The seaside they arrived at actually had a town nearby. The town was prospering. Although it was small, it was a famous trading port and often drew in a lot of merchants and tourists. The little town was built in the middle of a lake that directly spilled out into the ocean. There were many stories about this little town—like how it was under the protection of a dragon king. These little myths generally stemmed from the fact that this little town was actually built on top of a lake that spilled out directly into the ocean. While the lake was inland enough and, in current times, the way to the ocean was mostly dammed off, people still thought it was a miracle that the town hadn’t been torn down.
It was the town’s luck that it was a central trading port between this continent and the next continent, so cultivators had come by to make sure it still remained standing with various spells and arrays. This was common knowledge among the town’s people, but they kept it to themselves from the general public. It was a nice gimmick and it drew in tourists.
When the group arrived, Gui Yin quickly put his flying boat away and found the most livable inn that he could. He rented two rooms—one for himself and Gui Linghuo and the other for the three girls. They would be staying for a few days to sightsee before heading back to Yunjing Pavilion.
Gui Yin dutifully gave money to each child before straightening, with his hands on his hips. “Alright. If you four want to go out and play, be sure to tell me. And you can’t leave without me or your Da-shixiong at your side, okay?”
“Why is Da-shixiong in charge?” Shan Yu whined.
“Because he’s the oldest. And he’s the best at fighting,” Gui Yin said. “Also, you cannot go out in the afternoon or at night without me, alright? That goes for you too, Linghuo.”
Gui Linghuo nodded obediently.
“You all have ten emergency fireworks at your side, right? If something happens, be sure to fire them, okay? Even if I’m in the middle of something, I’ll run over there immediately,” Gui Yin said, patting Shan Yu’s head.
The children chorused their agreement. Gui Yin opened his mouth to disperse their meeting, but before he could, a familiar voice called out to him.
“Eh!? Hey, isn’t that the Pretty Boy?”
Gui Yin paused. He turned to look behind him and, as expected, watched as the cheerful girl skipped up to them. Unconsciously, his eyes darted around, but when he saw no one else at her side, he returned his attention back, cupped his hands over his fan and bowed slightly.
“Miss A-Qi, what a coincidence to see you here.”
“A coincidence—definitely a coincidence!” A-Qi exclaimed. She glanced behind him. “Hm? What are these? Although you’re a cultivator, so you’re probably quite old, it doesn’t fit your image to already have so many kids!”
Gui Yin inhaled too sharply and began to choke. A-Qi watched on with interest as Gui Yin tried to recover his cool.
“Ahem! These…Miss A-Qi, these aren’t my children. They’re my students,” Gui Yin said.
“Oh. So, you’re out on a field trip?”
“…Something like that. But what brings you all the way over here, Miss A-Qi? I thought you would still be in Feiyin City. Is your master all better now?”
A-Qi giggled and coyly swatted at Gui Yin’s chest. “Oh, you. All pretending like you don’t know!”
Gui Yin’s smile stiffened slightly. His brows narrowed as he forced out a laugh. “Don’t…don’t know what?”
“Like you don’t know my master,” A-Qi giggled again. She peeked at Gui Yin. She lowered her voice to a whisper, though it was completely useless since the children could still hear her, “I know everything, Lord Immortal.”
“Every…every what?”
“That you and my master are…” A-Qi whined slightly and shook her shoulders.
“That…huh?”
“That you’re…gosh! You’re embarrassing me. I don’t want to say it out loud,” A-Qi squealed.
“…Shizun, what is she talking about?” Gui Linghuo asked, a sense of urgency forming in his chest.
“I…I don’t know,” Gui Yin stuttered. He coughed to clear the discomfort in his throat. “Your master and I have no relationship. At most…at most I’ve just helped him once.”
“But Master said you’ve helped him multiple times.”
“…Then, twice,” Gui Yin said, adding on the time he helped them through the city gates. “That’s as far as our relationship goes.”
A-Qi pouted her lips. “Liar. Obviously, you and my Master communicate with each other quite often! You two are—”
“A-Qi.”
The voice that had spoken was not immediately nearby, but without even being so, Gui Yin and his party heard it clearly. Gui Yin’s eyes sharpened as he looked towards the stairs, where the figure was still slowly walking down. As the person became clearer, Gui Yin couldn’t help but give him a few more glances.
The man was tall. Because of his hazel eyes and darker skin, he stood out among the other guests of the inn. His hair was pulled up only half way by a red clasp, with two braids running up the right side of his head. He wore a set of black brocade robes with enough layers to cover his neck. When he arrived beside A-Qi, Gui Yin couldn’t help but glance between them.
Although A-Qi was a pretty lady, Gui Yin felt that the man before him was definitely superior.
“I told you to run off and deliver a letter. What are you dawdling down here for?”
A-Qi’s eyes lit up. She looked excitedly between Gui Yin and the man in front of her. “Master, you definitely heard me picking on this Lord Immortal, so you can down to intervene, right?”
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.
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“How could I mind?” Gui Yin smiled gently. “In fact, I think she’s quite cute this way.”
A-Qi giggled to herself. She met her master’s gaze and quickly clammed up. “Um…I’m going to find Su Wen and Wu Feng!”
The young woman hurriedly ran off, her hands flailing as she did so, as if she would be eaten alive if she didn’t hurry away. The man before them scoffed lightly. He turned back to Gui Yin, but his eyes eventually fell on the children.
“These are your disciples?”
“These three are,” Gui Yin lightly tapped the heads of his kids. “This one is a student of mine.”
“I see,” the man hummed. His lips drew back into a calm, dimpled smile. “Nice to meet you. You can call me Er-ye.”
“Er-ye,” the children obediently chorused.
Although the man nicknamed Er-ye was tall and handsome, there was something almost eerie about the way he moved. His eyes lingered on Gui Yin for a little too long and his smile appeared to be a little too calculated. It made Li Yan uncomfortable and made the others a little wary.
“Are you here to sightsee?” the man asked.
Gui Yin hummed noncommittally. “Since it’s rare for me to step out of the sect, I thought this would be a good time to look around.”
“Indeed, it’s a good time. In a few days, it’ll be time to celebrate the dragon king and his queen reuniting.”
“The dragon king and his queen?” Gui Yin raised a brow.
“Oh. Lord Immortal doesn’t know of this tale?” the man asked. He flicked a sleeve behind his back as he began to recite the old legend. “Legend has it the dragon king in these waters, also known as King Pan, was a reckless and hotheaded ruler. If mortals didn’t pay him the proper respect, then he could go on a rampage and flood the lands. At that time, this Qingshui Town wouldn’t have even been allowed to exist. One year, because of a plague that swept through the seaside towns, they weren’t able to collect an offering in time, so they sent a young woman as an offering instead.”
Shan Yu’s face scrunched up. “That’s horrible! Why is it always a woman?”
The man chuckled, “But here’s the catch—it wasn’t a woman.”
The children stared at him in shock.
“But you said they sent a young woman,” Qin Siyi said.
“They thought they did!” Er-ye said, his face an expression of concern. “But they didn’t know that this young woman actually had a younger brother. The younger brother looked quite similar to his sister, only with the obvious differences. And there was a great tragic story behind these two siblings. Their parents had died when they were young and the young woman raised her little brother by herself. Now that the village chief was selfishly offering her up without even asking for her opinion, the little brother was discontent. He decided that he would go in his sister’s place and allow her to live a happy life.”
“The little brother is selfish too,” Shan Yu mumbled. “How does he know his sister would be happy if she leaves her? She would probably feel guilty for the rest of her life.”
Er-ye chuckled. “This little lady makes a good point.”
“What happens next?” Qin Siyi asked curiously.
“Next? Mm, well, the young man makes it to the dragon’s lair. The dragon immediately realizes that the young man isn’t a woman, but he doesn’t mind. He is taken by the young man’s beauty and willingly makes him his wife. Because the young man is mortal and disliked when the dragon king tortured the mortals, the weather began to settle. Fishermen could more easily do their jobs and places like Qingshui Town come to stand,” the man said. “As for how they separated…well, mortals all die eventually.”
The children fell silent, their expression quickly being one of sorrow.
“The day the dragon king reunited with his queen was the day both of them passed,” Er-ye said with a sorrowful sigh. “Of course, that didn’t mean the dragon king followed his queen immediately. His queen made him live out the rest of his life. It just so happened that their death day was the same.”
“What an unexpected twist,” Gui Yin commented.
“But it’s romantic, isn’t it?” Er-ye raised a brow. “After the dragon king’s passing, no natural disasters have happened in this area. People believe it to be the dragon king’s blessing, so they celebrate the lives of him and his queen on that day every year.”
Shan Yu turned to Gui Yin excitedly. “Shifu, can we stay and see the festival?”
“Shifu, can we please?” Qin Siyi asked.
Although Li Yan said nothing, her eyes shone with anticipation.
“It’s just a few more days, isn’t it? Why can’t we stay?” Gui Yin asked magnanimously. He glanced at Gui Linghuo and hid his amusement. Even his oldest child wanted to stay.
“Most of the decorations should be up by now. Since this inn is a bit further from town central, it’s sparsely decorated. If you want to see more, you should head towards the center of the town,” the man advised.
Gui Yin glanced at him with a raised brow. As expected, Shan Yu and Qin Siyi immediately asked if they could go see.
“You children go ahead. I’m feeling a little tired,” Gui Yin said. He patted Gui Linghuo’s back. “Keep an eye on your shimei, okay?”
Gui Linghuo nodded dutifully.
The two men watched the kids leave first before they turned to each other.
“You’re good at coaxing children,” Gui Yin commented.
Er-ye smiled. “That’s high praise coming from you, Lord Immortal.”
“Not at all, not at all. I must say, Palace Lord, I’ve noticed that you have quite the way with words in general,” Gui Yin said.
“Calling me Palace Lord in public is a bit…” Er-ye lightly shook his head. He smiled. “Lord Immortal, how about calling me ‘Erlang’?”
“I would feel uncomfortable calling you Erlang while you address me so stiffly,” Gui Yin said.
“Then, I can call you Gui-xiong—is that okay?”
“…Alright,” Gui Yin agreed. “Then, I’ll call you Erlang.”
The man’s smile widened. “Gui-xiong, did you actually need to rest?”
“It was only an excuse. I wanted to share a word with you at least,” Gui Yin said. “If that’s all, then I’ll really—”
“Since fate brought us together, how about you have a chat over some fine wine. Qingshui Town isn’t just known for their magnificent festivals and architecture—they’re also known for their Millenia Love Wine.”
“Millenia Love Wine,” Gui Yin echoed. “Quite a magnificent name.”
“Fitting for a magnificent wine. It’s a bit bitter at the beginning, but it mellows out in your mouth and leaves a sweet aftertaste once you’ve swallowed,” Erlang said. “A definite delicacy to enjoy if you’re visiting Qingshui Town.”
Gui Yin was still hesitant. Although he knew this man’s origins now, he still didn’t know his motivations. It would be best to not walk too closely to him for now.
Seeing the many thoughts and calculations that ran through Gui Yin’s head didn’t deter Erlang. Without Gui Yin noticing, Erlang shifted a little closer. “The children are off playing. Gui-xiong can’t possibly be thinking about spending your getaway alone in your room?”
Gui Yin glanced at the man. He wasn’t that much taller than him, but because of his broad shoulders, Gui Yin almost felt smothered. He pressed the shell of his fan to Erlang’s chest and lightly nudged him back.
“Come to my room then, if you want to drink with me so badly.”
“That would be most delightful,” Erlang chuckled, as he gently guided the fan away from his chest.
The wine was delivered to Gui Yin’s room along with a few snacks. Without even the air of being in another’s room, Erlang took the initiative to pour Gui Yin a cup of wine and then himself. Seeing Gui Yin watching him intently, Erlang took the first drink.
He smiled. “I didn’t poison it.”
Gui Yin’s gaze lingered on his dimples for a moment before he looked away. “I never said you did.”
“Yet, you’re still not drinking,” Erlang pointed out. He took Gui Yin’s cup and replaced it with his own before he refilled it and drank from what was originally Gui Yin’s cup.
Only after that did Gui Yin lift the cup in front of him and take a careful taste.
It truly was bitter at the beginning, but this bitterness wasn’t unenjoyable. It was similar to when candy was sour, but would then slowly become sweet again. After a few sips, Gui Yin felt that he had become addicted.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” Erlang happily poured Gui Yin a second cup. “You should bring a few jugs home with you after this.”
“Perhaps I will,” Gui Yin said, his eyes sparkling as he held up the cup. He had never tasted anything so interesting before in his life.
Erlang chuckled slightly and quietly drank from his own cup.
“Have you recovered well from your injury?” Gui Yin asked casually.
“Just about,” Erlang replied. He rested his chin against his knuckles as he watched Gui Yin peel some peanuts. “I still haven’t thanked Gui-xiong for helping me.”
“As Huigu Palace’s Palace Lord, I’m sure you would have found a way in anyway,” Gui Yin said. “That hardly counts as a favor that needs to be repaid.”
“Gui-xiong doesn’t understand,” Erlang sat up and drank the cup that Gui Yin had refilled. “I’m the type of person who hates owing others. If someone has helped me in the past,” he took the wine jar and filled Gui Yin’s cup, “I will definitely return the favor—no matter how big or small.”
“How tiring a life you must live,” Gui Yin said, raising a brow as he tossed the peanut shells into a pile.
Erlang chuckled. “It’s not tiring at all. I would say it’s quite fulfilling. So, you should just let me help you. It’ll allow me to sleep easier at night.”
“Do you have trouble sleeping?” Gui Yin asked.
“I have a bit of insomnia, but who doesn’t these days?” Erlang let out a long sigh. “It’s fine all the same. Staying up so late into the night allows me to get more work done.”
“Erlang seems to be a very busy person.”
“I do have things to attend to every now and then.”
“Then, all the more reason to not worry about a small figure like me,” Gui Yin said.
Erlang’s brows rose. His smile deepened as he met Gui Yin’s gaze. “A small figure? Gui-xiong, I’ve never had to beg anyone to let me repay them. You’re the first.”
“So, what? Have I piqued your interest?” Gui Yin asked.
“More than that, it’s because you’ve done me a big favor,” Erlang said. “Among all the petty favors, you stand the tallest, yet you want absolutely nothing from me? How could I let you go like that?”
The words “how could I let you go like that?” seemed to carry a different meaning when it was paired with Erlang’s deep, yet soft voice. Gui Yin shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the inappropriate thoughts entering his mind.
“Gui-xiong?”
“Are you using a voice transmission technique?” Gui Yin asked.
Erlang was surprised at the sudden change in topic. He thought for a moment about how to answer, before shaking his head. “It’s something similar. I’m just amplifying my voice.”
“Amplifying your voice? Because you’re so soft spoken?”
Erlang chuckled. “It’s more that I can’t be bothered speaking louder. If Gui-xiong doesn’t like it, I can stop using it.”
Gui Yin’s movements stilled. The sound of Erlang’s voice, unfiltered and not injected directly into his ear was…even worse for his self-restraint. How could one man sound so damn—
“Is this better?” Erlang asked. He lightly cleared his throat and tried again. “My apologies if I sound a little odd. I haven’t spoken at a normal volume in a while. This—”
“Just do whatever is comfortable for you,” Gui Yin interrupted. He offered a charming smile. “I was only curious. It didn’t really bother me.”
Erlang silently observed Gui Yin for a moment.
Gui Yin resisted the urge to fidget as he deshelled the peanuts. The longer Erlang stared, the more Gui Yin felt that he was being seen completely through—clothes and all. He could almost feel the way Erlang’s gaze crawled up his skin, lingering in places and swiftly looking away in others.
“Have you looked enough?” Gui Yin finally asked.
Erlang was smiling when Gui Yin looked up. “Gui-xiong, you find me attractive, don’t you?”
“No one likes an arrogant man,” Gui Yin said.
“It’s not arrogance. It’s a fact,” Erlang said. He straightened and tilted his head slightly, his dimples deepening. “But it is funny to hear, coming from Beidou Alliance’s most arrogant man.”
“Ah? I’m not arrogant—I’m just talented.”
Erlang turned his head away as a laugh escaped his lip. Gui Yin suppressed his own laugh and drank his wine silently.
Eventually, the plate of peanuts Gui Yin peeled was placed in the middle, with Erlang eating from it in silent contemplation. Gui Yin raised a brow as he tossed a peanut into his mouth.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Thinking about how else to make a conversation with you,” Erlang said.
“Are you not a good conversationalist?”
“I am. But I’m just nervous around you,” Erlang said.
“Kid, I don’t like people who are younger than me,” Gui Yin said, looking down his nose at Erlang.
Erlang chuckled lightly. “Gui-xiong, you and I are probably quite close in age.”
“Are we?” Gui Yin was unconvinced.
“Just about.”
Gui Yin’s chewing slowed down. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Erlang’s smug expression. It seemed that this man in front of him knew something that he didn’t know.
I knew it, all “Er'” is the same person.
It soo good thanks you for the chepter.
thanks for reading!!
That’s definitely a chapter I’m gonna re-read. But because interesting 👀✨💥 stuff happens, not because my brain is a sleepyhead 😻💤
😂😂 thanks for (attempting?) to read it!!
Hmmm. Mystery man with hidden truths. Pfft! Thanks for the update 🤣❤️
thanks for reading!!!!!!
I AM SHAKING IN EXCITEMENT OH MY GODS THEY ARE SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER AND EXCHANGING LIGHT TOUCHES THROUGH THE FAN HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH my cat is staring at me in concern as i keep making more weird noises than normal and breathing very staggardly akdhskxjsm
reread the chapter and im kicking my feet and smiling stupidly. Erlang has a soft voice and dimples and he is nervous around Gui Yin…. ough i need to squeeze him
also i was shaking too much to mention earlier, but the legend of the dragon king and his wife was indeed all rather romantic and im with the kids: i wanna run around and explore the festival akchskxjs
ERLANG MY FAVORITE B–i mean what i don’t play favorites. ahem. thanks for reading!
i feel the same way lol
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
thanks for readinngg
I’ve known this since the start when his character was introduced lmao
I love this chapter so muchhhhh❤️
Thanks for the chapter!!!!!
They FINALLY meet.