Chapter 43
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Yuncheng had a very restless sleep that night.
He couldn’t recall what he dreamt about, but when he woke up, the moonlight was still bright, and he found himself covered in cold sweat.
He rarely slept, and today he had only drunk a bit of alcohol and had been awakened abruptly. He had forgotten the contents of the dream.
The only thing he remembered was a pair of eyes in the dream. They were teary, with crimson at the corners, incredibly touching and both pitiful and cute.
Yuncheng walked outside, gazing up at the moon, his lips tightly pressed together.
The image of those eyes from his dream flashed through his mind again.
It reminded him of how Junior Brother had cried and begged him not to break his legs that day. The eyes were just like that.
His hands involuntarily moved behind his back, and he couldn’t help but recall the sight of his junior brother crying. It was actually quite beautiful.
***
When Pei Yunshu woke up in the morning, he remembered what had happened when he got drunk last night.
He spent a quarter of an hour in bed sorting out his feelings before getting up, pretending as if nothing had happened. As he stepped out of the room, he didn’t see Zhuyou and Hua Yue; instead, Bai Lige was reading a book.
“Where are they?” Pei Yunshu asked.
“Zhuyou needs to cool off in the cold pond,” Bai Lige put down the book and smiled suggestively. “Hua Yue took him to the Fox Clan’s secret realm.”
Why did he need to cool off in the cold pond?
That question almost slipped out of Pei Yunshu’s mouth but was forcibly swallowed back.
His face turned slightly red, and he cleared his throat, suppressing his discomfort.
After sitting down at the table, Bai Lige sighed softly. “Back in the day, it was in the Fox Clan’s secret realm that we held our wedding ceremony. Who would have thought that a meddling flood dragon would intrude and come between us.”
Pei Yunshu was astonished. “We held our wedding ceremony?”
Bai Lige pondered for a moment and then said, “That is my mistake, I forgot that you no longer remember it now.”
“Before, you were busy with Zhuyou’s disciple thing, and I hadn’t taken a look inside your sea of consciousness yet,” he said. “How about doing it now, while that troublesome flood dragon and the little fox brat are not around? Yunshu, would you be willing to let me take a look inside your sea of consciousness?”
The sea of consciousness is of utmost importance, and letting someone inspect your own sea of consciousness is equivalent to entrusting your life to someone else.
Bai Lige was incredibly considerate. Even before Yunshu had a chance to respond, he had already made a heart demon oath, “If I take advantage of this opportunity to act unscrupulously, then let me never be reborn for all eternity.”
“No need for that,” Pei Yunshu frowned, “It’s too severe.”
Bai Lige smiled and said, “I’m straightforward and open. Even if the vow is harsh, what do I have to fear? Besides, a beauty like you, Yunshu, should be cherished and treated well by us foxes.”
Pei Yunshu smiled and shook his head. He sat upright, closed his eyes, and said, “Go ahead.”
Bai Lige set up layer after layer of barriers and then carefully placed his hand on Pei Yunshu’s forehead. He channeled his spiritual energy to enter his mind.
However, as soon as he entered, someone broke through his barriers from outside and rushed in from above. Bai Lige was struck by a palm and sent flying, clutching his chest as he transformed a long spear and lodged it in the ground.
He looked up to see Venerable Wuwang embracing Pei Yunshu. One hand rested on Yunshu’s forehead, and a pair of ice-cold eyes was raised, locked onto Bai Lige.
Pei Yunshu had his eyes tightly closed, seemingly unaware of the situation.
He had entered Yunshu’s mind!
With just a single glance, Bai Lige’s face darkened. He suppressed the sudden pain in his chest and his long spear danced in the wind as he aimed it at Venerable Wuwang. “Did you seal Yunshu’s memories?”
Venerable Wuwang drew a spiritual symbol in the air with his bare hands, and the symbol rushed toward Bai Lige. Bai Lige dodged it, but the symbol followed him.
After taking action, Venerable Wuwang shifted his gaze to Yunshu’s face. His spiritual power had entered Yunshu’s sea of consciousness, and he witnessed the events that had transpired the previous day.
He saw Yunshu holding the new junior brother’s neck, shedding tears in the man’s embrace. He heard the affectionate tone and the soft, gentle whisper of “Little Junior Brother.”
Venerable Wuwang lowered his eyes, and although his hand trembled slightly against Yunshu’s forehead, his expression grew colder and colder.
He was subjected to such torment, yet others could hold him in their arms.
Even as Yunwang, he had never heard Pei Yunshu use that tone to address him.
Venerable Wuwang lifted Pei Yunshu and walked over to Bai Lige. He said to the fox demon, “I won’t kill you.”
Bai Lige struggled to stand under the spiritual symbol, his eyes filled with suppressed anger. “You, as a venerable, what despicable things have you done?”
Venerable Wuwang remained emotionless. He glanced at Bai Lige deeply, then picked up Pei Yunshu and flew away.
***
They flew all the way to the Penitence Cliff where disciplinary disciples were confined. Venerable Wuwang placed Pei Yunshu in a cold spring within the mountains. Water droplets from the nearby waterfall splashed onto their clothes.
He withdrew his hand, and after a while, Pei Yunshu’s eyes began to twitch, and he slowly opened them.
His clothes and dark hair clung to his body, the white robe still intact, and his face as fair as snow. Venerable Wuwang watched him, and his spiritual energy rolled within, causing him to feel as if he was enduring torture. But even when he didn’t see him, he was equally tormented.
Love was such a difficult matter.
“I sealed your memories,” Venerable Wuwang said. “Do you want to know what those memories contained?”
The cold spring was frigid, and Pei Yunshu’s lips turned blue. He looked at Venerable Wuwang and nodded slightly. “This disciple wishes to know.”
“But if you know, these memories will only add to your inner demons and become a burden on your cultivation,” Venerable Wuwang reached out to brush the water off his hair and concealed his inner pain. “It might be better for me to remove your emotional roots.”
By removing your suffering, I can let go too.
Pei Yunshu’s pupils constricted, but before he could speak, Venerable Wuwang suddenly covered his eyes. He fell into a deep sleep.
Venerable Wuwang’s hand moved gently over Pei Yunshu’s face, with slow, deliberate motions.
In the world of cultivation, the weak were preyed upon by the strong. Whether it was him, Ling Qing, the other disciple, or the fox, or the flood dragon, if they forcefully took what they wanted, Pei Yunshu could not resist.
The ruthless dao tortured people. If one didn’t cultivate the ruthless dao, an emotion root would not affect Pei Yunshu.
He had become emotionless, and the pain would now be borne by others.
Venerable Wuwang slowly tapped on Pei Yunshu’s forehead, his movements deliberate as he chanted an incantation.
His actions were slow and deliberate, and as the strand of emotions was drawn out, Venerable Wuwang watched the milky-white strand with a dull pain in his heart.
From this day forward, Pei Yunshu would no longer be influenced by those memories, nor would he have any emotional attachment to anyone in the sect.
Be it Venerable Wuwang, the new disciple, or anyone else, they were nothing more than fleeting experiences to Pei Yunshu.
With his pain gone, he could focus on his cultivation. As he advanced in his practice, he would gain true freedom.
Wasn’t this what Pei Yunshu wanted?
In the future, even hatred towards him would no longer be present.
With a sudden tremor in his hand, Venerable Wuwang unexpectedly broke off half of the emotional strand. The other half disappeared into Pei Yunshu’s sea of consciousness, leaving only a half piece in Venerable Wuwang’s hand before it dissolved into thin air.
Venerable Wuwang stared at his palm in bewilderment and then fixed his gaze on Pei Yunshu.
The emotion string could only be severed once. Was this… fate?
***
The water flowed from the top and splashed down, and there was no bird chirping at the Penitence Cliff.
Pei Yunshu slowly opened his eyes. His spiritual energy circulated repeatedly, and the inner core of the four month snow tree contained the aura of a flood dragon, significantly enhancing his cultivation speed.
He raised his head and saw his Grandmaster standing by the shore. He couldn’t help but be slightly surprised. “Grandmaster, why are you here?”
He showed no sign of unusual emotions. Venerable Wuwang, for some unknown reason, had restored only this life’s memories to him.
He had hidden away all the suffering from his past life, as well as the incident where Pei Yunshu had crushed the sect’s wooden plaque. He feared that if he lost all attachments, he would truly leave the sect.
“I’m here to protect your cultivation,” Venerable Wuwang said. “How is it?”
Pei Yunshu stood up from the water. He stepped on the water’s surface and walked slowly towards the shore. “The Penitence Cliff is quiet; it’s suitable for cultivation.”
Upon reaching the shore, his clothes had already dried. Venerable Wuwang watched his every move and took a few steps forward. “Do you feel anything is amiss?”
Pei Yunshu replied calmly, “No.”
He opened his hand, and the Qingyue Sword flew into his palm. Stepping onto the sword, he bowed to his Grandmaster. “Grandmaster, I will return ahead of you.”
Pei Yunshu showed no emotion, and his demeanor remained as cold as ice. Venerable Wuwang watched his receding figure, a trace of blood slipping from his lips. He stared at Pei Yunshu as he disappeared from view.
The severed half of the emotion string actually included him.
His chest began to throb intensely. Venerable Wuwang covered the metallic taste rising in his throat and looked at the vast Penitence Cliff, a bitter smile forming on his face.
He was starting to… regret.
***
On the Qingyue Sword, Pei Yunshu concealed his emotions as he contemplated the restored memories.
After a while, he whispered to the inner core of the four month snow tree, “Thank you.”
The four month snow tree revolved around the golden core. If it hadn’t separated a strand of spiritual energy to masquerade as the emotion string, Pei Yunshu might not even know what he would have become.
In the memories, the sect appeared to be unchanged. But if everything was as it seemed, why would they seal his memories and attempt to extract his emotion string?
Pei Yunshu masked his emotions and, upon returning to the Three Day Peak, he saw a flood dragon soaring into the sky. It exuded a fierce aura and was heading towards the horizon.
Speeding up on the Qingyue Sword, he called out, “Yunjiao!”
The flood dragon turned to look at him, instantly transforming into human form and rushing towards Pei Yunshu. In the blink of an eye, he embraced Pei Yunshu.
Holding him tightly, Pei Yunshu smiled for a moment, then concealed it. He returned with Zhuyou to their residence. Once he arrived, he saw Bai Lige and Hua Yue anxiously waiting.
Bai Lige was injured and currently meditating to recover. Seeing Pei Yunshu return, his expression relaxed. “Yunshu, are you alright?”
Pei Yunshu nodded gently.
Bai Lige frowned, giving him a careful once-over before turning to Yunjiao. “You, the Demon King, should quickly set up a barrier for us.”
Zhuyou waved his hand, and a barrier was immediately erected. Pei Yunshu sat down to the side and suddenly burst into laughter.
“Let’s focus on our cultivation these days. When the Grand Cultivation Event arrives, we can leave the mountain together.”
The others were momentarily stunned and all looked at him.
Pei Yunshu held Hua Yue in his lap, brushed his ear, and then turned to Yunjiao, asking, “If you turn into a dragon, how many times do you need to shed your skin?”
Zhuyou replied, “Three times.”
Pei Yunshu pondered, and Zhuyou unexpectedly said, “It’ll become smaller.”
Pei Yunshu was taken aback and looked up at him.
Zhuyou was also looking at him. His black eyes reflected Pei Yunshu’s face, and he said in a calm tone, as if discussing a trivial matter, “I’ll become smaller.”
“…” Pei Yunshu raised his hand and leaned in, placing a kiss on the tip of the dragon horn. “How small?”
The flood dragon allowed him to kiss it, and the corners of its pale lips curled up subtly. “It’s this small.”
He pointed to the table in front of them, indicating that it was about the size of a small snake.
Pei Yunshu, lost in thought, asked, “Is it entirely black?”
If it was such a small snake and it was entirely black, it would be quite eye-catching.
“It can change,” Zhuyou said, looking at Ba Lige and Hua Yue, who were listening intently beside them. He suddenly didn’t want to continue, “I’ll show it only to you.”
Pei Yunshu was stunned then couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
If it were Zhuyou, even as a snake, he wouldn’t be afraid.
Pei Yunshu wasn’t sure if this mood was also influenced by the powder, but at this moment, he was undeniably delighted.
When Hua Yue saw him smile, he reached out with his paw to touch Pei Yunshu’s hand and called out a few times. Pei Yunshu couldn’t understand what he was saying, so he let his spiritual power overflow and tried to heal Hua Yue.
It was only after recovering his memories that he realized he could use his inner core this way.
Hua Yue enjoyed the treatment, lying comfortably on his leg. He took out a spirit fruit from the fox clan’s secret realm and started gnawing on it, looking more relaxed than anyone else.
“No need to do any futile work,” Bai Lige chuckled and stopped him. “The fox only lost a tail. It will recover in a few days. If you said we should go down the mountain for the upcoming cultivation event in a few days, that little fox won’t cause any trouble in this state.”
As he said this, Bai Li Ge asked curiously, “Why the sudden desire to go down the mountain? Have you remembered something?”
Pei Yunshu nodded gently, then shook his head and smiled. “Partly.”
“In that case, you must have remembered the time you left the sect,” Bai Lige said. “There are so many beautiful sceneries and people in the world. Why confine yourself to this little mountain?”
Pei Yunshu fell silent for a moment and then said, “Did I really leave the sect?”
Bai Lige was surprised and glanced at Hua Yue and Zhuyou. “Didn’t you two mention this to Yunshu?”
The flood dragon and the fox shook their heads.
Bai Lige sighed. “….I overestimated you guys.”
Pei Yunshu smiled.
If he had truly left the sect, there was no mention of it in his memories, then his Grandmaster must have intentionally prevented him from remembering.
In that case, let Master believe that the severed thread of emotion is real.
He did as he pleased, taking it when he said, severing it when he wished, and sealing his memories as he pleased. Since he wanted to cut off his emotional ties, then let it be considered cut. The part that was cut off was this sect.
Zhuyou suddenly waved his sleeve, and a stream of water shot into the air, dispersing the hidden observer. His voice turned cold as he said, “Someone was spying on you.”
Pei Yunshu furrowed his brows and focused his gaze in the direction Zhuyou indicated.
A vivid peony suddenly appeared in that direction, as large as a basin, with fresh dewdrops on its petals. It flew towards Pei Yunshu from thin air and transformed into a beauty right before him.
The beauty had rosy cheeks, wore sheer clothing, and their appearance bore a striking resemblance to Pei Yunshu.
Pei Yunshu’s eyes turned cold, and the Qingyue Sword swiftly pierced through the air. The beauty transformed back into a peony, and its petals fell to the ground.
Along with the peony, a small wooden box also fell to the ground.
Pei Yunshu summoned the wooden box to his side, opened it, and found a thin book inside.
He frowned slightly, took the book out, and placed it on the table. The people around him were curious to see what was inside.
Pei Yunshu, covering his nose with a handkerchief, opened the first page of the book.
The book contained colorful erotic paintings, with a bed covered in red veils, a person wearing sheer clothing, and another person undressing beside the bed.
Flipping further, there were two men in amorous entanglement on the bed. The man below was smiling, his face flushed, and his lips curled in a seductive smile, closely resembling Pei Yunshu’s features.
The entire book was filled with explicit paintings of Pei Yunshu and Zouyu.
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