Chapter 7: Appearing Fierce But Weak Inside
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Shen Gurong waited until Xi Guxing left before supporting himself with the only undamaged bookcase, slowing down, and feeling the rapid heartbeat. He took a deep breath.
The little Mu Zhe was lying face down on the ground, breathing weakly.
Shen Gurong brought him to his bosom and checked. He found the little Mu Zhe’s body, having been struck by Xi Guxing, appeared to have no signs of injury.
With the dispersal of the Epidemic Demon, the strange birthmark reappeared on Mu Zhe’s face.
He frowned, took a few quick breaths before he opened his eyes suddenly, and regained consciousness.
Shen Gurong, seeing the fear on his face, was about to comfort him, saying, “Don’t…”
Before he could finish, Mu Zhe let out a scream, kicked Shen Gurong in the waist and abdomen in fear, staggered and rolled to the side, hiding under the bookcase with a scattered gaze.
Shen Gurong: “…”
This ungrateful brat, I saved you for nothing!
Shen Gurong almost spat blood from the brat’s thoughtless kick. For the first time, he had the idea, “Are all cultivators as useless as Shen Fengxue?”
And this guy was supposed to be the first one to step into the half-step Saint realm? Shen Gurong was very puzzled.
As the waste with the surname Shen struggled to stand, there was a sudden surge of spiritual power from under the nearby bookcase. Shen Gurong instinctively sensed it, and a thought appeared in his mind.
—Mu Zhe broke through the Qi Refining stage.
This is an extremely unimaginable matter. Xi Guxing had once told Shen Gurong that Mu Zhe was just an ordinary person with almost no spiritual veins. Even with the accumulation of numerous spiritual objects, it would be difficult for him to cultivate throughout his entire life.
However, at this moment, when he was on the verge of severe injury from the malicious ghost possession, he unexpectedly broke through without any warning.
In the entire Three Realms and Nine Provinces, entering the Qi Refining stage at the age of six is as rare as morning stars.
Recalling the plot in the book, Mu Zhe awakened his spiritual veins after being struck by Yu Xinghe’s spiritual power. Now, by a stroke of luck, he was hit by Xi Guxing, and it unexpectedly advanced the plot that was supposed to happen years later.
“He truly is the chosen one,” Shen Gurong could only sigh with emotion.
Due to Li Suo’s departure, the protective barrier of Zhibai Hall had already dissipated, and disciples from outside rushed in.
Even before entering, they saw Shen Gurong in a green robe slowly carrying Mu Zhe out. The entire Zhibai Hall was in ruins, there was even blood on the ground from who knows where. It was quite dazzling to the eyes. Yu Xinghe ran over unsteadily, his face full of tears. “Master! How is Mu… how is Mu Zhe?”
Shen Gurong glanced at him with lowered eyes. “He’s fine, no need to worry.”
Yu Xinghe instinctively trusted Shen Gurong. Seeing Mu Zhe in his arms, peacefully sleeping without any apparent injuries, he finally let go of his concerns and hastily wiped away his tears.
Shen Gurong briskly walked out of Zhibai Hall. The disciples surrounding him dared not block his path, quickly dispersing to watch him leave.
After Shen Gurong had left, a disciple whispered, “Did the Sage… have a footprint on his body?” Some sharp-eyed disciples also noticed, timidly nodding in agreement.
The group of disciples exchanged glances, taking quite a while to digest the astonishing fact that their Junior Brother, Mu Zhe, had audaciously kicked Sage Fengxue.
“The Sage…. doesn’t seem like the rumor…”
“Even after such an offense, he still carried Junior Brother back.”
“But the Sage’s expression seemed quite unpleasant. Could he do something to Junior Brother Mu Zhe again… Should we go check?”
“Who… who dares to go?”
The crowd exchanged glances, their faces clearly expressing the words “dare not.”
Yu Xinghe cried so much that bubbles of snot emerged, he blankly exclaimed “Huh?”: “What… what are you talking about?”
His Senior Brothers sighed, looking at him with a kind and affectionate expression, each patting the child’s head.
There are advantages to being naive.
Liren Peak is not a single peak but consists of three Gates and four peaks.
Although the peaks are closely connected, they stand apart from each other like separated individuals. Thus, the multiple peaks form a mountain range named Liren.
The mountain range consists of four peaks, closely bordering the northern ice field, experiencing distinct seasons from north to south. The town closest to the Li mountain range is Shen Fengxue’s Fanjiang Residence. Because it has four seasons like spring, it’s named Jiuchun (9 Springs). Following that are the scorching Changying Mountain, the straw in the wind Baishang Mountain, and the cold wintry Yuxu Mountain.
Upon careful consideration, the namer seemed to have taken the easy route.
Zhibai Hall of Changying Mountain and Fanjiang Residence of Jiuchun Mountain are not far from the rope bridge. After crossing the bridge, Shen Gurong could see Fanjiang Residence in the distance. He quickly walked towards it.
Despite being kicked a couple of times by the dazed Mu Zhe, Shen Gurong still carried him back to the secluded courtyard without complaint. After placing the protagonist on the bed, Shen Gurong couldn’t help but feel like he truly was an awe-inspiring master.
The Epidemic Demon was like a centipede, even though its main body had been captured, it could unexpectedly counterattack, catching people completely off guard. Shen Gurong was afraid of any unforeseen complications, so he decided to stay in the secluded courtyard for the night to prevent any further incidents with Mu Zhe.
Mu Zhe seemed to often be called to stay in the secluded courtyard by Shen Fengxue. The small room had everything one needed – a bed, bookcase, table, chairs, and wooden stools.
Shen Gurong walked slowly to the small bookcase, casually sitting on a cushion. Without caring about his appearance, he flipped through the papers on the bookcase.
The bookcase was filled with Mu Zhe’s regular practice sheets. Shen Gurong glanced at them casually and clicked his tongue twice, muttering under his breath, “Much better than what I wrote when I was a kid.”
His childhood handwriting resembled a dog’s crawl, and since his parents couldn’t bear to be strict with him, they sent him to the neighboring private school.
The teacher at the private school seemed gentle in appearance but was ruthless when it came to teaching. Young Shen Gurong had his wrists bound with small sandbags daily, was forced to straighten his posture, and endured rigorous practice for two or three years before his handwriting became presentable.
Shen Gurong admired the protagonist’s handwriting for a while, perhaps finding it too boring. He raised his hand, picked up a pen, and slowly wrote a few words on a blank sheet of paper.
Mu Zhe.
Yu Xinghe.
Shen Fengxue.
He compared his own handwriting with Mu Zhe’s and felt that he had the upper hand.
A masterpiece with iron strokes and silver hooks[9] – the worthy is me.
—But who knows how he could take pride in surpassing a six-year-old in handwriting?
Shen Gurong had read many sensational stories and had even wondered if he might be Shen Fengxue, given their striking resemblance. However, he quickly dismissed that thought[10].
Shen Fengxue’s memories were incredibly fragmented as if they had been shattered. He could only learn about Shen Fengxue’s life from the memories of others: Shen Fengxue had no parents from a young age and was raised by the Sect Leader of Liren Peak. He and Shen Fengxue’s ages simply didn’t match.
Moreover, after flipping through all the fragmented memories of Shen Fengxue, there was no mention of Huitang City.
Feeling somewhat reassured, Shen Gurong still decided to take some time to check the map in the book, just to be certain if Huitang City existed.
He dabbed a bit of cinnabar on the three characters of “Shen Fengxue,” lightly drawing a line through them. Finally, he attempted to place a small red dot next to Mu Zhe, signifying that his master values him.
As for Yu Xinghe, as long as he avoids letting the two encounter the demonic cultivator in the burial ground, there shouldn’t be any major problems in the future. With everything sorted out, Shen Gurong felt that he could return home soon.
In extremely high spirits, Shen Gurong lazily held the pen, contemplating how to fabricate a plausible story for Xi Guxing.
Xi Guxing had always been puzzled about Mu Zhe’s identity and the special treatment he received from Shen Fengxue.
Shen Guyong not only read novels but also wrote them. Sometimes, when his parents were not at home, he would sneak into the study and write novels himself. Whether it was supernatural tales, historical anecdotes, or romantic stories, he wrote them all. Many of the stories told under the Tianqiao Bridge in Huitang City had content contributed by Shen Gurong. They spread far and wide.
With a thoughtful expression, Shen Gurong bit the pen handle and attempted to outline the possible plot directions for this kind of story in a novel.
[1. Entrusted by a Good Friend
2. Illegitimate Child]
After some thought, and to meet a quota, he randomly wrote another one.
[3. Past life lovers, continuing the previous fate.]
Shen Gurong stared at the three options for a while, propping his chin with his hand, and then crossed out the first one.
Shen Fengxue had a cold temperament, and his only pleasure seemed to be fighting. Xi Guxing, being so familiar with him, surely knew that Shen Fengxue couldn’t have any other close friends. Moreover, the peculiarities about Mu Zhe’s situation couldn’t be explained that way.
Shen Gurong thought for a moment and crossed out the similarly implausible second option.
As for the third one, it was even more absurd.
If Shen Fengxue were still alive, he would surely jump out and slap this scoundrel ruining his reputation.
Shen Gurong satisfied his craving to write novels, crumpled the paper absentmindedly, and began to seriously think about creating a story for Xi Guxing. As he was immersed in his thoughts, Mu Zhe, lying on the bed, suddenly mumbled something indistinct and woke up.
Shen Gurong, acting like a thief, burned the paper into ashes under the candlelight, relieved to have done so without a sound.
Mu Zhe’s gaze was scattered as he stared blankly at the bamboo window above.
Shen Gurong put down the pen and casually asked, “Awake?”
Mu Zhe was startled, turning his head blankly to look at him. Whether it was Shen Gurong’s face that triggered him or not, Mu Zhe’s pupils contracted, and the actions he took before losing consciousness suddenly rushed into his mind.
He… he seemed to have gone mad suddenly and even harmed someone.
Senior Brother Li Suo.
Mu Zhe took a sharp breath, sitting paralyzed on the bed. His face was filled with a dazed expression, and his whole body trembled as if he had lost his soul.
Seeing him so frightened, Shen Gurong sighed in his heart and said, “Don’t be afraid. That ghost cultivator has been killed by the Sect Leader and won’t come back again.”
Mu Zhe looked at him blankly, and two clear tears slowly fell down his face.
Shen Gurong: “…..”
Because Shen Gurong had a younger sister who was eight years his junior, he had always had a strong protective instinct towards soft and tender children. The moment he saw little Mu Zhe in tears, he almost couldn’t hold back his expression, not even minding the fact that the child had kicked him a moment ago.
Shen Gurong walked over to Mu Zhe, lowering his voice, “Don’t cry. Li Suo, at the very least, is a cultivator. There’s no danger to his life, and it’s not your fault.”
Mu Zhe looked at him with teary eyes.
Shen Gurong raised his hand, took a wooden bead with a red tassel from his wrist, and placed it in Mu Zhe’s palm, just like he would do to comfort his younger sister.
“Play with this.”
Mu Zhe choked up, staring blankly at the bead in the fair palm, not understanding its significance.
Shen Gurong glanced at him, and Mu Zhe, trembling, held the bead between two fingers, his gaze still vacant. Despite enduring so much torment under Shen Fengxue, Mu Zhe was, after all, a six-year-old child. He was petrified by this sudden turn of events, and his usually feigned indifferent little face was now filled with panic and fear.
Shen Gurong’s younger sister liked small, round trinkets, so he thought other children might like them too. Seeing Mu Zhe holding the bead, seemingly calming down a bit, he silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Mu Zhe stared blankly at the bead for a while, then looked at Shen Gurong in confusion.
The incident where he had harmed his caring Senior Brother left Mu Zhe completely bewildered. Even though the person in front of him was his seemingly upright master, he instinctively clung to him like a lifeline.
Almost begging, he asked, “Is Senior Brother Li Suo…. really okay?”
Shen Gurong nodded, “Yes, he’ll be fine. Tomorrow you can go and check on him.”
Mu Zhe seemed to find comfort in these words, and tears welled up in his eyes again.
Mu Zhe’s hazy gaze fixed on the man standing before him. With belated awareness, he recalled the scene when Xi Guxing was about to kill him. The tall figure stood resolutely in front of him, shielding him from the fatal attack without hesitation.
Now, the two were very close, and Mu Zhe, in a daze, caught a faint medicinal scent emanating from Shen Gurong.
He remembered that Shen Gurong’s expression was already grim when he initially expelled the possessing ghost cultivator. At that time, he must have already been injured.
If he was injured, why would he risk his life to save himself?
Shen Fengxue’s feelings towards himself…
Are they caring or resentment?
Since joining Shen Fengxue’s gate, Mu Zhe heard incomprehensible comments from others.
“Your master surely has expectations for you.”
“The Sage is doing it for your own good.”
“The spiritual treasures you’ve obtained, others can’t obtain even if they beg.”
“Do you still have anything to be discontented about?”
Mu Zhe found these words perplexing every time he heard them. Anything to be discontented about?
He wondered, if their “for your own good” meant enduring endless pain and torment without harboring resentment, why had no one ever asked him if he wanted to accept such kindness.
In the year at Liren Peak, Mu Zhe’s feelings towards Shen Gurong were primarily filled with immense disgust and secondary fear. But now, all the resentment seemed to slowly disperse into a faint mist when Shen Gurong stood in front of him. He was caught in confusion.
Mu Zhe, for a moment, didn’t know how to face Shen Gurong, who had ruthlessly tormented him but also saved him at a critical moment. In his mind, it seemed like a tight string was being pulled in both directions, leaving Mu Zhe in a dilemma.
Shen Gurong didn’t discern his complex thoughts. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he said, “Now that you’ve entered the Dao, in the Qi Refining stage, you should be able to gather spiritual energy. Give it a try.”
Mu Zhe looked at Shen Gurong for a while, only belatedly realizing that he had embarrassingly cried just now. His cheeks turned red, he hastily wiped away the tears with his sleeve, muttering, “Okay.”
Mu Zhe’s emotions were too complicated at the moment, and he couldn’t sort out the chaotic mess of feelings immediately. He dared not lift his head to look at Shen Gurong, feeling both afraid and a strange sense of embarrassment.
Shen Gurong instinctively wanted to say something to lighten the mood and tease this blushing little fellow, but the words stopped at his lips.
He still feared being discovered and facing the consequences of being burned alive for taking over someone’s body.
Mu Zhe closed his eyes, attempting to mobilize the spiritual energy in his spiritual veins. After trying for a while, his face turned red, but he still couldn’t detect a trace of spiritual energy.
He instinctively opened his eyes and looked towards Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong was momentarily stunned by the pleading look in his eyes.
Huh? Why are you looking at me? I don’t know anything either.
The master and disciple stared at each other.
Shen Gurong cleared his throat awkwardly, and with a forced smile, he reluctantly reached out and held Mu Zhe’s small hand.
Mu Zhe’s whole body tensed, instinctively wanting to pull back.
For the past year under Shen Fengxue’s tutelage, Mu Zhe had endured almost daily torment. These hands had once fed him pills that caused excruciating pain, and they had also manipulated him to meditate in the midst of biting winds and snow. Whatever it was, it brought endless suffering to Mu Zhe.
This was the first time Mu Zhe had ever held this hand so intimately, and he unexpectedly discovered that the palm of this seemingly heartless person was warm.
Perhaps sensing his unease, Shen Gurong gently squeezed Mu Zhe’s warm palm and said, “Close your eyes.”
Mu Zhe, torn between fear and self-compulsion, reluctantly closed his eyes.
While Xi Guxing had repeatedly cautioned Shen Gurong not to use spiritual power recklessly, extracting a trace to examine Mu Zhe’s spiritual veins should be relatively safe. Shen Gurong attempted to condense a wisp of spiritual power between his fingers and slowly probed into Mu Zhe’s wrist at the Life’s Gate acupoint.
This time went extremely smoothly, and Shen Gurong didn’t cough up blood.
Shen Fengxue was very skilled in manipulating spiritual power, and Shen Gurong, instinctively closing his eyes, guided the spiritual power through Mu Zhe’s spiritual veins. However, when it entered the dantian, it was abruptly drawn in by a powerful force.
Shen Gurong: “…”
Shen Guyong was stunned, staring at his fingertips, which were now empty.
It seemed like that stream of spiritual power had entered Mu Zhe’s body?
Hopefully, nothing would go wrong.
Feeling inexplicably guilty, Shen Gurong quickly retracted his fingers and asked, “How do you feel?”
Mu Zhe opened his eyes, “I don’t feel anything.”
Shen Gurong coughed lightly, “Then try circulating your spiritual power again.”
Mu Zhe pursed his lips and nodded.
For some reason this time, the once dried-up spiritual veins seemed to be nourished by a spring rain, effortlessly gathering a stream of spiritual power like a small creek.
Mu Zhe opened his eyes.
Shen Gurong lowered his gaze, his features softened, and he asked gently, “How does it feel?”
Mu Zhe said, “I already have…”
Before he could finish, a rustling sound, like a mouse sneaking around for food, suddenly reached his ears. On closer inspection, it turned out to be someone whispering secretly.
Mu Zhe was puzzled. The entire side room only had him and Shen Gurong. Shen Gurong had an indifferent expression, sitting there like a beautiful painting, serene and elegant.
Where did that sound come from?
As he hesitated, his spiritual power stagnated, and the sound disappeared along with it.
Seeing the change in his expression, Shen Gurong asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mu Zhe pursed his lips, shook his head, and tried to circulate his spiritual power again. This time, he finally heard the voice clearly.
[That scared me to death.]
Mu Zhe: “???”
He stared blankly at Shen Gurong. Although Shen Gurong was not very talkative, his voice was clear and melodic, like a captivating whisper, making it easily recognizable.
Shen Gurong, with his long, feather-like eyelashes drooping, seemed to be surrounded by a warm glow under the lamp, appearing ethereal and otherworldly.
With this appearance, Shen Gurong couldn’t help but think, “One day, I’ll be scared to death here. Why are there always so many unexpected events?”
Mu Zhe once again heard the continuous and low whispers in the void.
[I’m just a scholar, why am I here?]
[When that spiritual power reached Mu Zhe’s dantian, nothing major should happen, right?]
[Oh right, I need to continue making up stories for Xi Guxing. Can I find some scripts at Liren Peak for reference?]
[How annoying.]
Mu Zhe: “…………”
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Glossary:
[9]: The idiom means the writing is as strong and unyielding as iron, while also being attractive and captivating like a silver hook.
[10]: I got confused the first time when O got to the part when Shen Gurong thought he might be Shen Fengxue, so actually Shen Gurong is also living in ancient time like Shen Fengxue, he was not a young master from modern time. This part was not specifically mentioned even in the summary so it got a bit confusing there.
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