If Erlang was here, he would definitely be laughing his pretty ass off—Gui Yin felt.
He unfolded his fan and held it up in front of his eyes, unable to watch the scene in front of him. He was so sure that there hadn’t been more than sixty disciples in their sect, but how come it felt like there was at least five hundred standing around them right now? Was it his own misconception? Was this not a stadium concert right now?! How come he was having déjà vu to when he had to present in front of a crowd of investors again?
Suddenly, a heavily amplified clearing of the throat caused the (supposed) group of five hundred odd disciples to quiet down. Gui Yin pulled down his fan a fraction to look at Wei Ze’xi.
“Pan Die’an are you there?!”
The crowd remained dead silent. After a brief moment, there was a shuffling movement. Gui Yin craned his neck and watched the young woman stand in front of the crowd, her head tilted, as she glared at Wei Ze’xi.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Wei Ze’xi said, somewhat sheepishly. “If I didn’t do this, wouldn’t you avoid me forever?”
“You’re always this reckless!” Pan Die’an scolded, her face flushing. She glanced around her and turned back to Wei Ze’xi. “Get back down here this instant! Or do you want to embarrass Shizun to death?”
“You can’t use Shizun to threaten me! He doesn’t even care!”
Lin Cangyuan remained silently in the back of the crowd. When faced with Ye Liuxing, Jiu Jingyi, and Gui Yin’s gazes, he merely shrugged. It wasn’t like he was wrong. Amongst his disciples, there was only one person, whose actions he cared about.
“I won’t get down until you listen to what I say!” Wei Ze’xi declared, his arms crossed over his chest.
Although she sounded angry, it really was just mild annoyance. The haughty look on the man she had grown up with amused her, but she didn’t want to show it. Pan Die’an mimicked his stance and tilted her chin.
“Fine. You speak,” Pan Die’an said.
Wei Ze’xi’s grin widened. He cleared his throat. “AnAn, I love you!”
Gui Yin’s head shrunk behind his fan and shuddered. Why was he being force fed dogfood? Can’t these people leave some space for single dogs to stand?!
“I’ve liked you since we first met, but I never knew how to say it,” Wei Ze’xi said, a boyish grin on his face as he scratched the back of his neck. “But someone told me that if I didn’t tell you now, it might create some misunderstandings and you might come to dislike me…I realized that I didn’t want that. I’d rather tell you how I really felt than have you come to hate me over a misunderstanding.”
Pan Die’an’s face flushed. Her friends playfully nudged her, but she couldn’t help but stomp her feet from embarrassment. A groan left her lips before she turned back to Wei Ze’xi. She pointed an accusatory finger towards him.
“These are just things you can say! Why do you have to make a big show of it? E-everyone in the sect is here!” Pan Die’an said.
The usually composed shijie was getting flustered over something the rowdy shidi said. It was a scenery filled with pink bubbles, flowery scents, and was the purest example of youth.
Gui Yin paused. Could people over two-hundred be considered youthful? Well, perhaps in a cultivation novel, they could be. Compared to himself…forget it, forget it. When have relationships ever turned out well for him?
“Since you’re done speaking, come down now!” Pan Die’an shouted.
“I won’t come down until you give me an answer,” Wei Ze’xi said, leaning on the edge of the roof. “It doesn’t have to be an affirmative! I just want to know—do you acknowledge my confession or not?”
Cheering choruses surrounded the pair. The boys cheered Wei Ze’xi on for his straightforwardness; the girls swooned for his sweetness.
Pan Die’an hid her face behind her hand as her friends squealed and shook her. A loud sigh paused everyone’s reactions. She glared at Wei Ze’xi, a smile obviously threatening to take over her face at any moment.
“I acknowledge your confession! Not only do I acknowledge it…I accept it!” Pan Die’an declared.
Wei Ze’xi’s eyes widened. Pure, undiluted joy filled his expression. His entire body seemed to shake from excitement as he jumped from the roof, heading straight for Pan Die’an. Instead of avoiding him, Pan Die’an stepped forward and caught Wei Ze’xi in her arms. The boy stumbled slightly, his arms tightening around her as he basked in the afterglow of his successful confession.
The crowd of disciples and staff members cheered excitedly.
For a sect that really had little going on in their daily life, this was probably going to be the most dramatic and entertaining thing they will see for a long time. Not to mention, it truly was a happy event!
Lin Cangyuan tucked the glass orb into his sleeve and turned to Gui Yin, who was still cringing from embarrassment.
“You did a good thing.”
“Me?” Gui Yin snapped his fan shut. He tilted his chin arrogantly. “I have no idea what Sect Master-shixiong is talking about.”
“Oh, please,” Ye Liuxing said, drawing circles on Gui Yin’s chest. The back of his hand was smacked by the side of Gui Yin’s fan. He withdrew it with a smile still on his face. “We all know what you did.”
“I haven’t done anything,” Gui Yin said. He glanced at Jiu Jingyi’s smirk. “Honestly, I haven’t.”
“Alright, we get it, Matchmaker Gui,” Jiu Jingyi teased.
“I…I didn’t do anything,” Gui Yin said, protesting more vigorously. “Do you think this would have happened if I had a hand in it? No! If I had a hand in someone’s confession, I would have planned it out much more tastefully than—”
“Shishu!”
Wei Ze’xi’s voice was the trigger that turned Gui Yin around. His back faced the enthusiastic young man as he ran over with his tail wagging and his ears perked up. Gui Yin closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. His fan opened with a sharp snap as he slowly turned back around and looked at his martial nephew.
“Yes, Ze’xi?”
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.
“Gui-shishu, I just really wanted to thank you,” Wei Ze’xi said, somewhat breathlessly.
“Rb cffv.”
“Dea—”
“Ktlr ofja kjr jmmbwqilrtfv ys sbeg bkc ragfcuat. Cii P vlv kjr ulnf sbe j ofk kbgvr bo uelvjcmf. Qtja sbe rtbeiv tjnf vbcf kjr jigfjvs lc sbeg tfjga,” Xel Tlc rjlv. Lf rwlifv ufcais. “Ccv sbe vlv nfgs kfii. Jbcugjaeijalbcr.”
Qfl If’zl’r fsfr rqjgxifv. Lf cbvvfv fcaterljralmjiis, ralii lcrlralcu atja tf rtbeiv atjcx Xel Tlc bc remt j ygliiljca remmfrr.
Meanwhile, Lin Cangyuan, Ye Liuxing, and Jiu Jingyi watched this farce, each with the same thought in their mind: Tsk. Gui Qinle, you sure know how to act.
Once the fiasco was over, everyone continued on about the day as lunch arrived. Gui Yin, who had been thinking about returning to his peak, was promptly stopped by Shan Yu, who caught him just before. Her eyes shimmered excitedly as she pulled him towards the dining hall, where the disciples normally ate their foods. For about an hour, Gui Yin sat with his disciples and nibbled on potstickers and leek pancakes as he listened to them chatter and watched them eat.
The next few days proceeded blandly. Gui Yin had a class he had to teach here and there, but compared to the past few weeks he had experienced, everything was rather mundane. The day Gui Yin had to teach an alchemy class, he found Lin Cangyuan waiting outside the classroom for Gui Yin to finish. Once the class ended, the disciples began to file out, all greeting their sect master as they went.
Gui Yin remained at his desk until the students were gone. Lin Cangyuan sat down on the edge of the table, his arms crossed.
“They got back to us.”
“Who’s ‘they’?”
“Just a handful of clans,” Lin Cangyuan said. “They said that there will be a conference that’s held. A lot of the spirit cultivators who are considered to be on the higher half of the food chain are wary of cooperating with human cultivators.”
“I mean, it’s understandable. They were ostracized for so many years. There were even a few wars here and there, trying to force them into subservience,” Gui Yin said, his gaze darkening.
“Exactly. Which is why they said they would like a human representative to attend said conference, so that the other spirit cultivators can feel rest assured,” Lin Cangyuan said. “The Beidou Alliance had a few candidates lined up, but after some digging, it turns out they don’t have the greatest track records.”
“Of course not,” Gui Yin said, not at all surprised.
“So, I suggested you.”
“Me?”
“You’re supposed to be heading out there anyway. What’s a week or two earlier? If they finish the conference early, you can even set things up early, brush your hands together, and take your disciples on a vacation until it’s Young Palace Lord Li’s birthday banquet.”
“You think I would bring my disciples to that foreign territory?” Gui Yin asked, frowning.
“If not, then you can tour Kunlun for a while and then return to get your disciples,” Lin Cangyuan said. “Either way, I think it’s a win.”
“You don’t have to convince me,” Gui Yin said, plucking his fan from his desk and standing. “I’ll go even if it’s inconvenient.”
“That’s good,” Lin Cangyuan smiled. He patted Gui Yin’s shoulder. “So, you aren’t bringing your disciples?”
“Kunlun is outside of Beidou Alliance’s jurisdictions. That means there’s a lot of rogue cultivators and unscrupulous sects and clans,” Gui Yin said. “They’re too young to see such a scene.”
“Then, do you want to bring someone else with you?”
“Like who? Yenuo? He’s not even here.”
“…When are you going to let that go?”
“You sent away my beloved martial nephew. I’m never letting it go,” Gui Yin huffed. He glanced at Lin Cangyuan. “Or you could come with me.”
“Just go yourself.”
“You just offered to let me bring someone else!” Gui Yin protested.
“I’m busy,” Lin Cangyuan said. He turned and began to walk out of the classroom.
Gui Yin clicked his tongue and followed. “You’re so petty! I don’t care what you say—I’m bringing Liuxing!”
“Ye-shidi? Why? He’s still busy, isn’t he?”
“He has a footb—he has…a…bunch of disciples!” Gui Yin said, catching his tongue just in time. “He can leave for a week or two.”
“…I suppose,” Lin Cangyuan said hesitantly.
“You and Jiu-shimei left once already. I should take Ye-shidi so he doesn’t feel lonely,” Gui Yin said, getting directly to the main point.
Lin Cangyuan’s footsteps slowed to a stop. He stared at Gui Yin, a surprised look on his face.
“What is it now?” Gui Yin asked, flourishing his fan with a small pout.
“When did you become so…so…”
“…What are you trying to say?” Gui Yin tilted his chin. “Are you trying to insult me?”
“Considerate,” Lin Cangyuan said, meeting Gui Yin’s eyes again. “Since when have you been so considerate?”
“I’ve always been considerate.”
“You haven’t been this considerate since…”
“Since what?”
“Since…since you were six,” Lin Cangyuan said, obviously pulling a number from thin air. He sighed and shook his head, turning to head down the cobbled path. “You were cute when you were a kid.”
Gui Yin gaped at his shixiong and quickly followed. “I’ve always been considerate! Besides, was I even here when I was six?”
Lin Cangyuan avoided the question. “Sure, you are. The most considerate one is you.”
“I am! Haven’t you seen how well I take care of my disciples? I even take care of your disciples!”
“Does that count? You’ve always taken care of people who are younger than you or who are powerless. That’s just who you are. But when it’s us,” Lin Cangyuan looked Gui Yin up and down and shook his head. “Well, I’m just glad you’re coming around.”
“I—You’re slandering me,” Gui Yin said, completely aghast.
“Yeah, whatever.”
Gui Yin scoffed, fanning himself faster. “You go ask around and tell me who doesn’t think I’m considerate.”
“Many people think you’re a saint. But, xiongdi, you know, I know, the Heavens and Earth also know,” Lin Cangyuan paused. He turned and patted Gui Yin’s chest, “That you’re the most two-faced person between us Yunjing Pavilion martial siblings.”
Gui Yin’s mouth opened and closed. Lin Cangyuan waited for his shidi to speak. Eventually, the proud lord immortal closed his mouth as well as his fan. He waved his fan at Lin Cangyuan as he nodded.
“Alright. Alright, Sect Master-shixiong,” Gui Yin said. He harrumphed and flourished his fan again, walking ahead of Lin Cangyuan. “I’ll give you this one.”
Lin Cangyuan smiled to himself and called after Gui Yin. “At least you’re self-aware!”
Gui Yin waved his hand noncommittally. “I’m going to find Ye-shidi then.”
“Alright,” Lin Cangyuan agreed, still not following Gui Yin.
He let out a soft sigh and rubbed his temples. Goodness, that was a close one. He almost slipped up and brought up Gui Yin’s shizun again.
Upon receiving Gui Yin’s invitation, Ye Liuxing rushed to throw his tasks to his disciples. He packed his things and, by the next day, the martial brothers set off for Kunlun. They first took the teleportation array to Chao City, once more, before traveling by sword out of Yunjing Pavilion’s sphere of influence.
They journeyed for another week before settling down at a city called Yangwen City, just beside the border between Kunlun and where the upper realm ended.
Ye Liuxing and Gui Yin settled down at the table where the waiter guided them too. After giving their thanks, ordering tea and a snack, Ye Liuxing turned to Gui Yin.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“What other plan is there? We go to Kunlun, hand them our invitation, and hope we don’t immediately offend them,” Gui Yin said.
“Would it be so easy to offend them?” Ye Liuxing wondered. “Once they take human form, don’t they act just like us?”
“Each culture has each culture’s differences,” Gui Yin said. “If you enter a foreign land, just try to do as they do, lest we needlessly step on someone’s toes.”
Ye Liuxing nodded. They were in a sensitive time, if the two of them accidentally said anything wrong, they would surely—
A loud crash interrupted Ye Liuxing’s thoughts. He and Gui Yin shared a glance before they looked across the railings towards the other side of the restaurant. A burly man was holding a woman over the railing by the scruff of her robes. The struggle looked rather intense, but the people sitting nearby only watched on with vague interest, as if this were happenstance. The burly man and the woman’s companions were frantic, as they tried to deescalate the situation.
Ye Liuxing looked to Gui Yin. “In this situation, we should…”
“Do as they do,” Gui Yin said, turning away. “It’s not like it’s any of our bu—”
The table collapsed as a slim body slammed into it. The teapot shattered and the nuts scattered to the ground. Gui Yin had closed his eyes on reflex and was only slowly opening them again. Ye Liuxing was standing, his eyes wide as he looked across at Gui Yin.
“S-Shixiong, your clothes…”
Gui Yin wiped his face of the scalding tea and stood. His foot nudged the broken table as spiritual energy began to radiate off his person.
The woman who had been thrown across the way shuddered and backed away, feeling as if she had been thrown from one tiger’s mouth into another.
Ye Liuxing inhaled sharply. “Shixiong, calm down. Calm down.”
Gui Yin turned to look at Ye Liuxing slowly, like a puppet that had just gained sentience. “I’m calm.”
“You—”
“I. Am. Calm. Do I not look it?”
“Y-You…you look…it…”
“T-this lord,” the woman struggled to get up. She crawled towards Gui Yin’s feet, her shaking hands gripping his robes. “I-I apologize. I didn’t mean to ruin your leisurely time, I—”
“Release me,” Gui Yin said, his eyes flashing coldly.
The woman shuddered and shuffled back.
Gui Yin looked across the way to the burly man and his companions. Having their table smashed was one thing, being involved in this messy situation was another, but being splashed with scalding tea?
The burly man and his companions quickly rushed over. “Um, xiongdi, are you oka—”
“Is making a scene in a restaurant and involving an innocent bystander considered okay?” Gui Yin asked.
“I…” the burly man stared at Gui Yin.
Gui Yin glanced at the woman. “Whatever is between you and this woman is none of my business, but can’t you look before you throw?”
“I…”
“If I wasn’t a cultivator, I’d be burned by the tea,” Gui Yin said, spreading his arms out to show the burly man the damage he had done. “Do you still think that’s okay?”
“…I…I’m sorry,” the burly man stuttered.
Ye Liuxing lightly cleared his throat. “It’s fine now that you’ve apologized, right, Shixiong?”
“Fine. It’s fine,” Gui Yin repeated, his gaze still steady on the burly man. He glanced at the woman. “Why are you still on the floor?”
The woman flushed in embarrassment and stood. She looked Gui Yin up and down. “So, this lord is a cultivator? What brings you all the way out here to our neck of the woods? Are you lost? Or perhaps you were curious about what we do around here?”
Gui Yin had very little patience to begin with. After being splashed with hot tea, his first reflex was to find somewhere to bathe. The feeling was unpleasant, but he dealt with it by cleaning himself cleanly with a few quick spells. He glanced at the woman, before pulling on his best customer service smile.
“We’re here on official business.”
The burly man and the woman glanced at each other. The woman lightly cleared her throat. “You wouldn’t be Lord Immortal Ninglan, would you?”
“This humble one is Ninglan,” Gui Yin cupped his hands together and bowed. He straightened and gestured to Ye Liuxing. “This is my shidi, Caowen. Who might you two be?”
The woman became flustered. She glared at the burly man beside her before forcing herself to regain her composure. “This lowly one is named Hú Zé (狐则). The gentleman beside me is called Xióngsān (熊三). We were sent out to meet with Lord Immortal Ninglan and to guide him to the entrance of Kunlun. Our sincerest apologies for failing to recognize you, Lord Immortal.”
“No need to apologize. Many people do not know what I look like,” Gui Yin said. He glanced at the broken table before turning to flag down a waiter. “I’ll pay for this.”
“Oh, no need, Lord Immortal!” the waiter cheerily replied. “Our tables and wares often get broken, so there’s already a tab open under their clans.”
Gui Yin and Ye Liuxing both glanced at the embarrassed spirit cultivators beside them. Gui Yin lightly cleared his throat, “Then, never mind.”
“Y-you two must be tired,” Hu Ze said. “Would you like to…come with us today instead of waiting till tomorrow to come in?”
“That would be lovely,” Gui Yin nodded.
Hu Ze breathed a sigh of relief. She glared at Xiongsan and went to meet with the others. Once she left, Xiongsan let out a short sigh. He glanced at Gui Yin and Ye Liuxing, who stood obediently and waited for Hu Ze to return.
“Uh…Lord Immortal,” Xiongsan scratched the back of his ear. “Sorry ‘bout that. My anger got the best of me, so I just…”
“It’s not my position to judge,” Gui Yin neatly replied.
Ye Liuxing glanced at Gui Yin. It was obvious this man, with his calm demeanor and suave fan waving, was still upset. Even if he wasn’t upset, Ye Liuxing knew that Gui Yin had never been one for small talk. He lightly cleared his throat, attracting the attention of Xiongsan.
“Is it common for you to throw each other around?” Ye Liuxing asked curiously.
“Well, we’re quite sturdy, you see,” Xiongsan said, proudly showing off his muscles. There was a smug grin on his face as Ye Liuxing shifted closer to look. “Just a bit of tossing around won’t harm us!”
“That depends on what creature you are and how high your cultivation is,” Hu Ze cut in, her smaller group of lackeys behind her. She glared at Xiongsan. “You better not be tossing song birds around.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Those birds are a feisty group,” Xiongsan shuddered. “Every time I see any of them, I feel like they’re ready to gouge my eyes out.”
“It’s your fault for eating chicken in front of them,” Hu Ze said with a roll of her eyes. She turned to Gui Yin, an ingratiating smile on her face. “Lord Immortal, we’re ready to go. Will you please follow us?”
rip Gui Yin, being handed credit and tea where he doesn’t want it
LOL thanks for reading!
Thank you for the chapter!!
thanks for reading!!!!
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
thanks for reading!!
Dang eating chicken in front of birds? No wonder they’re pissed at you.
Thanks for the chapter 👌