint of ambiguity. He was gazing straight at Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master, and his demeanor easily set him apart from the other disciples.
Pei Yunshu was standing behind Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master and couldn’t help but feel that this person in front of them wasn’t looking at his Master.
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master asked, “Do you wish to become my disciple?”
The man respectfully bowed to Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master and replied, “Yes.”
Pei Yunshu’s heart tightened.
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master examined the young man for a moment and then said, “Your aptitude is decent, but you are not destined to be my disciple.”
Despite being rejected, the man didn’t seem upset, only a bit disappointed. He sighed and returned to his place respectfully.
Pei Yunshu also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Zhuyou, and their gazes met. It seemed like Zhuyou had been watching him all along and never diverted his gaze.
Pei Yunshu’s heart began to race again. He sighed inwardly, appreciating the power of that powder. He found it difficult to take his eyes off Zhuyou.
Even though Third Senior Brother beside him commented, “This person is quite bold and deserves some attention,” Pei Yunshu responded absentmindedly, his gaze fixed.
Third Senior Brother followed his gaze but only saw a group of new disciples. Since Pei Yunshu wouldn’t recognize anyone among them, who could he be looking at?
It wasn’t until a quarter of an hour later that Zhuyou stepped forward.
As he walked out, the various sect leaders nodded in acknowledgment. Their cultivation levels couldn’t compare to Zhuyou’s, and Zhuyou, as a true flood dragon, emitted an aura that was difficult to distinguish. It already contained a hint of flood dragon’s might, sharp and unstoppable.
Pei Yunshu stood upright and took a step forward.
His expression became focused, and his black eyes were fixed on Zhuyou. Worry and nervousness surged within him, making his whole face come alive.
Zhuyou walked up to Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master. His eyes were lowered, his expression cold and indifferent, and he didn’t display any attitude of paying respect. “I want to be your disciple.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master was sitting in a high position, with an ethereal demeanor and a cold expression. He was about to refuse when Pei Yunshu called out from behind him, “Master.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master paused, and Pei Yunshu had already stepped forward and arrived at his side. He lowered his head and said, “Master, this Junior Brother seems to have excellent aptitude.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master responded with a faint nod.
Indeed, the aptitude was impressive. Seeing how Ling Ye Sect Leader couldn’t take his eyes off him, it was clear that this person would undoubtedly become the direct disciple of the Shanshui Sect in the future.
“…” Pei Yunshu pursed his lips. “Master, I feel that he and I share a strong brotherly bond.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master hesitated for a moment, focused on the young man in front of him, and felt a flash of redness before his eyes. He came back to his senses and nodded, “Since you have a bond as brothers, it is also a bond with me, then I will accept him.”
Pei Yunshu hadn’t expected it to be so easy. Surprise briefly flashed across his face, followed by an uncontrollable smile.
The three Senior Brothers standing nearby still had astonishment written on their faces. “Master?”
However, Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master turned to Zhuyou and asked, “What is your name?”
Zhuyou thought for a moment and replied, “Jiao*.”
* flood dragon
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master nodded slightly, thinking that was his name, and said, “Then you will be called Yunjiao from now on.”
Pei Yunshu’s smile didn’t fade, but he suppressed it, knowing he had to appear composed. When Zhuyou and Master finished speaking, he watched as Zhuyou approached him. Every step Zhuyou took made Pei Yunshu’s heart race, and by the time Zhuyou stood in front of him, Pei Yunshu could only maintain a calm exterior.
Zhuyou reached out to hold his hand and softly called him, “Senior Brother.”
Pei Yunshu’s hand moved slightly but didn’t avoid the contact. He replied softly, “Mm.”
However, before Zhuyou could touch Pei Yunshu’s hand, Second Senior Brother stepped forward and pulled Pei Yunshu behind him. He smiled at Zhuyou as if he had just basked in the spring breeze. “Junior Brother Yunjiao, I am your Second Senior Brother.”
He pointed at Yunjing and continued, “That’s your eldest senior brother.”
Zhuyou’s expression remained cold as he responded with a simple “Mm.”
Second Senior Brother didn’t seem to mind and continued to smile amiably. He took out a magical treasure from his sleeve and said, “Although I didn’t expect Master to take on disciples, I happened to prepare something. This way Junior Brother won’t feel he’s treated unfairly.”
Zhuyou glanced at him but made no move to accept it.
Pei Yunshu stood behind Second Senior Brother and wanted to approach but felt a hand on his shoulder. Third Senior Brother smiled and said, “Junior Brother, we will all meet the new Junior Brothers one by one. It’s not your turn yet. You need to be patient.”
Hadn’t Master said that he wouldn’t accept any more disciples after Junior Brother Yunwang?
The few of them were close enough to hear Pei Yunshu’s words to Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master clearly. The mention of “brotherly bond” left a sour taste in their mouths.
Third Senior Brother had a smile on his face, but there was a hidden darkness in his eyes as he gazed deeply at Zhuyou, concealing a subtle sense of hostility.
Pei Yunshu let go of Third Senior Brother’s hand. Seeing that Zhuyou and Second Senior Brother were locked in a stalemate, he said, “Junior Brother, senior brother has prepared a welcoming gift for you. You should accept it.”
As soon as he spoke, Zhuyou reached out his hand and accepted the magical treasure from Second Senior Brother.
Although his face remained expressionless, he seemed to be following Pei Yunshu’s words. Pei Yunshu breathed a sigh of relief. However, Yunjing, who was facing Zhuyou directly, had a darkened expression.
Though he still wore a smile on his face, it was no longer as warm as before. Zhuyou glanced at him briefly before moving on to Pei Yunshu.
“Little Junior Brother,” Eldest Senior Brother suddenly spoke, “do you happen to already know my Junior Brother Yunshu?”
Pei Yunshu was taken aback and stared at Zhuyou. He was afraid that Zhuyou might accidentally reveal something.
Zhuyou looked at him, and although his face had been cold all along, he suddenly smiled. He lowered his voice and said, “I haven’t met him before.”
However, his eyes remained fixed on Pei Yunshu, appearing both serious and a bit silly. “I’ve seen him in my dreams.”
Pei Yunshu blushed, and he tried his best to maintain an indifferent appearance. However, it was difficult to maintain eye contact with Zhuyou.
“Senior Brother,” Zhuyou walked closer and lowered his head. His slender fingers brushed a strand of hair from Pei Yunshu’s ear and lightly sniffed it near his nose. “It smells nice.”
“You…” Pei Yunshu reprimanded in a low voice, “Don’t speak nonsense.”
The powder was indeed frightening. Zhuyou had only said that one sentence, and Pei Yunshu already felt a rush of warmth spreading from his internal organs to his limbs. It was as if he had fallen ill, torn between wanting Zhuyou close and feeling that it was all too frivolous.
He scolded verbally, but his face had a hint of blush. This blush softened his features, transforming the previous coldness into ripples of affection.
However, all these ripples were caused by a new Junior Brother.
Yunman had always enjoyed teasing beautiful people and was known for his smooth talk. He was usually carefree and frivolous. This new Junior Brother was handsome, not inferior to any of them, but seeing the color on Junior Brother Yunshu’s face, Yunman became very displeased.
With a stern face, when he saw Zhuyou getting closer to Junior Brother Yunshu, he picked up his folding fan and used it to block this new junior brother’s hand. He had a smile on his face that seemed somewhat insincere. “Junior Brother, words are just words. There’s no need for any physical contact.”
Zhuyou had a red mark on his hand, and it was not light. He glanced at his hand but didn’t even look at Yunman. He simply held out his hand in front of Pei Yunshu. “Senior Brother, it hurts.”
These words seemed familiar to Pei Yunshu. He blinked for a moment, and then he took out ointment from his sleeve. He applied some of it to the red mark on Zhuyou’s hand with his delicate fingertips.
Third Senior Brother’s face kept changing. He looked up at his senior brothers, who were standing aside, observing how Yunshu was applying ointment to the new Junior Brother. Yun Shu had fair fingertips, and his movements were gentle. Yunman couldn’t discern the emotions in their eyes.
But it couldn’t be happiness.
The hall remained quiet, and conversations were hushed. After the group of disciples in this area fell silent, the surroundings became even quieter, with only the voices of the various Daoist Masters and the questions from the new disciples.
Pei Yunshu applied the ointment carefully, but before he could finish, the red mark on the back of Zhuyou’s hand had already disappeared.
Zhuyou furrowed his brows and pinched the same spot again.
His movement was unexpected, and Pei Yunshu didn’t have time to stop him. Zhuyou’s pinch was both hard and quick, causing not only redness but also bruising. It looked particularly severe.
Third Senior Brother noticed and couldn’t help but sneer, “Junior Brother, it seems you’re quite delicate.”
With just a light tap, he could make this kind of reaction. Although the person was handsome, he appeared overly fragile. It was infuriating to see Junior Brother Yunshu blushing because of someone like this.
It truly stirred a hidden anger in people.
Second Senior Brother walked over from the side and stood next to Pei Yunshu. He carefully examined the back of Zhuyou’s hand and smiled. “It’s just some superficial skin injury, nothing serious.”
He took out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve. “This medicine is quite effective for external injuries. None of us senior brothers need it, so it’s perfect for Junior Brother. You should take it.”
He was close to Pei Yunshu, and within a few words, the fragrance emanating from Pei Yunshu’s hair reached his nose. This scent was different from the one he had noticed when Junior Brother lifted his hand; it was even purer and more enduring.
However, there was something unique about this fragrance; it carried a faint medicinal scent. Yuncheng smiled and turned to Pei Yunshu. “Junior Brother, a few days ago, while you and I were descending the mountain, we heard a street vendor mention the benefits of visiting the foot of the mountain at night. How about going down the mountain tonight to see for ourselves? It can also be a celebration of Junior Brother’s acceptance into Wuzhi Peak.”
Pei Yunshu hadn’t said anything yet, but eldest senior brother chimed in. “Sounds good.”
They both looked at Pei Yunshu, who nodded. When Zhuyou saw him nod, he reached out to hold Pei Yunshu’s hand and nodded as well.
No one expected him to be so shameless. Just moments ago, he was slapped on the hand by Third Senior Brother’s folding fan. Now, he touched Pei Yunshu as if nothing had happened. None of the senior brothers, including Pei Yunshu himself, anticipated it. Caught off guard, Zhuyou had already firmly gripped Pei Yunshu’s hand.
Pei Yunshu was momentarily stunned and attempted to pull his hand back, but Zhuyou’s grip was unexpectedly strong. The more he tried to withdraw his hand, the harder Zhuyou held on.
“What are you doing, holding my hand?” Pei Yunshu had to reason with him, “Junior Brother, if you don’t let go, I’ll get angry.”
He deliberately emphasized “Junior Brother” to remind him not to overstep his bounds.
Zhuyou cautiously reached out to touch Pei Yunshu’s cheek, saying, “It’s turning red.”
Pei Yunshu: “…”
“Junior Brother,” Yuncheng’s voice suddenly turned cold. He reached out, gripping Pei Yunshu’s wrist and fixing his deep, unreadable eyes on Zhuyou. “What are you trying to do?”
When Zhuyou held his hand, Pei Yunshu had mostly felt helpless and a faint sense of pleasure. However, when Second Senior Brother gripped his wrist, Pei Yunshu’s face turned pale, and he felt a strong sense of resistance and disgust deep within.
He lowered his gaze, concealing these feelings. “Senior Brother, I believe Junior Brother didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Junior Brother,” Yuncheng’s lips curled up, and though he wore a smile, it didn’t look like a genuine one. “Is holding your hand unintentional too?”
“If this is unintentional,” Yuncheng extended his other hand, gently brushing a strand of hair near Pei Yunshu’s ear, his fingers deliberately grazing the smooth surface of his ear like white jade. He chuckled softly, “Then Senior Brother’s actions are also unintentional.”
Pei Yunshu’s fingers trembled slightly, and the next moment, he found himself pulled into Zhuyou’s embrace. Zhuyou’s eyes seemed to flicker with shades of red as he cast a glance at Yuncheng. He used his sleeve to wipe Pei Yunshu’s ear.
Pei Yunshu held onto Zhuyou’s hand and whispered in a low voice, not suppressing it but keeping it private between them. “Don’t act impulsively.”
Although Yuncheng was his senior brother and someone he should be close to, Pei Yunshu didn’t want to be close to him.
Why was that?
All these lost memories, Pei Yunshu had to recover them one by one.
So, he couldn’t act impulsively.
Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get up to 5 more chapters of The Whole Sect Is Acting Strange right away ! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Thanks for the chapters!! 🤩🤩🤩
Thank you for the triple update~ 💕