Fuyun Manor was just as it appeared in Gui Yin’s dreams. It sat amongst the maple trees and bamboo stalks in content silence. The silence carried on, far down the mountain and stretched out to the creatures. The birds chirped softer and the rustling leaves seemed to be dancing to their own ballad. Even as the wind tugged at Gui Yin’s hair and his sleeves, he didn’t feel the same oppressive pressure that nature naturally gave, at its strongest.
Gui Yin brushed his hair back and looked down the long stairs. There were many good memories that were attached to Fuyun Manor, but because of that one person, Fuyun Manor had become a thorn in his heart.
“Shizun?”
Gui Linghuo’s soft voice coaxed Gui Yin back to reality. He turned slowly and was met with two more people than he had expected. He took in the two young women, one dressed in stark white robes and the other in soft violet robes. He slowly smiled and made his way over.
Shan Yu and Qin Siyi swiftly bowed. “Shizun.”
“Now, what are you two doing here?” Gui Yin asked softly.
Shan Yu was the first to lift her head. She beamed. “This disciple has been in contact with Yankui. I wanted to surprise Shizun, but he suddenly sent an urgent message this morning, saying that you three would be heading to Fuyun Manor.”
Gui Yin raised a brow. “Did you finish your business in your own sect?”
Shan Yu pouted. “Of course. Everything has been set in place. People just need to follow my instructions.”
“Look at you,” Yankui whistled. “You sound just like a sect leader now.”
“Hey, don’t make it sound like I’m a slacker! Siyi has been keeping me honest,” Shan Yu said.
“Siyi?” Gui Linghuo raised a brow.
Qin Siyi loudly cleared her throat. Gui Yin looked at her with a poorly suppressed smile. Her flushed face became even redder. “I’ve documented the process for Shizun to look over.”
“Do I need to?” Gui Yin asked with an ostentatious air to his voice. He fanned himself, despite the strong winds. “I’ve already set you two free. There wasn’t anything you needed to ask, right?”
Shan Yu pouted. “But I want to brag a little.”
Gui Yin laughed. “Alright, then I’ll take it.”
Qin Siyi quickly put the book into Gui Yin’s outstretched hand. Just as she thought she had dodged a bullet, Yankui softly whispered: “Siyi?”
The three men chuckled as Qin Siyi’s cheeks flushed again. Shan Yu glanced around at the group and huffed. She took Qin Siyi’s hand and held it tightly. “What about it? I got too excited, so I let it slip. Don’t tease her—she’s thin-skinned.”
Gui Yin’s smile grew. His fan snapped shut as he shook his head. “So, you two…”
“I courted her,” Shan Yu admitted without any hint of embarrassment. However, her eyes seemed to be searching for approval as she looked at Gui Yin carefully. “I want to be with Shijie.”
“Are you asking me for permission?” Gui Yin asked in amusement.
Qin Siyi wanted to jump into a hole. She held Shan Yu tightly, but this physical hint didn’t stop Shan Yu from speaking.
“I am. Shizun, Shijie doesn’t have parents. It was you who took her in and Yunjing Pavilion who raised her,” Shan Yu said. “If I want to ask for permission to be by her side, I can only ask Shizun.”
“Shan Yu,” Qin Siyi quickly pulled at her again. “Stop saying such ridiculous things. You—”
“No, she’s right,” Gui Yin nodded thoughtfully. “So, are you asking to just be by her side or are you asking for her hand in marriage?”
Shan Yu’s eyes widened. She fidgeted. “I-I mean, the fir—no, um, it should be b-both, right?”
Gui Linghuo laughed when Shan Yu glanced at him. He nodded in amusement and urged her to keep going. Qin Siyi glared at him, but he only shrugged helplessly.
“Both?” Gui Yin gasped. He hummed for a while. “Well, I can certainly approve of the first one, but the second…”
Qin Siyi and Shan Yu stared at him in both shock and anticipation.
Gui Yin finally laughed. “Naturally, you’d have to ask your Shijie about that herself.”
Shan Yu showed an expression of relief. She glanced at Qin Siyi meaningfully, but her hand was finally flung off. Qin Siyi took a step away and huffed.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Who said I was planning on marrying you?” Qin Siyi asked. She snatched the incense and fruits from Gui Linghuo’s hands. “Aren’t we supposed to be seeing Shigong?”
Shan Yu stood there in silence for a moment before perking up and chasing after Qin Siyi. “Shijie! If you don’t want to marry me, then I’ll marry you!”
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“Stop,” Yankui hissed. His face flushed as he glanced at Gui Yin’s back. “Laoshi is right there.”
Gui Linghuo pouted and straightened properly. He took Yankui’s hand and no longer acted roguish. Gui Yin closed his eyes silently and let out a barely audible sigh.
Even though he had his own partner now, he was still a third wheel. A very large, very apparent third wheel at that.
As they finally began to clean up Kui Wanming’s grave and set up the foods he and his partner had enjoyed. Gui Yin squatted down beside Kui Wanning’s headstone and began to slowly pull out the weeds, one by one. His actions were reverent and respectful. While the kids spoke and joked around, Gui Yin seemed to be in his own world. But eventually, his actions slowed.
Qin Siyi glanced over.
She noticed the way his hands trembled. Although his eyes were not tinged red, she could see that Gui Yin was not in the correct state of mind. She softly cleared her throat. The other three looked at her and she smiled.
“Let’s light some incense for Shigong and then make food. I’m sure Shizun wants some more time alone with them,” Qin Siyi suggested.
Gui Linghuo didn’t have to look at Gui Yin to know what expression he must have on right now. He agreed and herded Shan Yu and Yankui to do as Qin Siyi said. Once the four kids had finished, they quickly dismissed themselves, leaving Gui Yin with two headstones.
The silence was once again accompanied by wind. The back of Gui Yin’s head throbbed. He shifted his legs from under him and sat down. He crossed his legs and looked at the two headstones. They were close to one another, both marking the deceased, but neither grave carrying a real body. A wry smile came upon Gui Yin’s face. His expression finally pinched. He thought about it for a moment before standing and kneeling in front of the two headstones.
He placed Fenghua down beside him, took a deep breath, and kowtowed a total of three times. The third time his head touched the ground, he closed his eyes and a few tears watered the ground beneath him. Gui Yin inhaled sharply, a trembling breath just barely escaping him. All the grief that had exploded into his mind and had nearly sent him into Qi Deviation seemed to flood back into him. His shoulders shook and his fingers dug into the dirt beneath.
At first, his voice was too quiet, then, a continuous chorus of apologies fell from his lips until he was strangled by his own cries.
Gui Yin gasped quietly and hugged his head to the ground.
A while later, he finally found it in himself to speak again.
“This disciple has been unfilial,” Gui Yin murmured. “It’s been so long since I last visited Shizun and Shifu.”
He vaguely had memories of a part of his soul, bringing his own disciples to Fuyun Manor. And he seemed to have done it often. However, he, himself, had not visited them since he had buried his Shizun. The place had been far too painful to revisit. While it was where he and Kui Wanming had spent most of their time as master and disciple, this was also where he had spent a lot of his time with Qiao Ceng.
“I remember now,” Gui Yin whispered. He slowly sat back on his ankles and looked at the two headstones. The lump in his throat grew. “I remember everything. You both must have been so worried, watching me fumbling for so long, so I wanted to reassure you that I remember now.”
Gui Yin fell silent. He stared blankly at Kui Wanming’s headstone for a long time. He could no longer find it within himself to speak. It was as if he had a million words inside him, but those millions of words could not find a proper exit. There was no amount of apologizing that could do away with the guilt he felt in the depths of his heart. And there was no amount of reflecting and guilt that would bring Kui Wanming back to life.
Everything he remembered was now centuries in the past, but because they had exploded forth after so many centuries of being locked away, Gui Yin felt for a second time what it was like to lose his shizun. The wound that had been covered had not stopped bleeding. Instead, it had been rubbed raw because of all the layers Gui Yin had used to obscure it. Now, not only did it hurt, but the process of healing was far further than it had been previously.
Gui Yin sat silently until the sun descended from the sky and the lanterns were lit.
In the darkness, he heard soft footsteps approaching him. He blinked his dry eyes several times before the steps stopped beside him. Very quietly, very carefully, the other person knelt down beside Gui Yin. He glanced over and looked at Gui Linghuo’s lowered gaze.
Once Gui Linghuo had paid his respects to the two tombs in front of him, he turned to Gui Yin.
“Shizun, we made dinner,” Gui Linghuo announced.
Gui Yin softly smiled. “Is it edible?”
“This disciple would dare say that it is better than Shizun’s cooking,” Gui Linghuo said.
Gui Yin laughed. “Well, that’s not too hard to do.”
Gui Linghuo smiled. He hesitated for a moment. “Shizun, you’ve been out here all day. I think it’s time we head back in.”
Gui Yin’s smile lingered at the corners of his lips. He lowered his gaze and hummed. “Let’s go then.”
Gui Linghuo quickly stood to help Gui Yin up, but the man stood up by himself. He brushed his hands down his robes and bowed one more to the two headstones.
“This disciple will return tomorrow,” Gui Yin murmured.
Gui Linghuo pursed his lips as Gui Yin bypassed him. He lowered his gaze and followed after him somewhat hesitantly.
The two men remained silent as they walked from the beaten path, towards the light of the lanterns.
Dinner was set outside, under the stars and the expansive night sky. When the sounds of their approach reached the other’s ears, Shan Yu was the first to look up. She excitedly stood and ran over to Gui Yin’s side. She took him by the hand and dragged him the rest of the way.
“Shizun! You hurry and taste everything so you can guess who made what,” Shan Yu said with her hands at her hips.
Gui Yin raised a brow and sat down. To his surprise, the children remained standing. Qin Siyi handed Gui Yin a pair of chopsticks and the four watched him expectantly. Even Yankui looked a little nervous. Gui Yin glanced at the four of them in amusement and lifted his bowl.
“Hm, what should I try first?” Gui Yin wondered. He looked at the four people in front of him for a reaction, but they held steadfast to a poker face. He hummed thoughtfully and moved on to the next few dishes.
After taking a few more bites, Gui Yin set his chopsticks down. The playful silence had transformed into something else. The four kids glanced at each other uncertainly. After another few seconds, Shan Yu softly cleared her throat. She nudged Yankui.
“See, I told you not to cook. It’s so bad that Shizun doesn’t have anything to say,” Shan Yu said.
Yankui glanced at her and let out a slow, dull hum. “Are you sure it’s my cooking? I think it’s you. You’re a young miss, who’s ten fingers have never touched water. How could you compare to me, who’s been cooking his entire life?”
“Is there even anything in Yinfeng Valley that’s edible?” Shan Yu asked. She glanced at Gui Yin’s unreadable expression a little worriedly and looked to Gui Linghuo and Qin Siyi for help.
Qin Siyi and Gui Linghuo shared a glance. Gui Linghuo hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside Gui Yin. Qin Siyi stood behind him; her lips were pressed together worriedly as she observed Gui Yin.
Gui Yin hardly noticed the silence. He blinked several times to ward off the tears that were coming up and forced a smile that was a little too natural. He looked at his three disciples and Yankui with a bit of amusement.
“It’s all good,” Gui Yin said. He sounded a bit out of breath. He loudly cleared his throat and took the cup of tea from the table. After a sip, he spoke again, “It’s all very, very good. I would say that this one is Siyi’s and this one is Linghuo’s. And this one is Yu’er’s and this one is Xiao Kui’s.”
“Whoa! Shizun, how did you guess everything?” Shan Yu exclaimed. She walked behind Gui Yin and massaged his shoulders. “Shizun, you sure know us the best!”
“Even I wouldn’t have been able to guess,” Qin Siyi said, her eyes shining slightly. “Shizun, how did you manage to…?”
“A cook’s food reflects their personality,” Gui Yin said. “Your dish had the most balanced flavors. Linghuo’s flavors were strong, but somehow managed to be subdued. Xiao Kui’s cooking really emphasized the dish’s key ingredients and Yu’er’s cooking was still a little immature.”
Yankui smirked triumphantly. “That means you’re the worst.”
“Shizun means that I just need to practice a little more,” Shan Yu snapped. She pouted and wrapped her arms around Gui Yin’s neck. “Right, Shizun?”
Gui Yin laughed. He patted her head. “Yes, exactly.”
Gui Linghuo smiled hesitantly. He watched Gui Yin for a while before speaking again. “Shizun.”
“Hm?”
The other three looked at Gui Linghuo. However, against their expectations, he lifted his chopsticks and piled more food into Gui Yin’s bowl.
“If Shizun likes it, then you should eat more,” Gui Linghuo said.
Shan Yu released Gui Yin and she and Yankui sat down. The two of them started a competition of scooping food into Gui Yin’s bowl. Qin Siyi sighed helplessly and sat down. However, she participated in the competition as well. Seeing their enthusiasm, whatever lingered in the back of Gui Yin’s mind disappeared. He laughed at their silliness and started to eat.
Once dinner was finished, Shan Yu and Yankui fought to see who would do the dishes. Qin Siyi, in all her helplessness, decided to clear the table first.
Gui Linghuo was left beside Gui Yin. Seeing that the man was glancing outside, Gui Linghuo softly cleared his throat.
“Shizun, do you want to take a walk together?” Gui Linghuo asked. “I think I ate a little too much.”
Gui Yin’s gaze softened. He hummed and followed Gui Linghuo out.
The two started their stroll on a beaten, uncared for path. The stars hung overhead and the moon peered at them from over the tops of the trees. In the past, Gui Linghuo hated the silence that came with walking beside Gui Yin.
When Gui Yin was silent, the atmosphere around him was near unbearable. There was clearly a lot on his mind at all times, but it was always difficult for anyone to ask about the worries in his heart. Because of his high position, many would think that he was worried about things they couldn’t comprehend. Others might feel that it was not their right to give any advice to Lord Immortal Ninglan. As a child, Gui Linghuo would always speak to keep Gui Yin’s mind occupied. But after everything that had happened and after everything he had been through, he finally realized why Gui Yin’s silence was forever heavy.
“Shizun.”
“Hm?”
“Do you remember what I was like when I was younger?” Gui Linghuo asked.
Gui Yin glanced at him in amusement. “Cordial. You were very gloomy a lot of the time. However, after your shimei came, you were much more active. I always thought you were a very cute and bright child. It was adorable that you tried to help me with everything, but I had always wished you would take your time in growing up.”
Gui Linghuo chuckled. His cheeks warmed slightly, but he decided to push through. “This disciple just wanted to help Shizun. This disciple…always felt that Shizun was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Before the war, it was the same. During the war, it definitely got worse. When this disciple saw Shizun again after so long, I finally felt that…Shizun had finally found a place to lean on.”
Gui Yin listened to Gui Linghuo intently.
Gui Linghuo met Gui Yin’s gaze. “I know, in this life, it will be very difficult to think of me and the others as some people Shizun can confide in. After all, we still…always and forever will need your guidance. When it comes to a relationship like this, it is difficult for the mentor to step down and seek help from his students. Therefore, I…this disciple will no longer ask to shoulder Shizun’s burdens with him. However, there are people who can help, right? There’s Sect Master and the Peak Lords. There’s also Sun-shu.”
Gui Linghuo smiled sadly. “Please don’t hold anything in anymore. I know firsthand how damaging such a thing can be.”
Gui Yin slowly smiled. He reached up a hand and rubbed Gui Linghuo’s hair until it was a complete mess. He laughed at Gui Linghuo’s silly look and flourished his fan.
“You’re all grown up.”
Gui Linghuo’s face flushed. “Shizun…”
“I know,” Gui Yin said. He nodded again. “I know. Thank you.”
Gui Linghuo pressed his lips together and hummed softly. “Also…”
“Also?”
“Even if you can’t tell us about your problems,” Gui Linghuo softly said, “at least know that you don’t have to force a happy face around us. We understand. And we won’t pry.”
Gui Yin silently fanned himself. Just when Gui Linghuo thought that he might have overstepped, Gui Yin snapped his fan shut. He turned to Gui Linghuo and pulled him into a tight hug. Gui Linghuo froze. His hands hovered awkwardly for a moment before he finally reciprocated. He held Gui Yin silently and took a deep breath.
“We just want you to be happy now,” Gui Linghuo mumbled.
Gui Yin closed his eyes and hummed.
A few seconds later, Gui Yin finally released Gui Linghuo. He turned away and silently fanned himself.
“You head back first.”
Gui Linghuo smiled helplessly at Gui Yin’s back and hummed. “Then, I’ll head back first.”
Gui Yin listened to Gui Linghuo’s footsteps until they had faded away. He brushed aside his tears and finally squatted down in the foliage. He stared out at the sea of green below him and breathed out a long sigh.
A moment later, he felt a light sting against his arm. He glanced down and frowned slightly. The mark was light, but for it to show up on his skin, he knew that Er’lang would have had to press down quite hard. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his own emotions in hopes that it would make the silly man stop mutilating himself.
But just a few seconds later, a note fluttered into his hand from who knows where. Gui Yin caught it before it was carried off by the wind and unfolded it.
“See you soon.”
Gui Yin’s lips pursed as a smile traveled onto his face. He sat down on the ground and crossed his legs and he reread the sloppy handwriting. He lifted the note to his lips and gave it a quick kiss.
But after the kiss, his brows furrowed slightly. He placed the note below his nose again and gave it a quick sniff. He raised a brow and smelled it again.
There was a strong perfume attached to the paper that he had never smelled before. It was the kind of drunken floral scent that Gui Yin knew Er’lang would normally shrink away from. However, for the smell to cling to the note, it must mean he was in a place currently surrounded by that smell.
Gui Yin raised a brow and turned the note between his fingers.
Just what was that man doing right now?
SHAN YU!!!!! “If you don’t want to marry me, then I’ll marry you!” YOURE THE CUTEST, IM LOVE YOU MWAH!! good luck, Qin Siyi akdbksbxks
and Gui Linghuo comforting Gui Yin is just!! my heart ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
:’3 thanks for reading!
All the feels make me nervous…. Calm before the storm???
Thanks for the chapter!!
hehe we’ll see. Thanks for reading!
AHHH! EVERYTHING. IS. JUST. !!!
I’m in love with how Linghuo tried to help Gui Yin through this chapter. It’s just. Ahhh!
How the kids made food for him and bro’s was fighting his tears and the end, langxia’s always making his presence known ><
It’s not Langxia.
I hope ur wrong TT
Omg i’m sitting in a store and i’m tearing up with this chapter 😭
I don’t think i’ve read a story that could touch me so much with familial relationships