Gui Yin dodged behind a tree trunk, a hand pressed over his mouth as he held his breath. He watched as the hoard of ghosts ran past him. He grunted, held his arm, and sprinted to the nearest cave. After reaching his destination, he let out a short sigh and erected a barrier around the cave. He collapsed to the ground and breathed heavily as he leaned his back against the wall.
The battle had come in swarms and droves like a wave by wave battle in overly aggressive video games. As one of the people with the highest cultivations, he had been targeted the highest. It was the first time he cursed himself for his martial prowess. What was the point of becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator if he had to live life on hard mode?! Not to mention, he had lost Su Wen and Wu Feng.
He hoped they were still okay.
Gui Yin forced himself to sit straight. He crossed his legs, closed his eyes and began to meditate. A while later, his breathing slowly steadied, but as he came back to reality, he realized something was off. He opened his eyes and looked down at the cloak that had been laid over his shoulders. He lifted his head and gazed into the fire that hadn’t been there when he started his meditation. Set to the side, on a plate, were two delicately roasted rabbits and a note.
Gui Yin pursed his lips and picked up the note. The familiar, ugly handwriting stared back at him, yet there was a slight warmth gathering in his chest.
Gui-xiong, I seem to have come at a poor time. Take your time to rest. It will be a long battle. I will visit again when I have the chance.
“‘Gui-xiong’. He still has the guts to call me that after not speaking to me for almost four months,” Gui Yin murmured as he picked up the plate. He sniffed it lightly, lifted one, and took a bite. His eyes lit up. The meat was cooked to perfection. It was juicy and somehow melted in his mouth. Each bite was a flavorful burst, making him want more and more.
Who knew that the Huigu Palace Lord was such a good cook?
After finishing the meal Erlang left behind, Gui Yin pulled out his Qiankun pouch and pulled out a wooden box. He folded the note neatly and placed it into the box. Once he packed everything else, he returned to the camps. He was greeted by Su Wen and Wu Feng, both of which looked fine in appearance.
“Forgive us for our incompetence!”
“…Get up. You’re causing a scene,” Gui Yin said, hurriedly pulling the two men up. He hesitated for a moment. “Did you tell your master to come see me?”
“Lord Immortal said to, so we did,” Su Wen said.
Gui Yin closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. How could a wily snake like the Huigu Palace Lord raise two silly huskies like these two? He ignored Su Wen and Wu Feng’s curious looks and went back to his own tent.
Soon, summer passed to fall and winter to spring. The cyclical passing of time was the only thing that remained the same. Everything else had changed. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.
Gui Yin blew his fringe from his face as a cup of tea was set in front of him. He sat up, slamming his fan on the table.
Su Wen and Wu Feng jumped. They glanced at each other.
“I’ll visit when I have the chance? It’s been three years!” Gui Yin said. He glared at Su Wen and Wu Feng. “Your master—tell him I said this—is a liar.”
“Master really has had his hands full recently,” Su Wen said, rushing to defend his master’s reputation in Gui Yin’s eyes.
“Three years?”
“Huigu Palace still needs to be rebuilt. And there are other matters that Master has to attend to,” Su Wen said. He looked at Gui Yin’s hesitation and breathed a sigh of relief.
In the three years, the two men had had letter correspondences. Although they weren’t a couple, as Su Wen, Wu Feng, and A-Qi had hoped they would become, they had still become good friends. In the eyes of others, their relationship was extremely strong and even a little special. Only Huigu Palace’s attendants knew the two men were now tit-for-tat, refusing to let the other win even the smallest of arguments. They were too similar in personality, after all.
“Forget it. I can’t judge him, I suppose. I’m also busy on my own front,” Gui Yin said with a relenting sigh.
He was just…bored. Could he say that during a time of war? Everything had become so mundane. It had been so long since he tasted good wine and so long since he just had time to enjoy the sight of maple leaves. The few weeks he had when he just returned were the best weeks of his life. While he still thought this was better than the twenty-first century (yes, still), he disliked that he was caged without truly being trapped.
Not to mention, he missed his disciples. It had been so long since he had heard—
“Shizun!”
Gui Yin’s eyes widened. He watched as the tent flap was thrown open. He stood, rather flabbergasted, as three children threw themselves into his arms. They were…children, yes they were still children. But they had grown so much.
In just three years, his three little disciples had already become not so little. Their baby fat had slimmed down, particularly in Gui Linghuo, and their muscles were much more defined. After a quick scan, Gui Yin was proud to find that their cultivation had also been advancing at a steady rate.
Seeing Gui Yin so happy to reunite with his disciples, Su Wen and Wu Feng quietly made their exit to give them some space.
“Why are you three here?” Gui Yin asked, sitting down as he looked at the three children with furrowed brows.
“Ye-shishu came to deliver medical supplies and we insisted on tagging along!” Shan Yu chirped. She happily rested her head on Gui Yin’s lap, her arms wrapped around his waist. “Shizun, we’ve missed you!”
Qin Siyi latched onto Gui Yin around the neck. She sniffled lightly. “We’re glad to see you’re doing alright.”
Gui Linghuo hovered awkwardly to the side. Seeing his shizun look at him, his brows instinctively raised. Gui Yin pouted and held out his arms. “What about you? Too old to hug me now?”
Gui Linghuo’s face flushed, but he still approached Gui Yin awkwardly and hugged him tightly. He buried himself under Gui Yin’s chin, just as he had when he was younger. He took a deep breath and sighed, his eyes closing again as he bathed in the warmth of his shizun.
Gui Yin happily rubbed at his disciples’ heads. “You’re all so tall now! I can’t believe I missed it all.”
“You haven’t missed it all!” Shan Yu said. She shoved Gui Linghuo’s torso aside so she could stand up. She grinned. “Shijie and I are still growing.”
“I’m still growing also,” Gui Linghuo said with a frown.
“You better stop,” Shan Yu threatened, her gaze sharpening.
“I’m not even that tall,” Gui Linghuo said.
“You have to let us catch up to you first!” Shan Yu demanded.
Gui Linghuo scoffed. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Shan Yu arrogantly. “If I waited for you to catch up, I would be this height for the rest of my life.”
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.
Shan Yu gasped, obviously offended by such a proclamation. She puffed out her chest. “I’ll have you know, Jiu-shigu says I grow a centimeter a month!”
“Ljnf sbe fnfg mbcrlvfgfv rtf’r islcu ab sbe?” Xel Olcuteb qgbnbxfv.
“Vtf kbeivc’a!”
“Zjsyf rtf’r rmjgfv bo tegalcu sbeg ylu fub!”
“Tbe—”
“Guys. Shizun is right here,” Qin Siyi said, still hanging off Gui Yin. She rested her head against Gui Yin’s shoulder as she watched her martial siblings disapprovingly. She glanced at Gui Linghuo with a judgemental frown. “If Li Yan was here, you wouldn’t fight like this.”
Ca atf wfcalbc bo Ol Tjc, Xel Olcuteb’r mtffxr aegcfv j kjgw gfv. Xel Tlc gjlrfv j ygbk lc lcafgfra, yea lcrafjv bo ibbxlcu ja Xel Olcuteb, tf tjv aegcfv tlr jaafcalbc ab Hlc Vlsl.
The girl was still as quiet as ever, but it seemed that she had picked up a sharp tongue, after being away from Gui Yin’s side for so long. The three disciples seemed to have picked up little traits from each other and even some bad habits from their Ye-shishu. The responsible Gui Linghuo now partook in teasing and arguing with Shan Yu while the quiet Qin Siyi now knew how to make hard jabs, like Gui Linghuo used to. The three of them picked on each other like Gui Yin and Ye Liuxing would. But they were clearly not like this before. They had always been cute and obedient in front of Gui Yin. However, Gui Yin didn’t think this was a bad thing.
It’s just that he felt a bit left out, but when he could give Qin Siyi a smothering hug again, he felt a little bit better.
“You three should leave soon,” Gui Yin said.
The reluctance in his voice couldn’t be masked. The children glanced at each other. Gui Linghuo especially couldn’t hold back a small smile.
“Shizun, I’m already fifteen. I can fight alongside you,” Gui Linghuo said.
Gui Yin’s expression immediately sharpened. “You cannot.”
“Why? The youngest fighting right now is fourteen or fifteen. There’s nothing wrong if I also join,” Gui Linghuo pointed out.
“There is something wrong. You are my disciple and if I say you can’t, then you can’t.”
“But Li Yan is.”
“Li—what?!” Gui Yin exclaimed.
“Shizun, it was Li Huanwei that called her back,” Shan Yu tattled. It was obvious that she was enraged.
“Luckily, Fang-ge insisted she go to his camp,” Qin Siyi said, her expression dark as well.
“Since Li Yan can be here, then I should also be able to stay too, right?” Gui Linghuo said, smiling sweetly. “I don’t have to fight, Shizun. I can just stay by your side and attend to you.”
“Do I need you to look after me, you rascal? Su Wen, Wu Feng.”
The two men who had been standing outside awkwardly entered the tent. The three disciples turned to them, their gazes sharp.
“I have two attendants and they’re plenty capable,” Gui Yin said.
Shan Yu chewed at her lip. She shared a glance with her two martial siblings. If Gui Linghuo couldn’t stay now, then that meant none of them could join Gui Yin’s side when they became fifteen. They had to win this battle!
“Does Shizun not want us anymore?” Shan Yu asked, tears immediately emerging in her eyes.
Gui Yin froze. “What? No, that’s not—”
Qin Siyi quickly caught onto what Shan Yu was doing. She lowered her head pitifully. “Are we useless now? Shizun, don’t abandon us.”
“Shizun, what are we going to do if you leave us?” Shan Yu asked, a fat tear rolling down her cheek.
Gui Yin stared at his disciples, mouth agape. What were they going to do? He didn’t know about the other two, but Shan Yu could just go back home and accept her birthright! Why was she acting the most dramatic?!
He glanced at Gui Linghuo, hoping for some solace from their acting, only to be doubly shot through the heart. The boy said nothing, but his expression was desolate.
Gui Yin knew what they were doing. He knew they were acting pitiful on purpose, but his heart really couldn’t take it. He pursed his lips and hesitated for a long time before finally sighing. His fan snapped shut.
“Alright. Stay,” Gui Yin said. He looked at the three of them helplessly. “How is it that you three have become more petulant now that you’re older?”
“It’s because Shizun wasn’t there to watch us,” Shan Yu said boldly.
She was still the spearhead of the disciples’ consensus.
A tent was set out for Gui Linghuo shortly after. The older disciples enthusiastically welcomed Gui Linghuo. Although the youth hadn’t been on the frontlines, he had been helping in the lower realms. They had no doubt that he would have the skills to keep up with them later.
Just as the crowd was warmest, Gui Yin felt a presence staring at the back of his head. He frowned and whipped his head around. But the moment his gaze fell on where he had felt the presence, the uncomfortable feeling vanished.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Gui Yin jolted and looked at his shidi, who was giving him a toothy grin. He sighed and smacked the back of Ye Liuxing’s hand with his fan. The younger man hissed dramatically and rubbed his hand with a pout.
“Shixiong, I haven’t seen you in so long. Is this how you greet your shidi?”
“If you hadn’t come up behind me and scared me, then maybe I wouldn’t be so agitated,” Gui Yin said, flourishing his fan shamelessly.
“How is this behind you? I’m obviously in front of you! You’re the one who turned to look behind as I was approaching you, that’s all,” Ye Liuxing said, showing a wronged expression. He glanced at the crowd of people and Gui Yin’s disciples in the middle. “So? You decided to let your oldest stay with you?”
“They all acted like I was sending them to the orphanage if I hadn’t,” Gui Yin said, frowning. He shook his head and then turned to glare at Ye Liuxing. “What are you all teaching them over there? They’ve even learned to con their way into my heart.”
“Con their way in? Shixiong, they don’t have to do much to get to your heart,” Ye Liuxing said, patting Gui Yin’s chest.
Gui Yin sighed. He wanted to shoot a few words back, but when he looked at Ye Liuxing, he realized his expression seemed off.
“…What’s your deal now?”
“Shixiong, does it feel like it suddenly got colder?” Ye Liuxing asked, shuddering.
Gui Yin frowned. “No. Are you getting sick? It’s the dead of summer—why would you suddenly get chills?”
“No, no. I’m not sick, but…” Ye Liuxing’s eyes darted around. He leaned closer to Gui Yin, arms wrapped around himself. “Do you think it’s a ghost?”
“Ridiculous,” Gui Yin knocked Ye Liuxing lightly on the head. “We’re cultivators. If it’s a ghost, you think we won’t be able to see?”
“No, I mean the ones that are there but we can’t catch them or anything? Those ghosts!” Ye Liuxing exclaimed. He shifted closer to Gui Yin, until he was practically pressed against his chest.
“That’s even less to worry about,” Gui Yin said, shoving Ye Liuxing off of himself. “They don’t even have the power to harm us!”
“But isn’t it freaky!? Being watched by a presence you can’t quite see,” Ye Liuxing’s voice trailed off. He shuddered and shook his head. “I don’t know if I can do it.”
Gui Yin smirked. He leaned down and lowered his voice: “Be careful of your choice of words. That phantom friends of yours might become offended and follow you home.”
The small hairs on Ye Liuxing’s arms stood. He shoved Gui Yin slightly and straightened. “Shixiong! You’re bullying me!”
Gui Yin laughed. He turned away and ignored Ye Liuxing’s shouting.
After dinner, Ye Liuxing took off again with Shan Yu and Qin Siyi. The three little disciples had a tearful goodbye, with the two little girls promising that they will come back soon (much to Gui Yin’s disapproval). Once the camps calmed again, Gui Yin also settled down in his tent.
He glanced at the armor set off to the side as he laid down on his bed. It wasn’t his shift tonight, but he could still hear the clashing of weapons and the howling of ghosts, as if it were right outside his door. He closed his eyes.
Three years embroiled in war was already long, but the end wasn’t in sight.
For a moment, Gui Yin really wished this was a book that had been finished. If he could just flip to the end or flip ahead to see the outcomes, he would feel much more at ease. But then, he paused. The future was undetermined and all paths were open. Wasn’t this better? If he had, instead, been faced with a horrible future, he would be even more stressed.
Gui Yin sat up. He pulled on a thin jacket, slipped into his shoes and left his tent.
Nowadays, those who were able to sleep would sleep. The night and day hours were reversed, but it still wasn’t enough for many people. Having to fight and push back ghost cultivators every night until the sun rose again was taxing. Gui Yin and Lin Cangyuan and those of their caliber could last a week, but other cultivators could only last a handful of days. If this continued on, the casualties would definitely skyrocket.
Gui Yin made his way to the side of the river nearby and knelt down. He tried to ignore the clashing of weapons in the distance and focused on the gurgling stream. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
Then, a crack of a tree branch interrupted his thoughts. Gui Yin’s eyes flew open. A sword pointed to the throat of the newcomer, but the moment Gui Yin met those golden eyes, his hand slowly lowered.
“Erlang?”
“I heard from a little birdy that you missed me,” Erlang said. His eyes still remained on the sword as it transformed back into a fan. “Jumpy now, aren’t we?”
“You would already be dead if you were really trying to sneak up on me,” Gui Yin said, turning back around to face the river with a huff. He glanced at the tall man, his eyes narrowing into a glare. “What? Is it nice to be tall?”
Erlang awkwardly crouched down beside Gui Yin. He observed the other man silently for a moment before picking up a smooth stone and flicking it into the river.
“Why are you out here anyway? Shouldn’t you be sleeping? Recharging your energy or what have you.”
Gui Yin let out a short sigh. Despite being a cultivator, the bags under his eyes had grown somewhat prominent. He waved his hand vaguely in the air: “Can’t you hear them? With so much noise, how can I sleep?”
Erlang didn’t have to strain his ears to hear the sound of battle. Although it was further away, as cultivators of a higher realm, the two of them could hear it clearly. He tilted his head, looking up at the stars as a slow breath left his lips.
“I guess I got lucky.”
“What?” Gui Yin glanced at him, a brow raised as he scanned the other. “What riddle are you making now?”
“This is probably the only time I can visit you.”
Gui Yin’s brows furrowed. “I heard you were trying to rebuild Huigu Palace.”
“Trying doesn’t quite describe what I’m doing,” Erlang said, smirking as he met Gui Yin’s gaze. “It’s rebuilt, but there is still someone who prefers me dead.”
“And so…?”
“A new person has become Palace Master. Someone surnamed Sun,” Erlang said. “No one has ever seen his face and he is as mysterious as the previous Palace Master. But his subordinates are just as loyal.”
Gui Yin stared at him blankly for a moment before letting out a low hum. “So, Er-ye is dead?”
“Er-ye is missing,” Erlang corrected.
“Lame. It would be better and more dramatic if that man surnamed Sun just declared the original Palace Master was dead,” Gui Yin scoffed. “If you’re going to make a new identity, at least go all in.”
“But if I go all in, then what about the people who still owe me?” Erlang pointed out. “If there’s a chance Er-ye will return, then they would refute so easily.”
Gui Yin tilted his head on his knee as he observed Erlang. “So, Er-ye is planning on coming back?”
“It’s turbulent right now,” Erlang said. “The desert may be harsh, but there are much harsher places. I don’t have the energy to split myself into two right now, so I can only focus on one. That’s why I couldn’t come find you until now.”
Gui Yin looked at him subtly. Huigu Palace’s Palace Lord was missing. Now, there was someone acting as a stand-in palace lord. From Erlang’s words, Gui Yin could assume that he really had temporarily put Huigu Palace into someone else’s hands as he went somewhere else to do…something else.
“Curious?” Erlang asked.
“I am, but will you tell me if I said so?” Gui Yin asked with a coy glance towards him.
Erlang held Gui Yin’s gaze as a smile bloomed on his face. “It’ll help you.”
“Help me?”
Without answering, the man tilted his head towards the stars. “Maybe not now, but I’m told it’ll help you later.”
“You’re speaking in riddles again,” Gui Yin said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at the stars and then turned back to Erlang. “While you’re here, take those two attendants away. I don’t need them.”
“Why? They’re sturdy. They can take a few more hits than you think. Keep them by your side,” Erlang said.
“How can you say that about them when they’re so loyal to you?” Gui Yin asked, smirking in amusement. “Besides, aren’t you out there doing dangerous things too? They’re more useful by your side.”
“One A-Qi has the same ability as those two. I don’t need them right now. But those two are equal to twenty people. Twenty people are protecting you, so just be obedient and keep them by your side,” Erlang said.
Gui Yin’s eyes narrowed, but Erlang refused to back down. After a short staring contest, Gui Yin turned his head away.
“Thanks, then.”
“My pleasure.”
A comfortable silence drifted between the two men. Gui Yin found his eyes growing heavier, but he was reluctant to let go of this moment of peace. His head lulled to the side, forcing him to bounce back to reality. His eyes fell to the stars, the only thing that offered him a temporary distraction during the past three years.
“What do you want to know?”
“What?”
When Gui Yin looked over, he found Erlang watching him. His brows furrowed, but the other man’s smile only grew.
“Ask me anything. The stars are feeling generous tonight. They might answer.”
Gui Yin scoffed. He rested his head against his arm as he watched Erlang. “I’m too tired for your riddles.”
“If you don’t want to ask anything, then I’ll ask,” Erlang said. His hand stretched out and just barely touching Gui Yin in order to brush aside his hair. “I’ve got it.”
“Got what?” Gui Yin murmured, a small smile on his lips as he observed the silly man.
“Everything will be okay.”
Rather than a prediction, it sounded like words to comfort a tired soul. It was mundane—bland, even—but Gui Yin found himself relaxing further. He hummed softly as his eyelids grew heavier. He felt the warm hand brush against his cheek and instinctively leaned towards it.
“Do you want to hear a lullaby?” Erlang asked, watching as Gui Yin cuddled against the palm of his hand.
“That’s weird,” Gui Yin protested weakly. “Why would you sing a full-grown man a lullaby? Do you have a hole in your brain?”
Unperturbed by Gui Yin’s weird insult, Erlang lightly cleared his throat. His body shifted towards Gui Yin, catching him against his chest as a low, calming melody left Erlang’s lips.
For a moment, the words were indecipherable and then, Gui Yin realized it was a dialect he didn’t even understand. But the words were familiar, as if he caught it briefly as he was passing through in his brief time in Devil’s Desert. It was odd, though. When spoken, the language was fast—sounding like a jumble of sounds. But when it was slowed down into a lullaby, Gui Yin could just barely pick out words that sounded similar to those in the standard tongue.
His eyelids grew heavier and he unconsciously melted against Erlang’s side.
Erlang normally had an enchanting voice. When it was right beside your ear, because of his voice transmission technique, it was difficult to ignore. But right now, he was using only his raw voice. It was quiet, without as much strength as it usually had, but it was still low and soothing. His voice reminded Gui Yin honey, dripping from a spoon. It reminded him of the deep, comforting resonance of a cello.
Eventually, Gui Yin’s breathing smoothed out. Erlang glanced down at the figure, sleeping peacefully against him. The defenseless man was different from the magnificent war god described in the reports. Upon closer inspection, Erlang could tell that he had lost a lot of weight in the three years they hadn’t seen each other. But, like the unchanging mountains, there was still a silent loneliness that surrounded him. It was just more apparent now.
Erlang’s gaze darkened slightly as his fingers brushed aside a few loose locks of Gui Yin’s hair. Interesting. This man really was too interesting.
In fact, Erlang had been curious as well, so he had taken a closer look at what the future had in store for Gui Yin. Unfortunately, seven years later, their paths would completely collide, forcing them to travel together. At that point, Erlang could no longer see what would happen to him until the calamities passed.
But before then, in the next seven years, Erlang saw many things that would break the average man. There was loss. There was defeat. There were even signs of death. But each time, Gui Yin would emerge again, stronger and colder than the next. At first, Erlang had wanted to observe him from afar, but after seeing this, he knew he couldn’t. If he really went ten years without contacting this man, the man would have completely isolated himself from him. So, he had to be closer and closer still.
Gui Yin was a unique existence and Erlang couldn’t let go of him just yet. He was far too interesting. His curiosity had yet to be satiated.
Erlang lifted Gui Yin up in a horizontal carry and took him back to his tent. Standing just outside were Su Wen and Wu Feng. The two men bowed as Erlang entered the tent.
“Continue to keep an eye on him,” Erlang said as he gently set Gui Yin down. He pulled his shoes off and set them to the side as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He looked at the two men. “Make sure not a lock of hair is harmed on his head.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Until…” Erlang glanced at Gui Yin. “Well, never mind. Nothing can stop Heaven’s games. But you two stay alive. And stay alert. It would be a shame if you two died to Fate of all things.”
Su Wen and Wu Feng glanced at each other again. They were used to their master speaking in riddles, so they only lowered their head loyally and let out one last chorus: “Yes, Master.”
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (Tutter scream) OH MY GODS!!!!!
first of all, silly huskies ftw akxbsjxhs
second of all, i am both happy and worried for Gui Linghuo now being on the battlefield. you stay safe, son boy (and keep growing Shan Yu, you got this).
third of all, [rereading Erlang and Gui Yin interacting] i…. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 SCREAMING Erlang, he- he sang for him and looked at the stars for him and, and 😭😭😭 too many feels for words, im love them
absolutely lost it at tutter scream– THANKS for readinngg
They gather together to witness tragedy?
Also reading about erlang’s voice singing a lullaby made me sleepy lol his powers work through the screen.
Also it seems my preeevious question has been answered it is not romantic intention but curiosity it seems.
Also I would happily read like 300 chaps of this story my dude.
Also does that mean my man erlang will be mostly mia for ze next about 7 years?
🥺 I’m glad you’d read 300 chapters, cuz it’s pretty long (not 300 tho lmao–). Ahem, even if our best pal is away for the next 7 years, at least Gui Yin has two little protectors 😔
Thanks for reading!!
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Thanks for readddd
No no no I can’t see my baby being sad and isolated please no😭 why must fate be this cruel??? 🫠
Hmm i have a crazy thought, would the stars be the ‘author’ of the ‘novel world’? So she may be something like a Deity and somehow she communicated with ErLang?